Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Kate ran as quickly as she could to the barracks. She had always been fast on her feet and the men that were in persuit would simply find the door to the barracks locked and barred by the time that they arrived. She hurried to where Cahal lay bleeding and she didn't say a word as she tore at the hem of her own shirt to help her Uncle. She wouldn't let him die, she told herself as she worked on him like her grandfather had taught her.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Thank God... Kate," Cahal's eyes met hers. "There's a box under the Corporal's bed that has herbs and bandages." He pointed to the bed at the front of the barracks room. But the window on one side shattered and in climbed one of the mercenaries. Cahal was quick to pull his knife from where it lay after he'd taken it from his belt, and with an expert throw, the man was felled with the blade in his neck.

"Slide his crossbow over here, I'll cover you while you work," he said quickly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate slid the crossbow to Cahal and nodded as she grabbed the box from beneath the Corporal's bed. Soon she was back at his side, throwing open the top of the wooden box and grabbing the bandages and the herbs that she needed. She carefully set about packing his wounds with herbs before she tightly tied the bandages around the wounds.

 

[KieranSoares]

Cahal grit his teeth against the pain, and when the second mercenary entered, he was taken down before he could blink with a sure shot from Cahal. When Kate was finished, Cahal met her eyes. "Where's Kell? Why isn't he with you?" Surely Kell would've finished off the cat by then and either come to her or alerted the soldiers. But no one had come.

 

[heartofcourage]

"The one who did this to you came for me." She murmured, looking over her shoulder towards the door. "I have to go....I have to go make sure he's alright."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Help me outside, the night watchmen had horses out there. Get me on one and I'll wake the soldiers before Hiram can send more men." Cahal used a bedpost beside him to get some leverage but he was too weak without her help. "I'll send men to wake Abel and your father and make sure they're okay... I'll send someone along to help you too if it turns out Kell's hurt."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate nodded as she helped Cahal to stand and then they moved out into the courtyard. They found the steeds easily and it took all her strength, but she helped Cahal up into the saddle.

"Be safe." She said softly as she made sure that he wouldn't tumble out of his seat as she turned to find Kell.

 

[KieranSoares]

She would find Kell right where she left him- almost. He was half out of the door, collapsed and panting heavily, soaked in blood of his own and the werecat's. Thanks to his thick black fur and the darkness, she couldn't make out his wounds, but it was clear they were serious with the long sliding trail of blood behind him as he'd attempted to drag himself out. In the shadows, she could just barely make out the body of the werecat, but could see his neck was destroyed, his throat ripped out as if by a wild beast. It was hard to imagine, after Kell showing such a gentle soul when she got to know him, that he was capable of such carnage.

The golden-eyed wolf had fallen motionless aside from the ragged rise and fall of his chest, his eyes half open, contemplating his condition and the possibility of death quite calmly, until he saw her. He closed his eyes, reaching out his hand toward her. The other was mangled from the werecat's sabre fangs, tucked beneath him and useless. It wouldn't be til sunrise that she'd see the real extent of the damage.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm here." Kate murmured, falling to her knees beside him and taking his offered hand. She squeezed it tightly, holding it to her chest as she looked over the blood that soaked his black fur. "Kell...you have to stay here with me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm okay," he muttered weakly. He could barely manage a smile, trying to be strong and pretend he was alright. He opened his eyes slowly and she could see they were clouded with pain and the slightest bit of fear. "Kate... Can I... lay my head in your lap?" He asked almost inaudibly, certain she'd refuse not only because it was him, but because of all the blood.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate felt tears gather in her eyes as she caught sight of his golden eyes. She could see his pain and suffering and she wished that she could take all of that away from him. She nodded, biting her lower lip as he asked if he could rest his head in her lap.

"Help is on the way, Kell. I promise you." She said softly, her free hand stroking through his wet and sticky fur. "I promise that you'll be alright."

 

[KieranSoares]

The dark wolf didn't answer, and she felt him shudder violently, which subsided into constant trembling from blood loss with the occasional additional shudder. "I'm okay..." he could hardly whisper, still trying to pretend for her sake. It was hardly a minute later that, just as the blue light before sunrise came to surround them, a group of soldiers with a stretcher between them came running. Carefully as they could, they lifted Kell up onto its surface, his hand trailing from hers. But he muttered, "Kate..." And reached out for her again, not wanting to leave her lest he never see her again if death took him, likely as it was. Brogan had come with the men to find his daughter.

"Kate?" He asked, "Y'alright, sweet'eart?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate watched them take Kell as tears fell down her cheeks. She didn't want to lose the wolf that she had met such a short time ago and as her Da asked her if she were alright, she threw herself in his arms. Her cheek was tightly pressed against his chest as she sobbed out her heartache and fear that she was going to lose Kell.

"He can't die, Da." She whimpered, letting herself be weak in her father's arms.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan had realized she cared about Kell when they'd met at his arrival, but it was as she fell weak in his arms that he knew she felt much more deeply than he'd figured. "Listen to me, love," he whispered softly. "He's alone and scared. Th' best thing y' can do for him is t'be at his side. Go on. We've taken care o' Cahal an' Abel's safe." He kissed her forehead and let her go.

Kell was taken into the infirmary and put under the care of the finest healers in Wick at Cahal's orders.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate let out a sigh as her father kissed her forehead and sent her on her way to be with Kell. She swore to herself that if he did die, he wouldn't die alone. She followed after the men until she found herself in the infirmary. She didn't interfere with anyone, instead she simply slipped next to his side and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell's head slowly turned toward her when she took his hand, but he didn't open his eyes. He knew it was her. The healers fussed over him for a few hours before they realized there was little more they could do than to keep him comfortable, but he refused pain-killing herbs quietly every time they offered, telling them that only his pain assured he was still alive.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate sat by Kell's side, holding his hand and assuring him that she was there and he was alright. He was stubborn to not take the pain killers, but she knew that he had his reasons and she didn't press the issue.

 

[KieranSoares]

As the day wore on, Cahal insisted that the coronation happen despite everything else- that another night would give Hiram time to attack again. So a small ceremony took place that afternoon to make it official. A proper full ceremony would be put on when Cahal was better healed for the sake of the people of Wick and the surrounding lands under Cahal's control. And thus, Kate was released from regency that evening when Cahal came in, dressed in a fine suit and walking with a limp and the aid of a temporary cane to keep pressure off his leg.

"How is he?" Cahal asked softly as he entered, two guards awaiting him by the door. Kell had been unresponsive all day aside from occasionally opening his eyes to see Kate still there.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's alive." Kate said softly, squeezing Kell's hand and running her free hand over his dark brow. "Other then that, I don't know. He won't talk."

She glanced towards her Uncle with a sigh. "We need to find his sister. He is worried about her and I promised that we would return her to him, dead or alive."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We've taken Hiram into custody. We'll find out where she is, no matter how long it takes." Cahal looked down at Kell. "Hold on for us, Kell... Your job isn't over yet if you're going to Inverness with Kate."

Kell's answer was a weak squeeze to Kate's hand to tell her he could hear them.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate gripped Kell's hand in both of hers as he squeezed it. She slowly brought it to her lips, kissing his knuckles to soothe him. She didn't see the attraction between them. She simply saw a friend that was in pain and someone who had given so much to make sure that she was completely protected.

 

[KieranSoares]

Canal smiled, "I hope to see you two at the public coronation. I have something special in mind for you both." He made his way out with his men, leaving them be. It wasn't until three days later that Kate, who had been staying in the infirmary, woke to find Kell sitting up at the edge of the bed. The damage had become clear once they had gotten him inside. Multiple stab-like bite wounds around his limbs and neck, a broken hand, a damaged eye they barely saved and thankfully would heal, and he'd lost a large triangular nick out of his ear. But he was still whole and, if the healers were right, he'd be okay having survived the worst.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate hadn't left Kell's side the entire time. Instead, she slept on the floor beside his cot, slumbering peacefully even as her father asked her to come with him and at least get a night's sleep in a real bed. She wouldn't go anywhere unless Kell was there too.

Opening her eyes that morning, she saw him sitting up at the edge of the bed, looking into nothing in particular. "Kell?" She murmured softly, pushing her red curls out of her eyes.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell's golden eyes turned to her, and she could see they were clear and calm. He was still in pain, but it was minuscule compared to the original pain. He slid slowly to the floor beside her, cradling his broken hand close to his stomach to protect it. "Are you okay?" He asked in a voice hoarse from sleep and disuse.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm fine." She said softly, sitting up to sit next to Kell. "More worried about you than anything else."