Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Julia was stunned. Not even she knew that Selena had a lover nor that Ashien had a wife. What other secrets did the Ghis family have that she did not know about? Julia nodded and curtseyed again before she straighten up and regarded the queen closely.

“Thank you, your majesty. We will not let Scotland down in this fight, that much I promise you.” She said as she turned and took Ruben and Gabriel by the shoulders and escorted them from the chambers. They had much work to do, it seemed. Once back outside the castle, she mounted her horse and waited for the boys to do the same.

“Well, Ruben, lead us towards your home.” She said, giving the little boy the lead in this leg of their mission.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben quietly took point and took his aunt and cousin almost three hours out into the Edinburgh countryside, into a forest along a path, til they came upon a small house, quiet with smoke billowing from the chimney. Outside, they could see a lean figure chopping firewood.

"Dad!" Ruben called, sliding off his horse, and the figure rose to his full height. Julia was met with the sight of a black werewolf with bright amber eyes. A smile came to his wolfish face and he scooped Ruben up as the boy ran to him.

"Ruben," the werewolf smiled, kissing the boy's forehead. He looked up, hoping to see Selena, but his ears folded back at the sight of Julia.

"That's Aunt Julia and my cousin Gabriel," Ruben told him softly, and the werewolf faced Julia warily. Humans aside from Selena didn't like his kind, he was afraid of what she might do knowing that her nephew's father was a werewolf.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia watched Ruben slip off his horse and run towards the creature that he called Dad. She had never come face to face with a creature such as him before, but as a little girl in Chester, she had heard them calling to one another in the woods outside of her keep. The man folded his ears back, looking at her with a look of distrust.

Julia lead Gabriel closer, slipping off her horse and standing before the man for a long moment before she spoke. “My name is Julia Ghis and it is a pleasure to meet you…” She waited for the man to introduce himself before she went into the actual reason why she was there instead of Selena.

 

[KieranSoares]

He was clearly puzzled, but relieved by her kind and polite ways, and he set Ruben down at his side to bow to her. "Kreston Maliar. The pleasure is mine." He spoke English perfectly, though he had a strange accent Julia couldn't place.

He met her eyes again, venturing closer after abandoning the woodcutting axe. "Not that you are not welcome, sister... but where is Selena...?" She could tell how Kreston loved Selena just in how he said her named.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Kreston.” Julia said, giving him a kind smile, not feeling frightened as the man stepped closer, asking her where Selena was. She let out a long breath, her eyes straying from his briefly.

“Selena is in Inverness. There is a war raging between the Ghis and Wick. We are losing and out numbered, I am afraid to say.” Julia was trying to keep it all together, but the stress was most definitely wearing on her. “The queen is offering her forces, but it is only two hundred men. I have come to ask if you can help.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston's ears flicked at the word 'war', and subsequently tilted back as she told him what was going on. "Come, follow me. Ruben, you know the way as well as I do," Kreston encouraged his son. Ruben climbed back on his horse and Kreston dashed through the snow on all fours like a wild wolf, leading them at a quick trot of their horses into the forest. It wasn't an hour before they came upon a tiny tribal village where Julia was met with a concentration of about one-hundred werewolves and a few other werecreatures. They looked up as she passed, and rather than the viciousness that stories told of, they looked afraid but curious about her, and seeing her led by Kreston, many called gentle welcomes in their strange language or broken English.

Kreston took Julia to a large tree, behind which was a large cliff and therein, a cavern with a dim firelight inside. He tied the horses to small posts outside and led them inside. Little Ruben, who was usually somewhat afraid of the dark, seemed to feel entirely at home here. Kreston spoke up in his odd language as they reached the firepit, around which sat five older werewolves, headed by an ancient-looking tiny white werewolf in their midst. The little elder rose, and he stood at hardly Julia's midsection.

"Welcome," he spoke in a thin voice, reminding her of Kitty when she was at her weakest before Vincenzo came. He came around the fire to Julia, taking her hand gently in a kind gesture. His own was warm and soft with his fur. "Julia Ghis... I've heard tell of you from passing traders. What can we do for you, your ladyship?" He was so incredibly sweet.

"Oh, where are my manners," he chuckled, shaking his head. It was becoming clear that he was blind or nearly blind. "My name is Donan, I lead the Golin tribe here."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia stood in front of the elder wolf, waiting for him to come closer to take her hand. She smiled kindly and gently closed her hand over the top of his. She noticed the way that he shook, trembling as he introduced himself and she realized that he was blind.

“Donan. It is very nice to meet you, sir.” She said softly, kissing his cheek in a kind greeting. “But I fear that I am here under not so happy circumstances.”

She allowed him to pull her towards a seat in the middle of the council and it was then that she explained her plight. She couldn’t keep the tears from falling as she spoke about what Wick had done to Inverness and though she told no one that she was with child, the way that she protectively cradled her belly told everyone that looked just how dire the situation was.

“I must ask you, Donan, if you would lend soldiers to this fight.” She asked softly, hoping that the end result would be rewarding.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You come here so kindly, Lady Julia... unjudging unike most humans... I only wish I could answer your plea the the level I want. We cannot spare more than thirty or so warriors right now, we are a small tribe," Donan told her. Before she could lose hope, he added, "But... we have many friends and dear brothers scattered across Britannia. We will call for them, their tribes are much larger, and hearing of your kindness and the fact that a brother's wife is involved," he nodded to Kreston, knowing he was there, "They will come. I would expect at least a thousand to rally to you. But it is up to you to keep them safe from their own allied humans who might think the worst of them."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I promise I will do all I can and more, Donan.” Julia said, squeezing his hands tightly and looking at all those gathered. “You will not suffer persecution on my lands nor on any lands in Scotland if you fight for us.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You have our word and our blades. I will send Kreston and a few warriors with you for safety, and our allies will gather here. Send one of your own people to fetch them when you're on your way back to Inverness. And please, stay here the night, we will see that you are resupplied and have a good meal. Where are you headed next?" Donan gave her a kind and curious smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

“You are too kind.” Julia said with a grateful smile. “I will head for London to meet with my sister-in-law. I believe that the English might provide us some help as well.”

She patted Donan’s hand warmly and relaxed slightly, knowing that her hard journey would not continue through that night. She could get a good night’s sleep, eat a good meal, and perhaps write a letter to Brogan. She needed him to know that she was well and she wanted him to know that she was with child.

 

[KieranSoares]

The werecreatures were just as, if not more, hospitable than Inverness' people and they were so incredibly glad to meet Julia and know that Selena wasn't the only Ghis they could trust.

Come morning, Donan gave them fresh horses and said he'd see the other ones returned home with them when they came back through, and with them came Kreston and three werewolf warriors. They would ride in the shadows to avoid attention. Kreston led them out of the forest and set them on a path to London. The werewolves wouldn't be able to go much further than the forests outside the city, though.

 

[heartofcourage]

The next morning, Julia felt refreshed. She had a full, warm belly and a goodnight’s sleep and that was what she needed most of all. She wasn’t nearly as tired as she had been and she was looking forward to setting out for London. It had been years since she had last been in the city and while it wasn’t a leisure trip, it was certainly welcome.

She rode in the protection of warriors sent by Donan, Kreston leading the way as Ruben and Gabriel rode tall in their saddles. The plan was to ride to the outskirts of London, where she would leave the boys with the warriors and she would find Darkwood Manor. She wondered what kind of person Dylandra was and why Ashien had never introduced her to the rest of the family. It was all a mystery that needed an answer very soon.

 

[KieranSoares]

Upon their arrival outside London two days later, a kind passerby told Julia she'd find the Manor on the west end of London and that it stood alone in a large parcel of land. She couldn't miss it.

Dark wood was a vastly impressive structure of Ashien's own design, and its gates were decorated with bronze horses as he was famous for his equestrian prowess. But within the gates as Julia approached, she saw a large black striped figure staring at her beyond the bars. Bright amber eyes studied her every move and the iron bars were all that separated them aside from about twenty feet.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia paused as she tried to enter the grounds of Darkwood Manor, the striped figure watching her curiously. She had never seen a beast of the like before and suddenly she felt wary about continuing her trip. Perhaps it would be best to wait for Dylandra to come out of the grounds.

“Ballas!” A woman’s voice rang out across the large expanse of property and the beast instantly sniffed and started to stalk away.

Julia’s eyes were drawn to a large oak tree, one that provided shade for the three people sitting beneath it. A beautiful blonde woman sat behind an easel, patiently painting a man and a woman who stood embracing beneath the tree. The large beast trotted up towards the blonde, rubbing against her thigh in a loving motion. She smiled down at him and patted his broad head.

“I think you both will like this painting.” Dylan answered absently, glancing up towards John and his new bride, the beautiful Elizabeth of Rochester. The redheaded Elizabeth grinned as she stared up at her husband, laughing softly at the stiff look that he had upon his features.

“If only John will learn that posing for a painting is not the end of the world.” Elizabeth said in her light and airy voice, pressing her lips to John’s to lessen the sting.

“If you can convince him of that, you are a better woman that I.” Dylan said, winking at her former fiancée.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not my fault this is bloody boring," John muttered, though he smiled at the two women. But then he glanced up as Ballas went back to the gates again. "Dylan, I think Ballas- yeah, there's someone there." Ballas began pawing at the bars, and Julia's horse shifted fearfully beneath her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan glanced over her shoulder to watch Ballas as he pawed at the bars, a woman on a horse struggling to control her steed. She stood, her yellow gown falling in beautiful waves about her legs as she excused herself and made her way towards the gate. She heard footsteps behind her and knew that John would be following with Elizabeth close on his heels. They weren’t people to stay in one spot doing nothing.

“May I help you?” Dylan called out to the strange woman as she drew closer to the gates, snagging Ballas by the tied kerchief around his broad throat. “John, would you take Ballas for me?”

“I’m sorry if I’m disturbing something, but I am Julia Ghis. Brogan is my husband.” She said simply, struggling to contain her skittish horse.

 

[KieranSoares]

John took Ballas' collar and the great tiger knew he needed to behave, so he sat down quietly. The horse finally began to settle but refused to get any nearer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was finally forced to dismount, holding her horse by the reigns tightly. “I’ve come to speak with you, Dylandra. I’m afraid that things are not good in Inverness. Ashien is in the heat of battle as well as my husband. They are outnumbered and I’ve come here to London to gather some forces.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Ballas heard the name of his master and he stirred quickly, but John decided it was better to control the horse than the tiger. He led the horse a bit away for Julia's sake. Ballas came to a halt before Julia since she'd mentioned Ashien, and he nudged her hand as if wondering if she was bringing him home. Ballas missed him terribly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Ballas.” Dylan said softly, bringing the tiger’s attention back to her before she considered what Julia had just said. It was always a possibility that Ashien would go off to war and never come home, but she had to trust that her husband was out there and holding his own. “It is disappointing to hear that there is trouble in Inverness. I don’t know, however if I can raise any troops to help.”

“John could speak to Papa.” Elizabeth said softly, looking at he husband with a hopeful look in her eyes.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He doesn't exactly like me that much, but..." John sighed. "I'm sure he'd offer at least some help. But I'm going to need details about what's going on."

Ballas nudged Julia's hand again, giving her a soft whimper of a growl. He wanted Ashien.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Nonsense, John.” Elizabeth insisted, looking at her husband with her hands firmly planted on her hips. “He likes you plenty.”

Julia looked down at the tiger that was nudging her hand, growling and purring as if he understood that his master wasn’t there. She let out a sigh and related the entire story to the small group that had gathered, not leaving out any details. She even mentioned Kreston waiting for them on the border of the city in the woods.

 

[KieranSoares]

John looked up as she mentioned the Norwegians and once she was done, he nodded, "I'm sure he'll help. There's no way the King of England would let Norwegians and Wick go unchecked, even if they are only in Scotland right now."

Ballas went to Dylandra, taking the edge of her dress in his teeth carefully and giving it the slightest tug so not to damage it.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan listened to the story in a mixture of shock and horror. Ashien had not told her that things were so bad in Scotland. If he had, she wouldn’t have let him go off to fight, even if it was to defend his family. She gasped as she felt a tug on her dress and she looked down to see Ballas tugging on it.

“Ballas, no.” She said softly, gasping again as the tiger started to pull her away from the group and towards something unknown.