Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Kreston relayed the orders and stood alongside Julia until a man came to report that the men of Wick had fled, Sarah with them. Brogan was nowhere to be found, but reports flew that he was dead and gone. "Dammit, that woman..." Kreston snarled. "We'll have to give chase after the battle, we can't split the forces now."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia nodded, knowing that if Sarah had fled, Brogan was still alive. The woman wouldn’t have left if Brogan were dead. She was quiet as they pushed toward Inverness, unsure of what they would find when they got there. She had Dalton leading that charge with the command of the Scottish troops. Those from the English were busy securing the encampment and tending to the wounded.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Julia entered the overtaken part of Inverness, it was a wonderful thing to hear that there were absolutely no civilians left there, they'd all fled to safety in Aberdeen. The only civilian casualty in Inverness was a tailor in the employ of Olaf, but she'd been killed by her king's own men for betraying them by giving information to one of Julia's men about the fact that Kayla and Durban were still there. Durban was the sole prisoner in the town's real prison which was being taken by the Scots as Julia went, and Kayla was in the keep.

Word reached Julia that Kayla had been forced to marry Olaf and the poor girl was locked in her room after having been ravaged by her husband.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Kreston, find Kayla. Make sure that she is taken care of.” She commanded of her brother-in-law as they parted for the first time since the battle had begun.

Julia needed to find Durban, to make sure that he was alright. She remembered how he had been before she had left and she hoped that he was in better condition then that.

 

[KieranSoares]

The prison was taken just as Julia arrived, and four men came out carrying Durban, who was in far worse shape now than Julia remembered. But he was awake, and he opened his eyes to see her. He thought he could hear a choir of angels at the sight of his sister-in-law. "Julia..." he choked out as tears filled his eyes. "Gods, y'sweet woman..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Leave it to an Englishwoman to take care of the bloody Scots.” She muttered as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, embracing her dear brother-in-law tightly. “Inverness is ours again, Durban, but the fight isn’t done. I think Sarah still has Brogan.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"No... he's dead..." Durban said softly. "There ain' no way he's alive... Th'men told me they saw 'im fall when 'e faced an entire cavalry regiment by 'imself... they tore 'im apart..." He closed his eyes, "I wouldn' be surprised if Kay an' Ash were dead too... 'R if I am in th'morning..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I never let my husband talk like that and I’m certainly not going to let you talk like that Durban. Brogan is alive and if I have to kill Sarah myself to save him, then I certainly will.” Julia said, glancing up as she heard someone calling out her name.

Frowning, she looked up to see Christopher running toward them with a broken Kayla in his arms. Her wrist was swollen, her arms bruised, and she looked so deathly pale. A bloody wound was spreading across her belly and she knew that there was little time to lose.

“Put her down next to Durban.” Julia insisted as she called over one of the were healers to look at her dear, sweet sister-in-law.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher knelt, laying his dear love on a cloak spread on the cold ground, and he gasped for breath in between his tears as he simply gave up once there was no more he could do. He collapsed beside Kayla, still holding her hand, but before he passed out, he whispered, "Olaf is dead..."

Casso soon came to Julia, half-covered in the blood of his enemies, and he reported with a proud smile, "Inverness is yours. Vikings surrender."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia glanced at Casso as he came to announce that Inverness was theirs. She nodded, glancing down at the Captain and Kayla, Durban all injured. They needed healers. Ashien needed a healer. She needed the Ghis to be here to help with all of that before she started off after Sarah.

“Thank you my friend.” Julia said softly, clasping Casso’s large hand in hers. “But I have one more favor to ask of you. Run for Aberdeen as fast as you can and collect my family. I need them here.”

“Kreston, please help move the wounded into the keep. We need warm, dry beds for everyone.” She said, looking over her shoulder at the man who had become indispensable. “And send word to Dalton that the boys can return home as well.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Inverness was soon alive with men clearing away the dead, prisoners being locked away, wounded being moved inside, and all manner of activity. Vincenzo was found alive among the imprisoned and brought in as well. Casso rushed to Aberdeen, where Marri and Kitty saw him first as he rushed through without caring what humans saw him. Word had already spread that werecreatures had joined the fight against Norway.

"Ghis!" Casso called, not knowing what the family members looked like.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena heard the call and turned from her duty, catching sight of a large white were that was calling her name. She was met in the courtyard of Aberdeen’s keep by her mother, Marri, Boar and Emma who was cradling her tiny little girl warmly against her chest.

“Can I help you, Brother?” Selena asked the wolf, greeting him like any other person who had entered their keep.

 

[KieranSoares]

Casso looked to Selena and he knew the scent of Kreston on her. He smiled kindly, "You are Selena?" He knew her name from Kreston. "Julia send me, Inverness is in her hands."

"What about my children?" Kitty asked softly.

"Only one we don't have is Brogan, but Julia think Wick has him. All still alive, but hurt."

 

[heartofcourage]

“All of you go with him.” Emma said softly, looking at her in-laws and her husband as they turned to her in astonishment. “I will stay here with the children. Kayla isn’t ready for such a long journey just yet.”

It was as if on cue the little girl started to whimper, her darling little face scrunching as a little hand worked its way from her swaddling, waving in the air as if searching for something.

“Valentina and Theo can help. She still needs some time to heal.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Let's go, then," Kitty nodded.

"Sooner is better, Julia is going to finish Sarah," Casso nodded.

"Are y'sure you'll be okay, love?" Boar asked Emma softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“I’ll be fine, Boar.” Emma said, giving her husband a smile as she leaned in and kissed her husband gently. “You go and take care of your family and I’ll take care of your family here.”

Little Kayla snagged her father’s tunic, holding onto it for dear life as she started to cry. Her little cries sounded like a hungry kitten, her little face turning red as she let everyone know her fury.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Shhh, darlin'..." Boar spoke softly to his tiny daughter. Looking to Marri, he nodded to her, "Go on ahead, I'll catch up, love." He drew Kayla in close and kissed her forehead, trying to calm her before he left.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla calmed in her father’s grasp, sniffling before her bright blue eyes opened and looked up into her father’s dark gaze. She had been the glue that held the family together. After Emma had gone into labor in Aberdeen, all of the Ghis family had pitched in to make sure that the little girl was comfortable and well taken care of. Emma had named her Kayla after the sister-in-law who had made such sacrifices for their family.

“She loves you, Boar.” Emma said softly, kissing her husband’s cheek. “And I do too. Take care of yourself.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Same goes to you, darlin'," Boar kissed her in return and set Kayla back in her arms. "I love ya both... I'll see ya in Inverness soon."

The family headed out immediately and came to Inverness several days after Casso had left it to get them. All was restored to quiet in Inverness and the wounded Ghis family members were healing well. But poor Kayla was still unconscious and Christopher was going practically insane over her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia had been resting up, spending time with Kreston planning her attack on Wick. The family had returned and she’d never been more happy to see a group of people in her life. Everyone was worried about Kayla. The poor girl was still unconscious, despite the best efforts of Vincenzo to wake her. Each family member took turns watching her, making sure that she wasn’t alone.

Julia entered the room at her time, relieving Marri for the evening to spend time with her family. She noticed that the Captain was beside Kayla’s bed, holding the hand that had not been splinted.

“Go get some sleep, Captain. We will get you should she wake.” Julia said softly, squeezing his shoulder gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I have to stay, your ladyship," he answered quietly. "I promised myself I'd look after her and I failed... This is all I can do to make up for it."

"Y'won' do anyone any good keepin' yerself awake fer days, lad," Durban spoke as he entered. Though still weak, he was on his feet again and he visited Kayla every so often to check on her.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Go on, Christopher. She’s safe here. We won’t let anything happen to her.” Julia promised, patting the Captain’s hand kindly as Durban insisted that he get some sleep.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Come on," Durban brought Christopher to his feet and led him out.

It was at that same time that Brogan was alone with Sarah in her keep at Wick. He didn't know Inverness had been saved, he didn't know his family was alive, so he'd become entirely submissive to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah enjoyed everything with Brogan that she could have ever imagined. He was her lover, at her beck and call, and she couldn’t have been happier with the way things had turned out. To make things better, it seemed that Inverness had no interest in coming after her for what she had done.

“Brogan.” She called to him as she entered her bedroom, grinning as he came to her in an instant. “I have news that might interest you, dear.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan rose to face her, "Wha' might tha' be?" Even though he acted more lively, his eyes were dead. No amount of Sarah's demanding could fix that. He was a bit thinner now after the long battle and being so depressed, and his skin was paler. His mental state was just beginning to affect his physical body.