Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Aren't those good things, though?" Sam piped up.

"It doesn't sound like it, the way you say it. What's going on?" Ciaran looked to Kate. Lir, however, seemed to be mentally absent.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know if it's good or bad. Ma and Da act as if the news is unwelcome. I've never seen Da look so sad." Kate answered honestly, showing her brothers for the first time that she didn't have an answer to their problem.

"I'm not sure that I can be the one to rule Inverness." She told them honestly, a hand raking back through her thick red hair.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't dismiss yourself until you're sure, Kate," Ciaran encouraged. "You're just like Da and Ma together, I think you'd be great if you gave yourself a chance."

"You would," Rho nodded in agreement.

"But for now... we have to focus on Ma. We have to make sure she has as little stress as possible," Ciaran stated. "Sam, Rho, that means you two have got to be on your best behavior, and maybe help out a little more around the keep. Myself included."

"I'll come to help too," Lir promised softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I know what I need to do." Kate said softly as they all made a pact to make life a little easier on their parents.

She guided her brothers back towards the keep and slipped past them as they went to prepare for dinner. It was a few moments later when Kate emerged from her room, wearing the pretty blue dress her grandmother had given her for Christmas. Her mass of red hair had been braided and hung in a single braid down her back. It hadn't stopped all the unruly fly aways, but it was the most presentable she'd been in a long time.

She made her way back to her parents bedroom and gently knocked on the door before she peeked her head inside. "Ma? Would you like to come to dinner with everyone else?"

Julia's eyes slowly opened and she looked over her shoulder to see her lovely daughter standing there, such a worried expression on her face. Julia let out a little sigh and pushed herself up in bed, holding out her hand for her daughter.

"You look beautiful, kitten." She said softly, brushing back a lock of hair from her forehead as she came closer. "Why don't you go over to my jewelry box and bring me the hair pins inside. I'll help you with your hair."

Kate did as she was asked and soon Julia was arranging the golden pins that Brogan had given her as an anniversary present years ago in her daughter's beautiful red hair. "You know you don't have to dress like this for me, kitten."

"But it makes you happy, Ma." Kate insisted, looking over her shoulder at her tired looking mother.

"Does it make you happy, Katherine?" She asked her seriously, cupping her daughter's chin and looking deep into those familiar green eyes.

"I don't mind it." Kate answered softly, a sheepish look on her face.

"What am I going to do with you, kitten?" Julia asked, a smile coming to her lips as she leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Go tell your Da that I'll be there shortly."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can 'ear ya jus' fine from 'ere, love." Brogan spoke up as he entered, and he gave Kate a proud, soft smile. "My two beauties... one's no' so little anymore though." He came to sit beside Kate and he kissed her forehead. "Why didn' ya tell me y'were growin' up so fast...?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da..." Kate said in a slightly embarrassed voice as her cheeks grew red.

"She couldn't stay small forever, love." Julia said with a smile in Brogan's direction. "And I hope that you give her the fighting chance that you didn't allow Annie. I thought you were going to lock the poor girl up in her room when she told you about David."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I was. Until David came an' stole 'er away fer a ride with th'horses." Brogan chuckled, "Even though they're perfect t'gether... I still say it 'appened too fast, jus' like Durban an' Marri, Selena an' Kreston-... Hell, the whole family. It's a bloody pattern." He shook his head with a smile and rose from the bedside.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't think our kitten would do that." Julia said, smiling at her daughter as the girl burned as brightly as a person could.

"Kate, I think the best advice that I can give you is to just be yourself. Don't do things just to make someone else happy." Julia gave her daughter the only sage advice her own mother had ever given her. "If you want to dress like your brothers, then do so. If you want to hunt, the go every day. If you want to wear a dress...wear a dress."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Julia..." Brogan looked down at his wife, surprised but also rather proud. He'd always been worried that Julia wouldn't ever let Kate entirely be herself, though he'd never said such a thing to Julia for fear of hurting her. "The only thing I'd say t'tha' is that y'should make someone happy, if tha' makes you happy. Tha's what bein' married is about, tha's what being a friend means."

He leaned down to kiss Julia's cheek and then looked to Kate, "We'll be along in a moment, darlin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate smiled at both of her parents and nodded, leaving them to go into the great hall with the rest of her family. Julia watched her daughter go with a long sigh. She glanced up at Brogan and saw the look of pride on his face.

"It was hard to say, love." She admitted to him. "I just don't want her to have a hard time in life and I'm afraid that if she keeps on the way she is, then she'll never get anywhere."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yer a gem," he settled once more at her side and kissed her. But when he pulled back, he sighed, "Though... there's something we need t'talk about. Somethin' I'm not quite sure of righ' now." By the look on his face, she could see it was something potentially dangerous.

"I've been 'earin' rumors. Disturbing, some of 'em. I 'aven't gotten a chance t'ask Lir about them, but... I've 'eard tha' some race of werecreatures called Erygonians are threatening the isles. I don' know if it's true or jus' more human paranoia."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Another war?" Julia asked her husband softly, touching his hand as he explained the situation to her. "Love, I don't know if we should get involved in another war. We barely survived the last one."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We migh' not 'ave a choice. From the rumors, it sounds like th' Erygonians, if there are any, are in th' Scottish isles t'the northwest an' west like Islay and Mull. We're directly in th'line o' sight. If they attack, we've got t'defend."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia let out a long sigh at that news, her eyes closing as she tried to focus on what was most important to her. Her husband was right, they had to defend Inverness at any cost. There were a few things that she refused to do, however.

"If it comes to that, you will send Kate away. I won't see her hurt. Samuel and Rhodan too. Ciaran can fight alongside your brothers and nephews."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ciaran'll make 'is own choice, an' Kate... I'll do my best, but I'm no' entirely sure I can stop 'er." Brogan nodded slightly, "I've already got a plan in place if it comes t'fighting. I'll send 'em t' Castle Town. Erygonians are terrified o' that place."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kate will do what we ask, love. I won't have her here." She said softly, looping her arms around her husband's strong shoulders and hugging him tightly. "I love you, Brogan."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I love you too, Julia," Brogan kissed her cheek before he stood, lifting her to her feet with the ease she always knew from him. "Now let's no' keep th'kids waitin' too long. Y'know Sam an' Rho'll come sniffin' around an' get up t'mischief."

"No we won't," Sam's small voice came from the doorway.

"Samuel..." Brogan shot him a look, and the boy giggled and fled.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia sighed as Sam scurried away from the door. "I'll have a talk with them about respecting other people's privacy." She said with a smile, hugging her husband one last time.

"Are you sure you're ready for another child?" She asked him, wanting to know what he was thinking about the sudden news.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm ready fer anythin' th'world wants t'throw at me," Brogan smiled lovingly. "Especially when it's you. I told ya, several times, tha' I'd love an' care fer any child you give me. Even an unexpected one."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia mustered up a smile and looped her arm through her husband's, standing on her toes to give him a kiss on his cheek. "Lead the way, my lord."

 

[KieranSoares]

When the King and Queen arrived, dinner finally began. Brogan kept a close eye on his wife, but he also seemed distracted still, once he was done being overly worried about Julia. Only Julia and a select few warriors there knew why at the moment. But Ciara noticed it and whispered to Lir and Kate to keep their ears open for an explanation.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia could feel how tense Brogan still was and she reached beneath the table to rest her hand on her husband's knee. She squeezed it gently, letting him know that she was there for him. Dinner had a heavy cloud that had settled over it, everyone tense and quiet.

 

[KieranSoares]

After dinner, Brogan brought Julia with him as he retired to the library seeking silence. But that wasn't what they got. Ciaran, with Lir in tow came to see them. He'd also extended the invitation to Kate to come too. He wanted to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering his parents.

"Ma," Ciaran spoke up as he entered. "Da... what's going on?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia took a seat with a tired sigh as she looked at her son and his lover and Kate. She knew that they had the right to know what was going on, but she didn't know if she should be the one that could tell them that.

"We are on the brink of war, Ciaran." She said bluntly and honestly, no pet names seeping into this conversation.

 

[KieranSoares]

"With who?" Ciaran tensed instantly.

"Erygonians, if th'rumors are true," Brogan sighed.

"Who did you hear that from?" Lir asked quickly, surprising Ciaran.

"Some of th' travelin' werecreatures an' some friends. They all say th' same thing: tha' Erygonians are comin' t'wipe out the Lunars o' the Isles and take over th'humans."

"... I have to get home. I have to talk to my people," Lir rose suddenly, but Ciaran caught his hand.

"Then I'm going with you, but we can't just run off on a spur of the moment decision. We have to get there safely."

"I was thinkin' o' giving th' Mav Ro a visit..." Brogan stroked his beard in thought. "Lir... is there any way y'can bring th' leaders here? I don' want t'risk leavin'."

"I... might be able to."