Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Julia let out a little sigh, mulling over the attack which would come the next morning. She knew if they were not wiped out, they would attack Inverness and wipe them out instead. She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand, a dull ache appearing behind her eyes.

"Speak with Kreston about the attack." Julia said softly, looking at Dazu and hoping that he understood that while she trusted him, she depended on the men around her to make things work.

 

[KieranSoares]

Dazu nodded, looking down at her, and he touched her arm. "Go inside. Rest." He could clearly see her stress and he was worried despite how short a time he'd known her. "You are tired."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm the queen, Dazu. I'm always tired." She said with a smile, patting his arm as she moved past him to go into the keep. No one but her inner family knew about the coming child and she wanted to keep it that way as long as she could. The people of Inverness would pamper her, focus on her, but she needed their attentions to be on the war that was happening around them.

She peeked into the room to see Kate sound asleep with her father and she smiled. She soon moved to her sons' room, entering to see Rho and Sam discussing something seriously between themselves.

"Hello, my loves." She said softly as she grabbed them both up in a tight hug. "What are you talking about in such a serious way?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nothing important," they answered in perfect unison. They had a close bond that allowed them always to keep their story straight and say the same thing at the same time. Sometimes they even seemed to talk without speaking. They were doing it right then in the silence after answering.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia looked at both of their little faces and she let out a little sigh. "Somehow I don''t believe that."

Guiding them both of towards a set of seats, she sat down and bade them to do the same. She was exhausted, and she knew that they could see that, but she needed to know what her twins were talking about.

"Out with it." She insisted.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We can't, Ma," Sam said quietly. "I promised Rho I wouldn't tell and he promised me the same." Rhodan nodded in agreement. If there was one thing these two wouldn't do, it was breaking promises to each other.

"It's really nothing, Ma, but it's a secret," Rhodan said sincerely.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia sighed as she looked at them both. She knew they had their own system of honor between them and she could never ask them to break it. Still, she wanted to keep them safe.

"As long as it isn't a secret that will cause you any danger, I don't see any reason why you can't keep it." She said, pulling both in to kiss their foreheads. "And where did Ciaran get off to?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ciaran's helping in the kitchen with Lir and Chessie," Rho answered. "Ma? Is Dad okay? I haven't seen him at all today."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You da was hurt very badly yesterday." Julia told them honestly, pulling each of her boys on either side of her as she wrapped her arms around their shoulders. "His sight is gone and we don't know if it will come back. He needs all of our help at the moment and we have to believe that he'll get his sight back soon."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why didn't you tell us before...?" Sam asked quietly, tears filling his eyes with worry and disbelief that his indestructible father was hurt.

"Will he be okay even if he can't see?" Rho questioned, possibly even more upset.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We didn't tell you because we didn't want you to be upset." Julia said softly, kissing Sam's forehead as her son started to cry. "And your Da and I never want to see you upset or afraid."

Julia turned and did the same for Rho, kissing his forehead and holding him tight. "He'll be just fine, my love. He's still just as strong and he'll still be the same man that you've always known and loved."

 

[KieranSoares]

"But how can he do that when he can't see?" Rho said softly. "It's gonna be so hard for him..." The boy knew more than his age let on. The idea of blindness terrified him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He'll need our help that much more." Julia said honestly, knowing that the twins could be mischievous as well as incredibly responsible when it came to their duties. "And we don't know that he is going to be blind forever, loves. He might heal and be back to normal."

 

[KieranSoares]

The twins looked at each other, and Julia could see they weren't so sure of her words. Rho hopped down from his seat and Sam followed. "We're gonna go help in the kitchen too," Sam told her. The boys knew that now was not the time for their usual tricks and shenanigans.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mind Ciaran and Chessie." Julia said softly, sighing as the door closed behind them and she was left alone with her dark thoughts. She felt bad for her sons, but they were smart and knew what the situation was. They would come to accept things in time as they all would, but she still held out hopes that Brogan would regain his sight.

 

[KieranSoares]

The Erygonians fell back for the night, and as Julia sat alone, she heard the slow but familiar thud of her husband's boots, uneven as he tried to find his way down the hall. His hands slid along the stone wall, and he was alone. He'd left Kate asleep. "Julia...?" He asked softly, trying to find her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was up on her feet in an instant as she heard Brogan's soft call. Stepping into the hallway, she saw her husband staggering down the hall and using the wall for support. She moved as quick as she could to wrap him in the tightest hug she could give him.

"I'm right here, love." She murmured, letting out a satisfied sigh at simply being in his arms.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan kept a hand on the wall, finding that his knees were still a little weak after the shock to his body from the battle. His free arm wrapped around her waist and he leaned down to kiss her. With her, he didn't need his sight to show her how he loved her. "Hiya, darlin'," he whispered and, once he was steady, wrapped his other arm around her. He'd wanted nothing more than to hold her since he'd been hurt.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia could feel the slight tremble in her husband's body and knew that he was struggling to stay on his feet. Still, she knew that he was a stubborn man and if she had suggested that he sit down, he would tell her no.

"Let's go to the kitchen. The boys are there and Chessie is cooking lunch." She suggested, taking his hand to lead him. "Besides, this new little one needs food."

 

[KieranSoares]

"D'they all know?" Brogan asked as they went, his step unsure as he relied on Julia and his hand trailing the wall to find his way. "I hate fer 'em t'see me li' this."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I told Rho and Sam. They all know. I told them that this won't change anything and that you're the same person that you were before you lost your sight." Julia explained, walking calmly with him down the hall until they entered the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Chessie." Julia said with a smile, glancing at her boys sitting at the table, their eyes on their father. "Sam. Rho. Go and get your Da a cup of ale, please."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Afternoon, m'lady. An' t'you, m'lord," Chessie smiled to them. She knew about Brogan's blindness, but treated him no differently. The twins hurried off to do as they were asked, and when they came back and Brogan sat down, Sam set the mug up on the table, and both boys came to hug their father tightly. Brogan smiled softly and wrapped his huge arms around them.

"Thank ya, lads."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled at her boys as they rushed to do as she asked and hugged their father fiercely upon their return. Her smile grew wider as Ciaran came to the table with Lir to join them. She leaned over and kiss his cheek before she did the same to the wolf, squeezing both of their hands beneath the table.

"I found him racing down the halls. I told the both of you that your Da would be back to normal." She said with a grin, winking at the twins as she did.

 

[KieranSoares]

Both twins sat on one side of Brogan, and Julia soon caught them whispering to each other again about she knew not what. Lir and Ciaran were mostly quiet aside from soft conversation between themselves now and then. Ciaran had been restless, unable to go to his camp, and Lir had been keeping him company.But he'd be leaving the next day with a small force to fetch his people.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia saw the look on Ciaran's face and she felt for him. His place of tranquility was gone and soon the person that he loved was going to be leaving as well. She squeezed his hand and gave him a gentle smile.

"Why don't you go out for a while, my heart. Your Da and I can keep an eye on the twins now." She whispered against his ear, giving him a smile.