Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Your father has a soft heart when it comes to children, love." Julia told Ciaran with a laugh. "He will love any child that you decide to make his grandchild."

She had learned with Kate that Brogan had the capacity to love anyone that was worthy enough to be a Ghis. Kate was certainly the apple of his eye, the one child that he saw himself in despite the fact that she shared no blood with him at all.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You two both love anyone who needs it. Just look at Kell and David. Da half-raised David despite the bad history with Ria, and he treats Kell like a son. You've loved them both from the first moment they proved their good intentions. And I know they love you, especially Kell."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My heart, I made a promise to your Da a long time ago. I would never turn anyone away that was worthy of being loved. That's why you never had to worry about me turning you away because you fell in love with someone we might not have expected." Julia said as she took his hand in her own. "I spent too many years in my youth searching for that one person that would love me no matter what. I found that in your Da because he was looking for the exact same thing."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Thankfully for his sake, you reminded him what he was looking for," Ciaran smiled and joined her side again. He knew the story well now about how his father had been when he'd first met Julia, and how long it'd taken for Brogan to truly realize he was in love.

 

[heartofcourage]

"All of the Ghis men can be thick headed and stubborn...including you. You have to be open to new and exciting things." Julia said with a smile as she brushed her hair through her son's dark hair. "If you want to be a traveler, you will see so many exciting things out there in the world. I'm a bit jealous of your future adventures."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be sure to make journals like the one Grandpa and Great-Grandpa made for Gran, the ones full of pictures of Skye and Venice. If I do wander off... I'll make one for every new country I visit and I'll send it home for you to share with everyone," Ciaran assured her. "And who knows... maybe I'll bring some exotic beast home like Uncle Durban for you to fret about like you do with Khan."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia kissed her son's cheek and laughed as he threatened to come home with an exotic animal that would make her fret. She had no doubt that he would too but she would simple learn to live with whatever decisions her eldest child made. She simply hoped that he would keep to his promise of coming home to Inverness.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was about this same time that Brogan arrived at Annie and David's home. As Annie hadn't been feeling well, David was looking after their son. He'd rarely called the boy Daniel, preferring Danny. It wasn't too long before dark while Danny was asleep in his crib beside his parents' bed that David opened up the door to the bedroom and said softly, "Hey, love. Look who's home early." Brogan stepped in, looking brighter and more relaxed than Annie had seen him in far too long.

"Evenin' little lass," he murmured, coming in to sit down beside her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hi, Da." Annie said with a wide and bright smile on her face as her father sat down on the bed beside her, a kiss pressed against his bearded cheek. "Back just in time to take Danny for a few days, huh? He's running his Ma ragged."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd be glad to if y'like. Julia's missed th'babies so much, I'm sure she'd be glad t'have another one around between her, yer brother an' I." He kissed her cheek in return and looked to the crib as he saw Danny waking up. He gently lifted the infant from his crib and Annie saw the same look in his eyes that she'd seen with each of her siblings when they were infants, and remembered from when she was still small. He cradled Danny close and the boy settled easily. It seemed Brogan and his siblings had some ability to calm children but thus far few of the later generations had figured it out.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know I'd miss him the moment you took him to the keep." Annie said with a smile as she watched Danny settle for his grandfather. "Let's face it, he's got his Ma wrapped around his little finger. Even if he does exhaust me."

She laughed softly, watching as Danny yawned and curled up against his broad, warm chest to slumber a little while longer. "Grandpa saw how exhausted I was and insisted that I come home a rest. It's easier said than done with a little one that wants to feed all of the time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's always solutions. Like we did with Kate when she was too weak t'nurse, 'r Emma when she was healin' after Eli an' Leon were born. Then David can feed 'im an' you can sleep." Brogan brushed Danny's short fair hair back and the boy cooed softly and happily.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie simply smiled as he came with with suggestions to help lighten her load. Not to mention she hadn't been able to ride Ferrous in so long the horse had grown cranky as well. She knew soon she would have to make time for her warhorse as well as her husband and son.

"Kate did well while you were gone. A little overwhelmed at times, but she's got a level head on her shoulders and won't jump to judgement." Annie told her father as Danny sighed softly as he brushed his hair gently. "And Kell cares for her greatly. I don't think it'll be too long after she turns 18 that you'll have to plan another wedding."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' tell anyone I said it, but... I 'ope so. I love tha' lad as much as I do any o' you kids. Even if 'e an' Kate weren't interested in each other, I'd still 'ave brought 'im t'the keep t'stay." Brogan looked down at Danny once more and then to Annie. "Y'know I wasn' much different from this when y'were born. Yer Ma could hardly get me away from you. If no' fer all tha's been goin' on lately, Julia would've 'ad t'drag me t'Inverlochly t'get me away from this lad an' the girls so soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"After the fight you put up with David's proposal you know I'm going to give you a hard time when it comes to Kate and Kell." Annie said with a smile as her father confessed what he felt about Danny and his own young daughters. "You're a good Grandpa, Da. The best this little boy could ever ask for."

She watched him hold the little boy a little bit tighter and she knew that he was still haunted by the past and the time that he had missed with her after sending her to Ireland.

"I hope he becomes a scholar or an artist. I don't think I could bear knowing he's in any danger otherwise."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've hoped fer similar things fer all you kids, but don' limit th'lad. Whatever 'e chooses t'do in life, he'll need t'know 'is Ma supports 'im." He laid Danny back down as the boy dozed off again, and looked to Annie. "Tha' was Ciaran's biggest obstacle when Lir was still alive, worryin' what Julia an' I would think of 'im. Was Kate's too til th'war, an' I can see Sam's startin' t'find 'is own way an' worryin' we're not gonna be proud of 'im if 'e lets Rho go on 'is own."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's good for Sam and Rho to spend time apart. Maybe you can send one with Leon for a while. He knows what it's like to go off in life without his twin." Annie said softly as Danny slumbered peacefully after his grandfather had rocked him to sleep.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll see. Leon's pretty busy these days. Migh' send Rho t'Selena actually. There's werefolk in th'village with similar war wounds tha' know well 'ow t'work jus' as well as those without. If there's one thing tha' bothers Rho, it's that 'e isn' as effective as Sam anymore."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe he just needs his Da's attention a little bit more than the rest of us." Annie suggested, reaching over to touch his arm gently. "I know you love us all, but Rho just needs a little bit more from all of us. Ma loves him as much as she can, but we all need to make the effort to do for him what we can to lead a good life."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's no' fer lack of tryin', Annie love, I'm jus' so caught up with gettin' Kate ready, an' Kell with 'er now since Gale asked 'e be her Lord Protector. Hopefully I'll get some more time soon. I'm gonna send Kate to learn from King Henry in England an' King Bernard in Ireland after she spends some time with Marianne. She needs t'learn from more'n just 'er Da."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She won't like leaving you behind for that long." Annie said with a small laugh. "She needs her Da around to answer all of those nervous questions that she has. She asked Uncle Durban nearly every time she saw him if he thought she was doing the right things. To his credit, he never once told her no."

 

[KieranSoares]

"As much as I want to answer every question... I can' do tha' forever. She 'as t'learn t'work things out for 'erself, make mistakes an' fix 'em. She'll never learn if Da has all th'answers. An' as much as none of us like t'think about it, I won' be around forever. Someday Kate won' be able t'ask anymore. For her sake, she 'as t'learn t'do things alone."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hope for everyone's sake that you make it to 100." Annie said as she pressed her forehead against her father's cheek. "Because I know I'll never be too old to need my Da. And Danny needs you around to teach him all about Inverness and dragons and what resides in the woods."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm fairly certain yer th'authority on those, love, all th'fairytales y'read an' the exploring y'did as a little girl. Surprised you 'aven't found a dragon yet." He smiled softly to her. "You used t'think it was yer mission in life t'find the ol' dragon Inverness 'erself. Y'nearly left permanent tracks around th'loch hopin' you'd catch 'er comin' out."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe some day I will catch her." Annie said with a smile as her father remembered her little quirks from childhood. "I used one of my kipper eggs that Sam and Rho gave me to wish that I would meet her at least once in my life."