Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Kell and Kate eventually rejoined the rest of the family as they all came together. Despite the Ghis usually celebrating the lives of their lost members, there was no celebration for Eli's life yet. The manner of his death and the hatred that had caused it all made it far too difficult to be any kind of happy. Boar's side of the family wouldn't even speak except Boar himself if he had to. Brogan sat at the head of the hall looking over his wounded family and sighed to himself, reaching out to take Julia's hand beside him.

 

[heartofcourage]

The tension and sorrow in the great hall was thick. Boar and Emma looked utterly devastated. Leon wouldn't talk to anyone besides Lucy and Kayla wasn't even there. Julia knew that the family was deep in their sorrow and she wished that there was something she could do to make the situation better. Instead, she squeezed her husband's hand and looked at him as he struggled to come up with the same answers.

"Ciaran, love." Julia said as she glanced towards her son. "Would you do me a favor? Would you go and check on Kayla? I don't think anyone else is in the condition to make sure that she's alright and I would hate for her to be alone in this."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ciaran nodded without a word and rose to exit the keep. Brogan held the family together even though they all wanted to fall apart and shatter over such a sudden loss, but it was Kitty who managed to keep Leon and Emma and Boar from drowning in their sorrow, as well as keeping Boar from outright exploding at least for the time being. Brogan and Durban both knew one or both of them would have to direct Boar's rage before long or else he might do something he'd regret.

As night fell, the family opted to all stay in the keep, their ranks closing to the outside world for the time being. Brogan, however, brought Kate to sit with him up on the battlements. He only ever took her out there when he needed to have a very serious conversation with her. When she was younger, he brought her up there when she was in trouble.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate had wrapped up in a thick cloak to sit on the battlement with her father. The stars were out under a clear sky, but the air was bitterly cold. It was the kind of night that was best spent in front of a warm hearth, but her Da only pulled her up there when there were serious things to discuss.

"I would sincerely hope that I'm not in trouble." She said softly, looking at her father as her breath clouded in front of her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan was leaning on the battlements, looking down into his courtyard and the town beyond. His gaze was clear and hard, but at her words, it softened a bit without looking at her. "No, you're no' in trouble fer anythin', kitten." Even though he'd started to call her kitten more easily, there was still sometimes that certain way he said it with a particular tone that told her when he was deeply worried. This was one of those moments.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate felt a sense of relief wash over her when her Da told her that she wasn't in trouble for anything. She moved to his side, looking over the battlement to the keep and town below. When her father was in a mood like this, the best thing was to let him talk to her in his own time. She remained quiet at his side, waiting for him to state what was on his mind.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Kate..." he began slowly, but paused for a moment to reconsider what he was going to say. "... This is going t'be a lot harder than th'last war. We aren' facing invaders trying t'take our homes. We're facin' our own people, because we need t' protect the werefolk. But at the same time, we have t'fight the werefolk who fight back against th'humans... This might turn into civil war, kitten. And the Ghis can't pick a side, only protect each side from each other til peace can be reached."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was quiet for a long moment, pulling the cloak tighter around her shoulders as he admitted that they couldn't take side in this battle. She nodded slowly, her red curls bouncing around her fragile looking face as she let out a long sigh.

"I worry about our family, Da. Ciaran loved a wolf. Leon loves a wolf. What about Ruben and Luna and Uncle Kreston?" She asked him softly. "We have to protect them no matter what. Isn't that taking a side?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"To protect is not taking a side. To attack is to take a side, but no' everyone will see it tha' way... we may well find both sides hate us until we find a way t'resolve this. But I'm worried tha' th'werefolk in our family migh' make us all targets. Ye'd be surprised what hunters'll do to 'beast-lovers' as they call us." He looked to his daughter then, and admitted with a bitter smile. "I 'ave t'say... yer probably th'safest of us all." He knew Kell would not hesitate to kill for her if she was in danger, and odds were Kate would do the same if she had to. But she was probably safeguarded most just by Kell's reputation and how he was always at her side.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kell will keep me safe no matter what." She said softly and with honesty in her voice. "Just as you will, Da."

She leaned against his side, seeking his immense warmth. She felt his arm wrap around her shoulders, pulling her in tightly and she let her eyes close for a long moment to soak in the moment. Her Da loved her, perhaps more than any of her brothers and sisters. It touched her deeply that he wasn't her real father, but he had never shunned her a day in her life.

"What was my real father like?" She asked him softly, working up her courage to ask him that painful question.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan knew the question would be coming one day, but that didn't mean he was exactly prepared. He took a deep breath, and murmured, "A very good man... but easily swayed by love." He looked down at her with a sigh. "You know... he told me I was 'is hero when I met him to create th' first treaty between Wick an' Inverness. He had so much potential, an' he was just about your mother's age, so he had a whole life ahead of 'im. I thought he'd be the man t'lead Wick into a bright future... He wouldn' harm a soul, not til my past came back t'wreak havoc on th'isles..."

 

[heartofcourage]

It did her good to know that her father was a good man who was just misguided. He had done a horrible thing to her mother, but it seemed that her Da had forgiven him for all of that. She looked up into her father's gaze with those familiar green eyes and gave him a soft smile.

"I'm happy that you didn't send me away when I was born." She said softly, knowing that it was his right to do just that if he so wished. "And I'm happy that you love Ma no matter what."

 

[KieranSoares]

"How could I ever 'ave sent you away?" He smiled in return to her. "Y'were th'blessing to come out of one of, if not th'worst times o' our lives. I knew th'moment I held you an' y'took your first breath, you were my little girl. I survived fer your Ma... but I really started livin' again fer you," he admitted quietly, having never told Julia that every day was a struggle until Kate came along. "An' truthfully... I felt like y'were proof tha' someone finally forgave me fer th'idiot I was when I was young... It's my fault Sarah took control o'Arland, an' I suppose tha' makes me more responsible than him fer you bein' born... It's all my fault, everythin' that happened back then. An' when you came along... I finally felt like it was all okay again."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know Ma struggled when I was little until Sam and Rho came along. You never once let her falter though. I didn't know why she would cry sometimes when she saw me, but I know now that she was seeing Arland." Kate said softly, snuggling up against her father's side. "And I know you're afraid that I might go off to Edinburgh and never come back. I promise you that I'll come back all of the time. I need you as much as you need me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I trust you, love... I'll probably be coming to see you most of the time when I start leaving Rho in charge..." He hadn't told anyone yet that he'd chosen Rho, except the twins themselves. Many people might've considered Brogan daft for choosing his one-armed son, but Brogan knew that Rho was best suited, and Sam was dedicated to his brother like nothing else. Sam had learned to let Rho do things alone, but that didn't mean Rho didn't need him. Sam probably needed Rho much more than he'd ever let on.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Rho will make you very proud." Kate said softly, knowing that her brother would lead Inverness as surely as her father did. "And Sam would be his defender no matter what."

She knew that Annie had her own life with her horses and she was very content. Ciaran was more suited to travel and learn from the woods around them. Ashelin and Heather would each grow into their own people in time and add to the family that was already so close.

"Just promise me there won't be any more brothers and sisters coming our way. We're running out of places to put them." Kate teased her Da, giving him that mischievous smile that she had learned from him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Your Ma wouldn't let me even if she could," he chuckled softly. Julia wouldn't be able to have any more children, not that they wanted more, he knew that much. Even so, he couldn't help thinking over each of their children's births. They'd all been a bit different, all an emergency in some way, but all had been blessings that helped at crucial points in their parents' lives. Annie had soothed her mother and father's aching hearts after losing their first. Ciaran had calmed the fear that Julia wouldn't ever have children. Kate had brought them out of one of the hardest times of their lives, and Sam and Rho had been the ones to liven up the place after a long peacetime, growing into troublemakers like their sister. And Ashelin and Heather had given Brogan the extra reason he needed to pull through his heart attack, and for Julia to survive their chaotic birth.

"But I think I 'ave all I need," he murmured softly, suddenly thoughtful. "All o' you are the best parts of your mother and I... an' Annie brings th' best parts o' Cassie too. I 'ave to say, though, my favorite thing about all of you when y'were born was tha' you all 'ad yer mother's eyes..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're just a soft, old romantic." Kate teased her father as he mentioned that the best part of all was that they all had their mother's green eyes. "Ma must have worked long and hard on you to soften you up."

She knew that her father's childhood was not the best. Her Gran had told her stories about the old times with Tamblin and she was in awe that her uncles and aunts were able to love as fiercely as they did. Tamblin had done nearly everything to tear the family apart.

"I wish that you could have had a childhood like all of us did. We couldn't have done it without you and Ma there to love us and guide us." Kate said softly. "I know your Da wasn't a good man."

 

[KieranSoares]

"In a way, love, I'm glad 'e wasn't an ideal father, at least for my sake. I spent my entire childhood in 'is shadow, wishin' 'e'd love me. So when he fell t'my blade, I made a promise I'd never be like 'im. I almost broke tha' promise after Cassie died, but I never became th'monster 'e was. I never killed an innocent person, never left my wife 'r my children t'fend fer themselves, never declared war fer my pride... an' I have t'thank 'im fer teachin' me how t'fight, and how not t'act."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If the day ever comes that I have my own children, I want them to have the kind of childhood that I did. I want them to know it's alright to be different. I'll love them no matter what." Kate promised him. "You taught me that. It's important to be yourself and stay true to what you know is right."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tha's all I've ever wanted from you, kitten," Brogan murmured, wrapping both great arms around her. "T'do what's right... No matter what. That's going to be more important now than ever before." He soon drew her back inside and only left her when they reached the great hall. He went to join Julia's side.

The next few days were a quiet hell for Boar's family, and finally they were allowed a small bit of closure when they laid Eli to rest. But in the following weeks, the tensions began to rise again between werefolk and humans. Brogan had begun joining patrols to make sure even those arrested for violence were treated with no bias. He even allowed Kate to join some horsemen on their own patrols during the evenings. Kell was already doing this sort of thing and becoming a respected law enforcer. Brogan wanted Kate to become the same to increase her skill and reputation. The better her reputation was when she reached the throne of Scotland, the less doubt her council of lords would hold against her. Her age was already a factor, and many were not happy to put a woman on the throne of Scotland too like Norway and Ireland, and eventually England too with Princess Elizabeth.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate had taken up her post at in the patrols as her Da allowed her to. It was important for the citizens of Inverness to see her out and about, doing her duty as was her future right. She tried her best to be fair to each person that was detained by the patrols for various reasons.

She also took it upon herself to see to her Uncle Boar. One evening as the sun was setting, she approached his house with a basket of food that Chessie had prepared for her and her Aunt Emma. She knew Emma was sleeping more, struggling to cope with the loss of her dear son and as a result there was little food in their house.

Knocking on the door, she waited for someone to answer. She gave a soft smile to her uncle as he opened the door and she showed him the basket in her hands.

"Chessie sent this for you, Uncle Boar." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar had obviously just wiped tears from his face when he opened the door, his eyes red and glassy. "Thank ya, love..." He murmured, ushering her inside. "C'mon in..." Leon and Kayla had opted to go home, so it was just Boar and Emma there and Leon had Lucy. The house was quiet and a bit cold, the fires having died as they were untended. Emma was in Boar's great chair in her own silent world of misery, half-asleep. She loved her children dearly, but Eli had been to her what Kate was to Brogan or Ciaran was to Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate stepped into the cool room, noticing first just how cold and silent it seemed. Emma must have taken something to sleep because she stared almost comatose into the dying fire. It broke Kate's heart to see them like this.

"I'll get your fires going again for you." Kate offered, moving to stoke the fires in the hearths to make it a little more cheerful inside.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar laid Kate's basket in the kitchen and he came to Emma's side. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, murmuring, "Em... Kate's here, love."