Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Emma let out a soft sigh, her eyes opening to look up at Boar. It took a long moment to realize what he was saying before she saw Kate stoking the fire in front of her.

"Kate?" Emma said softly. "I'm sorry, love. I didn't hear you enter."

She went to push herself out of the chair, intent on playing hostess to her niece even if she felt like sleeping forever.

"No, don't get up. Chessie sent me with food and I'd be happy to help dish it up for you if you're hungry." Kate offered.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek before joining Kate on her way to the kitchen to dish out the food. He was quiet for a moment as they unpacked the basket, before murmuring quietly, "I've seen ya out with the patrols... looks like yer Da's really gettin' you involved."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He thinks it's best if I learn here in Inverness before I go to Edinburgh." Kate said softly as she looked at her uncle. "He wanted me to ask you if you would train me with a sword and an ax. I figured you had other things on your mind, though."

She wasn't quite sure how to talk to her family about what had happened with Elijah nor what they felt like talking about. She knew her aunt was devastated and she wasn't sure she could blame her for wanting to hide away. If she lost Kell, she was sure that she would be the same way.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can do th'axe, but swords're yer Da's area. But I suppose 'e jus' can't make time fer it. If y'want a real swordmaster, especially fer claymores an' daggers, ye'll want Durban. He learned everything from our Da's best men, an' added onto it travelin' the world learnin' from other cultures. He'll teach ya how t'take on anyone from anywhere."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You just tell me where to be and when and I'll be there." Kate said with a soft smile towards her uncle. "And anything I can do to help Aunt Emma. I know she's hurting right now. Ma is going to come by tomorrow and help in any way that she can."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good. Vincenzo gave 'er something t'help her sleep, but I'm worried she's gettin' dependant on it. Havin' people around migh' snap her out of it." Boar leaned on the counter. "I'll talk t'Durban for ya. We'll meet you in th' courtyard at noon, say every other day starting tomorrow, aye?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll be there." Kate said as she gave him a small smile. "It'll do you good. You can work out all that anger and frustration on Uncle Durban and Kell if you want to. I know well enough to stay out of your way."

She helped him dish up some food and she brought out a plate to her aunt. It broke her heart to see just how sad Emma was and she knew that Boar truly cared and worried about her. She looked haunted by what had happened that week and she couldn't really blame her. Losing Eli might very well have broken her heart.

"Is there anything else you need, Aunt Emma?" Kate asked her softly, glancing towards Boar.

"No, dear. Thank you." Emma said softly, looking up at her niece with a soft smile. "There's no need to fret over me. In time, I know this ache will end."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Or a' least become bearable," Boar murmured more to himself than anyone else. There were so many things that made losing Eli difficult for him beyond a simple loss of his own child. He couldn't match the scope of Emma's grief but their pain was not the same. He came to Kate and kissed her forehead lightly. "Thank ya, lass. Tell Chessie we really appreciate it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I will, uncle Boar." Kate said softly as she turned to leave the pair alone, hoping that they started to heal soon from the hell that they were currently in.

When she went back to the keep, she found her way to her Da's office, sitting quietly beside him as he finished up his paperwork. It was like she was a child all over again, waiting at his knee for him to finish running his kingdom.

"Uncle Boar is going to train me starting tomorrow." She mentioned when he was done. "He's going to get Uncle Durban to help."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wish I could do all your training myself, love," Brogan sighed as he pressed his seal into melted wax on a letter envelope. "I'll still give the occasional lesson, but I jus' can't do it all myself anymore between yer little brothers an' th' babies to go along with my usual work." He looked over at her, leaning heavily on his desk. "An' I don't want t'risk stretching myself too thin. I can' afford another heart attack 'r to be sick. I have too much t'do an' too much t'be around for t'lay in bed fer weeks again."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da, I understand." She said softly, knowing that he felt bad about leaving her training to other people. "You can always join in if you feel up to the task. You should make time for your brothers though. Uncle Boar could really use a friend right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What Boar needs is a target, followed by a tankard o' ale an' a shoulder t'cry on. I'm afraid I'm only up t'the second part." He looked down at Kate and murmured, "Kitten... I don't want you t'tell yer mother this, but ever since my heart attack, I've been dealin' with th'same sickness yer Gran has. Vincenzo's been keepin' me well an' I'm not in pain 'r really ill like she used t'be... But I'm a bit on th'fragile side. I'm not old, no' yet... But I've lived a lot o' life an' it'll catch up t'me real fast if I get sick 'r hurt."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're dying?" Kate asked in a stunned voice, tears coming to her emerald eyes as he admitted to her that he was growing weak. "Da, you have to tell Ma. She deserves to know what's going on."

It was hard to believe that her strong father was slowing down. He had always been a force to be reckoned with and now he was telling her that he had the same illness that had nearly taken Gran away from them a few times.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, no, love," Brogan gave her a reassuring smile as he turned to draw her into his lap and hug her tight. "I'm no' dyin'. Not anymore'n Gran is. She's 'ad some close calls, but those were because o' harsh winters 'r bad sickness goin' round tha' could've taken anyone down. I'm okay, long as I'm careful." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I couldn't leave you. You know tha'. It's goin' t'be a long, long time before Brogan Ghis is laid t'rest."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate clung to her father as he pulled her into his lap, reassuring her that he wasn't dying. That was news that she certainly wasn't prepared to deal with. She needed her father in her life to guide her and the knowledge that he was sick was not what she wanted to know.

"You'll turn me grey one day, Da." Kate said softly, hugging him just a little bit tighter.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It'll serve ya right fer doin' the same t'yer Ma an' me." He lifted her head and gave her a smile. "I'll be around t'see you chasin' a wild-haired lass around too, wonderin' how she gets up in th'rafters 'r manages t'steal half a pantry at th'age o' six." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'll tell yer Ma... Jus' not yet. Too much 'as happened t'put more on everyone's plates."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll keep your secret for now. I promise." She said softly as she pressed her cheek against her father's shoulder. "Da, I've never seen someone as broken as Aunt Emma. She looks like she lost her soul. Uncle Boar is worried about her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We all are, love. But nothing is goin' t'heal her anymore'n time. She migh' go about 'er grief differently, but she's on th'same path as Ciaran was when 'e lost Lir. Boar'll keep 'er going... He needs her to be okay to ever let 'imself be okay." He sighed quietly, knowing the deep wrenching pain in his own way. Every time he saw his loved ones lose people so dear, especially when they were those he loved too, he couldn't help but be reminded of his first wife. He always strived to make sure no one else made his mistakes so long ago.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll all have to help her through." Kate said softly. "Just like we did for Ciaran. He needed out help to get through his pain. Ma gave him the most support out of any of us and I know she's going to do the same for Aunt Emma."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan smiled to himself and nodded, thinking of how far Julia, Emma, Boar and himself had come since the betrayal so long ago. Many in the family had been certain Julia would never forgive them, but she'd given up any distrust just as Brogan had, and Julia, Emma, Marri and Kitty had all ended up very close. "Yer Ma's saint, no doubt," he chuckled and stood, setting Kate on her feet. "I hope yer watchin' her... Because you'll never find a better woman in this world than th' lovely English lass who tamed th' King o' Inverness." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before drawing her out of his office to walk with her toward the kitchen. Dinner had long since passed, but he'd once been Kate's partner in crime stealing cookies from the pantry much to her mother's annoyance at both of them, and he decided to enjoy that memory with a little late night snack run.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can still have my Ma's sweetness and my Da's stubborn fierceness." Kate commented as he kissed her forehead and pulled her from the office to Chessie's pantry.

With some of her sweet oat cookies, she sat at the kitchen table with her Da and laughed over good memories. They had been in there for a while when Julia appeared, a smile on her face as she caught her husband and her daughter.

"I somehow knew that you'd both be here." She commented as she took a seat beside Brogan. "I finally got the babies to sleep. Ashelin missed her Da holding her before bedtime."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sorry, love. Been talkin' with Kate," Brogan explained before leaning over to kiss Julia's cheek adoringly as he always had. He'd never been the sort of parent to hide their love in front of their children.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia grinned as her husband leaned over and kissed her cheek, telling her taht he had been spending time with Kate. She glanced at the cookies that were before both of them and then back at Brogan with an eyebrow raised. Kate stifled her laughter as she prepared for her father to be scolded by her mother.

"Well....where's mine?" Julia asked, giving him a grin that was youthful beyond her years. "You never bring me cookies."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's because yer already sweet enough. I don' think I could handle anymore." He slid his small plate over to her, letting her take what she liked.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia took one of the offered cookies and gave her husband a warm smile as she bit into it. Kate smiled as she watched her parents interact, knowing that after almost 20 years together they had weathered a long storm.

"I'll miss this when I go to Edinburgh." Kate mentioned in a soft voice, Julia looking over at her daughter with a soft gaze.

"And we'll miss you, kitten." Julia said softly, reaching across the table to stroke her daughter's cheek. "But we both know that you'll be on a grand adventure and you'll be in the best care possible. Kell will be with you and Seamus has mentioned joining your guard."