Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Selena looked absolutely exhausted, having been unable to sleep thanks to her worry for her mate and her son and grandchildren. She looked to Luna and the two shared a nod. "I suppose it would probably be a good idea..." Selena was the sort to try to do everything alone, but even she knew there was only so much she could handle.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate gave her a smile and with Luna's help, she had the young twins packed warmly into her wagon, taking them back to Inverness. The two little boys obviously didn't feel well still but they were over the worst of the illness.

When she pulled into the keep courtyard, she helped the both down, taking a hand each to take them to her grandmother. "Gran. Look who I brought." Kate said with a smile as the boys brightened up at seeing their beloved great-grandmother.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Beren and Laen," Kitty said in her usual bright but soft way. The two hurried over with no small amount of tripping over their big footpaws, and hugged their grandmother tightly. Beren was the larger of the two, his fur ebony just like his uncle and grandfather. Laen, however, was white as snow like his mother. They were as much night and day as their fur, Beren being serious and often brooding and somewhat short a tempered when others were being stubborn or foolish. Laen was incredibly gentle and soft-spoken, but just as charismatic as his brother and extremely patient like his mother. Despite these differences, the two had never fought in their lives.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I figured you could spoil them while everyone was busy." Kate said with a smile as both little boys wrapped their great grandmother in a tight hug. "Selena and Luna looked exhausted."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't doubt it, with everyone else in the family down and out." Kitty leaned down to kiss each little boy's cheek. "But it'll be alright. We're all on top of it. Kate, could you get an extra couple blankets and pillows out for the room across from mine? I think we'll have the boys stay there tonight."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Sure, Gran." Kate said with a smile as she moved to the room across the hall to get it set up for her cousins.

Once that was finished, she went back to Kitty's room and took all three to get them something to eat. The boys ate Chessie's soup as if they were starving. It was probably one of the first times they had gotten a proper meal since they had gotten sick.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kitty soon shooed Kate away, assuring her that the boys weren't too much to handle. Even if Beren managed to get out of hand, Laen was his keeper. Chessie sent Kate with a bowl of soup for Brogan who hadn't eaten yet that day. He was too absorbed in his work to remember to eat.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate stepped into her father's office with the bowl of soup in her hands, placing it next to his paperwork as he worked. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, giving him a smile.

"Gran made me bring this to you. She said you probably haven't eaten today." Kate said softly as she took a seat next to her father. "She knows you too well after all these years."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It didn't take years, love, trust me. She's known me like the back of 'er hand since I was born." Brogan pushed papers aside and gave his daughter a smile. "I see you brought Beren an' Laen. Laen's always been a little on th'frail side so if he can make it, I'm sure everyone else can now tha' they've got help."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Aunt Selena was exhausted and Luna was too. I decided to take them off their hands. Gran always likes having babies around the keep. She said they make her feel young again." Kate said as her father put aside his work to make some time for her. "I think that's why she likes watching Heather and Ashelin too. They make her laugh."

 

[KieranSoares]

"My brothers an' sisters an' I were all she 'ad fer a long, long time, til Vincenzo came 'ere t'stay. Havin' kids around helped 'er survive, an' still do." Kate knew her grandmother's story well. Everyone did. She was open about it as she didn't want anyone in her family to ever get into a similar situation with an abusive spouse

 

[heartofcourage]

"Did you ever love your father?" Kate asked her Da softly. "Gran speaks fondly of him sometimes but I know Aunt Selena and Uncle Boar hate his guts. Was he like my real father? I know some people talk about Arland like he was the devil himself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tamblin Ghis was... Haunted, t'say the least. Selena an' Durban got the worst of 'is anger tryin' to protect Boar, Ash, an' Kay. Yer Gran was th' one who suffered fer me, but most o' the time... Da just ignored me. Sure, he let me train an' whatnot, but 'e'd never spare me a moment more'n he had to. See... When I was born an' they nearly lost me, Da softened up fer the first year o' my life. Even though I can't remember it, I always wanted him t'love me. So I took after yer Gran an' tried t'meet all his anger with patience. But until the moment I struck Da down in battle, I don't think 'e ever thought he could afford t'love the runt who he was sure would die in 'is first war. He lasted fer days, y'know... Tried t'hold on long enough fer Durban an' Selena t'come home. His mind was finally clear in those last moments. An' I finally got what I'd wanted all my childhood. Da said 'e loved me, an' he asked me t'be the king tha' he was too afraid an' too weak t'be. Yer Gran an' I were with 'im for 'is last moments. Boar wouldn't come, but I think he regreted it ever since. Ash an' Kay were in Edinburgh an' of course Val wasn't Da's daughter. So it was just me, Ma, and Da. He gave me 'is claymore an' 'is leather armguard like family tradition holds, an' 'e just... Fell asleep." It still hurt Brogan deeply, that much was clear. Like Kitty, despite all Tamblin's cruelty and madness, Brogan knew there had been a good but fearful man under it all and he'd finally come out again on his deathbed

"Arland met a similar end, as I understand it from Abel. Abel said Arland lasted fer four days after I ran 'im through in Wick keep. He saw Sarah unconscious after yer Ma managed t'get a good strike at 'er, an' that moment of shock was jus' enough fer me t'take Sarah's dagger an' attack first. I never saw 'im again after that. We ran with Theo an' yer brother an' sister. Abel told me Arland ordered his doctors t'take him Dache chapel in the keep, an' Arland prayed for forgiveness, an' he said if he lived, he was going t'make things right with Inverness an' step down once his heir was old enough to take over. Tha' was before Cahal was born, though. Arland died without an heir so the throne went to a regent until Abel chose an heir."

Brogan reached over to take Kate's hand. "You ought t'ask Abel t'send you Armand's last journal. Arland wrote somethin' in there for you. He just had a feeling yer Ma would end up havin' his child. I don' know what it says, but Abel didn't want to show it t'you durin' the war because 'e didn't want t'put more on yer mind. But yer a Ghis an' a Dunland. I think y'can handle it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Since you told me about Arland I've had a lot of time to think about it." Kate said softly as he took her hand. "I know that there are people out there that will use that information to hurt me. It'll get even worse when I become queen of Scotland. I don't want to be known as the daughter of a madman. He made horrible choices in his life and he paid for those with his life."

Kate was quiet for a long moment as she thought about what she was going to say next. "Do you ever wish sometimes that you weren't Tamblin's son? Does it hurt to know that you share his blood and that you might become like him?"

Brogan had always been her Da. Her earliest memories were of him carrying her around the keep, as proud as he could be with his little lass. She had never known any different, especially since red hair ran in her mother's family. No one had ever made her feel like she was anything but a Ghis. She was proud to have that last name as her own, but she was also haunted by the thought that her father had lost his mind in such a tragic way.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wished every day tha' my father was my Uncle Seamus or Vincenzo or Ghell. It seemed like everyone but myself and Durban had another father figure. Even Boar picked our grandfather Martin instead of Da. But I think havin' Da taught me what not to be... Though marryin' yer Ma showed me jus' how much like 'im I'd become since Cassie 'ad died. I'm no' proud o' how I treated her at first... But I never hurt her like Da did Ma. I left bruises once when I grabbed 'er by the arms, but after tha' I could never do it again. If I hadn't had th'thought o' how Da treated Ma... I might've done worse before she softened me up."

"But there's a big difference between my Da an' yours, kitten. My Da was driven insane by a man tha' none of us could ever defeat. Only jus' after you were born did anyone ever really get at him. Tha' was Sarah herself with Durban an' Kell's grandfather. But he's still out there somewhere... Probably corruptin' someone else so 'e can get back at the isles again. Arland, on th' other hand... Oliver did try t'corrupt 'im like he did Arland's father Lochlan. But Arland resisted. He didn't go mad... He lost his sense of right an' wrong because 'e was in love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you trust Kell?" Kate asked in a soft voice, her emerald eyes looking into his own as she asked him the incredibly private question. "I know you like him and you think of him as your own son, but do you trust him? Marianne is going to give me the throne of Scotland. That's a lot of power in the hands of someone who is inexperienced and young. I know some of the older kings and clan leaders might try to sway me, but how will I know if Kell is the one that I really should be looking out for?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd trust Kell with you an' yer mother's lives," Brogan told her went her met her gaze quite seriously. The only people he trusted like that were his own siblings and Cole and Theo. "Kell will fend off any attack, political, physical, mental... All of 'em. He's a good man fer the position because 'e never asked for it 'r wanted it. It's why our family enjoys a steady rule. None of us really want t'lead, but we will because we love our people an' we want th'best for 'em. Gale was a great king because 'e didn't aspire t'have power. Same fer Brian an' Marianne. My Da was a terrible king because 'e killed 'is own Da fer the throne an' not the people. I fought Da fer my people, not power. You an' Kell will be among th'line o' good, down t'earth protectors o' Scotland an' he'll find even most o' the independent Clans like Inverness will ally with you at a moment's notice."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate hugged her father as tightly as she could, her cheek pressing against his shoulder as she soaked in those words. He trusted and believed that she would be a good ruler. He also trusted Kell in spite of what Kell had done in the past. It meant the world to her to have a father that loved her that much.

"I'll miss you when I go to Edinburgh." She whispered softly. "Probably more than you'll ever know. We won't be able to have these kinds of talks."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not as often... But I'll be visiting you often as I can. An' you know ye'll get all sorts o' letters from all of us." Brogan wrapped his arms around her with a quiet sigh. "I wish I could keep ya forever... But ye've got a life t'live an' a lot t'do an' see. But when Rho takes over, y'can bet I'll be down t'the city more often."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll help you and Ma buy a house for when you come to visit." Kate said with a smile as he promised to come and see her as often as he could. "Like when Grandpa takes Gran to Italy during the winter time. A few months away each year would do you some good."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Considerin' we've only left a handful o' times, I'm sure yer Ma would appreciate it. I never like leaving when there's so much work t'be done. It's th'only bad habit I picked up from Da." He let her go then. "Now I want ya t'do me a favor. There's a tailor in town on th'west side o' the square. Next time y'head out t'the Lunar village, stop by 'is shop an' pick up th' blankets an' clothes 'e's made fer 'em."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Chessie's sending me that way with some food later. Ma mentioned going along to help Aunt Selena. I can stop by then." Kate promised him, pressing a kiss against his cheek. "And you better eat before I have to hear about it from Gran. She's worried about you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Isn't she always?" Brogan chuckled. He tucked into his meal and soon sent Kate on her way.

Three days later as Inverness was beginning to scrape for supplies, a huge caravan arrived from the east, escorted by soldiers with Aberdeen banners. They hardly needed direction, splitting up the supplies quickly. But Kell was not among the caravaneers. A messenger directly from the king of Aberdeen came to report to Brogan, and Brogan had Kate and Rho and Sam there with him to hear the message.

The messenger bowed before them respectfully before beginning. "Sir, the king has assured me that Aberdeen will offer its total support in caring for the werefolk. Another caravan will arrive in three days carrying food and more medicine. The king would like to apologize for taking so long, but your own messenger fell ill on his way and barely made it to the city."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate felt like she had been punched in the belly when she heard that Kell had gotten sick. She wondered if he was alright now and it made her incredibly worried that he hadn't come with them back to Inverness.

"Is Kell...dead?" She asked the messenger in a soft voice, looking at her father with sheer terror showing in her bright green eyes.

 

[KieranSoares]

"When we left the city, he was still holding on. But... If I'm honest, milady, he didn't look too well."

"He'll make it home, kitten," Brogan said softly. "Do you want to go to him? There's no one in Aberdeen who knows how t'treat this sickness. But you've seen enough t'be able t'help 'im."