Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Whether Kell could hear her or not, she never received any response. But the next morning when Kell only seemed to be getting worse, a new visitor appeared in the form of an old Wolf whose ebony fur had gone grey with age, but he had the same golden eyes as Kell.

A serving woman from the castle showed the Wolf in, and he paused when he saw Kate. "You must be Katherine Ghis," he murmured.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was weary when the new visitor came, but she still stood respectfully when they called her Katherine. No one called her Katherine unless they were trying to be respectful.

"And you must be Khelt." She murmured softly. "Kell spoke of a grandfather that lived in Ireland."

 

[KieranSoares]

Khelt nodded and drew close to his grandson's side. Clearly he had no fear for the plague, having traversed the world and picked up all manner of immunity. From what Kate knew, Kell had never really known the old Wolf, but Khelt had indirectly watched over him all his life.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate watched as the old wolf moved to Kell's side, looking over him for a long moment. She had no idea what to do or say to the man. It was apparent that he cared for Kell, but he hadn't seen his family in a very long time.

"He's been calling out for his mother and his father. I don't think he knows where he is right now." Kate murmured softly. "I don't even think he knows we're here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"His father?" Khelt asked quietly, looking to Kate. It was quite the surprise considering Kell's father had been cruel and had forced him to become a killer. Khelt sat down beside his grandson and laid a small, scruffy little stuffed horse down which he'd drawn from his cloak. "I heard of the outbreak while I was in Wick speaking to your uncles... I knew Kell would be caught up in it. It's late in coming, but I finally have the freedom to come help him like I should have all his life." He was still in service to Sarah, but she rarely asked for his skills unless something pressing came up. Like her own dear Wolf Shia, she thought he should retire. But Khelt had nothing if he did not have his work.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kell has been one of the last to be struck with it." Kate explained softly as she watched his grandfather place a scruffy stuffed horse next to the ill wolf. "We saved many lives and I'm sure that he'll pull through, but he's been getting worse as the days go by."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He was sickly as a cub," Khelt murmured. "I thought after all he's done and how he's traveled, he would never deal with deadly sickness again." He looked to Kate then, and she could see the slightest flicker of curiosity in his eyes. Odds were a man of covert operations and a master of spies would know all that she and Kell had done in Wick and Inverness, but he asked anyway, "And exactly what does Kell have to do with you? I know of Wick, of course, but it's not like him to stay in one place long."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We're in love." Kate told him as she took her seat again, exhaustion showing in her green eyes. "My family took him in after Wick. He lost Mary there and I thought that he could use a place to stay to get back on his feet. We care for one another deeply. He decided to stay in Inverness to see what might become of us."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And I understand he's to join your side in the court of Edinburgh," the old Wolf murmured. "... The late king chose well. Both in you and Kell. He's a gentle soul... Though it seems people are only just starting to see it." Glancing at her tired eyes, he added, "I can look after him... I've seen this sickness before. Get some rest."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If he gets worse, please come and tell me. My cousin Alex should be back soon. He is resting in his room." Kate said as she stood from her seat and looked down at Kell. "And tell him I haven't gone far if he wakes. He knows I'm here in some form or another."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't worry, young one," Khelt murmured, settling in to watch over his grandson. Alex would be along as she left, but there wasn't much to do beyond helping Kell wake up for tea and an easy meal.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate retired to her room as Khelt promised that he would watch Kell. Once she was safely between the sheets, she whispered a small prayer for Kell and let her green eyes close. Within moments, she was sound asleep, hoping that when she woke she wasn't in a world where he no longer breathed.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex woke Kate around noon, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Kate, I need your help. Kell's getting worse." Kell was having more trouble than ever breathing, and clearly afraid. For a Wolf who had so often looked death in the face, it was unsettling to Alex that Kell was so afraid. Perhaps now that he had so much to lose, he didn't want to die.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was up instantly and without hesitation as Alex shook her shoulder and told her that Kell was getting worse. By the time she made her way back to his room, she could see how much he was struggling. Taking her seat at his side again, she took his hand in her own and brought it to her lips, kissing it gently.

"I'm here, love." She murmured softly. "Just relax and let us help you. Before you know it, you'll be back on your feet."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell met her eyes with a look she'd only ever seen the likes of once in her life when Sam had thought Rho was going to die after their fight with Tidannon. It was pure fear and wrenching pain, but Kell's was physical instead of Sam's emotional. His breathing was a constant struggle and Alex was pulling out every trick Valentina and the tribal healers had come up with to help.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Stay with me." Kate murmured, picking up the ragged stuffed horse and pressing it against his chest. "Your grandfather came for you. Do you remember?"

She had no idea what he could remember from his delirium. It had been hours of nothingness for everyone involved.

"We have a lot left to do in our lives. I need you with me for when I go to Edinburgh. I know I won't survive without you." She confessed to him, watching as Alex pondered over what his next move would be.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell lifted a hand to the stuffed horse and he held it and her hand tight to his chest, letting his head rest back against the pillow again. Alex had him swallow a thick paste of herbs that didn't go down very easily simply because Kell's throat was so swollen, and upon taking another look at her throat, Alex murmured, "I hope I don't have to open up his throat..." In some of the worst cases, Valentina and the tribal healers had to open up their patients' throats to remove plague growths that wouldn't go away on their own with treatment.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hope you don't have to either." Kate murmured as Kell wrapped his hand around her own and the stuffed horse. "Let's give him some time. Rest might make a difference."

Carefully, she pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to the ragged breathing and the solid beat of his heart. His heart was strong. That was what he had going for him. If that heart would just keep beating, he would have a fighting chance.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell only seemed to worsen as the day went on, until the moment the room fell oddly silent. The fire still crackled and the faint breeze still whistled at the window. But the ragged sound of Kell's breathing had cut off. Alex was asleep in a chair off to the side, having not slept much the night before, and Khelt had gone to tend to his horse and get a meal. In the near-silence for Kate, the sudden lack of sound was clear as day.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate had dozed on Kell's chest, her hand still tightly gripping his. Her green eyes slowly opened when she noticed the strange lack of sound in the room and she picked up her head, staring down at Kell.

"Kell?" She whispered softly, shaking him as she noticed he wasn't breathing. "Alex!"

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex jolted awake, immediately noticing how deadly still Kell had gone once he looked over. He leapt up to get his tools and he took a quick look at Kell's throat to see the worst had happened and Kell's throat was completely closed. "Kate, get out the bandages and put water on to boil, and get any spare towels you can find." He pulled one of the flexible reeds Valentina had taught him to use from his bag, and carefully but firmly pressed it down into Kell's throat as Kell began to tense up in his sleep at being unable to breathe. When Alex managed to open that small space, Kell could breathe just enough to survive.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate didn't want to leave his side, but she knew that if she didn't help Alex, Kell would surely die. She left him then, putting water on to boil before she pulled out rolls of bandages and gathered the spare towels that had been provided for them.

"Will you have to operate?" Kate asked Alex, placing the items within his reach as she waited for him to tell her what else to do.

 

[KieranSoares]

"This isn't swelling, it's plague sores in his throat. They won't go away on their own," Alex told her quickly, pulling small, sharp knives from a leather case and the other precision tools he'd need.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate watched as Alex quickly pulled out his knives, getting them organized so that he could work effectively. "What should I do to help?" Kate asked him softly, knowing that she couldn't leave Kell's side now.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't have time to wait for painkillers to set in, so you might have to hold him still. He's too weak to put up much of a fight, but I'm going to be working close to an artery and I don't want any mistakes if he jolts from the pain. I need to work fast. He might be able to breathe just enough with the reed, but it's only enough to stave off suffocation. If he goes too long without enough air, he'll suffer brain damage."