Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Kate laughed as her father twirled her and showed off her natural grace. He had a way about him that seemed so much younger than his years. Soon enough she was passed off to Ciaran and Brogan went back to the head table with her mother. Ashelin was scooped into his arms, her turn out on the floor with her father. She was too tiny to walk but it was just as Kate had learned to dance.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ciaran was quite the dancer himself, being probably the most suited to court thus far out of the Ghis children. He gladly spun with his little sister and took up Brogan's pace with hardly a pause. "You're beautiful, Kate," he told her softly. "Did you ever think you'd be the one wearing a crown?" Of course the mantle would've gone to Annie or Ciaran by tradition, but went instead to the second daughter and then the third son, Rho being hours younger than Sam.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate smiled as Ciaran danced with her. Her older brother had always been light on his feet and she had always found joy in dancing with him. She swore that she would dance more as she grew older. It was one of the few courtly duties that she truly enjoyed.

"Thank you." Kate said with a hint of blush on her cheeks as he told her that she was beautiful. "I never thought that I would even be trusted as I got older."

She had to laugh softly at that thought. Her Ma had many evenings of heartache as she thought about her wayward daughter. Now, it seemed that Kate was coming into her own. She was strong, smart, and willing to learn.

"Of course, my older brother was always there to make sure that I was alright. I'll need you even more when I go to Edinburgh." She murmured softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be sure to join your court fairly often. But my place is with the werefolk. Perhaps I can help to represent them. With you and Kell, they're sure to get a fair chance that they didn't get before." As the song slowed to an end, Ciaran paused and drew Kate in close, kissing her forehead. "I know you're not that much younger than me, Kate. But it's been one of my life's great joys so far to see you grow up and become both your own person and a great testament to Ma and Da's legacy. Ma's so proud of you, and so am I." He left her side to dance with their mother, and Rho popped right up to come get his first ever dance with his sister. He and Sam both had taken to dancing like ducks to water, it being apparently a skill shared by the whole family, uncles and aunts and all.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate grinned as her brother hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead and telling her that he was proud of her. She glanced towards her mother as she danced with Sam, feeling a warm heart at the thought that her mother did love and respect the person that she had become. Before she could say anything more, she turned to notice that Rho was standing in front of her for his turn.

"Oh no. I have to dance with you now?" Kate asked her little brother with a smile on her face. "I don't know if I want to do that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Aw, come on," Rho said with a grin. "I want practice so I can dance with you when you marry Kell." He often teased her about Kell and what he planned to do at their wedding. "Plus Ma said it would look really good, future King and future Queen dancing together. Especially with us being siblings."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Just remember that I will be your queen, no matter how old you get." Kate said with a grin as she ruffled her brother's hair. "And in going to make sure that you don't do anything to embarrass me if I do end up marrying Kell."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We won't if you promise to visit Ma and Da a lot, or invite them to Edinburgh. Us too, but Ma and Da first." If there was anything to be said for Sam and Rho, it was that despite all their trouble, they had hearts of gold.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure that Da will not let me be alone for very long." Kate said as she took her brother's hand and let him pull her onto the dance floor.

He was almost taller than her, even if she were older. She knew soon he would be as tall or taller than Ciaran. As the king of Inverness he would be brawny and burly but she knew that her brother would always have a soft heart, thanks to their mother.

 

[KieranSoares]

Rho took great pride in his first dance with his sister, and he didn't let the lack of one arm stop him from emulating Brogan in showing Kate off, nor himself as their presence in the Scottish courts were twofold, for Kate and for Rho. It was a much slower song when Sam, taller than his brother and slowly becoming much more brawny, approached as if a bit timid, as if he thought Kate wouldn't want to dance with him. He'd changed so drastically from the bright, cheerful, and energetic boy he'd been.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Cheer up, Sam." Kate said as they took their turn around the floor, her brother looking so sad and down all the time recently. "I miss my mischievous younger brother. When do you think he'll be coming back?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not sad," he assured her. "I'm just thinking. But I don't think the old Sam is coming back anytime soon. I have a lot to do and a lot to be before I can just play around again." Though he and Rho did get up to the occasional trouble now, Rho was usually the cause and Sam got him out of it.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not dancing with you until you smile." Kate said, looking at her serious brother with a slowly curling smile on her lips. "I can't have my baby brother being too serious for his own good."

She knew how serious he took his new role in life and she also knew how much guilt he still carried for Rho's injury. There was nothing they could have done to prevent it from happening but Sam had sworn he would keep his brother safe.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam couldn't help a small, rueful smile. "I'm thirteen. I'm not a baby. You're smaller than us anyway, your Highness," he took her hands rather than waiting for her to begin, showing her his own impeccable dancing skill from their mother.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia watched her children from her spot back at the table, having found her seat again as the others each moved on to someone else. She watched as Heather got her turn with Brogan, a happy smile on her normally reserved features as she snuggled against his chest.

They had gotten through the worst that life had to throw at them. Rho had been scarred physically, Ciaran scarred on his soul, Sam scarred emotionally, and Kate learning how to keep everything all together. No one was unscathed. Still, it warmed her heart to see that they were all together and functioning as a family.

"Well, Ashelin, I think your Ma did pretty well, don't you?" Julia asked her youngest, kissing her daughter's cheek as she giggled and hugged her mother tightly. "I know you only have eyes for your Da but I still love you all the same."

 

[KieranSoares]

When Brogan returned to Julia, it was Kell's turn finally to dance with Kate. He approached her slowly, offering his hand and opening his arms to her with a small smile and pure enchantment in his eyes. "Kate..." He murmured. Having watched her dance with her family served only to make her more beautiful to his eyes. He was seeing an entirely new side: the lady of court. He still adored the free girl who would run through the forests with him, bow in hand and hair free to the wind. But there was a sort of attraction here too, seeing just what kind of woman she could be when responsibility called.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kell." Kate said with a blush in her cheeks as he looked at her like he were seeing her for the very first time. "I've been wondering when you would come to dance with me. I missed you."

She could see the appreciation in his eyes as he looked at her in her court dress. He looked handsome in his new clothing as well. "My Da calls you our wolf now. I think he likes you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I hope so, considering he's trusting me to protect you away from home." Kell drew her close and into perfect step to the slower tune. "You look absolutely amazing. More so than usual." His golden eyes were full of love and life, welcoming as ever.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate saw a look in his gaze that she had never seen before. She knew that she loved him deeply, but this was something more than love. She felt her cheeks growing hot under his intense amber gaze, the slow tune giving them time to study one another as they slowly moved to the music.

"When you look at me like that, I lose myself." She murmured softly, unsure of what she was really feeling in that moment. "I feel like you could devour me if I gave you the chance."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I certainly wouldn't waste that chance if you gave it to me," Kell murmured, pressing his cheek to her own as he whispered in her ear. "But I suppose I am still the big bad wolf. I am stealing Little Red in a way." He stole a slow, secret kiss and gave her an adoring, handsome smile. She'd brought out a side of him he didn't even know he'd had. A side of playful love, occasional mischief, and teasing.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate laughed softly as he leaned in and kissed her secretly, telling her that he wouldn't waste any chances with her. She had to remember that he had a family before and had lost them. He was rediscovering what it was like to be in love and ready to truly enjoy it. She was more than willing to explore all of that with her handsome wolf.

 

[KieranSoares]

They almost didn't realize when the song ended, but Kell drew Kate back toward her family so she could take a break for a while. Many others asked to dance with her, several of them looking quite interested in her either for her beauty or for the power she was soon to hold. Brogan still received suits all the time for Kate's hand, but he of course never even entertained them.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kell, don't go wooing my daughter just yet. You still a long time to wait." Julia teased the wolf as he sat beside her and Kate got a refreshment. "You're a sweet boy. I dare say my husband might love you more than Kate at the moment."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I really doubt that," Kell chuckled. Then little Ashelin caught everyone's attention with a happy shriek and she reached out for Kell. He came to kneel beside Julia and took Ashelin's little hands. "Do you want to dance too, sweetheart?" He asked softly, in a very similar way to what Brogan might've said in the same situation.

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashelin bounced on her mother's knee, grinning widely at Kell as he took her hands and asked if she wanted to dance. "Go ahead. She's too excited to go to sleep like her sister."

Julia glanced over at Brogan, smiling as she saw him cradling a slumbering Heather against his warm chest. She knew moments like this would be fewer as time wore on but she was determined to enjoy it for what it was worth.