Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I think Brogan would agree." Julia said with a smile towards her husband. "He always thought that Ciaran would be the crowned prince, but Rho has stepped into the role with power. We couldn't be prouder of him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ciaran seemed right for it... but 'e never wanted it. He turned out like Durban, only less bull-headed. He's th'first Ghis tha' can be reasoned with."

Warwick chuckled at that, "The first since your mother, at least. How is she, by the way?" Though Warwick had never loved Kitty the way Ghell or Marius had, he still adored the woman beyond all reason.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Very happy, but getting older. Vincenzo dotes on her, though." Julia said with a smile towards Warwick as he asked about Kitty. "She enjoys spending time with her great grandchildren as often as she can get. There's not a single day where she's not taking care one or two of them."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's good to hear... so she hasn't hardly changed at all." Warwick smiled to himself. "I was worried Vincenzo would never manage to get to Scotland, back then."

"We were too. It took 'im near ten years after Da," Brogan agreed. "But 'e made it, an' I think we still 'ave her because 'e did."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled as the small talk continued, catching up with the queen of Scotland and the man that had sworn to protect her and make her comfortable. When Marianne tired, Julia escorted Brogan back to their room so that he could rest as well. Once she was sure that he was comfortable, she went to gather the twins. She found Ashelin sound asleep and Heather just waking up.

"Hello, little love. Did you sleep well?" Julia asked as she lifted Heather into her arms and kissed her cheek. "Have they been good, my heart?"

She glanced over at Ciaran as he kept a watchful eye over all of them.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good as gold, especially Heather," Ciaran said softly with a nod, looking up from the book in his lap. "Ashelin got a little upset when Da left, but Heather calmed her right down."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They are two parts of a whole." Julia said as Heather clung to her, still groggy from her nap. "Always there for each other."

Julia leaned down and kiss Ciaran's cheek before she moved to the window to take a look outside. "Your Da is having a rough time with the traveling, so we will be staying here a bit longer then first expected. Marianne wants to introduce Kate to her subjects. I was thinking it might be good for you to help your sister with that to allow Da some time to rest."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course I will," Ciaran answered as he stood to join her side. "It seems to be my job to look after this family," he chuckled, scooping up Ashelin as she woke too and quietly expressed her displeasure at being separated from Heather.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hello, love." Julia said as she kissed Ashelin's cheek as she calmed down around her sister. "Why are you two so cranky?"

She nuzzled against both girls until they cheered, able to sit and play nicely together. A scone was soon divided between them and the youngest of the Ghis children were finally content.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Ashelin and Heather were content, Ciaran returned to his mother's side and wrapped his arms around her, just seeking a little attention of his own. He'd never failed to let her know that, even though he was considered a man full-grown, he still needed all her love and he liked to be wrapped up in her arms from time to time.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled as her son hugged her tightly, needing attention from his mother even if he were considered an adult. She gladly hugged him back, kissing his cheek gently to show him that he would always be her baby, no matter what.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ciaran didn't need to say anything, just enjoying the moment until the girls wanted his attention. Ashelin loved him almost as much as she adored Brogan, and Heather was as comfortable with him as their mother by this point. Eventually Rho joined them, but oddly enough, Sam wasn't following behind him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Where's your brother at, love?" Julia asked as Rho came into the room to spend some time with her and the girls while Ciaran entertained them all. "It's strange to see you and not him two steps behind."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't know what he's doing, but when I left, he was still in the main hall. I think he might be talking to Marianne's guards." Leave it to Sam to take the chance to go learn from other guards. He took his future position as Rho's protector far too seriously.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Rhodan, your job is to keep him from being too serious." Julia said with a smile as Heather hugged her older brother tightly as he sat down by the twins. "But I suppose we can't get too angry at him for trying to be the best that he can be."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's too serious already. Might as well let him be good at it," Rho reasoned before he was happily distracted by Heather. As rambunctious as he'd once been, he'd begun taking after Ciaran where spending time with his baby sisters was concerned. Sam loved them too, but seemed rather unsure of what to do with them other than keep them out of trouble.

 

[heartofcourage]

Heather pulled herself up onto her unsteady legs with her brother's help. She was threatening to walk and she knew that the moment that the twins started walking, she was in some serious trouble.

"Oh, little loves, you're all growing up too fast!" Julia exclaimed as Heather beamed in joy at her little accomplishment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashelin was not to be outdone at that, trying her best to copy Heather but unable to until Ciaran came to give her his hands for her to lean on him. Rho let Heather stand on his boots and he carefully walked her along much to her joy so she could feel how the motion worked.

 

[heartofcourage]

Heather giggled and followed her brother's lead, looking up into his familiar green eyes as he steadily walked her around the room until she collapsed to the floor in a fit of laughter. Ashelin soon followed her sister, wrestling with her until everyone in the room was laughing. Julia grinned at the little ones, glancing to her side as Sam suddenly appeared, looking as serious as ever. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, smoothing her fingers through his thick dark hair.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam relaxed a bit under his mother's loving attention, fine to lean against her side lightly as he watched his brothers and sisters. It was hard to wipe the dour and grave look off his face for anything, but he managed a small smile when Ashelin looked at him. "Hiya, Ash," he murmured to her before she went back to her game.

 

[heartofcourage]

"How did your meeting go, love?" Julia asked Sam quietly, knowing that he took his duties very seriously when it came to training. "Did you learn some things from the captain of the guard?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"The captain was busy," Sam murmured. "But some of the sergeants talked to me about how to organize a guard force." He always kept a notebook in his pocket, scrawled with notes about this and that, and he'd probably written down what he was told. If anything, he would get along well with the equally studious and once-strategist Warwick.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tomorrow morning, how about I introduce you to Warwick? I'm sure he would love to talk to you about all of those things." She thought it was odd for a boy his age to be interested in warfare the way that Sam was, but she never discouraged him from the passion that he seemed to have found in his life. "And, maybe, the two of us can go to the market in town and look at getting you a proper journal."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Warwick is too busy protecting Marianne. I don't want to distract him," Sam told her quietly. He hardly even liked to distract Brogan when he was in his office. "And my notebook is okay for now, Ma. You don't need to spend money on me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Nonsense. I'll talk to Warwick after breakfast tomorrow and then you and I will go into town. You'll never be too old or important to be spoiled by your Ma." Julia said as she pulled her son in for another kiss to his cheek. "Cheer up for me, love. I miss my sunny little Samuel."