Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"By yer leave, milady," he murmured, rising and offering her his arm.

He walked with her out to the stable and saddled his horse, deciding that they'd ride together.

 

[heartofcourage]

It did Julia a world of good to see her husband back to his old self. He was strong, smiling, and healthy. He was the Brogan that had captured her heart.

"I love you." She murmured, kissing him before he lifted her into the saddle.

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' I love you, darlin'," he muttered in return before, just like when he'd taken her from home for the first time to go to Inverness, he lifted her up into the saddle to sit in front of him. He was still like a furnace radiating heat, and he was still the solid and powerful king of some of the hardiest Scots in the isles. But no longer was he so brooding and angry, and even if he wasn't the fearless fighter he'd tried to be in those early days, he was still a family man who was immensely loving and protective of those closest to him.

 

[heartofcourage]

They rode for the better part of the afternoon, Julia showing him some of her favorite sights around Chester. It was a beautiful countryside, getting back to its former self under the guidance of her brother. They picked apples from an orchard they passed through and soon they were sitting on a hillside, leisurely eating their fruit as the horse grazed near by.

"I think Sam need to go on an adventure. What do you think about sending him to spend the summer with Seamus?" Julia asked, glancing towards her husband. "And Rho can go off with Durban when he cares for his herd."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Rho would go, but I think ye'd have a hard time makin' Sam leave," Brogan noted. "He's too much like Durban was at 'is age. Too focused on trainin' an' provin' 'imself."

 

[heartofcourage]

"That's what I'm worried about. I think France would give him the time and distance away from his responsibilities to truly find himself. He wants to go to Norway to study Warcraft from Kayla's advisors. I think he's too young for that just yet."

She let out a long sigh as she looked down at the apple in her hand. "I wish that he would just be a little boy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's a teenager now, love. There's no goin' back anymore," Brogan told her even though his brows were stitched in concern. "I don' think we'll ever 'ave our twin troublemakers back. But... I'd jus' like Sam t'be happy. I don' care 'ow serious 'e is, long as 'e's content... But I know 'e's not."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's too young to have the weight of the world on his shoulders." She said softly as she looked over at Brogan. "I know that we've both had times of melancholy. After I had Kate I never thought that anything would ever be normal again."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan drew Julia in close to lean against him as he laid back in the grass against the hillside. "Ye've always 'ad a lot o' worries on yer mind, love. Maybe y'ought t'just let Sam go on 'is own path. I don' want t'let 'im be so serious an' broodin' either, but... I don' think we can stop 'im."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I was like that as a child, love. I don't want my babies to have that same heartache." Julia said as she leaned her head against her husband's shoulder. "Lord knows that our children are as stubborn as we are, but it doesn't mean that they have to be like us."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I jus' think tryin' t'stop 'em'll be more heartache an' fighting, love." He lifted a hand to stroke through her hair soothingly. "Sam'll find 'is way... jus' maybe not as soon as we'd like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I suppose." Julia said softly as her husband's large hand stroked through her hair soothingly. "You know that I'll want to come back when Maxwell's baby is born. It'll be a nice trip back. Not the whole family that time, of course."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be righ' there with ya, love," he said with a nod. It was one of the rare times he'd willingly volunteered to leave Inverness, other than their honeymoon and this particular trip.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You still owe me a wedding." She said with a small smile. "When we get home, we are gathering our family and we are going to the loch. I don't want to wait any longer to marry you again."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Th'kids already planned it, love," Brogan chuckled. "They meant t'do it righ' when we came back from Inverlochly, but we got too wrapped up with other things. All we need t'do is tell 'em we're ready."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They planned a wedding?" Julia asked, looking at her husband with a small laugh. "Leave it to our family to take care of us. I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sure Ma put them up to it," Brogan smiled with a shrug. "She's been wantin' t'see this wedding much as we 'ave." He pressed a kiss to her lips, his smile becoming a warm grin. "'Course this time... yer no' so inexperienced an' shy anymore."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Three weddings and nearly 20 years later hardly anything phases me." Julia said with a laugh. "I've had many nights nursing my stubborn husband from his war injuries. I've sat up late nights with the children as they grew ill or had broken bones. There's a lot of things that I've done since I married you, love."

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' damn I'm lucky for it. Too many times, I wouldn' 'ave made it without you." Brogan kissed her once more, letting it last a little longer. "Same goes fer th' kids too. I think it's safe t'say our family survived this long because o' you. Especially me an' Ciaran now tha' I think about it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Speaking of Ciaran...I'm interested to meet this man that seems to have captured his attentions. He might be saying that it's just a friendship, but the fact that he has someone that he's forming a relationship with speaks volumes." Julia said softly, knowing that Brogan still had a hard time with their eldest son from time to time. "As long as he's happy, that's all that matters to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Justin, wasn' it? Migh' be tha' new tailor in town, Justin Toric. He comes from the Gol Dun. Peru's cousin if I remember correctly," Brogan thought aloud. "His father's a wolf like 'im, a warrior I think. Justin works with 'is Ma at th'shop. Telma'd know them."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'd rather our boy bring home someone that he loved on his own, but I am not above going out and meeting the lad for myself." Julia said as she snuggled up against her husband's side. "How do you think that I found out your middle name was Ingvar? I had to work your Ma hard for that information."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It jus' wasn' a name I liked people t'know back when Olaf was king o' Norway, especially after th' whole fight over England so long ago between Vikings an' Saxons an' Normans. But it's kind of a thrill when you say it, 'cause I know I'm in trouble an' I have t'work my way out of it," he said with a grin.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think it's romantic. She named you after a Viking hero." Julia said with a smile as her husband grinned at her with that lovely look that she adored.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's nothin' if no' a romantic. Tha's why 'er husband's an exotic southern man like out o' all the best love stories." Brogan chuckled at that, drawing Julia in to lay against him. It was simply a comfort, her soft frame against him.