Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"You don't have to explain to me, love," Ashien chuckled. "I just wanted to come in and say hello while my girls are settling in, and to warn you that you're about to have a bunch of tigers tearing through the keep. I'm not sure if it'll get better or worse when Ballas decides to get involved."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As long as they steer clear of the girl's nursery, I'm fine with it." Julia said, rocking Heather slightly to soothe her. "I don't want to frighten Heather until everyone can be introduced properly."

 

[KieranSoares]

"They're troublesome but they mind," Ashien assured her. "And when she's ready for them, I think we'll start with Asha." He kissed her cheek once more before going to make sure the rambunctious cubs knew their boundaries before they were let loose. Their quiet mother and loyal father would keep them in line even with the excitement of seeing Khan again.

Kate was the first to know there were now five tigers in the keep when Khan and his brother and sister and Ballas came charging in to see her. Asha was quietly following, serene and calm. Ballas made sure to halt the growing cubs before they could barrel the princess over, but it was still overwhelming to have three cubs and their father clamoring for her attention. They'd always loved her as much as Kayla, but they could get away with rough housing with Kate.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was beaming with all of the tigers suddenly wanting her attention. She hugged each one, roughhouse with them as Kell watched on with a smile. Khan was like a kitten again, purring and growling with his brother and sister as they wrestled on the floor of the great hall. Kate was soon in the middle of them, laughing with glee as Asha watched them quietly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ballas seemed to have tamed down looking after his cubs, pulling one back with a paw every so often when they got too rowdy. Khan was all too happy to be with his parents again, nuzzling up against his mother and trying to climb on Ballas' back.

 

[heartofcourage]

Asha groomed Khan when he rubbed against her, purring loudly as she licked the top of his head and his face. She was excited to see her cub again and Khan was excited to see his family as well. A few moments later, Kayla stepped into the great hall at the sounds of the commotion. The queen of Norway had arrived earlier with Christopher, Kristoff, and their new daughter.

"Hello, old man." Kayla said fondly as she scratched Ballas's ears, kissing his brow as she cradled the baby close. "I want you to meet Helena."

She crouched down so the tiger could see the tiny infant curled against her mother's chest. She had Christopher's complexion and hair and Kayla's beautiful dark eyes and features. The Norwegian princess was tiny, doll like, and sound asleep.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ballas' rumbling purr grew louder as one of his most favorite people in the world appeared. He'd mellowed out with the responsibility of cubs, but he was still his old self. When the tiny bundle came into his view, he fell silent, pressing his pink nose lightly into the blanket, much like he had the first time he met Kristoff and Ashien's girls.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I knew you would want to meet her right away." Kayla said as he pressed his pink nose into Helena's soft blankets. "I've told Lena all of the stories that I could about you."

Kate smiled towards her aunt as she introduced the tiger to the baby. Everyone had held their breath until the news came from Vincenzo that little Helena had been born safe and sound. He had gone to Norway to assist in the birth and mother and daughter had come through perfectly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Snuffling through the blankets til his nose touched Lena's soft little hand, Ballas paused and his tail twitched as he seemed to realize this creature was indeed Kayla's and it was his to protect much like his mistresses. He gave the baby a gentle nuzzle, rumbling quietly in understanding and contentment. When a cub came to see what the fuss was, Ballas blocked his way sternly. He knew the cubs were still too rough to be around a human baby.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I told you so, old man." Kayla chuckled as his wide nose touched Helena's hand and her suddenly realized that she wasn't joking.

Lena let out a whimper, nuzzling against Kayla as Ballas blocked the way of one of his cubs. She kissed her daughter's soft hair, cuddling her close.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hrolf and Skoll were soon to arrive too with Kristoff, and behind them was Durban who'd seen the carriages arrive from afar. "Kay," he murmured, coming to hug his beloved sister close.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was up in an instant, hugging Durban as tightly as she possibly could. Kate took the tigers to the other end of the great hall to give them some peace to reunite. Little Lena squirmed between them, whimpering softly as her dark eyes opened at the sounds of the commotion.

"Christopher insisted that we ride hard from the harbor to make it early. I think he was nearly as excited to see Inverness as the rest of us were." Kayla murmured as she kissed her brother's cheek. "Kristoff has talked none stop about showing you and Boar his hunting pelts. He took down a stag last week and has been so excited ever since."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good lad," Durban murmured, keeping an arm around Kayla to welcome Kristoff into an embrace too. "We'll take a good look at 'em when everything's settled. First, I think you ought t'go find Dylandra an' Ashien. They missed ya " Durban smiled and watched Kristoff hurry away, before Durban's attention came to Lena. "Hiya, darlin'," he murmured, having wanted to see her and Kayla most of all and make sure they were alright.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla handed the tiny infant to her brother, watching as Lena looked up at him with familiar dark eyes. She was a beauty, just as tiny as her mother had been when she was an infant. Lena cooed and moved in her uncle's embrace, deciding that he was worthy of being trusted.

"Lena came through with flying colors. Not a single moment of worry. Papa made sure that I had the best of care." Kayla explained as she smiled down at the little girl. "Kristoff is just as enchanted as Christopher is."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can certainly see why," Durban murmured, cradling the girl close with a gentle smile like he'd had when he had held his own children. "She's beautiful, Kay. I know 'ow long you two 'ave wanted a little girl."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She was an answer to a lot of prayers." Kayla said with a smile on her face. "All the sadness and the little souls lost will never go away, but having her in my arms makes it all worth it."

"Papa cried when he held her. I think he was just as happy as we were that she was healthy. He had his doubts." Gently arraigning Lena's blanket, the little girl yawned and soon was back asleep, resting comfortably in Durban's arms. "And she'll get all of the love she could possibly handle now that we're home."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' you waste another second. Take 'er t'Ma," Durban encouraged and laid Lena back in Kayla's arms. "An' be sure y'see little Kay's boy an' Heather an' Ashelin before long too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You'll have to come save her from Ma in a little while." Kayla said with a smile as Durban placed her daughter back into her arms, covering her with her blanket as Kayla serenely cuddled the baby close. "And I'll see them all tonight at dinner. Brogan wants the whole family together for a celebration."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Go on," he nudged her along toward the hall which led to their mother's parlor. Everything so much brighter and warmer than Kayla remembered from her last visit.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla noticed that her mother had changed the tapestries that led to her rooms. They displayed the olive trees of Venice vividly, with bright color and design. Her mother had loved those olive trees, but she loved Vincenzo even more. It was a tiny little nod to the love story that had brought the both of them together.

She didn't even knock as she opened the door to the parlor, smiling at her Papa and her mother as they sat closely together like a couple in love. "Don't let me or Lena bother you, love birds."

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo rose immediately, helping Kitty stand before he came to Kayla. "Cara mia," he murmured, hugging Kayla close. "You're early." Kitty was close behind to hold her daughter like she always had

 

[heartofcourage]

"Christopher was impatient." Kayla said with a smile as she hugged Vincenzo tightly and then her mother, instantly passing Helena over to the woman that wanted nothing more than to love that little girl. "And Lena and Kristoff didn't complain. She hardly made a peep the entire time. I think I might have a little adventuress on my hands."

Kayla smiled towards her Papa as Kitty looked down at that little girl with a sense of wonder. She knew what holding Lena meant for her frail mother. She had hoped and prayed for an end to Kayla's sadness and it seemed that the little girl had given her that ending.

"Helena was Christopher's mother. He asked if I minded and I said no...as long as her middle name could be Catarina. I want my Ma and my Papa to be honored too." Kayla said softly as she leaned into Vincenzo's tight embrace.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're too good to us, cara mia," Vincenzo murmured before letting her go as Kitty let him hold the girl. He'd held her many times during his stay in Norway, building a deep love for the girl that had made him miss her almost as much as Kayla. "She's even more beautiful than the first time I saw her sleeping beside you," Vincenzo nearly whispered, cradling the infant close.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's a very quiet baby. I think Christopher is the only one that can get her to smile. She adores her Da." Kayla said with a smile as Vincenzo took the tiny girl into his arms and cradled her gently. "And her Papa, of course. Then again, how can I blame her?"

Kayla hugged Kitty tightly, kissing her Ma's cheek as she greeted the woman that she had missed so intensely. "You'll have to come to Trondheim this fall. I want to see the both of you more now that Lena is here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We can certainly try," Kitty nodded, looking to Vincenzo who was so glad to hold the baby he'd missed so much. It was a strange feeling, knowing he'd delivered Kayla and then delivered her own children, his grandchildren. Things had come full circle and were better than the days before.