Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"You're calm and cool now, but do you think you'll be such during the coronation? There is much more that could go wrong." Kate commented as she looked at Kell. "It's not just me you have to protect. It's my entire family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"My dear Princess," Kell said with an adoring smile. "You could not be safer even if my grandfather was in charge of it all. I've been building my own force of guardians since the day Gale chose you." He stepped forward and kissed her, making Warwick shake his head and continue on down the hall.

"Join us for dinner when you two lovebirds are ready," he called back to them. "Six o'clock."

"We'll be there," Kell spoke in return, though his gaze remained on Kate. They had long since decided that they would not be showing the romantic side of their relationship in public, but Warwick wasn't a threat so Kell didn't mind him seeing they were in love. Kell scooped up Kate's tapestry for her. "After you, milady," he said with a dramatic bow just to tease her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate chuckled as Kell acted like a gentleman and showed her the way. After dinner with Marianne and Warwick, she went to the market with Kell to pick out some things for her aunt. She sent little toys to her young cousins and a bolt of fine wool for her uncle. Then she found a beautiful coat for her aunt Kayla in the same colors of the Ghis crest. Even though she had her own royal family, Kayla still honored the Ghis name by using the dark blue and black of her family in her own royal standards.

She also picked out a few things for the rest of her family. She wanted to repay her father for trusting her enough to send her to Edinburgh with Kell. She found a handsome writing set for him, knowing that he would want to write her all the time when she finally left Inverness for good. Her Ma already had all the jewels a woman could want, so Kate found her something practical. A new knitting set and some wool yarn would make her happy. For her siblings, she simply got them their personal favorites. Annie ended up with a new book, Sam and Rho new swords, Ciaran a new bridle, and the littlest twins new soft toys in the shape of dragons.

"I think we'll end up going back with more than we came with." Kate commented to Kell, giving him a smile as they carried their gains back to the castle.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good thing we brought a wagon, then," Kell nodded, carrying what he could in a pack he'd brought along. As they came down the main Street to the castle, many people paused at the sight of them and many bowed their heads. All who recognized Kate were surprised to see the future Queen out in the open simply walking around as if she were no different from the rest of them. No guards save Kell, no pomp and circumstance, no fine carriage or horses. Little did any of them know, Kate was just about the most well-defended woman in the isles at that moment, save perhaps Sarah Monaghan. Kell hadn't let Kate on to hardly any of his work behind the scenes, nor how many men and women were actually looking after her. But they were there, unseen.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Can I make one request, Kell?" Kate asked as they walked towards the castle. "On our wedding day, can it just be you and I?"

She was incredibly nervous about their wedding. She knew her Gran would plan it all and it would be beautiful, but there would be a million changes that took place as well. She knew he was guarding her in the best way that he knew how, but when it came to that intimate moment that would seal the both of them, she didn't want anyone else involved.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't need to request that, Kate," Kell promised her. "You have the utmost privacy in your own space." He reached out to take her hand. "It'll be just you and me, love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you have me watched all the time. I love you more for it, honestly. However, I know that as the Queen, I'll never have the freedom that I once had. Things will be heard that should be meant for just the both of us. That...that moment is something that I don't want known." Kate said, trying to explain it to him in a way that expressed her concern and didn't make her seem like a completely inexperienced child.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I promise no one will know that moment but you and me," Kell murmured, stepping closer to kiss her. "And my people know what your privacy means to you. They're here to protect you, not intrude. We will be alone whenever you need it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"When will you introduce me to them properly?" Kate asked as he assured her that she would have her privacy whenever she liked.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can introduce you to the man who looks after you as much as I do," Kell offered. "After dinner. It'll give him a chance to get a meal as well."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'd like to meet him." Kate said with a nod as she took Kell's arm and allowed him to lead the way back to the castle. "I'd like to meet them all, but I know that you have your reasons to keep some secrets from me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Odds are you'll never meet some of them unless they have to come out to defend you," Kell nodded. "But I keep them a secret from everyone possible, even you. That way there's no chance someone else will overhear their identities or see them. This way, I and their partners are the only people who even know they exist, and you're protected by a legion of ghosts rather than just common cutthroats."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you really think that all of this is necessary?" Kate asked, looking at her wolf with her serious green gaze. "Am I really in that much danger, Kell?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe not right now, but you will be. Someday someone will get the idea in their head that they'll benefit from removing you or someone close to you from your court. My job is to make sure that we're ready for such a day. And they aren't just for you. They defend your allies and your family and those you care for and those that work with you. You are the primary focus, but they will defend people like Warwick or Marianne and even the lowest members of your staff with their very lives."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Simple threats won't be enough to make me back down." Kate said as she leaned against her wolf's side. "And if I get nervous, I know you'll be there to get me through."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Simple threats will never touch you if I have my way. And my people share that sentiment." Kell followed alongside until they arrived back at the castle. He helped store things away before bringing Kate out to the castle gardens.

"Qira," Kell spoke calmly, and from seemingly nowhere a mountain of a black Panther appeared before them. Like Kell normally did, he was dressed completely in black and he wore a very similar ensemble to what Kell had worn the day he'd met Kate. There was a belt across his chest carrying knives, one about his waist with a sword and hand crossbow, and one more long dagger strapped to his thigh under his off-hand. His eyes, instead of blue or Amber like most werefolk, were a deep brown that looked hard as steel but capable of being incredibly gentle as well.

"Captain," the werepanther responded in Erygonian. The setting sun's light just barely caught the ghost of tattoos in his fur, likely long since permanently recolored but not white as dark as his matte-ebony fur.

"Kate, this is Qira," Kell spoke as he motioned the Panther forward. "He doesn't speak English yet, but I know him better than any other person from our line of work. We were trained against each other, and we could never beat each other, even when one was given a contract to kill the other. He came to me after I went to Inverness, and offered him some work just keeping an eye out around the town and villages. I assigned him to you the day after Gale chose you. And I don't mind letting you know he's saved your life twice without you even having realized it."

Qira bowed his head before Kate, silent and awaiting her judgement.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You keep some serious secrets, Kell." Kate commented as she looked towards Qira as he bowed his head towards her. "We will make sure he learns English. That way he can understand threats leveled in more than just his native tongue."

Kate reached up and took off a pin that she had been given by Warwick. It was the crest of Scotland, one that hadn't been changed by any king since it was first founded. She offered it to Qira as a sign of her trust in him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He understands enough to be useful," Kell nodded, watching as Qira stepped forward. The Panther's hand was twice the size of Kate's own as he reached out to take the pin, looking at it for a moment. His understanding was clear as he pinned it to the belt across his chest.

In his native Erygonian, he murmured, "Your Majesty... Thank you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Come and have a drink with us, Qira." Kate commented, motioning him towards the castle itself. "Just one. I don't want my Lord Protector to come down too hard on my own personal guard."

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira glanced to Kell. Revealing himself for too long could be dangerous if there were enemies around, but Kell was calm, and motioned him along. "She's the boss, friend. Don't worry about it." Qira nodded and silently followed. He was much like the assassin Kate had known in Kell early on.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate smiled as Kell encouraged him to come with us. "I promise it will only be a for a moment." Kate answered in Erygonian. "I know you have an important task."

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira nodded to her and followed close behind into the castle to a little parlor where Kell asked a passing member of staff for a bottle of Kate's favorite wine. Qira seemed fairly out of his element out in the open, but followed suit and sat down with the couple as three glasses and a bottle were delivered.

"I suppose I ought to explain Qira's job," Kell murmured as he poured them each a glass. "I told him the day you became heir to the throne that he should focus on you above all. I have other men to protect other people, and Qira shouldn't compromise your safety by trying to protect anyone else, save those you designate. He doesn't take orders from me anymore for the most part- he ignores any order that might compromise your safety. For example, if I were to send him off to do a task while I'm away from your side, he'll tell me no and remain near you until I return." He spoke in Erygonian so Qira could understand everything, and the Panther nodded as he went.

"Unfortunately, though," Kell chuckled, "Qira's so dedicated to his task that he tends to order me around in turn when he believes I'm not protecting you well enough. I don't know why he still calls me 'Captain,' because we're clearly of the same rank and he hands out as many tasks as I do, with or without my okay."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I say keep it up, Qira. Kell needs someone to keep him in line and keep his head from getting too swollen." Kate said with a grin towards the panther as Kell admitted that Qira could overrule him if it put her in danger. "I think the only other person that can do that to Kell is his grandfather. He's a lovely man, who I'm sure you've already met."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I have," Qira nodded. "Both on good and bad terms."

"Qira's probably had just as many contracts to kill him as I have," Kell added. "If not more. But he and I have never bested Grandfather, and he's always spared us."

"I don't know why," Qira muttered.

"Because he likes you," Kell said with a smile. "And that's half the reason you're Kate's guardian."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, so you come highly recommended." Kate said with a laugh. "I trust Khelt's opinion perhaps more than Kell's."