Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I think he will," Kell murmured. "He's heartbroken, yes. But he knows there are others who will remain here that still need him. And he knows you aren't just disappearing forever. I think he can handle.the change."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate turned her head and kissed her husband as he reassured her. When the kiss ended, she gave him a small grin.

"Let's get something to eat. Then I think I'll let you talk me back into bed." She whispered, nuzzling against him with a sigh as she felt him squeeze her a little tighter.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll gladly take that opportunity," Kell chuckled, keeping one arm about her waist as they walked to the kitchens. Chessie's​ staff had finished cleaning up from breakfast, but Chessie was sure to keep something on the fire at all times for anyone who needed a snack or missed meals.

When they entered, Chessie was sitting at a table near the front of the kitchen with tea, writing down orders for deliveries to the keep pantry and cellars. When she noticed the newlyweds walking in, she smiled warmly up at them.

"Well, look who decided to join the rest of the world. Good morning, lovebirds."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Good morning, Chessie." Kate said as she kissed the cook's cheek and Kell went to make them plates of food. "We decided to spend a lazy morning together to celebrate our first morning together."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Mhm. Is that all?" Chessie teased, earning a chuckle from Kell as he dished up a couple plates.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Absolutely." Kate said with a laugh, kissing Chessie's cheek again. "And I'll never tell anyone otherwise."

Kate sat down at the table as a young tan wolf stepped in, the woman timid as she presented Chessie with what she had been working on.

"Is it ready yet?" Siobhan asked, looking at the woman that she considered her mother, waiting for her verdict on her newest recipe.

 

[KieranSoares]

Chessie laid aside her work to give Siobhan her full attention, sampling the dish thoughtfully. She gave the young Wolf an adoring smile. "It's lovely, sweetheart. The only thing I can think to add is a touch of cinnamon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We didn't have any after yesterday." Siobhan said, looking at Chessie with wide eyes as she was given a suggestion on how to improve.

Siobhan was an Irish wolf, a lovely petite little creature that had been orphaned when she was five. Her father had been abusive of her were mother and had killed them both in a particularly violent night at their home. She had always been skittish around everyone, but when she joined the royal kitchens in Inverness, she had flourished. A relationship with Chessie had been developed one evening when the cook had found her sobbing in the larder, a guard having given her some harsh words about a meal she had prepared for him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Chessie chuckled at that. "I didn't realize. I'll add that to the list." She wrote it into her order before welcoming the young Wolf to join her. "What else have you been up to, my love?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"King Brogan told me this morning that he enjoyed the lamb that I made yesterday for the feast. He's asked that I make it again this week." Siobhan said as she took a seat next to Chessie, giving her a small smile. "And Taqu'un invited me to go to a festival in the village, but it's the day that you were taking off, so I told him no."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why don't we both go? It's been a while since I've gotten to do something like that." Chessie sat back in her chair. "Taqu'un and I have always gotten on well."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But who would run the kitchens?" Siobhan asked as Chessie suggested that they both go to the festival. "I'd feel better if I stayed here while you went and enjoyed yourself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"My staff have been doing this for years, sweetheart. They can handle it. And if anything goes wrong, Sean can handle it." Sean was one of Chessie's​ longest-standing workers and often her right hand in the kitchen.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I...suppose." Siobhan said softly as it was decided that Sean could run the kitchens if Chessie were gone. "Then I guess we'll go to the festival."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll have plenty of chances in the future. But for now I want to spend time with my cub," Chessie smiled, reaching out to touch her cheek.

 

[heartofcourage]

Siobhan gave Chessie a small smile as she reached out and touched her cheek, telling her that she wanted to spend time with her cub. "What about Alban? Is he coming too?"

She enjoyed Chessie's lover Alban. He had always been kind to her and she had secretly hoped that he would make things official with Chessie before too much longer.

 

[KieranSoares]

Chessie smiled to herself, "I suppose I could ask him." She was too old to be embarrassed of such things, but she felt a touch of blush on her face.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's a festival and he's a were. He would be there in a heartbeat." Siobhan said as Chessie blushed slightly. "Or I can ask him for you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You would think a woman of my age would've long since stopped being bashful," Chessie sighed with a smile. "I'll ask, but you can sweet-talk him if you like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe one day he'll marry you and you can move out of the keep." Siobhan said with a smile. "He had a lovely house in the woods. I love his garden."

She might have only been 13 but Siobhan loved romance.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't know if I could ever leave for good. This has been my home since I was a little girl." Chessie glanced around at the kitchen fondly. "I started working here with my mother the day after Brogan's coronation. But I had lived on the grounds since I was five and both my parents got jobs in the keep."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I like your house too." Siobhan said as Chessie seemed to consider a life beyond what she already had.

 

[KieranSoares]

Chessie met Siobhan's gaze. "How are things at home anyway?" Siobhan, being not truly Chessie's daughter, still lived in a small common house on the grounds with other staff. She was considered a ward of Inverness and the common house keeper, a woman named Elda Marcus, looked after her but left her to her own devices. It was a nice little community, but not quite a family.

 

[heartofcourage]

Siobhan gave a small shrug of her slender shoulders. "Just as they always are, I suppose." She said softly.

"They keep saying we're getting another housemate, but it's awfully crowded already. I already have three other people in my room." Siobhan had never had a place of her own that was more than a small bed and a chest to store her personal belongings.

 

[KieranSoares]

"When are you just going to pack up your things and come stay with me?" Chessie sighed. "You end up staying once or twice a week anyway. You'd have your own room and plenty of space."

The house had once belonged to her late lover Ciaran, as well as his cabin off in the forest. He'd rented it out to keep staff whenever he wasn't living there. Chessie had kept it after he passed. It had been built with the idea of a family in the future, room for plenty of children. But Chessie was the only one there now.