Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Then I suppose we need to plan some sort of feast in his honor. My first official diplomatic meeting as Queen." Kate said as she glanced towards Kell. "Are you in charge of the feasts now? Is that something I need to plan? Do we have someone to deal with all of that?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's up to you. You have all manner of people to set it up, you need only have Warwick pass down the word. Or we could do it," Kell shrugged.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I have the time now, but what happens in the future when there are more responsibilities?" Kate asked.

"Kitten, you can't think of things in terms of the future. You are here, now, and it's up to you to set forth what you wish to happen." Julia said as she glanced over at her daughter. "I'm sure that there is someone in this castle that would love to plan your state meals and banquets for you. You only need ask."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Warwick will know," Kell agreed. He knew Kate would feel out of place for a while. In Inverness, the royal family did most things for themselves because the kingdom was small enough to manage. But Edinburgh alone was too complex for Kate to handle alone, much less the entire country under the high throne. It would be a matter of knowing who to delegate to in order to get things done efficiently, and that usually started with Warwick.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can stay behind and help if you want." Julia said softly, reaching over to take Kate's hand. "Your Da can handle the girls with Ciaran's help. I don't mind."

"I don't want you to change your plans, Ma." Kate said softly, looking at her mother with a wealth of thanks in her gaze.

"It wouldn't be a change, love. I would be glad to do it." Julia murmured, squeezing her hand tightly in her own.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're all here t'help, Kitten," Brogan murmured. "We didn' come jus' t'see you crowned."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to get back home quickly." Kate said as if that gave them permission to leave as quickly as they wanted to. "I miss Inverness just as much as you probably do."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Inverness ain' goin' anywhere," Brogan assured her. "We can go back anytime. It's you we'll miss."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then it's decided. We'll stay. Ciaran and I will work on your daily meals and any upcoming events." Julia said, giving Kate a smile as she looked at all of them like they were crazy and then in relief.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell chuckled to himself as the decision was made, and murmured to Kate, "Maybe between you and your father, you can put some of those lords in their place."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I honestly don't know if that's possible." Kate said with a glance at Kell. "They've been allowed power for too long while Gale was ill and then while Marianne was watching over the country as regent. Wrestling it away from them would be seen as a power grab on my part."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't have to just take it," Kell assured her. "Just as your Aunt didn't take power. She earned it through respect. Albeit through men and women more concerned with honor than power, but you'll learn in time who you can work with and how."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Enough talk on politics at the dinner table.” Julia scolded gently, looking at her son in law and daughter. “Your father and I have a hard rule on it. Unless someone is in immediate danger we don’t speak about the troubles of the day.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell simply smiled and let it go. He and Kate would surely debate and discuss it all more than enough as time went on. But it was cheeky young Rhodan who piped up to tease his mother, "But Ma, this is their table."

"Watch it, Rho," Kell warned with a smirk as Brogan snorted to hold back a laugh, clearing his throat quickly to pretend it was normal.

 

[heartofcourage]

“And I am still everyone at this table’s mother.” Julia said with a raised eyebrow towards Rho. “Do I need to take away your horse for a while to prove that point, perhaps?”

 

[KieranSoares]

Rho couldn't help smiling as his father tried in vain not to laugh, giving his mother a charming grin much like his uncles would when she scolded them for being foolish or encouraging the children to cause mischief. Before Rho could tease or talk himself further into a hole, Sam put a hand over his mouth and Rho rolled his eyes.

 

[heartofcourage]

“As always, Sam seems to be your voice of reason.” Julia said as Sam stopped his twin from saying too much to get himself in trouble.

 

[KieranSoares]

Rho simply shrugged with a smile and let it go, while Sam simply turned his attention back to the meal.

After they'd all filed back inside some time later, Brogan was stopped by a guard who worked for the Duke Stirling. Apparently the proud lord wanted to speak to Brogan and then later with Kate. Previously, he'd proven himself stubborn and prideful, but at least willing to let Kate make an impression. And no doubt the more old-fashioned man who was a touch older than Brogan wanted the Queen's father's attention before considering the Queen herself.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Why does he not want to speak to me directly?" Kate asked as she and Kell settled into what would be her new office just off the great hall. "Why does he have to speak to Da first? They will learn very quickly that anything they can say to my husband or my father can just as easily be said to me as well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Stirling is a prideful old man who believes women must always be subservient to their fathers and husband's and any other men in their family. It's ingrained, not that I'm excusing him. And because I'm a Wolf, he probably sees your father as the one to consult about you. I don't believe he means to disrespect you. In fact, I think of all the lords who oppose you, he may be among the less problematic. But he's a stubborn believer in male, human leadership. We may change his mind with time. No doubt he's directly asking Brogan about whether you're really fit for all this, and whether I am a credit more than a liability."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's madness, Kell. To think that I cannot do something simply because I'm a woman is beyond me." Kate said with a long sigh, her fingers raking through her long red hair. "It makes me want to be vicious to them, but I know that won't get me anywhere."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It would only prove their idea that women are less intelligent. Let them be the ones to break and get frustrated. Your greatest weapons against condescending old men are grace and persistence. You could take a long look at how your mother fared when your father was otherwise unable to rule for short periods. She's about the best example I know of, alongside Kayla. And you could always take a page from Queen Sarah who is practically emotionless and unreadable in court. They all have experience, something you'll earn in time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I suppose I need to figure out how to control my temper." Kate said as she paused and looked at Kell with a long sigh. "It will be very hard. You know that, right? I'll make many mistakes along the way and you will probably have to clean up messes."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's my job, among other things. All I ask is that you try to avoid drawing too many battle lines. Right now, it feels very much like 'us versus them,' but we have to remember that we and they have to build on and with each other for the sake of Scotland. Take their doubts and stubbornness with patience and understanding, but stand up for yourself. In return, they'll learn the same in time. You're a leader, and they'll follow your example if you stick to it and don't let anything- age, gender, bloodline- anything change your treatment of your vassals, even if they treat you differently right now."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It is us against them for the moment." Kate reasoned, taking a seat behind her empty desk with a long sigh. "I hope it changes quickly, but I know we're in for a fight."