Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Brogan could only mutter, "I know. But I won' have a choice soon anyway once we leave."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia let out a soft sigh as she moved to press against Brogan, her head resting on his shoulder. 'I know you miss her and we're not even gone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm scared for 'er," Brogan nearly whispered. "One day a real problem'll come up... One a small clan king like me can' help 'er with, as 'er ally or 'er father..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“And we can hope that she will remember the lessons her Da taught her along the way.” Julia said softly as Brogan admitted his fears. “She’s got a good head on her shoulders and she’s is as strong willed as they come.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan closed his eyes with a long sigh, quiet after that as a bit of worry set back in. He eventually tucked his head against Julia's neck.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It hurts now, but it won’t for long.” Julia said softly as she kissed her husband’s forehead.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan only nodded slightly, eventually drifting off beside her. He would be better come morning once he'd rested.

A while after breakfast, Kate would find herself going over plans for some changes to the castle and grounds per her request among other papers, all explained and presented by Warwick.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And the private garden will be attached to my apartments?" Kate asked as she looked over the plans for the expansion of the palace and the gardens that had been started by Marianne and were now under her control. "It will be nice to be able to relax where the lords and ladies cannot find me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, considering the sleeping chambers are all on the second floor, we're going to connect a small staircase to your balcony overlooking the garden," Warwick pointed out on a small blueprint. "It will only be accessible otherwise through an unassuming little door in the ground floor private dining room, and always locked. We'll make sure you and the appropriate people have keys, so no one unwanted will get in."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Is it too expensive?" Kate asked, looking up at Warwick with a little bit of concern on her face. "I know Marianne called for the expansion to start, but will the lords see it as extravagance on my part? I don't want to start off by courting controversy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"A private garden is probably among the cheapest things some past royals have ordered," Warwick chuckled to himself. "Marianne and Brian were frugal enough, but Brian's father added the entire top floor of the castle on a whim, and his father before him doubled the height and thickness of the courtyard walls after reading a manuscript about siege warfare because he insisted he wanted to be prepared. The walls were already practically siege-proof."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perhaps it could be made smaller and the saved funds be used for shelters in town. I'm sure when winter comes there are always those looking for warmth and food. I would personally help and pay to have them built." Kate said, thinking of ways that she might be able to win the support of more people during the early days of her new rule.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If I may... The one thing people struggle with each winter is not necessarily buying food, but there being no food to buy. What little extra there is, is too expensive for anyone without a good job. I suggest you look into investing in food production during the warm months. That way, grain shortages might not strike midwinter. And, it will open up more work during growing seasons. Many of Edinburgh's poorer folk work in the warm months and then become hunters in winter anyhow."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then, I leave it up to you to find those fields that I might buy. We can grow crops and have those that need a job work on the land." Kate said as she looked towards Warwick. "I would feel much better about that than about a small garden for myself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll save up for it, then," Warwick offered with a smile. "A little here and there when it can be spared. I'd like you to have a secret place to retreat to. We all need one."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe in a few years I can have it. I don't mind." Kate said with a small smile towards Warwick. "I want to be a good queen. I know it will be a struggle after so long under the past peaceful reign. However, I'll prove to them that I might be young but I have a good head on my shoulders."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You hardly need to put off building a garden, dear. The people don't care what you build here, as long as you're still actively building outside the castle as well." Warwick gave her a kind smile. "Perhaps Marianne and I could make it a gift for you two."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Don't do that, Warwick. It's far too expensive a gift." Kate said, touched that he would offer, but a little uncomfortable with the idea.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Somewhere down the line, then. Perhaps as a coronation anniversary gift."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I suppose there’s little I can do to stop the both of you.” Kate said with a small smile as she kissed Warwick’s cheek.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Marianne and I spoke for sometime about how she'd like to welcome you as queen. Building you a garden might be just what she's looking for. She wants you two to have some extra comforts to help make Edinburgh home.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It will be home no matter what." Kate said as she settled back in her chair to have a conversation about the future with Warwick. "She doesn't need to worry about it. Being homesick will hurt, I know, but Kell and I will work hard to make this home."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She will worry about it. She cares about you two, and she's set on making things comfortable here for you. That, and Marianne has cast off most things that she doesn't care about. You'll find us old people are stubborn and we spend our twilight years doing what matters to us, to hell with anyone insisting we don't have to."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I do worry for her. I worry that the changes I make to this castle will hurt her. This was her home, where she raised her children and loved her husband. She had many happy memories here with them. Now, someone new has come in and is making changes to all of that." Kate said softly. "I can't tell me that doesn't hurt."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can tell you with utmost certainty that as long as you leave her her own spaces, and I'll be sure to point them out, she won't mind. The castle holds as many nightmares as memories for her," Warwick told her quietly, his expression becoming rather grim. "She did have a husband and children here, but all save two also died here, all painfully and three of them much too suddenly. Her triplet sons died within a couple months of each of them being diagnosed with the same illness as their father. And no one could figure out why he lasted so long and the boys didn't. So... trust me when I say there are some things she'd like to forget, and you can cover over as you like."