Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Mhm... I'll let this one go. Just this once." He rose then, stretching out his back. "I'm going to go see how our Panther is fairing."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Our panther?" Kate asked as Kell stood, conceding that he wouldn't argue with her further. "Since when did that happen?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell paused and raised an eyebrow. "Well, my Panther then. We've known each other a long time. And he's done far more than you've seen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Far more then you'll ever tell me." Kate said as she snuggled back down beneath the covers as he readied to leave to check on Qira. "And I'm sure he'll stubbornly be at his post tomorrow if we let him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"In his state... I'd be surprised if he could even sit up." Kell leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You should go see him sometime tomorrow. He's fond of you, you know."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll make some time, between looking over this Rissa and dealing with wayward lords." Kate promised as Kell kissed her cheek and she heard him slip from the room a short time later.

 

[KieranSoares]

Come morning, the castle was back to its normal activity, though Warwick filtered out much of it through officials and hired administrators that he'd begun to implement to lighten Kate's load. Rissa was scheduled to arrive around noon, Kate was informed. But the first thing she saw as she emerged from her room with Kell was a familiar woman in the dining hall speaking with Warwick. Lyra had reappeared, seemingly still looking after Kate and Kell while Qira was healing. And as Kate entered, Lyra rose with a light smile. "Milady," she spoke respectfully. "I was told you might be curious about the woman coming to visit today."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I believe my husband is more curious than I." Kate commented as she moved to sit and gave a small thanks to the servant who immediately served her breakfast. "He's been pouring over documents about her and telling me what he can about the kind of person that she is. Perhaps I should be jealous, but I know he's a curious sort. He learned if from his grandfather."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wanted to explain her application," Lyra looked to Kell, who paused beside his chair. "I made her apply."

"... So you know her?"

"That's putting it lightly. We aren't related, but I adore her. She owns a pasture for injured drakes outside the city, but I'm afraid caring for lamed and abused animals doesn't pay much. She's incredibly patient and dutiful, and she knows a bit of our trade, enough to be of use. I thought she was a good fit to be an assistant rather than a typical lady in waiting."

"That explains some strange things in her background..." Kell finally settled into his chair. "It's up to Kate, bur no promises. Kate's too stubborn and independent to admit she could use another helping hand. She has a hard enough time accepting help from Warwick."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Are you ever going to tell me what is unusual about her background?" Kate asked, looking at her husband as she ate, ignoring his comments on her doing too much.

 

[KieranSoares]

"There are holes, stretches of time when all record of her just disappears," Kell told her.

"I did say she knows of our line of work. No assassinations, but some subterfuge," Lyra told them with a smile. "She's very good at disappearing, and helping others disappear."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And this is the woman you want to be my lady in waiting?" Kate asked, looking between the both of them as they talked about this mysterious Rissa. "Have you all lost your minds completely?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"She sounds perfect," Kell chuckled. "I'll have to meet her first, but if my grandfather approves, I imagine I will too. Why, too mysterious for you, love?" He asked Kate with a smile. There seemed to be something that the former assassins understood about Rissa that seemed off-putting, even dangerous, to Kate.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're all too mysterious for me." Kate groused as Kell and Lyra seemed to share something between them. "All of the cloaks and daggers and spying...I'll never really get used to it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll teach you little by little, but we need to keep some secrets." Kell smiled to his wife and soon Lyra disappeared to go about her own business and Warwick sat down for his own meal with Marianne in her parlor.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate simply stared at Kell while he teased her about teaching her some his skills. "You're treading on dangerous ground, Khelt."

 

[KieranSoares]

The only answer she got was a shrug as breakfast was served before them. One of Kell's agents came by to drop an envelope at Kell's side, but he simply tucked it away for later.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate finished up her breakfast as she sat across from Kell, watching as he did his best to seem unconcerned about the pack of papers that had been laid on the table for him. She never asked him his business and he never asked about her. He already knew her business, which is the way that it seemed to always go.

"I'm going to see Qira." Kate said, kissing Kell's cheek before she moved past him to go and see the great panther that was still healing.

 

[KieranSoares]

Rather than the infirmary, Qira had been placed in his own room, checked on hourly by healers and doctors. Warwick had put out the call for Mariko Varno, who was in Ireland at the moment, but Qira was stable enough to last. When Kate found him, he was propped up against the head of his bed, an open, loose shirt revealing bandages wrapped around his middle and neck. His golden eyes opened when she stepped in, and he simply watched her approach for a moment before murmuring in Erygonian, "... I was worried you were hurt... And everyone was hiding it from me to get me to rest. Are you well?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm perfectly fine." Kate said as she stepped into the room and took a seat at his bedside. "But I could see Kell telling you things to keep you in bed. I decided to rest and I only got out of bed this morning."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good. You needed the break," he muttered, his eyes closing. "What else has he hidden from me? He hasn't told me a thing since we returned."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You know just about as much as I do, Qira. I have a meeting with a lady in waitinf that both Lyra and Kell seem to like. I’ve never been good with other women. Not even my sisters. Not my Ma. I don’t understand why they are all so insistent that I need someone at my side.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hm... Maybe she's meant to succeed Warwick," Qira offered, knowing the old man would probably only last as long as Marianne. "An advisor, one meant to be close with you and Kell so she can do her job well. I don't like the idea of more people getting close either, though..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Things will always be complicated when it comes to the throne, Qira. No matter how we plot and plan, things will never be easy." Kate said softly, letting him see into her soul as she sat there and lamented about what her task was as queen. "There will always be someone who seeks to tear it all apart. We can only hope that we build a little family that can withstand all of that."

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira's gaze came to focus on her face, and he murmured softly, "And I will help you do that." Qira had been kind to her from the moment she met him, but there was a gentleness about the giant Panther assassin that seemed to have no clear source. According to Kell, Qira had been born and raised to kill much like the Aleister Wolves. But he had never had a gentle mother or a family to help him hold onto his heart like Kell.