Mint and Honey

[heartofcourage]

"You've been there the whole time, haven't you?" Kate asked as Kell appeared like a shadow. "You sneak. What am I going to do with you?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not the whole time," Kell murmured with a smile. He came to take Alex's seat, laying his head against her shoulder, his fur soft against her neck. "One of my men just brought me a letter a little while ago from Warwick. Apparently Thaddeus' daughter just gave birth to a little boy, a couple weeks early." Thaddeus, or Thad as they usually called him, was Captain of Kate's Royal Guard. Kell took care of the unseen security while Thaddeus took care of the guardsmen who patrolled Edinburgh Palace and the area around it. Kell's men were Kate's personal, usually-hidden bodyguards while Thaddeus' real job was protecting everyone else in her court.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He'll want to take time to go be with them." Kate said with a sigh. "We'll have to find someone to fill that role. He deserves a break to enjoy his grandson."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Warwick's already taken care of it," Kell told her with a smile. "He had to force Thaddeus to leave, so I'm sure he won't be gone long. Warwick chose one of my... less secretive people. You've probably seen her around Edinburgh, an orange weredrake named Yvonne."

 

[heartofcourage]

"How could I miss her?" Kate asked with a chuckle. "She's about as inconspicuous as I am with my red hair."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Which is why I chose her among a group of much less noticeable people to be among my eyes and ears in the streets. No one expects a spymaster like me, someone whose greatest tool is stealth, to choose a bright orange-scaled, rare weredrake to be an agent. She can go anywhere and do anything and everyone notices her, and never suspect her. She's a highly trained fighter with a very long and successful career in being a bodyguard, so I figure Warwick and I can agree that she's perfect for the job."

 

[heartofcourage]

"How many more will you be hiring when the baby is here? I suspect you'll want the entire castle covered just in case."

 

[KieranSoares]

"At least ten-thousand. The world won't be safe enough until everyone in it is either an informant or a guard." Kell always joked with her and never seemed to give her a straight answer about such things. Her safety was perhaps the biggest, best-kept secret he had. Even she didn't know how many unseen guardians were around her at all times. Kell promised her she had absolute privacy, but he also promised there was a deadly guardian within earshot at all times, and someone watching every possible route to her ever since she'd taken the throne. The guardian was usually himself, but she did know her other most common bodyguard who had decided to introduce himself to her personally so that she knew exactly who she was trusting her life with. Unlike Kell who was lean and secretly powerful, her other guardian was a mountain of a werepanther whose huge stature made it hard to believe that he was able to remain hidden and slip away at any moment like Kell. His name was Qira, a Kalma-born Panther whose past was entirely unknown to Kate, but Kell would trust him with both their lives at the drop of a hat.

Kell rose briefly to tend the fire, and Kate noticed him glance off to the side where there seemed to be nothing. He sighed and shook his head. "Malthai, I saw you." Kell was always training new people, and he didn't mind calling them out when they messed up, even in front of Kate. "What are you doing in here? You're supposed to be in the market."

A young, dejected-looking black Lion stepped out of seemingly nowhere with a sigh. "I'm sorry, sir... Waylon told me to switch with Alto as a test. To see if I could slip past you."

"No one slips past me, not even Waylon. But you're painfully obvious." Kell rose to face him. "Any were would've heard you. You need to trim those nails on your footpaws and smooth out the pads or wrap your feet. I can hear them slide. And you need to work on that breathing. If you hold your breath, you'll give yourself away when you finally have to breathe in. Go on, go tell Waylon and have him put Cimar on your rounds."

"I can do better, sir," the boy insisted. "I'm way better than Cimar."

"In fighting, yes, not stealth. The rounds you're on are about monitoring, not waiting for an attack. And one as young and raw as you are wouldn't survive a second against a proper assassin no matter how strong you are. You're lucky it was me who caught you. Waylon would've taken you down just to teach you a lesson."

"Let me try again," the boy insisted, but Kell stood firm.

"No. Assassins don't give second chances, and you don't get to bring your charge back to life for a do-over. You're going to go back and train, and Waylon will choose when and where you go back on patrol. Go on." As Malthai sulked away and disappeared into the shadows, Kell sighed and sat back down by Kate. "That boy is useless, I swear..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You were once a useless boy too, love." Kate said with a grin as Kell shook his head after the young recruit. "I know you have to be hard but they're still learning. Give them a break from time to time."

She rose and stretched, her hands resting on the swell of her belly. "He's moving." She said with a quiet smile, looking towards her husband with a softness in her green eyes. "I know it's a boy. I feel it in my bones."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell watched her as she stood, and a content, even slightly lazy smile came to his face as she spoke of their unborn child. Despite all the stresses and hardships their careers offered, Kell could not have hoped for a better life in the position he now found himself in. He stood once more to loosely wrap his arms about Kate, pressing a lovely and warm kiss to her lips to let her know just how content he was.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate wrapped her arms around her husband and held him tightly as he kissed her and simply held her in the moment. She had loved Kell for a long time and she was excited to know that their child would have a loving mother and father.

"Before we go to bed, there's something we need to do." Kate said as she turned and moved towards the tree that was in the great hall.

Her mother had always insisted that the great hall have a large tree in it during the holidays. They would all share gifts around it in the days after Solstice, so there were gifts for each child of the Ghis family waiting for that morning. She reached under the tree and pulled out a heavy package, turning to look around the seemingly deserted great hall.

"Qira. Kell and I have something for you." She said, knowing that her ever present guard was somewhere around.

She might not have been able to see him all the time, but he was always there. She teased Kell about working him too hard, but the were never seemed to mind.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell simply chuckled, keeping one arm around Kate as the shadows themselves seemed to form into the great panther from near the doors. He'd probably slipped in from an outdoor patrol after seeing Malthai leave. His strangely soft brown eyes shone in the firelight as he came to stand before Kate and Kell, quiet as per usual. He barely spoke any English, and only basic Lunar with his native tongue being Kalma Erygonian.

Qira tilted his head ever so slightly at the sight of the package, and finally murmured quietly in English, "... For me?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"For you." Kate said with a smile as the panther looked at the both of them with a quizzical tilt of his head. "I told Kell that you deserved a day off, but he simply laughed. Instead, we commissioned this for you."

Inside the package was a slender sword, elegant and deadly, made in France. The metal was a muted black, perfect for continuing to blend into the shadows. The hilt was decorated in thistles, the symbol of the Scottish throne and Kate's personal seal.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell had specially requested that the blade be longer than usual to suit Qira's height, the saber very lightly curved and tapered at the end. As Qira opened up the package and slowly drew the blade, the metal rasping against the sheathe, Kate caught a glimpse of boyish wonder in those brown eyes that she'd seen often from those she and Kell presented blades to in order to mark new positions, or as gifts and rewards for service.

Qira stepped toward the fireplace slowly, the blade gleaming in the light before he fastened the sheathe to his belt under his cloak and carefully sheathed the blade for safe-keeping. He turned to Kate and drew her into his huge arms, murmuring a thank-you before he met Kell with a similar embrace. "I don't know what else to say," he muttered, looking between them.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You are willing to put your life on the line to protect me. You deserve all of this and so much more, Qira." Kate said in Erygonian, speaking to him so that he understood her clearly. "When the baby is here, Kell and I would like you to act as its personal guard for a while. There is nothing more precious to us as this little one and I know that there are those out there that would see him harmed."

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira's rounded ears perked forward when she asked such an important task of him, and he stood up a little straighter, replying in his native tongue. "As long as I have anything to do with it, you will having nothing to fear for your cub," he promised her, earning a soft chuckle from Kell.

"That probably won't stop us from worrying and losing sleep about other things. But you're our best and you've never failed us."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My Da was raised by a great, wise wolf. Ghell taught him so many things. I like the idea of my child being around great and honorable were folks. Our time on this earth is far too short for fear and prejudice." Kate said softly, her hand resting on her belly as the child tumbled for a moment and then settled.

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira nodded and bowed his head before her before he finally slipped away to return to his post, suddenly even more adamant about his job. Turning to kiss his mate, Kell smiled and took her hands. "I think it's time for all soon-to-be-mothers to go to bed, hm?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Love, around you, I don't think I have a choice with that question." Kate said with a grin, leaning in to kiss her husband. "Besides, I have training with my uncles bright and early in the morning. They never go easy, even if I'm pregnant."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Training?" Kell asked with a furrowed brow. "I don't think so, not with how I know your family trains. And you promised me you'd take it easy."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's my uncles, love. Do you really think they would allow me to get hurt?" Kate asked with a chuckle. "Besides, I don't get the chance to train with them anymore. I need to take the chance while I'm here."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell sighed, shaking his head. "It's not whether or not they'll allow it, it's whether or not something unexpected happens. I know you're concerned with keeping your skills sharp, but I'm worried about accidents and stress."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You'll worry yourself grey, Khelt." Kate said simply, kissing his cheek and moving past him to go to their room. "And you know I'm still going to do it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's all your fault, you know," Kell reminded her as he followed, opening the door up for her. "If you were less reckless, I might remain a handsome, young black Wolf a little longer."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The moment you found out you were going to be a father, you grew 100 grey hairs." Kate said with a grin, snuggling against his side as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'm glad you're here to worry about me."