Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"Well, now that he's back, we'll have to entice him back more often." She said with a laugh, taking the sides that had been placed out in big bowls and bringing them to the table. "Especially if you two keep having children at this rate. You'll outgrow this cabin in no time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Lane was the only one we planned on," Cole chuckled. "The rest decided to surprise us, but thankfully we'd already learned enough with the first to be able to handle it." Cole prided himself on his ability to deal with any emergency and any unexpected situation as the commander of the Keep guard and as Brogan's must trusted adviser and general. He had only been overwhelmed once in all his time working with Brogan, a battle which nearly took his life back before Brogan and Julia were quite comfortable together. But having Marius had tested his limits, being unprepared for the boy, and Caroline even more so. Ashelin had come while Cole was away to organize things in Inverlochly, but Brogan had called him home immediately when Willa went into labor two weeks early, and he arrived only hours after the little girl was born.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're a wonderful father, Cole." Valentina said as he admitted that Lane had been the only planned child and the others were simply welcome surprises.

As soon as everything was settled, Valentina called them all to eat. Caroline still clung t her grandfather, deciding that he was worthy of loving intensely. She wasn't about to let him go.

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick didn't mind Caroline at his side at all, keeping an arm around her most of the time. He told them of his time working for Queen Marianne, how he'd become her main adviser and how he dealt mostly in trade and communication with other rulers.

 

[heartofcourage]

Marius asked him every question under the sun, his eyes bright as his grandfather told them about his life in Queen Marianne's court.

"Do you get to carry a sword? Da has one but we never get to play with it. He says it's just for work." Marius insisted, looking towards his Da with wide eyes. "Uncle Brogan promised me my own when I turn 15. He said not a moment sooner."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I do, but it isn't a toy to be played with, lad. It's for protecting the members of the court, especially the Queen. Your father carries his in defense of the royal family here as well," Warwick explained. "Wooden swords are all well and good to play with, but not the real thing."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mama doesn't even like us to have wooden swords." Marius said, glancing towards Willa.

"Because there are other ways to play. You enjoy books and inventing. That should be enough." Will's insisted as Marius nodded and bowed his head, quiet finally for the moment.

"I don't like swords." Caroline said softly, her first words since Warwick had arrived.

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick hugged Caroline a little closer. "There's nothing to be afraid of if they're treated like proper tools and not toys." He offered Willa a smile. "Go easy on him, my dear. You can't fault a child for being interested when he's growing up in a warrior culture like Inverness."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I would like to see him become a scholar like my own Da." Willa said as she smoothed her fingers through Marius's thick hair. "He already loves to write beautiful stories for me. In fact, one of Caroline's bedtime stories was made by her brother."

"Uncle Brogan promised to put it in a book." Marius said, grinning at Warwick as proud as could be. "And I get to read a special poem at the wedding."

Valentina chuckled as she looked towards Theo. "This brute promised him a long time ago and he hasn't forgotten."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wanted everyone involved," Theo shrugged with a smile, earning a chuckle from Warwick.

"I'll be glad to hear that."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was in awe with the way that Warwick fit so seamlessly into Cole's family. Caroline seemed to adore her grandfather's attention and when she was put down for a nap, Lane and Marius occupied his time while Willa attended to Ashelin who had finally woken from her nap, hungry and wet. The two boys were well past the point of needing naps of their own and they usually spent time with their Da in the woods surrounding the cabin, but that day nothing could tear them away from Warwick.

 

[KieranSoares]

Come evening when they left Cole's little family, Warwick left them with a kiss and a hug each. "I'll see you all again soon. But for tonight, I'm exhausted."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll have to get Grandpa tucked into bed soon." Valentina teased her nephews as they bid Warwick a fond goodbye. "But he'll be back as soon as he can. He has a lot of time to make up for."

"You're always welcome, Warwick." Willa said, holding Ashelin against her shoulder as Caroline was held in her father's arms. "If we had a little more room, I would say you were welcome to stay with us here at the cabin."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The keep will suit me just fine, lass. It's been a long time since I spent a night within those walls." And it had been even longer since he'd spent a night there in any sort of comfort or security.

Warwick turned with Valentina and Theo, walking side-by-side with them back toward the keep. But along the way, he paused and looked northward past the keep, out onto the highlands beside the bay.

"... Where was the battlefield where Ciaran fell?" He asked quietly as a light wind picked up in the quiet evening air.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Brogan knows the spot exactly." Valentina said as Warwick looked out towards the place where his son had died. "Just north of here, beyond the first ridges. Brogan was with him when he died, held him until he was gone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If we get Brogan... will you come with me?" Warwick murmured, looking to Valentina.

"I'll stay an' look after Alex," Theo offered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Of course I will." Valentina said softly, taking Warwick's hand in her own and squeezing it. "We'll go see if he can go with us. It shouldn't take long to get there."

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick kept Valentina's hand as they returned, and Theo left them to get Alex. Brogan was in the main hall speaking with a townsman. He often fielded common visitors, listening to their grievances in person in the hopes of both helping them, and showing his people he was personally invested in their well-being. When Warwick approached, Brogan shook the townsman's hand and sent him to talk to Chessie in the kitchens before rising from his seat.

"Evenin', uncle," Brogan murmured, hugging Warwick with a smile.

"Brogan. I don't mean to bother you, but... I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Anythin'."

"Could you... show me where Ciaran fell?" Warwick requested quietly. Though Brogan's smile faded, his demeanor did not change despite a bit of heartache coming back.

"Yeah, I can do tha'. Y'look tired, though. Why don' you two get horses an' we'll ride out rather'n walk, tha' way we don't get caught in th'cold too long either. I'll let Julia know an' I'll be right behind you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You can borrow Theo's horse. He's sturdy and gentle enough for the ride." Valentina said as she glanced towards Warwick.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I may be a bit older now, my love, but even a young, untrained colt can't throw me. You know that," Warwick told her with a small smile. Though Vincenzo had been the one to teach her to ride initially at a very young age to make her traveling easier on her, he'd been the more proper rider. Warwick had been trained by trial and error as a boy, and knew how to handle a rough ride well. He'd been the one to give her Raul, a horse he'd trained himself to be extremely gentle and smooth-stepping for the sake of patients and fragile materials.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know, Da. Let me fret over you." Valentina said with a smile as she kissed his cheek and led him towards the stables to get the horses saddled and ready to go.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's my job, darling, no matter how old either of us get," Warwick still insisted. He saddled his own horse without issue, the animal used to its rider having to lean on him when Warwick didn't have a free hand for his cane. Brogan soon came to get Phearson, and they set out toward the edge of the bay. Many battles had been fought there, but Brogan could recall the exact places where his closest men had fallen since he'd taken the throne, and even some of the places where his father's men had fallen too.

Past a few short, rocky ridges, Brogan finally drew them to a stop in a small dip in the land, significant enough that a shallow pond had formed there long ago. Pieces of armor and lost swords still littered the fields, hidden in the tall grass, and bones of horses could be found occasionally. Brogan slipped from his saddle, stepping to the edge of the pond. When Warwick and Valentina joined him, Brogan sighed and glanced down at his darkening reflection in the evening light.

"Righ' here... He'd gotten separated from Cole an' me. He'd already been shot by two bolts, one in th'chest an' one in th' thigh. I saw 'im when a Wick soldier ran a spear through 'is stomach, an' Ciaran fell in th'water. I must've killed ten men t'get to 'im, an' I pulled 'im out... He called fer Ashelin before 'e closed 'is eyes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He and Mummy were always close." Valentina said softly as they stood at the edge of the water, looking at the spot where he had fallen. "She loved him like nothing else in the world."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He was her helper, and when he got a little older, he was her defender and her caretaker," Warwick murmured. Despite the pain it caused him, he knelt down beside the water with a pained sigh. "I wish I'd come back just once... before he died."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Trust me when I say that he understood." Valentina said as Warwick knelt next to the water, taking in the moment with sadness. "He felt the same way that you did about Mummy for a long time. I'm not sure that he really ever got over her dying."