The Lady of Skye (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Only for my husband." She insisted, letting out a soft sigh as his lips caressed along her exposed skin, kissing each and every inch until she felt familiar stirrings deep in her belly. "I have to be sure to keep him happy. I wouldn't want him to go off and find someone else to warm his bed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Long as yer around... I don' see anyone else." Tamblin rose with her, taking her hands and bringing her along to their bed. But just before he could lay her down, a knock sounded at their door and Tamblin sighed, but seemed more disappointed than angry. "What is it?" He called.

"Sir," a guard said from beyond the door. "A member o' the prisoner Oliver's group 'as been caught."

Tamblin looked down at Kitty then. "I'll be righ' back, love... promise. I 'ave t'see what I can get out o' this lad." He kissed her one last time- a burning, long, adoring kiss- before making his way out.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty was disappointed, but gave her husband a warm smile as he kissed her with a passion and left to interrogate his prisoner. She would have never thought that her life would have taken such a wonderful turn. She had beautiful children, a happy home, and a loving husband. None of that had ever entered her mind when she had first come to Inverness.

She dressed for bed, taking the book her father had sent her full of paintings of Skye with her as she curled up under the covers. She would wait for Tamblin and hope that he wasn't gone too long.

 

[KieranSoares]

Tamblin returned in a bit more than an hour, looking more tired than before, but fairly even-tempered for the moment. He came to kneel at Kitty's side, crossing his arms before him and laying his head on them as he smiled at her. "I'm bloody exhausted, love," he murmured.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty gave him a small smile as the exhaustion showed on his features. "Well, crawl into bed and hold me then. Your son will be up anyway in a few hours to nurse." She murmured, pressing her lips against his as she placed her book aside and scooted over further on the bed for him to join her. "We'll just have to find time later for one another."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If I 'ave to, I'll steal ya away in th'middle o' the day," Tamblin mumbled sleepily as he laid aside his belts and boots and shirt to join her side. He was asleep in minutes, an arm wrapped protectively around Kitty's middle.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll have something to look forward to then." Kitty said with a smile as his arm wrapped around her waist and he held her tight. "Good night, Tamblin." She whispered softly, kissing him one last time before her own head found the pillow and she drifted off into sleep.

 

[KieranSoares]

A letter was sent out that next morning, and within three weeks a letter came in return. Seamus wrote that he was glad to come visit home, though he didn't really acknowledge Tamblin's welcome for him to come home to stay. Tamblin brushed it off considering it would be a hard decision after the good life Seamus had made for himself as a vintner in Normandy.

One late April morning, a small cart trundled up the path in the courtyard, drawn by a burly draft horse and driven by a man Kitty hardly recognized until she saw his familiar, boyish grin. Seamus was a little different as Ghis men went. His dark hair wasn't the same nearly-black dark brown as most men. Instead, it was a much lighter chocolate color like his mother and his eyes were not the deep dark wood-brown, they were deep blue with tiny flecks of green like stained glass. As the 'odd brother' he'd lost out on his father's attention, harsh as it was, and instead had favored his mother, resulting in his softer nature and more gentle and intuitive approach to life.

Tamblin stepped outside with Kitty and their children around them, Brogan in Ashelin's arms and Ciaran and Cole close to Durban and Selena. Seamus slid down from his seat, leaving his cloak behind as it was rather warm, and he came to stand before them. He looked so much different than the last time Kitty had seen him. He'd once been heavily muscled and bulky like Tamblin, but he'd slimmed and become very lean and athletic over the years. His hair was cut short and a little bit messy, and he sported a short and trim goatee with no mustache as opposed to the full beard he'd once had. And despite the wealthy man Kitty knew he'd become, he was dressed in a very simple long blue tunic and dark trousers with tall workman's boots and a sword-belt about his waist over the tunic.

He looked to the family with that giddy grin, but crossed his arms and stood before them. "Well, well. If it isn't the Lady of Skye and the Bear of Inverness." He'd loved to tease them about those titles last Kitty saw him, and the family could note a very slight Norman-French accent.

Tamblin stepped forward and grabbed his brother in a tight embrace. "How th'hell are ya, lad?" He chuckled.

"Tired of riding this ruddy great contraption with that mean old stallion, and too excited for my own good," Seamus looked up at his older brother with bright and hopeful eyes, glad to see Tamblin happy and smiling for once. He then stepped past to Kitty and took her hands. "You're even more beautiful than I remember, sweet Kitty. How are you, my love?" He hugged her close with the same protective, brotherly, and loving embrace she knew from years past.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Right as rain." Kitty murmured as Seamus wrapped her in a tight, brotherly hug. "We are happy to have you back in Inverness."

Seamus had changed in his time away, but his warmth was still the same. She was pleased to know that Tamblin was willing to work on his relationship with his only living relative. It meant that they had reached a place where he was comfortable with the world around him and willing to let those that he loved back into his life.

"You have missed so much, Seamus." Kitty said, pulling back from his embrace to introduce the children. "Durban, Cole, Ciaran, Selena, and little Brogan."

Each child looked up at their uncle with confusion but curiosity. Selena was the only one who was shy, refusing to let go of her father's kilt as the others all greeted him in their own way.

 

[KieranSoares]

Seamus knelt down to meet the children, and even though he could tell Cole and Ciaran weren't Kitty and Tamblin's, he treated them no differently. From the letters he'd received over time, he could pick out who was who. But as he looked to Selena, his smile softened. "Hello, sweetheart. You must be Selena."

"Go on lass," Tamblin encouraged his daughter.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena continued to pressed her cheek against her father's leg, glancing up at him as he encouraged her to be brave and to greet her uncle. She took a few tentative steps until she was caught up in her uncle strong, warm embrace. Kitty laughed softly as Brogan began to voice his displeasure at being held. He was a good little boy who had a dark stubborn streak like his father. He was bucking in Ashelin's arms to be put down. He couldn't walk or crawl yet, but he wanted to be in the middle of the action just as much as his siblings were.

 

[KieranSoares]

After Seamus had greeted Selena, he rose to see Brogan. He'd heard a little bit about the boy's struggle in his earliest weeks, but one couldn't see any sign of those issues any longer.

Soon the family moved inside after a few men came to help Seamus unload some boxes and put away his horse and cart. Seamus had brought wine for Tamblin's cellar and a few beautiful woolen blankets that were more like tapestries than blankets to curl up in. These were for Kitty and the children, and Ciaran latched onto the smallest of the bunch immediately.

 

[heartofcourage]

The children played on their new blankets, Selena doting on Brogan as they stayed out of their parent's way. The adults settled at a table, a meal served for Seamus to relax after his long journey back to Inverness.

"Was it a long journey?" Kitty asked as she sat next to her husband and across from Seamus. "There was bad weather a week ago. That must have slowed you down."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You have no idea. I would've been here days ago if not for that storm. I took a ferry across the Channel and the wind nearly threw my cart off the boat. When I got to Dover, I spent the rest of the storm holed up in an inn that I thought was going to just collapse." Seamus sat back in his seat with a chuckle. He seemed so comfortable being back home.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure Tamblin would have afforded you a new cart if the old one had been lost." Kitty said, looking up at her husband with a genuine smile of a woman in love.

She had found it incredibly easy to love Tamblin. They had grown closer in the time since the truce with Wick. She had never known a time when he smiled so easily or laughed so long. It did her heart good to know that he was in a good place finally.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Honestly I wouldn't have needed it for the return journey. But anyhow... I can see a lot has changed. I heard some things down in Normandy but it looks like all's well and I can see you two have really put a lot of heart into this family of yours... I'm glad to see such a good hope for the future of Inverness. Durban already looks like he'll be a force to be reckoned with, and Selena, if she's anything like our mother, will end up being the one who keeps him in line."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Durban is certainly his father's son." Kitty commented as Seamus took in their little family. "But I wouldn't count Brogan out either. He is a little hellion when he wants to be."

Squeezing Tamblin's hand, she smiled as it seemed the two brothers were reconciling since their time apart. It meant a lot to her that Tamblin was willing to make the effort to bridge that gap between them.

 

[KieranSoares]

The two brothers got on famously from there as if nothing had ever come between them. There were a few worrying letters that came along, though, such as the falling out between a few lords and Brian, especially some southern Scots who seemed to be taking on English support. Tamblin kept a wary eye on such developments but he didn't let it ruin his mood for the most part. Seamus made him feel like the mischievous youth Tamblin had never been, Kitty made him a hopeless romantic, and the children made him burst with pride. Ciaran and Cole even began to call Tamblin their father by the end of a month.

It was as Seamus was preparing to leave the next week that Tamblin finally caught Ghell sneaking in the pregnancy-preventing herbs for Kitty. He knew what they were and he couldn't help feeling a bit upset, mostly for the fact that Kitty didn't tell him. He came to confront her with one of the familiar clay jars in hand, finding her in her parlor with Seamus. The younger brother looked up and, at a slight motion from Tamblin, he knew Tamblin wanted to talk to Kitty. Once they were alone, Tamblin set the jar down on the little table beside Kitty's seat in silence.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Kitty saw the clay jar in her husband's hand, she felt the worst kind of panic. Her stomach rolled violently as he sat down next to her in silence and waited for an explanation. Her head bowed with guilt as she twisted her fingers nervously in her lap, struggling to come up with the words to tell him why she had been taking them.

"I should have told you, Tamblin." She started in a soft and trembling voice. "I'm sorry I didn't but you still weren't in a good place. I didn't think you would understand. Having Durban and Brogan were so hard that I didn't know if I would survive another child."

 

[KieranSoares]

Tamblin reached out to place his hands over Kitty's, steadying her nervous wringing. He met her gaze, but it took him a long time to form the words. "Kitty... If you were scared fer yer own life... Ye should've said somethin'. I would've gotten 'em for ya myself if ye were really tha' worried. I'm no' mad... I guess jus' disappointed. But I'd rather no' risk you. Three's plenty fer me, five now with Ciaran an' Cole." He was rather upset about the idea of not having any more of his own children, she could see it. But his expression also showed his worry for her.

 

[heartofcourage]

He was disappointed which meant that he wanted a larger family. He was also disappointed in her. She let go of her own hands and took his between her own, thinking over the situation that they now found themselves in. She had broken his trust.

"I'm sorry, Tamblin." She murmured softly. "Perhaps I can talk to some of the healers and we can make a plan for having more children. Perhaps it can be safer."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, love. If it's yer health in question, I won' risk it." Tamblin leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I jus' wish y'would 'ave told me at some point. An' ye best let Ghell know it's alright, 'e's afraid 'im angry with 'im." He turned to leave the room, unable to find it in himself to talk for the moment. He wasn't angry, just a little lost about what he was feeling.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Seamus returned to her chambers a short while later, Kitty was silently weeping into a handkerchief, an anguished look on her features. She was embarrassed that her husband had caught her and embarrassed that her brother-in-law would see her weeping like a child. She sniffled, tucking away the piece of cloth as she tried to compose herself.

"I've worked so hard to get him here, Seamus." She said in a soft voice. "And I'm so afraid that any little thing will send him back to the way he was."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hey, now. No need for tears," Seamus murmured softly. He came to kneel before her and touched her cheek. "What's going on?" She could see that gentle care he'd always had for her, an elder brother come to protect her. For the few times they'd met and all the time they'd been apart, Seamus had done his best to stay in close contact and managed to look out for her even from Normandy.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty explained to him the whole story from Tamblin's madness to the current problem. She was so afraid that her husband would go back to the man that he had been that she nearly trembled as he knelt and listened to her story. She feared most of all for Tamblin. He had been so happy and so loving, the husband that she could be proud of. Now she was in danger of messing that all up.