The Lady of Skye (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Kitty had never told anyone why she had stayed except simply that he was her husband. It was her duty as a wife to take care of him even when he was cruel to her and his children. Looking at Vincenzo, she let out a long, defeated sigh.

"Deep down he's a good man." She said softly. "I saw it once when my third child was born. He was one of the kindest men that I had ever met. He loved me. I know that he's still in there somewhere behind all of the madness. I only want him to be at peace with himself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You still love him?" Vincenzo asked softly. But then he shook his head. "I'm sorry, milady. It's not my place to ask such things. Don't think you have to answer me." He rose and stepped into the small kitchen, taking dried herbs from the drying racks on the low ceiling and crushing them and setting a kettle on to boil. "I'll put together a tea that should help with the aching and soreness, and I'll gather up some things that will help protect you from worsening. Just make sure you drink plenty of water, that will help immensely."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty was a little stunned when she was asked if she still loved Tamblin. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. Part of her did because he was the father of her children. Another part of her wanted to hate him with all of her being because he was a cruel man who would not listen to reason. Still, she had to ask herself if she really did still care for her husband.

"I've never met a man more consumed with fear than my husband." Kitty said softly. "And despite everything, I do still care for him greatly. He's the only man I've ever known. I've been faithful to him even though he accuses me otherwise. He's made it very clear how he feels, however. Now...now I just focus on my children."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And that's lucky for them, that their mother can still manage to do that considering their father's ways..." He soon brought her the tea made from the hot water and herbs, sweetened with a bit of honey to mask the bitterness of the herbs. "It's why I was so quick to accept the plea for help, milady. I know it isn't the same, but... my own mother and grandmother- my father and grandfather died in war before I was born- those were the two greatest women I ever knew. We were on the streets until I was ten years old, and despite all the hardships and the horrible things they had to do for my sake, they got me into school. Not only that, but they helped me become a doctor as I'd always wanted to be. They gave everything to see my dream come true, because I was their last joy in life after war took everything. I heard an echo of my mother and grandmother in a letter I received the day after your husband's arrived... from a woman called Ashelin. She begged and offered everything she had for me to help you or find someone who could, because you were all your children really had despite their other guardians." Ashelin had never told Kitty this, of course.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ashelin sent you a letter?" Kitty asked softly as she took the mug from him and brought the hot brew to her lips.

She felt her cheeks grow incredibly hot with embarrassment. Her best friend in the entire world cared enough about her to want her to be sent from Inverness to heal. She wanted it done for the sake of the children who she had cared for since their very first breath on this earth. It made her want to weep again as she thought about how painful the time in the keep had been for Ashelin.

They had managed a nice little wedding for her and Warwick only the past summer. The children all played a part and they had set up a little house in the woods. They seemed happy and incredibly devoted to helping Kitty raise her slowly growing brood. It was more than she could have ever asked for in her life.

"My youngest boys...I'm certain they would die without me around." Kitty said softly as she took another drink from the mug, finally starting to relax. "My Brogan almost did when he was an infant. He's always been so small and Tamblin sees him as weak. He won't give him the time of day. Boar, my youngest, speaks his mind and gets in trouble frequently."

 

[KieranSoares]

"One day, they'll be free of their father's wrath when they grow into young men. As cruel as I know Tamblin to be... I don't think he'd kill them, signora. You'll be home before you know it and they'll be in your arms again. Until then, write them as often as you please and let them know their mother loves them even so far away. I will send any letter you like anytime and see that you get every single one in return." Vincenzo took his seat again beside her, knowing he had a long road to help Kitty.

That next day, after a good breakfast and tea that made it possible to move about without an ache in her bones, Vincenzo took Kitty into town on his small cart drawn by his strong old horse Leonardo. He needed to pick up some things and show her around as she was free to explore in her time there. The canals were a wonder unlike she'd ever known, a city practically built on water. Trade was booming and Venice, being home to people who knew how to creatively live in the odd city, was filled with artisans and beauty based both upon function and the sheer love of art and masonry.

 

[heartofcourage]

It was almost as if Kitty's greatest dreams had come true over night. She was in a place of magic, it seemed. Inverness had always been beautiful, but this was almost overwhelming. She smiled as she took in the sights around her. It was a smile that hadn't been seen on her lips in so very long. Perhaps there was still a spark of spirit left within her.

"Perhaps when I have more strength, we can explore this lovely city. It's beautiful here." She commented, showing Vincenzo just how young and naive she really was.

She wasn't even twenty five yet, but some days she felt three times her age. She was still the beauty of Skye, even though her skin was pale and her eyes shadowed with pain and exhaustion. Today, however, was a good day. One of the few that she had experienced in six long months.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course we can. I only just moved here a year ago from Rome, so there's plenty I still haven't explored." Vincenzo was glad to see the light in her eyes. It told him that there was still life and will left in her. Many of the shopkeepers they spoke to greeted Vincenzo by name and he checked with former patients and friends or family of recent patients to see how they were doing. It seemed he'd garnered a lot of affection and appreciation in his short time there. Any who learned who Kitty was were baffled and surprised to see her, but hardly treated her any differently from Vincenzo. Venice, being a city with many small districts of types of people, had some areas like this one that Vincenzo favored where most people didn't care about class, only good etiquette and being personable.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty greeted everyone politely, smiling for them as Vincenzo made his rounds. He seemed to be very popular in the city and well loved. It was nice to see a man that was gentle and smart, someone who could be anyone's friend if given the chance.

As they moved into the town square, she handed him the note that she had written to Seamus, allowing him to delivering it to the post. While they were in the square, Kitty took a short walk to see the different vendors. She came across a man baking bread and the appetite that she had lost so long ago came roaring back at the smells of fresh baked bread and herbs.

"How much for a loaf?" Kitty asked him, reaching for her pocket of coins.

 

[KieranSoares]

The vendor had no understanding of English, being a common man, but he understood her when she reached for the coin purse. He spoke in rapid Italian but as he pointed out the bread, the rolls, and the pita, he held up his fingers to show her how many florins, knowing she probably wouldn't understand him either.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty was a little bit overwhelmed as he tried to help her understand. She pointed towards the loaf of bread that had smelled so good, the herbs baked into the dough itself. She pulled her coins out, her face falling slightly as she saw that she had been sent with coins from Inverness. Tamblin hadn't seen it fit to send her any florins should she need something. Even so far away it felt as if he still had control over her life.

She turned her eyes towards the man, giving him a little shrug of her shoulders as tears started to gather in her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of this stranger, but she couldn't seem to help it.

 

[KieranSoares]

The stranger was thankfully understanding, and chalked her emotion up to her clear pregnancy. He gave her a smile, sliding the loaf toward her with a few kind words that she vaguely understood to mean 'don't worry about it.'

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty looked down towards the bread that was offered and felt deeply embarrassed. She swiped at her damp eyes with a first, sniffling as she shook her head no and slowly backed away. She wouldn't take something that she hadn't paid for. That man needed money to make a living. She knew that from the years she had spent as the queen of Inverness.

Instead, she murmured an apology and scurried back to Vincenzo's wagon, wanting to hide away from the world.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo returned too shortly after, having seen everything from afar and understanding that Kitty was so deeply hurt that even small reminders could reduce her to tears. He climbed into his seat beside her with the basket full of food for home. He looked to Kitty and murmured, "We'll check in the next big market day and find a merchant from the isles to exchange that money for you. Until then, just let me know when you'd like something, milady." He knew he couldn't truly comfort her pain just yet.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty simply nodded, her cheeks growing hot from embarrassment as she glanced back towards the bread vendor. The man looked at her with a mixture of pity and sadness. Was that how everyone looked at her, she asked herself. What a sad little life she had if that was true.

"I just want to go home." She murmured softly to Vincenzo, all thoughts of hunger and eating gone as quickly as they had come.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo sighed quietly, but said no more. They made only one last stop by a seamstress' shop where Vincenzo picked up a couple shirts he'd ordered. Upon their return to his little home, he made sure Kitty made it inside and was settled before he unloaded the cart. Among said items, she'd notice small blankets and baby things specifically to be prepared for her inevitable birth away from home.

After all was settled, he came to Kitty and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'd like to give you a proper examination today, milady, if you feel up to it." He knew that getting over emotional pain would be much harder than physical, but it'd make everything much more unbearable too.

 

[heartofcourage]

Once Kitty had settled back into that chair by the fire, she realized just how much she ached once more. It was deep in her joints and made her feel weary and tired. Her skin had taken on a pale hue again, her eyes large and dark as she watched Vincenzo unload things into the house. She spotted things for the baby as she was brought up short. She had brought a few things of her own and she had assumed that Tamblin had taken care of the rest. It looked like that was wrong.

"Perhaps I could rest for a little while first." She asked him softly as he talked about an examination.

Doctors had poked and prodded her from all over the isles. She had been bled, drugged, and all manner of other treatments. Barely in her twenties she felt like an old woman who was fading away into twilight.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sure," he nodded, leaving her be for a while to tend to his other work, drying herbs and putting together his supplies.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty dozed as Vincenzo worked quietly around her. She still found it hard to relax even though she was so far away from her husband. Her sleep was uneasy and full of nightmarish images. Tamblin was furious with something and the children were feeling his wrath. She couldn't reach them in time and all she could do was stand there as she heard their screams for her.

She woke with a start, her heart racing so fast that she swore it would burst from her chest. Tears were already falling.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo saw her start and he came to her side. "Lady Katherine?" he asked softly, sitting beside her. He knew they would need to talk about these issues.

 

[heartofcourage]

"My chest hurts." Kitty gasped out while in the grips of a panic attack, her eyes turning towards the healer and nearly begging for mercy. "I can't breathe."

 

[KieranSoares]

In a moment, Vincenzo had reached around her to loosen the ties of her dress to remove any restriction and he was up fetching a jar from a cabinet. He had her chew and swallow some of the dried herbs inside and slowly but surely, the tension in her body began to fail, making her feel weak but forcing her to relax so she could breathe. Vincenzo scooped her up and carried her into her room, laying her on her side. He checked over her vitals quickly and asked her simple, short questions to make certain it wasn't anything worse than panic. Once he was satisfied with that, he knelt down and brushed her hair from her face and took a look at her eyes and down her throat for the sake of caution. Finding nothing else, he sighed and laid a sure, gentle hand on her arm.

"Now..." he said slowly. "Can you catch your breath?" The herbs had made every muscle in his body relax by this point.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty was amazed at how quickly Vincenzo worked. He loosened her gown and had herbs in her mouth before she could breathe again. He lifted her up as if she weighed nothing at all and had her tucked into bed, calming her until she relaxed and the pain started to disappear.

She nodded as he asked her if she could breathe, her eyes so weary as she looked into his handsome features. He was a kind and caring doctor, one of the best in the world and he wanted her to get better. That meant everything to her.

"I want my babies." She murmured miserably, showing him her pain as her eyes watered again. "I miss them so much."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know, my dear... you need to hold on for them and make it home to see them again. And it won't be long before you get their first letter. It's a pain I can't take away... but it's a necessary pain because you love them," he laid his hand across her forehead, feeling how cold she was. Laying a soft and thick blanket over her, he promised her, "I'll get you home to them. I swear I will, milady."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty clung to that promise with all of her might. He wanted her to go home to see her children again. That was what she wishes for most of all. With Vincenzo fighting for her she truly believed that she might have a chance.

Soon she was asleep, exhaustion washing over her like a thick heavy wave. She didn't wake until close to dusk, the smells of something delicious filling the air. She felt slightly sick to her stomach, her body sore but her mind was clear. With the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders, she made her way to the kitchen to watch him cook in silence.

"I want you to call me Kitty." She said softly. "No one calls me Katherine."