To Capture a Captain's Heart (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Good night, Ash." She murmured softly as her brother went off to bed, leaving her to think about what was to come on her own. Shortly before dawn, she joined Christopher in bed, exhausted but smiling as his strong arm wrapped around her belly and held her tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher was up only a short while past dawn, a bit more refreshed with less stress and more sleep than usual since arriving in Lithuania. But there was one deep worry that plagued everyone; the Lunar New Year was March 20th, and it was already February. To reach Kjotva in time, they needed to have the Kievan aggressors out of the way by the end of the month and be on their way with no stops toward the village which would take them at least a week to reach. Considering the force they faced, however, it would probably be slow going.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla woke slowly, still tired as breakfast was being served. She dressed and joined her brother, husband and Elhardt and Ulfric to eat. Another herbal tea from Gaiya was waiting on her and she was grateful for the calming effect that it had on her nerves. Perhaps the healer knew just what she was doing.

"What is our plan?" She finally asked, looking at all of those gathered.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're going to divide and conquer," Ashien told her, having discussed the idea in-depth with the other men while awaiting Kayla's arrival. "Considering that our Lithuanian friends have a sizable army and more reinforcements on the way, the warriors from the Triad should be able to pull back completely by today's end. I alerted a few lords on my way east and they should be right behind my squire when he arrives. Our own forces will need to divide into two armies to draw attention while Ulfric's men get Kjotva out. I think it will take either an expert rescue mission by one or two men, or a full-scale attack to get her out before she can be killed."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We must reach her by the Lunar New Year. They will kill her then if we are not there to stop it." Kayla said softly, knowing that everyone there knew how dire the situation was. "Can we reach her in time?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"At the rate we're going if we leave Lithuania to defend itself, yes. Barely," Ulfric murmured. "No large force can move freely in the Kievan Rus... but we can certainly move in small groups disguised as trade caravans. But Kayla, the danger is very real and you may want to stay behind. Elhardt too."

"Like hell," Elhardt growled. "Listen here, little brother. I may be a king, I may be better versed in war than espionage, and I may be walking into danger. But I'll be damned if I sit back and leave my shield-sister's fate to someone else, friend or foe."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was very quiet as it was suggested that she stay behind because of the danger. She glanced to her husband and then to her brother, wondering what they thought about the situation. It was true that it was very dangerous, but she was use to the danger by now. She had nothing to lose by going with them to try and save Kjotva.

"I don't want to stay behind." She said softly as Elhardt turned on his brother with a passionate plea for his service.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I suppose no one can stop you... but if you want to be any sort of help, you'll need a bit of training. A blade, stealth, that sort of thing," Ulfric warned her. Christopher didn't say anything, but if he'd ever been afraid or worried for Kayla before, it was nothing compared to that moment.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded as Ulfric insisted that she would be trained if she wished to go. She could feel her husband's eyes on her as he stared. She knew they would have a discussion when the breakfast ended and she would have to do her best to convince him that it was her place to go.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien of course supported Kayla, and Elhardt certainly couldn't argue. With no objections based on health from Gaiya it was agreed that Ashien and Christopher would train Kayla, Ashien more in espionage.

After they parted for a while when breakfast was done, Christopher didn't really show any sign of wanting to talk about Kayla's decision. Instead, he quietly directed her to change her clothes into something better suited for sword practice and riding, and he turned to go outside to await her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla wondered why Christopher was being so quiet about her decision. It seemed that he would have something to say, but he only directed her to change while he waited outside for her. She let out a sigh and changed into a borrowed shirt and pants from a squire. They were the same size and it made things much easier. She strapped a belt about her hips and made her way outside to find her brother and husband.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher had laid aside his jacket and his vest, bringing a couple dulled swords as there was no practice equipment within reach. Ashien took one of the swords, laying aside his own jacket and vest too. Last Kayla had seen Ashien fight, he'd been hardly more skilled than a page and lost miserably to a sparring partner. But over their time apart and training other men, he had to be an expert by now.

With a third dulled blade for Kayla, Ashien came over to tie its sheathe to her belt, showing her how to knot it so that it wouldn't loosen and fall off. "I never thought I'd see my little sister pick up a blade beyond that fencing practice we had as children."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Ash." Kayla said, watching as he taught her how to knot the sword to her belt before she took it from him. "Besides, it's about time that I learn how to fight my own battles."

 

[KieranSoares]

"True, as much as we wish we could fight them all for you." Ashien kissed her forehead and laid the blade's handle in her hands. It was a light and fast longsword, slim and double-edged and moderately similar to the fencing blades she remembered but had not used in so long. Ashien preferred a heavier longsword, while Christopher had a straight medium blade common of knights that was like a one-handed Claymore.

Giving his own blade a couple practice swings to test its weight and balance, Christopher turned to face Ashien. Ashien drew his own sword and looked to Kayla with a slight smile. "We'll start with defending and then move to disarming. You'll want to end fights quickly if you get into them. No sense in long duels, especially if you're in a hurry." Ashien brought Kayla to face Christopher whom, Kayla could see didn't want any part of this, but he didn't trust anyone else with Kayla's defense and therefore self-defense. He had to forget for a while that she was his wife, and he had to treat her as a student.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla felt pity for her husband as he stood to face her as her sparring partner. She knew that he never wanted her to have to handle a weapon, but there they were, preparing her for that possibility. She wished she could have done as he wanted and stayed behind, but there was too much at stake for that to happen. If they were going to help Kjotva, then they needed as many people helping as they possibly could.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher managed to lighten up at least a little as he and Ashien demonstrated and let Kayla copy under Ashien's guidance against Christopher. Ashien was fairly lighthearted about it all, knowing that grave seriousness wasn't going to help anyone. He constantly encouraged Kayla to practice like it was the real thing so that if she ever did get into a fight, she'd give it her all just by force of habit.

At one point, Ashien and Christopher were trading blows to show her blocking positions when Christopher slid on some loose ground and fell, and when Ashien burst out laughing, Christopher swept his legs out from under him and Ashien fell right beside him. Christopher chuckled at his brother-in-law and sat up beside him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla watched her brother's lessons closely, copying them as close as she could. She could see Christopher relax as they went over the same actions time after time. It seemed that he found some humor in the situation as he sparred with his brother-in-law. Both men were soon on the ground, laughing among themselves and Kayla couldn't help but smile as she took a seat in the shade to rest.

"If you two need a moment I would be happy to leave you alone." Kayla teased, looking between the two of them with laughter on her lips.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not my type, love. Though tempting," Ashien picked himself up and helped Christopher to his feet. Both came to sit on either side of Kayla, dusting themselves off briefly.

Christopher leaned over to press a kiss to Kayla's cheek, taking her hand with a soft smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, a tall blonde waiting for you in England is more your type." Kayla said as her twin came to stand at her side. "One that will be very cross with you if you don't write a letter home."

She looked up at her husband as he kissed her cheek and took her hand, a smile on his features. Whatever he had been thinking when she first started sparring with him was long gone. He was back to his normal self and she was incredibly grateful for that.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll send one out in the morning." Ashien smiled and sat back, until he saw a familiar streak of white. "Brace yourself," he murmured to Kayla as the great white tiger came barreling across the courtyard.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla grinned as the streak of white came towards her, Ballas charging towards his first mistress until his great paws were wrapped around her shoulders and he was butting her with his wide forehead. She laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his great neck and held her tiger tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ballas growled and purred with absolute joy as he circled Kayla and nuzzled against her with his tail curling and twitching happily. Christopher, who had only really seen Ballas once, was as befuddled as ever as to how a great beast and a petite woman like Kayla could fit so well together. Ashien chuckled and reached out to scratch the tiger's ears. "Big soft thing."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla smiled as Ballas played around her like a kitten, butting against her and nuzzling her, is tail circling around her waist. He purred deeply as Ashien scratched the tiger's ears and she laughed softly, her mood lightened by being near her dear childhood pet.

"He's like a kitten, Chris. A giant kitten that is one of the fiercest fighters in Ashien's brigade." Kayla mentioned as she saw her husband watching the tiger cautiously.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, I'm not worried he'd do anything," Christopher assured her. "Just... Never been so close to such a big animal."

"He's rather large for a tiger, really, even for a Siberian," Ashien mused. His young squire soon came to his side with some letters and Ashien thanked him before dismissing the boy to allow him to familiarize himself with their surroundings.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe I should steal him away to Norway? He'd be much happier with me." Kayla teased, scratching Ballas's ears and chin as he purred loudly, lazing about like a kitten.