To Capture a Captain's Heart (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded at Ulfric's slight look, allowing him to escort her from the room and towards her chambers. As they entered the door, she paused, a tight look crossing her features as she pressed a hand to her belly and clenched his sleeve tightly in her other. Pain was lacing through her body, hot tears springing in her eyes as she took in calming breaths to make it through the moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ulfric's reaction was instant though slow so not to jar her. He swept her up off her feet and laid her gently on the bed. Just as he turned to fetch a doctor, he froze in his tracks as it seemed a white werefox had simply materialized in the doorway. She was beautiful, slim, and tall and had a very serene look about her, and just behind her stood a taller but also slim and lean dark orange male werefox with dark pointed ears and, like his fox cousins, dark lower arms and lower legs. Both were clad in deerskin or that of hunted game animals, and both carried tribal tattoos, the man far more than the woman. Christopher stepped into view just behind them and slipped past to Kayla's side.

"Kay?" He asked softly, coming to her side to take her hand. "I found some tribal healers... Artur said they're the best he's ever heard of."

"Ah, muli," the Fox woman murmured, stepping over to Kayla's side. Christopher tried to stay out of the way, but the orange Fox motioned for Ulfric and Christopher to leave. Though they could not understand him, the tone in his words assured them all would be well.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla couldn't speak as white, hot pain lanced through her belly. She let out a whimper that wanted to turn into a scream as Christopher and Ulfric were ushered from the room and she was left alone with the healers.

"I know it's gone." She whimpered, looking towards the werefox. "I know."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Dia... I can see that at a glance," she murmured. "But, it is important to make sure that you will be healthy enough to try again one day. You are young, it would not be fair to deprive you of a chance for a family."

She looked to the other Fox. "Amoke, lun eccha." With that, he pulled the large satchel from his shoulder and drew out a mortar and pestle, a skin of water, and several types of herbs. He mixed up a thin paste from some of the herbs and mixed it with water for Kayla to drink, then mixed up something else for his partner to use.

The bitter herbal drink left Kayla in a haze and she felt almost nothing as they rid her body of the unborn, lifeless child and cleaned her up. They were quick, quiet, and seemed to face no obstacle their skill could not overcome. When she came to, there was only a residual small ache in her belly and the taller Fox was helping her to drink a sweetened herbal tea, murmuring soft words of encouragement in Lunar.

 

[heartofcourage]

When the task was finished, Kayla felt sluggish and dull. She swallowed the tea dutifully, even though she simply wanted to sleep some more. They had done her a great service, even if it had been a horrible task. The baby was gone. The pain would soon be gone. The ache in her soul...would take longer to go away.

Soon, she was able to sit up and hold the cup on her own, even if her hands still shook slightly. The Lunar was familiar and welcome, reminding her of Inverness in the most achingly familiar way. She knew that the other leaders had been told of what was happening. She didn't want this to detract from what was happening with Kjotva though.

"I have work to do." She murmured towards the two foxes. "And no time for...this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nie, muli, you must rest. Your work will mean nothing if you exhaust yourself and die of it. Which, at this point, is very much a possibility," the she-Fox warned her. "Desota and I will care for you and you will be fit as ever in only a few days. If you insist on running about, it will take much longer."

"Listen to Gaiya," Desota murmured, wrapping a blanket around Kayla.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We don't have days." Kayla said softly as she tried to protest, sighing as Desota placed a thick blanket around her.

She had been tucked into bed like a child, told that she would be going nowhere anytime soon. She let out a long sigh, handing the cup of herbal tea back to Desota as she settled back against the pillows. They were looking out for her well being. They wanted her to have the best chance possible in the future of having a child.

"Can I have more tea? To help me sleep?" Kayla asked softly, looking towards Gaiya. "I don't think I will otherwise."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Amoke," Gaiya looked to Desota, and he turned to mix up a different blend to help her sleep. Gaiya touched Kayla's cheek lightly. "You may travel if needed... but it must be by carriage, in the least stressful way possible. You need not be bedridden after tonight, my dear, only take things slow and carefully. We will remain with your people for a while to look after you."

 

[heartofcourage]

The herbs that they gave her worked their magic and soon she was back in that warm, wonderful haze. Voices floated around her as she slept. Ulfric was there, watching her as he didn't trust her guard. Elhardt had been there too, making sure that his sister queen was alright. Christopher was there as always. When her eyes opened sometime later, she looked at him for the longest time before she got her tongue to work.

"I always wanted a little boy." She murmured, her words slow and slurring as she looked at the moving image of her husband. "With brown hair and an Irish lilt like yours."

She was out of it, speaking words that normally wouldn't have come from her lips. She was being honest with him and incredibly open.

"I didn't mean...I didn't meant to lose the baby, Chris. I'm so sorry."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's not your fault, Kay," Christopher murmured. He knelt at her bedside and took her hand to kiss it lightly. "It's no one's fault. Gaiya said it was just the wrong time. It wouldn't have worked out even under the best circumstances... Things like this just happen sometimes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But...you wanted a family." Kayla said, no control over the words that came from her lips as he held her hand and kissed it gently. "You deserve a family. Maybe I can't give you one."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Even if that were true, I can make it. I want a family... But all I really need is you." Christopher glanced to Ulfric and Elhardt, who both stepped out to let them alone. Christopher climbed into the large bed beside Kayla, hugging her carefully in a reassuring and protective embrace.

 

[heartofcourage]

When the world seemed too dark, Christopher was always there to protect her. He had always been there to protect her, no matter what. As his strong arms gathered her up, she finally relaxed and allowed herself to weep for the loss of their child. All of the guilt and anger and hurt that she carried dissolved into sadness as her fingers curled tightly in the fine linen of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry." She murmured over and over again, finally stopping as her tears dissolved into hiccups which shook her slender frame.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher finally let himself shed a few tears of his own while he held her. As true as his words were about only really needing her, it still hurt to have had a hope and a dream torn away, though not ruled out entirely. There was still a possibility for the future. But many other things would have to come first, especially healing and a solid foundation.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Kayla finally calmed, her head rested against his shoulder and she stared at her husband for a long and quiet moment. "I need to get to work soon." She murmured softly, her mind turning back to her kingdom and the kingdom of everyone involved.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you're going to insist on it... at least make it something you don't have to run around for," Christopher pleaded quietly. "Everything's still peaceful out on the border."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I promise to be careful." She said softly, her eyes already closing as a wave of exhaustion came over her suddenly. "I promise to always be careful."

 

[KieranSoares]

Knowing she wasn't going to get up and go anywhere, Christopher stayed at her side until she had drifted off. From there, he kept within the room and quietly went over his papers and reports.

The peace kept up for the next week, until the first blows were traded in a severe argument between the duke and the opposing general concerning Lithuania's freedom and independence from the Kievan Rus. By this point, Gaiya considered Kayla to be in good enough health to continue her usual work. Desota had gone to help tend to any wounded from the battlefield while Gaiya, whom they'd learned was his wife, remained near Kayla and around the duke's home.

About half of the men from Scandinavia helped the Lithuanian men fight, but the other half were ready at Kayla and Christopher's beckon call to move.

 

[heartofcourage]

The day after losing the baby, Kayla had remained in bed to appease her husband, Ulfric, and Elhardt. They were worried for her and she knew that they needed to focus more on the task at hand than on her health. She had written three letters that day. Two had gone to Inverness to the care of Brogan. She told him what had happened and asked him to give Ma the other letter tucked inside his own. She had also told him to be with her when she read it and to hold her tightly as she wept for her youngest daughter.

The third letter was sent to London. She needed Ashien there with her. Christopher was her shield, but Ashien had always been her sword. Her husband was stubborn and thought that he could do everything on his own, but her twin was just as capable and knew her whims better than anyone.

She paced the Duke's home that morning, wondering if her brother would come or if he had even gotten the letter. There were spies out there that could have taken it without her knowing.

 

[KieranSoares]

It would only end up taking three weeks- a record time considering the distance- for Ashien to reach Kayla. A Lithuanian guard came to her and though he couldn't speak any language she knew, he motioned toward one of the too windows and she could see her brother's prized war horse Hane with his tall, dark rider, chargining up the cobbled path through the courtyard. He had little in the way of supplies with him, only a small pack on his saddle which told Kayla he'd left just about the moment he received her letter.

The other guards had no idea who he was so they moved to stop him. Hane slid to a halt and Ashien, with his wide knowledge of languages, quickly explained himself and produced Kayla's letter to prove it, but they weren't going to let him by what with spies around.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was out of her room the moment she saw her brother on his warhorse. She couldn't move fast enough from the keep to his side. The guards were shocked to see the Norwegian queen and even more shocked at the resemblance between the two. Her smile was wide and warm and she could barely help hugging him tightly before he had even slipped from his saddle.

"I'm so happy you're here." She whispered. "And I'll find some way to make it up to your wife."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't worry about Dylandra for now, she understands," Ashien assured her as he hugged her tight. After a childhood of never being apart, Ashien considered his time with Kayla sacred and now that she was a Queen, even more so. The guards let them be and Ashien looked down at his twin. Though his expression was always gentle to her, it was also very determined in this moment. "Tell me what needs to be done."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded, knowing that they needed to get down to business. Taking her brother's arm, she led him first to the stables and then to her private room to talk.

"There are spies within my own guard. It isn't safe to talk in the open." She said as she took a seat in one of the plush armchairs there. "Christopher needs help organizing. The horsemen need discipline. It's a mess, Ash."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, this is Christopher's first conflict as a general. The leading general, no less... I'll do everything I can to help him." Ashien sat forward to meet her gaze. "Tell me what this is all about. All I know is that the Kievans have the Queen of Sweden."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla explained the entire mess to Ashien, leaving out no details. She knew that if he was going to help, he had to know everything. She held his hand the entire time, still not believing that her twin was there in the same room as she was. It felt like it had been forever since she had seen him.