To Capture a Captain's Heart (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Just as she was giving Ashien the last details of her time in Lithuania thus far, Christopher stepped in and stopped short. "Ashien? When did you get here?"

"Within the last hour," Ashien rose to embrace his brother-in-law. "How are things out there?"

"Rough... But not too bloody yet. Neither side is launching any kind of assault, it's mostly small skirmishes... But I'm glad you're here. I've never been so overwhelmed in a tactical situation. Ulfric and Elhardt have been some help, but they're dealing with everything outside the battle and within the spy network... Has Kayla told you about the spies?"

"Yes, and we'll root them out before long once we get your cavalry in order and make a proper battle plan."

"I'll let everyone know you're to be regarded as my Major from here on out," Christopher nodded. He knew Ashien needed a high position to help, and Ashien was, after all, the Major of Cavalry in England's standing home army.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla felt a sense of relief that her brother and her husband were working together for a greater good. She let them sit and talk and plan for a while before she ordered for a hearty meal for the three of them. She knew her brother was probably starving from his journey and she wanted him at his best for the battle that was at hand.

"Ashien can take over the command of the horsemen." Kayla commented as they ate. "It would take work from your shoulders, Chris. They would not be expecting us to show any degree in expertise in that area."

 

[KieranSoares]

"True... Scandinavia isn't known for horses. It's the Normans and now the English since King William," Ashien commented.

"Then they're yours. I may know plenty about horses, but I have no idea how to train men to fight from their backs." Christopher himself knew how to do it his own way, but had never been formally trained and he certainly didn't know much about the use of lances whereas Ashien had trained some of England's finest knights and jousters up from fresh and clueless squires even in his short career.

"I can also help with archers and crossbowmen should you need it." Being an English officer, Ashien was practically required to understand such things as the famed English longbow which was the bane of foreign knights whose armor couldn't stand up against the large arrows. Crossbows, though slower, were effective against armor as well.

"Honestly, Ashien, my specialty lies in infantry and scouts. I need all the help I can get. The Scandinavians have the best infantry and heavy fighters in the north, it's the support and the horsemen I'm clueless with."

"Then I'll teach you." Ashien had always been confident about his military ability, but Kayla knew it was because a commander without confidence, no matter how much he actually knew, would always fail.

 

[heartofcourage]

As it was decided that Ashien would held to train the troops, Kayla noticed how Christopher visibly relaxed. He had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and now there was someone to take away some of that strain. She hoped for his sake that he slept that night. He had spent so many nights watching over her and worrying about their next move that she could see the weariness in how he carried himself.

After their meal, she sent Christopher to bed before she sat down to have a long talk with Ashien. The fire had been stoked high and an herbal tea made by Gaiya in Kayla's hands. She had no idea what the tea was for, but she drank it dutifully each and every night that it was given to her.

"How are things with you and Dylandra?" Kayla asked softly, looking at her twin in the firelight.

He looked so much like their father. He wasn't nearly as big as Tamblin had been, but his features were almost a carbon copy. Instead of insanity and anger, Ashien's face was serene and boyish. Their Ma had always told them that their father had once been a good man who loved his family very much. She often wondered if there was a time in his life that he had looked like Ashien.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's everything I ever could've hoped for," Ashien told his sister with a soft smile. It was the same smile she saw from her older brothers when they spoke of their wives and from Vincenzo when he was with Kitty. Members of the Ghis family had a knack for finding the partner of their dreams despite anything that might come between them.

Ashien sat back in his chair, looking to the fire with a cup of tea in hand. "An artist could never ask for a better partner and model... a military officer could never ask for a more patient wife... and a man could never ask for a better love than her. And she puts up with the strange household I keep. One day a noble will visit, the next day a promising artist looking to learn from me, and the day after, Princess Elizabeth and John will come by for dinner being good friends of ours. I wonder how she deals with my strange habits... but I'm glad to find she occasionally gets up past midnight to sketch a sudden idea like I always have." Kayla knew of that habit as he'd had it since he was a toddler, and it had gotten Ashien into trouble many times with Tamblin who absolutely would not accept he had an artist for a son. Later on after Tamblin was gone, Kitty would sometimes scold Ashien for his late night drawing because he'd end up exhausted during the day.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I shall have to commission you both to paint a royal portrait for me." Kayla said with a soft smile on her lips as she reached out to hold her brother's hand. "It would give us more time together in Norway."

She smiled as he talked about his wife. He had been alone for so long that she feared her would never find that person that completed him. It had been shocking that he had simply married this woman without telling anyone, but she could see that Dylandra truly was her brother's other half.

"When you go back home, would you check on Ma?" Kayla asked him softly. "I wrote to her to break the news... I told Brogan to hug her while she cried. I miss her terribly, Ash. I never knew how much I needed her until now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I suppose none of us ever realized how much we needed her until we left home..." Ashien sighed. "I'm not ashamed to admit I've cried a few times out of homesickness since moving to England, especially whenever things got tough or dangerous fighting for Henry. But I'll make a trip north to see Ma after I get back and spend some time with Dylandra."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla gave him a soft smile as she stood from her seat. Once he scooted over to make room, she sat beside him in his chair, her arms wrapping around his chest as she had done so many times before. She remembered hiding like that with him from their father during some of his most horrible tempers. She held him like that the day he decided that he would move to England to join the court. They completed one another and they had since the day that they were born.

"I'm worried for Christopher. He's worn out. He is worried about his forces...and then losing the baby...it's all happened at the worst time." Kayla whispered against his ear.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's facing the same sort of thing you did when you first arrived in Norway and he's coming to realize exactly what his position requires of him. These extra stresses... they came too quickly, while he was still settling in with no knowledge of the finer details. But at the very least, he'll come out of this with the ability to fight and defend at a moment's notice and with less than perfect circumstances. I'll see that he makes it, little sister, don't you worry." Ashien had always called her 'little sister' not just because she had been born after him, but because she and Valentina, despite the fact Kayla was a bit older, were the 'little sisters' of the family and always would be.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was quiet as she thought about his words and promises. With him there, she felt better. She knew that they were on the right path. It would just take time, which she hoped that they still had on their side.

"Why didn't you bring Ballas?" She asked him, pulling her head back from his shoulder to look at him. "You never go anywhere without him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, he's coming. I've been training a young squire named Benjamin, and he's about a day behind me with Ballas and a charger I'm training for him for when he becomes a knight." Ashien smiled down at her. "You don't think I'd deprive you of seeing your favorite tiger, do you? After all, Durban brought him for both of us. The only reason I have him now is because it's not exactly becoming of a lady in a court to have a giant beast at her feet, but he's certainly useful in keeping unwanted visitors away from Darkwood."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You just like to use him to scare people." Kayla said with a soft laugh. "And Durban gave him to you. We both know that. He promised me a kitten, but never got around to getting it for me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He didn't get you a kitten because he was afraid Ballas would eat it. But I promise one day if Ballas ever has cubs, you'll definitely get one. Until then, I suggest a good hound or two for a Queen and her Lord Protector. Like the ones we used to have when we were younger, like Boar's hunting hounds."

 

[heartofcourage]

"A hound might complete our family nicely." Kayla said softly, looking up at Ashien as he promised her a tiger cub if there ever was one. "Especially because of the baby..."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't let this discourage you too much, my love," Ashien told her quietly. "You'll have your own family one day soon. I know it."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded as her twin swore that she would have her own family one day. She hoped that he was right, but she feared that it wouldn't be so easy as everyone thought that it would be.

"And you better let Ma have that second wedding for you and Dylandra before you start having children. You know you will never hear the end of it if you don't." Kayla said softly, giving her twin a kiss against his cheek.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't worry, we've talked about it. I imagine it'll probably happen not too long after this whole mess is over, but we don't want it to interfere with John and Elizabeth's wedding of course. We're thinking of a winter wedding... we really just dressed our best and rode into London to the nearest priest when we married. Though Dylandra's a little worried about the scale of the weddings Ma plans. I promised her it wasn't as fancy as she thought it might be, the real fun was in the feast afterward. You know... I think that's one of the reasons Ma had so many children, just so she could plan all these weddings."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla laughed softly at that, thinking about her siblings and how many weddings they had actually had. All at least two, save Selena who refused to be married. Her stubborn sister never did things like the rest of them.

"A winter wedding would be lovely. The snowy loch would be a beautiful backdrop." She mentioned softly. "I wish I had my chance at an Inverness wedding. Luckily, I did it right the first time, however. A dress designed by the court seamstress, the crown jewels of Norway...there was nothing for Ma to fret over."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know Ma would jump at the chance to do a little celebration at home for you if you asked." Ashien then let his head rest against her own, a habit he'd kept since before either of them could remember. According to Kitty, they'd slept in their crib as newborns always curled close together in a similar way. "But aside from all that... tell me truly, love. Are you okay?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think so." Kayla said softly as her dark head rested against her brother's own. "I don't have nightmares about Olaf anymore. I think the Jarls all respect me, save for a very small minority. I've done as much as I can to help the people of Norway. I love my husband and he adores me."

She let out a long sigh, however. "I miss Inverness and our family. The crown is heavy on my head from time to time. I think I understand why Da was so angry all the time. It isn't easy to think about the wants and needs of so many."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I suppose that's definitely one of the reasons... but he made the mistake, unlike you and Brogan, of choosing to ignore his people and not address that stress. He chose war and hate. You and Brogan chose trade and the common good. As much as Ma tried to do that for Da, she had the family and fixing Da's mistakes to worry about before she could really tend to the people. I'm honestly surprised Brogan became the king... I know he and Durban didn't want it, but they fought Da for it anyway because even with their lack of experience, they could do better. I was even more surprised when you accepted the throne of Norway, even if it was rightfully yours. I thought you'd shy away considering our Da and his own father's reputation."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I had to take it, Ash. There were people who were suffering." She said simply, knowing that her brother would understand her. She had a soft heart and a dislike of bloodshed. It had served her well in creating civic organizations for those in her kingdom that were suffering greatly.

She had been the one among all of her siblings to try and reach out to their father, even though he pushed her away time and time again. He called them the Italian bastards because their mother had given birth to the twins in Italy. She never remembered him hugging her, loving her, being the father that they needed. It had pushed her to be the woman that she was today, struggling to understand even the most ill of people.

"We aren't our father. Once, he was a good man and I choose to believe that we inherited the good from both of our parents."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, regardless of who he was, we're our own people, and since we decided to learn from Ma more than Da, we can do plenty of good in this world." It'd always come easily to Ashien to see the good in even the worst situations or reputations and he, like Kayla and Kitty, had a soft heart for those who were victims of their own circumstances.

Ashien looked to the window, seeing the moon beginning to rise high. "Well, dear little sister. I think it's time we head to bed. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted after three weeks of riding like hell was at my heels."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm certainly glad you came." Kayla said once more as she stood from her seat and embraced her brother tightly when he did the same. "I'll find a way to repay you. I swear it, Ashien."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't need to repay me for coming to see you. I would've come running even if you just asked because you felt like it." With one last kiss to her cheek, Ashine left her side. "Goodnight, Kay."