Absolution (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I don' understand, love... If it's someone you care about, I think we'd all want to know... I know it wasn't planned, but... How do you feel about it?" His entire demeanor had softened, deeply worried for her.

 

[heartofcourage]

“He won’t want me saying who he is, Brogan.” Selena said, thinking about the handsome wolf that had stolen and broken her heart. “And how else am I supposed to feel about this? I’m having a baby. There’s not much to be done about that.”

Selena had been terrified when she had found out, in all honesty. She thought she had done something terribly wrong at first but then she settled into the idea. She had been very calm since then, almost like Kitty in that respect.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well... I think Maybe would be happy," he encouraged softly. "She's always loved children. An' I think you'll make a good mother. You spent so long lookin' after th'rest of us with Durban, an' you learned so much from Ma an' Ghell." He paused at the mention of the Wolf they'd not heard a single word about since Selena had fled. "... I hate t'bring it up, I'm sure th'answer isn't happy... But what happened t'Ghell?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“I don’t know.” Selena said softly, her tone sorrowful and defeated. “We had to split up that night and I haven’t seen him since. He said he knew where to find me and Marianne and Brian have tried their hardest to track him down. I know he’s gone forever.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"They don' even 'ave an idea what 'appened...?" Brogan's heart broke to hear her answer, the grey Wolf having been a figure of fatherly love and support since before Brogan was born. He was responsible for Brogan being alive at all, and in many cases, Kitty as well. "... I'll look into it, love... There can't be nothin'. No one jus' disappears. I can' promise I'll find 'im, but maybe was can a' least find what happened."

 

[heartofcourage]

“If he’s dead, I want to bring him home.” Selena said with a little bit of force in her voice. “No matter what’s left.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We will," Brogan assured her softly, and soon they rejoined the family for lunch. Everything was quiet, solemn, and peaceful. A wide spread of food was served, and the staff and guards were welcomed to join in. Brogan left Tamblin's seat empty, his Claymore hanging from the chair. He would not take the head seat until he officially held the crown.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty noticed that something was off when it came to Selena and the rest of the family. She knew it didn’t help that they had been apart for a while, but she knew that something wasn’t right. She would never press any of them for anything, but she hoped they would trust her enough to come to her if they needed help.

 

[KieranSoares]

Once the meal was over, Brogan let everyone go about whatever business they wanted, knowing several of them needed time to process things. He quietly maintained his place in the main hall, open to anyone who wanted to approach. He let Selena think about talking with Kitty in her own time.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena disappeared with Boar, escaping into the woods so they could talk in private about everything. She told him about her pregnancy and swore him to secrecy. She listened as he told her about his final moments with their Da.

“You loved him and that’s alright, Boar. You can love him as a man, but you don’t have to like what he did.” Selena said softly as Boar started a fire in the center of his favorite spot.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tha's what everyone keep's sayin'. Doesn' make it easier. Sometimes words don' help." Boar sat down on an overturned section of log as the fire caught and began to blaze, eating up kindling and sticks in the center of a ring of firewood. "... He was th'man Ma told me 'e could be, in those last days... He wasn' scared o' the world anymore... He wasn' afraid t'love an' be loved..." He sighed, resting his head in his hands. "Goddammit... I want t'hate him... But he jus' wouldn' let me... Not now tha' I understand what happened t'him."

 

[heartofcourage]

“It also doesn’t help that you were born in a difficult time. He never truly had a chance with you.” Selena said as she stared into the flames. “You know, you could come home with me...for a while. Just to get away at least.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm no' sure. I don' want t'leave Ma 'r miss Vincenzo or Durban comin' home... An' I'm supposed t'take over Inverlochly in a couple years. Maybe I should go there, get familiar with it."

 

[heartofcourage]

“And what about Ana? Do you really like her?” Selena asked, knowing very little Boar and his little crush on one of their serving maids.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar glanced at Selena, but found himself unable to hold her gaze. "Yeah... She's really... I can' describe 'er. I jus' like bein' with 'er."

 

[heartofcourage]

“That’s what Love feels like.” Selena said softly, looking down at the toes of her boots as she thought about the man that she loved. “It makes you want to do impossible things and will confuse you until you don’t understand what is happening anymore.”

She let out a long sigh, peeking up at her brought as she gave him a small smile. “Part of me is excited for this baby. I’m mostly terrified, but I honestly can’t wait to hold it and love it and give it the childhood I wished I had.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"... What about this man o' yours?" Boar asked. "Is 'e... Still in th'picture?" Boar was incredibly protective especially when it came to other men approaching his family. The idea that Selena had had some lover he didn't know about bothered him more than he cared to admit.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yes. Sometimes." Selena commented, thinking about the wolf that had absolutely captured her heart. "More often than not, he can't come to me. He does his best to support me, though."

 

[KieranSoares]

"... Is 'e an outlaw? Or does 'e work far away?" Boar questioned, knowing there were many circumstances in which a father and lover might be kept away. But he didn't consider the true reason. It simply didn't cross his mind, as it wasn't terribly common.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Lynn..." Selena started as he pestered her with a million questions. "He simply can't be with me all that often. He's a good man. He supports me when he can. He loves me. That's all that really matters, isn't it?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Is 'e gonna be able t'be a father? Tha's my main concern. Leavin' a woman on 'er own with a child isn' exactly th'most responsible thing, love. Or is 'e jus' havin' fun til 'e gets bored?" Boar never trusted men for any reason without getting to know them. But he shook his head, catching himself. "I'm sorry, I'm bein' an ass. I jus' don' want my sister on 'er own with a baby an' a sometimes-father showin' up at random."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And what if that is what happens? What if I have to raise a child on my own? There's nothing wrong with that." Selena said with a shrug of her shoulders as if she had thought about it a lot since finding out that she was going to be a mother. "Life doesn't have to only be horrible events, Lynndon. We have the right to be happy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm no' sayin' you're incapable 'r it's bad t'have a baby. But we've already had such a hard time... I don' want you t'have it even worse."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The only way that you'll be able to meet him is if you come back with me. He won't come here." Selena offered, knowing that Boar wouldn't back down until he had met and thoroughly interrogated her wolf. "And I have to get the courage to tell Ma."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I jus' might come by, if yer no' comin' home fer good," Boar sighed, sitting back to watch the fire.