Absolution (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Edinburgh, as Kitty remembered it, was a bright, sprawling city that seemed to promise everything to newcomers and travelers. The wiser townsfolk knew it could be dangerous, especially for the unprepared and for werefolk, but there were communities here and there that looked after each other. The ride along the main street toward the castle was noisy, fraught with all manner of sights and smells that none of the Ghis children had experienced before save Selena and that Kitty had not taken part in for over fifteen years. Guardsmen from the gates escorted them to the courtyard, where the Royal Guard took over guiding the wagons to the main doors where stable hands took care of the horses while servants emerged to take bags and belongings to the guest rooms. The first familiar face to emerge was Warwick Danforth himself, leaning heavily on his cane after stepping out. He watched the family climb out with a small smile on his face, until he saw Valentina. Warwick's smile grew sad, but remained welcoming. He wasn't sure what to expect from the little girl, if she would be happy to see him, or have come to hate him for leaving.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da!" Valentina called out, jumping from the carriage before it was even fully stopped and hurrying to Warwick without a care in the world.

 

[KieranSoares]

Letting his cane fall to the ground beside him, Warwick knelt to catch Valentina, kissing her forehead and hugging her tightly to his chest. "Hello, darling," he whispered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I missed you, Da." Valentina whispered as Warwick caught her up in his arms and kissed her forehead, all of their sadness at his departure disappearing in an instant. "We have so much to talk about. All the things that I've done since you were gone. Like when I used to come home from Italy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The queen has assured me that I'm all yours once everyone is settled in," Warwick promised.

"Absolutely," a voice Valentina didn't know spoke up. A broad woman in a fine gown had emerged from the castle, a shawl about her shoulders, flanked by three young men who were all strikingly similar and dressed in uniforms marking them as officers, with sashes and medals marking them as royalty. And close beside the woman was a similarly broad man with dark, greying long hair and a full beard, dressed in royal robes and simple but elegant finery.

"Katherine Ghis," the man spoke up, spotting Kitty amongst the group instantly. "My dear Kitty... God, it's good t'see you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Brian." Kitty said instantly as she saw both he and Marianne. "And Marianne. It's been far too long."

She moved past her children, greeting the king and queen first with a curtsy and then with a firm embrace. She still regarded them as dear friends even if they hadn't seen each other since before Boar was born. Paranoia of Tamblin Ghis was not going to spoil what had been a long friendship.

 

[KieranSoares]

The king and queen swept formality aside almost immediately, hugging Kitty tightly and looking her over. They had long heard of her sickness, and while it had taken a toll on her over time, she was far healthier than they thought she would be thanks to Vincenzo's return.

"I thought we'd never see you again," Marianne murmured as she held Kitty, nearly in tears after all the years of worrying for her friend and Brian being unable to reach her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I never thought I'd see you all again either." Kitty said in all honesty, pulling back from Marianne to look back at her family. "And I brought so many more children along this time. All save Durban, who is too busy exploring the world to come back home to his dear old Ma."

 

[KieranSoares]

The king and queen turned their attention to the gathered Ghis siblings. While they had been in close correspondence with Selena and knew all about her family, it was still a shock to see them all together.

"I feel like I've met them all before," Marianne chuckled. "I know all their names and what mischief they get up to, between talking with Selena, and your letters over the years."

She stepped forth, greeting each one along with Brian, until they came to Vincenzo and Valentina who were beside Warwick.

Warwick rose to face them properly, one arm still around Valentina. "Your Majesties, allow me to introduce my daughter. Well, our daughter," he smiled to Vincenzo and Kitty. "This is Valentina."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Valentina Lucina Ambrose." Valentina answered as Warwick introduced her as his daughter to the king and queen of Scotland.

"She's a bold little girl." Kitty said as Valentina gave her a side eyed look and then focused back on Brian and Marianne. "Just like her fathers and mother taught her."

 

[KieranSoares]

Marianne knelt down to Valentina's level, smiling gently. "So you're Ashelin's girl. I adored her, the short time I knew her. You are absolutely welcome here always, Valentina." She knew it was a painful topic, but she wanted to let Valentina know that she was in a place where people had good memories of Ashelin and loved her, and would therefore look after Warwick as the man Ashelin had loved.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, your majesty." Valentina said softly as a sudden cry from the middle of the family had everyone looking that direction.

Selena was struggling to settle Ruben. It seemed the infant had finally had enough of travel and being bundled in a blanket for one day and he was crying out his frustration from his mother's arms. Selena looked around at those gathered and sheepishly apologized.

"I think he needs to be changed and fed." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We have a nursery set up for you," Brian assured Selena. "Gale, will you show her in?" He looked to one of his triplet sons, a handsome young man with short-shorn hair.

"Of course." The prince scooped up Selena's bag of Ruben's things and escorted her inside, and soon the rest of the family was shown in as well.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's trying her hardest to be a good mother." Kitty said to Marianne privately as she watched Selena carrying Ruben to their nursery. "She's given up a lot to make sure that he's a healthy and happy little boy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's done well, even going it alone... We offer help as much as possible, but she's set on being self-sufficient. And she's succeeding. Ruben will grow up with plenty of opportunities and comforts, but she's talked about making sure he's a good, hard-working man someday."

 

[heartofcourage]

“She wants to prove herself to everyone. I’m afraid her Da did a lot of harm to her by insisting that she be a proper court lady and now to the will of her husband. He never really understood Selena.” Kitty said softly as Selena disappeared into a side hallway with Gale leading her on.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think it's fair to say few people really understand her now," Marianne nodded, leading Kitty to a room herself where servants had already placed her and Vincenzo's bags. "Make yourself at home," Marianne smiled to her dear old friend. "I'm sure everyone's eager to get to Venice and I won't keep you all, but I demand a longer visit on your return journey in the spring."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kitty gave Marianne a grin as she insisted that she give her a longer visit on her way back through in the spring. "Brogan will stop back by when he comes back in a few weeks. I expect Brian will want to talk to him and explain a few things about the way that this world works without Tamblin in it."

Kitty glanced around at the warm and sunny room, so much different from the last time that she had been there with Tamblin. Now, with Vincenzo at her side, everything was different.

"I'm sure they'll all come back at their own pace. Lynndon won't admit it, but he's entirely smitten with a young woman in Inverness. Selena won't go this time because of the baby. I think the only ones that will stay with me are the twins...and Valentina."

Kitty took a seat next to one of the windows, thinking over everything that had happened in a short amount of time. "I think I want Kayla to start coming to court to learn. I feel like she would be in love with everything to do with your way of governing."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Your family has always been welcome here," Marianne assured her softly. "Even when Tamblin was sure Brian was out to get him." She settled into her own chair with a sigh. "You've missed so much in the world, Kitty. And so much time with people who adore you." She then offered a smile, "I imagine next year a trip home to Skye is due, or if Martin's up to it, he and Lucina will turn up in Inverness."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tamblin was a haunted man." Kitty said softly, as diplomatically as she possibly could. "If I could have one wish in this world, it would be that no one else would have to be under Oliver Colton's control. I know that's wishful thinking, however. It won't end with us."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It will if any of us have anything to say about it. We've posted bounties as far as we can reach for him and his known agents."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You don’t ever catch him.” Kitty said with an understanding of Oliver that few had. “It might be best to simply let him disappear until he reads his ugly head again.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know no soldier will ever get hold of him. But a high enough sum may convince one of his own or a rival to turn the knife on him at some point. Whatever gets the job done. I've ever thought of offering a bigger bounty to have him brought in dead rather than alive. But Brian stopped me there, and rightfully so. I just hope that monster has moved far away to someone who doesn't care about the isles."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's not worth your anger, Marianne. Trust me on that. I'll always wonder what might have happened if Tamblin had never hired him, but I can't change any of it." Kitty said, thinking about her husband and how he had been so paranoid and terrified during his life.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He fed Tamblin lies from the moment Brian sentenced him. Oliver was a captain of mercenary assassins before he took advantage of Inverness. We later learned he was trying to do the same with many of the nobles in our custody, but he finally had access to a king with Tamblin."