Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It has it's moments." Dylan said, smiling up at her husband as he declared watching television boring as hell. "It certainly doesn't come close to painting you or Ballas, though. The world through my eyes entertains me far more than the imagination of someone else."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I would hope I'm entertaining enough for your eyes, in that case," Ashien murmured with a grin, stealing a long and lovely kiss. He still wanted her, that was clear by how he held her in such a needy way.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Always, love." Dylan said with a smile as he kissed her with that long, low burning way of his. "My big, Scottish brute. I don't know what I'll ever do with you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not a brute. That's Durban," he murmured with a smirk before he slipped away suddenly to get his sketchbook.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hate to break it to you love, but you are as much of a brute as your brother." She said with a soft laugh as he pulled away and hurried to get his sketching materials. "I hope that this sketch stays in your private collection."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nope, I'm sending this one to the Emperor himself as payment for that comment," he flashed her another smirk as he began to lay down the first lines. It would start messy, but it would slowly come down to the most aching details.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wouldn't be surprised." Dylan said with a soft laugh as she relaxed back against the sofa with a long sigh. "However, I also know that your Scottish blood can boil hot. You have a jealous streak deep down inside that will not let you share me with anyone else."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I won't share you, but as an artist it is my deepest pleasure to share visions of beauty with the world." He sketched quickly as ever, the strokes of charcoal sure and fluid. "But if you're embarrassed, love..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Why would I be embarrassed? It's your seed on my thighs right now." Dylan challenged, her cheeks glowing red as she mentioned that. "Everyone will know who did this to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe I like that idea," he grinned devilishly at her over the top of the book, his eyes sharp and fiery like a predator looking at his soon-to-be prey.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You want the world to know that I am yours?" Dylan asked in a breathless tone as he looked at her with that heated gaze. "Well...when we decide to have a child, no one will have any doubt as my belly grows large with your child."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien's gaze never left her own as he outright dropped the sketchpad and shed his shirt before stalking toward her like a wild wolf. His solid arms took her up and her feet never touched the floor. He wrapped her legs around his waist, drowning her in a kiss that felt absolutely sinful.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You enjoy that thought?" Dylan said with a laugh as Ashien stripped off his shirt and soon had her wrapped around him.

She whimpered as he kissed her with the most passionate kiss that he had ever given her, her toes curling with the force behind it.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I do," he answered simply, kissing at her throat hungrily and hurriedly as if he couldn't wait a second longer to have her again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan laughed with joy as her husband murmured that he needed her and then kissed her with a passion that only he seemed to possess. They had been apart far too much over the previous months because of his duties to his horses and the kingdom of England. Now they were together and they were sure not to miss a single moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien had a little more free time than usual in the coming months. But as they settled into winter, long after Durban had gone home to his own little family, a letter arrived bearing a Ghis seal in black, a sign of dire news.

Ashien was lounging with Dylandra on the sofa in the studio after having explored and pleasured her all morning. He was just about to start again when Van knocked on the studio door. "Ashien. An Invernessian rider just arrived with an urgent message."

Ashien sat up, all pleasures forgotten. "One moment, love," he murmured, leaving her on the sofa while he went to get the letter. He soon returned with the black-sealed letter and Van went off to continue about his work with the knowledge Ashien might have to leave quite suddenly. Ashien sat down beside Dylandra, staring at the letter. He was afraid to open it. The greatest worry on his mind was that it was news of a death. Perhaps his mother had succumbed to illness despite Vincenzo's best efforts. Maybe an enemy had finally taken down one of his brothers. Or perhaps it was something much more sudden. An accident, maybe. Whatever it was, he was afraid to know.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan dressed while Ashien retrieved the letter from home. When she pulled on her robe, she paused to see the worry and concern in his eyes. She had never seen her husband look so frightened and unsure of anything since they had been married.

"Ash." She murmured softly as she touched his hand, glancing at him in concern. "Would you like me to open the letter?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Looking up, Ashien was almost ashamed of his own fear. "... Would you, love...?" He asked softly, offering her the letter.

It was written and sealed quickly, the script made of thin and sharp lines. The seal was off-center, and the letter itself was a bit beaten up, likely stuffed into a bag without care for wear and tear.

Little Brother,

We need you at home immediately. Arland Wick went back on his word. He kidnapped Julia and Ciaran and Annie. Brogan went after them and he managed to save them with the help of a prison guard who's returned with them. He was badly wounded but managed to make a recovery just as we all arrived at home. He told us Sarah Monaghan was controlling Arland, that she was betrothed to him and he lost all sense with her. But Brogan killed him. Now, Sarah has taken over Wick and she's gathering forces to march on Inverness like Wick never has before. And if these rumors of foreign support are true, she might just take our homeland. Please come as soon as you can with any men King Henry can spare at a moment's notice. We need your military expertise and a cavalry. Christopher Callaghan and Stephen Monaghan are already here to help, and we've gotten some support from Glasgow, but it may not be enough. We don't know when Sarah will march, but it's going to be soon.

Hurry home, Ash.
-Selena

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan opened the letter and saw that it was from Ashien's sister, Selena. She had not had the chance to meet the woman yet, but she knew that she was older than Ash by a few years. Reading over the letter, she glanced towards him with slight concern.

"Inverness is under attack." She said softly as she handed him the letter to read for himself.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien went pale when she broke the news to him, but he wasn't sure if he should be relieved no one had died, or even more terrified that possible deaths were coming. He took the letter and read it twice in silence. Finally, he let it rest in his lap. "I have to go... If Stephen is taking a stand... against his own daughter, no less... it's more serious that Selena could even describe. Inverness has never needed a cavalry before, they always made do with a handful of horsemen and the axemen took care of everything else."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan could see just how effected he was by the letter in his hands. This was a moment that they had hoped would never come but as a soldier he had a duty. She stood a moment later and looked down at her husband.

"You get everything together. I will arrange for some food for you." Dylan said as she leaned down and kissed her husband's forehead.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Thank you, darling," he murmured, rising soon to go collect everything he'd need, including his armor which hadn't seen real use since his last fight for Henry. He'd hoped to never have to put it on in defense of Inverness.

By the time he'd packed the set away in one trunk and his clothes in another and gotten them to the foyer by the door, he was already imagining the worst. But to his credit, he was stoic, and that was what made him a good leader of men who were equally as terrified.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan and Van got enough food situated for Ashien and his squire, allowing the two of them to ride for longer than they normally would. Dylan also took a moment to put together something for her husband to take his mind off the stress of the situation. She packed away his sketch book, his pencils, and one of the small pictures of herself that he had drawn shortly after their wedding. All of that was packed away in his saddlebag, a surprise for him to find later.

When she came into the front hall with the food in a bag, she paused to see Ashien standing there. He was tense, but his face was neutral. She quietly walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and held him tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien's arms slowly draped around Dylandra's shoulders and he let his head rest against her own. After a long silence, he finally murmured, "I'll send for you when we win..." but he didn't sound confident. He knew the long, bloody war Inverness had once fought with Wick. And now with a vengeful woman in charge of the still-warlike clan, Inverness might just be devastated in the coming months.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I'll be there as soon as I can." Dylan said softly, never letting her husband hear doubt in her own voice. "Your Ma has been wanting to meet me for ages."