Beyond Time (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"We don' know yet. Th'only Ghis we've accounted for were forced t'go hide in Aberdeen. Selena, Kitty, Emma and her children, Marri and hers, Valentina, Theo, an' Boar. Kayla an' Durban were taken with Inverness. We don' know if they're alive. Ashien an' Brogan an' Cole... we don' know anything."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan was quiet for a long time as she let that news sink in. Her husband might have been dead, but she chose to think that he were alive. If he were dead, she would know. She believed that they shared a connection that would have allowed her to feel if he were gone.

"We'll bring them all home. Alive or dead. Inverness deserves to have the Ghis home, no matter what the outcome is." Dylan said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Agreed. I don't fancy watching Inverness be handed down to one of the Ghis who doesn't want the throne or being handed to someone who shouldn' have it."

Gallus continued about his work, and by the next day at noon, Julia arrived with her party of leaders and centaurs. Julia was at the head of it all, but most of her orders went through a black wolf named Kreston who was apparently Selena Ghis' mate and the father of young Ruben, Dylandra's nephew. Casso, a giant white wolf, had joined in as a sworn brother to Kreston. Dalton, a blonde-haired, white centaur led his own kind, and Dylandra also came across Gabriel, Durban and Marri's son.

They set off almost immediately, heading northward, and Dylandra was suddenly given a job when Kreston began building a plan of attack. Ballas was going to start the whole thing by breaking into the prison with a battalion and securing their imprisoned allies. As they approached Inverness, scouts came back with news that a large number of prisoners were being held, and a couple speculated that a member of the Ghis family might be among them.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan knew that she needed to find Ashien. He was her main concern. As Ballas created the diversion, she would find her way into the tent and search for her missing husband. If he were dead, she needed to see him. She needed to hold him, even if it were for the last time.

Once Ballas had slunk off to do his bidding, she stole away after him. She entered the prison quietly, a man near the front directing her to where her husband had been last seen. In the dim light, she could make him out, slightly thinner, but alive.

"Ash." She murmured softly, gathering him up in her arms.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien groaned pitifully as she moved him in the dark, and she could tell he was in immense pain. She could barely make out his form because it was so dim, until it became clear that he was covered in his own blood and she could feel shards of metal embedded in his skin. What awful weapon could do such a thing?

When he heard her voice, tears streamed down his face in absolute relief and he turned his face into her shoulder.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, love." Dylan murmured as he turned his face into her shoulder, her lips pressing against his forehead. "I'm here now, love. I'm here."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien couldn't find his voice to speak to her, but it was clear enough that he'd been living a nightmare for some time now, and something horrible had happened though she couldn't see the extent of the damage there in the dark. It was only an hour before Julia took the whole town and half of Sarah's men surrendered, but Sarah got away. Rumor had it Brogan was either dead or Sarah's slave.

When relief arrived to help carry the prisoners to proper beds and warmth, Ashien was carried out by Kreston with Dylandra leading the way. When they came out into the sunlight, the horrific reality of Ashien's condition was clear. He was drenched in his own blood and metal was embedded in his skin here and there. Soldiers with them talked about a strange new weapon that fired metal shots and the defective machines would blow up and shred people around them. Ashien had shielded a younger soldier and been left completely torn apart but somehow alive. Dylandra knew what they were better than anyone because of her origins- culverins, old cannons that were completely unreliable, devastating, and absolutely a horror to those who'd never witnessed such carnage and explosions before. The sounds alone would haunt the men forever in the form of post-traumatic stress.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan knew that Ashien had seen hell. The man would never be the same again, but she would love him all the same. As Kreston carried him to a private room in the keep, Dylan gathered things that she would need to tend to him. Warm water, some cloths, and some tools to take out the metal and repair the wounds. She knew basic first aid and with the healers busy, she would do it herself.

Washing his wounds, she took the time to kiss him every so often, letting him know that she was there for him. "I love you, Ashien." She murmured softly as she gently washed his face.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I love you too," he whispered finally, his voice hoarse from roaring orders in battle, and his throat dry from lack of food and water during his imprisonment. His eyes finally opened, and she saw he must've suffered a wound early on. One of his irises was cracked, but he could still see clearly until his eyes filled with tears again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan looked into her husband's gaze and while it was different than before, she saw the warmth and love in it just the same. She paused in what she was doing as she saw the tears and she simply drew him in close with a tight hug.

"Everything will be alright. It might be different, but we'll get through it all together." She murmured softly, pressing her lips against his cheek.

She held him for a moment longer before she let go and looked at him again. "Would you like something to eat? Some water?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien just shook his head. Even if he was dehydrated and half-starved, he didn't feel like he could even manage to eat or drink. About that moment, a tall, handsome Mediterranean man in his fifties entered, looking tired and worried. He looked uncannily like Van, but leaner and just a touch shorter with a shorter beard that was a little scruffy but had once been neatly trimmed.

"Ashien... Passerotto..." The man murmured, coming to Ashien's side and kissing his forehead lightly. "Skinned knees back then, now shrapnel, hm?" He knelt beside Ashien, taking his hand.

"Papa," Ashien murmured. "This is Dylandra..."

"I thought so," the man said softly with a handsome smile to Dylan. So this was Vincenzo Ambrose, the man who'd become a father to the Ghis siblings when their own fell into madness. "Welcome to the family, cara mia. I only wish you could've seen this place at it's best and come under better circumstances. And soon we'll have the whole family back together to welcome you properly."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Being welcomed properly doesn't matter to me." Dylan said as Vincenzo welcomed her and she gave him a small smile. "Having a healthy husband is what matters right now. In fact, if you would look after him, I'm going to get him something to eat."

She stood from her spot, reaching out to touch Ashien's cheek gently. "I know you can't think of eating right now, but you know that I'm not letting it go that easily. Two bites is all I ask for. Then you can decide if you want the rest."

With that, she kissed his forehead again and then turned to find the kitchens to order something simple for him.

 

[KieranSoares]

When Dylandra found the kitchens, the staff was hard at work preparing simple, soft meals for the wounded, working mostly with rice, soup, mashed potatoes, and shredded meat, things that hardly needed to be chewed if at all. There was also rich broth ready for those who couldn't even handle solid food. Chessie Daniels was the head of the kitchen and she came to Dylan at the archway leading in.

"Hello, dear. What can I get you?" She asked, picking up a bowl from a rack.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Food for Ashien Ghis." She said softly as the head cook came to her side. "He's not hungry but I'm making him eat for my own sake. Maybe some rice and meat. Olives if you have them."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You must be Dylandra, then," Chessie said with a soft smile. "I'm Chessie. I've been takin' care of this lot since before Brogan took th' throne. But I'm sure I have olives on hand. I usually do for Kitty and Vincenzo." She dished up a bit of everything into the bowl, then retrieved a large olive jar and spooned out quite a few into another bowl. "Here, love. Tell him they're from Carmen's grove. That'll make him smile."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Van mentioned that he was coming to visit when we had Inverness back. I told him to bring Carmena. We'll see if he actually does, but I know it would mean a lot to all of them if he did." Dylan said with a smile as she took the bowl of food and the bowl of olives. "And some water later on if you could have it delivered. He might fight me every single step of the way, but I'm not ready to give up on him yet."

Dylan thanked Chessie again and then found her way back to Ashien's room. Pushing open the door, she gave her husband a smile as Ballas rubbed against his legs with a deep, rusty rumble.

"Looks like you stole the brute back from me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien's less-mangled hand, even wrapped up in bandages, stroked through Ballas' fur, seeking some comfort. Ballas avoided rubbing against anything that might cause pain, eventually settling at the foot of the bed. Vincenzo had fallen back into his role as a healer, setting broken bones and tending to things Dylandra couldn't.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Rice and beef." Dylan said, showing Ashien the bowl before she showed him the olives. "From Carmena."

She placed both on the side table before she turned with the spoon in her hand. "You're going to eat some of both. I'm not going to take no for an answer."

She could be incredibly stubborn when she needed to be, and her husband's health was something that she was not willing to compromise on.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo chuckled. "She sounds like your mother, passerotto." He carefully lifted Ashien up to help him sit against the headboard. Ashien took the bowl of meat and rice and the spoon. Though his hands trembled and he felt a bit sick from a head injury, he managed to eat about half the bowl and a handful of olives. Water was brought too, and he managed half a cup before he didn't date try to get anything else down.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Passerotto? Why do you call him that?" Dylan asked softly as Ashien ate and Vincenzo seemed mostly finished with his injuries.

 

[KieranSoares]

"When he was still very small, he became enthralled with birds and drawing them while we were in Greece the last time I was with Kitty before Tamblin died. He loved their form and I taught him to draw them and he'd draw every one we came across. After he went back to Scotland, he would send me drawings. His favorite subjects were sparrows and horses. So I called him little sparrow. Passerotto mio."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan smiled at that little story, glancing to Ashien as he looked at them both. She moved to his side and took the bowls when he was finished, kissing his cheek gently.

"I think it's sweet." She said softly as she placed them both aside and helped him to drink some of the water that had come. "I sent him sketches of his horses. I'm not sure if he got them or not. The letters stopped coming after a while."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not much reached the front lines. Nothing reached us after we were surrounded. Brogan forced the wounded to leave before the gap closed. I had to stay because I was still healing from a punctured lung... I imagine Valentina will want to find me first thing when she returns... Poor girl. I've never seen her look so scared. But I suppose operating on your own father is as terrifying as it gets." Vincenzo took one more look at Ashien before he headed for the door. "I'd like to stay, but I have another little girl to attend to..."

"Kay...?" Ashien asked quietly. "What happened to her?"

"Too much, Ashien. Far too much. You'll see Kayla soon." Ballas knew the name and was instantly on his feet. "Come along, Ballas. Maybe seeing you again will cheer her up," Vincenzo murmured, leaving with the tiger and leaving Ashien worried. Vincenzo would've rather not have told him yet, but Ashien deserved to know.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You need to focus on yourself." Dylan said softly as Vincenzo left them alone. "He'll take care of her better than anyone else."

Dylan carefully lay in bed next to her husband, snuggling up to his side for the first time in weeks. He was fragile, but she needed to be near him.

"Van is coming later with more of our things. We're going to make this a proper visit." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He won't be happy with Boar and I especially," Ashien murmured, trying to cheer himself up with the humor, but it just wasn't working. "I'm glad you're here, love... All pride aside... I just want my Ma." Tears filled his eyes again, tears of memories of the fear and the chaos, the shredded bodies, the pointless deaths on both sides, the accidental friendly fire...