The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

Turning at Kate's voice, Edward was quick to greet her and meet her embrace. Their friendship had been an important foundation behind keeping them both going after losing their kingdoms. While Edward had never been crowned King before the first war, it had been in the works as King Henry Beauclerc prepared to step down and his daughter and son-in-law chose to pass the crown along to their son. And while Kate was out in Mongolia with her family to keep Brogan safe, Edward had been a constant confidant keeping her up to date on happenings in Normandy and France, just beyond the borders of the Empire's newly-conquered land.

"Old man?" Edward chuckled. "We're the same age, Kate. Or are you finally admitting you're old too?"

Turning back toward the two teens, Edward offered a kind smile. "Even if you won't take praise, I owe you an immense debt of gratitude for Ashleigh and Burke's sake, not to mention their sisters and especially Lady Dylandra. I hope that, with the retaking of Darkwood and then London close on the horizon, my wife's family will finally get to reclaim some of the memories and joy they had here. I know that, as operatives under our Spymaster, I can't publicly recognize you for your deeds, lest I put targets on your backs. But trust me when I say I will be forever grateful, and I'd grant you both knighthood if I could."

Chuckling to himself, he looked to Kate. "But I suppose knighthood would be a moot point anyway, considering one is a Prince and the other is well on her way to becoming Lady Protector in Lord Kell's place." He knew Brogan and Shani were destined to take over Edinburgh in Kate and Kell's place someday, having learned of Brogan's recent change of heart to finally accept his birthright, and Shani being trained directly under Kell and Qira.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll never admit that I'm old. Everyone else around me is growing old." Kate said with that same flippant attitude that she used with everything in her life.

"It took years, but Brogan finally decided that he wanted to learn about statecraft." Kate said, with a bit of pride in her voice as Edward spoke about him becoming the true Prince of Scotland. "He'll be a worthy heir, though. Once everything calms and we finally have time to truly teach him all the ins and outs of dealing with Scottish lairds and ladies."

"I'll only be the lady protector if I earn the title." Shani said in her soft voice, looking between the two rulers. "I have a lot to learn before then."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Have a little pride in the trust you've earned and the skills you've already built, my dear," Edward encouraged Shani with a smile. "But if you'll all excuse me, my wife has some plans for the evening after dinner. I look forward to walking into London beside you." With a final smile to Kate and a pat on her shoulder, Edward slipped out to find Ashleigh.

Qira, sitting back against the wall and glancing over the three, murmured, "More headstrong royals to keep track of."

"That's your entire career," Brogan reminded with a small chuckle, though he'd been a little less energetic since his mission. He was still coming to grips with their close call.

"Indeed," Qira agreed with a tiny smirk toward Kate. "Headstrong royals and stubborn Lord Protectors."

 

[heartofcourage]

Things inside Darkwood started to calm after the evening meal, patrols going out as normal and more guards taking up position now that Edward was there. Ashleigh had taken time after supper to show her husband around the manor house, sharing with him all the joyful events that she could remember from a childhood that had ended far too soon. Later that evening, before bed, she had asked her uncles and brother to meet them in the grand ballroom. There, Durban and Burke worked together to rehang Ashien's self-portrait in its rightful place. She leaned into Edward's side as his arm wrapped around her waist, watching as the two got it hung just right. It looked almost brand new, the golden hue of their mother's hair sparkling in the candlelight. Ashien's eyes stared out at those gathered, almost like he was there with them in the moment.

"It's just like I remember." She said with a sad smile on her lips. "A good first step towards putting everything back together, I think."

 

[KieranSoares]

The frame of the precious painting had been replaced thanks to a few spare framing supplies and Burke's residual knowledge of his parents' favorite pastime, and the painting itself had been kept in fine condition in storage all those years. As the family stepped back to look up at the portrait, Edward pressed a kiss to Ashleigh's temple. "I can't wait to see your mother walk through those doors again, and find him waiting for her," he murmured with a glance back toward Ashien's visage. The painting had been made before Ashleigh and her sisters were born, but Ashien's looks had remained mostly the same throughout his prime to the day he died. It was as if the painting and Ashien himself were timeless.

"Even if he's buried in Norway," the Elder Brogan spoke up amid their quiet contemplation, "it feels like he's finally home again."

"And if I have my way, he'll soon be a celebrated hero, recognized by House Beauclerc for his immense loyalty and service. I will erase any doubt against his good name," Edward promised. While Joachim Hendrik's takeover of the Empire had helped to scrub some of the lies and dark spots on the Ghis name, Edward was set on making sure Ashien's name was entirely cleared, both for his wife and at the request of his parents and grandfather. He'd make it clear that Ashien had left England at Henry's orders, not fled, and that Ashien had returned to fight the moment his family was safe. Ever the loyal cavalry master, Ashien had come charging back with all the strength he could muster, and paid for it with mortal wounds in the final battle for Inverness while holding the line so others could escape.

"He'd be proud t'be your father-in-law, Edward," Durban murmured. "An' damn proud o' you, Ashleigh, Burke. You kids helped hold the family together all this time til we could finally push forward again."

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashleigh glanced at her uncles and pulled away from Edward's side to face them all. "I know when I first mentioned that Edward and I wanted to marry it was the last thing that any of you wanted to think about. We had just lost Da, you didn't want me to get hurt or tangled up in a noble family, and we didn't know what the future held. In fact, I think the only two who agreed with it were Aunt Selena and Aunt Kayla. I always knew that marrying an exiled prince there would be a chance that we would be called upon to come back. My wedding was not a happy occasion. I was hurting back then, and I was foolish and now that I'm a mother, I know why you were reluctant to let our marriage happen."

She glanced at her husband and gave him a soft smile. "But I know I made the right choice. I made the choice my Da would have wanted. All of the scraping and hungry nights and worry has been worth it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We should've known better," Brogan offered with a smile. "Kayla an' Selena knew it was the right choice, an' we should've trusted Kay's intuition most of all, bein' that she knew best what Ashien would've thought."

"I had yet to earn everyone's confidence then too," Edward admitted. "I was young and my parents and grandfather had hardly had a chance to really teach me anything before we were forced out of England. An exiled Prince with no prospects and few connections was far from ideal, especially with the danger following me."

"You two managed t'survive, then thrive in recent years," Boar murmured, knowing all too well what such a path was like after how hard he'd had to work to make his own way and earn his place back in his younger years. "But Edward's supported this family all he could, an' honored our two clans' longtime friendship. A' least as far as I'm concerned, tha's all anyone could ask for, an' you two went above an' beyond."

His brothers nodded in agreement, and so did Burke who was standing a bit off to the side, a little more pensive.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And then there's Burke." Ashleigh said with a small smile. "The one who gave up everything for us."

She moved towards her brother and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Moving to the Rus with Mummy. Making sure that she wasn't alone. Taking care of our sisters. You did more than anyone ever expected of you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I didn't give up a thing," Burke murmured softly. "I just wanted to give Ma back everything she gave me." Burke had been intensely loyal to Dylandra above all since the day she took him in, and as a boy he'd done his utmost to help her raising his sisters and looking after the manor and horses whenever Ashien was away. They'd been lucky to have Kayla after Ashien passed, and even luckier when Grand Prince Monomakh offered them a home in the Rus, giving them a small estate to manage so that they'd be able to have their own income and become independent again. With only a couple of Ashien's prized horses, Burke had built a thriving business as a breeder and trainer, helping his family thrive. To him, supporting his family was obvious and natural, but he'd never pursued a family of his own. He'd never shown any interest, instead dedicating himself to his sisters and mother, and then to making sure his nieces and nephews had everything they needed as well.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Darkwood is yours. Like I promised." Ashleigh said with a smile, turning to look at Edward. "We'll have more on our hands than we care to admit between castles and palaces and Edward's plans for the Thames. I know Mummy will come back, but Darkwood is yours to care for and keep. Da would have wanted it that way."

 

[KieranSoares]

Burke nodded confidently in return. "I only hope I can get it in proper order before she arrives. I want it to be just right."

"You'll have our aid as soon as we can offer it," Edward promised.

"Sounds like you kids have it all well in hand," Durban chuckled. "In the meantime... I'm an old man with a war t'fight, I'm turnin' in." Brogan and Boar nodded in agreement, leaving the younger members with fond embraces and one last look to Ashien's portrait before heading off to bed.

 

[heartofcourage]

Ashleigh and Edward retired to the main chamber shortly after, bidding Burke good night. It was an uneventful evening, watches changing without a hitch. Fiona slept soundly, not even stirring when Sam came to bed after his own shift ended. She did, however, wake when he didn't seem to settle. She stretched beneath the covers and turned to her back, looking at him in the darkness with a slight frown.

"What's wrong, love?" She asked softly, barely able to make out his features.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nerves," Sam murmured, sitting at the edge of the bed in just his trousers, his hair all pushed to one side. He leaned heavily on his knees, exhaling quietly. "Now tha' we're finally here an' London's on the horizon, th'worry's settin' in." He'd done a fine job of hiding it thus far, keeping everyone's spirits up with encouragement and praise for how well things were going thanks to everyone's efforts. But after believing so long that he'd failed as Commander twenty years prior, there was a residual anxiety that he might fail again.

Turning to look down at her in the dark, Sam shrugged slightly. "Just anxious, love. Nothin' important."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona raised an eyebrow at him as he shrugged and tried to brush off his worries. "In twenty years, love, I've come to learn that restless nights are usually something important. This time you can't just run off to your forge."

She reached out and gently placed her hand on his, gripping it tightly. If he didn't want to tell her what was bothering him, she wouldn't push.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not tryin' to hide it from you, love, I promise. I jus' don' know what else t'do with feelin' so... unworthy. Even with Soma out there helpin' me, my mind keeps thinkin' I'm gonna mess it up an' fail us all again." He struggled to put it into words, staring into the dark. But he was trying, if only for the sake of not repeating past mistakes of hiding from Fiona.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona could hear the worry in his voice, and she knew that he was struggling. She let out a soft sigh and pushed the covers aside, pulling herself up on her knees and wrapping her arms around Sam from behind. She rested her cheek against his own, hugging him as tightly as she could.

"I asked this of you, love. Soma is our brain and Riley is our spirit, but you have always been our might." Fiona said softly, nuzzling against his cheek. "Even if I had left you behind in Norway, you would have followed. You know this is your fight and you're not going to fail. No one messed up the first time. We held out as long as we could but it just wasn't enough."

"If you wish to step down, I won't stop you." She murmured. "And no one would blame you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If I stepped down, I'd worry even more," Sam murmured, knowing he was stuck because of his own need to fix everything and make sure his family made it home. Leaning his head against hers, he sighed. "I'm sorry, love. I don' want t'put more worry on your mind. I guess some part o' me is just waitin' fer a loss... this has all gone too smoothly. An' I'm scared that one big loss will become a domino effect. I think I'm most worried about my Da an' his brothers an' Kate. They're the ones that'll fight past their own limits an' risk dyin' once we set our sights on Scotland. I don' want t'walk into Inverness without any of 'em."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Love, I can't tell you that we won't lose any of them, but they would rather die fighting for their homeland than standing by and doing nothing." Fiona said softly, sharing his worry about his elder family members. "And I know that you're the same."

"You're no good to anyone half dead with lack of sleep. Come to bed for a while and rest." She coaxed, hoping that he would at least lie with her and let his mind let go of some of his burden.

 

[KieranSoares]

Turning into her embrace, Sam let her coax him beneath the sheets til he was curled against her side with his head on her shoulder, letting her be his strength for a while. The Ghis men were often pillars of strength out of necessity, each one raised with a dedication to their family and a willingness to be the shoulders the rest stood on. But Sam had learned in the last twenty years to let others occasionally take the weight off his back, so that he could come back stronger.

"I love you," he murmured against her shoulder, an arm looping over her middle. That simple phrase held so much more than just a declaration of affection. It was gratitude for staying by his side, getting him this far, and not letting him give up. It was an appreciation for all the times she'd been the strong one, the protector, and held out hope. And most of all, it was a promise that he would stick by her no matter what.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I love you, eldere." She murmured as she held him tightly, her head resting against his own.

She had been the stubborn one while in Norway, the one that promised that they would come back. She knew that he often found it hard to trust that it would ever happen, but she held out hope that they would make it this far. Every council meeting, ever tear shed, every terrible day and slur that had been hurled at her would be worth it. Soma and Sam had tried to take them all away, but she had suffered them quietly for the sake of her entire family and the stubborn pride that she held.

"If I'm honest, I'm scared too. I'm scared of losing you or Soma or Riley...my Da." She said softly, confessing to him her own fears and concerns to let him know that he wasn't alone. "I want them to come home with us."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam's embrace tightened ever so slightly and he sighed softly. "I guess there's nothin' t'be done but give our all an' hope it's enough t'see everyone home as smoothly as we did Ashleigh an' Burke..." Resting against her, she would feel the tension begin to fade from his shoulders as he took comfort in her presence and let himself relax finally. And once he did, exhaustion stole him away into a heavy sleep that he'd been needing since the invasion began.

Outside the manor, young Brogan had managed to coax Shani away from the infirmary for a walk now that Qira was doing much better and clearly not going to take a turn for the worse. Not only did Bo know that Shani normally couldn't handle sitting still that long, but he also needed a moment away from everything and everyone with her after their close call. They were walking along the inside of the estate's walls away from the clusters of tents and the manor proper, taking advantage of the quiet, cool night air and the darkness. Brogan held Shani's hand, his fingers laced with hers as he matched her pace naturally.

"How are you feeling?" Bo finally broke the silence after they'd been walking close to ten minutes, their pace leisurely and seemingly aimless. "Other than getting cut up, I mean," he added softly. He'd been much quieter since their mission, half his time spent with Kate and half with Shani. The two most important women in his life were his only real comfort after the shock of killing someone face-to-face for the first time. Kell had been concerned at how deeply it seemed to effect Brogan, but was also somewhat relieved to hear the young man didn't take it lightly. There was a balance to be struck, Kell had explained to both Bo and Shani: to know when to kill, but never to do so flippantly or without thought.

"I'm... I'm sorry I panicked for a second," Brogan continued quietly. "I snapped out of it, but if I hadn't... And then I almost froze up again when you told me to take the lord and run." He looked down at her, ears half-flattened. "And... you kissed me for the first time. I didn't know what to do."

 

[heartofcourage]

Shani had always been a free spirit. It was something that both Rissa and Qira encouraged in her. From the moment that she was born, it had been a battle to not be overbearing and protective, but Rissa had wanted her daughter to have the same freedoms that she had while growing up in Scotland as the heir to a lord's estate. It helped that Shani was the apple of her father's eye, his little shadow from the first moments that she could be away from her mother for any length of time. Her first memories were watching the world from a sling, warm against her father's chest as he rode to help hunt for food for the camp.

Shani glanced up at Brogan as he asked her how she felt, his hand squeezing her own as they walked. "I'm fine for now." She said softly. "Your Da wants to have a talk with me tomorrow, though. I'm sure he'll be a lot harder to manage than my Da. I did a lot of things wrong and I know I'll have to go through much more training."

She pulled him to a stop when he mentioned how he and panicked and then their kiss, his ears flattening like they did whenever he was embarrassed about something. It was an interesting reaction, she thought to herself. They had known each other forever and she knew that they were meant for each other. He had told Kate about being together and Kate had given her blessing. If he could get through all of that, why would a little kiss make him stumble?

"Did...you not...want me to?" Shani asked, cocking her head in curiosity just as Qira often did.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, no, that's not it, I- ... fuck," Brogan cursed with a sigh. "I meant- y'know, I didn't expect it and I was scared it would be the first and the last, so I froze up and I didn't get to-" he paused, clearly frustrated with his inability to put his feelings into words. Combing his fingers back over his head and through his mane, he took a deep breath. "I realized I was terrified I'd never get to... y'know... kiss you back... That it might be the last time I ever saw you alive, and I was too shocked and panicked to do anything but stare at you as you jumped out the balcony." His green-flecked golden eyes found hers, his brows stitched in concern. "All I could do after you got out of my reach was just run with our captive, and I felt so helpless after I got out. I saw what happened, and it took everything I had not to run back in and try to help. But I knew if I tried, I'd just cause more problems and-" He stopped himself again.

Leaning against the outer wall, he sighed deeply. "Sorry, I'm rambling. I guess what I mean to say is, it was a really tough moment. Not that I have room to complain. You and Qira got hurt and I pretty much made it out unscathed."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It was just a few cuts, Bo." Shani said, confused as to why he was so upset that she had gotten hurt while he hadn't. "I've had worse falling from a horse."

She could see the deep concern in his eyes as they turned towards her, the way that he seemed so sure that she might just disappear if he didn't keep her in the here and now. They had trained for that. It was the nature of their work. Nothing was certain and every moment might be their last. She thought that he knew that, but maybe the reality of facing it had jarred him more than she knew.

"I knew what I was doing was dangerous and it just felt like the right thing to do in that moment. If it was that last thing to do, I wanted to kiss you." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "And I did it. I don't have any regrets."

 

[KieranSoares]

"How are you always so calm?" Brogan asked softly, reaching out to take her hand once more. "How, with four parents who can keep a straight face through anything, did I end up the panicky coward?" Even if Bo knew he wasn't a coward- able to charge into danger no matter how scared he was and able to keep himself from completely freezing up- he still felt leagues behind Shani. "Sorry, I'm not trying to fish for sympathy here, I swear. I'm just kinda... off-balance right now. This is all a lot scarier than I ever thought, and I finally realize why our parents tried to shelter us all this time. And I'm scared of losing you before I get the chance to really enjoy this whole relationship we're cultivating."

Brogan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face against her shoulder. Growing up, he'd always been the source of comfort, always acting braver than he felt and coming to Shani's aid even after she'd surpassed him physically. "Sorry," he apologized again. "I know it's stupid."