The Raven (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Emma nodded, understanding his need to go home. "Perhaps you could broach the rule of Inverness now, love." She offered. "Without a wife or an heir, your brother is in needs to declare who will rule after him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll ask 'im about it, but 'e won' be in much a mood t'talk about tha'. An' there's always th'chance 'e'll get remarried." He sighed quietly. "Yer welcome t'come with me if y'like... though th' road's long an' pretty harsh."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll think I'll stay here, Boar. This is a time for you to be with your family." She murmured softly, feeling more comfortable staying by herself in his home then visiting his family.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Alrigh'... Well, y'know where everythin' is an' who t'talk to fer whatever ya need. I'll leave Inverlochly t'you then." He reached to his belt, drawing out his keys to the doors within the Keep, and he handed them over to her. "If ya don' mind... I think I'll leave soon as I can."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Write me when you get there." Emma said, kissing his cheek as he handed over the keys to his keep. "And think about me often."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Always do, sweet'eart," Boar kissed her lips and retreated to his bedroom to throw a few things into a sack to take with him, and a quick stop by the kitchen left him with enough essentials to be able to survive the journey with some hunting and gathering in between.

Boar would be gone nearly three weeks, but he wrote Emma at least every other day, telling her how Brogan was getting into fights with his men, and how Annie had already been gone by the time Boar arrived. Their mother's heart was broken and she was ill as ever. But there was a little hope to be had with news that the eldest brother and family were there and doing well, and the twins Ashien and Kayla were preparing to make their way out into the world when everything settled.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma dutifully responded to every letter that he sent, telling him about things that had been going on around the loch in his absence. She also encouraged Boar to plant the seeds of doubt in his siblings' minds. It would do them a world of good if he started now.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar was hesitant to do such things to his family, but he reported back that his mother was considering taking Brogan from the throne because of his sudden cold and harsh ways. He wasn't cruel, but he was not to be trifled with.

The evening Boar returned, he came on the back of his usual steed that he'd taken with him, and he brought Emma a gift, a lovely silver torque bracelet from Inverness' finest jeweler and precious metal worker.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma was sleeping in Boar's great bed, dozing the way that she had been doing ever since he left. It had been boring in the keep since he left and she found that the hours ticked away slowly.

 

[KieranSoares]

When Boar returned, Emma felt the bed shift slightly as he came to lay beside her. His arms surrounded her gently and he did no more to disturb her. He closed his own eyes and relaxed, glad to be home but still forlorn about leaving his birth home.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma let out a sigh as she felt the bed dip and his thick muscled arms wrapping around her body. She smiled gently, her hand resting over the top of his as she turned onto her back and opened her eyes. Taking in his sad gaze, she smiled gently, knowing that he probably left a lot behind.

"You were gone much too long." She murmured softly, bringing him down for a gentle kiss.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know, love... I feel th'same." He muttered before kissing her again and pulling her closer. "I missed ya, darlin'..." Boar laid his head against her shoulder and sighed quietly in contentment. "I left things a little calmer back 'ome than they were... but Brogan's ready t'run off t'war with Wick now tha' he knows Lochlan O'Hennessey's responsible fer sendin' an assassin... Some werewolf called Kell."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You should be ready to be the person that Brogan turns to. That would be the best way to get your point across that you should be the one on that throne." Emma murmured, snuggling up against her lover as they lay side by side.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I let him know... and 'e seemed t'be alright with th'idea, but 'e wants t' remove Wick first b'fore 'e decides what t'do with Inverness. What with Lochlan O'Hennessey jus' takin' the throne from 'is father tha' started it all, 'e's gonna be a tough fight. But... Ma told me somethin' yer no' gonna like." He met her eyes slowly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"What's that?" Emma asked, looking into Boar's gaze as he mentioned his mother. "What do you think I'm not going to like?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well... I told 'er I'd found someone I loved, but that we weren't going t'get married. She told me tha' if I do become a King, then I'll need t'marry. Not only t'have a legitimate heir o' my own, but t'keep face fer th'people. They'll be suspicious o' me if I don' 'ave a wife, think I'm sleepin' with 'alf th'country."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma was quiet for a long moment before she let out a sigh and rolled from his side, sitting up on the bed to consider what he had just told her. She didn't want to marry. She couldn't bear him children. He knew all of that.

"I don't believe that your mother can tell you what you should and shouldn't do, Boar." She murmured as she stood and walked towards the window that overlooked the courtyard.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yeah... she can. But at the same time, even if she couldn't... you still wouldn't be a queen. I want you to be a queen, Emma. I don't care about the children, I can adopt an heir if you don't think you can give me one. But I'd like to give you everything I can, and just being married doesn't mean you're not free."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Of course you'll care about children, Boar." Emma murmured, hugging herself tightly. "Men usually do. They want an heir of their own, a little lad that looks just like them. Even when you talk about your nieces and nephews, you light up. You can't tell me at all that you don't care."

"And I'm not the kind of woman that any respectable man would want to marry." She still thought about the time that she had spent with the prince and just how much he had taken from her.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then I guess I'm not a respectable man," Boar rose to come and lay his hands lightly on her arms. "I've told ya fer some time now, I love ya an' I'd do anythin' for ya... I want you t'be my queen, Emma... I want nothin' but th'best for ya."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma closed her eyes as Boar insisted that she was what he wanted. She still didn't believe it. She would never really believe it. She pulled herself from his grasp and moved across the room to dress.

"My answer is no, Boar." She murmured.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then why am I tryin' t'become a king, Emma?" Boar asked quietly. "So y'can come an' watch women come t'try to get me t'marry 'em fer title an' you can be tortured by people fer bein' some kind o' royal consort? I don't want t'be a king, I'm doin' this fer you. Y'don't have t'marry me, an' if Brogan wants t'give up the throne, I'll take it for him. But I don't understand you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Why would I want to ruin this?" Emma yelled suddenly, turning to glare at Boar as she trembled with barely restrained hurt and anger. "Why would I want to ruin what we have by marrying you?"

"Every person that I've ever known that was married had their lives ruined by it. My father tormented my mother, took mistress after mistress until her heart was broken into pieces. My brother is no better to his wife." She had never seen a happy, successful marriage and it frightened her to think that she might lose the man that she loved because he wanted to marry her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar looked at her, lost by her sudden outburst. "Emma... why would you think I'd do that to you...? D'you really 'ave no faith in me at all? I've never done a thing t'hurt you. I know you've been hurt, but... I love you, I don' want anyone but you."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma again was silent for another long moment before she turned to regard Boar. "I don't...I don't want to ruin this."