The Raven (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Emma seduced her husband throughout the following weeks. Even in their first days together they hadn't had that much sex. They had missed their chance for taking over the throne when Julia had fallen through the ice and gotten sick afterwards. They had even uncovered a relationship between Julia and Ciaran that had ended with Ciaran's death in battle and Julia's reconciliation with Brogan.

That evening, Emma paced the floor of their room, waiting for Boar to return from his task. She had sent him with money to hire a man to take care of Julia. It had taken a lot of convincing on her part, but he had gone and done it with little hesitation. When the door opened, she paused in her pacing, looking at him with a soft smile.

"Did you do it?" She asked him softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I did..." Boar murmured, and she could see he was feeling absolutely horrible for it, especially because he liked Julia, and gladly called her sister. He hung up his cloak quietly and added, "I'll be 'eaded t'Wick tomorrow morning... With Julia gone an' a battle on 'is hands... Brogan'll crack..." His voice shook with such words, but he had to keep reminding himself that it was for Emma.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, love." Emma said as she wrapped him in a tight hug, her lips instantly seeking his out. "And cheer up. It'll all be over soon."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Cheer up...?" He looked down at her as if horrified by the idea that he could be happy with what he was doing. "I'm breakin' my family apart. Brogan an' Ma love Julia... I love 'er too. This could kill Brogan and Ma too, Emma..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Enough, Boar." Emma said as he looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "You went along with this plan as much as I did. You obviously have no trouble with what happens with your family from this point forward."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Like hell I don't!" Boar suddenly growled. "I'm doin' this for you, Emma! If it was fer anyone else, I'd 'ave stopped th'minute I realized I was goin' t'hurt someone!" He pulled away from her, stalking over to their dresser where he began to pull out what he'd need for his journey. "Gods, I hope you appreciate this one day after I destroy my 'ole family jus' t'make you happy...."

 

[heartofcourage]

"This is for us, Boar! Our family." Emma insisted as Boar growled and yelled at her. "Why have you suddenly turned yellow now that we're here in Inverness?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's a hell of a lot harder t'destroy someone when y'love 'em an' y'meet them on yer way back from hirin' a goddamned assassin to kill 'em!" Boar didn't even bother with his things now, storming out to get his horse and leave right away before he had to fight anymore with Emma or face his mother or Brogan or, worse, Julia again. He didn't say a word to anyone as he made his way out.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma was furious with her husband as she paced the length of their room. She couldn't believe that he had suddenly turned against their plans that they had put so much planning into. She would have never thought that Boar would have run away from her the way that he did.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar was off and gone to Wick within minutes, not even giving his brother a goodbye. But that night as Emma awaited news from the hired killer, all she got was a commotion in the Keep about how the Queen had been attacked and the King was wounded in her place. Brogan had- as Boar had told her he might- thwarted their deadly attempt.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma did not take the news that Julia had survived very well. She berated the men that had been hired for the job and failed. She was infuriated both by their incompetence and the fact that Boar was gone, leaving her alone in Inverness.

 

[KieranSoares]

For some time, she was left waiting for news of whether or not Boar had succeeded in securing the support of Lochlan O'Hennessey. It was honestly doubtful that the two would get along thanks to Boar probably being the most like his father Tamblin next to Brogan. He didn't get along well with other men outside his family and friends. But when an army suddenly appeared on Inverness' doorstep, it became clear that Boar had sent them there. Brogan fought despite his wounds, except one morning when Julia convinced him to stay with her. That happened to coincide with Emma's backup plan- to poison the Invernessian Queen at breakfast.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma carefully watched over the scene at breakfast, holding her breath as Brogan switched out the drinks at the table and drank down the one with the poison in it. She was quick to leave the hall, escaping to her room to think about what had just happened. She hadn't wanted to poison Brogan. Was that for the best, she asked herself as she paced, her mind turning a million different ways.

 

[KieranSoares]

A commotion arose around the keep only minutes after breakfast as Brogan collapsed and Valentina was called out to tend to him. Before long, Emma heard that Julia was off to the highlands to find the eldest Ghis brother, Durban. Emma had met Durban and his family once in Inverlochly, but they'd ultimately left as tension arose between herself and Durban. Durban had seen through much of her spell on Boar, but rather than end up in a fight with his bewitched brother, he'd taken his family and left.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma was in a panic. She considered running off into the night to find Boar, but she knew that if she left, it would only bring more suspicion on her. Instead, she informed the staff of the keep that she was unwell and needed to retire to her chambers. It would give her time to think.

 

[KieranSoares]

Julia's venture into the highlands was rather quick, but that evening while she was gone, news came from Wick that something had set O'Hennessey off and he was headed for Inverness as soon as he rallied his forces. That could only mean that Boar made it to Wick after all, but there was no word of or from Boar at all, only that O'Hennessey was in some kind of happy rage, ready to destroy the Ghis once and for all. A maid came by to bring Emma a dinner that would be easy on her stomach, and she'd heard the woman discussing this news with another servant in the hall.

"Lady Emma?" The maid asked softly with a light knock on the door.

 

[heartofcourage]

"What?" Emma growled as the maid knocked at her door. She was agitated, tired, nervous...she needed Boar there with her. She hadn't talked to her husband since he had left for Wick and she was unsure if he even wanted her anymore after the fight that they had.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Chassis sent me along with some soup for you, ma'am," the maid answered softly. She knew well that she wasn't wanted so she simply left the soup on the bedside table and took her leave. But at the door, she paused, "Do you need anything at all, milady?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma ignored the girl, going to her window to look out at the surrounding area, her hands clenching her belly as she struggled to calm herself.

"No." She said to the girl, simply wishing that Boar would arrive and put her mind at ease.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar did not return. Emma was left alone, but heard a commotion early before dawn as Julia returned. Durban's wife came next and had gone into labor, and Durban arrived last, wounded. She heard no news til Marri had finally brought little Seamus into the world, and eventually, Durban came to Emma's room to check on her. By now, Emma had heard many people muttering about the fact that if Brogan died and Julia gave up the throne, Durban would take it and Gabriel and Seamus would be in line to inherit it.

Durban knocked on her door with one knuckle. "Emma? It's Durban."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma was absolutely beside herself. She had never expected the plan to go this far off track and when Durban knocked at her door, she wondered if he was there to do away with her. She opened the door, glancing up at her brother-in-law.

"Yes?" She asked him, acting perfectly natural.

 

[KieranSoares]

"'Aven't seen ya since we got 'ere. Somethin' wrong?" Durban raised an eyebrow at his sister-in-law whom he'd never seen eye-to-eye with. "Where's Boar off to?" He seemed very suspicious of her, as if he knew what she'd done.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Nothing's wrong." Emma said as Durban asked her about Boar. She shrugged her shoulders as if she could have cared less about her husband.

"We had a fight and he ran off. He's probably off in the woods." She mentioned, knowing that she had to be on guard.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Mhm... Is that why he left Invernessian borders?" Durban growled. But then behind him, coming around a corner, Emma saw her husband. His clothes were shredded and frayed and she could see the white of bandages in the tattered holes, and he was covered in cuts and scrapes and bruises.

"Em?" He asked breathlessly, looking terrified for his life. Something horrible had happened to him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Where he's gone is none of your business." Emma growled back, ready to stand toe to toe with her brother-in-law.

The sound of her husband's voice brought her attention down the hall and she swore that she had never seen a more welcome sight in her life. She pushed past Durban and caught her husband up in a tight hug, pressing her cheek against his throat.