The Raven (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Emma nodded, feeling exhausted as he suggested her getting some sleep. With Durban acting as guard, she slipped beneath the sheets and fell into an exhausted slumber. The sooner dawn came, the sooner she could get back home to her husband and children.

 

[KieranSoares]

The journey home took a couple days, but Inverness had never looked brighter on the sunny morning they arrived. A few guardsmen were waiting for them on the outskirts of the town and escorted them all the the keep with Brogan in the lead. Julia and Marri met them, and Valentina came out to take Emma to Boar who was still dealing with a head injury.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma had never hurried quicker in her life as she followed behind Valentina to see Boar. When the door to the room that he was sleeping in was opened, she stepped quietly inside and watched him slumber for a long moment. When the door was shut behind her, she moved to crawl into bed beside him, her lips pressing against his cheek gently.

"Lynn?" Emma murmured softly. "I'm home."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar stirred slowly, still hazy and in pain as he opened his eyes. It wasn't as bad as it had been after she'd been taken, but he'd healed so slowly because of his constant stress and worry that Valentina had grown very concerned for him. As Boar's vision slowly cleared enough to see her, he murmured hoarsely, "Em...?" He wasn't sure if he could believe it was her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm here, love." Emma said softly as he looked at her with confusion. "Your family rescued me. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to get home."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar's arms slowly came to wrap around her as she spoke, and he drew her in tight though he didn't quite have his strength back. "I never ran so fast in my life, love," he murmured. "When I woke up an' you an' the boys were gone..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They told me that they had arrested you and taken you to England. I'm glad that it wasn't true." Emma said softly as he told her that he had run as fast as he could to try and save her. "I never doubted that you were coming for me, love."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Soon as I'm up and we're all settled again... I'm goin' t'make sure tha' prince an' those church bastards can' ever do this again," Boar murmured, letting her know the deep anger he'd been dealing with

 

[heartofcourage]

No, you're not." Emma said softly as she snuggled against her husband's chest quietly. "I'm not going to let you go anywhere anytime soon."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar sighed softly as she curled a little closer and denied him the chance to properly end her captors. His hand traced soothingly up and down her back. "I won' leave ya anytime soon, love," he promised softly. The door opened and Julia and Marri entered, each carrying one of Emma's boys. Eli immediately reached out for her, while Leon was still half asleep and too groggy to realize what was going on

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma glanced up as the door opened and she saw her boys for the first time in ages. She moved from Boar's side and gathered Eli up as he reached for her, snuggling her baby as tightly as she possibly could.

"Oh, little love, I missed you." She murmured as she pressed a kiss against his thick, dark hair. "And your brother too."

Soon, she had both twins in her arms, giving them the love that she so desperately needed to give them. She prayed that they would not remember these dark days as they grew, but it was apparent that they had some scars as each clung to her as if she would disappear any moment.

"I'm not going anywhere, loves. I promise you that. Never again." She murmured as Marri and Julia exited the room to leave them alone.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar slowly pulled himself up to sit against the headboard, watching as his love reunited with their children. He couldn't help a soft smile, welcoming her back to his side so they could both hold their babies. Boar had done his best to still care for them, but his ability had been limited to watching over them when they slept and feeding them.

 

[heartofcourage]

As the little family reunited, Emma couldn't help but cry. She cried out her anger and frustration, her fear and insecurity. Tucking her face against Boar's throat, she held the boys tighter and simply tried to draw comfort from her little family.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar didn't stop her, knowing she needed the release after being locked up so long. The boys were soon settled between their parents and Leon drifted back to sleep while Eli was content to play with the ties at the throat of Boar's tunic.

 

[heartofcourage]

As Emma finally started to calm, she watched Eli playing with his father's shirt, Leon slumbering against her shoulder. Her own head was resting on Boar's shoulder as she tried to wrap her mind around everything that had happened. She could hardly believe that people hated her so much that they would blame her for bad things happening in Inverness. She had done bad things, but it had been a secret held among the family and those that were closely involved.

"I don't know if I can stay in Inverness, love." She said softly in a broke tone. "There are those that know about what I tried to do to Brogan. And there are those that would sell me out as a witch because I'm so hated."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Inverness 'as nothin' against us, Em," Boar assured her. "It was a handful o' people, half of 'em paid, the other half jus' plain bad people who wanted some excitement. Th'Prince gave th'Church a chance t'show off an' they took it. It 'ad nothin' to do with you. You jus' got caught up in it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can't face anyone." Emma said softly as she looked at Boar with the miserable gaze in her eyes. "I don't think I'm strong enough for that."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar's eyes met her own, and he felt at a loss again. He didn't want to leave his home or his family, but there was Emma and the boys to think of. He couldn't answer her aside from drawing her closer with their boys and just holding her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma knew that in time she would calm, but right then she wanted to hide away from the world. She knew that she couldn't do that forever, though. Her boys deserved a life that was full of happiness and adventure.

"We could build a house. In the woods." She whispered softly. "A little place to hide away and be at peace."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll see what I can do, love. I'm sure my brothers'd help us out with tha'," he said with a nod. "Til then... It migh' be best fer us t'stay here in th' Keep while things calm down."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As long as the boys are safe and happy, I will do whatever it takes." Emma said softly as she leaned her head against her husband's shoulder. "Everything else can come later. They are what is important."

 

[KieranSoares]

In the following days, Boar healed and he slowly brought his own little family out to the others as Emma was willing. The other Ghis gladly helped them as needed, taking Eli and Leon when they were tired, or making sure no one bothered the little family.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma seemed calm on the outside, but she was secretly terrified inside. She hated being outside, even with her family. She feared that maybe someone would come and take her again, leaving her boys without a mother and breaking Boar's heart. It wasn't something that she was willing to deal with so she chose to stay inside, hidden away with her little family.

She knew it wasn't fair. Her boys thrived in the sunlight with the freedom to explore, but she was so on edge that she kept them close, cuddling them as much as she possibly could. To make matters worse, Valentina had started to notice something about her sister in law that had the potential to ruin all of their good work.

While looking after Boar's healing wounds one day, Valentina quietly decided to ask him about the subject at hand. "When was the last time you were with Emma intimately?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar couldn't help feeling intense embarrassment as his own little sister asked him such a personal question. He fixed her with an odd gaze, asking quietly, "Why d'you ask?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Boar." Valentina said, looking at her brother as he seemed embarrassed by her question. "Women who are with child sometimes have irrational fears about things. I need to know when the last time you and Emma were together was."