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To the Highest Bidder Goes the Prize (Chuckeles/butterfly040

He sighs softly as he runs his fingers through his hair. "I wish you were by my side tonight darling. It would make me feel alot morE better." He takes her hand kissing it softly once more. He leans back again sighing. "Nessa would it really hurt her to go out for a few hours?"
 
Kiana looked with a very pleading glance to her eyes towards Nessa, but the woman was as hard as a stone wall as she shook her head, "No. Three more days then you can take her to the dinner table as much as you like. But until then, she remains here. The last time I looked at the wound, it still needed some more mending." Kiana looked at her like she was some kind of traitor. She tried to keep Lund as much in the dark about the wound as she could. He didn't know that there had been a time early on when the wound had needed to be reopened and a small infection flushed out of it. It made the wound much more tender since and not as far along healed as it would be otherwise.

"Oh just go off with you Lund, she will not sway on this," She leaned over and kissed his cheek, whispering, "And you promised me wine... don't forget that."
 
Lund sighs softly as he leans back nodding slightly. He glances towards Nessa rubbing his chin as he looks between the two women for a moment. "Is there something you two arent telling me?" He leans forward once more as he takes Kiana's hand rubbing his fingers over hers. "Nessa Im going to have to put my foot down on this I think. Kiana is strong enough to walk around so I think she deserves a few hours out of this room." He glances at Kiana as she tells him to give up blinking slightly.
 
Kiana shook her head, sighing, "No. As much as I complain and beg, Nessa is right. I should not leave the room as much as I hate it and feel like I am going more insane with each passing moment of everyday. She is right to stop me from leaving, even if I wish I could." She looked to him and smiled, "You spoil me to me in trying to get me out of here."
 
He smiles brushing his lips against hers softly. "Are you sure darling? I could always have Angus distract Nessa for us." He laughs softly as he stands brushing off his shirt as he makes sure everything is straight. "Do I look alright darling?" He kneels next to her caressing her cheek softly running his fingers through her hair. "I love you Kiana." His lips brush against hers softly once more.
 
She nods a little as she fixes his collar, "You look handsome as always. As if you could ever look anything but." She kisses him back. Once upon the lips then once again upon the nose, "Go now, before they start to miss you and hurry back to me to save a bit of my sanity before the night it through."
 
He nods smiling softly at her words. His smile seems to brighten at the kiss as he holds her tight. "Don't worry darling. I'm sure Nessa will keep you entertained till I return with some wine for us." He places a last kiss on her cheek before he slips out heading through the halls to the dining area. He smiles softly seeing his family as he crosses the floor to the table.
 
Once he left the room, Kiana sighed heavily as she slumped into her seat. Nessa shakes her head lightly as she came forward and started to fill both the plates, showing she would stay and share the evening meal with Kiana. "Would you really have let him take you from the room if you had won the bet with him?" Nessa asked.

"In a moment of weakness, yes. I absolutely would have. You don't know what it's like for me here in this room all the time. I can't even pass the time the way I WANT to pass it with my husband!" Kiana had become comfortable enough with Nessa to talk about more intimate matters of marriage with her.

"Well, let's take a look at that wound of yours after dinner tonight." Nessa told her with a sly smirk, "If it's healed enough and you take things easy...."

Kiana's face lit up a little bit, "You had best not be joking with me here Nessa. If you promise me I can share a night with Lund and then you take that away with me, I will be VERY cross with you." After Kiana had confirmed in the middle of her recovery thus far that she was in fact not with a child, she had been cursing her wound that she could not celebrate her relief with her husband.

"We will see. I will not give you a promise until later, but for the time being, eat."

---

"How is Kiana tonight Lund?" Lily asked. Meg was no longer with the family. After meeting Kiana and getting to spend some time with her while she was recovering, they at last had to return to her husband's home, but with the promise from Lund that he would bring Kiana for a visit when she was well enough. So now the table seemed to very empty. It was a little more full tonight with guests there, but without Jak and Kiana to fill the table...
 
Lund smiles as he takes a seat slowly taking a sip from his cup. "She is well sister although being stuck in the room is driving her crazy." He sighs softy glancing toward his father. "Has there been any word on Jak yet?" He runs his hands together as the food is brought out ready to serve.
 
His father sighed a little, "Indeed there has been. He has sought refuge with the Kingsdales." They were friends of the family to a point but truly they were more neutral to all those around them then aligned with anyone household in particular. "He will likely remain there for a time, but when he drinks them out of their wine cellar, I'm sure he will seek someone else to leach upon."

The guests of the night were some of the Mallory's. They had been attempting to mend things with them since the night of the ball that broke the marriage contract that would have aligned them. One of them spoke up, "If you do not mind my asking, what finally made you out the lad? He had been a sore lot for years now."

Lund's father cleared his throat and spoke aloud, for the first time, his true reasoning behind it. "Since the day that my son Lund left to fight, Jak became someone I did not like. He was selfish and cruel. He took the the drink as it he were a babe taking to his mother's milk. I felt dismayed for the future of my family for if Lund were to perish in war, there would have been no one left to take my place one day besides Jak. Even then, I had not thought Lund ready for the task either. But when he returned home to use and showed me how he had changed, how he had focus in his world at long last, where Jak had thrown all his focus away with the bottle, I had started to wonder. That night at the ball, I say Jak in all his terrible glory. And he had shown it at last to everyone around him as well. No one will think me unjustified in this choice."
 
Lund leans back running his fingers through his hair listening go his father. He glances toward Lily as he stands nervously looking toward his father. "Father I...I don't know or even think I'm ready for something like this. Perhaps if given anothe chance Jak could redeem himself." His nervousness is obvious as he talks sipping at his wine every few words. Underneath the nervousness it can be seen he isnt afraid to take the mantle but he sees himself as unworthy for the role his father had thrust upon him.
 
His father shook his head, "I truly feel Jak may be beyond redemption. And..." he trails off a bit, looking to his guests before sighing, "You and I shall speak more of this after dinner. It's a conversation we have been meant to have for awhile now but you have been very attentive to your wife I have been unable to find the time to pull you away from her to speak." And with that, the conversation was over for the meal, the topic was quickly changed. There was clearly more that his father had meant to say, but it would have to wait until they could be alone later on.
 
Lund blinks but nods as he sits down going quiet as he lets his thoughts wonder over everything that was said by his father. He turns back to his food eating at it slowly as if dreading the end of dinner. He sips at his wine slowly before turning to his sister. "Lily could you make arrangements for a bottle of wine to be sent to my room after dinner. I promised Kiana I would bring a bottle back for us."
 
"Of course," Lily told him, making a note to herself to not only to include the wine but a few sweet treats for Kiana to enjoy as well. "I will have someone bring it up to your room while you speak with father." And soon that time came as the meal ended and everyone rose, going separate ways. His father bid him to join him in the solar before he left Lund to see to a few things before this meeting was to take place.
 
Lund downs the last of his wine standing and nodding to his father softly. He turns to Lily giving her a hug. "Will you keep Kiana company till I finish with father. Im not sure how long this is going to take." He hugs her softly before moving towards the solar rubbing his hands together softly. He paces inside the solar awaiting his fathers arrival.
 
He is not made to wait long before his father joins him, closing the door behind him as he bids his son to sit while he moved to pour them both something a bit stronger then just plain wine. Eventually, his father took a seat beside him, taking a deep breath. "You asked me to consider giving Jak another chance. He had been given many chances while you were away and... I fear now letting him back into his home unless he truly changes on his own first." His father takes a drink before going on, "I never sent Jak to meet you and bring you the rest of the way home. We had heard rumor that you were coming home, but I had said you would find your way in time. Jak left here... and I discovered her had originally planned to return here, alone. Jak had slowly gone mad and always thought you would die in war and never threaten his claim to the position after I died. He meant to meet you along the way and kill you before you reached home. I think the only thing that stopped him was to many people had seen you and your companions before Jak could reach you. He could not risk it being said he had killed his own brother."
 
Lund smiles sitting as his father motions for the chair. His smiles fades as he listens to everything his father tells hims. He swallows as he takes a deep drink from his glass. It goes down heavily as he runs his fingers through his hair. "He ment to murder me you say father. I never would have made any claim against him for the lordship. I just wanted to settle down." He stands slowly staring out the window. "I was going to ask you for a small plot of land for Kiana and I but now everything has changed." He finishes his drink sitting the cup down.
 
He shook his head, "Your brother wouldn't have carried if you swore upon the lives of everyone you care for and your own mortal soul that you could never stake a claim to the lordship. That fact that you lived and breathed was a threat to him. When I tell you Jak was mad, I truly mean it. You must not tell you mother or sisters of this for I have tried to shield them from the horrid truth. I think he even started to see you sisters as threats, and they were women that could stake no claim at all to it. But when Meg wed, someone attempted to rob them upon their return to Randulf's land. I think Jak had a hand in it. I don't know where the madness has come from, but for some reason he sees anyone that could hold a claim as a threat. I fear now not only for you but for everyone in this family and even your wife. She could carry YOUR heir in time." He paused a little, "Perhaps that is why he aimed that knife for her belly..."
 
He runs his fingers through his hair again as he sets his cup down. "Kiana hasnt made any mention to me of an heir yet. Although I hope for one someday." He sinks into his chair once more. "Father with your permission Id like to make my friend Angus Captain of the Guard and let him work them back up to speed. Jak may try something and I would like the guards to be better trained." He sits back his mind on Kiana as he replays the scene of the knife flashing towards her belly as he suppresses a shiver.
 
His father nods, "He may take up the position at once. Being as he has already proven himself to be able to fight off Jak in the past, he is just the one to train our guards to fight off an attack I don't ask if it will come, but when it will come from your brother." He pats his son the the back, "I wish I did not need to put these burdens upon you son, but I know you are capable of holding the weight by my side."
 
He smiles softly as he nods slowly standing. "I havent been prepared for any of this father but I will try to do you proud. ALthough Kiana is abit intimidated at the prospect of being the lady of the house one day. I think she actually was ready to hide when I told her you had named me heir." He laughs softly shaking his head.
 
The mention of Kiana made his father serious again, "I never thought you would fall in love Lund. She must be something special to touch your heart as she has." He stands and pats Lund upon the back, "I've burdened you enough for one night. Go. Be with your wife."
 
He stands smiling at his father softly. "She is special father. I love her so much." He swallows as he nods patting his fathers shoulder. "Ill hopefully be bringing her down to dinners again soon." He turns leaving the solar as he almost runs back to his rooms eager to see Kiana once more. He knocks on the door before entering slowly.
 
The door is opened not by Kiana, not even by Nessa, but by Lily. She greets him with a smile as she opens the door to let him in, "I was just delivering the wine myself and sitting with your wife until you returned for the night." Lily looked to Kiana and nodded a little, "I will leave you to your husband then and bid you a good night Kiana. Sleep well."

With that Lily left the room, closing the door behind her. Kiana sat upon the sofa in the sitting area in their room. The bottle of wine and two glasses set out upon the low table before it.
 
He smiles in greeting to his sister. He gives her a soft hug before closing the door and moving to sit beside Kiana. "Love I need to ask you if you know anything about if your pregnant. My father pointed out Jak might have gone for your stomach in case you were carrying my heir." He turns listening to her response as he pours wine into the two glasses.
 
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