Ἔ Ν Α Σ Τ Ρ Ο Σ

His smile is sympathetic as he watched her, tightening his hold on her protectively.

“Ah yes. The bickering. I’m only sorry I wasn’t there to help…move things along a bit more, but I’m pleased to see my inquisitor has been holding up well against the arguments.”

He rumbles at the affection, cheeks warming in response.

“Expedition I think went as well as it could. Made some discoveries that could aid us in our fights and fortifications. Rather uneventful otherwise.”

“Thank you for the kind invitation, Lady Danbury,” Penelope murmured as she curtsied politely, trying her best to keep a placid expression on her face as she heard her mother’s loud voice clear across the hall. “It is always an honor. Is it true we can expect poetry readings tonight?” She asked, knowing that she should be polite even though she wanted to hide away along the wall. 

@enastrcs​ - liked for a starter from Penelope for Lady D!

    Jamie was well aware of how it was possible to struggle to allow the body and the mind to rest, after all  ⸺  the man wasn’t himself after his heart and soul, his wife, was gone to him. the best he could do was appreciate all the beautiful memories that he held close to his heart, being the one thing that provided him a proper peace of mind besides the endless hopes of her and their child being safe, even if far from him.

his blue orbs were focused on simply observing her, capturing each second of how the world moved around her and reminding himself of how lucky he was to have her right there, to have her  HOME  . even when he felt quite anxious and unsure around her, he could not help but demostrate how much she mattered to him, how much she was worth or how much he loved her. Jamie Fraser was a very perceptive man, some could say, and became even more as he grew older. there was something bothering her, and he was clever to put one and two quickly.

   ❝Ye ken ye’re home, aye? ❞ it wasn’t concern on his voice, but affirmation. d yer mam never thought ye’d follow her, even search fer yer besides that… ❞ he began, searching for the right words as he proceeded. ❝I told her she was nothin’ but a fool , she’s yer mam. stubborn woman’d rather believe that ye simply coul’ erase her from yer mind.❞ he shoke his head, his fingers approched her hair, so much alike his, slowly ; caressing the soft locks as he studied her face. ❝I will tell ye how many times ye’ll need to hear it, but m’annsachd… ye were worth all the sacrifices, all the pain and suffering I had to endure.❞ his hand now caressed her cheek. ❝yer safe, yer whole, yer mine. ours. and I love ye by what ye are and nothin’ more. yer mam, fergus, ye, yer wee brother… i exist because of all of ye.❞

“It’ll be all right,” Ben agreed, needing to believe it. “You’re unharmed…” He waited a beat, then ventured a reluctant, “You are, aren’t you?”

The swift escape hadn’t prompted any time to assess her injuries, other than the gash on her forehead, and he prayed that that’s all there was, especially with their present weather conditions. It was now so dark and the rain so blinding that Ben could barely see. A soft hiss of frustration caught in his throat, and he dug his heels harder into Artillery’s ribs.

“I’m going to try and find an inn!” he shouted above the rain. “It’s not safe out here!”

Tucking her in against his chest, Ben leaned in closer toward his horse’s head, then encouraged her to bolt across the terrain as fast as she could travel.

–

By the time they found refuge, both were soaked and trembling and pale with exhaustion. With his arm around Gemma’s shoulders, Ben steered her sodden form toward the staircase of the inn, leading her up toward their room with wet, squelching steps. Artillery was safely boarded up where the innkeeper kept the guests’ horses, so he could rest easy on that front.

“The innkeeper promised some warm bricks,” Ben whispered to Gemma, gently rubbing her arm. “You’ll be all right until then, won’t you?”

At this point, it seemed hopeless that their packed clothing was dry – or rather, his, seeing how Gemma’s valise had been lost in the scuffle – and after inserting his key into the lock, he opened the door to the room and carefully herded her inside.

“Get undressed,” he commanded. “I’ll tend to the fire.” Promptly shrugging off his sodden coat, Ben removed his tricorn and draped both over the back of a nearby chair. Turning his back to give her the privacy she required, he made an immediate path for the hearth. It was mercifully pre-lit, but the embers were fading fast, what with the weather, so he swiped the fireplace bellows and set to work on reviving it. A wet lock of hair bobbed in his face as he moved, and blowing it aside, he called back to Gemma, “I want you to get into that bed the moment you’re undressed. Once the innkeeper arrives, I’ll see about getting us some supper.”