A Wild Night

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin knew about family politics all too well. She had grown up assuming that she would be married off to a faceless Lord, someone her father would think would strengthen his own position in Mercia. Caitrin had been spared that fate of course, she didn’t even know the man she was supposed to have married, she’d never even met him. It didn’t matter now of course, she was here with Griff now and that was all that mattered. They had their little family that would continue to flourish and grow as they did. Caitrin still loved her husband as much, if not more, than when she had first walked down the aisle to swear herself to him. There were no regrets in her mind, and there never would be. However, she was glad that Griff wasn’t a warlord, and that he wouldn’t be riding out to war, like his brother, anytime soon. She could understand where Sebastian was coming from in that respect. “It must be hard to make such a choice, I can’t imagine life without my family.” Caitrin said rather bluntly and stroked the top of her daughters head.

A diplomat still sounded interesting, but Caitrin could tell when someone didn’t want to speak about a topic, she was that wise at least. She nodded at Sebastian, a warm smile, and decided to drop the topic. Perhaps in her youth she would have continued in her quest for information but she was older and more mature now, and she knew when to stop talking and that was the end of that really. “It sounds interesting.” Caitrin mused, but didn’t press Sebastian further.

Caitrin liked to think Esmae looked like her, she had her hair after all, but her features spoke of her father as well in so many ways as well. She looked like her father in her facial features, though Sebastian hadn’t met her husband just yet, so it was natural he would think her daughter looked like her mother. “Her brother looks exactly the same.” Caitrin mused softly and ran her hand through her daughter’s soft hairs. She grinned on at Sebastian, “I trust you not to drop her, you could just rest her on your legs if you wish?” She asked softly, she wanted Sebastian to at least have the sensation of holding a baby. She then had a thought, “I’m not keeping you from your bed am I? If you wish I can show you up to your guest chambers?”

[Sebastian]

"It was not a choice I was given to make." Though Sebastian's words were blunt, they were not said with unkindness, for Caitrin had done nothing to earn his distaine. But it was something he was uncomfortable talking about, and in all honesty, he envied this woman her life - he was sure there was more to it than he could see currently, but still. She had a family she could rely on, something he would never know. And something he still longed for, though he was beginning to shoulder such longings aside.

The noble smiled a little gratefully as the redhead dropped the subject, happy she realised his discomfort and was not going to press him further. He smiled softly. "They are indeed lucky, to have a mother who loves them so entirely as you seem to, my lady," he stated quietly, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. As she assured him that she trusted him, the Prince gave a soft chuckle. "I thank you for your trust, but if it is not too rude to you, I will decline nontheless.... I confess the idea of holding a child rather... terrifies me," he admitted quietly, wondering if she would laugh at such a notion.

He smiled and shook his head at her question. "No my lady; I confess I am not the type of man who can sleep easily anyhow; my mind is often too full for such luxury," Sebastian downed the last of the drink, placing the cup on the table. "And I confess that it is nice to have someone to talk to without politics or royalty in the way."

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin wasn’t quite sure how to take Sebastian at all. She wasn’t sure whether he did or didn’t want a family, but maybe that was how he wanted it, he wanted to keep her guessing. She wasn’t going to get him to spell everything out for her, so she just nodded at him gently. “I understand.” She didn’t want to carry on this particular part of the conversation if he didn’t want to dwell on family matters for much longer. It was understandable if he knew he knew he would never be blessed with family. He could only see her daughter though, and she knew that was only one small part of it. She had her son here as well, her husband, her niece and her Uncle. All in all her family around her was incredibly supportive, and had been since she had given birth. Her husband had never forsaken her side, not even for a day.

The compliment warmed Caitrin’s smile, and she held her tiny daughter in her arms gently as she listened to Sebastian’s words. She sometimes did wonder if her children did love her, and whether they would carry on loving her. She would never stop loving any of her children, and she knew that. They would always be loved, and they would never be alone, and as long as they always knew that she would be happy and content. “Thank you, I don’t think I could do anymore for them.” She admitted softly as her daughter began to shift in her blankets. She chuckled as Sebastian said the thought of holding the baby terrified him, “Who would have thought it? A grown man scared of a tiny baby.” She jested softly with a wink, but she was only joking with him, and she didn’t expect him to take Esmae in his arms. Esmae was starting to drift off to sleep anyway, so maybe it was better she stayed comfortable in her mother’s warm embrace for now.

Though Sebastian said he wasn’t yet ready for sleep, Caitrin hoped this didn’t mean he would be awake the entire night if he was busy contemplating one thing or another. Caitrin’s sleeping pattern was a little hazy at the moment. She usually took sleep when the twins were sleeping and though she tried to keep them in a routine, she often found they wanted sleep during the day or first thing in the morning, so she slept alongside their sleeping patterns. It wasn’t ideal, but she found herself not as tired as she could be. “I just sleep when I can.” She admitted softly, keeping soft hold of the bundle in her arms “Whenever this one and her brother let me rest.” It was nice to have some different company about the house, as it was usually just her family or her extended family. “It’s nice to speak to someone outside my family as well.” She grinned a little, “I’ve not been out much since I had the twins.”