Better to ask forgiveness than permission

[Lachlan Boece]

Lachlan did not quite have the run of the castle, but people did not question his comings and goings amongst the servants entrances or the stables- after all, that was part of his job, to care for the horses and see they were properly shod and cared for. The fact that he was often able to steal a few moments with Ioana here and there was a definite highlight of his work at the castle. Sometimes, the man could not quite believe his luck- after weeks of thinking she no longer wanted him, weeks of thinking that he had misinterpreted what they had had, weeks of thinking it was all over and all he would see of her in future would be a flash of blonde hair disappearing around a corner. But no, she had come back into his life- and she had come back with the promise of a life they would build together.

    All they needed now was her father’s permission to make this right. Permission Lachlan should have sought much earlier- but circumstances had made that impossible. She had needed to know he was serious, that he would be there for her and for their baby. That was why he had come to the castle today, to find Ioana and convince her to accompany him to her family’s lodging. So that he could make this right, so that he could do right by her and her family.

    He caught her in a corridor, thankfully away from her lady and the princess- Ioana’s condition had caused enough gossip at court amongst the servants already and he would have hated to have caused her to be the subject of more wagging tongues. Lightly wrapping his fingers around her wrist- if she did not pull away- Lachan gently brought her to a halt. He would have brought a bouquet if he could have spared the expense, had he been a noble he would have brought her a whole field of roses, instead though- he arrived with only a small posy, plucked from the roadside on his way over, but he still offered it to her with a grin. ”Milady.” Lachlan said, still grinning from ear to ear. ”Think I could borrow you for an afternoon? Surely the princess can spare you for a few hours?”

[Ioana Cawdor]

Ioana had a lot on her mind as of late, and it was making her stressed. Which she knew wasn't good for the baby, but it was hard to not be stressed when your father disowned you and forbid the rest of your family from even speaking to you. She was practically homeless and living in the servants quarters. Had been for about a week, and had yet figure out how to tell Lachlan, or even tell her Lady that bit of information. She was already pregnant and unwed she didn't want even more gossip going around. She would have to face the music and tell him though. And soon, if only she knew what to say....

She'd been carrying a small stack of linens, holding them to her chest with one arm while she'd been lost in thought. So far lost in her mind, she hadn't seen Lachlan until he wrapped his fingers around her wrist, bringing her to a halt. She jumped slightly, her dark eyes going wide in surprise for a moment until she recognized who it was. 

There was that girlish look of adoration as it crossed her face and she stared up at the man that had come in and swept her off her feet, even if neither of them had originally intended for it to get this far. Well, fate had a funny way of putting two people together.  His grin was contagious, causing her own smile to cross her face as she looked to the posy he offered her. A sweet and thoughtful gesture as she reached up to gently take it from him."Mmmm," she said in thought to his question, spinning the flower between her fingers for a seconds in thought. In honestly the princess could. With moving into the castle she had plenty of time to keep up on her task, and after she delivered the linens to their proper place, she would be free. "I suppose she could." She said with a coy smile. Any time spent with Lachlan was treat. If she could, she'd spend as much time as she could with him. "What do you have in mind, my good sir?" She asked curiously. 

[Lachlan Boece]

If only he had known the maelstrom within her mind, the doubts and concerns that beat heavily against her- Lachlan would have been well and truly floundering, out of his depth and nearly drowning. But he would not have been pressing a little posy into her palm with words of stealing her away. The blonde deserved the world, and even without these unknown circumstances- it pained tha man that he could not provide her and their child with even a fragment of that.

But he was both blind and naive to the thoughts ticking away behind those dark eyes of hers. Instead of offering comfort and support- Lachlan only had adventure on his mind. His thoughts were rapt with the ride they had ahead of them, the little picnic spot along the way. As always, his mind was focused straight upon the moment ahead rather than the present.

And as she smiled back at him, those thoughts only ran further away from him. Hands found her waist and pulled her a little closer to him- should she allow it. He knew it was perhaps a little too far, particularly within the castle walls, but she was his betrothed after all- who would really care? ”I’ve secured us a picnic from the kitchen- let’s ride awhile... “ The boy began, his grin stretching even wider with each word. ”...Then perhaps we could inform your parents… I haven’t quite sought your father’s permission yet… I should do that, right?”

[Ioana Cawdor]

Ioana didn't resist as he pulled her closer, her grin only widening and turning more mischievous. At the rate she was going, what was a little more gossip? She'd deal with it. Like she always did, and besides, Lachlan was her Fiancé, This was allowed. Right? The stack of linens were the only thing between them save for her also growing baby bump that could thankfully still be hidden by dresses. Undressed was another matter.  

She tapped her chin with the posy, as she looked up at him. Hanging onto every word and looking like she was contemplating an answer. She liked where his mind was going, and his little affections like this certainly made her feel spoiled. Her grin had all but lit up the hallway until he mentioned her parents, and then it wavered.

Reality came crashing down, and she tensed in his arms, remember that one little piece of information she'd been wanting to avoid telling him. She didn't think she could wait ten weeks to tell him this time... She laughed nervously, finding it was the only thing she could think to do in that moment. "Right..." She said nodding. Normally that would have been the right thing to do. The chivalrous thing. At least with a father who didn't have a pregnant unwed daughter.  Her smile fell and it was like dark clouds had moved suddenly over her sun. She stared up at Lachlan for a moment, searching his eyes while she bit her lip, and then....

The Hormones struck. 

It was like a switch had been struck and she was suddenly taking a shuddered breath in as the water works started, and her eyes pooled with unshed tears. "Oh Lach..." She said softly. She rested her forehead on his chest as she began to cry. "We caaaan't." She cried. 

[Lachlan Boece]

He loved that grin on her, it was just one thing on the very long list, a list she seemed to be adding to each and every day- and Lachlan found his affection for the blonde growing the more time he spent in her company. The man held her as close as he dared without crumpling the stack of linens she held. The temptation was there, of course, but Lachlan didn’t want to create any extra work for her and ruin his chances of persuading her to sneak away for the afternoon.

Loosening his embrace somewhat, dark eyes watched Ioana as she thought. He wished he could read her mind or at least have some inkling into what was ticking away behind those wide eyes of hers. In his mind- this had been a brilliant idea, a way to spend an afternoon with Iona and prove to her parents that he was serious about his promise, that he meant what he had said and intended to care for Ioana and her child. Their child.

But then she was tense. And then she was crying.

He was dumbstruck, it had been such a good idea. At least he had thought so. Lachlan’s own grin faltered, replaced quickly with a look of concern. What had he said? Forgetting the linens and the risk of creasing them, the man held her closer- one hand gently stroking her hair as she cried against his chest.

”It’s okay, we don’t have to go…” Lachlan assured her, still wondering just what he had said to bring on the waterworks so quickly. ”Are your parents okay? Did something happen to them?” He was jumping to conclusions, and missing the mark each time as he did so.

[Ioana Cawdor]

Feeling Lachlan's hand in her hair just made Ioana cry harder. She didn't deserve his comfort, or at least she didn't think she did. She'd royally screwed up this time, and as much as she had the "I'll deal with it, everything will be fine" mentality she was terrified. She was homeless, pregnant, and currently staying in the servant quarters. Beatrice.  That's what her father had called her. She was just like her oldest sister, and if it really was true that Ioana was Beatrice...Then she'd die bringing her and Lachlan's baby into the world. Just like her sister had. 

The gravity of the situation just grew more heavy on Ioana's shoulders and she leaned her head back to wipe her cheeks with one of her hands. "I want to go though, it's just-" She took a deep breath and looked up at him. Looking miserable and like a pouting child. She had to tell him, and the sooner she did it the better. As much as she wanted to sneak away and have that picnic with him, telling him she was staying in the servants quarters rather then at home was far more important.

Despair, and a brief flicker of fear sparked in her eyes. "They're fine, they just-...I don't live there anymore." She mumbled averting her eyes as her bottom lip quivered. She rested her forehead against his chest chest and hugged the linens close. Resting her chin on them, as she sniffled. "I told them about the baby, and they...they disowned me, Lachlan." She mumbled. Her voice breaking. "My father made it adamant I was never welcome home again, he forbid my siblings from seeing me...I've been staying here in the castle." She admitted. The pain of being thrown out from her own family was not something she'd ever thought she'd feel, but it certainly hurt. She could still hear her fathers angry voice as he yelled at her to get out. How he'd only given her a short amount of time to gather her things before she was made to leave. 

As much of a brave face she put on, she felt very alone. The world have become a very scary place, very quickly. "I even tried to tell him you wanted us to marry, and he still kicked me out." She all but wailed then, as she started to cry again. 

[Lachlan Boece]

Oh God. Lachlan’s eyes widened as she began to cry harder. He had never seen his mother cry, he had never had a sister, he didn’t know what to do but hold Ioana closer and do his best to soothe her. ”Everything will be fine. We’ll deal with it. Whatever it is.” He promised her, holding her even closer, voice firm but gentle. The man didn’t know what was going on, what had made her so upset, but he knew he would do what he could to make sure it would be fine- just like he had promised.

Dark eyes found hers as she pulled away slightly, misery written into her features. He waited for her to speak, quietly, patiently. Though he wanted to know what was troubling her so, Lachlan knew the blonde would tell him when she was ready- hurrying her along would probably only make her more upset. As Ioana spoke, the man held her gently, hands squeezing gently as though to reassure her that he was here, that he was listening, that he was trying to understand. He couldn’t understand why or how any parent could throw their child out into the cold, to fend for themselves; Ioana was a grown woman, and an engaged one at that, but he still couldn’t see how her parents could have done this to her.

Frustration crossed his features, then anger. But then she looked up at him, tears spilling from her eyes and Lachlan softened. She didn’t need him to be angry, she needed him to be there. ”Ioana.” He began, moving to wipe away her tears. The man wanted to ask her why she hadn’t come to him, why she hadn’t told him until now, so many whys…

It didn’t matter though, what mattered was that she was telling him now- and now he could do something about it. ”They’ll come around, Ioana, I miss you after five minutes- they’ll miss you and realise they’ve made a mistake, they’ll hear you’ve had our baby and they’ll be strong like you and beautiful, and they’ll want to meet them.” He was babbling a little, grasping, unsure of what to say. What could he say? ”We don’t have a lot of room, but you can stay with my family- take my bed, I can sleep in the stables, I end up there most nights anyway.”