Home Again

Chapter Five

   "What is wrong with you?" Botan asked as Cat stumbled back to their room.
   "Drunk," Cat replied laying her hand over her forehead.
   "I don't understand," Botan replied wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her up.
   Cat groaned as she tried to think of the word. No explanation was coming to her mind. "Arukōru," she finally said slowly and slurred.
   Botan thought for a moment and chuckled softly shaking his head.
   "Ah'm soooo glade that at least one of us is finding humor in the situation. I've only had two glasses. Ah use to be able to keep up with my mother...and here ah am thinking there are three of you. More ta love ah guess...hey! There's an idea." She turned and pulled him down and kissed him deeply, though it was extremely sloppy.
   Botan returned the kiss then pulled back with a gentle chuckle. "Let's get you to bed."
   "Mmmm bed," Cat said in a sing song voice. "Aye, a bed sounds nice. Bed and more wine."
   "Or how about some rest for your head."
   "But wine sounds soooo much better. Ah really think it will be good for my head too."
   Botan shook his head with a deeper chuckle. "Or we get you too sleep."
   "Ooorrr," she tickled underneath his chin. "Or we could do other things."
   "What kind of things?" He asked with an amused tone to his voice as he looked down at her.
   "You help me out of my corset, ah just rip everything you are wearing off and we go ahead and start destroying the rest of the room." She went up to kiss him yet again.
   "Let's get you to the room and see how the night goes. You do need rest."
   "Och, ah'll rest when ah'm dead. How 'bout that?" She patted her lashes up at him.
   Botan couldn't help but smile as he scooped her up and walked her the rest of the way to the room. Once they got there, he laid her down on the bed. "Give me a moment and I'll help get you undressed."
   Cat simply waved her hand at him and flopped over on the bed. Before Botan could even turn around, she was fast asleep. He smiled softly at her and gently moved her into a more comfortable position. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before going to the balcony and looking out for a moment.

   The morning had started as Cat had expected it to. A pounding in her head started from the base of her neck to behind her eye balls and everywhere else in between. She sat up and immediately put her forehead in her hand. Even the light was causing her discomfort. The worst part about it? She knew this would happen all over again tonight at dinner.
   Botan comfortingly reached over and rubbed her. She could tell he was tense again. And even she had to admit, there was a weight over the table.
   "That man that came in with you?" Clodagh said cutting into a bright red egg. "Who is he?"
   "Some merchant," Cat replied rubbing her forehead. "Captain of the ship we sailed in on."
   "He's demanding some kind of payment that was owed him."
   Cat and Botan shared a look. Cat inhaled through her nose once again and forced herself to sit up straighter. "Aye I told him we would be rewarded by the crown on my safe return. Almost forgot about the stupid bitch's bastard. Where has he been lodging?"
   "In the castle. Well, on the grounds anyway. The stables."
   Cat chuckled and shook her head. "And I am to assume he's been coming to the door demanding shit like he's owed something."
   "Well he is," Clodagh says with a shrug.
   "There are ways of asking for what is owed. This man? Does not seem to understand that." Botan said with a growl in his voice. Slowly Cat and Clodagh turned and looked at him. Clodagh raised an eyebrow, Cat simply smirked.
   "As a king, how would you handle him?" Clodagh asks, slowly setting her goblet down and looking at him.
   Botan looked back at her then blinked and looked away thinking for a moment. "I don't think..." he made his growled "hmm" and brought his fingers together. "A lesson needs to be taught." Clodagh nods as she listens. "An example made." Cat was all but beaming as she looked at him. "I'm just not sure how at this point."
   Clodagh nodded with a soft smile, "but it's a start. Caitlin?" Cat looked up at her. "How would you handle it?"
   "Kill 'im," she replied matter of factly.
   Botan just turned and looked at her, Clodagh laughed softly. "That doesn't always solve problems."
   "No, but it would make me feel a hell of a lot better. He was rude to me when we first arrived on the docks. And even for a time still after that until proving who I was to him. That changed it greatly, for a time. But he made his perception of women and how he treats them very clear."
   Botan nodded as he chewed his bacon.
   Clodagh thought it over for a moment then looked back at Botan. "Some one disrespected your queen. How should you handle that?"
   "He should no longer be allowed to breath." He responded with a deep growl.
   Clodagh couldn't help but smile. Perhaps they were wrong to some degree of this man.
   "What does da have to say about it?" Cat asked looking up.
   "Sebastian returned this morning, so d'athair has been in and out of meetings." Clodagh replied.
   Cat frowned, "where has Sebastian been?"
   "Acting as Guth an Rí for several negotiations with neighboring kingdoms. We aren't facing war, by any means. But someone has to do d'athair's work while he is concerned with other matters." Clodagh replied.
   Cat thought on it for a moment. Her father had never a Guth an Rí before. He had never exactly agreed with the reason behind them, and always handled matters of state personally. What had made that change?
   Without having to read Cat's mind, Clodagh knew exactly what her daughter was thinking. She herself had questioned her husband on his decision. And even Ailill had given her a less than attractive answer.
   "Then I suppose these matter should wait until we can speak with athair," Cat said after a moment of thought.
   Clodagh nodded, "fair enough." She reached forward and took a sip of her goblet. "Have you spoke with any one on your clothing?" She asked looking to Botan.
   "There is a man coming to take my..." he looked over at Cat.
   "Measurements," Clodagh answered for her daughter with a nod. "Do forgive us on that aspect. We don't normally have people of your...stature...in our lands."
   "No forgiveness is needed to be given. There are not normally people of my stature." He replied, giving her a gentle look. Cat couldn't help but smirk.
   "Well, be that as it may," Clodagh replied with a nod toward him. "Both an Rí and I would like to apologize for the events of last night. We treated you unkindly on not just your arrival, but during the coarse of dinner as well. He is actually rather interested in spending more time with you. Getting to know you a little better."
   "I look forward to it," Botan replied with a nod and a generous smile.
   Clodagh nodded with a smile of her own. "Forgive me once again. Even during the breaking of her fast, Banríon has her duties." She stood and smiled gently at both of them, then turned and left, her skirts brushing across the stones.
   Cat looked over at Botan over her own goblet. "I'm not going to say she likes you."
   Botan chuckled gently and shook his head. "That would be a lie if you did."
   Cat giggled back in response, "you know me too well, my love. What do you think? Of Ireland?"
   Botan took a deep breath as he looked around. "It is strange. The walls seem to breath secrets and whispers."
   Cat watched him for a moment. She had never thought of it that way. What do you mean by that?
   Botan looked her in the eyes. They are made of stone? Stone can keep the worst of things out. But it can also keep the worst of things in.