The Captain And Kate *Bonus Chapter/Scene* (Patreon)

“I don’t give a damn if it’s for politics or for a prank, you will release my son this instant!” Katelyn fired back wielding a long thin finger in Antonio’s face.

“He was fine with the plan! Did you ever stop and think if perhaps he might want to be more involved in more respectable positions in the future?”Antonio fired back while lifting his hands up to try and ward off any attack she may fire at him.

“That is for him to decide! He can choose how he may want to go about it as well- one that does not involve him being in a cell!” Despite her haggard appearance, a small tinge of color entered her cheeks.

“I mean no offence when I say this Kate, but Finlay is terrible in politics! He is too blunt to get anywhere on his own. I know it is tough to see, but I did this because I want to help him! I care about him, and… and you. I wouldn’t do this to pull some childish prank. Can you not trust me on this matter?”

“Antonio, as lovely as you are, and as much as I’ve enjoyed our time together, I will not let you make these decisions for us! You have no right. He is my son, and I will see that he is protected and that he is not jerked around by those in a position of power!”

The Captain’s hands dropped, and he fixed Katelyn with an even, calm stare.

“I am not like Aidan, Kate. I told Fin my plan, and I’ll have you know, I was legally within my rights to have him locked up. He attacked a Knight who was already in the process of being arrested. This will help him in the long run. Sometimes in life you can’t just be about defense. Sometimes you need to take offensive actions to come out ahead.”

Katelyn squared her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest, and the military man could see her working all too quickly to regain composure of her emotions. He didn’t want to fight her… he just wanted to take care of her. Gods knew she deserved to be taken care of and perhaps spoiled more than a little...

“Your son is a grown man. He did not openly object to my idea. Ask him yourself in the morning. For now. You need to get in that bed and go to sleep.” He loomed over her, his eyebrow raised sternly.

“Oh is that what you are ordering me to do? Because you are the authority on everyone today?” She snapped angrily.

“Yes. Because you are sleep deprived, starving, and in desperate need of a bath. Fin can last one more night then take his own well deserved rest.” Taking a step forward with his head tilted Antonio’s gaze sharpened. “Now, are you going to get back in that bed on your own two legs, or am I going to have to carry you back?”

Katelyn’s hands moved to her hips and her challenging expression faltered.

“I can move perfectly fine on my own, and I need no strong arming into doing anything!” While she tried to keep her tone imperious, there was a flicker of doubt across her face.

“I am glad to hear it, lass.” Antonio folded his arms across his chest and waited expectantly.

“Well are you just going to stand there, or are you going to go release my son! And I am no lass, I am old enough to be a grandmother!” Kate bit out while taking an unconscious step back.

The Captain smiled. She wasn’t reacting to him with fear, and that was something he had sincerely worried about when they’d eventually share a disagreement.

“Well you’re not my grandmother, and I am a good few years older than you. So, to me you’re a lass. Now, I’ll give you until I count to three before I put you in that bed myself, and I intend to make sure you stay there.”

“This is absolutely preposterous, and you have yet to release Fin. I will not-”

“Three.”

Hastily, the Captain swept down and scooped Kate up in one fell swoop over his shoulder.

“HOW DARE YOU- ANTONIO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! NO! I AM NOT A BABE TO BE BURPED! IF YOU DO NOT PUT ME DOWN THIS MINUTE I WILL NEVER MARRY YOU!”

Antonio froze, then with a short heft, had Katelyn back in his arms cradled against his chest so that he could better see her face.

“I didn’t know if you’d heard the whole thing,” he admitted sheepishly.

Seeing the Captain suddenly turn bashful, Katelyn found her irritation suddenly dissolving.
“I did… and I… I mean… You know I’m still married.”

“I do. Which is why we will have to petition the King to dissolve the union as abandonment, or as a retroaction to his treatment of you and Finlay. Though that latter will be a far more gruelling process.”

Kate’s lips pursed, and it was clear that a long list of emotions were bubbling up in her chest.

“We do not need to rush any ceremony, and I know that we never really talked of this…” Slowly, Antonio set Katelyn down on the bed, then seated himself beside her.

“It has only been… two weeks!” Kate burst out after taking a moment to properly count the days.

“Aye, but we are coming at this with some experience under our belt, lass.” Antonio’s blue eye twinkled.

“My son always comes first.”

“I know. Though he might be gaining an extra family member to pester him- my mother still lives.”

Kate nodded. “I remember you mentioning her.”

Antonio then turned so that he could face the witch fully, his knee coming to rest on the bed.“Have you told Finlay that you know of his father’s coming?”

“I haven’t. With any luck, the two now look nothing alike and I won’t have to tell him. The last time they saw each other… well…” Katelyn shifted uncomfortably.

The Captain hadn’t told her Fin was already well aware of his father’s pending arrival. He didn’t need to get caught up in that mess… even if he had been the one to confess to her that Aidan Helmer was coming.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel up to it,” Antonio added softly.

“I’m ashamed of who I was back then. That I let that man abuse my son that way. All because I kept reasoning to myself that it wasn’t the absolute worst because I kept healing us. As though the worst of the scars were gone, and because Aidan wasn’t home often it wasn’t all terrible. I didn’t believe we would be able to make ends meet even though in truth I was better off relying on my own talents than trying to support his movements…” Kate had begun gently rubbing her thumb over the blankets idly. “It feels so much bigger than yourself when you are in that kind of marriage. It wasn’t even me that made him leave in the end.”

Antonio frowned. “Who was it?”

“Fin. He had never shown any magical abilities for years, and then one day… he had enough. Blasted his father clear off the island.”

The Captain knew better than to comment how that feat was both impressive and frightening. Instead, he took Katelyn’s hands in his own, and gently brushed his thumb against the back of her knuckles.

“I won’t try to take away your guilt because that isn’t for me to do, but… I can say that you have saved countless lives since that day. Your son grew up well, Kate. He is grown up now though, and it is okay to once again think about what you may want for yourself. So… I won’t need you to answer my proposal today, or even tomorrow. Remember I had presumed you asleep,” Antonio noted with a subtle teasing tone. “But, do think about it.”

She gave a small nod while furrowing her brow.

Satisfied with that response, Antonio began to wordlessly tuck Katelyn back into the bed, a small smile on his face as he worked.

Once finished, he straightened, and headed back towards the door, before making his exit he turned back to the witch and said, “A bath will be brought up for you once you are awake, along with a hot meal. Though sadly it will be the cooking of the kitchen aides.”

“Whose fault is that I wonder?” Kate muttered darkly.

Antonio chuckled. “Sleep well, lass.”

Staring at the armor plate that spanned his back, the healer’s eyes darted to Antonio’s hand on the handle of the door, and suddenly heard herself call out.

“Antonio would you… would you stay?”

Turning and shooting her a dubious look, the Captain waited to hear what she was about to say.

“To sleep!” She insisted while blushing like a young maiden.

Chuckling again, the warrior made his way back to the bed, and began removing his armor quietly.

Once the task was completed, he slowly clambered into the bed, and lay with his hands folded atop his belly. Once he was resting beside her, Kate nestled down into the covers, and closed her eyes. Somehow, despite having enough on her mind to fill several books, she fell asleep almost instantly.

*

Dawn had just begun creeping over the horizon when Katelyn opened her eyes, and found herself staring at the shadowy profile of the Captain.

It was then she discovered he had a small snore. Not a loud earth trembling snort like some of her patients that had stayed in her home had, but a small rhythmic one that most likely came from his nose having been broken and not quite healed right.

And something about it made Kate feel warm, and safe… and happy.

Moving a little closer to him, she tentatively rested her cheek against his chest, and immediately felt herself blush.

Oh, she liked him alright... Perhaps even more than liked…

His strong calm presence kept any tinge of loneliness far away, and something in her bones knew. Knew that he would take care of her, and love her with everything he had. The Captain would undoubtedly cherish her, and not let her keep braving the world alone.

Then, a sickening pang of guilt pulled at her stomach, tainting the glow of goodness that had begun.

She deserved to brave the world alone.

After what she had put Fin through… her sweet boy had suffered because of what she had decided for him at such a young age. Her penance was decades of hard labor as a single mother, and being his champion through any and all trials to come.

But…

Maybe…  

Maybe, now that he was grown and building his own life, creating his own happiness with someone he loved…  

Maybe that is why she met the Captain now. When one part of her life was coming to an end, the next path was revealed to her.

Glancing up again, to stare at Antonio, her heart quickened noticeably. After a moment, without opening his eye, the Captain’s warm arm slowly drifted up and encircled Kate’s shoulders, drawing her closer to him.

“Antonio,” She whispered ever so quietly. “I think I’d like to marry you.”

The corner of his lips twitched, and then the grip around her shoulders increased ever so slightly.

“That makes me happy lass.”

“I don’t think I know how to be a good wife.”

“Any wife you are is good to me as long as you’re mine.”

Smiling into his chest, Kate lifted her face to him, and showed him her joy.

“Well, then you asked for it Captain.”

Planting a warm kiss on his mouth, Antonio opened his blue eye, and smiled before taking a little more initiative in the celebration with his fiance.

It was going to be a fine day indeed.

That is...  until one of them told Fin…