Leaving Skye, But Not For Good

[Captain Marcos de La Costa]

Post per Kaori's Mun-

“Thank you, Joel,” said Kaori with an affectionate smile to her son who was handing her clothes from his dresser so that she could pack them neatly in his trunk.



“But I still don’t understand, Mama. Why do we have to go to Spain?”



Kay sighed, forcing herself not to roll her eyes. No matter how many times she explained it to Joel, he asked her to explain it again. She supposed he didn’t really want to leave the only home he had ever known, and that she understood. Unfortunately, it was hard on her as well. “En Espanol, por favor.”



“Mama!” he said sulkingly, but quickly asked, “Pero Mama, yo todavia no entiendo, porque tenemos que ir a Espana?” He was doing much better than the twins with his Spanish, but it was in his blood. There was also the fact that he had been born into both languages while Carrine and Caliban had only started with English and a bit of Nihongo.



“Muy bien, Joel!” she said with enough pride to dissolve her son’s pout. “Because, Joel, your father’s homeland is calling to him and I have a feeling this is right.”



“Pero-”



“Pero nada, Joel,” she said, receiving his sulk yet again. She stared at him silently before gesturing for him to come to her. “Come sit with me a moment, Joel.” She moved from her knees so she was seated on the floor, pulling her son onto her lap. “Do you remember when you asked me why we looked so different from our friends and neighbors?”



“Hai, Mama.”



“And we told you then that we missed our homelands very much, didn’t we?”



“Hai, Mama.”



“Now, I know this is a lot of hard work. And I know that it’s going to take some adjusting. But trust me, Chibi. You’ll love it there. I’ve seen it, I know. And you’re finally going to get to sale on Papa’s big ship! You’ve always wanted to, haven’t you?”



“Hai, Mama, pero… Caliban said that the boat could dapsize and that then we’d all drown or get eaten by sharks.”



“Caramba, that boy,” Kaori muttered, shaking her head. “Chibi, you know Papa is one of the greatest sailors ever, right? How else could he be captain of such a big expensive ship? Your daddy is not going to let us capsize and get eaten by sharks,” she said, gently correcting the word he had gotten wrong.



“Or drown?”



“Nor drown,” she reassured him, gently poking his nose.



She got a hug around her neck from her son who dutifully went back to work helping her pack his trunk when what sounded like a herd of cattle stampeded started down the hall. Kaori timed it perfectly so that she didn’t speak until they were just outside the door, loudly saying, “Caliban. Carrine.” The footsteps stopped abruptly, and while she couldn’t be sure, it sounded as if one had collided into the other just shy of the doorway. “I know the both of you aren’t running!”



“Perdone me, Mama!”



“Lo siento, Mama!”



The twins walked past the door slowly, trying to look far more innocent than either of those two had ever been. Kaori wondered how often she was going to have to correct them in the new house. She could already see Marcos desperately trying to preserve his late parent’s possessions as their three terrors charged about the house. Her hand idly moved to her belly briefly as she wondered when the proper time to bring up the fact their family might be expanding was. She wasn’t positive, but either way he would take it beautifully. He took everything she ever had to share with him beautifully. By the Kami, she loved that man…



“Mama? What are you thinking about?” Joel’s voice shook her from her reverie.



“Nothing, why?”



“You have that weird smile on your face. The one you get when you’re talking to Papa.”



Chuckling, she said, “I’m thinking of how happy our family is going to be.”



Skye, Espana, it mattered not. As long as she had her husband and her children, she would be happy. It would be hard to say goodbye to so many friends, but the best thing about goodbye was that it wasn’t always permanent.


To Be Continued...

[Captain Marcos de La Costa]

Already he had seen to the provisions of the ship, his men, and what would be needed for the long journey to Espana for his family. While Kaori was inside with the children, Marcos was outside with the staff as the carriage was brought around so that once everything was packed, Braxton, Maurice, Anna Claire and Emma would be able to load things easily in a short distance. His and Kaori's things were already loaded, and it was only that of the children with there things that needed packing and loading of. Very few things other than clothes would make the trip. He hated the idea that he was having to uproot his family from here in Skye and have them all sail to his homeland, yet... he also looked forward to it. Finally the children would be able to see just what it was their papa did at first hand.

Seeing that Braxton had everything under control as usual, he decided to make his way in to go and check on Karori and the babies. He past by the several rooms necessary to reach the stairs. Sheets had already been placed over various pieces of furniture while other linens had already been taken down and put away. The house was already looking empty and lifeless. It was a beautiful home. Marcos stood in the hall just at the bottom of the stairs and looked over his shoulder to the front door. He thought back to the day he had first brought Kaori here and the look on her face when he had told her the home was now their own. He smirked then and began to make his way up.

He neared the landing just as he heard Kaori call out to the twins, and sure enough, Carrine had bumped into her brother from behind. He lingered in place a moment and watched as they then almost tip toed a few steps and just when they thought it was safe to begin running again, he called out. "Carrine, Caliban, acerca de qué sólo advirtió su madre usted? hm?" It was amusing to see them do a repeat performance of what they had just recovered from. "Hai papa.." they both called back simultaneously. " Ahora complazca, vaya y vea al resto de su empacar para mí y para su madre, sí?" he then asked them. Remembering that Kaori had wanted to work with them a bit more on their Spanish to better prepare them for the language of his homeland. "Si Papa!" They again both called out and this time walking as they should toward their rooms.

He wondered if Mary Beth was in there still, helping them and where she stood with the packing of her own things. With a shrug of shoulders, he made his way into Joel's room to find him and his mother packing his chest of things as well. He smiled, smiled until it reached his eyes, forming the lines that told the tales of a man that had seen many things in his lifetime. None were as beautiful as this however. After entering, he moved over to Joel and scooped him up and shifted the boy to one side. An arm under his bottom while his other hand held to his tiny bicep. "Are you ready to go and see your new home my son? To go and see where and how your padre grew up at?" he asked as he looked down to Kaori then.

As he bent to put Joel back down upon his feet, he was soon coming to sit like his wife, beside her. "Mi Amor, Está listo para volver? Para ir y ver todo esas caras conocidas nosotros dejamos atrás? O se despierta en las mañanas y tiene cuidado a través de las viñas? Para..." his words slipped from a whisper to silence then as he wiggled his brows at the hint of mischievousness.

[Captain Marcos de La Costa]

Now that Carrine and Caliban were in one of their rooms and arguing about something, Joel wasn’t quite as interested in helping his mother. After all, her attention was divided and that was less fun. Still holding a shirt, he was moving closer to the doorway, leaning over to peak in the direction of his older siblings’ room.

As Kaori continued to pack, however, her husband seemed determined to distract her. With his words, her eyes slid from the chest to Marcos, narrowing a bit. She might have said something in reply, but she heard Carrine shout, “Siera tu boca, baka!”

Sighing, Kaori said, “The shirt, Chibi?” Joel jumped and rushed over to sheepishly pass the shirt to her. “Now, go help your brother and sister.”

Joel, far more excited about that prospect than Cal and Carri would be, said, “Gracias, Mama!” and rushed off.

Kay knew full well she had just lit a match next to a powder keg. But Joel’s arrival would distract them from their fight with each other, diffuse it, and it would give she and Marcos about five minutes of privacy before the twins became so angry with their younger brother it would become problematic. Now that they were alone, she quietly said, “Such romantic pictures you’re painting me, and I’m already sold.”

She paused to fold the shirt before carefully saying, “Marcos, do you remember how I was not feeling well last week? And how I became tired shortly after taking Gibralter out and returned home?” Gibralter was the young gray Arabian Kaori had invested in shortly after Vash had died. She had been devastated and grieved for weeks, but she also recognized the need for a new horse. He didn’t quite stack up to Vash in her heart yet, but then again, she had been there for Vash’s first breath and he had been one of the only things she had left Nihon with. That horse had saved her life. She still missed him more than she could express.

She paused again then suddenly blurted, “I’m late.” She looked up at him hesitantly and hopefully all at the same time. “Nearly three weeks at this point. I can’t be positive yet, but…” She didn’t even bother to mention how her breasts ached. She just hoped he wouldn’t be too disappointed by the timing. As if a move and a journey across the sea wasn’t stressful enough. She watched him closely, trying to determine how he felt about this revelation.




Marcos' brows arched however at the sound of Carrine's shout before he smirked. Children, you had to love them even when they could drive you loco. Eyes slid to Joel as he peeked around the door frame and down the hall toward his siblings room before Kaori interrupted him. Marcos grinned as Joel flinched an turned to pass her the shirt.He did look far to happy to go and see what his brother and sister were arguing about. Like Kaori, he knew that Joel's arrival would at first diffuse the situation before another would arise.



As soon as Joel was out the door, his attention returned to his wife, flashing her one of those all to well known charming smiles. "Good, but had I needed to persuade you more, I'd have done so." he grinned. He watched a moment as she folded the shirt and put it away before she asked him if he remembered when she had not felt well last week. "Si mi amor... you are feeling this way again?" he asked with concerned brows that arched high. He wondered if maybe she hadn't been over doing it at times. She was such a busy body and would get so involved in something that she would forget to eat even.



She gave pause once more, and well, he had his answer to his question. At least possibly. Brows relaxed and he stared at her for a moment showing little to no sign of what was to come. Maybe it was shock? Then suddenly, he smiled. He slid in closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. " Usted me da otro hijo o hija?" (You are giving me another son or daughter?) He questioned. Not even giving her a chance to reply just yet, he leaned in softly, the kiss not only tender and affectionate, but passionate. Marcos de La Costa did not let his wife ever want for such a thing, ever. He slowly pulled away from the kiss and a hand came up to caress her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Gracias mi amor... Ya usted me ha dado tanto y todavía, usted todavía da." (Thank you my love, already you have given me so much and still you give.)