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Of the Fells

At her question, Valentina saw Theo's expression turn so soft that it was as if she'd asked him about the love of his life. "Words can' describe 'ow beautiful they are... I grew up right in th'middle of 'em. My family was always known fer bein' men an' women o' the highlands and fells. It's like an ocean o'rolling hills and grass, little valleys and cliffs here an' there like th'highlands, but... softer, less unforgiving, but still just as rugged and wild."
 
"Your eyes light up when you talk about your home." Val commented softly, watching him with a soft smile on her lips. "You'll have to show me one day. I love to travel."
 
"Yer terribly kind, y'know tha'?" He smiled to her. "Y'always this nice t'new people? 'R am I gettin' some kinda special welcome?" He almost seemed like the way Brogan had been while he was courting Cassie; soft and easygoing and willing to take his time. He'd been an impatient man before then, and became so again after Cassie had died, but he was softening with Julia.
 
Valentina actually blushed furiously at those words, sputtering on her tea as she looked at Theo with wide eyes. "No. I mean, yes. I mean...you seem like you need a friend and an ear that will listen. I'm a really good listener."
 
"Except when yer focused, aye?" he chuckled, having already noticed how she was able to so intensely focus on the task at hand and shut everything else out. He meant it in good spirit, unlike others who seemed a little bit put off by her intensity while working.
 
Val went quiet at his question. It was her greatest fault but few knew it was because of her disability. Not even all of her siblings knew. Brogan and Selena knew as they had cared for her most as a child, but Boar, Durban, and the twins were still in the dark as to what Tamblin had done to her so long ago.

"I do tend to focus too much on the tasks at hand. Papa says that will make me an excellent healer one day and I might save the life of someone important."
 
"No life's more important than any other," Theo murmured in response. "Anyone y'help is important." Vincenzo often said the same, though he knew many people focused on the idea that Valentina saved the lives of kings and queens and their children, not the common people she helped day in and day out, and the occasional little scruffy farmer's boy who came in with a broken arm and tears sliding down his cheeks, seeking her help. Theo took a sip of his tea and let himself relax.
 
"I lost my hearing when I was born." She said softly, looking at Theo as she shared her dark secret. "Well, most of it. I have a hard time talking with people while I'm doing a task because of it."

Why had she shared that, she asked herself. Her father had always told her that it was easier to tell a secret to a kindred spirit. Perhaps that's what she saw in Theo...someone just like her.
 
"S'nothin' t'be ashamed of," he told her like it really was of no bother to him, as if it weren't a big deal, just something to make amendments for and go on, like Brogan and Selena had treated it.

A knock sounded on the door and Theo looked up as they heard the voice of one of the serving maids. "Lady Valentina," she said softly. "Could I 'ave you come take a look at my son? I think 'e's ill..."
 
Val looked towards the door as the knock sounded and she was to her feet in an instant, grabbing her old leather satchel that she carried almost everywhere with her. "Duty calls." She said softly.

"Feel free to sleep here tonight if you wish. I might not be back until the morning." She offered as she opened the door to her room and greeted the serving maid.
 
"Thank ya..." Theo nodded, watching her go as the maid led her away to her own home where her son was ill with fever. Valentina was gone all night and only made it back just before sunrise when the blue light that signaled morning's arrival began to light the town. The farmers were always the first to rise, followed soon by the lumberjacks who had to get everything in order before setting back to their usual cutting.

When she came inside the walls surrounding the keep's courtyard and its buildings such as the stables, armoury, a master blacksmith's shop, and a barracks, she saw Theo making himself useful to the stablemaster, cleaning the horses' hooves. He seemed to know very well what he was doing.
 
Val was tired, but she had saved the boy's life. He had caught a cold from too much time in the woods. His fever was high, but she had successfully brought it down and he was sleeping peacefully by the time she had left. She had a full day ahead of her as well with her brother being ill and Julia. It would be hard, but she would get through it as she had so many times before.

She caught sight of Theo working with the stable master as she made her way back into the keep. There was something about the man that captured her attention no matter what. She had little time to think about it though as she ran into a person coming out of the keep. Turning her attention to them, she let out a sigh as she saw her father.

"Papa, you scared me." She murmured, letting out a sigh. "Thomas Delaney has a cold. He told his Ma that he had stayed home all day, but he was out running through the woods after his hunting dog. She came and got me in the middle of the night but he seems to be doing well this morning."
 
"Scared you?" He chuckled. "You were staring off into space, cara mia." He nodded at her explanation and kissed her cheek. "Go and get some rest. Brogan's doing well and Julia seems to be content just staying with him. It's best just to let them rest rather than fuss. So you finally have time to sleep. Andiamo, amore." He used that phrase with her all the time when she was trying to keep working even when she was dead tired.
 
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"Ti amo, Papa." Val said softly as she hugged her father tightly, her cheek pressed against his chest. She loved her father more than anything in the world and to finally have him there in Scotland with her was like a dream come true.

"You'll check on Thomas for me at noon? And make sure that Ma takes her medicine. Oh...and Ciaran had a sniffle..." She stopped only when he pressed his fingers against her lips as he had done when she was little as well. "I know, I know. A letto. I'll go to bed."
 
"Dormi bene. Ti amo," Vincenzo sent her off with a kiss to her forehead. He'd send a maid around later to make sure she really had gone to sleep, so she couldn't get away with sneaking around. She was left in peace to sleep (as she hadn't slept much since Brogan's arrival in such a bad state) until a bit past noon when she woke on her own. She could faintly hear the usual sounds of hustle around the keep, nothing new, and through her window she could see the snow falling ever so lightly. It was only after a long silence that a knock sounded on the door, a serving man letting her know that lunch was being served if she wanted to come out. Vincenzo had probably sent him. The man always made sure she never forgot to eat, because she could starve herself without realizing it quite easily.
 
Val heard the sounds of the knocking, the voice telling her that lunch was being served, but she ignored it. Later she could blame it on simply not hearing them, but she found herself unwilling to get out of bed.

Her eyes traveled from the window where the snow fell like crystals in the air to her collection of jars and pouches, containing all manner of medicines and herbs. Her eyes then traveled to the wall where her bed rested, the maps of Italy and parts yet unseen posted there. She wanted to see the world one day, but at the present her maps were her only escape. She would plot her course, close her eyes and dream of what she would see. Perhaps when Inverness no longer needed her, she thought to herself as her fingers absently traced the rivers and trails of Mongolia.
 
It was after another hour that Vincenzo himself came to fetch her. "Val," he opened up her door, and when he saw her staring at the maps on the wall before her bed, he smiled almost bitterly. His little girl had so many hopes and dreams, but she never put any stock in them as long as anyone was sick or hurt. He let his head rest against the doorframe as he leaned on it. "Cara mia..." he spoke softly, and she knew his heart was breaking to see her so, just as it had every time he caught her daydreaming as she looked at the maps and illustrations of places far away. She'd taken after him believing that the job of a healer was the most important in the world and that she had to keep up Vincenzo's standards in his place when he retired. She'd been determined to do so since the moment she could comprehend what a healer was.
 
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Val heard a noise and she turned to see her father in her doorway watching her. He had caught her day dreaming so many times before and each time she felt guilty. It was as if stealing that moment away for herself was taking her away from helping him. She lowered her head slightly and pulled herself from bed.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I overslept." She commented as she moved to dress for the day.
 
"You may have been dreaming, mi amore, but not sleeping," he smiled lovingly. "Principessa, why don't you ever take time to follow those dreams? You would be so much happier. Why, Durban is going to take his family to Normandy this spring to see Seamus. Surely you could go with them."
 
"Because you need my help, Papa. You know that there is always something to be done in the spring, from babies to burials." She said softly as he looked at her with a loving gaze. "Besides, Durban has his own family to worry about. He doesn't need to be escorting his little sister all over the earth."

Val took her father's hands, looking up into his familiar gaze. "I'm fine, Papa. I promise you that."
 
"You lie, darling. I know you are not happy as I wish you to be. You're going with Durban." Vincenzo had never been too strict a father, letting Valentina understand things on her own, but he was adamant about this.
 
"Papa." Valentina said as he eyes grew wide. "Non posso. Papa, you need me here this spring. I need to help you care for Ma."
 
"Ma is perfectly fine and getting even better. I can make it one spring without you." He kissed her forehead as he laid his hands on her cheeks. "You're going, Valentina. For once in your life, you're going to have a real adventure without work. And if it makes you feel any better, I do want you to do some things for me while you're there and do a little bit of studying and collecting that can only be done in such a place as Normandy."
 
Val looked into his eyes as he told her that she was going and that she would have a mission while there. She knew that the mission was only secondary to her seeing the places that she had always dreamed about and she gave her father a soft smile.

"Grazie, Papa." She said softly as she hugged him tightly.
 
"Now come eat, because I know you won't if I don't make you. Chessie set aside a meal for you." He let her be to dress and he made his way to the kitchen to await her. When she arrived, she saw her father- as usual- charming Chessie out of her wits. Even though he was twenty years older and she knew very well that he was entirely faithful to Kitty, the two loved to flirt and tease each other for sport. Vincenzo did that with just about everyone anyway, he was very likable and his exotic foreign accent and Italian flare of style made him a wonder. Valentina often received similar attention from men, but not to the same degree because of how enveloped in her work she was.
 
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