Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

"Well I'd 'ope not. It'll be mostly Ghis there, so ye'll probably get overwhelmed by sheer numbers."

"We'll see about that. She's faster than most of you," Alex vouched quietly. "And certainly younger than about half."

Boar could only chuckle. "I may be old, lad, bad knees an' all. But I can still outrun you an' yer cousins an' beat any o' you in a match, fair 'r unfair."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Grandpa can still take down a boar quicker than Dad." Lucy said with a grin towards her grandfather. "Dad says he'll never be able to do the things that he can."

Yasmine chuckled as she saw just how much the children adored their grandfather. She knew the story of how Lucy had lost her father and mother and how Boar and Leon had worked together to make sure that she grew up to be the polite young woman that she was today. Everyone was protective of her, but she had more freedom than she really knew.

"There are some out there that might take that as a challenge, Miss Ghis." Yasmine said with a smile towards Lucy as she turned towards a stall to pick out some apples for her Gran.

"Grandpa, can I get some extra for Will? I have my own coins from Uvore." Lucy said, glancing up at her grandfather.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar could only sigh at her mention of Will. He was well-aware of the puppy love the boy had for Lucy, and Boar's only real conditions were that it stayed a puppy love for a long time and the boy was respectable and respectful. "It's yer money if Dazu gave it t'ya, love. You do what y'like," Boar told her, laying his free hand on her back with a small smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Lucy likes to kiss Will." Lynndon teased and Lucy turned bright red, looking at her little cousin as he dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"I do not." Lucy said as she bought her own apples and picked out some for her Gran. "Uvore and Dad said I can't kiss anyone until I'm older anyway."

"We shouldn't spread rumors, Lynn." Yasmine said softly as Lynndon kept giggling. "Least you hear some about yourself in the market one day."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar gave Lynn a nudge. "Mind yerself, lad, else I'll let yer little sister do th'same t'you one day when y' find someone you fancy."

Boar hugged Lucy to his side as a bit of reassurance of not only his trust in her, but that he'd not let her suffer too much teasing.

Meanwhile, Alex had gotten distracted, flipping through his journal quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Does your cousin always have his nose in a book?" Yasmine asked Lynndon, glancing towards Alex as he had his journal pulled out. "He'll miss the world if he keeps it up."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Always. Aunt Val said he's been that way since he could read," Lynn told her. "Reading or working."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, he won't be today." Yasmine promised the young boy as she turned and pulled the journal out of Alex's hands, tucking it away in her own satchel. "Don't worry. You'll get it back when the feast is over with."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I... I need that." Alex muttered quietly, but when she tucked it away, he just sighed and tried to focus on the boys despite his racing mind.

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, you don't need it. It's a book with things written in it. This is real life. Enjoy it while you have the chance." Yasmine insisted as he turned his attentions towards Jamie and Lynndon.

The two boys seemed interested in another vendor close by that sold horse tack. Yasmine ventured towards them as Boar and Lucy gathered the last of the fruit that they would need for Emma.

"One day, when I get my own horse, he's going to have black studded tack like Uncle Brogan." Lynndon dreamed, looking at everything that there was to choose from.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No' green-dyed leather like mine?" Boar asked, but he couldn't help chuckling and hugging Lynn against his side. "You prove yerself an' you save up fer it, I'm sure David would be glad t'make you any color you like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I like green." Jamie mentioned, looking up at his grandfather as he teased Lynndon.

"No, not green. I want a black charger and black tack." Lynndon insisted, having already dreamed many nights about the kind of horse that he would have.

"Bakers don't have chargers." Lucy commented and Lynndon turned to look at her with his hands on his skinny hips.

"Mama said I don't have to be a baker if I don't want to be one. I can go to Edinburgh and join Kate. My Gran has a home there and she promised to teach me anything I wanted to know about Edinburgh." He saw Marianne as much as he possibly could, even though she was getting frail as the years wore on. She adored the boy and he was certainly a bright spot in her retired life.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Bakers can 'ave chargers," Boar laughed, hugging Lucy to his side. "They jus' don' ride into battle. Anyone can 'ave a fine horse if they work 'ard."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da has one. He's old now, but he's still a charger." Lynn insisted as Boar defended his grandson, using the same good cheer and soft voice that he had raised his own children with.

Yasmine enjoyed watching the little family interact, glancing towards Alex from time to time. He seemed uncomfortable, unsure of what he needed to be doing right then in that moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex wasn't necessarily uncomfortable with his family, but he was uncomfortable with not working. He had not been without work to do in so long that he didn't know what to do with himself. Boar caught on eventually and hugged Alex to his side. "Come on, lad. Don' fall too far behind. Yer Ma'll be glad t'see ya doin' somethin' other than worryin' about everyone."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah, Alex! We have lots to see!" Lynndon exclaimed, making it his mission to make sure that his cousin had a good time.

Yasmine chuckled as the group moved on, looking at each and every stall that there was in the pavilion. Lucy excused herself from the excursion after a while to take the fruit to her grandmother so that she could finish the food for that evening. Jamie stuck to his grandfather like glue, holding onto his free hand as they walked.

Yasmine spent her money at a few booths, picking up some trinkets, including a new shawl that was midnight blue. She thought it was beautiful and she intended to wear it that evening as she had been invited to the Ghis gathering with the rest of the axemen. She even bought a tasty apple at a stall and tossed it to Alex with a grin.

"A peace offering since I took your journal." She commented, glancing over towards Lynndon and Jamie as they pointed out some wooden swords that they wanted to their grandfather.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't need peace offerings, but I appreciate it," Alex murmured with a small nod, his attention following the boys too as Boar leaned down between them to consider the swords.

"Well... I don' know, lads. If it were up t'me, I'd be glad t'get 'em fer ya. But I'm no' the one that'll have t'deal with ya when y'get bruises an' cracked knuckles. You ask yer Ma an' Da when y'get home, an' if they say y'can have 'em, we'll see."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You are far too serious for your own good." Yasmine said, shaking her head as she heard Boar telling the boys that they needed to ask their parents first before they could get the swords. "I thought a grandfather was meant to help get you into trouble first and then protect you against parents that were a little sore."

Lynndon glanced towards Yasmine and then at his grandfather, nodding with bright eyes at the suggestion. Jamie was a bit more reserved, prepared to ask his Mama before anything else.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I normally do, but swords mean mischief in th' hands o' young lads, an' Kayla doesn' need tha' righ' now. But I'm sure if y'ask yer Gran nicely, she'll let ya keep 'em at our 'ouse if Kay doesn' want 'em 'round the bakery."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Really?" Lynndon asked with huge eyes full of excitement. "I'll ask Mama when we get home. I promise we can be good with them, Grandpa. I won't let Jamie get hurt."

Jamie was his quiet self, not saying anything but showing his own excitement by squeezing Boar's hand. Jamie was very much like his father, quiet and content.

"The first rule of a soldier is to be respectful of a weapon. They aren't toys." Yasmine offered the boy. "Even if wooden ones are used for play. Be respectful of them and you shouldn't have troubles."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well said," Boar nodded to Yasmine. "Now, lads, I'd better get back t'yer Gran t'help 'er finish up. I'll see you a bit later." He looked to Alex too, who was distracted once more with his own thoughts. "Al. Relax," Boar patted his shoulder and gave Yasmine a smile before he headed off toward home.

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, lads, what should we do now?" Yasmine asked, glancing towards Alex. "Perhaps something to make the healer lighten up?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Only Papa knows how to do that," Lynn told her as Alex seemed entirely unaware of their conversation, looking absently at some of the stalls. "Alex isn't used to not working."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, he better get used to it when he's out with me. I don't work when I don't have to." Yasmine said as Lynn told her that the only person to make him lighten up was his grandfather. "How about some sweets and a show?"

Jamie nodded his head as he took his brother's hand. It seemed the little boy was finally content to spend time with them without his grandfather or father around.

"How about it, healer? Think that you can handle eating some sweets and seeing a show with these lads?" Yasmine asked, glancing towards Alex with her hand on her hip.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hm?" Alex turned. Even if he didn't have his mother's hearing problems, he'd always unknowingly imitated her habit of focusing on just one thing at once. He could multitask with the best of them, but when he wasn't sure what to do with himself, he could daydream or get lost in thought for hours.

"Come on, Alex," Lynn took his hand, leading him down the row of stalls toward a trader selling a Sicilian treat made with cheese and sweet syrup.