Mint and Honey

[heartofcourage]

"So, where does one go to get the best experience during Solstice?" Yasmine asked her fellow soldiers, curious as to this strange little holiday that they all seemed to be excited for.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If y'want th' real experience, the ages-old traditions an' the tribal stuff, you go t'the villages. Erygonians an' Lunars 'ave most o' the same traditions. Here in town, we sorta mix th' holidays up an' jus' enjoy th' music an' food more'n any real sacred traditions. Most families keep their religious things t'themselves except th' day of their holiday," one man explained.

Kreston spoke up then, "My brother Taqu'un is welcoming everyone to join the tribe. Even though the last harvest was lacking, we've had great luck hunting and gathering recently and have plenty to share."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can certainly bring something with me so I wouldn't take food out of another person's mouth." Yasmine said as she was told to go to the village if she wanted to have the full experience of being involved in Solstice.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Everything is welcome, but you're also encouraged to share in our traditional food as well," Kreston assured her. "And if you like, bring a gift for the bonfire. We burn gifts to send them to our ancestors and lost loved ones, and to ask for their blessings and their help to make it through winter. Come the spring Equinox and the Lunar New Year, we have some similar traditions based around the spring."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've never been to a were festival. Where I am from they are done in secret." Yasmine commented, glancing at Kreston. "Many of your brothers and sisters are still in bondage, but they do keep to their traditions."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You must come from the far south. Where from?" Kreston asked. "We have plenty of freed slaves here. My own daughter was kept for a year when she was young, my son's father-in-law was in Spain for years."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The Far East. Close to Constantinople." Yasmine commented as Kreston said that his daughter had been held for a while. "I haven't been back home for a very long time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ah, so you're Byzantine," Kreston nodded. "You look like you've joined the Axemen. What brought you all the way here?" He was always interested in travelers and foreign folk that came to Scotland.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I was told that this was the place to come if I wished to have the best training. I learned of the axe men of Inverness from a group in London. I think I had been there for almost a year, training with a few horsemen there." Yasmine commented, glancing towards Kreston as the food was finally served, bowls of hearty fare to fill all of the soldiers to their content.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Did you happen to work with Ashien Ghis?" Kreston asked before thanking the servers who laid down the bowls. "He's King Henry's cavalry master, Brogan's youngest brother."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I was never good enough to work with Lord Ashien." Yasmine said with a small laugh. "He had enough apprentices by the time I was there."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Do you have much experience with horses? Or even drakes? We're always looking for responsible riders for a group of drakes the Ghis family acquired recently from some African Hunters."

 

[heartofcourage]

"None for drakes. I've only seen them from afar. Horses, yes. I pride myself on being an excellent horse woman." Yasmine commented.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You ought to take some time to work with the drakes if you're a good rider. They're much faster, with bigger personalities usually, not to mention fine hunting companions," Kreston offered with a smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perhaps I will be lucky enough to do that one day." Yasmine said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I have to prove that I am good enough to wear the title of Axeman first. That won't happen until this is healed."

She showed him her splint, the angry bruise dark against her dusky skin. It would be a long wait, she thought to herself, but worth it in the end. She helped herself to the hearty food, her belly full and warm by the end of the meal. She enjoyed Inverness and the people that it attracted. Perhaps she would be lucky enough to call it home for many years to come.

"Kell will have to go to Edinburgh next week. I need some things from the castle and there are important papers waiting on me." Kate told Brogan, looking at him with tired green eyes. "He won't let me make the trip. He tells me that my traveling is over with until the baby arrives."

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' rightly so. Ya shouldn' be travelin' fer some time. Th'baby won' be up to it either fer a while after it's born," Brogan reminded Kate. "But I'm jus' fine with tha'. It'll give yer mother an' I plenty o' time t'spoil you an' th'little one."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Would you let Ciaran go with him? I worry about him traveling alone." Kate asked her Da, reaching out to touch his hand. "I know I worry too much, but he means the world to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What Ciaran does is his own choice, love. Feel free t'ask 'im, he 'as plenty o' good men t'look after th'Rangers while 'e's gone." He took her hand with a smile. "An' I know you worry about Kell as much as 'e does about you. He needs someone t'worry about 'im while 'e's runnin' around tryin' t'make things easier on you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I won't let him do anything foolish. This cub needs both parents." Kate said in a resolute tone, as if the idea that one of them might not survive had crossed her mind. "Although, they are pretty lucky to have a strong grandfather to offer sage advice. And help them to get into trouble."

"You don't even know the half of it, love." Julia said with a smile towards her daughter. "You'll be a fantastic Ma, Kate. You just need to learn how to relax."

"Easier said than done." Kate said, resting her hand on her belly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll figure it out, love," Brogan assured her. "Yer Ma an' I had t'learn how t'handle everythin' an' still be relaxed th'hard way. Odds are, you will too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, perhaps you should find extra guards to take some of the pressure off Kell. It would give you both peace of mind to know that you had a few extra hands around just in case." Julia suggested, watching as Kate considered it for a moment.

"It's not a bad idea. Finding someone that we both trust, however, isn't an easy task. Kell is ruthless when it comes to training. Half of the recruits either don't make it past the first few days or are let go after their first few months for not living up to standards." Kate admitted to her parents.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why don' y'contact 'is grandfather? Th'old Wolf's still around an' trainin' men t'protect Sarah. Maybe Kell could follow 'is example. Rather'n takin' on whole squads, 'e could take on one 'r two apprentices at once an' focus on 'em an' make 'em experts rather'n spreadin' 'is time over a whole group an' no' gettin' what 'e needs," Brogan offered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's worth a try, I suppose." Kate said as she leaned her head against her Da's shoulder. "Or I could just stay here with you. Inverness will keep me safe as always."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm no' sure yer court would like tha' if y'stayed too long, but y'know yer welcome anytime."

Alex arrived at home to pick up supplies, coming across his mother on her own while Theo was out with the other children to give Valentina some time to relax.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I agreed to train you, Alexander, and you promised that you would never work so hard that you couldn't take a break." Valentina murmured as she heard the front door open and turned from her baking to see her eldest enter the cabin. "You made the same promise to your grandfather, I recall."