Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"I think that is an excellent choice. Nonna will make sure to keep her safe and Papa will make sure that she gets her bedtime stories every night." Valentina said with a smile as she stood to pack her medicine bag. "And we will have fun with Da in Ireland. Maybe we'll even see the dragon that lives there. I hear that he is big and green."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex knew of dragons very well thanks to Annie. Her interest in fairy tales had forged a bond with Alex over her books which she'd gladly offered him anytime he liked. When Valentina mentioned the emerald Irish dragon, his eyes grew wide, not sure if he should be nervous or excited.

Alex followed her as she packed, watching what she picked up. Then he fetched her jars of mint leaves and raw honey, having long since noticed she always took them so that the sweetness could help patients choke down the bitter herbal mixes she made. Alex always saw Theo being her helper, so he tried to fill those giant shoes seeing as Theo was absent.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, bambino." Valentina praised Alex as he helped her to pack her medicine bag. "You're the perfect little helper."

Once her medicines were packed away safely, she moved to get Alex packed. She let him pick a book to take, his blue blanket carefully folded away with his clothes in a saddlebag. She also let him pick out two of his wooden toys to take. Of course, he chose his dragon and his horse.

"Now, let's get you tucked back into bed while I pack for Da and I." She said as she handed him Anna and tucked him into her bed.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex curled up under his blanket, Anna nestled against his chest. He was fast asleep by the time Theo arrived, soaked to the bone from the rain. He was tying back his long hair as he stepped in, sure to be quiet as he noticed Alex in the bed. "Hi, love," he whispered when he came to her side, kissing Valentina's cheek. "What's goin' on?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've been called to Ireland." Valentina said softly. "Sarah Monaghan's protector is deathly ill. I'm going to treat him and I'm bringing both you and Alex."

She let out a little sigh and looked up at Theo with a slightly embarrassed smile. "I'm postponing the wedding. I'm sorry, amore."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' be. Just because it's not 'appenin' right on schedule doesn' bother me. Hell, nothin'll change between us, jus' makes it all legal an' it's a good excuse fer a celebration." He offered her a smile. "You know I'd be with ya an' Alex even if we never got married, love. If anythin', us gettin' married is t'save my hide from yer brothers an' yours from yer Ma. An' t'say out loud 'ow much we love each other."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're a good man, Theo Irons." Valentina said with a grin. "Working hard to provide for your little family. Don't think that I forget that. Every time I get to snuggle with Alex in the evenings while you work in the pouring rain, I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I do it because you do, love, because I get th'same chances when yer off takin' care o' people." Theo kissed her forehead. "An' we'll 'ave more time with 'im in Ireland in between carin' fer Sarah's man."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He called me Mama." Valentina said with a small smile up towards Theo. "Tonight when Brogan was here with Kell, he woke me up by calling me Mama. I don't think he's ever called anyone by name save for Ma and Papa."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo couldn't help a small chuckle. "Y'look pretty thrilled t'me, love. Tha's one more step toward gettin' 'im talkin'. An' I'm glad 'e's comfortable enough 'ere t'decide we're 'is parents." Not only was it a step in the right direction for Alex's speech, but also his fitting into the family.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't think that my heart could melt any more than it did just then." Valentina said with a smile towards her fiancée. "He certainly tries to fill your shoes when you're not around. He follows me around hands me the jars that he thinks I need. He is very smart for a little boy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tha' he is... Tries t'learn whatever we're doin' so 'e can help. More so with you." With another kiss, he went to gather a few more things and arrange for their horses to be ready in the morning.

 

[heartofcourage]

After a light breakfast, Valentina helped Alex into the saddle in front of her. He gripped the saddle born with excitement in his eyes. She smiled at him and laughed softly as she mounted behind him and pulled Raul around to glance down at Kitty and Vincenzo as they saw them off.

"Take good care of Anna for us, Ma." Valentina said with a smile as she saw the stuffed fox tucked securely in Kitty's arms.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course I will," Kitty assured them, pressing a kiss to Alex's cheek before doing the same to Valentina after having her lean down. "Be careful. I know it's still work, but enjoy your time in Ireland. None of you have ever been there, so don't waste the chance."

 

[heartofcourage]

"When there's time perhaps we can see the sights. Work comes first though." Valentina said softly as her mother bid them a farewell. "Alex has a dragon to see while we're there."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well if you do see him, love, draw a picture for Annie. She'd be thrilled," Kitty told Alex, giving him one last kiss before Vincenzo came to give his farewells too. He pressed a small pack into Raul's saddlebags with a smile to Valentina.

"Just some extra tools, but let's hope you won't need these," he told his daughter before kissing her too. "Be safe, bambina."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We will, Papa. Theo will take good care of all of us." Valentina said with a smile as her father kissed her cheek and they were soon on their way.

It took a while for Alex to get the rhythm of being in a saddle for so long, but once he did, he relaxed back against her. She had to laugh softly at the little boy. He reminded her so much of herself when she was a little one.

"What are those over there, bambino?" She asked him as she pointed towards a flock of sheep grazing on thick green grass.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex followed where she pointed, and he had to stop and think for a moment. "... Goats?" He asked quietly, looking up at her, mixing up the two similar sounding creatures.

"Close, lad. Try again," Theo called in encouragement. "What else makes tha' sound?"

"Sheep?" He asked, looking to Theo and then back to Valentina for confirmation.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perfecto." Valentina said with a wide grin as she leaned down and kissed the toddler. "How did you get to be so smart?"

She had found that Alex flourished with praise and she made sure to give him all of the praise that he could ever want or need.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex was always bashful when she praised him, hiding his face against her arm. Theo drew closer and reached out to ruffle the boy's hair. "Ye've been listenin' well t'yer cousin an' yer Ma when they read, righ'?" That had Alex peeking out to nod slightly, making Theo smile proudly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's always learning." Valentina said as Alex peeked at Theo. "Would you like to ride with Da for a while, bambino? He can ride much, much faster than I can."

She was struggling to get the two of them bonded. She had started calling Theo Da when Alex was around, but the little boy had yet to call him by that name.

 

[KieranSoares]

Even if Alex liked Theo, he still preferred Valentina above any other company. Still, he nodded and Theo let go his reins to draw Alex into the saddle after pulling the horses as close together as possible. Alex settled against him fairly easily and Theo showed him how to hold the reins and steer the steed around objects in their path. Alex was soon entirely occupied and enchanted with riding, learning quickly how to hold the reins loose and how to keep form in the saddle.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think you might have a rider on your hands." Valentina said with a laugh as Alex seemed completely enchanted with steering the horse on his own. "Perhaps when he is a little older we should look into getting him a pony."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sure we could do tha'," Theo agreed, laying a hand on Alex's shoulder. "By tha' time, Annie'll be pretty good at it 'erself. Give ya someone t'ride with, aye, lad?" Alex nodded at that.

"Books and horses," Alex told him, making Theo chuckle.

"That's right."

 

[heartofcourage]

"All of the books that you can possible want, bambino." Valentina said with a smile as he interacted with Theo and spoke more. "I'm sure that Papa can get us some from Italy too. Then, you and I can have our own little language when we don't want Da to know our secrets."