Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Dylan pressed her forehead against his own, giving him a sweet smile. "So, are you going to tell me where you're taking John and I tonight? I asked Ballas but he's notoriously tight lipped."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I'm going to warn you ahead of time. It's not going to be romantic til we ditch John with the surprise I have for him." Ashien sighed happily. "But after that, I'm taking you to a special place. Just don't wear anything you wouldn't want to get a little dirty or wet."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You are a hopeless romantic, Ashien." Dylan said as she stole another kiss and laughed softly. "I'll be ready to go whenever you are, love."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think I'll have a nap first. Seems Van was off to do the same last I saw him." It seemed no one had gotten any sleep the night before. Ashien stood and stretched before pausing. "Care to join me?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"If I join you, we won't be napping." Dylan said as she took his hand and let him lead her off towards their bedroom.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Am I really so irresistible that you'd deprive a poor exhausted man of sleep?" He asked with a smirk. He closed the door behind them when they came into their bedroom, and he shrugged off his vest and laid it aside along with his boots before climbing into bed and laying down with a long, relaxed sigh.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan slipped off her slippers and soon joined him, finding her spot on his shoulder with a sigh of her own. It was nice to simply spend time with her husband, away from all the worries and cares that they had to face on a normal day.

"I suppose I could let you have your way this once." Dylan said softly as she looked up into Ashien's dark eyes. "I hope that when we have children they all have your dark gaze."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The only children who consistently don't get the dark Ghis eyes seem to be Brogan's. So you might be in luck." Ashien murmured. "I'm so excited for you to meet them all. And I think you'll love Ciaran and Annie. Annie's got her mother Cassie's blue eyes, and Ciaran's got Julia's green. He's a handsome boy but I think he's going to end up more similar to me, not a powerhouse like Brogan. He's such a small thing. But then again... Brogan was the smallest of us all and now only Durban outsizes him"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, you'll have to make time for us to go. I have nothing pressing keeping me here." Dylan teased him with a smile. "And it will be fun meeting your family. I always wished I could have grown up with brothers and sisters. My parents weren't the best at being parents though."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The plan is still this coming spring as soon as the snow melts," Ashien sighed. "I really wish it could be sooner, but I have too much work to do. And come summer I'll be getting a new round of horses to break in and train for both the werefolk and the cavalry. But I'll worry about that when the time comes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You know, you could teach me about horses. I could help to lessen your load if I can." Dylan murmured, looking at her husband as he talked about the busy future that was ahead of him. "I don't want you to do too much."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's hard work, you know," he murmured, pulling her just a little closer. "But if you're up to it, I think between Kiva and I, we can get you out there. My horses always seem to prefer women."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know it's hard work. What else do I have to do here except draw and entertain your tiger?" Dylan asked her husband as he pulled her just a little bit closer against his side. "Besides, it'll give me more time with you, right? I would say that is very worth it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, so you're just bored. Why didn't you say so? I'd have had you tending to saddles and cleaning stalls the first day you stayed for good," he teased with a grin. "I can teach you leatherwork and all sorts of things that could benefit from your creativity."

 

[heartofcourage]

"One step at a time, my love." Dylan said as her eyes closed and she let out a long sigh. "You can teach me whatever you like, but first, I believe you promised us a nap."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're the one who got me talking," he muttered, but it didn't take him long to begin drifting off. He could fall asleep in seconds as well as be wide awake in seconds at a moment's notice.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan slept peacefully at his side until it started to grow dark outside. She woke with a stretch and sighed softly, glancing around as the shadows grew long in their bedroom. Her belly rumbled with hunger and she knew it had to be near meal time. Carefully, she slipped from bed and changed into a gown of brown wool. It was one that Ashien had bought for her that could be used for hard labor. A pair of sturdy boots were soon pulled onto her feet as well before she left Ash to wake up and she went in search of a snack.

 

[KieranSoares]

Dylandra would find Van in the kitchen preparing dinner for them. Usually it was another serving man out of the handful who looked after Darkwood, but Van was entirely capable. Ballas was at his side waiting for the possibility that he might drop something, and the dining room table was already set with plates, silverware, bread, butter, and a few other things from the larder.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ballas, go and wait for your dinner." Dylan scolded the great tiger as he waited next to Van for some sort of scraps to come his way. "If you eat the table scraps, you'll be as fat as a cow."

She scratched behind Ballas's ears before she turned and gave Van a kiss on the cheek. "What can I help you do?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Could you put the kettle on and get the cups out?' He asked softly with a smile. "I'm almost done. And then you can go fetch your two young men. I'm not sure where John's off to but I can imagine he's probably getting into trouble."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hopefully John stays out of trouble for a while. It's all I can do to keep up with Ashien." Dylan murmured with a smile as she turned to put the kettle on to boil before she pulled down cups for everyone and placed them on the dinner table. "He might be out at the barn working on some furniture. Ballas can wake Ash. I'll get John."

 

[KieranSoares]

Once Dylandra sent Ballas scurrying off to get Ashien, she would find John outside the stables with Kiva. Kiva was showing him how to tend the beast, fix shoes, scrape hooves, and so on. John had a lot to learn if he was going to be a proper knight.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's time for dinner, you two. Don't keep Van waiting." Dylan said with a grin as she found Kiva and John tending to the horses. "I think these beasts can wait until later."

 

[KieranSoares]

Both men stood up straight with smiles, and Kiva spoke up after a respectful nod of his head, "I'd have to disagree, ma'am. They're finicky beasts. They might break out of the stable and come right up to the front door of the manor if I or Ashien are even five minutes late to feed them in the morning."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They can learn to wait then. I'm just a stubborn." Dylan commented, drawing a short chuckle from John. "Now, go get cleaned up. Van won't take pity on your if you're late."