Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Dylan wanted to celebrate all of the good happenings at Darkwood. Ashien was beaming with news from home that everyone would be there in the spring. John was in love, but nervous that Elizabeth might reject his offer when he had saved enough for a suitable ring. Dylan had put together a meal for all of the people that they loved most dearly at Darkwood. The first duty that she had undertaken as the lady of the manor.

 

[KieranSoares]

Henry and Elizabeth gladly joined in and John came with them. Ashien had welcomed Van as a proper guest rather than housekeeper. Kiva and some friends from the tribe came too, and it just so happened that someone Ashien really wanted Dylandra to meet had come to London on business for the court of Inverness. And that evening just in time to answer Ashien's welcome to dinner, Dylandra heard a loud knock on the front doors as she was on her way to get a couple bottles of wine. A whole case of wine had been delivered that morning and left by the door to be put in the cellar later when Kiva had a moment.

 

[heartofcourage]

The great hall was richly decorated in Ashien's colors. The table was set with a beautiful centerpiece that Dylan had made herself from branches pulled from the forests around the estate. The cooks had made a beautiful dinner of some of Ashien's favorites and she was soon rushing around to finish the last details. Ballas was at her heels, purring loudly each time she stopped to do something. A scratch behind the ears and a fond smile and she was on her way yet again.

She had bottles of wine in her arms when she heard a loud knock at the door. The first guests were scheduled to arrive soon and she wondered if they were early. Making her way to the thick doors, she pulled it open and looked out at the person that was standing there.

 

[KieranSoares]

Before Dylandra stood a vast giant, the largest man she'd ever seen. A massive claymore hung on his back and a bear-fur cloak around his shoulders over a dark green tunic, a black kilt, black trousers, and huge boots. His long dark hair was tied back tightly and his full beard looked to be recently trimmed. One gloved hand rested on a hatchet at his belt and a small smile came to his face as she stood before him.

"Evening, lass," he spoke in a deep Scottish bass. His dark, kind eyes were exactly like Ashien's. "I 'ad an invitation t'dinner t'night. Hope I'm no' too early."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, not at all." Dylan said, a little taken back by the man that stood in front of her. "Ashien didn't tell me that we were expecting another guest, but there is more than enough to go around."

She stepped aside to let him into the manor, glancing towards Ballas as he bounded up towards the man and rubbed against his legs like a house cat greeting a long lost friend. "May I ask your name, sir?"

 

[KieranSoares]

The huge man chuckled and knelt to scratch Ballas' neck and ears fondly. "Hiya, big guy." At Dylandra's question, he smiled to her once more. "Durban Ghis, Ashien's eldest brother. He heard I was comin' down t'the English court so 'e wanted me t'come meet 'is new wife."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Durban." Dylan said as he introduced himself. "I'm Dylandra. Ashien has told me a lot about you. A lot about the entire family, in fact."

 

[KieranSoares]

Durban rose as she introduced herself. "I've been lookin' forward t'meetin' you, lass. Welcome t'the family." He drew her into a gentle and welcoming embrace, and when they parted he took the wine to carry it for her. "I need t'go beat up my little brother. Ma's orders."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's already nervous enough about what your Ma thinks about our marriage. She's sworn to disown him and keep me in the family." Dylan said with a smile towards her brother-in-law as she showed him the way into the great hall. "Ash? Someone is here for you, love."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien turned from Van as she called, and Dylandra got a glimpse of the bit of Ashien that was still an excited child when he darted toward his brother and the two met in a tight hug. "Brother," Ashien murmured. "You didn't answer back. I was afraid you wouldn't come."

"How could I resist? I had t'come see if yer lass was worth stealin'. I think I'll take 'er home t'Ma."

 

[heartofcourage]

"At least someone wants to take me home to your mother." Dylan murmured with a smile as she poured the wine and waited for the other guests to arrive. "Ash is nervous to find out just how much trouble he's going to be in."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're going to be there this spring. My schedule's just too erratic to run home when I please," Ashien told his brother.

"I know, lad. Y'don't have t'explain yerself t'me." Durban smiled down at him and clapped him on the shoulder. There was a close bond between them unaffected by time or distance apart. And Ashien seemed to look at Durban like the giant was his hero.

"Have a seat. Henry and Elizabeth and our friend John will be here any minute." Ashien got him a glass and Durban gladly partook of the wine.

"I would'ave brought my lass an' our little ones, but Marri decided she wanted t'have a little girl time with our Elise, so my older boy's off learnin' t'herd sheep an' my younger boy's spendin' time with Kayla while she visits," Durban told them.

"I only got to meet Seamus once. He must be a giant by now if he's anything like you," Ashien commented. "And Gabriel must be tall as Marri."

"Not quite, but Seamus is turnin' out like Boar fer sure an' Gabriel's plenty big enough t'ride an' herd alone now."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, Seamus, Gabriel, and Elise. Those are my nephews and niece?" Dylan asked her husband, glancing at him as he laughed and shook his head. "There are more? Ashien Vincent Ghis, how many more secrets are you keeping from me?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well there's Julia an' Brogan's two, Annie an' Ciaran. There's Boar an' Emma's boys Leon an' Eli, Selena's boy Ruben, an' Kay an' Valentina don' have any an' they aren' married. Though I'm sure it's only a matter o' time til Kay marries 'er Captain. Other'n tha'... I can't think o' anyone else but Ma an' Vincenzo an' Cole. But Cole was our adopted brother a' one point til 'e was taken in by Ma's best friend, the woman Ash is named for." Durban gave Dylandra a smile. "Cut 'im some slack. Ever since 'e could walk, 'e's been easily distracted. Put a brush in 'is hand an' he might ferget t'breathe."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan glanced over at her husband and raised an eyebrow, shaking her head before she kissed his cheek and left him to talk with his brother as she went to make sure that everything was in place. The meal smell delicious and the plates looked beautiful. When the last of the guests finally showed, she allowed them to enter the great hall and take their seats.

When she entered with Ashien, she had a smile on her lips that was nervous and luminous. She wanted the dinner to be memorable and she wanted to make Ashien proud of what she had accomplished when she set her mind to the task at hand.

 

[KieranSoares]

With all their friends gathered round, Ashien stepped toward the great long table with Dylandra. No one ever sat at the head of the table in Ashien's home unless there wasn't enough room, so Ashien and Dylandra sat toward the middle across from Henry and Elizabeth. John and Durban were across from one another, and Van, Kiva, and their friends Elders Dorn and Kyn from the local tribe across from one another. The serving staff had done everything exactly to Dylandra's request and had brought out a huge pork roast with plentiful fruits and vegetables around the table, wine and cheese from near and far, and the centerpiece was a large decorated tray of Italian olives, goat cheese, and bread baked in an Italian style with olive oil and Mediterranean spices on the side. Dylandra had learned quickly that Ashien adored olives and Mediterranean food, hence his deep appreciate for Van who could cook such things and had friends to order olives from.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, love?" Dylan asked him as they took a seat at the table at the service started. "Did I do you proud?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Extremely proud," Ashien murmured, kissing her cheek. "I'll make a graceful hostess of you yet." He couldn't help teasing. Everything was going so well and it would only be another season before he was headed home with her to see his entire family. Above all, he missed his twin, his mother, and the dear man he called father.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll make Darkwood proud sooner or later." Dylan teased right back as she returned her husband's kiss and laughed softly. "I wanted this evening to be beautiful because you've made my life extremely beautiful."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I certainly try my best. Good to know I've succeeded."

Conversation went on for a while til it turned to news of Inverness. Durban was happy to inform them that Inverness' longtime enemy of Wick had declared peace when Lochlan O'Hennessey had been overthrown by his second son Arland. His first son Breven, much older, had long since renounced the title of Prince and gone off to seek a new life somewhere in France. Rumor held that he'd found employment with the Ghis children's uncle Seamus in his vineyards. Durban also added that a new treaty had been formed between the High Throne of Scotland and some northern English clans like Lancaster and Newcastle.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It seems that everything is working out nicely for Scotland and England." Dylandra said as she glanced towards Henry and Elizabeth.

"Peace is always welcome." Elizabeth said as she looked over at her father. "Always. Especially when the crown has been heavy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've always hoped my northern neighbors would find peace with the Scots. It's been a long time coming. People say Scots are stubborn, but they haven't met English clan kings who've fought those Scots all their lives. Thankfully only a few clans continue to be a problem, and they're not strong enough to cause much trouble. I'm also very surprised Brian and Marianne and their allied clan kings were willing to accept peace. It must've been quite the fight in court with their nobles."

"Ye've got no idea, Henry. I was there," Durban chuckled deeply. "It was only jus' declared when I crossed th'border between Scotland an' England. I followed th'messengers south. Stirling an' Perth're still against it."

"I'm sure. But Brian will keep the peace."

"Inverness is behind 'im if 'e struggles, same as she's always been behind you," Durban assured him. In Dylandra's time, there was always still a little bit of abrasiveness between the countries of the United Kingdom when it came to politics, but in this time, such cooperation between Scotland and England had been unheard of since 1066.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, if I can live with a Bullheaded Scot, anyone can." Dylan said with a smile towards her husband as she tried to lighten the conversation. "I don't think I have met someone as narrow focused and stubborn as Ashien. Perhaps it simply runs in the family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Wait until you actually get to know this brute," Ashien told her with a motion toward his brother. "I learned from him and Selena. And Boar and Brogan are somewhere in between myself and them."

"We migh' be stubborn, but Ma still manages t'wait us out 'r convince us all th'time. She's no' aggressively stubborn like us, but... I guess she's patient," Durban said with a smile. "Tha's why she 'asn't sent all of us t'drag you home. She can wait."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She raised a lot of children. There's something to be said for a woman that can manage that and still keep her sanity." Dylan said as she noticed John glancing towards Elizabeth for a long moment.

Elizabeth noticed the way that John was staring and she actually blushed, giving him a shy smile as she glanced back at him. He had been spending more and more time at the palace with her, simply getting to know her more intimately. It was nice having someone like him there for her.