Darkwood (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Dylan," Ashien placed his hands on her shoulders, calling her by the nickname he rarely used. "Relax, love. Everything's just fine. The staff and Van have it all in place, all handled. All we need to do is be welcoming hosts and enjoy ourselves too. And we get to give Burke what I'm sure is his first proper Solstice celebration. He'll be content just to be beside you. And the tribesfolk will already be stunned by the food and decor. You don't have to be stressed about anything."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I bought Burke a mountain of gifts." Dylan admitted, looking shyly up at Ashien as he tried to assure her that everything would be alright. "It's going to be like Christmas celebrations I had with my grandfather. He always spoiled me with gifts."

She turned to look up at him, letting out a small sigh of insecurity. "You need a wife that can host people from all over the world. I just want to prove that I can do that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The point of a wife, my love, is not to play hostess and housekeeper, despite what many men seem to think. The point is to love. I'm as much responsible for hosting and entertaining as you are in our home. And all of that aside, our guests today will be thrilled just to be welcomed. Relax, for my sake if no one else's."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll try my hardest." Dylan promised as he bade her to relax. "There's been a lot of stress, not only from this party but also with the baby. Remind me to tell you about some things that have been happening. Van says it's nothing to worry about, but we do need to discuss it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, now I'm going to worry about it," Ashien stole a kiss before straightening to fetch his jacket. "But we're both going to enjoy ourselves tonight. And Burke is going to know what being part of a family is properly like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Your Ma sent you something for the Solstice." Fiona said as she retrieved a small kilt pin from her jewelry box where she had stashed it after getting the package with her weekly letter. "She thinks you're forgetting your Scottish roots and becoming a heathenish Englishman down here, so she sent a little piece of home."

She turned and pinned the small silver pin to Ashien's jacket, giving him a smile. "When the baby is born, can we use more of your tartan? I want the baby to know their heritage."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I did lose most of my accent," he chuckled at her mention of Kitty. At her request, he kissed her cheek, "Don't worry, love, Ma will probably beat us to it. But even if she doesn't, I have plenty set aside."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan let a smile break across her face as the first bell sounded in the house. "Shall we? Our guests have started to arrive."

She pulled Ashien down for a long and lingering kiss, so incredibly happy in that moment. She had a lovely home, a handsome and loving husband, a child on the way, and a little boy who was trying to make himself fit in to Darkwood as seamlessly as he possibly could.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien chuckled softly, holding her tightly for a long moment before stepping out into the hall with her. "Ballas!" He called, and the tiger, in a handsome leather collar, came padding out to join them. He seemed to know it was a special occasion, his training kicking in to make him behave properly rather than getting up to his usual mischief and laziness. With Dylandra on his arm and Ballas at his heel, Ashien descended the grand staircase into the main hall where serving men Ashien had hired for the evening were taking cloaks as their werefolk guests arrived.

Parting from the group came a tall, lean white male Wolf in soft greys and blues with all manner of Lunar tattoos in his fur. Ashien embraced him fondly with an exchange of Lunar. Dylandra knew him already, the new Head Elder of the nearby Saumi tribe, Gwyhir Almarc.

"Lady Dylandra," he turned to Dylan next with a kind smile. He was only thirty years old, incredibly young for a tribal leader, but he was among the best suited for the job as an experienced warrior captain and shaman both.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Gwyhir, I am so happy that you made it." Dylan said as they greeted each other properly. "I had Kiva invite all of the local tribes this evening to share the joy of the Solstice with the royal family and a few friendly dukes and their relations."

Dylan was surprised to see tribal members passing gifts to the hired men, the great tree in the great hall soon having a sizable pile underneath it. "What's all of this? We didn't expect you to bring us a thing except for yourself and an appetite."

An elderly female dark wolf came forward, pressing her hand against Dylan's belly and murmuring a few words of Lunar to the both of them. It seemed that a few other members of the tribe did the same, Dylan's gaze moving to Ashien for an explanation.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ashien told us you were expecting, so we brought some gifts for you and your coming child. And some for your newest addition, young Burke," Gwyhir explained. And as the tribal elders came to Dylandra, Ashien smiled gently to Dylandra.

"They're offering blessings for health, yours and the baby's," Ashien explained softly. "It's a tradition of mothers to seek the elders' blessings, but many of them will give them without asking to those they like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Tell them thank you." Dylan said with a smile towards Ashien, glancing around for Burke when he was mentioned. "Speaking of young Burke, can you send someone to retrieve him? He's probably still in his room."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Actually, I think he's with Kiva outside." Ashien turned to glance out the window. "He is. He's helping put away horses in the guest stables." The boy had gotten dressed in the black, white, and green outfit Ashien had ordered for him, and thrown on a jacket and cloak to help the stablemaster.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Of course he is." Dylan said as she joined Ashien to look out the window. "He always acts as if he has something to prove. I've told him that all he has to do is be a little boy and do well with his studies. He doesn't listen, of course."

Dylan pressed a kiss to Ashien's cheek before she turned to escort their guests to the parlor for refreshments while they waited for the rest to appear.

 

[KieranSoares]

Other tribesfolk arrived, all of them dressed in their finest woven clothes and dyed soft deerskin with hand-sewn designs and decor. Most could speak enough English to converse comfortably with Dylandra, though a few did need their fellows to translate. A few locals friendly to the Ghis also arrived and a few more down-to-earth nobles who were excited to mingle with the werefolk and learn about them. And then Henry, John, and Isabella arrived and Ashien helped to make it clear to the guests that the king and his daughter were there to meet the werefolk and enjoy themselves just like everyone else. While that did require some of the royal guard posted around the manor, it remained casual.

After the majority of the guests arrived, Burke came to join Dylandra's side to help her, taking a tray of drinks to help pass around.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Burke." Dylan said softly as she knelt in front of the little boy while everyone conversed around them. "Let the servants take care of that."

She passed the tray of drinks to a nearby kitchen maid and then turned back to the little boy, straightening his collar and re-doing a button at his throat. She also carefully wiped away a streak of dirt on his cheek before she gave him a gentle smile.

"There's no need to work right now, love. Now is the time for fun and celebration. In fact, there's some gifts for you under the tree from the tribal members." Dylan said, standing and taking his hand to escort him to the decorated tree.

The pile had continued to grow as more and more people arrived and Dylan would only allow him to open a few before Christmas, but she could see how overwhelmed her truly was by the generosity.

 

[KieranSoares]

As they approached the tree, Burke looked entirely overwhelmed as she'd expected, having never seen so many gifts for anyone in his whole life. He barely knew of any Solstice or Christmas traditions outside decorations and food. Many of the gifts from the tribe were wrapped in simple cloth or bark paper or not at all, while gifts from other folk were in thin boxes. Some from Isabella, John, and Henry were even wrapped in decorated paper, an expensive commodity popular among nobles.

Burke, not realizing any of it was for him, looked over the stacks of gifts and murmured, "I didn't know anyone could be so generous..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Some are for you. I’ll let you open a few tonight but the rest we’ll save.” She said with a small smile, watching as the relalization dawned over him that they had brought him gifts. “We have things to pass out to them as well when the time is right.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why for me?" Burke looked up at her with complete confusion. "They don't even know me. I didn't do anything to deserve a gift."

This was the point that Ashien approached, having overheard. "Burke," he chuckled softly, kneeling to place his hands on the boy's shoulders. "These are gifts of welcome and family. The local werefolk are close friends of ours, not to mention Kiva is a newer member of theirs and part of our family. And now that you're part of our family too, they're welcoming you like they would any new member. And so are we."

Burke looked between the two of them, two people that he was slowly coming to see as his guardians and even parents. "I... I guess I just don't understand."

"You will. It's about family, giving, community, and love. All of the people here today care about you, even if they're only just meeting you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It might never make sense, love. I have a hard time realizing that all of this isn't a dream from time to time." Dylan said with a smile as Burke looked between the both of them. "Your only job right now is to relax and have a good time. Talk to the tribal elders, talk to John and Isabella, learn a few things. That's all I really ask."

Dylan leaned in and kissed Burke's forehead, letting him know just how easy this all would be if he would only allow it.

 

[KieranSoares]

Burke wrapped his arms around Dylandra's neck for a long moment to hug her, burying his face against her shoulder. She heard a muffled 'thank you' before he went to do as she asked. He was too shy to do it alone, so he gravitated toward Van who had a very comfortable relationship with seemingly everyone there.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan was the proud hostess as she escorted everyone to the main dining hall for the meal. For Ashien, she had tasked Van with cooking his favorite Italian favorites and everyone seemed to be pleased with the choices. Pastas, salads, breads, olives, all of it was there and more. She was pleased with how everything was happening and how people seemed to be enjoying themselves.

When the dancing came, she allowed Ashien to lead them to the ballroom on the top floor. The piano was quiet now, but he had hired a band to play lively music for all of their guests. The bird tree glittered against the shined and polished wood. Their artwork lined the walls, including the newest painting that they had finished together of Ashien, staring out at the viewer, as he held her tightly against his chest, her face partially obscured in a moment of intimacy as she rested against his shoulder. It was her absolute favorite.

Dylan stood there at the entrance and simply stared at everything around them, taking in the sight of so much joy within the halls of Darkwood. She had never seen it like this before.

 

[KieranSoares]

Even shy little Burke seemed to be enjoying himself, and he showed a bit more life as some of the tribal children welcomed him into their play. They taught him games any child should know, and even helped him get into a bit of mischief before their parents caught them and redirected them elsewhere.

Ashien was every inch the proud lord of the manor, and despite how he was normally content on his own or with only a couple people, he had the confidence and etiquette of a social butterfly learned from his mother and years learning from older and wiser nobles. Dylandra would often find him entertaining whole groups with stories, speaking of his home and siblings and mother, even explaining some of the decor and food and his Italian stepfather. Van offered stories of his own as a partial host being the head housekeeper, whenever he wasn't organizing the serving staff.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan was caught up in entertaining a group of dukes in the corner of the ballroom, smiling and talking to them about Ashien's plans for the future of Darkwood. She didn't notice the woman with the dark red hair approaching Ashien, giving him a soft smile as their eyes met and the short beckoning motion as she moved to the side of the room, under the portrait of Ashien and Dylandra.

"She's beautiful, Ash." The woman commented, looking up at the painting as Ashien approached. "More beautiful than I imagined you would be able to find."

She looked up at him with a soft smile, the knowing of a woman that had once shared his bed. Lilith, the Duchess of Warwick, was a beautiful woman in her prime, soft on the outside with an iron core. She had enjoyed time with Ashien when both were lonely, but their brief affair had ended as he climbed through the ranks of Henry's forces.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's certainly one in a million," Ashien chuckled, greeting his former lover with a kiss to the cheek. They had never really been in a romantic relationship, but they'd found comfort and enjoyment together while Ashien had been designing Darkwood, living in a small estate rented to him by a fellow officer. "I'm glad you could make it. I never got to show you Darkwood after its completion. You were always so interested in my designs."