Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Good." Aleister nodded. "I'll 'ave ya finish this bowl o' dough, then I want ya t'take all the boards with a two on 'em an' bring 'em out front. I'll show ya how t'work the ovens an' how long t'keep th'rolls in."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll try my best." Kayla said as she listened to his instructions and immediately got to work on finishing the bowl of dough that he had left in her possession.

She wanted perfection and she really wanted him to keep her employed. The more time away from home, the better for her entire family. They all needed space and time to let this entire situation process.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister headed back out front as the shop door opened, and Kayla heard a townswoman and a little girl talking. Kayla caught a glimpse of them through the archway.

"Morning, Al," the woman said kindly.

"Mornin', Bell, li'l Miss Rose," Aleister's kind tone drifted through and Kayla saw him offer the little girl a small sweet roll, which she politely and excitedly accepted. "What can I get fer ya?"

"Just the usual, if you don't mind."

"Sure."

"Oh, who's that?" The woman, Bell, caught sight of Kayla.

"New hire, Kayla Ghis. Boar's daughter."

"Hello, dear," Bell called to her. "Don't let Al bully you. If he does, I'm here every other day. I'll sort him for you." She chuckled and Aleister rolled his eyes with a tiny grin.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was concentrating on her task when she heard the bell at the front of the shop sound and a woman and little girl stepped in. She glanced through the arch to watch them and she noticed how Aleister was kind to them, but still gruff as he handed the little girl a small sweet roll. She smiled slightly as she turned back towards the dough that she was finishing up and preparing to place on the rack before she grabbed the rolls that needed to go into the oven.

She entered into the bakery just as Bell called out to her and she grinned at the woman's advice. "I think I can handle Aleister. He's no different than my older brothers. Besides, I'm so grateful that he's giving me a job that there's not much I can do to get into trouble."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, you'll find a way, and when you do, he'll be too much of a softy by then to do anything about it. Right, Al?" Bell grinned at the gruff man and he just sighed. "She's cute. You should definitely keep her." Bell paid him for her order and she gave a cheery goodbye before heading out with her little girl. Aleister scratched the back of his head and looked to Kayla.

"She's my cousin," he murmured. "Acts like my mother most of the time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She seems very nice." Kayla said softly as she passed the tray of dough to him, giving him a reassuring smile that she hadn't taken offence to what his cousin had said. "But I do want to make it clear that...well, I'm not here for a relationship. My last one ended badly."

She might have been overstepping herself by saying that, but she wanted to be honest with him. "My boyfriend died...and I'm carrying his child."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What?" Aleister paused at that, forgetting his baking. "Christ, I..." he paused and looked down at her. "I'm sorry fer your loss, Miss Kayla... I'll tell Bell t'stop it with th'teasin'." Hesitatingly, he reached out a hand to touch her own after a long silence. "Listen... long as ya do yer best... ye've got a job 'ere. Like hell if I'm gonna put a young mother out of a job. An'... you jus' tell me when y'need time off when th'time comes, aye? I'll be glad t'keep ya even after it's 'ere."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No." Kayla said softly, glancing at Aleister as he said that. "I don't want pity from anyone. If I am not the right one for this job, I expect you to do what you should do about it."

She stared at this man that she barely knew, letting out a soft sigh. He had the right to know that she was going to have a baby. She wouldn't tell anyone who the baby's father was until he knew for himself. She wanted to prove that she could make her own way in life, like her parents wanted her to.

"I have made some mistakes in my life, Aleister. My parents expect me to be adult about it and find my own way. I intend to do just that." She said softly, looking at him with an unknown expression. "And if you don't mind, I'm going to go make some scones."

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister said no more on the subject, but it was clear that he was going to keep to his word, especially because she was already showing potential. It wasn't a week after coming to work there that Inverness received the official news that Gale was on his deathbed, and poor Marianne was retaking the throne as there were no heirs. Brogan was sending tribal healers to see if they could help, and telling his family to be prepared to go to Edinburgh to pay their respects if Gale did indeed succumb to illness. As she came home one evening, Kayla heard her parents discussing the journey to Edinburgh. Boar would go, of course, as Marianne was a close friend of the family, and Eli and Leon wanted to go as well.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla hung up her coat and silently entered the room, listening to her family plan for the trip to Edinburgh. None of them knew that she was there as her father stated that he would go, Eli and Leon would go, her mother would stay behind to care for Lucy. If she went, she knew how much pain she would bring to Marianne who was already going through so much.

"I'm not going." Emma said softly, looking as they all turned to notice her there for the first time. "Mummy, you can go and I'll take care of Lucy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Actually," Boar spoke up, holding out a folded paper to her, "Marianne asked fer you t' come back an' talk with 'er, and t'see Gale before it's too late." His eyes told her just how concerned he was for her own heart.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla took the note and didn't bother to open it, looking at her father with a mixture of sadness and resignation. "I would have to take time off from the bakery. I can talk to Aleister in the morning." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If he doesn't understand, I'll talk with 'im," Boar assured her softly. He knew this would all be terribly painful for her and he would try to make it easy as possible.

 

[heartofcourage]

The next morning, Kayla walked into the bakery with a heavy heart. She wasn't sure how Aleister would take the news that she was leaving for some time. She had just started her new job and she loved it there, but she knew he needed the help and she was leaving at the worst possible time.

"Aleister?" She called, entering the bake house. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister emerged from the back with flour all over his hands and apron, dusting the white powder away as he saw her. "Yeah?" He asked as he picked up his oven paddle and went to take out the first loaves of the day from the huge ovens. He was always up very early to start, and was usually taking out the first batch of bread when she arrived.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm being called away to Edinburgh." She said softly, wondering if he would be upset with her. "My entire family is going. The king is dying and his mother wishes to see me."

She let out a long sigh, knowing that she would lose her job right then and there. "I'm so sorry, Aleister. If the queen had not asked to see me, I would stay behind."

 

[KieranSoares]

"'S'alright," he assured her simply. He paused to face her. "What? Did y'think I'd fire ya fer answerin' th'call o' the Queen? I'm no' heartless, much as I look it." And he continued about his work as if it were no big deal. What he didn't know was that most employers would fire their workers for being away so long.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was a little dumbfounded as Aleister simply told her that it was alright. "Are you sure? I can find someone else to take my place while I'm gone." She offered.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've been doin' this on my own since I was a young lad," Aleister told her. She knew the story of how his father had perished in battle and his mother, alone with the bakery and four children, had let Aleister take over at the age of nine while she cared for his younger siblings. Sure, he had help when his siblings grew older, but his mother had passed away not loo long after he'd turned twenty and his siblings had all gone their own way.

"I think I can make it," he added.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alright." She said softly, feeling like a fool for thinking that he couldn't handle things alone. "Well, I'll work today but we leave in the morning. I'll send you a letter to let you know when I'll be back."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' you worry about me. You take all th'time you need," Aleister insisted. He came around the counter to face her. "Do what y'need t'do, and there'll be a job waitin' when yer done."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, Aleister." Kayla said softly as she hung up her cloak and took down her apron, getting to work for the day to perhaps make his job a little easier.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister let her take up the front that day, and the customers, mostly regulars, were curious about her and some did know her and were happy to see her home in Inverness again. Bell returned once more with her husband who was one of the two millers in town, and he was responsible for delivering the flour Aleister used. Aleister emerged to help the man unload a barrel from his cart and paid the man and thanked him kindly while Bell chatted with Kayla.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla was happy to deal with the front of the bakery that day. She met many people that she had never seen before and reconnected with some old friends. Bell, of course, talked her ear off. She asked about her life, about how she liked it at the bakery, about if she intended to stay. Kayla answered every question with an honest answer, giving a wink to Aleister as he passed by with an exasperated look on his face.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Is he giving you trouble yet?" Bell asked with a grin.

"Hell, woman, leave 'im alone, he's less trouble than you are," Bell's husband chuckled and took her hand. "C'mon and let 'em work."

"Bye, kids!" Bell called as they made their way out.