Mint and Honey

[heartofcourage]

“I’ll make it for her.” Viola said softly, promising that she would help their mother in any way that she possibly could. “And if she gets mad, I’ll just love her more.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"She'll need it. She probably never imagined she'd be sick like Gran... I imagine she's still in denial." Alex hugged Viola to his side. "But we're much better equipped to help her now."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Would you stay tonight? Just in case?” Viola asked softly as Alex held her against his side.

“Go on ahead. I’ll go put the drakes out for the evening.” Yasmine murmured, knowing that Alex’s family needed him much more than she did in that moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex looked to Yasmine for a moment. The choice wasn't hard, but he knew he'd miss having the time with her. "I appreciate it. But you don't have to hurry off."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Yasmine said as viola instantly insisted that she wouldn’t be intruding.

“I’ll go make up the extra room.” Viola said as she scurried off just as quickly, leaving them alone.

“I’ll still go take care of the drakes and come back. Go take care of you’re mother. She’s most important.” Yasmine said softly, moving to kiss his cheek.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I love you," Alex whispered, stealing a proper kiss. "And I appreciate your patience... I wasn't expecting Ma to be this sick so soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Family is what matters. I understand.” Yasmine said, giving him a smile as she turned to leave the house to tend to their drakes before she returned for the evening.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex watched her go for a long moment, thanking his lucky stars that she was as understanding with his family as she was with her own. He turned toward the spare room to help Viola, though he knew he or Yasmine would probably go to join the other in the night.

Bringing extra blankets from the closet, Alex stepped into the spare room. "So what do you think of Yasmine, Vi?" He asked quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“I think she’s nice.” Viola said as Alex asked for her opinion. “And you like her a lot. I can see that when you look at her.”

Viola paused as she looked at Alex curiously. “You’ve never asked me about someone you like before.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I think you're old enough now to consider. And you and I are close. I want your opinion." He took a seat on the edge of the bed. "She and I have been saving each other back and forth for months, it seems. And it's done more than make us friends."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You love her then.” Viola said as she took a seat beside her brother. “Do you love her enough to really think about marrying her?”

Viola knew that marriage was a touchy subject with her brother. He had never been one to think about a future with anyone, but he had been bringing Yasmine around more and more often.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe one day. But we both have work we love and our own lives. We're in no hurry and I suppose we both want to make sure this sort of honeymoon phase is love and not infatuation as time goes on."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I think it’s different if you’re willing to stay close to home.” Viola said softly, bringing up what he had said at dinner. “Even Frannie is thinking about not going to Edinburgh since Mama is sick.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"If Yasmine and I stick together, I'll be visiting Palmyra fairly often. But I'll always come back. I just have to help Ma and Da figure out something before I go too far for too long."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I’ve never seen Mama get this upset about something. She’s angry and sad when she’s weak.” Viola said softly. “I want our old Mama back. She was tired but she was happy.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"It may be all those years of exhaustion that brought this illness on so fiercely. Gran suffered early in her life, but Ma and Brogan seem to be taking more after Martin, falling ill later and more suddenly. But we're prepared for it thanks to Gran's willingness to let Papa experiment and try different treatments. We know what can work, and Ma's only tried a few things thus far. She'll have her bad days like Brogan, but I'll drag her to better health if I have to."

Alex combed his fingers through his little sister's hair fondly. "... And, not to change to subject, but just so you know, the reason I didn't tell you all about Shaan was because I was scared of what you might think... I know Ciaran and Leon haven't been bothered much, but I wasn't hopeful for myself. And I suppose that's a big part of why it didn't work out... That, and Shaan needs a lot more freedom than he could have in a life with me."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You’re my brother. I don’t think I could ever hate you for anything.” Viola said honestly as Alex brushed his slender fingers through her thick black hair. “You’ve loved me since before I was born. That’s what Da says all the time too. Why can’t I return the favor?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"The world could use more people like you, Vi," Alex leaned down to kiss her forehead and hugged her tightly to his side.

 

[heartofcourage]

“And more people like you too.” Viola said as he hugged her against his side and when let out a soft sigh. “I know Frannie is having a hard time too. You might give her some attention before you leave in the morning. I think she gets left out since Ru needs attention from everyone.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll have to do that, then. I suppose I haven't spent as much time with her since you were born. But before that, she was practically my life. Her and Ma."

 

[heartofcourage]

Viola simply nodded, knowing that Frannie our up with a lot when her parents focused on Ruari’s activities or her cooking. Frannie was intelligent and beautiful, the spitting image of her mother with her father’s coloring. Frannie has always wanted to serve in a court but she had recently told her father that she wanted to stay home a while longer. Fear of losing her mother had made her rethink her dreams.

“I just don’t want to go anymore.” She said softly again that night, sitting in her father’s big chair as Theo sat beside her. “Justin’s Ma said she would pay me to buy fabric for her from the market. She thinks I have a good eye for color.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't want you t'give up yer dreams, love," Theo murmured. He'd grown more and more concerned as time went on, especially with the knowledge that Kate would be going back to Edinburgh in the next few months and Francesca was supposed to be going with her.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It’s not giving up on my dreams, Da.” Frannie said softly as he expressed his concerns. “It’s just taking another path. Mama needs us all here.”

At 14, she had grown very wise and quiet, like her father. She still had a stubborn spoiled streak, but it very rarely rested it’s head.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo sighed, rising to lean down and take her face gently in his hands. "I love ya, darlin'. An' I'm proud o' you. It's no' easy bein' th'eldest child in th'house, an' with such a big age gap between you an' Alex, he was always more like a third parent than a brother. But ever since Ruari came along, ye've really tried t'be more responsible an' supportive o' the family. I appreciate tha' more'n you'll ever know."

Kneeling before her, Theo sighed. "But this problem... It's gonna be hard t'help beyond doin' chores an' makin' daily life easier fer your Ma. There's not a lot we can all do. Even I can't be as much help t'yer Ma as yer Papa was t'yer Gran. It's sort of up t'Alex an' 'is contacts now..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I still think she’s better with us all here.” Frannie said as her Da told her how proud he was of her. “I never liked school as much as Vi and Ru. I never really liked anything but the thought of fancy dresses and balls. I wanted that so badly and I guess I still do in a way. But, ma is more important to me.”

“If I can’t go to Edinburgh and I don’t want to go back to school, I know I have to work. I’ll save up my money and one day I’ll go.” Frannie said as diplomatically as possible.