Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

The time spent wandering with Bahir was certainly a learning experience. His senses were so finely-tuned that he seemed to know everything that was around him. Every time he started to seem similar to a horse, there was a stark reminder that he was a carnivorous, highly intelligent powerhouse. When they finally did find a deer grazing among some winter plants, Bahir paused to watch, and the deer lifted its head to look straight at him. The two shared a long stare before Bahir simply turned away, and the deer went back to its business.

 

[heartofcourage]

"This spring, I'll expect you to hunt for half of your food, Bahir." Yasmine said, patting his strong neck as he let the deer go back to grazing. "If not, you'll get fat and lazy."

 

[KieranSoares]

Bahir leaned his neck into her touch as he continued on until he came across a different set of deer tracks. The tracks told him it was probably thin, and moving slowly. As a predator, one of his instincts was to choose the sick and weak out of herds. It was nature's way of making sure good genes were passed on. Bahir crouched down, til his chest was almost dragging in the snow, and he began stalking along the fresh trail.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Go on." Yasmine murmured, giving him his leave to hunt. "Find me when you're done."

She was going to explore the woods, picking more berries and perhaps foraging for winter herbs. The drake was smart enough to find his own food and come back to her. She had faith that he wouldn't just run off.

 

[KieranSoares]

In town, Alex had finally arrived back home. It wasn't even noon yet, and he was exhausted. Dark circles under his eyes hinted that he hadn't gotten much sleep, probably too restless being trapped in the keep during the blizzard. But as he usually did, he set to refilling whatever was running low in his bag, before he made the mistake of sitting down in Theo's chair to check his journal. That was how Valentina found him when she came inside, completely passed out asleep in the big chair, his bag beside him and his journal fallen open on the floor when it'd slipped from his hand.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina paused to look at her son, sighing softly as she moved to pick up his journal and move his herbs to a safer location. She covered him in a warm blanket and kissed his forehead. Alex had always had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places, ever since he was a little boy. He had attempted to have his own little cabin, but he rarely spent time there. She more often than not found him slumbering in Theo's chair by the fire.

She moved into the kitchen, making herself a mug of herbal tea. She hadn't told anyone but Theo, but she was almost certain that she was suffering from the same illness that Kitty had dealt with. She was much more like her mother than anyone thought, it seemed. It was mild compared to what Selena and Brogan dealt with, but she and Theo had decided to try and lessen her load as much as possible. She wasn't ready to have the conversation with her children, however.

 

[KieranSoares]

When Theo soon followed, he glanced to Alex with a soft smile before coming to join Valentina, stepping up close behind her to reach around and pull his own mug from the cabinet. His other hand rested on her shoulder and as he laid the cup on the counter, he looked down at Valentina. "How long 'as 'e been back?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I have no idea. He snuck in while I was taking Ruari to Suara for his lessons." Valentina said as she looked up at her husband.

They paid Suara a small amount each week to teach Ruari the tribal languages. He was a dutiful student for her and he seemed to adore his lessons each week. It also gave Valentina a much needed break from her very active son.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I was jus' out back, I didn' even notice 'im." Theo kissed Valentina's lips lightly before retrieving his own chosen blend of tea. "Looks like 'e 'asn't slept properly in days," Theo commented quietly. "Hopefully 'e'll stay asleep."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Knowing him, he probably hasn't. I don't think he's even gone to his cabin in weeks." Valentina said as Theo pressed a small kiss to her lips and she poured them both a mug of herbal tea. "He and Jan spent so much time on that cabin that it's a shame it's not being used."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've thought about askin' 'im to 'ave a cousin 'r a friend move in too, someone tha' won't necessarily look after 'im, but care about 'im and give 'im someone t'talk to whenever 'e goes 'ome. But I know th'moment I suggest it, Alex'll insist 'e doesn' want t' bother anyone with 'is crazy hours an' comin' an' goin' as 'e pleases at all hours."

Theo sat down at the kitchen table with his mug, looking down into the rich golden-brown surface. "I've even thought o' gettin' 'im a dog 'r somethin', that'd force 'im t'go 'ome regularly an' spend time with it outside work. Knowin' him, though, he'd give it away to a young patient."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He moved some of his items back here a few weeks ago." Valentina said softly, knowing that neither she nor Alex had mentioned it to Theo. "I'm sure you probably noticed Anna sitting on the shelf in one of the patient rooms. He said it was just temporary, but I never said anything otherwise."

Valentina took a seat with a long sigh, her bones aching slightly with the cold weather. "I'm tired, amore. Very, very tired. I'm afraid that you're married to an old woman now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't think it's just because 'e's not comfortable being elsewhere... I think 'e knows, love," Theo told her softly, taking her hands in both his own. "An' yer no' old. We jus' need a little help from Vincenzo is all..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I want to go to the Fells before Franny goes to Edinburgh. We haven't taken a proper trip as a family since Ruari was a baby." Valentina said softly as she squeezed her husband's hands with a smile on her face. "Your family would be happy to see all the children again, too."

She didn't like to talk about her illness. She had seen her Ma struggle all of her life, but Kitty had accepted things with a quiet grace that the rest of the children tried to imitate. She wasn't really sure that she was succeeding, but she was trying her best.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo drew one of her hands up, pressing a kiss to it. "Then we will, love. It'd do us all some good." Theo had always been her calm and unshakable support. Even when things were tough, he managed to keep an aura of calm around their home and he could soothe even the most fearful patients while working with Valentina. It was something Alex had inherited as well, but not quite to the same degree. Viola, on the other hand, could probably stop a whole raging army with a few kind words.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You'll spoil me." Valentina said with a grin as he told her that they would take the trip to the Fells. "Ruari will be sorely disappointed to find out that he won't be able to stop his lessons when we travel."

She and Theo talked for a while, until Viola came to join them. She snuggled up against her father's side, quietly joining in on their conversation.

"Would Papa go with us to the Fells?" Vi asked, looking at her mother.

"I don't know, bambina. We can ask him, but he might just choose to stay here." Valentina said softly with a smile towards her daughter. "He's not as eager to travel as he used to be."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Travel's a little rough on us old folks," Theo told his daughter, lifting her into his lap with a smile, keeping one arm wrapped around her as he took a sip of tea.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're not old, Da." Viola said with a grin as Theo pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arm around her.

"We all grow old, Vi." Valentina said with a smile towards her daughter. "Even you will one day."

Viola was the sweetest soul that she had ever known. She had a sense of duty that was much like Alex but she also knew how to stop and take care of herself at the same time. Valentina was reminded very much of her Nonna, Carmena.

"Alex will be the oldest of all of us." Vi said as she leaned her head against her Da's shoulder.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Probably," Theo agreed with a sigh. "I've never been sure wha' makes 'im feel like 'e 'as a sworn duty t'save th'world an' everyone in it... Though I'm guessing tha's from yer mother," he murmured to Viola with a little grin at Valentina.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I did nothing of the sort." Valentina said with a soft laugh as they shared a moment with their youngest daughter. "Never, ever in my life."

"Mama, you went back to work the day after Ruari was born." Viola said with a smile. "Da was beside himself because he wouldn't quit crying until you were home."

"I see that the entire family is against me." Valentina murmured, leaning across the table to kiss her daughter's cheek.

 

[KieranSoares]

"As always," Theo assured her with that familiar calming smile. "And you and I both know you would've worked yourself to death at some point if you hadn't had Alex to come home to."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We might never have had any of the children if it weren't for Alex." Valentina said softly as she glanced towards the living room where Alex still slumbered by the fire.

"Little love, there's something that your Da and I need to tell you. I'm sure that Alex already knows or will figure it out shortly." Valentina murmured, looking at Viola as she prepared to tell her about her illness and what it would mean in the future.

"We don't want you to be afraid and we will tell Franny and Ruari when the time is right." Valentina murmured as she finished the story, reaching out to touch Viola's cheek.

"Will you die?" Viola asked softly, looking at her mother and then up at her father.

"No, love. Not any time soon. However, I will be taking a nice, long break for a while. Or as much of one as I possibly can." Viola promised.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yer Ma's gonna be around jus' as long as Nonna was if we can 'elp it, lass. An' you know how Alex is- he'll make sure of it. Family is his top priority no matter 'ow much 'e works." Theo brushed her hair back fondly. "Ye've made it pretty easy on us a' least where yer concerned, love. Ye've always been so good an' helpful. Tha's all we need."

 

[heartofcourage]

Viola sat quietly for a long moment, simply soaking in the information. She loved her mother more than anything in the world and to know that she might be ill was a hard blow. She leaned her head on her father's shoulder for support while Valentina sipped on her tea.

"I'll make us a feast tonight." Viola said, falling back on what made her truly happy in life: cooking. "Your favorite, Mama. Before we open our presents."

Valentina chuckled softly. "Alright, bambina."

"Da, would you cook the meat? I'll go to the cellar and get what I need." Viola was up in an instant, dressing warmly to step outside to get the canned items that she needed to make Valentina's favorite meal.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yes, ma'am," Theo nodded as he watched Viola skitter away. He rose to go sort through the larder, glancing to Valentina once. "We're doin' pretty well with tha' little lass. All o' the kids're turnin' out t'be good people, even if one's a little too energetic an' one insists on takin' th'weight o' the world on 'imself."