Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

"He's always been shy an' small. Comes from bein' sick a lot an' bein' too worried about 'is Ma t'care about much else. But 'e's startin' t'catch up."

Aleister glanced over as Alex came down the stairs. "Alex wasn' too different as a little boy, th' way I hear it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"That reminds me." Yasmine said, reaching into her satchel to offer him back his journal. "I promised I would give this back. I'm a woman of my word."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex nodded, taking the book and tucking it away into the inside pocket of his jacket. "My mother might've killed me if I ever lost that. Thank you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, you might lose it again if you bury your nose in it during a fun event." She said with a grin, glancing towards Aleister with a laugh. "I don't hesitate in making people enjoy themselves...even the most serious among us."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Trust me, if Ma caught me doing that, she'd beat you to it," Alex nodded. "I'd better get home and help get everything around. I'll see you there." He nodded to both of them before making his way out.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Alex arrived home, the little cabin was full of laughter and warmth. Viola was telling Vincenzo and Theo about the things that she had seen at the market, her first time to go to the festival by herself. Francesca sat next to her grandfather, smiling at her little sister as she enjoyed time with her Papa. Ruari sat off to the side, giving them dirty looks over the top of a book as Valentina continued to work with him on his reading and Italian. The little boy wished that he was anywhere else but there right then.

"And...I saw Alex with a girl!" Viola said, grinning as she looked over at her newly arrived brother. "She was really pretty."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Her name is Yasmine al-Zariq and she's a friend of Aleister's," Alex told Viola. He wasn't the sort to feel embarrassed about such things when he knew he hadn't been up to anything. "She and I took Jamie and Lynn out in town." He hung up his cloak and went to ruffle Ruari's hair. "Focus or it'll drag on, little brother."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But I want to go to the festival too." Ruari said in a huff, looking at his brother.

"You've been twice, bambino." Valentina said as she relaxed, shadows on her face showing her exhaustion but she had a happy smile on her face. "Or is your memory so short you can't remember? Once with you Da and once with Papa. You ignored your studies both times."

Ruari ducked his head at that, burying his nose back in his book.

 

[KieranSoares]

"There will be festivals all your life, Ruari. And if you get your studies done, you'll have more time to enjoy them and Ma and Da won't bother you about them." Alex then leaned down to hug the boy, whispering so no one else heard, "Ma would really appreciate it if you didn't fight her about it. She's tired, little brother."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've threatened to only speak Italian in the house if he doesn't learn." Valentina said with a chuckle as Ruari nodded at his brother's request.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I really appreciate it," Alex whispered with a smile to his brother. Even if Ruari could be difficult, he did his best to be good and he understood when people were stressed.

Alex pressed a kiss to Valentina's cheek. "Anything I can do to help around here?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, love. We're just relaxing before we head to the village. Viola made Papa's herbed pasta and Franny helped to finish up some of the pies. I think we have enough to feed an army, which is just about right for this family." Valentina smiled at her son, touching his cheek gently as she saw that he had a good time at the festival. "Jan came by with gifts for Papa, your Da, and I. He said he gave you the ones for everyone else at the market."

"Yeah! I want my present!" Ruari said, glancing up at his brother. "Mama says we can't open our other ones until tomorrow night."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex raised an eyebrow at his little brother. "What do you say?" Alex had always been as much of a teacher to his siblings as his parents, knowing it was hard for them to keep up with all three.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Per favore!" Ruari immediately said, earning a laugh from his mother.

"Give it to him before he explores, bambino." She murmured.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I suppose I could," Alex sighed, taking his time sorting it from his satchel before he finally gave it to Ruari and gave the girls theirs too. The gifts were usually small wooden toys or hand-stitched dolls and other such things, being that the tribal folk made hundreds of them to hand out to children. Jan had made sure to make something special for the children he knew, and Ruari ended up with a new journal and some charcoal pencils as Jan knew he loved to keep track of his work with herbs just like his grandfather. Viola got a lovely little amber stone with a flower trapped inside, preserved perfectly. And Francesca received a beautiful doll with a green dress and black hair.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mama, look!" Ruari showed her with a smile on his face. "It's a proper set for me."

"You'll have to thank Jan for his kindness tonight, Ru." Valentina said with a smile as her youngest acted so over the moon with his gift.

"Da will you make me something so I can wear this?" Viola asked, showing her father the delicate stone with the flower. "I think it would be lovely on a necklace or in my hair."

"And what about you, Alex? What did you get? Mama got herbs and Da got a new satchel. Papa got a lovely blanket from Telma." Frannie said, tucking the doll beside her to keep it safe.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I haven't opened mine yet." Alex pulled his own little box out, finding that it was from Luna specifically. Normally if anyone got a gift for Alex, it was something to make his work easier as he was always saving up for materials. But Luna knew the life of a healer and she knew that Alex needed something beyond work to be interested in and enjoy. So, true to the boy he once was, obsessed with myths and legends, Luna had compiled a little book of Lunar stories for him with her family's help. The cover was hand-stitched leather with an image of a curled, sleeping dragon.

Alex couldn't help a smile, opening it up to see everything was written in Luna's own hand, and she had included the names of the people who'd told her the stories.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina watched the smile appear on Alex's lips as he looked over his gift. He worked far too hard but he was too stubborn to admit it. She worried about him most of all but there was little she could do to stop him from working.

"Does this mean you're finished with your lessons?" Valentina asked as Ruari snuggled up against her side, opening his new book to think about what he was going to write and draw.

"Mama, please." He asked, giving her the saddest look with his warm brown eyes.

"I suppose. But only if I get to cuddle." Valentina said, wrapping him up in her arms, a happy smile on her face.

 

[KieranSoares]

The family headed out a short while later in their wagon with food in tow. Taqu'un had given Selena full rein of the longhouse so everything was exactly as she wanted it. Long tables had been set up along the full length of the building except for the center where there was a stone firepit with a spit roast cooking a whole wild boar. Ruben had let his cubs come out with him for their very first boar hunt to get it, so Katya and Timmal were glad to tell the story to anyone who would listen.

Brogan's side of the clan arrived about the same time as Valentina's, and Brogan greeted his youngest sister with a tight embrace and a kiss to her cheek. Kate was along right behind him with Kell and Rho. Sam had still not returned, choosing to spend the Solstice with his love and her newfound family in Sweden.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was in bright spirits, well rested and excited to spend time with her family. The queen of Scotland was back to her bright self as she greeted all of her cousins and aunts and uncles. She paused for a long moment at Alex's side.

"Da tells me that you might be interested in becoming the Royal physician." Kate commented. "After all, Papa can't travel as much as he used to and your Ma is looking for a break."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It only seems logical," Alex said with a shrug. There was a time when he was visibly excited about his work, but he had long since schooled his emotions so that no one knew quite how he felt about anything anymore.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's alright to be happy, Alex. Show a little emotion." Kate teased him, giving him a smile. "Or else Kell will make you stop being so serious. He has that special way about him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm comfortable, that's all I need to show," Alex kissed Kate's cheek with a kind smile. "But enough about me. How are you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm pregnant with the heir to the Scottish throne. I'm tired and cranky most of the time, wishing that these kings and chieftains could figure things out on their own from time to time." Kate said, looking at her cousin with a soft laugh. "I'm very lucky to still have Marianne. She takes the reigns without any hesitation, though she is slowing down. If I were a betting woman, I would say that this will probably be her last winter, although I would never say that to Lynndon. It would break his heart."

As she said that, Aleister's family arrived escorted by some of the Axemen. Kayla insisted that she was going to walk on her own, but she clung to her husband so tightly as if the next step might be the one that caused her to fall. Jamie and Lynndon helped Lucy carry in the tarts their grandmother had baked that day while Emma carried Andra tightly in her arms. The little carriage had gotten stuck in the snow, but the Axemen that had come to joint the celebration had helped Boar to get it free again. Leon and Dazu had chosen to walk in from the village, meeting their family at the long house.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex came to meet Kayla as soon as she found a seat. He was always deeply concerned for her. While Jamie's birth had been normal, it had still been tough. And when Andra's had threatened to take Kayla away, it had nearly caused her side of the family to crumble at the thought of losing yet another child.

"How are you feeling, my love?" Alex asked softly as Aleister went to get Kayla a warm drink. Alex knelt beside Kayla, taking her hand gently though he was secretly checking to make sure her heartbeat wasn't too fast or uneven.