Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

"Well, someone has to," Kell murmured with another kiss. "And before long I'll have someone else to worry about too and I'll never sleep."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate chuckled as they made their way to their rooms, settling in for the night. The next morning, Kate was up bright and early, ready to train with her uncles. Her normal armor no longer fit so she was forced to borrow pieces from the armory, protecting herself as best as possible as she knew they would not go easy on her.

Yasmine had also decided to join the training, even though her hand was still healing. She could do light practices and she knew she would need it if she didn't want to fall out of shape while on her resting period. Yasmine stood in line for her turn against Durban as Kate stood next to her Uncle Boar, his cane still with him that morning as he watched over the recruits.

"They seem to be a good lot this year." Kate commented, her claymore strapped to her back as usual.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, with us no' havin' too many fights on our 'ands, we've been able t'sharpen their skills without sendin' 'em off early t'battle. We can afford t'let 'em train til they're properly ready before we send 'em t'help allies when they need us."

Boar leaned heavily on his cane and shifted his weight slightly. "I wish I could still keep up enough t'join in regularly."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate smiled towards her uncle and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Well, I'll stick with you, Uncle Boar. My wolf refuses to let me have any fun right now either."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Your Wolf is jus' like any of us tha' jus' want t'look after you. But if you insist on keepin' up yer skills an' yer form, Durban won' stop ya, tha's for sure."

Durban was running the younger Axemen through drills that were made tougher than usual by the ice and snow, but he didn't let up. They needed to be ready for all weather, extreme cold or heat, and they needed to perform at maximum efficiency despite anything else.

Yasmine would soon find herself beside him as he led them on a climbing drill, pushing their ability to climb grappling ropes and ladders at top speed, and being able to safely come down the other side of a wall. The barracks had been built to help in that training, complete with crenelations and anchor points on the roof.

 

[heartofcourage]

Yasmine listened to his instruction carefully, watching as he pointed out certain things about th barracks. She had never climbed with a broken hand, but in the heat of battle an enemy wouldn't care if you were at your best or not. She took her spot next to the rope and curled it around her good hand, testing to see the best way for this to work.

"She's got some courage." Kate mentioned as she watched Yasmine closely. "Where did she come from exactly?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Middle East, way down south," Boar told her with a smile as he watched Yasmine. "Good lass. Kay's boys adore 'er an' Aleister seems t'count 'er as a friend. She seems t'think Alex is pretty interestin', 'r else she thinks 'e needs someone t'teach 'im t'enjoy 'imself."

Durban knew Yasmine would have a hard time with the climb, but rather than necessarily make things easier, he showed her how to make up for being unable to use one hand. "Use yer knees t'grip on, an' press th'rope against yer calf with yer other foot. Yer gonna need even more core strength," he told her quickly. "It's useful fer when y'can't use a hand, 'r when y'have somethin' y'need a hand free t'carry, like a weapon." He showed her exactly how to do it, leaving his dominant hand free and climbing up ahead of her. Once he was at the top, perhaps the hardest part was getting up over the edge, but that was what allies were for. Once he was at the top, he called back down, "If y'can't use one hand, don' go up first. Wait til there's someone ready t'help you. No shame in teamwork."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alex does need someone to teach him how to enjoy himself." Kate said with a laugh, looking up at her uncle with a smile. "Come on. Let's go over some sword positions. You can still do that with a cane."

Yasmine watched as Durban demonstrated how to climb the rope with just one hand. Soon, she had the rope nearly snaked around her body and she was climbing with the best of them. As she reached the top, she dared to let go with her good hand, reaching out for his offered assistance.

"I never give up the chance for someone's help, especially if it makes it easier on myself." Yasmine commented with a grin. "I'm not a stubborn boy, after all."

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar chuckled at Kate, following her and drawing his own Claymore and tossing his cane aside. "I could still leave all you kids in th'dust," he told her, drawing himself up to full height and taking the blade in both hands as they found an open area to work.


"You'd be one o' few out o' this lot," Durban commented to Yasmine. "Climbin' down'll be easier, jus' be careful o' rope burn else ye'll be useless." He headed across the roof of the barracks where the other men were climbing down, showing Yasmine how to climb down. He almost didn't need his hand except for some stability, his legs taking care of holding on just fine. "I once broke my arm as a young lad. No one let up on me at all, so I 'ad t'learn pretty quickly 'r fall."

 

[heartofcourage]

Yasmine was a quick student and light on her feet. She was soon back on the ground in a matter of moments having gotten herself down without a single problem. She would be an excellent soldier with a little more training.

"Nor should anyone go easy. An enemy certainly won't." Yasmine said, glancing towards Durban. "And that is a mistake that I don't really care to make."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good. Now I want ya t'take ten recruits on a run around th'town walls, quick pace but no' a sprint," Durban told her, giving her a blue armband that marked her as a temporary squad leader for training purposes. The Axemen didn't do much in the way of marching drills except for ceremonial purposes, as they were primarily a guerrilla force whose discipline came in the form of camaraderie and the ability to work in perfect unison even when miles or even days of travel separated them, and they were meant to be far hardier and have a more aggressive attitude than normal soldiers who held the line while the Axemen worked behind the scenes.

Durban turned and picked two other recruits who often outperformed like Yasmine, and sent them off with other squads to work. In between Solstice and Christmas, Durban and Boar wanted to make sure none of them got too lazy, so this would be a harder day and then it'd all be lightened again for Christmas Eve and Day. On December 26th, they'd go back to normal winter training.

 

[heartofcourage]

As soon as Yasmine was off to lead her squad, the only sounds to be heard in the training yard was the clash of claymores. Kate wasn't about to take things easy and her uncle seemed to be of the same mindset. Kate was a formidable fighter even though she was constantly surrounded by assassins of her husband's choosing. It had been important to learn and she kept her skills sharp.

 

[KieranSoares]

Whenever he was given a blade, Boar forgot about his knees. While they would sometimes buckle if he crouched or side-stepped the wrong way, he would always recover (and probably pay for it in the morning). But he didn't care. Dueling was one of his favorite pastimes, and going up against Kate meant he had a worthy opponent whom he could still teach a few things to. She had been trained by Brogan primarily so she could actually beat Boar fair and square half the time, but she still couldn't hope to win more than one out of every five duels with her father or Durban. But Boar was the best axefighter, and it showed in his heavy-swing style.

Though they used real blades now, Boar was never worried about either of them getting hurt thanks to proper armor and their absolute control of their weapons, though Boar had chosen a blunt blade just in case. The worse Kate might leave with was some hefty bruises and maybe a broken finger if things got rough.

When Kate blocked a heavy overhead strike, Boar barely had time to recoil and block to his side against a wide slash, and he smirked at his niece. "Can tell ye've been workin' with yer Wolf. Yer even faster'n before, lass."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My wolf's not as good as this." Kate said with a grin, laughing as he uncle commented on her form and speed. "Warwick has trained a young man who is the best swordsman in Edinburgh. He puts me through my paces many times a week."

Kate was panting, a little winded at the exercise but feeling much better than she had in ages. She wasn't as tired and her nausea was a distant memory. She was strong and confident with her pregnancy now and proudly showed everyone that she was carrying the heir of Scotland.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oughta introduce tha' lad t'Sam, see if 'e can teach some o' those lazy guardsmen a thing 'r two." Boar's blade crashed down on hers once more before he rounded back with an upward thrust. It missed terribly when his left knee buckled as he crouched, but he didn't pay it any mind. His ability to ignore pain and physical disadvantage was something he'd grown up honing, and now it served him every day as he never let anyone but Emma know when he was in any kind of pain unless it was threatening to his health.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Aunt Emma will be giving me a piece of her mind later." Kate commented as she deflected her uncle's blow and delivered one of her own. "Of course, I'll just chalk it all up to the Ghis stubborn nature. She's bound to believe that, right?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"She'll pretend she believes it, then I'll get an earful once we're alone," Boar laughed after catching her blade with the hilt of his own and pushing it away. He wasn't able to recover quickly enough, and her next slash pulled his blade out of his hands and sent it flying to the fence around the little arena. Boar was absolutely stunned that she'd disarmed him so quickly. "Now tha's a bloody Warwick move if I've ever seen one," he said, crossing his arms over his chest with an impressed smirk.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You question your queen's abilities?" Kate asked, giving her uncle a grin as he looked her with a sense of approval and pride. "Remind me to tax you harder come harvest time."

Kate offered him a hand up, hugging Boar tightly when he was steady on his feet again. "And Warwick enjoys talking stratagy over a mug of ale. It's about all there is to do in the winters sometimes."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Inverness is an independent, allied clan territory. You don' get taxes from me," Boar told her with a smirk. "My Queen is yer mother." When he was on his feet and retrieved his cane, he leaned heavily on it and gave Kate a smile that told her he was incredibly proud. "'Ow is the ol' man anyway? Once thought 'e was gonna waste away... but ever since 'e started workin' closely with Marianne... 'E's come back t'life. I imagine they don' show anythin' in public, though."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They are very content, but I fear Marianne is growing very frail. Her mind is sharp but her body is failing. Warwick is just as spry as ever. Lane lives with him and helps to take care of his daily affairs. That boy loves his grandfather." Kate said with a smile as she thought about the two people who had taught her so much about ruling.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Marianne's damn near... what, now, eighty-five? Tha' means Warwick's about th'same, give 'r take... Never thought either'd make it this long all things considered. But I guess when y'find somethin' new t'live for, y'want t'enjoy it t'the fullest, be it grandkids 'r a new partner... I don' know how close they really are, 'r how close they'd let themselves be, but I'm sure part o' the reason they're still with us is each other. Warwick's probably Marianne's biggest fan since Brian." Boar motioned for Kate to come walk with him to the keep. It was still bitterly cold after the blizzard the night before, but there were little bonfires built all over the place in the keep's grounds for the men and women in training and those working there.

Once they were inside, Boar settled with a slightly-pained sigh at one of the long table benches, and soon a kitchen maid came along and laid down two mugs of hot cider for them, as well as a single letter for Kate. Most of her mail was from Edinburgh, but this one was all the way from Malmo. Sam had probably sent it during a visit to Kjersten and Rakkar.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate settled with a sigh of her own, her back and legs tired after such a long session with her uncle. "Looks like Sam has emerged." Kate commented, looking at the letter from Malmö.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's been writin' t'yer Ma the whole time," Boar told her. "But only her, looks like."

Sam's letter started out the way they usually did when she was in Edinburgh: a report It started with a quick bit about their allies in Scandinavia and a little update about Kayla's family when he'd last seen them.

Then, he began writing about more personal things. Kate was among the first to know whenever Sam wanted to let something out. He told her of Fiona's family, and of Kennah and Roman and their egg. He wrote of how excited he was for the hatchling, and of the scare they'd had with Kennah. He wrote of the Dragon of Inverness reuniting with her mate, and of Fiona's father making amends with her and her family.

Then, there was just a small entry, quietly telling Kate that Sam believed he'd found his great love. He didn't elaborate much before signing off, but he left a little note to ask her to let everyone know he was content and he'd be home come spring with Fiona and a new little drake.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate smiled as she read her brother's letter, glancing up at Boar when she was done. "He's fallen in love." She murmured, folding the letter away to tuck into her pocket.

"I was worried that he would be too stubborn to ever let someone into his heart. Since Rho lost his arm, Sam has been carrying a burden of his own making." Kate said as she finally relaxed. "It's the same way I feel about Alex. His sense of duty is far too great. His life will pass him by before he knows it and then he'll have to deal with the regret."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can understand why Sam's always been hesitant. His reason fer pushin' love away is similar t'what Leon's was, an' yer Da after Cassie, an' so on... Somethin' terrible happened when they dared t'be happy an' content with someone. Fer Leon and Sam, it was their brothers. Fer yer Da, it was Cass. Leon lost Eli, 'is best friend an' th'man tha' gave 'im courage t'be open about 'imself. I'm sure if Eli 'ad survived, Leon wouldn've hesitated t'love Dazu openly. Brogan gave everythin' t'Cassie, they had Annie... then he lost 'is soul when Cassie was jus'... gone. Though they're no' all the same, they all 'ad a similar reaction- not t'get close t'anyone else, even drive others away. Sam lost a lot o' friends after Rho got hurt, Leon kept only t'the family, an' Brogan jus' sent Annie away and shut 'imself off from th'world emotionally."

Boar gave Kate a smile then. "But, true t'family form, Sam couldn' hold those walls up against an honest an' kind soul. I imagine 'e realized 'e liked 'er early on, but she probably 'ad t'make 'im admit it before they got anywhere."