Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

"I know they do, sweetheart," Ria murmured. "But they'd rather you get the love you need here than be lonely at home. At least until your sister is older and she doesn't need all the attention." Her fingers instinctively combed through his hair to comfort him as she looked back to Troy who was patiently watching. "I think we ought to borrow a saddle and tack from your Uncle Brogan tomorrow while we wait on your father to make a set for Troy. Then if Yasmine and any of Ciaran's Drake Rangers have time to give us lessons, we'll look into that."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure that we can come up with something." Yasmine commented as Troy watched, cocking his head from side to side in curiosity. "I might even be able to come up with some tack to fit Silas. Troy might do with a nice ride."

"I have to do chores first." Silas responded, always responsible as he had been raised to be. "I always clean out the stalls and help to feed the horses before breakfast."

"Well, your grandmother has far less than your Ma." Yasmine said with a chuckle.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We just feed our patrons' horses and then care for two of our own. But there's always something to do in the tavern that we could use help with." Ria smiled to herself, looking up as the familiar form of her husband came down the hill.

"Ria," he called in his usual gruff voice. "You might want to come inside. One of your boys is causing a scene."

"Let Seamus take care of it, I'll be there in a moment," Ria called back, watching as Gerald nodded and turned back. With a smile to Yasmine, she shrugged. "I'm afraid duty calls. My younger sailors like to tussle with the veterans and prove themselves." She scooted Silas toward Yasmine. "I'll be back. Learn what you can, little man."

 

[heartofcourage]

Silas looked up at Yasmine as his grandmother pushed him towards her. He was slightly nervous, but excited for the challenge of learning how to care for the drake. Yasmine gave him a grin and began the process of teaching him all that she could about what made Troy the way that he was. The little boy was attentive and not afraid to ask questions as Yasmine went along. She found him very bright and curious and a joy to work with.

 

[KieranSoares]

By the time Ria returned, Troy had easily accepted wearing a bridle and lead and was beginning to learn simple commands like a pet might. He was starting to understand 'stay' and he was proving that he wasn't the sort to run off or wander when no one was holding his lead. He had at least some previous training, but perhaps a different style or language.

 

[heartofcourage]

“He’s broad enough and strong enough to pull a wagon. He might be better suited to helping you with deliveries most of the time.” Yasmine commented as Silas dutifully put Troy through his paces.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Gerald stepped up beside them as well, he murmured, "Northern drakes have always been workers and hunters and chargers. Not so many body types as the southern. Two, really, what the tribal people refer to as... Well, I can't pronounce it, but they call the bigger ones, the heavy lifters who can take arctic temperatures, Tundras in English. The slimmer ones like Troy are called... Steppes, I think. Better climbers. If you've ever seen Owen Blackstone's Northern, Kesh, he's a Steppe too. Don't think there are even any Tundras here."

"And since when did you get so knowledgeable?" Ria asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you didn't know a thing about drakes."

"Don't, really. Just what I hear. Seems like the tribal folk already have names for the breeds. The breeders and trainers around here'll probably adopt those names in one form or another. Steppes, Tundras, I think the southern racers are called Dunes, the other ones, I don't remember. Just chit-chat between tribal patrons."

"Interesting. Yasmine, you might have to catalog those names for future use," Ria commented with a smile. "The Erygonians certainly know the Southerns best, but I wonder if either group has anything to say about some new breeds I hear are coming from the Far East. Strange long-bodied things, my sailors tell me, with the strangest colors and wavy or curled or branching horns. Kind of like the drawings of those Eastern Dragons in bamboo scrolls."

 

[heartofcourage]

Silas scurried over to his grandfather, allowing the wolf to pick him up as he rested his head against Gerald’s broad shoulder. Both of his grandfathers adored the little boy and both worked equally as hard to spoil him, Gerald perhaps a little more than Brogan.

“Master Faust might be able to tell me more about them. According to Alex, he is a scholar on all kinds of subjects in the natural world.” Yasmine commented as Troy shook himself from head to tail, settling the makeshift harness against his scales.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you can stand to listen to him tell a forty-minute story any time you ask him a simple question, sure. I know Faust has dragon blood so a century to us is a decade to him, but he certainly acts like an old man." Ria smirked to herself. She quite liked the unshakably calm and wise mentor who'd literally and figuratively taken Heather under his wing. She also enjoyed making jokes at the expense of people she liked. But he was always good for business. Anytime he was at the tavern, he had everyone of every race, young and old, in rapt attention to his stories out of legend and history. Faust was only a century and a half old, a young adult still, but he had stories from his own family who'd lived hundreds of years, and he'd said that his own grandfather had lived since the beginning of the previous millennium to nearly its end.

 

[heartofcourage]

"His children are lovely too. That little girl is shy but his son is definitely becoming one of Heather's favorite people." Yasmine commented as she turned back towards Troy and gave him some simple orders in Arabic, watching as he turned to do as she asked without hesitation which was a huge improvement for him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Koralo likes that boring old idea of following in his father's footsteps just like his father and his father before him, so he's a good aide in teaching Heather, and gives her someone understanding to spend time with that's near her own age. Maybe a little puppy love on one side or the other too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It'll be interesting to see how the family reacts to someone like Heather falling in love. They've all had such an interest in raising her since she lost her eyesight." Yasmine commented as Troy came trotting back with his leads in his mouth, offering them to her as she had asked. "Good, boy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm looking forward to her picking up some of Van's tricks. That old man may as well have sight and foresight." At Troy's return, Ria reached out to stroke his cheek with a smile. "Is our big blue lizard already multilingual? I should teach him Greek so I can tell him secrets in front of Silas and make him jealous."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm learning as fast as I can, Grandma." Silas insisted as Gerald chuckled. "It's true. Danny is teaching me."

Danny had shown a proficiency for languages since he was younger than Silas. Silas, however, had always struggled to pick up anything other than his native tongue. He knew a few words in Gaelic, taught to him by his Ma, and a few words in both Lunar and Erygonian, but he rarely spoke anything other than English.

"It's easier to teach them in a language they might be familiar with. He seems to have some kind of recognition." Yasmine commented as Ria patted the great lizard's cheek, the drake rumbling in appreciation.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, a pretty drake like this was probably bred for nobles and rich merchants. He's probably heard a few things." Ria pulled Troy closer and pressed a kiss to his nose. "Beautiful boy." Troy seemed absolutely in love with Ria and Silas at this point, rumbling happily every time he was touched or spoken to.

 

[heartofcourage]

“After lunch, I’ll bring Bahir and Fatin and see if Heaney ready for some socialization. We’ll take it slow but I think he might be growing out of his shyness. Thanks to Mister Shanendoah, in large part.” Yasmine commented as she turned to pack up her supplies.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think he'll manage, even if it takes a while." Ria helped Yasmine gather her things. "He may understand us, but he may not know how to speak his own kind's language yet."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's a possibility. They are good drakes to learn from. They don't get too upset about much, even if Fatin is still a bit skittish. It's all about learning from one another." She said with a small smile as she got everything packed away and gave Troy a pat on the cheek. "Take care of him, Silas. I expect him to be fed and watered before I come back."

"Yes, ma'am." Silas said in a respectful tone as he wrapped his arms around Gerald's neck. "Grandpa and I can do it."

 

[KieranSoares]

Gerald smiled lightly, "Sure can." He then nodded to something behind Yasmine. "Looks like your doctor's arrived."

Alex came walking up the path toward the tavern, a bit quicker than usual as he was nearly late. But seeing Yasmine and the tavern owners there, he slowed a bit and smiled as he approached.

"Troy looks content," Alex commented as the drake seemed happy to sit beside Ria awaiting any attention she would give.

 

[heartofcourage]

"About as content as he can be." Yasmine said with a grin towards Alex as he came up to her side. "And how about you? Was your day better than your morning?"

She knew that he didn't like talking about himself and his feelings, but she also knew that he was under an immense amount of pressure with his mother's illness.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It was normal, so I suppose it was a little better." He shifted his weight to one leg and smiled to Ria, Gerald, and Silas. "And you all?"

"Barring this thorn in my side," Ria said with a smirk and a nod toward Gerald, "and my stubborn boy and his son," she looked to Silas with a fond smile, "it's been lovely."

"Every day is just a grand adventure with this old woman," Gerald spoke dryly, his sarcasm earning him a light cuff upside the ear.

 

[heartofcourage]

“I’m hungry, grandma.” Silas said from Gerald’s arms, looking over at Ria as she teased her husband. “Can we have dinner? Please?”

“Don’t tell me you’re growing up even more.” Yasmine said with a grin towards the young Shanenedoah. “You’ll be bigger than your Da at this rate.”

“Mama says we can’t be bigger than either of them ever.” Silas said in all seriousness.

“She wants you to stay small forever, I would guess. It means she loves you dearly.” Yasmine smiled at the little boy as he thought about that statement. “Enjoy it now, Silas. You don’t know what you miss until it’s gone.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, Annie might be mad at me for it, but I'm excited for this little man to grow up. That way I can sneak him away on adventures and make him into a proper sailor. Maybe not a pirate, though." Ria chuckled and kissed Silas' forehead. Looking to Alex and Yasmine, she offered a smile. "Come up to the tavern if you're hungry. My treat."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I will only go to sea if my horses and drakes can come too." Silas murmured as Ria kissed her youngest grandson's forehead.

Yasmine looked towards Alex as Ria offered to feed them. Giving Ria a nod, she took Alex's hand and gave it a squeeze. She knew that he was having a hard time with everything, but she wanted him to have a good evening when he was with her.

"Shall we, Alex? Anything pressing?" Yasmine asked, knowing that he owed her a dinner no matter what.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nothing that can't wait for tomorrow," Alex gave Yasmine a gentle smile as she took his hand, and they followed the tavern keepers up the hill. It was a fairly quiet day, and Seamus and his wife seemed to be handling everything with ease. Gerald set Silas down on a barstool and got him a mug of sweet cider, slipping flawlessly back into business while being an attentive grandfather at the same time. Ria found Alex and Yasmine a small, clean table and headed off to get them drinks and put in the dinner order.

Alex set down his satchel and hung his jacket over the chair before settling down. When it was just himself and Yasmine, he raked his fingers back through his hair with a long sigh. Though he remained his usual serene and calm self, he wasn't afraid to show her the moderate stress he felt. Even with his work divided neatly among other healers and everything taken care of as best as anyone could manage, he still couldn't help but worry for his family. "It's been a long day," he murmured, meeting her eyes.