Of the Fells

[KieranSoares]

"I noticed," Theo chuckled. "Yer brother Boar almos' glared a hole through me when 'e saw us t'gether. Caught me later an' warned me not t'be messin' with 'is little sister, else 'e'd 'ave my 'ead." That wasn't unusual. Boar had done that to every man who'd ever seemed interested in her, along with warnings added by Brogan and Durban and, very occasionally, Ashien too. "Said y'had more important things t'do than fend off th'advances o' a stranger from up north. Tried t'tell 'im we were friends an' 'e nearly knocked me out." He seemed to take it in stride, while other men in the past had avoided Valentina at all costs to avoid the wrath of the Ghis brothers.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well...it means a lot to me that you haven't run away." Valentina said after a long moment of silence, her olive skin pinking up in embarrassment as she uttered those words. "I like having you as a friend, Theo. You're easy to talk to and more importantly you listen to what I have to say."

 

[KieranSoares]

"'Course I do. Ye've always got somethin' interesting t'say. Not t'mention, it'll take a lot more'n a broad Scotsman with 'is chest puffed out t'scare me off." He'd faced far too much in his life to be too terribly intimidated by Boar. "'Specially not when I can see y'need a friend."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina blushed deeply again, looking down at the plate that still sat untouched in front of her. "Well, I don't NEED a friend. I've done just fine on my own." She was always a little defensive when it came to her lack of companionship. "But it's nice to have you around."

She finally glanced up at him, her dark brown eyes capturing his for a long moment. What in the world was wrong with her, she thought to herself. Why was she blushing and stammering like a young woman...in love? No, Theo was just her friend and that was it.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Jus' 'cause ye've done fine doesn' mean y'don' need someone t' offer a shoulder t'lean on," Theo insisted softly. He didn't seem offended at all by her claim that she was fine alone. As their eyes met, he smiled at her. He wouldn't say it out loud and embarrass her, but he was sure he recognized the look on her face.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sorry if I've been rude." Val said softly as she finally picked up her fork to eat the delicious food that he had made for her. "I've never...been...well, in a situation like this." She commented, blushing again deeply.

 

[KieranSoares]

"And what sort o' situation would tha' be?" Theo asked with a bit of concern. He was worried that he was making her uncomfortable and that was the last thing he'd meant to do.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was quiet for a long moment, struggle to put to words what she she was feeling. "A date?" She said softly, looking at Theo with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. "Not that it's bad...it's just new."

 

[KieranSoares]

"'S'only a date if y'want it t'be," Theo offered, though he'd intended it to be exactly that. He didn't want to push and it wasn't hard to see that. "Y'just tell me if I do somethin' y'don' want, Valentina. I don' want t'make ya uncomfortable."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was quiet for a long moment as she thought about his words. He was a kind man and a dear friend. He had a family that he had lost in a painful way and he was worried about causing her embarrassment?

"Theo...would you like to court me?" She asked him softly, her dark eyes finally settling upon his own.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd love to," he told her with absolute certainty. "And I'd be honored if ye'd have me, Valentina." He didn't say anything about it, but he felt his heart flip in his chest at his own admittance of his attraction.

 

[heartofcourage]

She was a little embarrassed, but that didn't stop her from giving him a nod and a shy smile. It was the only form of acceptance that she would give him and it would start them down an exciting path together.

"Forgive me for being silly, Theo. Things are new to me and sometimes I have a hard time processing everything." She said softly. "I'll try my best to be open with you though."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's not silly," Theo assured her softly. "An' y'don't have t'feel pressured 'r rushed about anythin'. Seein' Inverness taken care of comes first fer now. We can enjoy ourselves more after th'war is done."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Would you...would you take me to the Fells when this is all done?" Valentina asked him, her eyes lighting up for the first time since the war began at the thought of taking a trip somewhere she had never been.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That sounds like a good idea fer a date..." Theo smiled at the thought. Not only would he visit his home, but he'd be taking the woman who seemed to find her way into his thoughts all the time.

 

[heartofcourage]

She smiled then, reaching across the small table to take his hand in hers and squeeze it tightly. She knew it would be hard since he had lost his wife and children, but he wanted to take her somewhere that was incredibly special to him. That meant the world to her.

"Alright. Let's eat this wonderful meal before it goes to waste." She said softly, pulling her hand back to start eating again.

 

[KieranSoares]

The evening was a beautiful and peaceful moment amid the war and worry, but said problems only waited until the next day around noon when Durban woke and was able to tell Julia all he'd seen. It wasn't long before she decided to head south for reinforcements, leaving orders that the town should evacuate to Aberdeen if anything happened. Durban took over in her absence.

It wasn't long before Durban and Selena were at odds when he insisted she would have to go with the group to Aberdeen. When news reached them that Brogan and Ashien had been defeated, Durban ordered to entire town to head east to the safer city. Poor young Kayla, who'd learned her dear Captain Callaghan had fallen, would not leave.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina focused as much as she could with the task at hand. Theo was right there beside her, making sure that she had enough medicines to last the entire time at Aberdeen. She was concerned about Emma and her pregnancy. The last one had been difficult and she didn't know how this one would be.

"Theo, would you pack my things into Emma's wagon? I'll ride with her to Aberdeen to make sure that she's alright." She said, looking over at him with a worried look in her eyes. "She almost didn't survive the last time. It would do me good if you kept an eye on Boar."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll see 'e doesn't 'urt 'imself any more'n 'e already is," Theo agreed before picking up her trunk on one broad shoulder to carry outside. Annie came to join his side as he went and he gladly carried her too despite the bulky and heavy trunk.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina watched as Annie was scooped into his arms, her dark head resting on his shoulder. Her Ma was watching Ciaran, keeping him safe as everyone finished packing up the wagons. Emma was distraught and she didn't like seeing her sister-in-law like that. She insisted that she take some herbs to calm her and put her to sleep, a pallet made in the back of the wagon so that she could rest. She took it upon her to watch Leon and Eli, keeping them occupied with her jars and bottles as the caravan got on the road.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo was thankfully joining the group to help look after the children. In the end as they arrived in Aberdeen, the last stragglers came along to report with great fear that the enemy had reached Inverness and Kayla, Durban, and a handful of wounded men had remained to slow them down. Word reached them a day later that Durban had fallen but it was not known if he lived, and Kayla had been forced to marry the Norwegian King Olaf who had joined Sarah's side in honor of the dead Arland Wick. She had made the deal to defend her family.

No one could function properly as the knowledge that they'd lost their home and king settled in. Brogan was reported dead, and Durban and Ashien and Cole's fates were unknown. All hope rested with Julia, who was already past Glasgow and had an army of men and werefolk from across the isles at her back. It was the night of Julia's great battle in Inverness as Aberdeen awaited word of the outcome, that Theo came to join Valentina in the empty private den of the manse the family was staying in. He said nothing, and looked worried half to death.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was very good at hiding what she felt from everyone around her. It wouldn't be good to have a healer who was a simpering mess. Especially when there was so much to be done around Aberdeen. She glanced up as Theo came into the den, a look on his face that told her that he was just as worried.

"I need you to help me with Emma. She's in labor and Boar will tear the room apart if I let him in there." She said softly, hoping that Theo could occupy her brother's time until the baby came.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can 'old 'im," Theo assured her softly. They only had to wait for Emma to go into the final stages of labor, but it was such slow going that everyone was on edge with all the happenings and unknowns around them. Theo sat down beside Valentina and, after a moment, he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. Regardless of anything else, he was there at her side and that was all he could offer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Theo holding her hand was welcome. She couldn't tell anyone her stress and fear, but he didn't need to hear the words from her lips. He simply knew. She let out a sigh as she leaned her head against his broad shoulder.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo's arm came to wrap around her shoulders as she leaned against him, but it didn't last. One of the maids looking after Emma came to report to Valentina that she was sure the baby was coming soon and Valentina was needed to help deliver it. Theo rose as they heard Boar down the hall growling at some poor serving man who was trying to help keep him out of Emma's room for his sake and her own. Boar was too protective and too abrasive when his wife was in pain, and needed to be kept away until the healers were done, or else he'd try to protect her from them and therefore prevent them from helping her.