Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

It felt good to be wrapped up in Theo's strong embrace. She let out a sigh as she pressed her cheek against his chest, letting herself relax. "I like it when you call me Valentina. So many other people just call me Val. It makes me feel special." She murmured, blushing deeply at her confession.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo chuckled softly, "Then I'll only call ya Val on special occasions." He lifted his head to gaze down at her. "Y'know... my invitation t'dinner is still open, if yer willin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina looked up at him as he made the invitation again and she actually blushed under his gaze. "I'd love to go to dinner with you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll make somethin' special. Let's say... t'night, in the back parlor?" He offered with a handsome smile. "Until then... if ya need me, ye'll find me in the kitchen, aye? Y'can call on me fer anythin'." He was trying to make it clear to her that he was at her beckon call as a bit more than just a friend, though he wouldn't say it aloud.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alright." Val said as she let him go, blushing at the way that he had left their conversation. She was new to a relationship and she was unsure of what to do next.

She sought out her sister, going to Selena with a dumbfounded look on her face. "He wants to have a private dinner with me. What in the world do I do?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"You get dressed, that's what you do," Selena chuckled softly at her sister who was about a decade younger than herself. "Come on, I'll help you." She took Valentina's hand and led her away to the younger woman's quarters. She opened up Valentina's wardrobe to find that the couple dresses Valentina did own were simple and fairly unfit for a special dinner. "Sometimes I forget you're like me and you don't like dresses," Selena smiled. "That's alright, we'll borrow one of Ma's. She's about your size."

 

[heartofcourage]

Val was a bit depressed by her choices for dresses as Selena insisted she needed to dress up for this special meal. She didn't have much of a choice as her sister took her hand and led her down the hall to their Ma's room where she was sitting knitting in front of the fire. The moment she knew why they were there, she was up, a smile on her face as she pulled out gown after gown for Val to try on.

"Ma, I don't need anything so special." Val insisted but Selena and her were already into their planning.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nonsense, there's no reason not t'get all dolled up," Kitty insisted. She'd waited a long time for the chance to get Valentina all dressed up, and she was even happier that it was for a man that the family had come to adore even in these dark times. Kitty eventually sat down to let Selena fix up Valentina's hair, and Selena smiled down at her sister as she carefully combed the long black locks out from their usual ponytail.

"You've always been so beautiful," she murmured softly. "Just like Ma and what I remember of Grandma. And you look so much like Vincenzo."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina waited patiently as Selena brushed out her long, black glossy hair. She didn't hardly recognize herself by the time her sister was gone and her Ma was lacing her into the yellow gown that fit her perfectly.

"I don't know if I can do this." She said softly, looking at her Ma and Selena. "This...this isn't me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's still you, Val. Just in a different package," Kitty assured her softly, knowing she was terribly nervous. "You don't have t' act any differently. After all, Theo likes th' everyday you. Tonight gets t' be just a little bit special."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I guess." Val said softly, looking at herself in the mirror.

She looked like Kayla, petite and delicate. She saw her father's Italian heritage coming forth though. Unlike Kayla and Selena, her skin as a lovely olive tone, her eyes dark brown and her hair thick and curly. She saw herself, but she couldn't see herself in the dress that she was wearing.

"I guess I better go meet him." She said softly, looking at her mother and sister.

 

[KieranSoares]

Selena and Kitty both paused at her forlorn expression, and Kitty stopped her. "Actually, love... I think I have a better idea." Each headed in a different direction, Kitty to her wardrobe and Selena to Valentina's room. In minutes, Valentina was in an entirely different outfit made up of formfitting black leggings, fairly stylish heeled boots, a dark long-sleeved blouse, and a belted, loose tunic over that which acted like a sort of short robe. It was much more like what Valentina usually wore, but still a bit fancied up for the sake of a special occasion, especially when Kitty draped her own old Ghis crest about her daughter's neck.

"There. Much better," Kitty smiled brightly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Are you sure, Ma?" Val asked, touching the crest about her neck. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't you worry about it, now shoo! You'll be late if you don't hurry!" Kitty shooed her out and down the hall quickly, and Valentina got a few interested looks from the people she passed, wondering why the usually plainly-dressed healer was all dressed up, and for what.

When she reached the back parlor, Chessie was there helping Theo lay out the dinner he'd made with her help. When Valentina arrived, Chessie skittered out with a grin after telling them to enjoy themselves. Theo turned to face Valentina, and it was no secret that her beauty, as ever, stunned him. She didn't need to be dressed up to do that, but it made her even more striking. "Uh... Hiya, Miss Valentina," he said softly, clearly nervous.

 

[heartofcourage]

Val entered the back parlor, pausing as Chessie skittered out and told them to enjoy themselves. She glanced behind her as the door closed gently and then she was left alone with Theo. She turned back towards him with a blush staining her cheeks.

"Hi, Theo." She said softly, rooted to her spot. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's, uh... my pleasure." Theo was having a hard time getting words out properly, and he nearly tripped over himself as he stepped forward. "Here," he drew out her chair for her with a smile. It was all too clear that he was just as nervous as she was.

 

[heartofcourage]

Val stepped forward as she took her seat from Theo, looking up at him with a smile as his hands shook with nerves. "Theo. Can we just agree that this is just a dinner between two friends. I think it would do wonders for our nerves."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It would..." Theo murmured, but didn't say much more about it. He poured her a glass of wine and settled across from her, easing into conversation that was mostly aimed at learning more about her. He wanted to know who she was beyond what he called a 'too-serious, but beautiful face'. He of course was embarrassed at his own boldness, but he didn't back down from it.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I was born in Italy. My Papa and Ma only had one child. My Ma was still married to Tamblin Ghis at the time even though they were having their troubles. I was raised by a woman named Ashelin and her husband Warwick in the middle of the woods. I guess that started my love of nature and plants." She said softly, looking at Theo as she told him a little bit about her personal history.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo's gaze was gentle as she told him bits and pieces of her story. As she mentioned her love of nature, he smiled softly. "My Da was a lumberjack, used t'take me out with 'im. Always came 'ome with somethin' fer Ma tha' I found out in th'woods. Usually brought 'er flowers an' herbs. I r'member one time I mistook poison ivy fer an' herb. Da jus' laughed at me while my Ma scrubbed everythin' I'd touched and practically threw me in th'river t' try an' get it off. By th'time she was done, th'only one tha' got any poison rash was her." He chuckled at that and sat back with a smile as he revisited that memory. "We never quit teasin' 'er about it."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina laughed at his store, her laughter rare but beautiful. It was high, like a bell that tinkled and her dark eyes lit up with merriment.

"That sounds like my Nonna. I met my Nonna when I was 8. That was the first summer I got sent to my Papa in Italy. He wanted to meet me and it was the best summer I could ever remember. She taught me how to cook and how to sew. My Papa loved his mother." She said with a soft sigh. "When she died four years later, I wanted to say with my Papa. I didn't think I could leave him alone, but he was much stronger than I thought."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I only barely met Vincenzo when I got 'ere, but 'e seemed like a real decent sort o' man," Theo leaned forward on the table and Valentina saw him become quite comfortable suddenly. Talk of family made him relax, as it had been the biggest part of his life for his entire life. "What about yer brothers? They all seemed so protective of ya." Indeed they had been. From the day after Tamblin's death when Kitty began taking care of Valentina with Ashelin and Warwick being able to freely return to the keep, the Ghis brothers had adored Valentina and only knew she was their sister after Brogan took the throne and had just married Cassandra. Her two elder sisters, despite Kayla always seeming to be treated as younger than herself, were terribly attached to her even before Tamblin's death.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I didn't know they were my brothers for a very long time. My sisters always came to see me in the woods, but I only remember seeing Ashien and Boar and Brogan and Durban from afar. My Ma...well, she wasn't allowed to see me at all until after Tamblin died. She would though. She would sneak out of the keep and come to see me on special days like my birthday and holidays." Valentina said softly.

"I think they were afraid of what Tamblin might do to me if he were allowed to get close. He's the reason I cannot hear very well. He beat my mother something terrible while she was pregnant with me. My Papa tried everything he could when she was sent back to Italy to help, but the damage had been done."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, jus' goes t'show ya even th'most terrible men can' overcome strong lasses like you an' yer Ma," he offered gently. "Yer a lot like 'er from what I've seen, y'know... Both o' ya, yer strong an' ye've got a sense o' duty t'yer family stronger'n any I've ever seen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've always wanted to be a healer." She said softly as if she were confessing a huge secret to him. "I don't have much time for anything else. Besides, my family always scares off men who look my way."