Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"Your days of fighting on the front are over." Valentina said softly as she packed up her bag and sat there with her brother. "There's not much we can do to help, but with poultices and time, you can do much of what you use to do without pain."

She reached out and touched her brother's arm, giving him a soft smile. "You have to run and play with those little lads and chase off all the boys that come around for this little girl's hand."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Trust me, love, I'll get a damn horse if I have to," Boar chuckled. Little Kayla curled closer against his chest, enjoying the warm rumble even in her sleep. Boar was in love, that much was clear as he looked down at his daughter with the most adoring gaze.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina smiled as she watched Boar dote on his tiny daughter. She had thought he had been in love with the twins, but she could see now that Kayla was on a whole other level. She would be well loved and protected by her strong father for the rest of her life.

"Would you do me a favor? When Durban is feeling better, would you talk to him about everything that happened out there? I'm worried about him." Val said softly. "He doesn't want to talk to Marri because he doesn't want her to know and I don't think he would be truly comfortable talking to me about it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Tha's because 'e's still tryin' t'protect our little sister," Boar smiled. "I'll talk to 'im. I'm 'avin' some similar problems m'self, but no' as bad as Durban an' Ash. I'll see if Ash needs any 'elp too. Now go on, love. I think I'm gonna join Emma fer a nap soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Call me if you need someone to watch the twins and baby." Valentina said as she pressed a kiss to her brother's brow before doing the same to her newborn niece.

When she left the room, she felt better about the situation as she made her last stop to visit Ashien. Opening the door, she could see that he was being cared for by his pretty new wife. Her Ma was still furious that he had married without telling the family, but the way that Dylandra doted on her brother made everyone see that their love was pure and real.

"Well, if I had known you already had a nurse, I would have gone on to someone else." Valentina teased as she made her way towards his bed. "How are you feeling, Ashien?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just peachy," Ashien murmured hoarsely, trying to act more positive than he felt. "But I suppose I could be better... Dylandra brought your uncle and your favorite tiger, by the way, if you get a free second to see them." When they'd been younger and Durban brought Ballas home, Valentina was one of the most excited thanks to her love of adventure and exotic things, and Ballas had been her first meeting with something truly exotic from across the world.

As Ashien spoke, a familiar black-striped head butted against Valentina's thigh with a deep growling purr.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ashien was telling me how he convinced you that Ballas was your uncle in disguise." Dylandra said with a smile on her lips as Ballas butted against Valentina with a deep purr.

"Well, I was a little girl that had a big imagination." Valentina said as she scratched between the tiger's ears. "He came back home with Ballas right after the woman who raised me died and I was looking for anything to take my mind off losing both her and her husband in a short amount of time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And then, of course, Valentine came here from Italy and eventually followed me to Darkwood. We call him Van because Valentina's named after him and we try not to mix them up. As if anyone could confuse boring old Van for my adventurous little sister."

"Do not insult the habits of a blind man, young Ashien, or he will show you that he can still see well enough to knock you over the head," Van's voice came from the hall. He stepped in and paused before Valentina. She hadn't seen him in years, and had only heard he'd gone blind but hadn't seen him since. "Val, cara mia," he smiled to her. Vincenzo had gotten the 'cara mia' from Van long ago when Vincenzo introduced Kitty to Van along with a baby Valentina.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Zio." Valentina said fondly as she hugged him tightly and kissing his cheek. "It's been too long since I've seen you. Ashien works you to the bone, I suppose. He's always been the demanding one in this family."

"I can attest to that." Dylandra teased her husband, taking his hand and squeezing it before she leaned in and kissed him gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hardly," Van chuckled. If anything, I keep him busy so he doesn't lock himself away for days in his studio." He kissed Valentina's cheek in return and reached out for Ballas. "Now, come along, Ballas. If you all will excuse me, this gentleman tends to get a little grouchy if he doesn't have his meal." Both housekeeper and tiger headed down the hall. Ashien sat up with some difficultly in bed, and though he was, for the most part, well-taken care of by Vincenzo, there was still plenty to do in the way of pain and warding off infection from the probably-hundreds of cuts and a few large gashes from cannon shrapnel.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Have you been sleeping?" Valentina asked as she dug into her bag for the pain killing herbs that would help him relax as well as those that would help him sleep. "Without proper rest, you will only get worse."

"He tosses and turns at night." Dylan mentioned drawing a look from her husband. "I'm sorry that you're too stubborn to say, but she's right."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's just a few bad dreams lately, that's all..." Ashien muttered, but both Dylandra and Valentina knew they were the same paralyzing nightmares that Durban was dealing with and that Boar was experiencing every so often. "It'll last a while, but I'll be fine."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He wakes up screaming orders." Dylandra said, looking at her sister in law. "And he mutters things in his sleep."

"Well, I can help with the pain and the not sleeping, but when you are ready, Boar is willing to listen to you talk about the experiences you went through." She said, not leaving him a choice as she mixed up something for his pain.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't want to talk about them, Val... I want to forget them..." Ashien nearly whispered, averting his gaze from both women as he retreated mentally. "I just want to forget..." He wasn't the sort of man to balk at the past and memories, nor was he the sort to let others into his troubles, so if he was this scared and depressed to let on just a little, it was a wonder as to how much he and his brothers were really suffering.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina said nothing as she helped him to drink the mixture, staying with him as he drifted off into a restful sleep. Val explained to Dylandra about how to give him the herbs when he woke and ate something and she encouraged her sister-in-law to get her brother talking, even if he didn't want to. After that, she left the room, allowing Ashien to rest and heal.

She made her way to the kitchen to find Theo, grinning as she heard the sound of children and laughter filling the room. The youngest generation of Ghis were gathered around the table, looking expectantly as Chessie and Theo served them treats and goats milk.

"You didn't have to take the whole brood." Val said softly as Theo passed by.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I might as well," Theo shrugged with a smile as he helped little Elise into her seat beside her brother. "They seem t'like me an' I enjoy 'em, so why no'?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie was doting on Ciaran, helping her baby brother to drink from his cup. Gabriel had taken control of Seamus, letting Elise eat her snack in peace. Ruben had even joined them, chatting animatedly to his cousins. It was heartwarming to see them all working together to help one another. They would have a strong bond that would be hard to break.

"What shall we make for dinner, lovelies?" Valentina asked as she was met with a chorus of answers, all the favorites of the Ghis family. "One at a time, little ones. And say it loud so Chessie can hear."

 

[KieranSoares]

As each child piped up with this and that, each changed their mind when someone suggested something better than their own idea, until they were all clamoring for Chessie's famous roast beef and Kitty's potatoes and goat cheese recipe that Ruben suggested from having it with his mother. Soon Chessie shooed them all out and Selena took over the bunch and set them to playing in the great hall where they were free to make a little noise.

Theo sat down with Valentina in one of the hallways with a contented sigh and a smile. "Those kids're a handful... but I love 'em already."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You would make a great father." Valentina said, her cheeks growing red as that just slipped out. "I mean...you were a father...your girls were probably very loved."

She shut up immediately after that, not wanting to put him in any kind of distress. Why had she said anything, she asked herself, searching for his hand to hold and hoping that he wouldn't be mad at her for bringing up his past.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo's eyes turned to meet her gaze, and rather than getting upset or angry, he smiled softly, if a little sadly and he hugged her gently against his side. "My girls were my world. I loved 'em more'n life, would've done anythin' for 'em... Don' be afraid 'r feel bad, Val. It's alright. It migh' still hurt... but I can remember 'em with a smile rather'n tears now."

 

[heartofcourage]

Val gave him a smile, squeezing his hand as he spoke about his girls with fondness instead of anger. She knew that losing a child was hard, but she could only imagine what Theo had gone through. It wasn't easy, she was sure.

Staring at him there in the hallways, she reached up to gently cup his cheek. She had never really showed him affection beyond holding his hand or a hug or a kiss on the cheek. That day, she felt that she wanted to change that.

"I think I want to kiss you." She murmured softly, her cheeks burning brightly under his gaze. "I've been thinking about it a lot, actually."

 

[KieranSoares]

Rather than say anything, Theo simply smiled, drawing her just a little bit closer, his broad arms wrapping gently around her before his lips pressed slowly to hers in a warm, adoring kiss the likes of which she'd never known. When their lips parted, he met her eyes and murmured, "Y'never 'ave t'ask, y'know."

 

[heartofcourage]

Val felt stiff as he kissed her. It was her first real kiss, one that she had been thinking about for days now. She was falling in love with Theo and she knew that he was a good man, but there was still that part of her brain that kept her from truly enjoying their time together.

That moment was absolutely beautiful, she thought before they parted and she was left looking into his gentle gaze as he murmured that she never had to ask. "And you don't have to hesitate."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll keep tha' in mind," he nearly whispered before he kissed her once more. He couldn't help enjoying the new-found affection, and he wanted her to know that he loved showing her that affection. "Val..." he murmured. "I think y'stole my heart," he chuckled softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

She let out another soft whimper as he kissed her again, the look in his eyes telling her that Theo had fallen head over heels for her. She had always wanted a man that cared for her and let her be herself. It seemed that Theo was the man for her.

"I think you're stealing mine as well." She said softly, her voice a whisper that only he could hear. "You make me burn, amare."