Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"Brogan has already given his blessing." Valentina said softly as Durban left the room, Theo's gaze turning towards her as he smiled. "Boar won't be so bad. His bark is worse than his bite."

She stood and made her way to Theo, settling in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Let's go to the Fells. Brogan is well enough that he doesn't need watching. I want to see them with you before we go to France."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Righ' now?" Theo chuckled as he let his arms settle about her waist. "I mean, I'm ready when you are. Little sudden, though."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Right now, if you wish." Valentina said, giving him a smile as she thought about doing something spur of the moment.

She had never been a strong headed child. She had always obeyed what people told her to do. The thought of just running off with the man that she loved was secretly thrilling.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then get whatever y'need an' we'll be off. Jus' make sure yer family doesn' come hunt me down for it." He rose with her and stole a gentle but deep kiss. His heart raced at the idea of a sudden dash back home with his love.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll leave them a note." Valentina said, a wide smile on her face as she was suddenly up to pack for their trip north.

Her heart was racing at the thought of actually traveling. She had dreamed about it so many times in the past and now it was happening. She was over the moon.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo had packed his own things and had a couple horses and supplies ready within the next hour, and he was waiting outside for her when she was ready. But when she came out, she saw Vincenzo had stopped him and was asking him just what he was up to.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina left a note for her family tacked to her bedroom door and picked up the pack that she had put together. She had a silly smile on her face as she hurried to find Theo outside. Raul was pawing at the ground impatiently as her father talked to Theo. She felt her heart sink a little bit, their little plan disappearing before her eyes.

"Papa." She said softly as she came closer. "Please, Papa, it'll only be for a few days."

She was talking in Italian, begging him to give her the permission to go like a child. She hated begging, but she felt like she had been caught doing something incredibly bad.

 

[KieranSoares]

"What in the world is going on?" Vincenzo asked in Englisb as he raised an eyebrow at her. He looked back to Theo.

"We're goin' t'the Fells, sir."

"Oh. Well why didn't you just say so?" Vincenzo stepped out of Valentina's way then. "Go on. Have fun."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're sure?" Valentina asked, suddenly second guessing their rushed decision. "I can stay if you need me here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Cara mia, you're finally going out on an adventure I didn't have to drag you away from home for. Go on," Vincenzo came to kiss her cheek and gave her a little nudge toward Raul. "Enjoy yourself, I'll take care of any rumbling from your brothers."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, Papa." She said as that happy smile burst across her lips once more as she scrambled into Raul's saddle before anything could pull her away. "We'll be back in a few days. I promise."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Take your time." Vincenzo saw them off, giving them a wave as they trotted down and out of the keep courtyard. Theo picked up a couple things on their way out of Inverness and they were headed north through the forest and out onto the highlands.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina was squirming in her saddle like a child waiting for presents on Christmas morning. She kept looking towards Theo, a wide smile on her face. She had never felt so free and able to do whatever she liked as she did in that moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo's own excitement mirrored hers, occasionally guiding his horse closer to steal a kiss in between telling her stories about the Fells and the legends from those great hills and highlands. The Fells, being rolling grassy hills but not quite highlands, were a green and lush, though windy and fairly cold place year-round. With spring already coming on quickly, though, it would be warm enough to spend plenty of time outside. Theo was almost a giddy young lad at the idea.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perhaps we should take some time to tend to your family's plot." Valentina offered, not wanting to ruin his good mood but knowing it would do him some good. "We can plant some heather and clover. It should be pretty for years to come."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo's smile softened, "True. I never got th'chance t'tend my sister's grave in Wick either. A friend o' mine there took care o'her while I went t'Inverness. We'll be passin' through Wick on th'way anyhow. Best place t'get a ferry t'Kent."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She'd be proud of you." Valentina offered as she watched his smile soften with a hint of melencholy. "I know I'm proud of the way that you handled everything. You might still be at the Fells with your wife and children if none of this had ever happened."

And I would have never have met you, she thought to herself, reaching across the space between them to take his hand and squeeze it tightly. "I want you to know that whatever happens between us...I don't want you to have to forget about your family. They were important to you which means that they're important to me too."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I won' ever let th'memories go, but... I can let everythin' else alone. My Ma always told me t'live fer th'day. What was it... some Latin phrase, 'carpe diem' she used t'say. So did my gran an' most o' my family before 'er. So I'll bow t'wiser people an'listen t'the woman who knew everythin'." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze in return. "Don' worry 'bout me, love. It migh' hurt occasionally, but I'm here fer you now."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I'm forever in your wife's debt." Valentina said softly as she pulled Raul close to his steed to kiss his cheek. "She helped to make you into the wonderful lover that you are now."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo couldn't help but laugh at that, sitting back in his saddle with a bright smile. "Oh, she'd kill me fer endin' up with a younger woman, trust me. No' fer jealousy. She'd say th'same thing my Ma said when she found out I was marryin' a younger lass, an' I was pretty young myself. She'd say, 'Dammit, lad leave th'poor little lass alone an' get someone your own age. She doesn' need t'be one o' those young an' pretty brides with a grey ol' husband."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I never saw myself being a young and pretty bride." Valentina said with a soft laugh. "I always assumed that I would be a spinster or find a man that would take me to a priest for a quick wedding before I got back to work."

 

[KieranSoares]

"For the sake o' my skin, let's not do that," Theo chuckled. He knew it was not the Ghis brothers, but their mother that would kill him. She'd nearly throttled her sons who'd gotten married at first without her present. Brogan had been excused with his first wedding to Julia due to the circumstances, but Durban and Boar had married their wives far from home, both quite suddenly, and she'd been livid. And Ashien had not yet had a second wedding in Inverness run by his mother, so he was still in trouble. And of course, Kitty was waiting, though probably fruitlessly, for Kreston and Selena's proper wedding as they had never had one and simply decided long ago that they were together. After all, it was all the tribe required and Selena wasn't one for great celebrations centered around her, and certainly detested wearing fancy gowns if she could help it.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If we let my Ma plan our wedding, you know we would never hear the end of it." Valentina said, looking at him with a smile. "She'd put me in a white dress. She would make you shave. She would pick out the flowers and the food. All we would have to do is show up."

She got a warm feeling in the pit of her belly as she talked about being married to Theo. She knew it was a possibility, but talking about it suddenly made things seem very real.

 

[KieranSoares]

"This fine beard ain' goin' anywhere," Theo grinned down at her as he stroked his thick but short beard. Since coming to Inverness, he kept it fairly trim and short. He then noted Valentina's smile and he couldn't help his grin widening. "Why? Thinkin' about marryin' me, vagabond tha' I am?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina blushed completely, looking up at Theo as he mentioned marrying her. She gave him a shy smile, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

"Perhaps I am." She said softly. "It's not such a bad thought. You would be a good husband and a good father."