Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"I think you might turn tail and run faster than the rest of us." Valentina said with a laugh towards Theo as they enjoyed the moment as a family together. "We all know what a big scaredy cat you are, right Alex?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's almost as brave as Nonna when she calms down Uncle Boar," Alex commented quietly, and then he suddenly froze against her when he saw a strange shape in the fog. Theo paused too as if on edge, but a smile came to his face as he realized what it was.

"Is that him...?" Alex asked quietly as they made out the shape's long neck and apparent wings. But it was too small to be a proper huge dragon. Whatever it was heard them, and approached. From the mist appeared a green-scaled weredragon with sharp, angled blue eyes and huge leathery wings folded onto her back.

"Good afternoon," she said kindly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina watched as a weredragon approached them, Alex pressed against her leg as if the woman were the real dragon that they had been looking for. She grinned down at her little boy and then looked up at the woman in greeting.

"Good afternoon. You haven't by chance seen the dragon today, have you?" Valentina asked as it was obvious what they were looking for with the excited but shy little boy cradling a wooden dragon figure.

 

[KieranSoares]

The woman looked down at Alex and couldn't help a soft laugh, "Why, you're looking at her."

"But isn't he a giant? And really old?" Alex managed to ask, his curiosity overcoming his speech-impeding shyness.

"Well... I am a giant among my kind. Most stand about a foot shorter than me. And I'm about... middle-aged, at five-hundred and forty-two." That left Alex speechless. Valentina had only met one other weredragon in her life, but knew that old for a weredragon was about one-thousand years old.

 

[heartofcourage]

"This is Alexander." Valentina said softly as she encouraged him to step forward to be introduced. "And you are?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Most just call me Khali," she said softly in her kind, low yet feminine voice.

"They call you Grandmother?" Theo asked with a smile, knowing the Lunar word well.

"I've been around since long before there was a High King here, since before the counties and before the founding of England. Some believe I knew King Arthur, even," she chuckled. "So I don't think it's so odd that they call me that. But my real name is Ara Kineln, of the Gharim Tribe in Egypt."

"Can I call you Khali?" Alex finally asked softly, completely stunned by this very real, very worldly woman who was the dragon of legend. Her age certainly spoke of how a legend had come about.

"Oh, of course you can, little one," Khali said, already enchanted by the boy. "And who might you two be?" She asked, looking to Theo and Valentina. "From Scotland and... the Mediterranean, I'll bet."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm from Scotland, originally. My father is Italian." Valentina said, impressed that she knew that she haled, in part, from that part of the world. "I'm Valentina Ambrose. This is my betrothed, Theo Irons. And Alexander is our son. He has been absolutely enchanted by the legends of dragons since he got his first books."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You must be the healers from Inverness, then, the home of Inverness Kipper if I remember correctly... Well, little Alex, since you're here in Ireland, I have a secret for you." Khali leaned down and whispered against his ear, and Alex's eyes grew huge with amazement.

"Really?" He whispered in return, and she nodded, which made him clutch his dragon toy closer with absolute joy.

 

[heartofcourage]

The smile on Valentina's face as Alex lit up, hugging his dragon close as he looked up at the woman that he had waited so long to meet. He was opening up and finding joy in a world that had seen so dark and scary just a few short weeks earlier. He should have been carefree and silly, like any child.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Will we see you again?" Alex asked when Khali told him she had to leave.

"Of course you will. After all, your mother saved my dearest friend's life, and I live and work here at the loch. But I have some nets to pull in and a little grandson about your age to go see." She gave his hair an affectionate ruffle and gave Valentina and Theo a smile before going on her way.

"Annie will never believe me," Alex whispered after Khali disappeared.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, I'm sure that she will. She's been looking for the Inverness kipper for a very long time." Valentina said with a smile as Alex seemed so enchanted. "Speaking of Annie, should we pick her up a souvenir from the village? I'm sure she would appreciate a new book or a doll."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I was going to bring her something from her grandpa and grandma," Alex told her. He had learned quickly just how much Stephen and Jessie meant to Annie. She always talked about the books they sent her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think that is a perfect idea, bambino." Valentina said softly as she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "What do you say that we keep exploring? You never know what you might see in Ireland."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex nodded and they went on. Soon he was distracted picking through little stones on the beach. Theo settled to watch him with Valentina, a permanent smile on his face. He broke the silence after a while and murmured, "Okay, y'were right. I got a little startled at first."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you all too well, amore." Valentina said with a smile as she grabbed Theo by the collar and pulled him in for a kiss. " You act tough, but I know that you are just as soft as sheep's wool."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo could only smile and murmur, "Hey... After all this is over... What say you we give Alex t'Kitty fer a while and just take a day fer us?" He'd missed their alone time, though trading it for a son was a fairly good bargain in his eyes.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Are you asking me to fit you into my schedule?" Valentina asked, thinking about all that they had given up when Alex came into their lives. "I suppose I could. A night of passion might do the both of us some good after everything that has happened."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I've got th'luxury of a pretty open schedule, so yeah, I'm askin'." He smiled as she thought aloud and he drew her in again for another kiss. They'd been so busy that he'd hardly had a chance to do that much recently.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina let out a whimper as Theo pulled her in close and showed her that passion that he always had simmering for her. She grinned against his lips, thankful that she had found a man that was as thoughtful as Theo. Other men would have probably left her long ago, especially when Alex came along, but Theo had only strengthened his resolve.

 

[KieranSoares]

That night, Valentina finally got a chance to see Shia again for herself. He was sitting up, drinking water and broth without too much issue, and he was breathing easily. Sarin was looking after him still, and Sarah was finally able to focus on the other people without fear of losing Shia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Alex came into the room with her, pausing with his dragon still in his arms as Valentina went to check on the wolf. "Would you mind if Alex assisted?" Valentina asked Shia.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not at all," Shia whispered hoarsely with a smile. Alex laid his dragon aside so his hands would be free to help Valentina, and he awaited her word.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You always have to start by asking what the patient is feeling. If they are feeling bad, then you can decided what kind of medicine you are going to give them." Valentina said as she moved towards Shia. "So, Shia, how are you feeling this evening?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Much better... but very sore," he murmured. "I'm just happy to be breathing."

Alex already had an idea, Vincenzo having taught him about pain-relieving herbs first. "White willow and chamomile," he murmured, looking up to Valentina.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina looked down at Alex as he made his suggestion for what might help. "Why white willow?" She asked him, wanting to know why he had thought about plant first.