The Baker's Assistant (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sure 'e would. 'E can't say no to a pretty lass if I know 'im at all. But on th'off chance 'e says no, just ask Ria an' she'll kick 'im in gear." Theo hung up his own apron and leaned on the counter beside her. "If all else fails, I'd be 'appy t'help. I'm no' much of a cook, but I can get things prepared pretty fast."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'd feel bad making you work without at least feeding you in return." Kayla said softly, looking at him as he offered to come and help her. "But I promised Leon it would be a dinner for just the two of us."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If y'need the help, just say so an' we can postpone dinner fer another time, aye?" Aleister offered with one of his kind, not-so-rare-anymore smiles. "'Sides, yer brother looked like 'e needed a good relaxing night when I saw 'im, an' I'd be 'appy t'help make that happen."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alright...I guess I'll let you help me." Kayla said with a smile on her face as she forced herself off the stool to grab her fur cloak. "And I'll even send you back home with a plate. How about that?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'twisted my arm," Aleister chuckled and grabbed his cloak as well as a loaf of bread which he put into a basket. "An' y'can take this along with ya." He opened up the door for her and escorted her home through the snow, shortening his long stride so she didn't have to try to keep up.

 

[heartofcourage]

Once they got to her home, Kayla hung up her cloak and took a seat by the fire, propping up her feet as she directed Aleister in the kitchen. She had already done much of the work for the hearty stew and all that needed to be done was to cook the meat and put it all together to simmer. As she watched him work, her eyes grew heavy and before she knew it, she was sound asleep next to the warm fire.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister didn't wake Kayla until he was done, at which point he stepped over to lay a warm hand on her arm. "Kay. Food's done. I'm gonna head 'ome."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla woke with a slight start, looking up at Aleister as he rested his broad hand against her arm. She was confused for a moment, blinking the sleep from her eyes before she remembered what he was doing there.

"Did you take some food for yourself?" She asked him, pushing herself up out of her chair to make him a bowl if he hadn't already. "Because I'm not letting you leave without anything to eat."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I did. Everythin's ready an' waitin' fer you an' yer brother." Aleister smiled and headed toward the door to get his cloak. "I'll 'ead out. 'E oughta be 'ere soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, Aleister." She said as she watched him gather his cloak. "I'll repay you as soon as I think of something good."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No worries, lass," Aleister insisted, wrapping her in a warm embrace before he headed out. Leon arrived only ten minutes later, looking dour as ever. Even with his rare smiles that Kayla and Lucy received the most, he always looked deadly serious. It was definitely something he'd gotten from their parents as Emma and Boar's severe expressions were almost as frightening as Leon's when he was truly set and serious about something. His determination was something to behold that went beyond just stubbornness. It was perhaps why he was one of the Ghis family's most staunch and steady protectors combining his father's and uncles' boldness and sense of duty but with very little softness to spare even in peaceful times it seemed.

"Hiya, kid," Leon spoke in his grave and gravelly voice as he stepped in.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla simply laughed softly and kissed her brother's cheek as he finally arrived, allowing him to hang up his cloak as she went to serve the dinner. Her nap had rejuvenated her and she felt ready for a good meal with her brother to talk about what had been going on in his life lately.

"There's some wine if you would like some." She called over her shoulder as she gathered the items that Aleister had finished for her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Leon quietly went about uncorking the wine bottle, pouring himself a glass and then picking up the bottle of Kayla's favorite cordial beside it to pour her own drink. He came to her side to help her carry this and that to the table. When they were finally sat down, he grunted, "So what'd y'want t'talk about, li'l sister?" He was always glad to listen despite his overly-serious expressions and lifestyle, but getting him to talk about anything personal to himself was like pulling teeth if he wasn't in the mood. Kayla seemed to be one of the few people able to convince him to speak aside from Emma and, due to Leon's longtime bond with the women, their aunts Selena and Valentina.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Can't I invite my big brother over for a nice meal?" Kayla asked, giving him a smile as she dished them both up a healthy plate. "And maybe ask him about how his life is going. If he has anyone special in it that his little sister should meet..."

She was known to be blunt and to the point when there was information that she wanted. She had learned that from her mother. Emma was the master at interrogation when it came to every single member of the family, including little Lucy who had never spoken a word.

 

[KieranSoares]

Leon's usual neutral frown became ever so slightly more pronounced and he raised a brow when he fixed her with a quizzical gaze. "... An' what gave ya tha' idea?" He was fairly guarded about such things, but even more so lately. Last time Kayla and Eli had heard Boar ask if Leon had his eye on anyone, Leon seemed to deny the idea a bit too quickly and change the subject. He'd been spending a fair bit of time with Ciaran outside of his work, and often insisted that he was with Ciaran or another cousin when asked where he went off to so often after work.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might think you are being sly, Leon. Mummy and Da might not have an idea where you go after work, but I certainly do." She said, giving him that pretty little grin that had stolen many hearts in her lifetime. "You're so quick to deny. You're more relaxed, however. Your scowl is a little less every day."

She was quiet for a long moment, taking a bite of her food as her bright blue eyes focused on her dear, protective brother. "It's alright to be in love, Leon. It doesn't make you weak and it is well worth the heartache."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hmph..." he grunted, averting his eyes. "Hardly..." So he admitted he was in love, but it seemed he had more doubts than he really wanted to let on. But at the same time, he knew what his sister and her opinion meant to him, and he wanted to know something. "Kay..." he murmured, meeting her gaze again as if almost shy. "Have y'ever... ever known somethin' was only gonna get ya hurt, an' other people too... but y'do it anyway... because all th'pain's worth the few moments y'get t'be happy...?" His strong voice failed him, becoming nearly a whisper.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Leon." Kayla said softly, reaching across her small table to take his rough hand in her own. "Look at me. I waited so long to tell the love of my life how I felt that I only had one night. One beautiful night that I'll never forget...for obvious reasons."

She glanced briefly down at her swollen belly before she turned her gaze back to her brother. "And now that beautiful night is clouded by grief and the thought that his heart is still and cold. Don't do that to yourself, brother."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's... it's no' like tha', no' as serious as tha'," Leon quickly insisted. He would never suggest that he was having a harder time than his siblings who had both loved and lost. "Jus' some stupid puppy love 'r whatever y'wanna call it... it'll be over once he-"

Leon had tried to stop before he said 'he,' but had come up too late. He went dead silent then, glancing slowly to Kayla.

 

[heartofcourage]

The silence stretched between them thick and heavy. She could hear the logs popping on the fire next to them, the heat stretching along her skin. Her brother had just admitted his greatest secret to her and now it was her turn to provide comfort.

"What's his name?" She asked gently, giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance. "And does he know how you feel?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"... Dazu. The lion Julia took in durin' the war..." Leon muttered. "'E poured 'is heart out t'me... But... I don't say things li' that. I'm jus' stickin' around 'im til 'e realizes 'e needs t' find someone better, no' a human man. We're bad fer each other, both emotionally an' culturally. My people don't like tha' kind o' thing an' his might tolerate humans, but no' many. Selena an' Ciaran were jus' rare exceptions."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla watched her brother closely, her heart breaking at the defeated tone in his voice as he tried to make it sound like it didn't matter much to him. She knew he guarded his heart and personal life fiercely, but she wasnt about to be deterred.

Standing up from her spot with some effort, she moved into the kitchen to grab a wicker basket large enough for the food that had barely been touched. "Let's get all of this packed up and share the rest of our meal with him then."

 

[KieranSoares]

Leon's eyes grew wide. "N-no." He stood up quickly to stop her. "Kay... please don't." He'd caught her hand and though he was by no means rough, he wasn't letting her get further. "Don' make this harder for me... please." He'd never pleaded with anyone before, far too proud to do anything of the sort. "This'll ruin his life an' mine. Ciaran was only safe because 'e's the Prince. There are people who'd kill us if they even 'ad a suspicion. An'... if those werefolk hunters killed 'im an' I'd given 'im everything... dammit, Kay, I'd die if I lost my love too. I don' want t'love 'im an' I hate tha' he loves me. Don't make this worse for 'im... don' let 'im know I care. I'd rather break 'is heart than get 'im killed..."

Leon looked so afraid in that moment, a fear that even when he was small, he'd never have shown. And he'd never poured out his aching heart like this to anyone, not even to their mother who could get even the deepest secrets out of her sons.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Leon, what has gotten into you!" Kayla cried out as her brother grabbed her wrist firmly, keeping her from completing her task. "Do you hear yourself? You of all people should know that Inverness is safe for everyone, not just Ciaran and Aunt Selena. What about all of the others that live in the village? And in all of this time nothing bad has happened to anyone."

"Just because your scared doesn't mean that you shouldn't at least try." She insisted, knowing now just how badly effected her brother was by his secret. "You need to tell Mummy and Da. Elijah too. You know that we would all support you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No." Leon let go her wrist. "Ma would be 'eartbroken... Da would be furious... Eli'd never speak t'me again. I know it." He turned away. "An' jus' because Ciaran an' Selena made it doesn' mean Dazu an' I will... Outside o' Inverness, werefolk're killed everyday fer their skin an' their loved ones're executed fer harboring them. I'm not lettin' Dazu an' I suffer th'same when th'rest o' the world finally destroys th'peace here..." Leon glanced back at her once more. "... I'm goin' 'ome..." he muttered quietly, stepping away toward the door.