Darkwood (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It's as dark and brooding on the outside as you were." Lilith said with a smile as she turned towards him, looking him up and down. "You look different. Happier, I dare say."

Lilith had married shortly after Ashien had completed the project, to a duke that was thirty years her senior. Just the past winter, she had lost her husband to an illness, leaving her alone on his estates to do as she wished.

"And a father to be." She glanced over at Dylandra, taking in the swell of her belly. "Congratulations are in order for many different reasons, it seems."

 

[KieranSoares]

"A lot has changed since I moved here. My uncle came from Italy to join me, I married, I've gone to war for Inverness, my sister has become a queen... And now I have a baby on the way, and a boy we've adopted as our son, still settling in."

He offered Lilith a gentle smile then. "I owe you a lot for all of this, Lily. You helped me through a difficult period of finding myself and my place in the world outside of Inverness. And you were my muse for a long time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As you've always told me." Lilith said as she turned her attentions back towards Ashien. "And now you have a new muse. A fair more beautiful and graceful one. One that probably doesn't scold you as much for getting out of bed in the middle of the night to play with your little paints."

She chuckled as she glanced back up at the painting before them. "I have a favor to ask, Ashien. Hard times have found me in Warwick."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I heard Abram passed away... I know you two weren't especially close, but I am sorry for your lost. How can I help?" He asked softly, looking up at the painting as well. "If it's in my power, I'll do what I can."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Abram's son is forcing me out of Warwick." Lilith said softly, a long sigh issuing from her lips. "I've petitioned Henry for help, but there is nothing he can do. Tristan has ordered that I am to be out of my own home by the beginning of the year. He wishes to move in there with his mistress, to take control of the Dukedom without a fuss."

"I have nothing left, Ashien. I have no title. I have no land. I have no money. He has branded me a whore and the people of Warwick have shown that they would rather be blindly loyal to him than to support me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you need a place to stay while you figure things out, Darkwood is open to you. After all, I built it in part to welcome friends and artists. There's entire sections of guest quarters and a second kitchen that's gone unused." He placed a gentle, friendly hand on her shoulder. "You're a resourceful woman with a sense for business. You'll be on your feet in no time. But until then, you're welcome here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Surely your wife would have some say in that choice. After all....we've seen one another naked." Lilith said bluntly. "You have my painting in your studio last I remembered."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I still have a few, and she's aware of them and of my past relationships. But she knows where my heart lies. I'll talk to her about it, certainly, but I don't see why she'd refuse someone a temporary place to rest their head. After all, we just took in a boy from similar circumstances."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'd appreciate it." Lilith said with a small smile, moving in to kiss Ashien's cheek. "I have a few more days at Warwick before I make my return to London."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll make the arrangements and talk with Van and Dylandra." He embraced her gently before he was finally pulled away by other guests seeking his attention.

 

[heartofcourage]

As the party continued, Dylan took a break to sit in a chair by the hearth, Burke tucked against her side as she let him open a few of the gifts that had been left for him. Van obliged and brought them up to them, leaving three of them in the boy's lap while the rest would be saved.

"Warm gloves are nice." Dylan commented as he undid the first package and a pair of fur lined gloves were revealed. "No more digging in the cold ground until you can't feel your fingers anymore."

 

[KieranSoares]

Even the simplest gift shocked Burke with generosity and thoughtfulness, having never really had possessions in his life beyond the clothes on his back or the odd rusty knife he'd found discarded. He had no words as he hugged the gloves tightly to his chest, not sure what to do with himself.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You still have two more to go, love." Dylan whispered against his ear as he held the new gloves so tightly against his chest. "Go on. Let's see what you got."

 

[KieranSoares]

Burke nodded and tucked the gloves beside him before opening the next, wrapped in simple cloth. Inside, carefully folded and held with twine, was a heavy fur cloak made of coarse bear skin, a thoughtful gift from one of the elders who knew the Ghis connection to the bear as a symbol. The inside lining was soft wool, built for comfort and warmth even in the harshest depths of winter. After his time spent in the cold, such gifts nearly brought tears to Burke's eyes, realizing he really never would have to face winter unprepared again.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I think you might be the best dressed person here at Darkwood after this evening." Dylan said as Burke looked over everything with tears in his eyes. "Which is appropriate, being the son of Ashien Ghis. He is a dapper man himself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't think I really qualify as his son," Burke admitted quietly. "A ward, maybe. No noble actually considers an adopted orphan their son in England. That's just not how it's done."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's Scottish, love. They have a different set of rules." Dylan said with a grin. "Trust me, he will be very persistent about the entire thing until you agree and go along willingly."

 

[KieranSoares]

Burke leaned against her side, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes. After a long silence, he asked quietly, as if afraid he'd get on her nerves, "... Can I call you Ma?" He'd been careful to address Dylandra and Ashien properly, minus the titles, up to this point. But he felt closest to Dylandra, like she really was the mother he'd never had.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you feel like you're ready for that?" Dylan asked, not surprised in the least by his request. "I don't mind, but you need to make sure that you're ready to take that step. Once you call me that, we can never go back to the way things were. I'll worry about you always, I'll lose sleep over you. Those are things that a mother does for her son."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If it makes things harder for you, I won't," he murmured. "I don't want to be a burden... Especially not to you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It is your choice, Burke. Your choice alone." Dylan whispered, knowing that he had a tough decision to make. "Are you brave enough to make it?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"No," he answered quietly, burying his face against her shoulder as he hugged her a little tighter. Even if he couldn't make the choice mentally, emotionally he already had. She was who he clung to and followed for instruction and reassurance. She was the one who'd taken him in when he was afraid of his own shadow.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I can wait until you are." Dylan said, pressing a kiss to his forehead as she brought out his last gift.

Holding him tightly, she helped him to unwrap the bright paper that Isabella had brought, showing him the finely carved wooden toy horses. "Well, these are the finest horses I think I've ever seen. You'll make Ashien jealous with your own little stable."

 

[KieranSoares]

Burke took the darkest horse made from a stained hickory, shocked at the craftsmanship. It was clearly John's work, with some details painted on by Isabella who knew a bit of art from Ashien. Burke carefully slipped from Dylandra's side with the dark horse, and went to find the princess and her husband on his own.

"Lady Isabella?" She would hear his small voice, the boy who'd barely spoken before in her presence. He stood in his handsome green, black, and white outfit clutching the dark horse. "... I got to open a couple gifts early.... Thank you."

 

[heartofcourage]

The princess, not heeding protocol, knelt in front of the boy and gave him a luminous smile. She reached out and touched his cheek gently, having an easy time with children.

"You are very welcome, my sweet boy. There are more under the tree from you from myself, John, and my father. I'm sure you'll get to open them all very soon." Isabella said in a soft voice.