Darkwood (closed)

[KieranSoares]

As John stepped over, Burke offered him a soft 'thank you' as well, and John chuckled, patting Burke's shoulder. "You're welcome, little guy. I threw in a couple things to help you out in the stable since Ashien said you really love the horses."

Soon Burke skittered off back to Dylan, and John gave Isabella a smile. "He's a great kid. No wonder Dylan loves him."

 

[heartofcourage]

Isabella stood and looked over her shoulder at John as he grinned at her, talking about Burke like the proud father that he would one day be. She leaned in and kissed John's cheek, laughing softly.

"We'll be expecting our own before too much longer. I didn't want to make a fuss with Dylan separated from Ashien so much. I thought she needed the attention." Isabella said softly. "When everyone finds out, it will be all eyes on me. I wanted them to have their moment."

 

[KieranSoares]

John sighed dramatically, his arms wrapping around her. "Do we have to tell everyone? It'll be ridiculous and all anyone'll care about is it being a boy and being the heir and all that stupid stuff."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, if it's not a boy, think about all of the fun we'll have trying for one." Isabella tempted her husband with that wicked grin. "And if it is a boy...well, we always need a spare."

 

[KieranSoares]

John rolled his eyes, secretly pressing a kiss to her throat. "I hope we have nothing but girls, just to make all the nobles get flustered. To hell with their expectations."

 

[heartofcourage]

"One boy for my sake would make my life that much easier." Isabella murmured, kissing her husband before she pulled him out onto the dance floor.

Dylan sat with Burke for a while longer before she took Ashien's lead to the floor as well. She smiled up at her handsome husband, stealing a glance back towards their boy as he sat patiently and waited for her return.

"He's overwhelmed. He wants to call me Ma." She said softly. "I told him when he's brave enough to do it, he can."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It sounds like he doesn't think he's allowed," Ashien murmured, glancing back at the boy as well as Burke quietly looked over his new horses. "He thinks he's unfit to be part of a noble family."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll prove him wrong before too long. He'll warm up to the idea, but I don't want to force it, Ash. What if he decides that this isn't for him?" Dylan asked as they danced among the crowd.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then we will make sure he gets to where he needs to be," Ashien promised. "We took him in to give him the best chance at life. That won't end if he finds he needs something different from what we have here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll show him that he will always have a home." Dylan said as they continued to dance.

As the evening was winding down, Van started to show the guests that would be staying overnight to their rooms while Dylan tasked Burke with passing out special medallions that Ashien and she had commissioned. It was the new Darkwood crest, a memento for their guests to remember the evening by.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien had designed the crest personally to match himself and Dylandra without forgetting his Scottish heritage. The crest was a little sparrow on a thorny vine similar to Dylandra's artist signature, set on a white field with a black ring and a blue triangle brand. Ashien had carved the first in clay and had it cast before refining it down to a beautiful, delicate piece wearable by the masculine or feminine.

As they retired to their personal chambers, Ashien spoke to Dylandra while he carefully set aside his outfit. "Love, do you remember the woman I told you about a while back- Lilith, the one who became Duchess of Warwick?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“The woman you used as a model?” Dylan asked as she took off her jewelry at her vanity. “What about her?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's fallen on some hard times... Her son-in-law is taking everything from her that her late husband left. She has nowhere to go... And seeing as we have plenty of room, I offered for her to come and stay here while she gets back on her feet. I know it's a little awkward, but... She's a good friend, and she deserves better than what she's been brought to. What do you think?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“You had a relationship with this woman, didn’t you?” Dylan asked, not accusing anyone of anything but asking questions of him. “You don’t think that she wants something more from you, do you?”

Dylan turned to look at Ashien as he stood bare chested by the bed, the fire casting a warm glow across his tanned skin. “You’re a handsome, rich, and powerful man, Ash. I just wonder sometimes.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"She might miss the old days, but as far as I know, an affair takes two willing participants. She knows where my heart lies and so do you. I'm not interested in straying, love." He came to kiss her neck. "I'm welcoming her as an old friend in need. She was concerned what you would think of it too."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I trust you, Ashien. I don’t know if I trust other women.” Dylan said as he kissed the side of her neck. “But if you vouch for her and trust her, we can’t turn away someone who needs our help.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't worry, love, I'm all yours." He smiled gently to her in their reflection. "Otherwise this ring is terribly wasted." He chuckled and went to go about his nightly routine.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You just remember that I'm the one that put that ring there." Dylan said with a grin as she went back to her own nightly routine, settling into bed soon enough with her sketching papers to draw until she was tired enough to sleep.

Her drawings were of what she remembered from that evening, their friends and family there at Darkwood. She drew Burke's look of wonder as he looked at his newest toys, the spark of childhood there when it had never been there before.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien watched her a while til he drifted off, a common practice of theirs. Often one or both of them drew for a while, perhaps one would watch the other, and eventually both would relax enough to sleep. It was usually Ashien watching Dylandra sketch, using the soothing sounds of her drawing and watching the lines flow to settle himself separately from his fear of the nightmares that still sometimes plagued him, especially when there were storms and thunder outside.

 

[heartofcourage]

The day that Christmas dawned, Dylan was up and about before dawn. Burke and Ashien were still asleep as she got everything ready. The tree was lit, gifts for the both of them piled high before she retreated to the kitchens to help Van with breakfast. They had given all the staff the day off, inviting those that had no family to join them for dinner that evening. Van, as always, was there like a member of the family.

"Merry Christmas, Van." Dylan said, kissing his cheek before she started to work beside him. "Of course, I have gifts for you as well, so don't even think about disappearing this morning after we've eaten."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good morning, dear," Van greeted, and at her insistence of his presence, he chuckled softly to himself. "I suppose I've no room to argue then."

Before Dylandra, Ashien had always kept Kiva and Can close around any holiday, being that Van and Ashien were too far from their families and Kiva had none.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You never argue. You simply do as you wish and leave us wondering where you've gotten off to." Dylan said with a laugh as Van promised he'd stay around. "And I will be helping with dinner. No arguing from you at all today."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You just said I never argue," Van reminded her before turning to another task. The halls were soon filled with the scent of baking bread all the traditional foods of Scotland and England with a bit of Italian for good measure.

Burke was the first to appear. It was part of his usual routine to set the table and help with the ovens regardless of the day, but he didn't forget to come to Dylandra and hug her as he had been doing every morning lately.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Hello, my love.” Dylan said as she lifted Burke into her arms, kissing his cheek. “Merry Christmas. Are you ready to be absolutely spoiled today?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Again?" He asked, looking up at her in surprise. "But we already had the Solstice."

"That was Ashien's side of things. Dylandra's of another tradition, courtesy of her grandfather," Van explained with a smile.