Mint and Honey

[heartofcourage]

"You'd be surprised." Yasmine said as she glanced towards Alex. "Palmyra can be a very dangerous place. There are those that would love to see jiddo burn for his sins. The rest of this family too."

 

[KieranSoares]

"The way your family works, those people would have to burn through us all first to even hope to reach him," Alex assured her. "And that would include me even if we weren't together."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Having second thoughts?" Yasmine teased, looking across the table to Alex as she gave him a grin. "I know Aida can be intimidating..."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hardly," Alex chuckled. "Aida doesn't scare me. At least not when it comes to you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So I scare you more. Good to know." Yasmine said, laughing at the look that Alex gave her.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't know about 'scare," Alex smiled at her. "If I'm scared of anyone, it's my sisters when I get home. Francesca might have my head."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They'll understand." Yasmine said as he spoke about his sisters. "You didn't come willingly. You can use that to your advantage."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's more me sticking around so long that they might be mad at, working or love or no," Alex smiled at the thought of the two little girls. "I'd like to bring them here someday when it's safe... Francesca would love the opportunity to visit your grandfather's court, and Viola would be in the kitchens or the garden the whole time learning recipes and gathering herbs to dry for cooking back home."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I'm sure that your brother would be running all through the sables to see the drakes and horses." Yasmine said as Alex talked fondly about his siblings. "It's nice that they have an older brother to look out for them and encourage them."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I never really had friends until they started coming along, save my cousins. I remember Ma sitting down with me just after she found out she was pregnant, asking me if I could forgive her when she had to give the baby more attention, and if I would help her when things go too busy. So even before Francesca arrived, I was doing all the chores I could and preparing basic things for my parents' work and looking after the garden. When Francesca came along, I helped teach her to talk and walk and everything else. She would follow me around everywhere so my parents let me look after her more and more as I got older and they had to work. And when Viola was around four, she and I practically ran the house. I would cook and let her help me until she eventually took over. And then Ruari threw a wrench into all of it," Alex chuckled. The way he spoke of his siblings was nothing short of adoration. Being much older than all of them, he'd been part parent and part brother and helped raise them.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It sounds like Asim and I. He never once hesitated to love me, even if his mother forbade it and our father wasn't strong enough to stand up for me." Yasmine said softly, looking st Alex with a small smile. "When he died in battle, I thought my heart would stop forever."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I couldn't imagine losing any of them... And I don't know if you made it by strength or stubbornness, but I'm not sure I could ever do the same."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ammo wouldn't let me fail." Yasmine said softly. "Even when everyone else did, Ammo took me under his wing and loved me through it all. I suppose he's been more of a father to me than baba ever was."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I suppose that makes sense. From what you told me, he was the first real male figure in your life and he brought you home. And Haroun treats you more like his own child than anything else."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He secretly wishes he had had his own children but it never happened. He would have been a fantastic father to his own children." Yasmine said, thinking back on her childhood. "I suppose I had things pretty good after all. It could have been much worse considering how I was born."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He could still be a father in one way or another if he wanted, though I suppose it's up to his love now too. And I know everyone worries about the throne staying in the line of heirs. But that's Haroun's business."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I suppose. I just want him to be happy whatever he chooses to do." Yasmine said softly, thinking about her uncle and all the sacrifices that he had made for her along the way. "When I ran away, I regretted leaving him the most. He deserved to know where I was going and what I was doing. He wouldn't have judged me in the least. He might have even supported me along the way."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Things are always clearer in hindsight, love. But you're here now and he knows you have always cared." Alex rose to come around the table, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "They all know."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hope you know too." Yasmine said softly as Alex came to her side, kissing her cheek. "You mean the world to me, Alex."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll commit it to memory if you do the same for me," Alex said with a smile as he touched her cheek.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might have to remind me sometimes." Yasmine said softly as Alex gently touched her cheek and she leaned in to kiss him softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Anytime," Alex promised, returning her kiss before giving her a smile and heading to the edge of the pool. He began setting aside all his clothing save a pair of dark shorts,

 

[heartofcourage]

Yasmine finished up her meal and then soon joined Alex, setting aside her clothing until she was in a short shift, wading into the cool water with a happy sigh. She had many happy memories involving the pool and her family and she was extremely happy that she could share it with Alex.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex watched after Yasmine for a long moment, taking in everything around them from the sound of the flowing spring to the garden to the sunny landscape beyond. For a man from the cold north, this was as close as a desert could get to being heaven. He slipped into the water and relaxed against the side for a long moment, his eyes closed.

 

[heartofcourage]

Yasmine floated in the water for a while before she made her way back towards Alex, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. She grinned at the relaxed look on his features, the first time she had ever seen him do something that could be considered relaxing.