The Baker's Assistant (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Aleister quietly stepped in and set aside the basket after closing the door, resigning himself to keeping Kayla going as it seemed she certainly wouldn't try to do it herself. So, he set to making the fires and left tea and a bowl of Ria's hearty stew at her bedside. The bakery would have to wait while Aleister's dearest friend was in mourning. People would understand.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla stared at the bowl of stew and the mug of tea after Aleister had left it at her bedside. Her stomach felt like it was full of rocks. She could hear him moving around in the other room and a slow warmth seeped into her home. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to wither away into nothingness.

She forced herself off the bed once more, limping into her living room. She stared at him with a mixture of hatred, sorrow, and need. Her anger had nowhere to go and since he was the only one there, she unleashed it fully on him.

"Go away." She murmured, trembling as those words left her lips. "I want you to go away and never come back. I don't want anyone around me. I don't need someone taking care of me. I just want to be ALONE."

 

[KieranSoares]

When she came into the room, Aleister paused to face her. He tried so hard not to let the hurt show, telling himself that she was hurting and she was right to want to be alone. Without a word, he stepped back from the hearth he was tending and headed for the door, taking his cloak. But before he left, he turned to look back at her. "If y'do decide y'ever need anythin'... jus' send fer me..." And then he was gone.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla felt an empty void in her chest as she watched Aleister go. She had wanted to hurt someone as much as she was hurting, but she hated the look in his eyes as he gathered his things and left. She was no better than the wolves that had killed her brother, she thought to herself. She was no better than anyone else in Inverness that had hurt another for sport. It didn't make her feel any better.

The next few days passed by in a blur. Her family came to check on her from time to time, making sure she ate and at least took care of herself. Her Da was concerned and wanted her to move back in with them for the time being. She had refused, insisting that she could take care of herself. She didn't need anyone to look after her.

Once her Aunt Kayla had arrived from Norway, Elijah was finally buried under the strong oak tree where his darling Lucille had laid. She couldn't bear to look at the hole where her brother rested. Instead, she looked around at her family. They all had someone to keep their strong and honest. Emma clung to Boar, her tears long gone, but anguish etched on her face. Lucy clung to Leon, still sucking her thumb and refusing to let her uncle out of her sight. Everyone had someone...and she was all alone.

After the funeral, the family started to gather at the keep. She couldn't go. There was something she had to do first. She walked to the bakery, knocking on the door and waited for Aleister.

 

[KieranSoares]

It being Sunday, the bakery was closed and the shop was dark but it seemed by the smoke from the chimneys that at least one oven was going. Heavy steps sounded inside and the door lock clicked open before it swung open and Aleister met Kayla's gaze with silence. He didn't know what he should say to her. So, he stepped back, motioning for her to come inside out of the cold.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla stepped into the darkened bakery and hung her cloak on her peg just inside the front door. She turned to look at Aleister, the smells of something baking in the bake house reaching her. She felt so awkward standing there in front of him, unsure of what to say that could make up for the horrible things that she had said to him.

"Aleister..." She murmured in a soft voice that trembled. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to push you away."

The tears started then, dripping down her cheeks as she sniffled not for the death of her brother but for hurting her dear friend. "I don't want to die alone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Kay..." Aleister whispered, stepping forward to wrap her in a protective and comforting hug. "Wha's this about dyin' alone...? That ain' gonna happen. An' you don't 'ave t'apologize, I know yer hurtin' an' I'm no' angry 'r upset."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They all have someone." She murmured miserably against his chest as he hugged her so tightly. "And I don't have anyone. Gale's gone. Elijah's gone. I don't want to be alone."

So much tragedy weighed heavily on her heart. It was little wonder that her family worried about her, especially with a baby that would arrive any time. They all feared that she might fade away from them if they didn't watch closely.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're no' alone, sweet'eart," Aleister assured her. "I'm here for ya... I told ya I always would be, an' I ain' about t'break tha' promise." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, lifting her chin to look up at him. "Ye'll never be on yer own as long as I 'ave anythin' t'say about it."

 

[heartofcourage]

Tears clung to Kayla's lashes as Aleister forced her to look at him. He was there for her and he always would be. She pressed her forehead against his chin as she felt herself dissolve into more ugly tears. She was so scared of losing everything in her life. She didn't know when it would stop or if it would stop. What if her parents were next, or Leon, or even little Lucy?

In the quiet of the bakery, her belly grumbled hungrily, announcing to him that she hadn't eaten in a long time. Perhaps not even since he had last seen her. Her cheeks grew dark crimson as she glanced up at him once more, seeing nothing but perfect acceptance in his eyes.

"Maybe I should eat a roll...or something." She murmured softly, the first time she had thought about her own well being in days.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll see if I can make ya somethin'. I'm hungry m'self." Aleister brought her up to his home above the bakery and set a pot of water boiling over the fire. He wasn't much of a cook as he'd said a while ago, but he knew how to make a few things well. Among them was a simple but hearty beef and potato stew which he happened to have the ingredients to make. He fetched her a fresh roll to tide her over for the time being.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla sat in his leather chair, the roll in her hands slowly being nibbled on as she watched him work. Her belly was growling with hunger, the baby squirming at the prospect of a good meal. It was all so familiar and it made her heart ache immensely.

"I was thinking about taking a scone to Lucy. I think she would like that." Kayla murmured softly, looking up at Aleister as she struggled to find something to talk about.

Leon had moved into Elijah's home in an effort to make things as normal as possible for Lucy. The little girl was still reeling from the idea that her Da was never coming home and it seemed that Leon and Lucy needed each other to get through the hard road ahead of them. She was glad that Leon had something to focus on and that Lucy had someone that cared for her so much.

"Leon has been taking care of her. It's good for him to have something to focus on." She was talking absently, tearing the roll into smaller pieces.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If there's anyone those two need righ' now, it's each other," Aleister confirmed her unspoken thoughts. "I stopped by yesterday t'see Lucy... she was pretty dazed, but I got a li'l smile out o' her. I'm no' sure Leon really noticed me after 'e let me in." He pulled a smaller chair from his bedroom and came to sit beside Kayla with a long sigh. "Stopped by with food fer yer parents too... no' much different from Leon there..." He looked over at her then. "They all asked if I'd been by t'see you, though. Bell's been askin' me too. Sam an' Rho came by yesterday, but I 'aven't seen 'r heard from Katya and Timmal and their side o' yer family. No' that it surprises me..." Kayla had heard in passing about Norr's private burial by his sister and Ruben and the warriors who'd been given a short leave from their time in prison to pay their respects. Half the town considered him a traitor and a murderer. The other half considered the entire thing an accident, especially with the knowledge of how horrified Norr looked and how he'd begged Brogan for forgiveness with his last breath. It'd started up a lot of bad blood between humans and werefolk that had formerly been only simmering on the back burner, and Brogan had his hands full with keeping the peace. Hunters were coming into Inverness what with the guards and warriors distracted by trying to keep the populace calm, and most of the werefolk who lived within the walls had left to seek refuge with the two villages on either side.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mummy didn't stop screaming for hours." Kayla said softly as she looked at Aleister, knowing that he had seen just how torn apart her family was by losing Elijah. "And Da has checked on me every day. I don't think he knows what more to do for any of us."

She knew of the troubles that were facing Inverness now that blood had been shed. There was little that she could do to stop it, however. She had made her feelings known as Eli lay bleeding on the field and there were those that felt that she had truly lost her mind. They all looked at her as if she would break in two with even the slightest breeze. She honestly felt like it some days.

She made a note in her mind to talk to her Uncle in the morning. Perhaps there was something more that could be done to help everyone involved and keep everyone safe. Maybe even Marianne might be able to send more support for the weary troops.

"If...something were to happen to me...would you take care of my family?" She asked Aleister, looking at him with seriousness in her blue eyes. "My Mummy and Da? Leon and Lucy? My baby?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister didn't hesitate. "I'd do everythin' I possibly could fer them. But yer no' goin' anywhere as long as I'm around. I..." he then nearly stumbled over his words. "I don' think I could stand it if y'were gone... I'd probably be as bad off 'r worse than yer family is now..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla stared at Aleister as he promised that he would do everything for her family, but she wouldn't be going anywhere as long as he had a say in the matter. She had no idea just how strongly Aleister felt about her. They were friends, best friends in fact, but the way that he was talking it seemed that he saw something more between the both of them. He was kind, loving, secure...everything that she should have wanted.

She leaned across the distance between them, her lips gently pressing against his. She was startled by the move that she had made, but it had all felt so right in that moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Anything Aleister had been thinking was completely wiped away the moment Kayla's lips met his own. At first he had no idea what to do, but found his body reacting naturally. He lifted a hand to her cheek and he leaned slowly into the kiss. She'd experienced romance and love before, but Aleister had never really dealt in romance, only his short time with a woman he considered a dear friend while he was a fighter.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla let out a little whimper as he leaned into the kiss, his hand cupping her cheek warmly. She had been seeking comfort and she didn't want to screw things up. Their friendship was too good to throw away over a silly little moment of passion.

When the kiss broke, she was left staring at Aleister with a lost expression on her face. "I don't know why I did that." She said softly, almost apologetically.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister's own expression held a slight, soft smile and an ever-reassuring gaze. "Don' worry about it," he nearly whispered. "Give it time." He knew amid all the pain and the fear, she had reached out and he wasn't about to tell her it was wrong or just a passing sort of thing. But he also didn't let himself hope she really did feel something for him, and he didn't want her to feel like there was any sort of pressure.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla gave him a little nod as he said that, knowing that he would wait for her until the end of time. So much had happened in the past few months that she was still reeling. It didn't help that she had buried her brother that afternoon and her family was still mourning the loss. She was still mourning Gale, fighting to let him go as he had asked.

"You're a good man, Aleister." She said softly, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. "I just need time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'jus' worry about you, an' I'll be right beside ya regardless of anythin' else." Aleister drew her into a comforting hug. They enjoyed a quiet dinner and talked on and off through the evening until it had grown rather late. The wind had really picked up outside and even if spring was just on the horizon, it seemed nature had one last snowstorm to throw at Scotland. Looking out the window and seeing it was a whiteout, Aleister looked to Kayla. "Y'ain't walkin' home in this. Y'can take my bed. I'm gonna go get some extra firewood from th'shed." He headed downstairs to grab his cloak.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can't take your bed." Kayla said with a look in his direction as he insisted that she would be staying the night. "I can sleep in the chair. You're not going to give up your bed."

She knew that she would not win that argument as he went downstairs to gather extra firewood before the storm hit. She felt all jumbled up inside. She had kissed Aleister. She didn't know why she had kissed him. He was her friend. He was her protector. He wasn't Gale. Did she really need Gale any longer?

"Oh, little one...what are we going to do?" Kayla asked softly as she rubbed her swollen belly, sitting in silence as she struggled to figure out just what she was going to do.

 

[KieranSoares]

When Aleister returned, he stoked the fires to keep the cold out and put extra blankets on his bed for Kayla before coming to her side with his own blanket. "Go on, get some sleep, Kay," he encouraged quietly. He knew she needed it. He needed sleep too, having not been getting enough lately thanks to a mind racing with worry for her.

 

[heartofcourage]

It wouldn't do her any good to argue, she thought as she went to his bed and kicked off her shoes. She let out a little sigh as she sank into his soft mattress, the warm blankets around her shoulders showing her just how weary and exhausted she really was. She was asleep before Aleister even added another log to the fire.

She dreamed that night that she was back at that lake. The fire that Gale had tended the last time had grown cold and she knew that he wasn't there. Across the loch, she could hear laughter and she saw a pair dancing on the banks. Even at the distance, she saw Eli and Lucille, a happy smile on her brother's features as he embraced the only woman that he had ever loved. Lucille looked content to be in his arms, a happy smile on her own features. Her brother was happy. She was happy for him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Eli paused when he saw his sister over Lucille's shoulder. Even in the mist, he knew it was her. And though they couldn't reach one another, he let her know he was alright. He stood with his arm wrapped around Lucille and smiled to his little sister in the peaceful, contented way she'd only ever seen him smile when he managed to put aside worries and spend time with his daughter and his family. He was alright. Just like Gale, even though he'd been afraid to die, he had found it to be a peaceful release. He would miss Lucy more than anything, but he knew she'd be alright. He lifted a hand to wave to Kayla before the mist finally shrouded them from one another's sight and Eli and Lucille faded into oblivion to whatever afterlife waited beyond.

Kayla was not alone, though. Shadows walked this way and that through the mist, all headed somewhere to meet their fate or meet their loved ones, until one particularly frail and dark shadow paused before Kayla. It took a moment, but eventually his form solidified enough to show her it was a very guilty, very weak Norr with his head bowed before her.