⊰• BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS •⊱ A Fantasy/Adventure RP

[StarrNico]

((No problem.))

Callie dragged the toe of her scuffed leather shoe in the soil, eyes averted from Alexis', but Alfie stared Alexis down with his skinny arms crossed defiantly.

"Alfie, Callie, apologize to her." Farris said sternly, hoisting the hog a little higher on his shoulders so that he wouldn't lose hold.

"I'm very sorry for what Alfie did, I tried to stop him." Callie muttered, disgruntled by being taught, but not wanting to get in more trouble for not apologizing at all.

Alfie sent a poisonous look Callie's way but refrained from retorting, instead looking to Alexis, "I'm sorry." He said stubbornly, but at the look Farris gave him, he continued, "I'm sorry for hitting your horse with a rock."

"That is a very dangerous thing to do, If Belladonna wasn't so well trained she could have gotten lose and hurt or killed someone." Alexis said then gently stroked the mare "Please don't throw rocks at any animals again" She said then glanced to Farris and back to the twins. She didn't know if she was being too lenient or not, but they were not her children, all she could do was forgive them or not, and she was normally forgiving, so she did.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

"Yes, that's right," Faolan replied to Fern softly as he sat at their insistence, gratefully accepting the porridge Piper handed him, it's heat seeping through the bowl into his sore hands. Through his stomach was burning with hunger and wanted to shovel the porridge down as fast as he could, he restrained himself. The first spoonful made him realize just how cold he had gotten as it warmed his core on its way down, a slight shiver running down his spine as it did.

Faolan was not accustomed to the idea of complete strangers helping one and other out of the goodness of their hearts, things like that were rarely done in the highlands, most only looked out for their own. "Thank you both," He said after his second spoonful of porridge, slowly warming from the inside.

Piper accepted his thanks with a small smile and dip of her head. In contrast, the lowland people generally would not hesitate to pull someone out of the river and give them a meal. It was standard courtesy, and was never returned in pay. A lot of people didn't even have physical money as the economic system revolved largely around the trade of goods instead.

"Alexis went to see if her father has something you can wear, and possibly a horse to travel with." She explained as he ate, standing opposite the bench with Fern. The room went silent for a couple seconds before the faintest sound of a creaking door could be heard, and the door to the second room in the house budged slightly.

Piper's hands knotted in her lap, she looked very tense as a small boy, about the age of two, wandered into the room. He had curly blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a pudgy baby face. "Maddox...." Fern scolded lightly, as the boy was supposed to be sleeping.

The knowledge that Piper had about Faolan's homeland made her scared that the stranger might harm the boy, even though he had done nothing to hint at that fact yet. She scooped him up into her arms and withdrew to the other side of the room, away from Faolan. "This is... this is my son, Maddox." She said quietly.

 

[LoveThatChick]

At the sight of that young boy, Faolan couldn't help but smile, the boy reminded him of his brother when he had been young, the blond curls, plump face. The only thing different were his eyes, blue, while as his brother had hazel eyes, just like Faolan.

He glanced to Piper and frowned slightly as he picked up on her tense state, not understanding why she would be feeling that way until she lifted the boy into her arms and moved away from him. She obviously didn't feel that the little one was safe.

Faolan was about to tell her that he wouldn't harm the boy, when she said that the boy was her sun, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. But he quickly recovered his composer and with a smile, replied gently, "What a handsome little lad, I see the resemblance," He knew better than to ask about the father, there were many widows in the highlands, and also many women who never had a husband in the first place, so it would be inconsiderate to ask. "Reminds me of my brother when he was a out the same age," He added, hoping that the sentiment would ease her worries slightly.

 

[LoveThatChick]

"That is a very dangerous thing to do, If Belladonna wasn't so well trained she could have gotten lose and hurt or killed someone." Alexis said then gently stroked the mare "Please don't throw rocks at any animals again" She said then glanced to Farris and back to the twins. She didn't know if she was being too lenient or not, but they were not her children, all she could do was forgive them or not, and she was normally forgiving, so she did.

"Okay, I won't throw rocks..." Alfie pouted, well, fake-pouted, but he was so good at lying by now that it was impossible to tell the difference. And to top it off, she had said 'don't throw rocks', not 'don't sling rocks', so technically, in his twisted mind, he had free rein to use his sling whenever, wherever and on whoever he wanted. Not that he would have listened to her either way.

Farris sighed, "Well, you two head back to the house," The two began walking away, then started running, "When I get back, you better be waiting, and don't think you're out of trouble!" He called after them, then looked to Alexis with an apologetic smile, "I best be on my way. Good day, miss O'Shea." He gave her a slight nod, then turned and began walking away down the street.

 

[StarrNico]

"Okay, I won't throw rocks..." Alfie pouted, well, fake-pouted, but he was so good at lying by now that it was impossible to tell the difference. And to top it off, she had said 'don't throw rocks', not 'don't sling rocks', so technically, in his twisted mind, he had free rein to use his sling whenever, wherever and on whoever he wanted. Not that he would have listened to her either way.

Farris sighed, "Well, you two head back to the house," The two began walking away, then started running, "When I get back, you better be waiting, and don't think you're out of trouble!" He called after them, then looked to Alexis with an apologetic smile, "I best be on my way. Good day, miss O'Shea." He gave her a slight nod, then turned and began walking away down the street.

Alexis smiled then went to take Belladonna home to untack her and speak to her father. After explaining everything to him she soon left to go back to Piper's house with a bundle under her arms. She watched her steps, thinking of what her father had said and what Faolan had said before. She wondered how many of the stories were true and what would happen when Faolan came to see her father at his request. She had an odd feeling that her father knew more than he would tell her alone and planned to listen in on the conversation when the two men spoke.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

At the sight of that young boy, Faolan couldn't help but smile, the boy reminded him of his brother when he had been young, the blond curls, plump face. The only thing different were his eyes, blue, while as his brother had hazel eyes, just like Faolan.

He glanced to Piper and frowned slightly as he picked up on her tense state, not understanding why she would be feeling that way until she lifted the boy into her arms and moved away from him. She obviously didn't feel that the little one was safe.

Faolan was about to tell her that he wouldn't harm the boy, when she said that the boy was her sun, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. But he quickly recovered his composer and with a smile, replied gently, "What a handsome little lad, I see the resemblance," He knew better than to ask about the father, there were many widows in the highlands, and also many women who never had a husband in the first place, so it would be inconsiderate to ask. "Reminds me of my brother when he was a out the same age," He added, hoping that the sentiment would ease her worries slightly.

"He is," Fern agreed readily, practically beaming at his compliment. "Almost talking too, they learn so fast, eh? Young'uns... "

As Faolan had suspected, Piper had never been married. Maddox's father had left long before he had even been born, Piper wasn't even sure if he knew that he was a father or not. Whatever the case, Fern and Piper had resolved to raise the child on their own-- an ambitious task for two women in the time period. Thankfully there were folks in Enden like Hannes who would help them out from time to time.

"Do you have children?" Piper looked across the room at him, it was hard to tell how old he was with his battle gear on.

 

[LoveThatChick]

Faolan's cheeks flushed slightly at her question of him having children, "No, after my father's death I had to look after my brothers and mother. So I haven't started a family of my own, nor have I really put much thought into it." He answered honestly, his tone not sad at all as he mentioned his deceased father. It had been six years before, he wasn't sad, he hadn't been sad then, nor had he been sorry.

Faolan ate another spoonful of porridge, averting his eyes to the floor for a moment before looking back to Piper, "Most my age are already wed, or at least that's what my mother says." Faolan gave a slight laugh, his mother was always pushing him to 'go find a lovely lass in, maybe in Dorcha'. Dorcha, a village enchanted by a pig of a sorcerer long ago, so that the inhabitance could only have beautiful, female children. As could be imagined, it was a very popular destination for men in need of a bride, but Faolan would never go there, no matter what, he found the whole thing repugnant.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

"Mmm," Piper mumbled quietly, suddenly reminded of her own parents. She wished that she had a mother to laugh about, even an annoying one. Both her parents died in a famine which had enveloped the lowlands about ten years ago, it nearly wiped out her whole family. "I'm sure its just because she cares, parents are like that." Her gaze fell lovingly to Maddox, who was beginning to squirm uncomfortably in her arms. "Same reason that I have to practically force feed this guy his carrots. You'd swear they tasted like charcoal."

She finally put him back on the floor and he tottered unsteadily for a couple seconds before seeming to regain his balance. Faolan, being the new 'thing' in the room, was the complete object of his attention. He stumbled a couple of steps in Faolan's direction, his tiny hands reaching for the bowl in his lap.