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Laird of the Land (buttefly0408/kolath)

"HMM?" she moaned as she suddenly awoke with a start, a big black mark of charcoal on her cheek that had gotten there in her sleep. Looking around she had bit of that morning, sleepy confusion in her eyes. Eventually she looked at him and her eyes narrowed, "It's morning?" She looked down at the images on the papers before, recalling she had only just seen the sun rise before passing out. If she had been asleep for an hour would be a surprise.

The image that had been on the paper before her was all smudged and only half done but it seemed to be the outline and eyes of a man.
 
He smiled and pulled up the other chair to sit closer to her. picking up one of her drawings one of the ornate bed posts. It was so detailed and looked like it could come off the bed itself. he was impressed for her saying she wasn’t that good this was stunningly accurate. He looked at her in her disheveled state and shook his head. “You are not going to go down to breakfast today. You are going to bed, I can tell you hardly slept at all last night. You are so tired that you won’t be able to even eat right now. Come on.” he stood and gently lifted her out of the chair.
 
She didn't fight, in fact it was doubtful she was really awake at all. More like talking in her sleep. Perhaps not even realizing to whom she spoke. She sighed and nodded a little, before she yawned as he picked her up, her head just seemed to fall limp onto his shoulder, her eyes shutting once more as she slipped back to sleep again right there in his arms.
 
He smiled sweetly as she looked so beautiful and cute falling asleep like that. He carried her to her bed and slipped her under the covers tucking her in softly. He moved over to the table and stacked all the papers back up not even noticing the one that looked like a man’s eyes totally enthralled by her other works. He picked one and folded it neatly putting it in his pocket before heading down to breakfast, knowing that his aunt and sister were going to wonder where Blair was and why he didn’t bring her down.
 
When he appeared at the table without her, he was greeted with nothing but frowns, "You seem to be one person short brother," Linette said, folding her arms in front of her as she glared at him. "She was fine last night Kael, in fact it was the most social and vocal she has EVER been with us since you brought here her. Why on earth do you keep her from coming to the morning meal? She's opening up, isn't that what you wanted?"
 
Kael held his hands up in a posture of surrender and defeat. “Whoa slow down. I didn’t bring her down because she is asleep. She had a long night and didn’t get much if any sleep till this morning so I decided to let her just sleep and bring her up something the break her fast later.” He moved to the head of the table not thinking at all about how that could be taken wrong thinking that it was just what he meant to say.
 
The frowns remained and his aunt was the first to say what many were thinking, "And just how do YOU know she had a long night?" A moment later this sister added in almost the same cross tone as his aunt, "And how did you know she did not get much sleep during it? Kael..... you did not do what I think you did... she never would have let you..."
 
He looked at them as they glared at him he just sighed and pulled out the sheet of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table. It was a picture of a intricate goblet that had been in her room. He placed int in front of them letting them look at it as they willed. “Because her room was full of these. I gave her some charcoal and paper last night since she said drawing helped her relax. I found her asleep on the table this morning clearly having done this well into the night.”
 
His sister and his aunt held the piece of paper between the two of them, eyeing the image with great interest. Off to the side, Flynn smiled, look very proud of the image even though he did not draw it. "I told you she was good..." he said as he picked at his food, "She's pulled a few of these all night drawing fests before, usually when she has a lot on her mind of is just very restless." Holding out his hand, they passed it to him and he looked at it, studying it, "This had to be one of the later things she drew, it's not at good as she usually does."

"You mean she can draw even better then this?" Linette asked in wonder, forgetting about accusing him of doing not proper things with Blair for the moment.

"Oh yes," Flynn boasted, "this is an object. Her people look like they could walk off the page."
 
Kael frowned a bit thinking over what he had seen up in Blair’s room. He had seen a lot objects but not one portrait of a person. If they were so good why hadn’t she drawn anyone of someone? He shook his head. “I didn’t see a person in her drawings just objects around the room.” He shrugged a little as the food was brought out and he picked up meat pie. “Would you two like to go and take her the food later so you can see them?” he was speaking to his aunt and his sister.
 
His sister gave a bit of a skeptical look, "You mean we will be allowed to go and see the prisoner? Would we even be permitted to speak with her?" Linette's tone was clearly playing with him. "Does this all mean that she's a real guest in our home once more and not a caged bird?" She had no idea that Blair had called herself the very same thing just the day before when they were off alone in the woods.
 
He looked at his sister his tone playful also but a little darker since she had touched a sore spot. “You don’t want to go see her or her pictures, that’s fine you don’t have too. I will be glad to take her breakfast to her instead. You two can go on about your day.” And turned to the food in front of him smirking slightly as he had been able to have some fun with his sister once again showing that she really did in away forgive him for how he treated Blair.
 
She picked up a piece of bread and threw it at his head, his aunt not scolding her as he had the him the night before when he did the same thing to Angus, "You know I'm going to see her and her pictures if you like it or not! So you best like it."

In fact, a few hours later when the noon meal rolled around, that was just what Linette and Evelyn did, each with a tray filled with food they told the men they would not be joining them for the meal but spending it with Blair. "Rise and shine!" Linette called out as they entered, waking Blair. She couldn't recall how she had gotten into the bed the night before, having no memory of Kael's visit to her that morning or that it was as late as it was.

Once they placed the trays on the table. Evelyn started to set the small table for them while Linette came to her bedside and sat there, watching her slowly wake and realize... "What are you doing here? Does Kael know you have come into my room?"

"Of course he does, he sent us with lunch for you to share with us."
"Lunch? But-"
"You slept through the morning meal Blair. Were you really up all night drawing? Kael said he came in this morning finding you sleeping at the table with all your drawings around you."
"Looks like he was telling the truth," Evelyn said, holding up a pile of papers she had found, "The proof is here."

Linette smiled and moved across the room to take them and start looking through them while Blair rose and wrapped herself in the robe once again, "Kael was here?"

"Oh yes," Evelyn spoke as she let Linette keep looking at the pictures. "He carried did have the heart to force you to the morning meal when you were clearly so tired so he took you back to your bed and let you sleep. Then let us bring lunch to share some time with you."

It didn't seem like Kael to her but before she could say anything more, "Did you really draw all these?" Linette asked, a look of wonder on her face as she flipped through each image. "These are so detailed and... realistic. Aunt Evelyn, come look!" Together they looked over every image while Blair was across the room washing her face and hands. They both saw the half drawn image of a man at the same time and smiled to one another before Linette held up the image, "Who is this?"

Blair looked back and blushed a little as she came to take a seat, seeing the image closer. It had started as a drawing of Kael. She still had that image of him smiling at her from across the table in her head and tried to capture it on paper, but feel asleep after only completing a general outline but putting fine details into the eyes. She'd not admit it though. "I don't even recall starting that one. It had to have been late at night. Sometimes things just.... start and I don't know where they will end. I just, draw what looks right."

Neither of the woman believed her, but let her lie as they each asked her if she could draw pictures for them. "I would need more paper, but yes." After a promise of all the paper she could ever need, the three shared lunch. After ward, Linette remained to help Blair with a nice hot bath and to dress her and help her brush out her hair. "You shouldn't be treating me like this. I feel horrible that the lady of the house is acting as my maid right now."

"Lady of the house I am not. You hush up with that now. I am the wife of a blacksmith and a happy one at that." She smirked a little into the mirror at her, ready to drop some hints, "This place has long been without a true lady of the house. Our mother passed not long after our father. She died of a broken heart really, no doubt about it."

"I'm sorry..." Blair said in reply, wishing she knew the feeling of having both your parents love one another as well as their children. The idea of it was lovely and so romantic, but romance was just silly.
 
Kael had been more then willing to let his sister and aunt up to see Blair infact thought it would be good for all the women. It was in fact rather nice to have some time to himself and be able to just go out with the trainees and practice his sword work. He enjoyed a few good hours of working out his sword arm and then went in to clean up.

Finally after changing and cleaning himself up he came to Blair’s room. He knocked once and then came in as normal not feeling a need to change anything even if his sister and aunt were still there.
 
"Wait till you are permitted to enter!" Linette's voice rang across the room as she turned and watched him come in.

"He never waits Linette, I'm use to it by now," Blair admitted.

That set Linette off only more, "She could have been, well not decent in here! You just barge in like some wild man? No... no this will not do." Linette crossed the room and pushed him out the door again. "You will enter again. This time you will knock and then WAIT to be permitted to enter." The door shut in his face a moment later.
 
He glared at his sister as she was so forceful about it having been about to explain. However in the moment that he found himself a bit angry over the whole thing. He didn’t even knock this time he just pushed the door open glaring at his sister daring her to challenge him. “I could always not knock would you prefer that Linette?” This was partially a power struggle and partially a brother being a pest to his older sister how much it was of each he wasn’t sure.
 
This was no longer about Blair, who stood watching as Linette closed the door once more and this time locked it from the inside with a master key she kept in her pocket. She left the key in the hole so he'd be unable to use his own key to unlock the door on the other side. Then she looked to Blair a smile on her face before she turned back to the door and called through the door, "This door will STAY closed until he ASKS to come in!"

Blair was standing then and moved to come closer to where Linette stood, her own slightly amused smile on her face, unable to hold it back.
 
His key was already coming out when the door was closed again in his face pushing into the hole and growling as he felt his sister’s key still in it. he should have known that she was going to do something like that. They had played this game as children before with him using this tactic against her. He pounded hard on the door, growling deeply. “This isn’t funny Linette, you had better let me in.”
 
"Maybe we better Linette," Blair commented, a little nervous about how mad he sounded from the other side of the door.

Linette just took her hand and moved with her to sit at the table, pouring them each half a glass of wine each before sitting back, "He's not at mad as he seems. Just upset that his sister is smarter then he is. He'll bang and bang for a bit then give in and give me what I want." She winked a little, "Just like a man." Blair was blushing a little while Linette called out from her comfortable seat, sipping her wine. "What's so hard about saying the words, 'May I please come in?'"
 
Kael took a deep breath and then smiled seeing something that his sister was doing that was good for Blair. In all her younger years when a man got angry you did what ever he said to make him happy. However here was Linette not giving in and having a good time not doing it hopefully Blair got the point…she didn’t have to give in to a angry man. He sighed and then lightly knocked three times and calmly asked, “May I come in Blair?” completely leaving his sister out of it because it was Blair’s room.
 
There was some silence from within the room before the sound of the key turning, the lock clicking, and then the door slowly opened. Blair's highly amused, smiling face appeared as she opened the door for him, a light hint of a laugh in her voice as she spoke, "Yes Kael, you may come in."

"Was that so hard?" Linette called, still sitting in her seat halfway across the room.
 
He smiled and nodded his head to Blair. “Thank you.” He then turned to his sister glaring at her playfully. “See if I ever let you bring her lunch again.” His sister smirked and stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

A few days passed letting her enjoy drawing for his aunt and sister and being able to enjoy the pictures she drew himself. He was also able to spend more time with Flynn out in the training yard often spending time training him personally as well as working on some things of running a castle once again showing Flynn how it should be done.

However a few days in and he was starting to miss just having Blair to himself. He wasn’t going to be stupid and put her back under lock down where only he could see her but he was going to take her away from the whole thing. So that noon time he came to her room a basket in hand and knocked on her door, waiting for permission to enter before stepping in and asking, “Blair, would you join me for a picnic lunch?”
 
Blair had been waiting and expecting to head on out with him down to the hall. She had come to really enjoy their time as a big group. It felt as if she was part of a family. Something she had never been graced with in her own him... acceptance. Even praise for her drawings. After she had done a picture for Linette, soon Evelyn had wanted on. When she was done there Linette returned wanting one of her husband. Soon every person she encountered was asking for a picture of hers. It certainly kept her busy around the keep. No longer was she so bored she could jump out a window, but instead she was pleasantly pleased with herself.

Kael's wonderful behavior lately was a plus. He still looked a brute of a man, but he had manners were much better. Asking her rather then demanding of her was a great step in the right direction. What the final goal was though, she really did not know.

"It is a very nice day. Perhaps I could bring my paper and charcoal with me? I have been drawing nothing but people the last few days. I should like to perhaps draw the land for once."
 
He smiled and nodded, “That would be a nice change I’m sure.” He smiled and took her arm lightly after helping her gather her paper and charcoal. He led her out on his arm out to the stable he had the saddle bags packed and ready to go. Just draping them over the horse he gently lifted her up placing her in front of where he would be sitting before slipping up into the saddle himself. He started them off into the surrounding woods to a nice clearing with many late spring flowers blooming all around a small spring. He slipped off the back of the horse turning to help her off letting her down slowly gently pressing against his body.
 
She took her items from the saddle bag and waited to him to tend to the horse and collect the rest of his items before together they set off to find a spot to set up their lunch. "I don't see why we had to take two horses. Do you still not trust me enough to be permitted upon my own horse? She must be getting lonely all coup up in the stables." Looking around as they settled on a spot, Blair smiled large, "This place is beautiful..."
 
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