((Adapted from Live RP))

Sylvia managed to not step on Lucky-puppy as he was weaving in and out of her legs while she packed up a few snacks and toys in a small basket. The cotton square layered in the basket was folded over the small sandwiches and fruits, with the toys resting on the outside. "Cian! Aidan! Come downstairs please and get Lucky-puppy outside before he pulls Bea out of her seat!" The dog had taken to tugging on the little girl's sock again while she sat in the baby chair reaching over the edge with little fingers to try and reach him.

The boys came in a thundering tear and Lucky-puppy was suitably distracted. "Come on, Lucky!" They flashed by their mother with boats in hand to the back door. At least it was proving to be a fine day of weather. Not as warm as Yransea would be by now, but the sun was shining again. Still, with the wind, Sylvia made sure Beata had her tam on before she collected her daughter and the basket, then went out the back door to join her sons and their expectant guest in the treat of fishing.

Hudson had opted to use the same sturdy pack he had traveled to RhyDin with to carry a neatly wrapped lunch and the various supplies needed for a day of fishing. Unsure whether Sylvia had fishing poles of the appropriate sizes for the boys, he had also brought two smaller poles along with a full-sized rod. When the boys had torn out chased by the excited Lucky, he laughed ? and smiled across at Sylvia and Beata when they emerged. ?Ah, ?tis th? lovely lasses! Ye?ll need tae lead th? way tae a good spot for th? fishing if ye ken one, caraid ? or we can just walk up th? brook ?til sommat looks right if ye dinnae ha?e a place in mind.?

She considered places they had fished before, and gave a concerned look to Cian who was completely oblivious at the moment to his mother's thoughts for his feelings. "I must admit I do not have a place in mind, but I will find us one." Better that she lead as suggested, lest Hudson pick a place that would stir up memories.

She turned for the brook that ran from the north part of their land down towards the eastern border. "You came well prepared, and I am glad of it. I don't think I recalled to pack Cian's fishing rod from Yransea. Aidan never had one."

?Then th? lads will ha?e a set tae keep here for their visits and be well prepared in either land once ye ha?e one for Aidan in Yransea, aye?? Hudson readily followed Sylvia?s lead, juggling the fishing poles and his pack deftly. Black eyes followed the boys as they ran ahead with the half-grown and already-tall puppy bounding in circles around the pair. A glance sideways to Sylvia and Beata was followed by a smile as Bea grinned charmingly over her mother?s shoulder at Hudson. ?And will ye wish tae share th? use o? my fishing rod, caraid, or will ye prefer tae watch??

"Oh," she cast over her shoulder, "I think I will let you boys play at the fishing. I would not want to get between an expert and his rod." There was no laughter to be heard, but certainly a slight shake of shoulders. When Beata wasn't making sweet eyes, something she obviously learned from Aidan, at Hudson, she watched everything. Bright green eyes moved from tree to brook and all there in between in a constant state of delight. Little hands stretched out to a butterfly that floated by. Cian and Aidan were running to and from the water, but in sight of Sylvia always, asking over and over again if that was the right spot.

"How about here, mum?" Cian stopped with his arms out from his sides. The tunic was about to be too short, Sylvia realized, and it rose to expose the band of his breeches. The spot, however, was suitable.

"Yes, I think you're right, Cian. This will be fine." It was a soft space of grass beside the brook alive with its own babble to mimic the baby girl's soft sounds. A tree stood nearby offering some smattering of shade, but the wind kept the filtering light moving over the fresh spring grass like pixies at play. Setting down the basket, she kept Beata on her hip while she began arranging things, frequently batting Lucky-puppy's nose from investigating the basket.

Quiet laughter had followed Sylvia?s teasing remark, but it ended as they reached the spot that Cian had picked out. Hudson slung his pack against the tree and set down the fishing rods, and then crouched to beckon over the boys. They came at his urging and he smiled at them as he fished in the pack and then came up with a wide-mouthed glass jar that was closed and apparently filled with dirt. ?Yer m?thair be counting on us tae catch some grand fish, sae how about ye each find th? best worms in here while I set up th? rods and hooks, aye??

Carefully setting down their boats, the boys turned to the new task with almost unholy glee ? an adult was telling them to dig in the dirt and find worms! Hudson chuckled and reached for the first child-sized rod as he looked over to Sylvia, Beata, and the puppy. Beata kept grabbing for Lucky?s tail that was wagging a mile a minute and missing. It was anyone?s guess who would be more surprised if she actually caught the tail ? Lucky or Beata.

A slow shake of her head, her mouth twisted to the side as she watched the boys go grubbing up worms, Aidan often digging in the same place that Cian had started. Splitting her attention between the boys and Beata, sure she did not annoy Lucky-puppy to the point the dog felt the need to retaliate, she checked on the provisions, but did not draw them out as yet. Instead, she sat on the grass, leaned back to prop up on her elbows, smiling and listening to the boys play.

When Beata in her frustration, she flopped forward to attack Lucky-puppy's rump and the dog started, Sylvia twisted to reprimand Beata. "No, no, Bea. Don't hurt Lucky-puppy." Beata, tried again and it was time for a distraction, so Sylvia drew out the polished, twisted root and handed that over. With a burbling giggle, Bea took to flopping and fumbling around with the root thus saving Lucky-puppy's rump from further abuse. Not that the furry tail was nearby for much longer, as he frolicked over to investigate and help with the worm digging.

Cian rolled his eyes, exasperated at his brother, and paid attention to his fishing with a bobbing of his head as if that might urge the fish to hurry up.

Putting on a very serious expression as he looked over at Sylvia, a gleam of humor in black eyes betrayed his teasing. ?Mommy says tae let him gae, apparently. Will we be keeping any, dae ye think?? Reaching into the fishes gaping mouth to work free the hook, Hudson bent to slide the still struggling fish back into the water. Flash of silver and it vanished into the water, swimming strongly upstream.

Straightening again, Hudson looked to Cian, who had cast his line out into the middle of the stream. Lucky, who had run off into the surrounding woods when the boys were done looking for worms earlier, came frolicking back to help Aidan dig with great enthusiasm, sending dirt flying over the surrounding area. Hudson smiled at Beata when she reached for Aidan?s fishing pole. ?Nae, lass, nae yet. When ye be a wee bit bigger, aye??

"Just like a man, Beata, to tell us to wait until later." She teased and picked up her daughter to take her back to the safer toys. The little girl struggled to be free of her mother's arms. "Fine, I'm not fighting you today." She set the little girl down, who with her freedom won, did not quite know what to do. But there was the root waiting for her, so she crawled to it, forgetting about the desire for the fishing pole, and started to play with it again, babbling sounds like there was some enthralling discussion she was having with the root itself.

Finding a comfy patch of grass, Sylvia sat once more, leaning back. "Are you going to be doing any fishing, Hudson, or just helping the boys -- oh, watch it there, Cian, take a step back from the edge please."

Cian looked down at his feet and took the smallest of steps back to fulfill his mother's request to its minimalist. "Fishing takes time, ya know." He said with some authority to Hudson as if the man might not know this. "Aidan was lucky to get one so quick, but it was small. Mum knows best about that stuff."

Answering Cian with a sidelong glance at Sylvia and laughter threaded beneath his sober tones, Hudson nodded. ?Aye, I imagine yer m?thair kens all about patience. But ye be right that fishing takes time, and that yer br?thair was lucky. If ye aim in closer tae th? still pools and th? eddies though, it doesnae always take sae verra long.? With a smile, Hudson turned back to finally fetch the net and his own pole.

?As for whether I?ll be fishing myself ? aye, o? course, but I?ll help th? lads as they need it. Aidan, lad that be a fine worm! Could ye dae me a favor and find one for my hook as well?? The answer to Sylvia?s aborted question was diverted when Aidan came running up with another worm wriggling in his hand to be put on the hook. Hudson took the net, his fishing rod, and the worm back to the bank and picked up Aidan?s pole to set the worm.

"I suppose," she looked to Beata, "we are supposed to be doing something helpful for the outing, Bea. What do you think?" Of which the most informative reply was a string of noises and a roll over to her side with a "mama" noise. "Oh, is that so?" Sylvia laughed and tickled her little girl along the sides. The baby squirmed and twisted, sticking her sock feet up on her mom's face not from any design, but just out of the wriggling. "Ah-ha," Sylvia smiled and took the socks off Beata's feet. "I have an idea."

She took off her boots and stockings too and went to sit on the brook, Beata in her lap. Sylvia put her feet in first; it was a little chilly, so instead of sticking Bea's feet in, she scooped up water and dabbled it over the toes wriggling in the edge grasses of the bank. A squeal went up, and Sylvia laughed, looking up to Hudson, "I think Bea might scare all the fish away."

Hudson smiled and handed over Aidan?s pole, trading it for a worm. After helping the boy cast out into the stream again, he set to tying on his own hook and bobber and then fixing the worm to the hook. He looked over at Sylvia?s laughing face and his smile turned merry. ?Then we would just ha?e tae come back another time, aye? Although Cian might be disappointed were his wee sister tae interfere wi? his catching a fish tae trump Aidan?s.?

Cian looked over at the squealing Beata, a look of concern marking his features, while Aidan frowned with concentration. Hudson cast his line upstream of the boys and almost to the far back, in a shadowed area created by an overhanging tree. Cian?s voice sounded slightly worried. ?Bea wouldn?t really scare away all the fish, would she, Mum??

"I will try to keep her quieter, Cian, but I think there are brave fish there who probably won't mind a bit of baby laughs now and then." Still, Beata was becoming more adamant about being in the water herself, she lay on her belly on Sylvia's legs, hands splashing in the water, smiling for all the mess she was making. Her face wet, Sylvia's brigga soaked, and that was enough of that. Sylvia picked her up and sat her down beside her and started the visual exploration. Naming things and when Lucky-puppy came lumbering by with a stick he found, Sylvia asked, "What does a puppy say?"

Aidan jumped in before his sister, "Ruff, ruff!"

"She's talking to Bea," Cian rolled his eyes again, which got a look from Sylvia that scolded enough without words. Cian was wiggling more now, wanting a fish, but trying his best to be patient.

Hudson chuckled quietly at the byplay, keeping a watchful eye not only on his line and bobber, but also that of the boys. The air was warming as the day moved on, and finally Cian?s patience ? and the recast of his line into a still pool ? was rewarded with a jerk and tug on the line. Cian was too aware of being the oldest to squeal with excitement, but he did gasp. ?I have one! It?s on the line!?

Coiling up the remnant of broken line, Hudson paused to take the stick from Lucky?s mouth. When the puppy kept his grip and pulled back, shaking his head from side to side, a vigorous game of tug-of-war did indeed follow. Finally the puppy released the stick and bounded away several yards and then back, waiting expectantly for the stick to be thrown again. Hudson hurled the stick and then smiled over at Sylvia when she handed him the new line. ?Again my thanks, caraid. Ye ha?e quite th? knack for organization.?

Cian had taken her mother at her word and, with his tongue jutting a bit out of the corner of his mouth while he concentrated on the task; he tried to spear the squirming worm on the hook. Hudson lifted his brows and picked up Beata as she tried to go headfirst into the pack, holding the girl on his lap for the moment. She promptly grabbed for the fishing pole, and Hudson laughed. ?Ye are a determined lass, are ye nae?? Aidan bounced on his toes impatiently, watching his string and looking back over his shoulder to where Lucky was running back with the stick again.

"Mm, sometimes," she gave him a grin. She then found a bit of line to start the loop of fish. Standing, she reached to hang it up on the short limb of the nearby tree to keep it from puppy and children alike. When she came back, she reached for Beata. "Here, let me get her out of your way." Aidan walked to his mother with pole in hand. "Done fishing," he announced.

"Are you sure?" Sylvia eyed him to be certain as she reached for the pole. When he nodded, she took it and smiled to Beata. "Well, my dear, I guess you get to fish after all."
As Aidan took off to play with Lucky puppy, Sylvia took up Aidan's post, sitting on the bank, feet in the water, and Beata in her lap, little hands on the end of the pole beneath her mother's.

Managing to successfully thread the worm onto the hook without stabbing himself, Cian ran back to the bank and threw in his line to another eddy in the water formed by a pair of rocks slanted together. Hudson grinned as Aidan began wrestling the stick away from Lucky-puppy, and turned to restringing his line. Once that was accomplished, he attached hook and bobber, fixed on a new worm, and then walked back over to the bank to resume his former position.

A cast back into the same still pool almost at the far bank was done easily; once that was accomplished, he looked down at Sylvia and Beata, their black hair shining in the sunlight. ?Ah, sae th? lass won her way in th? end after all. I told ye she?d be a master at that, did I nae??

Cian looked over to Hudson and then down to Beata, skeptically. ?She?s the youngest. She doesn?t get everything she wants. Mum doesn?t let her do a lot of things.? Slight scorn for Hudson not knowing how things worked tinged in Cian?s voice.

"Cian, I am not appreciating your tone of voice," Sylvia narrowed eyes on her son. Cian had the grace to look abashed, but not exactly sure what he had done wrong. It was, after all, fact. Not wanting to linger on the moment, Sylvia smiled at her daughter and that same smile went up to Hudson, "Might as well start her young, as in a few years time she will no doubt be fishing with her brothers, who-" she looked to Cian "-will be delighted to have their little sister tag along."

Already having moments of irritation at Aidan's tagging along for things, Cian scrunched up his nose, but at least thought enough not to say anything. Nope, best he keep an eye on his line and Master Hudson, watching the way the man moved, trying to copy his motions and his skill.

Not expecting to catch anything, Sylvia was spending most of her time keeping an eye on Aidan and making sure Beata did not take more interest in the water than was safe. "Nothing like some peaceful fishing," she sighed, the sarcasm at fishing with children not to be lost for certain.

Chuckling, Hudson drew in his line and recast it to a different spot. ?Ah, but would ye ha?e it different, leannan? If ye would tae come alone out here, I?m sure between us Cian and I could come up wi? sommat tae occupy Aidan and Beata. As for th? lass following after her br?thairs, well ? it took a few years for us tae appreciate Sianna following along sae close all th? time. But eventually we learned th? advantages.?

Having been distracted by the thought of trying to occupy Aidan and Beata, Cian looked over at Hudson again at the remark about advantages. ?What advantages?? Hudson?s lips quirked as he held down a smile.

?Lad, tae be honest, I dinnae think yer m?thair would appreciate it were I tae tell ye ? ye ha?e enough ideas for mischief on yer own. And, leannan, would ye like me tae take th? bairn while ye bring in the one on yer line?? Again the question was casually asked when Sylvia?s bobber ducked beneath the surface.

Well that was perfectly unfair to make such a comment and not explain it, at least to Cian's mind. However, Sylvia cut off his rebuke in the jiggle of the line. "Blast," she muttered and nodded to Hudson, "if you would, please, or take the line." She shifted Beata out of the way so the dance of the rod as it was thrashed against by the fish did not threaten to harm her.

"Don't let this one go, mum!" Cian near threatened. Aidan came running over with Lucky-puppy beside and then in front. "My fish!" Simple logic, his fishing pole, his fish.

"Well," Sylvia remarked as she worked with the line, "we should have plenty to eat if this turns to be a good size." Not quite sure if the smaller rod would handle anything the size suitable for eating, but there was no telling a fish that when it got a fancy for a tasty worm.

Beata was deftly claimed after Hudson wedged his pole between the same pair of rocks he had used earlier. ?Aye, more than enow I should think. And ?tis well that ye all are bearing th? luck taeday, I think.? Holding Beata easily against her squirms, he reached down with his other hand to catch Lucky by the scruff of the neck and keep the puppy from leaping into the stream after the splashing fish.

Aidan was jumping around excitedly, and then ran over to grab Hudson?s larger fishing pole and hold it unsteadily with both hands as Sylvia worked the fish on his pole. He wanted to be part of the excitement somehow! Cian looked back to his line and was reassured that he hadn?t missed anything when he saw the bobber still floating on the surface.

She felt the pressure of the line, kept it taut, and drew it close, coaxing and battling, until, the threat of a wiggle and she drew it up quick, fingers twisted about the line to keep the fish from escape into the brook again. "Luck it seems. Perhaps you are spending all your luck on us, as it seems." A smile given to him. "You're a generous man, Hudson, but really, you should keep some of your fishing luck for yourself." A wink given while she worked to claim the fish from the line setting aside the pole and moving to add it to the loop that hung upon the tree.

?Aye, well and where would be th? fun in that? I catch fish most days o? th? week, leannan ? I?m willing enow tae share th? luck for a wee while.? Laughter underwrote the words as around them the excitement of the catch went on. More worms met a squirming death, gone to feed the eager fish, and there were actually six on the string by the time the boys were thoroughly bored with the enterprise ? the last of the six one that Hudson had tickled up for a demonstration; his only catch of the day.

All in all, by the time the small troop returned to the manor, there was a general agreement that it had been a most successful day.