?I am quite able to stand around and tell people what to do. You should be pleased, Miriam, that I am taking the practice,? Sylvia teased the lady who kept suggesting Sylvia to sit or rest.

The barn had been cleaned out, the horses set into the paddock or out on patrols, and the smell of fresh hay carpeting the ground was still lingering in the air as the day crept on to past noon. Gaerwyn with Ewan?s help moved a table to the side. ?You know, my lady,?

?Sylvia,? she corrected in an off hand fashion.

?Sylvia,? he began again, ?this celebrating the day of birth is a new one for Gaer. Your tradition, I might point out, and it would be poor form if you were too tired to attend.?

Ewan snickered at his cousin?s backwards attempt at getting Sylvia to rest before the party while he set up another brazier in a corner to keep the barn warm on the cold day. It was a bright and cheerful aspect, with a more casual and wild feel to it, that even the adults were feeling carefree and comfortable with words and laughter.

Sylvia looked up at the tall, broad man, hands to her hips. ?Gaerwyn, are you accusing me of tainting the traditions of Palendies?? A glint to violet eyes contradicted the firm frown of her lips.

Hands up in defense, ?Oh, no, no, of course not.?

?Well, you should. I hear it is becoming something of a fashion for parents to celebrate the day of their children?s birth. I think I am due a flogging of some sort, but it would be hard pressed to enforce my punishment when the Prince and Princess do the same new tradition for their own child.?

?Let us all beware of Sylvia setting any more traditions or fashions,? Ewan smirked.

?You can be replaced,? she mock threatened Ewan.

?I did try you know,? he smiled as he passed by. ?I am going to check on Storm, and you, my lady, are going to rest.?

?No, I have something to see to before the party. I will rest in a bit.? She looked to Gaerwyn. ?Would you and Lenika look after the,? her gaze travelled to where the boys, plus Lina, were playing tag, ?small warband as Ewan puts it??

?Be glad to. I might even join in and have them all set sail.? He made his way over to the group, adopting the bellow used on deck to get their attention and set them to rights for the new game.

Sylvia walked to the orchard and the quiet forest beyond. Hands reached out to trees, and she felt their presence. ?Changing traditions. Change.? The words came half formed and caught in a voice not sure what it wanted to say. ?I could not tell him I part of my heart became stone when you died, not when I don?t want him to do the same thing.? She chuckled at the imagined response of her dead husband. ?Yes, I know. Hypocrisy. How I loathe it. I suspect if you could cross back from the Meadowlands, you would be giving me a good scolding right now.? She walked further into the woods. In its time it had been the place where she and Kieran went to argue; now she sought the solace and memory of his presence. ?He is a good man, Kieran, and just as you don?t want me to continue on this way, I don?t want him to start that path.?

Naked limbs trembled in a breeze overhead and drew her gaze up to them. ?I had to, you know. I had to wall away that part of my heart. I never knew your father, but I saw what his grief did to you. I could not do that to our children.?

Snow melt dripped down from a weighted branch, splashing cold tree tears on her face. Gloved fingers wiped the drops away, and she smiled back up to the branches again, ?Very well, Kieran. I will melt and unwall that part of my heart, but you know how stubborn I am. It will take time.?

She stopped at the stump of an old tree, aged and decaying. Its pulpy insides were hidden beneath a faint layer of snow. She brushed away the layer, drew off her gloves, and added the packet of soil brought with her. Into this she placed bulbs for memory. ?Moira, you continue on in the heart and memory of those that love you.? With care, she tended the planting. Brushing her hands together to rid of the extra dirt, she rose and looked at the small memorial. ?I wish I had known you, but paths of life being what they are, I would not even know of you had you not gone. My Kieran once said I can carry on a better conversation with the shadows than with people, but I won?t trouble your spirit with my ramblings. That?s for him to suffer. I wish you peace, Moira.?

Another shiver of limbs sent a clump of snow down the back of her head and slipped to her neck. ?Now that was just mean,? she laughed at the imagination of Kieran casting his last snowball. However, the presence of Kieran was not as strong as before. It was time, she knew, to turn back for the moment's rest required before life swelled up in the youthful joy of the day.

Gaerwyn collapsed under the weight of the boys, and then felt the air just puff out of him as Aidan climbed on top of the pile. ?Come, cousin!? he gasped out. ?Come and save me from these fiends.?

The laughter told him more than enough. No one was going to help him, not for a bit at least. It was time for another tactic. ?Well, the longer I am kept under the water, the longer it is for Captain Gaer to claim the treasure, say of cake and gifts?? He coughed out the thick air laced with hay dust.

Lina was first to come to her senses, ?Gaer get off of papa right now! Can?t you hear him coughing??

?He?s faking it. Old sea scoundrel trick.? Gaer bounced some forcing Gaerwyn to cough more, but it was in combination with laughter which did not sound good at all.

?Did he say cake?? Cian asked.

?Cake!? Aidan scrambled off and grabbed Gaerwyn?s hand to pull. ?Take me to the cake!?

By this time the rest of them had decided cake was more interesting and were helping him to his feet and brushing him down. Some oblivious to where they were brushing off the dusts with enthusiasm. ?I have it in hand, thank you.? This withdrew the hands from him. ?Come along now, let us wash up and then we will feast, or rather at least have some cake.?

Cheers all around, he corralled the group around the pump just outside the barn. Each was quick about the work to get inside from the cold. Clean of cheek and hand, they found their treasure of food on a table revealed from the removal of its covering cloth. Gaerwyn did not get his, what he thought well deserved, treat in the form of cake. Instead he took a matching lean of his cousin near Lenika.

The communication between them was silent, but on his part he was thinking of their conversation the night before in the carriage ride back to Yearling Brook. He wanted to have more children, but, having spoken truthfully, if she had not then he would be happy in her choice. The revelation that she wanted to try had lit a lantern of joy in him that was still not extinguished. It communicated in every look to her.

His hand touched the bottom of her hair, playing with a lock of the mahogany in a gentle expression of his affection. That touch was disrupted by the gang of children, some with icing about their mouths calling for his attention. Lina, had taken refuge to eat her treat with more decorum at the feet of Lenika.

?Finish the food first, and then we?ll see to some storytelling.? It satisfied well enough and the boys all took to the task.

Gaerwyn looked to his little Lina again, always wondering what she was thinking at the time, but when her head moved to rest against Lenika?s leg he had to smile. It was something she had done to Lera when his wife had sat at night sewing. That Lina was so comfortable, welcoming, accepting to do the same with Lenika set his heart at ease. It was if Lera was sending a message to him that all was well.

Little Gaer?s birthday was a time filled with joy and much laughter, and Lenika was enjoying every minute of it. It reminded her of her happy times with her own family and brought ease to other feelings of nervousness. She found it thoroughly amusing to see Gaerwyn and Ewan being ?assaulted? by the warband of children, which she cheered for, and she got to see Beata some as the baby was included in the festivities. It was when Gaerwyn used the promise of food and presents to get the children settled for a time that Lenika?s mind drifted away.

She thought of Maeve and her health, which caused worry for her, and she thought of marrying Gaerwyn and how nervous it was making her. Her thoughts did not last long as Gaerwyn came to stand near and Lina to sit by her and lay her head against her leg. Lenika smiled down at the girl and touched her head in gentle affection. The looks and affections with Gaerwyn were silent but there through some invisible thread.

Movements of the others nearby caused Lenika to shift her attention from the father and daughter to, first, Sylvia and Beata. It was a wonderful sight to see the two together, playing gentle games for the baby, and living. Then, she glanced to Storm and Ewan, which brought a smile. She was happy for the couple and their upcoming child, moreso because she knew Ewan needed this. The call of the children, however, stole Lenika from her thoughts again and she glanced as their faces were covered in icing and they wanted Gaerwyn again.

Lenika turned to look at Gaerwyn with a grin, ?You?re being summoned, dear.? His laugh and response to the children caused Lenika to grin all the more before she leaned to give Lina a gentle hug, after she was done eating, and went back to observing the boys and their rambunctious ways.