Osbert
After a while, your nose kinda automatically picks up the scent of mischief; that's how I've always felt about my family...and bein' as mischief is one of my middle names, well, let's just say I have a warm, fuzzy, mischievous relationship with my siblings, but you know how it is with family sometimes, it's like growing up with them wasn't enough, and growing older with them is almost too much.
I mean, castles aren't really my lifestyle of choice; mind you, after some of the places I've awakened over the past year, a castle is like...like living inside a big circus tent and being surrounded by faces that, Jah love 'em, make you laugh. And how my blood ended up so high on the food chain that a castle fell into their laps, well, that's just another of Jah's mysteries. She does have a sense of humor, indeed...
I'd been telling the lads what stories, real and imaginary, I could muster about Wallace Castle, just to catch the sparkle it brought to their eyes..."now lads, we're all going to be explorers on the venture; I don't know much more than you about what we're about to be getting ourselves into, but it would behoove us to...how can I say it?...expect the unexpected." I mean, what kid wouldn't want to live in a castle? The only ones I saw when I was their age were all ruins, and even they were easy on my young imagination...good for the lads, I thought, to see for themselves how really crazily blessed they are.
I looked at the Lady Ela one last time, with a 'Jah help us' sort of look as we made our approach along the tree lined lane...well, at least they're aren't any goats grazing the front lawn...and the lane opened up onto the biggest thing I've ever seen in my life...sweet mother in heaven, we've been in towns that were smaller than that thing! How in the...why does a...who in the???
I'm dumbstruck (one word). Absolutely speechless, and that's rare. Of course, the first thing I think is 'it must take an army just to keep the hearths fired'-I'm just kinda shaking my head thinking about how many people it would take just to keep this beast of a place running smoothly, again, taking liberty to assume that there was order ruling within the walls...I think Cyclone is even a bit taken aback; she holds her nose high, and takes in the alien scents in the air. The place is bigger than I remember it being; all of the times that I stood afar and gazed upon this place, and had my own dreams of fancy, I had no idea that I was connected to it, that it owned me...
Of course, the lads' volcanic enthusiasm could no longer be contained; they piled out of the carriage and ran ahead of us, announcing their own presence; Ela and I both could only smile...a neatly dressed young man stepped from the entry and knelt to greet the lads; after a short chat, he stood and waved to us and hurried inside. I looked over my shoulder, for an escape route...
_________________
the last of the full grown men. That's right.
I mean, castles aren't really my lifestyle of choice; mind you, after some of the places I've awakened over the past year, a castle is like...like living inside a big circus tent and being surrounded by faces that, Jah love 'em, make you laugh. And how my blood ended up so high on the food chain that a castle fell into their laps, well, that's just another of Jah's mysteries. She does have a sense of humor, indeed...
I'd been telling the lads what stories, real and imaginary, I could muster about Wallace Castle, just to catch the sparkle it brought to their eyes..."now lads, we're all going to be explorers on the venture; I don't know much more than you about what we're about to be getting ourselves into, but it would behoove us to...how can I say it?...expect the unexpected." I mean, what kid wouldn't want to live in a castle? The only ones I saw when I was their age were all ruins, and even they were easy on my young imagination...good for the lads, I thought, to see for themselves how really crazily blessed they are.
I looked at the Lady Ela one last time, with a 'Jah help us' sort of look as we made our approach along the tree lined lane...well, at least they're aren't any goats grazing the front lawn...and the lane opened up onto the biggest thing I've ever seen in my life...sweet mother in heaven, we've been in towns that were smaller than that thing! How in the...why does a...who in the???
I'm dumbstruck (one word). Absolutely speechless, and that's rare. Of course, the first thing I think is 'it must take an army just to keep the hearths fired'-I'm just kinda shaking my head thinking about how many people it would take just to keep this beast of a place running smoothly, again, taking liberty to assume that there was order ruling within the walls...I think Cyclone is even a bit taken aback; she holds her nose high, and takes in the alien scents in the air. The place is bigger than I remember it being; all of the times that I stood afar and gazed upon this place, and had my own dreams of fancy, I had no idea that I was connected to it, that it owned me...
Of course, the lads' volcanic enthusiasm could no longer be contained; they piled out of the carriage and ran ahead of us, announcing their own presence; Ela and I both could only smile...a neatly dressed young man stepped from the entry and knelt to greet the lads; after a short chat, he stood and waved to us and hurried inside. I looked over my shoulder, for an escape route...
_________________
the last of the full grown men. That's right.
Seeing one missive having arrived from the south, Hikenai broke open the seal and began to read news of another couple, newly married, enjoying their...............and Hikenai's face fell. She sat blankly for a moment and then picked up Kel's quill and ink pot. There was already clean parchment before her, so Hikenai began, hand writing invitations to close friends and kin. A tear slid down her cheek and splashed on her collar bone, as she whispered a prayer for two she knew would not be in attendance at her wedding, the groom having entered death's corridor, leaving his bride alone and grieving. As Hikenai shook her head at the unfathomable loss, she knew she would not forget this man..............
Then they would file from the church, and down the steps to the gazebo in the church yard, where Kelster would stand waiting for Hikenai to take her place next to him. This was Hikenai's wedding day and she could remember no other day in her life, in which she had felt so beautiful, so loved, and so full of hope for the future. When she and Kel returned to Wallace Castle later that night, it would be as husband and wife!
) and we waited for entrance. Donal, wanting to be just like his dad, tried to pound on the door as well, only eliciting a small knock.
This be Neonea Wallace, my cousin! She is Uncle Kel and Aunty Hik's new daughter! They asked her if 
James loved squirrels! A band of squirrels for Uncle Kel's tavern! 
)
Smiling that at last she could do more than sit sedately in the sleigh and watch, Hikenai emerged from the warm covers long enough to place the holly and mistletoe Kelster had found in a bag. The snow was deep in drifts around her feet and she was glad Neo had stayed in the sleigh. She watched as Kelster selected an enormous tree for the castle, and was happy to see Henry rush over to help Kel handle it. The great tree fell quickly, and while sad to see it come down, Hikenai knew it's beauty would soon fill the hall in Wallace castle. 
This was Hikenai's favorite time of the day, when she and Kel would rinse the scent of ale and whisky from their hands, would hurry to the stables where the young boys would have the horses saddled and ready, and they would mount them quickly, sometimes only breaking their clasped hands long enough to get settled in their saddle. Then Hik and Kel would ride back to Wallace Castle, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but always with one aim in mind.
