“We may have to agree to disagree on that one,” Allie said, unsure what else to say that wouldn’t be a lie.
“Allie, focus!” Jason cut in. “Turkey!”
“We can get a turkey, ham, or something else suitable,” Bleidd said, his voice full of barely smothered laughter. “We just need to go back out and check the farm stands-“
“Again,” Allie said waspishly, unintentionally sounding like Bleidd had earlier.
“- until we find something suitable.”
“I will go,” Jess said, stepping forward.
“No,” Allie cut in, overwhelmed by the idea of being stuck in the house making small talk with his mother for hours without even the tentative buffer of Jess to help ease things. And with Jason freaking out in the kitchen the whole time. She didn’t think she could stand it. “I’ll go.”
Bleidd hesitated, obviously wanting to argue with her, but it was Jess who shook his head, “Allie when did you get up this morning?”
“What? I don’t know, around 5 I guess.”
“And have you had anything but coffee yet today?” he said gently.
Bleidd and Jason looked at each other and then her, as she opened and closed her mouth. She felt her cheeks coloring when she finally forced out an answer, “Ah, it’s been busy. There was an Alpluchra and we had to go out twice and replace food-“
“An Alpluchra!” Jess interjected, his casual pants and loose shirt magically turning into his Elven Guard uniform as he whirled and scanned the room.
“No!” the other three all said together, holding their hands up in unison, even Jason who was still clutching the trash bag. Jess froze with his hand reaching for his belt, his sword not yet there but only a moment away from being called.
“No,” Bleidd repeated more calmly, stepping over and taking Jess’s hands in his. “Everything is fine now. There was an Alpluchra its true, we discovered it earlier while you were sleeping. But we three managed to capture it easily enough and I took it out beyond the bounds of the property.”
“You should have woken me,” Jess said stiffly, “and not risked Allie’s safety.”
“Allie was just fine,” Allie said, rolling her eyes. “And I can look after my own safety in my own kitchen, thanks.”
“My heart,” he began.
“Guys,” Jason interrupted again, sounding desperate. “Turkey. If we don’t get a replacement turkey, or something, immediately we’re going to be eating hamburgers or fish filets with our Thanksgiving dinner and that’s like a crime against nature, do you understand me? So if you can find another turkey, then find it like asap. Because I have pies to make and potatoes to mash and carrots to prep and-”
“Right,” Jess said again. “I will go.”
“I should be the one,” Allie began, but this time it was Bleidd who stopped her.
“Allie, please, the Commander is right. You haven’t eaten anything, you haven’t had your morning coffee, you aren’t even really dressed. Just this once let us handle this.”
She looked down at herself, having forgotten that she was still wearing the large t-shirt she slept in and the sweatpants she’d grabbed this morning when she’d gone to take the puppy out. The pants weren’t even hers but Jess’s and they were tight at the waist and bagged at the ankles. Dear Gods I’m not even wearing a bra she thought suddenly exhausted. Which may not have bothered me in Bleidd’s car a little while ago when I was channeling my inner irresponsible teenager but running around all day like this is not like me at all. Running back and forth to farm stands, fighting fairy interlopers in my kitchen, this day is insane. Can’t I just go back to bed and wake up tomorrow and eat leftovers and pretend this crazy day never happened?
“Well I certainly can’t go greet Jennaessiya looking like this,” Allie said finally, taking a deep breath.
“I will go and play the host for our guests,” Bleidd said unexpectedly, earning shocked looks from both Jess and Allie. “You go upstairs and rest. Whatever you think of Jess’s mother or she may think of you she does understand that you are early in your pregnancy and I will make her understand that you have been very stressed this morning by the events that have been going on, and need to lay down for a while.”
“Gadreene,” Jess said, hesitation plain in his voice, even as he used his special nickname for Bleidd, “I am not sure that this is the best idea, although I agree that Allie should rest.”
“Have no fear Commander,” Bleidd said, smirking. “Until you return I will be nothing but a charming host and the picture of perfect elven manners.”
Jess looked skeptical but he nodded, accepting Bleidd’s given word as if it were an oath. “Then I shall set out to acquire a turkey for our meal, or failing that a suitable ham, if Jason deems that a fair substitute?”
“If you can’t find a turkey, a ham is okay,” Jason said, looking grim. “But at this point it’s going to take a miracle to make this dinner happen.”
“Then we shall find a way to make a miracle,” Jess said in the tone of a Guard commander giving orders to his squad, “one way or another. Allie you go up and rest. Jason you cook what you need to until I return. Bleidd I will introduce you to my mother before I leave.”
Bleidd nodded, “And I will be gracious enough to tell you which farm stands are open right now.”
Allie snorted indignantly at that, knowing he was referring to her earlier remark that she wouldn’t tell him where to go if he didn’t take her with him. For a moment she was tempted to shoot back with a cutting response, or at least as cutting as she could manage after such a long morning and with no coffee. But instead she swallowed hard and shook her head. Looking up above everyone’s heads she said to no one in particular. “I am going back to bed. Apparently with my disturbing fairy hound who will probably appreciate the company.”
“Allie,” Jess said, sighing.
She moved past him, then stopped and turned, hugging first him then Bleidd. “I’m going to go get some rest. Good luck getting this sorted out. I’ll be back down in a little bit.”
Leaving them all in the kitchen still talking, with Jason trying to describe to Jess what size turkey he needed, she snuck down the hall as quietly as she could. She averted her eyes from the living room door and tried not to feel like too much of a coward as she went upstairs.
12:30 P.M.
Looking in the mirror as she brushed her hair Allie made a face at herself. Well, nothing today is going as planned is it? she thought to her reflection. I meant to come up here and lay down and maybe read for a bit and what do I do instead? Fall asleep for two hours with 80 pounds of puppy curled up against my side. She grimaced, looking down at Luath who looked up at her and whimpered, bumping her long head against Allie’s side. The hound was not allowed on the bed, that was one thing that Jess and Bleidd both agreed on pretty firmly and Allie knew they’d be upset to find out she’d broken their rule. A fact she couldn’t easily hide since the light blue comforter was covered in dark grey dog hair and now had the distinct smell of fairy hound clinging to much of it. She looked back in the mirror and made another face at herself, smoothing the front of her grey sweater for no other reason than she liked the feel of it beneath her fingers. She’d taken more care than usual dressing, wearing a newer pair of jeans and one of her nicest sweaters, knowing it was foolish to try to impress Jess’s mother with such things but also wanting to show him that she was making a real effort.
There was no reason at this point not to go down and save Bleidd from what could only be – at best – an awkward situation entertaining Jess’s mother, brother, and mystery third guest. Allie had tried to guess who else Jess may have invited that he would have felt qualified as family, but she honestly came up blank. Although they had been together now for over eight months if she were being brutally honest with herself Allie would have to admit that she had been reluctant to make any effort to learn much about Jess’s life in the Holding or even at the Outpost before he’d moved in with her. Instead she’d focused o
n pushing him to acclimate to her life and her home, which she was realizing in retrospect was not entirely fair of her.
Despite the amount of time that had passed Jess hadn’t returned yet, a fact she could have guessed from Jason’s slowly increasing panic even if she hadn’t reached out and felt through their bond for both Jess and Bleidd when she woke up. Instead of going downstairs though she went to the window next to what she thought of as Bleidd’s side of the bed, the side farthest from the attached bathroom, and looked out at the backyard. Taking a calming breath she reached out to Jess in her mind, carefully easing in so she wouldn’t startle him if he were driving. Which she decided he was after she received a blurred impression of a steering wheel and road. She waited another moment until she knew he’d subconsciously become aware of her presence then said “Is everything alright?”
His happiness at hearing her voice filled her and she relaxed, smiling out the window. His voice when he answered though sounded frustrated, “All is well my heart. It proved a greater challenge than I anticipated to find what Jason needs, but eventually I was successful. I am returning now and will be home before the hour is out.”
“Good,” she thought back, meaning it. “I miss you. I feel as if I have barely gotten to see you at all today.”
Another flood of emotions filled her, warm and gentle, “Then I must remedy that as soon as possible. You will have to help me understand the proper protocol for such a holiday, as to how one divides one’s time between invited guests and household members. I am sure it differs from elven custom.”
Her own happiness wilted at that, “Jess, ah, what did you tell your mother…and other guests about this holiday?”
“That it is a yearly commemoration humans of this country celebrate in honor of an event that occurred when two cultures met and joined co-operatively to assist each other,” he thought to her, and she rubbed her forehead at that massive over simplification but didn’t want to correct him. “And that it is a time when families who are separated by circumstance or necessity gather and give thanks for each other and the blessings in their lives.”
“So they understand that we get together and eat a big meal and basically socialize and that’s it? No religious ritual or ceremony?” she thought back, worried that his family was expecting more of a show from their human cultural adventure than they were likely to get.
She could feel his amusement then. “I believe they are clear that the meal is itself something of a ceremony. Do not worry my love. This year perhaps may be a bit rough as we all adjust to these new customs but with time we will learn, and it should please you that they are willing to make an effort to adopt some of your ways. Next year will go much more smoothly, and as well there will be the baby.”
Allie was glad in that moment that Jess could not see her and could only feel a slight echo of her emotions, because she was ashamed of how she reacted to his offhand comment about next year. She staggered back, sitting down hard on the bed, and covering her mouth with her hand. “Yes, of course. I will see you soon my love,” she thought vaguely to Jess, and then after carefully blocking him out of her thoughts, Oh my Gods, next year. He told them it was a yearly celebration so they expect to do this every year. They will plan on coming again next Thanksgiving and there’s no way to get out of having them here without mortally offending someone. Oh. My. Gods.
Thanksgiving had always been a small family event for Allie, and in the last ten years since her grandmother died it had centered on her and Liz and then eventually Jason and Syndra. Bleidd had always volunteered to work since he didn’t care about the holiday and liked the extra money; this was the first year he’d celebrated with them and Allie had really been looking forward to having the time with him and Jess and Jason to just relax and enjoy being together. She shook her head as Luath came over and laid her muzzle across Allie’s thighs, whining. How did this all get so twisted? she asked herself. How did this day become a disaster?
“Allie?” Bleidd’s voice interrupted Allie’s melancholy thoughts and she shook herself slightly, standing back up and pushing the puppy away. “Are you awake?”
“Yes, sorry, I’ll be right down,” she thought back briskly, resolutely ignoring the things she couldn’t change. “I just talked to Jess, he’s on his way back.”
“Good,” Bleidd thought, his tone about as annoyed as she’d expect after he’d spent a few hours with an Elven Guard captain and elven woman who in Allie’s experience was a manipulative bitch. Okay that was probably a bit harsh she thought smiling slightly I might want to work on my attitude before I get downstairs.
“Sorry Luath, you need to stay up here for now. I’ll bring you down for turkey later,” she said, petting the puppy’s head as she slipped out the door, leaving Luath in the bedroom.
She walked carefully down the step; although her ankle was feeling better after her time alone with Bleidd, she did not want to slip and arrive downstairs on her butt. Somehow she could imagine that happening today with the way everything else was going, so she walked slowly and made sure each step was solid, just as she had earlier in the snow. At the bottom of the stairs she took a deep breath and braced herself, trying hard to remember all the proper etiquette. The last time she’d seen Jess’s mother in person, which was also the first time, had been in the spring when she’d visited the Outpost to negotiate their marriage contract, and while she’d had some written correspondence with Jennaessiya since then, she’d been spared having to actually talk to her. It was much easier to deal with anyone through the medium of the written word when you could take hours to choose each phrase, than to be face to face making small talk.
Unable to put it off any longer she stepped into the living room, her eyes going immediately to the trio standing by the fireplace. Bleidd had gotten a fire going at some point and it crackled cheerfully. He was leaning against the mantle, his posture relaxed although Allie could feel his annoyance. On the other side of the fire Zarethyn was standing, dressed as casually as she’d ever seen him in light brown trousers and a red tunic, his blond hair not in the braid of the Guard but pulled back and held with a silver clip at the base of his neck. Allie couldn’t deny that he looked very handsome, but then elves in general always looked amazingly attractive. She realized she was only noticing it because she’d gotten so used to seeing him in uniform and the Elven Guard were too intimidating to be seen as anything else, generally. Behind him looking out the nearest window was his mother, Jennaessiya, wearing a simple blue knee length tunic style dress, belted at the waist with a silver chain and black boots that clung to her calves like a second skin. He pale blond hair was gathered into a loose bun that managed to look careless and easy without looking messy. As ageless as she was, as all elves were, she could have passed for a human woman in her twenties going out to a club and Allie fought the urge to smooth her own hair down or pull at the hem of her sweater.
Next to her I look as dumpy as a pony next to a race horse she thought unhappily.
To her utter mortification Bleidd’s voice answered her, even though she had not meant for anyone else to hear that thought. “You cannot possibly believe that to be true Allie,” he thought to her, already moving across the room towards her as the others turned as well, “She is beautiful but you are no less beautiful and even if we were not bonded as we are I would choose you over her every time.”
She felt her cheeks flushing but did not dare think anything in response. Instead she kissed him demurely on the cheek when he reached her in the doorway, taking his hands and squeezing them to try to show her thanks. He squeezed back, then released one hand and pulled her gently into the room towards the others and she allowed herself to be pulled. She smiled at her guests, clinging to his hand, hoping her expression was properly welcoming. “Good afternoon Zarethyn, Jennaessiya. I’m sorry I wasn’t down here to greet you sooner, I must admit I fell asleep –“
“Oh please, Aliaine don’t apologize,” Jennaessiya said warmly, moving quickly to close the distan
ce between them. She wrapped Allie in a firm embrace, despite Allie still holding Bleidd’s hand, and Allie was momentarily overcome by the other woman’s presence. She smelled of spring, like warm earth and blooming herbs, and everything about her was soft, from her dress to her skin. Her emotions were hesitant and uncertain which immediately made Allie anxious. Jennaessiya pulled back slowly, her arms sliding away from Allie with obvious reluctance and instead of stepping back she stayed claustrophobically close and reached one hand out to touch Allie’s lower abdomen, which was only just starting to show the first slight rounding of early pregnancy. Allie’s grip on Bleidd’s hand became a vise as she struggled with the overwhelming urge to step back – which she could not do without gravely offending her future mother-in-law. After a moment when the elven woman spoke her voice was wistful, “I understand how exhausting pregnancy can be, and no one begrudges you taking what rest you need. It is a shame that the child is male, but to have conceived so quickly is a very good omen. If all goes well with this one and the child is healthy then it will silence those who doubt your fitness to marry my son. And of course we can hope that you will conceive just as quickly the next time and be fortunate enough to have a female child.”
Allie’s mind went completely blank, and she blinked slowly, feeling a surge of anger at the implication that her son was anything but desirable as much as the idea that she’d rush right out to try again for a girl. Bleidd’s hand tightened on hers and she heard him whispering her name in her mind but before she could regain enough coherence to form a response she caught sight of their third guest, standing quietly by the front window, which she guessed he’d been looking out before she’d come in. “Brynneth!”
The Elven Guard healer smiled warmly at her, and she finally released Bleidd’s hand, stepping away from Jennaessiya heedless of whether or not it was rude, to cross over to where Brynneth was standing. She had grown close to the healer over the past months as he worked with her to heal some lingering effects of the iron poisoning she’d suffered as well as some of the psychological damage resulting from the events of the past year. Besides Jess and Bleidd, Brynneth was the only elf that Allie would have called a friend and she had started to understand why that was such a powerful and meaningful concept among elves.
Fairy Gifts: A Between the Worlds Anthology Page 10