Well, here we go part 2 that caused me so much grief with it's disapearing act. Have a great weekend and I hope my offering pleases xxxxxx

1

The little one man cabin sat back nestled in the grove on the side of the mountain unseen from below. Only way in was by goat track or flight and right now a little dragon was quietly sunbathing as it was his normal afternoon chore.

A goat stood nearby chewing thoughtfully as it cast an evil eye as at Theo and then is casually started to walk towards the cabbage patch, the chain dragging in the ground catching in the stone along the path and making a soft sound like running water.

The goat froze.

Eyeball rolling, nobody moved as the black dragon continued to imbibe so it continued its stalk.

Inside the cabin the warm bed tucked in behind the fire was empty, the owner currently reading with his feet up on the table, a rare display of naughtiness he allowed himself since they were his inside moccasins after all. The faint sound of the chain found its way to his ears and the page being turned waivered. Ianto placed the book he had been reading on the table and wandered outside.

He stretched, then scratched at his beard, his long hair sun kissed with golden tips as it swung around his face and he looked every part the bum he felt.

"Going somewhere?" he asked casualty and the goat froze, it's lips parted as if to answer and so close I could smell it's quarry. It perceivably sighed. The lettuce was so damn close.

Theo tapped a claw gently and the goat turned to stomp back to the tree it had spent the afternoon chewing at until the limb had given. It now glared at the tree as if it were to blame for this mess as Ianto walked across the pebbles to re-clip it to a larger limb, "There ya are. Have at it."

The goat found no reply served so it pursed it's lips and blew a raspberry instead, then shot under the tree's ranches as a shadow fell over them and Ianto looked up with annoyance as he called out "That had better not be the same place as last week. You know the farmers can count ya mad mare!"

Myfanwy landed with the gentle thud of amusement at the anger she always encouraged, the sheep in her talons dead and plump. Theo immediately hooted and did the weird wibble-wobble skip over to ask for some. Like a good mama bird she let her chick clack and then removed a limb for him, the little black excitedly rushing to the brook to wash it. A strange habit he had, washing things but it was cute too and she seemed amused by it as she turned to face her rider, his face bland.

She looked at her prize and his face then removed another limb and placed it at his feet, pushing it with her beak as if to show it was all good. Really. Yum.

Ianto sighed, "Well. You know you are a horrible wench. Next time go in the other direction so I can at least pretend I don't know you are poaching form Mr Ferb. I do not know why you dislike him so."

She clacked her beak then tore at the fleece and Ianto went in, placing the leg on the table and removing the skin to reveal the nice fat meat.

He spent time preparing it and stoking the fire for his oven then he placed the meat in and went back to to peruse the garden for some vegetables. Might even get some nice gravy off that.

Ah.

The high life, he thought to himself with a snort of amusement. Once upon a time he would have been dinning with kings and queens, his tunic too tight, the collar too stiff and his smile too fake. He looked around his little piece of lovely and sighed.

That shadow at the corner of his eye was always there… the bond making it impossible to ignore.

Jack.

Ianto looked out over the valley below to the castle barely visible in the distance and knew this was the true reason for building in this spot … able to see the royal standard in the breeze that told him Jack was home.

No matter how hard he tried to stay away, he still needed to be close enough that the bond did not cleave his heart in two with the forced separation and he turned to go back in with his vegetables and heavy heart, the flags in the distance waving forlornly back.

Their sullen king inside the castle currently standing at the window of his queen's chambers at the mountain where he sought comfort as she struggled to breathe behind him, their second born child crying weakly in her arms.

"What shall we call him?" Jasmine asked, glancing at the old queen who stood nearby waiting to rush to her aged husband's bedside to tell him he had a grandson, an heir.

"Toto" Jack said softly, "For the one who gave us this. The one who sacrificed for this. Were it not for him, I would not be here and this little life would not exist."

"Yes, for Ianto" Jasmine said softly as she felt the sting after all this time. Ten years, it had been a decade since that day and Jack had not aged a day since, even if his eyes had become so old. The old king had handed over his crown when he had fallen from his horse and become infirm, their first baby born in the shadow of Jack's coronation. They had struggled for this second one in the hopes of a male heir and now she was relieved that they had managed it.

But Jack was right.

If Ianto had not saved him with his spark of life…had not left when asked so Jack could focus on their marriage…this would not exist.

Why must there be so much sacrifice for the realm of ungrateful subjects?

"Toto it is, my liege."