N/A: This fic is based on St. Valentine's story. Nope, don't expect any historical accuracy here, I'm not good with history, suffice it to say that this is set somewhere in the medieval time.
Thanks a bunch to my Miko-sama, me wuv you and you know it!
Yuri Hyuga and Alice Elliot does not belong to me, but I'm free to write about them, this is fanfiction after all duh!
Chapter One: The Forge.
For a moment she stood there, her eyes adjusting to the gloom of the room. The hearth fueled with charcoal was the only light, but she could see the glow of the billets of iron and steel, wired together temporarily as it goes through various color changes, from straw to blue. She knew that timing is critical at this point…joining the bars of steel and iron required astute judgment of temperature of the two elements.
Just when sparks began to fly from the wired billet, quick, nimble hands whisked the two metals with a pair of thongs and placed it on the anvil while another simultaneously hammered it smartly before they were given a chance to cool at all, scattering a shower of more glowing sparks over the anvil.
Without pausing, the joined pieces were once more placed in the forge, a flux is added to reduce excess oxygen which could compromise quality and then when sparks began to fly once more, the metal was hauled back into the anvil, this time hammering it until the two pieces are consummately combined. From here on, the smith hammered on the metal, shaping it to the desired form. The first process required two men for the job, but now, whoever was wielding the hammer is capable on finishing the work on his own.
As if noticing her for the first time, the man, the one who wielded the thongs removed his leather gloves and face protection, while he approached the girl who studied their work with fascination.
Alice recognized the old man, Yuri's mentor and foster parent. He was dirty and covered with coal grime and soot, but she easily saw the old man's twinkling green eyes as he towered over her. Yuri easily outgrew him in height, but Samus has a stockier built, between these two men, Alice felt as delicate and small as a butterfly in a bear's paw. They don't hesitate to treat her like fine porcelain either, which could be so amusing sometimes.
"Well what we got here? What's a pretty flower like yourself doing in this here hell hole? It can't be that boy over there all covered up with soot."
The boy in question looked up once, greeted her and then went on hammering. Beside the anvil, a ready supply of water awaits, to cool his instruments or his work.
"Hello Uncle Samus." Alice greeted, smiling as the old man sat down in a wooden stool and reached for a mug of water to drink. Samus pulled out a kerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweaty grime off his face.
"Sumthin sure smells good." He said, eyeing the basket she carried in front of her.
"Just ham and cheese and bread." Alice said, looking at Yuri who was bending the glowing metal over a socket, he was forging an axe, Alice realized. Time and time again he placed his work back to the hearth, since the metal would only be hot enough to work on for a minute or two or even shorter, but like everything else, nothing is done in half measure for a man like Yuri. His dedication to everything he does was the first thing that drew her to him.
"I can smell Peach Cobbler too." Samus said, smacking his lips.
Alice looked back at the old man, a little startled. She was so absorbed with fascination as she watched Yuri worked, the fluid movement of his arm as he hammered on the anvil, even the nimble way he would whisk the glowing axe head from the anvil back to the hearth and vice versa, while showers of burning hot sparks scattered around each time he hammered the metal…It occurred to her that she was just besotted, but his movements were so graceful, so coordinated, so smooth that it was pure pleasure just to watch him work.
Before Alice could speak, Samus hollered from his seat.
"Hey there boy! If ye have no mind for eatin, this here old man sure does." Samus stood up and pushed his kerchief back to his pocket. "If ye don't work any more faster my boy, I'll be taking yer share of Peach Cobbler."
"Not a chance!" Yuri shouted, while keeping his eye on his work. "Alice sweet, make sure that old goat doesn't lay a hand on my share!" Then hissed as he miscalculated the force of his hammer causing a dent where there should be none. Without delay he placed the axe head back to the hearth and worked to rectify his error.
Samus chuckled good heartedly and with his hand he indicated the door. "After ye my fair lady. It's not good fer a sweet 'un to remain in here place fer long. Ye'd be covered up with coal dust faster than feathers takes to molasses."
Alice smiled and said something to Yuri before stepping out of the forge.
Fresh breeze blew against her face, crisp and cool, a sharp contrast to the heated atmosphere inside. Samus made a detour to clean up while she walked under a tree…. A table with two wooden benches awaits, this is where they take their lunch if the weather permits. It was a sunny afternoon, making her feel energized and from a distance she could see sheep grazing in the endless green. The scent of gardenia, roses and honeysuckle made the day even more delightful.
Alice brushed back a wisp of hair that escaped her braid absentmindedly while she shook the table cloth in place. Then, methodically, she brought out the chunk of cheese and loaves of bread. The Peach Cobbler she left in the basket, knowing Yuri's penchant to eat desserts first.
He suddenly broke out of the forge, untied his leather apron, waved a hand to her before heading where Samus had gone to before. Alice heard the old man chuckle and Yuri's own response and smiled to herself.
Yuri had been orphaned as a young boy, and Samus never remarried again when he lost his family in an accident. Their relationship was more of a father and son, rather than master and apprentice. Yuri would soon be taking over the business, carrying over the skills and master craftsmanship of Samus, enhanced by his own talents. The quality of their works was well known throughout the land. Lords, knights and other nobilities travel from afar just to commission them for swords, armors and the occasional wrought iron chair, which is a status symbol in their time. Well, not all their works are as grand as all that, they forge everyday tools too, for the common folks, like hammers, knives, plows, locks and keys to horses' shoes…things that people can't live without.
It took quite a while before Samus came and sat opposite to Alice, she nearly fell asleep on the bench. All cleaned up and fresh from his bath, the old man was a far cry from the grime and soot covered man before. He even brushed back his hair, but his beard was still as bushy as ever.
"Figured that boy didn't trust me being alone with ye huh?" He said, his eyes twinkling. Hair that was more gray than brown threatened to fall down his face. Like Yuri, Samus badly needed a haircut. If only the two men would sit still long enough for her to do the honors herself.
Alice smiled and shook her head. Yuri did have a possessive streak, but that didn't extend to the man who has become his second father, one who is old enough to be her father, or grandfather even.
Before she could speak, Yuri came jogging over. It was obvious that he was in such a haste to dry himself properly as water still dripped down his hair, leaving wet drops on his clothes.
He sat down beside Alice and took her hand for a kiss, before his eyes wandered back to the table, obviously looking for something.
"It's in here." Alice said, indicating the basket that sat beside her.
Yuri smiled guiltily, knowing that there's no way she's letting him lay a finger on the sweet treat before eating. Samus winked at Alice as he reached for the bread and cheese with thick chunks of ham with pudgy fingers, smiled to himself as Yuri waited, like a small child for Alice to fix his food. She spoils him terribly. Samus thought, but knowing the hardships Yuri has overcome since he was small, he wouldn't even think of begrudging Yuri whatever softness and sweetness Alice has brought into his life.