Harvest Share (Fall)

It was the time for the grape harvest. Since the Defias had been run out of Northshire, the grape production had greatly increased. It had made the small hamlet rich once more.

Helene was summoned to help with the harvest. Jamiy had been excused from his paladin duties to help as well. The young paladin spotted his twin almost instantly. She wore a peasant dress and stood barefoot next to a yoke with two overflowing buckets of grapes. She stood rubbing her neck. She was not used to this kind of labor, but she was smiling and speaking to Milly Osworth who was keeping tally of the amount of grapes.

Jamiy came up behind his sister and gently wrapped his arms about her covering her eyes. She gasped and tried to pull his hands off her face. He pulled her back against him preventing her from being able to get away. He smiled at Milly as his sister struggled to free herself from the man whom held her. She growled and he finally resorted to freeing on hand from her face to lift her bodily in the air to prevent her from hurting either herself or him.

He finally let her loose when he was laughing too hard to hold her. She whirled to face him and he lifted his hands as she crouched ready to attack him. When it registered who it was she ran to him and hugged him. The twins had not seen each other in nearly six months. Though they lived in the same city and even the same building, Jamiy trained from dawn until dusk with the rigors of his profession. A paladin was both a warrior and a healer. He had delivered his first child with the help of his mentor, Highlord Fordring. They had come upon a child wondering the dangerous roads of the Western Plaguelands. She had been sent for help. The child was blood elf. Tirion had knelt down and gently spoke orcish to the girl. She responded, but clearly was scared because she ran into the safety if his arms. He was a human, but he could speak to her. He gently held the weeping child and had her direct them back to their home. It was a small dugout home in the side of a small hill. Why would anyone choose to live in the Plaguelands? Jamiy quickly had his answer.

The woman was laboring and the child was large. Tirion nodded to his protégé to help prepare the room by fetching water and blankets. Tirion then spoke to the woman in her native Thalassian tongue. "Sinu a'manore." He said softly in greeting. "Ishnu'Alah." He spoke and then dropped his voice down so that Jamiy could hear little. Then they had worked nearly until night to bring the stubborn child into the world. The woman was weak and had passed out when the baby finally fell from her loins into the waiting arms of Jamiy. Tirion revived the mother gently and had her sip some water as he directed Jamiy to cut the cord and rub her stomach for the afterbirth to come. He had then looked down at the baby in his arms. Soon he would be a father as well and he had never been so humbled in his life.

He laughed and let his sister go before she hurt herself or more to the point, him. She half crouched like a fighter holding her hand ready to cast a spell. He lifted his hands. "Sorry." He said. He gave her a sheepish grin and she glared at him.

He smiled and opened his arms for her to hug him. She sighed and walked to him and let him enfold her in his strong embrace. Jamiy was in his mail and plate armor, but she still could feel his body heat beneath the cool metal. It was a cool fall day. The weather was turning. The first frosts had made the grapes freeze and condense the sugars within them for the wine. He smiled at her. "One might think you a child of the country, dearest sister." He teased.

He laughed as she shoved him backwards with a hiss. He laughed more when he saw her look. She growled and launched herself at him. He ran laughing as she ran after him. He then tripped over a root and she was on him. She saw on his chest beating him with her fists. He laughed trying to catch her as she yelled at him.

He caught her small wrists in his hands and laughed more as she tried to kick and bite. Finally he had enough and rolled over pinning her hands above her head and sitting on her lithe body to keep her still. She thrashed about, but it was no use. Her twin was more muscular and more powerfully built than she ever would be. Finally she threw her head back and spat at him.

He shook his head at her and gripped her wrists in one hand and then let the other drift down to her side and exposed under arms. She cried out and bucked under him. She screamed and tried to bite him. He laughed at her futile attempts to lever him off her body. Leaves from the trees about them caught in her hair as she struggled. Her brother was careful not to hurt her, but he had not had so much fun with his sister since they were children. He had pinned her then as well, but the slippery minx always got even.

She finally managed to get him off and began to throw leaves at him. He laughed and moved to collect his own to throw at her. The villagers stood nearby smiling and watching the pair. It did their hearts good to see such play still in the land. However, not everyone was amused.

"I hope you two are not doing that the whole day. I had hoped you would be of some use." A stern, yet quiet voice near them made them still. They well knew that voice. They had heard it often since their birth.

They both looked up with colored faces and necks to see Highlord Tirion Fordring standing near them. Ashbringer, the again purified sword, was strapped to his back. It glowed softly in the autumn light that filtered through the golden, green, and orange leaves.

Jamiy smiled at his twin and rose. He helped her to her feet and began to pull leaves from her hair though they both had their heads bent as though they were naughty children. Highlord Fordring regarded them as he stood in his high ranking paladin armor. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were dancing revealing he was more amused at their antics than angry. His silver hair fell about his head neatly and his silver beard was trimmed and full.

"I am sorry godfather." Helene said. "I did not know you had returned from Northrend."

"I have a meeting to attend with the King." He said. "Speaking of your mother, I hear she is pregnant again." He said his face widening into a grin.

"Yes. She is due any day now, highlord." Jamiy said. "We are told it is a girl. Mother is planning to call her Alanis if it is a girl and Llane if it is male."

"I am sure the king will be honored by that." Tirion said. "Come now. Where is my hug, Helene, or must I leave here empty handed after traveling the whole way here to see you." He smiled. "Though I was not expecting you to be dressed so."

"I am going to be pressing grapes." She said as she came to his side and he embraced her. Despite his years Tirion Fordring was a strong man and he lifted his goddaughter into the air and smiled at her. He then brought her down to earth and kissed her brow as she embraced him. He closed his eyes a moment thinking about his son at five years and Helene at five years. She had always demanded presents and being carried by her godfather. Despite her size and beauty, Helene was demanding and often spoiled, but he minded little. He was training the young man he regarded as a second son and he was godfather to his twin. He had always wished for a daughter and Helene fit the bill nicely. Their mother had always let him take the pair exploring to learn about the world and the creatures within it. He taught them about honor and how to live. His education was far more interesting and far more deep set than any official schooling they had received.

Milly smiled. "Jamiy, thank goodness you are here. Can you fetch another few yokes of grapes?" She asked. "Then Helene can begin to press soon."

Tirion smiled. "I will have to remember this year. The year my goddaughter made me wine." He chuckled and smiled down at her. Though he was often stern with them, he was by far one of their favorite people in the world. Varian, Rhonin, and their parents were high on the list as well, but Tirion had a gentle yet firm spirit about him. He was a paladin in every way. He was just, full of compassion, and was wise.

Jamiy had taken the yoke his sister had been using and went to the nearby fields to pick up buckets. As a farmer loaded his yoke he was surprised to see Highlord Fordring himself bend his shoulders down as he came to his side and waited for them to load the buckets on his own yoke. He smiled at Jamiy as he knelt.

They returned to Milly. Four more times they went back and forth before the great oak bowl was half full. Tirion smiled at his goddaughter and then lifted her up and into the old, yet still functional bowl. It was made from thick oak planks that had been steamed and treated with pitch to keep the beams watertight. A spout was to one side at the bottle. Helene gasped as she sank into the grapes. The pile came to her knees and she felt several burst under her toes.

She then saw three other women get into the great bowl with her. They held the side and began to rhythmically crush the grapes beneath their feet. Red grape juice went everywhere on Helene's legs. Jamiy smiled as he watched her. It became almost a dance. Tirion nodded to a man who held a hand drum. The peasant began to beat out a rhythm the group of four women could dance and crush to. Tirion clapped his hands and then lifted them and held Helene's arms as she worked the grapes with her feet.

Milly and several others were filling bottles and putting them into bottles. The Brothers of the Abbey were out helping as well. Helene took a breath and looked at her godfather whose soft brown eyes held encouragement.

"This looked easier than it is." She said.

"Most things are." He said smiling. He rubbed her arms. "You are doing well."

A couple hours later Helene was exhausted and Tirion looked to Milly. Another woman stood nearby waiting and Tirion lifted Helene from the bowl. She dropped grape juice from her hips down. He smiled at her tired face. He set her on the ground gently. Jamiy was taking a rest. He had continued to bring grapes as had Tirion throughout the time. As grapes were made into wine, more were added, and soon the harvest would be wine ready to keep in the cellars over the winter and drink next year.

Tirion watched the girl wobble as she stood next to him. Shaking his head in amusement he lifted her in his arms once more. She gasped startled and found herself being taken to the stream. He set stepped into the water and set her into it. She gasped at the cold water, but it was also refreshing and woke her fully once more.

She scrubbed at the purple on her legs. Some of it came out of her dress and skin, but some stayed. Her godfather offered her cake soap and she scrubbed. Still her legs were a shade of weak wine. He smiled at her and kissed her brow when she came to him.

"Worry no." He said. "This time of year many women are so colored." He said. "Many help with the harvest."

She nodded.

That evening there was a great bonfire. The King and the House of Nobles came to the vineyard and there was music and dance. Jamiy danced with a pretty young girl who had asked if she could dance with a paladin. Tirion himself found himself dancing with the heavily pregnant, but lively Rhenn Ambrose who led him through the steps of the dance. Grekko and Varian stood to the side drinking the last of last year's wine and clapping to the music.

Helene was nowhere in sight. Tirion caught Jamiy's eye and arched an eyebrow. Jamiy nodded having been wondering the same thing. He excused himself for a few moments as he went to look for his sister. Helene was not in the Abbey and not anywhere about it. He then saw something near the small northern lake. He went to it. Helene was curled up between two tree roots sound asleep. He smiled. It was becoming chilled. He wrapped his cloak about her before scooping her into his arms.

His twin was very light and serene as she slept. She hardly stirred when he lifted her into his arms. He carried her to the Abbey. Tirion was there waiting. He smiled at him. "Always looking out for each other?" He asked

"Always." Jamiy said. "She is closer to me than anyone." He gently walked into the Abbey and laid her down on a soft bench in the library wing.

Tirion looked at him. "Go back to the festival. I will watch over her."

"But…"

"Festivals are for the young, not an elder paladin like me who is very set in my ways." He smiled and laid a hand on Jamiy. "Go on. She will be safe."

Jamiy nodded and returned to his little dance partner and his parents.

Tirion settled himself onto another bench near her and began to read one of the old volumes found at the Abbey. The music still could be heard, but it was muted. It was a good harvest and it would be shared with all in the area. He sighed and looked to his goddaughter resting peacefully. He would have loved a daughter. He loved Helene, though she was not of his body. He smiled. He was somewhere between father and grandfather for her and yet he enjoyed every moment of it. For now, however, he would let her rest. She had great things ahead of her in the future, but for now, sleep was all she needed.