A/N: Well, how long has it been? Hehe. Anyway, I finally came out of my writer's block and have the rest of this story relatively planned out after a sudden burst of wanting to devour everything Disney and Cinderella related to battle boredom. Although, I did lie when I said this would be the last chapter with young Sam. There are probably going to be two or three more chapters before the time jump. There's a song in this chapter too: Buachailll n Eirne by Celtic Thunder, a rough translation of the first few lines will be on the bottom author's note. (give the song a listen if you're so inclined, it really is beautiful:) ) We get some insight into Blaine this chapter as well. A nice long one as a thank you for your patience. Hope you enjoy :)
Chapter Three
Sam was about halfway home when he saw a familiar figure in the distance. She wore her pale blue traveling cloak and a smile upon seeing him.
Sam grinned. "Mother!" He ran to her. "I've missed you."
Mary held Sam in a hug. "Oh my boy, I've missed you too." She pulled him away from her. "Let me look at you."
Sam puffed out his chest as Mary laughed.
"Why, you've sprouted right up."
"Blaine says I'll be taller than him soon."
"Really?"
Sam nodded.
Mary put an arm around her son's shoulder as they began walking. "Speaking of, where is Blaine?"
Sam screwed his face. "We had a fight."
"You and Blaine?" Mary raised her eyebrows. "How did that happen?"
"He spoke out of turn." Sam pouted.
"Out of turn?"
"He told me I was working too much and was trying to get me to go home for lessons."
Mary sighed. "Oh Sam, I don't think that was any reason to fight."
"It's not his business!"
"Look at me Sam," Mary cupped Sam's face in her hands. "Blaine was just concerned for you. I don't think that was any reason to pick a fight with him do you?"
Sam's expression softened as he shook his head. "But I was really nasty with him Mum."
Mary crossed her arms as a smile lit up her face. "I don't remember Blaine being the sort of fellow that won't accept a good and honest apology… or a good home-cooked meal for that matter."
Sam grinned. "I'm going to go talk to him right now!"
"Wait a moment." Mary pulled her son back with a hard stare. "We'll all go, all four of us. But first, you owe all of us some family time mister."
"Yes'm." Sam gave a small smile.
The small family was seated around the piano as Stevie showed what he had been working on. Sam couldn't help but be impressed with his little brother. The boy was good.
"Oh Stevie, that was wonderful!" Mary grinned.
"Thank you." Stevie smiled shyly. " Mummy! Will you sing?"
"Well, I did pick up something while I was away. I don't know if I can remember that whole thing." Mary's gaze flitted around to where her children were looking at each other in disbelief.
"We'll help Mummy, please!" Stacie pulled on her mother's dress.
"Come on Mum!" Sam said. "You have to show us."
"Alright then, come, come." Mary sighed, but there was a smile behind it as the three siblings gathered around her. "I met a young boy and his mother just outside town, where the land in the kingdom changes from cobblestones to hills. The mother and son offered me a meal and a song in exchange for a few wool blankets."
Sam was perplexed by his mother's story. His father had been a shop owner. How did songs and meals help?
"You mean they didn't pay for the blankets?" Stevie asked. "How come?"
"Oh darling, they did." Mary grabbed a nearby quilt and wrapped it around their shoulders.
"But if you didn't get the money…?"
"That's true, but I did learn about the people who were so willing to open their doors to a stranger. I made a friend. That's worth more than all the gold pieces in the kingdom." Mary kissed Stevie on the forehead. "Does that make sense Love?"
"I...think so." He nodded.
"I'm glad. Now," Mary turned to each of her children. "I promised a song didn't I? Let's see… ah yes, now I remember."
Buachaill n Eirne m's bhragfainn fin cailn deas g
N iarfainn b spr lithe t m saibhir go leor 'S liom
Corcaigh a mhid e , dh thaobh a ghleanna's Tr Eoghain
'S mur n-athra m basa 's m n' t-oibhr ar Chontae
Mhaigh Eo
Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free.
And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the loughs meet the sea,
Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun;
And the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done.
Come by the hills to the land where life is a song.
And stand where the birds fill the air with their joy all day long,
Where the trees sway in time and even the wind sings in tune;
And, the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done.
Come by the hills to the land where legend remains.
The stories of old, fill the heart and may yet come again,
Where the past has been lost and the future is still to be won;
And, the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done.
And, the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done.
"Hello there!" Blaine looked up as the door swung open to reveal two familiar faces, Nicholas and Jeffrey, childhood friends of his. "Just a moment!"
"Still busy as ever hey Anderson? Whatever happened to when the mistress is away?" Nicholas called.
"You do remember, the shop doesn't close till supper don't you Nick? Honestly. Mary Evans only makes deliveries." Marley Rose grabbed her parcels with a smile in Blaine's direction. "Have a good afternoon Blaine."
"Do you ever get a break Blaine? You'll work yourself sick if you're not careful." Nicholas said.
"I'm aware." Blaine stood on tiptoe placing the lockbox on the highest shelf. "But it's no trouble, or don't you remember?"
"What are you going on about?" Jeffrey looked between the two.
"Dwight Evans took Blaine in after Cooper got the draft letter." Nicholas's eyes cleared at the memory.
"If he hadn't offered to teach me, I'd have been…" Blaine couldn't finish the thought. Orphans without relatives willing or able to take them on rarely fared well in their kingdom. Those that were able to work were sold into service of a household or placed with a master to learn a basic trade such as spinning or the art of the blacksmith. Those with a higher level of education were able to have more of a choice in their placement. Several Masters could meet with the orphan and decide based on the lad's skill if they wished to offer him a position. Blaine had been fortunate enough to meet Dwight Evans early on as a boy of eight years old. Those that didn't find a trade or didn't serve their households properly were sent to one of the local houses, the most prominent in the kingdom being Dalton for the lads, and Crawford for the girls, until the age of seventeen.
"I meant nothing by it." Nicholas held out a hand. "Sometimes things just come out the wrong way."
"Sometimes?" Jeffrey snorted.
"Don't push your luck." Nicholas jammed Jeffrey in the shoulder.
Blaine sighed. "Are you really going to do this now?" His eyes were trained on the door where a well dressed man entered pushing a teenaged boy in a wheelchair. The man had dark hair and in his eyes Blaine saw something that made him stop short. There was bad news behind them.
"Master Abrams, how do you do?" Jacob Abrams was a business partner of the late Dwight Evans. Blaine had gotten to know both him and his son Arthur quite well in his tenure with the Evans, and considered them both friends.
"Hi Blaine, Nick Jeff." Arthur smiled.
"Hi Art." Blaine nodded, distracted by the roving of Jacob's gaze. He wouldn't look directly at anyone or anything and that bad news cloud was still there.
"What brings you by at this time Master Abrams?" Jeffrey asked.
"I'm afraid this isn't a social call gentlemen. Is Miss Evans nearby?"
"She just returned from her trip an hour ago Master Abrams. She hasn't come into the shop yet." Blaine replied. "Can it not wait?"
The man sighed. "I'm afraid not. Can you take us to her?"
"Yes Sir." Blaine nodded. "This way."
A/N:
Translation (roughly) of the first few lines of the song: I am a boy from Ireland and I'd coax a nice young girl,
I wouldn't ask for a dowry with her, I'm rich enough myself,
I own Cork, big as it is both sides of the glen and Tyrone,
And if I don't change my ways I'll be the heir for County Mayo.
So, thoughts? :) Please please let me know what you think. Feedback helps me thrive. As for a short explanation of some of the context, Blaine's parents died when he was young around six, Cooper was about 16 to 21 if my estimation of *their* age difference is correct, please let me know if you know the age difference to be different than that. I want to be as accurate as possible. Two years later Cooper received a draft notice to join the king's guard. It was either take the draft or end up sold into service separated from Blaine involuntarily without being able to ensure him a good life. More will be explained as the story continues, but I promise the explanation of how things work will make sense with Sam's story as well as when Rachel is introduced. Also Arthur, Artie (or Art as he will be called by most characters in this story), is around 16 at this point, Nick is 14, Jeff is as well. I chose full names to better flow with the fairy-tale and medieval feel I'm going for. Hope it doesn't complicate things too much.
