21

Ianto was humming to himself as he stood in the kitchen at one end of the huge prep table. He was making little finger pastries and the cook kept glancing over to watch those fingers move so adeptly as each little pastry got pinched together to form a morsel of food that she knew was divine. The samples already devoured by the staff with glee.

Ianto did not talk, but he did hum and if given time… there we go… Ianto stated to sing. Soft and haunting. The song of was a boy hunting a deer in the forest, the sound of the leaves underfoot, the smell of the freshly rained on soil… as he sang those around him closed their eyes, seeing the scene he was spinning around them. Then he found the deer, drew back his bow and aimed. Unable to fire as the thing of beauty gook him and he lowered his weapon to let it live.

Then the light changed as the deer moved in the little clearing and he saw that it was not a deer at all. He had drawn on a beautiful maiden. Oh how they all gasped softly in the kitchen, turning to stare at him as he told them of her beauty, her chastity and her…. Yes… purity. The boy had not been hunting a deer at all. He had been hunting true love. The song ended with their first kiss and the knowledge that the universe provides if you let it.

The clapping surprised him ad he looked up with raised eyebrows, glancing around as if they were all mad, then he shook his head and went back to making yummies. It was clear to all that he was used to this world, had spent a lot of time hiding from those upstairs down in the fire pit. Liked it there. Was welcome there.

As he is welcome now.

By the time he declared the huge tray full of bite sizes yummy ready for the oven fire, everyone was in love with him a little. He left and they all started to whisper about it, the way he held their hearts like that. They all agree that he was an Old Soul. The Old Blood sang to them like a pull. They all knew they would bow to him without a second thought when he stood as a king, he was born to lead.

.

.

"Cariad?"

"Hey" Jack turned, the little girl with him swinging to light up and run to him.

"Alice. Are you not in studies?" Ianto asked as he lifted her up and kissed her face like she was made of paper, not a solid little lump of a girl.

"Got let out early, I knew all the answerers and was let go. They are trying to think up harder tests" she giggled and Ianto laughed as he had learned pretty early on that this one was clever. Her tutors were leaning that too, poor sods.

"Well… it is Christmas… right? I may have a gift for you that is too big to go under the tree. Mehaps we go and see if you can be adult enough to get it early and know that on Christmas day that gift is already opened, hmmm?"

Jack was intrigued as well and they all headed downstairs. When they exited the back door to head across the courtyard to the Fire Mount stables she started to get excited, hopeful. They entered and Ianto led her to a stall where a small hybrid mare stood with a foal, letting it nurse as she turned her head to stare at them.

"Alice… this mare arrived last week with my care package from home. Sparkles here had her foal in the night. Now… I know I said I was getting you a pony to learn with but this… this little man here shall be your Fire Mount. When you are both older, you shall fit together. By the time he is old enough to train, you will already be trained in how to do this, yes?" Ianto said calmly, "The mother is your mount to learn on, he will trot along happily and watch, get to know you as a friend. Then when you ride him he will see you as a part of his mother."

"She is big" Alice said with trepidation.

"Smaller than a standard Fire Mount but larger than a pony, yes. She is about the size of a standard horse. You have to get used to getting on a large beast, clambering up onto one is a hassle, different tack needed for this and you need to learn how to master that. She can help you. By the time you are a full grown lady, he foal will be a full grown Fire Mount… and you will be able to clamber up him with ease."

"When!" she demanded, her hands clamped tighter.

"Not today. She needs rest and time with her child. Maybe… maybe you can go in and feed her, meet him and give him his name. He waits for that. Think long and hard as the name of your mount can determine the strength of it you know" Ianto leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Go on. You are safe. She is one of my most loving of hybrids."

"You give her two?"

"Sparkles is getting old for a horse. She is only part Fire Mount, the sire made the little one mighty. She has given foals to many of my nieces, nephew and grands. This will be her last foal, best she is allowed some life and to live out her life with her last foal. Her son. First male she had ever borne. All the others were mares. I am glad, Alice needs a male. And it is right what I say… learning in Sparky will give her the courage to let a large and dangerous monster hold her heart too"

"Oh I don't know… I don't think you are that large… we are pretty evenly matched" Jack said softly, making Ianto swing to look at him in question as he added "But I agree with the dangerous art. You are that sir."

Ianto laughed as he stepped in for a kiss.

Cheeky beggar!