3

"Hey" Jack leaned over to kiss Ianto's head as he finished off a letter, then Ianto looked up at Jack with a soft smile, pouting for a second kiss.

"Did you get it finished?"

"Yes. The film is officially a wrap! Maybe post production voiceover's or something needed… only a little work that might mean a day or two way at most!" Jack said with relief on his face "And how was your day love?"

"Well … I went for a walk and found a maintain man fishing in our creek."

"Oh?"

"So I told him to keep doing it as I didn't care. He seemed glad. Then I climbed up to the top of the waterfall where the springs are and did some sketches, had a snoozer and Honour showed up to say hi."

"Oh… OK."

"So I said hi and gave him a sketch and he and I parted ways. I came home to greet the kids and then got another visit."

"Another one?"

"Honour came back with this old man who wanted to know about my drawings and paintings. I showed them into the studio and my stuff. The old man was taken with the tree line series, especially the one with the line outside my window. So I showed him the one with the stag and he really got interested."

"Stag?"

"Yeah. You know … the white stag. The one I call Spirit" Ianto rolled his eyes "He really wanted that one. Offered a horse for Mimi in return. I couldn't say no, could I?"

Jack sighed softly as he shook his head.

Ianto had no idea what these people were.

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Ianto looked up from the plant he was potting and smiled as he saw the men approaching, rising to greet them "Hello there Honour. Tuck!"

"Hello Ianto. This is my son, Garth"

"Hello Garth nice to meet you" Ianto led out his hand and the man took it hesitantly, looking at Ianto was raw interest.

"We bring the pony for the girl" Tuck said in the deep growl of an old man "Over there."

Ianto looked and gasped, the pony brushed, perfectly groomed actually and had full tack. "Oh wow. How kind of you. She will love you for this. She is mad on horses."

"It is because of your gift I come" the old man said in a strange singsong sort of way "The stag."

"The stag." Ianto repeated, staring at the man then his got it "Oh. Spirit. Yes. Handsome isn't he?"

"Where did you see him?"

"Which time?" Ianto smiled as he canted his head then pointed to the tree line "There by that tree with the red berries some mornings. He comes from the mist like from another world. Moves slowly with great pride. So handsome and he knows it. Eighteen points. I counted them the other day while he was smelling me the cheeky thing. Standing over me blowing his breath on me. Tickles. Another place he likes to go is to my garden I am building there in the middle of the field. I want to build a little area for a snooze in the afternoons. Jack is purchasing lumber and he and Gray will build me a rotunda sort of thing. You know, a little hut with a roof but open walls so I can have the breeze. I cannot abide the full sun for too long, gives me headaches."

Ianto realized he was talking a lot and smiled as he grew silent then asked "Would you like to see my other paintings of him?"

Ianto led them to his studio and opened the doors to the attic, now empty of most of the boxes bar a few sitting at the very back of the large room. Ianto's complete pieces were in here and Ianto headed to a series he was working on that included Spirit. He laid them along the wall and the one of the close-up, the last one where Spirit leaned down to sniff him was the one he placed out last.

"That one took a while. I don't usually do faces but his was so … intelligent. New paint too, added some of Mimi's glitter to it because he seem to glow with the sun behind him as he touched me. So gentle, I was not sure if he wanted to taste me but … it was like a kiss. His muzzle rubbing on my face was so soft, like velvet. He has a scar too, there by his eye. Maybe from arguing with another stag when he was younger? I doubt any would argue with him now."

"No" the old man said as he sat in a chair from the other room that Honour had run to collect for the old man "None would argue with the Keeper of the Mountain."

"Ah. Your people find a connection to him too?"

"Yes. He is one of our protectors." The old man nodded and Ianto looked at the painting as he considered.

"Well … I do like this one but … I could always do another." Ianto shrugged "If he had meaning for you too … would you like this one?"

The old man stared at Ianto with open surprise "You would give such a gift?"

"Of course. Pleasure is something you should share and I enjoy my craft. I also enjoy his friendship, he is a gorgeous subject and sometimes I swear he is posing for me. Regal and proud. I fear I am falling in love with him."

Finally the old man smiled, showing missing teeth as he agreed. Everyone loves their Gods in the end.