The time had come for all of the clan's senior masters to gather at Marius' home. House had arrived the night before and was now sitting in the garden playing his video game to stave off his nerves. Marius had spoken with him at breakfast to see what was up with him and after making sure it was just a normal case of nerves at meeting new people, he dispelled the lingering feelings of inadequacy by reminding him that he had already gained Gaius' approval.
The first to arrive was Gaius and E'katerina, about an hour before anyone else was due to arrive. He went in with Lucius in his office and went over some basic rules they'd come up with and would present to the senior masters. They emerged as the doorbell rang, heralding the next arrival. House took his seat in a rocking chair between Marius and E'katerina as Timmy brought in a tea cart and Sidney answered the door and paid sharp attention to each new arrival. Within forty-five minutes, everyone was there and introductions were made.
A broad shouldered black man, Gregor, and a dark haired, smoky eyed woman named Ebonia came from Lucius' other two households. A sophisticated, tall redheaded woman named Juliana from Marius' other household. Three men represented Gaius' households, one of whom was quite old to House's surprise. His name was Gyndol and while he had an easy manner and smile, House was certain he didn't miss a trick. Bryant seemed about the same age as Gaius, very serious, with glasses, and the third man looked about thirty with light brown hair, hazel eyes named Morgan.
They spent the evening discussing the rules and hierarchy for the clan with E'katerina making extensive notes. Gaius had the top spot with Lucius his second. House was intrigued to find out that Gyndol had once been Gaius' master and senior over his group but three years ago had stepped down and sort of retired. Morgan was the most fidgety of the bunch, up and pacing while they talked and judging from the way no one paid any attention to him, it was obviously quite common for him to do this. The two women were plotting together and making sure that their interests were represented so this didn't, as they put it, degrade into a boys club. Gregor and Bryant were actively working with Gaius and Lucius in getting all the foundational rules covered. Eventually House wandered out into the garden and pulled out his phone to play a game when even eavesdropping lost its fascination.
About twenty minutes later he heard someone else come out and pull over a chair. He looked up, thinking it might be Timmy or Sidney and was startled to see Gyndol settle down next to him with a smirk.
"Oh, I gave up leadership to Gaius for a reason," he explained pulling out a short clay pipe and lighting up what House could smell was a sweet vanilla tobacco. "I'd much rather be out here in the garden. Although Marius has a distressingly boring garden. He needs some mint out here but I do recommend he grow them in containers. Mint plants are harlots; they take over the whole garden bed if you let them," he confided with a wink.
House nodded slowly with a puzzled look. "I'll keep that in mind."
Gyndol nodded and smoked his pipe, humming a little tune and blowing a couple of smoke rings while House played his game and puzzled over the strange man.
"You know, you shouldn't hide who you are," Gyndol said out of the blue as he put his pipe away and got up to take a closer look at the plants.
"What? What's that supposed to mean?"
"You are much stronger than you are giving yourself credit for. You could be a master to rival Gaius and Lucius… if only you will let go of this idea that you are broken," Gyndol responded, turning to give House a knowing glance before going back to the plants.
House felt a chill go down his spine at those words. "Which one of them told you?"
"Hmm?"
"Which one of them told you about me?"
"None of them. You aren't nearly as hard to read as you think you are. Not for me at least. I was informed that you wished to be introduced with as little foreknowledge as possible and so we were told little more than your name and how long you have been with Marius. But the spirits whisper things you see."
"The spirits whisper things. Right," House said, shaking his head and going back to his game.
"Ah! An unbeliever. Oh I do love a strong willed skeptic my boy. Splendid!" Gyndol chirped merrily as he picked a couple of flowers and dropped them into a water glass on a nearby table.
"I've listened to the spirits my whole life you know. Not everything that they have to say is momentous," Gyndol chuckled. "At least, not if you make a habit of listening daily to them."
House furrowed his brows at the idea. "Why would a spirit say something to a human that wasn't momentous?"
"Just to share and commune," Gyndol answered lightly. "If you don't practice on the little things how will you ever trust the message when the momentous happens?"
"I see what you're doing," House said, waggling a finger at him. "Trying to make it seem real by applying logic. Not falling for it."
"Well, can't blame an old man for trying," Gyndol shrugged. "So what do you do? I was a teacher many moons ago, at university. I taught history."
"I'm a doctor, a specialist diagnostician. I take cases other doctors can't figure out," House replied.
"Oh, how intriguing. You must be a great lover of puzzles then."
"Yeah, you could say that," House agreed. "I like the challenge over the day to day care of patients. And I'm very good at it."
"Well you wouldn't be much in demand if you weren't very good at it," Gyndol whispered with a smirk.
House chuckled and set his game aside. "No. No I wouldn't. So, history professor. What era did you teach?"
"Western Civilizations but I like to study the Celts. I have a fascination with them. Warriors, priests, tribal groups that could unite into a formidable army. Much like what we are doing here tonight, is it not?"
"Sure, in some respects. Not sure how many warriors and priests we have but I get the tribal connection."
"Oh we've several warriors, yourself included I would wager," Gyndol smirked. "Lucius, Gregor, and Gaius are particularly skilled warriors, as well as Sam, although he is bit more of a berserker type."
"I'd hardly call me a warrior with this," House said covering his bad thigh.
"Yes, perhaps not for the endurance physical fight. I would think you'd be good for perhaps one or two well timed and placed blows. But there are other ways to fight for your clan and in those ways I think you would be a force to be reckoned with."
House nodded in agreement. He was more than willing to fight to keep what he had together and safe. "And the priests? You, I'd guess."
"You would be right," Gyndol smiled. "Myself, Ebonia, and Ekaterina. I'm hoping that another one or two males will step into the role for balance. Marius could but he is more focused on training with Juliana so I doubt he will. Pity really," Gyndol sighed. "But my young sub, Zephyr is showing a keen interest, so there is hope."
"What does a priest do here in the clan? Is it like a pastor? Catholic priest?"
"No, we don't give sermons or listen to confessions, nothing like that. We commune with the spirits, we teach the others in the clan how to do so at whatever level they are capable of, which is sometimes much more than they believe of themselves. We also conduct rituals on the new and full phases of the moon and on the equinox and solstice days, with lesser observances on the cross seasons."
"Rituals? Like what?"
"A new moon is a commitment to the start of something, an individual or clan goal, or to break what we feel is binding us to a course of action or behavior that is detrimental. We will have a clan wide ritual to mark the new united clan, for example. A full moon ritual celebrates the completion of something, offers thanks. As for the other days, it depends on the day."
"And do you go skyclad for these rituals?" House asked with a smirk.
"If we are in a very private location, yes," Gyndol answered with a smirk of his own. "You may be sorry you asked that if you start imagining me skyclad. I have begun to sag, I'm afraid."
House laughed aloud at that.
"So how are you enjoying life with the clan?" Gyndol asked.
"Some of it's been really challenging but I'm glad I did it. I feel like I have some support that I could count on for once, not have to wonder if this is the time they walk away from me or are just too busy for my shit," House said with a touch of bitterness at the end.
Gyndol nodded somberly. "That's the problem with the world today. So busy, so little time to devote to one another but plenty of time for their electronic devices. I do hope you use yours wisely."
"Yeah. Well, not all the time, but I don't use it much here unless everyone is occupied or sometimes it's a self-comfort activity."
"I wonder if you would indulge my curiosity and tell me… what do you find comforting in those moments? How does it help you?"
"It gives me something to focus on and shut out what's going on around me if need be. I try to stop my mind from spinning into wild speculations. Sometimes it's just something to do, to try to stave off boredom," House explained.
"And when you use it as a focus, are you just focusing on the game?"
"No, not always. Sometimes I choose a game that is pattern matching when I am thinking on a case. It can open up a way to make some connections, find an answer that I need."
"How very interesting," Gyndol said as Timmy came out with tea and cookies for them both. "Ah, thank you, Timmy. How are things going in there?"
"They're debating the finer points right of the clan rules right now. Bryant, Gaius and Lucius that is. The others are making the occasional comment but watching like it's a tennis match."
Timmy sat down and a few minutes later Sidney came out and joined them and all three of them enjoyed being regaled by stories from Gyndol for another 45 minutes until Ekaterina stepped out to call them back in.
"You four should come in now. You've missed all the important rule making Master Gyndol," she reassured him with an amused smile.
"Oh thank the Creator for his blessings," Gyndol said as he got to his feet with the rest of them. "I do hope you've saved a dessert for not interfering with the process," he asked with a hopeful look.
"Yes, there's dessert saved. Good lord, you're incorrigible on these impressionable young ones," she said shaking her head exasperatedly.
"Hey, I'm not young," House protested.
"Young to the clan then," she amended with a smirk and disappeared into the house with them following behind chuckling.
Gaius and Bryant looked up as the group came in, sharing a sigh when they saw the twinkle in Gyndol's eyes. "What finally lured you back into the house?" Gaius teased. "Run out of tobacco?"
"No, no, I've plenty of that but I was promised dessert had been saved," Gaius answered gaily as he took a seat in a cushioned armchair.
"Ah, so it was chocolate then."
"Of course, you should know that about me by now, Gaius," he chided with a smile.
"Oh yes, I know your chocolate weakness well, old man," he grinned.
Timmy and Sidney went into the kitchen and came back with chocolate cherry cheesecake, a pot of tea, and a bottle of fine dessert wine. House took his seat between Marius and Lucius, feeling much more at ease now after spending time with Gyndol and seeing the light banter between him and Gaius.
"So we've decided on a weekend to get the entire clan together," Bryant informed them after the first few bites had been consumed and raved over. "Since you weren't here, we volunteered your farm for the venue."
"Marvelous! You know I love having all of my children and grandchildren over," Gyndol said, popping in another spoonful to savor.
"Grandchildren?" House asked, a bit confused.
"He considers us his children and our subs his grandchildren and so on," Bryant explained.
"Can I call you Pops?" House asked Gyndol with a grin.
"Only if you'd like me to take you over my checkered apron, young man," Gyndol said, waggling his spoon at him.
House smirked and shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask. Never knew my grandfathers."
"Pops is still not an option," Gyndol said, shaking his head at the idea.
House sighed and took another bite of cheesecake as Morgan and Gregor both chuckled at him.
"Maybe we could think of a name you wouldn't mind Gyndol that would serve the purpose," Gregor said.
"Grandfather? Granddad? Gramps?" Morgan suggested, laughing again as each name brought a stronger look of distaste on the man's face.
"Pops is sounding better all the time," Gyndol muttered as the rest laughed.
House grinned at him and Gyndol sighed, shaking his head.
"So when are you all coming over and how long are you staying?" Gyndol asked.
"That depends on how long you need to get off a four day spread, House," Marius said, looking up at him.
"Hmm. I'd have to give Cuddy at least two weeks notice ideally and hope that no critical cases come up before the weekend."
"Let's try for the first weekend of next month then," Gaius said. "We'll arrive on Thursday evening and stay through until late Monday."
Ebonia came over to sit next to House once dessert had been cleared away.
"Hi," House said warily.
"Hi yourself. So you and Marius? How have you enjoyed being part of the clan?"
"It's been good. Challenging but… good," he finished with a lame shrug.
Ebonia eyed him curiously as Juliana and E'katerina joined them laughing.
"Good? Well I've never heard such rousing praise in my life," Juliana teased with a smirk. "Marius must be slipping if that's all the praise you can think of."
"No, he's not," House snapped. "Don't put words in my mouth."
"Darling, I think you could use a few, to be frank. And I was only joking about Marius," Juliana replied.
"Well don't. He's meant everything to me," House groused.
"I apologize," Juliana said sincerely, laying a hand on his forearm. "I meant no offense. I'm glad you've found a place and a person that means that much to you. It's comforting to have such a firm foundation of support."
"Do you have any support outside the clan? Family? Friends?" Ebonia asked, trying to get a read on the man who had captivated Marius so much. It wasn't easy. It was like he'd slammed an iron gate closed as soon as they sat down and showed interest in him.
"Not much, no. A friend who's judgmental about this lifestyle and my team and boss at work. My mother but we don't say anything meaningful to each other. She's gotten married again and is happy enough staying away from me and my problems."
The three women kept asking questions, trying their hardest to break down his defenses and get him to open up to them but he remained wary and reticent of them until Lucius came over to claim him for a card game.
Everyone stayed to visit for another couple of hours playing card games which Gaius and Morgan won easily. It was well after midnight when they all began to leave.
"He's quite the mystery, Marius," Juliana said kissing his cheek. "Is he always so shy to talk about himself?"
"Yes, he takes quite a while to warm up to you," Marius answered, brushing his lips to her cheek as well. "Go a little easy on him. He can dig in his heels and become extremely stubborn when pushed."
"Sounds like someone else we know," she teased, glancing over at Lucius and they shared a chuckle.
Ebonia decided on the direct approach and came up to House, looking at him, assessing him, until he looked away from her eyes, at which point he took hold of his face and kissed him full on. He was startled and didn't move at first but she held the kiss and him until he responded and kissed her back.
"I look forward to spending more time unraveling you, House," she said when she finally released him. Gregor, whom she had ridden with, cleared his throat. "Yes, hold your horses, I'm coming. Good evening," she said not moving until he wished her good evening back.
House let out his breath when it was finally just them in the house again.
Lucius chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Looks like you've caught their attention. My condolences. We can only pray it won't be for long, for your sake," he said though it was clear that he was joking.
"Yeah. One can only pray," House echoed heading off to soak in the tub before bed.