14

"What are we doing here?" John asked as he watched Ianto slowly circle some freshly dug dirt.

"Getting some answers" Rhys replied, pulling out the shovel that had been tied to his saddle bag and starting to dig where Ianto indicated. Before too long the remains of the attacker were there uncovered in the open and John watched Ianto pull back the covering and grimace at the smell already starting to emanate from the kill, kneeling to reach into the pockets of that torso… well… the lower half still had britches, even if it ended just above the belly button.

The smell must be from the bowels and intestines… gods. How can he be so calm, with a baby on board too.

"A map" Ianto said as he flicked it at Rhys, opening another piece of paper "A description of Rane…. Huh… also one of me. Not bad… Rose. A detailed list of places and times…. Rose, it's Rose they are after."

Ianto handed over the paper and rose to stare at John like he was thinking about something or deciding it. John hoped he was not deciding whether to feed him to the horse.

"Jack told you to keep close to me" Ianto said like it was a fact, not a question.

John blinked, unable to deny it "Yes. He contacted me, said there were arseholes in the underbrush and I was to come and protect you."

Ianto snorted turning to look down at the body "And this one thought he might harm me. Do you think it went well for him?"

John could only grin.

Oh, this one was fun.

.

.

Soon they were racing back to the castle, the main thought on everyone's mind to find Rose and make sure she was fully insulated against attack. Now they knew she was the target, it meant things had to move swiftly.

There were a few things people wanted to know and those thoughts, unspoken questions reverberated around Ianto's psyche as everyone's brains worked loudly. But he had to agree with the general silent consensus.

Why Rose?

If Rose, why Ianto and Rane… what was the agenda.

Ianto went over several ideas in his mind, schemas and the only thing he could come up with was the fact she as still unwed and virginal. Did another realm want to steal, wed and enslave her to ensure the compliance of this one? Was Rane the back up knowing he would be leverage against Jack. Same for Ianto. With child, clearly a boon to get both the young King's beloved and unborn?

No matter the reason, they were not going to achieve their aim.

Not today.

.

.

Ianto exploded into the kitchen and stalled out, all thoughts fleeing as the overwhelming scent of freshly baked bread hung in the air, that yeasty warmth making his mouth water. Oh goddess.

Ianto found himself on a stool with a loaf in his hand, tearing it apart to get at the fluffy middle, the steam floating up towards the ceiling as it was still so damned hot.

"Oh darlin!" the Cook cried as she saw what he was doing, rushing to get a glass of cool milk from the ice room. Soon Ianto was dipping the bread in the left-over Bacon Fat from the morning's breakfast while inhaling a second loaf. The half-drunk glass of milk leaving a cute milk moustache.

"Tiger?"

Ianto turned, his milk moustache, those teeth chewing at a crust while his eyebrows raised like he was not doing anything, made Jack laugh "Oh my sweetheart. What have you there?"

"Mmmmm.. .Fwesh bwegh"

Jack blinked, then tried to decipher it "Fresh bread?"

"Mmmmmm"

"Right, John and Rhys filled us in on what is going on, I am calling for tighter security which will include extra guards for you" Jack said, then raised a hand as Ianto spluttered around his bready mouthful "I know… I know… you object. So… it will be John and Rhys assigned to you. So… don't be a witch and evade them. Please, for me. So, no matter what is going on, I know you are safe and out little one is safe. Nanny will have several guards assigned including Andy and Taylor to watch over Rane. You like her, right? She threw that Seltherat right over her shoulder like it was a child?"

Ianto nodded as another mouthful went in, this time it was a tomato added to the mix. He froze and looked at the half tomato in his hand like it was poison and then spat the entire thing out in the slops bucket, before he reached for a bell pepper instead.

As he started to munch again, he waved a hand for Jack to continue.

Jack blinked slowly and swallowed back a chuckle before continuing "So I would rather you stay in the Keep, but I know that bitch of yours must be ridden daily or she might spontaneously combust so… only in the outer fields around the castle keep. OK?"

Ianto nodded another wave of his hand as Cook placed a bowl full of whipped cream down, then the gravy from the prior evening's meal to be added to the stew.

Everyone watched a piece of bread move from gravy to whipped cream, to an eager mouth.

Ianto hummed.

"Oh, dear Goddess on high" the Cook giggled.

"I know. Adorable isn't he" Jack agreed with a wide grin.

Cook went to whip some more cream for the little bread buns already being filled with raspberry jam. Clearly, the bowl she had just done was going to be too gravied for most people's liking.

She giggled softly.

Lovely boy.