I got a nail in my head and I know that I'm gone

[higherthaneverybody]

WHO: Rhys Rhydderch, Kurloz Makara, Dolores Maryam
TONE: All over the place
RATING: R
WHEN: Various times during the holidays
WHERE: Rhys's goat farm in northern Wales
WHAT: Summer visits
STATUS: Ongoing


Rhys's farm in northern Wales is multiple acres of rolling green pastures, cut through by stone fences, bounded on one side by forest, cliffs on the other two. It's incredibly isolated, only accessible through floo, or a winding, rocky little road. Normally Rhys spends the summers alone here, with his herd of goats and his other, more private work, but this summer he's invited not one but two people to stay.

His son, for as long as he'd like, though he doubts Kurloz's mother will allow very long. His lover, for more limited stays, but whenever she'd like, or as time permits. The great stone house by the pastures has several guest rooms set up (though of course Dolores is welcome to stay in the potion's professor's room), a large, airy kitchen, a living area with a generous hearth and big, rather old (yet still soft) couches, as well as several small side rooms. Rhys does the majority of his art and potions work out in one of the barns, but there are a few bits and pieces around the farmhouse, too.

Comments

/chinhands

[wavesofjade]

She wouldn't pass up a visit, and she couldn't even say how strange it was to imagine Rhys living somewhere like this, yet there it was, and the vampire was even going against the well known (and frankly deserved, in this instance) stereotypes of her kind by spending the night stubbornly getting as much sleep as possible in order to be up to watch the sun rise.

Dolores slipped out of the front door as the sky was just beginning to grow light and made her way down the garden path, leaning on the gate. She breathed in deeply, stretching her arms out and humming in simple pleasure at her surroundings.

"It must be nice to live out here," she commented to a spider building its web on the gate. "So peaceful..."

>)

[higherthaneverybody]

It was. The sound of the sea, distant yet still very present. The lightening sky and the brisk breeze coming off the water and up the cliffs, and the green, everywhere. Some of the goats were starting to bleat to each other and the birds had begun singing half an hour ago, even before the sun had truly started to rise.

Rhys was already up - when he was out here he always got up before dawn, walking out to milk the does in the herd that had bred, and he was out there now, near the barn, with a bucket and stool as he collected the milk. It was too far away to hear Dolores's voice, but he turned his head when she spoke to the spider nevertheless, then smiled as he saw her, before turning back to what he was doing.

(<

[wavesofjade]

She stayed where she was for a few minutes more, then spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. Of course it was Rhys. Dolores hummed and smiled, moving away from the wall and making her way over to him, stopping by his side and sliding one hand over his shoulder.

"Good morning," she said, chuckling lightly as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You should have woken me when you rose so early."

[higherthaneverybody]

"It was only for chores - I didn't think you'd be interested in milking goats or feeding them," Rhys explained, turning his head briefly to nuzzle at her neck before going back to milking the impatient looking doe. He had a firm but gentle touch with her, as he did with the entire herd - the man tended to treat his goats more like treasured pets or even people than simple farm animals.

[wavesofjade]

"Perhaps I might have been," she retorted, but she smiled regardless - he was right, really. She would have only come along to keep him company. Not that having his company outside of school was anything to scoff at.

She remained standing behind him, watching the gentle way he handled the animal. Sometimes, it was difficult to believe the things she knew full well that he was capable of... The things she knew, yet stayed by his side in spite of.

While she waited for him to finish she let her hand rest on his shoulder, her thumb drawing light, firm circles against it.

[higherthaneverybody]

He smiled to himself, and when he was done, he leaned over and murmured something unintelligible in the goat's ear, then patted her on the shoulder and pulled the pail out from under her, letting her trot off back to the herd. He looked up at Dolores then, his smile broadening a little as he leaned back against her.

"I was almost worried you might find this too domestic. It's not exactly exciting out here." At least, not the kinds of things he'd let her see. And he's put his other activities on hold, while she's present.

[wavesofjade]

"I do lead a rather domestic life when not at school," she reminded him, leaning forwards a little to press a kiss to his cheek. "But I must admit, this is far more provincial than anything I would have expected from you."

It's certainly charming, in a rustic way, and one she can definitely appreciate.

[higherthaneverybody]

"It's how I was raised - on a farm. Not all purebloods are the wealthy and social elite," he said, and he rose to his feet, turning to face her and then wrapping an arm around her waist to tug her in for a proper kiss.

[wavesofjade]

"Well--" He did have this way of interrupting her with kisses - not that she minded in the least. Her arms came up around his shoulders, and she returned it readily.

"... Well," she tried again, laughing softly. "I do believe that many of the ones that are would have the rest of us think that."

[higherthaneverybody]

"Idiots and bigots," Rhys said, waving a hand dismissively. "Have you had breakfast?"

[wavesofjade]

She chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing - really, her prime example of a pureblood is Murdoc, and despite his nature she's found herself growing increasingly fond of him.

"I do not require it," she reminded him, showing her canines in a brief smile. "But I may grab a bite later..."

[higherthaneverybody]

He tipped his head to the side, smirking as his long hair slipped down his back, exposing the long, slightly stubbled column of his throat. "Yes, I was offering, annwyldeb."

[wavesofjade]

"Mm, I know..." But it was still strange to her to have someone so willing, and she didn't want to begin relying on blood in the way some of her kind did. There were other ways that she was far more content in employing.

"Have you eaten? I may not require it now, but I can still cook."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz floo'd into Rhys' main fireplace close to noon. Appearing in a billowing cloud of smoke, the boy coughed quietly and stepped out of the fireplace, small, battered suitcase in hand. Dusting himself of soot and ash, he glanced around curiously at his father's home.

[higherthaneverybody]

The house was more spartan than Rhys's chambers at the school, but he was still a man who enjoyed comfort and color, and the furnishings and paintings reflected that - deep, rich colors for the couches and rugs on the stone floor, and bright paintings, both the potion's professor's and others.

The big man himself was standing in the kitchen, and he looked up from the kettle as the boy stepped from the floo, coming to the doorway in time to spot Kurloz looking around.

"There you are, lad."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz's head snapped around at the sound of Rhys' voice and he grinned, waving to the man and approaching him. He paused and dug through his pockets, pulling out a semi-crumpled letter from Maeve which - Kurloz being the good boy that he was - he hadn't read himself. It simply explained that Maeve was allowing Rhys 2 weeks with Kurloz and no more and that she expected to have floo conversations with the boy once every other night at least. Not knowing the contents, Kurloz handed the note over to Rhys with a shrug and a sheepish smile, feeling a bit childish at having to produce a mother's note to his teacher/father.

[higherthaneverybody]

Rhys read the note, raising his eyebrows, then snorted, obviously amused. He handed it back to Kurloz to read. "I fear your mother thinks I'm going to do something wicked to you. You will, of course, floo-fire her as she requests. Perhaps she'll allow a longer visit next year, when she's convinced I have no ill intentions towards you."

[innocent_insanity]

The boy ducked his head with embarrassment because his mother could be very coddling at times, but oh well. Considering how she'd flat-out refused the first time he'd asked if he could visit Rhys during the holidays, 2 weeks was actually a great concession on her part.

Tucking the note away, Kurloz closed his eyes and frowned with concentration. At first nothing happened and he just looked as though he were experiencing a bad headache, but then his voice came, whisper-soft, in Rhys' mind. "Thanks for having me over."

[higherthaneverybody]

The big man grinned his pleasure at the accomplishment. "Of course. I should be thanking you for coming. I have a great deal to make up for."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz beamed at that, flicking some of the hair back from his eyes. He then tugged out his notepad from a pocket and scribbled out: anyone else here?

[higherthaneverybody]

"Not currently, though Dolores may be coming sometime this week. But for now it's just you and I. Shall I give you the tour?"

[innocent_insanity]

Grinning wide, the boy nodded, practically thrumming with energy and excitement.

[higherthaneverybody]

The room Kurloz had entered into was an open area, with exposed ceiling beams, but a cozy feel, with lots of light pouring in through the windows. "This is the sitting room, and," Rhys explained as they walked through the house, into the dining room, "where we eat."

The kitchen was oddly homey, with bows of vegetation slung over the beams, and smelled rather deliciously of something meaty in the oven. Past the kitchen were several rooms, including a bathroom with a large tub, storage, and a small guest room. Then up the stairs, to the airy room on the second floor that Kurloz would be staying in.

"You can put your things here," Rhys told him. "I'm just across the hall."

There was a little stack on a desk in the corner - paper, quills, colored inks of all sorts, and the potions professor added, "I've put some things in the studio for you, as well, if you'd like to use them. There's more space down there, it's out just off the barn. I can show you there, as well, when we go to meet the goats."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz looked around his room with a smile, liking the space very much and signing his thanks to Rhys. He set down his bag on the bed and poked at the coloured inks on his desk with a grin before glancing back at Rhys at the mention of goats, eyes lighting up immediately.

[higherthaneverybody]

Rhys smiled at the expression on his son's face, and led him back downstairs, and out the front door, so that the farmhouse Kurloz had floo'd into. The barn was across a field, and there was a small stone outbuilding, too, probably where the artist's studio was.

And, of course, a herd of goats. There's fifteen to twenty of them out in one of the pastures now, including several kids a few months old, who were born in the early spring. These young ones leap about and play, mostly ignored by the more stolid, older goats.