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

[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.

[innocent_insanity]

If possible, Kurloz's grin grew wider and he jogged up to the goats, finding one of the frolicking kids to introduce himself to, extending his hand for it to sniff at before it gave a lick and a high pitched bleat then running off.

[higherthaneverybody]

The older man just watched this interaction, a faint smile on his face. Of course his boy would like the goats - he only hoped one day that Kurloz would be able to hear them, the way Rhys did. The herd itself was obviously used to human presence, and a few of the older does were meandering over to examine this new young man, chewing thoughtfully.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz was soon introducing himself to the herd joyously, petting a few of the friendlier does. He hadn't yet heard goats speaking to him in an understandable language, but he figured he was just too dumb yet to learn goatish.

[higherthaneverybody]

Rhys made his way over to the boy, standing a few feet away, and smiling in absolute and utter satisfaction. Already, no matter what else happened during the visit, he knew this would be worth it. "Would you like to know their names?"

[innocent_insanity]

The boy lifted his head and grinned, nodding happily and then laughed as one of the goats shoved him over, bleating and licking his cheek.

[higherthaneverybody]

"That one is Blodeuwedd, she doesn't live up to her name at all," he said, with a gently scolding tone to the goat, who ignored him. "And that's Mathonwy, Eufydd, Gofannon, Nisien, Cigfa, Modron, the little one there is Bedwyr ... and none of the kids have names yet, they haven't earned them."

He didn't expect Kurloz to recognize, as he was raised Irish, but all the goats are named for various characters, large and small, from Welsh myth and legend.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz didn't recognise the names but he took the time to learn them, leaning down to whisper them into the goats ears as he gave each of them pats.

[higherthaneverybody]

Rhys leaned against the wooden fence, simply watching. He felt an overwhelming sense of rightness at seeing the boy here, observing how he interacted with the goats. It was the same sense that he'd gotten at crucial moments of his life, when he'd made decisions that had the potential to drastically alter his path. But this, this was the strongest he'd ever felt it - a deep, abiding knowledge that things were exactly the way they were meant to be.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz glanced up partway through introductions to the herd, just giving Rhys a content smile before yelping as he was bowled over from behind by an eager kid. He chortled as the little critter practically clambered over him with loud, high-pitched bleats, gathering it up in his lap so it could curl up comfortably and allow the boy to sit up.

[higherthaneverybody]

Rhys smiled back, and it was probably the most natural expression Kurloz had seen from the man. Then he walked out into the pasture a ways. Several of the goats followed, and he sat on the grass, speaking quietly with them as though there were an actually conversation going on, a rather serious one, pausing at times for their answers.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz watched curiously, the kid still curled up in his lap and preventing him from moving easily. Rather than looking judgmental or weirded out by Rhys' behavior, the boy remained interested and curious towards his father's conversations with the goats.

[higherthaneverybody]

After some time, Rhys turned to look at his son. "They like you. Cigfa says you have potential."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz blinked and glanced at the goat in question, smiling at her and signing his thanks. He had no idea what he supposedly had potential for, but it was nice to know!