my_sam_dean (my_sam_dean) wrote in padackles_slash, @ 2008-05-15 00:42:00 |
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Jared awoke and didn't know where he was. He felt the weight of Jensen's arm around him and realized that it was starting to get familiar. He looked around the room that was already getting dim. He saw the fireplace across the room and knew that he could fit his previous home into Jensen's bedroom.
"Hmm, you awake?" Jensen's voice was thick with sleep.
"Did I wake you up?"
"No, I've just been dozing. It isn't taxing for me to come home but I can see where it would sap the energy out of you," Jensen slid his fingers through some of Jared's hair. "Are you hungry?"
Jared nodded.
"Let's get dressed and get something to eat. My mother should have taken care of Tristan by now. He should be a couple rooms down if he's retired for a rest or for the night."
Jared almost jumped out of bed in order to get dressed.
"You're really hungry, aren't you?" Jensen chuckled as Jared seemed to try to get his pants on both legs at once.
Jared blushed as he almost tumbled over in his haste.
"I'll have to remember to feed you a little more often," Jensen offered an arm to lean on while Jared figured out his dressing dilemma. "You can speak up if you're hungry, you know."
"I'm just--" Jared didn't know how to finish.
"This is all new and you don't know exactly what to do. I get it," Jensen replied as he got dressed also. "You can talk to me, though. I'll walk you through it."
"Okay," Jared replied as he put a hand on Jensen's arm when they stepped out into the hall.
"This here is Tristan's room," Jensen pointed out a door just a few down from theirs. "We'll see if he's in one of the common rooms with my parents. They have lots to catch up on."
***
Jared heard his father's laugh carrying through the halls long before he saw him. He wondered how long it had been since he'd laughed like that. His father was a generally happy guy but Jared didn't recall hearing that laugh much, except when he was playing as a child. His father had always loved children. Sometimes he would play with some neighboring kids just to ease some tension from the day. For one moment, Jared allowed him to think of how many children his parents would have had if his mother had lived. A houseful, castle full, actually. Jared ripped his mind from those thoughts as Jensen brought him into the great hall.
"Jared, Jensen," Sophia stood to give them hugs. "Are you two rested? I instructed the servants to not go near your room. Days on the road can wear a person out. I'll have someone go light your fireplace now. Sit. Eat. There's plenty. We're celebrating old friends and new family."
Jared sat at the empty chair at Tristan's elbow and Jensen sat beside him. "What did the royal doctor say, Father?"
"I have new medicine and he said it was from the working environment. Since I won't be having that problem anymore, I should be fine. You need to get checked out though, in case you have the early signs of it. You were working in the same kinds of places," Tristan patted his son's hand. "Are you happy that we're here?"
'Yes, I am. I'm even learning that Jensen's quarters are in the green-toned area. Did you know that?"
"Yes, I did. I've been here before, remember? I'm happy that we'll be just a few doors apart," Tristan was smiling and the good cheer was being felt all around.
Tristan was holding back on his alcohol since he had a new medication to try. He didn't want to get out of control on his first night there if the substances happened to react to each other.
John and Daniel's noses were red, most likely from their alcohol intake. They were relived to have found their friend and the betrothed for their grandson or nephew that they feared was lost years ago. It had taken extensive searching to find Jared and Tristan. They were hidden so well in plain sight.
There were stories of Sophia and Adelaide as girls, romping around the grounds, not always as proper and princesses were supposed to be. Maybe doing some tomboyish things but nothing too outlandish. Most of their plans revolved around their future marriages and children.
Sophia returned to the table and had a significant box in her hands. She gave it to Tristan.
"Do you remember what this is?" Sophia asked with glittering eyes.
"Adelaide's Hope Chest. You were going to bring it to us after we'd settled into the castle."
"I never took out anything that she made or saved in there. I even added items to her hope chest as I added some to mine over the years. It is yours, and Jared's, to do with as you see fit."
"Sophia, I had forgotten. . . I thought you had used the items for Jensen . . . I didn't think . . ." Tristan wiped at the tears.
"We're allowed to dream again, Tristan," Sophia put her hand over his. "These are things Adelaide made with love for her family. Some items might be able to be used for Jensen and Jared's children if they decide to. Some could be donated to the less fortunate. It could be known as the Adelaide Collection where they could borrow the baptismal gown or blanket for a special occasion. After the two of you are done looking through it and taking what you need for yourselves, would you mind if I kept a piece or two for me? I have so many memories sewn into them, stitch by stitch."
"I think we should all go through them," Jensen suggested. "That way we can hear the tales behind the items."
Jared and Tristan nodded their agreement.
After they’d eaten and the servants had cleared the table, the contents of Adelaide’s hope chest were laid out.
First were love letters tied with a bow. "I sent her these," Tristan's voice cracked. She always told me she kept them. I figured they got lost when we moved," the older man held the bundle to his heart.
There was an elegant baptismal or christening gown to be handed down generation to generation. Jared ran his fingers over the delicate stitching. "Was she expecting me to be a girl?" Jared asked Sophia.
"No. Why do you ask?"
"These are so delicate and beautiful. I just thought she thought I was a girl."
"Any baby would be precious in her eyes, boy or girl. She wanted them to be pampered from the start."
Booties, blankets, buntings, homemade stuffed animals along with the stories Adeline had written to go along with them. There were trinkets from her childhood, ribbons that she'd won in elementary school. She was a spelling bee champion. Jared was impressed.
"She'd be so proud of you," Jensen whispered to him. "Even with the rotten turn you and your father got, you still learned to read. It was important to her and she'd be proud of you because it took more than just attending school to learn it."
"Jared's always been a quick learner," Tristan said. "Didn't matter what anyone tried to teach him, he soaked it up like a sponge. It was easy to teach him how to read. We just had to carve out time between working and sleeping. That was the hardest part."
"Now he has a wealth of books he can peruse at his leisure." Sophia added, "I think Adeline would have like that."
"She'd be happy that the boys are finally together," Lucas put an arm around his wife. "That's what you two talked about and what she ultimately wanted. The past wasn't how it should have been for Jared and Tristan but we can make sure their future is."
Sophia relaxed into her husband's hold. "I just wish she was here."
"Part of her is here. Jared is part of her," Lucas reminded Sophia.
"After such a great meal, I think I'm ready to turn in," Tristan saw the toll seeing the contents of Adeline's hope chest was taking on Jared. "Think we can go through the rest of these items later?"
"Sure," Sophia replied in a hurry. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you on your first night here. I'd just waited so long to share these with you."
"I'm thankful that you did," Jared spoke up. "I feel closer to my mother. Mind if I take the pair of baby booties? I'd like to put one on my father's bedroom door and Jensen's. That way we can find each other easily."
Sophia laid them in Jared's hands. "They're yours, Jared. It all is."
Jared smiled back at her.
"Goodnight, Mother," Jensen gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad to be home."
"I always feel better when you're here," Sophia kissed her son's cheek and then moved on to Jared. "Goodnight, Jared. Remember that this is your home."
"I will. Goodnight, Sophia," Jared kissed her cheek like he'd seen Jensen do. It was so heartwarming to have her as a mother figure.
Jensen could see the tears in Jared's eyes as he released Sophia. He put an arm on his waist.
"Let's show your father where my quarters are," Jensen kissed Jared's temple. "Goodnight, Father," Jensen added over his shoulder.
"Rest well, Son, Jared, Tristan," Lucas had his arm around Sophia as they left.
"Do you think that Jared and Jensen will be comfortable together?" Lucas asked after the men were out of sight.
"They already are, dear," Sophia laid a hand on her husband's cheek. "We're all going to be fine."
Lucas couldn't help but smile at his wife. "Time for bed, Darling. Morning comes early around here."