Chapter 4
Leoni follows them happily. Kaz mimics taking a calming breath as they make their way to the barn.
Inej and Nina greet them quietly.
“My love,” Jesper pecks Inej’s cheek. “Having fun?”
“The animals hate me,” she says softly, frowning.
“Oh, I doubt that,” Jesper chuckles. Nina was sprinkling feed out for the chickens, while Inej was trying to collect the eggs. “They’re being mean because you’re trying to take the eggs.” he, without much of a glance, reaches his hand into the nest under one of the brooders. She pecked at him, of course, but he didn't falter. He pulls the three eggs from the nest and places them gently in the basket. “See?” a thin bit of blood clotted on his hand, but he reached and stroked the chicken gently.
“Uh-huh,” Inej nods, wincing a bit.
“Scared of a bit of blood?” Nina winks.
“You have it easy,” Inej bites back.
“While you two figure that out,” Kaz reminds. “We have to go check the fences.”
“Wanna trade jobs?” Inej smiles softly.
“Sorry, beloved,” Kaz kisses her temple before walking towards the horse stalls.
Inej huffed before following Jesper’s lead and gently shuffling the hens around to collect the eggs.
“Not so bad, see?” Jesper hummed. “I’ll take you on a ride tomorrow, hm?”
“You better,” she teased back, nudging him. “Have fun.”
“You too,” Jesper nods. They prepare the horses and make their way to the property line.
“Who were those two?”
“Inej and Nina,” Jesper answers. He was between Kaz and Leoni on a big gelding, Boo. Kaz was riding Jerg, a gentle older mare and also Jesper’s ma’s favorite, while Leoni rode Lii, who was a cart-horse. He gets used to taking their excess produce to town.
“And are you interested in Inej?”
“I am,” Jesper huffed. “We’re together.”
“What about them two?” she gestures towards Kaz, who glances bleakly.
“What does it matter to you?” Kaz asks. “That post is crooked.” He brings Jerg to a stop and dismounts. Jesper follows his lead, while Leoni watches. “Well, are you going to help to ask stupid questions?”Jesper chuckles and approaches the pole, inspecting the ground around it and then the wires wrapped around it.
“We’ll just need a shovel to make a new hole,” Jesper says, holding his hand out. Kaz passes it over without a word, kneeling and waiting for instruction. When Jesper gives the go-ahead, Kaz budges his shoulder against the post and pushes to reposition it. Jesper packs the dirt around it, standing and helping Kaz stand. He steps around the pole to help tramp down the dirt before inspecting the wires again to make sure they remain unbroken. Leoni watches them work in silence, only speaking when they remount.
“Seemed like a two-man job.”
“Oh, woe is me,” Kaz scoffs. “How do I remind you that you said you'd help, but lest the poor poor soldier get her hands dirty.”
“Kaz,” Jesper shakes his head. “Leave her be.” Kaz huffs and rolls his eyes, turning forward.
“Are you and him together?” Leoni asks.
Jesper gives a crisp laugh, “What does it matter, Leoni? What are you looking for?”
“I just want to get to know you again.”
Jesper blinked at her for a moment before rolling his eyes. “Yeah. We’re together. What does it matter?”
“Does your Da know?”
“He knows enough,” Jesper scoffs. “It doesn't matter to you.”
“So, you’re lying to him?”
“I would never,” he spits back. “Maybe you should just head back to the house, Leoni.” He doesn't look at her.
“You can not be serious!”
Jesper sighed, bringing his mount to a lingering stop. “Another pole. Let Leoni help, Kaz. You should rest your leg, dear.”
“I’m-” both start.
“Now!” Jesper huffed, dismounting and collecting what they’ll need. Again, they simply need to straighten the pole and check for damages. Kaz raises an eyebrow at Leoni. He knew better than to fight Jesper sometimes. The woman dismounted as well and followed Jesper’s bitten instructions.
He liked it better when Kaz was helping him, but Leoni asked to come help, so she got to help.
They work and ride in silence. The next pole needed to be replaced, and they had to carefully snap the wire and then mold it back together. Luckily, Jesper was good at that. Jesper and Kaz lift the pole upward, drop it, and roll it toward the waiting horses.
Leoni guides them to place the new pole, and they pack the dirt around it. Jesper wraps the wire around the pole and attaches it to the rest of it.
“Good,” he says, testing the tension. They begin to loop towards the crop fields, and Jesper pauses for a moment, smiling at Matthias and Wylan.
Ozzi, a great big Ox, was being led by Wylan, while Matthias ensured that the plow remained straight on and sprinkled the seeds. According to the seasons, they should be planting some corn and bean crops.
His shoulders relax when he sees them, and he smiles a bit. Kaz stops next to him, nudging him.
“Thank you for bringing us here, Jes,” he says, smiling at him.
“Of course,” he hummed back. From here, he could distantly see the house, a bundle of people now outside, and the beautiful pink cherry tree. “Leoni, head back in. Your mother is here anyways, and Kaz and I can finish up.”
“I can -”
“I don’t care. You came to the house this morning to remember the woman who died for you. So go do that,” Jesper spits. “But, you’re going to walk, because we still need those poles.”
“You can’t punish me for something that was years ago.”
“This isn't me punishing you,” Jesper hummed. “If I were, you wouldn’t be able to protest. Now, go.” She scoffs at him, and dismounts. She glares up at him, but he was as cool as ice - betraying nothing.
“It is not my fault.”
“Yes it is,” Jesper scoffed. “I don’t care what my father, or your parents, or whoever you talk to says. You choose to drink from the well. You didn't listen to your mother. You got sick.”
“Aditi knew what could have happened.”
“Keep her name out of your mouth,” Jesper spits. He leans over and grabs the reins for her, clicking his tongue to get the horse to move alongside him. Kaz follows him quietly, waving back when Wylan waves at him.
“I thought you were going to talk to her?”
“I did,” Jesper scoffs. “Now, leave it be. We have work to do.”
Kaz sighed but followed him - just like every time he made a dumb decision and Jesper followed.
They get halfway across the property before they stop to eat, up in the fields alone, in one of the off-fields. Jesper was lying on his back, his hat shielding his face from the sun. He looked more peaceful than he had in a while.
“How’s the side?” He asks, not looking. Kaz was pressing his hand to it, in an attempt to make it stop hurting some.
“Hurts, like always. How's the bruises?”
“Alright.”
“I’m sorry for trying to get in between you and her. It's not my business.”
“My business is always yours,” Jesper sits up, hat sliding off his face. “It always has been. This is just… complicated.” Kaz takes his hat and puts it on, smiling crookedly.
“Everything is complicated, Jesper.”
“Not this,” he huffed, tugging Kaz towards him. He lays back down, Kaz secured to his chest. “Not now.”
“But it was.”
“Everything is complicated, Kaz,” Jesper quotes, hearing a soft laugh.
“We have to get back to work.”
“In a minute.”
“Okay,” Kaz hummed, looking towards the sky.
“I love you,” Jesper speaks softly, leaning down to press his lips to the stolen hat. Kaz hums softly, looking up at him.
“I love you,” he returns and kisses him.
“Thank you,” Jesper sighed.
“For what?”
“You know.”
“Yeah, I do,” Kaz sits himself up, and Jesper lets him go. “Now, let's get back to work.”
“Ruin all my fun,” Jesper huffed but followed him. He takes his hat back too, smiling at Kaz.
“Someone needs to knock you down a peg,” Kaz huffed. Jesper just keeps smiling at him. “What?”
“You have freckles!” Jesper smiled, gently cupping Kaz’s face to tilt it a bit more to see them.
“So what?”
“I’ve just never seen them before. Don’t get enough sun in the Barrel.” Kaz chuckles gently, swooping up to kiss him before heading back to his mount. “Need a hand?” Jesper asks.
“I’ve got it,” Kaz huffed back, mounting. He makes a face when his side throbs. Jesper refolds the blanket and they get on their way. He smiles at Kaz, warm and soft. Kaz smiles back.