Jarvis smiled slightly as he fixed the last bit of garland around the edge of his roof. It had been hard for him this year as a cold had seen him stuck in bed for the first half of December with his house 'guest' Mahogany.
he rolled his eyes as he watched her decorating his place from the window.
He couldn't even remember offering her a place to stay she had just always been their.
Mahogany hummed away to herself as she fixed the last bunch of holly up on the wall. trotting back to the kitchen area she checked on the dinner.
slowly cooking away.
Ribbon pranced through the snow with his legs up high enough to avoid most of the snow. He blended in so well with his surroundings this time of year that sometimes they lost track of him, like they did today. Right now, he was lost beyond all logical belief and trying to find some kind of landmark to get home by. When he saw the cabin, he stopped, then scrambled eagerly up to it. " Hello, hello! Spare some directions for a lost man, could you? "
Hearing a voice Jarvis turned. At first he could see nothing but snow then he could just make out the shape of a centaur as he approached.
"That depends on where you want to get to. I'm new to the area But my guest knows this part better then my come in and warm your self and we'll try and help." he said motioning towards the door.
Ribbon nodded and rubbed his hands against themselves, smiling brightly to the cattaur. His mother always said that he posessed a childlike cuteness and he hoped that played to his favor tonight. " I appreciate that more than you will ever know, sir. " He trotted up to the door, shook the snowflakes from his hair and turned the knob.
As the door opened Mahogany shouted back
"you better be bringing in the extra wood i asked you to get or you want be having any dinner."
Turning back she quickly turned a bright shade of red as she noticed it wasn't Jarvis.
"oh..um. sorry about that. " she stuttered wiping her hands on her apron as she moved across to the door "I though you were Jarvis. I'm Mahogany."
She said offering her hand out.
Jarvis chuckled to himself as he picked up the pile of wood he'd placed next to the door.
"Sorry M. Got the wood here. Poor chap got lost in the snow. Invited him in to warm up."
Chuckling slightly he moved past to put the wood in the wood bin near the fire.
Ribbon halted as soon as he opened the door, partly because of the strange centaur female inside and because of the order he never even knew he had. He was about to appologize when he realized he had nothing to applogize for.
" Its alright. " He smiled, shaking away his momentary worry as he took her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. " A pleasure to meet you, Mahogany. Your friend said that you could help me find my way home, that is, if you'd like to tell me the way. "
Mahogany chuckled slightly. "It has been a while since i have been greeted in such a way. Directions shouldn't be a problem as well. although i might not be able to direct you to your own home i can point you in the way of some land marks." she said removing her hand from his an trotting back into the kitchen area.
"but while it's starting to snow why not stay and share a warm meal before you go we have plenty to go around."
Ribbon sighed in relief, then looked outside to the snow covered landscape. To stay inside would be the smarter move but going outside would mean that he could get home faster. However, without directions, his choices were limited. " Landmarks are good and warm food is even better. As long as your willing to spare, I'm willing to eat. " He chuckled.
Jarvis smiled putting another log onto the fire building it nice and high.
"not a problem at all. The way M cooks you could feed an army. But her cooking is good."
He said turning back round to face them.
"Come sit by the fire and warm up. cant have you being ill over the holidays." Jarvis said with a smile lounging next to the fire himself.
Mahogany chuckled from the kitchen getting some cookies out from the oven and placing them to one side to cool. checking on the meat she smiled "It's almost done now just a little longer for the meat."
Fetching another plate she set about plating up another dinner. happily working away in the kitchen she was lost in her own little world.
Ribbon oblidged and easily found himself relaxing next to the roaring fire. He lounged back with his hands behind his head and his hooves by the fire, wiggling them around so the skin above them could get warm. " Eating someone elses homecooking might be a pleasant change. " Grinning, he leaned to the side, checked to make sure that she wasn't near and looked at Jarvis. " So, mind telling me the real reason why your staying the winter with such a pretty lady? "
Jarvis smiled looking over to M working away in the kitchen and back.
"Well she's a good friend from the village. Her parents took me in after i lost my own. She's kinda like a big sister to me really but not."
Jarvis chuckles scratching the back of his head. "Sounds weird but she just pops up when i seem to need her. I think she has a sixth sense or something"
Mahogany sneezed pondering if she had a cold for a moment. "J your not talking about me are you?" she shouted back getting the rest of the meal ready.
Jarvis shrugged his shoulders "Only nice things i swear." he shouted back before turning back to ribbon "if i told a lie she would kill me... or not feed me. either way it would be bad for me."
Ribbon nodded his head repeatitively before crossing himself in the way he'd seen human worshippers do. " Believe me, I know full well the consiquences of lying to a woman. I'd much rather just tell them the truth and face the verbal beating. " With his mother and Xylia hovering in his mind, the centaur shivered before scooting closer to the fire.
" I kind of know the relationship you've got going on, then, " He smiled and traced his index finger along the grooves of the floor. " I have someone whose always been there for me, even though I never asked her to be. Her family never adopted me, because she was an adoptee herself but we've been tight. "
Picking up two of the plates Mahogany carried them in to the main room setting them on the low table near the Fire.
"here you go boys. tuck in I'll fetch us some drinks." turning quickly she darted back into the kitchen grabbing the three cups of grape juice she had poured and her own plate. Setting them all down on the table she gave them both a warm smile.
"whats wrong with you two eat eat. a meal is best eaten hot on a cold night like tonight."
Picking up one of the forks from the table he picked at the veg on his plate. once again he seemed to have more veg then meat and he knew she was doing it on purpus. Jarvis hid the though at the back of his mind smiling across to the centaur.
"So where abouts do you live?"
Ribbon scooted back across the floor, this time towards the sweet smells. He licked his lips and picked up the fork before diving into the veggetables. Then remembering manners, he chocked down his large bite and punched his chest for good measure. " It tastes wonderful, Miss Mahogany. "
He took a sip of the grape juice and thought of how best to explain his settlement. " Well, you see, I don't know an exact way to say this. Its close to the valley's market, but more westward. If you go up stream from the creek bed, you can find it in no time. "
Mahogany smiled watching them both eat. More then cooking she enjoyed people eating her cooking.
Finishing another mouthful she smiled "Oh i know how to get to the market from here though it will be quiet a walk if you heading west. were south east from the market so you'd have a very long walk even if the weather wasn't bed."
Jarvis stopped eating for a moment to take a drink pondering something.
Putting his glass down he looked at both for a moment before a smile crept over his face as he plotted.
"Why not spend the night here then? and we'll take you back in the morning."
