You can't deny a gift-Haskell

Kari had been noticing some things lately going on at the farm next to her own. She knew the people who lived there very well, as they were one of the two families that had been helpful to her when she moved out and bought her own land. Their son, Haskell had become a familiar face to her. One that before he moved away to his own house,always seems to know when she was struggling on her own with heavy things or difficult animals, and always popped up just in time to offer her help. So whee en Kari noticed that his father was out in the fields moving a cart around on his own, she knew she should do something about it. They were getting older, and Kari would never forgive herself in she stood by and did nothing. So she decided she was going to give them a gift. They had been helpful to her and her brother, so she was going to be helpful to them now in return. Her farm was doing very well, and it wasn't like she was hurting for money, however even if she had been hurting she would still be doing what she was doing. In life it was better to be kind and help other, then to be cruel and ignore others struggles. At least that was how she liked to view things in life anyways.

So taking one of her best Donkeys, Kari slowly made her way over and toward their house. Knocking on the door gently, Kari readied herself to make them take the donkey, for she was not going to leave their house without them taking it and as a gift too. When the door opened, Kari put on a bright smile and said "Hello" to them. She could see different looks on their faces. Haskell's mother had a bright smile one her face and was looking only at her. His father however had a confused face on and was looking at the Donkey. Taking a deep breath after they greeted her in return, Kari decided she would get right down to the reason she was standing at their door with a donkey in the middle of the morning. "I have brought you a gift." she says to them with a voice full of confidence. "What do you mean dear?" she hears Haskell's mother say to her in return. Kari smiled even brighter at her before pointing toward the Donkey. "The Donkey, its a gift for you." she says to her in return. "I saw that yours passed, and I have a few healthy ones right now. So please allow me to gift you with a new one." she says to her next.

Moving her eyes from his mother to his father, she saw him cross his arms over his chest and look at her. "How much you want for it?" he asks her, and Kari gives him a confused look as she looks from him to his wife. "I don't want anything from this at all, I simply want to give you the givng Donkey I promise." she says to him before giving him another smile. "Thats so very kinds of you dear." she hears his wife say before he shakes his head at her and speaks himself. "I understand that, but your young and on your own. How much you want for it?" Haskell's father asks her again and this time she shakes her head at him. "I plan to leave this donkey here with you as a gift, so I won't be taking a piece of gold from you.You were there when I needed something, and so was your son. Let me give you this gift, please." she tells him smiling more and more. Kari could see him slowly cracking and giving in. He uncrossed his arms, and then gave her a look she wasn't quite sure she understood, a mixture of grateful and something else before he gave her one stiff nod.

Finally after a few moments his Wife spoke up. "We thank you so much for your gift to us, it is very kind" she said to her, and Kari looked from her husband to her. Smiling and nodding her head to her before she watched her face light up in surprise and excitement. Turning her head to see what had gotten the other women's attention,Kari's eyes landed on Haskell. He must just be getting back from where ever it was he had been. For she knew he had to be somewhere, with the fact that she hadn't seen him in some weeks. Maybe she should pay more attention to the things going on in the village. For she was sure she would know where it was he went. Smiling at him she gave a small wave before she felt the rope that she had been holding gently being taken from her hands by Haskell's father. "Kari just gave us a Donkey as a gift my son." She hears his mother say and her face goes a little red. "I saw that they needed him more then I did, so I brought it over. Your family has been very helpful to me over the last few years." she says to him and smiles. Hoping the cold was hiding her blush we Kari hoped nothing embarrassing happened now. As she has had a crush on Haskell for some time now, and the last thing any girl wants is to be embarrassed in front of their crush.

Kari found herself smiling at the seen before her. To see a mother so excited to see her son was a nice sight. She knew that they were great parents, and that they cared about their son so very much. Kari often wondered what it would have been like to have parents like the ones Haskell had. Ones he was clearly very close to with how much he still did for them and how much he came to see them. It was honestly part of the reason she liked him more then a friend. He was so kind and caring with his family. He had stayed with them until he became of higher rank, and even still he did a lot for them. He was also helpful to her over the years as well. So there were a lot of things about him to like if she was honest. However she was not brave enough to ever tell him that she had feelings like that for him. He was a high ranked man, one who had done very well for himself. She was just a simple farmer who raised animals for the people of Skagen. Nonetheless she liked him all the same, a crush she would maybe keep secret all her life. It wasn't like he or anyone else had figure out she liked him more then a friend yet, and it had been quite a while that she had. Maybe since the first year she lived on her own if she thought about it long enough.

Watching him go to hug his mother, Kari smiled when Haskell said ‘It’s good to see you to mother.’ to her in return as the first thing she said was about the Donkey she had boughten over to them. Come here son, we missed you.’ his mother said to him and when they actually hugged, Kari thought it was very cute, but she would never say that out loud. Haskell turned to his father next who made her blush with his next set of words. ‘That girl does a lot more around here then you do, you should be ashamed.’ that are about her. Kari wants to interject and say that they both work hard, but in different ways, however she thinks better of it and simple lets out a light giggle when Haskell speaks again. ‘And I do nothing.’ he says as he gives her a light eye roll that makes her smile brighter. She had always liked his fun attitude as well. He could be playful, but not over the top like her dear brother could be from time to time. However what he does next both takes Kari by surprise,and makes her face bright red at the same time.

Haskell leans in and places his lips upon her cheek in a quick kiss. Kari felt like her heart decided to suddenly start to run a lot faster and she did everything in her power to will the blush away, but it was of no use. Her face was already noticeable more red. It would also be very clear that it was from more then the cold she was sure. ‘You shouldn’t but thank you, it’s very generous of you Kari.’ Haskell says to her next. Kari nodded to him. She was glad to help in anyway she could,and she would gladly help them again."It's the least I can do" she tells him before he looks  back toward the donkey. ‘So ours died?’ he asked his parents. His father nodded before leading the animal away. She was very happy she gave the donkey to them. They were good people and they shouldn't do without, not ever. They were getting older, and she knew that their son worried about them. For he had herself and Vern keep an eye out on them for him. Kari would have done it even if he hadn't asked, but because he did she made sure they were okay from time to time more than she would normally.

She feels him looking at her again, and she turns her head away from his father pulling the donkey away and looks at him as he speaks. ‘If you ever need him for something, you just take him.’ Haskell says to her and she simply shakes her head as she looks at him looking at her. She was still blushing from his small peck to her cheek. "I won't need him, he is theirs now, but thank you all the same!" she says to him before smiling and looking toward him as he looks at her. ‘How have things been since I was away?’ Haskell asked her next and she smiled at him. "Things have been pretty well, a little less busy since its winter, but good all the same. I saw your father working the field by himself yesterday, so I tried to help as quickly as I could.Your family has always been very kind to my brother and I. However I would help even if you hadn't." she says to him first before smiling at him more. "Ari is always in trouble like normal, I worry about the day he messes with the wrong person. Hopefully it never comes." she says to him next with a small shake of her head. "How are you? You were away for some weeks. Where was it that you went?" she asks him last. Curious about his travels and stories, for someday she hopes she too could go some where new. Even if it was just to visit for a short time.

It was always her favorite thing to do when she was here, to watch them interact with one another. They were so close, and if she was honest this was the type of family life she had wanted so badly for her herself and her brother. Parents that clearly loved one another, and loved their son as well. Kari often let her mind wander to what her life would have been if her parents had been different. However she was the person she was because of them, and she met so many amazing people because she did all this on her own. Kari was sure she wouldn't be as close to his family, and she knew she would have missed out on great people. So even though her childhood was stressful and filled with hardly any love, she had so many people who cared about her now that she was older and they were all helping each other. They all had helped her so very much when she first moved out,and so Kari makes sure to help them as well too. Even though if she was honest she would help these people even if they never lifted a hand to help her in the first place. ‘You do already enough.’  she hears Haskell say to her and Kari just smiles and shakes her head in disagreement. "I enjoy helping" she tells him next smiling even wider.

Her smile only grows even more when she hears his mother tell him he needs to repay the favor. Kari of course starts to shake her head no at them both. That they will do no such thing, she didn't do this for some kind of favor in return. She did this because she knew they needed it, and she cared for them very deeply. ‘If Kari needs some help or whatever she will ask, right?’ Haskell says to her next and Kari nods her head at his mother. "Yes I would, however I didn't do this for a favor in return anyways. i did it because I care about you, and you needed the Donkey more then I do." she says to them both. Going a bit red again with so much attention on her from Haskell. Sure they had talked and he had helped her many many times before, however for some reason right now it was making her blush and feel silly. Maybe it was because she hadn't done anything like this before, and he had been gone for some time as well.

Haskell went on to ask her ‘What about your work? I don’t want you,’ before his mother cut him off by saying his name. Kari made sure to smile as she waited for him to finish. ‘I’m gonna leave here with a feeling of guilt, it will be your fault.’ he says to her next with a wink and her face was red again before she even knew it. "I promise I don't need the donkey, so please don't feel guilty. I would feel guilty if you did." she says turning his worst right back at him with a small giggle. She smiles even more when he answers her about her worries with her brother and him getting in trouble with the wrong person. ‘If he gets in trouble you come to me, but he is a smart boy.’ Haskell says to her and she nods her head. "Thank you, and I will always come to you if I had a problem like that...but yes he is smart, maybe even too smart." she says to him next. She had made sure to follow him into the house, and watched as he took off his sword and laid it down. That had to be heavy to carry around all the time she was sure.

Kari watched as he grabbed some bread and started to eat it.The looks his mother gave him just made her smile more. It was always fun to be around them, and her having her crush helped she was sure. ‘I’m good, tired but good all the same. We sailed to Kattegat for alliance.’ he said to her and she nodded her head. That makes sense as to why he was gone for so long then. From what she heard about Kattegat it was far away from them, but not too far. ‘Our earl wants to raid so,’ he says next and her stomach drops. Raiding was always a scary thing, because people don't always come back from Raids. She can see by the look on his mothers face she is already worried as well. ‘I will be fine, it will still take months.’ Haskell says, and if she is honest that does nothing to calm her worries. It just meant he wasn't leaving for a while and not everything was planed out yet. His mother goes on to say something about children, but Kari turns away to hide her fourth blush in front of him today. Besides she had no idea what to say to that kind of thing to help him out. She was sure his mother wanted babies around, and there was nothing to be said to change that.

She watches him walk over toward the fire as he invites her to sit with him. ‘How is Ari?’ he asks. Kari is sure so he can change the subject, but also because she knows he does actually care too."He is good, fishing away any chance he gets." she says to him first as she takes a drink from his mother, and she nods her head in thanks before his father is offering her some bread as well. " He just does all his pranking still, and I guess I'm scared he will end up like Sofie. Getting in trouble, but at least she now has you to help her out and keep her safe.. hopefully Ari learned from Sofie at least." she says to him before taking a drink from her cup. "But how did things in Kattegat go? Did we make an alliance?" she asks him next. "Ive always wanted to go somewhere else, but never had a reason. What are raids like...if you don't mind me asking?" she asks him after with a smile.