"There you are Alan I was worried and disappointed in myself when I realized that I never told you how to get to your fathers shop." Susan explained to Alan when she saw him.
"I forgot to ask too, so don't feel to bad about it," he said while he gave her a hug. The house looking much nicer now that Alan has been awake for awhile. 'Must have just been part of that strange dream making me see things weird, before it felt cold and abandoned but now it looks warm and inviting,' he thought noting the simple decorations on the walls, dining table with clean bowls and spoons laid out for supper, a small but warm fire going in the hearth.
"What's for supper honey? I'm starved." Alan's father said to his wife, before also giving her a hug and a sweet kiss.
"Beef stew with potatoes and carrots, fresh bread, and an apple pie for dessert." Susan replied obviously proud of herself for her hard work.
"Sounds delicious, I bet the pie is for you." Jack said laughing, ruffling his sons hair as he passed to sit down.
"And why would it be for him," Susan teased, "Oh that is right. It is your birthday."
Alan smiled at the joke but was reminded his father mentioned gifts. As the thoughts of the story he heard on his way home from his father fresh in his mind he couldn't help but to hope they would help him in his new found mission.
"Come on come on," his mother said to him, pulling him from his daydream of a magnificent sword or some dashing set of armor, having already sat at the table.
"Oh right, I'm sorry I was day dreaming about something," Jack said as he walked over and took his seat at the table, noticing his fathers slightly worried expression. 'I don't know how but I bet he knows what I was thinking,' he thought to himself noticing how delicious the stew looked and how fresh the bread felt in his hands.
After a tasty and filling dinner Alan helped his mother clean up suddenly remembering Steven was no where to be found. "Hey mom where is Steven?" he said embarrassed he did not notice earlier.
"Oh you don't remember,"she said with a sad look on her face, "he got an apprenticeship in a neighboring town to a blacksmith, he wanted to help your father by learning how to make higher quality objects with better materials."
"Oh I see," Alan said trying to think of a way he can work towards his goals but drawing a blank giving him a sour looking face. 'I'm not even sure how to start or who to talk to, I know I need to learn how to defend myself and become good at it, but there must be more I can do to prepare.'
"Honey I'm positive he would have been here if he could." his mother noticing his look and trying to make it better.
"Oh its not that mom I'm just thinking about stuff, trying to come up with a plan that can help me with my goals." he said before realizing that she will probably ask about it, possibly breaking the promise he made with his father.
"What goals are those?" she asked while finishing up the last of the dishes.
"Oh nothing in particular, I think I want to learn how to fight and survive out in the wild." Thinking that this is close yet far enough from the truth to not disappoint his father. 'If she has an idea that can help me then this should let her help without becoming too worried.'
"Fight?! Are you serious, I don't know if I'm okay with that, I mean what if u get hurt again. It hasn't been very long since the last time you were hurt and that caused a long term issue." Susan said very surprised and worried for her son.
"Well yea, the world can be dangerous and if I know how to fight then it will be just a bit less frightening. I guess is the word I want to use." he said hopeful that this will ease her worry.
"I'm fully against it." she ended with a definitive tone.
"Susan can we give him his gifts now?" Jack asked excited for his son.
"Sure sure, do you have them out already?," she asked as she noticed him carrying them to the table. "Well I guess that answered my question." Smiling like she had already forgotten her sons dangerous ideas for the future.
"Well go on, open them." Alan's father said as he sat two packages wrapped in brown paper tied shut with a tan cord on the table in front of Alan before taking a seat next to Susan.
Alan never being one to receive gifts looked at them awkwardly trying to decided which to open first, 'Why am I feeling weird about receiving gifts on my birthday from my parents of all people, I don't remember feeling like this before. I even remember my last birthday perfectly, only some of my recent memories are fuzzy.,' he thought as he gently pulled one of the tag ends of the bow securing the paper around the larger of the two gifts. 'I'll start with this one since it doesn't have a good shape.'
Methodically Alan unwrapped his first gift making sure not to rip the paper. Revealing a deep blue fabric, obviously curious he held it up discovering a half cloak made of soft yet durable feeling material. Standing up and putting it on it came to just above his waist perfect for keeping him warm but not making it difficult to move by wrapping up around his legs. Held in place by two leather straps crossing in front of his chest, secured by two well made buckles. With a hood to protect his head from the rain and cold.
"Do you like it, Alan?" Jack asked eager to hear his answer.
"Of course!" he replied enthusiastically.
"I am very glad it took me three days to get right and another two weeks to have Emily enchant it to shed water, so it never becomes too heavy with moisture, and to have increased durability, to prevent it from tearing. The straps should keep it on you even if you throw them over your shoulders to use your hands while working or playing." he told his son with a bit of pride in your work.
"This is great I will wear it all the time, thank you so much dad." Alan said while sitting back down. Turning his attention to the second gift, Alan couldn't help but get eager to see what it was. After quickly unwrapping it with much less care then the first he discovered it was a book. After flipping it over he saw that its title was "Beginning steps to magic."