Wohrkshire was a large forest and in the few years of hunting the surrounding area of my home, i had never seen the other end. It was early in the morning when the three of us neared the large gate that marked the entrance. I knocked on the smaller door and Lod opened it. He almost fell backwards when he saw me, "Ered, my boy! You're back!" He quickly stepped out of the way in his excitement. "I smiled at him as i walked in then held the door for Alzi, who had his hat and scarf in place, and Cassa, who was wearing the little hunting cloak. Once they entered i closed the door for Lod, "How is the ankle and foot?" He shook his head and looked away, "Still hurts most nights. I can now tell when it rains."
Cassa jabbed me in the ribs and i patted her head in understanding. "Lod. I can help with that. Please promise you wont freak out." Nod looked confused and then agreed. I knelt down at his feet and he lifted his hurt foot towards me. I removed his boot and placed his foot on my knee. He looked bewildered at this but was surprised when my hands started to glow. I placed them on his ankle then slowly moved them down his foot.
Lod began laughing at the feeling and slapped the wall behind him. "My word! You can do magic!?" I smiled wide, "Try it out." He jumped as the pain was gone then took a few hesitant steps then started running around in front of the gate. He laughed and tried to dance and almost fell over. "Feels like new, lad."
I clapped his shoulder then nodded as we left for my home. "This reminds me of my old home." Alzi commented. "Maybe we visit some time," Cassa spoke up when we were far enough away from Lod who was stomping the ground now like he was trying to kill something. We came to the door to my home and I knocked rather loudly. The door slowly creaked open and a set of sunken eyes stared at me. It took a few moments before they opened wider then i noticed a smile creep up on the haggard face.
"I am home, Father." The sound of my voice was like a boom to the man who stood before me and he stepped back and we slowly entered my home. "Father? It's Ered. I came back." Rant was quiet for a few moments but when he heard me say my name he lit up and spoke to me, "Boy. Don't you ever run off like that again." I looked down and reached for Cassa behind me. She took my hand and held it tight.
"I was going to send a letter with Morlin but i realized when we got to Grassbourne, that he wasn't going to leave for another few weeks." We set down at the table and Cassa hid behind me as best she could out of Rants' view. Alzi sat on the opposite side of the table from me. "How could you just run off like that?" Rant sat down in front of me and put his hand on my cheek to make sure i had return. I grasped his hand and held it as i pulled it away, "I have told you before that i wanted something more then this place." I could feel Cassa grabbing at the back of my cloak and i shifted a little.
"This is your home and this is where you belong." Rant spoke in a raised tone and it caught me by surprise. I let go of his hand and spoke slowly and clearing my next few words, "I saw mother." Rant dropped his hands to the bench, took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. He stood up and went to his room. "Is he ok?" Cassa whispered to me and i shrugged, "I have never seen him like this." I turned my attention to my father when i heard him close his door. He walked up to me and handed me a book before he sat back down.
The book started to glow a bright white but no title showed. "It is true." Rant said admittedly and shook his head in disbelief. "I tried to keep you from that life. This book was written by your mother personally. It is her diary." Rant put both hands on my shoulders and smiled warmly when i looked at him. "You are ready, My Son."
I nodded but i put the book on the table because i wanted him to meet my friends first and tell him of our adventures before learning the book. I did not know what would happen when i absorbed my mothers' diary so i didnt want to leave anything out. "Father, i will read it cover to cover, but i want to introduce you to my friends." Rant blinked at my statement then looked around the table. He jumped when he finally noticed Alzi sitting across from us.
"Hello Sir. I am Alzi. Please to meet you." The Dragonkin extended his open hand towards my father and Rant did the same. They quickly shook hands then Alzi sat down again in silence. "You have more then one friend since you said 'friends'," Rant looked around the room but saw no one else. I took Cassas' hand and gently pulled her to walk around me then placed her in front of me in my lap on the bench. I put my arms around her waist and held her tight as she reached up and slowly removed her hood.
I leaned close to her ear and whispered so only she heard, "I will protect you, even from my own father." Then i kissed the top of her ear. Rants eyes went wide when he saw the greenish yellow glowing eyes and realized this was a Goblin. "What in the four hells?!" He pointed directly at Cassa and she shrank back against my chest. "Father, this is Cassa, Princess of the Goblin People." I spoke in an even tone but i noticed out of the corner of my eye that Alzi had pulled his feet up on the other bench to a crouch and stared at my father.
"I know she is a Goblin and yes, i know about Goblins in general." I spoke in a slow even tone, all the while aware of Alzi in my peripheral view. I lowered my right hand to behind my back and thought about my fire spell just in case he jumped. I can handle my father, i didn't need his help but i wasn't going to draw attention to any dangers. Alzi saw my hand faintly glowing red and he relaxed back to his sitting position, i looked at him and half smiled then watched my father.
Rant was in shock at the fact that not only was a Goblin in his house, but it saw close to his own son. He became confused at seeing this because everything he knew about them screamed danger. I put my hand on her head and gently patted her causing her to relax a little. "When? How? Why?" was all he could say and i explained, in that order, of how i came to know Cassa and of the events after that.
"That is a fantastic story, Son." He slumped back after the few hours of me reciting our adventure so far. I left out, the private bits, of course and he went to get some food and brought it out to us and lit a few more candles. "Oh! I almost forgot." I took out my mothers necklace and handed it to him. "How did you get that?" He quickly spoke and snatched it from my hand. "That was mean. no snatch from Ered." Rant looked at Cassa when he heard her chattering at him and then noticed the pendant was glowing as it hung from his hand.
"You can understand me now?" Cassa blinked at him and his jaw dropped open. "Good. Apologize for snatching speak stone." Rant froze at hearing her speak plainly to him and the pendant slipped from his grasp and landed on the bench. After a few seconds he blinked coming to his senses and shook his head, "Illiana would not be happy with this, Ered."
Alzi pounded the table when he heard that and growled very loudly, "Mistress Illiana loved all races and wanted nothing more then to see them thrive side by side!" All three of us looked to Alzi in surprise after he finished yelling. "Yes. I knew Illiana for a very long time before she met you, Rant. I knew the whole time who you are and about Ered. I just played my part at her request up till now." He crossed his arms and sat there staring at Rant with a very slight string of smoke wafting up from under his hat brim.