Clios smile brightened my day tenfold, it felt like the clouds parted with the rays of her happiness to see me, I was equally happy to see her. As I cupped her cheek I was caught off guard by her tiptoeing into a strong kiss, her lips were soft as they touched mine, the smell of herbs entered my nose as her hair waved in the wind. I lost myself in that moment, as time seemed to stop and I closed my eyes and held her closer.
Breaking away from each other Clio held a hand to her lips with a blush burning at her cheeks, it was our first kiss and honestly, I'm not sure why I hadn't done it before, sure there was the fact that I would outlive her, but I think I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't pursue this happiness I was feeling. Nothing could compare to it, not the warmth of family or the thrill of battle, it was perplexing to me.
I just stared at her for a while with a big grin on my face but I had to say something, I started to feel awkward just being silent and her bashfulness wasn't helping.
"Well, Clio you've just made me the happiest man in the world!" I had a big toothy grin I couldn't get rid of.
"Fenris stop teasing!" She replied with a giggle, that just made me feel even happier. We had spent a lot of time together and got to know each other really well, but never went any further than that, however, this confirmed it I wanted to be even closer with her.
A grabbed her hand and grinned as I pulled her towards where I'd put the house down, "come on, there are some people you need to meet" I told her still grinning.
"Ah, yeah, I forgot for a second there, I've asked around for a bigger plot and we've been offered a place on the outskirts for a steady price paid on the start of the month, I paid for the first one" Clio was really happy I could tell by the way she vocalized her reply it was like music.
"Okay great, cause 30 kids can't sleep on my floor for too long, I've got some money so we will have to stock up on food luckily we're not far from the coast so fish is always available" I notified her as we made our way to the house hand in hand.
Along the way we talked about what had transpired while we were apart, not much had in Dublin, Clio did her usual work helping everyone and studying potions. When I told her what I had been up to she was visibly shaken, but not worry no fury burned in her green eyes, I told her about teaching the 10 kids magic and she was quite enthusiastic to help out.
When we got to the house and opened the door the kids all turned to look at us as we walked inside, they were a lot less nervous now, having spent a week with me travelling.
"Okay kids this is Cliodna, you can introduce yourselves later, we're moving so leave your things ill take the house with us" I announced to them as their inquisitive eyes scanned Clio.
"Okay, Mister Fenrisúlfr!" Was the collective reply.
"Oh, Mister Fenrisúlfr?" Clio chuckled at my side.
"Well Miss Cliodna, I never told them to address me otherwise" I chuckled as well at her expression, she reddened at the cheeks at being treated as a noble lady.
"Hush you!" She mumbled slapping me on the shoulder and I bellowed laughing "let's go, children, it's just a short walk so don't wander off" she addressed the kids with a bright smile and I saw some of the boys blush, who could blame them? Clio had a beautiful smile after all.
When we began walking through the town the kids were glancing at everything and everyone curiously, some fear mixed in when they spotted the men carrying swords and axes, animal fur around their shoulders. Aileen took up stride beside us and turned to Cliodna asking a question.
"Miss Cliodna are you Mister Fenrisúlfrs wife?"
Clios face glowed like the sun in embarrassment and started stuttering her reply"w-w-wife? N-no no, not yet" she mumbled trying to hide her face from me, it was cute.
Toskr elbowed me in the cheek and whispered: "Fen what's a wife?" I couldn't help laughing as I replied "a partner for life Toskr but not like us, it is between a man and his mate"
"Well is she not your mate?" He asked confused.
"Theirs a ceremony to take place to make her my wife but I guess she's my mate" I mumbled not really sure if I was right, I liked Clio but could I stay with her until she died? I didn't know honestly, I wanted to spend a lot of time with her but watching her die wasn't something I wanted to see, but I was getting to the end of my rope I couldn't hold out forever.
"What are you two talking about?" Asked Clio as she nudged me, I turned to her with a smile replying
"Toskr didn't know what a wife was, had to explain it to him"
"Oh," she muttered under her breath, I could tell she was thinking about something the cogs were turning in her mind, she chewed her lip when she was in thought it was easy to read.
After about 5 minutes of walking like a trail of ducklings following mother duck we reached a fence to a substantially large house, it resembled the longhouse in the centre of town but was taller on one end. Wood panelling lined the walls with vines growing all over them, creeping to the roof, it had an aged look as if no one had taken care of it.
"This is it Fenris it should house you all, but it might still be a bit cramped" Clio had a smug smile on her face and I couldn't fault her she delivered what I had asked.
"Trippy, Zodry!" I shouted looking at the huge house we now had. The elves wouldn't enter the town at all, they were scared of people so I told them I would be calling them to do some tasks.
With a pop 2 bowing elves stood in front of me, Trippy said in a timid voice looking at everything from the corners of her eyes as zodry did the same still bowed slightly.
" yes, master? What task does master have?"
"Well, Trippy do you see that big house?" I asked smiling as I pointed over the fence, she turned slightly not daring to draw attention to her self, luckily this was the outskirts of town so there wasn't a lot of people around.
"Yes, master?" She asked slightly confused.
"Well, Trippy you've got tasks to complete! Tidy everything inside while the kids get their stuff from my house and arrange beds for them if there isn't enough let me know ill make some" as I said that Zodry and Trippys eyes filled with light and they nodded continuously with huge smiles.
"Consider it done Master Fenrisúlfr!" They shouted and popped away, I'm guessing to get the others before they begin to work. I turned to the shock and awe-filled faces of the children gathered behind me and shouted
"Okay kids, let's get settled in!" A collection of cheers rang throughout the air as they all started to hop over the fence as Clio and I chuckled at their antics.
"Anyway, Clio aren't you staying with us?" I asked looking at the beautiful lady standing at my side.
"Erm, maybe but not right away I still have experiments to finish but ill come by every day!" she was fiddling with her hands swaying side to side while she answered me, it was adorable I couldn't help grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into a kiss I felt her go rigid but soon melt and reciprocating the affection I displayed.
"That is fine my lady" I whispered smirking at her as I let go.
"Your a sly wolf" she muttered swatting me.
Chuckling I made my way inside the fence. The land around wasn't too big, it could hold a vegetable garden and a few pigs and chickens, maybe my house in the corner but that would be it. Unfortunately, there aren't any potatoes in England yet or it would become a major part of our food, carrots and turnips however we're in excess, I'd have to source some pigs and chickens maybe some ducks, at least then eggs and meat would be available. I'd start on the garden when I'd given some lessons to the kids and have the other 20 help out, I'd use my ability to grow some vegetables to stock the cupboards but then have some of the children look after the garden, at least they'd have something to do then.
As I made my way into the corner and set my house down and enlarged it to size, I'd stay in here while the kids occupied the longhouse they can sort out their own living arrangements is just be a guard for them, if Clio moved in she could stay with me.
After all the children collected their things and scuttled around arranging a place to stay in the in-house, I gathered them all in the garden.
"Okay kids this is where we will be staying from now on, I'll sleep in my house so if you need me just knock on the door. Anyway, we're going to start a garden for food and raise some chickens and pigs, maybe a cow if I can get one so I'll need all your help doing so. Any questions?" I started to the tribe gathered in the garden.
Aileen was like the voice of the group at this point and raised a question.
"Not really but I want to know if you'll still be teaching us? And what about the others?"
"Yeah I'll still teach you and Clio might help every now and then as for the others it depends what they want to learn I can train them to fight or raise animals and farm the land, also hunting and other stuff, it's up to them really so when you know what you want to learn just ask and if I don't know how to teach you we can always find someone who can, you'll have to earn the money through helping with the garden" I answered looking at the clan is gathered.
"Okay!" Was the communal response.
Time seemed to flow on quickly as we got down to work, tilling the land for seeds went well with the help of the kids, they seemed to enjoy doing it and laughter chimed through the air. After a week of arranging lessons and starting to train a group of kids that wanted to learn, I went into town and asked around for a farmer there was one who lived relatively close to us and I bought some livestock and seeds from him. 4 chickens a piglet and a cow with some tomato, onion, carrot, parsnip and turnip seeds. They would do for now and it filled half the garden leaving a bit of space for the livestock and a training circle.
I had to build a chicken coop and taught some of the kids how to work with wood, tasking them to build a few birdhouses without nails, they all seemed to be livelier lately even Patrick had stopped scowling after I started to train him. He did apologise after a while, I forgave him I couldn't be mad at him after what he had been through, he told me about his capture and what he had witnessed.
Patrick watched his father get killed and his mother violated by the dark wizards while they pinned him down laughing at his agony filled cries, he said he never wanted to feel powerless again and be able to stop something like that happening to others, it motivated me to push him harder than the rest and he never complained once.
Once everything was planted and the animals were kept from trampling over the veg, some of the girls who I was teaching spells to reached out to Clio to teach them healing spells and potions so my load wasn't as much, Aileen didn't want to be a healer she liked Transfiguration and kept asking me for spells I didn't know many Transfiguration spells so I tasked her to make some and she wholeheartedly dove into studying.
Months passed and everything was going well with the kids mostly just training and gardening some took up woodworking and textiles, a couple of girls tended to the animals and wouldn't let the boys milk a cow at all, I was confused why and they wouldn't tell me either.
I and Clio had grown a lot closer and one night she stayed with me, we ended up having sex I couldn't hold back any longer and I'm glad I didn't, I couldn't remember my last life just trivial information like what happens in the series I merged and some stuff I had learned, not my personal experiences so I was effectively a virgin. Well, I don't know if it was instinct or experience but Clio seemed to enjoy herself, I had to fight the urge to bite her while doing the deed and it was the most difficult thing I have experienced to date. After the first time, we never stopped and she ended up moving in with me, I was happy with what we were and stopped dwelling on the future.
When Yuletide rolled around I started to miss Astrid and Ubbe is been gone a few years now and thought it was time for a visit but I had 30 kids I couldn't leave alone for months on end and wanted to bring Clio with me to meet them, so I was left with a conundrum.