"Talking to that level of stupid won't help, Mommy. They are Nathan's family, but are completely opposite personalities though." I told her. "Technically, I aided Nathan in running away and gave him shelter."
"Well, then, I'm glad Nathan turned out to be such a good boy." Mom said.
I nodded and said, "Yeah. I intend to introduce him to a princess of a fallen kingdom in the future. I think they'll get along well."
"Well, doesn't that just sound like a lovely romance." Mom said.
"I guess. In the other reality Nathan was happily married with kids, but his wife doesn't exist in this reality. I figured the princess is similar enough in beliefs that they'll match decently well." I shrugged.
"I feel you may be the God of Love's greatest helper." Mom said.
"How so? I saw happy couples and made friends with them, and so decided to introduce them here. Gregor and Ashtar getting together was an unexpected surprise. She seems happy, so I don't care. I still need to make a trip to the divine realm for Cassae." I said.
"See? Constantly thinking bout who is best together and how to put them in relationships. Sounds like a helper to a God of Love to me." Mom said.
"I just want my friends and family happy. And the chance to have a happy family, myself. I think I did a good job so far." I said.
She smiled. "You've done a fantastic job."
"Mommy, in my memories of when I was an adult, the kindest friend I had was an Archdevil my companion turned into a snail. My companions treated me poorly to the point I plan to murder them as soon as I see them." I informed her. "Which is saying something, because that Archdevil routinely tried to murder us."
"That does sound very.. bad." Mom said.
"Lana in particular I'm aiming for. But I don't know if I want to kill her outright or have her become insane from dispair." I said.
"Sounds like she must have done something truly terrible." Mom said.
"She forged adoption papers for a little boy after making him go kill goblins with us. She tricked a merchant out of wares, giving him a paper crane falsely claiming it'd help him find true love in a week. She manipulated a friend of ours by touching him inappropriately. She caused a genocide. She molested me twice after promising to not do it. She accused me of being power hungry. And she escaped my intent to murder her to dispell a ring." I listed her faults.
"Well, she certainly sounds like a peace of work. The fact that she molested you makes me very much want to hurt her." Mom replied.
"She knew I hated being touch, had assumed I had been sexually abused, and still did it to try and manipulate me into letting her have her way." I said.
"I have seen people die for a lot less." Mom replied.
"I'm surprised she's still alive even now." Plight said.
"Her lover hasn't ran off and she hasn't had a still born yet. I don't want her to miss those events." I shrugged. "In fact, I'm going to seek Arity's help in making it more traumatic for her."
After a bit more chatting, I took my mom to the Inn with Plight. I'd passed Plight the money on the way, telling him what to say. He knew how to do such things for me now, using a firm voice to request a single bed room in a proper suite with meals and spa included. My mom was going to be spoiled, or else.
After cuddling her a little more, I returned home for dinner, letting Mom have a change to relax, bathe and eat a meal. It was important that she got some self care done. She'd not been able to, or in the right state to, ever. I was gonna seek to treat her really well.
I chatted with my family at dinner time, afterwards I asked Snow if she was really ok with the situation. I asked for her honest thoughts. So she gave them.
"It's a complicated situation, Kiddo, but you needn't worry. I only have sympathy for her situation. What you call your mother and I does not and will not impact your place with me." Snow said. "Whether you continue to call me Mom, or Snow, or something else is entirely up to you and will not hurt me. Do you understand?"
"I understand. I hope to have the same emotional intelligence as you're talking about." I said.
"I'm sure you will. You're a bright boy." Snow said warmly, hugging me and stroking my head.
It turned into a cuddle pretty quickly. Until bedtime, anyways. The next day after breakfast, I sought out my mom, got her to try out the massages. They did great things for her. We went to see Haril, again. I played with Simon while the adults chatted, Haril also did his paperwork during this time.
With some mild surprise, I noticed Haril stealing glances towards my beautifully tanned mother. Simon also seemed to notice his dad looking at my mom. I watched him show my mom one of his toys, seeking attention and affection the way little kids do normally. She was quite drawn in by him.
When he gave me a cheeky look, I raised an eyebrow, but majorally didn't react to such a thing. I understood his desire for a mother. I'd managed to rope myself two of them, so why would I be bothered if he got affection from my mom? I wouldn't. Instead, I entertained myself by drawing.
Haril still needed a day or two before seeing the budding town before he'd make his decision officially, though he'd pretty much already agreed to it. I'd go ahead and write up his employment contract tonight just to have it ready. When I got hungry, and knew Simon would be getting hungry, it was my turn to interrupt everyone.
"Haril, after your patrol, is there any chance you'll want to have lunch with Mommy and I at the restaurant? The expensive one, of course. I was intending to invite Simon already." I said.
"Well, alright. Sounds like a fun time. Why not." Haril agreed.
I gave my mom a small coin purse that contained three platinum and forty gold. "We'll wait for you, then. But don't rush."
She looked in the coin purse, curiously. Her jaw dropped and she began stammering in shock.
"It's not a lot, Mommy. I've been selling information and glyphs for several months now, not to mention the mansion's funds. You're son is rich all on his own." I smiled. "Huh. I guess we should go get your earnings from the Arena at some point. Not that you need to worry about it."
She cinched it shut. "We should.. we should.. they owe me.. probably a lot of money."
I patted my mom's leg gently. "I've a bit more on me than that. I just figured it'd be better if you, a neutral party, paid for the meal rather than Haril or I do it. One looks like carrying favor and the other looks like a bribe."
"Alright.. that's fair.." Mom said.
"Of course, if you wanted me to, I'd give you my last earnings. I'm aware you could live comfortably to old age with just that, though." I said.
"Pretty easily, I would say." Mom agreed.
"I should take you to see Jack's house sometime." I commented, while Haril got ready to patrol.
"Who is Jack and why donI need to see his house?" She asked.
"He is my friend who used to be imprisoned in the Sky Tower. He'd done a stupid thing and was being hunted by an Archdevil called Asmodeus. I freed him from that fate. He's the first person to call me a hero and get offended on my behalf over my previous companions treatment of me." I explained.
"Hm. Maybe I should meet him then. Sounds like a good fellow." Mom said.
"I designed his house for him and had it built. I'd have built it myself, but I'm too small right now." I said. "It's on the beach West of here."
"Who did you have build it?" Mom asked.
"Firebrand and Company. Their shop is near the pet shop." I answered.
"I don't recognize the company." She said.
"They are a Dwarven construction company they make popular furniture between jobs." I said.
"Well, they sound perfect. Dwarves are known for good construction." She said.
"Ari was sneaky about that house." Simon said. "He had them make the house. Then went to Jack and gave him a key. And he was confused, then Ari made one of those glyphs and we went to the house. He told Jack it was all his."
"Well, that's awfully nice of you." Mom said.
"Ari just does stuff like that." Simon said.
I shrugged. I was used to hearing such things. "Simon's a brat." I said. Only because his dad wasn't in the room.
Simon narrowed his eyes at me. "Ari. Take it back."
"I take it back.. brat." I said.
"That's not taking it back!" He exclaimed.
"Yes it is." I said, sticking my tongue out at him.
He slugged my arm, and in response I pushed him. Mom wrapped an arm around me, picking me up. "Now, now. We can't be fighting."
"Boys fight, Mommy. It's normal." I said.
Simon was frowning at me.
"And it's also normal for grownups to break up those fights." Mom said.
"Ok, Simon's not really a brat except for when he is." I said.
Simon blinked. "What the heck, Ari. I know you're still saying I'm a brat."
"Nuh-uh." I said. "You're a good friend."
Simon huffed. "You're not being very nice."
"Isarial, are you trying to go into time-out?" Mom asked.
"Conventional punishments have never worked on me, Mommy." I said.
"Then shall I hang you from the ceiling by your toes?" She asked.
Simon flopped against her knees. Listening.
"If you want to, I guess. Corporal punishment only taught me to be sneakier and any punishments that leave me bored have only been torturous for others, because I then have time to stop and think." I blinked and narrowed my eyes. "Actually, I think I just came up with a different type of weapon."
"And what might that be?" Mom asked.
Simon groaned. "He's always coming up with scary ideas."
"Well, it combines the shrapnel hand granade with piping... it should be similar to a cross bow, only it's less effort in a way. Mm. Compressing the gunpowder.. maybe. It'd have to be metal piping.. it'd be like a firebolt, only non magic users could use it." I rambled.
Mom looked at Simon, "You're right. That's scary."
Simon nodded and said, "He doesn't decide to make most of them because he thinks they are too dangerous."
"Oh good." She said, looking back at me. "I'm glad you gave a conscience.. or at least a sense of danger."
"I think he's referring to the razor trap, or the steel one." I said.
"How many traps and weapons have you thought of..?" She asked.
"Many. Some I gave to my Dad, some I sold. A few I gave away." I answered.
"I would say charity is usually a good thing, but not in the case of handing out weapons." Mom said.
"No, it was a good thing. Shrapnel hand granades with holy water in the middle. To fight the undead. And holy water mist machines." I said.
"Goodness, how many undead is, whoever they are, fighting?" She asked.
"The Sultan is fighting the Undead City, in a way. There are thousands of Undead on an Island to the Southeast. I'll go there one day to destroy the Lich." I told her.
"Hopefully that day is far, far away!" Mom said, distressed.
"Atleast another eleven years." I said.
"Ok, well, I think that might be long enough to be able to take on almost anything I can think of. Time seems to be your greatest ally." She said.
"Is it?" I asked.
"Indeed. With enough time, you can more than likely kill anything. In likely very inventive ways." She said.
"I know how to cook and bake, Mommy. Haril and Simon have both tried cookies that I made." I told her, changing the subject since Haril would soon be back. "And for Dad's and Uncle's birthdays, I'm making their favorite cakes. Their birthday is six days after mine."
"Well, that makes it easy." She said.
"That means it'll be four of ours birthdays in December when Snow has her baby." I said.
"Mm, I suppose it does. Be a very busy month." Mom said.
"I don't like sweets." I told her. "But I hate bitter and coffee gives me the shakes." I told her.
"And who precisely gave you coffee?" Mom asked.
"Thankfully no one this time. Snow would beat them up. Er, well, she'd have Uncle do so currently. Simon tried the coffee, though. He got hyper." I said.
"Simon, did you take some of your Daddy's coffee?" Mom asked, a slight chiding tone to her voice.
"No. I had some coffee with Hector, a farmer. He put milk in it and that made it not be bitter." Simon answered.
"Well, I suppose this Hector will need a talking to. Children shouldn't be given coffee." Mom said firmly.
Haril came in, hearing the last bit of that. "Why?" I asked.
"Well, if the old stories are to be believed, it'll stunt your growth." Mom said.
"Nuh-uh. I'm gonna be tall like my Daddy." Simon said.
"Well, that's certainly the hope." Mom said.
"I'm sure my son will grow up big and strong." Haril said. Simon beamed delightedly.
"I dunno." I said. "Were you ready to eat, then?"
"Indeed. Let's get eatin'." Haril said.
We left his office, Mom had put me down, and Haril locked his office door. We headed to the restaurant, and I told Mom, mentally, how to ensure we bypass the line; bribery. Five gold pieces got us in and seated without delay. Haril seemed a little uncomfortable with the process, but didn't say anything.
We looked through the menu, I explained it to them, and then I looked at Simon, "You can have some cake, but you have to eat at least two not potato vegetables."
Simon groaned and said, "No way."
"You can have cheese on the vegetables." I said.
".. Can't it just be one?" He asked.
"Hmm. If it's the mixed vegetable. It has cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots." I said. Simon looked horrified. "They have spice cake, vanilla cake, and strawberry cake."
Simon almost drooled. "The strawberry cake that's soft and has cream on top?"
"Yup. The very type." I nodded.
He looked at his dad. "Daddy, I can have that cake if I eat vegedables?"
"I'm not sure who the Dad is in this situation, but sure." Haril said.
"Should I not bribe him to eat vegetables?" I asked. "You could get cake, too. I think you'd like the coffee one. It's got crumbles on it and isn't bad at all."
"If it gets him to eat his vegetables, I'll allow it. Normally, I'm against all forms of bribery, but in this case.. As for that coffee cake, I don't normally enjoy sweets.. but I do like coffee. I may have to give it a shot." Haril said.
Simon didn't even care. He was daydreaming of that cake, over the moon. Mom was smiling. When the waiter came, we ordered our meals. Simon went with two vegetables. Celery and bell peppers. Both would be served uncooked. He got chicken legs and ham with it.
I got a few different vegetables, because I knew Simon would want some if I was eating it. It was a weird thing he did. If someone was enjoying something, he wanted to try it. But I also ordered a nice steak to go with it, that I also knew Simon would want some of.
Mom got a salad, essentially, with several vegetables in it with chicken and a light dressing. Haril got a hearty steak with potatoes and green beans. I wasn't sure if he knew his son could eat twice what he did ordered or not.
But I'd just let him see it for himself. Simon and I chatted, while Haril and my mom talked. When the food got to us Simon was really excited and dug in immediately. I laughed and said, "It's not gonna go anywhere, slow up."
Simon ignored me, until I started eating too, then he asked for one of my vegetables I was eating. I handed it over. He ate it. Didn't like it. But the process repeated when I switched to a different vegetable. Each time, with varying results. He had some of his dads potatoes, as well.
He saw the snap peas my mom was eating. "Is that good? Can I try it?"
"For the shared effort of having you eat your vegetables.. fine." Mom said, giving him a snap pea.
He munched it. "That's actually better than celery."
"I should have maybe warned you." I said to my Mom, giving the boy half of my steak. "He likes food that others are eating, meat and sweets."
"Well, then he will certainly grow up big." Mom said.
He ate the steak half before finishing off his plate. "So full." He said.
"Oh? So you won't have cake?" I teased.
"I will never be too full for cake." He declared.
I laughed. I was used to him being this way. His dad looked a little thoughtful. When the waitress came around, I special ordered two different drinks for the adults, a strong caramel coffee drink for Haril and a strawberry cream one for Mom, and three cakes, two strawberry shortcake and one coffee cake, and two glasses of milk.
When the glasses and caked were brought, Haril was hesitant to try them. But he liked them when he did. Mom really enjoyed hers, and Simon adored the cake. I was happy enough with just having the milk.
"Since you have donated most of your meal.. have you had enough?" Mom asked.
"Yeah. I ordered more than I can eat on purpose. Plus I can snack as much as I want at home." I said.
"Well, if you're sure.." She said.
"Don't worry, Mommy. I've learned to not suffer for other's benefits." I said. "Besides, if I was still hungry, I'd simply order more food. No one will dare to tell me or my companions to vacate the table, even if I stayed here all day."
"Indeed. Your son is quite the influential character. And by influential, I mean quite the family backing." Haril agreed pointedly.
"Is there something wrong with the Hearthry's?" My mom asked.
"Not as long as you're on their side. Or at least.. stay out of their way." Haril said.
"Neither of which Haril does." I said.
"Yes, I'm sure I've annoyed your father on multiple occasions." Haril said.
"He respects you. Just doesn't care bout laws." I replied.
"I've noticed." Haril said dryly. "And yet he does everything he can to stay just within the laws, or make it so that it's impossible to peg him when he's not."
"Yep. Like when I was kidnapped by a pedophile." I said.
"Yes, well. That was unfortunate." Haril said.
"You were WHAT?! By who?!" Mom said, rather loudly.
".. They are already dead, Mommy. They didn't get to do anything besides beat me a little." I told her.
"How did they even get you?" She demanded to know.
"They had a magic trap set up. I didn't know it was there." I said. "Plight immediately got help and Snow knows a spell called Sending, and used it right away. They were there within ten minutes."
"Wish I had been there to help you." Mom said.
"It was a noble family.. it's best that you weren't." I said.
She stroked my hair gently. "I will try to let it go, then."
"That's the only bad thing that happened, really." I said.
Haril had to return to work, so we ended lunch, and Haril took Simon with him. He'd let me know he could see Hearthstone the next day. So I returned home with my Mom in tow. We went to the library.
"Mommy, is there anything you want to learn?" I asked.
"I would like to get better at reading and writing." She said.
"I can teach you that. I helped Plight learn while pretending to just be showing off new things I'd learned." I told her.
"Well, you certainly won't have to pretend with me." Mom said.
"I can reach you all kinds of languages. My favorite is Draconic." I told her.
"Well, what makes Draconic so fun?" Mom asked.
"*It is a long and over complicated way of speaking that is fun to use because of it's elaborate nature.*" I said in Draconic, then repeated it in Common. "It also teaches manners without being obviously centered on them."
"Well, you're right. That does sound like a fun language." Mom agreed.
"I know many languages." I said.
"Let's start with one at a time. I don't know how well I'll learn new languages." Mom said.
"It's ok, Mommy. I wouldn't over load you." I told her.
"So how do you go about learning a new language?" She asked.
"By learning the words and associating them with words you already know. Then learning the fluff of it and the written parts." I said. "That's how my Dad taught me."
"Well, alright. We can start whenever you're ready." Mom said.
And so the language lesson began for the day, coupled with reading and writing Common. The next couple of days were spent teaching my mother to read and write more proficiently, along with Draconic, and playing with Simon.
Only, one morning I got a frantic Sending from Sienna explaining that her Atya had gone missing while they were hunting. They'd run into Ashtar who'd taken her and her brother home. She mentioned something about Gregor as well, because she heard it mentioned to her mom.
It was happening sooner, in the same pattern. I calmy informed her not to worry, I'd save her Daddy. The next thing I did was barely manage to sneak out of the Hearthry mansion and purchase a scroll of True Polymorph from the Silver Shilling. Then I hid somewhere, making a glyph to Tilton's house.
Running inside, I saw Tilton was gone, and Ashtar was there, holding Gregor's helmet. Seconds later Bibs appeared behind me, not that it surprised me much. I'd just confirmed his suspicions when Asmodeus showed up. He seemed disappointed to already be found out.
Either way, I made my offer to him, to return them all, and get to walk away, or not to. It was up to him, but either way I'd have my way. Not liking my attitude, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers, though Bibs tossed down an anti magic item that prevented him from doing anything.
Hellishly amused, I took out my scroll and told him that I had given him a chance. And so I used the scroll on him, and declared I wanted him to be a Snail. Unexpected this move, he failed to protect against it and became a snail. Everyone was immediately returned.
I went around and picked up Snailmodeus. Grinning like a devil. I told them the tale of when we'd done this before, and how I'd taken good care of this snail buddy. Though, Bibs wouldn't let me keep him. I would make the terrarium to keep him in.
I'd talked to Asmodeus while he was a snail, listening to his ranting threats, then his subdued demands of how he wanted his terrarium to be. I did ask that he be returned to being himself before he fully lost himself, and asked that he is spoken to often to keep his mind intact longer.
I was gently reminded that I needed to return home before my family panicked and I agreed. Hurrying home, I arrived to find that my absence had definitely been noticed. Plight and my moms were in the common room with Dad and Uncle. They'd all looked at me when I entered the house.
"So, where had you run off this time?" Dad asked. Using that tone of voice like he was about to point out an error in a way that seemed friendly, but was really vicious.
"Dueling Rivers to turn Asmodeus into a snail because he kidnapped some people and was going to hold them hostage to get Bibs to agree to going to Hell to be tortured." I answered immediately with the reason why.
"Well, seeming how you returned unscathed, I am assuming that went well." Dad said.
"Yes. Ashtar and Bibs were there..." I frowned. "That wasn't supposed to happen yet."
"How far off in your timeliness was that?" Dad asked.
"When the Capital fell in March of 872." I answered.
"Well, yes, I would say we're ahead of schedule then." Dad said. "Do try and keep us informed of your actions before you just disappear again."
"Yes, I apologize for causing concern again. I was impulsive, without pausing to think." I replied.
"I understand you wanted to rush off and help. I will not fault you for that." Dad said.
"I will try to slow down and think twice, even if I think it's the best course of action initially." I said. "But doing it this way. You all won't gain his ire."
"Not particularly worried about gaining the ire of a devil." Dad said.
"You and Uncle, sure. But Plight and my moms probably wouldn't hold up as well." I said.
"Hm. Probably not, no. And I can't have him thinking that's a good option." Dad said.
"I don't like you doing dangerous things to protect us. That's our job." Snow said.
"Remember to ask people for help. Or we'll just have to start following you around wherever you go." Mom said.
"I understand." I said. "But I'll also say that I am normally followed around wherever I go."
"We will have to try a little harder, then." Uncle decided.
"Catnip. Got it." I said.
"Can I hurt him now?"
"No, you may not. You are going to be in big trouble if you don't mind your ton, Son. We are still upset that you've disappeared again." Dad said.
"How many times have you disappeared?" Mom asked.
"Of my own accord? Twice? But it was only detected when I came back. But altogether this is the fourth time. Because of the kidnapping." I answered.
"Of your own accord..." Snow said, she looked exasperated.
"Yeah. It's different to adjust to attentiveness, even though it's what I wanted. Previously I did as I please and was barely held accountable for what I did." I replied.
"That is not your life anymore. Please see to it you remember that." Dad said. He then turned and went to his office.
Snow sighed a little and said, "I'll have to keep a better eye on you. You wily sprite."
Really, seeing Dad's retreat was probably a bit of an eye opener to me. That life was seriously gone. Though I remembered it clearly, no one else would remember it. Even though I'd told them about it.. it was hard to see how my previous life impacted me to their perspectives of this life. It was possible that it hurt him.
I contemplated what to do with this situation. I'd messed up. I certainly hadn't planned on a repeat offense, but it's not like I could read the future. Still, I gave Dad space for the day, teaching Mom like I had previously. Though, I told her I'd be harassing my dad the next day.
I drew out the plans for the round terrarium, and sent Plight to handle the order for me. Once he returned with the parts, I put them together and sent them to Bibs. Then, as I'd said, the next day I bothered my dad. I didn't mention yesterday at all, and instead, climbed on him, and tried to pester him while he worked.
He mostly ignored my antics, though explained things if I asked questions. I took a nap there, though unintentionally. My body felt a little hot when I woke up, though. It was little cause for concern, but it was treated anyways. Just a light cold.
Which meant I was wrapped up in bed most the day the next day with a light fever. It wasn't as bad as the first time I was sick since my return. Which was a positive. They let my Mom spend time tending to me. Especially since Snow couldn't risk getting sick at the moment.
By the following day, I was rambunctious and active again. I spent the morning with Dad and took Mom with me to study at the Mansion with Sylvia. And resumed teaching my Mom with extra help. Sylvia was a much better teacher. Soon enough, if was my birthday.
There was a party, and my friends were mostly involved. All the kids were. Plight had went to Phintias' after wishing me a happy birthday. He was really anxious about his sister's pregnancy. I couldn't blame him, though. I was anxious about Snow's and hadn't wanted a party.
It hadn't been expected by anyone, but with so much attention on me, I was shy. Especially so many people showing affection and gifting me for turning five. I'd always had a hard time accepting something I didn't earn, though. It wore me out a lot faster than I'd have expected. I fell asleep right after dinner time. No one seemed to mind, though.