During the next five years starting from year 872 and ending up in year 877, Bryna and Thomas pack bonded in their own ways, Bryna focused her time on strengthening Thomas. Not through trial of fire, like she had, where she'd needed to do anything possible to survive, but through strategy. She'd pick off problematic individuals of large groups and then she and Thomas would handle the rest together. It was a slow process, but with Thomas' determination, his strength grew with her. At times, they had Dia or Xi-an with them, though, not often. Thomas and Bryna were often around Hearthstone Town, having grown fond of the place.
Bibs had taken to his official fatherly role as well as he'd adjusted to being his parties moral compass for all these years. Eventually coming to celebrate Bryna's birthdays like any father would do. Bryna, through much trial, was able to befriend the younger Hearthry kids, too. Though Daelyn got on with her the most, even joining on many of the adventures Bryna and Thomas went on. James elected Daelyn to take on spy work when he turns sixteen the next year. When Bryna learned of this, she started teaching Daelyn and Thomas to do spy work. Having learned it from Tilton in her last life, and Dean this life.
Meanwhile Sarial married Mills in Hearthstone Town shortly after taking her place there. Later she bore Mills a son that she nearly died birthing after a terrible pregnancy. The further along she had gotten, the more difficult the experience became on her to the point she was bed ridden and unable to even deal with her paperwork. Professionals, even the ones James located, recommended bed rest and expected the worst for her. Every time the prognosis worsened, Sarial would smile at her family members and assure them that she and the baby were fine.
When delivery time occured, she nearly passed twice, with only Plight's healing helping. Arity had ended up taking over her birthing process, kicking out the hired professionals when she'd arrived and seen the grief in her extended families eyes. Once Arity made her take a squatting position, braced against Mills' back so that she didn't fall, the birthing process had speeded along and to everyone's joy, though exhausted, she and the baby boy survived.
She named her son Jaime after James. And the boy already had strong psionic power, being able to tell family members exactly what he wanted through simple mentally projected picture-thoughts. Though Sarial had swore to not go through that again, she'd gotten pregnant once more. This time with a daughter that she named Eirwyn, meaning 'white snow'. Jaime had black hair, like his mother, with sea green eyes, though his skin tanned like his father's did. Eirwyn was the opposite. Pale skinned, like her mom, with platinum blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She was less afraid of becoming pregnant again, because her second pregnancy was amazingly easy.
Just like all three of Arity's pregnancies had been. She had a silver furred and green eyed son first, that she named Emery. The next year she had identical twin girls that matched her fur color, but had golden eyes, named Audrey and Freda. The third pregnancy had resulted in a golden son, with one blue and one amber eye that she named Leontios. Dirthin decided to invest in contraceptives after all, wanting to let his little mate rest after having four luttle ones.
Speaking of Arity and Dirthin, they had married around the same time as Mills and Sarial had. And since it was an official wedding the family got to learn that Tyra's name was truly Arity. James was not amused by the hiding of her name. Arity couldn't help but taunt him with the fact that she never claimed Tyra was her name, and that she did tell them all that she was denied the use of her name. It was his own fault for not asking for her name.
Plight and Sienna managed to have a son that they named Eos, three months after Jaime had been born. The two boys were close friends, nearly like brothers. Plight's ancestor problem took three more years to be solved, but they'd managed to, much to their relief. Sienna was over the moon with her baby. Unlike with most vampire born babies, this child could eat real food and didn't require blood. The child had taken on many of the perks of both sides, and really only had problems with metals.
Speaking of, two years after Sienna bore her son, her mother birthed a pair of twin sons that she and Alexander were brimming with joy over. Both blonde like Alexander, but with eyes that changed with the seasons. Unlike their pale older siblings, their skin was the lovely tan of Alexander's skin. One son they named Lirit Briar, meaning Musical. And the second son was named Amergin Locke, meaning Born of Song. Alexander was a fantastic and very loving father so far.
Meanwhile, Phintias and Lucretia had married and had two daughters and a son. Phintias, due to the marriage ceremony, no longer had sensitivity to the sun, though he wasn't used to it. Their children were named Mercia, Sibyl and Collin, with Mercia being named after Lucretia. Phintias finally had children like he always wanted to. Having the long lives, and having stopped aging, they'd have plenty of years longer to have more children.
For now, they were pleased with the children they did have. Though, they welcomed more. Their children had made friends with the children of Hearthstone Town. With Arity's children often being in Hearthstone Town with Sarial's kids, Snow and herself. Sarial's son was often considered a mama's boy, as he was clingy with her. Eitwyn, meanwhile, was a people person and fully capable of holding conversations with adults at merely two years old. She was now three.
At four years old, Jaime simply chose not to speak to most people. Speaking mostly to family and Dean. Mentioning Dean, he and Eluvian did form a relationship. It was unstable at first with many break ups, but they were gradually drawn to one another. They had a daughter, just last year, named Eliana. She shared her parent's eyes and her mother's auburn hair. She had quickly become Dean's world. He appeared to be a wonderful and doting father.
Dueling Rivers was rebuilt, her people moved back within a year. The two towns grew close bonds with each other through trade and protection. Whenever Sarial or one of her people came up with a better way to protect the towns, or ideas about it, Sarial, Vincent and Tilton would meet up and she'd share the vague details of the defensive measure, and then Vincent and Tilton would hash out a deal for the details if he wanted to take it on. Often he did. Dueling Rivers and Hearthstone Town had become the most well protected towns in the Kingdom. With the best guards.
Once Haril had whipped the towns guards into disciplined and competent guards, far beyond the Capital's guards, he had been commissioned, and granted permission, to do the same with Dueling Rivers guards. This meant a lot of the guards didn't need to worry about a ballsy adventurer taking them on. But, Haril, Thomas and Bryna kept them humble. So they didn't get too big for their britches.
Thomas' mother had still not returned. Thomas and Bryna stayed busy, though they were restless about reuniting the mother and son. His father had also not returned yet, though Bryna, one night, had directly asked Bibs if it was his doing that caused Thomas' dads disappearance. He'd admitted to it. But Bryna wasn't concerned enough to bring the man back. Thomas didn't have an attachment to his dad after all.
Kaz, the lovely baker, had taken in one of Bailey's, the tabaxi, siblings and taught them to bake. Really he and his wife had technically adopted the two smaller siblings. Leaving the older ones to do take care of themselves and learn trades well. Bailey's Tavern was one of the most popular taverns innthe North at this point. With Hearthstone Town providing the best tasting and highest quality alcohol.
As it turned out, the Realm had asked James for a way to provide more fresh water. When James had first came to Hearthstone Town and checked everything out, he'd questioned about the infinite waterfalls in Sarial's home, asking how it was possible. Sienna explained it as spirit's magic and often undoable by mortals. However, this caught Arity's attention and she questioned why he asked. Stating a customer had asked.
She asked where her clan documents would be, in James' office, so she gave him a book title and a page number saying that was how her clan always had fresh water to spare. And that it included minor ways of growing their own foods, though not crops like Hearthstone Towns. That book had many spells like it that would eventually make their way to the Sultan to be deployed at his strategic whims. This improved the Realm's life greatly, which infuriated and threatened the Kingdom.
The Kingdom being on brink of attacking the Realm, Hearthstone Town's Sarial often found herself going to the Sultan with information on what was going on. She wanted to maintain a good relationship while remaining, in all appearances, neutral. The Hearthry's opposed the war, but with Heint remaining neutral entirely, it seemed pressing.
It got to the point when Sarial asked the Sultan point blank, what would happen if they all went to war. He'd said he'd have to do something degrading that he'd never live down, but that he wouldn't tell me what that was. She'd accepted that but pushed him further. So, he explained that her portal and trade was a seperate issue, though if her portal was to fall in the wrong hands... it'd be destroyed.
Phintias and Lucretia loved teaching. Lucretia more so. She was prone to coming to teach, even without Phintias. In speaking of teachers, the school was filled up with fine teachers from all over the continent. Paid a steady wage as they were, and allowed to experiment with the only condition of not harming people or buildings, they vastly enjoyed their jobs and remained happy in their positions.
Hearthstone Town, and Dueling Rivers, quickly became the most well learned towns in thebarea, with even adults migrating every third month in a year to learn to read and more. Hearthstone also expanded their farms, though to the Realm in a protected area the Sultan allowed. Having few people to man it, Hearthstone continued to maintain it.
Adelaide spent nights with her daughter in the family room, getting used to things outside of the Arena and learning about her daughter every day. She had moved into her daughter's home, since it was more than spacious enough. She had taken on the job of being Vincent's guard and helping him in his shop. She'd gotten where she could handle her emotions now, she'd shown to be as deeply loving as her daughter is and she viewed Vincent in a motherly manner. Though, Bryna harrassed him consistently. Every other day Bryna found her way to him, as long as she was in town.
The unfortunate thing was, Elder Alberich had passed away. Sarial mourned him, and in doing so, had a statue of his likeness erected in the entry way of Hearthstone Town with a memorial plaque. She also hosted a seven day feast in Alberich's honor. Alcohol was free during this week, with her taking on the price of all alcohol consumed. The Dwarves greatly appreciated the display.
The Desquin couple also passed, with Sarial as their heir, she took over their lands. She surveyed it, then installed Emel to manage it. Reporting everything to her. She cycled the guards with her own, training them up to her standards before sending them back. She also opened a health facitily there to provide health care, non magic related to any and all that sought it. On a sliding scale basis. If they couldn't afford treatment, they'd still recieve it, they'd just be contractually obligated to help clean once well.
Another thing, due to Sarial's travel between the Kingdom and the Realm, she learned of the undead threat to the Realm, and worried that the undead of the North may be connected. Later when she brought it up to her family, Arity noted that recalled the scent of dead things in Winter's Halt years ago, after she'd left her clan. Thankfully, it was still thought that the undead issue of the far North was disconnected from the south. Sarial would soon need to request to the Sultan to send someone to check on Winter's Halt, before the undead obtained whatever they planned to do.
Alexion had decided to stay to help his then pregnant sister out. Only to later be surprised when his mother became pregnant by his father. He was happy with the new family members, though. Spoiling them each, though he appeared to not care for them from the outside. He didn't miss his home back in the Fey at all. Eventually, someone came looking for Sylvia and Alexion, however.
Sylvia simply refused to return, stating her family was there with like minded people, and if theu chose to be aggressive towards her home or it's people, she'd bring war to them. She'd been ignorant to their abuse of her daughter, and wouldn't stand for more of it towards her tiny sons. They didn't hear from them at all sense that time. Which Sylvia preferred. Sienna was entirely ignored by the Fey who'd visited, though they'd acknowledged Alexander. Sienna didn't care, however.
As for Sky, his parents did visit in human form to get their baby. Accompanied by Perrun, the obsidian dragon. The naughty child that he was, vowed to run away again if he couldn't continue to see Arity. After a lot of back and forth, a compromise was finally reached. Arity and Dirthin had done their best to be neutral during the discussions, but they'd grown attached to the dragonling.
Arity had spoke up and suggested they stay nearby so that Sky can freely visit them, and vice versa. There truly was no reason for them to not accept that, especially as Sky promised Arity good behavior if this was done. So they settled into the mountains next to the Capital. If Sky poofed from their sight, they contacted Arity. Nine of ten times, that was where he'd gone. This was a mystifying situation for the parents, but they grew to like the feline's frank attitude.
Perrun truly did take it upon himself to gift Sarial his shed scales, and to teach Arity further psionics. She chose to not tell James about it, but Dirthin casually brought it up to him. James was disconcerted over this fact, but Dirthin stated he was confident in Arity, so unbothered by it. This spurred on a very antagonistic back and forth between Arity and James, with Arity thoroughly enjoying herself. Perrun was a merciless teacher, while Arity wasn't pregnant anyways. He even taught her ways to safeguard her head with psionics, making her less likely to be kicked out of her psionic talents.
Jasper was restless, and growing more restless. The years seemed to pass to slowly for him. Though, he did end up helping Bryna, Daelyn, and Thomas a few times. Once he turned sixteen Jasper chose to become an adventurer. There was some push back from James, who'd rather he learn from masters instead, but Dirthin was clear that experience was the best teacher. And Snow had commented that at least he was telling them what he wanted to do.
Snow had begun experiencing bouts of depression that she did her best to keep to herself. Even more so, once Seralyn began to go on archeological studies. She did enjoy playing with Dirthin and Arity's cubs, and heading to Hearthstone Town to play with her grandkids and their friends, it wasn't the same as when she had her kids home. She was having a hard time adjusting to it. When James noticed, he began spending more time with her, in an attempt to help her feel better. Even going as far as to take her to see her kids. Unfortunately, depression is a difficult beast to face. Especially when you're trying to hide it.
Not being one to enjoy worrying her husband, Snow Den took up adventuring again. As a way to cope. Not to gain anything, she just had to move her body. To this end, she made her way into the Underdark. Exploring, and fighting. She always made sure she was home by dinner time. When she didn't feel up to that, she simply stayed in her room, or fought in the Arena at Ymir's Town.
Adelaide's things that were left at the Arena, her winnings and her letters from her daughter, had been recovered. She kept those letters, tearfully reads them from time to time. Her favorite letter was the one little Sarial had drawn her a picture of a sunny sky above a flowered meadow in, and included a dried flower in it. The letter had read:
[Dear Mommy Adelaide,
I don't think now that you do get my letters, but I was out camping recently and Mommy taught me how to preserve flowers and I thought that my Mommy might not have had a chance to have pretty flowers so I wanted to send this one to you. I hope you like it.
Sarial Hearthry]
The most important one was probably the one where she told Adelaide that Derek had lied and she was alive, sold to cover a debt, and being raised by the Hearthry family with love, care and support. She didn't know why she was so angry, but she wished she'd be ok if she read the letter bearing the truth.