*Bryna's POV*
"Thomas!" I called to him. He was heading to the bakery and hadn't seen me. I ran up to him and said, "I've got a present for you."
"I like presents." Thomas said, looking at me.
I handed him his gold from the wolf pelts first. He stored his gold in his pounch and said, "I have a question."
"What is it?" I asked, taking the gloves out of my pack and offering them to him.
He looked at his gloves, "Woooah. I was gonna get these." Thomas said.
"That means I gotcha just what you wanted, huh?" I grinned brightly.
He smiled and said, "Yup! So, my question was.. Am I in your heart?"
I was surprised by the very different question. "I love you, Thomas. You're my pack mate."
"So does that mean I am in your heart? I'm trying to piece these things together." He pressed.
"I suppose it does, yes." I said.
"Mom says that's a necessity to be married. So, I was curious." Thomas said.
"Well, that's one way to look at it." I said.
"I heard Kaz has new treats, wanna try them?" Thomas asked.
"Er, sure. Are you curious about marriage?" I asked.
"I'm curious about a lot of things. People ask how a cute little boy like me doesn't have someone to go with and Thomas just says I havemt really thought about it. An old lady says that means I already found someone, but I don't know what she meant." Thomas explained.
"What a busy-body granny. Hmph. Well, a lot of the townspeople see Thomas and I as a couple. Boys and girls can spend time together without romantic feelings." I grumped. "Some people marry and hate each other, some people grow to be in each others hearts, and others marry only once they are convinced no one but their love will ever hold their heart."
"Thomas just doesn't want to marry someone he doesn't trust." He said.
"You don't gotta marry to be happy. Like Alexander and Sylvia aren't married." I pointed out. "Having adult interest in the other person is necessary."
"Thomas doesn't know what he's looking for. I haven't really had to think about it." Thomas said.
"That's ok. You're still young." I smiled.
He laughed and pushed me lightly and said, "So are you."
"I am. But girls are considered women when they begin to bleed." I told him.
"And I am almost considerer a man. And yet I still want cookies." He said.
"Tilton is over four hundred years old." I told Thomas, "And he enjoys sweets."
"Then I will never have to stop." Thomas said.
"Acourse not." I said as we went into the bakery. "Being an adult is about doing what's right, not expressly just denying what you enjoy."
"Unless you enjoy punching people in the face. I have to refrain from that." Thomas said.
"Hmm. That falls into doing what's right, I think. What do you think Kaz?" I asked. "What is an adult?"
"To me, being an adult is taking responsibility for your actions." Kaz answered.
"Thomas is always responsible for what he does." Thomas said.
I patted Thomas' head and said, "Thomas is great. He wanted to try your new stuff, Kaz."
"I am indeed great. And yes. I wanted to try your treats." Thomas said.
Kaz set us up with his new goodies and we left his shop. Once we'd munched our goods, aside from what we were giving to his mom or Kershka, we played around like regular kids. Play is an inportant part of any pack and keeps the bonds strong. I had to stop in the middle to handle my lady cloths again, but it was right back to playing after that. Straight to dinner time where we returned to our perspective homes.
During dinner, I told Bibs that we were going to be going to do a dungeon soon, and I was going to take a week to make preparations for it. He cautioned me and gave me advice for it. But for the most part he appeared unworried. Fact of the matter was, Bibs probably didn't know how to be a father or express his concern in a way well enough that I'd be able to recognize his actions and concerns as worry.
After that conversation I brought up what Thomas had asked me, about if he was in my heart and the things his mother had said in regards to marriage. And I told him about my conversation with Alexion that had spurred Thomas' curiosity.
"Well, I suppose that is something to be thinking about. But I don't have any intentions of marrying you off." Bibs said.
"That would be an amusing attempt." I replied.
"I don't know, I could write up quite a convincing contract." Bibs countered.
"It's all fun and games till the rogue backstabs and makes a break for it with all the loot." I pointed out.
"Yes, that's why we stopped recruiting rogues after the second one." Bibs said.
"Ended up with an uncultured one, huh?" I asked.
"Very." Bibs nodded.
"Rogues just aren't how we used to be." I sighed.
"Some are. Not many. Often they just want the loot." Bibs said.
"Huh. I don't think I've ever actually robbed someone." I said, thinking. "Or even stole something. Tilton did."
He smiled a little and said, "Yes, Tilton had quite the sticky fingers."
"I am a terrible rogue." I commented.
"Maybe. But you're a wonderful person." Bibs replied.
"I'm not sure if I clarified things with Thomas correctly." I said after a moment.
"That will be very difficult to clarify without hurting someone's feelings or it being very awkward." Bibs said.
"I'm good at awkward." I said.
"You're certainly good at making people feel awkward." Bibs agreed.
"Hmm. I don't know how to tell what stage Thomas is at. It's easy to tell for Daelyn acause it's fun to flirt with him. And there's been various things he's said while going around with us." I said. "I think Thomas is still a pretty innocent boy."
"Ah, it's the innocent ones you have to look out for. They'll sneak up on you." Bibs said.
I poofed up my cheek at him and said, "Kershka, Daddy's tryna bully."
Kershka shook his finger at Bibs and said, "Bibs don't bully."
"Yes, Kershka. I won't bully." Bibs said. "But in all seriousness, there's an old tale about a tortoise and a hare."
"Slow and steady wins the race?" I asked.
"Precisely." Bibs nodded.
"I never got that lesson. If the hare wasn't an overly cocky jerk he'd have won." I said.
"That's the lesson. The race is never over until someone has won." Bibs said.
"Then who is playing?" I asked.
"I'm not sure who is in this race." Bibs answered.
"What's the prize?" I asked.
"Well in this particular race it would be you." Bibs replied.
"Then there isn't one." I said.
"That may simply mean you haven't met the contestants." Bibs said.
"Poppycock, I'd say." I made a face as I said so.
We chattered about random things until bed time. One of the random things chatted about was the pouch Sylvia had given me. Then I crashed for the night. In the morning we had breakfast before unleashing me onto the world. I checked over our existing supplies and started getting more things together. I decided to get something comfy for the boys to sleep on. And healing potions. I decided to go hunting healing herbs, too.
Thomas accompanied me for the herb gathering. I set him up with some of the supplies in his own pack. By the end of the day we were looking pretty good health wise. We went to our homes for dinner. With the next day going the same, but with different goals to be achieved. It included a stop to Tibin's and getting a cooking pot and pan. The next day was centered around little camping things and playing around. The next day I read books on excursions other adventurers had been on.
The following day I went to talk to Phintias before he taught his lesson. To ask him about his knowledge on the matter of dungeons, and being glad I was no longer bleeding. I'd managed to figure out vampire's scents by now and Phintias, his wife and kids were all vampires,as was Plight. It was interesting to me, because I hadn't known vampires could be born. It wasn't common knowledge, though.
Phintias generally seemed to like conversing with me because I said strange things. He was one of the sort that did see me as a kid, but also didn't dismiss me as just a child. He was another person I could reminisce with about the times before I died. Interestingly, we'd almost met several times and just didn't. He'd just barely been convinced to keep living on at that time. He always arrived early for his lectures and left late.
His wife, Lucretia, was funny. Unlike Plight and Phintias, you couldn't tell she wasn't human she was just naturally herself without being concerned with appearing any other way. She didn't talk openly about her differences, but she didn't deny them if openly confronted. Which I'd done before. She was pregnant at the time and tending her infant daughter, and Phintias was preparing to teach, while also doting on the woman and baby.
I'd approached and asked her why didn't she smell like a human. Phintias had begun watching the situation. I'd told them my parents were werewolves and I'm not human either. She'd smiled and replied that of course I wasn't a human, like she didn't smell human, neither did I. She then explained about her being a vampire and that I should memorize the scent so I could memorize it. So I shifted to wolf form and snuffled her, while she petted me. She warned me that there are vampires who'd seek to harm me, and I shouldn't trust vampires in general.
After I'd returned to human form I'd told her there were bad people and good people and race seldom had anything to do with anything. Phintias turned out to be the one to educate me on types of Wolfborn and their normal temperaments. He's the one who told me about my half shifted- hybrid form. When we'd discussed the snow festival of Ymir's Town is when Lucretia had told us about the goblin town on the mountains.
I'd taken the information to Vincent and he to Sarial. They came up with a plan to send people up to Hobsnar's town, called Ur Darmor, and see if he was willing to open trade with her city. Once permission was granted there was a portal established and they've done business through Vincent's Bit's and Bobs since then. It'd catapulted both towns deeply into prosperity. Which had led Sarial into requesting land near Ymir's Town to cultivate into farmland, as to avoid the King's weary eyes.
As soon as I spotted him walking around the town with his wife and toddlers I got the bright idea to try and sneak up on him. He'd smell me coming, like I could smell him, but it'd still be fun. I was creeping around in between people weaving through, basically unnoticed. The more perceptive people weren't nearby. When I'd finally crept close enough to try and spook him, he spun and crouched fast as lightning striking, to greet me with a smile.
"Hello, Bryna, how are we on such a fine morning?" He said. Delighted child's laughter bubbled from me and I attempted to tackle him. He lifted me up, hilding me at arms length and said, "What're you gonna do now?"
Once my giggles had been tamed, I tilted my head and said, "Breath weapon?"
"Well, if you are going to use your breath weapon, I'm going to need a drink first so it can be nice and chilled." He replied.
I laughed again, and said, "I wanted to talk to you about dungeons. Acause you're old."
"Well, that I certainly am, and I certainly know about dungeons." Phintias replied.
I giggled again and took the chance to look all around while he was holding me up, before he set me on the ground. Collin, their two year old, was peering at me from his Mama's arms so, I smiled at the boy, "See how silly your Daddy is? He's great."
Collin grinned in response, he was a smiley child that was easily gotten into giggling fits. Even as a small baby. The two three year old girls preferred to walk around, especially Mercia who was about to be four and full of energy. She was already adept with magic and prone to playing with fire. Collin, however, was the opposite. In spite of his budding ice magic, the boy loved affection, much like Sarial and her children.
"I could easily turn dungeon study into a lesson today. Not what I planned, but I feel it would be good for people to learn." Phintias said.
"Me, Alexion and Thomas are about to go do a dungeon that just cropped up to the West." I explained. "Not sure if we'll have a fourth or not."
"Do you know anything about this Dungeon?" He asked.
I shook my head and said, "It's under a large tree to the West and I have a key to it."
"Under a large tree." He repeated, seeming to ponder on it. "See now, this begs the question of how are dungeons formed in the world now. Was it built or was their excess magic in the forest? Hmm. Ok, we're gonna go with excess of magic.."
"This place used to be filled with magic. This whole area used to be farm land centered around the old mansion... Hmm. Maybe I'll play around at that mansion tomorrow." I said, I shook my head, "Anyways, there was a theory that the Fey and this realms 'vale' was thin in these parts and allowed the magic to seep out like with the Underdark, but not enough to warp it, unlike the Underdark."
"Well, it seems enough of it was able to warp the tree roots. As for the creatures the magic would have popped in, or drawn to it, it's probably your typical forest dwellers, and then warped by the abundance of magic." Phintias theorized. Rather, he probably had experience from it.
"The West had trolls and North has oversized apes." I said. "Then typical forest animals and giants."
"If it's a newly formed dungeon then there shouldn't be enough magical draw to bring in a giant. I hope." He said.
"Would it cause a giant to enrage if it did, like in year four hundred seventy-seven?" I asked.
"It certainly could. Enough magic would drive a magic mad. Could easily cause it to rampage." Phintias replied.
That certainly explained why my no where village had been destroyed. Why Tilton and Bibs had pulled me from the wreckage of my home. Just one of the few survivors in that decimated place. I'd known no one there would take care of me, so I traveled with them at six years old, fetching water, gathering information they didn't ask for, anything to be useful enough they wouldn't make me leave.
"Well, guess it's good I've trained Thomas up well. He's a strong boy." I said, pulling my thoughts from the past.
"Seemed I'd lost you there for a moment." Phintias noted. "But I believe you, Thomas and Alexion would be enough to take on a newly formed dungeon."
"If we're not, I'll make Alexion take Thomas and flee." I said. "There's always a chance things'll go badly. I've got tons of medical stuff ready. It's a shame my Revived Nature hasn't kicked in yet."
"That is another oddity, I would have expected that to happen by now." Phintias said.
"Maybe it's acause my body isn't done maturing?" I suggested. "But it is annoying."
"I would think that is the case. It is similar for young of our kind, though for different reasons. I would say that your situation is unique." Lucretia commented. "The thing you will grow to like is the option to go against that nature. I assure you."
"I can see that being the case." I said, "It's a good perspective to receive. Thank you."
She patted my shoulder, looking at Phintias, and said, "You will need to make up your mind, Phintias, about what you wish to teach today. Class begins shortly."
"I can attend with Papa today." Mercia commented.
"I do believe I will cover dungeon theory. I doubt there is anyone as qualified on the subject in this realm." Phintias said, then, smiling dotingly at his oldest girl, he picked her up and said, "Yes, you can. You can be my little assistant."
Mercia was a tall girl, unlike her sister Sibyl. Sybil was two foot eight and her sister was three foot five. Collin was also a tall boy, at three foot one. Both girls had black hair and green eyes. Collin was the odd one out with his blonde hair and brown eyes. They were all three adorable and very fun to play with. Oddly enough, Jaime got on with the girls, because they didn't engage with him, so he was able to play with them comfortably. Eos and Eirwyn were the only friendly kids Jaime really tolerated.
"I am going to go chat with my brother and Sarial," Lucretia told Phintias, "have fun teaching, Dear One."
"I always do. These classes are a new form of entertainment." Phintias replied, smiling at her.
She stole a quick kiss from him before heading towards Sarial's office with Collin and Sibyl. I thanked Phintias for his time, then let him head to his classroom with Mercia. I headed to where Plight normally is during this time of day with Sienna and their kids. I was being nosy, but that was ok.
"Hey, Plight. I know something you don't know yet." I said, after I approached him since he was indeed there.
"Well, hello Bryna." Plight replied. They were always friendly with me. "What might it be that you know?"
"You're little sister wants to talk to you and Sarial and I seen her head to Sarial's office already. She has Sibyl and Collin with her." I told him.
"Well, I wonder what she's up to. I suppose I'll go take a look." Plight said.
"Why would she single out to talk to Sarial? She usually talks to you first." Sienna said, puzzled.
"I'm sure I'll figure that out when I get there. She could be plotting something." Plight said.
Sienna nodded and said, "Let me know."
"Of course I will. Unless it's something plotted against you. Then I might." Plight said.
"Looks like your night just got cold." Sienna said, turning from him to talk to her brother.
In spite of her words, he wrapped his arms around her, leaned a little to the side to kiss her cheek affectionately, then headed to Sarial's office. She'd smiled in response which told me he'd won. Remembering about my growing chest, I asked Sienna if she would make me shirts that would support my growing chest, or breast bands. She thought it over and agreed to it, though she wouldn't accept money from me.
She took me with her to Bit's and Bobs, because Vincent often stocked his shop with the types of cloth she enjoyed working with. Sienna had no concerns about money because her mother had brought all their possessions from the Fey city Tir na Nog to live here. Sylvia didn't wish to live apart from her children, and so she decided to make Hearthstone Town her home. Anyways, being high up in Fey society, they were as good as royalty in the Kingdom of the Mundane.
As for the laws about them needing to work to live there... Sarial had made them all council members who work with the medical building. They also hunted for the town, and helped any time there was a need. Sienna and her mother also often made clothing for children. They had what Sarial called 'floating' jobs. Anyways, we'd gone into Bit's and Bobs with Eos and Xi-an left with Alexander and Sylvia.
The very first thing Sienna said was, "Don't worry, Vincent. We're here to buy."
"Oh? And what might you be here to buy?" Vincent asked.
"Cloth to make clothing with." Sienna answered.
"That I can certainly help with." Vincent replied. "Is that all? Simple cloth?"
"Hmm. It's to make clothing for Bryna here, She's outgrowing her simple childish attire, so maybe some decorative items to be sewn on? Of course they'd need to be things that wpuld suite her." Sienna smiled.
"Well, if she wasn't the adventuring sort, I'd have plenty of ribbons and lace. Instead, maybe some durable patches." Vincent said. "I have a shipment in from the Capital. You can check them out." Vincent placed a box on the counter for Sienna to look through.
"She doesn't only adventure, Vincent." Sienna reminded him while looking at the patches, "All girls want to dress pretty sometimes. Adelaide is fond of ear bobbles outside of work, too."
My face, I'll admit, was pretty pink from her essentially telling him I'm growing into a woman. And it shouldn't embarass me. But it did. There were patches of animals, weaponry, and various sayings.
"If she wishes to buy frills and laces then by all means, I'm not saying she can't. I just assumed that wasn't to her taste." Vincent replied.
"She's a practical girl for sure. Just a couple of days ago she and Alexion were discussing marriage." Sienna teased me. "Besides, she dis ask me to make the clothing."
"By all means, what would you like me to show you?" Vincent asked.
Sienna mischievously said, "Pick something that'd compliment her fine features. That's something you excel at."
"As you wish." Vincent said, walking towards a certain area.
I knew Sienna would go a bit more extravagant than my usual preference, but I was no longer entirely confident in my decision to ask the elf woman's help. I went, still pink faced, to stand next to Adelaide and Felix.
"How are you doing?" Adelaide asked.
"Well enough for a girl who just got ratted out to a boy." I said. "With how well Vincent catches on to hidden meanings she might as well have told him bluntly."
"Yes, she wasn't quite as tactful as she could have been." Adelaide eyed Sienna, "But it's not like Vincent will mock you for it."
"Hm?" Sienna asked, "Is it something embarrassing? Bryna's so direct it didn't occur to me that it may be uncomfortable."
"It's easy to become embarrassed during this stage of life." I said. "In my last life I was more prone to embarassment. It doesn't seem a lot easier this time."
"It's alright to be embarassed." Adelaide said.
"Were you?" I asked curiously. "I doubt Sienna was."
"..I had other things to be concerned about at that age." Adelaide said.
I leaned my head against her side and said, "Well, that's alright."
She patted ny head and said, "It's not a time I miss, but it did shape who I am."
"A bear of a Mama." I said. "And Granmama. But a pleasant bear."
She flexed her arm and said, "Oh, yeah."
I giggled. Adelaide didn't have a lot that she enjoyed talking about when it came to her past. Ot was a hard time. If ever there was anyone to mess with me, if I couldn't reach Kershka, I'd try to reach Adelaide. "Miss Addy, you really remind me of Kershka."
"That big fellow always hanging around with Bibs?" She asked.
I nodded, "Yup. Kershka is a gentle soul. He likes my fur, too. He helped me have a little funeral for Silkrend. But Kershka will do anything to defend kids. He even threatens Daddy sometimes when Daddy is being too mean and picking on me. He says, 'Bibs don't bully.'" I giggled. "He can talk to spiders."
"He can talk to spiders, eh? That's interesting. I don't think I've met someone who can." She replied.
"Uh-huh. He told me Silkrend really liked me and Silkrend told him all my secrets and if I was bullied or not." I said. "I really miss Silkrend."
"My father told me something a long time ago, don't mourn the time you won't have." She said. "Remember the time you did."
"Grief is natural." I shrugged. "But it's a nice sentiment. Wolves and humans can die if left alone, you know."
"And I am living proof that they can survive on their own." Adelaide said.
"Not very well, Adelaide." Sienna noted from where she was. "I do recall how you'd been a few years ago. Sarial saved you in a way."
"I never said it was very well." Adelaide said.
I giggled. "Don't be upset, Miss Addy. How things were, aren't as they are now."
"Indeed. It's far better now." Adelaide said.
"Do you like being a grandmama?" I asked.
"It's an interesting experience. But I enjoy it quite a bit." Adelaide said.
"Are you worried about Jaime being unfriendly and not speaking to people, too?" I asked.
"No, he's just a boy." Adelaide answered.
"That's what I think, too. Asides, he's an adorable kid who can't be bribed." I said.
"Indeed he cannot. I've tried." Adelaide said.
"So did James. Jaime just flat out said 'No.' It was so adorable. Heehee." I giggled.
"That is a bold boy." Adelaide said.
"Mmhm. I wonder if I could try bribing him." I tilted my head, "He spoke near me the other day, he liked my furry self."
"Which furry self?" Adelaide asked.
"The big one, the 'hybrid' form." I answered. "Oh! I gotta tell Sarial her plan worked! I almost got kidnapped, though."
Sienna looked up from the patches she'd selected, "Huh?"
"Yes, huh?" Adelaide agreed.
"Oh, well, see I got followed a ways away from town and the man tried to get me to go with him to meet his wife and kid acause they're all my kind. Anyways, I went with him and when I was supposed to play with their pretty daughter I eavesdropped instead and overheard her ask him if he'd make me stay and he said I was reasonable enough to choose to stay so it wouldn't come to that." I explained.
"He's a very lucky man, him and his family, that he didn't do that." Vincent said.
"Daddy said that if I was a normal child it'd be best for me to stay with them." I said.
"Your daddy is a bit of an idiot sometimes." Adelaide said.
I hesitated for a moment and then sighed and admitted, "I kinda wanted to stay."
"Were they that enticing to you?" Adelaide asked.
"Well, yes." I said. ".. I know it's stupid, but in my last life I only had parents until I was six. And in this life I only had them until I was two. They were offering family. Bibs is a fine Daddy, even if that started as a joke, he has given me a home to return to... I haven't had a mother."
"But I thought you had Tilton in your first life." Adelaide said.
I smiled slightly and said, "I'll tell him you said so."
"Good. Should be an interesting conversation." She replied.
I didn't really have anything to say to that. Sienna said, "I hadn't thought you'd take note of an absence in such a way. But I suppose you have shown some discomfort with women." She seemed to ponder on it, "There isn't any reason you shouldn't try to get close to that family if that's what you want. It's nature to use others for ones own benefit. You've done a fine job picking things, Vincent."
"If nothing else, I have a fine eye for fashion. I don't know why." Vincent said.
"Probably because of your big sister." Sienna said. She then frowned and took out the communication device Daelyn had used. "Speaking of.." She answered it. "Yes?"
"Hey..." Sarial said. She seemed hesitant to speak. Her brows were pinched with concern. "If you would, come to my office.. Bring Dean, Haril, and your brother.. I've got some things to discuss with people.. Perhaps I should ask Vincent to borrow Mutyir as well."
"I happen to be in the shop right now." Sienna said.
"Ah.. Hm. Well, nothing is for certain yet.. Why are you at Bit's?" Sarial asked.
"Bryna asked me to make her some clothing." Sienna replied.
Sarial thought for a moment. "Mm. Bring Bryna with you to my office."
"I'll get these prepared for you, you can pick them up whenever you're done with whatever's going on over there." Vincent said.