Our days returned to a simple yet comfortable lifestyle.
The giant house for our new residents required a lot of wood so for the first two days were spent clearing more of the forest gained valuable space and the mountains and mountains of wood were visible from way up high.
Zephyr made the Borea Martells with some help of twins, drawn a detailed map and what to avoid along the way, then he delivered it and returned under a day. He looked smugly at Carlos, who then paid him a gold coin.
Apparently, he won a bet and gave the coin to Anna, who had lost all appreciation towards gold and fancy jewellery.
The 5th day after he returned from Dharma..
I asked for something stupid.
I was warned about the cold but also felt it was a long time since I enjoyed my privilege.
And after...
" Told you..."
He kept me in close enough, but it didn't help much. My eyelids quivering with the rest of my body. It was ungodly cold and could barely concentrate on the view.
I couldn't believe they travelled like this for hours at the time.
" Y-you d-d-did. "
We were at the outskirts of the village far from our house.
" Hold on, my love.. "
He pulled my face closer and picked me up a little.
[SWOOSH]
I felt my hair move a little bit, barely anything else.
He took me inside our home and placed my frozen body next to the fireplace.
I was quickly covered with a blanket and a few minutes later felt much better as the hot tea warmed me on the inside as well.
".. like your an idiot. You have certain responsibilities now. "
I was receiving my little sister's usual chastising but felt like anything repeated a thousand times.. well, it pretty much lost all, its original meaning.
" Blahblahblah, yes, yes,..are Lucian still annoyed with you? " I tried to quickly change the topic.
She looked a little down.
" A tiny bit but more disappointed in himself, I think. "
I rocked back and forth and had to pull my legs back a little. They were roasting near the fire. " Either way, how's the Wold style martial arts coming along? "
Her training methods, once explained to Zephyr and finessed a little, placed her as assistant master next to her future husband.
" Great.. I felt like grappling paired just so well with Zephyr's teaching. "
She was quite proud and deservedly so.
I was very wrong.
Even if someone not necessarily practice martial arts, they can improve on it or, at the very least, add to it.
Her grappling technique was wildly popular it allowed tiny women to handle man twice their size.
" She is a little combat genius.. Lucian needs to let go of that silly shit he calls pride. He's been trying. It's like he wants to show off.."
Zephyr stood behind me, massaging my shoulders and melting me down while praising my sister.
" Nothing practical about jumping kicks without any setup... just looks comedic. "
He had a talk with both of his brothers after hearing how their enthusiasm got the best of them and made their people suffer.
They both have been doing night duty for two days now as repentance.
His duties as leader barely affected him, he sorted out the best duos for night guard duties and reorganised the man created several ten man squads with their own captains then readjusted training so they could fit in at least 6 hours dedicated to building.
He put Welks and his team on top of making necessary things well ahead, like beds, tables, wardrobes and he planned a big trip to Malai a few days before they arrive to buy everything else needed.
He was born to lead others and did it with damn style.
" Thank you, brother... I just wish he get there faster. " said Eli with a small smile.
I looked up, seeing him upside down. " You leave soon to meet him? "
He kissed my nose. " He sounds scary because of the mystic surrounding him, but he will agree or die, and the one after him gets the same choice.. but there is no choice, really. "
He already had half of the participants ready, in fact, his set of holy archers protecting our future residents, marching across the lands to deliver the proposition born out of his own mind.
First, acolyte Levitan will either agree or never see another sunrise. Priests or not, his body hits the ground like anyone else's, unless Ehlite intervened on his behalf.
" So you be back for dinner? " I asked, hoping.
" Well, before that.. once this little excursion is done, we just have to wait for the envoy to reach Malai and our new people to reach us. "
Hmm..things keep evolving, by spring the village will undergoing another drastic change.
" Zephyr, come taste this.. I can't trust Julius anymore. "
Mother was experimenting with some red peppers we thought were more treasures but turned out to be just some spicy pepper. Fire fingers of some old fire God. Nonsense..
Turned out mother loved them and did her best to recreate some dish called hot ones.
Carlos was still pouting about Zephyr telling everyone his middle name.
I don't know.. Julius sounded noble to me but endlessly embarrassed its owner.
She offered her 8th attempt, trying to recreate the taste.
He swirled around. " That's..probably even better. "
" You're not just saying that, right ? " She asked excitedly.
" Nope, just like Julius said. " he tapped the man resting his head on the table, clutching a glass of water. " I'm not bothered by the spice, but take it easy once you...subject here. "
He got his wish and been eating that for two days four times a day. He loved all of them, even if they started reek havoc on his insides, yet mother was a perfectionist.
" These peppers..we must plant the seeds in springtime. That way, we can always have some. "
She had year-round plans for them.
I personally wasn't a fan... neither is Ilianna or Ciren, who were the main targets of this pepper heist they pulled before they arrived.
They managed to visit two nations in 4 days and had time for parties and peppers.
" Alright then.. I'll go now. Once home, we hold a meeting at night. Eli tells the captains to only leave enough man for the towers. " he pulled on his coat and his scarf he was quite fond of. " ..it's time for them to know why we are building again. "
" Carlos, wake up!! "
He kicked his chair to raise the man. " I'm here.."
" You haven't visited your villa for a while. Any messages for Lovely? "
" I'm..yes I will have to go home soon enough..as far as they know, I'm rattling around in a wagon back from Dharma. Tell her I I be back in a week at most..then she is heading back home once the snows melted."
He was sending her home after a six month stay. According to him, he was meant to be over before the first snow, but then we happened to him, and his older sister Maria didn't have maternal instinct, so his niece stayed.
" Alright then.. kiss" he gave me one . " I'll see you in an hour. "
He walked back out the cold and went to achieve something that had never been attempted. Reuniting the faith across our continent.