Melody pulled Becca to the side to help get her into one of her nicer dresses and was trying to do something with her hair. Taylor put the finishing touches on the house by adding some makeshift furniture out of wood and making the eating area table and chairs.

Taylor looked over to see melody floundering with Becca’s hair. He shook his head a little disappointed and walked over.

“Melody, let me try,” he held out his hand, “I’ve done my daughter’s hair a few times before so I know what I’m doing.”

Melody just shrugged and let him take over, “I don’t have hair,” she apologized, “I never learned what to do with it.”

“And I don’t have a tail,” Taylor quipped back, “should I apologize for not knowing how to take care of one?”

Melody glanced at her tail and back to his lack of one, “point taken.”

Taylor proceeded to put Becca’s hair into a Dutch braid, “you have a daughter?” Becca asked.

He hadn’t told them about his family back on earth yet. And melody had told them not to ask about the statues so he never bothered.

“Yeah,” he said somberly, “they’re the reason I’m studying magic. I have a wife and two little girls, well they might not be so little anymore.”

“What do you mean?” She asked tilting her head a bit.

“Don’t do that please,” he asked straightening her head softly, “I haven’t seen them in almost eleven years now. The last I saw them my kids were five and two.”

“Oh,” Becca responded quietly. She never thought he actually understood what it was like to lose family. They might be alive but he missed most of their life, it’s as close as he could get without them actually being dead.

“They’re, all done.” He said patting the top of her head, “looks like it’s about time to go pick up Jacob too.”

He turned to where Atreus was sulking, “hey bud, I want you to go on patrol for me okay?” He perked up at the word patrol, “I need you to go to the town for me and keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”

At that he jumped up hopping with excitement “yeah I can do that!”

“Hold on,” Taylor said before he could jump off, “no hurting the humans, you’re there to observe and nothing else. The only exception is if someone is going to be hurt or killed understand?” He kept his tone and face stern.

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“No problem” he said and jumped across the lake. He was sure he’d find something to prove to them that the humans were planning something, and he’d make sure they couldn’t hurt Becca ever again.

Taylor turned to Melody, “be a dear and go get me something to cook for tonight would you?”

She swished her tail in a manner Taylor had learned to mean affirmative and began to walk across the water to find tonight’s meal. Taylor just hoped she didn’t go overboard on it.

Now it was his turn, he opened a portal and stepped into a blacksmiths shop.

“What in tarnation?” Exclaimed the burly man in overalls.

“Mr. elf!” Jacob said sounding only a little less surprised.

Tylor looked around at the handiwork of the boys father, “you sell jewelry, makes sense that your father would be a smith of some sort.” The items on the wall weren’t half bad, he had a few decent items back at the tree that he was debating on sending back with the boy for his father to learn from.

“It seems like you got permission no?” He said trying to sound majestic, after all he was an elf and had an image to upkeep.

“Yeah, how did you know?” Jacob asked and his father looked expectantly.

“Using a special form of magic I’ve been keeping an eye on the town, from where I live I can see the whole town. If I have to go further away for any reason then I won’t be able to see you. I do it to keep the town safe from attacks.” Taylor rattled off his practiced response. He knew this was going to come up.

The blacksmith spoke up, “so you long ears have been watching us all the time?” He leaned an arm onto the counter.

“More like you’re in my periphery vision” Taylor waved a hand, “sometimes I’m a bit too consumed with my own smithing to keep a proper eye out.” He studied the man’s face for a reaction.

He wasn’t disappointed, the man’s mouth opened, “are you telling me an elf of all things is hammering metal?” He raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Yes” the dignified elf responded, “and from what I can tell I’m better than you at it. No offense, I can tell you’ve worked hard to get where you’re at, I just happen to know secrets of metal you don’t.”

“Is that so now?” asked the blacksmith, “why don’t you prove it then?”

Taylor moved the portal to just outside his collection of weapons and leaned into it to find a safe weapon. As he popped back through he exclaimed, “ah ha! this one should do nicely.”

He was holding a Damascus steel straight sword. Very normal all things considered and would be safe for anyone to use. He handed the blade to the man and he turned it over in his hands.

“Be careful now,” Taylor warned, “I do like to keep my blades incredibly sharp so one slip and you might lose a finger.”

The man ran a finger across the blade, not down the edge but across it as to not cut himself. He felt it tug at the crevices of his fingerprint

“Damn,” he whistled, “what is this even made of?”

Taylor smiled, “Damascus steel, it’s harder and more durable than iron or even regular steel, it’s made with two different strengths of metal folded so there’s hundreds of layers to both keep it rigid but allow it to bend without breaking.”

He turned the blade in his hands, “folding the metal” he muttered, “it would definitely allow for a stronger blade, but how does that work?”

Taylor just smiled, he was happy he managed to ignite some sort of fire in the blacksmith, “you can keep that for reference if you’d like. I don’t care if you or I am better,” he extended his hand, “I just smith to get better and hope to help you along the way. I heard somewhere that the best way to continue learning is to help teach others. So make sure to tell me anything you manage to figure out okay?”

The man put the blade on the counter, “if you say so then I guess I’ll keep it for reference,” he looked right at Taylor, “keep the boy safe and I look forward to working with you.” He took Taylor’s hand in his and shook.

Letting go of his hand Taylor gestured to Jacob, “after you.” He smiled.

Jacob walked up to the ports and hesitated to walk through, “in you go!” Taylor said and pushed him in following close behind.

The portal closed behind them and Jacob took a loot around and immediately focused on the giant tree in front of him. He wasn’t sure what to expect but it wasn’t the world tree.

“Welcome to our home” Taylor said, “welcome, to Gaia.”