"Heya Uncle Cal! Thanks for the river-crawler!"

I greeted Callum as best I could, nearly lifting him off his feet with a hug. I was just a head shorter than him and Mother both at this point, so I damn near could have lifted him over me.

"Haha, hey killer! woah easy...'

Callum paused mid laugh.

"It's not as bad from next to you but I can smell it on you from here. You need a bath."

I dropped Callum at those words.

"H-hey! No one said anything about that all day!"

Dick, I just came back from the field! That's an accomplishment for three days!

"Haha, I'm messing with you. But now that you fessed up, after dinner head down and clean yourself up."

I rolled my eyes.

I'm not looking forward to it…

"Sure-sure, 'dad'. Dinners ready, c'mon."

I waved for him to join myself and Hatsumi.

"I'm moving! I'm moving!"

Callum seemed in higher spirits as of late. Ever since our party started going out on hunts, he's seemed that way. Initially I chalked it up to some simple event, but through time it turned out to be the family environment. It was something he'd missed, and with Lorn and Avery taking me on he had all the more opportunity.

"Your seat is by the window, Cal."

Hatsumi let out a sing-song tone, setting the plates as Callum followed behind me.

"Thanks again for making dinner by the way. My quota has been getting higher and higher."

Quota? This is the first time I'm hearing anything about a quota.

"Uncle Cal, I thought you worked on commission. Right?"

Callum paused at my question, his eyes shooting to Hatsumi. She, in turn, froze just as she was placing a plate in front of my seat. The silence was long but it was expected; they were thinking over their wording.

"Ah, well. The city has been commissioning all of the blacksmiths based out of the forges."

Mother continued her pace, turning heel to fetch her and Callum's plates.

"She's smart, we don't have to step around that."

Mother spoke flatly as she turned around. "Remember what Stan said? She was ten and she already figured the city was building a militia."

Cla-clink

cla-clink

Two more plates made it to the table, their weight dropping to its surface.

"Arrow heads, spearheads, nails, horse shoes, axe blades. If it's fast, cheap, or easy to use, they order it."

Callum stretched, his back popping a handful of times. He and Hatsumi were approaching their late twenties at this point, and the hard work they put themselves through shows from time to time in that way. Even more so when Callum rarely relaxes fully outside of his forge or temporary relapses into drinking.

I nodded, prodding my food already with my fork. Indecisive of which portion of the course I’d begin with.

"As long as they don't work you to the bone."

Mother said in an exasperated tone, slumping in her chair. Exhausted from her own work.

"It's not often we get to eat as a family."

Her eyes drifted to the side before scooting her chair in.

"Mama, we've had dinner together nearly every day for three months now."

Hatsumi rolled her head to the side.

"Yeaaah, but Stannis and Chessa are there. I’ve come to appreciate meals between the three of us as of late."

She pouted, her tail flicking at the air behind her.

"Enough of that, let's eat. I've been suffering over this dinner for hours. You two better like it."

Shaking her head with her ears pinned back, Mother grounded the setting. The food was a sight placed before me, a godsend of a meal compared to camp stew of the last three nights.

It was a wooden plate, lightly coated in cracked peppercorn and sea salt. A venison flank steak cooked to medium-rare; its aroma hinting to the use of butter, garlic, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne for some bite. The river crawler tail placed next to the steak was alluring to say the least. Steam rose from the exposed meat, butter and a variety of seasonings mixing in small pools. Grilled broccoli, seasoned with salt and pepper served as our side. For drinks, nothing special was used. Water was all I was permitted yet, since I wasn't sixteen. That was the only point at which our meals varied. Mother and father both held wine in cups of their own.

"Thanks for dinner Mama!"

"Thanks, Hatsumi."

Callum and I both nodded, each of us digging into our meals our own way.

"You two did the gathering, I just prepared it. Never did I think that I’d have a hunting lodge worth of gatherers bringing me things to cook when we moved here Cal."

Mother smiled, her tail swaying with her mood.

"So, Kiyomi, how goes the baseball project?"

I looked up from my plate, a long string of crawler meat hanging from my mouth.

"Mshf-mehmf?"

I was honestly surprised he asked, given I'd spend Saturdays with him walking around town as of late and ramble on.

He remembered…

I chewed, the exposed section of my food dropping onto my plate as Mother tapped my shin with her foot.

"Finish chewing! How is he going to understand mmf-mmf?!"

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Her and Callum chuckled together for a moment as I finished up.

"Mnp-ah, sorry. The ball is where I want it to be now. I gave Lorn the old prototype, I have three finished balls in my room now."

I motioned with my fork.

"I didn't think you would remember It really."

I looked down to my plate, poking at the steak.

That felt like dad asking me something for a moment.

I smiled while staring at the food.

"Well?"

Callum asked, snatching my attention back up.

"They're good. They can hold up to my own throws, so they’re usable now. I'm trying to make a bat for them now, but I can't find a good enough wood for them. I'm lost on that one."

Callum listened intently, the conversations for the evening going back and forth between latest hunts, my trying to re-invent 'Baseball', and our plans for tomorrow. It was picturesque.

"Come on, where is it?!"

I lifted my dresser, looking underneath.

Where the fuck did I place it?

I lowered the dresser, its drawers each pulled out with clothes and keepsakes all thrown about the room.

"Kiyomi, hurry up! I want us to be early for the service! The Seer only speaks so many times a year, I don't want you to miss this!"

Hatsumi yelled through the house, her voice penetrating my door from the entrance.

"Coming- oof- shit!"

I shot up, slamming the back of my head into one of my mounts.

"Ah, there it is!"

Hanging from a set of antlers, there it sat. 'Solah's embrace', a traditional pendant carried by those who followed her.

She was dead set on giving it to me last night and I almost lost it. That was close, I need to keep better accountability.

I held the pendant in my hand, looking it over. It was raw silver, minor wear and a greasy texture on its surface denoting it's age. It was a depiction of a serpent, wrapped around a sword whilst biting its tail. Fitting. Considering her proximity to Kiyomi's family and the family name.

Maybe, I could find an answer with this trip? Or atleast a start. Would I be able to get her to speak to me?

I looked at my sword as it leaned against the doorway. The sheath, replaced countless times, held the blade of alien metal behind its leather.

Still, why me? Why am I here? What purpose do I have now with things as they are? She's in no danger. Not with what I've done for her so far.

"Kiyomi, you impish little hellion! Hurry up!"

Oh shit.

I winced at mothers tone, realizing I was dragging us behind schedule.

"Coming!"

Throwing the pendant around my neck and grabbing my sword, I booked it out the door. The sound of my feet slamming against the floorboards making an audible thump as I ran.

"Sorry I took so lo-"

Boom

Dust fell from the beams supporting the ceiling with my impact.

"Fuck! God damnit! Huue-"

I ran out the hallway, staring at the doorway as I exited. I was in such a cluttered state of mind that it never occurred to me that I'd actually run into something. I was in the forest for three days, I was too used to simply moving through things at this point.

That hurt. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.

I was curled up on the floor, blood rushing to my head as I held my breath.

Boobs, boobs hurt!

I was hugging my chest as Mother stood over me, rolling her eyes.

“C’mon girl, you’re not wearing that chest wrap. It's not armor, if anything it's going to restrict blood flow.”

I had left the chest wrap off for the trip to the temple at her behest. Something about weaning me off my insecurity.

“Mooom.”

I groaned, still sore from the impact. I ran directly into one of the core support pillars running through the building's foundation, and I did not win in the presumed altercation. I shoulder checked it, my left breast becoming a casualty of clumsiness.

“Come on, just let me wear it, it’ll only take a second.”

She rolled her eyes, her impatience rising.

“Kiyomi.”

Mother lowered a hand, heaving me up onto my knees.

“I know it hurts, but that really won’t be good for you in the long run.

She grabbed the upper loops of my Gambison, tying them closed one by one until the collar was all that was left.

“There, now your chest won't show as much. It just looks poofy now.”

I stood slowly, rubbing the point of impact along the side.

“It’s gonna bruise later, great.”

I grumbled.

“Kiyomi, you’ll be fine. If anything-“

Mother looked over my shoulder.

“We should have one of the workers take a look at that pillar later. Hmp. C’mon”

Mother stifled a laugh.

The walk to the Temple was more time consuming than anything, the northern part of the city was busy in the mornings so traversing it would be similar to the busiest streets of New York. Aside from the Temples, there was a small school, and many of the businesses that didn’t make their money through some form of food or clothing service. Financing, taxes, the guard enlistment office, registration for merchants, construction. Many of the tedium required to establish or maintain the city were present here. In contrast, the western district was where the guild, the plaza, many of the street vendors, the forges, inns, and bars were located. Comparatively, it was one of the oldest parts of the city, predating even the keep. It's infrastructure looked Mediterranean in inspiration.

“I should really look at commissioning Mrs. Claire for some hot weather oriented gear.”

I jostled my Gambison, allowing air to flow through it in a vain attempt to cool myself off. Lifting a water bladder with the opposite hand, I nearly emptied it in one long series of gulps.

If this were a water bottle I’d have crushed it by now.

“You should focus less on that and actually commission some proper clothing. Everything I bring you either is ‘too girly’ or ‘too complex’. I didn’t realize I was raising a utilitarian.”

Mother prodded me with her elbow, a sense of happiness in her tone.

“For real though, you’ll need to loosen up with your clothing taste. You can’t hope to win anyone over while dressing like that all the time.”

Like what?

I stopped in my tracks, raising my arms as if to say ‘what is that supposed to mean?’

“Come on, we need to keep walking.”

Mother shook her head, waving to follow.

“You always walk around wearing your Gambison as of late. We’ve talked about this, aside from your strength and how ODDLY calm you are, you’re already out of the norm. Even for a young adventurer. You’re very responsible, smart enough with your money, and you utilize your time very well for your age.”

Mother spoke as we walked through the district, a spire in the shape of an arm pointing a sword skyward in the distance signaling our progress to our destination.

“And you asked on your own to join me here.”

The tone near the end of her sentence was bittersweet.

Sigh

“All that aside, I may have joked about marrying you off when you were little. But girl, you intimidate a lot of people. Most of the teams I’ve seen you rub elbows with are among my own generation.”

“Mom!”

I dropped my shoulders, rolling my head back in response to her.

I’m not living my life here, why am I getting this talk? ‘Make friends’. I have, and I’m setting Kiyomi up for a good life here. I’m doing my best, I don’t need to ‘rub elbows’ with people my age anymore. Everyone I’ve spoken to was out of genuine planning. Hunt trades, market pointers, rumor mills for good vendors, and the newest gear on the market. I’ve even been getting news from other cities in Damus, granted little by little.

I didn't realize it at that moment, but I'd stepped away from her some. I must have been trying to zero out the conversation subconsciously.

For fucks sake, I'm living for someone else…

I felt a gaze from Mother; looking at her, she seemed concerned.

"You're self conscious."

She turned her head, inching closer as we walked.

"Mom."

I grumbled.

I don't need this talk.

"Kiyomi, it's fine. You're changing, and that's part of life. With time comes acceptance, and that will be more of a shield than any chest wrap-"

"Mom, can we change the subject?"

I held out my hands, my face morphing in a way I hadn't really experienced outside of hunting. I was fed up with it, with the subject.

"I know, mom. You care, but this topic isn't what I need on my mind right now."

Oh no…

I froze after I let the dam break.

No. No, no, no! Shit!

"Ah-"

I shrunk slightly, avoiding eye contact. The clammy feeling of making an uncomfortable situation worse rose sharply. At this point we'd stopped along a street corner and the crowd was thinning, but it still felt like I'd brought unneeded attention.

"S-sorry…"

Here it comes, angry mom.

I'd waited for a few seconds, sweat building on my back in anticipation. However, the scolding never came. Instead, a hand was placed on my shoulder and pushed as if to urge me to continue walking; I followed it in silence.

"We can stop, I shouldn't have pushed, especially in the open. We can talk when you're comfortable, does that sound right?"

I nodded silently.

Mother let out a muffled chuckle.

"I was the same way."

She said softly.

No, I'm sure you weren't. Not in this sense.

I looked down. Not at the sidewalk passing under our feet, but at my chest.

I don't like it… I can't even bathe with peace of mind. It feels wrong. My chest.

I glanced at Mother for a moment, then back down.

Fourteen. I could escape the thought before by pretending I was me. But this.

I crossed my arms over them, blocking them from view like I was stretching the back of my shoulders.

This is someone else's body.

An overwhelming sense of guilt stuck in my throat.

It's another reason I demanded my own room because I 'wet the bed' in my sleep. I don't think she even bought the excuse… im a piece of shit, I'd rather have another nightmare than a dream like THAT rear its head again. Another reason to hate myself…

I sighed, shaking my head.

Fuck. FUCK! No downward spiral! Don't let the intrusive thoughts win. You're here for a reason!

I looked at the Temple’s sword piercing the sky.

I saw Kiyomi's memory of Solah as if it was my own. I still can. I have to be here for a reason, if it was fulfilled by now I probably would have been sent away by now. This place has to be the next step.

"So this Seer, he's gonna tell us about the gods?"

Mother smiled with a sigh.

"Yes, and then he'll bless each of the first time warriors to attend. You're fourteen, so you're slightly early. I doubt there will be an issue though, especially when he sees you."

Her smile held in earnest.

"His name is Aethelwulf."

Mother nodded as the temple came into full view. Its structure was massive as the foundation was well below the streets we exited from. Stone steps lowered one from the streets to a cobblestone base by nearly twenty feet in elevation.

And I've never been shown this why?!

It was awe inspiring similarly to the arena underneath the keep. Great stone pillars reached upward from its marble foundation to a gigantic uncut rock, from which the image of Goddess Solah was cut. The grand statue looked almost identical to the woman from Kiyomi's memory, save for great draconic wings, horns, and a tail. She wore plated armor so thick that no person could wield it, its joints almost reminiscent of what one from earth would call 'power armor'; from her hand, a sword similar to Wyrmstooth in design pointed skyward. Great windows of smoked glass lined its walls, only the lowest portions of which could be seen through. The exterior walls were built from thousands upon thousands of shaped stones, their color and texture varying just as much from what adorned them. Weapons littered its exterior, piercing, smashed into, or held against these walls using chain and rope alike.

"The temple of Solah…"