Fenrin pulled out his whittling knife and began to hack at the bough. The sun was starting to set and the sword was beginning to take shape when Fenrin put it down and returned to the house. When he entered, Fiona leapt up and practically ran over, skidding to a stop and then stepping back shyly a few feet.

"Good evening, Uncle."

He blinked at her and blushed, it'd been hours. He'd gotten so caught up in his project, he wasn't used to having others to dictate his clock around. "Good evening. Er, how was studying."

Fiona's face fell but she managed to follow up with a fake smile. "Productive. I studied everything....twice."

"Er, well, that does sound...productive." He glanced up at Vai who was laying out Fiona's night clothes looking positively prim. When he turned back at Fiona she looked ready to burst. "What is it?"

She looked to the side sheepishly. "I, um, was wondering if we could do swords next?"

Fenrin laughed. "Slow down kiddo, I haven't finished your practice sword yet. I told you, give me tomorrow morning and I'll have it finished."

"Is that what you were doing?" Fiona glanced at the door. "The whole time?"

"Well I chatted with Matius some but, yeah, most of the time. Sorry for not stopping in, I'm not used to having other people around. Got a bit sucked into the project."

"Is he staying for dinner? Matius I mean?" Fiona asked, looking about like the man would emerge smiling from behind the cupboards, not an impossibility actually.

"Oh no, he left hours ago."

"Oh." Fiona looked disappointed and Fenrin was surprised to feel a small pang of jealousy. His neice’s pale blonde brows furrowed, "I didn't see him go back to the village."

Fenrin winked. "You wouldn't because he rode the wind." Her eyes widened and he added, "He loves doing that but don't get too impressed or his head will get too big to do it."

She giggled and Fenrin found a smile on his own face. It felt nice after the day it'd been.

"My lady, allow me to prepare your hair."

Fiona turned and skipped over to Vai who began unwinding her braids, brushing them and then twisting them back into two long plaits. Fiona twirled one. "Hey Vai, do you think you could do Libby's hair? She said her parents can't do it and she wants to try."

Vai's lipped pressed together, but he answered, "If you wish."

Fiona gave him a smile which he received expressionlessly before she climbed into her new bed. Vai stood by the bedside and looked at Fenrin until he turned and went to his own room.

Fenrin lay in bed thinking about everything. That smile Fiona gave him. It was happiness. He added it to his list, taking a moment to appreciate how much it had grown since he'd started the mental exercise. He held that thought until he drifted off.

He had a nightmare. Not an uncommon occurrence and on the scale of horrors, this dream of knives and pain was not as bad as others.Nonetheless he woke in a cold sweat, his heart pounding. He placed a hand on his chest resting it above the beating organ.

Slowly, he breathed in and out, feeling his heart slow with satisfaction. He had control over himself and there was no one here to hurt him. It was a mantra he tended to repeat every morning.

Kicking off some furs, Fenrin rolled to his knees, scratching his scruffy chin. From the smell of earth wettened by the morning dew, it was still early. Standing, Fenrin pushed open his window, the black sky just beginning to lighten to purple in preparation for the sunrise. He got dressed and reached for the door but paused, he didn't want to wake Fiona. Maybe he ought to make a second door out from his room. Or build her a room of her own.

He looked at the window. Bit too small to go through. Fenrin chuckled at himself and the dilemma he'd never seen himself having in a million years. Stuck, he looked around his room for something to do.

Unfortunately he'd left the wooden sword outside, planning to finish it before breakfast. He kicked the furs back into the place and walked to the basin that still had a bit of water in it. He washed his face and looked up to where a small polished metal mirror was turned to face the wall. Hesitantly he fingered it, and then with a determined breath, flipped it.

A haggard man faced him. Eyes deep set on an exhausted face, hair wild, beard unkempt. Scars crossing rough, almost leathery skin and of course his forehead where his headband had slipped off during his tossing and turning. The mark of Niv, black like burned wood stood out like a warning. There were days that merely seeing the thing would send him into a fit, but now he just frowned, reaching up and brushing the demoness’s mark.

Despite its appearance, the skin was smooth and if he closed his eyes he wouldn't know the mark was there. It was unsettling, like it wasn't real, just a dark figment of his imagination. He brushed some dark brown hair over his forehead, obscuring the mark. His temples were streaked with white and he gave himself a sideways grin.

“I look old,” he thought. Lyra hadn't looked as old.

He felt his calm tilt precariously and pulled himself out of his own head, reaching down and grabbing his razor. Dragging it through the water, Fenrin began to shave. He cleaned up his beard and did his best to hack it into a regular shape. It was an improvement but not perfect. He chopped at his hair a bit before giving up.

He wasn't winning any beauty contests, but he did look less feral. Retrieving his head band, Fenrin tied it back into place. The sun was beginning to peek over the tops of the mountains and Fenrin cracked open the door.

Fiona was a lump of blankets on Vai's bed who was up and smoothing out a dress. He glanced up at Fenrin and for a moment Fenrin felt embarrassed as the handsome man's eyes flickered over his attempts. He rubbed his chin self-consciously and quickly headed out of the house.

Fenrin grabbed the piece of shaved wood and continued carving at it and forming the practice blade. He finished as the sun fully cleared the peaks and the dew dried off the grass. He poured some lacquer onto a cloth and rubbed it over the raw wood. Leaving the sword out on a stone to dry, he filled a bucket of water from the barrel and brought it inside.

As he was washing the bits of wood and smelly lacquer off his hands with rough soap, Fiona woke up. She yawned and looked around blearily. Fenrin gave her a half smile and as she focused she gave a small smile back but looked away to avoid meeting his eyes.

Vai was by her side by the time she stood up and quickly helped her into her clothes. Fenrin looked away, instead busying himself with reviving the fire and placing an iron skillet above the flames.

Fiona quietly stepped over and he waved a hand. "Would you fetch the eggs? Vai there should be some onions in the bottom cupboard."

The princess grabbed the egg basket and left. Fenrin turned to see Vai chopping the onion, silently. The awkward tension between the two men began to build and Fenrin felt on edge. Aware that Vai was more than comfortable in the silence, he leaned against the table and said, "I was thinking of adding another room for Fiona and you."

Vai didn't even slow his chopping, just nodded. Fenrin grit his teeth. "It'd be a big job, I don't suppose you have any experience with construction?"

With satisfaction, Fenrin watched Vai's lips pursed just a bit before he shook his head and said with utmost respect and regret, "I beg forgiveness that I am not skilled in that field, but I will do whatever I can to ensure my lady is comfortable."

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"Good to hear."

Fenrin watched as Vai piled the minced onion neatly. The Aryi gave small bow and turned to excuse himself. A thought came to Fenrin and he reached out and laid a hand on Vai's shoulder. The man stiffened. "Hold on. There's something you should know." He glanced at the door and then sat down, letting go of Vai and gesturing to a chair.

Vai sat, eyes respectfully downward.

Fenrin lowered his voice. "As I've said before, there could be issues if your...relationship with Lyra were revealed. Slavery is a very sensitive topic to many of the valley's occupants but mainly for a woman named Echa and her daughter Anwen. Now I know you saw Tryst the other day, lanky man with the blue sash. He's Echa's husband. He's smarter than he looks and twice as slippery. He's already figured out who you and Fiona are."

Vai met Fenrin's eyes and he waved a reassuring hand. "Don't worry, he understands and he won't say anything if he can help it. But his daughter Liberty is Fiona's new friend and I have no doubt eventually we'll have the whole clan over here one way or another. I wanted to make sure you knew so we could handle anything discreetly."

"I understand."

Fenrin breathed out, maybe he was imagining it but it seemed there was actual gratitude in Vai's mechanically obedient voice. He stood up and grabbed the minced onion Vai'd chopped, tossing them into the hot skillet where they sizzled. Fiona came back in and dropped the basket near Fenrin before quietly sitting at the table, hands on her lap.

She was suspiciously quiet and Fenrin raised an eyebrow before cracking five eggs into the skillet and stirring them around.

As he scraped some eggs onto the plates Vai had set out, Fiona looked at her breakfast intently, her cheeks turning pink and her eyes watering. Fenrin held back a grin as he realized her secret but instead of saying anything, sat back and ate his eggs, watching Fiona with some amusement as she kept her hands in her lap and began to squirm uncomfortably. Vai opened his mouth to ask her if she was alright but Fenrin silenced him with a look.

An awkward breakfast began, Fenrin eating his food with gusto while Fiona sat fighting back tears and Vai waited, unable to start eating until she did and clearly conflicted about what to do. A few tears did escape, but Fiona stayed glancing down. Fenrin shook his head at her stubbornness.

He leaned forward. "Aren't you hungry? I thought you liked eggs?"

Fiona shook her head and finally glanced up, one look at her uncle's grinning face and she knew she was caught. Her face went beet red and she sniffed, now crying more out of shame then pain. Fenrin stood up quickly, grabbing Fiona's wrist and pulling her out of the chair. Vai flinched but waited anxiously.

Fenrin dragged Fiona to the water bucket and flipped her hands over. The palms were an angry red and sticky with laquer. Her uncle laughed. "Put them in the water."

She did and he soaked the smelly soap and then rubbed the bar mercilessly on her hands. She yelped but Fenrin worked quickly, sudsing her hands and letting the soap do its job of breaking down the lacquer and cleaning her palms. He helped it along by rubbing at the skin with his rough thumbs. Fiona whimpered but although it hurt her skin, the biting and burning sensation of the lacquer stopped.

"Vai, grab the healing kit from the cabinet in my room. Get some burn poultice and some bandages."

Despite the obvious attempts from Vai to do it, Fenrin expertly applied the poultice and the bandages. He handed Fiona a handkerchief and placed his heavy fist on her head, bopping her lightly.

"If you'd said something right away we could have cleaned it up before it hurt so much," he chastised.

She blew her nose and looked away. "I-I'm sorry. I knew I shouldn't have touched it."

"You're right you shouldn't have, but I also should've known better than to leave it out to tempt you. I think you've been punished enough. Let the sword finish drying and it'll be ready for our first lesson this afternoon."

Fiona wiped her eyes. "Really?"

Fenrin stood, hand on his hips. "Yep. Though it'll be painful with those hands so be ready."

Fiona flexed her bandaged palms, determination back in her eyes. "I will."

"Good, well then, Vai, she's all yours. I've got work to do."

He grabbed an axe from by the door and strode out. As he made it into the forest, a deep rumble started in his chest. He threw his head back and laughed. Laughed harder than he had in years.

Fiona's face, puckered as she stubbornly squirmed on her burning hands, Vai's anxious face, it was so damned funny. He felt light and young again. Finding a good tree, he started chopping. The exercise only added more to his joy and the more he worked and laughed, the lighter the world became.

He huffed and puffed as he pulled the massive tree back towards the house. When he got there, Fiona was crouched by a tree, watching a chipmunk skitter about. Fenrin dropped the trunk with a thud and she looked up, the chipmunk starting and disappearing into a bush.

Brushing her dress off, she stood. "Vai said I could take a break while he makes lunch."

Fenrin wiped sweat off his neck. "Good then you can help me with something."

She brightened and he beckoned her to follow. He eyed the edge of the cabin and did some spacial approximating. While he shuffled about he asked, "What were you doing today? Geography again?"

"No, math."

Fenrin scuffed a piece of the dirt with satisfaction. "Good, this'll be perfect then. Come here."

She walked over and he grabbed her shoulders positioning her exactly on the scuffed mark. He pointed to the edge of the cabin. "Alright, toe to heel, walk to the edge of the cabin and count your steps. I need an accurate measure."

Fiona focused and slowly began to count, balancing as she walked straight as an arrow toe to heel. Fenrin finished dragging the trunk to the edge of the house just as she finished.

"Twenty-two steps!" she shouted.

He nodded and called her over. He pointed along the trunk. "Alright, twenty-two paces if you please and then we'll mark it."

She counted and he hacked a gouge into the wood. Fenrin rolled the trunk over and they repeated the exercise, putting the mark there as well. With Fiona's help, he put the tunk atop two well used stumps and Fenrin was about to get started on the next step when Vai appeared at the door.

"My lady, your food is prepared."

Fenrin set the axe down and they both went inside. Vai tutted and brushed Fiona off before seating her to another basic meal of meat and cooked vegetables. Fenrin was beginning to suspect Vai and he had about the same knowledge of cooking.

Fenrin helped himself and asked Vai, "After this, is it more math for the girl?"

Vai shook his head. "It is planned for my lady to do her history studies next."

"Alright," he nodded, "if she finishes that to your satisfaction, we can start our training." Fiona grinned and he pointed a fork at her. "But not until after, you hear?"

She nodded and finished her meal quickly, practically dragging Vai back to their pop-up classroom. Fenrin hid another smile and continued his work on the trunk, hacking gouges into the round edge every foot and a half or so. Then he could trim off each section and begin the task of turning the tree into two wooden planks.

When he'd build the rest of the house, he'd had a bit of help. Moving the stone wasn't easy work. Wood would be doable, and he could manage most of the construction on his own, however it'd be significantly easier with another hand. Fiona was much too small and so Fenrin was left with Vai, which he wasn't sure would work out well. Matius would help if he asked, but in Fenrin's experience, the mage wasn’t good with these sort of things and Jayln was much too busy. Tryst would complain too much.

He'd finished flattening one side and was half-way through the other when Fiona ran out.

"I'm finished!"

Fenrin cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "Alright, go get your sword, don't worry it's dry now."

As she tentatively picked up the small wooden sword, Fenrin dug through his box of tools and found his own well used practice blade.

As he picked it up he had an unsettling flashback of the last time he'd used it. Retraining his beaten body as his friends helped him back to life. His muscles had been destroyed, over strained and torn. It had been a long rehabilitation.

He shook the memories out of his head and walked back to where Fiona was swinging the sword errantly. As he stepped into view, she stopped guiltily and held the sword awkwardly.

Fenrin fixed her grip and stepped into a ready stance. "Put your right leg forward like this. Your left foot should be turned slightly. Okay, now loosely bend your knees."

He leaned over helping her into the right stance. "This is your basic position. When in doubt this is how you should stand. It enables you to move quickly in most any direction. Now hold your sword up like this."

She mirrored him and then he showed her how to step forward and back. They'd only stepped twice when her raised arm began to dip down. Fenrin pushed it back up.

"You'll need to strengthen that arm."

He barked out at her anytime the sword tip began to dip and she wavered, exhausted as he had her repeat stepping forward and back until finally she let the sword drop.

"I can't hold it up anymore," she said frustrated.

"Alright then, switch hands."

Fiona looked at him with disbelief but he only raised an eyebrow, tossing his own sword from one hand to another, holding it ramrod straight without a waver.

Reluctantly, she too switched from one bandaged hand to the other and this time she could only hold it steady for five steps.

He shook his head. "Right, well we're done for today."

"What? Already?!"

"If you can't hold your sword up then anything I teach you will be done sloppily. When you can hold it straight for twenty paces in both hands then we'll move on. For now, I want you to practice every morning and every night. Heck, if you always have a break in the middle of the day, practice then too."

Fiona frowned but nodded. This wasn't what she'd expected at all.