Blake’s eyes snapped open, and he shifted as much as he could to look about, the blessing of the peerless warning him of danger enough to guide him, he carefully released Granite and found his feet looking around the dark room his eyes spotted the shape of someone in the window, the lowlight of the night cutting out their silhouette. He slowly found his pants and boots sliding them on quietly, and drawing his sword free he waited by the door.

As it opened the door swung out and gave him cover from the attacker and their entry into the room, their hands grasping a hatchet tight, but they were shaking, their eyes trying to see where he was in the darkness. Blake lifted his sword and got it level with their neckline and moved it forward until they felt it on their skin.

“Who are you and what do you want?” he said softly pressing the edge of the blade closer.

“How did you know I was coming, I had waited for an hour.” the attacker said back, their voice was young and timid, like they were not sure of their actions to start with.

“I asked first, just so you know I did kill a troll, cutting you down will be easy.” Blake said back, but noticed Granite shifting in the bed, “We are taking this outside, now turn around and walk.”

The attacker swallowed hard but followed his order and walked back out of the small house, into a small courtyard, with hanging clothes on laundry lines and large tubs off to the side, and a second house about the same size. The pale light of the half-moon finally gave Blake sight clearly of the young man in front of him. And he recalled him when he met with the leatherworker, he was maybe twenty and well-toned, his arms showed the years he spent working leather under his mother, and his hands were shaking as he turned around to face Blake.

Blake had stopped after the doorway, he wasn’t sure what the young man wanted, but he wouldn’t risk Granite for his own desire to deal with the attacker, his mind told him to find answers first but his heart wanted to cut the man down.

“I know who you are, so that means you need to tell me what you were trying to do.” Blake said a bit louder than before.

The man gripped the hatchet tighter, and his eyes shifted about for a second like he was trying to find an answer in their surroundings, then his eyes settled back on Blake. “I came to kill you.” He said with honesty, as he shifted a bit to ready his weapon. “And then I was going to make her an offer to be with me or I'll claim she killed you.”

“Blackmail, how low…” Blake chortled, as he lowered his sword, “You couldn’t even reach me when I was asleep, did you really think you could cut me down when I am awake?”

The man sucked his teeth, and shifted more to ready his weapon, “You think that because I am a Tanner I can’t fight, I’ll have you know I killed every goblin that attacked my house, and…”

Blake laughed a bit, “And what, I killed over four hundred to save twelve women of your village, that was in a single night, I killed a troll the night before, and if you have any real understanding of the power of information, you would have listened to the stories of how I somehow knew the bandits were attacking. The gods that gave me power also bless me to never be caught off guard, I have literally been forced awake because you posed a danger to me while I slept.” Blake said as he raised his sword up to his side and gripped it with both hands. “Now, I am going to say this once, I see no reason she should have to be with you, and I will defend myself if you try anything. So, leave or tell me what I should tell your mother after you're gone?”

The man let out a frustrated growl, “She shouldn’t be with someone like you, she needs to be with me, that way her children will be crafters at the least or tanners like me. You are some kind of warrior, we don’t need that in this village, you are ruining the family lines that are cultivated here. And I will have her, one way or another.” the man said as he shuffled a bit, getting his feet ready to lunge forward.

“Are you fucking kidding me,” Blake growled back and shifted his stance leveling the sword horizontally over his abdomen and getting ready to rush the man. “After you say that, there is no way I can let you go. I will not allow you to pose a danger to her in any way, tonight you will disappear from this world. I will not allow you to do anything to Granite.”

As the two got ready the door behind Blake opened and Granite yelled out “Stop It Now!”

Blake didn’t take his eyes off the man as he didn’t want to risk her, but he relaxed as she stepped beside him, and rested a hand on his shoulder. The man seemed to shift a bit but did not leave his stance.

“Charles, please don’t do this, I am happy with him, and he will kill you if you don’t stand down.” Granite said, her voice sounding sure of herself, and the tone was choked with concern. “Blake is not someone you can beat, and he is not like Daral, he won’t listen to you no matter what you say.” Blake shifted his eyes a bit and noticed she had wrapped the blanket around herself over getting dressed, "I know you were convincing him not to be with me before the goblin attack, even offering him money to leave me, and I know you didn't come to his aid when the goblins attacked. you have been after me for years, yet I know you don't care about me, so leave and don’t look to me again.” She stood resolute at her conviction.

The man sucked his teeth with irritation and glanced around like the answers were somewhere other than in front of him. “I do care about you though, you don’t need this man, he is leaving tomorrow, and he is not going to come back, you will never see him again, why not be with me, you can stay with me at my house, and I'll take care of you, you can learn how to work leather, my mother will teach you.”

“What is my favorite color?” Granite said back but added on as he glanced about in thought. “My favorite flower? My sister’s nickname for me? What do I hate to do most in the world? Where i am most calm? What is my name?”

Blake heard the questions and remembered the chatter she had with the others after the Kobold interaction and answers came to him naturally.

“Your name is Granite… and …” the man said after a second but faltered.

“Blake?” Granite said as she turned her head a bit like the man was not someone of importance.

“Your favorite color is azure like your eyes, and your favorite flower is Tiasnn flowers because your mother would pick them for you and your sister. Your sister’s nickname for you is Gran because she thinks you dress too conservatively, and you hate cleaning leather because the extra steps add to your workload. And you are calmest when you are at home making your own clothes because the seamstress always asks you uncomfortable questions. And your name is Granite, daughter of Ruby.” Blake spoke as he shifts a bit more noticing the man’s stance and demeanor getting more aggressive as he spoke.

“You see Charles, you don’t know me, all you see is my class, and I hate it, I am not a crafter, I am granite, and I am not yours.” she said as she shifted a bit behind Blake, her hand trembled as she willed herself to speak. “I am Blake’s, and if you try after he leaves, you will find an enraged Hilda to deal with. Now leave or I’ll let him cut you down, this is your last chance, please don’t ruin my courtyard with your blood.”

The man seemed to falter a bit before his resolve came back in stupid ignorance, and he pulled free a second hatchet, his eyes locking on Blake, “Fine if you want him so bad, you can have his corpse.” he roared as he rushed in.

Blake didn’t give him a moment as he closed in, swinging upwards with crossed arms, paring the man’s attack into his second weapon, then Blake spun around bringing the blade down on the back of the man’s neck, slicing clean as the edge alignment was perfect. “Burning smite” he whispered as the blade connected, he would not taint the grounds of his love, not with the blood of a suicidal man that had no love for her.

Blake stood up a bit and swung his sword to snuff out the magic flames, looking down at the man, his blind desire to continue his family line had caused its end, but he turned to look at her, she was staring at him, wonder and appreciation in her expression, before smiling and looking back down to the man.

“It’s alright, he has a younger brother that is twelve, he can learn of tonight and learn that his brother died in a foolish manner for his arrogance. Now come back to bed, I will deal with the fallout in the morning.” She said before opening the blanket and inviting him in.

Blake walked over and scooped her up after revising his grip, caring her back inside. She was right, the man had been giving not one but three chances to leave, to let her go and live, but he choose death over life, and Blake did what he had to.

As morning came there was a loud knock on the door, and Blake rose up with Granite, getting dressed quickly they stepped out to the sight of the chief and a small gathering of villagers, the dead man’s head was being held in his mother’s arms, and she was crying, around her were two men, a boy, and a girl who wore sullen expressions. The chief was watching over the sight with three men that were caring spears, part of the village militia judging by their equipment. Close to the door was Hilda, dressed in her full kit she seemed ready to attack anyone aside from the chief.

“Granite, Blake, can you explain why Charles was found here dead this morning by the patrol?” the chief said as he turned to them a bit.

Blake stepped forward but was held back by Granite as she caught his arm and pulled him back, taking a step out the door to speak. “Charles came last night to kill Blake and frame me with the murder so that I would be enslaved, and he could buy me. He planned to offer me a way to remain free in exchange for my hand in marriage. But Blake can’t be attacked in his sleep, and after we confronted him about his plans for me, he refused to leave and let me go from his mind. Three times he was offered life, but he chose to fight Blake regardless and lost his life because he believed that he could beat a Paladin of the gods. I hereby claim Warding of Paired Wills, we acted in defense of our right to live.” she spoke with a clear voice that understood every word she said.

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The crowd shifted a bit as she spoke the last part, but then the chief turned to the mother and back to the two of them. “Can anyone confirm your story?”

Blake shifted a bit as he wanted to speak but was blocked by Granite as she shook her head.

“We can, we saw it all.” came the voice of Jade from the other house in the courtyard, she was stepping out with the man she was dancing with last night, “I and Joel saw Blake lead Charles back out the house and talk to him about what he was doing and offered for him to leave, only to be stopped by Granite just as they were about to clash, she then confronted Charles too, and after a few more seconds during which she twice offered him to leave and not come back for her. he tried to cut Blake down but lost his head, Blake was also regretful of the act, as he was afraid that he had ended the leatherworks line in the village. They acted in defense of themselves and therefore had not broken the law.” Jade glanced over to Granite and smiled.

“It's true chief, they didn’t want to fight Charles, Blake was not the aggressor in this exchange. In fact, he seemed to intentionally not close the distance until he had to while protecting Granite.” the man next to Jade said while rubbing his hair a bit.

“No, he killed my son, chief, you have to arrest him and enslave him, he took my son.” the mother screamed, her eyes now filled with rage and malice directed at Blake and Granite, “And her too, they need to pay for my son’s death, they aren’t a recognized pair in our village they have no right to the protection of the laws.”

The chief let out a sigh and turned to Blake and Granite, a bit of an apology in his eyes before he spoke. “Are you a pair that can be recognized by this village?”

“Yes, they can, summon Jackie, she has seen something that will make this clear.” Hilda spoke before anyone could say anything “She had glimpsed the future and she has seen things.”

The chief eyes the shield maiden and then sighed, “Very well, you call for Jackie and Maireanna” he said pointing at one of the militiamen, getting the man to rush off.

Blake leaned down so he could whisper to Granite, “Why would we not be protected by the law?”

“We aren’t recognized as a bonded pair, normally it would be done in a wedding but if you have a child that counts too.” she whispered back.

The mother continued to glare at the two of them and on occasion shift her focus to Hilda but just a second. Until Jackie and another woman were led up the path and into the courtyard. Coming up next to the chief, and glancing around the scene, Jackie’s eyes quickly fell on Blake with a bit of anger, but it was quelled as she seemed to think this situation over.

The chief looked at the two women and thought it over then looking at Jackie, “I understand you saw something that would make these two,” he gestured to Blake and Granite, “Be recognized as a pair by our laws. Care to elaborate?” he asked.

“Six years from now in winter Blake will return to this village and he will be greeted at the gate by five women and six children. His interaction with the children will be that of a father, among the women is myself, and from among the children will be my son.” Jackie said with conviction. Then she locked her eye on Granite and her eyes shifted to a colorless white, “I see you giving birth in nine months to twins, they will be auburn-haired and azure-eyed, one a boy you will name Onyx, and the other a girl you will name Obsidian, they will meet their father in six years from now in winter, they will be surrounded by their siblings.” she added before the light faded and she stumbled a bit getting caught by a militiaman behind her.

The chief turned to the other woman, “Can you confirm that reading?”

The woman reached into her pouch and pulled out some bones speaking at them for a second and throwing them in the air. As they reached the highest point they stopped moving and started glowing a light green, hovering down and in front of her, and she watch the bones carefully. “The bones speak of six additions to the village, born of four women, sired by a warrior of the gods, among them are two sets of twins, but only one set calls their mother granite. The warrior will return thrice, and with each, he will guide them to be mighty and kind as he.” She said before the bones fall into her hands.

The chief lets out a long and drawn-out sigh. “Looks like it is true, I can’t deny them the right and protections of a pair. However, there is still a loss that must be accounted for, Blake will you be willing to compensate the family of the man you killed?”

“No, I will compensate the family, Blake has oaths to keep and must not be held here any longer.” Granite said as she held out a pouch, “This is a pouch of seventeen silvers, more than enough to compensate for Charles’ workload, it is yours as long as you accept that I am Blake’s and never seek revenge on myself or my children.”

The silence hung for a second, but the leatherworker nodded her head, but Blake saw through it, and snatched the money before the son could collect it.

“I can see through lies, sware aloud for all present to hear.” He ordered as he glared at the woman, her anger at him interrupting.

“I sware to not seek revenge against your children or partner.” she said after a second, her tone was angered but Blake saw she spoke honestly.

He handed the money to the son the leatherworker still had.

“Well then you men see to the body and help Lawain back to her home, she needs time,” The chief said to the crowd, pointing to the three militiamen, then turned to Blake. “Blake, I recommend you say your goodbyes and leave soon, we will see you in six years, right around the time of your children’s crowning.” before leaving with most of the crowd until it was just him along with Hilda, Jackie, Granite, Jade, and Joel.

Blake let out a sigh and relaxed, before turning to Joel and smiling. “So can I trust you to protect Granite too, as her brother-in-law.” he said.

Joel looked to Jade then to Hilda then nodded, “Yeah, I will after some training, I will help as best I can.”

“Blake, how did you kill him?” Hilda asked looking around a bit where the body died.

“I use the magic I had used with the troll to sear the cut closed, he didn’t suffer, but he didn’t bleed out too.” Blake said back.

“Blake, your things are back at my house, and they are ready, I took the liberty of packing them up a bit, also the blacksmith came by and dropped off a finished coat of scales for you.” Jackie said then turned to leave, “Also, I am surprised you killed that man, he must have been honest in his plan.”

Blake looked down at his hand, “He left me no choice, he made it clear that if I died then he would get Granite even at the cost of enslaving her, I couldn’t let that happen.” he said while closing his fist hard.

Jackie let out a sigh, “You are going to ruffle a lot of people in Wynberg, just be smart about how you go about dealing with mobs.” she said before heading off down the path.

Blake turned to face Granite, but was met by a kiss, as she pulled up to him, and broke away a second later, “Safe travels Blake, I’ll be waiting with two beautiful children.” she said before pushing him out the house a bit more, smiling at him as he stepped on to the soft dirt.

Blake let out a chuckle but looked back, “Don’t forget to teach them about me, and that I love them, and the reason I am not home is because I am doing the work of the gods.” he said before following behind Hilda and Jackie.

“I will, and you don’t forget to bring them a gift.” She called back before heading back in and closing the door.

Blake followed behind Jackie and next to Hilda, “Hilda, I need to ask you to do something.” he said after a few seconds.

“You want me to train the children?” She asked pointedly. “I will not until they are six, before that there is no need to.”

“Actually, I was going to ask you to train Joel in spear usage, I know he can’t use the skills, but he can still wield the weapon so no harm in him understanding how to use it right.” Blake said nervously back but noticed Jackie shift a bit as he spoke.

Hilda thought it over and turned a bit to face him, “I can see if he can learn it soon, for now, I need to get ready to work and you need to leave.” she said.

Their walk after was silent until they reached the door of the house, opening to the scent of cooking food as Phanna was cooking again. Looking up at them as they entered, her smile faded as she saw Jackie’s expression. “What did you do?” She asked as Blake walked in, and Hilda walk right to her room.

“I defended myself.” he said back plainly.

“He was forced to kill Charles. he was trying to kill Blake and blame it on Granite to get her enslaved under him.” Jackie added quickly, then walked past Phanna and into the corridor, “The chief said he needs to leave soon, so light breakfast please Phanna, he needs to get on the road, before the word spreads.”

Phanna watch Jackie walk past then turned to Blake, a sympathetic smile on her face. “Well, he was always an idiot, but the village held him in high esteem, best you leave soon. But first,” she said before standing up and jumping into his arms, kissing him hard before pulling back. “That is so you remember to come back, I want to try that thing you did in the woods with Hilda.” She smiled as he lowered her and went back to cooking, less of a feast and more of a set of sandwiches.

Jackie came back in caring a coat of scales that were riveted to a leather tunic, the coat close around the side with straps, and Blake had to take off his belt before sliding it on, closing his belt as best he could around his waist after. After shifting it a bit until it felt comfortable, he realized he may be stuck in this for the next two days, but he could deal with that later.

His eyes were drawn to Jackie as she cupped his face and rubbed at his cheek, her eyes show a hesitation as though she would never see him again, but before she could say a thing he pulled her into a kiss, a reassuring one, before breaking away, “I will be back, you have seen it, so don’t fear for me.”

“Do you have a name for your son?” she asked after a second, her hands running through his hair.

“I will trust you to choose a strong one, I know you will pick the right one.” he said back as he let her go, and watched as she went back to his room.

Phanna walked up with a sandwich with an omelet and bacon pressed inside. “Do you trust me to name your child?” she asked as he took a bite.

“No, but I can’t complain if I am not here for the birth, so pick one you like.” He said after swallowing the mouth full.

“Bad choice, oh well.” She said as she got back to cooking a normal meal for everyone else.

Jackie came back in carrying Blake's pack and shield, holding them as she looked up at him. “When you come back, bring each of us a necklace, so we can make our pairing a clear thing for others, and get a Marriage bracelet in Wynberg, any smith will make it for you.” she said as she handed him the pack after he finished his sandwich, “so that way before you leave again we can all mark it” her voice sounded resolute about him doing this, as she handed him his shield.

Blake slung the shield over him, so it rested a bit under his arm then looked at her. “I will do so my love, I will return and make you all mine if you will still have me.” he said before looking to Hilda as she came back out in her work clothes, their eyes meeting.

Hilda walked up and patted his armor, her eyes checking him once over to see if he had missed something important then locked her eyes on him “Don’t go hunting trolls or nothing, Jackie’s visions are the most likely events if you let fate guide you. So, please don’t do anything random and come back.” she said before leaning up and kissing him while pulling on the collar of his armor.

As she pulled back, she glances away from him, but he reached up and centered her face on his, looking into her eyes. “I will trust you to protect our family, and I will keep my promise when I come back.” he said to her, getting a nod from her as she let him go.

Blake smiled as he glanced at each woman, while he will outlive all of them, he knew that they will be faithful to him and will always be here for him. Then he turned and walked out, turning to the north gate and walking his hand on the handle of his blade, his feet finding the path again as he marched.

As he got close to the gate, he spotted the last woman he needed to speak with, he wanted to say his goodbyes to her. He couldn’t help but smile at Miann as she watches him get close, smiling back but with reluctance, her hands held a small hard leather pouch that was closed like a box.

“Miann, I am happy I caught you before I left.” he said as he reached out for a hug, and she embrace him with the offer.

“Word has spread, and a few are claiming that you attacked him on purpose, I wish you could stay a night but that now would be more trouble than it is worth,” she said as she pulled back out and opened the pouch, “its medicines for different things that adventurers have to deal with, I know you probably do not need it but I want you to use it when you need.” she pointed at the collection of ten vials in the pouch before closing it. “Please use them and come back when you can.” she spoke before looking back up to him, only to let a soft yelp out as he pulled her into a kiss.

As he broke, he took the pouch, with a smile at her thoughtfulness for his well-being. “I will be back in six years my love, and I will be happy to see our children. And I trust you to pick great names for them.” he said with love for her.

“Them?” she asked, a bit bewildered.

“Yes, I think that supplement you gave me may have had an extra effect, but I can’t be sure, check with Jackie.” he said back hugging her a bit tighter.

“Twins, I guess that is possible, now get, the longer you stay the dumber the village will get.” she said as he broke free and turned him to the road, “Wynberg is two days down this road. Good luck Blake and come home when you can.”

Blake looked over his shoulder but smiled as his feet started him down the path. He will have to remember to send money for them when he can, for now off to Wynberg.