Content warning: this chapter references miscarriages

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Falton's face had turned from sickly green to ashen. He had somehow already known about his mother's promise as well. But as Tecka watched, a steely glint entered the youth's eyes, and he squared his shoulders to the [king]. He glanced toward Bup as he addressed the [king] in his child's bright alto, "I overheard what my mother promised. I've had a long time to think about it, your majesty, and I will serve you. I love my brother, and would give my life for him. I'm glad he and my mom are alive because of what you and Lady Tri did for us."

Igmi stared at her oldest in shock, sniffles suddenly cutting off. And then instead of the previous tears of horrified shame, tears of her sudden, acute relief flowed freely. She didn't stand, but held her arms out to Falton. The boy stoically rose from beside the shell-shocked Cammind, and went to her. She kissed his straight blond hair over and over again and clutched him tightly. He bore the affection and his mother's overflowing emotion with quiet determination. Bup hopped down from the other side of his father and buried his own tearful face into his big brother's tunic. He was still very young, but understood at least the big parts of the conversation. His mom's promise meant that his brother would be going away now so that he could have been born at all.

Even the distracted Lissa had finally focused on the conversation at hand and the seas of emotion flowing through those around her. She squirmed out of Tecka's arms—her mother let her—, and she walked around the table to throw her small arms around Bup and Falton, joining the group hug. Eventually the sobs quieted, though Falton's eyes remained stubbornly dry. He and Bup somehow both squeezed up onto their mother's lap, and Lissa returned to Tecka's. It was only then that the attendants returned with plates and a second low table piled with deliciously steaming dishes that caused stomachs to rumble and mouths to water.

"Thank you, Milty," the [king] said to the head attendant, and then the group was alone again. The children who had just settled on adults' laps repositioned themselves so that everyone would have enough space to eat, and Falton returned to sit beside Cammind. Zharim I turned to them as he began laying plates out around the edge of the low table that was already mostly full of the odd nuts from before; he said, "Let's eat before we discuss further. Let me know if there's anything you'd like that you don't see, and I'll have Milty bring it for us."

The group slowly tucked in to the provided meal. All the dishes were apparently meant to be eaten by hand or by folded flat bread, so no utensils were needed. Before anyone could ask, Milty reappeared with a tray full of lightly sweet fruit juices that she set next to each person. A large jug of the juice remained on the second table with the steaming dishes when she departed. No one spoke for a long moment as they ate and processed what had just happened.

Cammind seemed to be faring the worst of them all. The shy, sensitive boy was not eating, but stared blankly toward the strange pile of nuts in front of him. He had been taken completely by surprise by the whole conversation, and his normally-unflappable mother's significant emotional outburst had already been enough to shut him down. The additional information that his mom and baby brother had almost died and that his big brother would be joining the [king] now added to the sense of overwhelming shock. Falton leaned over and whispered something into his ear. Cammind slowly turned to Falton, a little bit of the life coming back into his blank expression. The older boy tousled his brother's hair gently and placed a steaming mug of creamy, spiced tomato soup in front of him. The younger boy gave the barest of nods to Falton, and began to take small sips from the mug.

As the family's mood generally quieted, Zharim I paused eating to address them again:

"I apologize, Hayzen, but I must correct your explanation on two counts. The first, much to my continued dismay, is that the love of my life, Tri, is alas not my wife. As a daughter of the elves, it makes no sense to her, and I will not force her to do anything unwillingly. I'm sure each of you spouses can understand." He quirked a knowing smile. "Secondly, while Falton will be required to swear fealty to me, and he will soon be apprenticed to one of my [knights], I see no reason for him to move out of your household until the normal age of 15. I have no desire and no cause to separate a family that loves one another so dearly, especially when you have come to live here, yes?"

The lights came fully on in Cammind's eyes as he looked up at the ruler. Igmi as well looked like late afternoon sunshine after a heavy storm. She nodded at the [king], wet eyes shining.

"Good, good," Zharim said. "In that case, would you mind introducing me to the rest of your family?"

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Igmi blushed with embarrassment, and Hayzen answered for the both of them. "Your Majesty, might I present to you my sister-in-law Tecka Brightglenn, her husband Drust Brightglenn, and their Daughter, Mellissa, whose birthday falls nearly halfway between your son's and ours. And this little one," he mussed the hair of the smallest of the three blonde boys sitting next to him, "is Buppero, the life your Tri kept alive."

Bup said nothing, but smiled his closed-lipped smile at the [king] between bites of pillowy flatbread.

Zharim replied, looking at each of them in turn, "It's very nice to be acquainted with all of you. When we received your letter that you were beginning your journey, Tri, Ezh, and I prepared what we hoped would be appropriate gifts." The king patted his son's head with one hand and indicated the pile of strange nuts with the other. "We asked some of the [oaks] to wrap them though—thought it would be a fun unique gesture... They gave us back your gifts in literal nutshells." He pressed his face into his palm, then resumed as he looked up again, "Your letter, however, also suggested you would arrive more than a week ago. Did you encounter trouble on the way?"

The [king] and his son were a marvelously responsive audience to Drust's harrowing retelling of the [umbral wolves]. The story didn't stop there: Igmi recounted the [ancient's blessing] ceremony they'd had in the emerald prairie, and Hayzen relayed Kilpa's startled girlish scream upon seeing Artaxes for the first time.

The [king] roared with genuine laughter as Hayzen embellished, "I mean, picture it, Sire. Igmi and I are still sound asleep in our bedroll when we hear a scream that could curdle milk! In my muddled state, I can't imagine what would possibly cause such alarm, but I'm in naught but my skin, and by the time I get reasonably clothed and stumble out of my tent to see what all the ruckus is, my youngest son's new familiar, an emerald prairie eagle that's as big as he is, is looming over a decorated [soldier] of the crown's guard who's still in her nightgown and has nearly wet herself groping around for a sword!"

The quite distant, but clearly intelligible voice of the woman in question cut through the laughter at the table. "I was, in point of fact, fully dressed, and it wasn't clear if the eagle was friendly, sire!" Kilpa's faraway voice was shrill and defensive.

"Ah..." The [king] began, mildly reproached, but still grinning widely, "I forgot to mention that she could hear us from the top of the path. In fact, it's likely that many unseen ears heard that story, and Kilpa will just as likely be avoiding its retellings for months."

As the family began talking amongst themselves, Zharim I whistled that same series of notes he had before, and Milty appeared almost immediately at his side. He spoke softly to her, and she nodded, heading off to do his bidding. Before too long, the woman returned with a few chisels and a large hammer. Moments later, the curtain of green seemed to part, and a petite, beautiful woman stepped into the glade. She had olive skin with an opalescent blue tint, blue eyes that mirrored the [prince]'s, and cascading, pale blue curls. Her ears were even more pointed than her son's, and her captivating eyes were almost a little bit too large for her face. She wore an almost identical outfit to her partner's, though instead of silver accents, hers sported a soft rosy copper that complemented her blue-cast complexion. Upon spotting their guests, Tri approached, made a two handed gesture that none of them were familiar with, closed her eyes, and bowed just slightly.

Without changing her position or opening her eyes, Tri said formally, "We welcome you, Igmi, and your family to our home. The memory inside us rejoices to be reunited with ones whose fates have been entangled with our own."

Tri then stood and rolled her shoulders as if shrugging off the serious mood she had worn into the glade. She spoke with an animated, delighted demeanor, "Igmi, Hayzen, boys! It is SO good to see you!" She gasped, slender hands rising to frame her own face, as she saw the smallest Albehson sitting next to Hayzen, "AH! You must be Bup! Hi! It's so nice to meet you! I'm really glad you're alive by the way. Rough time in mommy's belly, huh? Oh! And who are you three lovely humans?" She asked suddenly, noticing the three Brightglenns.

Introductions were made and Tri went around outside the circle of the benches to give hugs to any who wanted one. When she arrived back at the bench where Zharim I and Ezh were sitting, she flopped down next to her shy son, and started snacking on a kabob of roasted forest quail, still talking between bites, "I'm SO sorry I wasn't able to come earlier! Duties of running a kingdom, am I right? Anyways. I helped pick out the gifts, so I reaalllly wanted to try to be here when you opened them. Besides, smashing things with a hammer is always fun! Oh, and don't worry about it if you damage something trying to get it out. Would be our fault anyway for letting the trees wrap the presents, ya know? Well. Except the smallest one, that one might be harder to replace if it gets damaged." She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal at all.

Lissa's obvious enjoyment of the loquacious woman resulted in her scooting around her father to sit at the end of their bench, as close to the not-queen as Lissa could get without getting up and running around. Before anyone thought to clap a hand over the child's mouth, Lissa asked in innocent and genuine curiosity, "Why are you blue?"

Tri laughed, a tinkling joyful sound, as Drust said exasperatedly, "No, Lissa, you can't just ask people why they're blue."

"Why not?" She looked up at her dad with confusion.

Before he had a chance to answer Lissa's second question, Tri answered Lissa's first, "I am blue because I am a daughter of the sea-side elves of the Great Southern Forest to the east of here. And I am olive because I am also the daughter of a forest gnome."

Lissa's eyes grew even wider as she jerked her head back around to hear the woman's answer. "Wow... that's so cool."

Tecka wisely interrupted before the conversation could go any further, "Let's open presents!"