Chapter 36: Another family matter
I now have an editor, so you all shouldn't need to put up with my typos and poor/dyslexic editing skills anymore.
:)
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Ethan picked up his new sword -- the sharp one, not the training version -- and gave it an experimental swing. It felt exactly like the training version in every respect, with no difference whatsoever. The blade looked to be a bit thinner -- which would probably make it cut better -- but the handling was exactly the same. He gave it a small toss, and then called it back to his hand. It was indeed identical.
He just hoped he wouldn't need it.
He picked up the scabbard, sheathed the sword, and attached the scabbard to his side on the hard-point he'd enchanted that matched with the straps that Alana had enchanted for that purpose.
Alana...
*Hey princess, how are you all holding up?* He thought to her.
*Pretty well.* The wood elf replied. *Rachel found a few hidey-holes while she was stalking you before you married Beth, and we're in one that's near the docks now. We should be safe and undiscovered until you land.*
*How are things looking?*
*Well, the closer it gets to noon, the more people seem to be wandering our way. I think it worked.*
*Good.* He nodded, though she obviously couldn't see him. *I know you enchanted my sword with self-repairing and summoning; did you have time for any other enchantments?*
*No, but those are the two most crucial.* She replied. *I was trying to finish the smaller bits of your armor before I enchanted your sword more, and then I was going to work on Rachel's staff, then I was going to finish.*
*Makes sense.* He reached down and grabbed the backpack that she'd created for him to hold his leather armor. The hand armor wasn't fully complete yet, but most of the rest of it was finished. The backpack was a bit odd looking, but would do. He certainly didn't want to be without his armor in the city, and especially not since learning that Lord Borden had tried to kill both him and her.
The dragon growled.
Ethan closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and remembered what Kendra had taught him. The meditating helped, but he knew it wasn't a long term solution. The dragon was slowly growing stronger. The meditation helped him keep a lid on it, but the pressure was slowly building in the background. He didn't want to think about what would happen when it broke free.
He shook his head and turned his mind back to the task at hand.
"Dominus, Anthiel says that we're going to begin our descent in a few minutes." Beth said as she approached him.
"Thanks angel." He nodded. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know." She gave him a pained half-smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I kind of don't want to see my father right now. Does that make me a bad person?"
"No." He shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong, and it's hard when someone you love does. Frankly, I don't blame you for wanting to stay away right now; that was some pretty heavy stuff we all learned yesterday."
The half-smile disappeared from her face. "I wanted the first time we came back here to be a happy affair, you know?"
"Yeah, going home should be a happy event."
She gave him a tiny smile. "I'm already home, I'm just visiting my parents' home."
"You know, I'm really glad I married you angel." He smiled. "I know it was an arranged marriage and we had a somewhat rocky start, but I wouldn't change it for the world."
"Me either." She leaned her on his shoulder. "You literally crossed worlds to bring me back, and I'll never forget that. Marrying you was the best thing that ever happened to me."
The way she finished her sentence made him think that there was more though. "...but?"
"Not a 'but'." She shook her head slightly. "I just wish that my parents... well, my father was more accepting."
She swallowed hard and wrapped her arms tightly around his arm. He leaned his head down and kissed the top of her head, wishing he could do something to comfort her. He really couldn't think of anything, so he just held her.
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Beth leaned over the railing of the Argo as it lowered the last dozen feet into the docking berth. She could see a decent sized crowd had gathered at the docks and they were all looking up at the Argo with curiosity. Several had waved to her, and she'd waved back. She'd even smiled, though it wasn't a truly genuine smile.
Her father wasn't there.
He'd sent Heinrich, but he himself wasn't there.
She didn't know what to make of that.
As the Argo's descent stopped, Serif and Raklan dropped the gangplank into place and Beth took a deep breath and put a cheerful smile on her face. She really didn't want to disappoint the crowds. Besides, it was nice to be back in Gralden. It was her hometown after all.
Ethan -- with his disguise gem off -- offered her his arm and they strode down the gangplank and onto the dock.
The slots into which the airships berthed were at ground level to make loading the airships easier. There was a fence around the berth so nothing fell into the hole, but otherwise the docks were mostly flat. Or at least, as flat as the sloping ground of Gralden would allow. There were dozens of townsfolk who had clustered around the Argo's berth, all craning their necks to get a good look at the new arrivals.
About a dozen Bank guards were clustered around Heinrich, not far from the end of the gangplank. The guards were glancing at the crowd, then at the Argo, then at Heinrich as if they weren't sure what to do. The blonde found herself wondering how this would be going if they hadn't arranged for a crowd to be here. She wasn't sure, but she got the impression that it wouldn't be going nearly this well, even with Heinrich there.
He was in his mid-twenties, although he was sporting a full beard. A sword was fastened at his side and he wore chainmail from head to toe, partially concealed by a surcoat which carried the emblem of a gold coin. He was also over a foot taller than she was at 6' 4" and -- even taking into account the extra bulk added by the chainmail -- it looked like he could wrestle an ox and win. Despite that though, he looked a little surly.
"Hermy." She grinned, using her childhood nickname for him.
The corners of his mouth twitched up slightly, though oddly he looked more annoyed too. She walked up to give him a hug, which he accepted stiffly.
"What's wrong?" She asked pulling back.
"Are you okay?" He whispered quietly enough that no one else could hear.
She smiled, though it was a slightly pained smile. "Ethan is wonderful, my father on the other hand..." She let the smile fade.
Heinrich raised an eyebrow.
"Did you know?" She asked, suddenly realizing that as her father's right-hand man, he likely did.
"Know what?"
"That my father tried to kill Ethan and Alana?"
Heinrich gave her a long look, then turned his gaze to Ethan. "Lord Borden requests your presence at the manor house."
Judging by his tone, it wasn't a request.
"You didn't answer my question." Beth repeated, feeling her heart start to sink.
"If you have a problem with your father, you need to take it up with him." Heinrich replied.
*That's not an unreasonable point angel.* Ethan pointed out telepathically. *Maybe he just doesn't want to interfere?*
*Maybe.* Her face fell and she took a step back from her childhood friend as she tried hard to believe the best of him.
He wasn't making it easy.
"Welcome back Lady Beth!" Someone from the crowd shouted.
The guards moved so she could see the crowd. Given the new position that they'd taken, they seemed far more interested in protecting her from Ethan than from the crowd. However, they hadn't been foolish enough to come between the dragon and her.
"Hello!" She called back, feeling a bit more cheerful at the crowd. She'd always felt better when she could interact with the people of Gralden. "It's so good to be back and to see all of your faces. But, I know you're also here to see someone else; my husband, the prophet of Illuminar!"
She turned and beckoned him over.
He looked a bit taken aback by her exuberant introduction, but came forward nevertheless.
"I realize I haven't been married that long, only two months, but he's been the best husband that a woman could ever ask for." She said to the crowd, then turned and put all her feeling into a kiss to her amazing husband.
The way he returned the kiss took her breath away. She felt herself bent back and swept into his arms. He even used a bit of tongue. If this had been any other time, she would've wanted to drag him into the captain's cabin.
"Wow." She breathed when he broke the kiss.
He looked at her pointedly. "Yeah."
That's when Beth became aware of the crowd again, who were whooping and cat-calling.
She blushed.
Ethan pulled her upright again and she faced the crowd with an embarrassed smile. "He does that."
They all laughed, then one of them shouted. "But didn't you marry a human man?"
She glanced at him, and he nodded, then turned his disguise gem on. The crowd gasped, then after a moment they seemed to recognize his human form, and he clicked the gem off again.
"I was indeed the one who rescued Beth." Ethan said. "And thus I had the incredible honor and great privilege of marrying her and calling her my wife." He looked at her fondly before turning back to the crowd. "Lord Borden knew that I'm a dragon, and honored his contract bounty by allowing me the honor of her hand in marriage."
There was a general murmur of assent and nodding of heads.
*At least the people don't seem to have a problem with you.* Beth thought directly to him. *Though, I wonder--*
"What about your other wives?" Someone else called. "Doesn't Lord Borden hate that?"
Beth glanced at him.
He glanced at her before thinking to her. *It'll probably go over better if you answer this, just don't give too much away.*
Beth got a mischievous grin on her face as she replied. "Well, it's fortunate he isn't married to Ethan then."
The crowd laughed.
"Seriously though, I know my father's position on multiple wives in general, but I have literally never been happier in my life." She leaned up against Ethan, and she felt him put his arm around her.
Nearby, she heard Heinrich let out a sound halfway between a growl and a sigh, and he did it with a scowl on his face. She gave him a smile, which he looked like he wanted to return, but didn't. Instead, he nodded his head towards her father's mansion.
"We need to be going." She called to the crowd. "I haven't seen my family in two months! Thank all you wonderful people for coming out to meet us; I missed you all so much!"
