It was almost a week before we got to my family’s farm. I feel awful but I’ve kind of been avoiding spending time alone with Kiyui. In the mornings I have been getting up with Tadwick to check the traps with Nomius. I told Kiyui that I wanted to spend a bit more time with Tadwick before we got home, as we probably won’t be doing this stuff with him again. I just can’t bring myself to talk to him about how I feel. And until I do talk to him, I’m too nervous to let him touch me. I’ve dug myself into an awful hole and I am unsure of how to get out of it.
My home looks different to before… our house was definitely not that tall when I left… and we didn’t have a strange little house made of glass around the back… what the hell?
Dwynfel: “We’ve only been gone a bit over two months right?”
Damecus: “Correct.”
Dwynfel: “No way my mum had the money to make these kinds of changes in that amount of time… she was struggling to pay the farmhand… never mind get a second floor… and what on earth is that glass thing?”
Damecus: “I am unsure, but it appears to be full of tomatoes.”
We were approaching the house when suddenly the door opened and a man walked out. He was tall, wearing light armour, and a cloak with the sigil of the knights of Kataravonia on it. He had long lustrous wavy blonde hair. His face looked so smooth yet rugged. He looked like the hero always looked in the drawings in the books my mum used to read to me. He had a short sword and a parrying dagger attached to his belt and a crossbow held to his back with a sling. Even from here I could smell musk and civet coming from him… as well as a hint of cinnamon.
As he exited, he saw us coming up the path. He made no attempt to draw his crossbow like I was expecting. He just waited patiently for us to reach him.
Knight: “Greetings.”
Dwynfel: “Umm… hello.”
Knight: “I am Sir Lucas of the Knights of Kataravonia. Might I assume you to be Dwynfel Vesidia?”
Dwynfel: “You may… might I ask why you were in my house?”
Lucas: “Good question, my dear fellow.”
Fucking hell, this guy speaks posh. I know he’s a knight… but come on.
Lucas: “I have been assigned to keep watch upon your mother and await your return.”
Dwynfel: “Why does my mother need watching?”
Lucas: “Once lady Katheryn was made aware of the vile brigands that breached your mother’s walls but a couple of months ago, she felt distraught. Hence, I was assigned to ensure your mother’s safety. I am also under strict instruction to inform the good lady should you return. So, if you shall excuse me, I shall be off. I have no doubt that the lady Katheryn will be elated by news of your return. Do enjoy your reunion with your dear mother.”
As he was speaking, he untied his horse, climbed on and just as he finished talking, he tapped his horse and trotted off.
Phoenix: “Not quite what I was expecting.”
Dwynfel: “I know right… that was weird… wasn’t it?”
Phoenix: “If they are having a knight protect your mother, then at least rescuing Katheryn appears to have helped.”
Tadwick: “Did you see? He had a cloak like me. And he spoke all fancy. Knights are so cool.”
Indira: “DWYNFEL!”
We turned from looking at the knight trotting away back to the house to see my mother running towards me. And I mean running… like, I have never seen her move so fast in my life. Before I knew it, she had grabbed me, picked me up and was hugging me so hard that I could barely breathe.
Indira: “Where the hell have you been? You were only meant to be gone a few days. I’ve been so worried about you...”
Dwynfel: “Mum… could you loosen your grip a bit…”
She put me down and I could see tears in her eyes. She wiped them away and spoke in such a loving manner.
Indira: “You must come inside and tell me everything. All of you.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Rather unfortunately, even with the modifications that seem to have been done in my absence, the house clearly was not built for people of lizardman size. They had to duck in order to get through the doorways and sit on the floor as our furniture wasn’t sturdy enough to support them. Flora had to duck to enter as well… although she remained standing once inside… she stood next the window staring at the farm.
I have to say… I’m rather surprised by my mother’s lack of a reaction to Flora and the lizardmen. Likewise with that knight earlier. I would have expected them to at least question why they were there… but nope… nothing. I suppose they have accepted a goblin like me… a lizardman isn’t exactly a big step from there.
We were there for several hours as I explained everything to her. All about the corrupted incubus. About the teleportation accident… about how we’ve spent over two months travelling back. I left out all the bits about me and Kiyui… and Kiyui’s family issues… but ya know… I told her the essentials.
Indira: “You must all be so tired and longing for an actual bed. You are all welcome to stay here.”
Dwynfel: “Mum… how come the house has an extra floor?”
Indira: “That lady that you rescued was very grateful for what you did. She bought extra farmland for me to use, she insisted on the extra floor, so that I could have live in farm hands to look after the extra land. She also had a greenhouse built in the garden.”
It certainly sounds like Agaroth & Phoenix’s plan has worked. The opinion of this noblewoman certainly seems to carry weight. At best I was expecting a bit of coin or something from her. But I don’t even know what some of the stuff she has given my mum is.
Dwynfel: “What’s a greenhouse?”
Phoenix: “The glass structure.”
Indira: “I was sceptical at first. Apparently, they are all the rage in the noble quarter. My tomatoes are doing so much better in there. Especially given that it is only March. But anyway… I have three new bedrooms upstairs. I haven’t got round to hiring any extra farmhands yet. But that does mean that there is plenty of space for you at the moment.”
Phoenix: “I will be returning to my home soon. I will not require a bed.”
Indira: “Of course, my dear. And thank you again for looking after my Dwynfel all this time.”
Dwynfel: “Mum, I’m not a child.”
Indira: “I didn’t mean it like that, dear. You are a team; you all look after each other.”
She definitely did mean it like that. No matter what I do, she always babies me.
Nomius: (Signing) “Roof… low… sleep… outside.”
Indira: “I’m sorry, dear. I don’t understand.”
Damecus: “I apologise, madame. He says the ceiling in here is too low for us. We would be better off sleeping outside. We would not want to damage your home.”
Indira: “If it is the ceiling that concerns you, then the barn has a much higher ceiling. You could sleep in there. You can’t sleep outside. Its only March, the weather hasn’t warmed up enough yet.”
Damecus: “You have our thanks, madame.”
She turned to Flora who was still staring out of the window.
Indira: “And what about you, my dear?”
Dwynfel: “Flora… where will you be sleeping?”
Flora: “Room will suffice… bed not needed.”
My mum looked at Tadwick… who was sat on Kiyui’s knee… listening attentively to everything. A look of wonder and excitement in his eye.
Indira: “And what about you, young man? Are you happy to sleep in one of the bedrooms upstairs?”
Tadwick: “A bedroom… on my own?”
Indira: “If you’d like.”
Tadwick looked very pensive.
Tadwick: “I’ve never had my own bedroom before.”
Indira: “I see… sleeping alone for the first time can be a bit scary, can’t it?”
Tadwick nodded nervously.
Kiyui: “In that case Tadpole… how about I stay with you in your room until you get used to it?”
Tadwick: “Weely? I’d like that.”
Kiyui: “Of course, honey.”
Well, thank fuck for that. It gives me a bit longer to work up the courage to talk to him. Suddenly, the door burst open and a familiar face barged his way in.
Agaroth: “Where the fuck have you cunts been?”
Phoenix: “Polite as ever, Agaroth.”
Agaroth: “Hey, do you have any idea the shite that’s gone on over the last two fuckin months?
Phoenix: “Clearly not. But I’m sure you’re going to tell us.”
