Chapter 239: Home Cooking on the Frontier

Rosalyn Losenska

Alruna and Tarnu were already at the house by the time they got there. The mostly black-clad woman was leaning by the door to show them which one was right, which was awful considerate because Rosalyn was sure they’d get lost even in this smaller town. Lucia was sure she could have sniffed out the food, but with so many people cooking around this time, that was iffy at best.

“Did you have a pleasant day?” the Daughter of Worms asked, standing straight as they approached. She wasn’t too much taller than Rosalyn, but she still had to look up at the woman’s masked eyes.

“We got our mail sent, and I saw so much of how that all worked! It was really neat, and the person behind the counter was really nice, telling me about all the different inks and how they got things moved around all over the kingdom. He was really smart!” She’d had a lot of fun with Bren.

Alruna gave her a polite smile and a nod. “That is good to hear. You three look exhausted. I was not aware walking around a town could cause such fatigue.”

“Helped wit’ wall reinforcement,” Kat said with a yawn. “Was fun, but tirin’.”

Ann punched her shoulder playfully. “You’re the one with all the strength. I’m dying here.” It was true. Her ears were droopy, and her tail had a lot less energy in it than usual. The second she caught the smell of food, however, the excitable limb jumped to life with an eager wag. “That, though, is exactly what the doctor ordered.”

“Tarnu is already inside, conversing with the family. I was to wait for you, so now let us make our entrance.”

The door to the two-story home swung open with a blast of chatter and cutlery. It was still a bit rough, with exposed beams across the ceiling, in the corners, and even a couple in the middle of the open first floor. A large table had been set up to their right, while an arrangement of couches and chairs was set by the fireplace. A fireplace that Kat would be very happy to sit by later. Poor thing got so cold.

The family was a mess in the best of ways. Palidius and Gretchen were at the head of the table, with two younger versions of themselves. Had to be a daughter and son. They had some of their mother’s stocky build and strong arms, but were far taller than any Bultrong without a beard on the woman’s face. Either Palidius or Gretchen, or both, had been red-headed as their family seemed to follow the trend. Gretchen probably had the deeper red that Bultrong could grow, while Palidius had the more coppery colour Humans took.

There were four other adults besides Tarnu, who’d set himself in a chair in the corner nearest Palidius and Gretchen so he was out of the way of any accidental proximity that might set him off. Those other adults were two more half Bultrongs, an Inlon, and a Thrundol. All were talking with the easy familiarity of a family that had spent pretty much their entire lives together while they prepared tonight’s meal. Rosalyn guessed that the non halfbreeds were married into the family.

Then there were the children. Making a racket, they were everywhere Rosalyn looked. One was buried in a book on the couch, two others were helping with the dinner, and the rest were just playing. Tusks and ears made it really easy to tell whose child each was. Floppy pointed ears for the Inlon and small tusks for the Bultrong. They’d take strongly after one parent or the other later in life, but their bodies were still figuring that part out. People who truly mixed like Gretchen and Palidius’ kids were not as common. You saw them all over, but nature had a way of gravitating one way or the other. Ann had called it genetics, where your blood… wait, no, your cells made the decision for you, and you got all of that from your parents. How that affected the multiple distinct races that now inhabited Earth was a question Rosalyn would love to get an answer to, but without some of the crazy tools her girlfriend talked about, she’d probably never get to see. Well, not without some tests.

I mean, you could start some of those tests.

Nope, not doing that one. Rosalyn refused Xirali’s idea. You know how I feel about that.

It’d get you a lot of useful information!

Yeah, but it’s… I dunno, it’s wrong?

Wrong schmong. It’d be super fun! Come oooon. Ugh, fine. Still, interesting that these two had such a good pairing to make so many little ones.

Yeah. Bultrong don’t usually have huge families like this. Well, unless they need it, because Voltid is all about efficiency and works. Never really understood that.

Because you don’t have as much of a God’s fingers in your biological soup as they do. Still have a little since, you know, the Vulhardrin thing started with the Warping.

Yeah, but that was a side effect at the beginning. We’ve been around longer than we haven’t after the Return.

Eh, true. Glad you are, too. Makes things more interesting.

“Rosalyn, you ok?”

Ann was kneeling next to her, squeezing her hand comfortingly. She was great for that.

“Yeah, sorry, just lost in thoughts and Xirali being weird. I’m fine.”

Ann gave her a worried look, but gave her a kiss on the cheek and led her into the room.

Anxiety was squirming in her chest as introductions were made. Timothy and Eliasa were the two who’d been talking to Palidius and Gretchen. Gloria was the Inlon woman, and Raul the Thrundol man. Their partners were Adelin and Maya. Rosalyn had to pause for a second because Adelin was definitely with Gloria, but there were kids. Another woman like Ann. Right. Well, not like Ann, but with the same anatomy down there. She shouldn’t be surprised, but it was pretty rare, and she’d met three like that now? Maybe Orenous was making people a bit more fluid than before? Who knew. She wouldn’t tell, anyway. Something to keep track of for biological purposes, though. Some of the scholars who went deeper into culture and all that stuff would appreciate the observation. Oh, she should tell Bren if she didn’t forget. She probably would, though. Stupid brain.

It’s a beautiful brain.

Xirali was right. She should be nicer to herself.

“Help me to the chair over there, miss?” Palidius asked, offering a hand to Rosalyn.

“Oh, yeah, sure!”

The old man’s hand was frail and wrinkly with nought but skin and bone. Rosalyn was almost scared she’d break it, even though she wasn’t much stronger than a normal person. Palidius sighed heavily as he sat down in an overstuffed chair. “So, where on the frontiers are you from, Rosalyn?”

“Huh? Did I mention that before?”

Palidius laughed, the laugh turning into a cough before he settled himself. “No, not at all. Just have that feeling about you. Also, I saw you taking stock of the family, and I could tell you’d figured everyone out right quick. You have a big family?”

“Nope. Just me and my parents. I’m from River’s Crest. It’s out near the Belt, so pretty far away from here. We had a couple families like yours there, though, so I’m a little used to it.”

“Small family out there? Not common, yeah?”

“Nope. The family had a falling out when I was little, and my Ma and Pa moved out that way. When I wasn’t hiding in the woods, I got to be everyone’s niece in a way. If I let them. Wasn’t very social. Still not.”

“Heh, Tabitha, our youngest, was a lot like you in that regard. She couldn’t stand her brothers and sisters, always running around in the woods. Did it so much we scrounged enough up to send her to Indelholm for a blessing to hopefully at least keep her safe from the Warp in the air. Can’t do much if one of those monsters wanted to eat her. She lived, though, with a few scars to show for close scrapes. Indelholm captured her while she was there, though. Minute she could pursue a living out there, she took it. Now she’s got her own family and tries to make it out every couple years. Should be by this summer, actually. If you’re still around, you should meet her.”

Rosalyn understood the longing for solitude and what that could do to someone. She was glad this Tabitha had figured herself out. “I… wow. That does sound a lot like me. How did she, um, how did she get better about the alone thing?”

“Hm… not sure she did. Her husband keeps her safe, and the kids keep her busy, but last time she visited, she was still the shortest in a crowd, but the tallest when there were fewer people. Not physically, but her presence, you know? Personality, that kind o’ thing.”

“Yeah, sounds like me when someone gets me talking about warped or bodies. I can go on and on. It’s made some things awkward, let me tell ya. Still, ugh.” Rosalyn flopped back into her own chair. “I hate not being able to do the whole crowds and lots of people things. Ann and Kat don’t have those problems.”

“That so bad?” the wizened human asked.

Rosalyn cocked an accusatory eyebrow at him.

“Don’t give me that sass, young lady. You know what I mean. Not everyone can be great at everything. Gretchen’s always been stronger than I am, but I’ve been taller. Same goes for Gloria and Adelin. Just that Gloria’s got all the strength, but Adelin is sharp as a tack. They work out great together. Your girlfriends do the same for you?”

“I guess. Kat and Ann can talk to people they’ve never met. It’s… daunting, I think would be the word Bren would use. I’d call it downright terrifying.”

“Sure, but what can you do that they can’t?”

“Um…” Rosalyn sat back for a moment, truly trying to put her thoughts together. She struggled with the idea that Kat and Ann couldn’t do something she could. They were just so awesome at everything. They could pick whatever up if they really tried.

“Let me give you a hint, youngun. What’s something you can do now that they can’t? Don’t get caught up in your head. First thing that comes to mind.”

“Well, identify and classify nearly every Warped in the Kingdom by memory and have resources on the rest that I can look up or if I forget something, because that happens. Also, the magic, even though Ann has some, and Kat’s starting to show signs of it, too.”

“But is it your kind of magic?” Palidius leaned forward, resting his bony hands on the handle of his cane while he still sat. His bushy white eyebrows looked extra big in the firelight. He should be sitting straight. Hunching like that was bad for your… he was too old to care about his back at this point, Rosalyn guessed.

“No. Ann can do some hits, and it works with her emotions, too. Dunno about Kat.”

“See? You are plenty useful. Say one of those nasty monsters is flying high in the sky. Could either of them bring it down?”

“Well, Ann has a gun.”

“Could she, though?”

“Probably not,” Rosalyn pouted as Palidius started to corner her in the discussion. He sure was a parent.

“Alright, and could she tell it from a Skyviper or a Terrorworm?”

“No, but she should be able to. One’s got a blunt head with weirdly human teeth, while the other one’s got smooth purple skin and a diamond head. Not to mention how they hunt. Terrorworms are diving predators that just fall out of the sky. Skyvipers like to hide in trees and hit you before you even know they were there, then wait for you to die of poison.”

“Huh, hadn’t actually seen a Terrorworm before. Heard about it from a hunter way back.  Still, see? You’re great at all of that. If you want to get better at socialising, then you’ll have to work at it just as hard. Why do you, by the by?”

“So I can stand next to them when big things happen,” Rosalyn grumbled.

“Oh? People knowin’ about them?”

“You could say that.”

“Well, with one being a princess, I guess that makes sense.”

Rosalyn nodded, then whipped her head up, staring at Palidius.

The old man raised a thin finger to his lips. “I visited Korvas a few years ago. There was some official event, and she was there. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my trap shut.”

“Thanks,” Rosalyn sighed, letting the wave of adrenaline wash out of her. “She really likes being a nobody.”

“So, make that an eventual goal. You’re gonna have to work at it, just like carving a statue or building a house. It’s not gonna come together right away. Brick by log, by chip, by tiny nail. It all comes together eventually.”

“Dad, come here for a sec?” Gloria called.

“Ope, guess I’m needed. You stay here if you like,” Palidius said, creaking his way back up to standing and tottering over to the Inlon woman holding a ladle.

“Hi, miss!” an excited voice called in front of Rosalyn. “Miss Alruna said we could get close to you. Are you really like she is?”

Rosalyn looked over to Alruna, who had taken off her mask and hood, entertaining some of the children even as they kept their distance by making shapes with her worms.

“It’s a bit complicated. She’s more of the normal kind of Warped, and I’ve got something else going on that makes me a bit like that. See my eyes?” Rosalyn leaned in towards the little half-Inlon girl with her adorable red pigtails.

The little girl’s huge eyes widened as she saw what Rosalyn meant. “Whooooaaa. Like one of Teddy’s Dad’s goats! Your hair is real pretty, too! So fluffy! And the horns are nice. What’s that band made of? Why are they so shiny? Are they supposed to be shiny? Why’s your skin that colour? Is that normal? Do you like to eat? What do you like to eat? I like dogs!”

It wasn’t often that Rosalyn got to be on the receiving end of so many questions, but the little girl was so excited to meet her. She took her time answering each question in turn, explaining how she polished her horns, and that her skin was that colour because of her hair. Xirali was laughing when she corrected the misconception about the goat’s eyes.

I dunno. They might be a goat. I’m definitely a goat, or at least kind of.

I wanna be a sheep. Gonna stick with sheep.

Goats are cooler! Xirali teased in a singsong voice before breaking out in another fit of laughter.

While she was doing this, she saw Kat and Ann had both been cornered by other children. Ann had one climbing up on her shoulders and playing with her ears, while Kat had her sleeves rolled up to show off her scales.

“So why do your mom and dad tell you about this stuff? Isn’t it supposed to be secret?”

“Oh, yeah! Super big secret. Only talk about it with family. That’s the rule. Not even a girlfriend like Brett has who’s really pretty and nice and has really long hair and good shoes and a nice pink dress I like. If we do, the big dragon under the earth comes and gobbles us up!”

That was… an image. Rosalyn could see Eldest of All doing something similar. They tried to be kind, tried to be understanding, but they needed to stay hidden. His fury at Kat just being like a dragon but not was terrifying. If that endangered his people? Rosalyn doubted Godrin’s Cliff would exist much longer. Gods, who knew where other dragons were lurking, just waiting to be set off by accident? Most of them were in inhospitable locations for normal people, but things happened. Even together, her group couldn’t take down one of those creatures. They were literally legendary for a reason.

“Miss, you okay?” the little girl asked.

“Yeah. I do that. I was thinking about dragons.”

“Have you met a dragon? Well, besides the big crusty one?”

“Nope! Kat wants to, one day, but we haven’t gotten that far yet. Maybe in a few dozen levels, we might be able to reach a lair and talk to one. I wonder how different they’ll be from Eldest of All. Did you know dragon personalities range not just by their colour but also by their environment? A blue dragon that settles down in a desert will be far more social and cohabitate with the local wildlife, acting as an oasis. Meanwhile, if they settle on an island, they become extremely territorial and attack ships or large sea life that gets close.”

“What’s cohabulate? Or envi… envyr… infirment? Or oasis?”

“Cohabitate,” Rosalyn repeated with a smile, “means to live with other things. Like you all live together in this house.”

“Oh, so I cohablitate with my moms?”

“Yup! An environment is where you live. So the village would be your environment. If you started going outside the walls, that would become part of it.”

“Mom and mom say its danger out there, so I can’t. Scary monsters.”

“They’re very right. Lots of big ones that’ll gobble you up!”

“But you go out?”

“Yeah, because I can do big magic!”

The girl’s eyes practically bulged out of her face, and her floppy ears perked fully up. Her jaw dropped, revealing a mouth with a few teeth missing. “Can you show me?”

“I can’t show you the big things, but I do have a little spell. It’s going to hurt just a little bit, alright?”

“O… okay?”

“You do this, and I’ll show you another cool one. It’ll be super fun!”

“Okay!”

Rosalyn held out her hand, and the little girl’s tiny hand lay palm down on it. Even to Rosalyn, she was tiny.

“Alright. Three, two, one.” Rosalyn used Shocking Touch at its absolute minimum. It was a mild jolt. Static would easily do more damage to you. Some people had scars from it. Still, the little girl let out a surprised yelp, then immediately giggled, then laughed holding her hand. Her parents glanced her direction at the cry, but when they saw her laughing, they went back to setting the table.

“That stings!” the girl giggled. “Do it again?”

“But don’t you want to know about the other spell?”

“OH YEAH!”

“Alright, go into the corner by the fire,” Rosalyn directed.

The little girl scampered over and stood in the spot Rosalyn pointed at. “You have to stay still and keep quiet, but when I do this, it’ll be hard for people to notice you.”

“Even here?”

“Yup. Standing right in front of them. And… it’s cast. Stay still, remember?”

Little giggles could be heard from the now camouflaged child.

“Hey, Gloria, Adolin, do you see anything over there?” Rosalyn called back towards the table.

“No?” Gloria spoke up with a reedy voice.

“Are we supposed to?” Adolin asked.

“Moms, I’m here!” the little girl cried.

“Seth? Where?”

“You can’t see me! Rosalyn made magic that hides me!”

“Please tell me that’s not permanent,” Adolin half laughed, eyes full of worry.

“Nah. I have to concentrate to keep it up.” Rosalyn dismissed the spell, and Seth bolted to her mothers cackling.

“I want magic! Magic is cool!”

“Well, we’ll see what we can do,” Gloria laughed, nuzzling her little girl’s face against her own.

“Alright, dinner’s ready! Everyone gather ‘round,” Gretchen shouted over the din of conversation.

Rosalyn’s stomach grumbled in anticipation. She hadn’t even noticed how hungry she was. Maybe she was good at this? Kids, at least. They were much easier than adults.

“Oi, ye eatin’?” Kat was waving her over, a seat right between her and Ann. Safe.

“Yeah!” Rosalyn got up and joined the rest as the soft thunks of wooden spoons on wooden bowls filled the room.