Chapter 39: Home on the Range
“Welcome to River’s Crest!” Rosalyn cheered, waving a hand dramatically over the small town before them. They’d left the woods a bit ago and had been walking through barren farmland covered with the ever present snow. There were no more than thirty buildings that Annita could pick out. With the setting sun, the people were lighting lanterns and candles, getting ready for the night to take them. All had sloped wooden roofs and log walls from what she could see, with the exception of stone chimneys. It was quaint. Something she’d read about in stories, but hadn’t ever thought she’d see for herself.
Rosalyn led them into town, mumbling greetings to the few people she passed. Despite knowing them, the woman seemed more reserved than she was further away from civilisation. Her chin had dropped, and her shoulders hunched slightly as she walked. Ann didn’t comment, but took note that this was not an entirely comfortable situation for the Druid.
They came to a specific building, and Rosalyn opened the door without hesitation, beckoning them all in behind her.
“Mom? Dad? I hope you have enough for a few guests. I have friends!” she called into the house as they kicked the mud and snow off their shoes and paws.
“Rosy? Is that you?” a soft, cheerful woman’s voice called from deeper into the house. “We didn’t expect to hear from you for another month! Is everything all right?”
“Fine, mom!” Rosalyn responded, hanging up her coat and kicking off her shoes.
Through a door to the left, they entered the apparent living room. A pair of old, battered, overstuffed chairs sat before the fireplace. The room was cosy, a cabinet nestled in the corner next to a table large enough for six. Several chests and dressers, adorned with simple crafts or family portraits, stood around the room.
Rising from the chair on the left, Rosalyn’s mother looked over the unfamiliar group that had gathered at the door. “Who are these? You said friends?” The woman was similar to Rosalyn in stature, though she bore a stooped back. Her black horns curled back the same way Rosalyn’s did, but she didn’t share the distinctive woolen hair. Instead, the clicking of her steps indicated she’d been born with hoofs instead of feet. Laugh lines creased the corners of her brown eyes, and her plump cheeks had a rosy hue as she smiled.
“Yup. They actually came looking for me. You remember the monster all the hunters were scared of? They’d come from the Keep to help with it. They ran into me and we managed to put it down. This is Katlyn, Bren, and Annita.”
“Thank you for keeping my daughter safe, dears,” the woman said, her smile widening further. “She’s always been one to do things herself, but help should always be welcome. I am Lorna. The old goat in the chair playing deaf is Grollor. Say hi to our guests, dear.”
“Hello,” the gruff voice of the man in the chair echoed through the room with a weight Ann was not expecting. “Thank you. For keeping Rosalyn safe. You are welcome here.”
From what Ann could see, he was mostly normal. She didn’t see the horns like Rosalyn and Lorna shared. He had short cropped hair that was going white with age. Large, gnarled hands rested on the arms of the chair, but he did not move an inch from where he was sitting.
“Never mind him,” Lorna sighed. “He’s tired. Been out all day working on that new barn out with Trovas’ kids. Needs done before spring, so everyone’s been chipping in where they can. Come in dears, make yourselves at home. I’m sorry, we don’t have more comfortable chairs for all of you, but we’ve been just the two of us for some time now. Ever since Rosy left.”
“Mooom,” Rosalyn whined. “I told you to stop calling me that ages ago.”
“Oh pish. You’ll always be my little lamb. Now, why don’t you all freshen up? Wash room is across the hall. I’ll get dinner set out, and we can talk about everything that’s happened since we last saw you, Rosy!”
Rolling her eyes, Rosalyn walked from the room, quickly followed by the rest as Lorna began setting the table.
The four travellers took turns washing their faces. “So, that’s your mom?” Ann asked, leaning against a wall, listening to the sounds of Lorna getting a meal prepared.
“Yeah. Told you she was going to be a bit much. Though she’ll be more when we talk over what we plan. Oh, I expect a full breakdown. Less like the one I had more, um, my little girl is growing up? You all are a great reassurance though, once full introductions are done. It’ll be ok. I hope. I’m going either way. Uuuugh.” Rosalyn lowered her head and grabbed herself by the horns. It was clearly a show of frustration, but definitely a new one for Ann.
“We will do our best to allay any worries they might have,” Bren reassured as he dried his face, giving Kat her turn. “Your mother seems to be the sensitive type, but your father is a bit of a mystery to me. Is his current state simply exhaustion?”
“Probably? He can be a pretty cool guy overall, and not near as gruff. He might open up a bit more during dinner? At least I hope so.”
Kat returned as a waft of something tasty came through the hall. “Think it’s time. Let’s join ‘em. Hopefully this goes smooth like.”
“Oh, wonderful!” Lorna cooed warmly as they entered. “Sit, sit. Nothing special, I’m afraid. We have bread, mead, some beef and cabbage.” Lorna spoke as she set out the meal in plates and bowls. It was a poor meal, but for the rural farming town, this was a good night.
Grollar was quiet at the beginning, taking relish in his meal. Now that he was out of his chair, they all got a good look at him. He was a big man, human from what they could tell. Short brown hair streaked with grey covered his head and upper lip in a handlebar moustache. His eyes were tired, but after the first few bites of his wife’s cooking, they regained a light that was absent before. Turning to his guests, he spoke. “So, tell us. How did you run into our little Rosalyn?” His voice was rich and deep, a rumble in his barrel chest.
“That was me, actually,” Ann began. “I was being chased by the Warped that was terrorising the area, and I almost literally tripped over her.”
“Bad luck running into that thing,” Grollar mumbled. “I saw your equipment. Soldiers or mercs?”
“Mercs,” Kat answered. “Just got sent up from Graven Keep aimin’ tae help with the Warped.”
“You should have seen it dad!” Rosalyn exclaimed, putting her food down. “It was huge, as big as a house! The front half was this weird pale flesh thing that looked like a worm human with four arms and no head! Its back was all in this giant shell it drug around that could shoot this sticky black goop at you. It was so gross! Then, when we beat it up enough, it ripped itself out of the shell and tried to kill Bren and I! We lived, though. Kat and Ann got its attention, and it scampered away for a bit. It was such a rush! They took a beating, but we took it down in the end. I got a chunk of it, actually. Left it outside, since it’s kinda big. Drags well in the snow when you’re not exhausted from fighting. Might be a good sled, or something? I don’t know. Haven’t really decided yet.”
After Rosalyn’s rambling ended, Grollor leaned back in his chair with a booming laugh, and Lorna leaned her face in a hand with a fond smile.
“That’s my girl!” Grollor exclaimed. “Another monster falls at your magics. Thank you for keeping us and the village safe, Rosalyn. I will let the elder know of your victory, and the ones who assisted you in this trial.”
“I’m glad you were unharmed. That thing seemed to be more of a fright than the usual Warped we see. Do you think there might be more?” Lorna asked, a shadow of concern crossing her face as she looked at the other three.
“Oh, shouldn’t be. At least not the smaller ones. We got the Runestone all charged up the other day, so the Twinwolves and the like should be cleared out by now.” Rosalyn said in her bubbly way.
“We must know about you three as well!” Grollor insisted, levelling his mug at Kat, Ann, and Bren. “Tell us, where do you hail from?”
“Korvas, fer the two of us,” Kat began. “Grown up there all me life.”
“The same for me, as well,” Bren stated. “Though my family moved there a while after I was born, most of my memories are of the city.”
“And I…” Ann faltered. She hadn’t really come up with anything that’d work for where she came from. While she might be able to use the amnesiac story again, that felt off. She wouldn’t be lying to anyone important, but wasn’t sure if simple folk like these would be as accepting of her.
“Dearie? Is something wrong?” Lorna prodded her.
“No, no. I’m from pretty far away. Northeast. I don’t really have many memories of where I lived. I’ve been a traveller as long as I can remember. No roots to really claim.”
“Well, that suits your appearance well, I’d say. A little rough, a little wild, but there’s a spark of adventure in you,” Lorna smiled, placing her hand atop Ann’s larger one.
“Rosalyn has told us some of your past as well. Please, tell us of yourselves as well.” Bren inquired, leaning forward onto his elbows.
“Oh, we’re humble folk,” Grollor chuckled, the noise rumbling through Ann’s sensitive ears. “I grew up further east. Closer to Thalten, farmin’ and all that with my pa and family. It’s been in the family for generations. Grew up doing hard labour. Good work for a growing lad. Met Lorna here at one of the harvest festivals. Prettiest lass I’ve ever seen. The way she danced, her hair whipping around her horns in the firelight. Ah, it was magical. I knew then and there I had to be the one to make her mine. Thankfully, she thought the same about me.” He smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling as he leaned close to his smaller wife.
“You were quite the looker back then. Still are. Time has been kind to both of us, I’d say,” Lorna laughed. “As for me, I grew up in a family that were prominently hunters. I, however, did not take to the family business as readily as my siblings and parents did . I spent most of my time growing up either failing at using a bow or firearm, or with the older women in the village. With them, I learned to sew, to dance, to cook, and other necessities for a home. My family, bless them, never understood me, but loved me enough to let me be who I was. Father still tried to get me to hunt, but that was all he knew.”
“Eventually I met this absolutely gorgeous mountain of a man at a harvest festival. I can’t quite remember his name…” she teased, eyes twinkling at Grollor. “Time moved quickly as he courted me. It was thrilling to have someone so intently focused on me, I couldn’t help but fall for him.”
Kat and Ann shared a quick glance, cheeks blushing as they recognised the looks being exchanged with embarrassing clarity. Bren, for his part, looked at them smugly before returning his attention to Lorna.
“Then we married, and lived there for a time,” Grollor said, picking up the thread. “Rosalyn came about shortly after. Pride of both our eyes, the little lamb. Shoulda seen her as a babe. Black as coal, with fuzzy white wool for hair and little stubby horns. Never seen somethin’ as perfect as her.” The man’s face softened into a ridiculously happy smile as he recalled the memory.
“Sadly, a few years after, a blight hit my family’s farm. A sickness in the soil that none could stave off or find a cure for. We made the hard choice to pick up and try our luck elsewhere. That’s when we packed up all we had and came to River’s Crest. Little Rosalyn was not having any of it, let me tell you. Never seen her so furious. Gave us all measures of trouble, but eventually we settled in to how we wished to live our lives here.” The man huffed, satisfied with his recounting of the past.
“I mean, you took me away from all my friends and everything I knew. I think I deserved to be a bit upset,” Rosalyn huffed.
“You did indeed, Rosy,” Lorna said with a smile, stroking her daughter’s arm soothingly. “I’m just glad we could move past it after some time.”
“Yeah. Me too,” Rosalyn murmured, leaning her head on Lorna’s. There was a soft clack as their horns met.
“So, what will your business be now that the Warped is slain?” Grollor asked, leaning back in his chair to the point he was balancing on two legs.
“Well, mom, dad. That’s kinda what we were hoping to talk to you about,” Rosalyn said, drawing back into a sitting posture as her eyes darted nervously between her parents. “I think I’m going to be going away with them.”
“You’re what?” Lorna gasped, hands clutched to her chest. “But, Rosy. Are you sure? You barely know these people. There’s… there’s such a good life here. It’s comfortable. You have your responsibilities to the town, and all that you protect love you. Why would you give that up?”
Grollor’s face had hardened slightly. He didn’t speak, but his body language communicated he was waiting for answers intently.
“Well, yeah. It is sudden,” Rosalyn admitted. “But I don’t think another opportunity like this is going to come again. These three? They’re more than just some mercs. Ann, can I tell them? About the whole, uh, you know who?” Her hazel eyes pleaded for understanding, and Ann couldn’t resist that face.
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“Ok, so Ann’s actually something pretty unique. She’s got a specific path given to her by Orenous, and a quest to see through because of it. Something big is happening, and they want me to join them. Kat, well. Kat is Katlyn Farragher. You know, the Princess?”
At that revelation, Grollor lost his balance on the chair and toppled backwards. Standing, he made a low bow to Kat. “Your highness! I didn’t know. I’m sorry if I was rude in any way.”
Lorna had sat up straighter, and all the relaxed energy had left the woman. “I as well offer my humble apologies, your highness,” she said as she bowed her head.
“Ah sod off wit’ all tha’,” Kat groaned. “I don’t give a rat’s arse about the pleasantries or any o’ tha’. Sit down, an’ talk tae me like anyone else. S’ how I prefer it.”
“Um, yes, of course, your hi… Kat,” Grollor stammered.
It was a little funny seeing the massive man so befuddled by the mere presence of Kat, but Ann hid her smile.
“And Bren,” Rosalyn continued, “is from a family of mages that work in the capital, right?”
“Yes. My parents and I were close to the royal family. I grew up with Katlyn, and, well, that’s a long story,” he sighed.
“So, can you see why I want to do this? To go with them and see what the world has to offer? To see the wonders of the world with my own eyes, even if it’s all dangerous?” Rosalyn asked, hands clasped firmly in her lap.
Lorna fidgeted in her chair, indecisively glancing between Grollor and Rosalyn. “I… I don’t know, love. I’m worried about you. Even with a princess at your side, this is such a big change. Are you sure? Really sure?”
“Don’t let the promise of a possible future blind you to a known one,” Grollor advised.
His words were stoic, devoid of emotion, but Ann could see the worry in his eyes. He wanted to tell his daughter not to go, but was holding himself back with great effort. Ann felt her heart melt for the man.
“I know, I know. It’s a risk. I know, mom,” Rosalyn repeated, offering an arm as tears gathered in her mother’s eyes. “I just… I feel like this is right. Something is telling me I need to do this. Either that’s just my heart, or something greater, considering Ann’s whole deal. I need to do this.”
Tears began to flow in earnest from Lorna’s eyes as she clung to her daughter. “I’m sorry, my love. My little Rosy. I want to be happy for you. So happy you’ve found something important to you to do. At the same time, I’m so scared of you leaving. What if you get hurt, and sick, or lonely, or want to leave? Will you be all right?”
“Mom, I’ll be fine,” Rosalyn spoke softly, comforting her mother the best she could. “I’ve got a wonderful healer in Bren, and none of them are the types to keep me away if I wanted to come back.” She looked around at Ann, Kat and Bren, asking for confirmation.
“Yes. That is the truth. Should she ever wish to leave and return to the village, for whatever reason, we will be fine with that.” Bren affirmed.
“Having someone along who doesn’t want to be there would be a huge bummer, too,” Ann agreed. “I’d rather she be happy where she is than be with us and miserable.”
Lorna took a few minutes of assurances and soothing from Rosalyn before her tears calmed. “You three better look after her,” she warned. “She is my everything. If I see even a nick on her horns, I swear on the Gods.”
“Lorna,” Grollor cautioned. “They seem to be fine folk. The type to run off with our daughter and get in trouble wouldn’t be the ones to stop by for dinner before leaving. That being said, please. Please do keep her safe. It is a dangerous world out there.”
“Aye.”
“Yes.”
“Absolutely.”
The three answered at once, nodding to the man before them.
“Then you have my blessing,” Grollor nodded back. “It is getting late. We have a spare room you can use for the night, though you will have to share, and we only have the single bed.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Ann grinned at Kat.
“Now, could you please give us some time with our daughter?” Lorna pleaded. “If this is the last we’ll see of her for a while, I want to make sure we have all the time we can.”
“Of course,” Kat said with a soft smile. The three mercs rose and left the room quietly, entering the small side room.
“This went just about as good as I could have hoped,” Bren sighed, sitting on the floor, back against a wall.
“Yeah, though those looks from Lorna and Grollor nearly broke my heart,” Ann sighed, relaxing on the bed with Kat.
“Know what ye mean. Tha’ giant bulk o’ a man has a soft spot fer ‘er. Good folk, the lot o’ ‘em.”
“Guess we’re gonna have to deal with my Libido tomorrow,” Ann said, stretching her lanky limbs across the too small bed. “Actually, Bren, you want the bed? I don’t really fit in here. We can just use the bedrolls.”
“If you would like, I would not mind a proper bed to sleep in,” Bren grinned, standing as they swapped positions. “And thank you for not trying anything while we are all stuck in such close proximity. I do not think I could take it after the other night.”
“We really need to get you laid,” Ann laughed, falling onto the bedrolls Kat had laid out.
Kat flopped next to her, laughter echoing in the small room. “Aye, that we do. Been lookin, not gonna lie tae ya. Just ‘aven’t found the right one tae throw at ye yet. Rosalyn’s cute, but she’s clearly intae women.”
“Yeah, I’ve caught her staring at you way too much,” Ann giggled, poking Kat in the ribs.
“My love life is none of your concern,” Bren huffed, despite his cheeks flushed brightly. “I can find my own partners quite well on my own.”
“Aye, but sometimes ye need a lil help,” Kat grinned.
“Good night,” Bren declared, rolling over to face the wall, done with the conversation.
“Nighty night, loverboy,” Ann laughed, pulling Kat into a warm embrace.
Soon, snores echoed through the room as the three slept peacefully.