“So, time to finally reach the logical conclusion of everything you’ve been doing and leave your daughter genuinely related to you,” Thera teased as they made their way to the dryad gate. “I should have known this day was coming eventually. Do you think she’ll try calling you dad, even just once?”
“If this counts as making us related then I’m now related to most of the church of Myriad. Gods don’t even have blood; there’s no genetic line between us.”
“Just some weird spiritual one now.”
“Pretty sure by that logic it’s still going to leave us closer to siblings. She’s not becoming a demigod through my line; we’re both going to be one through Quox.”
“Nope, logic is getting no place here. No matter how bizarre the method you’re using or how tenuous the link, you’re going out of your way to make the two of you related. On top of how much work you’re putting into raising her, there’s really no arguing it at this point.”
“Okay, I can see you’re not going to let me win this, but cool it down for now. I don’t want to have to deal with whatever would come from Delair or her mother hearing this.”
Thera said nothing more, simply holding back a laugh as the two of them passed through Sachel’s home to Fontesh’s beyond, finding it empty and going outside to hunt its occupants down, finding the older of the two who made their home there working in the garden, getting up as she saw them.
“Oh, Ben, Thera, has it been a week already?”
“Yeah, so just stopping by to see how those two are adjusting, tell Delair we’ll start lessons again, and also keep a little promise I made. Speaking of, you give it any thought yourself?”
He saw the question get a grimace, the thought of whether or not to accept an insane-sounding surgery having been on her mind since the offer went out but left her hanging her head in the end. If she was comfortable enough to allow her daughter to do it, that meant there shouldn’t have been anything for her to fear either, even if that was more easily known in her head than her heart.
“Yes, I’ll do it. Um, and where would this have to happen?”
“We should be able to make it work in your backyard,” Thera answered, being the one who’d actually be doing most of it. “I’ll set up a few thin walls later to make sure you have some privacy for it, but otherwise it should be pretty quick and simple.”
The confidence Thera showed lent nothing to Fontesh’s own worries, but with her agreement given she couldn’t turn back and focused instead on trying to get over her fears while Ben and Thera left to go through the rest of the village, keeping on the lookout while they did.
While not much of a change was about to be seen, the two of them got some friendly waves as they passed, occasionally stopping to share some words with any of the dryads who greeted them before Ben spotted one of the new siren residents working in the distance, chopping wood for an older dryad from the looks of it and by all accounts trying to properly integrate into town, making him just a bit more confident about getting them to move there, with peeks into the surrounding minds showing him similar things. Both groups had been trying their best to adjust to the other, and by all appearances, it seemed to be going well. There had been some worry about the strangers from the dryads but Hentath had been doing her best to manage it by bringing both groups together and the sirens were properly attempting to integrate, leaving Ben satisfied with what he was seeing by the time they arrived at Mirrian’s home.
With both her and Woszan outside, checking on some crops that had grown far too fast to have not felt the touch of plant magic and speaking as they did. Woszan showed all of the peace and contentment one might have hoped to see in a high priestess of any faith while Mirrian came off as a bit more comfortable than she had before, at least from where Ben was standing, and having looked into her mind as he got closer, he found it really was so as he waved to get their attention.
“Mirrian, Woszan, hey. I had to come to keep a promise to my apprentice, but I wanted to check on how you’re both doing. Adjusting alright?”
“I’d say so,” Woszan told him, having found village life more comfortable than she’d expected, without the hustle and bustle that came with fulfilling her role in an entire city made up of her god's believers. Even if she’d known that she’d have to deal with such when she’d first become a high priestess, the move in essence felt like the sort of vacation or retirement that she’d never expected to get.
“Ah, it’s been nice,” Mirrian agreed, still not completely confident but at least feeling better than her time in the city had left her. “Getting to be around people who aren’t sirens has been a bit strange but… ah, sorry.”
“No offense taken,” Ben laughed. “I came from a world where there were only humans, so I know suddenly living with so many others can take some getting used to. And Kalley? Is she adjusting well?”
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“Even better than me. The other children here have been really welcoming to her and, well, the way we were living before, she doesn’t even know that seeing people who aren’t sirens should be strange.”
“Kids are adaptable. I’m glad she’s doing alright. Is she with them now?”
“She is. Um, I think she’s at their elder’s house.”
“Great, then we’ll swing by there to see if my little student is among them. It was nice seeing you both.”
Giving them a smile, he left the two of them to their conversation as he and Thera went off, going to Hentath’s home next and finding it busy as children played in her yard, the older dryad watching from the side with a drink as she watched the children chase each other, making sure they didn’t get too rowdy as they went.
Delair spotted him first, breaking away from the other kids to run over in excitement, looking like a ball of energy as she stopped in front of them for Ben to ruffle her hair as he greeted her, full of positivity as he did.
“Well, looks like you’ve been busy,” he laughed, seeing in her soul the levels to her magics and her crafting she’d gotten in that time. “You did what I asked on top of practicing, right?”
“Yeah, just look,” she told him, nodding back to where Kalley was off running with some of the other children, smiling brightly as she went. “I did a great job helping her make friends, I just made sure to make some time to practice too. Now it’s time for my reward for all of my hard work.”
“Ha, yeah yeah, we’ll get you and your mom both sorted in a bit.”
“And you’ll jar my old heart up for me?”
“We’re doing one of your kidneys, not your heart. Even if it’s safe, no reason not to have it even safer.”
“You’ll jar up my old kidney for me then?”
“So long as it’s not going to freak your mom out too much to have that sitting around somewhere.”
“If it does then you can just hang onto it for me until I’m older.”
“Having one of my student’s organs preserved and hidden away is the exact sort of thing that would make people think I’m insane if it’s found out.”
“Do your best to make sure nobody finds out then.”
A statement that got a laugh from Ben, he grinned down on her as he answered. “Fine, but you’re going to do your best to make your mom okay with it before we resort to that sort of thing, you understand?”
“Got it, Ben!”
“Good kid. In that case, get back to playing for now, and I’ll call you over in a bit when we’re ready. Gotta talk to Hentath first.”
Delair running back to join the others’ game, Ben and Thera went to Hentath, sitting with her to watch the kids at play.
“Had a bit of a look around before coming here, I take it?” the older dryad asked, getting a nod in return.
“A small one. Seems like everyone’s adjusting well. Thank you.”
“Mmh, it’s fine. Having to deal with getting used to a few strangers was probably a good experience for everyone and I didn’t do much.”
“You accepted them and got the rest of them to accept them too. Besides, don’t think I don’t notice you keeping an eye on Kalley here.”
“I’m keeping an eye on all of the children.”
“Ha, I’m sure you are. So, while I’m here, are there any issues I could give a hand with? Any rough patches that came with them moving here I could try to help smooth over?”
“You really do stick your nose in everyone’s business, don’t you?”
“It’s part of my appeal. So?”
“No, even if some here are still a bit shy, they’re trying, and those sirens are putting in some effort too. Mirrian’s a nice enough girl, even if she’s a bit troubled, and as for Kalley, the other kids here just seem excited to have a new friend around to play with. Took the girl a day or two to really warm up to them, but Delair looked like she was really trying to help and now the little one’s running around with the rest of them all day.”
“That’s great. That’s really great to hear.”
Knowing both mother and daughter were doing well couldn’t help but ease his mind when he was the one who’d brought them out into the world. Even if he had nothing to feel guilty for about that fact, as someone in a similar position of feeling abandoned on a strange, alien planet, he couldn’t help but want them to be well, with the distant look he got while watching Kalley play managed to create just enough leeway for Hentath to flick his head.
“You’re young for your race too, aren’t you?”
“I mean, by my people’s standards, I am an adult and have been for a few years now.”
“Pfff, a quarter of the kids running around there are my great-grandchildren, you really think someone with a single foot into adulthood is going to mean anything? You don’t stop maturing at some arbitrary marker.”
“Maybe not, but that arbitrary marker can make a world of difference in the sort of treatment I can get anywhere.”
“Doesn’t matter, that’s not the point. You need to ease up a little. Trying to take the world on your shoulders is going to age you terribly.”
“Ha, then in a few months I’ll either be able to relax a bit or it will stop being a problem.”
“I’m being serious here. Take a breather. If things do come to the worst then you might appreciate it.”
“... Yeah, I’ll try to squeeze in some lighter time if I can, things are just a bit busy right now,” he agreed, unable to deny that a small break would be nice if he could manage to make the time. “But not today. Today, I have a promise to keep with my little apprentice and more work to do once that’s done too, so we should get going. It was nice seeing you, Hentath.”
“Bah, just don’t go working yourself to death for Delair’s sake at least. It would break her heart.”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to be around for as long as I possibly can be.”
