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    Kaius spun his old friend through the air, smiling in joy as he set her down on her feet. She didn’t let go.

    Illendra clutched him like her grip was the only thing keeping him present. She buried her face into his armoured chest, uncaring about the jagged edges that must have dug their way into her skin.

    “Where have you been, Kaius? I thought I lost you.” Illendra asked, her voice small and quivering.

    A sad smile crossed his face, and he leaned down to embrace her fully, burying his face in her hair. She smelled of warm bread and spices. “It’s a long story, and a fraught one. I lived though, and I am here, my friend.”

    After taking a few more moments to enjoy their reunion, he pulled back. He knew no one in the village would judge them guilty of impropriety, they had been friends as long as he could remember, and no one would hold a since-past childhood crush against him. Not with how tight knit the communities were on the frontier. Still, they would have time for a proper catch up in the coming days. He had introductions to make.

    “I’ve got someone I would like you to meet.” Kaius said, giving her a last squeeze before he turned to the side to give Illendra a full view of Porkchop, who was looking on with naked curiosity. He kept his arm around her shoulder.

    Porkchop leaned in, crouching down to avoid looming over Illendra. Considering that she was just over a full stride shorter than he was, his bond-brother ended up nearly lying on his belly to see her eye to eye.

    “Hello,” Porkchop greeted her warmly. “Kaius told me a lot about you. He said you make really good stew.”

    Illendra froze, staring at Porkchop in shock. “Kaius…” she stammered. “I dinnae know if I’m losing my marbles, but did a Forest King just ask me about my stew?”

    He chuckled. “He did, he’s grown very fond of my own and I wasn’t about to hide where I learnt it from. His name’s Porkchop.”

    Illendra whipped her head back towards him, her eyes narrowing. Kaius paled.

    “Now Kaius, I know you dinnae name a Forest King something that daft.” she said, stepping towards him with her hands on her hips.

    Kaius chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Well… I mostly suggested it as a joke, Porkchop was the one who decided to keep it.”

    Uncanny Dodge flickered as her hand raced out with deceptive swiftness, he ignored the warning as she slapped him upside the head. “Idjit! Swear on the gods, you learnt no respect in that forest. Don’t go trying to foist off the blame onto the bloody greater meles!”

    Kaius simply smiled awkwardly as Illendra turned back to Porkchop and bowed in a single fluid motion. “It’s nice to meet ye, Porkchop. I hope this idjit hasn’t been giving you much trouble.”

    Chuckling throatily, Porkchop bobbed his head at her in turn. “I can see why you like this one, she’s feisty.” he said to Kaius privately, before he addressed them both. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Kaius is my bond-brother, so don’t be too harsh on him.”

    Illendra turned back to him with a cocked brow. “I know not even you would do something like subjugate a Forest King, so I am going to hold my tongue for now.”

    “He didn’t.” Porkchop confirmed.

    “It’s a part of that long story I mentioned.” Kaius said with a sad smile.

    Illendra’s face softened. “I think we’re both going to have hard stories to tell, the kind that are best left for a round table and a few beers. Do you want the elders to hear? They’ll throw a tissy, but I think I can get them to leave off.”

    Kaius shook his head. “No, they should be here for it. I have questions that I hope they can answer, and I trust them to not pry too deeply into my secrets.”

    “Then we best go meet them, shouldn’t we?” Porkchop interjected.

    Illendra jumped a little, clearly still unused to having a greater beast talk. Kaius clapped her on the shoulder reassuringly. “Come on, it’s been too long.”

    Starting their approach, Kaius got a good look at the inside of Three Fields for the first time in over a year. Home to nearly five-hundred souls, it was perhaps better described as a small town. A rough cobble boulevard led deep into the village, though roughly constructed barricades were arrayed behind the gate in varying stages of completion.

    A defence against inevitable breaches, he assumed. At least they were taking it seriously.

    Beyond those, a motley collection of buildings. Almost universally they were sturdy things constructed of old-growth wood, a staple building material so close to the Sea. There was some stone, accessible thanks to the quarries set into some nearby hills, but it was mostly reserved for common buildings and where it was needed most. The hall, inn, and smithy, as well as for foundations.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    As they crossed the distance to the village gate, Kaius flicked between the elders of the village, taking in their mixed reactions to his return.

    Holt was missing, the head of the constabulary. That jumped out to him immediately, though with the increased threat to the village with the beast awakening, it was highly likely that the gruff man had gone to coordinate with the other settlements along the Sea’s rim.

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