The front room is large enough to accomodate the small group of seven as they enter, a few wooden chairs scattered about along with a bed by a small window and a couch in front of the fireplace. Opposite the front door, two additional openings lead further in. One enters into a kitchen with another doorway for a bedroom, a long curtain separating two beds with shelves and drawers on each side. The other door in the main room opens into another bedroom with a single large bed and another set of drawers.

The house as a whole is sparsely populated save for occasional knickknacks, most tellingly several charcoal drawings and paintings of the family; Soren with the siblings as children running and playing about the fields, Kira tugging at Ruby's dress as she cooks in the kitchen, Soren and Amadeo patching up the roof of the house, Ruby and Soren sitting together with the two children as toddlers, and of course, a large drawing of the family as a whole, Kira riding piggyback on a preteen Amadeo as their parents stand behind them.

Soren collapses into a rocking chair, groaning and sitting back. His dirty, dark green trousers begin to turn brownish-red and Amadeo sighs. "You tore your wounds open, you old goat."

The orc snorts. "If I could be taken out by a bunch of young punks with knives, I'd never have lived long enough to see Kira be born. I'll be fine, it's just gonna hurt for a bit. What are you doing here, though, really?"

"I came back to check on you. Family first, right? Blood and water and all that?" The wizard squeezes the old man's shoulder, leaning down and kissing the top of his bald head. "You're my dad. I'm not letting you face these people alone, no matter how strong you think you are."

The orc chuckles, looking to Ruby with a soft smile. "Our kids are stubborn brats. They get that from you."

Ruby raises an eyebrow and pulls the orc's ear, eliciting a wince from him. "You're just as much to blame, dear." She smiles and lets go. "I'll make you a cuppa."

Tyrion steps forward. "Let me help with that, Ruby. Halflings know how to make some fine tea if I do say so myself."

"I can do something about your legs, at least to close the wounds. They're too old for me to be able to fix all of the damage." Anna kneels, holding a hand to the orc's legs and letting off that soft glow.

He sighs and just nods. "A healer. Don't really have any of them around here."

"It's a talent I've found to be quite useful." Anna smiles, stepping back. "Just be careful not to move around too much."

"It's warm outside right now, but last night was pretty chilly. I can help chop some wood." Hope rolls up her sleeves.

Kira nods, opening the front door again. "I'll show you where we keep the axe and spare logs."

As they exit, Amadeo sits down in another chair. "What happened, Dad? You've had this land for years. Why is he wanting it back now?"

The old orc shakes his head. "We're failing, son. It's hard to admit, but the land just isn't producing like it used to. Started with him wanting to buy it back from us, for a hundred and fifty crowns, no less. But this land is ours, and we're not giving it up until there's nothing left. That offer was two weeks ago. Last week, he offered double the amount. Three hundred crowns."

"Is that alot?" Anna asks curiously.

Amadeo nods, wide-eyed at the amount mentioned. "If you're not flaunting it needlessly, a single crown can keep a family of four taken care of for nearly a month."

"We could live fat and comfortable off that for a good while. But I wouldn't be happy." Soren looks out the window at the fields beyond. "I love this place. I love our home and the community we've helped build up. I'm not gonna let scum like Nelos Ondra take the things I love and turn them into some bloody inn just cause he can't grow anything of his own." He snorts and spits into the fireplace, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm going to live to see my children and grandchildren inherit what's rightfully theirs."

"I get why you won't take the money. Where'd the goons come in?" Amadeo asks, skipping right past the 'grandchildren' statement.

"After two weeks of telling him no, Nelos finally decided it was time to up the stakes. So instead of buying me off, he figured the smart move was to approach an old man with nine knife wielding boys half my age. They thought they had me surrounded, but all they did was give me a target rich environment." The orc laughs, a deep throated laugh cut short by a little cough. Anna folds her arms. "I told you to be careful."

"Yes, Miss...Actually, what is your name, darkling?" He holds a hand out, and she shakes it gentle as can be. "Anastrianna Leyawin. You can just call me Anna."

"Anna, then. Thank you for the medical attention."

"Oh please, it's the least I can do. Your son's been a good friend to us. I thought I could help a bit to return the favor."

"Back to the task at hand." Amadeo interrupts, fingers tented as he sits back, looking for all the world in this darkened room like a villain plotting his next disaster. "Nine men came to beat some sense into you. I'm surprised nobody died in the encounter."

"They came close. A few concussions and broken ribs, not to mention one man who got his legs gored by a pitchfork." The orc chuckles. "Your sister's got some orc in her after all."

"And they're apparently coming back tonight to finish the job." Amadeo leans forward in his seat. "You can barely stand. You can't fight them off again."

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Soren eyes his son, that orcish blood heating up.

"Not just me. My friends and I have helped a few people here and there, we can handle some small fries if need be. But I'm hoping it won't come to that. I want to try convincing Mister Ondra to take his business elsewhere without bloodshed."

"And if he says no?" Soren sits up some, a look of concern crossing his face for a fraction of a second.

"Then we make him say yes." Amadeo's eyes flash with a hint of arcane power, and he stands. "If I can avoid it, great. If I can't, so be it."

Soren sits back and nods. "You've...grown up a little, my son. That fire wasn't there before."

"I've seen some things since I left, Dad. Things I could have-...should have been able to stop. But I'm not skilled enough yet. I'm not strong enough on my own. But together, we're growing every day." Amadeo looks to Anna, who smiles reassuringly, then to the kitchen where Tyrion laughs at something Ruby says.

Soren smirks, taking his son's hand and squeezing it. "That's my boy. Keep your chin up, hm? We'll get through this. Blood and water, son. Blood and water."