Ranvir idly messed with a couple pocket-spaces, making them orbit around him as he approached the administration building. Even before advancing, it hadn’t been hard to manage where his spaces connected, though he was restrained to a place within his own control. Now it was effortless, not to mention the creation of such areas was reflexive. He almost had to stop himself from automatically gathering one as he embraced the pressure.

“Do any of you guys have a bad feeling about this?” Esmund asked as they entered the building.

Sansir cleared his throat as he followed in behind him, “Maybe a little,” though he couldn’t finish his sentence before Kirs appeared in one of the hallways, approaching Esmund at a quick walk. Her approach seemed to alleviate any such ominous overtones the warp tethered was feeling.

Sansir exchanged a glance with Ranvir, who himself was feeling a bit of orange and green tumultuous nerves set in, leaving him with the urge to fidget. He restrained himself, but only through great personal strain.

Esmund had run ahead and was now embracing Kirs and they were talking quietly. Ranvir only barely caught him asking her if she wanted to come with him.

“I notice Grev isn’t here,” Ranvir said trying to lighten the mood, “Not going to show him off to Master Tore, yet?”

“I’m not insane enough to introduce my boyfriend under such uncertain circumstances.”

“Fair enough.”

They both watched as Esmund stopped in front of a door, holding Kirs’ hand in his. It opened before either of them could grab the handle and Pashar stepped out. Her eyes went immediately to Ranvir causing his stomach to flip as images and thoughts filled his mind.

Did something happen? Is my family okay? Both mom and dad are here so it can’t be all bad, but Es’ entire family’s here, too. Master Tore’s here but not Sansir’s mom, though, he rarely talks about her so maybe that means nothing… Ranvir shook his head trying to dispel dark blue and black dread thoughts that intruded on him. I don’t know anything yet, they might just be taking the opportunity to see Esmund, and maybe Sansir’s never mentioned his mother because she left, or something.

Ranvir shook himself as Esmund and Kirs slipped past Pashar with a warning to, ‘be quiet.’

“Hi,” he greeted stopping before Pashar. Sansir just nodded at her.

“Good evening,” she replied. “Just a reminder to keep quiet and Isgerd, the Town Lord, will likely introduce herself to you throughout the evening so just remember to be respectful of her. On top of that I request that you do your best to stay calm and relaxed,” she glanced down the hallway where a familiar figure with a cane waited, “I have to go,” she paused placing a hand on Ranvir’s shoulder, “Everything’s going to work out.”

Then she was gone, and he was staring after her, “What the fuck does that mean?” he muttered exchanging a worried glance with Sansir. Taking in a deep breath, he fought off the dark visions intruding on his mind. He would’ve heard of it if flesh-torn had invaded and gotten that far into elusrian lands.

Ranvir pushed the door open.

Immediately, three people jumped out to Ranvir. One was the grizzled old man by virtue of his proximity to the door. Gray haired and with deep wrinkles weathered into his face. His hands were scarred, thick fingered, though the way they wielded the small whittling knife belied their dexterity. Initially, when Sansir had first described him Ranvir hadn’t been able to put name and face together, but seeing Master Tore now he did recognize the old carpenter.

The next person, stood out for their strength. She was of the second-stage, an ice tethered though Ranvir couldn’t tell much more than that. She wasn’t currently embracing the pressure, which was surprising to Ranvir since he’d picked her out immediately.

She was tall for a woman, the tallest one there in fact, she had round cheeks that made her look more rotund than she actually was, though her pale hair tied into a bun over her head did some to alleviate the look.

Behind her stood a man in his middle forties, almost a decade older than her, he was wearing a bronze breastplate and had a sword on his hip, though he didn’t jump out to Ranvir as a tethered.

Finally, he noticed the couple standing next to the town lord and her guardian. Gunnor looked much the same as when Ranvir’d left the village, Rime’s Shadow it was named apparently, though maybe the bags under his eyes were heavier than usual. The same stood out for his mother. Ranvir’d only been apart from them for a little over ten months—they were only three days away from the end of the third trimester.

Then Ranvir noticed the bundle stirring softly in Frey’s, his mother’s, arm. Tiny fat little fingers peeked up from the cloth, causing Ranvir’s heart to stop.

A baby. They had a baby? Is that why they’ve come? I’m a big brother! Ranvir started smiling as he walked towards them, glancing at the others in the room. Sansir was helping the old Master Tore into a chair, while Esmund and Kirs were trapped in a huge huddle of his little sisters, all of them crowding around him. He momentarily noticed that Esmund’s face didn’t share his sibling’s joy as he listened to his mother speak.

“My little hearthfire,” his mother’s words stole Ranvir’s attention as he returned his gaze to his family, “Come here.”

Ranvir smiled as he awkwardly hugged his mother without squishing the baby. “Hey mom,” then he turned to his dad who swept him into a crushing embrace.

“My little son!”

“Gunnor, quiet! You’re gonna disturb the baby!” Frey hissed in a whisper.

Ranvir was taken for a spin by his father, as the lumberjack laughed heartily, “It’s good to see you again,” he finally put Ranvir down, only for both of them to realize that Ranvir wasn’t that much smaller than his father anymore, though he still lacked some of his father’s shoulders and chest… and gut.

“Ranvir, I presume.” A pleasant voice with a cultured accent said. It was a tone Ranvir’d gotten increasingly familiar with since coming to the academy, Grev, Dovar, Kirs, all of his teachers and most of the students spoke just like it. He turned to find the tall woman standing before him, offering her hand.

“Yes, and you’re the new town lord then?”

“I am indeed, though you can call me Isgerd,” she replied with a smile, “and you’re a first stage already…” her eyes lingered on his, “so early. But please, have a seat.”

Ranvir nodded, as he moved over the long table that filled most of the room. Only now did he recognize that he was in a meeting room of some kind. The long table ideal for seating a large amount of people, far more than currently filled the space. He noted with worry that his family was gathered all the way at the top of the table, while the rest were stashed at the bottom.

He pulled out a chair for his mother, while his father grabbed a seat leaving room for Ranvir in between them. Isgerd seated herself opposite them, her guardian standing behind her and to the right.

“There are many things about being a town lord that’s both a duty and a great honor, opening festivals, greeting guests, settling the problems of my people,” Isgerd started to say, “there are a few things however that I do dread having to do. Forcing a marriage, like with Alser and Miny as I’m sure you remember, while they were both willing participants, it’s still not a great feeling. But I’ve been faced with worse choices, harder decisions.

“The baby on your mother’s arm,” Isgerd nodded to Frey and the lump of lightly moving cloth. Ranvir caught a bit of a cry coming from it. He frowned as he noticed a lock of bright red hair emerging from the cloth. “Is not your sister, Ranvir,” he turned to Isgerd, his stomach freezing solid, while his heart started beating like an overexcited drummer. “She’s your daughter.”

Ranvir let out a disbelieving breath of air, “How? Are you sure?”

“Shiri’s been very clear with me, there are no one else that fits within the relevant time frame.”

Ranvir ran a shaking hand through his hair. His emotions were in so much turmoil, they just felt to him as a quivering mass of rainbow colors. The disturbance was great enough that the creature emerged, once more fully formed. It was the first time Ranvir had seen it since he’d advanced.

“What is this?”

“I had a very long talk with Shiri, the mother of your child,” Isgerd said. Ranvir started looking around for her, but the town lord interrupted him, “She’s not here. She’s not coming to see you. I talked with her for long hours, before she gave birth and again after. Raising a child alone is very tough, even if you have an entire village to back you up. It’s even harder when you know the father is risking his life and there’s a chance that he won’t come back at all.”

“She didn’t want it,” Ranvir said realizing what Isgerd was moving towards. He couldn’t take his eyes off the baby in the bundle of cloth, his daughter. His eyes stung and breathing hurt it felt like he was choking on air.

“I’ve been in her position,” Isgerd said. “I couldn’t have forced you to marry, as you’re a tethered and at the academy, you have higher obligations than family. I realize this is an unfair burden to drop on you so suddenly. Shiri has divested herself of all responsibility of the child, if you will not take her take then she’ll go to an orpana—“

“No!” Ranvir bit the exclamation off. He realized his emotions had resolved themselves. A protective golden-red anger suffused him. Anger at himself for not being more careful, fury at Shiri for throwing away a baby—their baby—and protectiveness towards the tiny hands waving in the air. He reached for it and the baby startled for a moment, before grabbing a hold, her tiny fingers wrapping around his thicker one. “I’ll keep her. No matter what.”