The journey back to the mansion was calm, the only sounds were the wheels moving and Harlan carving.

As soon as they stopped the carriage a guard whispered something to Breken and they both ran off.

Harlan hoped to see Ava and Autumn ready to greet him, but the guards at the front said Ava was at the farm since Breken wasn’t around to teach her, and Autumn was currently in labor.

Harlan had thought for a moment about how to react. He was happy to be an uncle. And he wanted to find Lugh

“Where is my sword?”

“The chatterbox?” The older of the two guards kicked the younger in the shin.

“Sir Fomoria, your sister Ava has taken Lugh back to your parents farm. A carriage has been sent to bring the rest of your family here for the children's birth. He is likely to return with them.”

“Thank you, do you know where Balor is?”

“He is in the orchard teaching to the counts mages. Shall I escort you?”

“No, I know where it is. Thanks.”

On the way there a maid saw him and noticeably flinched

Harlan would’ve stopped to ask her what that was about but she sped down another hallway.

Odd.

He barely saw anyone else during his walk, maybe they were all guarding Autumn?

The orchard had grown since he last saw it, 1 tree turned to 4, which turned to 16, there would probably be 64 in another few days, he saw some trees farther away had differently colored parts, mimic assimilation was still underway.

But what was stranger was that Balor was teaching a much larger class than what it should’ve been.

Balor locked eyes…? With Harlan, he flew over and Harlan held his hand out, Balor slipping onto his finger with practiced ease.

Then words flowed to him.

“I must ask… are you ok?

“Yes, I am better, I can keep myself centered now.”

“I am glad to hear that, but… some things have changed, the people know what you are, and WHAT you are, if you understand me. The crown made a declaration acknowledging you as a proper noble after you left, the soul you gave them seems to be working out very well. A messenger came to ask you about future prospects but was told that a letter would be sent when you got back. Autumn went into labor last night. I’ve spoken with nurses coming and going, she is being kept going by healing magic, but she should live… Is… is this what fear feels like for you? To worry about losing someone?”

“Yes, I just have to trust that things will be alright, I know Jaramis will do all he can, he probably hired only the best for her.”

“Ah, there is one more thing, there is a… Wrong feeling in the air, I haven’t spoken with anyone about it, it’s probably nothing. But I thought you should know.”

Balor slipped back off his finger and returned to his class.

Harlan just stood there, contemplating things. He decided to just wait at the front door for his family.

An hour passed, he didn’t know how long ago they sent the carriage but it seemed like it was taking forever.

He finally heard the clopping of hooves.

The carriage rushed to the door, a young man Harlan didn’t recognize was carried out of it. Likely a servant, both eyes were gone and he was screaming.

Then Ava and his parents came out.

“What happened?”

“Strangest thing, bird came right out of the sky and plucked his eyes out. Drivers apprentice, hope the lad can get them back. I heard eyes are hard to heal, don’t know why. Ava stopped the bleeding, likely saved him.” Harlow answered.

“Have you heard about Autumn? How is she doing? Is she alright? I know how hard the first one can be… and twins at that. I need to go inside.” Aida was worrying as a mother does.

“Do you want to go into town? Send out that letter the crown wants? Maybe we can get something for the twins? Your mother wouldn’t leave for the world, but I don’t think I can do much here.”

“Maybe we could get Ava a pretty dress!” Ava turned red as Lugh spoke.

“That sounds like a great idea!” Harlan had learned to enjoy teasing from Cynthia, and he was putting that knowledge into effect.

“NO! Buy me armor. Breken gave me chainmail but if you want to get me something…”

“Of course, anything for the lady.” Harlan gave her a deep bow and she pinched the back of his neck for it.

And so a new back up driver was found, Harlan picked a bag and put some of his gold coins in it. And then they left in a simpler uncrested carriage, Harlan had no idea how much it cost to make a carriage but he wanted one. And the crown probably wouldn’t like him going around looking like a peasant for too long.

As they approached. Harlan was awestruck, only 3 years had passed more or less since he was last here, but clearly Redwall had done well enough to bring in more people, the town had proper walls and its size had doubled at least. It was a town and not a village for artisans anymore.

Harlow noticed the look on his face.

“This place has been growing for some time. I know where a blacksmith who does armor is. We just need to hope he does it in half size.” Ava pouted while he laughed and ruffled her hair.

As soon as they reached the blacksmith and Harlan stepped out the atmosphere shifted, everyone was taking subtle or less than subtle looks at Harlan. Some even openly glared at him. But no one said a word to him.

As soon as they entered the shop Lugh tried to speak with the other inanimate weapons, the blacksmith tried to ignore it.

Then the blacksmith looked Harlan up and down as he neared. He was old but well toned from his work, his beard and hair were white and black all over from age and soot, patches had clearly caught embers and been burned.

“Lookin for somethin heavy?”

“No, I want something for my sister.”

He gave Ava the same look.

“She gonna get bigger?”

“Yes?”

“Lameller then, she can come here when she gets bigger and I’ll add more plates, plate is a waste for a child. What’s the budget?”

“What? Plates are good but plate is a waste?”

The blacksmith grumbled about ignorant kids and pointed at 2 sets of armor on display.

“That one, buncha small plates sewn together, that's lameller. That one, solid plates like knights wear, that’s plate. Now, budget?”

Harlow spoke before Harlan could.

“How much is a high quality set? How much are extra plates?”

“Depends, stonesteel is cheaper right now. Gets ya better defense, but its heavy, skysteel is harder to find, better than normal steel and lighter. Stonesteel will run ya 60 gold, and then I’ll charge 40 silver for each extra plate. Skysteel is 80 gold, 60 a plate after that.”

Harlan was baffled, the king’s deal was 300 gold, and just an armor in Ava’s size was going to cost him nearly a third of what he had.

“What about if skysteel drops in price?” Harlan decided to jump in now, he didn’t mind the price.

“I run things on how much somethin costs, not how much it might. If you take a gamble I’ll change the price on the extra plates, if skysteel goes down in price, but I’ll charge ya more if it goes up. Hows that?”

“Deal. how long will it take?”

“I got other work… 3 days? And do ya want to buy extra plates now or later? I’ll put em on for free long as ya got em.”

“I’ll gamble on the price, thank you. Do you know how this stuff takes to enchantments? Souls specifically?”

The blacksmith got a look in his eye, he had heard the rumors about some kid doing some spooky magic. He just didn’t care.

“New stuff, ain’t worked with it. But the older enchantments didn’t take well to it, each plate needs to be enchanted like a puzzle, one breaks and the thing is useless. Less you got a way to make them all the same and also put em together it’s a lot of effort.”

Harlan actually really liked the idea, if he split them all up and then put it in an oversoul on another item like a locket then it should work fine. If he could get them linked right they could spread over the new plates as they were added without any new enchantments being needed at all. In theory, after his last in theory experiment he was hesitant but hopeful.

Evidently he had been thinking for longer than he thought as the blacksmith went back to work, his hammering breaking Harlan’s train of thought.

“Sorry, I will get you the money now.”

Harlan counted it all out, he only brought 100 gold coins, many months worth of pay for anyone living here other than artists like the blacksmith.

“Now, before ya leave. What would it cost to get some of that soul enchantin stuff done?”

“I… have no idea, I guess I will need to ask around about what normal enchanting costs.”

“I’ll pay ya if its fair. Now git, I got work to do.”

Harlan found the man… refreshing? He clearly heard the things people said about Harlan but just didn’t care, he was a customer and possible business opportunity for the old man.

Then again the idea that the man was thinking in terms of money about him also made Harlan question if it was kindness, apathy, or greed that caused the man to not care about what Harlan was.

Next they found a store that sold more odds and ends looking for children’s toys.

Harlan looked for quite some time, Lugh seemed the most interested.

But he couldn’t help but feel everything here was… mundane.

He had seen what things could be, the bird that the condor soul was put in sprung to mind. He bought a small set of paints and left the store. He had a better idea for the twins gifts.

Harlan nearly forgot in the rest of his search to send out the letter to the crown.