When they made it back to Brunya City, Matt was surprised at how good it felt to be home. He had never felt that way about a place before. There was something comforting about the now familiar house; her soft bed, and even the floral paintings on the walls, though he still hated them. He realized it was because it wasn’t just a place he was staying, it was her home, and so it was his.

Even the homey feelings and Sera’s warm, delicate body molded to his side didn’t stop the nightmares. Still, he woke up the following morning feeling better. It was hard to live in a dark mood with Sera’s constant light.

When they made it downstairs, Korin was sitting at the dining room table talking with her parents. “You’re looking better,” Lotus told her daughter. “You were too pale yesterday.”

“Nothing a little rest doesn’t fix,” Sera said.

Matt kissed the top of Sera’s head and headed to the backyard. Sera sat at the table and grabbed one of her mother’s homemade apple muffins from a plate in the middle. “So, what’s the conversation?” she asked, looking between Korin and her father.

“Well, apparently I am famous,” Cael answered with mock surprise. “Did you know that?”

She laughed. “Don’t tell me, something about being a legendary hero?”

“Legendary.” He rolled his eyes. “You sound like Tess.”

She gasped. “Is that modesty, Dad?”

He chuckled. “Never that,” he assured. “But legendary, as well as hero, should be kept with epic in storybooks where they belong.”

“Well, are you up for using some of your renowned fighting skills?”

“Matt?” he guessed.

“Yes. Some sparring would be good for him. There was a bit of a problem in Oraunt. He’s better, but still tense. And I know he wants another match against you anyway.”

“Not afraid that I will break him?” he teased.

She smirked. “I’ll trust you to be good.”

A couple minutes later, when Matt came back in Cael asked if he would like to spar.

Matt smiled. “Against you?”

“Yes.”

“No holding back?”

Cael laughed. “You would not last very long.”

Matt didn’t disagree. “How about full force with none of your nature magic or elf speed?”

Cael eyed him for a moment, then nodded. “Very well, but it is not magic,” he corrected.

Matt just shrugged, whether it was talking to the spirit of nature or not, it was considered magic by non-woodlanders.

“Do you mind if I watch?” Korin asked.

“You can fight on his side if you like,” Cael offered casually.

“Oh, now that’s just insulting,” Matt complained.

Cael smirked. “Okay, we will see how well you do on your own first.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Good that you’re not condescending.”

Cael got up. “Legendary, condescending,” he murmured, stroking his daughter’s hair as he passed by. “Does anyone else have anything to add to my list of charming attributes?” He turned to grin at his wife. “Not you.”

She smiled adoringly at him. “You know what I’d add.”

His gaze lingered for a moment, communicating without words. Finally, he smiled again and headed toward the back door, grabbing his sword on the way. The others followed.

—————

Vivyka heard the sound of clashing swords coming from the backyard when she got to Sera’s house, so she entered through the side gate. A sweaty Matt was sitting against the cherry tree in the back corner, smoking a cigarette and holding Sera who leaned back against him.

Vivyka really wished he wouldn’t go shirtless; it didn’t help her at all. It just made her remember back to when she was able to touch him, to kiss and nibble on that perfect body. Desire stirred in her belly and longing made her chest ache. She sighed and forced her attention elsewhere.

Lotus sat a few feet from them, watching her husband fight with her usual smoldering gaze. Cael’s slender, yet muscular upper body was exposed as well, his wife’s doing no doubt. She always made him to take his shirt off when he did anything that that might make him sweaty. Vivyka couldn’t blame her; Cael was a very beautiful man, as flawless as his wife was. Both of them were as mesmerizing as a sunrise, but you would think that a couple who had been together for twenty years wouldn’t still be making goo-goo eyes at each other all the time. Perhaps whatever it was in their Woodlander blood that made them stay young longer, made other things last longer, too.

Korin, who was still fully clothed, was the one who was sparring with Cael now. Vivyka leaned against the house and watched the match. It was a bit strange to see Korin fight. There was such a gentleness about him that she wouldn’t have ever pictured him being aggressive in anyway. And yet, though he wasn’t as good as Matt or Tess, he was still a very capable fighter.

Someone touched her shoulder and she startled.

“Sorry, just me,” Tess said. When Vivyka moved out of the way, Tess walked in to the yard with Ayden in tow.

The sparring stopped and everyone’s attention turned to the new comers. The cause of the sudden interest, as well as the frowns, was Ayden’s bruised and swollen cheek. Everyone, except Matt and Korin, knew the cause of it without asking.

Matt looked surprised. “Did you piss Tess off?”

Tess scowled. “He went to see his father,” she said contemptuously.

“You need to stand up to him,” Cael told him.

Ayden just nodded.

It was the usual exchange.

“Why not just use a shield spell?” Matt wanted to know. “You’re fast enough, right?”

“Yes, he is,” Tess said angrily. “But he doesn’t want his father to know he’s a mage because Jarden hates magic.”

Matt frowned. “I don’t get it. I got the same from my father, but that’s why I killed the bastard when I was twelve.”

“My dad isn’t like yours,” Ayden told him edgily. “And, thankfully, I’m nothing like you.”

It was obvious by the look in Matt’s eyes that the subject brought up his own issues, though not everyone noticed. Vivyka remembered the memories she had seen of the abuse Matt endured as a child and felt sad for him.

“Fine, then don’t kill him,” Matt said. “Just kick the shit out of him, magically of course, and show him not to screw with you.”

“How about you mind your own business,” Ayden snapped at him.

“How about you stop being weak and pathetic,” Matt shot back.

"It’s called not being a heartless asshole,” Ayden told him. “And what would you know about a real family?”

“Ayden,” Sera interjected. “Please don’t.”

“I didn’t start it,” Ayden said unapologetically.

“It’s just stupid,” Matt said, putting out his cigarette just to light another. He wasn’t able to keep the edge out of his voice, like he was taking Ayden’s problem personally. “I don’t get it. You can stand up to me but not some drunk blacksmith.”

“You have to tell him everything?” Ayden asked Sera.

“We saw him in town, he was drunk,” Sera said. “All I did was say who he was.”

Ayden sighed, then glared at Matt. “Just shut up. My life isn’t your business.”

Matt gave a smoky huff, but said no more.

It was silent for a moment while they calmed down. Finally, Ayden asked Sera, “Would you mind?”

She stiffened and cringed when Matt looked at her.

“You can heal bruises?” he asked quietly.

“Yes,” she whispered.

He swallowed hard, his eyes tightening. “Have you…” He couldn’t finish the question.

She looked a little panicked. “I bruise really easily and it’s not your fault that you’re strong.”

His eyes filled with a tormented look. “Do I… hurt you?”

“No!” she said quickly. “No, trust me, it’s all good,.”

“Don’t worry, Matt,” Lotus put in. “She gets it from me, it’s because I’m half nymph. I bruise even more easily than she does.”

“Yes, I bruise her often,” Cael said. There was no remorse in his tone, instead, he shared a heated look with his wife.

“Though he’d ever hurt me,” Lotus added, not taking her gaze off her husband.

“See?” Sera told Matt. “It’s fine.”

“Promise I don’t hurt you?”

She grinned. “I promise that I absolutely adore every touch I get from you.”

Matt nodded, pacified.

Ayden knelt down in front of Sera when she waved him over. “Sorry,” he muttered.

She shook her head. “It’s okay. He was bound to remember it eventually.”

“It’d be better if you told me these things yourself,” Matt grumbled.

“Everyone knows healing clerics can do that. You just forgot. And I didn’t remind you because I was worried you’d do something stupid, like swear to never touch me again.”

He rolled his eyes. “As if that’s possible. But I can try to—”

“Don’t you even; I like you just the way you are.” She kissed him before turning to Ayden and placing her hands on his face. She chanted something under her breath and the bruise and swelling went away.

“Thanks,” Ayden told her, then moved to where Tess had sat down in the grass. They shared a look; his apologetic and hers still angry. She held out her arms to him and he went immediately. She sighed and held him close, running her fingers through his curls and just looking sad now.

Without a word, Cael took his wife’s hand, pulled her to her feet, and led her into the house.

Matt noticed and hugged Sera closer. “I see where you get it.”

Ayden let everything go too and smiled. “Where’s she get it?” he asked, looking pointedly at Tess. “Her parents aren’t like that,” he said, blushing a little.

Tess grinned at him. “Maybe it’s just you,” she said, growling suggestively.

Everyone knew that wasn’t true, Tess had always been a very physical and energetic person, and the fact that she had turned out be insatiable in that as well surprised no one. But Ayden’s smile still widened and his blush deepened as she kissed him.

Vivyka watched the couples and held in a sigh. She noticed Korin watching them, too. It seemed that the sight made him happy while it just made her feel lonely. “So, when are we leaving?”

Sera gave her an apologetic look, which didn’t help. “Tomorrow morning. Do you have warm enough clothes? I can help if not,” she offered, she had access to Matt’s money, which he still had quite a lot of after selling his magically enchanted sword, and she also had her parents money, who were very well off and very generous.

“I’m fine,” Vivyka said. It was true enough, Julia had already made sure she had everything she needed, regardless of Vivyka arguing about the money being unnecessarily spent on her. The orphanage didn’t have much.

She walked over to Matt and put her hand out. He smirked, lit a cigarette and handed it to her. She took it and sat nearby. Korin moved a few feet away, staying from the smoke.

“Ayd and I are borrowing the yak fur coats my parents got from Snowy Pine,” Tess said. “For once I’m glad Mom never gets rid of anything.”

“Speaking of your parents,” Matt said casually. “When’s your father getting back?”

Tess chuckled. “Wanna see your number one fan before we leave, huh?” she asked, but didn’t make him answer. “Gavin should be back tonight.”

He just nodded and acted as if he didn’t really care.

—————

Matt got his wish, perhaps more than he had wanted to. Gavin hung on him from the moment he got home until he was forced to go to bed, and then he was back at sunrise. “I still wanna go with you,” he grouched.

Matt shook his head. “No. You’ll stay here and be safe.” He set Gavin down when the boy was done hugging him.

Gavin pouted. “It’s not fair.”

Tess rolled her eyes. “Funny how you never wanted to go adventuring before.”

“Unless it was for bugs,” Ayden added with a playfully disgusted look.

“Well, I changed my mind,” the boy insisted.

Tess and Ayden laughed while Matt smiled and pet the kid’s messy hair for a moment.

“How long will you be gone?” Gavin wanted to know.

“Uh…” he glanced at Korin.

“About two and a half to three weeks,” the ranger answered. “Depending on if everything goes smoothly.”

Gavin sighed heavily.

Falcon took his son’s hand. “Come on, time for school.” He gave everyone except Matt a hug, then told the group to have fun.

“Bye!” Gavin called on the way out.

Sera immediately slid her arms around Matt’s waist, taking Gavin’s place. “You know, I can’t remember the last time someone wasn’t clinging to me,” he grumbled lightly.

“You love it,” Tess said.

He grinned. “As much as you do apparently,” he told her, noting Ayden’s arms wrapped around her as always.

She leaned her head to the side against Ayden’s and smiled. “We have a lot in common.”

He nodded. “But do you hate the cold as much as I do?”

She shrugged. “I don’t mind it.”

“Well, I can’t wait to get this freezing trip over with.”

Just then Vivyka walked in. “I’m here. Sorry I’m late.”

“Busy?” Matt smirked.

She cocked a brow. “Two weeks away from a decent city? Damn right I was busy.”

He chuckled. “I was definitely a bad influence on you.”

She shook her head, smiling. “Always think it’s about you.”

“Isn’t it?” he teased.

“Let’s go,” Tess said, rolling her eyes at them.