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Nightal 21
I worked on chopping fresh wood, bundled up against the chill. Jaheira had left earlier that morning for something and the others had gone for different activities. I had opted to stay at Isobel's and Aylin's having picked up all my gifts a few days prior, sneaking them in and hiding them in the guest room I shared with Karlach and Halsin.
I moved a fresh piece of wood up, splitting it before I cared for and put the axe up. I carried the wood inside and went back outside when I felt the nudge from Halsin that they were coming in. Halsin and Karlach reached me and they kissed my cheeks.
"Get your errands done?" I asked,
"Yes moonheart," Halsin replied, as I nodded, before Jaheira appeared with a stern tall older Elven woman with deep chestnut brown hair streaked heavily with grey and the same fierce green hazel eyes that Halsin had.
Halsin's eyes widened as he stepped towards the pair.
"Mama?" Halsin spoke shocked, as the Elven woman smiled.
"Hello little acorn," the woman spoke kindly, setting her bag down before holding her arms out. Halsin rushing over as they hugged, their joyous laughter echoing through the clearing.
Karlach looking at me.
"How?" Karlach asked, Jaheira coming up to us as she walked towards the house.
"Halsin mentioned his folks when I got a bit lost in my head in bittersweet memory and Jaheira offered to reach out to her contacts in the High Forest," I replied softly, before going inside as I was getting a bit cold.
Halsin
I pulled back, looking at Mama who cupped my face gently.
"Seems my little acorn has become a mighty oak tree," Mama spoke gently, making me chuckle happily.
"How are you here?" I asked,
"Your fellow Druid Jaheira inquired at our home Grove, some of her Harper friends reside there now, and asked if I was around. She said Theorn had the idea after you mentioned us to him," Mama replied, making me look over to see Theorn heading inside, likely cold from a day chopping wood.
Karlach trailing after Theorn, already fussing before I looked back at Mama.
"Theorn is my mate…" I trailed off,
"And a butterfly. You know I do not judge little acorn, whatever Theorn is comfortable with under his chosen deity is good enough for me as long as you are happy with him," Mama spoke kindly, as I nodded.
"Immensely Mama. Despite what he's been through, his heart is so big, full of love and care, and Karlach is our Beta Guard, full Viniculum. It's been blissful joy," I spoke happily, Mama nodding as she kissed my forehead, having to tiptoe a little now a stark contrast to when I had left home.
"Well come on. Let's head inside," Mama spoke gently, as I grinned.
"You'll get to meet the rest of our little found family," I spoke happily, picking up her bag for her and wrapping my arm around her shoulder. Mama nodding, before we started walking inside.
Inside Theorn was sitting organizing gifts with a hot mug of tea, Karlach hovering nearby. Everyone else was sat down in various places and I introduced everyone to her.
Seldira
I watched Halsin relax with his found family, but my gaze kept drifting to Theorn. It had taken a while, but I finally realized where I recognized him from.
I checked the ice fishing lines with Tega and Maey'ru before pausing when I saw a log surrounded strangely by moonlight. I gasped when I spotted a figure on it, rushing over as the moonlight faded away.
A woman who looked half dead with severe wounds on them, their bones a stark contrast against thin shredded rags.
"Tega! You're the fastest! Fly back and tell the other healers to prepare everything!" I spoke quickly, yanking my cloak off as Tega Shaped into a hawk, taking off in a puff of snow.
"Someone is watching over her," Maer'yu spoke shocked, before I nodded as I wrapped the woman up in my cloak before we hustled back.
Five hours later, the woman was clean, tended, and settled in one of the warming nests, the wheeze a concern to my ears. I had gotten some elderberry syrup into her, but time was all that was left now.
I tucked in the last blanket around her before sitting down nearby in a rocking chair, pulling out a piece of wood and my knife as I began to carve it.
I was drawn from my thoughts when I heard movement beyond gift unwrapping, Theorn heading for the kitchen and I followed, Theorn looking up when I entered.
"Getting more tea too?" Theorn asked,
"Oh yes," I replied, Theorn nodding before taking my mug and setting it up then pouring water, spotting the bracelet with the carved moon on it and a couple newer carved pendants on it.
One a bear paw with a moon, the other a flame with a moon.
"I'm really glad Jaheira was able to connect with you, I've never seen Halsin so happy," Theorn spoke softly, before I chuckled, sitting down and patting the other chair, Theorn joining me.
"I am fairly certain that isn't true. I'm certain he has been quite happy seeing your journey of growth from whenever you two met, happy whenever you're together, happy seeing your joy at life even when your beginning was nothing but hells," I spoke gently, Theorn nodding slowly.
"I uh…I was born female, but it never felt right," Theorn spoke hesitantly, before I reached out, gently touching his arm.
"I sort of already know little butterfly, though you probably remember very little, you were so sick then," I spoke kindly, Theorn frowning.
"What?" Theorn asked,
"I was part of the trio who rescued and tended you little butterfly. We were checking the lines when I noticed a log surrounded by moonlight coming to the shore. Upon seeing you, I sent Tega to warn and wrapped you up in my cloak, hustling you back. You were quite ill, but resilient despite being on the verge of death," I explained, Theorn's heterochromic eyes watching me.
"And you don't mind?" Theorn asked cautiously, hearing the edge of pain and fear in his voice.
"What you choose to be is your choice alone Theorn. If you wish to be known as a man then that is what you are and you will find no judgement from me. Mielikki is as accepting as Selûne is, for all is balance and nature. I do not know what barbarism you've faced, but you will find no thorns here. After all you're potentially my son in law though I do not wish to assume as I do not know whether you've married Halsin yet or not," I spoke soothingly, Theorn sheepishly grinning.
He looked past me to make sure we were alone before Theorn tugged out two boxes.
"I uh have been trying to work up the courage all day. Faced down avatars of gods, a giant brain, my…blood relatives, and yet this is the most nervous I've ever been," Theorn spoke softly, making me smile.
"Speak from your heart little butterfly, those words only speak truth and come from within," I spoke gently, Theorn nodding, putting both away before looking at his bracelet, thumb brushing the carved moon.
"Was…this you or one of the other Druids?" Theorn asked,
"Me. Once I figured out it was Selune watching over you, I left a little token for you to have until you made your own or found one suitable," I replied gently, Theorn smiling as his thumb shifted to the bear paw.
"Well now I know where Halsin learned his carving skills from, but then he's inherited much from you and his father," Theorn spoke softly, making me nod.
"We made sure to show Halsin everything the world could potentially hold, good and bad, we told him of places where barbarism rules more than sense, of places where there's not a speck of green for miles in city or land, and taught him much of the Druidic life though he left for adventure before we moved into some of it," I spoke gently, Theorn nodding.
"I know some, but mostly it's basics and what I learned out adventuring in the wilds after I healed and took a step in my journey," Theorn spoke softly, making me tilt my head before Theorn hissed as he touched his shoulder. Halsin appeared not long after with a tin of some kind.
"We forgot to do this this morning moonheart, apologies," Halsin spoke concerned, Theorn shaking his head.
"Quite alright moonlight bear," Theorn grimaced, tugging off his tunic as Halsin opened the tin and I immediately recognized a salve that was anti inflammation. Halsin paused as he realized I was here.
"Don't worry little acorn, we were talking good things," I reassured,
"And it turns out she's one of the ones who saved me long ago," Theorn spoke tensely, Halsin immediately turning to Theorn and starting to apply the salve, watching his hands glow green.
"Really?" Halsin asked, before I nodded.
"I was out with Tega and Maer'yu checking the fishing lines when Selune brought Theorn to the shore. It was a miracle and a half that he was even alive at the time, though it was a battle afterwards between the wounds and being ill from the cold," I replied, Halsin furrowing his brow.
"Why not use healing?" Halsin asked, and I hesitated, looking at Theorn. Theorn likely didn't remember anything, but I wasn't sure if he wanted me to share that, even with my boy being his mate and love.
"Go ahead. I don't remember anything before waking up besides getting onto that log you found me on," Theorn spoke softly,
"Theorn was maybe forty pounds little acorn. Healing can only do so much and in this case, it would have been detrimental. Just carrying Theorn left fresh bruises and I was as gentle as I could be carrying him to the healer ward in the grove. I wanted to, to ease the major wounds that he bore with resilience and stubbornness, but unfortunately there are times where healing with ability can be more harm than good," I explained,
"Remember moonlight bear, I was a prisoner for seventy years, fed pig scraps, I doubt I had much of anything past skin and bones literally," Theorn spoke softly, before I nodded then frowned.
"Seventy years? For what?" I asked, Theorn shifting back so Halsin could get the scar in front.
"Refusing to become an Omega slave wife pawn for the tribe I hailed from," Theorn replied softly, feeling rage infuse me. I had heard stories of places like that and had raised Halsin to be aware, but to know it was in a way that close to our home borders?
Fury was nowhere near a good enough word for it.
I took a deep breath.
"Well you're safe now, you've a proper family, and two amazing people who love you deeply," I spoke quietly, Theorn nodding as he reached up, patting Halsin's arm after he finished applying the salve.
"I do," Theorn murmured, Halsin leaning down and kissing him.
"Well we should probably return to the others, so they know I haven't kidnapped you," I teased, Theorn laughing before standing up, pulling his tunic back on before Halsin put the salve up and we headed back out.
Theorn
I watched Karlach and Halsin talk, fidgeting, my eyes drifting around until they met Seldira's who smiled, nodding encouragingly. I took a deep breath before standing up and walking over, Halsin and Karlach paused talking as they looked at me.
"You alright moonspark?" Karlach asked,
"Almost two decades ago, we were all thrust into pure chaos and horror, fighting a cult of mad folk determined to bring the world to a burning ruin, but despite my fears and ways, you two were supportive the entire time, bearing my reactions with grace and care that I greatly appreciate. We won that a year later then over time the pieces slowly fell together albeit with some shoved into the light despite my fear of being hurt and rejected. Making the decision to have you become our Beta was one of my top best days ever and now I'd like to add to them," I started, before I knelt down, holding up the custom rings,
"Halsin Silverbough, Karlach Cliffgate, would you two-" I was cut off as Karlach squealed, hauling me up to my feet and bear hugging me, Halsin joining the hug.
"Yes moonspark!" Karlach crowed, Halsin smiling.
"Yes moon heart. We would love to," Halsin spoke kindly, before the pair hugged me tighter together and each gave me a kiss before I put the rings on their fingers as everyone cheered.
"Best Yule so far!" Shadowheart spoke cheerfully, as I smiled. Seldira coming over and kissing my forehead.
"Welcome to the family little butterfly," Seldira murmured, cupping my cheek with a smile before returning to her seat.