96, A talking

“Hello, little one, I’m Kopa,” her father said. 

“Hello,” Jason answered. 

“I hear you like horses, is that true?” Kopa asked. Jason lit up like a candle. 

“I do, they are my favourite thing,” Jason told him. “After biscuits,” he added after thinking.

“I like horses as well. Have you ridden one?”

“Plenty of times, Tenac lets me ride with him and Sinhera took me riding today,” Jason started and then proceeded to tell Kopa about every time he had been on a horseback. As he was talking, Ayya’s father led him over to the table and sat him on his lap. He listened to everything Jason said and added a few questions in the right places. 

“He is adorable,” Bettina told Ayya and Tenac. 

“Who, Jason or dad?” Ayya asked, and they laughed. “Thank you mom, he really is. I hope it’s okay that we stay with you for a while. I think he will be more comfortable here than in the sanctum,” Ayya said. 

“Of course, we are happy to have the two of you. Now go and sit down and I will start lunch. Tariana, I hope you are staying?” Bettina asked. 

“Nothing could stop me,” she answered, looking at Jason. 

“Let me help you, mom,” Ayya said.

“No, no. You rest and sit down, sweetheart,” her mother said. 

“I haven’t cooked for a month, I’m about to go crazy,” Ayya insisted. Together they made lunch, making sure the food was a mix between what Jason was used to and new things. He wasn’t a picky eater, but it never hurt to have safe foods available. Ayya waited for the last vegetables to be done and looked over at the table. Jason had moved to sit between Tenac and Tariana and listened to something Tariana was telling him. Ayya felt the love that was present and she had a hard time holding back her tears. 

They had eaten, Jason had cleared his plate and had room for dessert. Both Bettina and Tariana had praised him for it. 

“He is going to get spoiled,” Tenac said to Ayya with a smile. 

“I think that is unavoidable,” she agreed. “First grandson for both of our parents, he will have all the attention,” she added. 

“He deserves it,” Tenac said. Ayya went and got the presents they had bought for their parents and let Jason hand them out. The bone objects were admired and everyone seemed to like them. After a while, Tariana said she needed to get back to the sanctum. Ayya’s father told her he would come as well, but Tariana told him to take the day off. She hugged Jason again, and he hugged her back.

“Once you have settled in a little, you will have to come and visit me in the sanctum. I promise I will show you all the fun things,” She told him. Jason happily nodded. After they had said goodbye to Tariana, Ayya showed Jason around the house. The last two rooms to show him was Ayya’s room and the guest room. 

“Jason, you get to choose how you want to do this,” Ayya said. “If you want, you can stay in here,” she told him and showed him the guest bedroom. 

“My own room?” he asked.

“Yes,” Ayya said. “Or, if you feel that is overwhelming, you can always sleep in here,” Ayya added and opened the door next to the guest bedroom. “This is my room. I think we can both fit in the bed, it’s a big bed. But it’s up to you,” she said. Jason looked at her and then looked back towards the door to the guest bedroom. Ayya guessed his own room sounded very appealing, but he was a little nervous. “If you want, you can take the guest room and if you don’t want to be alone when you go to sleep, or if you have a nightmare, you can come and join me, or call for me and I’ll join you. Does that sound okay?” Ayya asked.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Jason said. They headed downstairs and Ayya saw her mother had started preparing dinner and she went to help her.

———

Tenac was helping Bettina to clear away the last of the washed dishes. He was relieved the day had gone so well. Kopa hadn’t tried to kill him, Jason seemed to like it and their parents had fallen in love with him already. Tenac had to admit to himself he had spent weeks being nervous all for nothing. 

“Tenac, would you join me in the garden?” Kopa said. Tenac froze. 

“Go on, he won’t bite,“ Bettina whispered with a smile. Tenac could only nod and go with Kopa. He felt his stomach clench and his hands become cold. 

“So,” Kopa said as they stood in the garden. “You have been courting my daughter. Without talking to me?” 

“Yes,” Tenac said. 

“And you proposed to her, without asking me?”

“I did.”

“Don’t you think you should have talked to me first?” Kopa asked. 

“With all due respect, no,” Tenac didn’t know where he found the courage, but he found it. “Ayya is smart and knows what she wants. If she didn’t reciprocate my feelings, she would have let me know. She is also stubborn enough that she would have hated the idea of me asking someone else’s permission.” An amused smile played on Kopa’s face, he nodded.

“She would have told us both off and she would have got both her and your mother on her side as well. I’m happy you know her well enough to realise it,” Kopa told him. “You have always been good to her. I know I have been a little… hard on you. You are a father now, you understand. But you are a good man and Ayya is happy, I can’t ask for more.” Tenac started to wonder if he had hit his head and was hallucinating. 

“Thank you. I love her, and I will do anything I can to make her happy and to keep her safe,” He told Kopa. Kopa huffed and nodded. 

“And you have become a father as well. I know what it is to become a father overnight. The only thing that is important is to love them and make sure they know they are loved and safe, the rest has a tendency to resolve itself. If you need someone to talk to, I’ll be here, don’t be too proud to ask for help.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Tenac said.

“With that said. If you ever hurt my little girl or that boy in any way, I already know of five places where a body will never be discovered,” Kopa said and walked back to the house.

“Yes, sir,” Tenac said with a sigh. It had gone better than he had thought. When they returned to the kitchen, Ayya helped her mother and Jason was sitting at the table, talking to the two women. Tenac smiled and walked up to Ayya and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. She smiled at him and gave him one back. He then joined Kopa and Jason at the table. It felt homely and very right. 

———

 Tenac and Kopa started talking about the unrest they had seen in Domne and how their city and castle guard had handled it. Jason was listening and as he did, he crawled up into Kopa’s lap. Ayya looked at them and then at her mother. She saw her mother had witnessed it as well, and they smiled at each other. 

“So, Tenac huh,” her mother said as they stood close together at the workbench. 

“You saw it coming,” Ayya told her.

“Ayya, everyone except the two of you saw it coming. Since the second time he took you out on one of those walks, I have just been waiting for the two of you to start courting,” Bettina said with a smile. 

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Would you have listened?” Ayya thought about it for a while. 

“Probably not,” she admitted. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in my letters, but I didn’t want dad to find out that way,” Ayya added.

“It’s okay. I agree this was the best way.”

“He seems surprisingly calm about it,” Ayya pointed out.

“He knows you are happy, and that is what he always wanted. And despite your fathers grumbling, he knows Tenac is a good man,” her mother explained. 

“Did he know as well?” Ayya asked. 

“Good heavens no. The man couldn’t point out a person in love if they were painted red wearing a sign around their neck saying ‘In Love’.” Ayya smiled at her mother. It was good to be home. 

They ate dinner together, Jason ate like he had never seen food before. 

“This was the best dinner ever,” he said. 

“Thank you, I’m happy you liked it,” Bettina said. 

“I’ll take care of the dishes,” Kopa told them.

“I’ll help you,” Ayya offered as she wanted some time with her father. 

“Why don’t we get some warm milk with honey and sit awhile in front of the fire,” Bettina suggested to Tenac and Jason. 

“Just for an hour, then it’s time for bed,” Ayya reminded them. 

“He’s a good kid,” Ayya’s father said as they washed the dishes. 

“He is, he’s taken all of this really well. He just has nightmares sometimes,” Ayya told him.

“I remember when you had those. It always tore at my heart. But they went away,” he reminded her. She nodded. 

“Dad, are you really okay with Tenac and me? Or are you just pretending for my sake and planning to kill him during the next training session?” she asked. Kopa chuckled. 

“I’m surprised at myself for how okay I am. He’s a good man, he’s reliable and I know he will keep you, and Jason, safe. And I can see he makes you happy, little one. That is the most important thing. The three of you will make a good family. I’m proud of you for being brave enough to put your heart out there,” he told her and kissed her temple. 

“Thanks dad. I really love him,” she admitted. 

“I can see that, and I can see that he loves you. And if he ever hurts you, it will be easy for me to find him and kill him,” he cheerfully told her. Ayya laughed. 

“Okay, Jason, time for bed. Say goodnight to Bettina and Kopa,” Ayya said as she and Kopa walked into the family room. 

“I’m not tired,” Jason complained, almost cross-eyed as he tried his best not to let his eyes fall closed. 

“Jason, listen to Ayya,” Tenac said, getting up from his seat. Jason reluctantly said goodnight to Ayya’s parents.

“Tenac, why don’t you stay the night? We are more than happy to have you,” Bettina said. There was a small cough from Ayya’s father, and Tenac smiled.

“Thank you, Bettina. But I’ll tuck Jason in and then I’m heading over to the barracks,” Tenac said. Kopa nodded approvingly. Ayya and Tenac took Jason upstairs and tucked him into bed. They both got into bed with him and Ayya told him one of the old stories and he fell asleep. 

“I’ll walk you out,” Ayya said to Tenac. He nodded, and they walked downstairs. He put on his cloak and Ayya walked outside with him, shutting the front door behind them. “Sure you won’t stay?” she asked. Tenac smiled down at her and shook his head.

“I want to keep on Kopa’s good side for now. You know where to find me if you need me. Send word no matter what time of day. I’ll come by after breakfast tomorrow morning,” he told her. 

“Have your breakfast with us. It will be strange to not have you close by. I have got used to it,” Ayya said. Tenac put a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissed her and held her for a moment. 

“Goodnight,” he said. 

“Goodnight, sleep well,” she replied before letting go of him. She returned inside and took her usual place by the fire with her mother and father. They started asking her about her journey. Ayya relaxed and let herself fully take in that she was home.