Souja- Part 4 Finalle
Sorry, got distracted with Monster March. Also trigger warning- there is mentions of previous child abuse in this last part. So heads up. Also the companion piece to this will be much more intense and a bit a more gut wrenching. And you’ll see the seeds to the next companion piece sprinkled throughout this.
Souja
Chapter 4
The next morning Johnny got up and went back to his room, grateful some of his clothes had already been laundered as he changed into his nicer clothes, just in case you wanted to go to one of the temples today before he came down and took a seat at the bar.
“And?” Kragan asked Johnny as Johnny quickly got changed from last night’s clothes into today’s clothes from behind a changing screen.
“She’s even better than I could have imagined. Her little ones are orphaned but adopted by her though. She didn’t birth them herself, she just adopted them as toddlers, past nursing.” Johnny quickly explained.
“Oh, good. That makes sense.” Kragan nodded.
“I’m meeting her and them for breakfast, wish me luck.” Johnny asked as he finished getting dressed.
“Good luck.” Kragan offered before he rolled back over and went to sleep as Johnny quickly got back to the bar but wasn’t sure where he should be to wait for you.
“What can I get for you this morning?” Falicia, one of the better alewives asked as she stood before him.
“Uh, a cup of milk, if that’s ok.” Johnny nervously answered.
“Sure, what kind? I have sheep, goat or cow’s milk, and if it be cow’s milk, I have full milk, with the cream or skimmed, without the cream or I have buttermilk.” She specified.
“Full cow’s milk.” He answered.
“Did you have a room last night?” She asked.
“Aye, but I didn’t sleep in it, I rented room 435 with my mates but I slept in room 102?” He answered.
“Oh aye, which of the Souja family invited you into one of those rooms?” Falicia asked as she poured him a stein right from the container the cows milk had been poured into that morning, only about an hour before.
“Nora Souja.” He answered as she fumbled with the stein and milk dumped all over it as she accidentally overfilled it.
“Nora Souja? Like the Nora Souja, just, Nora. Souja. no other names?!” Falicia demanded as she quickly mopped up what she could with a rag and cleaned off his stein.
“Is that a problem? Is there more than one Nora Souja?” Johnny frowned.
“No! No problem at all, there is another Nora Souja but she’s Nora Jean Souja and she’s married to...you know, it doesn’t matter. If you’ll excuse me one second.” Falicia requested as she held up a finger and quickly called to the other alewife Kitsa to look after the bar while she left and when Falicia came back several moments later, she was followed by a dozen others who were all eagerly looking at Johnny.
“So, did you ask Nora to take you to a room or did she ask you to that room?” Falicia pressed as the other side of the bar was now full of eager eyes of women about your age if not a little older.
“She asked me…” Johnny slowly answered.
“Why does it matter? Shouldn’t that be her private affairs?” Johnny asked, regretting saying anything in the first place.
“Well you see, I don’t know if she’s told you but…” Falicia said.
“She told me as much as she’s comfortable with sharing with me. I don’t know if she’d be comfortable with you talking about her business without her here to say anything herself.” Johnny interrupted her, expecting Falicia to get huffy but all of them simply gasped softly and all of them lit up happily and smiled bright beaming and excited smiles at each other.
“You know, you’re right, you’re good. But just in case she didn’t tell you, you need to know that…” Falicia happily conceded but continued undeterred.
Meanwhile you had gotten up and got Lena and Grayson dressed in some of their nicer clothes as you yourself got dressed in one of your nicer dresses, still with your front laced corset since that was the fashion for single women, married women having their husbands cinch up their rear laced corset as you did up Lena and Grayson’s hair in braids as you put yours into a simple bun because it was Sunday and you’d have breakfast then go to temple then lunch since the Sunday crew went to the temple of their choice on Saturday as you simply grabbed a few handfuls of coins and dumped them into your matching purse that you had bought with this dress and put the rest of the heavy sack in a drawer to be gone through later and brought your family down to the dining room and peeked into the main hall to see Johnny already at the bar, stein in hand and waiting patiently, talking to the alewives who were attending to the bars, deep in conversation with them and you couldn’t help the jealousy that licked up your spine.
“Johnny?” You asked as they all turned as all the alewives wore happy and excited smiles towards you.
“Go on, go back.” Falicia urged Johnny who happily slipped off the stool and took his stein of milk with him.
“Milk?” Johnny offered when he lowered his stein so you could peak inside and grinned when you seemed relieved he wasn’t drinking alcohol at 8 in the morning on a Sunday.
“I’ll get my own in a bit.” You reassured him as you led the way to the private dining room to see the breakfast staff had already lined the breakfast bar with their offerings as you took the lid off of each thing and fixed yourself and Lena’s and Grayson’s plate after Johnny put his stein in a private booth to reserve it as others slowly filed in.
“So guys, this is Johnny, Johnny Gillsman,” you introduced to your kids who chose to sit on either side of you in the booth as they looked Johnny up and down skeptically, at least Lena did, Grayson seemed unbothered by Johnny’s presence and much more interested in cramming his breakfast sausages into his mouth.
“Smaller bites Grayson, you’ll choke.” You got after Grayson who pulled the sausage link from taking up most of his mouth to simply bite the end off instead of wanting to eat half of it in one go.
“Hi, why are you eating breakfast with us Mr. Gillsman?” Lena asked wearily as she slowly ate her breakfast as she felt she really needed to test him out. Even though her nose told her that he was practically wreaking of your love all over him. As his own love was all over you and she could tell from the smell that it was a very good love. But still. She still felt she needed to see through him, to make sure he wasn’t hiding anything that would ever hurt you or herself or Grayson.
“Because he’s a friend of mine and he wanted to meet you?” You answered.
“Mm-hmm.” Lena murmured wearily as she narrowed her eyes at him as and kept his gaze as she revealed one of her more deadly looking blades to cut her breakfast up as she made a point to cut her breakfast sausage in the smallest rings, not breaking her gaze from him. As if she was wordlessly threatening him that she would do the same thing to his manhood if he dared step out of line.
“So, do you have any questions for me?” Johnny invited them undeterred.
“Where are you from?” Lena asked.
“I was born and raised in Orno. But when I was a young teenager, my family moved to Forestrong. In Orno my family was from the Oksashion Clan. My last name is Gillsman because before I was a sailor, I was a diver. And I dove for seafood back in Orno. And then when my family moved to Forestrong, I worked in the shipyard. I made sure all the hauls were good and didn’t leak. All of us that were divers in Orno, we all got that name because the clan thought all those who dove in the water and could stay under for a long time- had gills that helped us breathe underwater. But I don’t, I can just hold my breath a long time.” Johnny explained calmly and rather matter of factly because he knew that Lena would be weary of him and he was proud of her for being so. Because in his mind, she had every right to be and needed to be. Especially in a place like Fitsdale where strangers came in daily.
“And because Orno has been there for a really long time and the city is where a river meets the sea. But because there was another city, Preborg- further up river. Preborg dumped a lot of their waste into the river. So it would wash out with the river into Orno and then Orno did the same and all the waste went out into the sea. And because of that- less and less things lived in the waters around Orno. Because the water was really dirty and polluted. And it got to the point, that you could sail for days up and down the coast or go out into the sea in waters way too deep for anyone but the merfolk to dive in- that you could catch anything you would actually want to eat. So once fishing was no longer an option, my family moved from Orno to Forestrong and my father got a job at Salgria Shipping as a shipbuilder and once he got in, then he got me and all of my brothers into it too and my sisters got jobs making lunches for the work crews at the docks. Sangria shipping keeps food shops near the shipyards so that their workers can eat a quick but filling lunch and then get back to work.” Johnny explained.
“And that’s how I spent most of my teen years, building and then inspecting ships because I could dive so deep and for so long, I could inspect the bottom of the boat and could dive under one side of the ship and use the planks to crawl on the underside of the ship to check for leaks or for barnacles. And because I’m only half orc since my mum is a human, that meant I was smaller than most and that also meant I was lighter than others. So I could literally work from under the ship to around the ship and then climb the masts and man the sails without breaking the masts or the yards without breaking them either. That’s when I got a job on the Elspath to earn a living as a sailor.” Johnny explained.
“So how did you become a sailor on a skyship then?” Lena asked.
“Well while I was on the Eslpath, that is when and where I met and befriended my current Captain. Who was at the time the Elspath’s first mate- Kragan Salgria. His father Thaddius was the captain of the Eslpath which was the flagship for the fleet. And then when Kragan got into sailing skyships, he wanted me to come with him to the Violet Skye. So now we sail on a skyship instead of a seaship. The mechanics of sailings are still kind of the same, only instead of working with the currents in the sea and in the wind. With skyships- it’s all about harnessing and using the wind currents.” Johnny explained as he ate his own breakfast.
“Where’s Kragan?” Lena asked.
“He’s having breakfast out there.” Johnny pointed through the wall towards the rest of the dining hall.
“So why are you friends with my Mama?” Lena pressed.
“She is just grilling you like this toast.” You snickered as you picked up the slice of toast in question before you took a bite even though you were curious as to his answers.
“I don’t mind it, it’s better than getting grilled by the alewives at the bar.” Johnny confessed.
“So that’s what they were doing.” You nodded in understanding.
“Oh yes, each of ‘em is real protective of you, more sisters I take it?” Johnny nodded as you nodded in turn.
“So you don’t like my Mama just because she’s an heiress?” Lena pressed as she narrowed her eyes at him as her gaze zeroed in on him.
“No. Although your mum did tell me that she gets to take care of this place once your grandparents pass. Which is a great honor and privilege and a big responsibility because the Souja family is a big family. And with big families comes big bills to feed and clothe and house all of them.” Johnny answered.
“But right now it’s under democratic rule, everyone with the Souja name gets a vote on how things are run.” Lena insisted.
“And that’s an awesome system. Did you know that pirate crews are run the same way?” Johnny returned.
“Who do you think most of the men in the Souja family are? Most of them came from the pirate crews. It’s why we have that system.” Lena returned as Johnny blinked in surprise as he looked to you to either deny or confirm that.
“That’s true, Mac, he’s partially deaf, ran a canon on the Tramor, I believe, he manages most of the gardens, his wife is one of the most fearsome women I’ve ever known, they’re sitting right over there.” You pointed as Johnny followed your finger with wide eyes before you pointed the others out to him.
“How many daughters did your parents have?” Johnny asked, partially joking.
“Four and I’m the youngest of the four. But the Souja Family as a whole, huge extended family, we have adopted...psh...at least a hundred or two by now. Most Souja women are actually widows from old Fits or especially old Dale and far beyond. They came here for work and help with their little ones. Because the last war took most of the menfolk. Including my brothers Will and Tristan and many others. My Da was spared because he has a bad knee on one leg and a bad hip on the other and could not walk or ride. Much less hold a sword. My Da takes in most who come. All who do must follow the rules and harm no others. But that’s why the divorce rate is so high in Fitsdale. If a woman isn’t happy with the one she has or if he’s rough with her or abusive in any way, she can leave him, come here for refuge so she doesn’t have to stay with him just because he has income and a roof. She can make her own money, feed and clothe her own children as well as herself and marry another who will treat her better and love her right and have just as many rights and freedoms here as a Souja woman as any man with the Souja name too, that’s why most don’t leave.” You answered.
“Oh, that makes sense. So is that why Souja has so many alewives?” Johnny asked.
“Yup, most of the male brewers tried to muscle most of the alewives out, once Fits and Dale combined to make Fitsdale and the port really boomed. And they tried to cater to the sailors. So my dad happily invited them all here. Gave them room and board at a very small price and let them keep the vast majority of their sales at the bar and of course give them discounts on the ingredients they use to make their ales in the first place.” You explained.
“And of course the servers keep all their tips and the Souja name so they can reap the Souja benefits. And now the only competition they have is who gets what section of the bar and who makes the best brew of the house each night. Which is a blind taste test between the family between lunch and dinner. But the real decider is who goes through which ales the fastest which is why most of the names of the ales are silly but distinct. And why the alewives clamor to make sure their customers keep coming back to get their ales and not any others. But we need all the alewives brewing all those barrels of ale because you saw how quickly we go through it. They’re a competitive bunch but a very strong sisterhood. Because by themselves they didn’t stand a chance with the bigger breweries, but together, they give any brewer a run for their money and choose quality over quantity.” You beamed as you dipped your toast in your runny yolks from your fried eggs as Johnny did the same, piling hash onto his toast as well.
“The alewives themselves usually talk with the captains of the crews to know which crew will be coming in when and what those crews would go for and have the brews ready in time so that they’re custom made. Otherwise all the other brewers just brew their one brew, they brew it by the tonne but it’s the same brew no matter what time of year. But we’re different, we like to know a little bit of who to expect for dinner, so the alewives then tell that information to everyone else who also prepares for it. Like we’ve been expecting the Violet Skye for three days now but you must have had a delay along the way and we’ve known you’d be coming back here all week and especially since most of the Violet Skye’s crew is orc as is most of the Salgria Shipping fleet that Violet Skye sails with is too and even the sea ships in the fleet that’s in port right now, they’re mostly orc too. That’s why you’re seeing a ton of meats and heavier heartier dishes and really strong ale.” You explained.
“Really?” Johnny asked, intrigued by that.
“Oh yes. Last week we had the Tania and the other minotaur ships, so we had mostly vegetarian offerings for them which they were happy to have. Because even on the seas, different peoples tend to sail together in different fleets. Next week will be the elven fleets that will come into port. But then the locals are a good mix of everyone. And even when all the ships are out to sea, this place is still full of locals, even the Whiteales come from Dunbower once a month to do business in old Dale and collect our taxes. But we own all the lands and buildings that have the Souja name. So we don’t pay rent, but still pay taxes. Most of the others in Dale though, they still pay rent and tax.” You explained.
“So you all...live here at the tavern then?” Johnny asked.
“Yup, we have a wing all our own. And in that wing, each room has it’s own special number, like any apartment building. So we can get personal mail. I have a family apartment room in the family wing, or wings I should say. Since there’s almost as many family rooms as there are rooms for rent. It’s twice as big as the normal rooms that are for rent. It is its own little apartment. It has its own number and its own mail box and a mat at the front door, with a door knocker and everything. When I adopted Lena, I happily moved from a room where all the single young women slept all together to a family room which I have made into a proper apartment for my family and I. I took all the windows that faced one of the side streets and had commissioned really beautiful stained glass windows behind my shudders, that I also painted myself. The stained glass windows are there to both beautify the space and make it our own and it’s to throw color and prisms into the room when the sun shines in. Which these guys love dearly. Which is why that wing that faces Isher, all the shutters are different colors and all the windows are different and it’s because each family takes up each apartment, and I even have a screen in the window to let in a good breeze but no bugs in fair weather and others have followed suit so that now almost all the windows in the family wings all have at least one stained glass window and it has made Souja Tavern really stand out in Fitsdale.” You explained.
“Could I see it?” Johnny asked hopefully before you looked between your two kids as Grayson nodded before you looked at Lena for her answer.
“I suppose.” Lena allowed.
“Well then, after breakfast and after service in the temple and probably after lunch.” You agreed, grateful that you had spent most of the day yesterday cleaning your little apartment just in case you had guests before Johnny went with you to one of the main temple complex where a myriad of gods were worshiped.
“So do you know who or what qunari worship?” You murmured to Johnny as you walked through the complex.
“I know their sacred text is The Book of Qun, or simply the Qun, that’s about all I know.” Johnny answered with a shrug before you all returned to Souja Tavern for lunch. Lena for once, opened up a little bit and was surprised yet impressed that Johnny grew up being bullied and yet wasn’t a bully himself. And had a very strong stance on bullying and self defense. And especially once she learned that he approved of her guarded responses to strangers. And especially when he validated that such responses would keep her safe in the future. And that it was always the smartest path to not trust anyone. Yntil they had proved to be trustworthy and you could tell Lena really appreciated the validation he gave her and was probably the biggest reason for her to open up to him more than anyone else because he could understand the lengths people went to just to survive and didn’t judge one way or another but still had principles and ethics himself. She also appreciated that he had a hard childhood too and knew how alienating it could be to be a hybrid where neither side would fully embrace you.
And Johnny appreciated the fact of how different Souja was. Because they didn’t alienate anyone and were welcoming to everyone who proved worthy and would not harm themselves or another in their family. Lena and yourself both liked that he was a hard worker and had worked his way up the ladder so to speak in Salgria Shipping and how he had nieces and nephews in Forestrong that were about her age and cousins in Orno who also had kids her age. And that he had friends in Yekmeni and Wakanear and had seen so much of the world. Just about every part of it in fact.
And she really liked all the stories he told about what those places were like and who lived there and what kind of people they were as Johnny made a conscious effort not to take offense at her guarded nature. But also not to be overly friendly with her. Or push for any kind of friendship with her. But was genuine and honest. Johnny simply was an open book so to speak and let her ask any question she wanted and answered all of her questions honestly and as forthcoming as he could.
Grayson on the other hand was infinitely more interested in the Yekmenian knife he kept on him and was much more interested in the Yekmenian weapons and their adani steel and especially the cannons and the deadly rose cannonballs that were being fitted on just about every Salgria Shipping ship than he was in Johnny himself.
After lunch, your little family invited Johnny back to your apartment as Johnny was struck by how it was quite nice, homey, charming, warm and inviting. And if anything, much more luxurious than he initially expected it to be.
The apartment itself, had its own toilet and tub behind privacy screens and even a nice little sitting area and play area with toys and books of all kinds and a nice set of fireplaces to keep the very large, open space toasty warm when the weather called for it. It was beautifully decorated. Each decoration having more of a sentimental purpose rather than an aesthetic one.
This one large room was like it’s own little home and very cozy and he felt so incredibly at ease here. And it even had a little dining area and kitchen when you wanted to try cooking something else besides stews and soups all the time for your family and friends. Or try cooking something new on your own while also teaching Lena and Grayson how to cook too.
And the apartment had three beds on one side of the room. One for Lena, and one for Grayson and one for yourself with dressers, with screens in between two dressers back to back to separate each space and chests at the end of each bed. Of course your own chest was locked to keep your own special treasures safe while Lena was eager to show Johnny her toys and her books. While Grayson was eager to show Johnny his collection and assortment of tools, all of them smaller to fit his smaller hands and smaller strength. But all of them were perfectly functional and in very good condition. And Grayson was especially happy that Johnny noted and praised that about them as Grayson was so happy that his tools were good tools and functional too.
The screens to separate the spaces were stunningly beautiful. They were embroidered silk screens in beautifully carved wooden frames as the screens acted both like walls and doors inside the space so that Lena and Grayson and yourself, could all have their own private personal spaces and combined living spaces. Which you all appreciated from time to time, with yourself getting the largest bed by size and the largest “room” in the space. And armors to keep all your dresses hung up while Lena also had an armor to keep her own dresses hung up too.
And all the beds had really comfortable mattresses and soft sheet sets and blankets of all kinds for all manners of weather. Johnny was simply happy to sit on the couch with you, being handed toys, books, tools and the like. Looking each item over as if he was appraising it before he presented his little figurine that he still hadn’t finished but Grayson was excited that his symbol was carved on it before he eagerly got his notebook that he kept just for his “old letters” and “old words” written down and showed them to Johnny, thinking he would know what they were and could read them.
“Qunlat?” Johnny asked as Grayson nodded with bright, excited eyes and an eager smile. Before Grayson read the few words he remembered how to read and write, using other words he had not known how to spell but wrote them down phonetically. And began pointing to the words and the letters and Grayson tried asking Johnny to read what he wrote.
“I’m sorry Lad, I don’t know qunlat. I only know that qunari speak qunlat and that this is your people’s symbol. The symbol of qunari, qunari means ‘the people of the Qun’- it’s a belief system. A holy book, for the religion that is known as The Book of Qun, or simply The Qun. But that’s about all I know about you.” Johnny apologized.
“Not qunari. Vashoth.” Grayson said as he pointed to himself.
“Oh, vashoth.” Johnny nodded in understanding.
“What does that mean?” You asked Johnny.
“It means he wasn’t born in the homeland. He’s qunari by race, but not necessarily of culture. Like an orc being born outside of an orc clan and into an elven village. He’s still an orc, but he’s not part of the clan. And therefore not part of the culture.” Johnny tried to explain.
“Do you remember anything before you came to be here, before she was your Mum?” Johnny asked Grayson.
“Ban-Hassath came, big boat. Took me and many others from where we were- the teachers told us they were going to help us to not be vashoth, but qunari, by teaching us Qun. Then a storm came, the boat wrecked on the rocks. I swam to land. Many others didn’t make it, they drowned. I walked along the shoreline until I got here. And I found Mama.” Grayson answered as his shoulders slumped in disappointment and took the notebook back before he came and sat down next to you as you put your arm around him and kissed the crown of his head, just below where his horn was growing out.
“Is that why you hate the sea so much?” Lena asked as Grayson nodded.
“And is that why you hate storms and boats too?” Lena asked as she came and sat down on the other side of him and put her arm around him from the other side as Grayson nodded again.
“It’s ok. I hate a lot of things from my past too. It’s ok to hate things from bad times.” Lena comforted him as she looked beyond Grayson to see you and Johnny sharing a meaningful look.
“You can ask what I hate if you want to, Johnny.” Lena invited.
“Only if you really want to tell me and want me to know. It’s your past and your privacy. I don’t want to intrude or poke my nose in it.” Johnny offered which brought an appreciative grin to her lips.
“I hate the shacks by the sea. And the people in them. And how garbage washes up on the shore. Making the beach dirty. And how everyone was always digging through all of it. And if you did find anything good or even edible, you had to fight to keep it. As if the garbage was treasure, trying to find anything that was valuable to sell to buy liquor.” Lena explained.
“So do you hate everyone that drinks liquor?” Johnny asked curiously.
“No. But everyone in the shacks by the sea, they would rather drink liquor and get drunk than eat or get food or give anyone else food. Even their own children. But other people who offered the kids food. They were bad people. The bad people would offer me and the other kids small rolls of bread. They…hurt the kids before they would give us the food. So we would hide from the other people. All the kids had to scavenge the water. And what washed up on shore to find food and other things. Rotting kelp and seaweed and rotting fish stank up the air and us. Or if I was lucky, I would find something alive but the kids shared what we found among each other so we wouldn’t have to go to the other people for food. We ate what was alive- we killed it and ate it raw because we didn’t know how to cook or start a fire. We ate crushed little clams we dug out of the sand and mussels from the rocks and other little sea creatures that we could smash with rocks and catch with our bare hands. It’s why if I eat seafood, it has to be cleaned and cooked first and not smashed. I can always tell when the bad people by the sea are near. They smell like the garbage from the ocean, the rotting seaweed and rotten fish and liquor. Grayson and I both hate the sea. We just hate it for different reasons.” Lena bravely revealed before Johnny got up and knelt down in front of Grayson and Lena.
“I will never be a person who ever hurts either of you. I will happily give you anything that I have that you want but I will never take anything from either one of you in return. Both of you have very good reasons for hating the sea and those that live so close to it. And both of you have every reason to hate and be weary of strangers. Now in several days, I have to leave again on the Violet Skye. But I’m going to Dorierra, and Yekmeni before I come back through here again. When I go to Dorierra, I will try to find a book on qunlat and the Qun. And when I get to Yekmeni, I will get you both Yekmenian weapons so that you both can keep each other and your mum safe ok?” Johnny offered.
“But those things can’t be cheap, at least let me…” You tried to offer before Johnny simply raised his hand to stop you.
“I’m not as poor as you think I am. I can afford it. You said you didn’t want Grayson divorced from his roots. I know where his roots are and at least show him what they are. If he wants to follow them and see where they go- that will be his choice. But the least I can do is help show him what and where they are.” Johnny offered.
“Thank you.” Grayson smiled, even though he was disappointed that Johnny didn’t know qunlat, at least now he could remember the name and write that down in his little notebook.
Soon though, came the time to blind taste test all the ale as Johnny and the other men in the family gathered in the family’s dining room to taste test them all, all of the ales in tiny little glasses usually reserved for liquor before Johnny happily voted his top five of the over twenty ales he got to try before the votes were taken up and the winner- Lilly won out the contest and crooned happily as she got to put herself in the first spot on the bar before Kragan met back up with Johnny.
“So? Has the Souja family come to claim you too?” Kragan asked Johnny, both happy yet sad to see his dear friend finally find his rightful home.
“Yeah, I’ll sail this last season with ye Kragan, but after this one, I’m gonna try to stay in the skyport here in Fitsdale.” Johnny admitted.
“Well I could use you in the seaport actually.” Kragan began to counter.
“No, it needs to be the skyport. Nora’s children, they both have had bad experiences with the sea. I can’t come home smelling like that. I can’t scare them.” Johnny insisted.
“Well what happened?” Kragan asked before Johnny reluctantly told him what Lena and Grayson had told him earlier that day.
“Ooh, I see. Ok. Yeah, that won’t be a problem. Granted you’ll have a place in the warehouse, which is harder work, but it should pay about the same.” Kragan readily offered.
“About that, can I get an advance on my wages when we get to Dorierra? I need to buy a copy of the Qun for Grayson and at least try to find a book that shows how to learn qunlat from the common tongue for him. And then the rest I’ll need to buy them weapons from Yekmeni.” Johnny requested.
“Of course. Don’t worry about it being an advancement on your wages, think of it as a last voyage bonus.” Kragan reassured him.
“Thanks Kragan. Any word from that Duchess of yours?” Johnny asked as Kragan groaned.
“Yes. This is sadly, also my last sailing season. My father and I will be needing to be attending to court in Solowards. She’s gonna hate me.” Kragan grumbled.
“How do you know? Have you met her and she’s said so?” Johnny asked.
“No, but she’s a Duchess. I’m just going to be a lowly Baron and a sailor in her eyes. How could she not hate me?” Kragan worried as he ran his fingers through his hair.
“Well maybe just meet her in person before you choose to hate her too.” Johnny offered.
“For all you know, she could think something completely different.” Johnny offered.
“Doubt it.” Kragan scoffed.
“But I’m happy that at least you’ll be happy in your match.” Kragan tried to offer.
“Thanks, I believe I will and I hope that Duchess of yours is at least nice and understanding.” Johnny grinned before he went back to you and Lena and Grayson as Kragan could only watch on jealously. Wishing he could enjoy that kind of happiness himself as it seemed Lena warmed right up to Johnny. Taking his hand and leading him around, showing him the whole Tavern and how good her climbing skills as she easily and readily climbed the rafters as Johnny did his best not to have a small heart attack to see her climb so high and climb as easily as she could.
The rest of the week practically flew by and all too soon, you were on the skydock’s pier saying your goodbyes to Johnny with Lena and Grayson as Lena and Grayson much preferred the skyport to the seaport, especially to stand in the breezes and have the air partially hold them up as you had to actually keep Lena from climbing the skyship masts. Grayson was absolutely astounded by the Yekmenian cannons and the flower cannon balls as he held one and looked it over with keen interest and wanted to being one home.
“And that’s why I had a leash on her when she was younger.” You teased Johnny before you beckoned her down to have dinner in the family dining room before Lena happily climbed back down as easy as a cat would climb down a tree.
But seemed to pause and turn back around and follow her nose back towards him.
"Are you sick?" Lena asked Kragan as she perched on a rafter above the table.
"No..." Kragan shook his head.
"Sick flowers." Lena muttered the more she sniffed the air.
"Lena, what are you doing? Why are you over here?" You asked as you, Grayson and Johnny cam over to fetch her.
"He smells like sick flowers." Lena excused.
"In your pocket." Grayson noted as he sniffed at the air too as Kragan touched the letter in his pocket and then took it out before both kids sniffed at the air.
"Nope, you're not sick, the person who sent that to you is though." Lena realized.
"How can you tell?" Kragan held up the letter.
"I can smell the healing tea she was drinking when she wrote it. And the flowers that were on her desk when she wrote it too. It smells like moonflower. Moonflower is only ever used for very sick people, Gramma Agnes let's me smell all of her medicines. She has some too. It's rare and it's expensive, but it works. Bring her here and Gramma Agnes will heal her." Lena urged him.
"What else can you tell?" Johnny asked curiously before Kragan held up the letter to her as she took it and inspected it as she carefully unfolded it and smelled the paper.
"She's scared to tell you that she's sick. But she's very pretty, and very nice otherwise." Lena proclaimed.
"Really?" Johnny beamed proudly.
"How can you tell?" Kragan asked.
"The way she writes her letters." Lena answered.
"She's very highly educated. Maybe she was just raised to have pretty hand writing." Kragan allowed.
"She was, but see? See how she writes..." Lena said as she linked down to the seat and sat next to Kragan to show him the little details of how the Duchess had written him.
"Well, she did get kicked from a horse. And is taking medicine for that, according her father." Kragan allowed.
"Maybe the kick revealed her sickness. But moonflower isn't used for horse kicks. Not unless the horse kicked special organs in her belly. But you should bring her here, Gramma Agnes will heal her." Lena repeated before she climbed over his shoulders to the back of the booth then took a flying leap into Johnny's arms as he quickly caught her and then let her climb to sit up on his shoulders.
"Prefer the view up there?" Johnny asked as he put his hands to her lower legs so. She shouldn't fall.
"Yup." She giggled gleefully.
"Sorry for the intrusion." You offered apologetically to Kragan.
"No, she's fine. Thank you Miss Lena for telling me." He thanked her as he sniffed at the letter himself, never thinking to smell the letter itself.
Kragan watched on in amusement. Knowing Johnny was going to have his hands full with a family right off the bat.
“I wish I could take you with me.” Johnny admitted as he got Lena down from the mast, playfully threatening her that he would tie her down to the mast itself if it would keep her still and not try to climb the whole thing which got her to laugh hysterically as she was content to at least sit on his shoulders again and smell the clean air and feel the breezes.
“We would just be in the way Johnny. We will see you when you fly back through again. You just be careful, and come back to us safe and sound.” You urged him.
“Will do.” He reassured you and the kids before he pulled Lena from his shoulders and gently put her down on her own two feet while also, gently patting her tail that had wrapped around his arm before she reluctantly unwrapped his arm in order. To wrap it around yours.
Johnny eagerly made sure that the money never left his pocket and that once he got to Dorierra, he eagerly went to the Master Library.
You had practically had to twist his arm off for him to accept the money just in case either the Qun book or the qunlat translation book was more money than he had.
But he kissed you goodbye and Grayson hugged him goodbye and Lena surprised you both by hugging and kissing his cheek goodbye too.
"Come home to us safe." She whispered.
"I will, don't be getting into too much trouble Little Monkey." He urged as he hugged her back and patted her back.
"I'll be good." She tried to offer as her eyes got a little glassy as she hugged him harder then let go before they took off, all of you waving your goodbyes.
“Can I help you?” The librarian asked.
“Yes, I’m looking for two books, one is a translation of qunlat into the common tongue and the second is a copy of the Qun.” He answered.
“Are you looking to convert?” The librarian asked curiously.
“No, you see my Sweetheart, Nora, she has a qunari halfling for a son, and he was shipwrecked on her country’s shore and she took him in and adopted him and he’s only a boy. But he’s the only one like himself. And the more of the common tongue he learns, the more of th qunlat he loses and his mother and I just don’t want to see him so separated from his roots and want him to at least have a chance of reconnected to them once he learns more about them.” Johnny explained.
“Well I should warn you, if he does reconnect with his roots, you may lose him as a son. To the qunari, they don’t have traditional families, or really that many notions of individuality. It’s all about all the individuals doing whatever they can for the greater good of the collective. Like a beehive. A father’s role ends at insemination, and a mother’s role ends at birth. All qunari children are usually collected, assessed and trained according to their individual talents.” The librarian answered as she led the way to the translation books first.
“He’s basically told us that he and other children like him were taken and were beginning to be taught but then the ship shipwrecked. I’m honestly more worried about how he must have been a child of great importance to be called back to the homeland.” Johnny admitted.
“Not necessarily. Qunari do not place high regard on genetic or ancestral lines. He was probably seen as a lost child, needing to return to the homeland for proper instruction and induction into the culture. Granted to my understanding, the qunari do have a careful breeding program but it really is for the sole purpose of procreation. There is no emotional attachment to the acts.” The librarian noted before she found the book she needed.
“Now I must warn you, if this child starts to read this and understand it. And more importantly, if he wants to believe in it. He will draw away from you and his mother. He will see her as nothing more than a teacher. And any bond she may have had with him as her son, he will start to break down and dissolve. Because to qunari- there is no mother or father or children so there are no family units the way the rest of the world likes to view things. There is only teachers and peers and those who still need to be taught. There is no importance based on individuals. Or their personal belongings or property. That is all. And since he is half qunari, and only recieved the beginning of his education, once he gains this knowledge, he will have to choose. The Qun is an all or nothing kind of religion. One does not simply pick and choose which parts to adhere to or which parts to ignore.” She warned him before she placed a special spell on the book, clapping a second book out of the first when she slapped the cover of it and a copy of it fell into her other hand below the book.
“Hey you got them!” Kragan smiled happily.
“Thank you for telling me.” Johnny thanked her before she got a copy of the Book of Qun and did the same thing before she added a notebook so that Grayson could do the writing exercises for the translation book.
Then she told him how much the two books were. And for once Johnny was grateful you had sent him with the money.
Because just these two books would be way more than he could ever hope to pay. But he got them and happily left the library with the books in tow.
“Yeah, it’s a good thing Nora sent some money with me, otherwise I never would have been able to pay for them.” Johnny admitted.
“Me too, I would hate to see you come back to her empty handed.” Kragan grinned.
“Me too.” Johnny admitted before they begrudgingly got to Solowards where a very nicely dressed man was waiting for their ship.
“Baron Salgria? Captain Baron Kragan Salgria? Permission to come aboard Sir.” The messenger said.
“Yes, that’s me.” Kragan reluctantly said as he allowed the messenger onto the ship.
“A message from the Duke DeBaringer and his daughter, Duchess Contessina DeBaringer. ” He said as he handed the note over to Kragan.
“Thanks.” Kragan sighed as he paid the attendant for giving him the letters just as his father came aboard too.
“Oh good, you got the letter.” Thaddius said as Kragan looked up from the letter and cut his eyes at his father for a moment before reading the rest of the letter from Duke DeBaringer.
“I take it, I don’t have any other choice but to accept?” Kragan asked his father.
“You must.” Thaddius insisted.
“Fine, please give my sincerest thanks for the invitation and that we’ll be there.” Kragan tried to forcefully bit out as he stuffed the letter into his pocket and was especially sharp with his men about how to get unloaded and then reloaded as quickly as he could.
“What is going on?” Johnny asked Kragan once the boat had left the port and Kragan was sulking as he glowered at Solowards behind him.
“The Duchess my father married me off to. Come to find out, she’s no longer available, she’s fallen in love with another and now instead of marrying me to her, my father is marrying me to her sister instead.” Kragan answered bitterly.
“Like older sister, younger sister?” Johnny asked.
“Older, the oldest daughter, the one that I got that first letter from. And what’s worse is the girl I was engaged to, she fell in love with her older sister’s groom. Because her older sister has been engaged to this other guy since birth. So not only is she not going to like me, but she’s going to vent her fury at her betrothed and her younger sister going behind her back and my father just told me that this is my last round. It’s off to Orno, Forestrong then Yekmeni, Wakanear and then Fitsdale for the last time and then back here to Solowards, and that’s it. I’m not just sailing done for the season, I’m done sailing forever. And that I will be expected to be in court. Just like that it feels like my life is over.” Kragan started to tear up as he pulled the second letter out of his pocket and stared reproachfully at it.
“Well if it be your last visit around the supersphere, make it your best one.” Johnny encouraged.
“Promise you’ll write to me won’t you Johnny? I know you’ll be in Fitsdale but at least Fitsdale isn’t Solowards.” Kragan pleaded.
“Aye Kragan.” Johnny nodded before they sailed around and eventually to Yekmeni and Johnny used the last of his money to get Yekmenian weapons for you and your children as Ashurah happily gave Johnny pointers about the pronunciation of qunlat to help his adopted son learn it faster and with more accuracy as she happily used Johnny’s stay to make all kinds of notes and tricks for learning qunlat and thought Johnny had a heart of gold for trying to help a son that wasn’t even his by blood.
And when Johnny finally got to come back to Fitsdale, Kragan gave him the best job he could in the skyport with the highest pay he could, before Johnny made it back to Souja Tavern before he let himself into the family’s wing and knocked on your door before you opened it and you looked, quite pale actually.
“Nora Darlin, are you alright?” Johnny asked worriedly as he came inside and dropped his things off just inside the door as he was worried that you looked quite sick.
“I’m fine, just, a little under the weather, I’ll be fine in a bit.” You answered.
“I can smell the sick on your breath Nora. You’ve been heaving, have you gone to the doctors?” He asked.
“I have, and I’ve already gotten medicine, I’ll be fine, in time.” You reassured him with a weak smile.
“I didn’t expect you back so soon! Are you alright?” You asked him as you pulled the shall around you just a little tighter.
“Yeah, uh, change of plans. Kragan is getting married much sooner than he expected. And so we only had one more round to get in before he was forced to retire and I took a position in the skyport, in the mail department actually. So that all the Salgria Shipping workers can write back and forth to any which place and have their letters arrive in a timely manner.” Johnny informed her.
“Nora, you really don’t look well, are you sure you’re…” Johnny asked worriedly before you couldn’t hold it back and ran to the bathroom part of your room and threw up again before you flushed it and had to sit on the floor, with your head pressed against the porcelain toilet, grateful you had just cleaned it.
“So are you here to stay then?” You asked him, as you fought to keep your eyes open.
“Aye, I ain’t leaving you or changing my mind about you or you little ones or anything. Did you adopt another one while I was gone?” He asked which brought a small smile to your lips as you fought to catch your breath.
“No, I did not. But you know what I told you last time you were here? About how I lost my womb in an accident, and how I couldn’t birth my own babes?” You asked him before Johnny put his hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing as. He knelt beside you.
“Were you wrong?” Johnny asked as he bit his lips to keep his bright happy smile from splitting his face in half.
“I was, turns out, I still had at least one last egg in me. And you and your seed found it.” You informed him, smiling happily since he was clearly elated about this.
“Really?” Johnny asked, completely happy and excited about the prospect of fathering another child for you.
“Yeah, so it’s a good thing you came back when you did. The kids will be home from school soon, really any time now.” You answered.
“Well I did keep my word, I did get the books for Grayson. But they were much more expensive than I thought they would be, it’s a good thing you sent me with extra money, cause I needed every bit of it.” Johnny admitted before he handed back the rest of the funds you had given him.
“Oh good, I’m glad you let me send it with you then.” You breathed in relief.
“Me too.” Johnny said.
“Are you done or do you need to throw up some more?” Johnny asked.
“I think I’m done.” You admitted before he picked you up and put you into bed.
“Thank the gods you came back when you did and that you’re here now.” You murmured happily.
“Me too, looks like I get to marry you Nora, if you’ll have me.” Johnny ventured as he pulled the simple but dignified ring from his pocket and put it on your ring finger.
“Oh I’ll have you, you’ll never get rid of me now.” You smiled before Johnny got his things and gave you the Book of Qun and qunlat translation book.
“By the way I was given a warning about these books.” Johnny told you.
“What about them?” You asked worriedly as you sat up in bed.
“The Qun teaches that a father’s responsibility ends at insemination and a mother’s ends at birth. They don’t really have families like you and I do. The more Grayson could learn about this, the more he could draw away from you as his mother.” Johnny explained.
“Oh,” you frowned before the kids came in.
“Johnny!” Grayson and Lena cheered when they saw him and practically tackled him.
“Hey kiddos! How are you, did you miss me?” Johnny asked as he let them tackle him with hugs before Lena pressed a happy kiss into his cheek and let him return it.
“Yeah, did you get the books?” Grayson asked before you sat up in bed and pulled Grayson to you as you had the books in your lap.
“You did!” Grayson cheered.
“Grayson, before you go diving head first into these. I need you to know something. That I’m ok with you learning qunlat- if you want to learn and try to teach yourself. But you should also know that some of the things you will learn in the Book of Qun, may be very different than what you’ve grown up with or what you’re used to. Just because each different holy book teaches something slightly different, this one will too. It’s your choice, the more you learn, you’ll have to make your own choices about whether or not you’ll want to believe everything you’ve read in the Book of Qun ok? You’re only half vashoth or half qunari. You may feel that part of you wants to believe or obey whatever you find in here, and the other half may not want to. And that’s ok. That will be your choice ok? Only you can decide for yourself but I will love you and try to support you no matter what you decide.” You offered to him.
“But it also may be important to learn qunlat anyway, especially since there are qunari that can pass through here. They’re usually mercenaries though. But if they seen the Qun symbol on your window, they will think that someone who knows the Qun and knows the language and the culture lives here and that this place can be a safe space for them. And I know you’re only a boy, but if any other qunari come through, if they don’t speak the common tongue, they might try to either have you translate or hire them to translate for them.” Johnny cautioned.
“Then I should learn qunlat for them. I do not want to leave you Mama, but I do want to learn this.” Grayson insisted.
“Then I’ll learn it with you, so that you’re not the only one who knows how to speak it here. Just in case.” Lena offered sweetly.
“Really?” Grayson asked, so happy his sister would try.
“Well speaking of never being alone again, if it’s alright with you, I’d like your permission to join your family.” Johnny offered to them.
“You’re my brother, you’re not alone Grayson. Not anymore and never again.” Lena happily wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
"Me too." Johnny volunteered.
"And I will try to learn too." You added.
“And be our Daddy?” Lena asked excitedly.
“If you want me to be.” Johnny smiled and nodded.
“Yes!” Lena cheered and practically tackled him with a hug again.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Lena continued to squeal.
“And did you get me a Yekmenian blade too?” She asked.
“I did, go and bring me my bag.” He urged before she left and brought his bag as Grayson left and got the other one since Johnny didn’t have a whole lot in his worldly belongings.
Johnny opened the right bag and haded Lena’s blade first, that she gasped and happily held to herself like it was the greatest treasure she had ever owned while Grayson also took his Yekmenian blade with a lot of gratitude before Johnny handed you yours.
“Perfect.” You said as you laid it on your table.
“Later, when I’m feeling better, we’ll get you a dresser and a chest of your own.” You urged him.
“Are you still sick mama?” Lena asked.
“I’m only going to be sick for a little bit longer,” you answered.
“Are you gonna get us sick?” Lena asked worriedly.
“No, the kind of sick I am, is not catching. You can’t get the kind of sick I am Lena.” You smiled.
“So what is it?” She asked.
“It’s morning sickness, it’s the kind of sick that mothers get when they first get pregnant.” You told her.
“So you gave her the sickness.” Lena pointed to Johnny with a giggle.
“Yeah, I guess I did. But I am going to marry her and if you’re ok with me adopting you, I’ll adopt you too.” Johnny offered.
“I’d like that Daddy.” Lena smiled happily.
“Me too.” Grayson smiled as the four of you hugged each other tight.
