"Looks like he doesn't only take after his da," Rhistel murmured to Twig.
Letting go of the boy, Twig smiled as the boy's mother scooped him up and hugged him. She knelt on the ground, giving him a once over before breaking into hysterics. Clara kissed her son all over his face to which he wasn't pleased.
"Where have you been?" she cried, "Did these people take you?"
Cash shook his head, his eyes filling with tears. "Dadaí said you were sick and needed rest. He said if a stayed with ye, ye'd never recover."
"Oh no, my sweet boy, a only had a wee cold and was in bed for a day. Who put it in yer head that a was so ill?"
The boy hung his head. "Dadaí."
"I'm going to give your da a good beatin'. Taking me child like that, a ought to wring his terrible neck to spare the world of his putrid breath. Where is he?"
"These people killed him." Cash pointed back to Twig and the others.
Clara looked up, her eyes filling with tears. "Ye've done this world a service by takin' tha' man out of it. Thank ye for bringing my boy back tae me."
Worry filled the boy's face as he wiped his mother's tears away. He chitted at her to not cry and that he'd never leave her again. She stood up and took his hand.
"Please," she motioned towards the group, "spend the night at my house. Ye must be tired and in need of a warm supper."
None argued with the woman. Twig didn't want to admit that her muscles ached something fierce, and she wished to sleep for a thousand years. But, thought of seeing the insides of an Old World home excited her greatly.
"A have a question," Rhistel asked as they walked, "who named the boy?"
Clara tilted her head. "A did? Who else did ye think named him?"
"No one, joost checkin'," Rhistel mumbled.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Cash explained his adventures with his father the whole way home. One of his favorite stories was how they'd robbed elven officials last week. They'd cried pathetically when left in their birthday suits on the roadside. The other was how they'd attacked some humans leaving Balfield after its burning. "Dadaí was so pleased with himself when he brought back the human's heads."
The travelers all shot each other a look before Sen said, "What were these humans doing?"
The boy talked fast, happy to have someone to tell his stories to. "Weren't ye listening Fangs? A said they'd come from the burning city of Balfield. It was a big group too, but some wee idiots separated themselves tae search the woods when they heard us. But Dadaí was too fast for them. He strung them by their toes, took their skulls and left them there."
"There were humans in the forest recently?" Sen rubbed his temples.
"No silly, it was right after a left with Dadaí. It was on the outskirts of town. I was trying to run away back to Mamaí when Dadaí caught me again. We ran into humans then."
The vampire handed the horse's reigns to Jai-Jai, who tried to hand them back. When he refused to take them both the horse and human glared at him. Sen whispered in her ear before slinking away into the night.
Jai-Jai kept as much distance as possible from the horse. Neither the animal or human looked happy with their close proximity. To both their joy, the building wasn't a far walk.
Clara let them tie their horses on the columns, which held up the house. As she ushered the weary travelers inside Twig's wings fluttered with excitement.
Stairs wound up the grey walls on the inside of the building. Cash hopped up two at a time, leaving the others to trek slowly; each groaning every time they lifted a leg.
Five floors up, Clara opened a side door and pulled out her keys. Unlocking the apartment entrance, she felt around in the dark for until she found the light switch. When the room lit up, all gawked at the interior.
Electricity was everywhere. Twig couldn't help herself and shrank. Flying around the apartment, she went into the kitchen first. Spotting the oven and toaster inside she stared at them fascinatedly before heading back into the living room. Light bulbs lined the walls.
"There are no candles anywhere," she shrieked.
The pastel floral print matched the print on the couch cushions that she landed on. Glass figurines were placed carefully on the windowsill. Framed pictures of Cash's art was on every wall. The entire room emanated the feeling of a well-loved home.
The twins both dropped their bags and raced to the couch. Twig had to fly up quickly before they plunked themselves down and slumped deep into the sofa. Both let out a sigh of satisfaction before shutting their eyes, heads leaning on each other.
"We're sorry about them. They aren't house trained yet." Jai-Jai glared at the twins.
"Rude. We were house trained recently," the twins said in unison.
Clara laughed a little at her guests' reactions, and Cash ran towards his room.
"Wow. That's the only word I can think of for this." Twig had grown in size again, but her wings were still fluttering so fast that she floated above the floor. Calming down, she floated down and set her feet on the floor. "Is this the work of magic? It must cost a fortune to fuel this much power in your home."
"Science. This building is one of the very last tae be still connected to an Old World power source. Am not very well versed in how it works, but they say an old generator survived and these houses are still connected somehow through wires. We have technicians who know how to keep it running. Would ye all like some soup? Am afraid a haven't got much else tae make on such short notice."
"Whatever you have will work just fine. Thank you for your hospitality," said Jai-Jai.
"Anything for the people who saved me son. A cannae think what a'd do without him."
Kraneia and Jai-Jai followed Clara into the kitchen. While the dryad and elf talked about how they'd come to find Cash, Jai-Jai followed silently behind. Twig had nothing to do with the twins dozing off, so she shrunk and flew into the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, Cash came running into the kitchen, holding something in his hands. He pulled on Jai-Jai's shirt to get her attention.
"See this? It's a battleship from the Old World. Isn't it the best thing you've ever seen?" His eyes sparkled with excitement.
Kneeling to the boy's level, Jai-Jai grasped the toy and looked at it closer. "It's a helicopter."
"Ye know what it is?" Cash bounced on his toes.
"I know of these machines. Mechanics of the Old World had never interested me, and my tutors found most technology stifling and a dire stain on the world." Jai-Jai rolled her eyes. "They were very dramatic at times."
Cash's lips formed a silent wow. "But aren't ye just a bumpkin? Why all the tutors."
"I'll have you know, I grew up like royalty. Tutors, itchy clothing, the whole nine yards. But, this toy is amazing. Where'd you get it?"
Finally looking like the seven-year-old child Cash was instead of the near-adult like personality he'd shown them in the forest.
"A found a box hidden away under some floorboards in me room. Come look, let me show ye the rest." Cash grabbed her hand, trying to lead to into his room.
"Leave our guests alone Cash sweetie. She needs tae eat so that they can travel again," Clara chided.
The child pouted, creases formed on his forehead and he stuck his bottom lip out. "No fair. A donna want ye tae leave. It's so boring here; can't a join ye on yer adventure? Fight a human, save a damsel? It's no secret that war is here. A want to fight."
"Well for starters kid," Jai-Jai poked the kid in his chest softly, "you don't need to leave home for an adventure. If all the troops leave, it leaves the city vulnerable. Family sticks together, no matter what."
"But-" Cash started.
"No buts. Your mother is here, and you two must protect each other. Secondly, I couldn't think of a better person to keep surveillance on anyone who passes by here. If you see anyone suspicious, send word. We'll need everyone's help to win the war." Her voice was low and calming. "Plus, damsels don't need saving. They're pretty self-sufficient nowadays. Putting the whole knight in shining armor thing out of business."
The boy nodded, and Cash's features filled with determination, his eyebrows furrowed, and he marched back into his room.
"Ye're good with kids." Clara leaned against the doorframe, wiping her hands with a kitchen towel. "Do ye plan to have any of yer own?"
"No, I don't." Jai-Jai dusted her knees off and stood up.
"Why not? Ye're still young with plenty of time tae have kids. Is it because ye havenna met someone yet?"
"Well yes but even if I do, I won't ever have any."
"But-"
"I can't have kids. Call it what you will, a curse, a blessing. But, I physically can never bear a child," Jai-Jai said with force, shutting down the conversation.
Floorboards creaked, and both women looked towards the front door. Sen stood, eyes widened slightly. He glanced at Jai-Jai before letting himself in, closing the door behind him. The human's cheeks flushed, and she looked down at the floor. There wasn't anywhere she could hide in the open floored apartment, so she stood there with all eyes on her.
The twins were awake on the couch, sat in silence as they picked at their nails. Kraneia coughed on the soup she'd been tasting, and Twig grew big with surprise. She looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Jai-Jai looked like she wanted to hit someone. "It's not news to me, and I've accepted the fact. So let's pretend you all never heard it and move on with our lives."
Everyone nodded and tried to find something else to focus on.
"How'd you find the house?" Twig looked over to Sen. "You disappeared earlier."
"Jai-Jai's blood is a distinct smell. I picked up on it after I lagged behind you all and followed it here." Sen scratched the back of his neck.
Jai-Jai didn't turn to look at him. "Good to know that I am my own tracking device. Can't lose that. It looks like dinner's ready, and I'm starved. Let's eat."
The fairy flew from the kitchen and stood next to the twins. Her heart hurt for her companion, but she didn't know what to do in this situation.
The group ate dinner in silence, and it wasn't long before all retired to bed.