The sunlight in my eyes isn’t what woke me the following morning, though that certainly didn’t help. No, it was the clanging of the bell tower.

“Man, I really didn’t miss that,” I groaned, sitting up as Edrim reached to cover his ears.

“What the hell is that?” He asked as he uncovered his ears, the bells fading away.

“Signal that the docks are open, lots of fisherman and sailors drink themselves stupid and need to be woken up.”

“How long have they been using this method?”

“From what I heard, since about two years after the town was founded.”

“Huh,” he rubbed his eyes. “Well at least we’re awake.”

“Us and the whole town,” I grumbled. “Well, we better get ready to head in. I um, need to change my clothes real quick, I’ve been wearing these for a week now.”

“Right,” he turned around and lifted up a blanket to shield me as I pulled off my shirt and pants. I quickly slipped a dress over my head and changed my underwear. The dress was a soft lavender color, and it fell just below my knees.

“Thank you,” I smiled as he turned back around.  “Need the same courtesy?”

“If you wouldn’t mind…and could you make sure the fish don’t watch?” I glanced over his shoulder at the fish all staring at him.

“Yeah, come on guys, you can hang in your jars for now,” the seemed a little disappointed as they swam into the jars I kept on my belt.

I held up the blanket, I heard rustling for a couple of minutes before Edrim gave the all clear. He wore a pale blue tunic with grey pants and leather boots. He looked pretty handsome, and I smiled at him.

“One more kiss before we go in?” I said and he smiled.

He leaned in and kissed me, a gentler kiss then last night.

“You ready,” he asked me.

“Not really, what about you?”

“I’ve done a lot scarier stuff, I’ll be fine.”

“Good, but I should warn you, we tend to speak Infernal most of the time,” I took a moment and continued. “But you speak it, right?”

“Yes, remember I speak like, two more languages than you do.”

“One, I speak three,” I stuck my tongue out in triumph.

“Nal, stop being cute before I just spend the whole day cuddling you.”

“Not today, but soon,” I grinned.

He chuckled, before hopping into the drivers seat and taking the reins.

“We can leave the cart and horse at the town stable while we’re here,” I said and he nodded, and we headed over there. We handed over the horse and cart to an awkward looking human man who kept staring at us, but mostly Edrim. We quickly left and began walking towards the docks where my father’s tavern lay. I spent a lot of it pointing out various buildings, and at one point telling a funny story of an incident from my childhood that had Edrim almost doubled over laughing. It took us only about fifteen minutes before we arrived at the Tavern.

The Cloven Hoof Tavern the gilded letters above the door displayed.

“Is it because you all have hooves?” Edrim cocked his head.

“When you were, at the time, the only Tieflings in town, you played into the gimmick,” I said pushing open the door, the familiar bell ring in my ears.

“Listen we just opened so there’ll be no booze till at least noon,” my dads rich voice called from the back.

“Damn, and I was really hoping to down a bottle by then,” I laughed back at him. I heard a clatter of some pots, and then laughter.

“Naly, now I’d have hoped that you wouldn’t turn to the bottle before you were forty,” he said rounding the corner, his arms open in a hug. He stopped dead in his tracks after seeing Edrim next to me. “I see you’ve brought company.”

“Dad, this is Edrim. Edrim meet my father Valrus,” Edrim stuck out his hand to shake his. Dad looked at it for a second before taking it and shaking it.

“Pleasure to meet you, welcome to my Tavern,” Dad seemed to be a tad concerned his red eyes glancing continuously between Edrim and I.

My father came to about 6’ tall, so by no means a small man. But Edrim still towered over him at 6’8”. I was among giants at my small 5’1” stature.

“Let me fix you up so food, where did you guys just come from?”

“We were in the outskirts of Kama, dealing with a job and then decided to head back to my town. Nal wanted to stop in on the way,” his accent sounded odd in the Infernal tongue.

“Kama, eh? What job were you guys doing?” He asked heading back into the kitchen.

“Hunting down a serial killer,” I heard a utensil clatter following my words. “He’s dead now so don’t worry.”

He whipped his head out of the kitchen and stared at me with wide eyes.

“Nalypsis Agnexibis Cascade you did what?”

“Your middle name is Agnexibis?” I heard Edrim whisper.

“It hasn’t come up,” I grumbled. “Dad relax, I’m dating the healer!”

“You’re a healer?” Dad looked at Edrim who went to speak before my dad looked back at me. “You two are dating?”

“Yes, we are,” I said looking at my father.

“Congratulations? Sorry I’m more focused on the serial killer part. Nal you’re a musician! Why were you hunting down a serial killer?”

“It was good money!”

“You did this for money?” He looked flabbergasted. “Gods above Nalypsis.”

“Also, to help out my friends! I wasn’t planning on it, but then Edrim and I got recruited to help- “

Dad’s eyes narrowed and he starred at Edrim, “You got her into this? You put my daughter in danger?

Dad’s hooves clopped loudly on the wooden floor as he approached, leaning against the table to stare Edrim in the eyes.

“How dare you? I ought to- “

Suddenly, a tentacle of water wrapped around my father and pulled him back. Edrim looked surprised before looking at me. My eyes stared daggers at my father.

“You touch him,” my voice calm but cold. “You hurt him, and I walk right out that door with him.”

My dad stared at me shocked. “Nal please, you don’t – “

“Don’t what? Realize what I’m doing? I do. I came here to visit, to see you and grandma and Loke, and Naza. I came here to introduce you to the lovely man I’m with. And this is how you react, how dare you-“ I was cut off by Edrim placing a hand on my shoulder.

“That’s enough Nal,” his voice was calm but firm. “He’s just worried about you.”

“Fine, but no one, not even my father,” I looked at him again, “threatens those I care about.” I let the water dissipate.

“Now why don’t we all have a calm and rational talk,” Edrim looked at us both. “Without threats and talk about our adventure.”

“Fine,” my father and I said in unison.  

“Good,” Edrim folded his hands on the table. “Let’s chat.”

...

It was almost an hour later when we finished our story. Dad rubbing his temples looking more and more like he was going to vomit.

“Yeah, and then after I turned him into a weasel- “, I gestured the length of one.

“Nal, please my heart can only take so much,” he sighed.

“Maybe that’s enough for today,” I murmured. “Shouldn’t the others be up soon?”

“Yeah,” just as the sound of hooves in the floorboards above could be heard. “Ah, that should be them.”

“Daaaaad!” My brother yelled down the stairs.

“Yeah Loke?”

“Can we have pancakes?” He pleaded.

“Sure, we have guests anyways,” dad yelled back chuckling, took one more look at me before heading back into the kitchen. “But you need to take a bath before you have any.”

Loke’s groan could be heard from the upper area, and I chuckled. Edrim took my hand and squeezed it. I mouthed an apology to him, he shook his head and smiled.

“Did you say guests?” My grandma’s voice rang out as a set of hooves clopped down the stairs. Soon she came into view, stark white hair tied up into a braid, deep purple skin splotched with patches of lilac, a white blouse tucked into black pants, green eyes sharp and settling on me.

“Nal! Oh, it’s so good to see you! And you’ve brought someone with you!” She strode over to the table, “I’m Nal’s grandmother Afmeia, Nal who’s this handsome fellow?”

I was blushing from embarrassment at the last comment.

“Grandma this is Edrim, Edrim this is my grandma,” Edrim used his free hand to shake hers. I saw Grandma quickly glance down to our intertwined hands before shaking his hand with both of hers.

“I see we have some talking to do,” she cackled in Aquan. Edrim looked confused.

“Grandma please,” my tone shifting to sound like it was running through water. “Can we stick to Infernal or the common tongue?”

“If you insist,” she sighed dramatically switching to common. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I was just teasing my granddaughter.”

“It’s quite alright,” Edrim smiled. “She’s quite easy to tease.”

I looked at him with my mouth open.

“Isn’t she?” Grandma chuckled.

“Guys, please,” I begged.

“She gets so flustered,” Edrim smirked.

“I know! I call her beautiful and you might as well have lit a fire on her face with how much she blushes,” they both laughed at this.

“Come on,” I groaned palming my eyes. I heard a couple of sets of hooves coming down the stairs.

“Naly?” I looked up, there before me stood my little brother. He was perched on the edge of the steps with a grin on his face. I squeezed Edrim’s hand one last time before hoping up and running to hug Loke. I picked him up and swung him around.

“Hey goober, did you miss me?” I said once putting him down.

“Duh,” his golden eyes gleaming with joy. My back was now to Edrim, but I saw Loke look at him curiously. Edrim waved at him.

“Naly, who’s that?”

“Oh that’s my boyfriend Edrim. Would you like to meet him?” Loke nodded, placing a hand on the edge of my skirt as I turned around. I walked forward and felt him keep pace with me.

“Edrim, this is my little brother Lokerai, but we just call him Loke. Loke, this is Edrim,” Loke was staring at him with innocent curiosity. I couldn’t blame him, Edrim was a bit of a shock the first time you saw him. He had eight ovular markings on his face that alternated between Turquoise and Orange. Between those were orange circular markings. His eyes sat in a pair of the upper turquoise markings, and on top of his head were turquoise horns, all of this attached to a dark inky purple skin. He was a formidable looking guy, but I found him handsome. He also of course had a heart of gold.

“Hey Loke, it’s nice to meet you,” Edrim smiled. Loke smiled, one of his bottom front teeth was missing. I heard another set of hooves on the stairs, and my step mom could be seen descending.

“Oh! Nalypsis, I’m glad you’re back,” she smiled, her black hair tied up in a ponytail and her brown eyes twinkling. “Whose this?”

“That’s Edrim, her boyfriend,” Loke spoke before anyone else could get a word out.

“Wonderful, well Edrim I’m Amity,” she said approaching the table.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he said reaching up and shaking her hand. She took it and smiled warmly.

"Pancakes are done!" Dad called as he carried out a tray with six plates each stacked with pancakes. He placed it on the table and pulled a bottle of syrup out of the pocket on his apron. He dished the plates out with the level of precision you can only get from running a tavern for twenty five years. After everyone received their plate, we all dug in and sat for a few minutes while we enjoyed the fluffy treat.

"So, what is that you do Edrim?" Grandma asked after clearing her plate.

"Oh, I run an orphanage," he said glancing up at her.

"Really? That's incredible," she turned to me. "You really know how to pick 'em."

"More like we picked each other," I chuckled looking at him. He smiled at me.

"Other than that, I'm a cleric," he said placing his napkin on his plate.

"Oh really? Who do you follow?" Dad asked looking a little more curious.

"Eldath," he smiled,  he always did when he said her name.

"Get outta town, my family has been following her for generations," Grandma grinned. 

"Really, Nal you never mentioned that," he looked at me curious.

"Yes I did, briefly, when we first met!" 

"I don't remember that."

"Well it happened, so there," I said cheekily.

...

We spent the next few hours catching up. My family telling Edrim every embarrassing story from my childhood that they could think of, my face as hot as a fireball by the end of it. As the sky began to darken, patrons came in. Edrim and I left to find an inn for the night. We found one soon, a small little place with a couple of detached cottages. As we walked into the cottage, a cozy room with a small kitchenette and a bathroom with a bedroom attached, I watched as Edrim sat down on the edge of the bed. I was nervous as all hell when I approached him. 

"Ed?"

"Yes Nal?" He watched as I stood right in front of him, and placed a hand on his arm. I leaned in like I was going to kiss him but I ducked close to his ear.

"I'm ready now," I whispered.

"Ready? Ready for...oh.. are you sure?"

"Absolutely," I pulled back, wrapping my arms around his neck. 

"Well, then, let's have some fun," he chuckled.