The bed was rumpled the next morning, Edrim cradled me protectively as he slept. I moved my head, so my nose was practically touching his. I leaned in and kissed him gently, and instinctually his arms wrapped around my tighter and pulled me flush against him. He murmured something in his sleep, the words so soft and calm but indistinguishable. I pulled myself away gently, and slipped out of the bed. I watched him clutch a pillow close to him, before his face scrunched up. He shifted and his eyes flutter open, before he stretched.

“Hey,” he said, his voice husky.

“Hey,” I said sitting next to him.

“Did you sleep well?” He asked wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I did, you’re really warm.”

He smiled softly before nuzzling my lower back a bit. He brushed against the base of my tail, and I shivered.

“Ah, so is that sensitive?”

“Mmhmm,” I said as he gently walked his fingers across.

“Dually noted,” he said sitting up and placing a kiss on my shoulder.

CLANG CLANG CLANG

We both startled, “damn those bells,” I sighed as they petered out.

“I guess that’s our signal to put some clothes on and get something to eat,” he stretched one more time before sliding off the bed.

I yawned, and searched in my bag for some clothes, finally settling on a pair of sea green pants, a flowy white shirt, and my belt with the fish’s jars on it. I strapped my violin to my back and placed the bow in its harnass.

“You think you’ll need to fight?” Edrim asked confused.

“Uh, no, I do think my dad or grandma might ask me to perform since I usually do that when I come back to visit. They usually only ask me to do it once so it shouldn’t be too bad. Besides, I haven’t done a performance that wasn’t a fight in a while,” I said as he slid open the door.

“I don’t think I’ve seen just a normal performance from you,” he contemplated as we locked the door and began up the path. “I think I was always just missing them.”

“Understandable, we also weren’t usually staying in the same place and that’s usually how I paid for my room,” I chuckled remembering those nights. “Maybe once we get back to Kama I can find a steady gig close to home.”

He smiled before taking my hand. We made our way back to dad’s tavern, getting curious looks from those in town who hadn’t stopped by last night. I waved at a couple familiar faces, but mostly we just were left to our own devices. We soon arrived back at the tavern and the tinkle of the bells rang. Dad was already inside, at the bar cleaning some of the glasses.

“Hey Nal…hey Edrim.”

To his credit Edrim smiled and nodded at him.

“I brought my Violin, I figured you’d be wanting the usual,” I said sitting at the bar.

“You’re the best Nal,” Dad smiled. “Would you like some oatmeal?”

“Only if you have some blueberries to go in it.”

“Of course,” he scooped up a bowl and added a sprinkle of them to the very top. “Edrim, do you want anything in yours?”

“Just some sugar for me please,” Edrim said settling himself onto the barstool.

“Coming right up,” he poured another bowl and added a sprinkle of brown sugar to the top. “Amity and Loke have gone to the market, so they’ll be gone for a few hours, and your grandmother is at the temple.”

“You all have a Temple to Eldath here?” Edrim asked surprised.

“Well, it’s more general, it’s more like a temple to life gods so anyone can go there and offer prayer to them,” Dad said taking a sip of coffee.

“Nal, would you mind if I went to the temple for a couple hours?”

“Not at all,” I said eating another spoonful. “Go do your Cleric stuff.”

“Will do,” he said finishing off his oatmeal and standing back up, he kissed the top of my head and put his bowl in the bus stub before heading back out.

“So…” Dad said as he finished cleaning and putting away the glasses. “I see you’ve learned some new spells?”

“Yeah, a lot of them,” I said eating another bite. “I can cast Polymorph now dad, I turned a serial killer into a ferret.”

“I—Nal what the hell.”

I shrugged, “It seemed like the best option at the time.”

“You see this?” He pointed at a scattering of grey hairs. “I swear I didn’t have these before you came home yesterday.”

“Dad you’re forty-five. I doubt you didn’t have any,” I looked at him deadpan.

He gasped, clutching his chest dramatically and fake falling behind the bar.

“Nalypsis my dear daughter, you wound me.”

I chuckled at his antics, finally finishing off my oatmeal. I stacked on top of Edrim’s and stretched. Right after I pulled my Violin off my back and placed it back on the counter, my most prized possession. Some places worn from use, the wood showing underneath the blue paint. I ran a finger along it, and plucked the strings idly checking to se if I needed to tune it.

“You’ve kept it in good condition,” Dad said leaning against the counter.

“Thanks, it is my livelihood. I might take it to an artist to paint the worn patches though, I was thinking wave designs?”

“That’d suit you,” he looked at me.

I felt a gentle nudge on my hip, I looked down and saw that the fish were becoming agitated. I popped their corks and I saw them float ethereally out. They began swimming laps around me, I felt one settle on to my head and another settled on dad shoulder. Jade ended up swimming around looking for something, I realized soon what he wanted.

“Edrim’s gone to the temple,” I said as Jade swam circles.

He seemed to deflate and mopely over to my shoulder.

“Edrim’s his favorite,” I said at dads curious look.

“Ah,” dad looked at me for a minute. “He’s a good guy right?”

“One of the best,” my tone was serious.

“I just worry, I’m your dad. I love you and want you safe, also this is the first partner of yours I’ve ever met.”

“I know, and lucky for you I plan on him being the only partner I’ll ever have.”

“You’re that serious?” He looked surprised.

“Very, we’ve been through some stuff together, I’ve seen him at his best and worst and my dedication has never faltered.”

“If you’re that serious then I trust your judgement. But I have to ask, what the hell is he?”

“Fair point, he gets that question a lot. At least if people are brave enough to ask. He’s a hybrid like me, except he’s half-Tiefling and half-Aasimar,” dad looked surprised.

“Huh, an unusual pairing.”

“Yeah, and they proceeded to abandon him at an orphanage.”

“The hell? You put a child into this world, a child who is already going to have a hard time because of how he looks, and then you up and abandon him?” Dad looked enraged by this.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, and I saw him visibly calm down a bit. He looked at me, and I saw the look of guilt across his face for just a second. I knew he was thinking of the stigma I delt with.

“It’s fine now, he was raised by a lovely Cleric that I wish I got the chance to meet.”

“That’s good,” he shook his head a bit like he was trying to shake out a train of thought.

We sat in silence after that, but soon I pulled out my bow and situated my violin under my chin. Pulling the bow to do a couple of warm up notes.

“I’ve gotten a lot better since you last saw me too,” I said glancing over at dad.

“You were already good,” he said but he looked curious.

“I’m going to do a warmup; I haven’t played properly in couple weeks.”

I slid my bow across the violin, and a high note cascaded across. In quick succession I played a few more rapid notes. My fingers rapidly adjusting themselves so I could hit just the right angle to get that perfect sound. The notes were so clear, crisp and it felt so nice to not being playing in desperation to survive.

I stood up, and balanced myself on my hooves, my feet moving in a familiar rhythm as I played. I felt my shirt flare out as I did a little spin, I was enraptured by my own playing. My vision was tunneled as every bit of concentration focused on the movement of my hands and feet.

I didn’t even realize that the end of the song was approaching till I felt my hands move at a rapid pace, hitting the notes in succession before one final slide of the bow across the strings with a resounding high note.

“Wow,” I heard behind me, as my vision snapped back into focus. I turned back to my dad to see his eyes wide as he leaned on the counter. “Nal that was incredible.”

“Thanks dad,” I curtsied a bit. “Told you I’d improved.”

“Improved is an understatement.”

“You really think so?”

“Nal I’m serious, you should be performing on big stages.”

“Well when we head back to Kama I plan on finding a steady gig—”

“Better make it a good one.”

“I promise I will.”

---

A couple hours after that Edrim and Grandma eventually did come back, they seemed to be getting along and jovially talking about something. I smiled, glad they were getting along.

“You ready for tonight Nal?”

“Born ready,” I grinned.