I dragged the night vipers behind me. They were heavy, I could hear Adrien and Edward dragging theirs right behind me. We arrived in front of the office of Alma and Felicia. They were father’s lovers and the mothers of his two eldest children, Auro and Argento. They were also the head cooks of Parabellum and had many logistic responsibilities. Members handed overdraft supplies to them to process and a lot to a department that could use them. The three of us walking into the room.
“Alma. Felicia.”
The two turned to look at me. Alma had been busy behind a desk talking to a group of hobgoblins. While, Felicia was talking to a wider variety of creatures over something by the side of the room. Alma the one to smile at us.
“You guys went hunting again?”
I ignored her question and walked deeper into the room. I put down the pile of snakes.
“15.”
Edward and Adrien put there’s on top of mine.
“12.”
“14.”
Felicia seemed surprised.
“I wonder if Ovarou was like this when he was 5 days old.”
All of the rest in the room nodded.
“He was.”
Tch. Still only at the level of father. I turned around to leave. Alma reaching out.
“Ai, Edward, Adrien. Emery has something for you guys!”
I walked out of the room, the two following me as we headed to Emery’s workshop. She too had her own private space, but it was attached to the actual workshop of Parabellum. She was the mother of our largest sibling, Oniwaka. Edward eagerly catching up to me.
“What do you think Emery has for us?”
Adrien shrugged.
“Probably something Father asked to be made for us.”
I picked up the pace.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
Edward started to whine.
“It’s raining. Please don’t say you want us to go back out there.”
I couldn’t help, but sigh.
“No. I want to read.”
Adrien groaned.
“What do you even enjoy about that.”
I turned around to smirk at him.
“I enjoy the fact it’s something I can do and you can’t.”
His face flushed red. Adrien hadn’t finished learning the common language yet. While, Edward and I had picked it up in these three days fairly quickly.
“I can read.”
I laughed.
“I am free to teach you.”
“No, thank you!”
Edward pulled my shirt sleeve.
“Ai, don’t be so mean.”
I leaned over to whisper.
“Don’t worry. He’ll show up later to study.”
He let go of my sleeve and nodded.
“Are you going to read a story?”
A story? Why not.
“I’ll ask mother for one of her books.”
The two each seemed to be quietly happy for their own reasons. The three of us finally reaching Emery’s workshop. Inside we saw a few Dwarves and Elves by a group of hearths. The sound of hammers hitting metal. When we entered a short haired woman turned around and pulled up a pair of goggles that were covering her eyes.
“You three came! I have your presents right here.”
I approached her work table slowly. As we thought an assortment of clothes, armor and weaponry was laid out. She pointed to one pile and smiled.
“Edward, this one is yours. Come see.”
He walked over shyly to his pile of gits. She began pointing them out.
“Your clothes were made by Ovarou. He also gave you a ;magic gauntlet, a magic sword and this treasure necklace. And this right here is from me. The boots will automatically fit. Inside the dagger is a wind stone!”
Edward picked up the sword and smiled. Emery pointed to the next pile and waved Adrien over. He tried his best to hide his excitement.
“Your dad made your clothes also. He gave you a set of magical bangles, thus..uh.. magical whip, and a treasure earring. I made you a dagger and boots as well. However, yours has an earth stone.”
She turned to me next. Ah, she was so smiley. All of father’s lovers were. I couldn’t understand it.
“Your father based your clothes off of what your mom liked. You have a similar pair of glasses, this magical dagger that fits into this leg cuff he made, and a pair of treasure gloves. I made this bow, since Ovarou already gave you a dagger. Yours has a water stone!”
I looked down at the pile. They really seemed similar to moms. However, somehow I got the feeling I would be slightly more covered up. Father wasn’t considerate. I will ignore it. Emery’s cheerful voice spilling out again.
“Ovarou wants to see. Go on. Get dressed.You can meet him in dining hall. Everyone is super excited.”
Father gets really excited easily. None of us hurried when changing, or taking our time to head towards him. However, when we did reach the dining hall and he saw us he immediately fell on his knees. It was creepy. Edward and Adrien accepted a hug from father. I simply turned my head. Mother still seemed excited though, because of how it looked.
“You look like me!”
Theresa, father’s only true human lover, started to fix Edward’s clothes. Something about the site came off as goofy. Maybe it was because outside of father she was a serious person. Adrien’s mother, Dorianne, was exactly like him. She was super touchy and hungry. I was watching everyone I noticed mom clipped a pair of earrings in my ear. Now I really looked like her. Father called all our other siblings over. He insisted on taking a group photo. The three of us were in the center for some reason. Oniwaka was forced to be in the back because of his size.
“This is such a hassle.”
It was as I said before. Father was absolutely no good.
