Sword and Snow

Most of the family was gathered in the playground to see Uncle Vale off. He had been hanging around for a couple of weeks now, putting off his next bit of travel - which was very normal for him.

Emery smiled happily, her arm slung around Avuri’s shoulders, as they watched the younger kids take their turns hugging Vale and saying goodbye. Vale would pick each one up in turn, give them a hefty squeeze, spin them around a bit, then set them back down with either a good hair ruffle or head pat.

He had learned the hard way that ruffling long hair was a potential recipe for disaster when he had messed up Shara’s braid. His overzealous messing with her hair completely pulled her braid apart, leaving her nearly in tears. Vale had tried to apologize, but Shara just ran off to her big brothers struggling not to cry.

All five of the older kids living in the Alder house immediately went to work on calming her down and redoing her braid. Emery and Avuri had both had to hide their laughter as they watched them treat the little girl like an absolute princess. They even went as far as making her a flower crown to help her cheer up.

Vale slowly worked his way through the crowd of children. It took a while to say goodbye to nearly thirty kids, and every one of them wanted their chance to say their piece. In the case of the older kids, a few tried to bribe Vale to bring back special treats or other souvenirs for the next time he returned. There were also a lot of last minute Cultivation questions.

While it never really bothered Avuri, it always prickled Emery just a bit that everyone always took every chance they had to get advice from Vale. She was right here, and knew just as much about the Foundation Realms and the Earth Realm as Vale did. Maybe even more at this point.

By the time it was Stena and Cierra’s turn to say their goodbyes, they had all been standing in the playground for over an hour. Some of the kids had gone off to do their own things, but most were still hanging around to wave goodbye.

Stena had given Vale a few Tael of mortal money, asking him to bring back some kind of food none of them had ever tried before. A thoughtful look crossed Vale’s face, but he finally settled on a grin.

“Is that your only stipulation? Just something no one here has tried before?”

Stena looked concerned for a moment, before responding. “I’m okay with it tasting bad. Just don’t bring back something gross. I don’t want some icky slimy sea creature.” She paused for a moment, then added, “For example, durian - yes, snails - no.”

Vale smiled, the welcoming expression masking his deviousness. “I can work with that.” Then he stepped in to grab Stena up in a tight hug. She didn’t get spun around like the little kids, but she was still lifted up off her feet in a squeeze before being dropped back down.

Emery and Avuri finally approached as Cierra took her turn.

“Any last minute advice for your favorite granddaughter?” She grinned wide. “I’m getting really close on Momri’s Dragon technique after what you showed me last time. But if you’ve got any extra little bits of advice, I’d happily take them.”

Vale chuckled, then nodded toward Avuri as they approached. “I’ve basically given you all I can when it comes to that technique. Ask your mother about the specifics - it is her technique after all.”

Emery snorted. “Oh, so you’ll tell her to ask Ri about something, but you won’t ever point anyone to me, hm? I see how it is.” She whined, pouting.

“Well, if someone comes to me asking about how to get one of your techniques right, I’ll point them in your direction.” Vale said with a shrug. Then he showed off a shit-eating grin as he said, “It’s not my fault that your techniques are so simple even the kids can figure them out on their own.”

Emery’s face went red with some combination of embarrassment and anger. “You-! Oh, I’m gonna show these kids what I can really do one of these days and they’ll just be lining up to ask me about it.”

Avuri put a finger to her chin cutely, thinking out loud. “You know, Merri, I don’t think you’ve shown any of our kids like…any of your better techniques.” There was a devious little glint in her eyes when she continued, “Maybe you just rely on throwing your weapons around a little too much?”

Emery turned to her wife, slack jawed. “I expected this from him.” She said, throwing a thumb over her shoulder to point at Vale. “But you too? Fine.” Emery sighed, throwing her hands up. “Maybe next time I make dinner I’ll put on a little show.”

Emery met eyes with Stena and Cierra in turn, then smirked. “You think it’s cool to watch your Mom cook with flying knives? How about without them?”

Avuri rolled her eyes. “Emery, using your Air Blades to cook feels like just a little overkill.”

“Well you said I’m not cool enough to get the kids interested in my techniques!”

“I didn’t say that. I just implied it.” Avuri said with a slight giggle. “You could at least start with something less dangerous.”

“Wait, what do you mean by ‘Air Blades’?” Stena asked, her face alight with interest.

Emery motioned to Stena with both hands. “See? Air Blades are interesting! Apparently flying weapons aren’t enough on their own anymore.” She lamented.

Vale laughed then, and took up a hunched over, old-man looking pose. “Back in my day…” He began in a weak, brittle voice. “Flying swords were cool.”

“Right?” Emery exclaimed. “All I wanted growing up was a whole bunch of flying swords.”

“Well, I suppose you got your wish.” Avuri said. “Just in time for them to not be cool anymore.”

Emery not only hung her head, but hunched over in absolute defeat. “The kids in Flowing Dragon City think I’m cool…” she muttered to no one in particular.

Laughing, Avuri walked over to Emery and put her arm around her shoulder consolingly. “Don’t be too sad, Merri. Everyone here just grew up with you flinging weapons around all the time, so it just feels commonplace.”

“I know…”

“Anyway…” Cierra said, exasperated, then gave Vale a big hug. “We’ll see you soon?”

Vale nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around Cierra. “You will. I’m going to head to Green Vine City and visit Talya. Your mothers want me to deliver a letter.”

Cierra glanced back at Emery, who nodded. “Yup. We saw her last year when she got married, but you two didn’t get to come with us, and she still hasn’t met Arek or Astra. We thought it might be a good time for her to visit soon. Maybe she can bring Gray too, so you all can meet him too.”

“That would be nice. I haven’t seen Aunt Talya in…four? Five years?” Cierra tilted her head, thinking hard. “I actually don’t remember the last time she visited. I really miss her.”

Avuri smiled. “She did help take care of you a lot when we first adopted you. I’m actually shocked she hasn’t actively tried to come visit you. And Stena too, of course.”

Stena stuck out her tongue at Avuri. “I miss Aunt Talya too. I know she was around a lot when I was little, but I don’t remember a lot of that time. Not until I was a little older.”

“Well, she was here until you were…what, six?” Emery said, trying to recall. “Maybe seven?”

Avuri laughed. “We’re all really bad at keeping our timelines straight, aren’t we?”

Emery nodded sardonically. “No kidding. Time just kinda all blends together here outside of very specific events.”

“It really does.” Vale chimed in. “I feel like when I’m here time more or less just flows by us while we’re untouched.”

“Comes with the territory of being so isolated, I suppose.” Cierra said. “Hard to say that being able to spend so much time as we please is a bad thing though.”

Avuri nodded. “It’s very easy to just…exist here. I love it.” With a goofy smile, Avuri wrapped up Emery and their two daughters into one big hug. “I love you all. So much.”

Cierra giggled girlishly as Stena wiggled against the hug. Emery kept her trapped there, however, and snuggled into Avuri’s embrace. “I love you all too.” She said, gently rubbing her head against Avuri’s chin the way a cat would.

Avuri laughed and angled down to kiss the top of Emery’s head. “Now stop that, it tickles!”

As requested, Emery stopped and let her daughters slip away.

Vale walked up then and gave Emery and Avuri each a big hug. “I’m very proud of you two girls. But I really should get on my way before I lose all the daylight.”

“As if you can’t see fine in the dark.” Emery said flatly.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not hard on my old eyes.” Vale chuckled.

“You just want to get to the Emerald Expanse so you can stay in Pleasant Fields.” Avuri said slyly.

Emery glanced at her wife then back at Vale with narrowed eyes. He just looked away nonchalantly, playing innocent. He was doing everything just short of whistling. “Gross, Dad.”

Vale laughed heartily at that. “You’re playing the Dad card now?”

“When you’re trying to leave quickly so you can get to a small town famous for their courtesans? Yeah, I’m gonna play the Dad card.” Emery said, still overplaying her disgust.

“You’re a dragon. How does that even work?” Stena muttered quietly to herself. Cierra snorted at that.

When Vale opened his mouth to answer, Emery quickly put a hand up. “Nope. Don’t answer her. I do not want to know.”

He chuckled, then stepped in for one final hug with his daughter. He bumped foreheads with her, then quietly said, “I love you. Stay safe.”

“You too. Be careful out there and we’ll see you soon.” Emery said, squeezing Vale extra tightly once more before letting him go.

Vale took a step back from the small group and looked over the rest of the family still gathered to see him off.

“Damn. You know, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this.” He said proudly, looking out over the more than twenty people gathered before him. His eyes met Emery’s, then Avuri’s in turn. “You two’ve done really well. I’m really proud of you two.”

Emery rolled her eyes at that. “You visit and leave us several times a year, Vale. You can’t say the same damn thing every time and expect me to get misty eyed every time.”

He laughed when she immediately followed that statement by wiping at her eyes. “I’ll stop when it stops working.” He said with a big grin, then waved happily to all the waiting kids. They waved back, many putting their full body into the grand farewell.

Avuri, Stena, and Cierra all offered more subdued waves of their own. Emery gave Vale a big smile and a sad little wave of her own.

“See you soon, Dad. Try to convince Talya to come back with you this time.”

“I will. Be safe.”

Then he turned, dashed off toward the edge of the basin, and with a huge leap went soaring over the large stone walls that surrounded their hidden home.

As the kids behind them started up chatting and playing, Stena dropped her waving arm and laughed hollowly.

“Do you think he ever gets tired of the way we always spend multiple hours talking in circles every time he leaves?”