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Orym shifted nervously as he walked up the familiar path alongside Fearne and Dorian, trying not to think too much about what was about to happen. Every step felt heavier, weighed down by memories he’d left behind. Fearne and Dorian were talking between themselves, giving Orym the space to collect himself. While Orym appreciated this, replaying the same things over and over again was just making him more anxious so as they passed by an old fir tree he pointed it out to his friends.
‘Do you see that tree over there?’.
Fearne and Dorian paused their conversation and looked over to see a small patch of woodland next to the cliffside. The tree Orym was pointing seemed to be swaying gently in the breeze and was surrounded by a bright array of wildflowers.
‘I used to climb that tree all the time’, Orym smiled slightly, ‘It was my favourite hiding spot for when I got in trouble’.
‘You used to get in trouble? I can’t imagine that’, Dorian teased.
‘Oh, I can’, Fearne raised her hand slightly, Mister nodding in agreement ‘I can definitely see a little Orym running around causing havoc’.
‘I wouldn’t call it havoc’, Orym laughed, ‘But you know we’re all young once, and we all got in trouble occasionally’.
‘Daily for me’, Fearne fiddled with one of her earrings as it snagged on her horn, ‘Though it’s always a little exhilarating don’t you think?’.
‘No I can’t say I do’, Dorian smoothed down his clothes as their destination came into view, ‘Now remember what we talked about Fearne?’.
‘No taking anything from Orym’s home, we don’t steal from friends’, Fearne recited innocently, ‘Honestly, I don’t know why you think I would do that anyway’.
The two men looked down to Fearne’s belt, where a certain opal mirror was currently situated, before sharing a look of slight defeat.
‘Just please be on your best behaviour, for me’, Orym pleaded as they walked up to the door of the small hut they’d been heading for.
‘I promise, on my Grandmother’s life’, Fearne said as she crossed her heart dramatically, ‘Fey’s honour’.
Orym gave a low sigh, ‘Thank you Fearne. Now remember both of you…’.
Before Orym could finish the door opened with a bang and a halfling woman came running out.
‘Orym! Sweetheart you’re home’.
Dorian and Fearne watched as the woman reached out and pulled Orym into a bear-hug, causing him to start blushing a fierce red. They could tell the woman was middle-aged, her mix of silver and brunette hairs suggesting she was well into her 100s. She was dressed fairly simply, and her long hair was tied up in a loose ponytail. When she opened her eyes though, they saw a familiar pair of emerald-green eyes taking them in.
‘Orym you brought guests home’, she let Orym go and looked up to them with an appraising eye, ‘They look like lovely people but I do wish you’d warned me beforehand’.
Orym blushed even harder, ‘Sorry Mom but I didn’t know we’d be coming here til yesterday and there was no way to tell you. I swear I would have otherwise’.
‘Well no matter, you know I’m always happy to entertain’, she laughed heartily, ‘Now, are you going to introduce me to your new friends, or shall they remain nameless?’.
‘Oh right’, Orym adjusted his armour, trying to hide how flustered he was, ‘Mom, these are my friends, Dorian and Fearne. Guys, this is my Mom, Evelyn’.
‘It’s wonderful to meet you’, Fearne plucked an oleander flower from her staff and handed it over to Evelyn, ‘Here, I grew it myself’.
‘Thank you dear’, Evelyn smiled as she studied the flower, ‘It’s beautiful, I know just where I can put this.
Not to be outdone Dorian gave a low bow , his long cloak billowing behind him, and with a charming smile said, ‘It is a delight to meet you Evelyn, I can hardly believe you are old enough to be Orym’s mother, you look so young’.
‘I like this one’, Evelyn winked to Dorian as Orym fought the urge to put his head in his hands, ‘Now, come on in I’m sure you’ve had a long journey’.
As she shooed them into the small homestead, Fearne and Dorian had to duck to get through the door but as they entered they were surprised to see it was a lot more spacious than they expected. In the centre of the room sat a sofa and a patchwork armchair, which were placed in front of a small log burner. Small circular tables were dotted around, covered in a myriad of plants and small wooden figurines of various quality. Evelyn walked over to the small kitchenette in the corner and pulled out a crystal vase from one of the cupboards. As she filled it up with water she called out to them.
‘Please take a seat, just make sure to take your shoes off at the door. Oh, and if you have any weapons Orym will show you where to put them’.
Orym had already bent down to unlace his boots and nudged Dorian to do the same. As Fearne didn’t have any shoes he quickly muttered to her, ‘Fearne there’s a box by the door for weapons, just put your moon sickle there’, to which she gave a nod. As the boys continued to get themselves sorted, Fearne trotted over to the sofa and sat down, pulling the quilt that lay next to her over her legs. It didn’t take long for Dorian to join her as Orym ran over to help his mother.
‘Mom I really am sorry, it’s just Lady Keyleth called and I..’, Orym stopped as his mother placed a finger on his lips.
‘Sweetheart it’s fine. I’m just happy to see you, and with some new friends to boot’, she smiled fondly and smoothed out Orym’s hair, ‘I’m glad to see your trip has been going well, I was worried about you’.
‘You never have to worry about me, you know that right?’, Orym moved over to the counter where Evelyn had started to make up a pot of tea and began to pull out cups, ‘I’m a highly trained warrior’.
‘That’s what makes me worried’, Evelyn started to plate up some biscuits but gave Orym a concerned glance, ‘We both know you run toward danger, and one day that will come to bite you’.
Orym sighed, ‘I’ll be fine, besides I have some capable people by my side now’.
‘Hmm’, Evelyn didn’t look convinced, ‘Speaking of your friends I think we’ve left them sitting awkwardly long enough’.
Orym glanced over to his friends who were both sat in silence, steadfastly looking anywhere but the kitchen. On Fearne’s part it looked to be genuine curiosity, but Dorian was sat so tensely Orym could tell he was nervous.
‘Would anyone like a cup of tea, it’s fresh from the market?’, Evelyn asked cheerfully as she pottered over with the biscuits and the vase which now held the oleander. Orym followed behind her, balancing the cups and pot of tea on a tray as he deftly avoided an upturned rug.
‘I would be delighted’, Dorian flashed her another charming smile.
‘Yes please’, Fearne nodded as Mister climbed onto her lap.
‘That’s what I like to hear’, Evelyn grinned, placing the vase on a windowsill, ‘Feel free to have as much as you want, I always have plenty in the kitchen’.
‘She’s not joking’, Orym set the tray down carefully on the coffee table, ‘I don’t think that kitchen’s been empty the entire time I’ve been alive’.
‘Well with a growing boy I couldn’t leave you hungry’, Evelyn settled into the armchair as she gestured to the tray, ‘Now please, help yourself before it gets cold’.
Not needing to be told twice the three friends dove in, Orym making sure to pour a cup for his mother which she gratefully received.
‘I have to say Evelyn, may I call you Evelyn?’, Dorian continued as she gave a nod, ‘Your home is lovely, I can see you’ve put a lot of love into it’.
‘Thank you, I’ve had this home for nearly 100 hundred years now’, Evelyn dunked a biscuit into her tea as she spoke, ‘It means a lot to me, though ever since Orym moved out it hasn’t felt quite the same’.
‘My Grandmother told me a home is where love comes to roost’, Fearne said with a smile, ‘She always said it wasn’t complete when her family wasn’t there’.
‘She sounds like a wise woman’, Evelyn smiled, ‘Still, I’m very lucky to have good friends around me so this place is always pretty full. Although I wouldn’t mind if my only son came home more often’, she raised an eyebrow at Orym.
Before Orym could protest Dorian quickly interjected, ‘So, what was Orym like as a child?’.
Fearne clapped her hands in anticipation, ‘Ooh yes, are there are any good stories you can tell us?’.
Evelyn’s eyes lit up at the chance to speak about her son, ‘I have a few tales I could tell, raising Orym was quite the task. I’m sure you’ve seen how fast he is?’.
‘Yes, it’s saved our lives more than once’, Dorian nodded, glancing to Orym with unmistakable pride.
‘Yes well’, Evelyn looked between the two men curiously before continuing, ‘Unfortunately, I’m not as fast so there were many times Orym would run off and I’d have no idea where he was. Halfling children can hide very easily, and Orym was no exception’.
Evelyn paused to take a sip of her tea, a mischievous smile on her lips as she saw Orym begin to slowly sink into the sofa.
‘Usually I wasn’t concerned as he’d come home within an hour, but when he was about 8 years old he accidentally dropped my favourite vase. Before I could say anything he had run out the door. I tried to follow him, but he was so quick I lost sight of him’.
Fearne gasped, completely enraptured by the tale. Dorian meanwhile was struggling to hide his laughter, as Orym was now trying to hide behind the air genasi.
‘I waited as usual, but he never came home. I was in such a state I ended up wrangling the whole of Zephrah to try and find him. Finally, hours later, my good friend Derrig came and found me, cradling Orym in his arms. The poor dear had scrapes all over him, he looked terrible. I was so relieved to see him I all but tackled him out of Derrig’s arms’.
‘Where had he been?’, Fearne leaned forward, almost knocking Mister off the sofa in her excitement. The elemental shrieked in protest before resituating himself in a huff.
Evelyn laughed lightly, ‘He’d been up in the woods doing what Orym does best, getting into trouble to help someone out. There’s a wild plant that grows near here with exceptionally sticky sap, we use it sometimes for small repairs. My little boy had gone to pick some to put my vase together but ended up falling into a ditch and couldn’t get out. When Derrig found him though he had a fistful of those plants in his hands barely harmed. He’d protected them and we ended up using that sap to fix the vase completely’. She pointed over to the crystal vase where she had placed Fearne’s flower, and with the light shining through it slight cracks could be seen running through the object.
‘What a delightful story, I must say you’re quite the storyteller’, Dorian nudged Orym who looked just about ready to jump in front of a crocodile, ‘Who knew you could rile up a whole town?’.
‘Riled is a bit of an exaggeration’, Orym muttered, his cheeks now ablaze as everyone began to laugh, ‘And it’s not like I did it on purpose’.
‘It wasn’t easy raising Orym sometimes’, Evelyn said as the laughter died down, looking to Orym with a motherly smile, ‘But he turned out to be a good man and I couldn’t be prouder’.
‘He’s certainly the best man I’ve ever met’, Dorian smiled fondly at Orym as Fearne nodded in agreement.
‘Anyway, I’ve been talking too long. I want to know what my son has been up to since he left home’, Evelyn settled back into her chair and gave a long look to Orym who sighed inwardly.
‘Well, I suppose I should begin from the start….’.
Over the next few hours Orym recounted tales of his adventures, Dorian and Fearne taking over when it got to their journeys together. Evelyn was a captive audience, interjecting with her own stories of Orym when a detail reminded her of something. It was only when the tea had run out and the light had grown dark that they realised how late it was.
‘Goodness, look at the time’, Evelyn jumped up from her seat in a hurry, ‘I haven’t even started setting up beds for you’.
‘Mom you don’t have to...’, Orym started to say but one stern look from his mother silenced him.
‘Evelyn really we’re fine, we don’t want to impose’, Dorian placed a hand on Orym’s shoulder who shot him a grateful but resigned look.
‘Nonsense’, Evelyn waved their protests off, ‘What kind of mother turns her son away. This is his home and as his family you’re welcome too’.
‘Thank you very much’, Fearne stood, skirt swishing behind her, ‘Do you need any help?’.
‘No it’s no trouble’, Evelyn said as she started to collect the cups onto the tray, ‘I just need to fetch some sheets. Now, I’m afraid you’ll have to bunk in the living room as all the beds are built for halflings’.
‘It’s better than the side of the road, we’re happy with any comfort’, Dorian reassured her.
‘Good point’, Evelyn laughed, ‘Well, you two get comfortable, Orym help me set everything up’.
Orym jumped to attention and after getting a list of things to collect from Evelyn ran off.
‘Has he always been so dutiful?’, Dorian asked as he went to help Evelyn wash up.
‘Hmmm? Oh thank you dear’, Evelyn passed Dorian a towel to dry as she pondered the question, ‘Orym was always a good boy, but after his father left I think he wanted to make my life as easy as possible. He still got into trouble of course but if I ever asked him to do anything he never complained’.
‘It must have been difficult, Orym not having a father I mean’, Fearne said with a look of sympathy.
Evelyn sighed as she set down the cup she’d been washing, ‘You’re not wrong, there’s many a time I worried about him. I was lucky though, my friend Derrig I mentioned before? He took him under his wing and was there for Orym when I couldn’t be. He and his wife Nell have been like a second family to us both’.
‘Mom I found most of the sheets, but the pillows aren’t where they usually are’, Orym’s voice called out.
‘I’ll be right there sweetheart’, Evelyn quickly dried her hands on the towel in Dorym’s hands, ‘If you two can just put everything to the side I can put the dishes away later. I’ll be back in a minute’.
Half an hour later the living room had been transformed into a makeshift bedroom. The sofas had made way for bedrolls and blankets, cushions strewn around them. The fire had grown low, embers glowing softly as candles dotted the room, creating a cosy atmosphere.
‘Well that’s everything’, Evelyn finished fluffing the last pillow, ‘I’ll leave you to get settled, have a good night’.
She left to a chorus of good nights, Orym giving her a kiss on the cheek before she went.
‘Night Mom’.
‘Night Orym’, Evelyn brushed his cheek softly, ‘I’ll see you in the morning’.
As Evelyn padded off to her room, Orym collapsed onto the last bedroll and rolled over to face his friends, who had started to pull everything close together.
‘Thank you guys’.
‘For what?’, Dorian lay down next to Orym, head resting on his arms.
‘For making things easier’, Orym shifted to lay his head on Fearne’s thigh as she plopped down next to him, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve been home and I was worried how my Mom would react. She’s always been…nervous about my chosen profession’.
‘Well it’s obvious she loves you a lot’, Fearne said as she started to druidcraft some ivy on Orym’s head, ‘I suppose it’s a good thing we didn’t mention all times you’ve nearly died then?’.
‘Fearne!’, Dorian hissed as his eyes snapped to the passageway Evelyn had gone down.
‘It’s fine Dorian’, Orym shifted his head as the crown Fearne had formed fell over his eyes, ‘Mom knows I’ve been down before, you guys telling her it’s still happening wouldn’t change her worries’.
‘Still, I don’t want us to cause your mother any grief’, Dorian sighed as he settled back down.
Just as Orym was about to reply Fearne started to yawn, eyes fluttering as she tried to stifle it, ‘Hmm, sorry Orym I interrupted’.
Orym just smiled at her, ‘No, I think we should wrap this up anyway. I don’t want to be a mess when we met the Chief for our meeting tomorrow’.
‘That’s a good point’, Dorian stretched his arms as he started to yawn too, ‘I’d hate to make a bad first impression’.
‘But you’ve already met her’, Fearne pointed out as she pulled blankets over the three of them..
‘Not in a formal setting though, that’s an entirely different thing’, Dorian said flustered, his cheeks turning violet.
‘Dorian I don’t think you could make a bad impression if you tried’, Orym chuckled, ‘Besides which Lady Keyleth is exceptionally kind, so you’ll be ok’.
‘If you say it Orym, I believe you’, Dorian took the halfling’s hand underneath the blanket and smiled softly at him, ‘You’ve never let me down yet’.
Orym just blushed and squeezed Dorian’s hand in reply, making the air genasi smile even more.
‘’Should I put out the candles?’, Fearne asked sleepily.
‘No, I’ve got it’, Orym flicked his hand, and a gust flew through the room, extinguishing the gentle flames.
‘Love you guys’, Fearne whispered.
‘Love you all’, Dorian replied as he settled down, Orym’s hand still in his.
‘Love, love’.
Orym gave a content sigh as he got into his hammock position, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles on Dorian’s palm. Today had been one he hadn’t expected, and he still felt a little strange being back home after all this time. Still, he hadn’t realised how much he’d missed his mother til now and he was glad he’d been able to introduce his friends to her. Now she knew the path he’d taken had led to new beginnings, and that he was a lot happier than the last time she’d seen him. Not that that was a high bar. He also knew his Mom wasn't the only one he wanted his friends to meet. He'd have to find time to go see Derrig and Nell.
Orym shifted as he started to plan out the next day, not knowing how long he was awake. Soon enough though, he began to drift off to sleep, the quiet breathing of his companions lulling him to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new challenge, but right now he was home with some of the people he loved most in the world. And in that moment, he wouldn't have it any other way.