Chapter Text
Never would have Edgin thought, he would give up his life as a thieve. But that was before he suddenly had three more children to care for. It had been easy way back when Kira was little to take her on heists. But when first Finch and later Szanto and Cana came into his life, Edgin decided to become a stay-at-home-father. They had left Targos for good too. Even though Edgin had tried to make the best out of his own home, the images from the night of Zia‘s death still lingered in his mind, even so many years later. And the fear of loosing his new family the same way grew even more with the constant reminder of what he had lost already. It had been Xenk who had brought up the idea of moving first, knowing a new start was just what Edgin needed. So they all put together the money they got from saving Neverwinter and bought a house just outside of the city. Though, house was an understatement, with it‘s 6 bedrooms and uncountable rooms to fit every need, their new home qualified as a mansion clearly. And Edgin loved the change. He had finally the life he had ever wanted for his family. Even though after such a purchase, they were all broke once again. But Edgin swore, he wouldn’t resort to thievery again. He wouldn’t risk getting caught and leaving 4 children without their father again. Xenk become some sort of hired hero for the city, which payed surprisingly well, though every single coin they didn’t need to survive, the paladin insisted to give to the poor and helpless all along the swordcoast, wherever he was needed. Holga didn’t leave her family of course, even though she had the chance. Over the last years, many halflings tried their luck with the barbarian, but she refused to see each of them for longer than a few nights. She always said, her family was all she needed. Simon and Doric had many discussions about where they should live. The sorcerer loved staying with his new family, becoming a fun uncle to all of Edgin’s kids, while the druid felt herself being drawn to the forest. After all, they settled on settling down with the Emerald Enclave. Mainly, because Simon was too scared to lose what he had with Doric if he tried to stand his ground. At least, the young couple visited the rest of they family often.
Speaking of children, Edgin had to come to terms with the fact that Kira was an actual adult. His oldest daughter wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was 23 years old and went on her own adventures with her friends. Edgin was always worried sick about his daughter, but Holga ensured him, they had trained together more than enough, and growing on heists turned her into a skilled fighter and sneaky thieve. Still, Edgin would never let her leave without the promise to contact him regularly to let him know she was okay.
Finch was turning out just like his imprisoned father. He was a mischievous pre-teen with the same disarming charm as Forge. The boy shamelessly pickpocketed whenever he had the chance and had never been caught. At least not by his victims, only either by Edgin, who couldn’t decided if he was proud of his son‘s skills or should scold him for stealing, or by his younger brother Szanto, a smart, righteous boy just like his over a century old father. Szanto preferred staying alone, his nose in a book, than playing with his siblings. And he loved to tell Xenk every time he caught Finch stealing. Again, Edgin didn’t know if he should encourage or discourage this behavior. But his most pride lately was Cana, his youngest. She loved music more than her older siblings, so Edgin taught her to sing and play the lute. Together, they performed at a tavern regularly.
Three years prior, Edgin had taken over that tavern in walking distance of their home after the owner had suddenly died. It was a decent source of money and if he was honest, Edgin loved his new life. He and Cana would entertain the guests, Holga stood behind the bar serving drinks and Xenk showed off his talent for cooking. He knew some marvelous recipes he had perfected over the last decades. Szanto liked to help him cook. The kitchen was much more quiet and manageable for the 9-year-old who got overwhelmed rather quickly. Finch always occupied a table in the corner where he would rip of tourists in a game of three dragon ante. He was a smart boy of 11 years and knew every way to cheat at the game without getting caught. Regulars at the tavern knew very well not to up against the blonde child with the same smirk they knew from the former imprison Lord of Neverwinter, but tourists didn’t make that connection and happily lost their money thinking a child would be an easy opponent.
Finch had heard a few stories about the father he never knew. Lately, rumor was that Forge was finally released from prison, waking hopes in the boy his father was coming to search for him.
„Finch, come on. Time for bed.“, Edgin called his son just when he had won another game. The twins were already by their fathers side, waiting to leave. The young boy nodded, collected his cards and left.
„I almost made 200 gold pieces!“, he cheered walking home next to his father.
„Well done, Finch! Any plans on what you wanna do with it?“
„I dunno.“, he shrugged.
„You could use a new deck of cards.“, Edgin suggested. „You could get a really fancy, more sturdy set.“
„No!“, the boy shouted, a little louder than anticipated. „I mean, no. I‘m happy with my deck. It was Papa Forge‘s…“ Finch looked down onto the ground. The deck of cards and an old, ripped flyer for the High Sun games what everything Finch had that reminded him of his father.
„I know. But that deck it falling apart. You could put that deck somewhere safe at home and play with a fresh deck.“
„Maybe. I‘ll think about it.“
„Dad? I can ask you something?“, Finch asked, as he was laying in bed, waiting for Edgin to wish him a good night.
„Sure. You can ask me anything.“
„What‘s Papa Forge like? I hear stories about him sometimes but everyone said, he‘s a smug bastard.“ Edgin sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn’t really want to talk about Forge, but he couldn’t blame Finch for wanting to know more about his other father.
„Well, he was a criminal so they were not entirely wrong.“
„I know that. But besides that. You wouldn’t sleep with a criminal, would you? So what did you like about him?“ Edgin was a little taken aback by his son‘s direct words.
„Honestly, I don‘t really know. When we met, we spend a lot of time together. He was just always around for weeks. Kira liked him a lot and so I started to like him too. Then one day, he almost died and that made me realize that I didn’t wanna lose him. We were really happy together for a while until…“
„Until he betrayed you and send you to prison.“, Finch finished the story. Edgin just nodded. He didn’t know what else to day. Before the betrayal, he loved Forge. Sometimes he wondered, if he still did. If he still let his feeling linger in the past for too long. No, definitely not. He was in love with Xenk, his husband for the last 8 years. He was happier than ever. There was no way he still had feelings for Forge.
„You should sleep now. It‘s getting late.“, Edgin finally said, ruffling Finch‘s hair as he stood up.
„Good night, Dad.“, Finch said and turned around.