Home Sweet Home

Reden and Mary exchange a glance before Mary carefully adjusts Gah-Hal in her arms and moves to the window to see what might be causing the unexpected stop.

Outside, she sees the coachman talking with another figure. Few another figures. Four men with black robes who seemed to have stopped the carriage. Coachman keeps his hands on his laps and seems to be talking with them, but it look like a quite heated talk.

Mary hide back into the carriage closing the window back and holding her hand to her mouth.

"Someone is on the way. Four men with black robes. Is this a robbery?" Mary asks worried.

The sign of worry is shown on Reden's face as she finished the sentence.

"I hope it's not what we think it is, but prepare yourself just in case." Reden says while keeping his hands on his daggers.

Mary moves the window once again and slowly look through it to see the situation.

Coachman is now standing next to the strangers. They keep talking about something. He is cornered by these four strangers standing around him.

Mary and Reden exchange a tense glance, their hearts racing as they observe the unfolding scene outside the carriage window. The coachman's stance and body language seem defensive, and the strangers' presence raises suspicions.

Mary's hands tighten around Gah-Hal, her protective instincts kicking in. She turns to Reden, her voice low but firm.

"Stay close to me. If anything happens I can cover us in ice." She says, her eyes determined.

Reden nods in agreement, his fingers gripping the hilts of his daggers. They both remain on high alert, watching the situation closely as the conversation between the coachman and the strangers continues.

As they observe, the tension in the air becomes palpable. The coachman's expression shifts from frustration to a more resolute demeanor. The four strangers, still surrounding him, seem to be growing more agitated. It's unclear what they're discussing, but the situation appears to be escalating.

Suddenly one of the strangers grabbed the coachman's shoulder and took out his dagger from his robe. Coachman didn't look scared, instead he grabbed the thug's hand that touched him and pulled it closer to him. While being pulled, thug lost his balance, coachman placed his hand on the back of thug's head and with all his might he pushed it at the wooden part of the carriage and shattering thug's front skull very badly. Thug then fell on the ground and stopped moving.

While it happend rest of a little shocked thugs also pulled out their daggers and ran at him. Coachman picked the dead thug's weapon and started to counter most of the attacks aimed at him.

Reden while looking at it, left the carriage and went to help the man.

"Stay there!" Reden says to Mary through the window.

Mary points her hand into the robbers through the window to support these two from the distance using her ice magic.

Before Reden managed to reach the coachman and fighters, something incredible happend. Coachman jumped above the robber's heads and kicked them all in the face with a quick kicks. Robbers fell on the ground from the hit. Before they got up, the coachman landed on one of the attackers, breaking his ribs at the same time. After that the second thug stopped moving.

The other attackers stood up and with a slight horror visible in their movements, began to slowly retreat, seeing that there were now fewer of them. Except of the horseman, Reden is also approaching and Mary is aiming at them from the window.

One robber very quickly threw his dagger at coachman who failed to dodge in time. Second thug covered the first one from Reden. Coachman who got hit by the dagger leaned on the carriage a little but then quickly got back into the fight despite the dagger that hit his supraspinatus muscle.

Reden and the coachman face off against the remaining thugs, their skills and determination on full display. Mary is still ready to cast an ice spell waiting for perfect opportunity to shoot ice.

The coachman runs towards the one thug pulling out the dagger from his body and Reden runs towards the second attacker. Horseman, with strong kick, pushed the unarmed robber back while Reden threw his dagger at the second thug and jumped at him making him fall on the ground and also dropping his weapon.

Once the kicked thug fell on the ground, the coachman stomped on his head few times before the attacker's skull breaks. Reden meanwhile holds the last robber pinned to the ground with his dagger pointed at his throat.

Reden clearly look furious. Mary looks more calm now but still has her hand pointed. Coachman wipes his shoe on the grass and looks at the lying robber while he hold his hand on his injury trying to stop the bleeding.

"You did too much mistakes while trying to rob this carriage. Typical novice mistake." Coachman says and pushes the Reden's dagger with his shoe and piercing the robber's throat.

Reden stands up and takes a step back from robber hardly bleeding and choking with his own blood. Before the aggressor slowly dies, coachman sits back on his seat and shows Reden to go back into the carriage like nothing happend.

The scene in front of the carriage is tense and filled with a mixture of shock and violence. The coachman, Reden, and Mary have successfully fought off the attackers, their skills and determination evident in their actions. With the immediate threat neutralized, the remaining robber chokes on his own blood, his life slipping away as he lies on the ground.

Reden's chest rises and falls rapidly as he tries to catch his breath, his eyes still fixed on the dying man before him. Mary, still poised with her ice magic at the window, lowers her hand slowly, the adrenaline coursing through her veins starting to ebb away.

The tension in the air is palpable, and the weight of the recent violence hangs heavy around them. Gah-Hal, seemingly unfazed by the chaos, simply blinks up at Mary from her arms.

Reden's gaze eventually lifts from the scene, his attention shifting to the coachman.

"Are... you alright?" Reden asks, concern etched into his features.

"I'll live. I will drink a potion and I will be back to normal. Thank you for the assistance." Coachman says with a bit of pain in his voice.

Mary carefully leans out of the carriage window to look at the situation and hides back into the carriage closing the window.

The coachman manages a weak smile, his hand pressing against his injury.

"Well, it's not the first time I've faced crap on the road, but it's certainly one of the messier encounters." Coachman says looking into the chest next to his seat.

As the adrenaline begins to subside, Reden's attention turns to the remaining robber who lies on the ground, his life slipping away. It's a grim sight, and Reden's expression is a mix of conflicting emotions.

After looking at the man for around 20 seconds, the robber has finally stopped breathing. The coachman sighs and leans back in his seat, taking a deep breath while picking a bottle from the chest. He opens it and drinks it all in one go. The bottle was small with red liquid inside it. Once the bottle is empty he puts it back into the chest and closes it.

"Let's go. We don't know if they were the only ones." Coachman says to Reden preparing to move horses.

Reden takes a quick look at horseman, then dead robbers and heads back into the carriage. Mary's grip on Gah-Hal is firm but gentle, her eyes still reflecting the shock of what had just transpired. She gives Reden a reassuring glance as he settles back into his seat.

The couple sits in silence for a while. The coachman gets the horses moving and the carriage starts to roll forward once again, leaving behind the scene of the confrontation. The journey continues, the landscape passing by in a blur as the carriage carries them farther away from the danger.

Reden and Mary exchange occasional glances, their minds undoubtedly filled with thoughts about the attack and the implications it might have for their journey. Gah-Hal, seemingly unfazed by the turmoil, continues to rest in Mary's arms.

After few minutes Reden leans his head on Mary's shoulder. Total opposite this time.

"I want to be home already..." Reden mumbles to Mary with quiet voice.

Mary gently rests her head against Reden's, feeling the weight of the recent events and the exhaustion they brought. She places Gah-Hal on her lap then places a comforting hand on Reden's back, her touch a soothing gesture.

"I know, my hero. I know." She whispers softly, her voice carrying a mix of empathy and weariness.

The rhythmic motion of the carriage continues, the creaking of wheels and the sound of horse hooves providing a steady backdrop to their thoughts. The memory of the life threatening event that happened recently is quickly suppressed by atmosphere of happy family.

"Don't forget who we are doing it for." Mary looks down at Gah-Hal, her heart aching with a mix of emotions.

"We're doing this for him, you know. To give him a better life, a safer one. So he can have a better life than us. Not wasted by sorrow and pain." She continues while rubbing baby's head with her free hand.

"I was raised by rich family. They were so close to being recognized as nobility. Unfortunately their reputation was always sabotaged by rival family. Now when I think about it, this could be easily prevented. But they didn't prevent it. Why? Well. It's because they were too kind. They always acted as scapegoats. They would take sins of other on them with thought that their kindness will soon be repaid." She continues rubbing Gah-Hal's head a bit slower.

"It was repaid... by rival family becoming nobility and my family being humiliated by them. What's the conclusion of such behaviour? Don't expect your kindness to be rewarded if you aren't using it wisely, because heartless people will use it against you." She stops rubbing Gah-Hal's head.

"This is my lesson for him. If he grows up big enough I will tell him the same thing." Mary says lightly turning her head to Reden.

Reden turns his head to Mary and then at Gah-Hal.

"I was raised by normal family. Dad was hunter and mom was farmer. We weren't really disliked or liked, it was just like normal village life. I learned from my dad how to survive in wild and my mom taught me how to cook and which vegetables and fruits aren't edible. We three sometimes went together to forest so my parents could give me a mix of survival. Dad taught me tips of survival and mom told me what should I avoid eating in forest. Right now I am thankful for that as Im still alive until now. I don't know what conclusion I could give here but I will only say that minding own business sometimes is worth." Reden says it as if he recited it from a book.

Mary listens attentively to Reden's story, her gaze softening as she takes in his words. She can sense the depth of his experiences and the wisdom he gained from his upbringing. Reden smiles warmly, his hand reaching over to intertwine his fingers with Mary's. As both parents interwine their fingers they both look at eachother with caring look.

Gah-Hal watches his parents from below. This time instead of just looking at them unamused, he finally did a little smile and turned back into unamused before Reden and Mary looked back at him.

The carriage continues carrying them forward. This way another hours pass with one bag full of supplies.

12 Hours Later

Twelve hours have passed since the noon's events and the midnight sky blankets the world in darkness. The carriage rolls on, the soft creaking of its wheels a steady rhythm. Reden and Mary, still holding hands, sit close together, their fingers laced together in a comforting embrace even while being asleep.

Gah-Hal, seemingly unfazed by the passage of time, lies peacefully on Mary's lap being held with free hand to not fall out, his little chest rising and falling with each breath. The night is quiet, broken only by the gentle sound of the carriage moving and the distant hooting of an owl.

Gah-Hal looks around. He clearly looks like he has self-consciousness now. Looks left and right then up and down. He doesn't move his limbs randomly anymore, but it looks like he makes some actual and not random movements.

Gah-Hal places his hands on his cheeks and smiles. It looks scary for an infant like him. It's almost like he got possessed by evil spirit. After few seconds the smile disappeared, his hands stopped touching his face and he went to sleep like nothing just happend.

6 Days Later, Afternoon

Six days have passed. It's been now 9 days since the boring trip from Castledale to Glazes nation lasted. The journey continues and the landscape outside the window has gradually changed as they've moved forward. The carriage rolls along a winding road, passing through forests, fields, and small villages along the way.

However as Reden looks through the window he finally sees... that this location is familiar.

"Mary! Look!" Reden says showing her to look through the window.

Mary looks from the window.

"Do you recognize that giant cave over there?" Reden asks with smile.

Mary makes a quick gasp.

"I do! I recognize this place!" Mary says with smile.

"Yea. We are almost home. This is the cave we both used to go to when you were pregnant. It somehow always reminded you of your family. I still remember you telling me this everytime we visited it." Reden says looking at Mary.

"I remember too. I dont know why but it always did and it still does." Mary says smiling.

"So we are around 4 hours away from home now. FINALLY!" Reden yells.

"Finally the end of this back breaking trip. Seats were comfortable but the carriage moving so much made it uncomfortable for my backs and neck." Reden says while stretching his back while sitting.

Mary picks Gah-Hal up and lets him look through the window.

"Look, Gahy. This is one of your mom's favourite places. You were here few times but you were still inside me sadly. Worry not, we will still go there whenever we get time." She hugs him with his cheek on her cheek.

"How many supplies do we still have? A quarter of your bag?" Reden asks looking at Mary's bag.

She glances at her bag, assessing its contents.

"Yes, we still have some supplies left, around a quarter, as you said. We could eat it all right now. We wont need it anymore will we?" Mary asks still looking into the bag.

Reden leans back against the cushioned seat, a contented expression on his face.

"Yea. Let's finish it all. Once we arrive in place we won't have to worry about food." Reden says relaxed.

"And Gahy will finally get to see the place he's going to call home." Mary says while bouncing infant.

As the carriage continues on its way, the familiar surroundings of the cave and the nearing familiarity of their home fills them with a sense of comfort. It's been a journey filled with blood, tears, laughter, and bonding and now they're on the brink of arriving at their destination.

The thought of finally settling back into their own space, surrounded by the memories they've made together, warms their hearts. Gah-Hal seems to sense their excitement, finally letting out a small coo for the first time since his birth.

"Oh my dear! Honey! He cooed! For the first time! He cooed! Im about to have a heart attack from cuteness!" Mary's eyes light up and her heart beats with big excitement as their son finally made his first sounds.

Reden does the same. His eyes light up and his heart beats with big excitement.

Reden and Mary exchange joyful looks, their happiness palpable. The sound of their son's cooing fills the carriage, a tiny yet powerful reminder of the new life they've brought into the world and the journey they've embarked on together.

Mary gently bounces Gah-Hal in her arms, her smile radiant.

"Isn't he just the most precious thing in the world? Our little adventurer..." Mary's voice is filled with adoration as she gazes at Gah-Hal.

As the carriage continues its journey, the excitement and anticipation in the air is palpable. In just a few hours, they'll arrive at their destination, their sweet home. Everything they've went through along the way have only strengthened their bond and their determination to provide the best life possible for their son.

The nation of Glazes is finally reached. Now all that is left is for coachman to not miss his clients house.

The landscape outside the window is now unmistakably that of Glazes, with its unique rock formations and lush greenery. The coachman expertly navigates the carriage through the winding paths, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he steers the horses.

Reden and Mary exchange knowing glances, their smiles never leaving their faces. Gah-Hal, seemingly aware of the positive energy around him, occasionally grabs at the air with his tiny hands.

As the carriage moves forward, the cave that held a special place in Mary's heart disappears behind the surroundings. The coachman's expertise leads them through the familiar route, and soon the surroundings become even more recognizable.

The carriage continues to roll along the well-traveled path. All that is left is 4 hour left of a trip with a carriage before the sweet little family can finally continue living the long and happy life.

3.5 Hours Later

"We are almost in your destination! Prepare to leave the carriage!" Coachman can be heard yelling to carriage.

Reden stretches and prepares to leave the carriage waiting for horses to stop and holding both his and Mary's bag.

Mary does the same. She hold Gah-Hal tightly to her chest, stretches and wait until horses finally stop.

After around 2 minutes, the carriage finally stops moving around and sounds of wheels are finally silent.

"We're home!" Reden says with a sense of awe quickly opening the door of carriage and happily hopping off.

Reden is now outside the carriage. He takes a deep relieved breath before helping Mary getting off the carriage. Once Mary is out of the carriage she also takes a deep relieved breath. The coachman turns to them with a warm smile.

"Well, here we are. Safe and sound." He says with a nod.

"Thank you very much! Goodbye! Good luck!" Mary says to coachman.

Coachman then waves and heads away further passing their destination and getting out of sight.

They are finally here. Good sweet home.

"We made it." Reden says, his voice filled with pride.

Mary looks up at him with a smile, her heart overflowing with happiness.

"Yes, we did. And we have a new family member with us this time." She says, gently touching Gah-Hal's cheek.

"It's such a relief seeing that it's still standing. We dont have to rebuild it." Reden says looking proudly at their house.

Mary grabs Reden's hand and walks into the house pulling Reden with her.

"Come. Let's feel the happiness again. Happy family atmosphere." Mary says pulling Reden with her.

Reden's smile widens as she pulls hm to their house. Gah-Hal, nestled in Mary's arms, seems to share in the sense of relief and contentment, but he doesn't show it.

Mary's hand in his, Reden walks alongside her towards the house. The feeling of stepping through the threshold is like coming home after a long and arduous journey. The interior is just as they left it, welcoming and cozy.

Mary lets out a deep breath, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions as she looks around the living space. Memories of laughter, conversations, and shared moments fill the air. She turns to Reden, her smile radiant.

"Divine feeling. Back home with more happines." She says, her voice soft with happiness.

Reden nods, his eyes reflecting the same sentiment.

"Yeah. So many memories. Now there are gonna be much more, with our little one." He says, his gaze moving to Gah-Hal.

Mary gently cradles Gah-Hal in her arms, his big eyes taking in the surroundings. She walks over to their rocking chair by the window and settles into it, Gah-Hal still in her arms.

"Incredible that this chair can still lift me. I thought this wood would already be too rotten from all this time of it not being used or cleaned. Just look at all this dust around here." Mary says while rocking herself and Gah-Hal on chair.

Reden joins her, sitting down on the floor beside the rocking chair. He rests his head on Mary's lap, looking up at her with a soft smile.

"At least it wasn't robbed from what I see. This place really keeps the house nicely hidden from intruders. Let's just enjoy the moment for a while. Then we will start cleaning and preparing." Reden says with his head on Mary's lap.

As the evening sun filters through the window, casting a warm and gentle glow over the room, the little family basks in the comfort of their home. The journey that brought them here was filled with surprises and bonding experiences, and now they're ready to embrace the new chapter of their lives. As a small happy family.

And so, in the embrace of their home and the love that surrounds them, the little family begins a new chapter of their lives. Each day will be an adventure, each moment a treasure, as they navigate the joys and challenges of parenthood and continue to build a life filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories.