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“Stella.” Sloan nodded. “Abe and Brandon go to the coast often, believe it or not.”
Why wouldn’t he believe it? The ocean was lovely. And Tyr’s family there welcomed all of them as one big extension of Tyr, he thought. “I can see that. And little Stella echo-locates so well. I bet the merdragons love her.”
“Oh, yes.” Tyr watched his little girl, an indulgent smile on his face as she ran through noises like a mockingbird. “They do. But then, all of the children are exceptional in some way.”
“Even Tor?” Harden teased, and Tyr sighed.
“He’s having a meal at the tavern tonight. He was craving a game of bones and some ale.” Tyr rolled his eyes.
“We’ll make sure he has a safe place to sleep, if he’s in his cups on our way home,” Harden offered.
“Thank you, my friend. He is not restless so much as used to more entertainment than we have here.”
Is he causing any issues? he asked Sloan. Tor had been difficult when he’d first returned to the village.
No. He’s been fine. Just a little melancholy might be the way to put it.
How can he be, with Melissa right here? He winked, because he understood. He and his mate both could be grumpy, when he got right down to it.
He blames himself somehow for the trouble with the children. I’m not sure why, I just know he does.
That’s ridiculous. Tor didn’t do anything. Did he?
Not that I know of. He says it’s complicated. That there are things we don’t understand. So who knows?
There’s a lot we don’t understand. Riley is going to be the one of us most likely to, because he’s been to the cities. He’s been around.
He thought Harden would travel, but the ranch was Harden’s life. Apparently, Harden was happy to let others go and search out wondrous animals for him to add to his bwostfal. He would imagine Riley would do that at some point, but then again Riley spent a lot of time down at the sea. So maybe there was someone down there that Riley was interested in and Brayden just didn’t know it.
Sloan shrugged. I’ll be happy to raise our children together. I think we will plan a second baby once little Melissa is walking.
He loved how, with all the heats and surprise babies, Tyr was very careful and planned about the act.
He supposed Tyr had to fit things in around the growing season and his bees.
Of course, Harden’s life had a rhythm to it as well. Maybe Harden’s body was planning for a baby in the autumn so they had the quiet of the winter to recover.
Some early foals or lambs might be born in late winter, but he knew most came in the spring, so their wee one would be older than the bwostfol babies.
It was worth thinking about.
Suddenly, little Melissa was in his lap, and they all laughed, partly because of Melissa’s happy little cry, partly because he’d obviously not been paying attention to the conversation in the actual room, just the one between him and his brother
“This is what happens when you ignore your mate.” Harden winked at him. “Now, eat.”
The food was amazing, and they all ate heartily. The dinner was rich and solid, warming him in soul and body.
He fed little Melissa little bites of mash and bits of roll. She had two teeth now, and he’d heard rumors that some of the little ones were carnivorous from very early on, but he still worried about her being able to chew.
Not that the roast was difficult to eat. It was falling apart, and the juices were wonderful.
He was going to have to learn how to cook like this. Harden was more of an assembler, and while that was great, in the winter they would need heartier fare. And going to the pub when you had a baby was a tough one. He never saw Sloan and Tyr there anymore.
Are you well, mate?
Fine. I want to learn to make this, maybe stew and bread.
I’m sure someone will teach you. Harden winked at him. Not Tyr.
