“Good morning, my lovely blossom,” Marcus said to Patricia as she walked through the door to the smaller dining room they preferred to use in the morning. It worked better when it was just the two of them after having gotten the children on their way to their various jobs and lessons.

  “Good morning to you, my mighty evergreen,” the priestess replied, giving her husband a pyful kiss on his forehead as she moved to sit beside him.

  “I think the twins forgot their lunches again,” the slightly older runeforged said, taking another bite of his fresh toast with marmade as one of the staff brought her a pte of breakfast as well.

  The pte was still fresh and hot. It was made up this morning but kept in a stasis container until her arrival. She took a bite of the fresh eggs and almost moaned aloud. It was so good, and she fervently said, “Remind me to give Emilia a raise. We cannot let her get poached by another House. The way she can make breakfast this well seasoned and the eggs so perfectly poached is practically priceless.”

  Marcus cleared his throat, “So that’ll be me dropping off the lunches.”

  “I’m not even sure which twins you were referring to, dear,” she pointed out, taking another bite followed by a drink of aplet juice.

  “The ones that always forget their lunches,” he said with a roll of his deep green eyes that almost matched the metallic markings on his umber skin.

  Patricia had always loved her husband’s emerald eyes, though none of their children inherited them. One of the stiputions they had made before ever getting married would be that the first ten children would carry the Waynd trait of her bright blue eyes, a tradition upheld for generations.

  “You know I need to be at the Citadel this morning,” the priestess reminded, “Meeting with the High Priest. Do you have the time, or should we get one of the staff–”

  “You know I don’t like relying on the staff for that,” her husband interjected, “Our children need to learn enough responsibility that they don’t end up completely incompetent as adults –always relying on others to fix their problems. They’ll end up seeing the staff as tools instead of people if we let them.”

  “Right, well, I hope you don’t end up te or don’t mind letting Philip and Phineas feel some actual consequences and skip a meal,” she said, taking a bite of her own toast with ruebean marmade and actually moaning that time, “Seriously, how does a Crystal Caste Cook manage to make something this divine?”

  Marcus’ eyes had locked onto her after her vocal slip and then seemed to hold back a grin as he asked almost too casually, “So, Pati, it’s been a few years, and with the youngest twins able to go to school now, have we decided on when we’ll be going for the next round of little ones? We could do something different and try the more natural way…”

  The Priestess of the Cultivator gave him a wicked grin, “Is that the Cultivator whispering in your mind or the Lover?”

  “Can’t it be both?” he asked, returning her smile.

  She ughed and said, “We can talk ter about that, but it’s a tentative ‘yes.’ Now I’m going to finish this godly meal before I end up te.”

  “High Priest Yakoby,” Patricia began patiently, “I know your research would benefit from it, but we simply cannot kidnap a young woman just because she is a rare species that we have yet to gain genetic samples for.”

  The much older Emerald Caster was pacing in his personal boratory again near the top of the Cultivator’s Citadel. Pnts were everywhere, and it was almost impossible to maneuver through the various counter spaces without brushing against one. Many were entwined with another type of pnt as the runeforged man was attempting various methods of hybridization.

  “But it’s a Wayfarer!” he replied, tossing his hands up in frustration before gesturing to the pnts surrounding them, “Do you have any idea what I could– I mean, we could gain from the knowledge of their genetic adaptability?!”

  “Of course, High Priest,” she said with a pcating nod, “But this is not a rare flower we’re talking about; she’s a person.”

  His shoulders slumped slightly, “Right…” then he perked up, “Maybe we could just convince her to help? Your brother could try to persuade–”

  “You think a Fallen Padin would help the Cultivator in convincing his Protégé to donate a piece of herself for experimentation?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

  “I heard rumors that he rededicated to another god recently. Perhaps he’s not so hostile towards the clergy as we thought?”

  Patricia pinched the bridge of her nose, wanting to strangle her idiotic brother for funting his renewed position so fgrantly. He clearly missed the notice that knowledge was power, or maybe he was just so comfortable having physical power that he no longer cared about the strategic kind. She swore he would be the death of her someday.

  “Yes. He did rededicate,” she confirmed but dashed the man’s hopes the next second, “To the Avenger. Apparently, he doesn’t care much for people betraying him… or being cruel to those he holds dear.”

  The nky man seemed to wither a bit more at that, and she could almost see the various scenarios pying through his mind of what might be in store for him should the Padin deem his goals as “cruel.” Then he cautiously began saying, “Perhaps you could convince him–”

  “Convince the Bde of Pure Wrath?” Patricia interrupted, both brows raised now, and she ughed, “I can barely convince him not to follow that Wayfarer around like a personal guard dog.”

  “Maybe if we–”

  “High Priest Yakoby, if you are determined to gain her assistance, then I believe we should wait. Let her come to us and probably wait until after the blood moon has finished. No good will come from antagonizing Lord Waynd.”

  Yakoby gave a heavy sigh but nodded in agreement. She smiled and slightly bowed as she bid her leave, “Good. Then, I will return to my own duties. Potion supplies are in high demand, after all.”

  He bid farewell and expressed gratitude for the council as she returned to her own floor, which she normally worked on.

  As a Blossom Caretaker, her Css was well equipped to cultivate the rare flowers that grew in the shared b that took up the entire floor of the building. Her Pnt Aspect gave her the proper attunements while her Growth Aspect gave the wonderful supportive abilities to increase their production drastically. The Protection Aspect helped her make targets heartier and could properly detect what they needed to thrive. Then, her final Aspect, Myriad, helped tie it all together by replicating the boons and the resulting yield.

  Her entire purpose was centered around growing her garden and supplying the multitudes, and she couldn’t wait to hit Emerald soon and see what else she would be capable of. First, though, she needed to survive the political garbage fire Paul was dropping atop her.

  Patricia colpsed in one of the plush chairs in her study, exhausted from the day and the chaotic family dinner she had just escaped from. She loved her children and loved having so many little ones running around and bantering with one another, but some days, she just needed a quiet study and a strong drink before facing her next responsibility: politics.

  She had been running most of the family’s affairs for years now after her father decided not to spend a fortune on Ruby Monster Seeds just to live longer. He was well beyond his years and had never really been the same since her mother died.

  Despite all their wealth and status, being in the wrong pce at the wrong time when a monster spawned could still take everything away. After all, monsters didn’t care about anyone’s ties to the nobility or how many Mana Bits they had.

  “Are you sure about that double dozen?” a raspy, slightly feminine voice said from the doorway that Pati could have sworn she closed behind her.

  “Twenty-four will mean one for each type of magic and a spare to pick whatever,” Patricia said logically.

  “But you’re not even halfway, and I could already hear the cacophony of dinner from the rooftop,” the old woman replied with a chuckle and slowly walked in, a tall elf trailing after her while petting a small bck kitten.

  “Is that your Familiar holding another Familiar?” Pati asked Puani with a raised brow.

  “Fen assures me that Bliss is not actually a Familiar like him and that the chimera is ravenous,” her aunt expined with a wide grin, wrinkling her face even more. “I would think you, of all people, wouldn’t let a young Caster go hungry.”

  The priestess shook her head and waved the elf back towards the door, “I’m sure Emilia will have some scraps or even make something special for the furball. I swear people on this tundra have absolutely no resistance to small things with fur.”

  Fen gave a respectfully subdued bow and exited with the mewling kitten in tow as the elder sat in the chair across from hers and asked, “So, my little flower, will you enlighten me as to what has come over your foolhardy brother?”

  Patricia groaned, “Drinks first, then compints,” she commanded, begrudgingly getting up from her seat to go pour herself and the old aunt a gss of manarin wine.

  “I’m not here to compin,” Puani reassured, “I’m merely trying to understand why he thought not to at least warn us of such an impactful decision. He didn’t seem to forget that part the first time around when he suggested joining the Purifier.”

  “Perhaps he thought we’d say no?” she suggested.

  “Bah, you and he both know the only thing we’d say no to is one of the dark gods, and the Avenger just barely misses that mark.”

  Pati paused for a moment, “I guess when you put it like that, it could have been a lot worse than some minor neutral deity with a penchant for violence,” she admitted, taking a long sip of her drink before topping it off and returning to her chair, handing the extra gss over to her temporary companion.

  “Worse as in executing the heir of a rival House?” her aunt asked, taking a sip of the offered drink.

  She groaned again, sinking further into her chair and cup, “I have to write an official statement and everything after that debacle.”

  “I thought there wasn’t any proof of Paul’s involvement?”

  “There’s not, but I need to make it clear where we stand in retion to both House Ruwena and House Teras, and that means a public ‘official’ letter to the Aristocratic Assembly expining why we hate Ruwena and love Teras now.”

  “Remind me again why we love House Teras again?”

  “Because they aren’t evil traitors and can stand being in the same room with Paul?”

  “Ah, yes, that’s right.”

  A brief moment of silence fell as they both took another long drink from their gsses.

  “I overheard the staff compining about that merchant woman again,” Puani mentioned offhandedly.

  She wanted to melt into the cushions or the wine as she asked incredulously, “Have you brought me any good news?”

  Her old auntie seemed to ponder on that for a moment, and as her hope was about to disintegrate, Puani said, “Everything is prepared for the celebration of Spring’s Renewal tomorrow.”

  Patricia perked up slightly at that, “That’s good. I was a bit worried that we might not be able to have everything prepared in time with everything going on. Will everybody be there?”

  “Minus one wayward Padin and his Protégé,” the elder said, “I know the girl has been given a new mission, but your brother just needs his sister to convince him to attend.”

  “Why does everyone seem to think I can convince Paul to do anything?”

  “Because you were the one who knew he would come home.”

  To the Proprietor of Mother’s Cupboard, Madam Malik,

  I write to inform you that House Waynd will not be arranging a meeting between the young Miss Fraser and request that such inquiries cease. While we appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to achieving the best financial opportunities for our Lord’s Protégé, her duties as an Adventurer have been

  “Since when is the Lord the one that gets summoned?” Paul said from behind her.

  Patricia jumped, not having noticed the swift Emerald Caster silently sneak up behind her in her own study, which was really more of a parlor, complete with a half-finished bottle of wine on her desk that she almost cursed her brother for making her spill in her fright.

  “Maybe if you were the one busy writing these letters, then I would have more time to seek you out,” she snapped back in her annoyance.

  “Pretty sure not having to write the letters was part of our agreement for me not abdicating immediately upon my arrival,” the lord replied flippantly as he effortlessly lifted one of the heavy plush armchairs to sit across from her desk. She didn’t normally have people sit with her at the desk, preferring the open sitting area by the wet bar on the other side of the room where she had been speaking with their aunt earlier that evening.

  “Well, that’s why the lord is now getting summoned,” she answered, setting her letter and pen aside to fix her brother with a stern gaze.

  He shifted under the look and asked in an almost tired tone, “What did I do now? You already yelled at me for the rededication and the quest I got from it.”

  “I still feel like I haven’t yelled enough about that if you’re traipsing around the city in your new regalia as if taunting the world to attack us, but that’s not why you’re here now,” she admonished, folding her hands together as she asked, “Now, expin to me why the Lord of the House will not be in attendance for tomorrow’s celebration?”

  Paul scowled at her, “You know most festivities are put on hold during a blood moon, Pati.”

  “Not when it’s going to st almost a year instead of a single month, Paul,” she stated ftly, “The people will die of despair.”

  “Please,” he said with a roll of his eyes, “A single year of lockdown procedures is not going to wipe out an entire city. Supply lines are being taxed enough to respond to the prolonged threat; we don’t need to add to it with feasts and decorations.”

  “It’s the Equinox! You know how important the Quarter Sun Holidays are! And this one will not even be that grand, just the family doing the pnting on the roof and the clothing swap and drop before having a nice dinner together. Surely, you can be a part of it.”

  He shifted again and gave a rare dispy of uncertainty, “I think the others might prefer if I wasn’t there.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “You and I both know that I butt heads with the elders too much, and the young ones are more afraid of me than anything else.”

  “Maybe because you never spend time with them?” she pointed out, and he grumbled in response. “I really wish you would have brought Phoenix as well.”

  “I know you want to meet her in person, but–”

  “It’s not about that, Paul,” the priestess interjected, “She’s never experienced Spring’s Renewal. She has no idea what our customs are or why certain things are the way they are in the city. No idea what it is that our people celebrate instead of just what we fight against.”

  The lord frowned at that.

  “I know the holidays have never held much importance for you, seeming more a chore and obligation than anything else, but you told me she likes to learn and was kept secluded from most activities in her old world since she was sick all the time. Did you even ask her if she wanted to celebrate with us?”

  Paul shook his head, his frown deepening, “I just assumed she’d avoid the crowds like I would. Plus, I needed her out of the city for a bit while I did my own quest.”

  Patricia rubbed her face in weariness. So many things obviously wrong with his statements, “First, Family isn’t ‘crowds’ and, as your Protégé, she is welcome to attend as such. Second, getting her out of the city so you could execute the noble heir who’s been bullying her is both drastic and maniputive, and I’m not sure I approve.”

  “It wasn’t just bullying like children. I told you–”

  “I know, I know, ‘whatever retribution you served upon Noble Ruwena was something she did in turn,’ I just wish you would tell me what poor soul was also in that woman’s sights that she would feed them to miserlings. I’m sure there’s another grieving family out there.”

  “They’ve been informed and requested to remain anonymous,” Paul stated ftly, looking towards the bar that held a decent amount of alcohol, some of which was even strong enough to affect him.

  “We’re getting off-topic again,” she pointed out, “Will you please join your family tomorrow for the celebrations? Then maybe invite Phoenix for the next one?”

  He scratched at his beard, standing as if to leave, and she thought for sure she had reached the limits of this patience. However, he paused and looked back to give a relenting nod, “I’ll be there tomorrow, but I’m not sure Phoenix will be ready to meet everyone by the next holiday. Maybe Winter’s Break.”

  She rolled her eyes, “That’s nine months away! The blood moon will be over, and everyone will expect both of you in attendance.”

  To her ultimate frustration, her annoying older brother gave a smirk and said, “Just be gd I won’t abscond with her out of the city and onto our next grand adventure.”

  “You are the absolute worst sometimes, you know that?” she compined but couldn’t help but smile when she realized that she had at least half won the battle and was making progress.

  “Yep,” he fully agreed with her, then made to leave again, only pausing at the doorway to add, “Happy Equinox, Pati.”

  She smiled fully at him as she sighed and said warmly, “And a Blessed Spring’s Renewal to you, too, my obnoxious brother.”