Forging Ties (Ties, Book 3) | ✓

Chapter 9

As Tessa led them down a path at the other end of the clearing, a big, white dog hauled itself up from where it had been laying in the shade and followed along with them. Duran offered it his hand and it sniffed it before happily accepting head pats.

Duran hadn't spent much time around dogs, but his master had always had cats. Duran had liked them even if they were temperamental bastards who would take a swipe at you if you pet them slightly too long or in a way that wasn't exactly to their liking. They may have been self centred creatures, but they were simple and honest.

They reached the end of the path and ahead of them the trees had been cleared to make space for a farming settlement. Near them was a fenced-off area with rows and rows of mixed plants, more reminiscent of a large vegetable garden than crop lands. Further down the path, there were a few buildings, and in the distance, on a grassy hill, several huge beasts covered in long, voluminous brown fur grazed.

"We grow all of our own fruits and vegetables here, and our livestock give us milk and wool," Tessa explained. "They also provide us with manure for the gardens."

"Are those huge things on the hill your livestock?" Hamish asked.

Tessa laughed. "They are. A hundred years ago, we had cows and sheep. Now we have those. We're open and welcoming to the fae, and sometimes they come up with creative ways to help us."

Two children dressed in woolly coats were in the garden, whispering to each other as they watched Duran and the others pass by. They were munching on cucumbers. When Duran waved, one of the children let out a squeal of laughter and ran to hide behind some of the plants.

"But the fae haven't changed you?" Hamish asked.

"Studying the fae is a spiritual endeavour, but it's also a scientific one," Tessa explained. "I've never met anyone who's upset with the fae for what they turned them into. There seems to be some subconscious consent involved. The fae may give someone a second chance at life or help them out in subtle ways, but if you're happy and healthy and part of a safe community, they're likely to leave you alone. It's no different from a pack of werewolves remaining werewolves over the course of a hundred years."

"Sounds about right," Slone said. "Sometimes the fae step in, make someone a lil extra special, but werewolves have been werewolves for a good long time now. Don't need to mess with what works."

Tessa led them through a gate into one of the gardens, and Duran pretended to pay attention as she and Hamish discussed growing strategies and crop yields. Slone didn't bother pretending. He was down on the ground, making friends with the dog. Whether it was a werewolf thing or simply a Slone thing, he seemed to have a way of communicating with the animal through his body language alone.

"Anyway, I've rambled on enough," Tessa said as they reached the far end of the garden. "Dinner should be about done by now. Would you three like to come and eat with us?"

Duran hadn't been part of the conversation for a while, but it was he who Hamish passed the question on to with a glance. Duran nodded. He would be lying if he said he wasn't still a little uncomfortable with being around a large group of humans, but he knew it wasn't a rational feeling. It certainly wasn't worth passing up a meal and a bed for the night over.

As Tessa led them further down the road, the sounds of people talking and laughing drifted on the breeze along with the smell of cooking food. Everyone quietened down as they made their way down a path towards the covered eating area. Even a man who had been playing a guitar took a pause.

"We have guests for dinner tonight," Tessa announced, and everyone cheered.

Duran took a deep breath in and let it out, preparing himself to dive into the social situation ahead of him. He had a smile ready for the first person who handed him food, and compliments on the fresh vegetables, the way of life these people had, and the warm welcome they had received lined up in his mind for anyone he talked to. Was he a mage? Yes, he was, and he would happily sit and shoot balls of magelight around for the children to chase until someone came and kindly suggested he might like a break. Could they touch his hair? Yes, of course, and he would smile while they did it.