Renn dodged one of Lilly's fast combos, and then yelped as she hurriedly lifted her sword to block a heavy foot. Lilly's boot hit the side of Renn's sword, pushing it into Renn's side and then sending Renn off her feet and into the air.

The blow had been a hard one, but Renn had properly saw it and prepared for it. Not only had she blocked it, she had rolled with its momentum. She didn't fall upon landing, but skidded on her feet and regained her posture within a few heartbeats.

I smiled at my wife as she readied herself, right as Lilly rushed forward to strike at her again. Lilly, like always, was fast. Too fast. There was a reason she preferred the thin and long rapiers over broadswords, even though she had the strength to use nearly anything she wanted.

She liked to stab. And did so with such speed and in such quick succession that few if any could survive her onslaught. Renn was fast too, more so thanks to both her good eyesight and spatial awareness, but also thanks to her quick mind. Renn rarely, if ever, fell for the same trick twice. So each time Lilly attacked, she had to do so at a different angle than before. With different move-sets and combos, or else Renn would simply block them effortlessly and slip in her own counter-attack.

With crossed arms, I stood a few dozen feet from the two as their swords clanged and they grunted. They exchanged a few blows, and then separated a moment, only to repeat the process. Occasionally Lilly, or Renn, would get a small hit in here or there, but so far neither seemed gaining ground over the other.

Though I think that was on purpose. On several occasions Lilly had been able to end the duel, but had chosen not to.

She seemed to be enjoying this. A lot.

It made me feel sorry for her. How many have actually fought like this with her before…? Not many I knew of, and few if any had done so with a smile on their face. And with her children having left the nest, it was likely Lilly hadn't had this kind of exorcise in years. Because I no longer sparred with her anymore. Maybe I'd been doing her a disservice.

"Jeez, Vim…" Lellip whispered next to me. She flinched each time the swords clanged loudly on impact, or when one of them grunted from a connecting blow.

Glancing at the young monkey, I noted the leather she wore. It was not the leather one used for the furnaces and smithy, but instead like the set of leathers that Lilly and Renn now had on.

She hadn't asked, or said it yet, but it seemed Lellip had planned to ask to join us. Not just to watch and see what it was like, but to actually partake in the sparring. To be taught how to wield the very things she now forged.

Something told me watching Lilly and Renn had doused that very fragile, and new, desire rather quickly.

I decided to teach her myself. Though I'd do it after Lilly and Renn were done. I didn't doubt Lilly's ability to keep them both safe while they sparred, but I wanted to be sure.

Accidents happened often. And even though both of them had dulled weapons, made with the intent to be used in this way, there was no denying their lethality. Especially while in their hands.

"Scary thing is she's only been training occasionally. I think it has something to do with the way her mind works," I said.

Lellip sighed as Lilly and Renn separated, giving each other a moment to breathe as Renn rolled her shoulder. She must have sprained it from that kick earlier, or rather the blocking of it.

"Do humans fight like this?" Lellip asked.

"No. Humans don't have the stamina. They can get this fast, and I've even met plenty that have the reflexes to match, but they don't match up because their bodies can't sustain it. If you found a human capable of fighting either of them on par, as long as Lilly and Renn last long enough they're guaranteed to win. For most it's a matter of minutes," I said.

Lellip hummed at that as Lilly glanced my way. "The humans are scary because of their numbers. They might not last long, but they don't need to. They just need enough to surround you and wear you down," she said, speaking a little loudly as she did.

"Is that exhaustion I hear, Lilly?" I asked, teasing her.

She grinned and shook her head at me, as Renn's ears fluttered happily.

I chuckled at the two as Lilly attacked Renn again, most likely to hide her embarrassment.

Maybe she was getting old. Actually old. They've only been at it for an hour or so.

Sighing gently at them, I glanced at Lellip again. I smiled at her, happy that she had taken an interest in Branch.

"I hear you're going to test a branch," I said lightly to her.

Lellip stood up a little straighter, then glanced at me. "Um… was that a joke?"

"Hm…? Had I heard wrong?" I asked, a little sad at the prospect of doing so.

"No… I just didn't want to confront your statement yet," she said as she looked away from me, as to watch Renn get grabbed by Lilly. Lilly tossed Renn over her shoulder, flinging her into some of the taller grass nearby.

I watched my wife for a moment as she rolled to her feet, and was glad to see she looked fine. She hadn't released her sword as she was thrown, though had kept it safely positioned as she rolled. And her tail seemed fine too.

It wasn't as frail as it looked, but I always worried for such traits on our members.

Lellip then cleared her throat, an odd sound from her. I glanced at her, and found her twiddling her fingers. "You know him well?" she asked.

"Better than most I guess, yes," I said. Though I'd not seen him in many years, I had helped Lilly train him and prepare him for the world. Plus I had, as I had promised his mother, kept an eye on him as much as I could. I had visited him even without him knowing sometimes, just to make sure he was well.

Expecting Lellip to ask a bunch of questions, I was a little surprised she went quiet instead. I debated just… talking about the lad, but decided it was likely because she wanted to wait until we were alone.

Talking about her possible husband-to-be in front of her mother-in-law was likely odd, so I couldn't blame her.

It made me wonder what I would have done, or how I would have acted, around Renn's parents. At least, had they still been alive… and not utter disgraces.

"Are you angry, Vim?"

I blinked, and turned to glance at the young monkey. She shifted a little at my look, but held my gaze.

"No…? Not really. Why?" I asked.

"Hm…" she frowned, looking away and back at the two grunting women who were now struggling. Renn had gotten lucky and grabbed Lilly's wrist, the one that she held her weapon with, and so they were both trying to get control over the other. Renn was trying to pry Lilly's weapon away, or at least make it useless with positioning, and Lilly was trying to squirm around and do the same to Renn who was a tad too focused on her task.

Another sign that Lilly was taking this easy. At least, to a point. She genuinely was struggling with Renn, which spoke highly of Renn's strength, but at the same time Lilly was not just… well…

Outright attacking Renn. Lilly's go-to during such duress was to pluck the eyes, or jab the throat, of her attacker with her free hand. She'd not done anything like it to Renn, even though it would have ended their little stalemate immediately.

Renn not realizing it, or maybe not really fearing such damage in such a scenario, was likely just a lack of experience. Most of Renn's actual combat experience, which was more than most people in the first place, was not the type to require such methods. Her fights were abrupt, brutal ones. Mostly with humans.

Actually other than the encounter she had in the sewers, and the few sparring matches she's had… has Renn fought many of her own kind before…?

She had mentioned once she used to spar with her siblings often. Her sisters. Though I never pressed on such memories because she always looked depressed when speaking of them.

Lellip oohed and awed, clapping lightly as Lilly finally turned the tables on Renn. She spun Renn around, pinning Renn's own sword arm behind her back, and then pushed her to the ground.

Renn landed a little harshly, with a loud oomph, and then groaned in defeat as Lilly huffed and released her. The owl stepped away from Renn, who remained lying on her stomach, and grinned in victory over at me and Lellip.

"Your turn Lellip. Rush at her, she's tired, you'll win," I said with a small gesture.

"Wha…!?" Lellip startled, her head swiveling between me and Lilly.

Lilly's grin turned into an odd smirk, one that told me she would have been utterly happy for Lellip to have tried it.

"I had meant the one on the ground," I said, before either did anything.

Lellip calmed a little, realizing I'd been joking, as Renn slowly sat up. She did so stiffly, as if hurt, and turned to look over at us. Since she was pushing herself upward, her unruly hair dangled a little and blocked most of her face from sight.

She sure did look good like that. It was too bad she planned to get it cut before we left.

A part of me wished to mention to her not to. Since I liked it that way. But I'd never say it. Not aloud, not directly, at least.

Oh well. Maybe another time…

Lilly helped Renn to her feet, and then went to talking to her about grappling. Lilly pointed out that she had put herself in a dangerous position earlier, where Lilly could have really hurt her easily. Renn nodded with wide eyes, soaking up the information as I turned my attention back to the young monkey.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Do you know what a mercenary is, Lellip?" I asked her.

"Hm…? Yeah? A soldier right? Or well, a soldier for hire. Mom says they don't just fight in wars though, they also can end up doing simple stuff like guard duty and whatnot," she said.

I nodded. "Pram's right. Half the time they're not fighting but doing labor or something. Not like there's wars all the time," I said.

Lellip grinned at that. "Mom's hoping he'll come here. To work the smithy with us," she said.

Oh…?

I glanced at Lilly, who was still deep in conversation with Renn, and wondered what to think of that.

Branches… here?

I mean, it wasn't impossible. The lad had the mindset for it, and it's not like he couldn't be taught how to work the forge and stuff. But…

"You… don't think it's possible…?" Lellip asked softly.

"Don't see why it wouldn't be. His mother won't ever admit it, but he inherited a love struck side from his father," I said.

"What's that mean?" Lellip asked.

I shrugged. "Basically he can be a type of romantic. He's not just some hotheaded warrior or whatever. In fact he doesn't really even care much for the thrill of battle, lately he himself rarely even fights, he commands," I said.

"Branch isn't a mercenary anymore, Vim."

Frowning at Lilly as she and Renn walked over, I wondered what the heck she meant. "He's not?" I asked. Didn't he just recently join the Silken Band…?

Lilly smiled softly at me. "Vim's, like usual, not paying attention. Branch left the Silken Band a couple years ago. He's now just a guard at a mining town. He stepped down, Vim, because he had been drawing attention. He did it to keep the peace," she said.

Oh…? "See, Lellip? He has a much better head on his shoulders than his mother. You have nothing to worry about," I said, happy to hear such a thing. I had been meaning to check and see how much renown he'd been gathering. To tell him to be careful with drawing eyes in such a way.

Renn laughed softly as Lilly glowered at me.

"Is it hard? Being a mercenary?" Lellip asked.

I didn't get to answer. "It is. Because you have to obey orders of idiots. I never knew how my son put up with their stupid plans and failures," Lilly said with a sigh.

"Oh… right. Humans," Lellip nodded, as if understanding what Lilly meant completely.

Lilly tapped her rapier against her thigh, nodding seriously. "It pains me to admit it, but Vim's right. I would have never been able to put up with half the things he does. Even now he's working at some mining village, protecting some noble's assets. Could you imagine taking orders from those snobby things?" Lilly said.

"I've never met a noble…!" Lellip stepped forward, becoming overtly excited at the conversation.

While I watched the two talk about Branches, the humans and the world he lived in, I felt myself being stared at. I glanced over Lellip's head, and found Renn grinning gently at me a few steps away.

Oh?

Her right ear flicked a little, and I nodded. I stepped back and away from Lilly and her future daughter-in-law as they got into a heated discussion about some noble that once asked to buy Lilly from me. Although it was a story I'd heard many times, I noted that Lilly told it with far more gusto than she ever had before.

Renn and I didn't step too far away, just enough to talk lowly without bothering the two. She pointed at them with her blunt sword, smiling happily as she did. "Look, they're already getting along," she whispered.

"Does it really surprise you…? Lilly's known their family for centuries."

"It does when you consider what's going on. Did a noble really try to buy Lilly?" she asked.

"On more than one occasion."

Renn frowned at that, finding it interesting.

Smiling gently at her eyes, that were stuck on Lilly and Lellip, I did my best to ignore the way her hair clung to her face and how messy it was. She had tied it back a bit before starting her sparring match, but in the scuffles some of it had come undone.

If I focused too much on it she'd get it cut tonight. If she noticed my eyes get distracted by it like that.

It was odd. But that was the way she was. She wanted me to look at her, not her hair. Even though that was her too, wasn't it…?

"Don't be jealous, Renn. You've gotten offers too," I said.

Renn finally stopped looking at the two, and looked at me. I smirked in victory as Renn's brow furrowed at me. "What…? When?"

"A noble in Lumen. Thraxton. He asked me if he could have you," I said.

For a tiny moment Renn tilted her head, looking almost as if she didn't understand what I was saying… and then in the next she broke out into a mighty grin. "Him!? Really?" she asked happily, speaking loudly.

I nodded. "Really."

Well, he hadn't asked to purchase her. Only permission to try and court her. To me it was the same though, since that was how he operated. He wanted things, and offered everything and anything he had in return for them. At least, with me. With those like Brandy he was far more shrewd.

Renn though must have not only found such a thing wonderful, but maybe even knew of who I spoke of. She reached up with her free hand, to cover her mouth as she giggled happily. Usually she'd not hide her giggles in such a way, but I knew it was because she was trying to not be too noisy and distract the two nearby still in their conversation.

"You know who I'm talking about?" I asked.

She nodded, happily. "Yeah! The king? Or whatever he is? He's the one who tipped me when I was working at the bank. How neat!"

No it wasn't. Not anymore.

Renn continued to grin, and her tail began to squirm a little in pure joy. It was the kind of sight that made me want to reach out and touch her. She suddenly looked delectable.

But…

Glancing at the noisy monkey, who was now asking Lilly about her home. The dark forest, the Owl's Nest, I silently thanked them.

Their presence kept me in check.

For now, at least.

"Vim?"

Meeting Renn's eyes, I frowned at her frown. "Hm? What's wrong?" I asked. She had been bliss itself moments ago, what happened?

"Are you… actually upset? Lellip noticed it too. Is it the prophecy? I've been trying not to bring it up," she asked.

"You just did," I said stiffly.

Her frown turned into a tiny smirk. "So it is the prophecy," she stated.

I sighed, since she was right.

It was.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"You should be. But it's okay. I know that's the kind of man you are. I can put up with it," she said with a gentle enough smile to tell me she meant what she said, and wasn't being cynical.

"How long has it been? Since we last talked about it?" I asked.

"Last night. Before dinner."

Right. She was right, of course. She had not brought it up until now. Renn was being… gentle with me about it, at least.

Taking a small breath, I sighed again and nodded. "What do you want me to say, Renn…? I thought I was doing good by not trying to rebel against it," I said.

"Rebel…?" she asked softly.

Shoot. I shifted and flinched, since I knew I had walked into that. "Usually when I hear prophecies concerning me… I try to break them. It's just my hubris, but it's what I usually do," I said.

Renn's face immediately contorted into a terrible frown. One that broke my heart. "Break it…?" she whispered, and I heard the heartbreak about to slither up from the depths of her soul.

I lifted a hand, to gently stop her from misunderstanding. "I'm not going to do anything like that, Renn. I just meant in general. I have no plans to try and… break your prophecy. At least, not in that way."

"In what way then?"

We turned, to find Lilly and Lellip. Lellip was standing behind Lilly, peering at us from behind her as if worried to be noticed.

Lilly looked upset.

"Well?" Renn then said.

Looking back at her, I frowned… and then realized what they meant.

"I mean the aspect of Light and the rest messing with you. I want to break that part," I clarified.

Renn's ears fluttered as she glared at me, and Lilly sighed. "All I can say, Lellip, is my son won't disappoint you like this at least," she said.

Lellip flinched, as if shocked to be spoken to and about during such a moment, as Renn nodded hurriedly and looked over to the young bride-to-be. "Yeah. You'd be hard pressed to find someone as infuriating as him, I think," she added.

What the hell…? Was I really that bad? Was what I had said that bad, too? Shouldn't they want me to break Light's schemes?

Before I could say anything, Lellip coughed and glanced at me. "Couldn't you maybe… fix the Society? With your daughter…?" she asked.

Going still, I barely noticed Lilly and Renn flinch. They both glanced at me, worriedly, and I realized this was something they'd already brought up. Somewhere without me being able to hear.

Wish they had kept such thoughts to themselves.

"Renn…" I groaned at my own bride-to-be, or rather… mother-to-be of my children.

At least I hoped this supposed daughter was going to be mine.

"What! It's true, isn't it? You told me to find a solution, maybe this is it!" Renn defended herself, and Lellip and Lilly in extension, rather quickly.

"Throwing a daughter at them as if some sacrifice is far from a solution," I said, my own voice growing louder as to join hers in volume.

"Who said to do that!" Renn asked.

"What else are you implying, then?" I asked back.

Renn's cheeks puffed up a bit, as she made an odd noise at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lilly's huge smirk, she was obviously enjoying this.

"Are they arguing or flirting…? They look like they're about to kiss," Lellip then asked.

Renn's face went red, and she actually took a step back. Based off the way she now looked utterly ashamed I could tell she hadn't realized how close she had been getting to me. While she had been yelling she had drawn closer.

"Here I thought she was going to stab him," Lilly said with a huff.

"Honestly it could have gone either way," I said. I too had noticed the way she had shifted her sword a little, as to point it my direction. As if in ready for a lunge.

"Jeez…!" Renn grumbled as she squeezed the hilt of her sword. I noted the sound the leather handle made under her grip.

She really was strong. Was she getting stronger…? Or…

Gesturing lightly at Renn, Lilly sighed at me. "You can get upset Vim, but it's a legitimate idea. If they think your daughter is going to be someone important to them, maybe some leader of their church or something, I don't see why you can't use that to your advantage. You could even take over the church that way, even. Would save us all a lot of headaches if you did so," Lilly said.

I reached up to cover my eyes, as to not glare at the owl to the point it killed her.

"Should we give them space?" Lellip asked with a whisper.

"And miss out? Be brave, Lellip, it's worth it," Lilly said back, not with a whisper.

Renn groaned, loudly enough for both of us, as I smiled at her. She had a smile on her face, she was just embarrassed.

I loved that smile. It was wonderful. Almost as delectable as that earlier one.

How many women could squirm in front of me like this, while talking about these things…? We weren't just talking of prophecies… we were talking about one of momentous design.

A daughter. My own daughter. One destined to be a saint. One that Light and the rest, possibly Celine too, were planning their schemes around.

I should be tearing everything down over this. Furious. Disgusted.

Yet instead I wanted to smile and squirm just like she was, full of anticipation and joy.

"Is that what you're scheming then, Renn? To make your daughter the next leader of the Society?" I asked, deciding to once again just confront my fears.

Renn's ears twitched wildly, her tail coiled… and while staring me in the eyes… without any hesitation…

She nodded.

O' Mother, have mercy.

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