Hiro barely even had to wait, the moment Gemma saw him, she dropped the laundry she had been hanging up for drying and rushed to him, ran as quick as she could. "HIROOOO!" and then right into him.
Hiro laughed as he held the young woman, his dearest friend and love of his life just as Amber came from the other side of the laundry as well.
"My boy!" Amber gasped. "You're back."
"Only for a short visit I am afraid, we will be leaving again tomorrow." Hiro smiled.
"Well, in either case it is always so good to see you." Amber smiled as she walked over to him and embrace him as well. "Now, you have remembered to eat probably right?" she asked stepping back. "I swear! You are still so skinny. You need to eat better!"
"Mah." Hiro smiled embarrassed then he cleared his throat. "Any-way. Gemma, Mah." he addressed the women. "I will be leaving again tomorrow morning, I wanted to see you though. There is someone I wanted you to meet." he stated as he turned around, looking at the old man whom had followed them.
Both women looked and blinked by the sight of the old man.
"Mah, Gemma." Hiro spoke. "This is my grandfather, Robert." he informed and the two gasped.
Rab took off his red hat in a respectfully manner before slowly he moved closer.
"Hallo." Rab greeted them quietly, almost nervously. "I am pleased to finally meet you, Hiro has told so much about you. Mrs Amber, Ms Gemma." he stated in a slight bow. "I wished to thank you. For looking so well after the boy, for giving him such a wonderful life and so much love. He has turned into such a fine young lad, you ought to be very proud." and he stood back up.
The women were stunned into silence.
Then finally Gemma shook her head snapping out of it. "The pleasure is all ours!" she stated as she curtsied. "Hiro has always been there for me, he is my best friend! Always were. I couldn't imagine a life without him. So thank you! Thank you for helping and protecting him!"
Then Amber smiled to. "Now don't be so formal!" she stated. "Hiro is family, you are Hiros family, so that makes you our family!"
Rab blinked as he looked up. "Oh, I don't wish to intrude." he stated. "I merely wanted to thank you."
"Nonsense!" Amber stated. "Lord Robert, you must be tired after such a long journey! Please, please come inside!" she asked. "I'll put over a pot and make us some tea!" she stated.
"Well… I would not turn down such a kind offer." Rab smiled. "Oh and please no titles." he asked. "I have not been any kind of lord for a long time. Now I am just Rab, looking after the young ones and doing my bit. That is all."
"Rab." Gemma repeated. "I like it." she smiled.
Hiro smiled as he stepped behind Rab putting a hand on his shoulder. "Told you grandfather." he stated. "Mah and Gemma are the best!"
And Rab nodded. "Of course they are, they raised you. And if you are anything to go by." the two women smiled.
"This way please." Amber asked. "Gemma, will you finish hanging up the laundry?" she asked.
"Sure mah." Gemma grinned and the older woman let the two men towards the house.
"So, this is Chalky?" Rab asked looking at a photograph of a kind older man standing on a little alter.
"Yes, that is my father." Amber informed. "You can't imagine how I surprised I was when he came home holding a baby in his arms. And just as I had finished giving birth too. It was well timed though, then I had more than enough milk for both of my darlings." she stated in a smile.
Rab smiled then turned to the photo, putting his hands together. "Sir Chalky, you saved my grandchild's life! From the bottom of my heart, thank you!" he stated. "You have a fine daughter, and a find granddaughter! You must have raised them well. I hope you rest in peace, with the knowledge of such fine people you left behind." and he made a final bow then stood up, finally getting to the table where tea and cookies had been served just in time for Gemma to come back.
"Gemma!" Hiro smiled and Gemma cheered as she walked over there sitting down next to him without hesitating.
Rab smiled by the sight then looked around. "What a lovely house this is." he commented. "A shame this entire village needed to turn into a fortress, I but it was lovely the way it used to be."
"It was." Gemma smiled. "And it will be again, ones Mordegon is defeated we can rebuild."
Hiro nodded. "Out here the air is always fresh and the water always clear, my Grandad used to go fishing all the time. And Gemma and I would climb trees when we were small."
Rab nodded as he smiled, genuinely happy to hear these stories.
"Oh and at winter! You would pull me around on a sledge!" Gemma grinned. "Remember when we thought it was a good idea to tie Sandy to the front of the sledge."
"Hehe… yeah. That didn't end well." Hiro remembered in a blush and the dog by his feets barged.
"Oh hallo there!" Rab talked to the dog then scratched her behind the ear. "What a good girl you are!"
And Sandy wagged with her tale, clearly happy with the attention.
"You will be staying for dinner I assume." Amber adressed Rab, Rab halted.
"I don't think no is an option." Hiro whispered.
"Then, I would be delighted to accept." Rab nodded. "Thank you."
It turned out to be an extraordinary pleasant evening, somehow everything seemed so calm and cosy in the little house.
Gemma, Amber and Hiro would tell stories of when Hiro had grown up, and Rab would tell a little bit about Eleanor and Irwin now and again.
Finally at late evening, Rab left, informing they had to leave by morning so they needed to be rested.
"Uh I would offer you a guest bed, but our guest house were burned down by that horrible Jasper!" Amber exclaimed.
"That is quite all right, you have been so kind." Rab smiled. "Thank you, tonight I was allowed to feel happy in a way I didn't think I was able to anymore. I will always be grateful to this house, and for what you have done."
"You will always be welcome here." Amber assured. "You are family."
Rab smiled. "I didn't think I would ever be part of a family again. Or at least, just feel like I am. Even if only for a little while." he admitted. "Thank you." he bowed for her. "It means a lot to me."
"No, thank you." Amber stated. "For looking after my boy!" then she blinked as she looked behind herself and then smirked as the backdoor shut closed.
"Why I never. Hiro and Gemma going on a night stroll?" Rab asked.
Amber smirked amused. "To tell the truth, I always thought that Hiro had a sweet eye for Gemma if you know what I mean. And lately, Gemma has seen more happy. She has been, day dreaming you know."
"Oh." Rab realised. Then he smiled. "Ahh, the young in love. How wonderful!" he smiled warmly.
"So you better get my boy back in one piece!" Amber demanded.
"Of course!" Rab assured. "And I will keep our little secret." he winked.
Amber smiled and finally the two greeted each other goodbye as Rab walked towards the Inn, feeling so warm and content. Happy.
Of course Sylvando had decided to put on a show to cheer up the citizens of last bastion, how could anyone be remotely surprised by that?
This time though Erik and Serena had avoided being dragged into it, and was instead actually just watching the performance from afar. Erik sitting on a tree branch in a tree and Serena standing right next to him.
"You know, gotta hand it to him." Erik commented looking at how Sylvando was juggling seven flaming batons. "He is really good."
"Yes." Serena replied. "He does practice hard after all."
Erik quieted then looked down. "Serena are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine." Serena assured.
"Hey." Erik spoke. "Your sister died recently, it is okay if you are not over it. It would be really surprising if you were."
Serena swallowed. "I know." she stated. "But regardless of what I feel, I have a job to do. I must go on."
"Of course." Erik nodded. "But right now we are on a break. You can feel sad now."
"Sylvando would hate that." Serena commented.
"Sylvando is pretty childish like that." Erik commented. "Not everything in the world can be sunshine and rainbows, some stuff just is dark." he stated. "I suppose he knows that though, and that's why it is important to remind people of the good things too." he looked up at the entertainer just in time to see Sylvando forming a flaming circle in the air, and then jumped through it in a flip making all the children scream, then yell in pure excitement.
"There are good things and bad things. They don't cancel each other out though." Erik pointed out. "Good things doesn't make the bad any less bad, but then again… That also means the bad things doesn't make the good any less good. You know?" he asked.
Serena nodded as she swallowed. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "I do admit, I am very scared these days. As long as Veronica was here, I was sure things would work themselves out somehow. Now… I am not so sure anymore"
"But you are fighting anyway, that is very brave." Erik stated.
"Thank you." Serena whispered.
"I think it's amazing." Erik stated. "You're amazing! You didn't close yourself off from the world or us, you are here. You are way stronger than you think Serena."
"Thank you." Serena whispered again blushing slightly.
"Hey, if you want to be sad. It's fine." Erik assured. "I wont tell Sylvando or the others."
Serena nodded as she swallowed, then grabbed a tree branch and pulled herself up to sit next to Erik, looking down with a sad face.
Erik put a hand on hers and didn't say anything else, as the two friends just merely watched the show, allowed themselves to be sad and to be amused by what they saw.
Allowing themselves to find comfort in each others presence as the unlikely pair of friends they were.
Tomorrow would be yet another day.