We reached my home within two days. Up ahead I could see smoke billowing up into the sky from the chimney of our house. Both fear and joy consumed me. Joy for being home at last and fear for what my wife was going to say. Or do.

"Lass, we're here," I said, turning in my saddle to look at her.

We walked up the mountain pass until we came to a small meadow nestled deep from within the rocky terrain of the mountains. A small cabin sat on the far side with the small barn connected to it. A sad-looking fenced-in garden lay a few paces away from the door.

It wasn't much, but it was home.

"This is your home my lord?" Gilraen asked as I dismounted Kitten.

"Aye, it is. It's not a grand house or palace though, therefore I'm not a lord." I replied, loosening Kitten's cinch.

"Then...what should I call you?" she asked.

"Shyrenor."

"...Shy."

I froze. No one had called me that since July…

Looking back at the young girl, I saw her start in the saddle. Suddenly becoming more aware, alerted by my gaze. I must have startled her with the look in my eyes.

"...can I call you that?" she asked softly.

"...I-"

"SHYRENOR MORCHANT!"

Whirling around, I saw my wife come bursting out of the house. She came marching across the yard up to us. Fury edged in her features. Her red hair was tied back in a long braid for work and she was wearing a simple brown dress which only draped down to above her ankles. Work boots showed from under the skirts that had splotches of dried mud on them.

"Where were you?!" she snapped once coming face to face with me.

"Sorry dear, something came up-"

"Two days! You were gone for a week and two days! We didn't know where you were or when you would be back if you were coming back!"

"I-I'm sorry Freya, but something came up and I was delayed. But I'm home now, so there is no need to worry." I reached to hug her but my wife's attention was drawn to Gilraen who was cowering behind me at Cherry's shoulder.

"Who are you?" she asked bluntly, making the young girl flinch.

"G-Gilraen."

Freya looked at me with a look of puzzlement on her face under that mask of anger. I beckoned Gilraen forward and once she was standing beside me, Freya got a good look at her. My wife looked the young girl up and down before looking back at me.

"I'll explain later, right now she needs a place to stay-"

"Stay?! Shyrenor we don't have enough-"

"Ada!"

A little girl came running up with long red hair trailing behind her. Her little bare feet carried her as fast as they could.

"There she is!" I tossed my daughter up into the air before catching her in my arms. Shyra giggled with a big grin on her face, bright blue eyes sparkling with joy. I glanced at my wife to see her anger slowly fade and a small smile cross her face.

"Shyra, what have you been doing?" I asked, looking down at her muddy shirt and trousers.

"I was going to war with the weeds!" she made a fist with her dirty little hand.

"Oh? And how is my mighty little warrior fairing?"

"Good! I have cut twenty weeds down Ada, but some of them aren't budging. Can you help?"

I smiled and pressed my forehead against hers.

"Yes, I will help you take down those nasty weeds, Owlet."

"After, he explains himself." Freya finished, her arms were crossed over the bump of her stomach where our unborn child was growing. Five months along, four more to go.

Shyra looked over my shoulder at Gilraen. Her eyes widened in awe. We didn't get many visitors here and most of the people who stumbled across us were either lost or unfriendly.

"Who is she Ada?" she whispered to me.

"That's Gilraen. Don't worry, she's nice." Shyra blinked and looked back at Gilraen. The two adolescents met gazes.

"Are you a bandit?" she asked, Gilraen started and blinked.

"N-no. I am no bandit."

"You look like one."

Freya shook her head at our daughter's bluntness.

"She gets it from you," I muttered to her.

So yeah, Shyra and Freya are introduced, yay! Shyra was as spirited as is in her own story and her mother is scary.