"… you want me to get what?"

"Get your mother's chest, no questions. Just get it, and give it to your father." Tirai put her foot down.

"How do you know about it, and why do you want me to give it to him?" Alexander eyed his aunt.

"Do as you are told Alexander." Tirai ordered him.

"I'll get it but I want to know how you know about it." A bit reluctantly he headed off.

"Thank you Alexander." Tirai half smiled.

Jenos passed Alexander in the hall, and walked up to Tirai. "What was that all about?"

"Alexis."

"She visited you too?" Jenos raised an eye brow.

"Yes, we came to an understanding." She sighed and crossed her arms.

"About?"

"You." She looked up at him.

He looked at her, mildly confused. "What did she say about that?"

Tirai didn't answer him, but motioned for him to follow her into one of the guest rooms. Once they were inside she spoke. "She wants to come home if you will have her, but she has made me matriarch." She started to say something else, but changed her thought. "We have to keep the bargain."

"Bargain, what bargain?"

"She and I agreed, when Alexis was gone. I would carry on in her stead." Tirai turned away from him.

"What?"

Tirai turned and looked in his eyes as she had done many a night in his dreams long ago, debating whether or not to explain everything to him. "Did you honestly think that the Goddess didn't have plans for Alexis? That she wouldn't be rewarded for what she did for her?" Noticing Jenos's stunned look she continued. "The Goddess has reasons for everything Jenos. You should know that by now. She watches over everything, just as Alexis watched over her children… and you. Oh, and Jenos?"

"Yes, Tirai?"

"Sorry about the roost incident all those years ago." Silently she walked away, leaving Jenos alone in the room with his thoughts…and she alone with her own.

A couple minutes later Alexander returned with a small chest. He was covered in soot, dirt and spider webs. "When mum wants to hide some thing she hides it." He handed the foot and half wide chest to his father. "This is yours I believe."

"Thanks," Jenos took it, and Alexander started to walk away. As he started to walk away Jenos called out him, "Hey Angel." Alexander froze half way out the door. Jenos didn't need to have Alexander say anything to know what Alexis had told him was right. "Don't go running off with until your back up returns." Alexander's eyes went wide, and then nodded as he headed back out the door.

Jenos went to his and Alexis's room got the key from where it was hidden, and carefully opened the chest. The chest had to have been spelled to be much lighter and hold much more than it's out side would assume. There was a parcel that he had carried with him into battle. He had since updated it with something from all his children since then. There were bits of hair from each of the children at their first haircut. There were dried flowers from each of their children's weddings. There were all kinds of little things that he had missed as the children grew up. There was finally a parcel with his name on it. He opened it to find letter's to each of the children, one for himself, an official looking document that had to be her will, a ledger, a sealed scroll case and small velvet bags. Jenos carefully opened his letter.

Jen,

If you are reading this it means something happened to me. If it was foul play I almost pity the one who did it. I know you will not stop until you feel I am vindicated. If it was due to time taking me away, and then I hope the goddess feels fit to keep her end of the bargain.

The bargain is something between the Goddess and I. I can never be with you on the celestial plane. That is the gift that she gave to the rest of you. Because I put the safety of our family before her I can not have that gift. It is because of that sacrifice I have been given a different gift. I have left the decision of what shall be done to you. Our house shall never be taken from our family, and we shall never go hungry no matter what you choose. I have seen to that.

Enclosed are scrolls that will bring me back, but know this, if I come back I will no longer be the Alexis Idanian that ran the Blade and Flute Pub.. She died. I will be what the Goddess has chosen for me. I know what she has planned for me but I can not tell you. If you want me back you have the means. If you want to let me sleep, you may. I can still visit those I love in their dreams. I leave the choice to you. Whatever you choose I want you to know I wouldn't change a minute I have had with you. See to it that the children are taken care of, I miss them already. Stay Safe, Stay Sane, and remember I love you.

Your wife,

Alexis

Carefully closing the letter Jenos slipped it into his pocket for safe keeping. Closing the chest, he left the room and went down to the common room.

"What was in the chest Poppa?" Alexander asked.

"Letters for each of you, and her will." He showed him the contents. "Do you want your letter now?"

Swallowing Alexander took it and headed off to read it alone.

Jenos had much to think about, and headed to the fighting ring. He would give the other's their letters later. A couple hours later he heard someone hurrying down the steps. His hand still on his weapon, Jenos watched the feet of Alexander appear.

"Father, we need to talk… now."

Back in Alexander's room Jenos was pacing. "Let me get this straight, your mother was skimming money from the house?"

"No, " Alexander sighed. "You know that the House of Anthatal is powerful politically, and we put food on the table, but we are not that well off. The Idanian family owns the pub, and half of the inn. The other half is owned by the Odgree family."

"Yes, we agreed on that years ago. The house is for the guardians to have a home to come back to. None of our family will be without a roof over their heads."

"What about the house's OTHER holdings?"

"Other holdings?"

"Each of the Anthatal families each owns a share of the town ship of where Anthatal was."

"It was our home so that makes sense."

"It also means that you get all the rent from the businesses there. It is run by the local church." Jenos's eyebrows started to go up. "We are talking several thousand gold pieces a year."

"So we are better off than we thought. What does this have to do with your mother?"

"All the Anthatal families are well off, but mother has increased our share quite a bit."

"Define quite a bit."

"Two farms, three manor houses, a couple shops, not to mention the live stock or the liquid assets that are kept in the church vaults."

"When did she do that?"

"Since before I was born from the looks of it. There is nothing illegal in her dealings, but we are very well off thanks to her."

"How well off?"

Alexander looked at the ledgers, "We never have to pay taxes in three life times." Alexander couldn't help a slight grin, "Mum always said she would make sure the family was taken care of when she was gone."

"That sounds like her." Jenos mumbled.

"There was one odd thing though."

"What's that?"

"She makes note that 500 gold pieces a year is to go to the priestesses of The Church of the Goddess's Womb."

"Any reason given?"

"Just a note saying, 'To keep the bargain'. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Possibly, keep this ledger a secret for now. I need to take care of something I'll be back later."