ONE YEAR LATER

Finn was up at the crack of dawn to make sure they were ready for when the convoy came. It was the first time Harv would be back in town since he left and he wanted to make sure they looked their best. Well, at least he'd look his best. Piper had been so excited about the outfit they picked out that she'd wanted to go to bed in it. Not that he could blame her. It was the first time she'd been invited to an event like a grown up. After months of hearing stories about heroes fighting monsters, Finn had received a letter from Harv saying to bring Piper to the family visit day. The letter had been hanging proudly on the fridge with the other more official invitations to galas and concerts Finn had received. Despite the excitement of the day, Finn still had to chase her down after breakfast to put on her shoes.

"Uhkee." She tried to take off her shoe, just as Finn scooped her up. "Uhkee!" She kicked her feet, but couldn't shake them off.

"We need shoes if we want to go outside." Finn said. He grabbed her playground bag and his harp just in case the soldiers were late.

"No." She was already scuffing up the polished toes trying to pry them off her feet.

"I'm wearing my shoes." Finn knew he was fighting a losing battle. Inevitably she'd get out of them only to want to be put down and run around in the dirt with her socks coming off shortly after.

"Uhkee." She pointed at his shoes, as if they bothered him just as much.

"We can take them off after we meet Harv." Finn said. She perked up and pointed to the door. "Yes, we're going to see Harv today. That's why we have to look our best." He hoped with all his heart that she wouldn't act up today. He hadn't gone to too many group functions, and wasn't sure how she'd fair with being around so many new people.


They had picked out a table close to the front where they could see the carts roll by, but far enough from the performers that Piper wouldn't be deafened by the crowd. He kept her on his hip while they waited, since it was easier for Finn to keep her from wandering that way. She covered her ears and wrinkled her nose.

"Baba moo."

"In a bit." Finn said. "If I play music now, we might miss..." Finn trailed off, recognizing a set of armor among the crowd. "Harv." He waved, trying to catch Harv's attention. He'd have run up himself if it wasn't for all the stuff he had brought. "Harv over here!" Piper looked at Finn with a puzzled expression on her face. Finn rarely was this happy to see anyone.

Harv turned his head and his eyes lit up. He rushed over with as much dignity he could muster, but slowed his pace when he saw Piper try to hide in Finn's arms. She buried her face in Finn's shoulder, peaking at Harv with one eye. People in Cailburry's colors and armor typically weren't quiet and soft like this stranger. Not that she had much experience with strangers after the last few had gotten shouty with her. The only people she found safe to trust were other children or musicians. After all, heroes only existed in Baba's stories.

"Hi Piper." Harv said softly. Piper looked up at Finn, as if to ask if everything was okay.

"Piper, that's Harvey." Finn said. She pointed at Harv. The Harv, fighter of monsters and protector of magic folk. "Yeah, that's right." He set her down. She grabbed the hem of her skirt and looked up at Finn again. "It's okay. You have your armor on, remember?" She patted her red wool skirt and puffy jacket. Pretty clothes had the power to make people feel a certain way and she wanted to feel brave. It didn't seem to be working though. Harv crouched down, so he was at eye level with her.

"Did you want to match Ahbuh?" Harv asked. At the sound of a familiar word, her word, she stamped excitedly in place before running to him. He caught her when she stumbled over her shoes and scooped her up in his arms. "You've gotten so big." She smiled big and grabbed his scratchy cheeks.

"Maah." She waited, then let go and looked back at Finn with a puzzled look. She recognized Harv as someone friendly, but he was doing things wrong in her eyes.

"He doesn't know that one yet." Finn said and walked up to the two. He gently cupped Harv's left cheek and kissed his right one. "Mwah."

"Maah!" Piper repeated.

"I see." Harv said. He put a smooch on Piper's forehead. "Mwah." She squealed with laughter and hugged him tight. He placed a firm hand on the back of her head, his nose in her hair. Something about his smell and the thick ropes of hair was familiar, comforting. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long." She could see the other families greeting their loved ones, very few as young as her. Though the bigger kids were being hugged by soldiers as well.

"It's not your fault Harvey." Finn hugged Harv, his chin resting on Harv's other shoulder. It would only be for a few days before he'd have to go back into battle. He could see the toll being a mercenary was taking on Harv, especially with him barely earning any pay as an intern. More than anything, he saw the regret in Harv's face when Piper was too shy to approach him at first. Someone who used to light up when he entered the room barely recognized him. None of that was his fault. "I know you'd have been here sooner if you could. I'm just happy you're home."

There was so much still to be said and planned out now that Harv was home. From the awkwardly written letters he could tell Harv was certain about moving further into the future with them. That he had missed them both dearly and wanted to know as much as he could about what was going on at home. He'd also complained quite a bit about the sorry excuse for cups they got, promising to bring one back as proof.

"Baba?" Piper rested her cheek on Harv's shoulder so she could look at Finn. She had so many questions. Like why Finn looked so happy while crying, or where all these new people were hiding. She often found herself in this situation, not having enough words to ask the questions she had.

"Yes Piper?" Finn wiped his eyes. "Right, I promised I'd play some music for you."

"No." She pouted. Not that there was anything wrong with music, but he wasn't giving her time to think of how to phrase her question in a way he'd understand. "Ahbuh baba." He looked up at Harv and back at her.

"Yes, that's Harv."

"Ahbuh Baba?" She said again. Only, the different inflection didn't seem to be helping any. "Baba Ahbuh?" Finn seemed more confused as ever, so she kicked at the air. She only had ten words she could use and didn't know how to use little words like grownups did. "Have Baba Ahbuh?" Finn's eyes lit up.

"That's very good. " Finn ruffled her hair. "You're talking so much today." She perked up a little. Even if he didn't understand her fully, she appreciated he could see her trying.

"Have Ahbuh, yez peez dankoo." It was her biggest sentence yet, and she received equal praise for it.

"I still have to say hi to my family," Harv said, "but I was hoping to stay with you guys tonight." Well, that sort of answered her question. If only she knew which word from that sentence was most important to practice: family or stay? One of them had quite a few sounds and the other started with a sound she could barely say. She huffed at the thought of the effort it would take to barely come close. Even worse, what if she was entirely wrong and practiced the wrong word? "I won't be too long." She felt his hold on her loosen as he handed her back to Finn. She clung to the hem of his glove as he did so.

"Have Ahbuh." She frowned.

"That's right, we'll have Harv all to ourselves this week." Finn said. "And soon we can go to the farm and play with the..." Finn heaved a great big sigh. "Unicorns."

"Municorn!" She kicked happily. Oh, how she loved running around and chasing furry animals. No wonder today was so special.

"Unicorns, what unicorns?" Harv asked as he picked up their stuff.

"Despite trying my best to warn her, she... she loves unicorns." Finn said, his disappointment and fear mixing into a tight, high-pitched tone. "Which is why we're so lucky your farm is full of special unicorns with two horns. After all, the more horns they have, the more special they are. Isn't that right?" Harv nodded slowly, seeing the anxious way Finn held to Piper.

"Uh, yeah." Harv said. "The specialist. You can have one if you want." Finn stopped dead in his tracks, the giddiness of the child difficult to contain.

"Have municorn!?" Piper kicked.

"Sure."

"Harvey..." Finn said with a deadly calmness. "Don't make promises you can't keep. You may be comfortable stepping around goat turds, but I am not."

"HAVE MUNICORN!?"

"Why not?" Harv shrugged. "Don't you think it'd be nice to have a special unicorn to keep any one horned unicorns away?"

"MUNICORN!" Piper cheered. Finn wanted to argue how silly it was to think a goat could act as a guard dog, especially since Hevvin hadn't dared come near them in years. It was harder to argue with a toddler that now had her heart set on something he never said he'd get her. He refused to be the bad guy on this either.

"If you're bringing a goat into my house, you're taking care of it." Finn glared.

"Suddenly it's your house?" Harv asked with a wry smile. Finn's expression softened, because of course he wouldn't be manning the household by himself forever. "The kids take about three to four months to wean, but she can pick one out today and leave it on the farm until it's old enough." He winked, but Finn was still not pleased. "I'll take care of it, don't you worry."

"Easy for you to say, you won't have someone asking questions for three years. I mean, where you are, that's one thing. But the goat? She knows where they are. She's already slipped outside a few times." When it came to childproof handles, she was especially crafty.

"Finn, when it's old enough, I'll take care of it." Harv said. He waited, watching as Finn's brow furrowed.

"But you just said three to four months..." Finn followed Harv faster, seeing the ghost of a smile as the warrior turned away. "Harvey, what's going on in three to four months?"

"Palace guards only need fifteen months of combat experience." Harv said. "It's not the most glamorous thing, but it's a stable job and they pay's decent. Sir Berwickshire put in a good word from me when he heard I had a new family back home." The gears clicked in Finn's head, almost ready to cry all over again.

"You're coming home early?" Finn asked.

"Surprise." Harv said. Finn looped his free arm around Harv's.

"Harv you don't have to do that."

"But you guys need me." Harv said.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean-"

"And then there's the goat.

"Three to four months you said?" Finn squeezed Harv's hand. It was going to be more difficult than they had initially planned, but the thought that Finn could finally leave home soon left him giddy. With Harv here, everything felt more real than any letter could explain. "That's not too long."

"No, it isn't."