Let me know if the formatting gets weird. Did it from my phone today!
light fluff and a cameo from my favorite rascal from the Emerald Grove!
When Aramiya blinked her eyes open, she looked down at Halsin, who had closed his eyes for a moment like she did. Carefully she bent over and started kissing his chest, aware of where her horns were so as to not stab him in the chin on accident. His hands caressed her upper back lazily.
"Halsin," she murdered between kisses. A hum was her reply. "Could you teach me how to love?"
The hand on her back stopped short and a large sigh lifted her before bringing her back down. "Look at me," a small command.
Aramiya sat back up, hands still on his chest to anchor her while he moved them up the cot to put his back against the wall. One of his hands remained on her hip the other he brought to her face. "Love is not something that is taught," his voice low and raspy after their activities. "However, it is something that needs to be given for you to give it back." His thumb brushed the apple of her cheek. "You thought he loved you and so you gave it but it was never given back. The flower cannot grow without sunlight or water, eventually it withers.
"You sought love and even asked to make it for yourself when he could not give it. You know how to love, Aramiya, but you have forgotten how to be loved." Tears started to gather and he wiped them away gently. "Even in your darkest of moments you showed yourself love by leaving. Showed your daughter a mother who cared for her." He cracked a smile. "Even showed this old druid love just by being in his presence."
"I-" she started and Halsin shook his head.
"Gale could not love you the way you needed. And I know a part of you broke when you realized that." His hand on her cheek moved to her chin. "Let me love you the way you deserve to be loved. Let us leave the past behind, focus on the future we build together. You are now more-"
"More than I was?" She finished for him. His eyes widened at the finished statement. Sheepishly she smiled. "Thaniel and Oliver."
"Just now?"
She nodded. "I meditated for just a moment after we…" she sighed happily. "And I was in the glade behind the house watching a bunch of little tiefling that had my coloring wildshaping and playing when Thaniel tugged my hand. He told me to trust in Silvanus." She paused for a moment, contemplating if she should share the difference in Oliver "It's interesting, Oliver's horns are much like mine since the lifting of the Shadowcurse."
That earned her a raised eyebrow. "Oliver has been a little different since you've been around."
Aramiya pursed her lips at that. However she had no response as she hadn't really left the small cabin as she had a small bundle to care for. However now that Camellia was a bit older than a newborn, it might benefit her to learn her new home.
"Since you've denied my request about love," her tone playful before kissing him. "Could you show me my new home? I want to get to know the villagers and sit in nature during the summer. Maybe relearn some things that I had lost."
"That my heart, can be arranged." he brought her closer to him and kissed her breathless. "However, there are a few other things we could attend to." Underneath her she felt him come to life again.
"Master Halsin!" Chiding him with his official title, but she ground herself against him earning a growl from him. Kissing him, she kept up her pace grinding and moaned at his hands gripping her tightly. She almost came again at the friction between them. She wanted more of him, his hands on her everywhere, his mouth…
However before they could go any further Camellia's cries echoed in the small room. Aramiya put her forehead to his. "Go to her, our little love needs her mama." He carefully helped her up and smoothed a palm over her backside as she walked the few feet to the bassinet.
"Hello my little flower, is someone hungry?" Aramiya's voice gentle and sweet as she picked up her daughter and brought her over to her new rocking chair, which Halsin had put a blanket across so he could bundle her up a bit while she fed Camellia. "Your Papa made us this chair that rocks so it'll be easier for you to sleep." The suckling sounds of a content child filled the room with the metronome of her and the chair rocking back and forth.
"Papa," a realization hit Halsin. Aramiya tilted her head at him, her white tipped horns angling at him. A flash of the mediation snapped back to him. A child around the same age as Thaniel looked had made that same movement. Her dark curls around her face. Bright hazel eyes like his. Halsin looked again at Aramiya. "My visions, that's what the children called me in them."
Her voice was teasing, "And just how many of them were there?"
A laugh escaped him. "At least four to five, but I could have missed count."
His answer was a smile and she held up five fingers. "That's how many were in mine as well" She wrapped the blanket around her waist. "Tomorrow, can we meditate together during her nap? I have a feeling Thaniel may provide us with more questions in the form of answers."
"He does have that way about him. But of course, my love, we can." She visibly winced he noticed and he brought over the salve and put it on the side table. "Did I make it worse?"
"No, its not that. But if I could have one request?" she looked at him, her eyes pained. "Could you not call me 'my love'? It's the only thing Gale called me, so much so that I have a feeling he forgot my name. My heart or anything else you come up with is fine. I hate to put a restriction on you, but he happened to ruin that phrase."
Halsin knelt by her and held the hand she had reached out to him. "As you wish, my heart."
Once Camellia was fed, they dressed. Sadly, the mood had passed but Halsin was sure it would strike them again. Instead, he helped Aramiya wear Camellia around her so that they could take a walk around the villiage. Most hadn't met her yet and the few who had, mostly had heard about her through the screaming in the glade or when they came to Halsin's for healing. Some of the older tieflings recognized her from her time in the Emerald Grove and nodded their heads to her and Halsin as they passed.
It was odd to be in such a place after being alone for so long. Aramiya had one arm wrapped around her daughter rubbingher back, the other around Halsin's arm. She walked around barefoot feeling the ground below her while also feeling earth hum around her. The paths were still dirt, even after fifteen years of settlement. Halsin informed her as they walked that he had asked the towns folk to live as close to nature as they could. Homes were build usually no more than 2-3 rooms each or single room cabins like Halsin's. The town square had carts of traveling merchants and a few of the staple shops had made small storefronts with homes in the back for the shop keepers.
It was more like the outpost towns they had visited on their travels through Faerun. As they passed a clothing merchant Halsin stopped their walk. "Pick out some clothes, Aramiya. For you and the babe." She looked up at him, her mouth slightly agape. Gale had purchased her clothes, so many in fact she had so many outfits and nowhere to have worn them. In the four months she had lived with Halsin the only articles of clothing she wore was one of his shirts and a skirt she had fashioned out of the dress she wore when she arrived. She was used to having so few articles, having spent so long in only a handful of outfits she was comfortable wearing what she had.
Halsin closed her mouth and whispered in her ear, "You know I prefer to see you as Nature intended, but I want you to feel comfortable and to be able to walk around freely."
She flushed a bit at his whispered words, but moved forward toward the vendor who smiled brightly at the pair and motioned for her to come and see the fabric selections. "I see you have a little one, congratulations! How old are they?"
"She's just about four months and growing like a summer weed! She will be bigger than this before long." Aramiya rubbed her daughters back through the cloth of the wrap.
The merchant smiled brightly. "Well then we should get you something that will fit her now and, from the looks of it you may be handy with a needle, maybe some fabric to add items as she grows if I or another merchant don't swing by before she outgrows it." The merchant dug around her cart and pulled a bolt of fabric out along with a small shirt and pant set. Aramiya held the shirt and pants up contemplating it. They were still a bit big, but she would be running out of her mothers arms sooner than Aramiya would want. "I also have a diapering material, if you need that as well."
Aramiya looked at Halsin, they were currently borrowing some diapering supplies from a fellow villager. Halsin spoke up. "That would be good, we've been borrowing from a neighbor and at the rate this village grows we may have more babes in diapers yet." She put a hand on his forearm in silent thanks before turning her eyes to the vendor again.
"For you, my lovely lady! I would recommend this," The merchant pulled out a red cotton shift dress with a few buttons down the front. "And this!" The merchant pulled out another shirt and pant set in an emerald green and dark brown leather. "A lady must always match her lord." When the merchant said that she winked at Halsin. Aramiya giggled. "For the great Archdruid Halsin and one of the saviors of Baldur's gate. 50 silver pieces for the lot."
It was at that comment that Aramiya took a closer look at the merchant. A Dark red tiefling with fancy eyepatch. "Mol?" Aramiya gasped when the realization hit her.
"Was wonderin' when you would recognize me!" Mol gave her signature grin.
"It was hard to see you under that top hat! You have grown so much from the little thief I met in the Emerald Grove." Aramiya walked around the cart to give the younger tiefling a hug. "I'm guessing you still have a motley crew around?"
The tiefling kicked around some dirt like she had done when she was smaller. "Yeah, but now we have a legit thing going! Most of the gang helped peddle the papers around Baldur's gate and managed to get decent merchant gigs. Doni sells potions and apothecary ingredients now. We take care of our own too, especially the little ones." Mol touched the top of Camellia's head. "We travel from town to town incase…"
Aramiya nodded. She knew that pain, she had experienced it herself. "I know." Turning to Halsin she gave him a knowing look. "Did you know Mol was here?"
He gave a deep laugh. "I found out this morning when I did a morning round to check in on Elder Lestat. When we decided to go for a walk, figured it was best to let you figure it out."
"Halsin had already bought most of the items, aside from the shirt and leathers. Those I threw in once I knew it was you. Always saved my ass when I got into too much trouble with that devil and in the grove a few times."
Aramiya elbowed her in the ribs. "Well, like you said: we take care of our own especially the littles." She pulled the younger into another hug. "I'm glad to see you doing so well!"
"Ah, quit it! You're gonna make me seem like a softy."
"Never! Mol, the Scoundrel, always." The three laughed and talked for a few minutes more before Mol handed Halsin the items and they continued on their walk