The Tarron Manor

The carriage reaches the peak of the hill, and the group are on the final stretch to the large manor.

John looks at the building in question, and is in complete awe. The manor looks exactly like how Terra described as a 'small castle.' Kyuala and Lani have similar reactions, but it's Amilia who puts it best, "Hoooly fuck, that's a big ass house."

Everyone laughs, apart from Durat who allows himself to smile.

The carriage then continues on for a little bit more, before going around a very fancy-looking fountain, and stops at the stairs toward the front entrance.

"This is our stop. I hope you all enjoyed the smooth riding of Gran's Carriages."

The group then put the back of the carriage down before getting off one by one. Durat then gets off last after handing Gran a small pouch of coins, "A tip for your generous service as always, Mister Gran."

Mister Gran says his thanks before cracking the reins, and sets back off down the hill. The group all then look at the front door, and Durat says, "Here it is. Master Tarron should already be waiting for us, so let's not keep him waiting."

Durat walks up the stairs, but as the group goes to follow, John notices that Terra is almost frozen. He stays beside Terra and asks, "Are you okay?"

"I am... I think. I just... never expected to be back here. It may sound foolish, but I feel like my feet are stuck to the ground. I don't feel any fear, but I just... can't move."

"You're nervous, it's understandable. This is a huge moment, and you have a lot of memories here, and the last ones weren't good. You just have to remember that you are your own person now, and you're no longer just a bargaining chip for some marriage with some dick with the last name Knagstun."

Terra chuckles a little before turning to look at John, "Thank you."

John then gently nods before walking up the stairs with Lani still on his shoulder. Terra takes a deep breath, still looking up at the door before shaking, and slowly taking a step forward. She then walks up the stairs, and then, Durat knocks on the door.

A few moments pass, and the doors are opened by a sharply dressed older gentleman, "Ahh, Mister Durat. I see you have brought back some friends."

"I have, and I think you will recognise this one," Durat says before gesturing toward Terra.

The man's eyes open wide as he says, "Miss Terra, is that really you?"

"It's really me, Remar. It's been a while, huh?"

The older man aka Remar is stunned, looking upon the woman Terra has become compared to the last time he saw her, "It is fantastic to see you again! I have missed you. You seem to have truly blossomed into a beautiful woman. I only hope you have kept up your pursuit of knowledge since you have been gone."

Terra chuckles, "I have, Remar. Funnily enough, I met my friends here because of one of my pursuits."

Remar looks at the group and asks, "Apologies for not greeting you all sooner. I am Remar, head servant of the Tarron family. And you all are?"

Terra then says, "The incredibly intimidating orc is Kyuala. The oh-so-kind catfolk is Amilia. The strong-willed hu-" Terra stops herself for a moment, realizing that she almost just said human. She then quickly picks up, "Hugely remarked drop-in, is John. And the lovely guide on his shoulder, is Lani."

Remar bows his head slightly, "A pleasure to meet you all. Welcome to the Tarron Manor, please, come inside. I shall let Master Tarron know that you have arrived."

Remar slightly moves to the side, and the group all enter the manor with Remar closing the door behind them before saying, "Follow me. I shall take you to the dining room. I assume you are all in dire need of something better than sailor stew."

"I like him already," Amilia comments.

The group then begin to walk forward with Durat right beside Remar, "Any update on the situation?" Durat asks.

"None, I'm afraid. Master Tarron is keeping this very close to the chest. I worry that this situation is much, much more dire than we believe."

Durat sighs, his face showing obvious frustration and concern over Remar's words. He then realizes that the others will definitely be wondering just what they were whispering about, so he asks, "What about Terra's sisters? Have any of them arrived?"

"You shall soon see," Remar answers elusively before stopping at a set of doors. He then opens up said doors, and the group are hit with a cacophony of mouth-watering smells.

The combined smells of freshly made bread, steamed vegetables, and perfectly cooked meat are just some of the few scents that begin to make the collective mouths of the group water.

Durat sees the reactions of the group, and simply says, "Let us take a seat. It would be a shame to waste this food whilst we wait."

Amilia, without a second of hesitation, finds a seat closest to the meat, and begins to practically overload her plate from the various platters.

The rest all take a seat, and begin to follow Amilia's lead, albeit, a little less extreme than the cat. Lani is even indulging, but John helps her by cutting a piece of pork into tiny little pieces for her.

They all begin to dig in, and immediately, they all revel in the freshly cooked food as the memories of the 'sailor stew' are still far too fresh in their heads.

A few great minutes of pure binging ensues. Meat is torn into, bones are dropped onto plates, the smell of vegetables is tolerated by Amilia, and everyone has a messy smile on their face, including Durat.

Those smiles last for a good minute, but the group are then disturbed as the door opens, and Remar says, "They are in here."

The group ready themselves, wiping their mouths before trying to look good for who they assume is Terra's father. Amilia however, continues to gorge. Her pace has significantly slowed down, but the effort is still there.

A few carpet muffled thuds are heard, and just a moment later, they would see who Remar was talking to.

"Hello little sister. It has been a while."

Terra's face lights up as she says, "Kiera!"

Terra then runs over to the very top-heavy elf who is dressed in what John would describe as a "librarian's attire."

As the two embrace, Kiera says, "It is fantastic to see you once again, Terra. You look well."

As Terra lets go, she responds, "And you look as stunning as ever. I swear, you get more beautiful as the years pass."

Kiera giggles, "My oh my, is this my sister? Or are you a suitor looking for my hand in marriage?"

The two sisters laugh before Kiera looks at the other, "Well, I see Terra has made some friends. I was always worried that she would be alone out in the wilderness."

Terra bows her head a little, "I was alone for a while, I'll admit. Fortunately, I ran into these people during a... incident, and I have been with them since."

Kiera smiles, "I am glad to hear that. Now, onto the introductions, I am Kiera Tarron, the eldest sibling of the many Tarron sisters."

John then says, "It's lovely to meet you Kiera. I'm John Doe."

"I'm Lani!"

"I am Kyuala Mar'azu, and proud wife of John," Kyuala says with a little hint of protectiveness.

Amilia then finally stops eating to say, "I'm Amilia, and I... am completely stuffed."

Kiera chuckles, "I am glad. The chefs will be glad to hear that you all enjoyed their cooking." Kiera then turns toward Durat, "It is also good to see you again, Durat. I trust you are doing well?"

"I am, Miss Kiera. And you? How has your classes been?"

"They are going well. My students have been well-behaved, and all of them seem to have a keen interest in the art of alchemy, which is all I can ask for."

"I am glad to hear," Durat finishes.

Terra smiles, "I knew you would make a great professor."

Kiera lightly chuckles, "Thank you. It did help that I had a great first student."

The two sisters share another quick hug again before Kiera then says, "Onto more prevalent matters. I am afraid that I have some bad news."

Terra is immediately worried, a million possibilities running through her mind before she asks, "What is it?"

Kiera takes a moment before saying, "Mother has not... matured since the last time you spoke to her. Actually, if I am truly honest, she got a lot more... tyrannical with us. That's why most of our sisters don't live here anymore."

Terra's stomach knots as those fights with her mother begin playing all at once in her head. Kiera sees the worried expression on Terra's face, "Do not fret. All of us still stand by what you did. Our sisters may not be as friendly as I am towards you, but none of them blame you for not marrying that... pig."

Terra is filled with surprise as she hears that her sisters still side with her. However, she remembers the start of the last part, so she asks, "Do they... hate me?"

Kiera exhales, "I do not know. I know it was hard on our younger sisters since they still lived here, but I do not think they hated you. I think if anything... there may potentially be some sense of abandonment."

Terra's face drops, guilt beginning to form a knot in her stomach. Kiera sees her sisters troubled expression, so she places her hands onto Terra's arms, "I know that look. You cannot blame yourself, nor did I say that was any of your fault. Mother definitely tried to make you seem like the villain, but none of them bought it... that I know of anyway."

Terra's expression changes slightly, but you can see that the guilt is still there.

Remar then uses the moment of silence to say, "I have been asked to bring you all to the throne room. Master Tarron has requested to see you all, including you, Miss Kiera."

The group are all worried, but none are more worried than Terra.

Durat simply heads over to the door while saying, "Well, no better time than the present."

Eventually, the group then stand up, and begin to follow Remar and Durat who lead the way.

As they're leaving the room, Amilia asks, "What kinda asshole has a throne room, but isn't even a king?"

"Our father has always seen himself as the unofficial king of Muprosyll. He does have great standing within the continent mind you, but he is the only fool who believes that he would be king," Kiera responds.

During the walk through the hallway, Kiera slows her pace to stay next to the group, and is intrigued by them. She then asks, "So, where are you all from? I am intrigued to know where my dear sister went to on her travels."

"Well, Amilia and I made our home in Reduna'z Gaze in Reduna'zriam," Kyuala says.

"Oh, Reduna'zriam! I have heard so many things about there! I have heard that the trees are massive, and that the forests span all over. I have also dreamed to see Wiralsama, and to see all the merchants from all over the world!"

The group chuckle at the woman's enthusiasm, and Lani says, "I think Daffy would like you."

"Daffy?" Kiera asks.

"She's a dwarven trader from Wiralsama, and very... boisterous," Terra responds.

"I would love to meet her one day. But anyway, what about you, John?"

John would normally struggle to answer at this point, but he was expecting the question, "I'm originally from Urath. Then one night, about a month back, I was brought and dropped in here. I've been living in Reduna'z with Kyuala since she owns an inn."

"You do?!" Kiera asks.

"I do. The Kreaky Kauldron. If you're ever in Reduna'z Gaze, I would be more than happy to give you a room and show you around."

Kiera's eyes practically twinkle, the prospect of seeing Reduna'zriam seeming ever more possible than before.

Just then, Remar and Durat stop at a large set of doors. Remar then turns to the group, "Here it is."

Remar then opens the doors, and the group enter.

Everything about this room is drastically different than the other that they were in. Saying that the room is huge would be a major understatement. Wall-to-wall, the room must be at least eighty feet wide. The length of the room has to be around a hundred feet, and is somewhere between sixty and seventy feet high. The differences don't stop there however, as there isn't any carpet on the floor, instead, a shining mixture of marble echoes their steps. Large curtains are also on the sides of each of the three huge windows, hanging down, and just touching the floor.

The group keep walking forward, and that's when they see three people up a few steps. A rather large man sits on a large throne with a woman sitting on a smaller one. The second woman doesn't sit however, as she stands to the left of the man, but is slightly hiding behind the throne.

As the group get within twenty feet, the man begins to speak, "Our dear, darling daughter Terra! You have returned to us!"

Master Tarron then plants his hands on the arm rests before bringing himself up. Just saying the man is large isn't an apt description, he stands a few inches taller than John, and has the belly akin to that of a woman carrying quadruplets. His neck is also large, looking like a flesh coloured tree stump that holds his head up high. The slabs of meat that are his hands are adorned with two rings on each. An emerald and ruby are on the rings on his left hand, and a sapphire along with a yellow garnet on the right.

Master Tarron walks down the few steps before being face-to-face with the group. The large man then goes to hug Terra, but she stops him, "I'm not much of a hugger nowadays."

Master Tarron simply chuffs, "It does not matter. All that matters is, you and your sisters have returned home."

The man then turns to Kiera, "My little Kiera, it is so good to see you again. You look more and more like your grandmother each time you grace these halls."

"It's good to see you again as well, Father. I am sorry I haven't been by more, my children and my work keep me quite occupied."

The father and daughter hug, both with smiles on their faces. However, Kiera's smile isn't as large as her fathers. The two then break the hug, and Master Tarron looks at the group, "My apologies. It has been so long since I have seen my daughters that it appears I have ignored our guests, so let me rectify that. My name is Holvaeth Tarron, head of the Tarron house. It is a pleasure to meet you all. Please, do us the honour of introducing yourselves..."

The group look amongst themselves, but it's John who takes the lead, "It's a pleasure to meet you sir. I am John Doe."

Holvaeth smiles, "I assume you are a drop-in from the fairy currently on your shoulder."

"Hello! I'm Lani!" Lani says, waving as she does.

Holvaeth chuckles at the fairy's enthusiasm before the next introduction, "I am Kyuala Mar'azu."

"It is always a pleasure to meet an orc. I have had a great interest in the history of your people since I was a young lad."

Holvaeth then turns to Amilia, "Uhh, hey. I'm Amilia. I just gotta say, the food in the other room was great, and this place is fucking huge by the way. This must've cost an ass and a leg."

Holvaeth heartily chuckles, "I like this one. I shall let the chefs know of your review, and as for the cost... I believe it was quite a few legs, and even more asses."

Holvaeth chuckles a little more before turning to Durat, "It is good to see you back, my boy. You have done me a great deed, once again. Thank you."

Durat bows, "An honour as always, sir."

Holvaeth nods his head before returning to his throne, "Thank you all for the introductions. Now, it is my turn."

Holvaeth gestures to the woman on the throne, "This is my always beautiful wife, Myssera. Mother of all of my wonderful children."

Myssera and Holvaeth share a loving giggle before they quickly kiss. Holvaeth then gestures to his right, "And, the shy girl behind my throne is my youngest daughter, Erya. Say hello, Erya."

"H-hi," The girl gets out, her voice quiet, but just loud enough for the group to understand.

"Don't worry about it. Erya has always been quite shy," Kiera explains to the group.

Holvaeth then turns his attention back to the group, "So, you all are friends of Terra?"

The group answer yes in a few varying ways.

"We are most glad to hear that. Our Terra has always had a knack for making friends, but I will admit, we were worried that she would be alone during her... travels."

Myssera seems like she wants to say something, but keeps it in for now, opting to put a light smile back on her face.

"So, father... You asked for my sisters, John and myself because of an issue with the Giant Queen. What is so bad that it requires all of us?" Terra asks.

Holvaeth's expression changes slightly, the mere mention of the Giant Queen seems to frighten him, but he quickly shakes it off, "I will talk about that when your sisters get here. For now, tell us... What happened in Reduna'z Gaze? I have been wondering how you became an enemy of the Darksister."

Terra looks at Kiera, both with suspicious expressions on their faces, but Terra relents and begins regarding the tale of the Battle of Reduna'z Gaze. She starts with how they even met in the first place before talking about hearing the story of Imoga. They then talked about how they feared there would be repercussions, and they would soon face those said consequences on that fateful night.

After Terra shares some of her events, Kyuala, John and Amilia talk about their experiences, but Lani only offers some additional information, causing them all to keep silent about her transformation. As Terra talks about how John used the Divine Blast and Holvaeth is surprised, but also intrigued, "So, how did you pull of this... Divine Blast? Is it a spell? Or is it more of a feeling that you can channel into the blast?"

"Darling, you cannot just expect the man to spill his secrets to you that easily. We have just accepted them into our home, and we should get to know them first before asking personal questions," Myssera says, speaking for the first time. Her voice is elegant and smooth, like verbal velvet. While the group may be enticed by her gentle voice, Terra and Kiera know better. They have many, many memories of the nights with their mother being as cold as frozen stone.

Myssera then stands up from her throne before walking down the steps and taking John's hand, "It is a pleasure to meet you all, especially the Hero of Reduna'z Gaze. I do have many questions myself, but I am not as intrusive as my dear husband."

Myssera stares deep in John's eyes for just a brief moment, but it's long enough for Kyuala to catch. As Myssera walks back up to her throne, Kyuala wraps her arm around John's, and makes sure he is close to her.

As Myssera takes her seat, Holvaeth says, "Anyway, I don't have an exact idea on when the rest of your sisters will get here, but you are all welcome to stay until they do. We have plenty of rooms to accommodate you all comfortably. I shall have Remar escort you all to your rooms."

Just then, as Remar is about to lead the group, everyone in the throne room hears two voices.

"Don't worry about us."

"We already know where our rooms are."