Torn remained in Arri for six months, acclimatizing himself as a rosenite citizen. In the beginning, it was easy. Echo, the trainer of the rosenites’ warhorses, proved more than capable of lending Torn a hand in handling the mighty pegasus. By the first week, the stallion was fully broken and no longer reared at the sight of humans. In three weeks, Nightsun was wearing a saddle and learning how to respond to commands. Before a month had passed, Torn took Nightsun on the first proper flight - taking a small round solo to ensure the stallion flew smoothly, before inviting Keira along.

After that, it was a lot of training. For the next five months, the dragon knights of Arri did their best to teach Torn how to handle fighting in the air. Naturally, there were some hurdles - for one, Torn often began sharing stories (or lies) or reciting poetry, or singing, which distracted not only his fellow squires, but often his knightly tutors as well. And even when he did manage to pay attention, Torn was a little dense - anything that he couldn’t physically practise got challenging. And last, but not least, the dragon knights rode sentient, speaking, fire-breathing mounts, while Torn was limited to a flying horse a third the average dragon’s size. Despite all this, he slowly, but surely, gained confidence and skill in the air; particularly his lancework was going well.

When he wasn’t training, Torn was busy dreaming big for his coming children, and caring for their mother. Despite being absolutely terrible at caretaking, he did his level best to make sure Keira had what she needed - though with servants around, Torn didn’t have to do much. He did, however, spend most of his free time with her, leaving only a fraction of it to catch up with the Merry Band of Misfits, who soon developed a taste for dragon-wrangling. Each time they brought a live dragon back to Arri, whether to imprison a dangerous one or try to befriend a reluctant, but benign one, Torn would drag Keira along to celebrate with them - partaking in the food and song, but not the drink.

It was after one such night that something very peculiar happened. Torn was lying in bed next to Keira, in a room at the large inn where they’d been celebrating the successful capture of an adolescent, scared dragon (which stopped spitting fire when his third cousin, once removed, turned out to be the mount of the first dragon knight they encountered). Normally, it was Keira tossing and groaning in her sleep, but this time, it was Torn’s turn to experience a less than restful night.

Somehow, this star-sprinkled lake looks like… song. I can’t quite explain it, but the ripples of the water, the placement of the reflections of the stars, the gentle touch of the breeze… I can see it. It is a song, and what’s more, it’s a song I have never before heard, but at the same time… I know it. Played in the Attayo imperial court to celebrate new year, every year. Why do I know this? Wait. There’s… writing. That’s odd, I can read it, and I have never been able to read. And even I can see that this isn’t written in any language native to Canelux. So… Why can I of all people read it? Wait. That isn’t text. It’s a… I think it’s a woman. That is trippy. How did I ever believe she was text? Oh, my. Her voice is beautiful, like flawless gems floating across the most beautiful mirror lake on petals of roses. Is she an angel? I can’t… Oh, wait. Yep, she’s an angel. Yeah, thore are wings. I wonder how she can fly without beating them. And why she’s coming towards me. There’s no one behind me, right? No, just me. Oh, dear gods, you got here quick. What’s your name? … Why are you touching me like that? Look, I already have a - wait, what are you - hey, don’t just go kissing people without perm -

Torn’s eyes burst open, and he woke from the dream with a start. He sat up in bed, breathing heavily. His lungs were tingling. His throat was tingling. It wasn’t a bad tingle, but it was a very peculiar one. Torn got the sudden urge to sing, to sing at the top of his lungs, to burst out in song and never stop until his dying day. He had to hold back as he shook Keira gently, or he would burst into song even as he told her what just happened. “Keira… Keira, I just dreamt something incredibly… odd.” He took a few more breaths, and the rest came to him naturally.

“I dreamt of a song in a mirror lake,
Whose thirst to be heard no man could slake!
And lo, in the water, an angel there was,
And the ravenous song did she maaaaaake…”

Torn immediately covered his mouth, startled not only by the fact that he had just involuntarily burst into song… But also because the notes and the text could be seen dancing around him in vividly coloured text. He convulsed, and another brief verse came to him, uninvited.

“She came to me, smiling, music did she bring,
I could feel it inside, like a bell did I ring,
And lo, here I’m sitting, and I keep wonder-ing
Why the fuck… do… I siiiiiing!?”

Another set of notes and lyrics began dancing around Torn as he sang, before he once again covered his mouth, visibly terrified. And then, he just sat there, covering his mouth, looking wide-eyed at Keira.

Keira wasn’t one to sit around and do nothing for the months that she was there. Angela had her visit often and made sure the twins were doing alright but also the young mother as well. As much as Keira didn’t want to be afraid she was often left wondering if something could and would go wrong. She enjoyed her time with Torn, whenever they could be together. Her mother kept him busy and often Toya would comment on how dense the boy could be. It made Keira laugh since she seemed to be the exact opposite.

Most of their free time was spent reading stories that eventually Keira would want to read to their children. There were occasions when Keira would go out and see the Misfits, she did miss them. They would pick on her about her glow and she would claim they were just seeing things because of the dragon fire.

Things were tough, Keira spent much her time sick thanks to the wildness of the children in her womb. They were active, always, and she got sleep whenever they weren’t practicing for a freak show. It did make her chuckle how alike Torn they already were. 

It was on this night that she found herself able to finally sleep. Torn’s hands were pressed against her womb so he could feel the little bastards moving around. It comforted Keira enough so she could sleep. She groaned as Torn began to panic and the rest of the singing made her open her eyes. She took a pillow without really thinking about it and beat him softly with it.

Though it was the look he gave her that made the princess stop and stare. “Are you alright?” The yawn left her lips as she rolled over and snuggled up to him. “Bad dream?” She realized he couldn’t stop singing and took a sigh. “Do we need to leave?” She was finally resting and now this, at least times were never dull. She had seen the magic going around him but she was too tired to think anything of it, he was always doing the next big thing, but did it need to be when she was finally sleeping? Maybe, this was forced onto him and she wouldn't have to kill him.

Torn, still wide-eyed, nodded frantically as Keira asked him if they needed to leave. It took a few seconds before he even dared to speak, but for now at least, he didn’t seem to have so sing. “I know this pregnancy is mostly about you, but I am freaking out big time.” He covered his mouth as he convulsed again, clenching his eyes shut. Apparently, talking normally as opposed to singing incurred some discomfort. “I need to see your aunt. Just hope she doesn’t kill me for calling at this hour…”

Torn got out of bed, hastily getting dressed - not even bothering to don his light armour, which was a distinct red flag - he usually insisted he felt naked without his armour on. All he took with him was his shortsword, and it was common knowledge by now that he always chose his spear if he could only have one weapon. He found the token that Angela had given him - the one that made a one-time portal to the Sundered Gardens - and looked at Keira, still struggling to keep the song inside. Can we go now? He seemed to ask with his gaze. That, and the question also floated above his head in edgy red text, like it had been written in a panic.

Keira ached as she crawled out of bed and frowned. “I didn’t mean it like that. I had no idea anything was wrong I’m sorry dear.” She didn’t want him to think she didn’t care. “She won’t care because we’re family and if she does there will be a price.” Keira took a few moments to get dressed. She stressed with a dress and sighed a bit as she realized she needed to get another dress made.

She picked up everything he left behind and nodded to him. “Let’s go… We’ll try to figure this out.” Her freehand cupped his face and she gently kissed him before letting the portal open. It was all they had to even use the damn gift they had been given but they were going to be alright, at least that’s how she felt. The nausea kicked in as she vomited over the bridge once they got to the front of the gardens. Magic made her even more uncomfortable than it once had. She spit as she cleared the taste from her mouth.

She put her forehead against her hands that rested on the mahogany bridge to clear her head for a moment. Not long after Angela made her appearance on the bridge. “You two aren’t here for morning sickness and Torn looks like he seen a ghost worth talking about. When you are done making my gardens filthy you can come inside.” She teased Keira lightly as the goddess led them inside.

Once inside Angela made them some tea in her study. She stared at Torn. “So tell me about your dream.” She knew about the dream thanks to her presence in the temple but she wanted to hear it from his side. “Poor Keira was too exhausted to even understand it, I imagine the twins are taking a toll on her… So begin from the beginning and if you have to sing about it, try not to wake everyone.”

Torn, as long as he kept his silence, was able to support Keira as needed. He held Keira’s hair as she vomited over the bridge, his facial expression - and floating text - providing the apology he couldn’t say out loud. Then, Angela appeared, apparently somewhat understanding of the situation, which was a tremendous relief for Torn.

The two were led inside Angela’s temple proper, and Torn found a seat. Angela seemed to have some understanding of the situation despite not having been told anything specific. Chalk it up to divine power, I guess, Torn thought, but he cringed a little when Angela asked him to elaborate. Something inside him was urging him to use his voice, but when it came to social settings, Torn was a lot less dense than with other things. And so, he had an idea. He looked at Angela, and focused. Above his head, another piece of text began to float. Lute, please. For some reason, he knew he’d be able to play it, and with a curious expression, the goddess designed a simple lute by way of magic. Torn took it, and plucked at the strings - and indeed the correct grips came to him naturally.

He then began playing a soft, rhythmic bass tune, getting into the groove before he began to speak. For speak he did, because he had figured out that he didn’t really need to sing - a freestyle beat poem would work just as well, and his body and mind agreed.
“In bed tonight, I had a dream,
Which at first did not seem
Peculiar or strange
But in time grew ever more crazy and deranged.
It started off in a mirror lake,
Which for my sake
Was singing, but to my eyes,
And in the water an angel lies,
Or flies,
And I feel she’s out of time,
Or something along that line.
She flies up to me all smiles and benevolence,
But despite all her eloquence,
She’s touching and kissing,
Altogether missing
The fact that I’m taken -
But she seems to be making
A choice to just take me,
And make me
Into something new
As if to say ‘I choose you’.
I wake up with a start,
And speaking normally smarts
Something awful and queasy,
But singing came easy.
Of course, I felt immediate terror
And with little room for error,
I thought ‘when I can’t say as much as a yelp’,
I came here, For I desperately need some… help.”

Torn put down the lute, and looked at Angela, clearly still fairly unnerved by the whole incident. This time, the visible notes had come from the lute, not Torn himself - he had just provided some oddly cute-looking subtitles to the whole thing, which had faded into existence like his poem was a karaoke of some sort. Now, however, there was only his gaze to emphasize the fact that he needed Angela’s help in some way, and that he was in quite an amount of distress.

Angela formed a lute for the man when he asked. She explained to Keira that to even speak normally at the moment hurt him greatly. The girl was more understanding of the constant singing once explained. Her niece while the daughter of Toya was much smarter than her mother. Toya would have just cut his tongue out and then asked how to fix him. Ai Yi Yi her sisters.

Tapping her chin while she listened, Keira was more upset. She was in mid about to rant face when Angela put her hand over the girl’s mouth. “You wouldn’t have been able to save him.” Angela took up and looked annoyed. “Throughout the ages, Muses have often died and chose to pass on their powers to the next Muse. Sometimes, it doesn’t work like that. Sometimes a human gets the powers by accident and the Muse while dying is forced to give it to them.”

She went over to her potion corner, something she had in both her bedroom and study, and began to mix things. Weird things. There were tongues, feathers, BOOKS, there was even an instrument that she melted into the giant Cornucopia of gold. “This have done before. Muses are not inherently evil but they go pure of heart all their lives only to find themselves on deaths doorstep. Normally they only rape their own but Torn wasn’t so lucky. She gave you her power but this will help you control it since normally only Muses can wield the power.”

She thought about it for a moment. “A blood of a Muse. God dammit. I’ll be right back.” She grabbed a chalice off her table and disappeared. When she came back she was covered in feathers and had the goblet of blood. “I didn’t kill her but she was fighting me.” She threw the blood in cornucopia and began an incantation. The cornucopia began to glow even more so than it hand. She reached into it and pulled out a bottle filled with a strange glowing liquid. The Cornucopia disappeared back into her room and she offered it up to Torn.

“The journey to being healed starts normally with a potion. Potion and sleep.”

Torn watched with interest as Angela began brewing the potion that would (hopefully) help him regain control of his body. The process to him was fascinating, even though he didn’t understand one bit of what Angela was doing. Then, suddenly, the goddess disappeared, hunting muses. Torn just sat there, with a big question mark literally hanging over his head, waiting in silence. He dared not speak, for whatever had possessed him, did not like it when he wasn’t singing. But finally she returned, with a cup filled with muse blood, and the potion was complete shortly thereafter.

Torn accepted the potion gladly and drank it in one deep gulp.It tasted horribly, but he forced it down nevertheless. When he was done, he convulsed again, but that was due to the taste more than anything else. He gave Angela a deep bow of appreciation, then awkwardly handed her back the token he had used to get to where he was, apparently asking if they could have another. Angela obliged, much to Torn’s relief - but something told him he’d have to pay for it somehow, at some point in the future. There and then, however, he didn’t care about that - he had used it for an emergency, as instructed, and he knew that Angela would never cut her kin off from help, especially when said kinsman was pregnant. She was the goddess of fertility, after all.

Torn then looked at Keira, then back at Angela. He used sign language - the best he could muster - to explain that Keira was prone to teleportation sickness, and ask if they could have a bed for the night to avoid going through that twice in one night. Torn didn’t realise that all his signing actually appeared over his head as text, but at least the question was clear. A member of Angela’s clergy then came to escort the pair to a room they could rest in - and, feeling increasingly sluggish, Torn passed out the moment his head hit the pillow, unable to muster the focus and energy to even snuggle up to his pregnant girlfriend before falling asleep again.

Angela stared at Torn for a moment and smiled. “I don’t help everyone who comes looking for it. Toya has some stories to tell in that region. She once got herself hurt so badly I just bandaged her and sent her home. Her stupidity is quite high sometimes. This isn’t anyone’s fault therefore I do not see fit in giving a lesson. It is about making them learn to fend for themselves and not always expecting me to jump in and heal them.”

Thinking on Keira for a moment the goddess shrugged. “Feel free to stay. I imagine her sickness is more in tune with the magic itself.” She fashioned a new token of teleportation before handing it back over. “It could mean both children are magically inclined and they raise all holy hell when magic appears in great force.” 

–

Keira found herself sitting in a chair overlooking the bed. Angela came in only to put her hand on Keira’s shoulder. “He’ll be fine child… get some sleep. He might need it more than you but the children won’t let you rest anywhere else. I’ve quelled them for the moment but don’t take this as something I’m willing to do all the time.”

Nodding the halfling climbed into bed and put her hands onto her showing belly. She was growing fond of the little ones. They each had a distinct movement pattern that she was learning and someday she was use Torn was going to catch on.

In the morning, Keira woke up and laid there. Like Angela had said, the twins are in full force as she groaned and pulled the blanket up over her head. “I hate this Torn. They are so active yet I can’t rest at all.” She wondered if his illness was alright. She took a sigh and gave a smile. “I’m sorry for complaining.” The girl cupped his face and kissed him. “Are you alright now?”

Torn woke up at more or less the same time as Keira, his body feeling dense and stiff - like he was carrying another person, somehow. He let out a sigh, and found that he once again had control over his voice - though he felt like he’d run successive marathons the previous day. He turned his head to see Keira complain about the kids, but, in his tired state, he just chuckled, placed his hand on her belly, and snuggled a little closer. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse - yet somehow it still rang clear and true, as if his voice was broken but the world refused to acknowledge it. “I feel like I’ve drunk a barrel of mead after swimming for miles before passing out on a bed made of rocks. But at least I can talk,” he said, snuggling even closer.

Torn just lay there, feeling the movement of his children in Keira’s belly, before a soft knock on the door could be heard. One of Angela’s clergy announced that breakfast was being served. Despite his fatigue, Torn was absolutely famished - and so, he fought his way out of bed and put his clothes on, shambling into the dining area with a tempo that made Keira look like the finest athlete in the world. The sight that greeted him, however, was quite energizing - freshly baked olive bread, crisp bacon, an omelette laden with fresh vegetables, butter, cheese, ham, jams, sourcream pancakes, four varieties of potato salad, and skewered vegetables roasted over an open flame. Looking over what could only be described as the finest breakfast he had ever seen - arguably the finest meal ever - Torn barely even registered two energetic children running over to Keira to hug her.

In complete silence and with ravenous hunger, Torn found a seat, and began filling his plate with a portion of everything on the table the moment he was assured he could. The mere sight and smell of the delicious feast laid before him was enough to energize him enough to crack one of his jokes. “In my village, we have a custom to say a prayer before each meal. Since the appropriate deity is in our immediate company, however, I’ll settle for saying; This looks and smells absolutely delicious,” he said, much to the amusement of a massive, red-haired barbarian priest seated a few spots to his left. Torn looked at Angela with a surprised expression. “You made all this?” he asked, before promptly shoving a large piece of bread with shrimp-filled potato salad in his mouth.

Keira gave him a gentle smile as she caressed his head. Her fingers ran through his blonde hair and she let out a good sigh as the children kicked at his face. “You can tell one is much more active then the other. The one on the right always likes to do somersaults while the other one just kicks around. At least I think so.” She hugged him to her as the knock came to the door. It made her sad since she lived for the moment they were having but at the mention of food, she sort of felt the pregnancy kick into overdrive.

Getting out of bed, she did more wifely things for him like help dress him. She even combed his hair a bit. He looked so tired but she put her lips to his cheek. “Let’s get some food in your belly.” She led him down the hallway to the large dining quarters. Angela knew how to make breakfast that was for sure. She felt like the twins were ready to leap out of her belly and eat everything on the spread.

She chuckled as Sapphire and Iva ran to her. Sapphire with her long purple hair and blue eyes… and then Iva who looked so much like her mother with her red curls and brown eyes. “Good morning girls.” She gave each of them a kiss as she sat down by Torn. 

Angela moved about setting things down on the table and making plates out for the younger children. “I love to cook. I might not have all the time in the world to cook but I still do it when I can.” She rubbed her baby belly and stared at Keira’s for a moment. “You look rather cute with that belly if I may say so.”

Keira blushed and smiled over at Torn. “We can’t wait to find out what we’re having. We’re so stuck on names. By stuck, I mean we have a ton.”

Angela tilted her head. “Oh, I haven’t told you! It’s a boy and a girl. I’ve known for a while now but it’s never come up. Quite a lucky pair, Rosenites hardly have a boy on their first try but I have a feeling it’s because Keira is only half Rosenite. Still family is family.” Keira beamed proud.

“Mom will be so excited! So will Dad… Hopefully if he hasn’t pulled out of his depression yet.”

“Blaine will be fine as long as Toya doesn’t go apeshit and destroy something.” Angela handed Keira a plate and Keira laughed.

“APESHIT APESHIT APESHIT.” Iva yelled and laughed.

“Iva! NO. You know better.” Angela yelled as the littlest Rosenite at the table began to cackle and giggle.

“Nope.” Iva hugged her giant bear.

“I’ll tell Drae you are being bad.”

The girl quieted down and sighed heavily as if her arm had been twisted. “I am so sorry Mama. I promise I won’t intentionally say bad words like apeshit anymore.” She said it again just to play with her mother. Angela waved a fork at her as the goddess sat down.