Homecoming II with guests (Euphemious/Aeos)

[Aeos]

Ah, the desert jewel of Nabata, Khan Yunis. Aeos smiled softly as he took his first few steps off the boat and onto the docks of his homeland. He took a moment to breathe in the sweet salty air of the desert sea then exhaled. It had been a few months since he was last here. He had just met Nayru and they had a wonderful time punching the hell out of each other out in the desert sands. And now, he had brought Euphemious here with him. His first human friend. And soon to be the first human friend to meet his folks. And the timing couldn't be better.

They had arrived a few days before the annual shark migration, and the air of the city was tense. Fishermen from all corners of Elibe were gathered around the port town to take advantage of the bounty of the sea. The economy would see a small boom with the sudden arrival of traders, sailors, captains, all looking to spend some coin. They'd spend it either on supplies, rooms, drink, or entertainment. The weather was the same as ever. Cloudless skies, a nice cool ocean breeze, and the sun cast it's eternal glow upon the desert landscape. Man does it feel good to be home! He could only hope his companion shared the same thoughts of joy.

Now, the first order of business he needed to take care of was figuring out if his folks were already here. Or if they were on the way. Either way he'd have to make a pit stop at the office of a local landlord to see if their usual home was available to rent for the next month. It should be. The two families had been doing business with each other for years. Aeos turned around to see how Euphemious was doing with his departure off the ship.

[Euphemious]

So this is how it ends, thought Euphemious as he stared into the sky. The sun shinned down with a intensity the General had never known. It had been one heck of a trip to get here and Euphemious had made it boldly. Now however he was sure that his time in this world was up. Death would soon come and embrace him. The Sun, in all of its incandescent glory, shinned down onto Euphemious infamous black armor. The tempeture of the metal soared and with it came a rain of swear from Euphemious body. So Aeos finally shows his true colors, thought Euphemious as he began to unbuckle his helmet. Dragons really do like killing people with fire. Or maybe the fixation is on heat. He could not do it with his breath, so instead he brought me out to the desert to let the sun do it for him.

A loud clank filled the air as Euphemious unstrapped his breastplate and allowed it to slam into the deck of the ship. "Enough playing around", spoke Euphemious to himself as he picked up a bucket of water and dumped it over his head. The cool liquid fought back the heat for a moment as the dark skinned man began to remove the rest of his armor. Aeos had told him that he would not be able to use it in the desert, but Euphemious could not take that as a answer. His armor was his skin. Euphemious would wear it anywhere he went. That statement was soon disproved once the General had docked. The blistering heart removed from the coolness of the open sea forced the man out of his great shell. Now Euphemious was simply a man with a Guan Dao.

"Looks like I am going to have to lock all of this up", spoke Euphemious as he placed his armor inside of a iron chest. The General made sure to neatly lay each piece down in a organized manner. He had to be extra careful not to place anything to heavy on the shaft of his dragon axe. As much as Euphemious loved the weapon meeting Aeos parents while carrying a weapon designed to slay dragons would be a very bad idea. Instead the General would have to rely on his Guan Dao if he ran into trouble.

"Hey Aeos where are we suppose to be staying", shouted Euphemious as he lifted his iron chest and threw it over his shoulder. Holding his Guan Dao as a walking stick Euphemious exited the ship and moved to catch up with his friend. He knew very little about this city and with the sudden burst in travelers, with Euphemious being one of them, the place could get really chaotic. A Inn would be a safe place to sleep sure, but not really to store ones prized possessions.

[Aeos]

"Once we arrive at home. You can put your armor away there. Mom usually stays home so there is always a guard." He spoke with some happy joy in his voice. He had warned Euphemious about having his armor on in the desert. And seeing the knight suffer a little because of it, kinda felt good. It was weird. And then he realized, this is exactly what his parents must have felt, when they told him things and he didn't listen. Like that time we stuck our hand into that ant's nest to get the fish hook. He glanced at his hand. He remembered how horribly red and blistered they became afterward. His folks warned him not to do it. But he didn't listen. He didn't think the ants would strike so quickly even though he was sure he had his hand in the nest for less than a minute.

"I'll help you carry it. Just give me a moment." He spoke. The Nabatan flagged down a man with a cart. These were folk who worked around the docks waiting for people to arrive. They were the ones who brought goods from the boats towards the merchants. They were the delivery men. They had wagons attached to horses.

"We load the wheel wagon. Then cart it towards home." He remarked.

"We will be heading to the southern end of town sir." Aeos spoke to the wagon carter.

"Da Shacks?" The delivery man responded.

"Yes, Sir." Aeos nodded. He was a little embarrassed at that. Many folks knew that the shacks weren't exactly the most prosperous place to live in. Tiny little shacks that dotted the edge of the city borders. And yet, somehow the small family of dragons always managed to turn it into a proper home every time they came.

"That'll be ten gold coins. More dependin on the weight of the load." He pointed to Euphemious and his armor and weapons.

"That is fine."

The wagoneer nodded and proceeded to prepare his cart and mount. Aeos sighed softly. He didn't particularly like to announce he was heading towards the shacks. And while Nayru didn't seem to mind sharing the space with him he wasn't sure how Euphemious felt about it. Euphemious was a man of the military, used to traveling around, and used to sleeping in fancier inn's. I wonder if he will take offense to it.. I wonder if he'd even fit. We might be sleeping in the tent tonight.

"Alright so now we just have to carry your stuff to the wagon man." He approached Euphemious, his arms outstretched, ready to hold whatever he gave him.

[Euphemious]

"Shacks", spoke Euphemious as the man began to speak. He had no idea they were going to be staying in a shack. Then again what exactly was a shack. He had heard the term in Bern before and from his experience the term was never definite. One nobleman once said that a humble little home was a shack and another said that a building made of cloth was a shack. It really depended on the person perspective. The man speaking however did not seem the rich type so he figured it must have been a more down scale home. The General let out a slight chuckle a he placed his box onto the cart. It was hilarious really. Dragons living inside of shacks. With all the tales of green and jewels associated with dragons you would think they all would live in palaces or at least very gold filled caves, but nope they stayed in shacks. Though it was starting to dawn on Euphemious that this was temporary home and not there permanent home.

"Here the extra", spoke Euphemious as he pulled out five gold coins and handed it to the man. He was sure his mounts were going to get a work out today. Euphemious armor was heavy. The bulging muscles on his body gave testament to it. Just wearing the suit of armor alone was more than enough to exhaust your average soldier. To run around and fight in it, only a General could do that. Euphemious was not trying to brag, but he took pride in wearing that suit of armor. So much so that he was trying to find a way to put it back on and not burn to a crisp.

"Hey, Aeos do you think that a cloak could help with the armor", spoke the General as he rubbed his chin. "I know it will be hot on the inside, but if I can keep the sun off me I might be able to wear it. Wait never mind. Don't worry about it." Without saying another word Euphemious began to walk with the man driving the cart. As he walked his hand rested on his chin. The General would not give up on his ambitions of wearing his armor, he would just need to find another way of doing it. The cloak idea still floated around in his head, but Euphemious began to wonder if he would have to resort to magic. He never liked magic and the idea did not sit well with him.

[Aeos]

"Yes Shacks. We rent them during the fishing season." Aeos had to clarify. He sighed softly. He knew the legends of dragons being rich, powerful, and greedy creatures. And while Aeos certainly displayed shades of power, he knew he wasn't rich. His parents have taught him that money was not everything. The three of them were rich in other things that the wealthy simply did not have. He knew he was prone to bouts of greed but that was usually towards food, not gold. He knew the desert life was hard and food could be scarce sometimes. So when a bounty came along it was best to eat what you can as fast as you can. Euphemious loaded his things into the wagon and followed along.

Aeos walked along side him. Casually pointing out the best spots around town. He pointed towards the pub/inn that he usually worked at. He explained to the knight that the owner was usually good to his workers. He offered them room, board, and food so long as they worked. Which to some of those whom were truly poor or shipwrecked it was a place of miracles. Aeos missed his opportunity to rent out a room due to the fact he always went home during the fishing season. Then the dragon pointed out a ship he used to work on. The first ship he ever took a trip on. This was the ship that sailed him out of the desert and into Lycia. He made a mental note to pay the captain a visit and buy him a drink. He owed that man and that crew much in sentimental value.

"Euphemious.. for the last time. Please.. don't wear the armor in this heat. I do not want you to steam like a clam." He spoke with a serious tone. They passed through the market street. Various fish were hung up to dry. Some of them small sharks. There were lots of fruits and vegetables imported from other regions available to buy. Some local delicacies included cactus fruit and camel milk. A man who sold various herbs to cook or use in smoke. Vendors selling cloth and rugs with exotic designs. An artisan selling jewelry made of gold or of shells. Beyond the market were the buildings.

"That large structure there is the library. It is one of many here in Khan Yunis. The desert attracts lots of scholars whom research the various ruins that tend to pop up in the sands. Some hold bones of ancient monsters." He pointed.

"It is also a place where the mages congregate. Some sell magical artifacts. Medicine. If you have any questions about magic.. many would be able to answer. The building behind that is a yakhchal. A type of ice house. Mages make ice with a fimbulvetr tome and jugs of fresh water. Shaved ice with sweet fruit syrup is a popular dish here. But it is expensive and you must eat it quickly." He hoped the knight was enjoying the small tour of the city. They eventually walked past the buildings and heading out of the city's main gates. Into the outskirts where the nomads lived. Various tents and shacks were aligned dotted on the side of the road. Many of those with families and animals tied down towards the outside. Maidens were busy watching children, preparing the daily meal, others were working the loom, and doing other sorts of various domestic duties. Children were common here and many could be seen running around playing games. The men were watching the livestock and their people. Some were talking to other men and doing trades. Others were swapping stories. There was a sense of community here that was kinda absent from the overcrowded main city. Aeos commanded the man to stop at the one shack that was the furthest away from rest. A modest little shack that barely fit four people. But to Aeos it held all the memories of the world.

And he could see that it was occupied too. He noted the smoke coming from the chimney and his mother's decorations. They were close to the sea shore. The shack was a modest one. Four walls with a roof made of palm-thatched together to keep the sand out. Square holes in two walls covered by cloth. These were the windows. There were also holes along the top end of the hut like structure to allow a sea breeze to pass through and sweep away the hot air inside. A tiny fenced in area along side the house had three camels in it. A large tent was on the other end of the home. One that bore the familial family pattern of the residents inside. There was a colorful rug on the outside of the door. Along with several poles of wood with fresh laundry hung out to dry. Chickens were kept in their own little coop. There was a scent of food in the air. Something being made with warm spices and meat.

"Euphemious.. this is my home. And my parents are already here. You are about to meet them.. but first you must meet the most excitable member of my family." He took a deep breath. He then whistled. And soon a dog emerged from out of the shadows. Aeos waved to it and called out it's name.

"Ozzy! Ozzy! Oz!" He grinned and crouched down. The animal ran up in an excited glee and lept into his arms. The force was enough to knock Aeos down and the creature couldn't resist licking at his face. He then sat on his stomach with his tail wagging at full speed. Aeos couldn't help but laugh.

"Euphemious meet Ozzy. Ozzy Euphemious."

[Euphemious]

Oh so they don't live in a shack, thought Euphemious. That was good. He had the idea of a great treasure horde in his mind and he just might actually see it. Of course he did not say this to Aeos. It would be a very raciest statement to say that dragons have treasure hordes. Still Euphemious had to wonder how they lived in the world. Dragons were not eternal, but as far as human life span goes they might as well be. They could live for a far longer time and that meant that they would be walking the world for a very long time. They could never really stay in one place. People are bound to notice the couple that has been living in that house for fifty years and still looks the same. Shoot, even this renting agreement must has a limited time. It is going to be strange for them to be renting the same place for generations. Living as a dragon must be tough.

"This place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be", spoke Euphemious as he walked with Aeos. "They way you described it I thought this would be a simple town with a few buildings. I did not expect a place of learning or for there to be mages around. To be honest I did not think that Nabata would have any grand cities. No offense. You have to understand from Bern we hear that Nabata is a desolate wasteland with no water, trees, and very little plant life. It is hard to imagine a thriving community without so many things we take for common. I figured any sane mage would study there arts in a place with a milder climate than one of such scorching heat."

As the two walked along Euphemious began to make comments on all the things around them. The different styles of buildings, the way people dressed, and the over all atmosphere. Lucky for him his dark skin kept the sun at bay, so the General did not have to worry about sun burns. However the very fact that he was born with this resistance to the sun made him wonder if his own family had started out living in this region. Maybe a few generations ago they moved to Bern, or maybe even longer. The Lowlander history is long and rooted in Bern, but that only followed the lines of the fathers. It spoke very little of the mothers. Euphemious could only wonder.

"Ozzy", he spoke with a little confusion when Aeos began to speak the name. It was a strange name. Then again so was Euphemious and he had been using it for quite a wile. Speaking of which he had already achieved his goal. Why was he still using his face name. Gregory Lowlander was his birth name. There was little point in hiding it now.

"Oh a dog", spoke Euphemious with surprises as the beast came out. Euphemious was surprised that the little creature was still alive. The heat had nearly cooked him alive. He was sure this beast must be burning up in the blistering heat. Then again it was Aeos' dog. It could be a dragon. Well not a dragon, but some kind of dragon dog. Like a Wyvern Dog. Yes, Euphemious was sure this was a Wyvern Dog.

Looking at the dog with a stern expression Euphemious opened his mouth to speak. "Can it grow wings, or is it a normal dog", he asked.

[Aeos]

Aeos got up with Ozzy in his arms. He glanced at Euphemious with a bit of a perplexed look. And even the dog had his held tilted, as if to say "what?".

"What the hell are you talking about?" Wyvern Dog? Aeos couldn't even figure out how to imagine that. Did the dog have scales? Did the wyvern have fur? He shook his head. Euphemious had taken great care throughout the journey not to blather about the whole dragon thing. And how here he was asking if the dog could transform into a lizard dog hybrid thing. Within earshot of the wagon man no less.

"Has the sun affected you?" Do We need to smack you in the back of the head? Ya square headed dingus. The dragon in human guise shook his head again.

"This is Ozzy the 6th. A normal dog." He sighed. And then Aeos casually put Ozzy down. Aeos casually guided Euphemious and the wagon man to the front. Together they unloaded the wagon, tipped the wagon man, and dismissed him. Aeos waited until the man was well out of both ear and vision before he started talking again.

"That was real smooth of you Euph. A wyvern dog!? Really!?" He kinda almost felt like kicking him for that. If anyone found out they had some sort of shapeshifter there would be dead bodies and plenty of guilt. If anyone found out that HE was the shapeshifter then there would be hell to pay. Aeos was a calm and well-mannered dragon. But, he would hurt anyone that hurt his parents. And that included his best friend should he so carelessly accidentally run his mouth like that again.

There was movement from the window. The curtain pulled open slightly so that it's inhabitant could see the outsiders. The door flung open and out came a woman. Now this woman was one that Aeos knew well. She appeared to be a woman of average height. With the same shade of skin as the dragon in human guise, long salt n pepper hair, that was tied into a braid. She wore a green sari with a white undershirt. Her belly was exposed as was the custom of the sari. She had tanned pants on and some plain sandals. Her figure was nice to look at some described it as curvy. She appeared to be her fifties with a few wrinkles on her face. Wrinkles mostly focused on the corner of her eyes and brow. She had a red bindi on her forehead. She smelled faintly of spices.

"Aeos my little hubb hayatii!" She smiled and instantly drew her son into a hug. She pulled away almost as quickly and then touched his face.

"Ooh, look at you there's a smudge." She licked her thumb and wiped away the smudge from his cheek. To which Aeos had to hold up his arms in protest.

"Mom! Please.. I can wipe my own face." Although Aeos was technically a young man in dragon standards, he will forever be his mother's precious little boy.

"Well you did a terrible job at it." She crossed her arms slightly and huffed.

"Ma, please. Look I've brought a guest." Aeos pulled himself up and had a half embarrassed and half pleading look to Euph. The older woman turned around to see the other young man. The man she only knew of in the letters and stories that her son brought home. Aeos took a small breath in then placed his hands on his mom's shoulders. He leaned down a bit so he was near her semi-pointed ears.

"Mom, this is Euphemious. Euph, this is my mom Joury."

[Euphemious]

Crap, thought Euphmious as Aeos got onto him. He was sure he had kept most of that stuff in his head, but then again he did ask if the dog has wings. This was a bit abnormal for him. Normally Euphemious could keep a secrete. Though it looked like he was slipping up near the finish line. He was sure that Aeos was probably more than a bit mad and probably more than a bit disappointed with him. Of course it was a normal dog. Dragons are not some strange creatures that turn normal animals into dragon like animals. Euphemious was letting his imagination get the best of him. Either that or the lack of his armor was prying on his mind. The Latter was possible. Euphemious pretty much did everything in his armor. It was his invincible shield.

"Yeah the heat is getting to me", spoke the General as he took out a rag and his water skin. Pouring the water out of his skin and onto his rag Euphemious placed the wet clot on the top of his head. It was a little technique he picked up from one of the sailors on the ship. It was suppose to keep you cool in the heat of the day, thought Euphemious wondered if it was true. The sun seemed to be pretty effective at evaporating the water inside of the rag.

Aeos finally placed down the dog and moved to the real reason the armored fool was there. He came all this way to meet Aeos' parents. The two ancient dragons that have probably lived as long as his family been alive. From a scholar point of view it would be completely fascinating just to talk to them. However Euphemious was not scholar. Euphemious came simply to figure out who the people, or better yet dragons, that raised Aeos was. Aeos was the complete opposite of what he expected from dragons. Clearly they must be people of impeccable morals which further disproved all the old tales Euphemious had heard as a boy. The more he was around them the more it became evident to him that Dragons were simply people like humans, just a lot stronger.

"Umm, nice to meet you", spoke Euphemious. The General had no idea of what to do next. Bern culture would involve sticking out ones hand and shaking it. However this was Nabata. Nabata had its own rules and customs. Some of them bowed and others simply crossed there arms and nod there head. To make things worse they were dragons. Dragons probably had there own customs and formal greetings. Probably ones they could never do in the open. Taking in all that information there was only one thing left for Euphemious to do, wing it.

The General stopped and gave a cough to clear his throat. "Sorry about that. Let me give you a proper introduction. I am Gregory Lowlander of the noble house of Lowlander. I have been going by the name Euphemious for many years and as such your son knows me as such. I would like to give you a proper greeting as by the traditions of my family." Euphemious stopped for a moment and pulled out a wooden case of perfumes and oils. "A gift on our first meeting madame. A simple token of gratitude for the kindness your son has shown me thought the time we have known each other."

I hoped that work, thought Euphemious to himself. It is as proper a greeting as he could think of. Though he would have rather bought flowers for the occasion. They would have been cheaper. However they would never survive the length of the journey so he was stuck with perfume. Which actually cost a good bit, but he kept that to himself. He did not want Aeos worrying about it, or even worse him embarrassing Aeos parents.

[Aeos]

OH MY SKIES HE BROUGHT HER GIFTS! Aeos's inner dragon voice shouted that in his mind. Euphemious probably did the two most amazing things he could have ever done to his mom. He introduced himself and gave her a gift of something she liked. Joury knew of Euphemious. She knew him as the knight who helped her son. As the knight who helped her son get some important herbs to help her get over a cold. A man who had helped to save her son's life. Her son's best friend. A human friend. A person that would help bridge the gap between human and dragon relations. Euphemious was like a small hero to her. Aeos took a step back and watched what unfolded. He knew his mom. He knew that she could be.. a bit extreme in her displays of affection. Aeos held his arms out because he knew what was going to happen next.

"Oh? OH! You are Euphemious?!" She glanced back at Aeos almost in disbeleif. Then back to Euphemious.

"Oh you kind hearted child you do not need to be so formal." She accepted the gift and immediately handed it over to her son.

"For all that you've done to my little boy! You are practically family!" She pulled him down and hugged him. Joury looked like an average woman. But, she could hug like a bear! And she gave Euphemious the best bear hug she could. As if she was meeting a son she had lost centuries ago for the first time. She finally him go after a good bit.

"I can't believe I'm finally meeting you in person! Little 'amal was convinced that you would never leave Bern." She then raised her arms up and pinched his cheeks. She was smiling. Beaming almost.

"Oooh 'Amal I wish you would have told me he was coming. I would have prepared something special for dinner! And sprung to have your father bring the good wine from that little pub up town." She mused out loud. Then saw Euphemious who had the rag on his head.

"Ah, Where are my manners! You must be baking in this heat. Come! Inside! Where it's cooler." She practically dragged Euphemious into the house. The inside was rather modest. A small table with various pillows strewn across to act like chairs. A hearth that had various things cooking away on it. A pan with some meat mixture and spices. As well as a small pot of potatoes. The table had a bowl with several pieces flat bread in it. The home was decorated with some wall scrolls with a symbol etched in gold thread. A cute welcome mat. And some barrels. From one of the barrels Joury drew a cup of water for Euphemious to drink. A few spears lined the doorway.

Aeos breathed in deeply. Then Breathed out. He probably should have told Euphemious that his mom was.. very energetic. But he didn't and it was worth it. He could not stop grinning. He couldn't contain the laughter that soon followed. He did feel a bit bad for Euphemious, but the feeling passed and he chuckled again.

"Alhayat!" He heard her through the windows. Aeos visibly cringed at that. It had been a while since he heard his birth name. Usually, his folks called him by his pet name 'Amal or the name he gave himself Aeos.

"Be a dear and bring all the stuff inside!" She shouted.

"Yes mom." He responded back. Then slowly started to collect the belongings.

[Euphemious]

Ok what in the world is happening, thought Euphemious to himself as he found himself inside of the tightest bear hug of his life. He remembered walking in and introducing himself and passing on a gift. After that everything went so fast that he could hardly keep up. The average looking women, who he knew was a dragon, was far faster an stronger than he realized. She had grabbed hold of him faster than he could react and was now squeezing the life out of him with affection. He had to admit he did not see this end coming. Death by fire, death by lighting, death by biting, that was all that came to hims mind when he thought of dying by the hands of a dragon. Death by affection filled hugs and embarrassment was not on his list. At this point he really wished he was wearing his armor. At the very least it could have hampered the pressure from the hug and defended him from the uncomfortable flurry of affection. Euphemious was not a man of hugs. He had not been hugged since he was a small child. This was as embarrassing as it was painful. With eyes full of plea he looked to Aeos for help. The dragon however seemed completely amused by the situation letting Euphemious know his friend had sold him out. Curs you Aeos, Euphemious thought to himself. He was going to have to find a way to get him back.

Eventually however the bear hug ended and Euphemious was able to regain his baring. Aeos's mother, Joury, had began to talk about him not leaving Bern and bringing up a name Euhpemious did not recognize. It did not take him long to put two and two together. Though he had to wonder what else Aeos had left out. A fake name, well it was not like Euphemious was being completely straight forward. Now that he thought about it it was a bit funny. The name Euphemious was created as a disguise and it seemed that his dragon friend Aeos had the same ideas.

"Well to be honest I probably would not have", spoke the General. "For several years now I have been involved with the Bern rebellion. As long as we were fighting in Bern my obligation were to my home nation. Once it all ended and we regained control of our homeland I was free to do as I please. So I figured it was time to do a little traveling. I wanted to see the world and see what it had to offer. Me and Aeos, oh I am sorry, Amal", spoke the general while giving Aeos a slight look, "had meet up in the city of heroes and came up with this trip on the fly. So if it is anyone fault for not telling you it would be mine."

As Euphemious was invived into the house he looked back onto poor Aeos. He reminded himself that Aeos was in fact a dragon and could easily handle the weight of all the stuff. Still he felt a bit wrong for leaving him out there by himself. Oh well it was a bit of payback for him leaving him out to dry earlier. Still Euphemious had to wonder if Aeos' mother was that way what was his father like. The image of a preppy and happy go lucky wife did not go well with a stern and strong husband, but then again. Euphemious had no idea what he was going to run into next. Hopefully he won't get hugged again. His ribs might not be able to take the pressure. The general was still regretting not wearing his armor.

"Alhayat", spoke Euphemious with a slight chuckle. "Really far away from Aeos. I wonder ... hold on a second. Was that name choice a ploy on his wind magic", spoke Euphemious more to himself, but aloud.

[Aeos]

Aeos made quick work of moving the belongings into the home. He was careful with the stuff too. He delicately placed Euphemious armor down in the corner of the room. Making sure to keep everything together. The rest of the stuff was arranged by size around it. By the end of it all it looked as if there was a large man sitting down on the ground with his back against the wall. Aeos made sure to attach it's helmet too. So it gave the illusion that the large metal husk was having a small siesta. As he worked he was listening.

"Oh.. Euphemious dear. Please. 'amal is the name we use for him. It's very personal and to be honest.. it does not feel right coming from you." Joury spoke as she worked to cut a small log of goat cheese to go with the flat bread.

"To put it simply Euph, it is a pet name reserved for parent and child." Aeos clarified.

"Alhayat however.. is free to use." She said the name with the correct pronunciation. Much to Aeos' discomfort. She saw him wince a bit.

"And what is with that face? Since when have you been so ashamed of thy birth name?" She asked with some sternness in her voice.

"You tend to yell it at me whenever I did something bad." He spoke honestly. And it was true. He had seen this effect with human children. Mothers and fathers who called them by their whole names often meant that they were in trouble.

"Nonsense!" She muttered in dragonic. Aeos rolled his eyes slightly, he kicked his sandals off, and arranged them at the door. Aeos went to get his own drink of water. Then he took a seat at the table. A pillow served as his chair. Aeos motioned for Euphemious to follow his lead. He grabbed a piece of flat bread and took a bite.

"Aeos came from an old book of myths. The steed of an ancient god who had a golden chariot and carted the sun across the sky. It.. was also a convenient play of my air element. I prefer to use it when I travel. It's easier for humans to say." He took a swig of his water. His mom put the plate of diced cheese onto the table.

"Where's dad?" He asked only now noticing that the big man was absent.

"I sent him to the market for a casket of water and vinegar. Can't pickle without vinegar." She pointed to the little stockpile of herbs and fruits. While the boys went out fishing. She would spend her day in the kitchen. Preparing the foodstuffs for the travels to come. Pickling was a great way to keep food preserved for the long months of travel. Just as she was about to say something else there was another voice coming from the outside. Followed by the familiar happy barks of Ozzy.

"Ozzy heel boy, come on, now I was only gone forty minutes." The voice spoke with a voice broken by chuckles.

"Hup.. I got it." Aeos got up and stepped outside.

"Ah, 'amal you are home already. Here give me a hand with this."

[Euphemious]

Looks, like I screwed up again, thought Euphemious as they made the comment about Aeos nick name. He needed to be more careful about this kind of stuff. If Euphemious had to chalk this up to something it would be the lack of family atmosphere in his life. Aeos did not know it, but Euphemious was a bit jealous of him His mother and father were still alive and as a result they could share great family moments like this He had a nick name and loving conversations. Euphemious lost all that when the Lowlander family was taken down. His parents were slaughtered and his relatives killed to almost the last man. Only his cousin remained. They were more like siblings though than cousins. Euphemious had to wonder if there family would be like this if they were still alive.

"Sorry about that", spoke the General as he rubbed the back of his head. Euphemious decided he would probably stick to simple Aeos. He was not sure if he could pronounce the name properly. Not to mention he knew him best that way. The same way Aeos called him Euphemious, ironically enough. Euphemious eyes shifted over to his armor as Aeos' mother began to talk about his name. It was a conversation that he was not in and to be honest they had used a few words he did not understand. The dragon tongue, Euphemious had not really heard it till now. However that was the least thing on his mind. He stared at the pitch black armor sitting in the corner of the room. Its' broad and heavy designed looked as if it could keep the world at bay. Whenever Euphemious wore it he felt that it could. There was not even a single dent in its surface, a true sign of its protective power. Euphemious owed his life to that armor. He so wished to wear it, his outer shell. However that was denied to him due to the heat of the day.

"Where is dad", the words brought Euphemious back to reality. It was true he had not seen Aeos father. He thought the man would be on the inside, but it seemed that he was out. Aeos and his mtoher began to talk about pickling or something like that. Euphemious had no idea what that was. His thoughts however were suddenly interrupted by the sound of barking coming from the outside. It was the dog, and from the sound the barking was happy.

"I got it", spoke Aeos as he stepped out. A voice called out for him to give a hand.

"Hold on a second I am coming to", spoke Euphemious as he got off the floor. The General did not like simply sitting around while others worked. If there were things to be moved he would be the one to move them. That was the least he could do. He did not want to be come a burden to his hosts. Slipping his boots back on Euphemious stepped outside to give them a hand.

[Aeos]

And there he was, Aeos' dad. A large man both tall and sorta wide. He was a head taller than his son. He appeared to be someone whom was in their forties. A fisherman by trade. He had a long blue sleeveless tunic with green trimmings. A simple pair of beige shorts and sandals. His arms were well built, honed by years of hauling fishing nets, cargo, and throwing spears. He sported a tattoo on one shoulder. The mark of his tribe. A permanent memory of his tribe that passed away millennia ago. He wore a white turban on his head to help deal with the heat. His eyes were the same green as his son's. He sported an impressive salt n pepper beard and mustache combo. Although, he appeared to have more salt in his beard now. The mustache was styled like "handle bars" and his beard extended to a little bit after his Adam's apple. He kept the beard and mustache groomed. Wrinkles could be seen on his face and he sported a small mole under his left eye. His skin tone was similar to Aeos but a bit darker. Actually, now that he looked at it his skin color was nearly identical to that of Euphemious'. Tanned by both his genetic legacy and several hundred years underneath the harsh Nabatan sun.

Behind him was a small hand cart with some barrels. One big barrel and two little mini barrels. The big barrel probably had about 10 gallons of liquid in it. Which roughly translated to eighty pounds. And the two little barrels looked to be about five pounds each. The cart also had a basket of various vegetables. And a jug that would later be used for bait fish. He was grinning partly at the sight of his son and partly due to the fact that Ozzy was now licking at his exposed knees.

"Ozzy heel." Aeos spoke with a slightly annoyed tone. He eventually knelt down and pulled the creature away.

"I swear ever time I wear these shorts he goes right for the knees." The man spoke. He then turned to look at the new face in the family.

"Ah, father." Aeos got up after successfully shoo'ing Ozzy away with a piece of cheese.

"This." He put his hand on Euphemious' shoulder and patted it a few times as if to reassure him.

"This is Euphemious." He then lifted his other arm to point at his father.

"Euph, this is Yasin. My dad."

"Ha Ha! So this is the famous Euphemious of Bern." Yasin approached and gave Euph a hug. Not a hard or long one like Joury's. But one that still expressed his gratitude. He let go and took a step back.

"Ah young man I cannot thank you enough for all that you've done for my family. Aeos' letters are full of the adventures you two have had. And those herbs. They helped Joury with her symptoms. Thank you." He nodded his head.

"I hope you stay for a while. Joury makes a spectacular dinner. And I'd like to hear from your perspective on those adventures." He smiled.

"In the mean time. Here, 'amal come help me with the wagon. The little ones are the vinegar for your mother bring them in first. Then we will roll the big water barrel off the cart."

[Euphemious]

So that is he, thought Euphemious as he looked upon Aeos father. He was as much of a man as he thought he would be, well minus the scales and fire. He was taller than Euphemious but not as wide. What surprised him the most was the fact that they had a similar skin tone. Euphemious had meet a very view people who were nearly as dark as he was, but he figured if there was anyone close they would live in this kind of region. He just did not expect it to be a dragon.

"Oh that", spoke Euphemious. "Don't worry about that. The entire herb thing was just one friends way of helping another. If someone you know has someone close to them that is sick then it is your obligation to help them, especially when you know something about it. My honor as a Knight of Bern demanded that I assist. Besides if you wanted to thank anyone for the aid of the medicine then you should thank Drax. I only remembered that such plants existed due to the fact that he nearly killed me. Funny how things work out", spoke the General as he thought back on his and Aeos adventure. He made a mental not to leave out his family axe inside of that place. He was sure that they knew about the war, but Euphemious did not want to open up any old wounds. The results could be disastrous for him.

"Oh right, we should probably get the stuff", spoke the General as he walked over to the cart. Aeos' father began to talk about getting the smaller barrels first and then rolling in the water. It seemed like a waste of time to Euphemious. As strong as the two of them were Euphemious was sure they could just pick it up. Well he guessed they needed to hide there true forms and doing such things might gain some suspicion. It was strange but Euphemious had just realized how skinny the two of them were, well skinny compared to him. Years of hard training and wearing his heavy armor had left Euphemious body covered in thick muscles. The general was at least twice as think as Aeos.

"Don't worry about the water", spoke Euphemious as he stepped forward and slightly squatted his legs. His massive arms reached around the water and the strength of his legs picked it off the cart. Holding it with his fingers around the bottom Euphemious carried the gigantic jug from the wagon and into the house where he received instructions on where to place it. Might as well show off a bit, thought Euphemious to himself. Compared to my armor this is nothing.

[Aeos]

"Ha. Euphemious, you better be careful how you say things here. While we appreciate all that you've done for us. This is still a city." He leaned in close.

"And not exactly the best part of the city either. There be eyes and ears everywhere. There be plenty of folk who would take advantage of a knight from Bern." Yasin gave the man a firm pat on the shoulder. Then started to help haul the things inside. Aeos brought the little barrels of vinegar, and the basket of other goods inside the home. Yasin picked out a few flowers he had hidden in his pocket and gently placed one in Joury's hair. A gesture she greatly enjoyed and gave her husband a smooch on the cheek for. Fresh flowers were rare in Nabata. But, there was a business in selling them. A florist who's home was full of pots full of dirt from elsewhere. So long as she provided the water the plants thrived and she could sell the flowers and seeds.

Joury scolded both Aeos and Yasin for letting Euph bring in the large barrel of water.

"Guests shouldn't be doing the hard labor!" She shouted. But, then instructed Euph to put the water barrel in a corner near the hearth. And with Yasin home, the house felt more like a home. It wasn't long before there was a little blue vase with some fresh flowers decorating the table. Aeos moved to refill Ozzy's water bowl. And Yasin went outside to tend to the other animals. He made sure the trough of water was at a reasonable capacity and that the awning hovering over the trough held firm.

When Yasin returned from his work with the animals. He tossed Aeos one of the spears and some stone. They needed to sharpen these if they were going to hunt shark tomorrow. The turbaned man took a seat on his cushion and slowly went to work sharpening the metal atop the wooden pole. Aeos shook his head lightly and handed the pole and rock to Euphemious.

"You've more experience with this. I'll take my chances with the fishing net." He muttered.

"The net supplies are in that bag behind you, 'amal." Joury spoke as she quietly placed mugs of water around the table. Aeos nodded and went to grab them. He took his cushion and sat down by the door. As he was going to need the floor space for this.

"Euphemious, please by all means sit down. Make yourself comfortable. Treat this place like home." Yasin spoke.

"So tell me about Bern! It has been ages since I last stepped foot upon it's borders. This beard was still pitch black last time I went. Do they still have those little flying dragons? And that lake in the middle of the land is that still there?"