The family settles around the prepared table as steam rises from the curry. Vaelor places the bread within reach, while Mother deliberately leaves the oilskin-wrapped ledger untouched beside the hearth.
Mother
Before we eat, I want to ask about the wealth you have taken. Now that its origin may be known, what do you intend to do with it?
Liora pauses with her spoon above the bowl. Her twin watches you closely, and Vaelor remains quiet, giving the question room rather than answering for you.
Liora
We know you meant to help Ithaca’s poor. But if someone else gathered that wealth first, the truth may change what helping requires.
Mother
I remember the first account, or enough to recognize its marks. If you tell me what you have already learned, I will tell you what I recall.
Mother folds her hands beside her untouched bowl. The curry stays warm between you all, its fragrant steam rising through the silence as the family waits for your answer.
Twin Sister Two
Start wherever you can, sister. We are listening.
“if you are right, and someone did steal that gold, and I then stole it from them, then I, in good conscience cannot just give it to the poor, it would be like signing their arrest warrants”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
If someone did steal that gold, and I then stole it from them, I cannot give it to the poor in good conscience. That would be like signing their arrest warrants.
Your words settle over the table. Mother’s hands still, Liora lowers her spoon, and the other twin sister studies the ledger without reaching for it.
Mother
You are right. If the gold is watched, traced, or marked, placing it openly in poor hands would make those households the first places authorities searched.
Liora
And anyone suddenly paying debts, buying food, or improving their home could be accused of helping the thief. The relief would become evidence against them.
Twin Sister Two
Then helping cannot mean simply handing out the same coins. It has to reach people without pointing a finger at them.
Mother
Keep the gold hidden until we know its history. After that, we can turn it into quiet relief, supplies, and work that leaves no trail back to the families receiving it.
Vaelor
That protects both the truth and the people you meant to help. You are not abandoning them, Umbralia. You are refusing to make them pay for the gold’s danger.
“that settles that then, but before we eat, what do you all think of my feathers being down like this, i want honest opinions”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -3)
umbralia
That settles that, then. Before we eat, what do you all think of my feathers being down like this? I want honest opinions.
The question redirects the table from hidden gold to the dark, silver-flecked crest spread behind you. Mother looks first, then each sister follows her gaze.
Mother
Honestly? I think it suits the woman you are now. It makes you look less guarded, though I admit it also makes you impossible to overlook.
Liora
I love it. The silver in the black is beautiful, and seeing you comfortable enough to leave your crest down makes this place feel more like your home.
Twin Sister Two
I think it is beautiful too, but intimidating up close. You look older than the sister I remember, and I do not want you to mistake my awe for distance.
Vaelor
My honest opinion is that you look most like yourself this way. Though now that everyone has been asked, I expect you will owe us the same honesty whenever we offer an opinion.
Their answers are warm, but the cost lands with them: the family now expects openness in return, and your feathers have become part of the truth they feel entitled to discuss.
“it only stays like this at home, because as you said it makes my easy to notice, and in my work that's the last thing you want”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +2)
umbralia
It only stays like this at home. As you said, it makes me easier to notice, and in my work, that is the last thing I want.
The explanation settles naturally over the table. Your family looks again at the spread crest, now understanding it as a comfort reserved for safety rather than a habit carried into danger.
Mother
That makes sense. At home, you should have the freedom to be comfortable. In your work, you should choose whatever keeps you unseen and safe.
Liora
Then I am glad you have a place where the crest can stay down. You should not have to hide every part of yourself everywhere, only where hiding keeps you alive.
Twin Sister Two
I understand. It is not that you are guarded with us. It is that your work demands a different kind of care.
Vaelor
Exactly. At home, the feathers say you can rest. In the streets, they would make a memorable silhouette, and memorable is the opposite of what your work requires.
The family accepts the distinction without asking you to defend it further. Conversation returns to the warm curry, while your crest remains freely spread behind your chair.
“unless I'm in the markets, then i will, have them down, so that any guards that may be there do not recognize the silhouette”
SUCCESS (Legendary Stealth, rolled +2)
umbralia
If I go into the markets, I’ll keep my feathers down. Guards are less likely to recognize my silhouette that way.
The statement turns the family’s warm approval toward practical caution. Your crest remains spread behind your chair, but its freedom is clearly reserved for home and safety.
Mother
Then keep it down when the streets demand it. I would rather the guards overlook you than remember you for any reason.
Liora
That makes sense. At home, we get to see you as you are. In the markets, you get to become someone no one thinks to follow.
Twin Sister Two
And if anyone does notice the feathers, they will remember the wrong shape. That sounds useful for the unseen shadow.
Vaelor
A sensible distinction. Let the city remember a harmless silhouette while your crest stays safely yours when you return home.
“now tell me, how's the curry”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -2)
umbralia
Now tell me, how’s the curry? I want everyone’s honest opinion.
The question draws every spoon to a halt. Steam curls above the bowls as the family tastes together, and the first expressions are too thoughtful to be polite.
Mother
It is excellent, daughter. Warm, fragrant, and much better than anything I remember your father attempting. I will need this recipe before we leave.
Liora
I love it. The sauce has just enough heat, and the squash makes it rich without becoming heavy. You truly made this yourself?
Twin Sister Two
It is delicious, sister. I expected a meal, but this tastes like you have been practicing for years. I want the recipe too.
Vaelor
It is hearty, balanced, and entirely worth defending. I should warn you, Umbralia, this success means everyone will expect you to cook whenever we gather.
The praise lands cleanly, but Vaelor’s warning proves true at once. Mother reaches for the bread, already discussing the next family meal and the recipe she intends to carry home.
“if only i could eat from the main pot, but over the years my body hes learned to reject spice, and i do not feel like dealing the consequences tonight, though vaelor would get to a side of me that he has not yet seen”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
I wish I could eat from the main pot, but years of rejecting spice have taught me better. I am not dealing with the consequences tonight, though Vaelor would get to see a side of me he has not yet encountered.
The confession earns a brief silence, followed by startled laughter around the table. Vaelor pauses with his spoon halfway to his bowl, suddenly far more attentive than the curry deserves.
Vaelor
I appreciate the warning, Umbralia. I am curious, but not so curious that I would volunteer to witness your revenge against the spice rack.
Mother
Then take a portion from the pot before the chili settles too deeply. Your body has already made its opinion clear, and I see no virtue in challenging it over dinner.
Liora
Now I want to know what mysterious side of Vaelor’s life you are threatening to reveal. Is it truly worse than your father’s cooking?
Twin Sister Two
Please do not explain it before we finish eating. I would rather enjoy the curry without imagining the consequences waiting afterward.
Vaelor laughs and reaches for the bread, while Mother ladles a milder serving from the side of the pot. The teasing leaves the table warmer than the spice ever could.
“oh no, none of you want to see me that tired, the last time i hade spicy food, i did not leave the bathroom for a whole day, and I'm not joking, just ask my ex, oh wait he's at the bottom of the harbor. immediately after i finish i break into a hard laugh”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -2)
umbralia
Oh no, none of you want to see me that tired. The last time I had spicy food, I did not leave the bathroom for a whole day. Ask my ex. Oh wait, he’s at the bottom of the harbor.
The grim punchline hangs over the curry for one stunned heartbeat. Then you break into hard laughter, shoulders shaking as the family stares at you.
Vaelor
I am going to assume that was a joke, because the alternative raises several questions I am not prepared to ask over dinner.
Mother
Daughter, I am glad you are laughing, but you cannot casually mention a dead ex and expect your mother not to wonder what happened.
Liora
I was concerned about the chili. Now I am concerned about your entire romantic history. Those are very different concerns.
Twin Sister Two
You did make everyone laugh, sister, but Mother is right. That story has earned you an explanation someday, and probably a milder bowl tonight.
The joke succeeds, but it leaves a new question at the table. Vaelor quietly trades your bowl for the mild serving, while Mother watches you with affectionate suspicion.
“let me clarify, a few days after we broke up he got into some trouble with the harbor baron, and he got a thrown into the harbor with a brick chained to his leg, good riddance i say, the guy was a prick, he only loved me for my body”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
Let me clarify. A few days after we broke up, your ex got into trouble with the harbor baron. They threw him into the harbor with a brick chained to his leg. Good riddance. He was a prick who only loved me for my body.
The table goes silent again, but this time the explanation removes the uncertainty. Mother’s suspicion settles into grave understanding, while Vaelor studies you with concern rather than disbelief.
Mother
Then you did not put him in the harbor. He crossed someone more powerful, and the harbor baron dealt with him. I understand why you feel no grief for a man who valued only your body.
Vaelor
That is a much clearer explanation, Umbralia. Cruel as his ending was, it does explain why your joke carried so little regret.
Liora
Then good riddance, indeed. Anyone who loved only your body never deserved access to the rest of you.
Twin Sister Two
I am still sorry you were treated that way, sister. But I am glad you escaped him before his selfishness became your whole life.
The tension breaks. Mother returns the mild bowl to you, Vaelor reaches for the bread, and the family accepts the truth without asking you to defend your relief any further.
“and that was just one of ex-lovers, I have others that met different ends though a good portion of them are either no longer living, or no longer live in this city”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -2)
umbralia
And that was only one of my ex-lovers. The others met different ends. A good portion are dead, and the rest no longer live in this city.
The family’s relief fades into wary stillness. Vaelor sets down his bread, while Mother studies you with concern that no longer feels merely maternal curiosity.
Mother
That is not a small collection of unfortunate endings, daughter. I believe you, but I will not pretend this makes your history less alarming.
Vaelor
You have certainly lived a life with more departures than most people could bear. I am not asking for names, but I would like to know when danger follows you home.
Twin Sister One
I am glad most of them are far away, or unable to hurt you anymore. But please do not make us learn about the next one through a dinner joke.
Twin Sister Two
And if any of them still has friends in Ithaca, tell us that much. We can handle the truth better than surprises, sister.
The cost of your candor settles plainly: the family trusts your account, but they now expect you to disclose any former lover whose connections could endanger the household.
“over the years, I have had many a man try to get in bed with me with a single line, but not can compare to the one that vaelor hit me with that night at the tavern, so dear, you want to tell em, or shall I”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -1)
umbralia
Over the years, many a man has tried to get me into bed with a single line, but none compares to what Vaelor said that night at the tavern. So, dear, will you tell them, or shall I?
The invitation turns the table’s wary silence toward Vaelor. Mother’s concern gives way to curiosity, while Liora and her sister lean forward with matching interest.
Vaelor
I suppose I have been summoned as evidence. Very well. We were at the tavern, and I told her I would not ask her to be less dangerous, less clever, or less herself to earn my attention.
Vaelor
Then I added that if she wanted me in her bed, she would have to invite me because I intended to stay long enough to learn whether the woman behind the legend was as remarkable as the legend.
The line lands with quiet force. Mother’s eyebrows rise, Liora grins into her bowl, and Twin Sister Two looks from Vaelor to you as though a family secret has finally acquired a shape.
Mother
That is an unusually thoughtful invitation, Vaelor. I understand why my daughter remembered it, though I hope she made you work a little before rewarding such confidence.
Liora
That is far better than a practiced line. He did not try to conquer the legend, sister. He asked to meet the woman beneath it.
“and of course our night of fun had to be cut off by a late night heist, i wouldn't be a real thief if it didn't happen to me at least once”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -3)
umbralia
And of course our night of fun had to be cut off by a late-night heist. I would not be a real thief if it happened only to everyone else.
The confession turns the table’s amusement toward affectionate disbelief. Vaelor’s grin fades into a fond, resigned smile, while Mother looks from him to you for confirmation.
Vaelor
It did. We had barely settled into the evening when a wealthy merchant’s locked strongbox began calling for your attention, and apparently the call outranked my charms.
Mother
You abandoned a romantic evening for a strongbox? Daughter, I understand the thief in you, but I hope the heist was worth making Vaelor wait.
Vaelor
The heist succeeded, and the merchant’s ill-gotten wealth found a better destination. But I am now owed one uninterrupted evening, with no alarms, employers, or tempting locks allowed to intrude.
Liora laughs into her bowl, and her twin joins her. Vaelor has accepted the story, but his clearly stated claim becomes the price of your victory: one evening owed entirely to him.
✓ Quest Accepted
Give Vaelor one uninterrupted evening
“and you'll have it, after our guests leave for the night”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
And you’ll have it, after our guests leave for the night.
You make the promise without hesitation. Vaelor’s expression warms, while Mother and both sisters exchange knowing looks across the table.
Vaelor
Then I shall be patient. One uninterrupted evening, after your family has gone, with no strongboxes competing for your attention.
Mother
That sounds like a promise worth remembering, daughter. We will not keep you from it longer than necessary.
Liora hides a grin behind her spoon, and her twin gives Vaelor an approving nod. The evening’s teasing settles into an easy, affectionate certainty.
Vaelor
I will hold you to it, Umbralia. Tonight, after the last farewell, you are mine to entertain, and I promise to make the waiting worthwhile.
“now, what about you girls, have either had any boys chasing you while you were out east?”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -3)
umbralia
Now, what about you girls? Did either of you have any boys chasing you while you were out east?
Liora nearly chokes on her curry. Her twin lowers her spoon with elaborate care, while Mother’s mouth curves into the unmistakable smile of someone expecting entertaining answers.
Liora
There was one persistent young man named Teren. He brought me river flowers for three weeks before I finally agreed to walk with him.
Twin Sister Two
And I had a girl chasing me, if we are being precise. Her name was Sella, and she was much braver than Teren.
Liora throws her sister an accusing look, but the other twin only smiles. Vaelor laughs into his cup, and Mother reaches for the bread as though settling in for a longer account.
Liora
You asked for honest answers, sister, so now you owe us the same honesty about who has chased you through Ithaca. No changing the subject to curry.
Twin Sister Two
And I want the embarrassing version, not the heroic thief version. Otherwise this bargain is terribly unfair.
“none have chased my through the streets, but in the arena, there was this one guy who was in every tourney I was in, even the ones in other cities, at first I thought nothing of it, but then he made honest effort to ask me out, when he did I was a little intimidated, I mean he was an absolute mountain of a man and he walked to small little gal' like me”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
None have chased me through the streets. But in the arena, there was one man who appeared in every tourney I entered, even in other cities. At first I thought nothing of it, until he honestly asked me out. I was a little intimidated. He was an absolute mountain of a man, and he walked straight toward a small little gal like me.
Liora’s eyes widen with delighted disbelief. Her sister leans closer over her bowl, while Mother hides a smile behind her cup and Vaelor looks openly entertained.
Liora
He followed you through tournaments in other cities and then simply asked you out? Sister, that is either wonderfully sincere or the beginning of a very alarming ballad.
Twin Sister Two
How large was this mountain, exactly? And did he ask politely, or did he make you feel cornered when he finally approached you?
Vaelor
I admit, I want to hear how the arena giant introduced himself. Persistence is one thing, but the manner of the invitation matters more.
Mother
Your sisters are right to ask about that part. A man can be enormous and still understand that admiration never gives him the right to frighten you.
The family’s curiosity turns attentive rather than teasing. Even the curry is briefly forgotten as they wait to hear whether the giant’s courage was matched by gentleness.
“I did let him take me to dinner, witch is where i calmy explained to him that I'm not into men that are so much bigger than me, his name was khreesen, he was very sweet, but just to damn big for my taste”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
I did let him take me to dinner, where I calmly explained that I am not interested in men so much bigger than me. His name was Khreesen. He was very sweet, but simply too large for my taste.
Liora’s delighted expression softens into understanding. Her sister nods over her bowl, while Mother gives a measured smile and Vaelor watches you with warm amusement.
Liora
That was kind of you, sister. You gave him a fair chance, then told him plainly instead of letting him mistake your courtesy for interest.
Twin Sister Two
And he accepted the answer, I hope. Being sweet does not make someone the right shape for your life, especially when the difference is that enormous.
Mother
You handled it honestly and gently. Attraction cannot be negotiated into existence, and neither kindness nor admiration obliges you to accept a match that feels wrong.
Vaelor
Khreesen sounds like a good man who received a clear answer. I respect that you noticed the difference mattered to you and told him before either of you expected more.
The family accepts the story without judgment. The question of the arena giant settles into a simple truth: sweetness can be real, and refusal can still be the right answer.
“there was one other, a women, who honest to god had me thinking that i was lesbian, her name is cindera, she had dark colored scales, but what caught my attention was her feathers, she had a gorgeous coat of flame-colored feathers, and so after my last match for the day i asked her dinner, it went better then expected honestly, and it went on from there to the bed, and let me tell you she was the whole package, she was strong, smart, sincere, not afraid to speak her mind, and most importantly she was caring, she cared for me while we were together, and we may not be together any more, but we keep in touch”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
There was one other woman, Cindera. She had dark scales and a gorgeous coat of flame-colored feathers, and I honestly wondered if I might be lesbian.
The family’s attention shifts from the arena giant to the woman now named Cindera, a young adult deinonychus woman with an athletic build, a narrow scaled face, and a sleeveless black arena tunic. Liora’s eyebrows rise, while her twin looks delighted by the sudden turn in the story.
umbralia
After my last match that day, I asked her to dinner. It went better than expected, and eventually we went to bed together.
Liora
You asked her out after fighting, discovered you were attracted to her, and then found something real between you. I want every important detail.
umbralia
She was the whole package: strong, smart, sincere, caring, and never afraid to speak her mind. She looked after me while we were together.
Mother
That sounds less like an experiment and more like a relationship that mattered. I am glad Cindera treated you with care, and I am glad you recognized it.
umbralia
We are not together anymore, but we keep in touch. Whatever else changed, I did not want to lose her from my life.
“I clear the table and give Vaelor our evening”
SUCCESS (Good Willpower, rolled +0)
You clear the bowls, bread, and serving dishes from the table, stacking them in the kitchen while your family gathers their cloaks. The work leaves a quiet weariness behind your eyes, and your hand pauses briefly over the last plate.
Vaelor
You kept your promise, Umbralia. Let them go home knowing the evening belongs to us now.
Mother embraces you before leading the sisters toward the door. Liora gives Vaelor an approving smile, while her twin offers you a conspiratorial wave before they follow their mother into the hall.
Mother
Enjoy your promised evening, daughter. We will leave the dishes and the family questions for another day.
The door closes behind them, and the apartment settles into privacy. You finish clearing the table, but the earlier hesitation lingers plainly enough that Vaelor notices.
Vaelor
You spent yourself holding the room together tonight. Come sit with me. The promise does not require you to perform anything.
Vaelor draws you toward the sitting room, leaving the cleaned table behind. With the investigation and family farewells set aside, the evening is yours together, quiet and uninterrupted.
“are you kidding, I have never felt more alive in the past 15 years then right now, if you want a show, ill put on a show”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -2)
umbralia
Are you kidding? I have never felt more alive in the past fifteen years than right now. If you want a show, I’ll put on a show.
Vaelor stops beside the sitting-room chair, his amusement giving way to open surprise. Your certainty fills the quiet apartment more powerfully than any practiced seduction could.
Vaelor
Then I want the real show, Umbralia. Not the legend, not the woman performing because she thinks I expect it. Show me what makes you feel this alive.
His answer accepts the offer completely, but it also places a clear cost on it: Vaelor will remember this promise and expect your honesty, not a polished performance.
Vaelor
And understand, my love, that after tonight I will not be satisfied with you hiding behind charm whenever being seen feels dangerous. You have made me want the truth.
Vaelor offers his hand, steady and unhurried. The apartment remains private around you, and the promised evening becomes an invitation to be witnessed without surrendering yourself.
“well then i best let my feathers down. i say as i undo the tie that is holding up my feathers”
umbralia
Well then, I best let my feathers down.
You reach behind your head and undo the tie holding your feathers in place. The bundled crest loosens at once, dark plumes sliding over your shoulders and unfolding down your back.
The long head plumes settle across the chair and floor, while the full fan along your tail spreads behind you. Silver flecks catch the lamplight as the apartment fills with your unrestrained silhouette.
Vaelor
There she is. I was beginning to wonder whether I would ever be trusted with the sight of you at ease.
Vaelor does not reach for the feathers or interrupt their fall. He simply watches, his expression softening as the crest settles around you and the room becomes unmistakably yours.
Vaelor
Keep them down as long as you want, my love. Tonight, I want to see the woman who feels alive, not the shadow everyone else expects.
“it felt so good to sit down and have a meal, as a family again, it had been so long I had forgotten what it felt like”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -1)
umbralia
It felt so good to sit down and share a meal with my family again. It had been so long that I had forgotten what this felt like.
The words leave the room gentler than the laughter that came before. Vaelor’s expression softens, and the empty places at the table seem briefly filled by memory rather than absence.
Vaelor
I could see it in you tonight. You were not entertaining them or defending yourself. You were simply their daughter and sister, sharing supper with them again.
He sits beside you without crowding the loosened crest, letting the quiet hold. The warmth of the meal remains in the apartment, joined now by the certainty that your family came, listened, and stayed.
Vaelor
You have spent years surviving without that table. Tonight, you got to return to it on your own terms, and they got to know the woman who came back.
Vaelor offers his hand, not to pull you anywhere, but to share the stillness after the guests have gone. The family meal is finished, yet its belonging remains with you.
“I want you, in the bed, right now, f*ck me pls. i say as i stick out my tongue”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
I want you in the bed, right now. Fuck me, please.
You stick out your tongue with a teasing invitation. Vaelor’s surprise breaks into a delighted laugh as he takes your meaning exactly as offered.
Vaelor
Gladly, my love. Come on, then. I have been waiting all evening to give you my full attention.
Vaelor takes your hand and leads you to the bedroom, his touch warm and certain. He follows your invitation without hesitation, meeting your directness with eager affection.
Vaelor
Tell me if you want anything different, Umbralia. Tonight is ours.
The bedroom door closes, and the rest of the evening passes in private intimacy, with Vaelor honoring your invitation and the promise you made after dinner.
Quest Complete
Give Vaelor one uninterrupted evening
Attribute Upgrade: Willpower Good→Great
“in the morning I wake before vaelor, I get out of bed to make breakfast while he lies in the bad from the ache's i gave him”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +3)
Morning light reaches the bedroom before Vaelor stirs. You rise quietly, leaving him resting beneath the covers while he nurses the ache left by last night’s exertions.
umbralia
The kitchen is close, and he needs the rest.
You move through the apartment with practiced quiet, gather eggs, bread, fruit, and herbs, then coax the hearth into a steady flame without waking him.
The morning meal comes together swiftly: herbs folded through warm eggs, bread toasted at the hearth, and fruit arranged within easy reach. You find a small jar of honey tucked behind the flour, an unexpected luxury for the table.
Vaelor
That smells unfairly good. I would come help, but every part of me has lodged a formal objection.
From the bedroom, Vaelor’s tired laugh joins the kitchen’s gentle sounds. He remains in bed as asked, while breakfast waits warm and generous between you.
“I prep a plate and bring to vaelor in bed as i say "sorry hon, you know how i can get in bed"”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
You retrieve an ordinary plate from the kitchen shelf, arrange warm eggs, toasted bread, fruit, and honey upon it, then carry the meal carefully toward the bedroom.
Vaelor remains propped beneath the covers, his tired posture easing when you enter. You set the plate within his reach and sit beside the bed.
umbralia
Sorry, hon. You know how I can get in bed.
Vaelor
I know, my love. An apology delivered with breakfast is difficult to resist, especially when the breakfast smells this good.
He accepts the plate with both hands, careful not to spill the honey. A grateful smile replaces his earlier ache as he takes the first bite.
Vaelor
Stay with me while I eat. Then you can tell me whether the hidden mark still troubles you, or whether breakfast has earned a peaceful morning.
“as sit with him i realize what day of the month it is and i whisper "oh f*ck I'm late"”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +2)
You settle beside Vaelor with one hand resting near the breakfast plate. The date catches in your thoughts, and the realization arrives with sudden, unmistakable clarity.
umbralia
Oh fuck. I’m late.
The whisper barely disturbs the room, but Vaelor hears it. He lowers the toast, his tired amusement replaced by alert concern as he studies your face.
Vaelor
Late for what, my love?
He sets the plate carefully on the bedside table and turns toward you beneath the covers. He does not guess at the meaning, waiting for you to explain it in your own words.
Vaelor
Whatever it is, you do not have to tell me all at once. I am listening.
Morning remains quiet around the bed, with breakfast cooling within reach and the hidden mark temporarily forgotten. Vaelor’s attention stays fixed on you, patient but plainly concerned.
“no like, I'm late. when I say it this time vaelors realizes what exactly i mean”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -1)
umbralia
No, Vaelor. I mean I’m late. My period is late.
Understanding crosses Vaelor’s face. He goes very still, one hand resting on the abandoned toast as the meaning settles between you.
Vaelor
Your monthly bleeding is late. You mean you might be pregnant.
The words change the room’s weight. Breakfast cools beside the bed, while Vaelor looks at you with startled hope tempered by careful concern.
Vaelor
All right. I understand now. How late are you, my love?
Vaelor reaches for your hand, offering steadiness rather than an answer. His attention stays on you, ready to hear what you know and what you need next.
“A WEEK AND HALF, im a week and a half late”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -2)
umbralia
A week and a half. I’m a week and a half late.
Vaelor’s hand tightens around yours. Hope flickers across his face, but concern follows quickly, forcing him to measure every word.
Vaelor
A week and a half is long enough that we should find a healer today. I want to hope, but I will not pretend certainty before we know.
He sits straighter, breakfast forgotten. His careful restraint gives the moment weight, while the question he has not yet asked gathers between you.
Vaelor
I need to ask plainly, Umbralia. Is there any reason to think the child could be someone else’s? I would rather hear the whole truth than let fear invent it.
The question lands as a concrete cost of your confession: his hope remains, but trust now requires an answer before either of you can safely celebrate.
✓ Quest Accepted
Find out whether Umbralia is pregnant
“I have not slept with anyone but you in the past month, two in fact”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
I have not slept with anyone but you in the past month. Two weeks, in fact.
The answer settles between you without evasion. Vaelor’s shoulders loosen, and the guarded uncertainty leaves his face as he accepts your words.
Vaelor
All right. Then if you are pregnant, the child is mine. Thank you for telling me plainly, my love.
He lifts your joined hands and presses them against his chest. His heartbeat is quick beneath your palm, hope no longer hidden behind caution.
Vaelor
We will find a healer today, and we will learn the truth together. Whatever the answer, you will not face this alone.
Vaelor reaches for the breakfast plate, then pauses, suddenly reconsidering every ordinary task in the room. His concern remains, but it now stands beside unmistakable joy.
“if i am pregnant, we are not telling my mother or sisters until my bump is noticeable, if my mom found that i had kids before i got married she'll kill me”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
If I am pregnant, we are not telling Mother or my sisters until it is impossible to hide. If Mother finds out I had children before marriage, she will kill me.
Vaelor absorbs the request without teasing or protest. His hand remains around yours, and the warmth in his face settles into a careful, protective understanding.
Vaelor
Then we keep it between us until you decide they should know. I will not tell Mother, Liora, or your other sister, and I will not let anyone pressure you.
He lifts your joined hands from his chest and holds them between both of his. The promise is immediate and firm, leaving no uncertainty about whose choice governs the revelation.
Vaelor
We can visit the healer quietly, learn whether there is truly a child, and say nothing afterward. If your mother notices later, we will face that moment together.
Vaelor reaches for the cooling breakfast, then sets it aside again, giving the secret the seriousness it deserves. His agreement stands, private and complete, while the healer’s visit remains the next step.
“wait, the healers are surrounded by guards i can't just go to the healer”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +0)
umbralia
Wait, the healers are surrounded by guards. I cannot simply walk in there.
The knowledge settles sharply: Ithacan Guards ring the healers’ quarter, posted at the entrance and along the adjoining lane. Any ordinary visit would draw immediate attention.
Vaelor
Then we do not make an ordinary visit. You were right to stop before walking into a guarded door.
Vaelor sets the untouched breakfast aside and studies you, concern sharpening into practical attention. The secret now has a second danger: the authorities may notice why you need a healer.
Vaelor
We need another route to medical knowledge, one that does not put your name before a guard captain. I can ask quietly, but only if you want me to.
Beyond the shutters, the city continues its morning business. The healer’s quarter remains watched, but the immediate choice is yours: seek a discreet practitioner or learn why the guards have sealed the place.
“ugh, I know a girl. i write a letter addressed to cindera and attach to a raven and send it off, within less than an hour a flame feathered raptor lands on our balcony”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +1)
You find parchment and ink, then write a hurried letter addressed to Cindera. A wild raven accepts a strip of bread from your hand, and you secure the letter to its leg before sending it skyward.
Vaelor
That was quick thinking. I hope Cindera still receives letters at the place you remember, but at least the message is moving.
The wait consumes most of the morning. By the time the raven disappears beyond Ithaca’s rooftops, the healer’s quarter remains guarded, and Cindera’s current whereabouts are still uncertain.
Vaelor
We have spent precious time, but not uselessly. If anyone can answer discreetly, Cindera can. Now we know where the letter has gone, even if we cannot know when she will answer.
Less than an hour later, a flame-feathered deinonychus woman lands lightly on your balcony. Cindera’s dark scales gleam beneath her vivid plumage, and her sharp eyes find you at once.
Cindera
Umbralia. Your raven found me before the guards did. You sounded urgent, so tell me what has happened.
Cindera folds her flame-colored feathers close and steps from the balcony rail, bringing the answer you sought within reach while the guarded healers’ quarter waits below.
✓ Quest Accepted
Find a discreet healer
− Scene Quest Removed
Find out whether Umbralia is pregnant
“do you remember when I thought i was pregnant, and you ran some field tests to see if i actually was?”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +0)
umbralia
Do you remember when I thought I was pregnant, and you ran those field tests to find out whether I actually was?
Cindera’s sharp expression softens with recognition. She steps fully onto the balcony, folding her flame-colored feathers close while the city murmurs below.
Cindera
I remember. You were about ten days late, and you were terrified the guards would notice you seeking a healer.
She lifts one claw, counting the procedures from memory: a charm over your pulse, a moonwater reaction, and a divination using a strand of your crest feather.
Cindera
All three field tests were negative. You were not pregnant. The delayed bleeding came from stress, exhaustion, and the strain your body had been carrying, not a child.
Cindera
I repeated the pulse charm twice because you looked ready to accuse the first result of lying. Both repetitions agreed with it. There was no pregnancy then.
Cindera
Why are you asking now, Umbralia? Has something changed, or are you checking an old fear before you tell me the real reason I was summoned?
“I have reason to believe that i actually might be this time”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
I have reason to believe I actually might be pregnant this time.
Cindera’s expression changes at once. Surprise gives way to focused concern as she steps closer on the balcony, listening without judgment.
Cindera
This time? Tell me what changed, Umbralia. How late are you, and when was the last time you had reason to think conception was possible?
She raises one claw, not to interrupt, but to organize the questions. Her attention stays fixed on you, and the guarded streets below seem distant.
Cindera
I believe you. I will test you again here, quietly and thoroughly, before you go anywhere near the healers’ quarter. No guards need to know.
Cindera reaches into a small satchel and draws out a stoppered vial, a silver-threaded charm, and a shallow bowl marked with lunar symbols. Her field kit is ready.
“and this time, I have slept with the same the same guy multiple times withing the span of month”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +2)
umbralia
And this time, I have slept with the same man multiple times within the past month.
Cindera’s focused concern sharpens into immediate understanding. She sets the vial and silver-threaded charm on the balcony rail, giving your confession its proper weight.
Cindera
Then conception is genuinely possible this time. You have had repeated opportunity with Daren, and your lateness is no longer something we can explain away from the start.
She pours clear water into the lunar bowl and places the silver charm above it. The city’s guarded streets remain below, distant from this private test.
Cindera
I am not judging you, Umbralia. I only need the truth so the magic has the right shape. How many days late are you now?
Cindera uncorks the vial and steadies the bowl between both claws. Her movements are practiced, discreet, and entirely directed toward giving you a reliable answer.
Quest Complete
Find a discreet healer
Skill Upgrade: Medicine Great→Superb
“I am 12 days late as of this morning”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +1)
umbralia
I am twelve days late as of this morning.
Cindera’s claws pause above the lunar bowl. Her expression tightens with concentration, but she keeps her movements calm and precise.
Cindera
Twelve days is significant, Umbralia. With repeated opportunity for conception, pregnancy is a real possibility, not a question we can dismiss.
She lowers the silver-threaded charm until it barely touches the water. Pale rings spread across the bowl, catching the daylight and drawing toward its center.
Cindera
Hold your hand over the bowl and breathe normally. I can give the charm enough of your living pattern to answer without taking anything from you.
Cindera waits until your hand is in place, then whispers a short invocation. The water turns faintly luminous, and the lunar markings begin to glow one by one.
“I hold still and let Cindera finish testing me”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +2)
You hold your hand steady above the lunar bowl and breathe as instructed. The luminous water gathers beneath your palm, responding to your living pattern without resistance.
Cindera
Good. Stay exactly as you are, Umbralia. The charm has found a second rhythm within your pattern.
The silver thread brightens, and two concentric rings form in the bowl. The inner ring pulses in time with your heartbeat, while the second answers from a smaller, separate presence.
Cindera
The result is positive. You are pregnant, Umbralia. The signs are clear enough that I do not need to repeat the test.
Cindera lowers the charm and covers the bowl with one careful hand. The glow fades, leaving the balcony quiet and the certainty of her answer between you.
Cindera
You conceived recently, and the pregnancy appears stable from this reading. I can help you arrange discreet care, but you should tell Daren when you are ready.
“it isn't Daren, i left Daren three months ago. i say as i call for vaelor”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
It isn’t Daren. I left Daren three months ago. Vaelor!
Cindera’s eyes widen at the correction, but your clear call carries through the apartment. Footsteps answer from within, quick and unmistakably familiar.
Cindera
Then I used the wrong name. I am sorry, Umbralia. If Vaelor is the man involved, he deserves the truth when you are ready to tell him.
Vaelor steps onto the balcony, still hastily dressed from sleep. His gaze moves from your face to the glowing bowl, and concern immediately replaces his confusion.
Vaelor
I heard you call. What has happened? Is the test positive?
Cindera
It is positive, Vaelor. And Umbralia has just clarified that Daren is not the father. She left him three months ago.
Vaelor goes still, absorbing the correction and the confirmed pregnancy together. Cindera keeps one hand over the covered bowl, leaving the next words to you.
“I tell Vaelor the pregnancy is his”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
Vaelor, it’s yours. I have not been with anyone else since we began seeing each other, and Cindera’s test confirms it.
The words reach Vaelor plainly. He looks from you to the covered bowl, then back again, as the confirmation settles into the quiet balcony.
Vaelor
Mine. Our child. I believe you, Umbralia, and I am here with you.
Vaelor takes your hands carefully, his stunned expression giving way to wonder. Cindera remains beside the lunar bowl, watching without intruding on the revelation.
Vaelor
Thank you for telling me directly. We will protect this secret until you choose otherwise, and we will arrange the care you need.
Cindera
Then the father knows, and the first uncertainty is settled. I can explain what the reading showed and help you plan the next discreet steps.
Vaelor does not release your hands. Below, Ithaca continues beneath the guarded morning, while the three of you stand together with the truth finally spoken aloud.
“I ask Cindera to arrange private prenatal care”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
umbralia
Cindera, please arrange private prenatal care. I need someone discreet, away from the guarded healers and the authorities.
Cindera
I will. I know a skilled midwife who keeps a quiet practice beyond the eastern dye quarter. She will see you tonight under a borrowed name.
Cindera opens her satchel and removes a folded scrap of parchment, already reaching for ink. Her movements become brisk and assured as she begins arranging the visit.
Cindera
The midwife will examine you, record the pregnancy, and explain what care you need. No guard will be told, and I will accompany you from here to her door.
She seals the note with a small smear of blue wax and sends it with a trained raven from the balcony. Within moments, the arrangement is secured for tonight.
Vaelor
Then we have a private appointment, a careful guide, and no reason to approach the guarded quarter. Thank you, Cindera.
Cindera
You are welcome. Until then, keep this quiet, rest when you can, and tell me immediately if anything changes.
“I disguise myself before tonight’s appointment”
SUCCESS (Legendary Stealth, rolled -1)
Before evening, you alter your silhouette with a plain traveling cloak, a dull market scarf, and temporary charcoal markings that break up your familiar features. Your crest stays bound beneath the hood, and even your posture changes.
A borrowed name waits on the appointment note, while your usual weapons disappear beneath layered cloth. In the mirror, the unseen shadow is gone, replaced by an unremarkable traveler with no reason to draw a guard’s notice.
Vaelor
I would pass you in a market, Umbralia. That is either excellent work or deeply unsettling. Perhaps both.
Vaelor checks the disguise without touching it, then adjusts the cloak’s hem so it conceals your movements naturally. He keeps his voice low, treating the preparation as practical rather than fearful.
Cindera
The midwife will see a traveler named Nessa tonight. Keep that name ready, and let me do the talking until we are inside.
Cindera studies the finished disguise, then nods once. The borrowed identity holds from every angle, and the route beyond the eastern dye quarter is ready when night arrives.
Vaelor
Then Nessa will visit the midwife, and Umbralia will return safely afterward. I am ready whenever you are.
✓ Quest Accepted
Reach the midwife and receive private prenatal care
umbralia leaves Umbralia's apartment balcony behind and arrives at eastern dye quarter.
“I leave with Cindera and Vaelor for the eastern dye quarter.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +0)
The eastern dye quarter receives you in twilight, all indigo-stained walls, bitter flower steam, and narrow lanes shining from recent rain. Cindera leads you through the busiest crossing without a single guard remembering your face; Vaelor keeps close at your shoulder.
She stops before a shuttered dyer's shop and taps three times. A hidden panel opens beside the door, revealing a small, lamplit courtyard and an elderly woman with dark skin, silver-streaked hair, and a green wool shawl.
Mirelle
Nessa, I presume. Come inside quickly. The guards searched the western lane twice tonight, but they never noticed my patients entering through the dye house.
The panel seals behind you, cutting off the quarter’s noise. Mirelle’s courtyard contains a curtained examination room, shelves of dried herbs, and a second concealed exit leading toward the canal walk.
Cindera
This is Mirelle, and she has kept half the dye quarter’s secrets for thirty years. No guard knows this entrance exists. You are safe to be examined here.
Mirelle
And you are welcome, Umbralia. I can confirm the pregnancy, assess your health, and begin proper care tonight. Your companion may remain, if you want him beside you.
Vaelor
I will stay wherever Umbralia wants me. Thank you for making room for us, Mirelle.
“I ask Mirelle to examine me privately”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
umbralia
Mirelle, I would like you to examine me privately, without anyone else present.
Mirelle studies you for a quiet moment, then gestures toward the curtained examination room. Cindera nods and Vaelor releases your hand without protest.
Mirelle
Of course. Your privacy is yours to command. Cindera and Vaelor may wait here, and no one will enter until I invite them.
Cindera moves to the courtyard entrance, keeping watch beside the concealed panel. Vaelor settles near the shelves, his attention on the door rather than the examination room.
Mirelle
Come, Nessa. I will draw the curtain, wash my hands, and examine you carefully. You can tell me anything without being overheard.
Mirelle closes the curtain behind you and prepares her instruments in the lamplit room. The examination begins in complete privacy, with her calm questions and practiced care focused entirely on your health.
“I answer Mirelle’s health questions honestly”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled -1)
Mirelle asks about your cycle, prior pregnancies, illnesses, medicines, appetite, sleep, and any pain or bleeding. You answer each question honestly, without hiding uncertainty or softening difficult details.
Mirelle
That is clear enough to work with, Nessa. Honesty matters more than a tidy history, especially when I am deciding what care your body needs now.
She records your answers in a narrow ledger, pausing only to clarify dates and symptoms. Her questions remain practical and unhurried, giving you space to distinguish what you know from what you merely suspect.
Mirelle
Your account gives me no immediate sign of a crisis. I will still examine you carefully, then explain what the pregnancy requires and which warning signs must bring you back at once.
Mirelle checks the notes against her memory, then washes her hands again before continuing. The private room stays quiet except for the soft turn of parchment and her measured instructions.
Mirelle
You have answered well. Now tell me if anything feels different today from the discomforts you described, and we will make the rest of this examination just as carefully.
She waits without pressing, her attention steady and respectful. Your honest account is complete, and Mirelle now has the history she needs to proceed with the examination.
“I let Mirelle complete the examination”
SUCCESS (Good Health, rolled +0)
You remain still and let Mirelle complete the examination. Her hands are careful and practiced, though the prolonged strain leaves a sharp cramp low in your abdomen and a clammy weakness in your limbs.
Mirelle
There. The examination is complete. You are pregnant, and nothing I found suggests an immediate crisis. The pregnancy is early, but it appears stable.
Mirelle helps you sit upright and places a cup of watered wine within reach. The cramp eases gradually, but the weakness remains long enough to demand rest before you leave the room.
Mirelle
The discomfort should settle, but do not ignore renewed pain, bleeding, fever, or faintness. If any of those appear, you return to me immediately, whatever the guards are doing outside.
She records the examination beside your history, then adds instructions for food, water, sleep, and a follow-up visit. Her calm precision turns the uncertain discovery into a care plan you can follow.
Mirelle
When you are steady, I will bring Cindera and Vaelor in. They can hear the findings from me, but you decide how much of the rest they learn.
Conceal the pregnancy from Mother
Quest Complete
Reach the midwife and receive private prenatal care
Skill Upgrade: Medicine Superb→Legendary