By dawn the triplets began preparing for departure, Meryn wove a small vine carriage to accommodate her and her kids. And they attached it to two of the horses.
Ethan walked to the carriage tugging the vines, getting PTSD flashes of him struggling to cut the vines.
Shivering he walked back to his horse saddling it, Jared also walked to the other horse saddling it.
___________________________
Meanwhile elsewhere, a certain Kobold was skinning a leopard, humming a tune.
Minutes later he ran an incision through it's underbelly. Digging his scaly hands into the leopard's belly, his claws brushing against something smooth.
"Come on, come on… come to daddy." he muttered, after a while he paused. Slowly, he withdrew his hand, his eyes narrowing.
After a minute of silence, he shook his head. "No, he can't pull something like that off."
He dug in again, frantically this time, claws scratching against empty flesh. After a minute of groping around, he paused, tail stiffening.
His eyes slowly widening. "Ethan you bastard!"
Another Kobold peeked into the room. "What is it Silk."
Silk turned to him, "Nothing I just had a minor stroke."
Waving his hands to dismiss the Kobold. "Go on now."
Staring at the leopard's corpse Silk mumured, his smile widening. "This isn't over, you scamming son of a human."
___________________________
Back at the cave, Ethan sneezed then muttered, "Someone must be thinking of me."
[You wish.]
Mounting his horse his eyes surveyed everybody. "We're not forgetting anything right?"
Jared looked around before shaking his head.
"Good let's get going then, if we're going to get back before midnight.
As their horse galloped along the way, Ethan's thought flashed back to Anna. He turned back looking at the carriage where Meryn sat with her kids, slowly gulping.
"Well, Anna's not going to like this."
The rest of the return journey to Cross Village was uneventful—aside from James constantly complaining about his sore legs and occasional rests they took in between.
Ethan ignored both. He was too busy thinking about the ten gold coins sitting in his inventory and the implications of having an exiled princess and her kids under his protection.
By evening the wooden houses of Cross village appeared in view. Ethan smiled, turning to the triplet's beside him.
"It's good to be back aye, boys."
They nodded with James mumbling, "Finally."
By the time they reached the village outskirts, Ethan could see a small crowd gathered near the entrance.
As they rode in, villagere muttered in hushed tones. "They didn't have a carriage when they left."
"I don't care that carriage looks beautiful I want it."
"Beautiful? Pfft it looks majestic."
The carriage came to a halt and one of the villagers traced her hands across the leaves on the carriage, without warning its door swung open.
She paused staring at it cautiously. Then, Meryn stepped out, her bare foot grazing the ground. Small grass patches blooming beneath her.
The woman scurried backwards, two other smaller feets stepped on the ground. Scanty grass patches blooming beneath them.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
A young boy whispered, "She must be some kind of forest spirit…"
"There's nothing like forest spirits child."
"So you're saying the child is drunk then?"
"What! I never said that, I'm just saying there nothing like a forest spirit."
The carriage doors closed and Meryn came into full view to the villagers. The eyes of all the men watching widened, some had their jaws slacking, others gulped nervously.
James climbed down his horse scoffing. "Look at them, acting like they've never seen a woman before.
Jared chortled. "Please, your expression was worse when you saw her. Remember you even tried to flirt with her?"
James staggered, turning to glare at his brother. "Snitching on your brother? That's a very brotherly move Jared."
Jordan dismounted his own horse, snapping his fingers at the villagers. "It's not even just the men even the women. And people say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."
Hearing Jordan's snap, some of the villagers awoke from their reverie just as Mona scurried to Ethan's leg, spreading her arms giggling. Chuckling Ethan picked her up.
The villagers eyes widened at the scene. "By the gods."
"Don't tell me, this is what I think it is? If it is we have to make sure no one tells Anna."
A voice cut through the air. "No one tells me what?"
The whole village seemed to freeze, even the birds in the sky flapped their wings fleeing.
Ethan turned to the voice, staring at Anna watching him a dangerous smile on her face while her eyes alternated between him and Meryn.
He gulped as Anna took slow deliberate steps towards him, the villagers slowly shifting away.
[Warning: Angry Tsundere approaching, brace for Impact.]
Staring at her smile, Ethan gulped, the sound echoing through the silence.
The baker muttered. "I forgot I had a bread in the oven, welcome back Chief."
As he scurried away the rest making up excuses as they left the eye of the storm.
"Anna—I."
"Go on"
"Let me—"
Meryn's gaze flickered to Anna, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips.
'Ah. So she's the one.'
She folded her hands, watching Ethan squirm with mild amusement.
Anna tapped her foot on the ground, arms crossed in front of her. "I'm listening."
"It's not what you—"
"Mm hmm."
One of the younger villagers watching the exchange stepped forward and placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder.
"Chief… it was nice knowing you."
Anna slowly tilted her head, staring at him. He bowed his head down as he fled. Turning back to Ethan, Anna spoke, "Go on."
"It's not—"
She cut in again. "Of course."
Ethan sighed, rubbing his face, Mona glanced between Ethan and Anna, giggling. "Human... bully... uncle."
Anna's eyes widened in surprise. "Uncle?"
Ethan nodded vigorously. "That's what I wanted to tell you but you kept interrupting. It's not what you think it is."
Unfolding her arms, "Okay explain."
Ethan glanced at Meryn then Anna. "It's a long story."
Anna took another step closer, voice soft but dangerous.
"Explain, now."
Before Ethan could speak, Meryn tilted her head, lips curving into a smile.
"Explain chief, we wouldn't want her thinking I stole your heart now would we?"
Anna took another slow step forward, her boots crunching against the dirt. The triplets held their breath.
"Explain," she said, her voice like the calm before a hurricane. Another loud gulp from Ethan echoed through the air.
James muttered, "I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes."
Jared elbowed him. "Shut up before she redirects the rage to us."
Anna crossed her arms. "Still waiting, Chief."
Ethan nodded as he began the explanation thirty minutes later, he gulped. "That's basically how it all went down."
Anna glanced at Meryn then back to Ethan. Raising her voice slightly. "Oh, of course, you found them in trouble," As she spoke her voice continued rising. "And you, being the big, strong hero, immediately jumped in to play the Knight rescuing the helpless damsel in distress."
Meryn chuckled, giving Anna an amused glance. "I assure you, I am far from helpless."
Anna's eye twitched. "Oh, I bet."