Arthur Hemlock had missed his boy during the past four months.
I know I said this was part of the Trial Year, He thought to himself in melancholy as he enchanted yet another tool this day, but I can't help but feel like I sent him away. Although perhaps it was for the best, he was not here to have to deal with Baron Talbot.
The thought of what they went through the past four months brought up a bit of anxiety in Arthur, but it also caused anger to surface. An emotion he had rarely felt since his parents' death.
Sending the tax collector after hearing about our miraculous extra harvests was already enough to show that we are targeted at the moment, but the insistence on an inspection goes too far.
He finished the enchantment on the rake they needed for adjusting the dirt in the fields after the rains. He had managed to give it a durability and strengthening combination enhancement, but he also managed to layer his intent on top of it, giving the wood and metal a bit more durability than the normal rune would provide.
He had already reached level 10 with Intent Shaping, but he had managed to once again drain his reserves of mana that had been quite plentiful lately.
As he began using his new recovery skill, he thought to himself one more.
If Baron Talbot does send an official request for inspection without any real cause, then I suppose I will have to request a royal injunction. A pain in the ass that will be, but it should help clear up these issues without having to deal with a low-ranking noble who seems to be yearning for more power or wealth.
Sigh.
It's too bad his father also died shortly after Jacob was born. The late Baron Talbot would have never treated the peasantry like this. He was a good man. I wonder how he managed to raise such a pain-in-the-ass son.
Movement outside the barn caught Arthur's eye, forcing him out of his thoughts.
At first, he thought it might have been a spy sent by the Baron. But, as the shadow walked into the lamplight, he realized that it had already been a full four months since his son had left.
Jacob walked into the lamplight cast on the workbench, revealing his new stature to his father.
Arthur walked up to him without a word and hugged him, only having to bend over a little instead of getting down on a knee. His son had grown up to his chest over the summer, and in his embrace, he realized that Jacob was also nearly as thick as Caleb.
Jacob returned the embrace, and Arthur remarked, "You made it just in time for dinner, son."
Then he held Jacob by his shoulders at arm's length to get a good look at his boy.
"The past four months have been rough," Jacob said, "I'm just glad to be home."
Arthur nodded, "And we are happy to have you, lets head inside to see everyone. Oren is here tonight, too. I guess he is better at keeping track of time than I am."
That caused Jacob to laugh a little, "Or he just got lucky. I bet he's been here three times this week already. You know he loves Mom's cooking."
Arthur scratched the back of his neck as they walked and talked, "I suppose you're right. He will probably be just as surprised as everyone else tonight."
While walking past the entrance to the barn, Jacob suddenly stopped. He was looking towards the shadows on the other side of the barn, which surprised Arthur, but then Jacob started talking to the darkness.
"You can come inside for a meal if you like. I'm sure the family would be interested in meeting my protector."
The situation was weird for Arthur, who was confused for a moment. Sure, it was dark, but he could tell that there was no one in the shadows. For a moment he considered if Jacob had injured his head during the training, but then a feminine voice replied to him.
"No thanks, I will continue to observe from a distance."
That was all she said, but the fact that someone was actually there surprised Arthur.
"Well," Jacob replied, "the offer still stands, if you end up getting hungry."
Then he took off towards the house, with Arthur following with a bit of lingering confusion.
"She is a bit shy," Jacob said to his father as they approached the house, "I don't think she will join us, but she was there for me during the training when things were most desperate. Although I think I should share the story with the whole family."
Arthur nodded his head as he grabbed the door, "Just make sure to soften the events, we don't want your sister to have nightmares."
Jacob nodded his head. He knew everyone would want to know what happened, and lying would do more harm if he had to come clean later.
As they approached the dining room, Jacob could smell the savory scent of a roast with all of the usual trimmings.
Sure enough, he thought to himself, harvest has been in full swing this season. I can smell a variety of the best vegetables. I guess Mom also got her herb garden up and running because the regular spices seem to be partnered with some pungent aromatics.
Without seeing the food, he was able to differentiate the distinct smell of carrots and potatoes, but he also suspected celery to be a part of the menu.
His mouth was watering before he even got a good view of the food.
Upon reaching the dining room, everyone looked over, expecting Arthur to be coming in from his nightly enchantments. Instead, they found a taller and more muscular version of Jacob walking to the table.
Sera had to rub her eyes, as the newcomer seemed to look a lot like Jacob, only more handsome.
Oren started to laugh at how much his little friend had changed in one summer.
Lila just squealed about her brother being home, and May got up from her spot and rushed over to her boy, showering him in kisses and hugs before checking him from head to toe to make sure he had come home in one piece.
Mira walked in from the other side of the house, through the shadows, and just gave Jacob a solid nod after giving him a once-over. She could tell more than just a physical change had occurred, but she was not sure exactly what that change was.
Not everyone in the family had known exactly what Jacob was trying to do, after all.
No one seemed surprised that she had come in unannounced, so Jacob figured that this was a regular occurrence at this point, but he was busy trying to reassure his mother that he was fine.
Once she was convinced, she rushed to make a spot for the newcomers and to get a plate ready for Jacob and Mira.
She quickly wedged a stool between Oren and Sera while moving Lila into her own chair to sit in her lap during the meal.
The full scent of the displayed food hit Jacob right in the face. The caramelized carrots and onions confirmed his previous suspicions, while the sight and smell of thyme from the herb garden solidified the theory of a garden.
A large cut of roasted beef sat at the center of the platter, holding the array of vegetables, seasoned to perfection. The fat of the beef trickled into the portions of carrots, potatoes, and onions, causing Jacob's mouth to water uncontrollably and his stomach to grumble incessantly.
It had been a while since he had tasted anything besides sun-fruit, and he could not force himself to look away from the magnificent feast before him as he took his spot on the stool placed by his mother.
His broader shoulders brushed against Oren as he plopped down, but Oren didn't care, as he noticed the look of true hunger in his friend's gaze as he looked from Jacobs eyes to the platter at the center of the heavy oak table.
"I would ask if they even fed you out there, if you didn't come back looking like a pile of muscle," Oren said as May placed a plate in front of Jacob and plopped a generous serving onto it, "but it must not have been very good if you are eying the food like that."
Jacob just absently nodded his head as he began to stuff his face. He let out soft grunts of satisfaction as he scarfed down the meal, and then served himself seconds.
The table was left in silence, bewildered by the ferocious hunger displayed by Jacob. So they let him eat as they waited for him to have his fill.
Sera, specifically, had been shocked into silence. She was entirely stupefied as she eyed Jacob's calloused hands gripping his utensils as he tore into the meat. She followed those hands to his muscular arms and then to the sharp line of his jaw.
She was having trouble reconciling the image of the small boy who left for training just four months ago with the young man sitting next to her at this moment.
Mira sat across the table next to Caleb, where Lila had been sitting. She simply ate her food with a mechanical efficiency, slicing one perfect piece of meat after another as she quickly put the food away.
She seemed to have expected the changes Jacob experienced, or she didn't care. It was hard to tell with her due to her reserved nature. Instead of gawking at Jacob, she occasionally eyed the window adjacent to her position in a clear show of perimeter control, seemingly concerned with the safety of the household during the meal.
Caleb was sitting in his spot with an empty plate and a slackened jaw, looking at his younger brother, who was nearing his own height and stature.
Next to Caleb but at the head of the table, opposite May, was Arthur. He had his own meal now and was gingerly eating it as he smiled at his son, who seemed to be worried that the beef would grow legs and run away.
It sure is nice, he thought to himself as he chewed his own food, having everyone at the table after so long. I do wonder if Mira anticipated his return. She seems absent-minded, but she is acting much differently than normal. I suppose this is her own way of showing her excitement about having Jacob back home.
He had a lingering anxiety about what he would do to combat Baron Talbot's overreach. But, for now, he would just enjoy this experience with the family.