Meet the Ancestral Family Keep At the Annual Wintersgrip Festival

“Ah. Well, despite being a summer vacation, I’m now even more exhausted.”

Domitia rested against Razan’s shoulder on the boat heading back around the inland sea.

“It’ll still be a week or so until the next semester,” Razan said, also quite winded.

They were back in a private berth for the journey of several days. The ferry would be taking off soon, rapidly moving north along the western shore as they moved into colder climes. But Domitia had received a nice dosage of sun, her skin blessed with a healthy gleam that would last for nearly an entire year before she’d need another tropical top-up.

“Ah, well, they seem to be happy with you,” Domitia said with a sigh. “Maybe because you’re rich and come from a family of lords and ladies.”

Outside, there was a whirling of magi-tech as the ferry pushed off from the Fellmire port. The boat rocked slightly, and they were away, back to college.

“Just glad we have some time to ourselves before classes start.” Domitia added after a time.

--

The ferry traveled north to Coolheath, where the scenery grew more alpine and temperate. This leg of the journey was quiet, relatively unused, with only a handful of incoming freshmen boarding at the ‘Heath for transport to Shiverfast. The only other stop of note was in Freezeport, an even chillier locale than the college town.

Broken glacier-bergs wafted about in the water here and there. The port was only viable here in the summer, fields of ice venturing out far onto the open water once things got chillier. Only three passengers disembarked at this lonely outpost, and only one visitor boarded. Within the hour, the ferry was off to the relatively temperate taiga of Shiverfast.

They arrived after a day and a half and found the quaint college town apartment waiting for them. Immediately, the pair fell asleep.

--

The second half of the year would be their final semester as sophomores. Domitia jousting club was in peak season in the fall, and she relished tryouts for the more high-stakes tourneys in the second half of her college career.

Course schedules went out, and…

Razan’s Classes

Domitia’s Classes

BIO3274 – Practical Bio Magic

BIO3274 – Practical Bio Magic

CS3116 – Spell-Computing Science Essentials

CS3116 – Spell-Computing Science Essentials

POT3555 – Potions 303

POT3555 – Potions 303

MGT3899 – Management (Advanced)

MGT3899 – Management (Advanced)

SPL3790 – Essentials of Spellcrafting

SPL3790 – Essentials of Spellcrafting

… which is to say, that they had identical class schedules. The pair would be spending most of the day with each other, minus when Domitia was off for jousting practice or tourneys in other cities. The pair grew closer still, feeling practically married as they cohabitated in their off-campus apartment and handled every class as a unit.

Razan, of course, attended every jousting practice and at-home tourney to cheer her on.

It was another long, grueling semester, but in the end Razan and Domitia’s grades were…

S and SS, respectively, for BIO3274.

SS and SSS for CS3116.

A respectable B and an S for POT3555.

S and S rank for MGT3899.

And they both aced SPL3790 with an SSS each.

--

Junior year awaited. But first, the taiga and tundra around Shiverfast grew more frigid still. Domitia’s conjured orbs of artificial sunlight were summoned more and more frequently.

It was between semesters once more when the pair’s second vacation of the year was scheduled. The Wintersgrip festival beckoned in the south, and Razan was scheduled to travel ahead down to Riverdale, with Domitia catching up following one last all-hands-on-deck jousting tourney.

“Safe travels,” Domitia said at the downtown enchanted carriage station.

“I’ll be fine. It’s a trip of barely a day,” Razan responded. “You be careful up here all alone.”

“I will.” She smiled. “It’s a simple jousting tourney, what could possibly go wrong?”

The enchanted carriage let out a whistling chime. It was time to depart.

“We’ll be separated for all of three days. Go on, now.” Domitia sealed it with a kiss.

Razan kissed back, then stepped on the tram. He found his seat, then waved out the window as Domitia – and Shiverfast as a whole, receded into the distance once more.

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--

Same route back through the taiga and tundra, over some mountains, down into more temperate lowlands, and finally to the near-eternal summer of Rivergale.

Wintersgrip was somewhat ironic as festival names went, certainly in balmy, swampy Rivergale. But Razan’s family had holdings there on a hill within view of a walled river city. Just a bit more than a day’s tram ride, then an hour or two’s horse-drawn cart up out of town and he was home.

Father, mother, grandpa and grandma were already there to greet him. This would be a smaller gathering than the either the summer jamboree with Domitia’s family, or with his previous family reunion before the school year started. This would be a much smaller affair, the greater family spread out all across the realm such that they were.

“So, how’s college going?” father asked, meeting him at the keep’s bailey.

“Lowest grade is a B, but the others…” Razan paused for effect.

“In potions, I presume?”

“Yes. But, otherwise… all S-grades across the board!”

“Impressive!”

Razan nodded. “And it’s all thanks to Domitia hard-carrying me through potions.

His father chuckled. “We can’t wait to meet her. Is she…?”

“She’ll be here in about three days.” Razan smiled.

The pair got to walking. Then, as they neared the door to the noble ancestral keep, his father said.

“I’ve, ah, primed dear Mawmaw and Pop. Trying to keep them from saying anything that could be… awkward.”

“Thanks,” Razan said, breathing deep.

He imagined getting into a righteous fury should any of his stuffy family make any snide remarks. Razan’s head was on a swivel, just waiting.

Of course, it was a few days before Domitia would even arrive. He had some time…

“Glad to see you again, pumpkin,” said Grandma Lise. “Are you getting along well with that… Domitia?”

“It’s Domitia, mawmaw, and yes.”

“And she’s one of them goblins?” asked Grandpa Nasif.

“We uh, don’t use that word. She belongs to a clan of gob-kin, or gob-kind. They share a common lineage with elves back in the Dawn Age. And no they’re unrelated to orcs – maybe, maybe don’t mention orcs at all.”

“Right. One of them,” the grandpa said with a grumble.

“What does she like to eat, dear?”

“Oh, meats. Voles. Lots of fowl.”

“Aye, well, we do have that,” said grandpa.

“Oh, dear me. I was going to prepare some spell-roasted potatoes.” Grandma Lise’s brow furrowed. “Would she like those?”

“I, ah, don’t think she needs those.” Razan shrugged. “Maybe she can eat them? I’ll ask when she gets here. She should be able to consume our meat offerings, mawmaw.”

“Good, good.” Grandma Lise moved back in her rocking chair. “Y’know we haven’t had any of these goblins over for company in, oh, ever.”

Razan clasped his hands together. “Just… please be nice. She’s very sweet and she has problems with her own family and I really want the Wintersgrip festival to go well for her.”

The grandparents smiled softly.

“There, there, dearie. I’m sure there’s nothing I or Pop can do that will scare her off.”

--

The Wintersgrip festival would arrive the day after Domitia came in on the enchanted carriage network. The remaining days were spent cleaning and preparing, as well as visiting with the grandparents and various other relatives.

On the afternoon of the second day, Razan and his parents walked back to town to meet Domitia at the enchanted carriage station. They arrived early, which proved unnecessary as the carriage was late by two hours. So, they sat by the carriage station, as afternoon morphed into early evening.

Information transfer magi-tech had not quite caught up to overland or overwater transportation. Which is to say that Razan had no idea how the jousting tourney went, merely knew Domitia was meant to be on this scheduled train.

Hours after its scheduled arrival, there was the blare of a horn from the north and east. The enchanted carriage gradually rolled into town on the rail.

Shiverfast and Rivergale were on far opposite ends of the line. Which is to say that most passengers boarded and disembarked at various stations between the two far points. Only one silhouette shuffled about in the pale lighting of the carriage interior.

The doors swung open, and out emerged Domitia. Same as always… aside from a honking big icepack taped to her shoulder and a smaller bandage over her right eye.

--

“Oh, my forge god, Domitia, are you okay?”

Razan rushed up to meet her, causing Domitia to wince when his hand grazed her shoulder.

“Aaah. It’s still – still sore, honey,” Domitia managed, wincing.

“What happened?”

“Just a particularly nasty shoulder-blow from a lance.” Domitia hunched over, fanged teeth gritted. “Still won, though. Knocked the other woman off her horse, she just got a shot in. Almost missed the carriage, though; would’ve still been in the school infirmary if the tram hadn’t been delayed more than an hour for unrelated reasons.”

“We’ll have the town physician look at it,” Razan said suddenly. “And your eye…”

“Just a little bruised around the eyebrow. It’ll be back to normal by tomorrow.”

Razan’s parents awaited at the edge of the station, looking

“Is everything okay?” his mother asked.

“Mom, dad, this is Domitia.”

Domitia bowed, as well as she could with a busted shoulder. She offered her good hand, which Razan’s mother, then father, shook in turn.

“Sorry, ran into a little trouble at the end-of-year jousting tourney. But I made it in time.”

“C’mon,” Razan said, “Let’s get you home.”

--

Rather than walk an injured lady on the scenic but slow route out into the hills, Razan’s family acquired a horse-drawn carriage to make the trip in half the time.

Razan, of course, helped his girlfriend out of the carriage, then aided her on her walk inside.

“Well, hello there, pumpkin,” said Grandma Lise, only for her eyes to go wide when she saw a rather injured gob-person being half-carried in with her good shoulder wrapped around their grandson’s neck.

“Got clipped in a joust,” she said. “So good to meet you after all this time. Imma… go change some bandages out but I should be okay for dinner!”

--

“Well, that was not quite what I expected for a first impression.” Domitia winced as Razan helped her set up a replacement bandage. “Kind of abbreviated. I’ll have to have a proper conversation with your folks later.”

“Ah, you could have sent a letter on the train explaining things, I could’ve come back.”

Domitia shrugged. “Maybe. But I wanted to be here to meet your family.”

Razan looked at her with a soft smile until she added:

“Hey, maybe you could concoct a healing potion with local ingredients? Submit it for extra credit.”

With bandages changed to a lighter shoulder sling, the couple hung out in a quiet backroom for a few hours before it was time for a late supper.

And so, Domitia’s second first impression for Razan’s grandparents involved eating from the meat selection one-handed while beeyepatched like a pirate of the inland sea.

“So, Miss Domitia,” said Grandma Lise. “You said you do jousting?”

“Yep.” Domitia ate a whole chicken leg.

“Wow. They didn’t have that open to women when I was your age.”

“So, dear,” Razan said, changing the subject. “You won the jousting tournament?”

“Scuffed and bruised, but we won.” Domitia smiled. “Certainly miss your morale support cheering us on in the stands though.”

--

Dinner wound on, the keep’s new gob-kin guest even trying the odd and exquisite potato, nutritionally unnecessary though it may have been for her.

“You seem… very nice,” said Grandma Lise.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“And such an appetite.” Lise chuckled. “Welcome to the family, dear.”

Grandpa Nasir performed a quick grunt with a nod. That generally meant the guest had his seal of approval.

Desserts came and went. Afterwards, the small family unit moved out to an exterior patio to digest amidst the steamy Rivergale evening.

“Ahh, this place is nice,” Domitia said, finally able to rotate her shoulder. “Like Fellmire, but without that arid dryness everywhere. A gal could get used to this.”

“Miss Domitia. I’ve, ah, heard that Fellmirans can have… litters.”

Razan inhaled. Better Fellmiran than the g-word, he supposed. It’s more a region than a country (or an ethnicity) but at least it was polite.

“Oh? Yeah, up to nine,” Domitia said all nonchalantly.

“Why, that should make for quite a few great-grandkids to dote on,” Grandma Lise said with a smile

Razan choked on air, face turning red.

“Aaaah! Too soon, too soon, grandma!”

--

“Well, I think that went well,” Domitia said several weeks later.

The pair was back on the enchanted carriage heading back to the north. Domitia’s jousting wounds had healed good as new. And she’d traded her SMC robes out for shorter, sporty outfits the better to beat the Rivergale heat.

“The festival itself always passes by in a blur,” Razan said.

Domitia nodded. “It was crowded. I can see why it was so popular – definitely prefer to be down here this time of year rather than up in Shiverfast.”

In time the carriage took off. Razan waved out the window at his family – and especially his elderly grandparents. By the time Rivergale had receded into a distant blur in the south, the pair rested their heads against each other’s shoulders, suddenly tired from their second weeklong vacation of the year.

“It’ll be a busy Junior year,” Domitia said after some time. “But if we can keep this pace, we should have a shorter senior year. Plenty of time for an extra-long vacation post-graduation.”

“Suppose so.” Razan closed his eyes and smiled.

“Soooo, got a year or more to plan that. For this coming summer, you want to go to your family’s place or mine?” Domitia asked, then nudged him on the shoulder. “Must say, I quite like your family, dear. Very… sane. Calm. Stable.”