It was night here in Oxbury and snowy outside, glad I was inside drinking with my party and some friends from the guild. As I was thinking we heard the door slam open and everyone turned to look.

  The girl who was there looked right at me and said the baby is coming. I jump up from my seat and run out the door with the girl following me.

  As I was running through the streets, I realized how cold it was. Then it hit me that my jacket was still in the bar. I started to run faster to get inside once there.

  As I arrive and head inside, there is a woman standing there with a baby. She turned to me, then said “The baby has arrived.”

  I went up to her and she handed me the baby. I just stare at him and just think “You look just like your mother” I then looked at the woman and asked “Can I go in with the baby to see Teresa”

  She shook her head and said “Not right now, she is resting as she is not feeling well”

  I just said “Okay”

  Teresa has been resting for about a week and does not look any better. We had the doctor look at her. Then he told us she needs rest, but she is not doing well and gave her some medicine.

  When I was just thinking about having the doctor come back for another visit. The girl who came and got me for the birth, came bolting out of Teresa’s room in a panic. I handed her my son and ran into the room, to find that she had passed.

  I dropped to me knees and tears just started rolling down my face. The only things I could mutter where “H-How…” and “W-Why…” We had just named our son the day before, as she wanted to make sure he had a good name. I was so confused and could not stop from just slumping over, from what seem like total exhaustion.

  The next day my party came to my house. “Alex how are you hold up?” one of them said. I just sat there staring at them. “We have decided to stay in town and help around here. As well as look after little Artemis.”

  I could only mutter a barely audible “Thank you”

  About a month has passed since Artemis was born when I heard a knock on the door. Ria, one of my party members went to answer the door. She opened it and she just quietly said something. Then an older woman walked in, it took me a second to realize it was Teresa’s grandmother.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  She just looked at me with a frown and said “One of your party members sent me a letter and told me what is going on. My granddaughter has passed and great grandchild was born. Yet you ask me what I am doing here? When you are just sitting and mopping around.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  I just muttered “Sorry”, as I sunk further into my chair. My party member left the room. Teresa’s grandmother and I where going to have a long talk.

  “I am glad that you are here.” I said.

  She said “I am glad I am here too, with the sorry state you are in. However, that could be expected with how emotional you have always been very emotional for her. I came as soon as I heard and have decided to stay for a while to help take care of my grandchild. I also how nothing better to do, as I am no longer the director of the academy.”

  I could only say “Thank you for being here.”

  “No need to thank me.” She said, then said “It was either me or her father, who took a lot of convincing to not just run here in a fit of anger. If that happened, he would have found out who she ran away with after graduating from the academy.” I shivered at that. “Now we need to start getting you back on your feet. I will not take no for an answer, I have talked with your party and you will go on some requests with them. While I stay here and take care of the child.” She proceeded to say.

  As I started to say something “Wa…”, she interrupted me.

  She said “I will not take no for an answer…”

  A few months since grandmother has come and I have been on a few missions with my party. We are out on a mission right now, just escorting a small merchant to the next town over and then back.

  When one of my party members called out “Hey, Alex. So, what are your plans now, with Artemis and everything else going on. You should have plans ready for his future.”

  “I know. I think I am going to give up adventuring and take a job in the town’s guild hall. I have already talked to the guild master about this, at least until he is older.” I said.

  “That sounds like a good idea.” they responded.

  After the request, I talked with grandmother back in town about my plans of becoming guild staff. Her response was “About time, as you don’t want the boy growing up without a father around very often.” That just made me sad.

  While I was eating breakfast, I was just thinking of a few things. I can’t believe it has been a year since my son was born. I have been working at the guild for over half a year. Man has this year been rough. I wonder how my former party is doing, they are always coming and going. As I thought that, grandmother entered the room with Artemis.

  She took a deep breath and said “I am glad to see that you are on your feet finally, but I will be leaving to go back to the academy. As there is a few things that I will need to take care of. I have already arranged to have a local lady assist you in taking care of Artemis, if needed.”

  I was dumbfounded for a moment. “I see. I appreciate all of the help you have given me.” I said.

  “That is not a problem and I will actually be leaving tomorrow morning.” she replied.

  After I gave my goodbye to grandmother at the gate, I headed to the guild hall. As I was entering the guild hall. I ran into my party.

  They told me “We will be leaving on a request that will take a long time. We are going to the Rulan Kingdom.” I wished them good luck and they did the same for me.

  “Hey Alex.” I turned to see who it was, she was one of the other guild staff. “I can’t believe your son is turning three today.” she said.

  I smirked and said “He is, and I am getting off now to spend time with him on his birthday. I will be bringing him buy the guild hall so he can start seeing how adventurers do things. So, he will know what to do once he is one.”

  She laughed and said, “So you really want him to become and adventurer as well.”

  I just said “Absolutely.”

  She responded with “Then I will see you and him when you come back later.”

  “Later then.” I said as I left the guild hall to head home.