IRIS AND DYLAN

  “Relax Dylan you’re going to put a hole in the rugs. Daddy likes you.”

  “Yeah well that was before I fell for his beautiful daughter.”

  “Come sit next to me, relax everything will be fine. You do like to sit next me right?”

  Dylan, giving in to his new love, sits several inches away. Iris narrows her eyes. “Dylan I said next to me, that is not next to me.”

  “Your father will be here to see you, what is he going to think of us, of me sitting too close to his daughter. He is going to think I just want uh…” Dylan’s voice trails off at Iris’s giggles, “Iris, I am not handling this well am I?”

  “No you are not but I find you adorable, all flustered and nervous.” Iris moves to her knees and faces Dylan. “My father’s approval is valuable to you isn’t it?”

  “Yes not for me but for you, for the both of us to be together. You are my everything and I want your father’s blessing to date you. My mother says that first loves don’t always work out that it is too easy to out grow each other. I want you in my life now and forever. Something happened in that dungeon to all of us. We all came out different not just Classes and Level but our emotions. I look at you and the only thing I can think of is how good you feel in my arms.”

  Iris lunges and pushes him down, laying on him and pulling his arms up. As Dylan’s arms tighten around her, Iris says, “Just so you know I want to wrap you in my arms just as often. Daddy will see you, not the poor half-blood, but the man that loves me, and that I love with all my heart and soul.”

  A few kisses later, a knock sounds at the door. The couple jump to their feet, scrambling to straighten clothing and brush hair back into place. Iris calls permission to enter. Smith Jhaeros and Mrs. Chainbreaker enter the room, coming to a standstill. The two parents look over at their children. Mrs. Chainbreaker sighs, “I would apologize, Lark, my son is usually much more put together than this. But both seem to have the same symptoms, mused hair, clothing in disarray, flushed faces and swollen lips. You don’t suppose they caught some thing from that awful dungeon do you?”

  “I hope not, you don’t suppose it is catchy, maybe we should call for that Healer fellow Rhys was it?”

  Iris blurts out, “We are not sick, we were kissing,” Dylan looks at Iris his face red and wide eyed. Iris, realizing what she just said, flushes scarlet and turns away. Facing the mirror, she sees what they both look like. Her father and Dylan’s mother both break out into laughter. Iris turns Dylan to the mirror and hurries to grab a brush, reaching to brush Dylan’s hair in place while Dylan straightens Iris’s dress. Finished with Dyland’s hair, she brushes her own while Dylan fixes his own clothing. The two, not understanding they just communicated their feelings for each other better than any words could do.

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  Dylan’s mother walks forward with a smile and hugs Iris. “You call me Kselia. I see we will need to get to know one another.”

  Lark grasps Dylan’s hand and shakes it, “Please treat her right and I will hold no objections to your courtship.”

  Dylan looks Lark in the eyes and tells him. “She is the most precious thing in the world to me, Sir.”

  “You have the makings of a smith about you. Come by the shop if interested. You should all have a side craft, it helps sometimes after a hard delve to sink into something creative.

  Iris laughs, “You should both sit down we have some news for you both.”

  After everyone finds seats, Iris gestures for Dylan to go first. “Mom, Smith Jhaeros, my Affinity is Elemental as you both know. What you don’t know is my Class is an advanced Epic called Wizard.” The stunned silence is broken by a weeping mother. “Ma please don’t cry, this is amazing.”

  “I am not sad you goof, my heart is so full of happiness. You have won the heart of a girl most men can only dream of, and you gained a Class that those racist clowns could never hope to reach. Oh Goddess my heart is full of pride and love for you and everything good in life. I wish your father were here to learn this with me, the crazy bastard would be on the zenith of the palace right now screaming to the world about his baby boy. Shoot Girtiel would be right there with him.”

  Iris walks to Kselia and hugs her tight. “Our Dylan is an amazing man.”

  “Yes, Yes he is dear one.”

  Wiping her tears away as Iris moves back to her seat. Iris’s father says, “Elemental Smiths have made some of the most incredible creations in the world, and that is just the basic Class. Word gets out about your Class. You’ll have folks hammering on your door wanting to train you.”

  “Well sir I am loyal and if you are willing I would like to learn the craft for you sir. It would be an honor.”

  Iris, smiling so wide her eyes are almost shut, says. “Daddy I have an announcement too, you both know my Affinity is Nature. I did not get the Druid Class like we had hoped.”

  “That is fine baby girl what ever you got is sure to be wonderful.”

  “It is, you see I also got an advance EPIC Class, called Magus.” The Master Smith sits stunned. Iris whispers to the room, “I think I broke him.” The man, still silent, stares at his daughter. Iris explains the Class is central to elven culture.

  Sudden laughter explodes for the master smith. Doubled over laughing, tears running down his face, gasping for breath. He subsides after a few minutes, still breathing hard. “So let me get this correct in my head. The two half-blood kids that got picked, on beat on, and are hated because they are too human. Have the most sought after Affinities and Classes of the elves or dwarves. Even though they are not elf or dwarf enough to be allowed at the Elven or Dwarf Academies. There is no way you can tell me the Gods don’t have a sense of humor. This is fantastic.” The foursome stand and hug, laughing.

  Lark announces, “We are all going out to celebrate. My treat.” Dylan asks, “Have you talked to Lilly and Karnna yet?”