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THORSTEN
I awoke to the tantalizing aroma of sizzling fish drifting in through the open window, my appetite instantly stirred. Lumbering outside, I spotted William, Kal’s father, minding the day's catch over the crackling grill, grease popping and hissing.
"Morning,” I rumbled in greeting, my gravelly voice still heavy with sleep.
"Morning, you look like hell." William laughed cheerily with a wave of his spatula. The dancing flames framed his handsome weathered face in a warm glow.
I studied William's features, all sharp angles and slight creased skin, evidence of a life spent braving the elements. Yet, it was easy to tell that the old guy was a looker back in his heyday, and Kal strongly favored him, from the intense green eyes to the proud nose and strong jawline. The only difference between the two was that Kal’s face was still boyish and smooth. And now that the two of us were linked as mates, it would be that way for a very long time.
I wondered how Kal would take living for centuries on end. After all, if humans were meant to live for a thousand years, then they would. Would his mind break after watching so many people die? A part of me did not think so. My mate had gotten stronger, he even filled out more, developing a little more muscle and definition. And he seemed more confident and self-assured than when we had first met.
But even so, he has never faced a mental challenge as the one he will embark on throughout the years. Although he wasn’t unaccustomed to facing tragedy. He suffered the loss of his mother.
My mind suddenly drifted through the past, recalling when I had first hired William and his wife - Kal's late mother…. what was her name? Luna?... to recover the traveler’s rune, they were one of many I had hired at the time. Most of the divers I hired weren’t much to note, most just wanted money and nothing more. However, these two were different. How young and determined they had seemed then, so full of conviction in their cause to rid their world of the titan menace. I almost felt as if it was fitting that they were working on accomplishing that very goal by aiding me. Unfortunately, the rune they had proudly presented me was one of Felman's countless forgeries.Of course, by the time I uncovered the deception, William and Luna had long vanished without a trace. A shame, I actually would have hired them as my personal divers long term. But instead, his fiery mother had died somewhere in the world for her cause. I remember it being such a waste of talent.
Now here we were, improbably bonded by family despite our uneasy past association. William's devotion to Kal conquered any lingering wariness between us. I trusted he was a man of integrity, whatever his former allegiances. The past could remain buried; today we broke bread as kin.
"The heat is just as rough on me as the cold," I rumbled sincerely in response, settling my creaking frame onto the roughhewn log bench. The logs groaned slightly under my massive weight.
As I watched William deftly flip the fish, he launched into recounting his cooking exploits from this morning. Amusement glinted in his eyes as he described a daring seagull swooping down to snatch a freshly grilled fish right off the plate.
I let out a rumbling laugh at the image. "It takes a bold thief to steal from under your watch, William."
"You're just blowing smoke up my ass to make me feel better. I'm not as spry as I used to be,” he admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle. “Anyway, the cheeky bugger had to dunk the hot catch in the sea to cool it off first!"
We shared another hearty laugh. Despite our differences, William and I had built an easy rapport over the years, bonded by our mutual love for Kal and the twins. I knew our past history,fraught with tension between human and titan, weighed heavily on him at times. But his devotion to family conquered all. And though he struggled to understand Kal undergoing the worm to bear my children, he cherished the boys fiercely. That was enough for me.
Right on cue, the twins came barreling outside, boisterous and energetic as ever. Grinning, I gave chase, their delighted laughter contagious. Scooping them up in my strong arms, I tickled their little bellies as they squealed before instructing them to get cleaned up for breakfast.
Soon after, Kal came sloshing back from his habitual morning ocean dip. Thank the gods I won’t have to deal with them alone. Wrangling our rambunctious duo without backup first thing could be daunting, even for me.
"Papa!" the boys cried out in unison, barreling over to embrace Kal. Chuckling, he wrapped them in a big soggy hug.
"Let's get you dressed before you catch a cold," I interjected, herding the energetic pair back inside. Even small tasks like getting dressed became an adventure with these two.
“Let me get out of these wet clothes first.” Kal reached up, wrapping his arms around my neck and I allowed him to pull me down into a kiss. He smelled like the ocean and his kiss was just as salty. I pulled away and suck in a breath, if I did not stop now then I was going to tell the kids to just go eat while I had my own breakfast.
Kal laughed and softly patted my crotch before disappearing into our room.
“Let’s get you boys ready for the day.” I sighed, turning my focus back on the children.
They balked at my conservative clothing selections, clamoring for the gaudiest outfits imaginable. "How about we compromise today?" I proposed diplomatically. They reluctantly agreed, and I helped squeeze them into slightly more vibrant attire than my original picks. Compromise was essential when parenting such fiery spirits. Sometimes I picture them running about my castle and getting into all manner of trouble.
As I wrestled to get their tiny flailing limbs into sleeves, I marveled again at their size. Though only four, they had nearly surpassed my own boyhood stature. More titan blood clearly flowed in their veins than anticipated. This made life here a little harder for them as none of the human children their age would play with them and yet their minds weren’t developed enough to horse around with the older kids, and here were no Titan children to play with. Jarnsaxa and Barras had left the moment the portal was finished. She didn’t wish to birth her child in the human world. If they survived the journey through the portal, then their child would be the same age as mine.
Catching my eye as they scampered off to eat, Kal remarked. “At this rate, they’ll be towering over me by ten.”
I chuckled deeply, pulling him into a tender embrace, and stroked his still-damp hair. I treasured these chaotic mornings.
Soon we gathered to enjoy breakfast al fresco, collaborating to set out the mouthwatering spread William had prepared. The aromatic feast of eggs, bacon, grilled spicy salted fish, and sweet rice swiftly began disappearing between my own appetites and the twins' voracity.
Around the laidback table, affectionate chaos reigned. The boys excitedly recounted a fantastical dream through sticky mouthfuls as I listened with amusement.
Soaking in the intimate scene, I committed each precious detail to memory - the melodic chatter, William's cooking, the crying gulls eager for scraps. Despite all we had endured, we had finally built a loving family and home. But truth be told, I wanted more. My sons were princes and yet they lived almost like paupers. I wanted to pamper and spoil them and my mate, and yet I was no more than a simple fisherman here. And I was restless like no other. I was used to having a goal and fighting to achieve it, and now…now I was just living.
And I was still full of bittersweet nostalgia for my distant homeland. Family, and friends, an entire universe away yet still cherished across the yawning void. I wondered what my elder brother Radorgirn was up to now. The last I had spoken with him, he was taking on more responsibilities as crown prince to prepare for eventually assuming the throne. Unlike in human history where one ruler must die for the next to inherit, it was not uncommon among titans for a ruler to simply retire, passing the crown willingly to their heir. Perhaps Radorgirn already reigned as king now. I chuckled inwardly picturing my stoic brother sitting stern-faced on that bone-polished throne, so unlike our gentle father.
Gazing west across the endless horizon, colors blurred by harsh sunlight, I allowed my thoughts to drift of fantasies of using the hidden portal. Home was right there on the other side. Yet foreboding apprehension gave me pause—with no word back from the titans who had already crossed through, the risks were unknown. Should I traverse it alone first to investigate? But what if I became trapped somewhere and unable to return like the others? For all I knew, we could end up anywhere on the other side. Trapped in a caved-in cave, A Maw pit, or even under the ocean. This is why we crossed into the human world via a transport ship. But no such precautions could be done with this portal, it was too small. And even if the crossing was successful, I would have to reach the portal at my facility at home and continue my research on linking the portals to ensure I landed back in Dakhla without causing another apocalyptic event. But abandoning my newfound family, even temporarily, was unthinkable. And so the conundrum persisted.
