As Maric awoke, he was a little sad to not find Nimue at his side. One of the things he enjoyed the most about mornings was simply waking up to her face, and laying there with her in his arms.<br/>When he arrived downstairs, he grabbed a serving of breakfast for himself, giving Nimue a peck on the cheek before downing his food. Just as he finished, he too heard Samantha's call for Faren.<br/>After excusing himself from the table, the knight went outside and was greeted by a lot more people than he had expected Faren to return with. He could tell some of them were from the city, friends along with others that were probably eager to see the woman that had finally caught the paladin's heart. The others, it took him a moment to recognize, but eventually he could tell that they were people from his home town.<br/>Maric quickly began to make his way to Faren, though he was easily outpaced by Samantha, who leapt into the surprised squire's arms. With a chuckle Maric clapped him on the shoulder.<br/>"How fared the trip?" Maric asked.<br/>"It was long, but there were few distractions." Faren replied, nodding his head towards the crowd. "Your family is eager to see you by the way."<br/>Looking in the direction Faren indicated, Maric's heart suddenly leapt in his chest. Standing but a few yards away was his family. They looked quite different than the last he saw them, but there was no possible way to not recognize them. His father was more wrinkled, his hair grey and wispy, and his back hunched over from years of fieldwork, but it was definitely him. His mother, her long straight auburn hair now streaked with white, and with her own share of wrinkles stood right beside his father. And right behind him was his sister, much taller than she had been when they ran through the fields in their youth, with hair as bright and fiery as their mother's once was. They stood there for a moment, just staring at one another, trying to take in as much as they could.<br/>It was his sister who finally broke the silence.<br/>"Brother!" She cried, running towards him with tears of joy in her eyes.<br/>"Talia!" Maric called back, scooping her up in his arms in a bearhug.<br/>Their parents soon followed suit, and they were all quickly crying tears of joy at finally being reunited.