"They are always so happy to see you," Enin noted as he walked out to meet his friend.
"And I'm always happy to see them."
Ryson spied a medium sized dog with a dark brown coat. It was a mix of breeds too numerous to mention as well as difficult to identify.
"He's new," Ryson noted. "Haven't seen him before."
"You're correct."
"You find a stray?"
"No, no strays in Connel. Dogs are much too valuable. Best warning systems in all of Uton, even better than magic. He was somewhat of a gift."
"A gift?"
"Well, he belonged to a friend of mine, an older gentleman. The dog was actually a gift to him from his son. They were together for a short while, but my friend unfortunately became very ill. He knew of my love for dogs and asked me to take care of this one if he didn't get better."
"He didn't?"
"No."
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you," Enin responded sadly, but then looked to the dog and a smile returned to his face, "but I know they will be together again eventually. We all will. Dogs and people have a bond that is stronger than this existence."
Ryson didn't quite understand exactly what Enin meant, but he took great joy in the words as he continued to pet and scratch every dog around him. As he rubbed the new dog's ears, the delver posed a question to the dog's face.
"What's your name, big guy?"
"Stomps," Enin answered for the dog.
"Stomps?"
"Yes, he has a habit of stamping his front paws when he wants something. Apparently, he did it when he was a puppy and still does it today."
The delver peered into the dog's eyes.
"So you're a demanding fellow? Good for you."
Ryson's interaction with the animals made Enin's smile even stronger.
"Why don't you get a dog?" the wizard asked.
It was a question that always crept into the back of Ryson's mind every time he visited the wizard, but he always suppressed any further considerations. Enin's question pulled the idea further out into the light and forced the delver to deal with it more openly.
"Dogs aren't easy to come by," Ryson answered as a way to approach the issue in a more practical manner without the influence of emotion. "You said it yourself, they're valuable; more valuable than gold, land or magic in my eyes."
"Stomps here would be willing to go home with you," Enin offered. "I can tell. They talk to me you know."
Ryson looked back and forth from Stomps to Enin. The question of having a dog was no longer simply pulled from the back of his thoughts for further consideration. It was presented to him as a clear choice. He was pleased beyond measure to hear the dog would be willing to accept him, but reluctance born of his insecurities quickly chased any immediate acceptance away. Unable to simply say no, Ryson again attempted to deal with the matter based on circumstances and not desires.
"I thought his previous owner wanted you to have him?"
"He just wanted me to make sure Stomps was taken care of. I know you would make sure of that. I'm not breaking any promise, if that's what concerns you."
And just like that, all barriers seemed to be removed. If Ryson wanted a dog, he could have one, but he also realized it was an enormous commitment, one he shouldn't make in the spur of the moment.
"I would love to, but…"
"You think Linda would mind?"
The mention of his wife revived the concern that brought Ryson to Connel. He didn't know what Linda would think of having a dog. In truth, he was very confused as to what Linda was thinking about anything. With their relationship weighing on him, he realized what was truly keeping him from immediately accepting the proposal.
"I want to talk about Linda with you. That's why I'm here."
Ryson turned his attention back to Stomps. Crouched down before the dog, he found happiness, but he finished revealing his reluctance as if explaining it to Stomps.
"I would love to take you home, but I'm away too much. I wouldn't want to leave you alone."
"You could take him with you on your scouts," Enin suggested.
"Too dangerous. I don't know what I would do if something happened to him. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
Stomps looked back into Ryson's eyes and then licked the delver's nose.
Enin chuckled to himself, and then explained what he saw in the dog's mind and heart.
"That's okay, Ryson. Stomps understands. The time isn't right for you at the moment. He knows that. He'll be fine here. He likes me, though he thinks I'm a bit odd."
Ryson smiled back at the dog. He whispered a response, but said it loud enough so that the wizard could hear him as well.
"I'm with you, boy. Wizards are odd people. They do odd things."
Enin chuckled again, but then took a hard look at the delver and considered everything that Ryson had said.
"Why don't you come inside?" Enin asked. "We should talk in private."
The wizard guided Ryson into his study. They both sat down and Enin started the conversation without hesitation.
"You are concerned about Linda," Enin recognized. "What is it that I can do for you, or her?"
Ryson wasn't sure how to start, so he simply threw out the one concern that seemed to create Linda's downward slide.
"Linda doesn't think we can have children."
"She's right," Enin responded simply.
The wizard's certainty shocked the delver. He didn't have a great understanding of the magic, but he believed its very existence made almost anything possible.
"You're sure?" Ryson asked.
"Absolutely. She's physically immune to magic. A delver child is part magic. That's just the way it is."
Ryson rubbed the back of his neck, uncertain of what to say or do next. He realized that Linda was right. She didn't need to speak to Enin, or anyone else. She knew the truth. At that moment, he did, too, and it left him confused… uncertain of his future.
"This surprises you?" Enin wondered.
"Yeah, I guess."
"I suppose it might," Enin allowed. "Did you plan to have a family?"
Ryson struggled for an answer. It was a very personal issue and it was difficult to discuss.
"It's complicated," the delver finally admitted. "It's not that we didn't talk about it. We just never made a decision one way or the other."
"Yes, family life is indeed complicated."
Ryson felt the urge to explain further. Revealing that they had not made certain decisions left him uneasy, as if he had acted irresponsibly.
"I guess we were just taking things as they came. Maybe that's not the smartest way to handle things, but you have to realize delvers don't always have a plan. We tend to switch paths quickly. You also have to consider everything that's happened since we got together. We met right when the magic returned. After that, it's been almost one crisis after another. We've been happy to just stay alive."
"That's true," Enin conceded. "Okay, so there was no set plan and many challenges, but if you don't mind me asking-and this is just about you, it has nothing to do with what you think Linda wants-did you want to have children?"
Ryson had to give Enin credit. The wizard pulled another question from the depths of the delver's heart and forced him to face it. It was indeed a very personal question, but also a very important one, one that he believed he might have been avoiding.
"Like I said, it's complicated."
"That might be, but if you want to get through this, you're going to have to be honest with yourself first before you can deal with it honestly with Linda."
Ryson sighed and made a very truthful admission.
"I don't think so… want to have children that is. I'm away a lot. I face a lot of danger. Godson! Look at what's been happening to me over the past few seasons. I've been fighting monsters and demons. Do I really want to bring a kid into something like that? I mean, you just asked me if I wanted Stomps. It's not that I don't want him, it's just that I don't want anything to happen to him because of me. If I'm concerned about having a dog, why would I want a child?"