10 Promises and Awkward Encounters

'My...balls!' Damian almost cried but he managed to bite back the scream and somehow managed to grab Wylla before she could land another kick on his delicate and sensitive balls. Damian swore that he would buy a groin guard from the system store or make it himself. He never wanted to feel that pain again in this life.

Wylla's little kick sure packed a punch, fortunately, it wasn't strong enough to make him jump on his feet like a monkey or growl in pain on the ground.

"Ah! Wylla, Don't!" Wynafryd chided her little sister as she saw what she did to Damian. Jory witnessed it too as he was standing beside him, plus a couple of guards standing in the hall, by the door. Fortunately, they managed to hold back their laughter or else Damian would not be able to stop himself from punching their faces.

Lord Wyman was the only one who couldn't see what happened becasue Damian had his back towards him. He only saw Wylla running into Damian's embrace and the latter stiffened for a moment before grabbing the girl by her shoulders.

"Wylla, calm down please, I brought gifts for you. I brought a big cake. Don't cry alright? And I will do anything you ask for your forgiveness, okay," Damian quickly whispered a few promises in the ear of the girl so she could stop trying to kick or punch him while crying.

Lord Wyman stood up to see what Wylla did to Damian and it had to be something nasty by the look on Wynafryd's face.

"Sniff* you promise, sniff*" Wylla finally stopped squirming after hearing Damian ask for forgiveness and promises to make up for not saying goodbye to her properly.

"Yes, pinky promise. Now cheer up or Lord Wylis, your father would beat me to the ground for making you cry."

"I won't let him," Wylla shouted. Vowing to defend him against her father's wrath out loud.

Fortunately, her tears stopped flowing and she calmed down before giving him a hug.

It almost melted Damian's heart. He liked kids. Not like a paedophile, he genuinely like kids because they were cute and a bundle of joy. He had been with Wylla since she was born and had watched her grow. He had helped Leona, wife of Wylis, to look after the Wylla in his free time. Ah, thinking of Leona some memories appeared in Damian's mind that he did not wish to remember at this time.

Thankfully, Wyna spoke to bring him back to reality.

"What about me, Damian?" Wynafryd said, looking quite annoyed at Wylla's unruly and unladylike behaviour. Perhaps, she was jealous of her because she couldn't throw herself at Damian for a hug like she used to do before when she was younger. She has grown up and learned to behave like a proper lady from her mother and the Septa. She knew by now what is proper etiquette and that she should present herself in front of others or it will tarnish the image of their Noble House and make others laugh at them.

Still, Wynafryd could not help but ask Damian about her as she had also been hurt by his departure.

"I brought gifts for you as well from Bravos. My men will deliver it to the castle after they are done with their business at the ports." Damian said. He had bought some gifts like jewellery that was made in Bravos and some dresses that were dyed purple. It was nothing expensive but it was an appropriate gift for the girls. He also bought some cakes and other sweets from bakery shops in Bravos.

Wynafryd nodded her head in satisfaction. Damian went ahead and gave her a brotherly hug too.

"Hehe, your face is becoming red!" Wylla squealed into laughter after seeing her elder sister's face.

"Is not!" Wynafryd quickly denied it and glared at her unruly sister.

"It's enough, Wylla. Don't tease your sister. Damian, why don't go and rest in your previous quarters? You must be tired from the long journey. Join me in the evening for dinner. We will talk then. Jory, you can also stay in the room beside Damian's its empty. Also, do join me at dinner. I will take my leave now. there's a lot of work to oversee, hahaha" Lord Wyman said and chuckled to himself at his joke before taking his leave from the hall from the main gate.

"Come, let me take you to Mum, she was also sad because you left without saying goodbye," Wylla said after Damian put her on the ground. She tried to pull his hands to take him to wherever her mother was but Damian did not move an inch.

"Ah, Wylla, how about latter? I have to go back to the port and see if my friends that came with me from Bravos would need any help or not." Damina said awkwardly. He did not want to face her mother after remembering what had happened between them on his previous nameday celebration.

"You won't run away again, will you?" Wylla asked sceptically.

"No, my sweet merling, I won't go without telling you about it," Damian said taking her back into his arms.

"How about you both accompany me to the port?" Damian invited.

"Can we please? It's been a long time since we went to the port to see the ships up close." Wylla squealed in delight. Wynafryd too seemed happy about visiting the port.

But as they walked out of the hall, Leona, arrived in front of them with a Septa following behind her.

Damian quickly gave a bow and said, "My lady, how are you?" Trying hard not to meet her eyes.

"I'm well, Damian. It's good to see you come back. . . Will you be joining the war?" She greeted back. After a slight pause asked about his plans.

"Yes, I will fight the Ironborn beside your husband and Sir Wendel," Damian answered. though he still did not look at her face. Jory looked at Damian with suspicion but he did not voice his thoughts and soon imitated his friend and kept his head down.

"Please be safe then. Look after my husband will you, he sometimes eats too much and has gotten a little too fat. I fear he might get a bad stomachache before the fighting." Leona said again.

Damian couldn't help but look at her face becasue she never jested about her husband's weight like this before. But he regretted looking at her becasue it took him back to that night which he wished to forget and hope the other person do so too.

She still looked the same as before. She was wearing a green silk dress that showed little to no cleavage and her shoulders were covered with a woollen shawl. Her face was above average with yellow hair, and her body was womanly with the right curves and fat in the right places. Especially, her beh-

Damian stopped his train of thought knowing it was wrong to think about his mentor's wife like this.

Fortunately, before things could become awkward between them, Jory coughed and interrupted, "Damian, didn't you say your men needed your help at the docks? Perhaps, we should make haste or they will not be able to finish their business before sunset.

"Yes, you are right. My lady, I wish to take your daughter to the docks for a while. They wanted to take a look at my ships. If you will?" Damian quickly asked.

"You have ships? Yes! Can I ride it, please?" Wylla said from his side, She seemed too excited at the thought of riding on a ship.

"I can't Wylla. You need to ask your mother for permission." Damian said not promising anything. Taking them to the docks with him was fine but letting her ride his ship was too much. Sir Wylis might not like that.

"It's alright, Damian. If they are with you I know you will look after them. Just bring them back with you before sunset.

"But, my lady, what about their classes?" The septa finally spoke.

"It's not an issue. They can take the class tomorrow. Let them enjoy themselves for today. Come, I need your help with something else." Leona quickly turned around after saying that but not before giving Damian another look.