"Yup, they are," Marina said, and her voice was warm. "Come on. Remember, you're on vacation? That means you have to do at least one silly thing."
"Is swimming a waste of time?"
"Yes, it is a waste of time if you haven't swum in months." Marina slowly removed her adventure gear, and Greg was shocked to see her undressing in front of him, revealing a white bikini that seemed too mature for her age.
"W-Why did you do that...!?" Greg looked away fast.
Marina noticed the red face on his cheek and then smiled teasingly, "What's wrong? Why are you blushing when you see me like this?"
"Isn't this normal for a woman who wanted a swim?"
"But still... it's so fucking out of the blue, it shocked me."
Marina starts to blush as well, and now she's trying to avoid eye contact, but it's hard knowing Greg was twice the size of her body. But then she washed it all off with a gentle slap on her face.
"Come on, let's swim!" Marina stretched out her hand for invitation.
Greg can't deny that offer anymore, after seeing she has a gorgeous body that caught him off guard. He takes off his tank top, and Marina starts gulping, seeing his muscular body that really hits something inside her mind and body.
"Wow... six-pack... and those pecs... look amazing..."
Without thinking, Marina took his hand and pulled him toward the beach. "Come on, blacksmith. Let's see if you can still relax."
The water was surprisingly warm, thanks to the sun and some natural thermal currents that Ryn went into excellent detail about, but Greg didn't fully understand. They splashed around and floated, enjoying the simple pleasure of being in the ocean without any immediate threats or duties.
Greg was able to relax in a way he hadn't expected. He could just be a person when he wasn't at his forge or dealing with the Brotherhood's and the girls' constant demands. He was not the Peaceforger or the famous blacksmith, only a man known as Greg.
Marina, who was floating nearby, said, "You're smiling again."
"Are you getting the hang of this vacation?"
"Maybe," Greg said. "It's strange not to have anything to make or fix."
"And don't forget the problem and chaos just because I was existing."
Marina said, "That's the point."
"You don't always have to be making or fixing things. Sometimes you can just be yourself for once."
"Is that what you do? Just existing?"
Marina was quiet for a moment, just floating in the water. "I used to think that just being alive wasn't enough. I had to keep moving and being useful all the time, or I'd lose my place and even my worth."
"That sounds tiring."
"It was," Marina said. "Still is sometimes."
"But it was easier to be with them." She pointed to where Kael and Denna were having a splash fight while Ryn sat on the beach and read a book. "They taught me that family isn't about being useful. It's about being there."
"Is that why you brought me out here?" Greg wanted to know. "To teach me the same thing?"
Greg couldn't quite figure out what Marina was thinking when she looked at him. "Maybe. Or I just wanted you to see what it looks like when people who love each other really do take care of each other."
Greg said, "I have that. The workshop, the Brotherhood, and those girls."
"You have people who care about you," Marina said again. "But you don't always let them help you. There is a difference."
Denna yelled from the beach before Greg could answer. "Hey! Ryn found something strange!"
They swam back to shore to find Ryn examining what looked like a piece of driftwood carved with strange symbols. Kael was already poking at it with his knife, and Denna was frowning at the markings.
Ryn said, "This isn't normal. These are definitely runes, but the style is odd, looks very old."
"How old?" Marina asked, and she quickly switched into her professional adventurer mode.
"Pre-kingdom old. Maybe even before the settlement." Ryn carefully traced one of the symbols. "This is magic with a marker. Someone probably put this here to show something."
"Treasure?" Denna asked with hope.
"Or danger," Kael said. "Could be a sign."
Greg looked at Marina. "What do you think?"
"Do you want to look into it, or do you want to stick to your relaxing vacation plans?"
"Maybe just this once...?" Marina answered.
Greg looked at the driftwood and ran his fingers over the carved symbols. It was almost like they were alive when you touched them as his blacksmith instincts kicked in, analyzing the craftsmanship of the carving and the intentionality of each mark.
Greg said, "Someone who cared about their work made these."
"Someone who wanted this to last. That's not how you usually show that something is dangerous."
"So treasure, then," Denna said, getting excited.
"Or something that someone wanted to keep safe," Ryn said. "This could either be treasure or something entirely different."
"There's only one way to find out," Kael said as he checked his weapons.
Marina looked back and forth between her friends and Greg, clearly torn between wanting to protect them and the adventurous spirit that had always been a part of her. At last, she smiled.
"Alright. But we do this with care. No charging in, no extra risks. Greg is here to relax, not to be eaten by some old thing that might be nearby."
"I can deal with old things," Greg said.
Marina said, "You deal with old things by turning them into legendary household items by mistake."
"That's great for cooking, but not always helpful in a fight."
"That's a fair point," Greg said.
Greg watched how the Crimson Falcons moved together as they packed up their gear and got ready to follow the markings. The way they worked together easily, the way they communicated without words, and the complete trust they had in each other. Marina had been showing him this. Not just friends or partners, but family.
And when Marina smiled at him and caught his eye, something warm and complicated settled in Greg's chest. He might learn more on this vacation than he thought he would. In more than one way.