From behind him there came a roar of delight. "Brother!"
Garron turned. Bearing down upon him was the largest man he had ever seen. He was smiling broadly and approached with arms wide open.
Before Garron could think to dodge, the giant of a man pulled him into his arms with a laugh and squeezed him with such force that Garron thought his ribs would surely break.
"Emmanuel! I see you have kept yourself well." He said as soon as he could breathe again. "You are as strong as an oak! And almost as large as one."
"It has been a long couple of decades. I have finally seen the end of my task! Ah, but it is good to be here again. I admit, I came with a bit of dread, thinking of how many times I would have to explain my absences, but it seems that Daniel has kept you all satiated with mostly accurate recounts of my adventures."
At this Garron nodded. Emmanuel had been absent the past three Reunions. Daniel, who liked to keep track of the family and would arrive on your doorstep once or twice a year, had informed us that he was alive and well but was on a long quest that he should not be distracted from. We saw little of Daniel those sixteen years because he spent most of his time with Emmanuel. At the last Reunion, he told us that Emmanuel was nearing the conclusion of his quest and would be present at the next one. Two years ago, Daniel began visiting at his regular frequency again, explaining that the journey was finally over.
"I'll need to correct some embellishments, of course, but it won't take nearly as long as telling every single story in full by myself! Good man, Daniel is. He has not, however, told me anything about the doings of everyone else! Though it is better that way, I think, for now I can hear it first from the lips of those to whom they belong. So! How has the mighty Garron been doing, eh? What have you been up to?"
