Weekly Digest 41 (#130 - #132)

Trying To Convince Himself

The ice boat was finally finished that afternoon.

Lori didn't believe a word of it.

"Latrines?"

"Made and tested," Rian said promptly.

"Structural reinforcements?"

"All in place for the top deck, the water jet, we double checked all the railings to make sure they can take the weight of people walking on them because of course, and we had four of the biggest, strongest people we had try to break out of the brig," Rian said. "They, uh, broke out the first two times, so we reinforced it a few times, which is why there's that room lined with stone. We're a bit front-heavy as a result, but not enough to be unstable, and it helps act as ballast."

"The bucket for the prison?"

"It… works, and seals shut, so it doesn't make the lower decks smell. And I had a second backup bucket made in case something happens to the first one. I know you said to let them wallow in their own filth if they broke it, but if we accidentally lose it over the side… well, that just seems unfair."

Lori rolled her eyes. "The beds work?"

"The volunteers going with me and I slept on the beds the last two nights, just get a feel for them, and we also practiced washing the iridescence off so we can work on how to keep our stuff mostly dry."

Lori didn't really care about that, but she nodded. "Lights?"

"We checked them yesterday, they're still glowing outside the demesne. Do you want us to go seel them out of the river now?"

Lori nodded. "Yes, best do it now." She frowned. "Are you sure doing that doesn't hurt you? It seems really unnatural."

"It's just diving underwater," Rian said, shrugging. "I'm more worried about one of the seels or one of the smaller fursh attacking me while I'm down there." He shuddered. "Those little fursh are biters."

It was good to know that she could imbue lightwisps from her eye outside the demesne. Firewisps was still a problem, since she'd have to draw it from her insides, but maybe lightningwisps… Still, for now, the ice boat had two kinds of wisps she could imbue from a distance in it. The lightwisps were simple, just to keep it from being dark inside, and the waterwisps in various forms were being imbued by her blood in their little golden containers. There was a little of her blood mixed into the ice, just in case, even the evaporator, though one could not really call it blood anymore, since it was vapor.

"Supplies?"

"We have some stew for the first couple of days while we work on catching things from the ship, and the people from River's Fork will be bringing some supplies as well," Rian said. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he sighed. "You were right, catching seels is harder than I thought, it was a good idea to learn first."

Lori smiled smugly. "Good. The smoke box?"

"It, uh, works," Rian said. "I talked to some people, and they think it won't be able to help that much, but it's better than nothing."

"I can't make ice at a distance," Lori said. "Not cold ice, at least."

"I know, I know," Rian said. "Wrong kind of wisps, bound ice doesn't take in heat, I listened. It's a pity, but we'll make do. Fresh food will be good for us."

Lori looked at the boat, with its hull of ice with planks partially covering it on the outside, the shack-like structure in the middle, the latrines on either side. It was resting in its own dock, next to the new dock for the smaller Lori's Boatand the second Lori's Ice Boat. The wood was bare, unpainted and only minimally treated with seel fat to waterproof them. "Are we forgetting anything?"

Rian shrugged. "If we are, I don't remember it."

…Lori couldn't really fault his logic there.

"So, I suppose you're leaving then?" Lori said.

Rian nodded, and started counting on his fingers. "We'll leave the day after the holiday tomorrow."

"… what?"

"Oh, right, that's what I was forgetting!" Rian said, snapping his fingers. "Can we declare tomorrow a holiday? Or at least a half-holiday in the afternoon? After all the effort we put into building the boat, we need to celebrate it being finished. We can go and hunt the seels for the food ourselves!"

Lori raised an eyebrow. "They should have been doing that anyway."

"… yeah, we should have…"

Lori kept giving him a level, stare before sighing. "Fine, tomorrow. Set it up, no music, and in the afternoon only. AND I'll hold you to you and those going with you hunting the seels yourselves."

"We can make it an event!" Rian said. "They can watch us make fools of ourselves hunting the seels, people can eat what we catch, the children can point and laugh at us at how we're doing everything wrong and not as good as they did it…"

Lori had to admit, that sounded mildly entertaining. "You could try capturing an amount and I'll bind it in ice and keep it bound with blood on the outside," Lori said.

"Huh, that's an idea. Long-term emergency food storage," Rian mused. "I suppose if we cut off the part with the blood, and, I don't know, drop it in the evaporator, it will by your signal to stop imbuing it."

That was a thought. "Be careful," Lori warned. "Once the ice is no longer bound, it will be so cold the air will start solidifying."

Rian perked up. "Ooh, I just had an idea. Make some of those ice blocks with no meat in them, and when we need to freeze food we take one, cut off the part with blood and throw it into the smoke box with the food."

"We'd have to remove or at least block off the smoke," Lori pointed out. "And surround the smoke box in ice to hold in the cold."

She knew she was right not to believe the boat was finished!

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Fortunately, it didn't take long to make the changes. The container for the food had been made sizable, since they had been hopeful they'd be able to fill it, and it was a simple matter to line the insides and lid with bound ice to hold in the intended cold. She put in a drop of her blood discreetly in the corner and made it part of the water so she could keep it imbued. If needed, Rian could chip off that blood and the ice would come unbound and start acting cold. A knife would be enough, though it would take some dedicated chipping…

Still, she made the modifications while Rian found someplace to store the ice she'd be making, so she'd know how much she could make…

In the end, Rian decided the ice would go inside the chest they were meant to cool so that it wouldn't have to be moved very far, taking up almost all of the space with a little hollow space on one side for food, with that hollow getting bigger the more of the bound ice they removed the blood from and used. The hollow, by her estimation, would be able to hold at least two, maybe three meals worth of meat for all the people on the boat if they had small servings. As long as they only opened the chest briefly and didn't do anything stupid like try to grab the unbound ice, which would be extremely cold, it should last for a long time.

Lori waited, but Rian didn't suddenly have a bright idea for more work for her to do that day, and she tentatively allowed that maybe the boat was finally finished.

Maybe.

She wouldn't believe it until it was sailing away beyond her demesne and not returned for three days.

Lori drew blood with her syringe and used little drops of it to make large chunks of ice to store in the chest, which took up the rest of the day, if only because she had to make sure that there was enough space to pull out at least on block of ice from the chest. The air outflow water valve she made for when the chest was going to be a smoke box was repurposed into drainage for when the block inevitably melted to water.

It wouldn't be for a while, since the blocks were so cold they had no firewisps in them at all, compressed into the coldest, hardest form of ice possible, but it would happen eventually, and when it did, it would be best the food wasn't drowning, though they might need to poke the drainage hold with a stick to clear any ice in it from water freezing again. It could be sealed with a stopped in the meantime, and had Rian get some cord so that the stopper could be tied to the chest and not lost.

All told, making the hopefully final-final-final modifications and partially filling it with blood-bound ice took up the rest of the afternoon. She'd do the rest tomorrow, once she'd recovered and made more blood.

As Lori sat down at their usual table for dinner, Rian waved to the room to get their attention. "So, it's taken…" he made an exaggerated show of counting on his fingers, "uh, a lot longer than I thought it would, but we've finally managed the ship that will let us go to Covehold. Hopefully we'll make it there and back before winter sets in, or else it's going to be a very interesting trip." There was a polite murmur of interest and what sounded more like relief than celebration.

"So, in celebration of this, her Bindership was graciously allowed me to announce that tomorrow we'll be having a little holiday in celebration." There was an immediate increase of interest. "She says we can have tomorrow afternoon off. So after lunch, people who are interested can come down and see the ship, while the crew of volunteers and myself try our hands at catching seels for food. Just us." Rian chuckled. "I can already hear all the children telling us we're doing everything wrong."

There was a small laugh at this.

"The day after that, we'll leave for Covehold. Everyone going, make sure you're packed and ready to go. Okay, that's everything. Enjoy your dinner everyone!"

Rian actually managed to get their food for them this time, putting the two bowls on the table and letting Lori pick one.

"You'll have to do this for her while I'm gone," Rian told Riz, who was sitting between him and Umu this time. The blonde seemed annoyed by this. "Otherwise she's liable to starve to death. Make sure she gets to pick which bowl she wants, don't just give her one."

"Rian, I've been sitting with you for months, I know how it's done," Riz said dryly.

"Just making sure. She might not eat it if you do it the wrong way. It'll be the first time I've left her alone for so long, I think it would be easier for her to adjust if we keep her routine the same as much as possible."

"That would be appreciated, yes," Lori nodded.

"Don't worry, she takes care of everything else, food and water is all you need to take care of," Rian said. "You just need to get her food, make sure no one gets to talk to her, and talk to people for her if she needs something done. Assume she doesn’t know anyone's names or who anyone is or what they do or… anything. Pretty much the only people she can recognize are the people on this table, Karina and maybe some of the carpenters. Oh, and Landoor, but only because he annoys her. Keep him away from her. You should be fine, it's all easy to remember."

"Do you really have to go, Rian?" Umu said. "Can't someone else be the one to go instead?"

"Are you volunteering?" Lori said, making Umu start. Did they think she couldn't hear them? She was sharing a table with them, why wouldn't she hear them? "This is usually when you try to volunteer for whatever Rian needs done."

"N-no, not me, but…" Umu shuffled on the bench, looking awkward.

"Please don't tease her, your Bindership," Rian said.

Lori shrugged and went back to eating.

"I agree with Umu," Mikon said. "I wish you didn't have to go." She sighed. "But you're a lord, so I suppose you have to go represent her Bindership and things."

"Basically," Rian said. "Besides, if I don't go, no one will feel safe going either. Then we'd never get anything done. Besides, it should only be for a few weeks. That much shorter than it took us to get here by going overland. We'll be fine."

He looked so confident, Lori almost believed he really meant it.

Almost.

"You still have to organize tomorrow's holiday," Lori said. "Your idea, your problem."

"Yeah…" Rian sighed. "Well, that's what the morning is going to be for, I guess." He tilted his head. "Huh, I wonder… hey, your Bindership, can I declare that the members of the expedition get priority use of the Um?"

"Rian, if you want to take a woman to the Um, just go and do it."

"It's not for me!" Rian said hastily as the women next to him turned to look at him. "Some of the people going with me are married, I figured they should get the opportunity to… you know."

Lori couldn't help smirking. "Including yourself?"

Rian rolled his eyes. "You know I'm not," he said.

Lori nodded. "True, you already have your house, I suppose you don't need to use the Um…"

"Lori, you put nice, big, open windows on my house that I have no way of closing," Rian said. "Which I still need to get fixed before winter, otherwise I'll freeze to death. Not that I'm not grateful for the house as a whole, but I think anyone will agree it's completely unusable for that, not that I have any reason to use it for that in the first place. I'm lucky there aren't that many bugs I need to keep out."

"I'm sure Umu can help me keep an eye on it for you while you're gone, Rian," Mikon said.

Umu, who'd opened her mouth to volunteer as usual, nearly stumbled over her words. "Y-yes, I can keep an eye on it for you Rian."

"There, see. No, don't bother saying we don't have to, we were the ones who offered, and besides, you won't be here to do it yourself," Mikon continued relentlessly.

Rian sighed. "Well, put it that way… thank you for the offer Umu, Mikon. I'd appreciate it if you could check my house every so often to make sure something else doesn't start living in it and eating the clothes and things I left behind."

Mikon raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder. "You are very welcome Rian. Don't worry, we'll take care of your house while you're gone, right Umu?"

The blonde weaver looked completely torn, but managed to reply, "Yes, leave it to us Rian. We'll take care of it."

"We'll… all right then. Thank you both very much."

Mikon gave him another pat on the shoulder, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "No problem Rian. We're happy to help." She turned back to her stew.

For a moment, Rian just sat there as if he wasn't sure what had happened. He blinked, then his head jerked to stare at Mikon, who was passively eating. "Did you just…?" he said, confused.

Mikon turned towards him, looking completely innocent and befuddled. "Did I what?" she said.

Rian opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, then shook his head. One finger rose to his cheek. "I guess I must have misunderstood…" he said as if trying to convince himself. On his other side, Riz and Umu were looking at Mikon suspiciously.

Lori, sitting across from them, just kept on eating, wondering if Mikon would do the same with Umu at some point…

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Come Back Safe, We'll Be Waiting

It was the first holiday that wasn't being done in a rush. Lori suspected Rian had already made arrangements before asking for her permission, because there was no sudden frenzy of activity, none of the rush of the previous two times. Or maybe having half a day to prepare really did make that much of a difference. People were still cutting trees and sawing them in the sawpit, spinning thread and cord, but some were taking tables and benches from the dining halls and taking them outside.

Instead of bringing them out to the clear ground in front of the dungeon, however, people were carrying them past the smithy and Rian's house—which had a couple of benches and a fire pit in front of it now—towards the area the seels frequented. It wasn't right next to it, but just in view. The people, adults and children alike, who were usually seeling had gone lightly that morning, and there were plenty of the long, sinuous fursh left to sun themselves on the shores and rocks. The pups swam and played in the water, occasionally finding a slug or squid to gnaw on.

Lori spent most of the morning making more blood-bound ice cubes for the boat's food storage box. She made them slightly cylindrical to make them slightly easier to grip. She'd have to remember to warn Rian not to touch them with bare flesh, since they would become very cold once the ice was removed. The blood was only a little dot so that it would be easy to remove, and she was able to manipulate the ice to concentrate the blood to a corner to make it easy to chip off.

Then she double-checked all the bindings she had installed on the boat, making sure that there were all connected to wire or blood so she could imbue them. Her connection to her blood didn't give her a sense of distance beyond 'outside her demesne', so she'd have to continue imbuing everything until she felt the wisps back in the area of the demesne.

It had bettercome back…

After that, she went to cure the wood in the curing sheds. The focus had changed on the wood being treated. While they still had a shed full of cured planks that was sealed off to prevent rot, most of what was being cut and cured now was meant to be used for firewood. Lori was seriously considering building a bridge or tunnel to the other shore to get at the trees and maybe the ropeweed there. The tunnel was more likely due to numerous factors, chiefly that it would be easier to build and would actually result in her having more materials to work with by the end of it…

The holiday began early, a little bit before lunch was normally served. Rian and the volunteers going on the boat with him, all shirtless with ropes and spears, tried to catch seels while the nearby tables and benches slowly filled with spectators cheering and jeering at them. Small cooking fires burned, and beast meat cooked in pans for people to snack on while they waited for the seel meat that was promised to come.

True to Rian's prediction, the children had opinions on the effectiveness of their seeling technique. The brat, for her part, insisted on giving a critique and trying to tell them how to do it properly. Fortunately, while they were apparently not good enough to satisfy the children's high standards, they did manage to catch two seels before lunch. Someone slipped and nearly drowned, but Rian was able to use his unnatural ability to swim to get them out of the water, and the medics were able to get the water out of his lungs. He was told to sit out the rest of the day, making Lori wonder if he'd planned it that way. He certainly didn't seem all that disappointed to not have to go seeling.

With the first two seels caught, lunch was officially served, with the smell of fat-rich seel meat being cooked filling the air. After Rian and the other volunteers caught a fifth seel, people started joining in to catch seels, the brat at the forefront, letting them rest as other people helped in catching seels.

Since the tables and benches had all been full and very noisy, Lori had made her own, using earthwisps to sculpt stone into the appropriate shapes. A simple stone cube for her to sit on, a stone table to put her stone plate of roasted, grilled and fried meat, and mushrooms. She was starting to think of it as her holiday plate, since those were the only times she ever brought it out.

She ate with enjoyment as Rian dragged a bench towards her, putting it on the other side her little table.

"So, you canmake a table that doesn't look like a sacrificial altar," Rian commented as he sat down.

"Not getting your own food?"

"It's a holiday, I'm tired, and I just realized the children deserve far more respect for all the seeling they've been doing," Rian said. "I think I'll get my own food later. And if someone kindly and generously decides to bring me food in the meantime, well, it can't be helped, and I'll just return the favor some other time."

Lori raised an eyebrow. "You must be really tired."

"I think it's mostly because we were rushing to do it quickly and making a show of it," Rian said. "Most of the things Karina was yelling at us was that we should to stop hurrying and be patient, but that's not really fun to watch, is it?" He waved towards the people who were seeling now. They were obviously being much more relaxed and methodical in their approach. "Though now that we have food, it's a little bit more acceptable. We'll have to butcher and clean the ones that are caught next too, just to make sure everyone on the crew know how to do it."

"Didn't you already make sure everyone already knew how to do all that?" Lori said.

"Consider this their chance to show off those skills. Or maybe a final test."

Lori nodded. "Well, at least you'll be able to feed yourselves."

"Yeah, it is…" Rian said. He sighed. "I think we're ready."

Lori raised an eyebrow. "I would think you had better be, since you're leaving tomorrow."

"I know, I know, but… I keep wondering if I forgot something we need, you know? You said it was my problem. Well, I keep worrying I didn't solve every part of the problem."

Lori nodded. "Do you want to stay and send someone else?"

He glanced at her sideways. "You keep asking me that."

Shrug. "You deserve a chance to change your mind."

"You just want me to stay."

Shrug. "That as well."

Rian took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "No, I'll go. Work to do, and all that. Besides, it would be unfair to stay behind because I'm worried I didn't do a good job, but still send people with the preparations I made."

A third shrug. "If you're sure, then stop tinting the air about it and just do what you said you'd do."

Rian blinked in surprise, then barked a short laugh. "I guess you're right." A sigh, this one more relaxed, as if liberated from a great weight. "I suppose I should get some food after all…"

Umu sat down next to Rian on the bench, holding a small plate of meat, mushrooms and a few remaining wild vegetables towards him. "Here you go, Rian! I got you some food!"

Rian blinked, opened his mouth, and visibly changed his mind. "Thank you Umu. I appreciate it." He took the plate from her hands. "Thanks for everything you do for me."

Umu beamed. "You're welcome," she said. She wavered for a moment indecisively, even as Rian started eating with clear enjoyment. "Rian, I—"

"Oh look, space to sit!" Riz declared, sitting on Rian's other side with theatrically comical haste. Lori was surprised no one's food spilled. Riz moved to put her plate down on Lori's table, then paused and seemed to think better of it. "That was amazing, how you risked your life to save Ransa when he fell into the water. I don't think I'd have had the nerve to do that, not for anyone."

Rian blushed. "It wasn't anything special. I'm sure someone else would have done the same. Her Bindership was probably getting ready to use her magic to save him."

"No, I didn't even notice," Lori said.

Rian sighed, then turned to Riz. "So, yeah, it'll also be your job to notice anyone in need of saving, then somehow manage to convince her Bindership to actually save them."

Riz nodded. "Understood. One more thing I have to remember to do."

"How are you getting used to the idea of actually talking to her Bindership?" Rian asked as Mikon smoothly sat down next to Umu, a plate held in one hand. The blonde eyed her suspiciously, but the pink-haired weaver appeared completely focused on her meal.

Riz glanced at Lori, who only stared blandly back. "Uh… I can talk to her…"

"Can you?" Lori said flatly.

Riz winced. Then she visibly gathered herself and turned back to look at Lori. "Yes I can, Great Binder," she said, looking Lori in the eye.

Lori nodded. "Good. I don't want to have to find you and ask you if there are any problems. It's your job to find me and tell me, not the other way around."

"Yes, Great Binder."

The holiday continued on. Umu kept glancing at Rian, obviously trying to convince herself to do something, but not being able to just yet. Several people approached Rian, wishing him good luck and that he come back safe. Lori supposed they were probably saying the same thing to the other people who would be going with him on the Coldhold. The buzz of pleasant conversation and enjoyment was only occasionally broken by the distressed and dying screams of the seels being caught and butchered, which were easy to ignore since they cut of relatively quickly. And the food they became was delicious.

Rian ate lightly and sparingly, even though he ate with apparent enjoyment of the food.

"Should I get you another bowl, Rian," Umu asked as he finished the plate she'd give him.

Rian shook his head. "No, I don't want my stomach too full." There was a warbling seel scream that cut off wetly. "I still have to help with the butchering…" Rian made a face. "I'll eat more later."

Mikon nodded. "Yes, you don't want to be too full when you're helping with butchering."

Umu looked chagrined. "Oh, I forgot. Sorry, Rian."

"Don't worry about it, I'm thankful for the offer," Rian said. "Well, gotta go help!" He headed for where the seels were being butchered some distance from the river, so that the smell wouldn't linger and drive the seels away.

For a moment, the four women just sat there.

"Riz," Lori said, holding out her plate to her temporary Rian.

Riz stared at the stone plate, uncomprehending.

Lori rolled her eyes. Did she have to explain? "You're my temporary Rian, since Rian isn't here. Go get me more food."

She blinked. "Oh. Oh! Right, right, at once, Great Binder!" She took the stone plate and headed towards the fires where food was being cooked.

Lori licked her lips, wondering if she felt thirsty enough to pull water out of the air, then decided dealing with the taste wasn't worth it.

Seeing Rian assist in the butchering was entertaining, in its own way. She didn't know if he meant to have blood spurt in his face, but it garnered a laugh, especially when he started sputtering and spitting it out, making a show of gagging. Lori had to look away when he got to the internal organs. She didn't need to be reminded of all the other substances that had very recently been too close for comfort to the meat she was eating now. At least her temporary Rian didn't make the mistake of putting any of the internal organ meat on her plate…

It was a languid, relaxed holiday, all things told. People set up board games, and many people left, presumably to their houses or the Um. Lori ate her fill, then not wanting to work when no one else was, went to get her sunk board from her room.

"Rian!" she declared, putting the long wooden board with its bowl on the stone table. "Face me!"

Rian raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

"I willbeat you," she declared.

Rian rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's play."

Lori nodded and made the first move.

She won twice. She lost several times, but she won twice, and that's what mattered! In the background, the children played a game that involved a lot of running around stopping at seeming arbitrary places, touching each other and running back to place hands on trees far away from each other. A few of the men also formed an impromptu circle and started wrestling, seemingly using the same 'down or out' rules that had been used in the last competition. Despite that, everything seemed… peaceful.

"Something to come home to?" she said suddenly, looking around at the people of her demesne around her, all seemingly enjoying themselves.

The women near her blinked, not seeming to understand, but Rian smiled slightly, following her gaze as it swept around. "Yeah…" he said quietly. "Friends, family, good found, good company… why wouldn't they want to come home to that?" He glanced at her. "Thanks for giving me the idea."

Lori nodded, finding something inside her, a knot she hadn't realized had wrapped tightly around her heart, seemingly relaxing its grip.

Umu suddenly took a deep breath. Then, as if that breath held all her courage, she said, "Rian?"

Rian blinked and turned to look at her. "Yes, Umu?"

She put her hands on his shoulders and quickly placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "Please come back safe," Umu said, her words so quick they were running into each other, face burning red. Behind Umu, Mikon was nodding and smiling, her hands clapping together in quiet applause

On his other side, Riz's mouth dropped open, then snapped shut as her face firmed. While Rian was still blinking in surprise, she leaned forward, her chest pressing against his arm—Lori rolled her eyes at that, then had to wonder if the move had been an accident or intentional—and touched his face to make him look at her. "Y-yes, please be safe, Rian."

As a confused but slowly reddening Rian turned, Riz leaned forward and kissed on the opposite cheek

Next to Umu, Mikon rose from the bench. "Yes, Rian," she said, moving to stand behind Rian and putting both one hands on his shoulder on top of Umu's, and another one of top of Riz's hand on his cheek. "Please come back home. We'll be waiting." She leaned forward and lightly kissed the back of his neck.

This time a full-body shiver ran down Rian's back at the contact.

From somewhere in the crowd, there was a loud laugh, followed by several hoots and cheers. Someone cried, "About time!", to more laughter.

An increasingly red and confused Rian looked towards Lori. "W-wha—?" he barely enunciated, as if she'd help him make sense of this.

She merely raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm not kissing you." To her surprise, Mikon laughed at the words.

Smoothly, Lori stood up, and looked at the three women. "Resolve this civilly, or you are no longer invited to my table. Riz, I expect this to not interfere with your duties. Rian…" She gave her lord an exasperated look. "You're an idiot. Deal with this."

Taking her board, she went out to look for the brat. Lori had beaten Rian, she'd beat the brat too…

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Finally, To Covehold

"You knew!" Rian accused Lori at breakfast the next day.

She rolled her eyes. "Rian, everyone knew," Lori said. "People in the next table knew, why wouldn't I know when it was happening right in front of me?"

"We knew!" someone in the next table over confirmed, followed by a chorus of laughter. "And so did the next table!"

Rian groaned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"If you recall, I distinctly said that if you didn't know—"

"—you wouldn't tell me," Rian finished with a sigh. "Ugh, I knew that phrase was something terrible to dread."

"Oh? You think this situation is dreadful?" Lori said as she let her eyes drift over his shoulder. She had to admit, she was enjoying this. "Shouldn't you tell them their intentions are unwanted, then? Preferably before they further embarrass themselves publicly?"

Rian immediately looked conflicted. "Well… it's not that it's unwanted, really… I've just never been in this situation before! I didn't think it was humanly possible to be in this situation! I mean, I'm not particularly good looking—"

"I wouldn't know," Lori said.

"—so I don't really understand what not one but three beautiful women would possibly see in me."

"I don't either, unless they wanted a useful subordinate for getting people to do things for them," Lori agreed.

"… all right, I'm pretty sure that's not my only good point," Rian said, finally finding enough pride to try and defend himself. "I'm now also an accomplished ship builder."

"Literally every part of the boat was made by someone else, you just drew some lines on a piece of wood while sleep deprived," Lori said blandly.

"I am an accomplished boat designer," Rian smoothly corrected. "And construction manager!"

"And do you think that's something women are interested in?"

Rian paused, then deflated. "No, probably not… which isn't helping!"

"Perhaps you should stop trying to analyze the situation?" Lori said. "Just accept the fact that they are, for unknown reasons, interested in you?"

"But why?" Rian said, sounding genuinely confused. "I mean, they're all smart, skilled, accomplished, beautiful women who are really nice and thoughtful and generous with their time when someone needs help. Riz seems to be everybody's friend and knows people who are a lot better looking than me, Umu is hard working and Mikon is really friendly and… all right, I'll be honest, I thought she liked Riz, what with that kiss and all. But the three of them are perfect! Why would they…" He trailed off, frowning. "You're smiling. Why are you smiling? Why—?"

Abruptly he groaned, his head falling into his hands. "They're right behind me, aren't they?"

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you," Lori said, smirking.

"If I hadn't already decided I was never going to leave this demesne, I'd leave this demesne," Rian said, voice muffled by his hands. "I didn't know you were into these sick pleasures when I agreed to work for you… "

"I didn't know they were so enjoyable before you agreed to work for me."

Rian sighed. "So again, it's somehow my fault."

Mikon, who was indeed behind him with the other two, patted him on the shoulder. "We think you're wonderful too, Rian," she said, kissing the back of his neck again, making Rian jerk upright, face reddening. "Now, no need to be embarrassed, you sit here and talk with her Bindership about last minute things while I go get your food."

"I… don't think there's anything to talk about…" Rian mumbled, staring fixedly past Lori.

"Don't handle the ice cubes with bare hands," Lori said. "At least not after the blood has been removed. They'll become so cold they'll stick to someone's hand and the cold will be intense enough to cause injury on contact." She tilted her head as she realized something. "Not right away though, removing the blood from the ice will only keep me from imbuing them, but they won't actually run out of imbuement until about a day later. So make sure you remove the blood a day before you need to use it."

"We'll leave you to talk to her Bindership," Mikon said, giving Rian another pat on the shoulder, which made him twitch again. "Go on you two, greet him good morning and let's get the food."

Umu wore the face of someone mildly rebellious and clearly wondering why Mikon was telling them what to do, but nevertheless leaned forward and kissed Rian's cheek. Riz, equally bemused, did so as well on his other side, even as she glanced at Mikon, clearly having heard Rian's comment. She and Umu both glared at each other over Rian's head as laughter and whoops sounded out around them.

Mikon sighed and grabbed their hands. "Come on you two, or her Bindership might decide we're not being civil enough."

The two switched the glares at her, suspicion rising again, but glanced towards Lori. Lori made a motion to wave them away. "Riz, you have your duties," she reminded her.

The three moved off, Mikon in the lead.

"There's something going on there…" Rian said, finally looking up from his intense scrutiny at the table.

"How would you know? You're clearly impaired when it comes to noticing these things," Lori said.

"Yes, well, now that I know there might be something to see, I'm looking," he said.

"Hmm… well, stop staring at their behinds and face me, we still have more last moment things to discuss."

"I wasn't—! All right, technically I was, but not specifically!"

"Rian, focus. Stop thinking about their behinds."

"You were literally the one who brought it up!" Rian sighed. "All right, all right, business. So, there's a very good chance the harvest will be while I'm away."

Lori blinked. "The what?"

"The harvest? You know, when we take the grain off the plants we've been growing to store for later?" Rian said. "When that happens, everyone will have to drop what they're doing to help get the vigas in." He frowned. "At least, that's how I heard these things go, but those are generally talking about larger fields than the ones we have. When that happens, I strongly suggest you have a holiday to congratulate the farmers for all they did for planting and taking care of the fields."

"That sounds like something you should tell Riz, I'm not going to remember that."

Rian paused, then nodded. "You're right, I should tell her. Please listen to her, all right?"

"I will listen to her about as much as I listen to you."

"That little, huh? Well, I suppose that's the best she can hope for. And I'll admit, I'd be a little annoyed if you listened to her more than you listen to me…"

Silence fell, as Rian clearly tried to remember anything else to he needed to tell her.

"I… think that's all?" Rian said tentatively. "Nothing else comes to mind…"

"Nor to my mind either," Lori mused.

They sat in silence.

"So… I asked one of the carpenters to make a game board and pieces for you," Rian said, "but he hasn't finished making it yet. Might be done later today or tomorrow. You'll be able to play, chatrang, pincer and lima with it. Well, mainly chatrang, the carpenters have too much work on thier hands to have time to make that many pieces."

"I hate those games," Lori said. She'd always lost when she played them, with defeat often being snatched from victory at the last moment.

"I have no idea how to play them. When I come back, I'll be a complete beginner."

Lori raised an eyebrow. "Well… thank you then."

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that…" Rian said dryly.

The women came back, Umu and Riz sitting on either side of Rian as they put the bowls of food they were holding on the table. He seemed much more aware they were there as Lori reached over and picked one of the bowls, sitting with his elbows tucked in close to his body, focusing on his food and twitching every so often as either of the women casually made contact with him as they ate. Umu, sitting on Riz's other side, seemed completely serene as the other occasionally leaned against Rian in innocuous ways that were clearly deliberate.

Breakfast continued in silence amidst the sounds of the dining hall around them.

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After breakfast, the volunteers—the 'crew', as Rian said the people who operated a boat were called, and again Lori had wonder why everything had to have a different name just because it was on a boat—going to Covehold all brought the last of their things to the Coldhold, putting their bedrolls, pillows, blankets and personal belongings into the storage set aside for them. For some reason, people only just seemed to realize they were actually leaving. Lori had to sigh exasperatedly as the crew and their families cried, hugging each other and taking far too long.

"Don't," Rian said next to her as they stood at the dock for the boats. "Don't. Let them have this moment."

She glared at him. "There was a holiday yesterday because this was going to happen!" she said, exasperated. "Why are people acting like they're surprised?" Really, she already had to leave her demesne again—most definitely for the last time!—why did people have to delay her? The sooner she left, the sooner she could come back and never leave again…

He sighed. "I understand your frustration, but… look, just let them do this. Please? Otherwise people will likely be annoyed at you until we come back, and do you really think Riz is ready to deal with that?" He looked up at the sun. "If they haven't stopped by midmorning, I'll go and tell them to get on the ship. Then they'll be annoyed at me instead."

Lori watched the children hugging men in the midsection, crying women hugging them higher and exchanging tearful words…

"No, no, let them do this, it's not like we're on any kind schedule," Rian repeated.

"We are on a schedule, you're supposed to leave today!"

“After lunch counts as today…”

Lori gave him the withering look such a stupid statement deserved, but sighed and crossed her arms, her staff sticking through the crook of one elbow as a result. She continued to glare at the procrastinators, making her displeasure and impatience known but not saying anything. Nearby, the ferrywoman who took the miners to River's Fork every week—Rian had called her Clowee, but Lori was never going to remember that—sat patiently, waiting to convey Lori. Technically, she wouldn't need to until later, since the smaller boat would be pulled behind the Coldholdby a rope, but the ferrywoman was apparently taking her responsibility of the boat she operated very seriously.

So far no one had tried to make off with Lori's Ice Boat yet, but Lori figured it was only a matter of time. It would most likely be a pair of idiots too patient to wait their turn to use the Um…

Lori had done a last moment check of all the bindings on the Coldhold, making sure that the ones that needed blood had blood, and that the cold box, still mostly full of bound ice, was airtight so that the cold keeping the supply of fresh meat in it preserved. That would be able to last the crew a few days once they cooked it, hopefully. After having seen it, Lori had begun to think that all the ice packed into it and bound might have been a little too much, but Rian had said they didn't know how long the trip would be and it was better to be over-prepared than deficient.

More and more people were crowding around the crew who would be leaving, and a few were even diverting and approaching Rian to give their own goodbyes. Lori had stepped to the edge of the dock to avoid the crowd as Rian talked to random people who wished him well and bade him to be careful. Really, if he wasn't going to be careful already, being told to do so was unlikely to change anything.

There were also people who seemed to be reminding Rian of favors they'd asked him to do when he was in Covehold. Judging from the length of the notes of stone tablets Lori had transcribed for him, all with lists of things to do or check on that she didn't remember telling him to do. It seemed Rian had taken on a significant amount of things to investigate when they arrived…

Finally, the crowd began to thin, and Rian finally began calling the 'crew' to come aboard the boat. Lori was already there, sitting on one of the benches near the ice stove as the volunteers boarded. At the docks, people crowded, arms waving goodbye and crying, as if they hadn't already been doing that just a while ago…

"All right, just like we practiced," Rian said, giving orders. "Liggs, up front, tell me which way we're going! Cottsy, down below at the water jet driver." Water jet driver? Well, she supposed it was a driver, if one wanted to be technical… "Everyone else, go down and double check everything is stowed away and won't roll, you all remember the mess that happened with the wood."

There were affirmative responses, and one of the men climbed up the ladder to the roof deck.

"All right, did we forget anything? Now's the time to say so while we're still here and can turn around!" Rian called out. "No? All right Lom, untie the rope, let's get moving!"

Lori was fairly sure that was all just theatrics, since there hadn't nearly been enough time to for anyone to check if they were missing anything. Besides, Rian had already checked when she'd been going over the boat's bindings. One of the men undid the rope tying the boat the dock, and leapt onto the outrigger, only to be reminded to get the rope out of the water and gather it up properly, does he want the rope to rot, doesn't he know how hard it was to make rope?

"All right Cottsy, put the water jet driver in reverse!" Rian called down to the open hatch at the tiller's base.

"Understood Lord Rian!" someone, probably the aforementioned Cottsy, called up from below.

There was a soft shudder through the boat, and it suddenly began to move out of the dock, moving out into the river rear-first. On the dock, the noise redoubled as if the people leaving weren't only four paces away, and had been talking to them recently.

Lori watched as Rian moved the tiller—which seemed needlessly long, almost as long as he was tall—and the boat slowly began to turn so it faced down river, the thrust barely enough to overcome the current of the river.

The smaller ice boat, moving noticeably faster, moved along side and another rope was tossed over, tying the smaller boat to one of the outriggers.

"All right Cottsy, shift to first notch forward! Let's get up to speed!"

The Coldhold began to move downriver almost ponderously, seemingly only at the speed of the current. Behind them, the dock slowly moved away. Along the shore, some people mostly children, began running after the boat, seemingly trying to keep up. Still, the boat, powered by the water jets Lori had bound, continued to accelerate, and thankfully they weren't followed very far past the dry dock where the boat had been built.

"Lord Rian, we've got a straight path ahead!" the person on the roof cried down.

"Cottsy, shift to third notch forward! Let's get up to speed!"

There was another shudder, and the Coldholdbegan accelerating faster, moving towards River's Fork, Lori's Ice Boat the second trailing behind it like a toy.

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River's Fork had a dock now. It wasn't as good as the one she had built, of course, but as the demesne didn't have a Whisperer, or even a wizard who actually knew what they were doing, it was probably the best they could manage. Someone, probably her own miners, had dug into the beach and made an area deep enough for Lori's Ice Boat to float in. This had then seemingly been lined with rocks to keep it from collapsing. Lori wasn't sure how well built it was, but eh… It wasn't her work, or her demesne's facilities, so she didn't care.

The dock was clearly sized for Lori's Ice Boat, meaning the Coldhold was far too big for it. Fortunately, they had the smaller boat with them, and it was able to slip into the dock and pick up their prisoners. Lori would have expected the three they were taking to exile to be more disheveled, perhaps thin like many people had been when they'd finally stopped next to the river and decided to establish their demesne there where they had a constant supply of fresh water. But no, they seemed as healthy as ever, even if their hair seemed a little more oily.

There was a small crowd with them, and Lori was too far to easily tell if they were there in support or condemnation of the three. A group of children standing next to a green-haired man were crying, reaching for the woman—what was her name again? Eh, it wasn't important—who was about to kneel down to hug them when she saw Lori, standing on the rooftop balcony of the Coldhold, as far as she could be from the prisoners and still be on the boat.

Even from where she was standing, Lori clearly heard the woman's exclamation that started with 'glitter-eating' and became more obscene and slightly incoherent from there as the woman yelled at Lori. Two men had to subdue her and tie her hands behind her back as she continued to rant and rave, accusing Lori of somehow robbing her of her land and what she deserved and apparently Lori was responsible for all the things wrong with her life…

Lori had to shake her head. Really, a woman her age should be capable of taking responsibility for her own actions.

Still, Lori stayed up on the roof as the three prisoners were escorted below decks. The woman's husband—Lori at least remembered they were married—followed in sullen silence after he'd been pulled from the children the woman had ignored in favor of Lori. Grem—she was unlikely to forget his name—had come last, moving under his own power and seemingly only lightly guarded. His gaze had risen to meet Lori's own as he had approached, his face more inscrutable than usual, and he continued saying nothing until he was down below decks, where the green-haired woman's cries and invective were still audible.

Afterwards came four people from River's Fork to assist in escorting the prisoners to Covehold, and then their supplies. Lori tried to keep the covetous expression off her face as sealed containers of grain were brought into the boat. It looked like River's Fork had its own potter, though they're clay pit wasn't visible from where Lori was standing. One of the men was probably also carrying a small mill to render the grain into flour.

Once they finished transferring the food, Rian climbed up the ladder towards her. "We're loaded up and ready to go, your Bindership," he said. "Time for you to leave for home. Though Binder Shanalorre asks if you could talk to her a moment. I'll have the ship wait here until you're finished with that, so we'll know you're all right."

Lori nodded in acknowledgement. "Did you manage to tell them about the bucket?" she asked as Rian got off the ladder and she started climbing down.

"They couldn't hear me over Missus Naineb's ranting," he said as she climbed down. "I'll try to tell them later. I think she might be in serious need of help. She didn't even say goodbye to her children… "

"They're better off away from such a maladjusted influence," Lori said dismissively.

"In a play or novel, this is usually the part in the plot where they resolve to get vengeance on you for destroying their family. The children of Naineb, either or. Or even both," Rian said, and Lori paused a rung from the floor for a moment.

Then she shrugged, stepping down the whole way. "Well, that will be up to you to watch out for when you come back," she said. "Something for you to do when you're not busy deciding between three women."

Rian winced, looking away. "I really wish you'd told me sooner. I could have stopped it from getting this far."

Lori considered that. "If you really find their attentions so undesirable, perhaps I should tell them so when I get back."

Rian looked as if he was seriously considering the idea, then sighed. "No, no, that wouldn't be fair to them. Whatever I decide, they at least deserve to hear it from me."

"This implies you don't intend to refuse them out of hand," Lori said.

Rian looked out across the water, to the domed town of River's Fork. The leaves were thick on the ground, and there were large mounds between some houses. He shook his head. "I…" He sighed. "I'll think about it. It's still a lot to take in. And hey, maybe they'll change their mind while I'm gone."

"Unlikely," Lori said instantly.

"You don't know that!"

Lori thought of three women who sat one table over, staring at Rian's back over every meal, for months.

"I do know that," Lori said firmly. "Consider the significance when I say that I am well acquainted with these women's idiosyncrasies enough to say that with confidence. This will not go away while you procrastinate over it."

She began to head towards the outrigger, where Clowee the ferrywoman waited for her on Lori's Ice Boat.

"Do you think they really like me?" Rian said.

Lori was tempted to respond that if he didn't know, she wasn't going to tell him. Instead, she rested a hand on the railing to steady herself and gave him an annoyed look over her shoulder "You should be able to tell. It's for things like this I made you lord, after all."

Rian shrugged, looking… lost. "I've never had anyone like me before," he said, looking aside as he blushed childishly. "I don't know what it's like."

"Well, it's like this," she said impatiently. "The persons in question care for your wellbeing more than you do yourself, offer assistance whenever you need it, are willing to do difficult and distasteful things for you even if you ask them not to, enjoy bestowing you with physical affection, and like to be in your company whenever possible." She tried not to think of her mothers, tried to remember her anger. "Unless you do something truly distasteful to them personally, that is unlikely to change, so I suggest you be prepared to deal with it when you come back."

"You realize you just described my relationship with you, right?" Rian said. "No wonder there are weird rumors about us."

What? How could he possibly think she was describing their interactions? "Rian, now is not the time for bad jokes."

"Yes, your Bindership," he smiling slightly.

"You have already failed to deal with the situation when I told you to. Do not fail when you return."

"Yes, your Bindership. Thank you for your concern. I'll… figure something out."

Lori nodded, stepping past the railing and onto the boards to the outrigger, and from there to Lori's Ice Boat. She put her staff in first before trying to board. The smaller boat moved as she got on it, and Lori reallywished the boat was properly beached instead of floating in the water like this, but she managed not to fall as she got into the boat, sitting down on one of the benches. "To shore," she told Clowee. "I need to speak to Binder Shanalorre."

"Yes, your Bindership," Clowee said promptly, confidently moving the little lever that controlled the boat's water jet driver—Lori supposed it was a driver, after all—causing them to start reversing away from the Coldhold.

Binder Shanalorre was waiting for her as they moved into the dock, and Lori again had to carefully step from the unstable vessel and onto the dock, made of planks on posts. "Binder Shanalorre," she greeted with a nod, deciding to leave her staff in the boat.

"Binder Lolilyuri," Shanalorre nodded. "You've kept your word. Though I must say the form of that fulfillment is… surprising. You were informed that ice boats melt, correct?"

"That deficiency has been accounted for," Lori said.

"I trusted as much, which is why I chose to send my people aboard it. They have orders to ensure that the prisoners reach their exile. Beyond that, however, they have been told to obey Lord Rian's orders."

"Does that include assisting in providing payment for any berthing fees for the ship?"

"Lord Rian mentioned the possibility. Rest assured that we have prepared a contribution should they be necessary."

Many things were left unsaid, such as the possibility of Lori having ordered Rian to rob her people and slit the prisoner's throats anyway. Lori merely nodded. "And that matter of the Golden Sweetwood Company's directorship?"

"That is an internal matter of the company," Shanalorre said. "However, rest assured, we have taken steps to excise the prisoner's control over the company. With luck, the company should send the second wave of people and supplies late the following year, or the year after that at the latest."

"I… see," Lori said quietly.

"Before that happens, I believe it would be prudent if our two demesnes and the various stockholders of the company between them discuss the best approach of the distribution," Shanalorre continued. "Though that will probably be reliant on the response that we will receive in the spring or later. It would be best to avoid the situation that resulted in the crowding of far too many demesne near Covehold that is currently hindering their growth and development."

For a moment, Lori stared down at the younger Binder. "Yes, that situation is to be avoided, I agree," she said quietly. "However, I cannot possibly make an informed decision at this time."

Binder Shanalorre nodded. "Of course. I understand completely. Well, that is all I have to say, Binder Lolilyuri. Unless you have anything else to discuss…?"

Lori considered. "I believe our business is concluded."

"Then I wish you a good day and safe journey, Binder Lolilyuri," Binder Shanalorre said. "And a safe journey for your ship."

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The Coldholdbegan to move downriver once Lori was far enough upstream from River's Fork. Lori watched as the large wood-clad vessel drove with the current, heading towards the distant sea it connected to. Then there was a bend and both boat and the dome of River's Fork were out of sight, and there were only hills and trees and the sounds of water and bugs around them.

The ferrywoman occasionally glanced at Lori, but Lori ignored her, sitting at her bench and idly fingering her staff as he mind wandered to the blood-bound wisps that made up the boat. They weren't feeling any more distant or, after doing so, any more difficult to imbue. Unless there was an unknown range limit measured beyond the distance between River's Fork and Lori's Demesne, the connection would continue to feel no different.

The reminders to imbue all the bound components of the boat were already on the list of reminders on the wall of her room, but Lori checked on them again anyway, just to be sure: the water jet driver, the hull and oven and insulated cold box, the lightwisps, the evaporators, the blocks of ice…

"Your Bindership?" a hesitant voice interrupted her rumination. "W-we're back now."

Lori blinked, looking up in surprise to see the familiar view of the entrance of her Dungeon. She had been so occupied she hadn't even noticed then entering her demesne… "Thank you, Clowee," she said distractedly as she stood up, then nearly fell down again as the boat shifted underneath her. Ugh, why couldn't they beach this boat instead?

Lori almost tried to step on the dock with the boat still shifting beneath her before she remembered that they were in her demesne. She reached down into the water beneath, sending power from her core, and the water beneath her still as if became unnaturally thick and viscous, steadying the boat and allowing her to stand up on the now much more stable surface. She managed to get her feet on the dock and sighed in relief as she felt the solidness under her feet.

For a moment, she just stood there in the mid-afternoon light, looking around. After all the crying that morning, she would have thought there'd be some kind of sign. Perhaps a woman or child still staring mournfully downriver. Instead, everything seemed to have fallen back into routine. There were women using the laundry area, clothes were hanging on the drying lines, someone was over at the retting pool turning over the ropeweed so they would rett evenly…

Shaking her head, Lori headed to the curing sheds to cure firewood.

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At dinner that night, Lori sat at her usual bench at her usual table and stared at the empty spot in front of her. She could smell the food being cooked, hear the usual sounds of conversation from the tables around her, but couldn't find it in herself to be comforted or annoyed.

In the back of her mind, she was aware of the Coldhold's bindings.

A large pair of breasts moved into her view, and Lori blinked before she adjusted her gaze, looking up to meet Mikon's amber eyes. The woman wore a sympathetic look on her face as she sat there, where Rian was supposed to be.

"I wondered if you three would bother to come back here, with him gone," Lori said. She hadn't wondered any such thing, but it was something witty to say, and if was exactly the sort of thought she'd have had if she hadn't been… distracted.

"Riz would, of course," Mikon said. She didn't seem surprised, as if she'd expected Lori to talk to her. "After all, she's your temporary Rian."

Lori nodded. Yes, of course, of course, she had a temporary Rian, didn't she?

The person in question appeared, hesitating as she saw the pink-haired weaver sitting at the bench in front of Lori. Mikon turned, following Lori's gaze, and gave a brief smile, then helpfully slid aside so the spot directly in front of Lori was empty. Still looking at Mikon suspiciously, Riz gingerly sat down in front of Lori, then slid a little away from Mikon, leaving a space between them.

The three of them sat in silence as the dining hall buzzed around them.

Lori regarded her temporary Rian. "Rian spoke to you about the harvest?" she said.

"Yes, Great Binder," she said. There was only a little hesitation in her words.

"Good. Deal with it." Lori said.

Now she hesitated. "How should I deal with it, Great Binder?"

"I don't care. Just deal with it," Lori said.

Riz looked uncertain. "Yes, Great Binder…"

Mikon reached over and patted Riz on the shoulder, instantly making the woman turn to look at her warily. "Don't worry," Mikon said, smiling cheerfully, unreadably. "I'll help you."

The woman still looked wary. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you offering to help me? For that matter, why did you kiss me that time?"

Mikon's expression didn't change as she tilted her head. "Don't you need help?"

Riz scowled. "That doesn't explain anything."

"Haven't you heard? I'm generous with my time. But if you don't want my help, just say so." Mikon stood up. "Dinner is ready," she said. "I'll go get it while you continue speaking to her Bindership, shall I?" Not waiting for a reply, she walked away. Riz continued to stare after her, her expression conflicted and bemused.

When Mikon returned, she came with three bowls of food, three cups and a pitcher. "I don't think Umu will be joining us," she said as she placed them on the table. "She's eating with her family."

Riz grunted. "So?"

Mikon merely sighed.

Lori regarded the three bowls, then chose one and pulled it towards herself.

The three of them ate quietly as the dining hall buzzed around them.