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 better come 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 can make 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."

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"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 off 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 other 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 will beat 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 food, 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…