"While my demesne is ideally positioned to control your access to the ocean, and therefore to Covehold Demesne," Shanalorre said bluntly, "I have not done so, because it would not benefit us to bar your way. Purely for practical reasons, we have no way of enforcing such a toll save your voluntary participation without an extensive building project that we currently have neither the manpower, materials nor ability to do. Additionally, unless we are able to construct boats of our own, you are also our only access to Covehold Demesne, and more importantly, a reliable supply of salt. Therefore, I propose simply making this arrangement official."

Lori raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

"I will officially guarantee free passage for you through our portions of the river," Shanalorre said, "in exchange for two services."

Lori's eyes narrowed. "What services?"

"Firstly, we would like to ask for salt every time you go to the ocean to gather it. Not a percentage, just a flat fee. We need it for food preservation, and salt is less ephemeral than ice and keeps better. As toll fees go, it is hardly onerous."

"How much salt?"

Shanalorre inclined her head towards Rian. "The amount that Lord Rian has previously gifted to us in prior times would be sufficient."

"Hmm… and the second service?"

"Passage," Shanalorre said. "Specifically, passage on your vessels when you go down to Covehold with your goods and back, should we need to send someone there. Two people and enough cargo space for a box of goods."

"One person, and anything they can personally carry aboard the ship in one trip, unassisted," Lori said flatly. "If they have more, we will be willing to rent out cargo space for the purpose."

"We will need at least two people to accomplish what is needed in a timely manner. Two people and what they can carry."

"Two people and what they can each carry in a single container," Lori said. "Any more cargo space beyond that must be paid for. Every bit of space we're not using for our own goods is profit lost."

Shanalorre paused to consider. "What are you asking for in terms of cargo space?"

"One twentieth of the gross sales of whatever it is we will be transporting. I assume whatever cargo will be for sale, otherwise it would be a waste of both of our time and effort." While the profit was nice, it wasn't the most important part. The intention was to make the other Binder consider if it was worth it to bring the cargo along. "This is assuming there is any space left for your cargo. We will be prioritizing moving our own goods. If you need more than that, you need to arrange it in advance, as part of planning for the expedition."

"If you're going there to buy something there and bringing it back, I would suggest making arrangements on a case by case basis," Rian said. "Loading the cargo can't be done carelessly, after all. If the ship is unbalanced by the weight of the cargo, it could tip over and everyone on board will drown as the ship sinks."

Shanalorre considered that. "Two people and what they can carry, and any further cargo arranged depending on the situation."

Lori considered that. "Agreeable," she said. "Very well, then. I agree to this and I am willing to accept your request to construct a dragon shelter for your demesne."

Shanalorre let out a small breath. It wasn't quite loud enough to be a sigh. "Shall we draft the agreement?"

"Rian, please tell me you wrote that all down?"

"I wrote it down," he assured her. "Though anymore and I'll have to start writing on the table. I'm out of space on this plank."

"We still have the mine to discuss."

"Writing on the table it is, then."

––––––––––––––––––

They discussed renewing the mining agreement next. Lori deferred renewing it until later in the year, since she didn't want to commit any of her demesne's workforce when everyone might be needed. After all, at the very least they would need to perform maintenance and repairs, as well as set up more farmland, both inside and outside her Dungeon. While Shanalorre looked reluctant, she accepted that reasoning.

Then came the request to build a bath house.

"I had thought you were managing your hygiene situation adequately," Lori said.

"My experiences in your demesne has me shown the value of centralizing such a facility into a specialized building," Shanalorre said. "Unfortunately, as with the dragon shelter, we simply do not have enough people to devote to such a project without impacting essential work. And my guide mentioned you were able to build your bath house in a day…"

"As I'm sure you are aware, a Dungeon Binder has certain advantages in their own demesne," Lori understated. "Even if I should be inclined to do so, I doubt constructing a bath in your demesne would be as simple. Besides, have you not already specified a bathing area in your dragon shelter?"

Stolen novel; please report.

"That is an emergency bath. I speak of a bath house for daily, regular usage."

"You realize that it takes a lot of magic to make our bath house actually work the way it does, right?" Rian spoke up. "Magic to move the water, magic to heat the water, magic to drain the used water so it doesn't accumulate and the water stays clean, magic to provide light and ventilation to an enclosed building… if you try to build a bath house like ours in your demesne without a Whisperer to keep it running, you'd end up with a dark, cold shed that quickly gets flooded."

The look of disappointment on Shanalorre's face was almost humorous despite how subdued it was. For that matter, the fact her lord looked equally disappointed—if equally subdued—was humorous.

She wondered how long before they noticed the agreement to build a dragon shelter didn't include providing light, heat or ventilation?

The discussions concluded, and using Rian's notes, the specific terms of the agreements were written down. Since they didn't have any paper—at least, paper and ink that wasn't her almanac and Lori was not using that!—Binder Shanalorre allowed the agreement to be written into a pair of stone tablets. It was almost naïve, really, since Lori could easily change either copy if she happened to get her hands on them. Not that she would, since she intended to honor her part of the deal—to the letter—but it was still careless on the other Dungeon Binder's part. Lori supposed the next time they went to Covehold she'd need to get Rian to buy her some paper and ink for any further agreements. They were planning to buy paper anyway.

It was late morning by the time they finished discussion, and Lori had to work until lunch to finish making both tablets, so she didn't have time to go out to the edge to make more beads. She still sent Rian anyway so he could move the jar further from the edge, before retiring to her room to expand the demesne. It probably wasn't necessary, but given how relatively refreshed she was, she knew she'd be able to expand the demesne more than three times this afternoon, so Lori decided to err on the side of caution. After all, she didn't want to go to the edge tomorrow only to find not Iridescence to work with since the jar was inside her demesne.

Besides, Shanalorre's militia were still about…

––––––––––––––––––

Nothing noteworthy happened during dinner. Lori was again unable to play chatrang, but that was because Shanalorre ensnared her in a conversation asking her where the ideal place to put the dragon shelter would be.

"For the sake of convenience, I would want it within the dome for easier access for everyone," Shanalorre said as Lori nodded absently, "but Lord Rian's reminder about flooding has me concerned."

"I would recommend against building it there, purely for practical reasons," Lori said. "Given what I have observed of many of the Deadspoken structures in your demesne, would it be safe to presume there were originally living trees planted in those positions?" At Shanalorre's nod, she continued. "Then there would be extensive root systems beneath the surface, which will both complicate excavation and might compromise the structural integrity of any structures I build. In addition, the proximity of the river does make flooding both during construction and afterwards a real danger." Lori gestured around the dining hall. "I needed to perform extensive work to seal the stone so as to prevent water from the river and groundwater penetrating inside. Outside of my demesne, I am not confident I can repeat it."

"Where do you recommend, then?"

"I would suggest excavating a hill," Lori said. "One well above the river. We will not have to worry about flood after construction, and it is easier to drain in the event water gets in because of rain or seepage of ground water. Additionally, having to simply excavate solid stone simplifies matters greatly, as the building material is already present. "

"You just want the opportunity to claim free ore," Lord whatever-his-name-was muttered.

Lori shrugged. "I have no particular preference as to which hill is used, but given this is a dragon shelter, one would want it to be nearby, would you not? Besides, I'm sure you have enough experience to know that there's always something that needs to be carried into the Dungeon that wasn't carried in earlier. In that regard, Binder Shanalorre's desire to place the shelter under the dome would be best, but would require far more work than is practical or timely."

"Because of the presence of roots and the risk of the excavation flooding."

Lori nodded. "Exactly. And even if we find an ideal location with no roots that we manage to sufficiently waterproof, the dome itself would threaten it, since over time the dome's growing root systems will probably start to damage the shelter's structures."

"That would take years, surely," Lord whatever-his-name-was said. "We'd have stopped using it and built a better shelter by then."

"How many of the essential things you rely on in your demesne now were originally built with the intention of them being temporary until you built a better, more permanent one?" Rian asked.

"Well, if I remember right, the houses were supposed to be temporary because we were going to build better ones with stone foundations and fireplaces," Riz said.

"You remember correctly," Shanalorre said.

"If you really want to try building the shelter in the middle of the dome, it would be doable if the shelter was built above ground," Lori said. "Unfortunately, that would mean transporting all the building materials there, and unless the entrance were above ground level, would still put you at risk of the shelter flooding. And without sufficient mass between yourself and the dragon, you are vulnerable to things falling from a great height and being surrounded by abominations. Worse yet, if the dragon were somehow to turn your dome into an abomination…" She shrugged. "The more I consider it, the more I come to conclude that situating the shelter under the dome is actually the more dangerous option."

"Unfortunately, I must agree," Shanalorre said. "I shall take Binder Lolilyuri's suggestion of excavating a hill into consideration. We might have to seriously consider integrating the shelter into the copper mine."

Lori shrugged. "If you wish for me to have no opportunity to claim ore, we can try excavating at a point higher than the current expanse of the mine. However, that will add its own difficulties when it comes to evacuation. It is difficult to carry things uphill, leading to the possibility of the shelter being undersupplied when the time comes."

"So noted, Binder Lolilyuri," Shanalorre said.

"Inform me when you have settled on a location. I cannot prepare a plan for construction until I see what I have to work with."

Rian made a strange face. Was he constipated or something? Rian, don't make faces like that over dinner.