The Grand Plaza was quite busy this fine morning. The air was bracing without being cold, and the sun already shone brightly, promising warmth as the day went on. A faint smell of the sea mixed with flowers, and even the seagulls sounded happy as they flew above the town, raucous in their joy.
There were also thirteen trading ships in port, a new record—including one from the new Duchy of Hywyl Pools. Multiple caravans were unloading along the docks as well, the first trading caravan from the Duchy of Cliff Pass. It contained a few dwarven and deep elf traders from Stonehaven, but it also contained multiple human traders from the tribes in the middle lands, and a single rabbit-kin representing a couple of warrens from the middle lands as well—all trading through Cliff Pass now.
And the steady stream of people taking food through Ygg’drasil to Ice Pines and the Duchy of Icebreaker Bay, and fur and magical resources back to them, was already in full swing this morning.
Even House Orsini was a thing of happiness for him now. A large warehouse was going up in docks, and they had purchased land for a new family compound in the outer areas of the central district, less than ten minutes’ walk from their new warehouse.
Leo’s heart swelled with joy as he watched.
Vyrneal Ironbranch waved his stump in Leo’s direction from where he stood next to the caravan from Cliff Pass. “Good morn, Lilinae ap Willowynd! Good morning, King Leo!”
Vyrneal, a thin elf with golden hair a near match for Leo’s own, was overseeing the unloading and making sure none of the humans—who tended to be unruly and violent, according to Lily and George both—caused problems. Although Leo wasn’t sure if that was prejudice or if it had some basis in reality. But he had appointed guards just to be careful, and Vyrneal was doing his free militia day today, apparently.
“Good morn, Vyrneal!” Lily called. “I hope your wife is still feeling all right, what with the pregnancy.”
“Iluvin Eturia smiles on us, milady. She hasn’t had so much as a bout of morning sickness so far!”
“Unlike Hugh,” Lily muttered, then she laughed with her hand in front of her mouth.
Leo gave her the stink eye. After the fleet had gotten in yesterday, Hugh had treated all of his new friends to drinks at the Dragon’s Fall Inn. All the other dragons, as well as quite a few mortals. It had been epic, and at the end, Hugh had collapsed onto an inn wall, bringing a small portion of the building down, and then puked all over everything. Close to half of the new dragons had gotten just as wasted.
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Somehow, no one had died, and Zun had paid off all the damages and the ridiculous alcohol bill. Leo was going to need to talk to his boi, however. Hugh was simply too large to do those kinds of things anymore, fair or unfair. The damage he could accidentally inflict didn’t bear thinking about. A drunk bro collapsing onto a bar table and breaking it was funny, a drunk dragon bro collapsing onto the whole bar building and destroying it was downright scary.
But Leo pulled his mind back to the present. “That’s great!” Leo shouted to Vyneal.
Near the shopfronts on the Southern Edge of the Plaza, Leo happened to catch a glimpse of Kemi, the elf who had danced with him at the Festival of Impending Flowers. She was arm-in-arm with a well-dressed and somewhat attractive elf, pointing to a display window in a dress shop. Leo smiled to see her happy and moved on—he had no interest in her at all, but the fact that she had had such a strong interest in him had been flattering and ego-boosting. As a result, he did wish to see her happy, more than most of his citizens, and she was smiling. He was glad that Lily’s prank hadn’t led to longer distress.
He wasn’t surprised he hadn’t heard about Kemi’s new relationship yet. Yesterday, everyone had been consumed with getting the hundreds of new residents homes, farms, businesses, tools, and furniture. Other details could wait.
Some cheering caught Leo’s attention, and he watched as a group of adventurers left Ty’s dungeon. The exit was a marble gazebo with a garden inside and stairs down to the dungeon proper. The adventurers were holding up a bag, and a few of their friends—Leo assumed they were friends—cheered.
The adventurers—a dwarf with a tower shield and three gangly elves, one with a sword, one with a bow, and the last with robes and a staff—merged with the cheering group and stomped into the nearby Adventurers’ Guild.
Despite a few hiccups, and a drunk dragon party, Leo was extraordinarily happy this morning.
A lot of his happiness was because he had no more timetables. Everyone was saved, no one was dying. They had moved Lily’s mom and Hy into her house last night, and Hugh’s mom was living in his cave now. Most of Hugh’s friends were passed out on the beach. The remaining ex-captive elves had been moved to various small communities. Leo knew it wouldn’t last, but he treasured the sense that he could act, and not react, as he built.
But more so even than the lack of active danger… Everything is going perfectly. The town grows. I have three loyal duchies, as well as a loyal trade house in Steelport. Trade itself is skyrocketing. I’m already a two-dimension empire. I have an awesome daughter and two kinda-awesome kinda-pets. A great lover. A great friend. Magic I can command.
A worthwhile purpose.
Leo glanced around again, at the bustle around him. Happy people once oppressed, ex-slaves and ex-captives, busy making their lives great. Smiles and waves from people whose lives he had made better. Leo loved it all. He loved his new life, he loved his family, his friends…
He loved his new Elf Emp—
“Leo?” Lily said, her head down slightly and index fingers pressed together.
He turned to her, smiling. “Yes, my wonderful love?”
“I’m pregnant.”
End Book Three.