Mellie and Mary unloaded thier bags and distributed the bedrolls far enough from the blazing house that they still felt safe. Mellie stuck the forehead jewelry back on her head, even though it was icy cold on her forehead. Another run in like they had with the slimes and they would be dead. As the group watched the fire blazing in the moonlights, they began to drift off to sleep. Mellie only felt a slight tug on her pocket when Ari returned to home her swarm.

Climbing from her pockets were the surviving fairies and Callum. Callum felt the pull of his Monarch and the ache that he had felt in his stomach finally had relief. Ari smiled and waved for her new swarm to retreat from the sleeping team. Callum raced after her and wrapped his arms around her shaking. She had saved him and given him a home and a family and he had lost her. It was only a few hours and most of it was sleeping in a pocket, but the waking moments were consumed in worry for his Queen.

Ari looked sad but hopeful. "I saved the lives of my friends but I had lost my new mentor, your Matriarch. I'm so sorry." Two new fairies looked at her with sadness and hope. They had been trained to be tamers, and had acquired the Soul Bond skill but had yet to fill thier bonds. They had spent the past few months looking for a useful trainable monster with the personality of a life long friend. Choosing a bondmate was a huge event for a fairy. Only the Matriarch of a swarm could have more than one bondmate in a lifetime.

Nicolas was angling for a Unirabbit and Tomas had been eyeing up a lightning bird. They would have gone through their graduation ceremony if another few days had passed before the disaster. Their bonds would have been closed with thier chosen beasts, with the help of the swarm. The swarm had dwindled down to just four fairies and their Matriarch. She was getting to the end of her years, and the four remaining fairies had been birthed from the only pods saved during the last moons' attacks. And now there was only Tomas and Nicolas left. Tamer fairies with no mounts. The only hope they had left was with the new matriarch before them.

They both replied in unison, gripping their fists across their chest. "May our moons be full and our pods be joyous. We are forever your service, my Queen." They formally pronounced and the Tamer fairies officially joined the Monarch fairy swarm, and awarded Consort classes. After pilfering the sleeping groups belongings they partied through the night in mourning of the death of the old swarm, and celebration of the birth of a new swarm. As the night crept into the predawn the three consorts followed their Queen into the outer pocket of Mellie's bag of holding. For the next few hours lights would strobe in the bag as Ari climaxed. New pods would need to be planted soon. After their enjoyment they stumbleflew back into Mellies pockets.

**

Mary woke up wrapped in Henry's strong arms next to a smouldering cabin and a lapping pond. The cold air bit at her nose and then her exposed skin as she extracted herself from his newly healed embrace. With her fresh supply of honeycomb, interested in the effects, Mary pulled a couple casks out of her pack and started a couple mead casks with some filtered pond water and the yeast she had to keep outside of her bag. She wished Robert were here. She was sure he would have found a solution. They doubted he survived but hoped he was finding his way in the world. His string skill was sure to become something interesting. Thoughts like that surrounded the lives of most people they had known. Living in the present was how they lived and survived in the world they were born. Packing up the casks, she saw that the morning lights had stopped strobing and she began to wake her party.

Mellie curled up in Jackson's strong arms, hadn't even bothered to dress. It seemed after she had laid the dragon egg, the cold weather wasn't affecting her as much as the rest of her party, like she kept some kind of internal warmth. Her left breast was hanging out, and her right was gripped in Jackson's large hand. Mary smiled, debating on a different kind of wake up call, but decided against it. The city was near and so was their safety. It was time to get going. Mary nudged Mellie awake. Mellie slowly blinked her eyes open and smiled up at Mary like she was the moon. "Hey, It's that time already?" she asked as she extracted herself from Jacksons grunting grip and threw her clothes on, packing up their stuff. "Cmon Jack, lets go." Mellie whispered in his ear as he grabbed her and kissed her. And then they heard the branches snap.

A moment later a well armed human carrying a handful of collars dropped into the other side of the pond with an arrow sticking out of his eye. Henry stood pantsless next to his bedroll with his bow in his hand scanning their surroundings as he crouched and started grabbing up his things. Everyone raced to get dressed and out of there while frantically scouring their surroundings. Mellie poked her pocket until Ari crawled out, exhausted. Mellie felt Ari return in the night but hadn't had a chance to welcome her back.

"So what happened after we left. You got away but didn't come right back." She asked the fairy. "But quick can you see if anyone else is around? We had a human intruder covered in slaver gear. I could use the help on recon." she explained, ashamed of asking more of the tired fairy."

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Ari nodded and flew over the pond and through the trees, hovering above the trees. Peering into the distance Ari saw a makeshift trampled road leading to an inlet. Armoured men and empty carts were being unloaded from a slaver ship that was parked on the shore. Ari sped back to Mellie to tell her the news.

"It seems that when you fell into the river it brought us further south but closer to the western shore, and on the other side of those trees is a slaver expedition. We should leave immediately."

The group began their brisk run as Ari settled on Mellie's shoulder explaining what happened, as she gripped onto her shoulder as it bounced.

"Okay. So, when Robert went running after that foxgirl, the townspeople were almost on you guys so I finished the spell and then threw some plant hugs and flower eyes at his followers so he could break into the woods. They might have made it. After that a few groups of adventurers and merchants continued chasing me until I shook them off and made sure the pods from their pond woudn't be eaten." Ariana explained as she showed the three shrivelled pods she was carrying in a see through fairy sack on her back. "I need a home Mellie. We need a home I can grow my swarm. I can travel with you, but I need a watersource to bloom and protect. Preferably one without loveleeches." she explained sheepishly.

"Carrying around Eggs isn't good parenting." Mellie agreed. "I just need more time. I know these maps will take us to safety. I don't want to settle somewhere I need to worry about me or my friends being chased out for being what they are. I'm gonna find somewhere we can be who we are instead of what we are. And if there isn't one, I'll make one." Mellie resolved.

"That's a big plan." Ari observed.

"I'm a big girl." Mellie smiled at her, panting from the jog. Ari helped direct the group for a while until she couldn't keep her eyes open and she retreated to her pocket. A few hours later, exhausted from the hasty retreat they settled into an empty cave that Callum helped find. Mary pulled out the mead she was working on and passed around samples. It had only been a day and the mead was almost done. Almost was enough for the tiring escape, and the group had a few cups, and tucked in for the night.

Henry sat with Mary teaching her his wood whittling as he carved out little statues of each of the group. Each member had a little carved figurine and he was working on finishing Marys. Mary had no talent in whittling but the mans deft hands were worth watching. He was short for an elf, but he was masculine and humble.

"Henry, what are you gonna do once we get to the Queendom?" asked Mary.

"Well, I'm gonna see my family." he said blushing to his ears as she rubbed his back.

"What's your family like?" she asked, curious.

"Well, my wife Laura is a tailor and my wife Sarah is a cobbler. They run a boutique in the merchant district. I take care of the bussiness side of things. I was on my way to a new fabric dyer when the humans came with their carts. I can't wait to get back. You should come meet them. You all should. I wouldn't mind if you all stayed, either. My wives would love your company. " He stated being both bold and embarassed.

Mary smiled, "I might just take you up on that."

Waking in the morning Mary and Mellie got to packing up the camp. Mary walked over to where she had her casks sitting and they were missing. "What on Alanor is going on?" she said aloud to herself and searched the cave. Circling back to where she left the casks she peered down to see a rolled piece of parchment and ten gold coins. "Uhhhh Mellie!" Mary cried.

"What's going on?" She said running to Mary as Jackson and Henry began looking around for trouble then questioningly at Mary. Mary held up the note and money. Mellie took it from Mary's hand and read it aloud.

"The Dwarves Seek A Trade

Come To The Hobble Hole

At Sunset Each Night

Ask For Derk

Will Pay For Brew Or Recipes

Willing To Negotiate"

"Well," Mellie said, "Even in my world Dwarves liked their brews."

"I thought you said you had no dwarves in your world," inquired Jackson.

"No but we had stories and legends. Dwarves love beer. I was wondering why I was seeing mostly dwarven wine. If I'm right Mary, you could make a fortune on recipes. I COULD MAKE YOU SOME HOPS! I think I can make plants from back home! There are so many types of beer you could sell." Mellie began.

"I thought you didn't have the brewmaker skill?" Mary asked.

"I don't but everyone where I'm from has tried a home beermaking kit. There's so many styles of beers and wines. I wonder why the dwarves haven't figured it out yet. Probably less diversity happening with all the slave trading. I seriously don't understand how you people function." she began rambling.

Mary let Mellie continue on with her thoughts as she reeled from the shock of having the acknowledgement of the dwarves. As a brewmaker, she was honored. She took the note into her hands as Mellie continued talking to herself, and stored it in her robe. If even dwarves appreciated her brews, she had accomplished everything she wanted in life. Today was a beautiful day.

Jackson had accompanied Mellie on the trip from the portal to the edge of the elven town. A days walk would put them in the town and Jackson did not feel safe there. HIs settlement was only three days walk from where they were and he needed to confront his father, and his friend. He didn't love Annie anymore. After seeing Mellie, and the rest of the entire world, she seemed small and petty. If his Father chose their falsehood over his truth, he would wash his hands of his settlement. This would be the last time he tried. "Mellie..." Jackson turned to her and began.

"You're leaving aren't you. You gotta go deal with family stuff." she stated, knowing. She knew he had other plans. It was the one thing that kept coming between them.

"It's time, love. I shouldn't have gone away for so long. I just wanted an escape. Some of it was hell but you, you were worth it." he said as he kissed her. Holding her firmly in his arms he tried to show her all the love and loss he was feeling in his goodbye. Breaking apart, he marched off into the forest, headed to his father and his former lifes' betrayals.