One afternoon, while the inhabitants of the fort were eating lunch, Sir. Lou got Solveis’s attention and talked discreetly with her.

“I hear you are gardening with Ranulf as well as me. I hope you don’t let the little cabin patch die,” he teased her. More seriously, he told her, “I have come back with news, you know…”

Lou Tin hadn’t been around the fort every day, all the time, but he was around often enough. Also, it seemed that when he came back around, he often brought some strategic information to share. Solveis figured that he was referring to this.

“Ok.” Solveis blinked at him.

“I have updates that I am going to tell the fort people. You are welcome to the information as well. I’d like keep an inhabitant of the island in the loop,” he told her. He stopped to let her respond. When she didn’t respond, he went on, “You know how I mentioned about small irdies that can pass as birds? In future, we’ll have meetings that you’ll also be invited to. I’ll probably have the irdies pass on those invitations to you. What do you think?”

Solveis didn’t know what to think. She was pleased to be privileged and trusted with important information. She remembered Lou mentioning before that he wanted some of the inhabitants of Molil to be in the loop. For some reason he had chosen her. Needing to say something, she said, “You don’t have to tell me the adult things, but I’d like to know if it’s ok.”

“You have already shown that you are reliable when you helped Maragar. I believe we can trust you. Anyway, I think It’d be good for you to be up to date with some of the information. Not all though. I’ll give you a signal to leave at some point. Can I trust you to walk away and stop listening when I ask you to?”

“Of course,” Solveis answered.

Although Solveis didn’t know it, this was much of the reason that Lou had chosen her to receive the information. She could be trusted to keep her word.

“In that case: we are going to have a meeting after lunch to talk about things. Before we start talking about official stuff, we’ll ask you kids to step respectfully away so we can discuss. If you can do so, by yourself, not followed by Livia or anyone, you can stick around, unseen. Listen in and hear some of what we have to say. Ok?”

“Ok. I’ll try.”

“It’s not very important, so don’t worry about it, but if you can… And, remember, not all of it is for your ears to hear. So, when you sense that I’m shoo-ing you off, then go and join your friends. Ok?”

Solvies was curious why she should be allowed to know some of the secrets, but not all of them. It didn’t trouble her though, because she could imagine many reasonable explanations. “Ok. I understand.”

Sir. Lou gave her a warm side hug and walked off to finish his meal.

At the close of the lunch meal, everybody stayed in the mess area for Sir. Lou’s big meeting. Sir. Lou went to the front and began to speak.

“Greetings! It’s wonderful to see you all again! I feel as though you have become a community, and I have missed all the fun.”

“We love you!” Stefanie shouted from inside the small crowd.

Sir. Tin smiled in genuine warmth. People whistled in agreement, even though the group was really too small and personal to warrant shouting and whistling.

“So, updates. I’m wonderfully pleased by the activity here. The occupants of the island say that you have been perfect guests. Quiet, friendly, respectful, and neighborly. The children seem to have no objections either.”

More whistles.

“The work on the mess hall is going very well. The food was very good today. You all seem to be settling in well. We have more resources coming too! Some friends of ours have donated resources to make this wilderness camp even more of a success. They’ll be sending us a pump, a basin, and desalination tools, so that we can make ocean water potable when necessary…”

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Lou went into more detail about the new projects that they would be working on. When he was finished explaining those things, he moved on, “We have updates from the outside. Everyone is well. We are lucky to have many good friends, and they are all doing well and keeping in contact. Our network grows stronger everyday. Increased size is a risk as well as a benefit, but we’ll just have to have faith. – Things are happening quietly everywhere. We are quiet in our movements. – Thank you all for sacrificing your normal routines and lives and coming here. I hope you all are getting a lot out of it!” These were the vague informational updates he told the group.

“Ok. It’s time for the younger members of our community to please show us some respect and find somewhere else to be for a little while.” He glanced in the direction of the five youths.

Solveis decided it was best to rush off first, to get some distance between her and her friends, so she could turn back unnoticed. She rushed off a short distance in the direction of the plateaus, and she climbed up a tree. She waited up there until the other four had enough time to be quite gone away. Then, she returned, unseen, to the vicinity of the fort. She sat, up in a tree near the fort, and listened in.

Sir. Lou was talking again. She caught his words in the middle of a sentence. “... activity is happening all over. We aren’t the only ones recruiting. Brutoin is recruiting. He has obtained a seaworthy vessel and seems to be taking on the life of the pirate. He has also sent evangelists out to preach his politicisms of mutually-beneficial living among all peoples. They have tried to promote stealing, though the locals who hear about it don’t take the threat seriously. They laugh it away. Maybe that’s for the best. I’m sure you have heard from your own families about the absurdity of the vagabonds who go around towns with fliers, and demand free places to sleep, and seek out information about all things mystical, special, and powerful.

Stefanie spoke out, “My family has let a group of them stay at their house. They found them ridiculous, but interesting. Apparently, they are well meaning and excited. I think my parents really liked them.”

“They are seen as a vermin menace among my people. There is one way of doing things among my people, and anything that doesn't respect that is not endured,” Van said as a matter of fact.

“Yes. So, you all know. For me, the real problem is not their beliefs, or even their behavior. It’s a long term problem, you see. If they continue to demand a place and an audience, but then steal and deceive those who treat them kindly, then they will become persecuted, and not just laughed at. Then, Brutoin’s actions may seem justified against the persecution. It will become a devicive thing. People will take sides. I fear for the future with this issue.”

Everyone looked serious. They listened with respectful interest to Lou.

“What about us, sir?” Mel asked. “What should we be doing?”

“Just being here is already a great sacrifice, and greatly appreciated. You all know what we are protecting here. – Just keep learning from each other and becoming as prepared as possible. – Hopefully, all this preparation will be for your own benefit only, and won’t need to be used practically.” Lou looked out in dejected thoughtfulness. “Ok. Well, let me share some specifics on Brutoin’s recruiting and his tactics. Unfortunately, he has, in secret, behind the guise of being a bringer of equality, done some atrocities already. This is truly not stuff for children’s ears, guys.” Then, Sir. Lou paused to gather his thoughts. Solveis sensed that he paused to give her a chance to leave and not hear the rest.

She respected their privacy and left.

She headed in the direction of the cabin. On her way, she heard noises of her friends playing a little ways away from the west hill.

Just before she reached her friends, when she was at the edge of the trees, between the west hill and the cabin, she ran into En. He was sitting and looking neglected.

“Did they kick you out of their game?” Solveis had meant to sound interested, but she realized that she sounded mean. “Sorry, I meant, uh… what’s up?”

“Oh yeah,” En answered unhappily. “Why don’t we rejoin them? Poor Livia can’t be having the best time.”

Solveis was surprised with En’s sensitivity and awareness of Livia’s experience. He was right, with only Arlendr and Girselle for companions, she might not be thriving.

En’s sensitivity made Solveis realized that she herself had become a little less sensitive to Livia’s needs recently. Solveis reflected on it and realized that it was out of an unkind motivation. Livia had chosen to put herself under the influence of Girselle who was unkind to her. Solveis felt a little bitter about this injustice, and had left Livia to the consequences of her immature and uninformed choices. She would have to think more over this later, and change her behavior, if necessary.

Livia, luckily, did have some natural defense mechanisms. She had a young, blind, selfish desire to enjoy herself. Accordingly, she had summoned Oskar, and was playing clapping games with him. Arlendr and Girselle, on the other hand, seemed to be engaging in a particularly rough round of verbal sparring.

Solveis, followed by En, joined the pair of younger companions.