"That smells good." Amelia takes a deep sniff after exiting our tent the next morning, Apricot and me right behind her.

"You treated us so well last night." Bobbi starts. "That we felt it only fair to try and repay the favor." Jo finishes. They're cooking up sausage, eggs, and hash. And, Butters is making some pan bread. Someone already brewed a strong pot of tea and set it on the table.

"Well, it looks great." I say as Amelia walks over to the outhouse. "I take it Corey got stuck on the middle watch." I glance over to the guard who's still asleep despite the heavenly aroma filling the camp.

"Yeah." Butters laughs. "But, he's always like that in the morning."

"Morning." Simms walks over from checking on the horses and pours himself a cup of tea.

"Hi---yawn." A big yawn escapes from me when I go to return his greeting. "Sorry. Mind if I get some of that?"

"Help yourselves." He slides the pot forward. "Did you two sleep well?" I think he's talking to me and Apricot. But, when I look up from pouring myself some tea, I see that he's looking past us to where Roddy and Ashley are climbing out of the wagon.

"Very." She answers with a sly grin. "That has to be one of the best mattresses I've ever slept on. Roddy wasn't half bad either." She chortles when he blushes.

"Hehe." Apricot titters. "Amelia turns that same shade of pink when she gets embarrassed."

"Are you guys teasing my brother without me?" Rodrick blushes even deeper when his sister walks up. "I thought I saw a little something between you two last night."

"They were sitting awfully close by the fire when we went to bed." Apricot agrees.

"..." He just purses his lips and sits down at the other end of the table.

"The bread's ready." Butters sets a platter of bannock on the table before walking over to kick his friend in the legs. "Get up! Food's ready."

"Hah!" I snort. "I had a room-mate that I used to have to pour water on to get him up in the mornings. Nothing else would wake him."

"Don't you dare!" Corey glares up at a grinning Butters.

""Hahahaha."" The guards bust up laughing.

After breakfast I get started making the board games for Simms, only to get interrupted by a loud tearing sound and a curse from Corey.

"Gods dammit. Where's the sewing kit?" He's somehow managed to snag his sleeve on their wagon and nearly tore the whole thing off.

"Let me." I wave my hand and the torn edges of his shirt ripple and flows back together, the threads fusing to make the shirt as good as new again. I wave again and smooth the rough edges on the wagon out.

"Thank you." He gives me a full bow. "You have no idea how much I hate sewing."

"Aww man." Butters groans. "We didn't even get a chance to bet how many times he'd stick himself with the needle this time."

"Shut it." The archer glares at the young guard. "Or, I'll stick you with an arrow."

I shake my head at their antics and get back to work. I'm using the modified wood, and plenty of dyes to make things look as nice as possible. I include plenty of extra pieces, and print up a book titled 'Board Games' with all the rules for everything here, along with some variations, and common house rules.

"Here you go." I say after finishing up the last piece. "This wood should hold up well, but you'll probably want to get everything coated with some boiled linseed, or some beeswax once you get to town."

"Will do." He nods absentmindedly while examining the finely carved and painted Catan tiles. "These are lovely. I've never seen anyone use magic for something like this."

"I just recently discovered that I could do this." I pause for a moment. "Actually, if you could get everyone together, I can do a quick painting for you."

"Can we?" Ashley looks up from where she's chatting with Roddy at the other end of the table.

"If it's not a hassle." Simms hesitates.

"Not at all, it'll just take a moment." I reassure him. "And, I can grow more pigments whenever I need them, so you don't need to worry about that either."

"Well, if you insist." He relents.

lining them up in front of the road, the morning sunlight filtering through the trees in the background. I used the finest cotton canvas I could make, and made it a bit on the large size. In the end, it almost took me longer to pose them than it did to paint the picture.

"What do you think?" I turn the canvas around and they all crowd close. "I had to use a little creative license for the wrinkled uniforms, and messy hair."

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"And those bags under Corey's eyes." Butters ribs his friend who grumbles but keeps staring at the picture.

"It's like looking in a mirror." Jo stretches her hand like she's going to trace her image, only to snatch them back as if she's afraid to touch it.

"Better than a mirror." Her sister nods. "I don't think I've ever looked this good in any mirror."

"I only drew what I saw." I shrug.

"I don't even know how many gold crowns that something like this would fetch in the city." Simms breathes out while examining all the fine details. "You could practically name your price."

"Well, if you ever want another, I'll give you a discount." I chuckle while making a tube to store it in.

"I may just take you up on that." He stares for a moment longer before shaking his head to clear it. "Alright, everyone we should get on the road soon."

"We should too." I release the canvas from its frame and roll it up to fit inside the tube.

It takes the four of us a lot less time to pack up than it does the guards, and most of that was just me turning the table and chairs back into firewood. Amelia and Rodrick took care of the horse and wagon, which I may have discreetly cast cleanse on.

"You need to make some paintings of us too." Apricot says while 'helping' me to take down the tent.

"With or without clothes?" I smirk, easily seeing through her plans.

"Without, of course." She states like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "But, I suppose we can do a few pictures with me in one of those fancy outfits of yours."

"That would be nice." Amelia agrees when we join her at the wagon. "I definitely want one of me in my dress."

"I hate to ask." Her brother says hesitantly. "But, I'm feeling decidedly threadbare compared to the three of you. Could make a couple outfits for me too?"

"No problem. But, do you mind waiting for a bit? I noticed some different plants around here, and I've been trying to collect as many as I can just in case they're useful. I was going to grab them yesterday, but..." I gesture to the guards.

"I'll go with you." Apricot shrinks down and disappears into her dress, only to fly back out a moment later dressed in her pixie garb. "That way Amelia won't have to worry."

"I thought we were going to leave." Roddy looks confused.

"You haven't seen him run yet, brother." Amelia smiles at his confusion. "Sorrel can outpace Stormie even without the wagon slowing him down. Hells, Sorrel could probably tow the wagon, and still beat him in a race."

"Heh. I wouldn't go quite that far." I say somewhat self-conscious, before turning to the military folks. "Sergeant Simms, everyone. It was a pleasure to meet all of you, and I wish you safe travels."

"The pleasure was all ours." Simms replies, causing the others to bob their heads and murmur in agreement. "Safe travels to you as well, and remember." He says seriously. "If you need any help in the city, just mention my name to any guardsman."

"I hope to never need that favor, but I will remember it." I bow my head to him. "Thank you."

Goodbyes said; I walk the horse out to the road while Apricot rides on my shoulder. Rodrick's eyes grow wide as I easily keep pace with the horse.

"Keep an eye on him, okay Sweetie." Amelia calls to Apricot when I spot a new plant and venture into the woods to collect it.

"I'll be fine." I turn around and tell her with my eyes what I haven't worked up the nerve to say out loud yet. "I won't stray far from the road, and will try to keep the wagon in earshot the whole time."

"He'll be okay Amy." Her brother pats Amelia on the knee. "You saw what he did to those wolves, there's nothing in these woods that can hurt him."

"She's really worried about you." Apricot says once we're a few trees away from the road.

"Like you're not." I raise a tendril from my hand to gently stroke her cheek. "I'm just collecting some plants. I know my nightmares have been worse these past couple nights, but I kinda expected that. At least, they weren't as bad as that first one."

"Just be careful, okay." She whispers and hugs the tendril to her chest.

"I've got my nature senses wide open, there's not a predator around." I pause for a second. "Well, not unless you count those creepy-ass horned rabbits. I've still got those two in storage, how do you feel about Fricassee for supper?"

"I don't know what that is, but if you're cooking, I'll eat it." She lightens up. "And what's wrong with the bunnies? They just go around stabbing stuff so they can drink the blood."

"Hahahah." My belly laugh startles the rabbit into running away.

"Are you sure two rabbits will be enough for all four of us?" The little glutton says pleadingly.

"Fine, but we'll make Roddy skin it though." I send an arrow through the back of the fleeing rabbits skull. "I never got used to field dressing game, it's much easier to deal with the stuff you get from the butcher." The body goes into storage, and I don't even bother trying to recover the arrow, it went into the ground like an Olympic diver into water.

"Remind me to practice with my bow when we stop for the day." Apricot says while flying over to pick a violet liverwort that I was eyeing. "And, speaking of practice. When are you going to practice the guitar."

"Thanks." I put the flower into storage. "And, I'll do it when we get back to the wagon, but it's your ears."

"You're being too critical of yourself." She flicks my earlobe. "It sounded fine to me when you played for us."

"Can you really blame me for wanting to put my best foot forward?" I counter. "I've got two beautiful women to impress, after all."

"Oh, Sorrel." Her laugh chimes through the woods. "I think you've managed to make a suitably good impression already."

"Mhm." I let out a non-committal grunt. "I'm just not used to this, I guess. I mean I did alright before, but either one of you could easily beat out any of my other girlfriends. And, both together..."

"That's sweet, but you're being silly." She flies backward in front of my face. "You could easily get a dozen of us, and if I'm lucky you will."

"Hah." I shake my head with a rueful smile. "You may have to talk to Amelia about that, I caught the protective look she shot Bobbi and Jo when they were eyeing me after dinner last night. I know she said she's okay with it, but this is her first relationship, and I don't know if she feels that way any longer. Hells, I'm not sure if I do."

"I thought I felt a flare of jealousy from her last night, but I was busy kicking her brother's butt." She laughs, but I can see the hint of a shadow behind her eyes. "I can deal with it if that's how she feels. We have the core pixie style relationship already, three or four close partners. Everyone else is just friends you have sex with."

"It's hard for you being away from them isn't it?" I cup my hands around her and hug her with my tendrils. "Maybe we could find some more Fae to join us. I know the size thing shouldn't matter, but it's likely what let her join us in the first place."

"I... don't think that would work." I can feel her close herself off.

"It's okay Apricot." I shift part of my arm into mini-me so I can hug her for real. "We'll talk this over with Amelia later, make sure we all know where we stand. Then we go from there to find something that works for everyone."

"Okay." She says in a quiet voice while clinging to me.

"You know." I say with a wicked smile. "It's been a while since you've been your regular size. And, well... let's just say there's a reason I told you I could shapeshift 'everything' right after we first met."

"So, you are into little girls." She leers back at me. "You dirty old man you."

"Hahahah." I chuckle darkly and lift up her dress.

...