The five travelers emerged from the tangled trees and bushes into the pastures between Sedgewick and Gadobhra. This was the area where Rolly spent most of his time. The pastures stretched for miles as they wrapped around the southern and western sides of the City, starting where the tangled forest began and extending roughly a mile to where the normal woods began. It was early in the morning with the sun low on the horizon, and a heavy frost was on the ground for the first time since they came to the village. The sedge beasts huddled near each other with the calves in the center, the bulls on the outside of the groups, eyeing the small herds of goats that were cropping grass near them. The air was crisp, and the temperature much colder than normal. Smoke came from the chimneys of Sedgewick, and the sound of someone chopping wood echoed through the crisp air.

Ozzy looked up and sniffed the air, then pointed to where the mostly built towers of Rowan Keep poked out from the woods, ten miles distant. "Billy's that way, probably at the keep. Ever since we fought against the ghouls together, I can get a feeling for where he and Layla are when they are outside of Gadobhra. When they're inside the city, something messes up my Herd Sense. Should we head that way? Or make a quick stop in Sedgewick first?"

Suzette looked toward the village. "I need to go to my tavern and check-in. I've been gone too long. I'll get what I can sorted and then go to the keep. I have some new thoughts on how to make the Hermetic Shield work and tie it into the Shrine to Hermes. Ben and I can get to work on that as soon as I get there."

Ben mounted his now clean horse, anxious to take him for a run. "Mudhead and I are heading for the keep. I want to look at the current teleport array and see if the crazy professors have made any headway on building a stronger one. I'll let Billy know we're back from our little outing into the Fae lands. If you aren't there in a couple of hours, I'll swing back down to Sedgewick and pick you up." Mudhead took off across the pastures, accelerating like a race car and kicking up frost behind him.

Rolly looked at the herds in the pasture. "I've got work to do. The wyvern eggs have hatched, and I need to find the hatchlings and teach them some manners. They'll be looking for fish in the streams soon, and I don't want to lose half of them by annoying Jenny. If they eat all her fish, she'll eat them instead. And I've got goats in the pasture. Goats are always fun, and those look like some big, nasty ones. I wonder where they came from? It's time for Squirmie and me to get to work. I'll catch up later and be at the keep for the night shift." He strode across the fields, greeting the animals and asking the sedge beasts where the baby wyverns had run off to.

Ozzy took Suzette by the arm. "Lucky me, I get to escort you home. I'll check on my demonic partner at the smokehouse and talk to Old Joe. I've got some ideas about new recipes that I want to try. Shouldn't take more than an hour. Should I wait until you're done in the tavern and walk with you up to the keep?"

"I'll be fine. Ben's looking for an excuse to take his horse for a run. If I need to be there quickly, you can send him back for me, and I'll catch a ride. There may be some new arrivals waiting for me at the tavern." She'd seen the goats in the pasture and caught glimpses of small folk looking at her from the bushes. "Betty will want to go over meals, shopping, and small decisions. Zephyr is a whiz at running the bar and has her dad to help, but we're probably running low on beer, and I'm still the best brewer. If my new retainers have arrived, I'll need to have a talk with them about living quarters and their duties. I'm so glad I read about brownies while caged up. They're hard-working lesser fae that get very nervous when their Lord doesn't have something for them to do. They won't be happy unless I find jobs for them. Being useful means they are valued, and being valued means a lot to the lesser fae. Job security takes on a new meaning."

Ozzy left her at the door to the tavern with a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. "Have fun, then. I'm off to check in with the Pit and make sure it's behaving." They went their separate ways, and Suzette paused to look at her tavern. She loved it all: the aged stone of the lower stories, the way the third and fourth stories extended out over the street, and the steep slate roof. She was happy with it, but it could be better and a little bigger. She'd seen how a humble tavern could become a rustic work of art. This would be her home for years, maybe decades, maybe even forever. She wondered what she could make of it. With plans whirling in her head, she opened the door to a blast of sound as the bards began another song.

That alone astounded her. Coglin had been playing in the tavern now and then, and a few people played instruments, but he'd been the only bard for ages. Now, no less than three other bards were accompanying Coglin in a raucous song about sheep, orcs, and a goat herder's son. The tavern was as full this morning as the busiest Friday night. She'd taken one step inside when Zephyr ran into her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh my god, you're back! I was afraid the fairies weren't going to let you go! How did you get away? Did you escape or outsmart them? Did they make you play chess? Are you married to the fairy king? Pregnant with his heir? I need to know the details!"

Suzette patted the girl on the back but didn't move away. Hugs were nice now and then. "So many questions. I walked out of the Fae Reams on my own. We outsmarted her. She didn't make me play chess, but we did engage in a game of wits, which she lost. I am not married to the king, nor am I pregnant."

She noticed that many people were listening in on the conversation, and the bards were playing lower, trying to catch her words. "It was a grand adventure that started with the rescue of a lost Fae Prince, then a perilous journey through the Wilds of the Fae Realms, and betrayal by a conniving evil sorceress. Then a daring rescue by brave companions and a small party at the end. And now we're all home."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Zephyr looked up at her suspiciously. "That's it?"

Suzette shrugged and patted her head. "That's a quick version. Did you hope for something exciting?"

Zephyr pointed to the bar, where four brownies served expresso shots mixed with molten chocolate. "Well, there's the clan that arrived and moved into the basement, the attic, and the kitchen cupboards. They've been serving tea and coffee non-stop and helping Betty in the kitchen. They claim you hired them. Bob came back and is smug as hell about something. He keeps saying, 'Not my story to tell'. The bank got bigger and has gold trim. A troll came by looking for you. A goblin ribbon merchant set up shop in the meadow, and the Sphynx comes to visit with him each day. More fae merchants are on the way, and somehow the Baron has deals with the Fae Realm and the Gnome King is happy with him."

"Well, there might have been a bit more to it, but I'm glad to be home. Ozzy and I will have to come to dinner and tell your family some of the story soon."

"How soon? Momma cooks better for company, and she's been so busy weaving Sphynx fur cloaks for the last few months that I have to eat Dad's cooking a lot. I've been pulling a lot of shifts here because Betty is a better cook."

"Next Sunday, I promise. We have a day off."

Mollified, Zephyr took her hand and pulled her forward. "You have to meet these guys. It's a guild of heroes from all over. They say they met Ozzy somewhere, and he invited them here."

A handsome, older man appeared from somewhere. "Indeed. I am Vandalis, one of the leaders of this merry band. We had the joy of watching the Butcher do business in Wolfsburg. It was very entertaining. He mentioned dungeons that we could visit. We thought waiting for your return to work out the details prudent." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And congratulations on your ascension to Tier 4. You are amazingly well-shielded, but I can tell at least that much. Life gets really interesting for you from now on."

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Ozzy walked up to the building that held his charnel pit. Up above, Splinter huddled close to the top of the pit, where fire and hot smoke poured out. No one was out back. Not surprising with the cold snap. Opening the doors to the pit, he was greeted by most of the crew.

"He's back. Tell us a story. Are the fae really half fish and and half kraken?

"Shut the damned door! Oh, sorry...Captain. That draft cuts through to the soul."

"So cold! No one said the Conjunction was this horrible."

Butterbelly and the rest of the crew were bundled up in winter clothing and blankets and huddled around the charnel pit where the hot smoke was the thickest. Old Joe had tossed extra wood on the fire. "Good, you're back. Woodrat didn't want to take off without settling up with everyone and saying his goodbyes. But this sudden cold snap is playing hell with the crew. A cold wind in the Conjunction stealing away your heat is a hard way to go, and it's not good for that ship."

Ozzy could see that. He'd already felt how his furnace was slowly dropping, but he ways to easily replenish it, drawing off the heat from his pit. The crew had to do things the hard way, chewing coal and huddling by the fire. "Where is he?"

There were some smiles from the crew and some sad looks. "He left an hour ago, heading for the Teahouse, to say his goodbyes." Woodrat's fondness for apple blossom tea was known to all. Ozzy had this day coming and knew this was a burden he couldn't shoulder for his friend, except to wish him a fast journey and a fast return. He walked to the pit and yelled up at the chains twisting in the smoke.

"There's work to do. Move the carcasses we can down lower. What we can't move will have to be sold to the Legion as jerky. Turn the carcasses and work all the sides so it doesn't burn. I want a hot fire, and I mean HOT! I want Splinter's sails to be glowing like the sun!" The chains rattled as they got to work, shifting around tons of smoked meat and dumping bags of screaming coal into the pit.

"Mr. Butterbelly! Is there space left in the hold?"

"She's full up, Captain, but we could tie down some cargo on deck."

Ozzy knew that over-smoked sedge beast would be a treat to sailors in the smoke. "Take as much as you can make room for, and call it a bonus. If I remember rightly, there are a dozen carcasses that you and I flavored well with Makin's Devil Pepper Rub and Horseradish. Take all of that for starters." He pointed to a metal barrel with a latched lid and warning signs on it. "And since it's a little chilly, open up that barrel of Burney Bacon, and anyone from the smoke can eat what they can handle. I want hot sails and full furnaces for the way home. And speaking of my favorite dwarf, someone find him and tell him I need a bucket of strawberry surprise."

The crew didn't have to be told twice. What would kill a person from the Conjunction, even a veteran battlemage of the Arcane College of Fire, was just a tasty snack to these sailors. Makin came running into the building a few minutes later, Mariah having found him easily. She was carrying a small cask, and the dwarf had a dozen bottles in his arms. "Sad to see you lads go, but at least we can make a party of it." He started pouring drinks and toasting each of them.

Ozzy was wondering what else he could do when his eyes noticed the rolled-up inflatable dragon and its heating unit. "Chainey! Hoist a dozen bags of screaming coal up to the ship; that's a good man. And give me a ride up to the top." He picked up the heater, grabbed a chain, and was whisked upwards to the ceiling, just under the ship. The curious crew gathered around as he molded wood and installed the heater in the crew's quarters at the front of the ship. Most of the heat would feed directly to the auric hull, but enough would be left that the crew would never lack for extra heat to keep them healthy.

When his work was done, the Butcher stood on the deck of Splinter, watching the sails fill with heat. He was missing her already and thinking of the plans in his sea chest. "Don't worry, lady, you'll see me again. I need to finish a fortress and build a shipyard, and then I'll catch up to you."