Amelia instructed Bert not to let either dwarf leave the hollow without her permission. She wasn't sure that Tyni or Elisabet would try to hunt down their child, but she wouldn't be at all surprised if they did. Since there was no way to know where their missing friends were, though, that wouldn't be helpful.
She hoped that they were all okay, and would make it home soon. Until they did, there wasn't much they could do for them but wait.
The first day back was spent in fruitless planning and scheming until they had eliminated everything they could think of to find their friends. Frustrated and tired, they'd gone to bed extremely late.
The next day dawned brightly, and with the sun came the Fur Folk. Amelia had instructed Bert to let them in when they arrived, and they came en masse. All but a few wore the sashes Olavi had made since there had not been quite enough for them all.
"Hey everybody! Welcome to the hollow! Glad you came!" Amelia greeted them as they gathered in the yard, staring in awe at the cottage and its tower.
"Greetings Lady Amelia, Friend of the Fur Folk!" boomed Ronan, who was wearing the crown and carrying the scepter, which looked a little small in his grasp.
"Just Amelia, please, your majesty!" She curtsied to the badger.
"Have the missing returned? Any word?" he asked.
"No, unfortunately. We're just hoping they find their way home on their own, and soon!"
The badger nodded, then indicated the mass of his people.
"If now is not a good time ..." he started to say before Amelia interrupted.
"No! Of course you guys are welcome! I can't swear that Tyni will be on top of his cooking game, but other than that, things should be more or less normal here. As normal as it gets. Let me show you the place!"
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The tour was complicated, considering the number of visitors, and because many of them were ill-suited for spiral staircases. The larger ones, such as the stags and boars, ended up having to wait while their brethren nosed around. They were well mollified, though, as they got to spend that time with Bellows in the smithy, the goblin only too thrilled to show off his craft. By the time Amelia returned with the others, the big animals were already working the forge and hammering out nails under the smith's beaming supervision.
Envious of missing out, the smaller creatures scattered to the other work and class areas, impromptu demonstrations and lessons starting immediately. Spoon was sent through the portal in Sandy's back room to fetch Monty and Maisie, the two craftspeople tickled to have a flood of eager new students, no matter what shape they were.
King Ronan and Amelia worked with Bert to construct dens and burrows for everyone in the warrens, then expanded the shops and classrooms even further to make sure there was plenty of room for everybody to do their thing. The biggest change was making a much larger combined shop space underground for Scorper and Miss Annie (and their students), leaving the former space in the tower for precision work as the toy and clockwork shop. Amelia also added ramps, small access doors, and other accessibility features throughout, to better accommodate the smaller-sized animals.
Once his shop was reorganized, Olavi crafted sashes for those who hadn't received one yet, then started in on other clothing items that took more fitting. Those took longer, mostly because he had a bunch of eager students of his own that he started walking through the process. They picked up the sewing quickly enough, but working the 'handy' charm took considerably more training.
The days seemed to pass in a blur, full of new friends and things to learn, teach, and do. Nobody forgot the missing trio, however. Nor did they forget the cause of the separation, as the Fur Folk freely mentioned their enmity of the elves, voicing their mantra of 'Never Again!' time and again.
Amelia first noted the change in the focus of the crafters. Where before they had worked almost exclusively on useful or beautiful things, now they frequently churned out implements of war. Whether or not spearheads and axes were the normal training pieces for smiths, Bellows and his proteges pounded them out by the dozen. All shapes and sizes. All in cold worked iron, anathema to elvenkind. Miss Annie started to work more in sheet metal, teaching dishing and planishing, techniques particularly useful in making armor. Briar took over the brewery, imparting the concoction of liquid weal and woe by the hogshead, masked and muffled against the hideous fumes.
Spear practice continued, much more seriously than before. Without Picker or Quiet to provide instruction, Vieno took over as trainer. The young dwarf had been the best student and was well able to impart the basics she'd mastered. There were so many participating they had to move the practice to Alder's clearing. The old tree quickly became an expert coach as well, his eye keen even if he couldn't handle a weapon personally. He would call out tips and pointers to the students, refining their footwork and form as if he'd been a warrior all his long life. They drilled and sparred until they dropped. Rested, then did it again. One-on-one or in formations, in the open, amongst the trees, in buildings, or underground, they practiced. Once suitable training implements were found for Mr. Ainsley and some of the other shadowy residents, the intensity increased unbelievably. It wasn't uncommon for visiting ramblers to pause in their hike to watch a squad of mice spar with a troll, or a joust between squirrels mounted on hares, or aerial combat between sprites and voles atop birds.
Amelia was hit hard by this change in the general tone of her home. She was happy to have even more friends staying with them, even if only temporarily. She enjoyed the practices and training, especially the camaraderie that developed. But she hated the reason for the renewed vigour and determination they all had. She struggled with unfamiliar emotions and stress, but she vowed to prepare herself as best she could. Baby-stealing elves were a menace that couldn't be ignored. She had thought Mr. Unpronounceable himself was a minor annoyance, but when she described his true appearance to Ronan, Digby, and Hugh, they had assured her that he was indeed one of the mind-controlling foe and a prestigious one at that.
So she threw herself wholeheartedly into self-improvement. Not just with spears and shields, or the various spells that Pancake drilled them in. She worked in private in the spell range deep underground, where it was safe to let loose. Ashlee, Mr. Ainsley, even Beige and Blue took turns coaching her, and she spent much time in consultation with Bert and Donald. Her mood gradually improved, if only from the quiet confidence in her growing ability to protect her friends.
Every day, though, many of those dwelling in the hollow came together for meals. Tyni cooked like a whirlwind, assisted by his cadre of learners. The diners shared stories of what they'd learned or accomplished during the day, mishaps and marvels, fun, and frustration. They celebrated wins and commiserated losses, encouraging each other to greater heights on the morrow. They joined Alder for role-playing games or marveled up at the stars, or joined the group reading in the lounge, the fire crackling away as they sipped drinks and ate snacks.
The Fur Folk worked hard to absorb everything they could and soon were producing tools, utensils, clothes, and other items. They fit in well with life in the hollow, quickly becoming friends with the inhabitants, particularly with Alder's assistants, the squirrels and birds that acted as his agents in his former duties. Amelia found it endlessly amusing to watch them all at work. The sight of a stag hammering out a piece of metal while a boar worked the forge was almost as fun as seeing weasels throwing pots on the wheel, or foxes working at the mill and lathe wearing their specially fitted safety glasses.
The crown passed from Ronan to a fox named Percy, who was nice enough but a little arrogant and dense. Now that all of the animals had their own personal apparel, and they didn't have to share, the crown wasn't nearly as important as it had been in the past. The king (or queen, as the case may be) acted mostly as a spokesanimal for the Folk and soothed any ruffled fur or enforced peace where necessary. Amelia made it a point to interact primarily with the ruler, even though she made plenty of time for her new friends, like Hugh, Ronan, and Digby. It seemed the polite thing to do, and since the leader was the one trying to make sure the populace was happy. She frequently worked with them to help rearrange lodgings or stock needed crafting materials, or improve access to places and things. Percy had done a decent job, but Amelia was happy when Constance, a lovely female skunk, took over. She had much more patience and understanding, which made everything run smoother.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Everywhere you looked was a bustle of activity, and Amelia continually added new rooms and facilities to accommodate all the diverse needs.
The sweet-making room she added deep in the warren was one of her favorite new places. Sandy had acquired some candy and dessert cookbooks that contained a plethora of toffees, cakes, and other scrumptious recipes amongst their many pages. Amelia had borrowed the collection immediately, sequestering herself amid vats of bubbling syrups and melting chocolate, armed to the teeth with candy thermometers and mixing spoons. She placed the workspace deep underground to discourage Whisper from causing too much trouble since the wisp preferred to spend her time in close proximity to her oven sleeping spot. On the rare occasion the glowball tracked the delicious aromas back to their source, Amelia had to bribe her with a king's ransom of candy, then relocate the confectionary to a new spot for a few more days of peace.
A week passed, then two.
Then came the surprising announcement from Bert.
[Notice. Portal from Elara opened. Entrance permission for unknown, dangerous entities requested by Quiet, who has already entered.]
"Quiet's at the Elara Portal!" Amelia yelled, already in motion. "Let 'em in, Bert!"
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Amelia was one of the first to the trilithon mound, her long legs giving her the advantage in the race. But Tyni and Elisabet still beat her. When she arrived, the two dwarves were sobbing in happiness as they held their son and embraced the goblin who had returned him.
"Home! Home! Friends! Friends!"
"Fern! Quiet! Oh my gosh! You made it! Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened? Who's with you?"
"Ooof! Need to breathe! Air!"
"Sorry, sorry! It's so good to see you! C'mere Fern! Toffee?" Amelia released the goblin she'd nearly smothered with her hug, then pulled some emergency candy from her pocket. Fern was momentarily distracted from the treat as she was playing chase with Whisper, the wisp zooming after her returned friend, glowing so brightly happy green that she was painful to look at.
Cheers rang out as more people made it to the clearing, everyone needing to hug Quiet and wave at Onni, the baby held too possessively by his parents to get hugs from others.
"So what happened, Quiet? We knew you got Onni from that elf, and went through a portal, but what happened after that?" Amelia pestered the goblin, who was beaming with the warm welcome she'd received from everyone.
Quiet started to talk, then noticed all of the animals wearing articles of clothing, who'd followed the rest to the clearing.
Amelia noticed her unease. "It's okay! These are the Fur Folk! We're friends. They're staying here while they learn how to make stuff. This is Queen Constance, their leader." She pointed out the skunk with the distinctive crown and scepter. Constance waved the scepter in greeting.
The goblin waved back and nodded, not terribly surprised at the turn of events.
"Well, I followed these folk as they pursued the elf. It was hard to keep up, and it was mostly luck that I figured out he'd doubled back and was hiding, waiting for us all to go away. I, uh, persuaded him to give Onni back. The discussion was kinda pointed, if you take my meaning." The goblin indicated a long mark on her left arm, the wound still red and not fully healed. "I left him to consider the error of his ways and started heading back. Unfortunately, he followed me, and I had to nip through a portal. I thought I lost him then, but he surprised me a day later. He'd brought a war party of other elves, and we only escaped by the skin of our teeth. I managed to keep evading them, but it was tough going. Hard to keep a baby healthy and make good time, while also hiding one's tracks, but we survived. Ended up in Elara eventually, and by pure overwhelming luck bumped into Nic and his crew. They were, well, a little busy, but I'll let them tell that story. Anyways, here we are, safe and sound. I'm ready for a few weeks of sleep and as much food as I can cram down, but none of us are really the worse for the wear."
It was only at the end of the goblin's story that they remembered the many others who had come through the stone doorway.
"Nic! Timon! Hi everybody! Good to see you! You guys having another holiday?" Amelia called out. Then did a double take as even more people she didn't recognize continued filing through the portal. Only a few of them were in the dark blue uniform of the maintenance crew, and they all looked like they'd been through rough times.
"Uh, guys? Wow! That's a lot of people! You're all welcome, of course, but what's going on?"
The skeletal ratman raised one clenched fist above his head, and all the newcomers did the same. As one, they intoned "Good book by the fire, snack and a bevvy!". Several of them were carrying banners that looked hastily made. They featured a background of roaring flames, with a hardcover book in the foreground, flanked by a tea mug and a slice of pie.
"Uh, yeah, okay ..."
As Amelia looked at them, she realized most of them were carrying weapons instead of cleaning tools. Many of them had bandaged wounds, and they all looked exhausted, if elated.
"We won, Amelia! We took the advice we got when we visited, and it worked! We unionized and worked together. Together we were strong!"
"Stronger together!" shouted many in the group, and they all raised their fists in that salute again.
"We forced the issue, and management capitulated! Elara is free from their tyranny!"
A loud cheer went up again, the assembled Elarans shaking their weapons or fists over their heads.
The gathered hollows dwellers watched the spectacle, unsure what to make of the group. More and more of them kept passing through the portal, with space in the clearing rapidly running out.
Amelia wasn't sure what the right thing to say was, so she said what was in her heart. "This calls for a party!"
This was greeted by more cheers, this time from all present.
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There wasn't room for everyone in the attic meeting space of the cottage, nor in the yard. So Amelia had Bert create an enormous great hall deep underground in the warren, and attached portals from there to the bath house and the front of the cottage. A dumbwaiter was added to the kitchen, which Tyni's assistants started filling with whatever they could grab or cook quickly. The dwarf himself had been forbidden from helping, Amelia having threatened to tie him to a chair if he didn't sit down and spend time with his wife and their returned child.
Amelia loaded all the treats she'd made and stored in the candy shop and piled them up on one of the tables, next to kegs that Pint rolled out from the brewery. Ashlee closed the pub for the day so she could come serve drinks and generally help out, and Queen Constance bade many of her subjects to organize and direct traffic. Luckily Bert kept the pantries and larders filled, so there was no danger of running out of provender. Tyni's students managed to feed the host in fine fashion, the dwarf boasting about their work to all who would listen. Since everybody dropped by to see his family, that was a considerable amount of boasting, indeed.
The party roared on until well into the morning of the next day. Amazingly, they'd depleted all of the brew and spirits Tuuka and Pint had made and had to break into the stores in the cellar. They weren't quite as good, but by then nobody noticed the drop in quality.
Amelia finally collapsed in her armchair in front of the fire downstairs in the cottage. There were several people she didn't recognize sleeping on the various sofas and a few on the floor, despite her adding in a gigantic wing of private bedrooms down in the warrens. Apparently, not everybody was able to walk that far after all the festivities.
She was just about to nod off herself and was trying to muster the energy to climb the stairs of the tower up to her room when Nic plopped down in a neighboring wing chair. The skeletal ratman grinned at her, although to be fair he was always grinning. But he looked happier than usual.
"You guys sure know how to party here! We'd told the others stories, but they really didn't believe us."
"Glad you enjoyed it! All the credit has to go to the cooks and servers, and Bert for all the raw ingredients and stuff. But I think everybody had a great time! We always like a chance to party, here!"
"Yeah, I can tell." He paused for a moment and managed to look a bit serious, in spite of the lack of flesh to emote with.
"The old boss, um, 'vacated' the position. Grabbed this when it appeared. We had a vote, and it was unanimous. We'd like you to have this. Seems like you'd do right by it, and by us."
He seemed to consider briefly, then nodded to himself. He pulled something out of his boiler suit chest pocket, then tossed it to Amelia nonchalantly. She caught it awkwardly, then glanced down at the object she held. It was about the size and shape of a deck of cards, dull grey in colour, and not made of any obvious material.
"Um, isn't this a ..." Amelia started to say, suddenly recognizing what she held.
[Bonding candidate detected. Processing.]
"Oh no! No no no ..."
[Processing complete. Candidate suitable. Acceptance query input overridden. Bonding initiated. Processing. Bonding complete. Storing unit.]
"No no no no no! Not another one ..."
The item faded from her hands.