"Through here, please. Almost home! Hot baths, soft beds! You'll like it, I promise!" She said as they filed through.

Pola paused next to her as he watched the rest enter the gateway. "How ... how? Where did you learn that? I've never heard of anything like that! Not even in the old books. Where?" He gabbled, slurring slightly with fatigue as the adrenaline finally left his system.

"Eh, this cute little goat taught me. You'll like him!"

----------------------------------------

It didn't take long to get the villagers into the bathhouse, from there into clean clothing. Tyni and his crew whipped up a buffet to have waiting for them as they emerged, since he declared they were too thin for his liking. They didn't take any convincing to eat again.

Amelia spent some time expanding the housing arrangements down in the warren. Space wasn't an issue, but she hadn't taken the time to plan things out, and it was turning into a real maze. She'd have to sort that out soon, but it would disrupt everything going on down there. She was loath to put anything above ground, since she didn't want to displace the trees of the woods any more than absolutely necessary. There were some places in Elara she could work with, and she was thinking of setting up more housing there before too long. With portals, it wasn't like it would be far away or anything, so people could 'commute' easily enough.

Several more groups of the displaced refugees came through later, the first led by Beige, the rest by some of the shoppers who'd wanted to return early. Amelia welcomed them all, introducing herself, then showing them the way to the food set up in the gazebo and the bathing facilities. Bert had a huge stack of robes and various underthings for them to change into since most of them were dressed in not much more than rags. After bathing and eating (not necessarily in that order), most had retired to the bedrooms Amelia had made. None of them had slept in a real bed since being displaced, and even if they weren't sleeping, they reveled in having a private space, safe and comfortable.

An hour or so after the last group came through, Amelia met the returning shoppers at the portal. Shock got extra belly rubs as the puppy slobbered all over her face.

"Were you a good girl for Sandy?" The dog wagged her tail happily.

"She was the best girl. Such a love bug!" Sandy rubbed the puppy's ears fondly.

"Did you have a good time? Find anything nice?"

"That was amazing, love! Thanks for inviting me along! I got the most wonderful shawl. It has pockets!"

Amelia gave the lady a hug, then showed her the dress and sleeves she'd gotten herself. Her friend was impressed with the cargo capacity of the two items.

They chatted for a few minutes before Sandy returned home via the portal in the brewery, Bill going with her. He'd parked in the parking lot at the shop.

"Anybody have any trouble? Any problems?" Amelia asked once Sandy and Bill were gone. Almost all of them indicated they hadn't.

Mr. Ainsley handed her one of the 'walking around' money pouches, which jingled. "Met some weirdos on the road. Seemed to be hunting for something. But no trouble. Nope. None at all!" He smiled as she looked into the bag. It was filled to the brim with the little lantern pins she'd seen on the men who'd harassed her. "They'll be fine after a few months of rest. Just some broken bones, concussions, that sort of thing. I didn't want to drop my ice cream cone and Miss Annie had her hands full with that sticky taffy stuff, so we took it easy on 'em." He waved as he ambled off.

Blue belched rudely, several more of the badges arching out of his beak onto the ground. He winced, then pounded his chest with a wing. A second burp launched a glaive several feet away. A final one evacuated a dented breastplate, which rang loudly as it landed on the ground. The tiny bird fluffed his feathers happily.

"Huh. Shoulda known. Good work." She said, shaking her head. If she hadn't had any problems with the troops, there was no way anyone else would have. The villagers and Pola had been petrified of the thugs, but she suspected they were just armed hoodlums, for the most part. With the exception of that elf lady. She'd like to believe that not all elves were bad, but so far things weren't looking good in that department.

Once Amelia was sure everyone had made it back safely she had Elara close the gateway. It took a little energy to keep transition points closed, but after the issues so far, it seemed worth it. The Whimsy side was well hidden, but it wouldn't take a tracker as good as Shock to find it. Especially considering how many had passed through recently. Better to be safe than sorry.

She watched her friends and friends-to-be milling about, showing off their purchases or swapping stories of what they'd seen. The cooking crew brought out more dishes and kept the buffet restocked, so the evening meal was enjoyed outside for a change. The steam trays and serving bins were kept under the gazebo, but there was still some room for a lucky few to sit at the tables. Otherwise, people grabbed food and dispersed out into the yards or the various clearings and glades to eat and socialize.

Rakish had fit right in. The construct was in the garden with Briar and Pancake, the three telling very off-colour jokes to each other. Amelia could hear the braying laughter when they had a particularly good one, even though it was pretty far from where she was to the garden. For someone who claimed to have been made that day, Rakish had an incredible supply of filthy limericks. He also could hold his liquor amazingly well, since he had, as he put it, two wooden legs. She'd made sure to warn everyone else in the hollow not to try to keep up with Pancake and Briar if they valued their livers, but Rakish seemed to be keeping up with them drink for drink. Tuuka would be proud if he were here to see it, she thought.

Amelia settled herself on top of the boulder in the backyard. The occasional splash from the water fountain kept the rock slick, but it was a nice place to people-watch and be out of the way. She chewed slowly as she stared off into space, lost in thought and worry. The backyard below and in front of her was a hive of activity, with people sitting or reclining on blankets scattered around the yard. There wasn't much loud noise, but the buzz of dozens of conversations made a pleasant background hum the music of the evening. The gaggle of children and Fur Folk playing their eternal game of water tag was the only interruption to the peace. They wisely stayed to the edges of the yard and were very careful that their shots didn't go astray. Several had already received soakings from Amelia when they weren't as careful as she thought they should be. Some of the older ones had finally gotten tired and grabbed their own blanket to hang out on. It had a plate in the center piled with goodies which they were picking at absently. Amelia was fairly certain they'd nabbed a few bottles of beer to share clandestinely between themselves as well. They were taking it easy with the stuff, though, so she just kept an eye on them.

This was the first chance she had had to think over the events of the day. She'd been keeping herself busy since escorting the first group of villagers back to the hollow. First with getting lodging prepared, then checking in on everybody, fussing that everyone had something to eat and wear, chatting, so on and so forth. It wasn't until she had finished eating that she stopped to think about the events of the day. The elves and the village. The fight.

The thing with the village really bothered her. Both villages, from what Pola had said. That anyone would do such a thing. Deliberately destroying people's homes, driving them off. It was horrible. She knew things happened like that in the mortal world but had never been so close to it. Seeing people go from happy in their own homes to starving and homeless. It was just wrong. That bothered her considerably more than the fight had. She'd been nervous when the men first confronted her but once she decided to use what she'd learned, it was easy. Too easy, really. She'd gotten used to trading spells with the kids, who were quick and nimble, crack shots. Being able to best grown adults without even trying had been stunning. She wondered why it had been so easy. Perhaps the thugs were just untrained. She didn't know.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The elf's reaction to Jam Spreader and Lord Sparkles was surprising, too. She could see with her second sight that they glowed intensely. They were obviously magical, but she had no way to judge how powerful they were. Perhaps Bellows and Olavi were not just simple craftsmen, after all.

She wondered what would have happened if it had come to real fighting, with weapons. Would she have been able to really hurt someone with her spear? Landing a blow didn't seem unlikely. She'd sparred enough to know she could do that. She wasn't the best at melee, but she wasn't bad. The question was, could she really stab someone? Hopefully, she'd never have to find out. The way the force spells had thrown people around had been bad enough, even without blood.

Did she feel bad about what happened to the men? She really thought about it. They had not been good men. Or, not very good men, by any means. They abused their power and took advantage of the weak. Pola had said he recognized them as some of those who destroyed the village. She thought hard, searched her heart for remorse. She found none. They had been given every chance to do the right thing. They had been warned. She had been polite, non-threatening. That hadn't been enough. Before, she would have gone along, tried not to make waves. But not anymore. Not now. She had no idea why she had stumbled into what she had. Why Gran had asked her to be caretaker for Bert. Why Donald had bonded with her. Why the folk of the hollow had become her friends. Why Pancake taught her such powerful magic. The Fur Folk. Those from Elara. But she did have it. Friends. Skills. Power.

She set her jaw. Power. She hadn't asked for it. Didn't really want it. But she would use it. To protect those who didn't have it. For those that needed someone, someplace. She'd thought something similar before, about how the hollow was and could be a refuge. She still thought that. But it could be more. Much more. She could do more. With Donald and Elara working with Bert, with her friends, they could make more places safe. Protected.

The train of thought led her back to her friends. Tuuka and Picker. They had only planned on being gone for a short while, just long enough to find those back home who needed, or wanted, a better life. With the upheaval in Whimsy, though, she was concerned they had gotten into trouble. If the elves were destroying innocent, unaligned villages, she had no doubt they'd deal harshly with goblins and dwarves without mercy. There was some history, there.

As if sensing her thoughts, Frisket and Vieno stood up from the group of youths and came towards Amelia. She waved the two girls over. They'd become friends since they'd come to live here. Both the girls with each other, and with Amelia. The two hadn't been that close before coming to the hollow, but since they were about the same age, and the oldest of the 'kids', they'd quickly bonded.

"Hey there!" Amelia called as they climbed onto the boulder, settling down next to her. "Thanks again for shopping with me, V, and for helping out today. Really appreciated!"

The dwarf nodded. She looked a bit embarrassed. The goblin girl nudged her with an elbow, whispering something in her ear.

"Everything okay, you two? Something you want to talk about? We can go someplace private if you want. You know, talk about cuties and things."

Both of them blushed but shook their heads no. Vieno cleared her throat as if she was going to start talking, but ended up just fidgeting, snapping and unsnapping one of the straps on her boilerskirt.

Frisket wrinkled her nose cutely, then cleared her throat. "We're worried. About our dads. We heard about what happened with you. At the market." The goblin looked upset.

"Yeah. Okay. I'm worried too, but your dads are grown men. They can take care of themselves. Especially your dad." Amelia bumped Frisket with her shoulder, ducking her head down to look into the teen's face.

"But that was forever ago! He didn't even take a weapon! Or even get good with the stuff Pancake taught us." The goblin whined a bit as she replied.

Amelia nodded at the girls' complaint. The boys had been pretty busy before they left and had only gotten the basics like the candle spell and water jet. If they had known how things would turn out, though, she was sure they'd have found the time to practice more.

"Right. Wish they had. Remind me we need to set up regular training classes for everybody. Just in case." She didn't have to mention the villages in Whimsy. Both girls understood. Their faces paled a bit, but they nodded.

"I think we need to send a party after the boys. It's been long enough. Just to check in. I'm sure they're fine, but maybe somebody needs to go sober 'em up, tell 'em it's time to come home. Wanna bet they've found some pub and've been holed up there for weeks?" She grinned. It was a lame attempt at humour, but both girls chuckled obligingly. They knew that wasn't what had happened.

"How could anybody find them? If they aren't where we used to live, that is? They've been gone for ages!" responded Vieno. She kept fidgeting with the strap. Snap! Snap! Snap!

"Hah! You don't think Shock could find them? She could suss out a rock hiding in the ocean, if she had ever smelled it before. And she knows your dads' stink pretty well. They fart a lot, those guys. Heck, I could prolly track 'em!" The girls laughed a little harder at that.

"I'm thinking we send Quiet, and maybe some extra muscle. Just in case. Maybe some of the rougher lads from Elara. You seen some of them? Watched a few of them sparring with Scur. You know, that huge troll guy? They did pretty good. Not as good as that squad of squirrels, mind you, but those guys are nuts! They go for 'em, too, those! Terrifying! Glad I don't have any!" She winked. The two teens giggled for real. The smaller Fur Folk had taken to combat a little too well. Somehow the switch had gotten flipped and the genetic prey had turned predator, big-time.

Amelia laughed for a moment as well. She had friends. Friends who wanted to help. Time to get organized.

"C'mon. Let's go! They'll all be too stuffed to run away from us, so let's go recruit a rescue squad. Somebody's gotta save whoever's stock of booze your dads are terrorizing." She clapped both girls on their shoulders, then slid down off the boulder. "You girls wanna go with? I mean, to find your dads? The squad might need some firepower. What ya think?"

Vieno and Frisket exchanged looks, then they gave the tiniest of nods to each other. "Yes!" They both answered at once.

----------------------------------------

The squad left late the next evening. It hadn't taken any convincing at all. Quiet had been worried about her son as well and was happy to lead them. Shock was up for anything, the puppy a ball of bouncy energy. She'd given Amelia and Sandy goodbye licks, then had been eager to go sniff new things in new places. And find new things to chew on.

Amelia had felt a little guilty asking the Elarans and Fur Folk for help, but they had been as enthusiastic to go as the first two. Even though they had never met Picker or Tuuka, they were overjoyed to help friends of Amelia. It didn't hurt they'd heard of the booze that Tuuka could make, either.

In the end, the group was twelve strong. Quiet as leader, experienced adventurer, and worried mother. Shock, tracker and self-propelled chewing machine. Rose, a starling friend of Alder, carrying Darcey, shrew of the Fur Folk. They were the aerial scouting and bombardment force. Frisket and Vieno, ranged destruction and concerned daughters. Elwood the mouse riding Gladwin the fox, Fur Folk cavalry. From Elara, two walking piles of melee muscle--Bion, minotaur, and Charis, rhinowoman. Zoe, the colossal spider, went also, as medic and utility terror. Finally, from the deep places of the hollow, Sar, an ettin, who towered over the rest--even hunched over and sitting down.

Amelia was pleased with the symmetry, which had been unplanned. Three each from the hollow, Whimsy, Fur Folk, and Elara. It seemed fitting, somehow.

The crafters leapt into action when they heard the news. They had previously created a significant stockpile of war matériel as 'practice', but they outdid themselves making sure the group had the best that could be produced and customized in the time they had. Each of the squad had cold iron weapons of power. Spears, axes, darts and daggers. Helmets and padded jackets. The two beastfolk and the ettin were literal metal-clad mountains. Tyni and his crowd whipped up trail rations and yummy snacks for the road. Pint and Briar provided potables, both benign and not. The group glowed brightly when Amelia looked at them with her true sight, nearly everything they carried enchanted or charmed in some way.

She had wondered if they should attempt to be more stealthy, nondescript. Quiet had vetoed the idea immediately. The goblin explained that if the Seelie were really on the warpath, there would be no way for them to hide. Except for the Fur Folk and Rose, they would all be singled out for their ancestry, if nothing else. So they might as well go armed for war. Not even an attempt at subtlety was made. She did concede to avoid violence if possible, and not to seek out trouble. Begrudingly, and only because Amelia asked.

The final touch unifying the group caused Amelia to be torn between embarrassment and pride. It was a surprise they'd hidden from her until they assembled to leave. Each had a sky-blue hooded cloak (or sash, for Shock, Zoe, and Rose). They wore badges that matched the huge banner carried prominently by Sar. Words bordered the image, reading "Hearth Haven Hollow - Beorthmund - Elara - Dunnwald - Stronger Together!". The image in the center was a hard-bound book flanked by a wedge of pie and a mug, on a background of ebon flames.