Chess and Amber alternated between a walk and a canter for most of the morning as they moved through open fields and orchards.

During one of the periods of walking Chess decided to break the companionable silence.

"So…" Chess let the word hang in the air between them for a spell that quickly turned into an awkward grimace as she realized she had nothing to say.

Amber deliberately removed her helm and placed it on the saddle before her, then turned a raised eyebrow on Chess. The corners of her lips curled upward despite the effort she obviously put into keeping a straight face.

"You know it's rude to read someone's emotions like that." Chess rolled her eyes.

"No, it's not. Besides, it's funny." Amber smirked. "So, you seemed to get along with Eleanor and Richard..."

"Yeah, that was fun. I really needed the break. That said, I still got a lot of work done. We have bolts for days." Wait, was that jealousy? Chess wondered a second too late.

"You were flirting with Richard," Amber said, and Chess heard caution in her tone.

"No, I wasn't."

"Really? How many times did you hit him or throw him around?"

"That was just horseplay." Chess waved the idea off. Despite herself, she still felt a knot build in her stomach. Is that how it was really seen?

"That's not what he thought," Amber confirmed her fears. "It was good they treated you like an equal though. It shows our plan may be working."

Chess sighed and flipped her visor up to rub at her face. "Yeah. And you're right, I need to watch my behavior. I really don't want anyone getting the wrong idea."

"Least of all a Baron's son."

Chess smiled sardonically and waved at the orchards they were riding through. "At least it's a beautiful barony."

"You'd never be happy here long term. Freya would make sure of that. You have her mandate to follow," Amber cautioned.

"I know, I was just joking. You know I…" Chess shook her head, waved the thought off, and changed tack. "...I've been thinking about that. What would it cost to outfit an airship?" she asked, her smile turning wistful.

"Affording the ship isn't the hard part. Finding and paying for the crew and making it profitable is the real challenge. I see that look, and you're better to dismiss the idea. An airship isn't something that you can just have sitting around idle waiting on your beck and call. They involve a lot of maintenance…" Amber held up a hand to forestall Chess's protest. "I know you're more than capable of repairing the wooden elements. But they are the least of the common expenses."

"What are the mains?"

"The mana engines. Which are only produced by the Kobolds. Then sails, ballast, and tack. Though if we succeed with our plans for the rift, we could have a potential source for lift ballast and bulk sailcloth..." Amber grew quiet, and Chess smiled when she realized her friend was considering the actual possibility.

She gave Amber time to think before continuing the conversation.

"Couldn't we just make our own engines? I mean Stace is already looking at being an enchanter of sorts," Chess wondered aloud.

"Every attempt to study the engines has led to an explosion of poisonous mana that has wiped out an area larger than first step lake."

Chess paled. "Who in their right mind would fight in a ship that could explode at the slightest damage to its engine?"

Amber shook her head. "Only close examination of internal components has led to the explosions. I've seen destroyed engines before they were sent to be repaired. The Kobolds warn everyone who buys their engines not to try to discover their secrets."

"At least that's something. Though once someone else finds a way to emulate one the Kobolds will be out of business. I still think Gramps, Stace, and I could come up with something," Chess said and fell into thought about magic-burning engines as they passed through yet more whispering fields of grain. A simple crankshaft and propeller were easy to envision but getting from magic to motion didn't sit quite right without fossil fuels. Something seemed to be missing in the whole picture. Something to do with copper maybe? She decided she'd have to ask Gramps later.

When she'd played the thought to its conclusion, she focused back on their surroundings and realized the narrow road was about to enter a dense forest of normal-sized trees.

Amber replaced her helm on her head before the trees surrounded them, and Chess knocked her visor down and shifted the feather-light crossbow in her lap.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask," Chess coughed into her gauntleted hand. "That is, do you have any idea why I haven't gotten my period again? It's been well over a month," she finished in a rush then added. "Or is it just stress?"

Chess felt her cheeks heat despite herself.

Amber laughed, and Chess scowled at her behind her visor. "Hey! It's a valid question."

Amber laughed for a few moments more before schooling herself. "Sometimes it's easy to forget how little of some things you know. To answer your question—and if I remember correctly—elves go into heat once every two or three months. They are slow breeders but then you don't age fast, so..." Amber shrugged.

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"Oh, I hesitate to say that's a relief, but I think I know a bunch of people back home that would kill for a longer cycle," Chess laughed ruefully.

"You're a half breed so you could fall anywhere in that range."

"Great. Thanks for the answer all the same. Come to think of it, how would you even know about an elf's cycle?" Chess wondered.

"A lot of nobles are half-breeds like you."

"Right," Chess nodded and turned her attention back to the path and their surroundings as the woods seemed to press in on them as the sun failed to penetrate. The undergrowth here was much denser and more abundant than beneath the ironwoods.

As the morning passed to afternoon, Chess felt pressure start to build between her shoulder blades then behind her eyes. It took her a good hour to put together why the feeling was more pronounced. When she acknowledged her survival perk the increased intensity suddenly cut off.

"It's gonna rain soon," Chess broke the companionable silence, and Amber slowed to ride beside her again.

"Let's stop and switch mounts then. We can don those cloaks we had made from the silk and wax our bowstrings again while we're at it," Amber said and slowed to a stop.

"I was hoping you'd say we should hole up for the night early," Chess grumbled and rubbed at her thighs.

Amber gave her a hand down before responding. "It's much too early yet."

Chess muttered to herself for a moment before summoning her vault and pulling items out.

It wasn't long before they set out again and not a moment before the rain started to fall in a constant drizzle that picked up to a pour at times before receding to spitting.

"This blows goats," Chess said, for what had to be the hundredth time, as she sought a glimpse of the sun's silhouette through the clouds a handful of hours later.

A flick of her cloak set the pool of water that was collecting at the base of her neck off behind her with a splash that she instantly regretted as it washed forward along the horse's back. Her pants under her armor were drenched and chafed her inner thighs with every step the horse took.

Amber only grunted in reply.

Half an hour later. Or as near as, as Chess could determine, Amber pulled up and gestured to a small cluster of closely grouped trees on a small rise. "Let's camp there."

Chess answered with a grunt of her own and dismounted stiffly and gathered Sprig from her spot on the saddle. Chess didn't feel in the mood for singing so she played a bit of Smoke on the Water to form the local bushes into a small shelter for them and then a corral for the horses with a spot where they could find a bit of shelter.

Once she was done, the pair hung a length of green silk cloth on the inside of the refuge to help prevent water from seeping in before laying another on the ground to lay their new bedrolls on.

Their efforts were quickly thwarted by the weather.

"I don't think we'll be able to manage a fire in this," Chess mused, as the intensity of the rain picked up, and forced her to grow a dense blanket of moss to elevate their bedrolls above the rivulets that snuck in under the edges of their shelter.

"A cold camp then," Amber agreed. "At least nothing is likely to find us in this." The Paladin started to loosen the straps on her armor and Chess moved to assist her. In short order, they were down to their undergarments.

An awkward silence fell as Chess found herself unable to tear her gaze from Amber's figure and her friend returned her frank appraisal.

Chess finally shook her head and coughed into her hand, breaking the spell, before moving to her bedroll and climbing in. She placed her crossbows within easy reach before pulling the covers over her shoulders.

A moment later Amber dumped her blankets on top of Chess's and started to climb in with Chess.

"What are you doing?" Chess squawked in surprise.

"Sharing body warmth. No fire, remember?" Amber explained and proceeded to make herself Chess's little spoon.

Chess lay as stiff as a board for a long time before Amber elbowed her in the ribs and pulled Chess's arm over her. Thank Freya's fabulous fanny that I don't have an appendage to betray me right now... Chess thought as she felt herself start to get aroused with her arm pressed between Amber’s breasts. Then Chess's mind seemed to hiccup, and she groaned in embarrassment as she remembered Amber's ability again, then she groaned deeper when she felt the woman's suppressed mirth as she began shaking in her arms.

"I hate you!" Chess declared and buried her head in Amber's hair. "You do smell good though," she mumbled.

Amber's laughter broke out of her control.

"I hate you!" Chess said before laughing at herself. "It's not fair how hot you are now," she grumbled.

Amber shuffled around until they were facing each other and gave Chess a cheeky smile. "You think I'm attractive?"

Chess rolled her eyes. "You're the one with the emotion-sensing powers. What do you think?"

Amber kissed her.

Amber's lips were just as soft as the first time, and Chess tasted cinnamon and sugar from the pastries Amber had eaten that morning.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Chess protested against Amber's lips after a long kiss.

"I think it was a great idea. We're already warm." Chess felt Amber's smile against her lips.

"Har, har," Chess mocked, but Amber silenced her with another lingering kiss.

"Damn them all! I think you're hot too," Amber said in a breathless whisper before nibbling at Chess's lower lip and trailing her fingers down Chess's arms sending sparks of pleasure cascading down her spine.

"I know this is a bad idea," Chess protested feebly when they came up for air again.

Despite herself, Chess initiated the next kiss and couldn't suppress the groan of dismay that escaped her when Amber suddenly yelped and pulled back.

"What? What did I do?"

"You burned me!" Amber accused.

"What?" Chess asked and looked down confused. She couldn't see anything alarming. "If this is some sort…"

"No! Your hair, it feels like it's on fire," Amber explained and backed away further.

"Fire?" Chess parroted and glanced down. The movement set the bird charm in her hair against her shoulder and she yelped and flicked it away before quickly scooting out of the covers and onto her knees to let her hair pool before her.

"Fuck! What the hell?" Chess said before hesitantly touching the figurine with a fingertip. It was warm but not scalding like it was against her shoulder. It took her a moment to remember her steam forging perk before she grasped it and looked up to meet Amber's eyes. "It's the charm."

As soon as the words left her lips the charm let out a burst of mana and Chess felt a growing ribbon of pulsing force encouraging her to head deeper into the woods; away from the road.

Chess turned to look in the direction of the draw. "It wants us to go that way."

Amber frowned then stood, kicking the blankets away, and calmly started to don her armor. "You owe me for this Freya," she muttered to herself.

"What are you doing?" Chess asked, still coming to grips with the sudden change.

"Freya has called us. Hurry get your armor on." Amber said, then picked up Chess's breastplate and shoved it into her arms.

“Damnit, Freya!” Chess said and fumbled with the clasps.