I turned away from the sky and asked, “Did anyone have any questions? I didn’t get a lot more information than you all did, but I’d be happy to share if I have any answers.”

Big Mike said, “So that’s your mom, huh?”

“Yep,” I said. “She can be a little bit overwhelming.”

“Nope,” said Janet. “She’s still my hero. She’s who I’m going to be when I grow up.”

“But what the hell,” said Big Mike. “They just gave the country to rich people?” He looked at me along with everyone else then.

“I can’t speak for Them. Try your imues. Maybe they can give you more information. All I really know is what I’ve heard from my mother and what I’ve gathered from the government screen. And both times I talked to my mother, you all heard basically everything that I did.”

“But I can tell you this,” I said. “If They had to choose someone to give part of Oklahoma too, I’d vote for my mother. She started as a 22-year-old high school graduate with a child and no husband and ended with several hundred million dollars. In about 20 years.”

“Actually, according to Forbes, around $7.2 billion,” said eGirl. “But to be fair, she did start with a big chunk of change.”

“What?” I asked. “So much? That’s a lot. How the heck did I not know that?”

All four women of my age just snorted then, Tanya even giggled.

“Despite your current stats, even your beginning big-brain,” eGirl said, “I don’t think you’re the most perceptive person I know.” The other three just nodded their heads in agreement.

“Ouch!” I said. “Let’s not get too personal here. I was busy trying to have a life I guess and didn’t need my mom’s help so I didn’t worry about it too much. I’ve been on my own since I was fifteen.”

“Well,” said Big John, “you cleaned the toilets.” Even the little girls laughed at this one.

“Hey,” I said, “how about some respect. Duchal Heir here, you know.”

“Yes,” he said, “that’s scary stuff right there.”

I must have looked offended because he clarified, “no,” he said, “not that you’re the heir, but that there’s an heir at all and that so much rides on your mom and you, well basically staying alive.”

“Yes,” said Jake. “If they both were to die, anarchy.”

“Just so we’re clear, I don’t plan on dying and my mom is guarded by a martial arts master and a former SEAL as well as a lot of other total badasses.”

“I know,” said Jake. “But really, that’s the best that They could do? A Duchess? And a bunch of Dukes? What the hell?”

“No,” said Tanya. “I don’t think that it was based on what They could do. I think it was based on what we were doing.”

“Valid point,” said Jake. “Valid point.”

“In any case, not to sound like a broken record, but what’s done is done,” said eGirl. “And what is, is. I don’t care about the past and that may be the Mandate talking or the lack of the Mandate, whatever, but it’s true. I don’t care. I want to live, I want Miranda to live, I want you all to live too. I want us to be safe, doing things that we regard as important and necessary. I don’t care if it’s in the Duchy of Northern Tulsa or the State of Oklahoma, I just want to live with my girl safely, surrounded by my friends.”

“Still freaky, not you by the way” said Big Mike, gesturing towards eGirl. “Understandable, it’s been explained, but still freaking weird!”

There was a long pause then while everyone sat and digested the information that they’d been given. Trying to figure out their emotional reaction or lack of reaction to the information that they’d been given tonight.

I took out the potions and passed them around to everyone. Another day, another 11 potions and no bowel movements. Could be worse, said the man who once got poison ivy on his Johnson from going in the woods. Could definitely be worse.

We broke up then, it was about six-thirty. I had last watch, Big Mike on first, Janet and then Tanya. I decided to sit by the fire and cast shield spells for a while. I had about 2 and ½ hours until I needed to hit the hay. So I was going to spend it on Shield. I proceeded to do my human firefly routine, then canceled all the spells on me and went to bed. Not enough time to reach peak of the Peak, but getting closer.

Big Mike woke me for my watch, which again passed peacefully. I chatted with Tanya and Janet when they got up and then we moved to outside the compound when the others got up to practice yoga. Once again, everyone made it and looked well-rested, which was good.

Afterward, we moved into Martial Arts, Archery and Formations. Getting more limber and dangerous by the day. Fortunately, Formations practice was starting to gell a little bit more. By now everyone said, “oorah” when they blew up the illusion. And everyone echoed it back. It’s the little things you do together that make traditions, that bind people together. Tanya had started calling the person that was supposed to shoot the illusion. The illusion was still basically a big block of color, but it was fun watching it explode into light sparks when the Force Bolt hit it. The uncertainty of not knowing if you were going to be called made the practice a little bit more interesting. She started calling out names, randomly, rather than in a set order. I did notice that the little ones got called more often than the rest of us did.

We finished up around 10 am and had our morning powwow. I reported no change, the little ones had practiced but not gone up a level, Miranda and eGirl had both gone up an actual level, Jake had worked on his Force Bolt spell and had got it up to Bronze 5. I think the whole group was a little relieved that he was practicing the right stuff now. Big Mike stood watch and didn’t have time to practice what with sleep and family stuff happening, but Consuelo had practiced Force Bolt while Big Mike was on watch, but hadn’t been able to raise the spell a level. Another day closer to our goals.