I wasted no time stopping to eat or anything, since I could eat while controlling the boat, and drove all the way back to Ester's village. I arrived just after noon and the army dock I had built was twice as big as before and there were quite a few ships there. I counted ten of them and they were all military.

I slowed down when approaching the area, only to see that most of the bank was dug away and the dock extended into the land to make it easier to unload the boats right onto the ground. I eased around them, careful of other ships and smaller boats, and I didn't recognize anyone there. I felt a little bad about that, since I had gone through a lot with the soldiers from the garrison.

I entered the main harbour for the village and it was almost completely different from before. The dock was now a tall double dock, just like they had at the next town, and you could offload on the bottom near the water on the old dock or offload on the upper dock that was at the height of the ship's deck. It was also really busy and I looked at all of the small craft moving around with business emblems on them.

I searched around and found a spot on the lower dock and thought about docking, then looked at the two ships on either side of the slip. I shook my head at the danger of my boat being crushed by them and them not noticing. I took my boat over to the far side and looked for a good spot to leave it on the bank. I saw the boatbuilder's warehouse had expanded and several people were working outside.

“Hey, you can't put that there!” A guy said when I put the end of my boat next to the shoreline.

“Why not?” I asked and stood.

“That's our access way.” He responded.

“For what?” I asked.

“It doesn't matter what it's for. Your... whatever that is... is blocking nearly thirty feet of water.”

“I'm not staying long.” I said.

“I don't care. Now move it or lose it.” He said, a bit angrily.

“Do you own the land right here?” I asked and pointed to the land beside the water.

“No, of course not. That's town land and...”

“How can you claim the water that's in front of it?” I asked.

The man frowned at me. “We just do.”

“That's a stupid reason.” I said and he looked angry. “What if I claim it and call it mine? Is my claim any less than yours?”

“This business has been here since the village was founded and we've always used this water!” He exclaimed and the other guys working on an upside down hull came over.

“I've used the water all the way to the capital and back. With your reasoning, I can claim it and it's all mine now.” I said.

“Are you an idiot or something?” The guy asked and clenched his hands into fists.

“Hey, Simon. Let him use the space. It's not worth getting into a fight over.” One of the men behind him said.

“No, he can't. If we have to move a boat out and turn around, we'll smash that little thing to bits.” Simon said and managed to not shout. “It's in the way and it needs to go.”

The man turned to me. “Can you find somewhere else to dock?”

“The docks are nearly full and the only spot left that I can fit is too dangerous to use, for the same reason he just said. I don't want to lose my boat.”

“Then go somewhere else!” Simon spat and I recognized the tone of voice.

“Phelps. You're Simon Phelps.” I said.

“Yeah, so what?” Simon asked, aggressively.

I smiled and picked up the front tie rope on my boat and jumped several feet from the boat and onto the land. Both he and the man looked surprised, because my boat hadn't moved or drifted away from the shore.

“What are you doing?” The man asked, concerned.

“Docking my boat.” I said and pulled on the rope.

“Get it out of here now or you are going to regret it!” Simon nearly yelled at me.

“I will?” I asked and then gave him a huge grin. “Are you willing to lose another family member by trying to destroy my boat again?”

“Wh-what?” Simon asked, his anger becoming confusion.

“I believe your grandfather tried to sink both of my boats by drilling holes in them last year.” I reminded him. “Have you forgotten it so quickly? You were there helping him.”

Simon's confusion became full blown fear and he took a step back. “You! Stay away from me!”

“It's not good enough that I'm getting out of your water?” I asked and easily pulled my large boat out of the water and onto the shore. All of the men stared at me as I put stakes down and tied the boat to them at both ends to dock it on dry land. “There, are you happy?”

Simon didn't say anything and took several more steps away.

I jumped towards him with a growl. “BOO!”

“AHH! Help! Somebody HELP!” Simone yelled and ran.

I burst out laughing and the men working with Simon gave me odd looks. “I tried to be a scary and intimidating boogeyman last year and I ended up being seen as a comedic waste of space.” I said as an explanation. “I killed someone in self defence, was wrongly convicted for it, and sentenced to death. The army conscripted me right away and a bunch of things happened, and now I'm out of the army and enrolled in a mage academy.”

“You're a mage?” One of them asked. “Where's your robes?”

“I'm a student, not a mage. Not yet, anyway.” I said. “Otherwise, I'd be married.”

Now the men looked very confused.

“Never mind.” I said and held my hand over the boat and applied the lock spell to the ropes, which surprised them. I started to walk away and stopped to look back at them. “By the way, if anyone tries to steal or damage my boat, I'll come back and kill them.”

I saw the glint in one of their eyes and walked back over to where they stood. The man schooled his face and tried to hide the greed there; but, I had already seen it and it was much too late to hide it now.

“Just to make sure, I'm going to cast some Marsh Magic on it and you're going to severely hurt yourselves if you go near it.”

The man smiled slightly and I knew he didn't believe me.

I went over to the boat and dug out Victoria's copy of the 'men ignore me' pendants. I put my pack on and hung the enchantment on the steering wheel before I walked away and activated it at the strongest setting. The men let out yelps at the sensations and their eyes seemed to glaze over as they lost sight of my boat. Even I felt a bit repulsed by it; but, I was controlling the enchantment and it wasn't as debilitating to me because I could use it from much farther away.

I walked over to the dock and thought about using my own copy of the enchantment, then I saw what the village looked like and forgot about hiding. It was no longer the little village that I remembered. No, it looked more like the next town that was much bigger, had more stores, and more people. There was even an army recruitment office and a mages guild office, which was surprising.

I thought about entering them, then decided I didn't want to experience whatever they were offering and kept walking up the main road. I saw the general store was now called Mack's General Goodies and several people were standing near the door and a bunch were inside. I walked a bit farther and saw Diane's Specialty Store, which was packed full of people and a bunch were gathered in front of the door waiting to get inside.

I thought about going in to ask how her son Spencer was and if he was still suffering battle trauma, then I decided that neither of us wanted to see the other so soon. Plus, I didn't have any regeneration potion left to offer her for her son's missing hand that he had lost in the war. She blamed me for it, even though I wasn't responsible.

I walked on and almost no one paid me any attention. Wearing adventuring clothing that made me look like a city person playing in the woods, pretty much made me invisible on its own. My pack also made people look away in disinterest, since I looked like I was only passing through. I was, so it worked out perfectly.

I went all the way up the main road until I felt a very familiar ward. I smiled when I saw a young girl, who looked a bit bigger than the last time I saw her, as she walked down the road towards me. I came to a stop and gave her the same wave she always gave me and she caught her breath.

“Hi, Gloria.” I said when she was close enough to see my face.

“MARSH MAN!” Gloria yelled and ran towards me.

I bent down slightly and opened my arms for her as she jumped and hugged me.

“I haven't seen you in soooo long!” Gloria exclaimed and squeezed. “Where were you?”

“I was in the capital city going to magic school.” I replied.

“You're going to be a mage?!?” Gloria gasped.

“Yep!” I said and let her go. “I see you're still wearing my ward.”

Gloria gave me a sad smile. “It's gotten a lot weaker since last month.”

“I know. That's why I'm here.” I said and her eyes widened.

“You came here... all the way from the capital... just for me?” Gloria asked, clearly shocked. “Really? You really did?”

“Of course I did! I had to stop in here on my way back to my house to renew the wards there, too.”

“Wow.” Gloria said and she had adoration in her eyes. “Wow.”

“Where were you headed?” I asked as she handed me the old ward that was a wooden coin a foot across.

“Mom sent me to Diane's place to pick up her order.”

“All by yourself?” I asked and she nodded. “I knew you looked a lot bigger than the last time I saw you.”

Gloria beamed a smile at me and nodded. “She sends me all the time on errands now!”

“I'm so happy for you.” I said and took off my pack as I knelt. “Hmm. Okay, this old thing will still work... but...”

“But what?” Gloria asked and looked down at the fortified piece of wood.

“It's outdated.” I said and she looked at my face.

“What's that mean?” Gloria asked, which made me smile, because I always used to say that.

“It means I've made much better ones.” I said and opened my pack to dig out one of the new pendants I had made.

Gloria's face lit up at the small four inch wide medallion and I charged it up to full capacity. We both heard several squeaks and chuckled at the fleeing animals that we couldn't see.

“It's got a much bigger range and it'll last for almost a whole year.” I said and hung it over her neck.

“Thank you, Marsh Man.” Gloria said and stared at the bright and shiny blank wood coin.

“I'll take this old one back to your place and let your mom hang it up.” I said and she nodded as I slipped it into my pack.

“You're getting some of mom's famous cookie bread, aren't you?” Gloria asked and I nodded.

“I can't resist it, just like you.” I said and she giggled.

“It's too delicious to ignore, isn't it?” She asked and I nodded again. “She might have some left in the shop if you don't mind eating the corner pieces.”

“I guess with all the people around now, she's pretty busy.”

“She is!” Gloria said. “Daddy's pretty happy about it, too.”

I chuckled. “Did he give up his job to stay home and help?”

“Yes!” Gloria said with a huge smile. “He also sneaks kisses from mom when he thinks I'm not looking.”

“No!” I fake gasped and she giggled.

“It's true! He does!” Gloria said happily and wiggled her finger for me to get closer, so I leaned in for her to whisper. “I even saw his hand print on her butt after they hugged!”

“Oh, that's sneaky!” I whispered back and she nodded several times.

“Daddy's bad.” Gloria giggled and stepped back. “I gotta go. Mom needs her stuff a sap, whatever that means.”

“It's a-s-a-p, or as soon as possible.” I chuckled and stood. “I heard that a lot in the army. A lot.” I reached out and rubbed the top of her head that was nearing the top of my chest. “I'll see you later.”

“Bye!” Gloria said and continued on her way. She looked very happy to not have a big piece of wood around her neck.

I walked on down the road to go to Mrs. Hansen's place, because I wasn't lying. I really did want some of her cookie bread. That stuff was delicious.