Cassius disabled the parking brake, and I rolled the hatchback off the manhole cover that led down into the storm drain. We already knew who it was, having resolved their features as the pair drew nearer to the base.

Aside from the two of us, only Amity was here to meet them, with the others waiting within the hotel. With her extra set of arms hidden under a baggy hoodie, Amity looked human enough and was unlikely to startle them in the way Regina might.

I lifted the cover out of the way and stepped back. I heard hands and feet slapping the ladder's metal rungs, and a moment later Aldith emerged with Rohesia shortly behind.

Both girls looked a little run-down, and if not for Cassius's reminder, I wouldn't have been able to tell which was the daughter of a chieftain and which the blacksmith. Aldith's clothes hadn't been very impressive when we'd first met, but her threadbare linen dress was likely the best one could hope for back in the village. Not that she'd worn it to travel. Instead, both girls wore dresses made of some brownish cloth with a very coarse weave. Either sack-cloth or canvas, it was clean at least. Or had been before they'd set out.

"Cassie!," Rohesia exclaimed, and wrapped her arms around the man's waist, "I was so worried about you."

Cassius gave her back a half-hearted pat, and his eyes flitted to the hotel.

Aldith didn't leap into anyone's arms, which I appreciated since she was still holding the burning torch, but she did give the pair a disappointed frown.

I clapped my hands together, and Rohesia startled slightly as all eyes fell on me.

"I'd love to have a big happy reunion," I lied, "But we don't have a lot of time. There's a bunch of riders headed here right now, and they'll be here in a few hours. So you two need to tell me why you're here, and I've got no time for bullshit."

Rohesia furrowed her brows, "Riders?"

I gritted my teeth, but tried to keep the anger out of my voice, "Men on horseback."

"He calls himself Prince Guillerme," Aldith provided.

Ah, fuck.

"He arrived just two days after you," she hesitated, "left. We were still trying to decide who would be the next chieftain, and the village chose him."

"I thought you guys duelled or something to pick the new chief?" Cassius asked.

"Several of our men are dead," she accused, "and we were already cursed by the false-winter. It is hard enough just ploughing the fields, shorthanded as we are. We worried that the village might have gone hungry before the next harvest. And then Prince Gil came bearing gifts. Of course he was chosen as chief."

"Hey, simmer down, little lady," I warned, "I'm sorry about your dad, but he tried to bury a knife in my back."

Aldith tried to hide her fear, but even in the poor light, I could see her shaking, "That's not what Hamon said. That's not what any of them said. They said you joined forces with the monster, and when my father caught you, you slew him and his men."

I opened my mouth to retort, to tell her the truth of what happened, but stopped myself. It was an exercise in futility, and unnecessary besides, "And yet, here you are," I observed, "You two travel twenty-five miles across unknown ground in the middle of the night, unsure where exactly you're even going, just to come find me. What's the problem with the prince, Aldith, and what do you expect me to do about it?"

"He's to marry Aldith," Rohesia blurted.

"Are you serious? That's the problem?" I sighed.

I felt for her, I really did. First, some freak of nature kills her father, then she's made to marry some asshole. Life had dealt her a shitty hand, and admittedly I shared some of the blame. But this was far from the most critical issue facing me.

"He is a poor leader," Aldith insisted, "I've been to his village, and it's impressive. But in time, his gifts will run out, leaving us with fallow fields and nothing to eat. And to see us through this will be a leader lacking both strength and wisdom."

"And you want me to do what? Kill the guy? Take his place?"

"The whole village saw my father promise to recognize you as high chief if you slew the monster. By that right, you could challenge the prince for rule of the village."

"No."

"No?" Rohesia exclaimed.

"No, the deal wasn't for me to kill the 'monster', it was to deal with it."

"What is the difference?" Aldith demanded.

"The difference is the monster has a name, and she's here at the base."

Aldith stepped back, and Rohesia moved closer to Cassius, "You did join forces," Aldith exclaimed incredulously.

Amity took a step forwards, moving between us, "Regina's quite friendly," she offered earnestly.

"She was taking food out of our mouths," Aldith insisted.

"She was starving," Amity scolded.

I clapped my hands again, "Enough. Regina is not going to hurt anyone unless I ask her nicely. The village's monster problem is solved, exactly as I promised. You can either accept that or turn around and go home. In fact, since we're about to be under siege, you might still want to go home."

"But Prince Gil," Aldith repeated, "How long will it be before you can deal with him?"

"No idea," I shrugged, "The siege is a little more pressing."

"We can't go back, Aldy," Roheisa insisted, "Even if it was a good idea, I'm so very tired."

Aldith nodded her agreement, "We will stay."

I jerked my chin at Rohesia, "And what about you? Why are you here?"

"Well, it's not good for Aldy to travel alone," she faltered, "And I wanted to see Cassie."

Standing behind the small woman, Cassius grimaced and bowed his head slightly.

"Amity?"

"I'll find them rooms," the gynoid promised, "And get them something to eat."

Aldith dropped into a curtsy, "Thank you, milady."

"And neither of you are to go above the second floor," I added, "The rest of the base is off-limits."

"Come along," Amity prompted, herding the two women towards the hotel, "I'm sure you're both weary from your travels."

"Cassie?" Rohesia asked, looking back over her shoulder as Amity led them away.

"He'll be along in a bit, go get something to eat," I insisted.

Amity kept her moving along, exerting gentle pressure on her back, and Rohesia returned her gaze to the path ahead.

Cassius stepped closer, and looked up at me with a tired expression, "Man, I fucked up, didn't I?"

"Did you sleep with her?"

"What? No."

"You think she'll try to cut all of Phoebe's hair off?"

"Jesus, is that what happened with Valentine? Shit, man."

I shrugged, "See? Could be a lot worse."

He shook his head slowly, "Man, I don't even know what's going on between Fee and me. I thought I was getting somewhere, but now here's Rohesia to fuck it all up."

"Do you not like Rohesia?" I frowned, "I remember the feast before we left to find Regina, you two seemed close."

"Yeah," he sighed, "Man, I feel like an asshole. Her and Aldith were pretty much the only two people that liked me back at the village. They both hung around my mill a lot. You know, I was trying to get her dad to teach her smithing. I was still holdin' out hope I'd be able to leave, and it wouldn't be good for them to be without a smith. He was pretty hesitant, so sometimes I'd teach her myself. So she spent even more time around the mill, and things just kinda happened. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Keep her away from the scissors?" I guessed, "I don't know man, this one's all you."

Amity hurried the girls through the lobby, fear and surprise staving off an immediate confrontation between them and Regina, though I knew that wouldn't last.

Just as long as I don't have a catfight in the middle of a siege.

Regina's massive head tracked them until the door to the stairs shut behind the girls, then turned to regard me, "The riders have drawn near enough to count. Twenty-five in all. Each wears a breastplate with a helmet that leaves the face bare. Their weapons remain difficult to distinguish, but from the manner in which they wear them, I believe they bear sabre and pistol."

"I thought fey were still all bronze-age?" Cassius asked.

Valentine nodded, "True. Some fey houses have purchased arms and armour from the elves, though if they all wear armour, then I doubt it's my people. The fey leading them wouldn't be able to bear the weight. Are you certain that none among them is unarmoured?"

Regina's mane swayed as she shook her head, "I am certain of nothing, but I doubt I would have missed a rider attired as you describe."

The weapons rested nearby, leaning against the front desk, and I regarded them doubtfully.

There was my long axe, the heavy rifle taken from the stormtrooper, and the steampunk rifle I'd taken off the prince. We had ammunition for both, but not in abundance. For the heavy battle rifle, we had two full magazines along with one that was about half full. The prince's rifle took stripper clips instead, of which we had three, along with a few loose rounds that had been in the gun when I'd taken it.

Readying herself for a fight, Val had changed into her flight suit, and wore her pair of double-barrel wheel lock pistols as she usually did, inside the front flap of the suit. The little Saturday night special we'd looted from the gas station was with the weapons on the desk, though I doubted it would do anyone much good.

Aside from the full magazine already loaded into the pistol, we had only one half-empty mag. At .25 ACP, I wasn't even sure it would make it through a rider's breastplate.

Felicity had brought only a short sword, out of date even by elven standards, though Phoebe had come better equipped. She had a sabre, of the kind the riders likely wore, and a brace of five flintlock pistols.

We had plenty in the way of shot and powder for the muzzleloaders, but that was little consolation.

"Do we have anything important in the truck?" I asked, finally.

Val shook her head, "No. Or I suppose there's fuel in the tank. But otherwise, the only thing of value is the truck itself."

"You're worried they'll screw with it?" Cassius asked.

"It's really the only way they have to strike at us. Yeah, they can keep us from getting out, but they're gonna have a real hard time getting in. Maybe they start some magic shenanigans, but that's about the time we start shooting at them. And if it's a bunch of riders, I can't imagine they're carrying a ton of food."

Val, who had been peering at the floor with chin in hand, looked up at the restaurant, "True enough, they will run out long before we will."

"If they start to get hungry, they could go after the village," Cassius pointed out, "I know we got some issues, but still."

"They'd need to find it first," Val countered.

"Yeah, but they will. Unless they're idiots, they'll send out scouts, and it's not a good idea to assume your enemy is an idiot."

"I suppose there's not much point in trying to hide the truck then."

"Yeah, I had the same thought, but it would be too easy to track. Better to keep it nearby and start throwing things at them if they mess with it. We may not have a choice though, if they're determined to destroy it, there won't be a ton we can do."

"I'll see what I can do about the cars out back," Cassius offered, "Not like we'll be able to get it down till they clear out, though."

"Alright, here's the deal. Everyone gets a buddy, and you don't leave your buddy's side until this is over. We'll set up patrols around the edge of the block, but they might still manage to get in. I don't want anyone getting caught out alone. That means me and Val, Phoebe and Cassius, and Regina and Amity. Felicity, I'm sorry, but you're the odd one out. Next to Regina or me, Amity is probably the most dangerous if it comes to a fight, and I need her out here. So you'll need to babysit our guests."

"I understand," she agreed, "I don't think I'd be much use in any case."

"The rest of us will be on eight-hour shifts," I went on, "Val and I will be taking the first since whoever it is will probably want to talk, even if it's just some surrender or die nonsense."

"Amity and I will take the night shift," Regina offered, "We both have senses that are advantageous in the dark."

I nodded at Phoebe and Cassius, "That leaves you two on mornings then."

"I will inform Amity," Regina promised, "And then attempt to get some sleep."

She went off with Felicity, and with Amity remaining with the sphinx, food prep fell to me. It was nothing fancy, and though nervousness dampened our appetites, I made sure everyone ate well. I didn't know what was coming, and I wanted to be ready to meet it whatever the case.

Though the riders did not push their horses too far, taking no breaks for food meant they were coming on faster than expected. I finished charging the last of the power supplies with Val's help, only a few minutes before the riders were to reach us. We headed upstairs in a bit of a hurry and carried the batteries down the hall to their door. We set down our load, and I'd just turned back for the stairs when a thump rattled the door and shook the floor.

A cry, which must have been awfully loud for us to hear it through the thick walls, settled the matter, and the two of us rushed back to the stairs.

"Aw, so glad those two are getting along," Val giggled, once the stairway door was safely closed.

"Let's just hope Regina isn't too tired to keep watch tonight," I said wryly.

"I don't suppose you want to follow their example?" she hoped, "You could take me right here on the stairs."

"Val."

"Fine," she pouted.

I laughed and ruffled her hair. For once, she didn't object.

"We've got a couple of minutes, do you want me to fix your hair?"

Though not braided, she wore it as she often did while clad in her flight suit, with her tresses pulled back and tucked down into the neck. I didn't know how she'd gathered it within, but I didn't spot it poking out around her ankles, so she was managing it somehow.

She stopped suddenly, one hand on the rail, and I turned to face her from the landing below.

"Okay," she decided quietly.

I beckoned her down, and she came to stand before me on the landing, facing away from me. I gathered it up, pulling the sheet of silk free from her flight suit, and ran my hands through it until I found what I felt was the right length.

"Is to the waist okay?" I asked, and she nodded without saying a word.

I needed both hands to gather all of the strands, and once drawn together, I began to focus. A bit of lead from my pocket for Weaken and a spark of Body mana from myself would weaken the strands at a minute point, effectively cutting the strand without needing a fancy monomolecular blade, or whatever it would take to cut her strengthened hair.

Val jerked away, and I hurried to loosen my grasp before I hurt her.

She whirled, and gathered her hair in her arms, hugging it to her chest, "No, I'm not letting anyone hack it all off. Besides," she added quietly, a small smile warming her features, "Our game's not over. If I want a haircut, I've got to earn it."

She unzipped the front of her flight suit and began stuffing hair inside.

Oh Val, you loveable little lunatic.

"I take it back, I absolutely want to take you right here on the stairs," I admitted, "But-"

"I know, I know," she sighed, "Not a lot of time. Come down here, give me a kiss."

I leant down and cupped her cheek in one hand, bringing her lips to mine. She returned the kiss urgently, and her skin was so warm it felt almost feverish. I drew away reluctantly, slowly, and straightened.

"Rain check?" she grinned.

"Maybe if you earn it," I smirked.

I checked in with Phoebe and Cassius on the way to meet our new visitors, who I could already hear shouting at the edge of the block. They lay atop a small rise. It was only a few feet above the level of the road, but it was the best they could do in the carefully landscaped park. Between the slope and a transmuted log they'd dragged into position, they had about as much cover as they were likely to get. Cassius stood ready with the battle rifle and our remaining ammo, and while Phoebe did wear her brace of pistols, she was instead relying upon the rolled coin clutched in each hand.

I nodded at them as I passed, and Cassius flashed a thumb's up.

I was still worried about people scaling the walls. The rough concrete would give sufficient handholds for someone with enough determination or skill, but anyone trying to come through the storm drain was thoroughly fucked.

I forced down a nervous laugh as I recalled the stereotypical call-out, Be ye friend or foe? It was silly, and while I briefly entertained the idea of actually saying it, what kind of idiot would answer with 'foe'?

Val stayed low as we approached, careful to remain out of sight, and ready with a fistful of magical ingredients should the encounter turn violent.

As I drew nearer to the edge, I saw that the whole of their party had come up onto the hill, within the line of stakes I'd placed to mark the area of stability around the base.

It wasn't an exact count, but I judged that there were about twenty-five of them down there. I had my doubts about any of them sneaking off though, as the elves had a tough time at night without The Father in the sky to light things up.

Most of them had dismounted and were grazing their horses. Furthermore, most of them were men. There were only three women in the group, and they remained astride their horses. They gathered nearest to the concrete cliff, and the one in the centre sat with her helmet tucked under her arm.

I lifted my chin in her direction, "Sup."

There was a smack as Val's palm hit her forehead.

"I require an audience with Lord Wallace," the helmetless woman called, "Are you this lord?"

"Yeah, I'm Wallace."

"I am Baroness Constance, the rightful ruler of Parabuteo, and I would speak with you."

I lifted my arms, and let them fall to my sides, "We're speaking now."

Constance's brows furrowed, "I am rightful ruler of Parabuteo, your neighbour, will you not receive me?"

I rested my chin on a fist as if in thought, using the gesture to mask the fact I was looking down at Val.

From her place on the grass, she shrugged and mouthed, "Let her in."

I fixed my gaze on the Baroness, "I will receive yourself and one friend," I swept my arm around to the other side of the block, "Come on around to this side, and I'll let you up."

Constance looked as if she would protest, but I walked away before she could put a voice to her objection.

Val scurried along behind me until she was far enough away from the edge to leap to her feet and catch up with me.

"Wally," she said through gritted teeth.

My brows drew together, "What?"

"If you're going to embarrass her in front of her men, I'd like to make sure you're doing it on purpose."

"You read Temerity's letter. She seemed pretty confident that she'd take the city. Now here comes the baroness with a handful of men. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happened. Constance is kinda hosed at the moment and wants my help. I might not want to get into bed with Temerity-"

"Again," Val muttered, giving me a good-natured jab in the ribs.

"But I also don't want to antagonize her," I continued, "Which is exactly what will happen if Temerity realizes who the Baroness ran too. So if I want to reach an agreement with Constance, and maybe I do, I need to make sure I come out on top."

"Fine, but if you're going to take her in hand, I get to watch," Val smouldered.