"Now, some of you have been understandably concerned about the new houses that her Bindership started building some weeks ago," Rian said. It was before breakfast, the kitchen almost ready to start distributing food. "Especially in conjunction with the news that certain families in River's Fork—the blameless children of one such are currently in Binder Shanalorre's care because their parents wished them to be safe here where we have a functional dungeon to shelter them—"

"Rian, cease with the narration of things everyone already knows and get to the point," Lori interrupted.

"Your Bindership, important as our discussions are, not everyone bothers to eavesdrop on us when we're talking. They need the context."

"No, they don't. Just tell them what I told you to tell them."

Rian stared up at the ceiling again. When he looked down, his face was… strange. It was an expression she'd never seen before. If they used it in theater, it was probably too subtle for her to really make out, even with the help of lightwisps to let her see the stage better. "Ah, you've learned so much, your Bindership." Huh? "Why, you've gotten so good a dealing with people, you're even telling me how to do it. Would you like to show me how it's done, as you have clearly surpassed me in ability in this field?"

Ah. His face was different, but she'd heard those words from her mothers—or something like them—before. B-but NO! She was a Dungeon Binder now! She wasn't going to be intimidated into silence! She was going to… she was going to…uh… what did she fantasize yelling at her mothers when they had done this to her? No, no, setting him on fire wouldn't solve anything! Ah, right, she'd fantasized about getting up and proving them wrong by doing exactly what they'd dared her to do!

…

No. No, she was not talking to people when she had someone to do it for her!

"Rian, stop wasting everyone's time and get on with it!" she snapped.

"Are you sure, your Bindership? Perhaps you should tell me how to—"

"Get on with it!"

"Well, if you insist, your Bindership. As I was saying, we have some more new houses up now. While people probably thought they'd be going to new people moving in from River's Fork, they're actually going to people who live right where, whose families are a bit too big for the house they currently live in. While that was probably an advantage last winter, since they would all have someone nice and warm to share blankets with, it's going to be a nightmare when summer comes back around, so we're fixing it early!"

There were almost but not quite cheers, and the usual murmur of people talking in her dining hall rose in volume as people became more interested.

"No, unfortunately, people can't apply for the new houses," Rian continued. "It was decided beforehand that they would go to the families with the most members, to give them more space. Granted, there isn't a lot more space right now, but it should be possible to build in a loft space, or even a small second floor, provided everyone is fine with a relatively low ceiling. And there will be more room for everyone to have a bed, and even little places that's just for them… but as I said, it has already been decided these will be for families with many members. I'm sure we can all count and figure out who those families are."

There was a brief pause. Then Lori heard a distinct rise in excited talking some distance away by disturbingly Mikon-like voices.

"That means us, right?"

"We're getting a bigger house?"

"Does that mean we can actually sleep on beds now?"

"Do you think if we also slept with—"

"This decision was made purely based on which families were biggest and not affected at all by ANYTHING ELSE!" Rian said loudly, though not loudly enough to drown out what was being said, or the laughs, teasing and everything else that ensued.

"No one believes that, Rian," Lori said. "And if that's obvious to me, it should be even more clear to everyone else."

"Now, that's just not fair," Rian sighed woefully, very clearly being theatrical. "What have I done to make people doubt my honesty? Do I seem like the sort of person to be dishonest about that sort of thing? Also, why would I lie about that?" He waved in Mikon's general direction. "Does it seem like the sort of thing I'd feel any need to lie about?"

Lori stared at him. "Rian, if you only prefer men, perhaps you should have said so far earlier—"

"No, I don't. What does that have to do with anything?"

She imitated his wave in Mikon's general direction.

"What does that have to do with— No, no, we've digressed a long way from the point of this announcement! Back to work, back to work." There were disappoint groans, along with a cry of 'No, keep talking!". "Back to the announcement so our Binder can get on with her breakfast! You all know how she gets when she's annoyed. No one wants her muttering about setting people on fire."

Lori rolled her eyes at the blatant distraction, but she was getting a bit hungry. "Then get on with it, Rian."

"I've been trying! Anyway, just to be clear for those trying to count, the four houses are going to the families of—" Rian rattled off some names, all presumably those with large families, and at least one set belonging to Mikon's own relatives. "Now, this means we have four empty houses, slightly used. Also, people will notice that there's one new house that hasn't been assigned to anyone. It will remain unassigned so far, as Binder Lori has plans for it." He glanced at her for a moment. "However, I don't think she'd object to it being used to store firewood or something until then?"

Lori considered it, then waved a hand dismissively.

"She doesn't mind! So, we have one more temporary storage space! Be careful, since it'll be used by people in future, but we can probably store dry things there. More firewood, maybe ropeweed when we have it… maybe people can use it as a rest spot when it rains, though you'll need to bring benches in. Just remember it's temporary."

"Now, once the families have moved into new houses, the houses they used to live in will be empty. While Binder Lori also has intentions for them, at the moment we've decided that they'll be used as workshops while they're available. One will be for the use of our chandler, Bonn, to hopefully make his life easier as… well, as thanks for supporting this demesne's bathing." Surprisingly, there was a round of approving-sounding voices and even a smattering of applause. "You'll, ah, need to open the windows, and we'll have to ask her Bindership to put in something to help vent out the fumes, but for now, you'll have your own little space to make soap. Another will be set aside for our cobbler and those making shoes for the children, perhaps leather work in general. I'm willing to listen to suggestions for the other two houses—later! Later, people."

The loud surge of people yelling out suggestions quieted down.

"Now, this is only temporary, but I've been told our Binder, who is the very best and very good to us—" there was another surge of noise that almost sounded like cheering, "—intends to make more permanent workshops for those whose work are… well, a bit too smelly for her to want it in the dungeon, where any smells will get everywhere."

There were reluctant mutters of agreement.

"All right, that should be it for now everyone! Please don't rush the families to move out just because you want their house. If you want them to move faster, help them with whatever still needs to be built with the house they'll move into. The heads of the families in question, meet with me after breakfast and we can get around to you picking which house you'll move into. They're all pretty much the same, but you might have a preference… somehow. Enjoy your breakfasts everyone, and have a good day!"

With a sigh, Rian sat down. He gave Lori a flat look for some reason.

Next to him, Mikon leaned against his side. "Don't worry, Rian. I believe you."

"Thank you!" Rian sighed, then looked at Lori. "So, a thought occurred to me for the next time we went to Covehold. I was wondering if we could recruit a wizard."

"No."

"Ah, but things have changed," Rian said. He looked self-satisfied for some reason. "Your objection has been that you didn't want another wizard in the same demesne as you, exempting Shanalorre because she's only a savant, correct? What if the wizard was in another demesne? What if we recruit a wizard, but they stayed in River's Fork? With you and Shana here, they wouldn't be able to take River's Fork's core."

Lori paused. Her head began to tilt sideways in thought.

"With you here, there's probably no point in recruiting a Whisperer, and there's nothing we really need a Mentalist for," Rian continued. "However, if we get a Deadspeaker… then we'd have someone to both maintain the demesne and, most especially, help accelerate the growth rates of our crops. Since Shanalorre can maintain Deadspeaking after it's been made, they can provide the magic for any sort of extended… uh what do you call Deadspeaking things again?"

"Meanings," Lori said absently, heads still tilted as she hummed.

"Yes, those. What do you think?"

For a moment, Lori sat there silently. "I will put it under consideration."

––––––––––––––––––

After breakfast, Shanalorre approached Lori to inform her that the younger Dungeon Binder was going to begin the integration of the two demesnes legal codes for Lori's approval. Lori was a bit dubious about the prospect, but since she wasn't the one doing the work it was no trouble to let Shanalorre do so. Besides, if there were parts she didn't like or didn't understand, then she could simply strike them out.

Before Lori went to the wood storage sheds to cure the wood there, she took a look around her demesne. Since she had made the smaller boats operational again earlier that week, they were being used to get to the other side of the river. From what Lori could see, people were gathering some ropeweed from the other side, and there was already a batch in the retting tank. The spinners and weavers would have work soon, and hopefully people would have new clothes. Rian had suggested they make leather and hide trousers for everyone, but she wasn't sure how serious he was about that.

Some of the ropeweed was also being used for its namesake, the children beating the stalks and braiding it into simple cord to make retrieving their seeling rods easier. The brat and a few of the other older children were at the river despite the cold water, trousers rolled up and skirts girded around their loins, spread out and looking for suitable seels. The long, sinuous fursh were numerous and loud, though many seemed to be on the opposite shore. Lori supposed they were either starting to learn, or the children were a bit out of practice and had scared them off for the moment.

Lori found herself staring at the brat for some time. Her offer… shaking her head, Lori turned away to get to work.

Being back in her demesne was such a stark difference from River's Fork. The sky was open, and even when cloudy or overcast, everything was just so much brighter compared to River's Fork, with its self-imposed gloom from the dome over the core. Her demesne was also filled with sounds of industry and activity. As she walked, she could hear the wood being cut at the saw pit, the splashing from clothes being washed, the ringing of copper being hammered into shape, all rising and lowering with proximity. Even the slightly nauseating smell of the hides and skins being tanned and processed into leather, interspersed with those working yelling to each other, was a sign of productivity.

As she prepared her seat next to the shed to start curing the wood, Lori began to plan out where she would be putting the buildings that would function as workshops, and gave Rian's proposal the serious consideration she had said she would…