DUMPLING ch 32
When Yaesha and Sawyer arrived to their new room to examine Nenani and her mother and brother, her first inclination was to inquire about Jae.
“I won’t lie to you. He’s busted up pretty good,” Sawyer said. “Got himself a broken arm with two different fractures in two places and three bruised ribs, but he is very much alive.”
“Is he in pain?” she asked.
“No, not as of right now. He’ll be sedated for another day or so to let the worse of the swelling and bruises heal a bit before we start to bring him out of it. But no head trauma, so he won’t be bed ridden as long as you were. I guess that thick skull of his is good for something at least, but he’ll be tender for a good while. Bruised ribs take a long time to heal.”
Yaesha hummed in agreement. “My worry is once he is back on his feet he’ll go gallivanting across roofs and tables the way he does and aggravate his injuries and prolong the recovery time. Or worse, hurt himself all over again.”
“I don’t suppose I could see him, could I?” Nenani asked.
Sawyer shook her head. “Sorry. Not just yet. But, don’t fret too much. When we bring him out of it, we’ll make sure to let him know you’re fine.”
“He was beside himself when he had thought you had perished,” Yaesha said. “We had to sedate him just so he was still long enough to set his arm properly.”
Yaesha’s attention turned to her mother then and he spoke very quietly to her, inquiring about her various scars, if she was in pain, etc. Poor little Haiyer had all but buried himself under his mother’s arms and no amount of coaxing was calming him down.
“He’s never been around so many people before,” Oira said tiredly. “Please forgive him.”
“Nothing at all to forgive,” Yaesha replied kindly. “He’s merely over stimulated and in an unfamiliar place. The poor Prince just needs a little quite and he’ll be right as rain.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, m’lady, when was the last time you or your son ate anything?”
Sawyer rubbed some salve on the cuts on Nenani’s face from where Aidus was gouged he with his claws and a few other scrapes and scratches were treated similarly. She was bandaging a more serious cut on her leg when there came a soft knock on the door and a familiar form stepped through.
Lolly was in tears when she saw Nenani. Despite Keral’s desire to keep the information secret, word seemed to have gotten around fast that Keral had returned from the wilds with Nenani. Alive and whole as well as the rumor that a daughter of the dead Silvaaran King had been found. The Matron struggled to compose herself as she entered the Blossom room as Yaesha continued examining the newest guests of the King. But when Nenani saw her enter, she got to her feet and walked to the edge of the side table where Sawyer had been looking over her. “Lolly!”
Lolly did not say anything, only gave a small curtsy as she entered and then eased herself to crouch down so they could speak on equal footing. She was beaming ear to ear and there were tears in her eyes. “How are you feeling, Princess?”
Nenani starred at her, confused. She looked back to where her mother was resting and Yaesha was quietly telling her something. “I’m not...no, Mama’s the Princess.”
Lolly smiled indulgently, reaching out and taking the hem of her skirt between two fingers. “Nenani, dear, if you’re mother is a Princess, so are you.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. For all the talk of Princesses and Kings and Mages, it hadn’t occurred to her that her mother’s former life as a Princess would have any real affect on her. She found the idea rather distressing. “But...she’s not really a Princess anymore,” She said. “Grandfather disowned her.”
“As true as that may be,” Lolly replied patiently. “She is still a highborn lady and that demands a level of decorum and respect. And as her daughter, that status is granted to you as well.”
“Oh,” Nenani replied, not knowing how to really feel about all that.
“And if the Princess would permit it,” Lolly said with a warm smile. “I would very much like to give her a hug.”
Nenani’s confused frown turned into a wide smile and she nodded. “Yes, please!”
The Blossom room was not very large as far as the finer guest rooms of the royal apartments, but it was centrally located close to the heart of the King’s Keep, well protected, and even with three humans occupying the room, there was more than enough space. The linens had been arranged so that there were three distinct ‘beds’ for each of them on which to sleep. A stiff board had been placed on top of the larger mattress to create a sort of floor and then a decorative carpet placed atop that. It had effectively created an elevated platform for the smaller human occupants to use. There was even a carved wooden staircase that lead to the floor. When Nenani had asked Sawyer about it upon first seeing it, she laughed and said, “How do you think they accommodated Silvaaran dignitaries before the war?”
After releasing Nenani from her hug, Lolly turned her attention to Oira. Yaesha was tending to her as she lay still in one of the makeshift human beds. Haiyer was fast asleep next to her, his face tear stained and still flushed, having cried himself into exhaustion and into a deep sleep.
“M’lady,” Lolly said as she stood next to Yaesha and gave another curtsy. “Is there anything you require?”
Oira was still very pale and she looked utterly spent as she lay in the white linens of her bed. She just shook her head, not speaking and not meeting any of their gazes.
“She is very weak,” Yaesha said to Lolly softly. “Malnourished and very dehydrated and her meeting with his Majesty was very draining. She will need plenty of rest.”
“I’ll send for some broth then,” Lolly said, lowering her voice to match Yaesha’s quiet timbre. “And what of the little prince?”
“He is in better condition, but is also malnourished and dehydrated. In addition, he is quite small for his age,” Yaesha replied, adjusting his spectacles. “But he is young, so with a healthy diet he should recover just fine. I don’t believe it will stunt his growth. Some bread soaked in broth should pep him right up once he awakens. Poor thing wouldn’t stop crying.”
“Then I will see to it myself,” Lolly replied and made way for the door.
“Miss Lolly?” Nenani asked hastily when she would have left the room. When the Matron turned, Nenani asked, “Are you going to the kitchen? Can I come with you?”
Lolly frowned. “My apologies, dear. But I think it’s best for you to remain here...”
“Please!” Nenani begged. “I just want tell them I’m okay.”
Lolly regarded her kindly, but firmly. “I’m sure the news has reached them, Princess.”
“But...I’m not a Princess,” Nenani replied, but still felt the outright rejection without the words having been outwardly spoken. “And I want to see them...please?”
The longing in her voice made Lolly’s frown turn sad. She understood her desires, but also understood that things had changed. Even if Nenani had not come to terms with it yet. Things could not go back to how they were.
“Nenani,” came Oira’s weak voice which drew both her daughter’s and Lolly’s gazes. “Are you wishing to see your friends in the kitchens?”
Nenani turned to her mother, feeling a little ashamed. “...yes, Mama.”
Oira’s smiled faintly. “I’m sure they would be very happy to see you, baby. And when I am a little better, I would like the chance to meet them as well. To thank them for all they have done for you.”
Nenani broke out into a wide smile and turned to Lolly in excitement. Lolly bowed. “Very good m’lady. I’ll make sure she returns safely.”
“Thank you madame,” Oira said. “And also for taking care of her as well. She told me you and the other ladies were very kind to her.”
“Not at all,” Lolly replied with a pleased smile. “Your daughter came to us under rather...odd circumstances.”
“So I’ve been told,” Oira replied with a small weak laugh. “But you have my gratitude regardless.”
“I will return with some bread and broth,” Lolly said, moving over to where Nenani was impatiently hoping up and down. “Alright, little ma’am. I’ll take you, but first we have to do something about your hair.”
……………………………………………..
Her head felt a little tender after Lolly had once more tamed the wild mane into a clean braid and it did not miss her notice that she took much more time in making each plat even and neat. And the result was a very tight braid that pulled uncomfortably at her scalp, but she supposed it was far less likely to get undone now.
“Do they know…?” she asked Lolly as the Matron moved through the halls with ease. Servants made way for her and gave her courteous greetings. “That I’m...y’know. A...princess?”
“I do not know what they may have heard,” Lolly admitted. “But I would be shocked if they had not heard that you’re alive at the very least.”
“What about me being a...” she trailed off. It seemed so surreal. How she could just be a simple orphan girl one day and the next...be a princess and a fire mage. It made her head spin.
“Being a what?” Lolly asked, confused.
“Nevermind.” Nenani bit her lip and shrugged. So they had heard some of it, but not everything. If Lolly had not heard that she was a fire mage, then that part at least Keral had managed to keep under wraps. So long as Nenani kept her emotions in check and she did not spark, she would be able to keep the secret longer. She recalled all the times she had ever heard anyone speak of fire mages. It was almost never in a positive light and the mere mentioning of them seemed to make most Vhasshalans nervous. And after seeing her mother’s own powers, she believed they may have had a real reason to fear them. Her mother had admitted that she was not very well trained either. So if someone with only basic knowledge of their powers was able to nearly kill a Vhasshalan by themselves…
She could smell the cook fires long before they were in sight and it made her anxious and excited. Lolly turned the corner and into the space where the camp had been set up and cried out suddenly when someone from the other side rounded the corner at the same time, carrying a large crate. They dropped it and potatoes spilled out of the overturned crate.
“Ah!,” said Herit, his face flush with embarrassment and he immediately bent to start gathering up the spilled vegetables. “Sorry, Miss Lolly, I was in my own head and...” He looked up and paused, seeing the small human girl that Lolly was holding and he leaped to his feet. “N-nenani!”
The younger giant reached out for her, but Lolly sidestepped, putting up a finger. “No grabbing, young man. It’s very rude, you know to just go about and...”
Neneni felt something brush against her shoulder and had only a moment to see hands descend upon her before she was plucked from Lolly’s arms.
“Yoink!” Saen said as he slipped from behind Lolly with his prize and began to quickly walk away, bringing the little girl to his face to nuzzle her with his nose and murmured to her, “Well aren’t ye just a sight fer sore eyes...”
“Saen, get back here!” Lolly yelled after him, but the cook merely hastened his pace. Nenani was giggling as she bounced along with the cook’s gait. One of his hands rubbed at her head affectionately.
“We’re gonna have to give ya a title or somethin’, Dumplin’!” he told her with a wide grin. “Survivin’ a wyvern and a dragon? Lass, you’ve seen more combat than most a’ these fuckin’ guards!”
“If they want to trade,” she told him dryly. “They can have it.”
He laughed heartily at that and she almost thought she could see his eyes shimmering.
“Gods, I’m so glad yer alright,” he said as he slipped a finger under her chin, making her squeak and pull away. “Ye don’t know how much.” The others had clearly heard Herit’s yell and were now looking to Saen as he approached the camp, his arms held in a certain way that they knew meant he was carrying a human.
“Saen,” Avery called, a cleaver still gripped in his hand. Bart was beside him and had also paused in his own work; his eyes were wide and seeking. “Is that the Dumplin’?”
“SHE LIVES!” Saen yelled, hoisting her up above his head like a prize to be shown off. Avery and Bart put their cleavers down and hastily went to meet him. Bart wiped his hands on his apron and then held his hands out expectantly. Though normally Saen was loathed to relinquish Nenani when he had a hold of her, he sat her gently into the hardened hands without a fuss or protest. Bart brought the little human up to his face, eyes narrowed.
“Oi. Didn’t ye promise Yale ye weren’t gonna be fightin’ no more giant lizards, gal?” he asked sternly and Nenani wilted a little.
“I...I did,” she said sheepishly.
But the stern frown and narrowed eyes broke into a warm and very relieved expression and Bart kiss the top of her head ever so gently. “Well then,” he said with a chuckle. “Ye be owin’ the lad an apology fer breakin’ yer promise to him.”
“And fer worryin’ the hell outta us all!” Avery added fiercely. “Fuckin’ hells, lass. A dragon? Really now? Ye could a’ started yer slayin’ career with somethin’ a wee bit smaller? A sheep maybe? Or a fuckin’ squirrel?”
“I’m sorry,” Nenani said, trying to sound sincere, but she couldn’t stop grinning.
“Oh, aye. I bet ye are,” Bart barked out a laugh. He brought her further into the camp just as Kol and Quinn had abandoned their station and rushed over.
“I have a mind to hang yer wee self off a’ the fuckin’ battlements, Dumplin’,” Quinn growled. “What the fuck were ya thinkin’?!” His vehemence surprised her as Quinn rare ever got mad at her for anything, but he was red faced and angry. “Don’t ye remember us tellin’ ya about Dragons? And then ye go stand on the roof while one’s flyin’ overhead? Ye daft?!”
“Well, I didn’t know there was a dragon,” she frowned at him.
“Excuses, excuses,” Kol said with a grim frown to match his fellow’s. The two bakers caught each other’s eye and their frowns disappeared and then they were grinning at her. “But all that aside, we’re really glad yer not dead, Dumplin’.”
“Still might hang ya from the battlements,” Quinn said with a smirk. “If Farris doesn’t stuff ye in the cocotte a’ his first, that is. Warnin’ ye now lass. Ye might be sleepin’ in there fer the next week.”
They all shared a good laugh at that and Nenani felt a warmth spread all through her and it was almost like she wanted to cry, but not because she was sad, but because she was so incredibly happy. Lolly marched into their midst, none too pleased. Herit trailed behind her, peaking around the Matron curiously to wave at Nenani. “I realize you lot aren’t much for formalities and such, but you should really make an effort now. At least to set an example for the others.”
“What are ye talkin’ about?” Avery asked as he reached out to playfully pinch Nenani’s arm and she batted at his fingers.
“About how you address the Princess,” Lolly replied, gesturing to Nenani. Many heads all turned at once to Neanani, confused and incredulous and then back to Lolly.
“...what now?” Saen asked.
Lolly glared at them all, exasperated. “Well, I take that to mean you all haven’t heard then.”
“Heard what?” Quinn asked.
Lolly sighed. “The servants upstairs are all gossiping about it so I might as well give the truth to you before their outrageous conspiracies make it down here. You have a right to know I suppose.”
“Well, now I’m really curious,” Kol said with a Cheshire grin.
“Nenani’s mother. She’s one of King Haeral’s daugters; Princess Aine Elaine Oira,” Lolly explained and paused as she gauged their reactions and perhaps taking a little pleasure in it. Bart’s face remain placid, but Avery looked thoroughly perplexed. Quinn and Kol were both confusedly slack jawed and Saen started to laugh awkwardly. Lolly eyed him distastefully.
Nenani felt Bart’s grip on her loosen just a bit and there was silence for a few beats before he murmured, “...yer fuckin’ with us.”
Lolly bristled at the accusation. “I am most certainly not, sir!”
“So. Her Mum was...a fuckin’ princess?” Quinn asked, seeming to find it very hard to believe.
“Princess Dumplin’!” Saen howled with laughter. Both Kol and Avery joined in.
“Not was,” Lolly corrected Quinn. “Is. She is a Princess.”
“But ain’t the lil’un an orphan? So...ain’t her mum dead?” Quinn asked, squinting in confusion. “Thought they were all killed when Silvaara fell.”
“As did everyone,” Lolly replied seriously. “But when Keral came back with Nenani, he had the Princess too. Barnaby’s already confirmed it. Princess Aine survived the massacre.”
“So she’s alive?” Bart asked and then looked down at Nenani with a smile. “Yer Mum, eh?”
Nenani nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“The King placed both the Princess and young her son under his protection and Yaesha is seeing to them now,” Lolly said with a nod. “My original errand was to come get them some bread and broth for them, but Nenani wanted to come see you all.”
“Ye say she’s got a son too?” Bart said as he sat Nenani down onto the prep table and pulled a wooden serving tray from a stack set off near the lipper barrels. “Ye never said anythin’ about ye havin’ a brother, lass.”
“I didn’t know I had one. He was born after Papa was killed and Mama went missing,” Nenani replied. “He’s still really little. His name’s Haiyer.”
“Yes,” Lolly said with a smile. “He’s very young. Much younger than Jae was when he first arrived. Poor little thing’s been crying almost the entire time and the Princess...if you could only see her, Bart. The poor woman’s been through something terrible. She has those eyes; the kind you would see on the soldiers coming back from the war.”
Bart looked to Saen and gestured with his head. “Go fetch me a bowl, lad if we have any a’ them smaller ramekins, grab two of ‘em.”
“Aye,” Saen replied and dashed across the yard to the tent. Quinn and Kol turned back to their stations and returned a moment later with some of the Ibronian flat bread.
“The ovens are still being fixed, so we don’t have proper bread just yet,” Quinn explained as he handed some to Bart. He began cutting it into pieces of a more manageable size for a human.
“This’ll do fer now,” he said.
“The bread’s for the prince,” Lolly explained. “The Princess is too weak for anything solid right now.”
“She ill?” asked the butcher.
“Not ill with sickness,” Lolly said sadly. “Just...ill with exhaustion, I think. I don’t think they were fairing very well out in the wilds. Yaesha says they’re both malnourished.”
“Mama was really scared to come back with us,” Nenani explained. “She didn’t know the war was over or that the Blood King was dead.”
Bart spared Nenani a smile. “And what did she say when ye told her ye’d been living here for a while?”
“She got mad at first,” Nenani replied. “She thought you’d been keeping me prisoner.”
“Must’ve been quiet the shock,” he said as he cut the pieces of bread up. “Must be pretty happy to have yer Mum back, eh?”
Nenani nodded and had to concentrate on not feeding into the pull of emotion. There was so much of it though. “She’s changed a lot. She’s very sad and scared and...she blames herself for all the bad stuff that happened. But it wasn’t her fault. She just wanted to protect me...”
“From the old King?” he asked.
“...everything,” Nenani answered, staring at her hands. “She...she tried to kill Keral.”
Beside her, she heard Avery make a startled choking sound. “What? Why? I mean, I’m sure Keral’s use to that sort a’ thing, but still...”
“She thought he was gonna hurt me. Because he’s a blue coat.”
Bart’s eyes narrowed and he studied the small girl for a moment before turning back to his task. “...did she now?”
Nenani didn’t meet his gaze and just continued to stare at her hands and then at the grains of wood that made up the prep table. She didn’t like secrets. She didn’t like lying and there had been so much of that going on. Wouldn’t it just be easier to say all that there was to say? They were her friends, she told herself. If her being a Princess didn’t change how they felt about her, maybe her being a fire mage wouldn’t either. Surly they would understand she would never hurt them...right?
“Ain’t a small thing fer a human t’be a real threat against one of us big folk. What’d she do?” Bart asked gently. He paused and eyed her from the side. “Lass?”
Nenani bit her lip. “She...tried to burn him,” she answered. Bart’s eyes narrowed very minutely, but he did not say anything, seeming to wait for her to continue. “But...but I stopped it. I didn’t want her to hurt him...too many people are hurt because of me and...I didn’t want him to get hurt either and I didn’t want Mama to be the one to hurt him...” She pressed her head to her knees. “I don’t wanna hurt anyone either...”
She heard the sound of a knife being set down onto the table and the warmth of a hand as it cupped her back.
“Lass,” Bart said quietly, but firm. “What’re ye trying t’say?”
She looked up into his face, but his features blurred as the tears poured down. Her fingers began to tingle and she could see the light of her flames reflected in Bart’s eyes. She let the flames pull from the well inside her and Bart pulled his hand back, startled. Fire was swirling around her in a dazzling display of light and as much as it scared her to reveal herself, it felt good to let her emotions flow and feed the flames and allow it to dissipate instead of stewing inside and festering. Bart’s eyes were wide, but they did not seem afraid. He looked more curious than anything.
“Wha..?” she heard Avery’s baffled cry. “What the...that’s...fuckin’ hells!”
“Oh my stars,” Lolly murmured with wide frightened eyes, covering her mouth.
“What...what the fuck is all this?!” Quinn asked.
“Mage fire,” Bart replied faintly. “That boys is mage fire.”
“Nenani,” Lolly’s voice said from above her and she looked up. Lolly looked scared. “That...it...it doesn’t hurt, does it?”
Nenani shook her head. “No. Maevis said it doesn’t actually burn anything. When I’m sad or scared or angry I start to spark. But I have to want to hurt someone for it to burn. But I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” She bent her head back down. “Too many people are already hurt.”
“So...you’ve been a fire mage this entire time, then?” Avery asked. Nenani nodded miserably and Avery ran a hand through his hair. “Well, fuck me...”
“Please,” Lolly hissed. “Language.”
Avery looked at her askance. “When is it more appropriate to swear then at a time like this? The girl’s lit up like a bonfire!”
“I thought fire mages were a lot younger when they...what do they call it when they just up and start burnin’?”
“Blooming,” Nenani replied glumly. “The smoke mage...he’s been after me because he wanted to use me to get to Mama. She told me that she put a seal on me when I was a baby so I would never bloom. She thought it would keep me safe. When...when the dragon had me, the seal broke.”
There was silence in the camp and Nenani could not bring herself to meet any of their faces.
“Sounds like yer Mum loves ye very much,” Bart said. She felt his hand return to her back and rub gently despite the flames and Nenani choked back a sob. The small gesture mean the world to her. Her worst fear was they would be scared of her fire and she would lose them as friends. Her being a princess would bring change enough, she was beginning to see. But she didn’t think she could stand to have them look at her with fear.
“Well, I gotta say,” Saen said looking down at Nenani with a grin. “That is a very impressive thing to see. Seven Hells, lass. How many more surprises ye got fer us today?”
She looked at Saen and smiled gratefully. Avery suddenly laughed, planting his hands on his hips and regarding Nenani with a devious smirk. “Oi now! If ye learn to actually burn anythin’ with that fire a yer’s, ye can help me on pit duty after all!”
“I was actually thinkin’ she could help us keep the ovens warm when the snows come,” Quinn chuckled. “Once we get the kitchens back in order, that is.”
Lolly opened her mouth but Bart waved her off. “Let them have their fun, lass. We ain’t gonna make her do none of it. Wouldn’t be proper fer a Princess, eh?”
“Oh, boy. Farris’s gonna have a right apoplexy when he see’s ye burning like that,” Saen said, his eyes following the flames as they danced.
“Where is Farris?” Nenani asked.
“He and Gjerk went to Dornby,” Bart replied. “It’s on the way to Yale’s Mum’s home. When we thought ye were dead, Farris sent him home for a few days. Poor lad fell to pieces when Rheil told us what happened.”
There was a surge of regret and sadness and her flames pulsed, startling Avery and Kol.
“Ah! What was that fer?”
“Fuckin’ hells!”
“Settle down, lass,” Bart said sternly. “Farris’ll be back tonight and I can have the Falconer sent a message to Yale. Chin up now.”
“Falconer?” she asked, wiping at her face.
“Aye. Old Shefford’s the King’s falconer. They’re mostly used for huntin’, but they’ve been used to send messages quickly before. He owes me a favor or two so I’ll see if he can’t pass a message along to Yale.”
Nenani laughed and scrubbed the last of her tears away, nodding. “Okay...”
“Hm,” he nodded, pleased. He filled the tray with a bowl of broth, the cut up flatbread, and the two smaller ramekins. He looked to Lolly. “Ye sure we shouldn’t send something else up? The lil’ prince might care fer some jam.”
“Yes, I think that would do nicely,” Lolly said with a smile. “Thank you.”
“Bah, ain’t nothin’. All lil’uns like jam. Best thing to bribe ‘em with,” he replied with a smirk and turned to go grab a jar, but Herit was suddenly there, holding a small ceramic pot and offering it to Bart who took it with a nod to the younger worker. “Ah, good lad.”
Lolly took hold of the tray and looked to Nenani, still glowing like a candle, and then to Bart. “I’ll leave Nenani with you for a little bit, but I’ll be back to come collect her.”
“I can’t stay down here?” Nenani asked, wilting a little.
“Now, don’t go pullin’ no long faces,” Bart said. “We ain’t goin’ no where and I’m sure yer Mum would start to worry if ye weren’t back before long. Yer more than welcome to come down tomorrow, lass.”
Lolly nodded to Bart. “I’ll be back later then. Remember, boys. She is a highborn lady. Try to have a little decorum going forward.” They watched Lolly leave with the tray and as she disappeared behind a wall, there were much snickering.
“So,” Kol turned to Nenani and grinned. “Are we to start addressing ye as Princess Dumplin’, then?”
“Please don’t,” she said with a frown.
“So just Princess, then?” Saen asked.
“No.”
“Fine. How about just m’lady’?” Quinn asked with the same cheeky smugness.
“No! None of that nonsense.”
“As m’lady commands,” Avery said with a bow. She reached over to one of the left over pieces of flat bread that Bart had cut up and chucked it him, hitting him squarely in the chest.
“Oi!”
“Well, that wasn’t very ladylike, now was it?” Quinn snickered and she threw other piece at him too, hitting him in the shoulder. “Oi now! Yer wastin’ food!”
Bart waved at them. “On with ye lot. Still lots to be done.”
“So,” Avery asked, looking at her curiously as Quinn and Kol went back to their station. “How do ya put yer flames out?”
Nenani held her arms out shrugged. “I have no idea. I’m still working on that part...”
Saen elbowed Avery and snickered. “We could always dunk her in the stable trough and see if that don’t do the trick.”
“No!” she said incredulously.
“As m’lady commands,” both Avery and Saen said with a sarcastic bow.
Nenani glared at them, her flames sparking wildly. “Stop it!”
Bart just laughed. “Alright, lads. Enough a’ that before the guards mistake her for a warning beacon and send out the call to arms.”
Nenani glared at the butcher with a look of betrayal. “Bart!”
