Only a week was left before the fair, and the Apple Grotto was abuzz with activity. Theanore did some last-minute haggling with the members of the Merchant Union, and she checked their goods.

Everyone was preparing to send their best wares to the fair grounds. Pure white wool bundles and silver silk were carted off with wooden carvings the likes of which Theanore had never seen and stone statues that were almost lifelike.

Then there were the fruits and vegetables. In special crates, so they won’t go off easily. There were many campaigns about them that aimed at selling as much of the produce as the time frame of the fair allowed.

Buy ten, get one free was the most popular one. For small things, such as cherries, it was almost not worth it. But for big things, like cabbage and melon, preserved from last year’s harvest, it was quite the generous offer.

Theanore had level one thousand enchanted items ready to be shipped, with four enchantments on each of them. Marinus and she wanted to place more enchantments and go for a higher level, but Crassus had told them they would collapse the enchanting market if they did that. Leaving their competitors without jobs.

And Theanore did not want that. She didn’t want anyone to go hungry. That is why she vowed to buy any leftover food from the fair and use it to feed the children of the grotto.

With such an insurance, the merchants carted more than they originally had allowed themselves to transport. But food was cheap in the Dawn Empire, it being known for its fertile land and mild climate. Theanore did not worry she will get broke.

So, her last big problem was the accommodation for all the merchants and spectators that were going to support the Forest of fireflies merchant union. Mirstone simply did not have enough inns to house everyone.

But the little nymph was not giving up! She sent a letter to the mayor requesting permission to build basic huts for the guests outside the town’s walls.

The mayor’s answer was a stack of papers that were going to get forwarded to the emperor after Theanore filled them up. Now, this made her worried. Emperor Casimir disliked her.

She had left his son and had not protested when he had left, only hugging him goodbye and asking him to write. And Cassius did, like clockwork, every Sunday after mass he wrote to her of his week.

He and Lizzy were happy together and traveled between the capital and castle Orlock every day. Theanore was happy for them. She was still slightly mad at Marinus for leaving the girl the way he had. But then, Marinus didn’t have parents to teach him any better.

Well, he did share hers, in a way. But the apple nymph could see they were not as demanding of the merman as they were of her. They did give him important lessons, but not as often as they did for her.

In a way, Theanore could understand. They were her parents and Marinus was their future son-in-law. They would come off as nagging if they corrected everything he did.

But he needed a role model. Someone who would pay attention only to him and would listen to his troubles. But Theanore wondered who that may be. And, would that mean they would be separated again?

It was possible. Theanore scrunched up her face at her thought. She wanted to avoid giving up Marinus again. Maybe she could teach him? Or… Freddy! Freddy was old and didn’t mince his words. She could speak to Freddy to take Marinus under his wing. The old satyr was perfect for the task.

But first, the form.

Please state the category of the housing you wish to apply for building permission for.

Huts

Wrote Theanore with a smile. Possibly, she should have asked her father for help, but she found that the questions were basic. She kept filling the forms and when they were done, she forwarded them with a very official sounding letter to the emperor.

And said emperor massaged his temple moments later as he has begun to read.

“She has no idea what she is doing, as usual?” Asked Nariel Orlock, almost gloating.

“There are three categories of housing, just three! One story, two stories, three stories! What is with the huts! Why couldn’t she have simply written one story? And why didn’t this go to my aid’s desk?” Asked Emperor Casimir, ready to throw the whole form in the fire of the nearby fireplace.

“Casimir, she was just given the form without any instructions. Be lenient. Let me have a look,” said Orlena. She placed a hand over her slightly bulging stomach and smiled. The baby kicked her and her smile widened.

“You deal with this, then. I don’t have the time. I need to see if Cassius is still here,” emperor Casimir stood up and left his office. Orlena picked up a pen and began to translate Theanore’s details into a new form. Making them sound official, so the little nymph could get her permit.

“What would she do with the huts after the fair?” Asked duke Orlock, curious.

“Sell them to whoever wants to live in them, I suppose,” said Orlena, eyes not leaving the papers she was working on. “But I suppose if she gifts them to the army as barracks, Casimir won’t be able to say no to the permit.”

“A cleaver idea, your Imperial Majesty. Mirstone is close enough to the border for there to be sense in extra troops being stationed there,” said the duke, and then he rubbed his chin. And, should the dungeon core ever turn malevolent, it will be easier to deal with.

“I know what you think now, Nariel, my friend. You are thinking of a future where we might need to level the grounds of little Theanore’s dungeon. But, mark my words, that will never come to pass. She is as good a girl as they come. And the future godmother of my child,” Orlena patted her stomach again.

 A better godmother her child couldn’t ask for. If something happened to the empress, for the birthing chamber was a dangerous place, she was calm in the knowledge that the child will know love and happiness.