Day 31

For a change, last night neither Greg nor I felt a desire to rearrange our furniture. We’re both satisfied with the pieces we’ve kept and where they’ve been placed. Instead we spent the night sitting in front of the fireplace, kissing and caressing.

Now that Greg has stopped pressuring me, I’m able to look at things from his point of view. We’ve spent almost two weeks playing at being married. Maybe I am being unreasonable about wanting to wait until the Yura Festival. If the cloaked stranger continues to cause trouble, there might not be a Yura Festival this year.

And I doubt Greg will put up with things the way they are for another year. I don’t think he’s accustomed to women saying no to him. He certainly didn’t go without female companionship during the five years I was away.

Marriages among the nobility are usually arranged marriages and are motivated by political and economic reasons. Theoretically, Greg and I married for love, but my appointment as Steward meant that if somebody else were to marry me, that man could have challenged Greg’s position as Captain of the Queen’s Guard.

Likewise, I really didn’t have much choice. As much as I hate to admit it, I need a husband to protect me from the other men of the kingdom. My financial situation was dire and there aren’t a lot of men who are in a position to guarantee payment of my debts. Indeed, if Greg would have married Miss Sunstone, either he or her father could have forced me to sell my home.

Married to other people, Greg and I would always be a threat to each other. Together, we had wealth, power and position that no other couple could equal. It behooved us to make this marriage work. So I decided it was time to take the next step. I bundled myself up in my blanket and crawled into bed with Greg. And Lucky.

My small concession to behaving more like a wife paid dividends. Although Greg still doesn’t want me going to the Fairy Dragon Nest alone, since that is where we found one of the vile artifacts, he’s agreed to go there with me in the afternoon.

So it looks like I’ll have to spend the morning with Quinn and Mr Vanderkins. Quinn wants to look for door tiles. He suggests searching Dawnshadow Lake, Rosetum Garden, and Apricus Plaza. These are all good foraging places so it’s a win-win situation. Lucky doesn’t agree.

We find a tile in each location, but only one of them fits the Castle’s door. There’s still eight tiles missing.

Lucky and I then head home to meet Greg and to have some lunch. Greg isn’t pleased that I continue to forage our food instead of shopping at the Orchard or the General store. I point out that both the Forester and Blessilda are selling items that they, or sometimes I, have foraged. So if I see something we can use, why not pick it up?

When we get to the Fairy Dragon Nest, while I look for glass shards, Greg does some foraging of his own, not for food, but for additions to his collection of armor and weapons. He drops his finds off at home while I go to the glassworks to give the shards to Chumblepot. It only takes a moment for Chumblepot to finish making the diving helmet.

I’ve now got a diving helmet but I still haven’t figured out what to wear to go swimming. Back to the house to look through my wardrobe. Greg is still puttering in the armory but comes out to take a look at the diving helmet. He wants to know where I intend to use it. When I tell him I’m going to Coral Cove, he wants to come along.

I still can’t decide on what to wear while swimming and diving. Greg has already gathered towels and is tapping his foot impatiently. Underwear, I decide. It’s the least restricting thing I can think of.

At Coral Cove, Greg disrobes quickly while I take my time. I don’t know why I should be feeling so embarrassed. We’re not doing anything wrong. We’re married.

The diving helmet allows me to stay under water long enough to move the rocks that were blocking access to a cave. The water is warm. I just wish there wasn’t so much stuff floating in it. Some day I want to go swimming at the Rose Garden. The water there is so blue and clear and pristine.

When it’s time to leave, I’m shocked to discover just how transparent and revealing wet underwear is. We might as well have worn nothing. Now I’m really embarrassed. Greg is very nonchalant about it. I can’t help but wonder if he’s comparing me unfavorably with women he’s been with.

We’re both silent on the walk home. Neither of us has much to say during dinner, either. At bedtime, I decide to sleep in my own bed. This time Greg bundles up in his blanket and joins me.

Day 33

I spent quite a bit of money yesterday on improvements to the Castle, Town Hall and Troglid’s Carpentry. The spending spree continues today. Fahleed’s Emporium and Chumblepot’s Glassworks need to be upgraded. In addition, I’ve decided to spruce up Queen Sophia’s Crest with a cerulean centerpiece.

The spending doesn’t end there. Troglid is running short of wood and could use some additional capital. And since the citizens seem to follow my lead and buy whatever I buy, I’ll stop at the Orchards today and get some more of that stew Greg loves.

But first I need to help the Mayor. He’s been preparing a trading permit to open the bar at Gobholme and needs help sort out the paperwork. As usual, his paperwork involves making and hanging posters that I can’t read. Once that’s done, all I need to do is sign the papers and take them to Gobholme. But first I’ll return home to get my nice warm cloak.

To my surprise, Chumblepot is at my house. While the glassworks is being expanded, he’s spending his time replacing the rather plain windows. Greg had asked him if he could reproduce the monogram I designed in glass!

When Lucky and I arrive in Gobholme, it’s still snowing. I’m glad to open the bar and get out of the cold. Gobholme is so bleak looking. I’m not surprised that so many of the goblins decide to leave there and move to Landsong Village or Faire of Light.

When I return to Town Hall the Mayor thanks me. He thinks opening the bar will provide new opportunities for the kingdom. It will provide a place for the men to gather and drink. Whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen.

I’d better go buy that stew before I forget. While I’m in Faire of Light, I see Fahleed who tells me about his plans to open a new branch in Gobholme. Gobholme certainly seems to be trendy lately. It appears to have replaced Dawnshadow Lake as the place everybody either wants to go to or wants me to go to in order to fetch supplies for them.

Fahleed has been very busy lately and has asked Seth to take care of the Letter of Credit he needs. Could I speak to Seth and find out if everything is in order? Seth assures me that he has the Letter of Credit and it just needs my signature.

So where is it? Seth thinks he left it somewhere in the Wingferry. I tell him I’ll stop by first thing tomorrow to sign it.

When I return to Town Hall, Greg is there. All the work I wanted done at the Castle is finished. But there’s a lot of other things that will need to be purchased for the festival. The traditional festival lamps and the statues of Yura were damaged beyond repair in the war with Dreadmyre.

The rest of the day is spent making up a list of things we’ll need to buy so that the Castle will be ready for the festival. Ensuring that the festival is held and that it’s the best festival ever has become my first priority. I’m not sure what has changed, but Im now impatient to be Greg’s wife in every sense of the word. But I still want and need Yura’s blessing first.

Day 35

Instead of going with Greg to Town Hall, Lucky and I go directly to Rosetum Gardens to look for that relic fragment Chumblepot told us about yesterday. If possible, I’d really like to have at least one more of the Faire of Light’s relics repaired before the Yura Festival. The better the place looks, the more visitors we’ll have, and the more money they will spend.

It takes almost an hour to find the fragment. When we return to Landsong Village, Fahleed is waiting for me. His looms have broken and he has used all his spare cash opening up the new branch in Gobholme. He wonders if I could give him thirty-five hundred bolgins to buy new ones.

I don’t think I have a choice. I was counting on Fahleed to make festival hats. I’m sure people will need or want new ones for the first Yura Festival since the war with Dreadmyre. But he needs to buy looms that are much sturdier than the old ones.

Quinn arrives at Town Hall with Mr Vanderkins. He’s promised the Mayor he’d help put up some posters, but he’d really like to go looking for Undine’s trident. If I help him with the posters, he tells me, there will still be time today for us both to look for the trident.

I have to laugh. I can’t believe how much time I seem to spend ‘playing’ with Quinn. But if we find the trident, Undine will move and allow access to another section of Rosetum Gardens. And opening up access to all parts of the kingdom is part of my job, so I guess I’ll help put up posters.

After we’ve finished, Quinn runs back to the Squabbit Den to get the list of items he claims we need in order to locate where Undine lost her trident. While I wait for him, I talk to Chumblepot. He must have heard about the money I gave Fahleed, because he too is looking for a donation.

Quinn returns with the list. We’ll need to go to the Fairy Dragon Nest and find three griffin cards, go to Apricus Plaza and find three bags of shimmering dust, and go to Coral Cove and find a scrying eye amulet. I doubt we’ll be able to find everything today.

We start at the Fairy Dragon Nest. Lucky and Mr Vanderkins entertain themselves by throwing sunflower seeds at each other. Quinn is chatty as usual and tells me that my house looks so much better now it’s Greg’s house.

He wonders if he can come visit and see Greg’s collection of weapons and all the trophies Greg won in tournaments. I tell him he’ll have to ask the Captain. Even I’m not allowed in the armory without permission.

At last we have three griffin cards and can move on to Apricus Plaza. Lucky and Mr Vanderkins play leapfrog and Lucky positions himself so that Mr Vanderkins lands in the puddle near the fountain. Mr Vanderkins retaliates by throwing Lucky’s hat in the fountain.

Quinn and I search for the shimmering fairy dust. I know the dust is used to enhance spell potency. I wonder what Quinn will do with the dust. Like everybody else, he knows I was born without magic and can’t do things other people can. I’ve become accustomed to people my own age or older looking down at me. Now I’ll have to get used to children thinking it’s pointless to explain things to an inferior.

After we find the shimmering dust, Quinn wants to go to Coral Cove. I tell him no, it’s getting late and soon will be dark. Besides, he needs to go back to the Squabbit Den and feed all his animals.

Greg is waiting for me outside Town Hall. He tells me Fahleed will be needing my help first thing tomorrow morning. Due to the broken looms, work has piled up. Quinn starts pestering him about seeing the armory.

I tell Quinn that we won’t be able to go to Coral Cove until tomorrow afternoon. I’ll stop by the Squabbit Den after lunch to pick him up so he needs to be ready and changed into his swimming costume.

Quinn looks at me strangely. Swimming costume? I explain to him that when gentlemen going swimming with ladies, everybody wears swimming costumes. Quinn shakes his head no. Captain Greg doesn’t, he insists, and he’s a gentleman. Greg turns beet red. I quickly retort that the women must not have been ladies whereas I am a lady and if he wants to go to Coral Cove tomorrow he will cover up while swimming.

Greg is silent on the walk home and doesn’t have much to say during dinner, either. After dinner, I look through my wardrobe to see what can be converted into a modest, non-transparent swimming outfit.

I decide to use material from one of my drab mourning dresses and put together a sort of short Grecian tunic. Greg watches me sew. Several times he clears his throat as if he has something to say. But when I look up, he looks away.

When I’m finished with my creation, I announce that I’m going to take a bath. Greg gives me the raised eyebrow when I take the swimming outfit with me. I soon return clad in a now dripping wet swimming costume. Greg inspects me from all angles and agrees that it is indeed non-transparent.

Good. That’s one problem solved. As for the other matter...the past is the past. I never thought that his offer to do the honorable thing five years ago meant that he would be sitting home every night pining until I returned. I know I won’t be the first. All I want is to know that now I’m the one and only.

Greg takes me in his arms and holds me close, just like he did the day he pulled me out of the pond. He insists there’s been nobody else, not since the day I returned. After a while, I reluctantly push him away. Now, we both need to put on some dry clothes. He offers to help me change. I shake my head no. Not until we receive Yura’s blessing. Greg goes off to take a cold shower.

Day 37

The first place I visit today is the Castle. I want to drop off that door tile Fahleed gave me yesterday. The door is still missing seven tiles. I sure hope I can find them soon. I really want to see what’s behind that door.

And I still need to find an artist to repair the Castle’s painting. Triffledore hasn’t mentioned anything more about his friend. Guess he decided to open his studio somewhere else.

There’s no sign of Greg, but Blessilda is waiting for me at Town Hall. She’s still anxious to discover why the trains aren’t running and has come up with a plan for getting in to see the Central Station master. Her plan involves tricking our way past the guard aided and abetted by Artist Myke!

Greg is irrational when it comes to the subject of Artist Myke. There’s no way I’m asking him to allow Artist Myke to help us. Blessilda tells me she’s already asked Greg and he’s agreed. My eyes narrow. I’m not pleased by this turn of events.

Before I can say anything, Greg arrives and tells us that Artist Myke has escaped. Greg’s agents report that he has been spotted in the Rose Garden. He and two other soldiers are headed there now. I decide to join them and Blessilda tags along babbling to Greg about her plan.

There’s no sign of Artist Myke at the Rose Garden and we all spread out to search for clues. Blessilda attaches herself to me and confides that Greg doesn’t want her to tell me that the artist had escaped by charming him.

I don’t know what game Blessilda is playing with me, but I don’t like the way she refers to Greg by his name and not his title. Does she really expect me to believe that he would confide in her? If he didn’t want me to know something, the last thing he would do is go around telling anybody within earshot "Don’t tell Berengaria". Besides, Greg loathes Artist Myke. It’s very unlikely Greg was charmed by him.

A messenger arrives with a note for Greg. Seems the previous report was garbled, Artist Myke was spotted at Rosetum Gardens, not the Rose Garden. We all hurry to Rosetum Gardens and Artist Myke is quickly found and captured.

Then Greg says the most extraordinary thing: YOU keep him in custody this time - I think you’ll do a better job! Is he serious??? What does he expect me to do - lock Artist Myke in the storage cupboard????

Before I can question his sanity, Blessilda threatens to feed Artist Myke to the fennex unless he helps her. Maybe Greg was speaking to her and this is just another plan he and Blessilda have cooked up.  Artist Myke is terrified of the fennex and agrees to make a copy of the Central Station master’s crest. But he’ll need materials and I’m the mug who has to fetch them.

Before long the crest is ready and Blessilda pronounces it a work of art. She and I go to Central Station and Greg and the soldiers escort Artist Myke back to the dungeon. At Central Station we gain access to the station master’s office, but I’m still no wiser as to why the trains aren’t running.

Blessilda taunts the guard who let us in, telling him she fooled him with pig bolgite and then sweeps out crying "Quick, to the potion cauldron!" I have no idea what that means, and I don’t want to know. All I care about is returning to Landsong Village and finding Greg.

Greg is waiting for me at Town Hall. He’s not alone. Yet another dippy princess claiming to have been duped by Artist Myke is with him. This one is called Princess Aria and she’s in serious danger of catching a chest cold since her gown barely covers her boobs.

She losing her memories as well as exposing her mammaries and thinks the memory loss was triggered by an artist painting her portrait. Greg and I exchange glances. It appears that Artist Myke has been busy during his brief escape. Princess Aria wants us to look for the portrait at Central Station and gives me a luggage key.

Once again I go to Central Station but there’s no sign of the portrait. Princess Aria isn’t all that upset when I return to Town Hall empty-handed because she’s heard that the artist is behind bars. She’s more upset that she can’t remember his name! Greg and I struggle not to laugh. Finally she leaves.

Greg is upset that he allowed Artist Myke to escape. I point out that he’s captured him twice and if the Captains in the surrounding kingdoms had been doing their job, he would never have been able to enter ours in the first place. I’m sure Artist Myke began his life of crime long before he arrived at the Skyward Kingdom.

And he fooled just about all of us. We need an artist to fix that painting in the castle, and I know I kept hoping Artist Myke would turn out to be the man for the job. Greg wonders if we should force him to fix it. Maybe Blessilda...

Absolutely not, I tell him. Artist Myke can’t be trusted and I’m not sure I trust Blessilda either. I recount what she told me in the Rose Garden. Greg denies confiding in her. I assure him that I didn’t believe what she claimed. As for the castle’s painting, tomorrow I’ll speak to Triffledore about encouraging his artist friend to move to the kingdom.

Day 39

Greg didn’t notice the alterations I made to my dress. Then again, he didn’t notice what he ate for dinner. He was glum, sullen, and silent. After dinner, he disappeared into the armory. Is he bored with me already? It seems ages since he’s brought me flowers.

Lucky also appears to be bored. To cheer him up, we stop at the Squabbit Den to buy him a new hat. Lucky picks our a straw boater and then indicates that he’d like a black and red bow tie as well. I wish Greg showed as much interest in his wardrobe.

There’s somebody waiting to see me at Town Hall. He introduces himself as Brad and says he’s a friend of Troglid. Brad’s brother got stuck inside the ore vein at Glitterstone Mines and the machinery to open it requires two people to operate it. Brad plus Troglid equals two people, but for some reason Troglid told Brad to ask me for help.

In addition to rescuing the brother, who turns out to be Gobie, the friend of the Forester, I find a piece of the Faire Exuberance relic. Both Gobie and Brad thank me for helping them. Brad mentions that my reputation precedes me and that he hopes to return the favor. I hope that remark means that people are now judging me on my own actions and not assuming that I’ll behave as my father did.

Lucky and I head for Faire of Light to place the relic fragment on the pedestal. I also want to speak to Triffledore about his artist friend, but Triffledore wants to talk about the time capsule at Apricus Plaza. It’s missing a button, and Triffledore is sure he can make a replica if I give him five glass shards and an amethyst stone which he says can be found in Rosetum Gardens.

At the Fairy Dragon Nest, in addition to collecting the glass shards, I pick some jade moonflowers. Then we move on to Rosetum Gardens to find that amethyst stone. While there, I gather some puppylove flowers. Then it’s back to Town Hall to put the flowers in a glass on my desk before going to the Faire of Light to give Triffledore the things he needs.

While Triffledore works on the button for the time capsule, Lucky and I visit Seth. His back has been bothering him and he needs help organizing the various gizmos that keep the Wingferry running. There’s no way I can get all of these things organized before I have to return to Triffledore’s. I’ll have to come back later.

Triffledore has finished the button and is anxious for me to take it to Apricus Plaza to see if it actually works. It’s a perfect fit and the time capsule is now open. The contents aren’t very exciting though.

Lucky and I return to the Wingferry and sort some more bits and pieces. It’s got to be the most boring thing I’m asked to do in my capacity as Steward. Lucky agrees. We both hope tomorrow we will have something more exciting to do.