One week into the north.

  To say that travelling with Gerda was wonderful would’ve been an understatement. The pace was slightly slower, but they made up for it with efficiency and convenience.

  “Good morning.” Julian bit Gerda’s neck playfully and then sat up before she could swat him. Fresh ocean air drifted in from the open window. It was so hot that Gerda moved the window to a small bridge she had at the southern tip of Sumbria. It made the summer nights bearable.

  As did his company.

  “Morning,” Gerda stretched languidly and he wished they’d more time together.

  He craved it.

  But work called, and so did the bathroom. They’d developed a routine; he would go in first and either start the bath or just a wash. She would make the bed and tidy up the bedroom and then join him.

  Today’s breakfast was hot oats with cinnamon sugar and fresh picked peaches. Gerda went out to pluck the fruit while he spent half an hour pouring over reports from the Northern Fortress.

  Which he could only do because she’d popped them back there for dinner last night.

  “Corporal Saunders sent word,” He brought a leaf of paper with him to the table. Saunders was in charge of the northern west scout team. “There’s been elevated monster activity in the area.”

  “Alright.” Gerda plated the food and then poured him a glass of his new favourite drink.

  “It means a monster surge is coming.” Julian enjoyed the smell of fresh cranderberry iced tea. His glass had slices of candied citron stirred with the ice, and a tart bite.

  Just like his bridge troll. “We could leave Tully behind; he could use the experience points.”

  “He’s dodged a month of disciplinary punishment already, with us coming to the north. I bet Visha would approve.” He chuckled. Setting aside work, they both finished their bowls quickly while discussing the plan.

  “Oh?”

  “He was tasked with training the knights in the afternoons for a month, which means we could abandon him at the border with due cause.”

  “Is he enough to hold back a surge?” Gerda asked, dubious.

  “With your powers, we could come back for the actual battle. Tully can handle the first wave of monsters just fine.” Julian picked up their clean dishes and carried them into the kitchen. While he washed all of the breakfast dishes and set them to drying on the wrack, he told her. “The hidden dungeon hasn’t always been this active, but at this point we’re facing a monster surge every few months. We’re all used to it by now.”

  Gerda came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his back. “Let’s go tell him.”

  …

  Two weeks into the north.

  “How do you get used to this?” Gerda wondered aloud, looking at the chaos below. They’d received an update that afternoon and decided to portal back and help.

  Julian, usually in the fray, was standing with her on the fortress wall overlooking the battle. With the clear vantage point, he was still able to aid with his shield skills. He’d also already activated his [Battle Call], which raised his Charisma stat by +1 and allowed the entire border guard to hear his orders. “Aerial team, hold off the frost goliath. Vanguard, attack the snow craigies.”

  To Gerda, he joked, “Just throw away rational or hope for peace.”

  After a second, he let himself give a more honest answer, adding, “or think about those you are defending.”

  Visha took down two snow craigies, fluffy beasts that looked like snowballs with long ratlike noses, sharp teeth and claws, and long hairy tails. The remaining three were surrounded by his knights and defeated.

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  Tully hit the frost goliath with his warhammer, sending the monster back a step. It shook itself and then swung a fist at the paladin. Behind them, Julian counted twelve holly treants and forty-seven armored trouters. The fish monsters only came up to his knee, but they had a vicious bite.

  Gerda turned on a dime, lifting her hand to shield her eyes against the sun. “There are more monsters coming in from that direction. Here, let me… [Bridge Barrier].”

  She activated a defense on the bridge. There wasn’t any water in the trench around the Northern Fortress, but huge ice spikes enchanted to freeze anything that touched them. The drawbridge was lowered so that the knights could retreat if need be. Any monsters would have to circle to the south side of the fort to access the entry, but it was a welcome added protection.

  “Jeffry, eyes to the east. Flankers incoming.” He gave the order without hesitation. Jeffry left the two other flyers to continue distracting the frost goliath while he scouted the area Gerda pointed to.

  “Five rocksoc, what are your orders?” The creatures were burrowing rodents the size of cats. Usually they cut through the frozen mountain side and made their homes inside the dark caves. Summertime, when the southernmost ice fields melted at the border and left the fortress surrounded with dead and dry earth, made for ideal terrain for the rocksoc.

  “Corporal Saunders, fall back. I need your party to circle around the fort and set up a subterrain defence line.” Julian instructed. “Pram, you’re with them.”

  “Got it.”

  “Dearest,” Julian grabbed Gerda’s hand and then pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on her cheek. He loved stealing kisses. He loved that she loved it as well, her smiling eyes meeting his. “I think it’s time I head down. Can you hold the fort?”

  She poked Julian in the nose, “Of course. But I get to pick where we’re going for dinner!”

  “Okay,” He said. Then he leapt off the wall, over the moat, and straight into a row of trouters.

  It was time to wrap this up fast so he could take more time today to spend with Gerda.

  Alone.

  …

  “You want to have dinner here?” He asked, watching Gerda set down a picnic blanket on the grassy field beside Lake Loria. They were in the shade of a tree at the forest’s edge. He knew she’d deliberately been avoiding Nilheim until now.

  Nearby, a family of sprites were on vacation, sunbathing on a patch of sand.

  A ways away, three mermaids frolicked on a rocky bank, singing a lilting harmony. Plittsmouth, the underwater city in Lake Loria, couldn’t be seen from the shore - but on a beautiful day like today, there were countless denizens of the deep enjoying a swim to the surface and a spot of sun.

  And a fire-breathing dragon napped about fifty paces away. Her Eminense Feliwyn was curled up on a dragon-sized blanket much like the one Gerda was using now.

  “Yes, now come help.” She told him, sitting down and pulling an actual picnic basket full of food. Gerda was perfectly able to store everything in her ring, so the basket was purely for aesthetics.

  Julian unequipped his Valarian Royal Set. He also stored his socks and shoes, wearing only a simple tunic tucked into his britches. Then he dropped onto his knees and helped. There were potato wedges, roasted fowl, honey butter buns, smoked cheese, fig jam, pickled cabbage, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

  Then she pulled out a bottle of wine. He accepted a glass. “What’s the occasion?”

  They tinked their drinks together and he took a sip. The vintage that met his lips tasted like the sun itself, bright and acidic. It was lively, with the smell of forged iron and a tang that settled on his tongue long after he pulled away to look at the glass and scrutinize it’s delicious contents.

  It was one of the best tasting wines he’s ever had.

  “I got it from the Dark Queen Roselia’s hidden treasure trove.” She said, shooting me a full grin over her own glass. “That’s King Keith’s great great grandmother I think?”

  “I have so many questions.” He said. Instead of asking any of those questions, though, he took another sip and enjoyed the flavour.

  “I’ll be happy to answer them later, but for now…” Gerda turned towards the giant green and purple dragon who’d just shifted in her sleep.

  “You knew?” Julian asked me, wondering if he should re-equip his set… but Gerda seemed unconcerned so he picked up a potato wedge and bit in.

  She didn’t answer, simply shuffling across the blanket to lean against him. Julian wrapped an arm around her waist and waited.

  Her Eminence Feliwyn stretched like a dragon would, arched back, forearms sliding out into the grass and flexing her talons in the earth. She yawned wide, showing off teeth the length of a wooden spatula.

  Golden eyes opened with a hint of sleepiness, the irises like thin black diamonds.

  The entire forest, meadow and lake had paused, as if holding their breath. Even the birds in the sky had dropped to find perches and watch as the mighty dragon awoke.

  Feliwyn turned her gaze on all, the mermaids, the sprites, and them. One eyebrow raised delicately at the sight of Duke Julian of the North cuddling a troll woman on the banks of Lake Loria, and Julian decided it was time.

  It is important to show proper courtesy to a dragon, or they might eat you. As such, Julian made to stand, but Gerda stopped him, grabbing his hand and pulling him back down to the blanket.

  “Your Eminence,” The troll waved a hand at their picnic spread. “Would you like to break your fast with us? I promise you, I have all the best gossip.”

  The dragon eyed us for a moment longer, debating whether she should just eat us or not, before a rumbling voice like warm honey cake with cherries, “I do love gossip.”