"Well... That sucked," Ringo stated the obvious as they waded back ashore.
"No doubt," QJ agreed. Exiting Freeborn territory the same way they came in was unpleasant. "Still, we solved a mystery."
Ringo ruffled his wet hair. "Depressed about our lost fortune?"
QJ shook his head. Tion made it clear that the red stone would not be mined. He agreed to let Ringo and QJ take as much as they could carry. "Now we can build a Water Park."
Ringo summoned her mount and climbed into the saddle. "I'm proud of you. You could have leveraged your assistance for more dragon blood."
"How would I face my family if I did something like that?" QJ asked. "Besides, we didn't lose our fortune. He said I could take as much as I could carry. That shit is 50k an ounce! Between the two of us..."
Ringo whistled softly. "Even split, right?"
QJ laughed. "With those toothpick arms? Forget it."
"I'll delete the feed from your Field Test."
"Done!" QJ grinned when they shook hands.
Ringo released his hand. "Have to log for a bit. What are you going to do?"
"Heading over to Ravenwood to talk to Remmy," QJ answered.
************
QJ stopped in at Briar Rose long enough to change the morning pastry order and was about to take the portal to Ravenwood when he was grabbed from behind.
"Was I quiet?" Ra released him, looking pleased with herself.
"Like a church mouse," QJ agreed.
Ra wagged a finger at him. "Don't even start, you didn't see me."
QJ humored her with a smile. "If you say so."
"Hmm.... I was hoping to run into you." Ra was wearing the customary robes of her office, a sign that she had spent the day in Basara.
"QJ grabbed her hand, pulling her along. "I need to talk to Remmy."
Ra's face showed a surprising amount of excitement. "The small one with the pink hair? What an amazing person."
QJ nodded in agreement. "Let's walk; I'll fill you in on my day."
A short while later, Ra giggled uncharacteristically. "Then the sign fell on you?"
QJ nodded. "That part didn't hurt."
Ra leaned on his shoulder as they walked, her hand gripping his elbow. "Do you think Ringo deleted the video?"
QJ laughed loudly. "There's no way that happened. She's probably watching it right now."
Ra kissed his cheek. "Maybe she'll show me."
The couple took the portal to Ravenwood. Ra's lips curved in a smile. The sun was setting, and the courtyard was lit with a warm orange glow.
"This place is so beautiful," Ra paused to view the fountain. "Will you be long? Maybe I will wait here."
"Not too long," QJ swept her up in a hug. "Call me if you need me to come back."
Ra accepted a kiss before taking a seat next to the fountain. "Remmy lives on the hill with your dad. If I get bored, I'll come find you again."
It took only a few minutes to find Remmy; she sat at a drafting table studying the blueprint of a gnome-built piece of machinery.
Her face lit up when QJ stepped into the doorway. "QJ! Did you find more dragon blood?"
QJ approached with a slight nod. "A whole cavern filled with it. That's not what I'm here about. I have some engineering problems."
Remmy noted his somber mood and gestured toward a nearby chair. "Tell me."
QJ took a few minutes to describe the subterranean culture and their engineering prowess, including the counterbalanced exits and stone-carved cities. "The collapse has shut them off from everything. Food and supplies are running low; if I don't come up with a quick solution, they may have to abandon their home."
"I see, I see." Remmy tapped her chin while he continued with his idea. "Cutting through the stone is much smarter than trying to move it. Mojo's people know a fair bit of engineering, but you require Gnome help."
QJ's face split into a wide grin while he used her sketch pad to draw the lake exit and its system of counterbalances.
**********
The slight redhead stretched her arms over her head, wrinkling her freckled nose in displeasure. "If I have to spend one more day listening to the board complain about..."
Leah Fintree stopped in the courtyard, listening to someone singing a familiar song. "Oh... Oh my..."
Ra looked up when she noticed Leah's approach. "Hello."
"Hello, Ra." Leah glanced to one side, somewhat unsure what to say. "I see you're enjoying the fountain."
Ra nodded. "It's very pleasant."
"The thing is.." Leah paused. "You see, there's..." The redhead sighed heavily.
"Going to join me?" Ra's bare shoulders and the top of her brown breasts were clearly visible in the dim light of the courtyard. "I have heard that you love midnight swims."
Leah's train of thought derailed with a wide smile. "I do love that... However you see, th..." The Apple Princess exhaled and gathered her thoughts. "Do you have many fountains in Basara?"
Ra shook her head. "I've only seen one. That was in the Ancient City." Her fingertips played with the water's surface. "I wouldn't have known what it was for if QJ hadn't turned on the water." Ra lowered her voice in a conspiratory whisper. "That was when we shared the water."
Leah's freckled nose wrinkled again as she sat on the fountain's edge. "I love that. Beautiful vows spoken in the cool evening while the first trickling of water returns to the desert."
Ra nodded in agreement. "While we were apart, thinking of that moment helped me keep going."
"Did you swim in that fountain too, Ra?"
Ra shook her head. "There wasn't time, we had to leave."
**************
Mojo glanced at the time, her scarred face frowning. "Where'd she go?" She exited the town hall and cut across the courtyard before stopping suddenly.
Two figures were swimming in the fountain; neither were wearing any clothes.
"Leah?" Mojo's voice carried in the darkness. "What are you doing?"
"Swimming in the fountain with Ra," Leah answered. "I was trying to explain that this is a fountain, not a pool."
Ra nodded from the water. "You did a very good job, Leah."
"Thank you, Ra," Leah noted that Mojo was carrying the jug of brandy they planned to open after Anna put Cale to bed. "Anyways... She was having such a good time and..."
"You decided to join her," Mojo finished.
Leah nodded. "Exactly right."
Mojo shook her head in wonder. "Leah..."
Ra smiled sweetly at the scarred dark elf. "What is in the jug? Is it a drink? Can we have some?"
[Ravenwood: Anna] Cale is sleeping peacefully. We meeting at your house?
[Ravenwood: Leah] Change of plans. Come to the courtyard fountain.
[Ravenwood: Mojo] Clothing is apparently optional...
[Ravenwood: Anna] This girl is confused.
[Ravenwood: Leah] Lady's night at the fountain. No men allowed! BYOB!
[Ravenwood: Crow] Party?
[Ravenwood: Jinn] On the way.
[Ravenwood: Tal] Me too.
[Ravenwood: Ro Ro] I'm in!
[Ravenwood: Ren] I'll let the Songbirds know.
[Ravenwood: Leah] Have them bring more refreshments!
*********
"I'll be there tomorrow with two hundred gnome engineers. We'll make a new exit and create a path through the collapsed area." Remmy's face lit up. "Gotta go, QJ!"
"Oh... Okay, I'll come with you. Ra is waiting for me in the courtyard."
Remmy shook her head. "Courtyard is off limits." The gnome jumped out of her chair and exited without saying anything else.
QJ frowned at the retreating gnome before opening his hud. A moment later, Ra's face popped up in front of him. "What's going on?"
"QJ!" Ra's bare shoulders were visible on QJ's hud. "We're having a family meeting, women only."
QJ snorted. "You're having a party, and I'm not invited."
"I would invite you, but the others said no men..." Ra lowered her voice to a whisper. "I could try to sneak you in."
QJ laughed and shook his head. "Next time. Enjoy yourself, and I'll see you in the morning."
Ra nodded and cut comm without speaking further.
QJ's hud buzzed as soon it closed. A familiar face smiled back at him.
"Thank you, QJ."
"Welcome. Happy Birthday, Yu."
"I love the orchids. Your mothers raised you right." Yu smiled at the younger man. "Tell Wu he's dead to me."
"Did he forget your birthday?"
Yu nodded.
"You still have access to Ravenwood?"
"Of course," Yu replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Big party in the courtyard, women only."
Yu's smile showed her interest. "Ladies night? It's tempting."
"Gotta run, Yu. I'll beat up your nephew when I get home."
Yu nodded in agreement. "Do that!"
[Ravenwood: QJ] It's Daiyu's birthday. Send her an invite.
[Ravenwood: Leah] Yu's birthday?
[Ravenwood: Tal] We'll call her.
[Ravenwood: QJ] Night, Mom.
[Ravenwood: Tal] Night, QJ.
[Ravenwood: Leah: Night!
[Ravenwood: Mojo: Goodnight.