Kazue tried not to fidget while they waited for her parents and Fuyuko to arrive at the trading post. The small caravan had already crossed the border of their territory so she, Mordecai, Moriko, and Carmil were all gathered to meet them properly while elian Fme pyed with Thunder and Lightning nearby. Carmil at least looked nervous too, both Mordecai and Moriko were calm and Kazue's nervousness seemed to amuse both of them too. They were double-teaming her, and it wasn't fair.

  Though it could be fun... Kazue shook off those distrag thoughts and refocused herself. Thankfully the blush of her cheeks robably hidden by the flush caused by the cold winds. Though it was not yet thick, snow had started stig to the ground all day without melting much, and even during the day the wind could bite through clothes that were not thiough. This was why she was thhly bundled in several yers: thick leggings and fluffy boots under a heavy, long dress and topped with a fur-lined, hooded cloak, all in green with white trim.

  If the cold and snow were created dungeon effects, her avatar would not be adversely affected, but it turned out that enviroal zones did have a disadvahere. At least the crisp sts carried by the early winter winds were familiar ones and part of what she enjoyed about this season.

  Soon they could see the caravan rounding the st curve, with Ricardo's wagon in the lead and pulled by the powerfully built pair of 'horses', one of bd one of white. Moments after the groups could see each other a tall figure impatiently jumped free and started walking toward them swiftly. Kazue stifled a giggle at her adoptive daughter's eagerness, it was easy to tell that the girl was restraining the urge to run. A fast walk was her promise between her pride and what she wao do.

  Well, it wouldn't do to just stand there, there were no protocols or formalities. Kazue started walking toward Fuyuko with the rest of the family moving with her. Fuyuko's self-trol broke at the st moment and she dashed forward the st few yards to practically crush Kazue in a hug that lifted her feet off the ground. Having Mordecai and Moriko join the hug did not help Kazue's breathing much but it was hard to pin when she was so happy.

  Kazue's feelings for Fuyuko were a little plicated and shifted between sisterly and motherly, but what really mattered was that she cared for the younger woman and that her affe was returned. After Kazue was allowed to stand on her own and breathe again she beamed up at Fuyuko. "Wele home. We've missed you."

  Carmil was a little more awkward when she said, "Wele home sister," but Fuyuko was just as awkward when she gave Carmil a greeting hug. It was kind of cute, and the sincere effort Carmil put int to be a good sister made Kazue happy. It was hard not to feel a little skeptical about Carmil given the way she was shoved into being their adoptee because the woman was trying to be clever, but Kazue had seen the cracks that revealed the part of Carmil that sought to make sincere es. That earned her a lot of goodwill from Kazue and she was hoping to eventually feel as warm toward Carmil as she felt toward Fuyuko.

  "Well," Akahana said as Ricardo's wagon rolled up o them, "That's certainly a warm family greeting." She hopped down from the wagon and looked at Kazue. "Now, should I be bowing or curtsying, Your Majesty?" Casey, her cassowary panion, jumped out from the back of the wagon and wandered over to join them.

  "Oh, hush with that," Kazue said as she threw herself into her mother's arms, "or I'll start calling you the Queen Mother. No, better; the Queen Dowager."

  Akahana made a face as she hugged her daughter tightly. "Fine, you win this one." After several long moments, they separated and Akahana smiled at Kazue. "Well, I say that you have grown more fident. I'm happy you are doing well."

  "Thank you," Kazue beamed, then looked up at her father, "Get down here. Mother, Father, I would like to introduce you to your randdaughter, Carmil. Carmil, this is my mother Akahana and my father Ricardo."

  "A pleasure to meet you," Carmil said with a small and slightly uain curtsy.

  Ricardo and Akahana exged ghen moved in to hug the faerie witch. "This is how family greets each other, ss. No formalities here," Ricardo said.

  While the newly met family members started talking, Kazue turo the two not-horses drawing her father's wagon. "Zara, Tiros, you go ahead with the caravan, I've got a special stable set aside for you and Dad's wagon." She patted them on the nose as she whispered, "I thought you two might like a ce to stretch a little. There are some tunnels out so you ge to your true forms and run about without anyone knowing who you are. If you want, I think you could delve the Earth Zooo. Most of our other zones are too small for yht now."

  The ali, Zara, looked curious and thoughtful about the offer. Tiros, oher hand, looked simply ied in the ce to do a bit of violence. Kazue was gd that their dungeon-born kelpie was not so bloodthirsty. "Tiros," Kazue said sternly, "these are my friends and we have rules about respect. If you delve, you are except My Rules." She leaned her will against his and with her will came a remihat she was a Faerie Queen and he was a fey creature.

  He snorted uainly, then bowed his head in acceptance. "As you say, Lady Kazue," the kelpie murmured softly enough that Zara could hear.

  "Good boy," Kazue said with a smile and pced a kiss on his nose. His vaguely wet st made a lot more seo her now that she knew he was a kelpie. "Now, you two go off and have some fun, within the rules of our domain aory." Zara nodded her acceptance as well then g Tiros with amusement before she tossed her head and neighed.

  The two trotted off to the building Kazue had indicated with a bunkin pying the part of their guide. The rest of the wagons had already gone around the group and were beio pces to set up their wagons under a shelter aheir animals into stables.

  Ricardo turned from Carmil and scooped up Kazue into a tight hug. "Hah, my beautiful girl is being as strong-willed as her mama."

  Kazue returhe hug and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek before he let her down. "Well, it does help to be a faerie queen when a fey about."

  "About that," Akahana said as she eyed Kazue, "I heard something about wings?"

  With a dramatic twirl and jump, Kazue shifted to ma her wings mid-leap. "What do you think?" she asked with a grin as she hovered for a moment before nding. "Oh, that reminds me. Moriko's parents were affected, so the two of you had to have something happen tht?"

  Her mhed at the question and said, "Yes, something happened alright." Akahana's hair rippled and shifted as a of thorned rose vines grew into pce around her head. From the back of her flowed several more vines which made a rasping sound as they slithered along the ground. "They were quite a nuisa first until I got them under trol."

  Mordecai sounded amused as he said, "Well, it does seem that the design of your staff was quite on point and Faerie itself deems you a beautiful but prickly and dangerous creature."

  Akahana gred at him but it cked sincere heat. Kazue knew her mother was quite susceptible to fttery most of the time. She turo her father and asked, "What about you?"

  Ricarded, "I haven't noticed anything so iing. I, um, did get a pair of small horns, but they are pretty well hidden under my hair."

  Kazue examined her father critically for a moment. "Hmm, well, I do think you look a bit youoo."

  "Ah," Mordecai said, "I think I might be able to help here. Given your aura, those are probably goat horns."

  Moriko's eyes widened before she bit her lip to make herself stay silent. Kazue took a moment loo put together why goat horns specifically might be associated with beiouched. When she did, Kazue hid her fa her hands in embarrassment. Her father was now part satyr.

  "Oh," Akahana said thoughtfully, "that makes sense and expins a few things. Not quite as ego-boosting as my assumptions, but I think I live with that."

  "Mom," Kazue groaned, "please, I don't want to hear it."

  "Yes dear," Akahana replied as she pat Kazue on the head, "I'm sure you and your i, pure-minded spouses never get up to anything iing." Mordecai and Moriko were staying out of this versation, the cowards.

  Desperate to switch topics, Kazue started looking for anything distrag. This did not turn out to be a hard task. A circle was being slowly paced out with Casey on one side, and elian and Sparks oher. Iween was Fuyuko who was trying to py peacemaker while the scary bird and the baby dragons sized each other up.

  "Hey!" Kazue said as she flew over and nded o Fuyuko. "No fighting! Casey, behave! elian is my familiar, Thunder and Lightning are Moriko's familiar. elian, e here. Sparks, go to Moriko. Good boys. Casey, you get to know them if you behave, we're all going to be living together."

  Once everyone was settled and Akahana had soothed Casey's ruffled feathers, Kazue gathered her family together. "e o's show you three your new rooms. Oh, and don't fet that we have anuest and Bridgette has a dragon familiar too." She had Mordecai lead the way to where the fluffy ushroom awaited them. The path was still covered with snow as the four of them had simply flown down and it was easy for Mordecai to make sure the thin yer was a little ftter for everyone. Akahana also drew her maion bato herself; acc to her, not only did the vines not care for the cold, but they were often rather awkward to walk around with. Especially given that they sometimes moved of their own accord if she wasn't paying attention.

  Casey looked rather uain about trusting herself to the floating mushroom, but Kazue's parents had no such issue. Akahana gasped as they got closer and said, "I khat it was big, but it's hard to see the scale until you are closer. I think this is even bigger than Aia's tree." She paused thoughtfully at that and then added, "Maybe it's best if no oions that to her just yet."

  After a brief tour and a ce for her parents to set some of their things in their room, it was time for lund an opportunity to show off. Ricardo took a few sips of the coffee he was served before deg that he rather e, while Akahana naturally fell in love with the spiced drinking chocote.

  Then it was time for Ricardo to set up his shop for the winter. With so few delvers here over the wihere lenty of space for all the merts to set up shop inside instead of having stalls. Kazue wasn't surprised that her father had decided to spend the winter here, he usually set up in a single location before the snows got heavy. It was also a ce for him to sell his goods at a higher individual price rather than at a bulk price.

  As for the dungeon's pns to ask for Ricardo's help with transportation e spring, it seemed best to let everyo settled in first.

  Zagaroth