As they reached the edge of the trees, they could already hear Glassmaker struggling to contain his laughter as muffled jets of flame shot into the air, followed soon after by Alder starting another bawdy limerick.

"--and then the baker's wife says, that's not flour!"

A gout of flame roared out of Glassmaker 30 feet into the field, singing the tips of the grass and sending a family of rabbits scattering.

"Aim higher! Don't want to burn down the neighborhood old friend! Cecil! Petra! So glad you could join us! Oooh, what's in the sack?"

They looked at the blanket laid out with some fine bread, honey butter with sesame seeds, a flagon of wine, a snifter of whiskey, and a huge glass jug of water.

"Limestone! To help our growing boy's teeth come in bright and strong!" Petra cheerfully hummed a song her grandmother used to sing when she was making dinner. It was in the southern dialect that she didn't learn until she was older, and it seemed the words were ever changing, so all she could remember is the tune and the last few lines. She broke into song anyhow, making up some new words for the first half. "Castles for dragon's teeth, grinning he shines! Biscuits for fair friends, sharing their rhymes! Ice in the whiskey, fire in the wine, the drink may be risky, but brings with it time."

She smiled to herself and looked up to see everyone staring at her except Cecil, who was staring at them staring at her.

"Wh..." Euphemia's voice quavered. "Where did you hear that song?"

"Have... have I offended you? My grandmother used to sing it at dinner when I was a child. The start was always different, but the last few bars were always the same. I finally learned what they meant when I was older."

"No you've done nothing to offend us! It was beautiful Petra." Alder put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This song is very old. There are few who know it. Where was your grandmother from?"

"Arden. Why?"

Cecil put a comforting arm around his wife's shoulders. "What's going on? What's so important about the song?"

The three exchanged glances.

"Petra, do you trust Cecil?"

"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?!" She snapped back, fury flashing across her brow. Euphemia smiled gently. She cooled. "Of course. To the ends of time."

Suddenly Alder and Euphemia were gone, and in their place were two dragons, each double the size of Glassmaker.

They bowed gently. "My queen."

--and that friends, is where I'll pause for now.