The next morning, Leandro showed up for breakfast again, only this time, when David answered the door, he had no boisterous words to say.

  He stood there, as if he was on the eve of an uncertain battle of which the outcome was unclear, trying to decide on a plan of attack.

  A corner of David's mouth quirked up, and he wordlessly planted a hand on the man's shoulder, giving him a confident nod.

  Leandro's mouth drew into a toothed smile, and he clasped David's shoulder in return, giving him a good shake that rattled his teeth, before stomping off towards the kitchen.

  David massaged his assaulted shoulder, wincing, as he followed after him.

  That day's training had been lighter than the previous two days, barely a few bells before Leandro released him, and he could even still more or less stand at the end of it.

  The veteran explained that this would be his schedule: two days of intense strength and combat training, followed by a half-day of mostly anaerobic exercises, another two full days, and then two days of rest.

  Although Leandro had said rest, he explained that what he really meant was for David to exercise by himself for at least a few bells.

  The man himself would be busy with training the guards during those two days.

  David got the impression that he had to thank the guards for getting two days of “rest” at all. He'd send Ma-Ke-Lo a gift... maybe one of Niala's organic varnishes? Tridgets loved to treat their wood-like skins with oils, waxes and moisturizers.

  Niala was surprised but overjoyed to have David join her and Linzy for lunch, and so was David's stomach.

  He spent some time with Niala, helping her take inventory and clean her workroom, before leaving Linzy to man the store and going into town to place an order for Goblin-sized furniture and construction supplies.

  The attic was going to be turned into a sort of loft, complete with its own bathroom, semi-closed bedroom, kitchenette and a large open multi-function space.

  They began work right that afternoon, knowing that David would be entirely too spent over his next two days with Leandro to do anything.

  Time passed, and a new routine settled into place. Then, on his first day of solo training, David remembered something he'd promised Niala a long time ago.

  “Are... you... certain... Leandro said... to... bring me with... you...” Niala breathed out between gulps of air, as she half-drudged, half-jogged up and down the abandoned street, David completing three laps to her one.

  “Totally. Said it'd be good for my motivation, and for your form.” He said, jogging beside her as he took a resting lap.

  She slowed down and looked at herself. “I'm... not in.. that bad of a... shape!”

  He shook his head. “You're in a nice shape, but you're also in bad shape.” He said with a grin.

  She gave him a scalding gaze, turning up her nose at him and forcing herself to go a bit faster.

  Her bravado lasted until she reached the end of the street, where she let herself collapse to the ground.

  “I'm.... done...” She panted, turning over to rest on her back, covering her eyes with an arm.

  She squealed when he picked her up and brought her to the bench-log, sitting her down against it and handing her a water gourd, which she drained in one long swallow.

  She looked up at him, face red, eyes pleading. “Are we done for the day?”

  “We're done for 15 minutes.”

  “We're done in 15 minutes?” She held out hope.

  He smiled and patted her head. Her body responded by itself, leaning into the pat before she understood what she was going, elation replaced by consternation on her face.

  He chuckled and gave her ear scritches instead.

  She attempted resistance, but was betrayed by her own body, which eagerly accepted his touch. She had a weird mix of annoyance and enjoyment on her face, which made him smile.

  With the 15 minutes done, he dragged her back to the street for some more laps.

  “20 more laps for you, and we'll do something else.”

  “Please, no...”

  He grinned. “I think you'll enjoy it.”

  She raised one ear, curious about what it could be.

  Titillating sounds could be heard from the walled yard behind Niala's shop.

  “Hmmmm! Push some more! Oooh, this feels nice!” Niala moaned.

  “Why are you so flexible?” David complained, pushing down on her back as she stretched forward, grasping one of her feet at the end of her extended leg.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “I'm a catkin – hmm, a bit more on the should- hmmmyesss that's it! We're born flexibl-aaaaaah!”

  “Then why are you enjoying this so much!” He was starting to feel warm.

  “I don't knooooooooh!”

  David stopped pressing down on Niala's back. She straightened and arced her spine, humming in pleasure as she felt her bones pop back into place.

  She leaned back, craning her neck backward, to look at David upside-down, smiling.

  “We need to do this more often. I feel like a sheet flapping in the wind! So smooth...” She lay on her side and released a contented sigh.

  He sat next to her head, gently picked it up, and slid it over to his lap. She looked up at him, a smile on her lips. His hands began stroking her hair, fingers reaching down to her scalp. She held back a gasp and closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle pressure over her head and around her ears.

  “Thank you.” She said.

  “For the head massage?”

  “No, well, yes, but also for dragging my butt out to exercise. I complain a lot, and I don't really enjoy it.”

  “...but?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

  “Hmm?”

  “You don't really enjoy it, but?”

  She grinned. “Are you calling me a butt?”

  He arched an eyebrow before mirroring her impish expression. “You do have a really great one. A butt, I mean.”

  She puckered her lips, bending at the waist to reveal her behind, passing a hand over its contour, and stealing a glance at David's face, chuckling when she saw what his sight had locked on.

  She put her hands up and grabbed David's face, forcing him to look back down at her.

  “But, if it's with you, I think I can endure it. And! I can work on my glutes! You think my butt's great right now, think about how much better it'll get in a season!”

  “New schedule. You're going to train with me and Leandro every day.”

  She stuck out her tongue. “I need to run my shop!”

  He shook his head. “This takes priority. It's critical.”

  “My shop is more important than my butt!” She argued.

  He levelled his gaze down at her. “Nothing is more important than your butt, Niala.”

  “...You! A joke and a compliment in the same sentence! You're back to your evil ways!”

  She fake-collapsed off of his lap, draping an arm over her anguished face.

  “I knew it could not last! I had counted the days! Woe is me, to endure such torture!”

  She crossed her hands over her chest. “My heart betrays me! To fall in love with my own demon! I am cursed!” She said, rolling away from him, splaying herself on the ground, a few paces away.

  An indelible grin on his face, David crawled over to her and lay down beside the little diva, pulling her limp body over his own.

  Her face landed an inch away from his. They beamed and bore into each other's eyes, the rest of the world forgotten.

  Until the tree rang, a hollow, metallic sound floating its way through the walled yard.

  They narrowed their eyes, confirming that they had both heard the same thing, before turning their head toward the tree, their eyes widening as they did.

  The ancient tree was... blurry. Its leaves had turned shades of pink and purple, rustling under non-existent gusts of wind, shedding sparkly dust that cascaded into a glinting waterfall.

  David and Niala looked at each other before she stood up from him, and gave him a hand to get up in turn. He took a step in front of her, frowning, eyes alert.

  The dustfall intensified, becoming almost opaque. Lines began to appear upon it, or was it a trick of the light?

  A large, arched door frame resolved itself, ethereal and fuzzy.

  It opened, the sound of a flute accompanying its movement.

  Beyond the threshold lay another land, one of gentle rolling hills framed by deep and primeval-looking forests. The colours of the plants were all wrong; where they'd expect greens and browns, they saw shades of pinks and purples.

  Two-foot-tall humanoid shapes walked through the dustfall, which coated them like a wall of glinting paint. The dust blurred and expanded into skin and clothes.

  Seven fairies, arranged in a V, each sporting crisp business suits and matching hairstyles, the six in the back all carrying pink-shaded briefcases. None of them had apparent fairy wings.

  They marched to a stop, the lead fairy taking a few steps more towards David and Niala, before throwing them a severe look, and pushing up the round glasses on her nose.

  “I am Feretina Argentile, of the Crystal Unicorn firm, registered fairmaster of the seventh step. I seek one mundaneworlder known as Jasmund of Riverwall, who is noted as owning the present plot of land that we find ourselves upon at this moment.”

  The little business fairy clasped her hands. “May you please direct us to him?”

  David and Niala looked at each other, shooting silent questions at each other, before Niala took a step out of David's shadow.

  “Hum, hello Feretina. I'm Niala. I'm afraid that Jasmund is dead.”

  The six hench-fairies began murmuring among themselves. Feretina rose a fist to her side, sharp and instant, and the noise cut off instantly. She looked up at Niala.

  “I see. Would you know who the new owners of this land and abode are?” She asked, her tone flat.

  “That, huh, would be me?” Niala answered, ears wiggling.

  “Hmm.” The fairy looked around the yard, her gaze stopping on the herb garden, before returning to Niala.

  “Several of your weeks ago, there should have been a sizable assortment of herb and flower sprouts around the base of the Weldtree, the tree behind us. Would you know who appropriated them?”

  Niala swallowed. “Hum, me?”

  Feretine's eyes narrowed. “And miss, what is your name and occupation?”

  “I-I'm Niala of Riverwall, alchemist.”

  “And Miss Niala, please confirm the following: You have purchased and are the current owner of the plot of land and structures upon it, which once belonged to one Jasmund of Riverwall. Several of your weeks ago, you found a number of plant sprouts growing at the base of Weldtree number 1,429, and claimed ownership of said sprouts, relocating them to your own personal garden?”

  Niala looked at David, who shrugged with his face. She fully stepped out from behind David and stood straight.

  “Yes, that's correct.”

  Feretina put a hand over her shoulder, palm facing up. One of the accompanying fairies opened their briefcase and grabbed a piece of paper from within, slapping it in the lead fairy's hand.

  The little business fairy moved the paper to her front, glanced at it for a second, before serving it up toward Niala.

  “Miss Niala, in view of your admission of guilt in the theft of property from our client, Frizzy Pink Flowers Limited, we present you with this subpoena requiring you to appear before a Fairqueen in a court of Fair, to testify and defend your case.”

  Niala looked at David, who was as wide-eyed as she was.

  Lawyers!? Fairy LAWYERS!?