I AM BARLEY HANGING ON TO FROST AS WE HEAD HOME.

I FEEL SO DAMN WEAK AND LOOK AT MY HANDS THEY ARE WHITE AS A GHOST AND SHIRT AND PANTS NOW STIFF AS A BOARD FROM THE DRY BLOOD.

I LOOK BACK AND SEE PUP LAYING ON SNOWS NECK HUGGING HER.

THIS IS SO MUCH FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO TAKE IN NOT ONLY FIGHTING TO OVERCOME THE HORRORS SHE WENT THROUGH BEFORE DESTINY PUT US ON THE ROAD MEANT TO BE,,,, AND SHE NOW WILL HAVE HER LIFE CHANGED AGAIN

FROST LANDS AS CLOSE TO THE TEA ROOM SO I DO NOT HAVE TO WALK SO FAR.

PUP RUNS TO ME AND PUTS MY ARM AROUND HER NECK

WE GET TO WHERE THE BOYS ARE DIGGING THE TUNNEL WITH THE HELP OF THE NEIGHBORS AND MY BLOSSOM CHERRY FANG AND STUMP ARE HAULING THE DIRT AWAY AND PUNTING IN A NEAT PILE TO REFILL LATER.

WE ENTER THE TEA ROOM AND I AM SET ON BY OPEL MISS KATT DOC AND NURSE KRACHET,,,,, I AM FINE JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN.

DOC ORDERS ME TO THE COUCH WHERE HE HAS AN IV SET UP AND MUCH NEEDED BLOOD  SHEESH I FEEL LIKE DRACULA FILL IT UP LOL

OPEL IS BY MY SIDE TRYING TO GET ME TO DRINK HER CURE ALL CONCOCTION DRINK IT CAP OR I WILL GET DOC HERE TO RUN ANOTHER IV SO  SIP OH YUM IT IS GOOD.

CHAR;E? WHERE IS CHARLIE I NEED TO SPEAK TO HER.... OPEL YOU AND MISS KATT TAKE CARE OF PUP FOR ME OK?

THEY TAKE PUP TO CLEAN HER UP AND FEED HER SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GO AND LEAVE ME BUT I SAY GO LILL ONE I AM NOT MOVING JUST YET

CHARLIE?? RIGHT HERE YOU BLOCK HEAD LOL THANKS I LOVE YOU TO.

OKAY THIS IS WHAT I NEED YOUR WORKERS TO THEY ARE THE BEST AT WHAT THEY DO SO I NEED THEM TO COMB EVERY INCH DOWN THERE MAKE ME A MAP OF WHAT THEY FIND AND MOST IMPORTANT BRING UP EVERY AND EVERY THING THEY FIND ,, BOOKS,, MAPS BOTTLES NOTES WE ARE GOING TO NEED HELP IN FINDING OUT WHAT IS DOWN THERE AND SEEING THOSE THREE HOOLIGANS ARE NOT AROUND TO EXPLAIN I AM GOING TO NEED THE ICE QUEENS PERMISSION TO TALK TO HER MAGE.

MY EYES ARE GETTING HEAVY AS MY BELLY WARMS AND I FEEL THE BLOOD RETURN TO MY BODY I DOZE OFF

As the Captain would say, craponacracker. Opel, why is it, whenever we get the tea room just the way we like it... it goes BOOM?

I'll get a soup pot going in the fireplace so the builders and diggers will have food when they need it.

Sounds good, now that Cap and PTG are Out of it...Pup and Angel are cleaned up and resting, and Charlie keeping an eye on the work being done, I'll get the drink end of things settled, Opel says

Yup, here we go again...

I TOSS AND TURN TRYING TO SHAKE THE VOICES OUT OF HEAD AND STOP THE IMAGES GOING AROUND AND AROUND LIKE A MERRY GO ROUND.

I TRY TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF ALL OF THIS BUT SWIRLING TO FAST AND GET HITS AND MISSES.

I SEE THE WISE RAVEN,,,, THE GENIE..... THE FIRE CONJ ER ..... VALKYRIE HEAR HER SPEAK OF HER ARMY AND HER WOLVES..... THE MAGE ,,,, THE NORTHERN QUEEN,,,,,, AND OTHERS THAT GO BY TO FAST BUT THEY ARE ALL GHOST / SHADOW LIKE

I HEAR A NEW VOICE MORISA THE FOREST WITH TELLING ME TO WAKE UP I AM NEEDED.

I SIT UP SO FAST I SCARE THE BEJJESUS OUT OF OPEL AND MISS KATT SCREAMS AND DROPS A BOWL OF SOUP,

OWWIE MY HEAD AND THE SCAR ON MY FACE IS BURNING LIKE FIRE.

ANGEL CHARLIE ARE YOU NEAR I CAN NOT SEE SO CLEAR LIKE LOOKING THROUGH A FOG.

I HEAR BOTH SAU YES RIGHT HERE.

COME CLOSER I NEED TO TELL YOU WHAT I SAW AND HEARD.

MY BLOOD STOPS RACING ,, MY HEART RETURNS TO A NORMAL BEAT AND MY EYES CLEAR.

CRAPONACRACKER CAP THAT WAS SCARY YOUR EYES WHERE PURE WHITE BUT BACK TO YOUR BABY BLUES AGAIN WHAT HAPPENED.

O AM NOT 100% SURE BUT I DO KNOW NOW WHO WE ARE DEALING WITH SO CHARLIE FIRST  THING S FIRST THOSE TUNNELS HAVE TO BE BLOCKED AND THE PORTAL REINFORCED,,,,, AND THE OTHER ONE BY THE GENIE AND NOT TO WORRY SEEMS HE IS ON OUR SIDE.

I DO NOT CARE WHAT THE WORKERS WANT THEY WILL GET IT AND THEN SOME THIS IS OUR LIVES AT STAKE HERE.

ANGEL COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE NOTES AS I TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AND I NEED MY NOTES.

I TRY TO STAND ON VERY WEAK LEGS ,,, OPEL AND ANGEL GET ME TO THE TABLE AND OPEL SAYS ENOUGH DRINK THIS AND EAT BEFORE YOU START YOUR MONKEY BUSINESS

I KNOW WE ALL KNOW NOT TO SHRUG OPEL OFF AS MISS KATTE LAYS A NEW BOWL OF SOUP IN FRONT OF ME AND A SMALL PLATE OF MEAT AND SPUDS AND PEAS.

ANGEL LEAVES TO GET HER PAD AND MY NOTES AND I ASK HER TO BRING PUP BACK WITH HER.

I DRINK OPELS ((((YUCK))))) CURE ALL SHUDDER AND GAG AS IT GOES DOWN.

I hand the captain a quick shot of his honey rum to kill the taste. No Cap - no more. At least not until you tell us what's going on.

GUESS I HAVE MY ORDERS,   I GO OUT TO THE BACK WHERE THE TUNNEL HAS BEEN DUG UNDER THE TEA ROOM.    THE GNOME BUILDERS A STANDING WAITING.  NOT TO WORRY YOU WILL GET PAID.  

JACOB, AND HIS FRIEND ARE GOING IN AND OUT BRINGING WHATEVER THEY FIND.  

I TELL THE LEADER OF THE GNOME BUILDERS.  AS SOON AS THEY HAVE EVERYTHING OUT TO GO IN AND INCASE THE HOLE IN A REINFORCED STRUCTURE.  THEN FIX THE TEA ROOM.  THE CAP WANTS ALL THE ROOMS INTACT BUT REINFORCED.  SO THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.  I AGREE TO HIS PRICE.  WHAT ELSE COULD I DO.   

AND PLEASE PUT A VERY THICK STRONG DOOR ON WHERE THE TUNNEL ENTERS THOSE ROOMS.  AND REINFORCE THE TUNNEL SO IT DOES NOT COLLAPSE IF THERE IS A BLAST CLOSE BY.

THE OPENING SHOULD ALSO BE SECURED WITH A VERY STOUT DOOR AND STRONG LOCKS.

I KNOW IT WILL COST MORE.   PLEASE JUST DO IT.  REMEMBER YOU ARE BEING PAID IN GEMS.  BETTER THAN GOLD.  

AFTER JACOB AND HIS FRIENDS BROUGHT OUT THE LAST OF WHAT THEY COULD FIND THE GNOME BUILDERS WENT TO WORK.
DINKY, SMIDGE ARE YOU STILL ON GOOD TERMS WITH THE DWARFS. YES, WAS THE REPLY. GOOD FIND THE BEST YOU CAN AND ASK THEM TO REINFORCE ALL OF THE PORTALS. I KNOW OF 2 BUT IF THERE ARE MORE REINFORCE THEM. TELL THEM I WANT THEM TO MAKE SURE A BLAST WILL NOT BRING THEM DOWN.
OFF THEY WENT. I CROSSED MY FINGERS THAT ALL WOULD GO WELL.
BACK TO THE TEA ROOM TO SEE HOW THINGS WERE THERE. THE CAP WAS AT THE TABLE EATING. GOOD HE WILL NEED HIS STRENGTH. 

 AS I ENTER THE TEA ROOM TO GIVE CAP HIS NOTES AND TO SIT AND TAKE NOTES AS HE ASKED, I HEAR CHARLIE FILLING HIM IN ABOUT HER INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DWARVES ABOUT SHORING UP THE PORTALS.

HOLD UP, CHARLIE, THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE PORTALS.  THERE'S A NEW ONE AT THE END OF THE NORTHERN LANDS THAT, WHEN ENTERING THROUGH IT, TAKES YOU TO THE TITANS AREA.  SO YOU NEED TO LET THEM KNOW TO TAKE  CARE OF THAT ONE TOO.

MISS KATT BRINGS ME MY MEAL SO I FINISH QUICKLY AS I CAN TELL BY THE LOOK ON CAP'S FACE, HE'S READY TO GET THIS MEETING STARTED!

I QUICKLY OPEN MY AMULET TO DINKY, AND SMIDGE.  THERE ARE THREE PORTALS.  A NEW ONE AT THE END OF THE NORTHERN LANDS.   

KATT STARTS TO SET FOOD BEFORE ME I TELL HER JUST COFFEE AND HONEY NOW.  I WILL EAT WHEN I HAVE THE REST OF CAPS ORDERS FILLED.

DINKY, ANSWERS   GOT IT.  WHO PAYS?  I DO.

I NOW OPEN MY AMULET TO JEN .   JEN CAP SAY HE WANT EVERY TUNNEL BLOWN,  BUT LEAVE GRIMS.  AREA STANDING THEY HAVE BEEN REINFORCED AGAINST BLASTS.   THE SURROUNDING MARKED TUNNELS ARE ALSO TO BE BLASTED.  

I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME.  PLEASE TAKE THE JOB.  REPORT TO CAP WHEN YOU ARE DONE. 

I ALSO CALL TO FINN AND HE FRIENDS.

PLEASE STAY OUT OF ANY TUNNELS UNTIL I LET YOU KNOW IT IS SAFE.

"What's that sound?"

I sit upright.  It was a bad idea.  Ever since the airbombing was completed, I've been hanging out with the Vikings.

Apparently, I'm the meanest drunk they've ever seen.

"Tunnels blown?  ALL the tunnels blown?"

I sigh. 

"Olaf, hold my beer."

I stand.  Another bad idea.

"OK... anybody got any dynamo... dybamine... boom stuff?  OLAF! Stop drinking my beer!"

I belch and set off towards the nearest tunnel.

An hour later I awake.  I'm about 3 feet from where I started.

"Where's my beer?"

KATT I WILL TAKE THAT SOUP NOW. THEN IT IS OFF TO THE BARN AFTER I FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ALL THE POTIONS AND SUCH IN CAP'S CABIN  HE WANTED THEM AND HE SHALL HAVE THEM I JUST NEED A BUNCH OF THOSE BASKET I KEEP FINDING.   

KATT FIX ME SOME COFFEE FOR THE BARN.  I AM GOING TO WAIT UP FOR DINKY AND SMIDGE TO COME BACK.  

JACOB SAYS HE WILL HELP ME PACK UP THE THINGS THEY BROUGHT OUT OF THE ROOMS UNDER THE TEA ROOM.   THEN HE WILL RETURN HOME.  HIS FRIENDS HAD EATEN AND LEFT ALREADY.

WITH JACOB'S HELP WE WERE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING TO CAP'S CABIN.

I WAVED GOODBYE TO JACOB AND HEADED FOR THE BARN.

I WONDERED IF JEN WREN HEARD ME AND WOULD COME.   HOPE SHE REMEMBERS I HAVE A LARGE STOCKPILE OF DYNAMITE AND A FEW KEGS OF BLACK POWDER I HAVE PICKED UP ON MY TRAVELS AROUND THE REALM.

JEN MUST COME I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE ROO WENT AND SHE HAS BEEN GONE A LONG TIME. HOPE SHE IS OK.  

AS I ENTER THE BARN AN SET MY BAG DOWN,  I SEE A SMALL MOVEMENT,  AND OUT STEPS FINN.  

NOW TELL ME WHY WE MUST STAY OUT OF THE TUNNELS YOU KNOW THAT IS HOW WE GET ABOUT TO GET SUPPLIES.

I FILL HIM IN.    I AM AFRAID YOUR TUNNELS WILL BE GONE WHEN YOU TRY TO RE-ENTER THEM.   THEN TELL HIM IF THEY NEED ANYTHING COME TO ME I WILL FILL ANY ORDER THEY NEED, TILL THE ALL CLEAR IS SOUNDED  AND YOU HAVE RE-ESTABLISHED YOU ROUTES. 

HE IS NOT HAPPY BUT AGREES AND LEAVES.  

GUESS I HAD BETTER MAKE MY ROUNDS THIS IS GOING TO COST ME A BUNDLE.    THEN I LAUGH,  I SPEND VERY LITTLE ON MYSELF MOST OF MY EXPENSES ARE FOR SPECIAL THINGS FOR THE ZOO.  THEY PROBABLY WILL NEVER NOTICE IF THE SPECIAL TREATS COME LESS OFTEN.