Soren filled everyone else in on what happened while I went to find Luna. She had disappeared when we got back, and I haven't seen her since we had returned to Soren's fort. Judging by the position of the sun, we had spent about six hours away. We left in the morning and came back in the evening, so I'm glad I was able to keep my promise to Sylvia and show up before midnight.

"Papa!" Sylvia cried, running toward me at a dead-sprint.

For the height and weight she was at, I was astonished at the strength her little body possessed when she bear-hugged me.

I fought back tears as I heard my daughter laugh joyously, "H-Hey lass."

I saw Luna smile sadly at me, and I averted my gaze.

"I'm truly sorry." I murmured, "I know you're mad at me...again."

Luna joined in on the hug, "I can be mad about it, but I trust your word, Helix. Just...promise you'll come back to me in one piece?"

I nodded, "I promise."

I then heard Sylvia laughing like a loon as she realized she was sandwiched between her parents. After the hug broke up, I gave Sylvia a piggyback ride as I started cooking dinner. Naturally, she decided to taste some of the spices.

"Bleh." Sylvia began, spitting out some cinnamon she tried to ingest, "That tasted horrible..."

I chuckled, "That is why you do not taste the spices on their own, young grasshopper."

She looked at me in bewilderment, "Grasshopper?"

I sighed, "It's a figure of speech."

"I don't get it either!" Simon shouted.

I groaned, "No one gets my humor."

Dorrian laughed, walking over to watch me cook dinner, "I see you two are having fun over here."

I grinned, "Sylvia tried to eat pure cinnamon."

He cringed, "Oh man, that's bad. Don't worry lass, I tried to some cinnamon as well a few months ago. It...didn't end well."

"He choked on it." I finished for him, "He tried to swallow powdered cinnamon, which in turn absorbed all of the saliva in his mouth. He almost suffocated."

"Okay, it was an accident." Dorrian snapped back, "You should've warned me before I tried to ingest the stupid cinnamon."

"I did!" I shouted back, "Did you listen? Noooo."

"Shut the f-ront door," He replied in a small voice as he felt Luna stand beside him.

"Good man," She began, patting him on the back.

After they both left, I looked around for Alan, but didn't see him anywhere. He must've gone back to Vastiin to tell Heather about what happened. I shrugged, "More food for everyone else." I mused to myself, "Besides, he's safer in Vastiin. Everywhere else is turning into a warzone."

I caught sight of Ben walking over with his bow unstrung, but his quiver was packed with freshly-made arrows.

"Hey Helix," He began in greeting, "So I take it we'll be coming up with a plan for invading Thaleous' fort after dinner, right?"

I nodded, cutting up a few carrots and adding them into the stew, "Aye. Don't worry, this plan will be far more complex than 'I get myself captured and open the front door for everyone to sashay in while murdering everything.' I wouldn't make any plan of mine that simple. Not for the life of me."

He chuckled, "I should've expected that. Well, I await your 'grand plan' Helix. I'm sure it'll be intricate."

"Oh, it most certainly will." I assured him with a grin.

I saw Nova working away on her gauss rifle. Pip hovered around the workbench and helped her monitor the stability of the ethridial chamber of the weapon as she continued tinkering on her baby. She sighed deeply as she set down her tools and closed the hatch that gave her access to the chamber.

"Food..." She murmured, "You almost done with dinner Hel?"

I grinned, "Just finishing."

She cheered, "Yes! Food!"

I rolled my eyes and made a bowl of food for my sister so she wouldn't fight anyone to be at the front of the line. After she accepted her bowl, everyone instantly appeared around the cooking pot, which was promptly cleaned out after about ten minutes. Everyone devoured their food with reckless abandon, came back for seconds, and argued over getting thirds. After everyone at least got their first servings, I grabbed some food before things got out of hand. (Which they did.)

Luna sat next to me, and my did she look smug. She had stolen one of the final bowls of stew from Analise, who was now swearing like a sailor: "This is bullshit! I demand I get my food back!" Ana shouted in outrage.

Luna stuck her tongue out, "No bitch. Finders' keepers, losers' weepers."

I laid my head on the table and began to laugh my ass off, "G-Geez Luna. No need to be so cruel."

Sylvia looked at her mother in confusion, "Bitch? What does that mean mama?"

Luna's face went pale, "Ahm..."

I thought I was going to piss myself as a laughing fit overcame me. After I regained control of myself, I was able to speak: "That was no one's fault but your own, love."

Luna sighed, giving me the stink eye, "Um...sweetie...it's nothing..."

Sylvia tilted her head to one side in question, "But mama, it has to mean something."

I grinned, coming to Luna's aid: "Don't worry about it Sylvia. Your mother just slipped up. Pay her no heed."

Sylvia shrugged, "Okay. Is there any chance I may have more food?"

The pot was completely cleaned out, and Luna had the last bowl of stew. She handed her daughter the bowl without hesitation, "Go crazy, Sylvia."

She looked at the bowl in confusion, "But mama, this is your food."

"If you're still hungry, eat." Luna replied with a smile.

Sylvia still hesitated, then she took the bowl and started to eat it.

I nodded, "Good job Luna. I'm proud of you."

She slugged my shoulder, "Thanks for helping me out, butthole."

I smiled, "That was payback for the time you punched my appendix in Vastiin."

Luna stuck her tongue out at me. Seeing this, Sylvia mirrored her mother, and I had two cats sticking their tongues out at me.

I rolled my eyes, "Like mother, like daughter."

Luna hit my shoulder playfully, "Hush, silly."

For the rest of the evening, everyone hung out. A little bit of alcohol was drank, but not a lot. Because of our young little friend, everyone drank lightly and refrained from getting piss drunk.

I got out my flute and began to play a cheery song that soon got everyone dancing. Luna tried to dance with me and Sylvia at the same time, but it didn't work very well. She ended up tripping and crashing into me. We both fell to the ground with a squawk from my flute.

"Oof," I squeaked.

"Ow..." Luna murmured.

Luna rolled off of me, and I checked my beloved instrument to make sure it was safe: it was, and I finished the song, "That's a rap."

Sylvia dive-bombed me, and I could've sworn I felt a few ribs break as she landed on my abdomen. (Holy shit. For a small six year old child, Sylvia can dish out some real punishment.)

I heard my sweet daughter laughing with glee, and I groaned as I felt my abdomen ache with pain.

"Ow, my ribs..." I grumbled, rolling onto my side, "Oh the humanity..."

Luna chuckled, "Get up, you pansy."

Now I stuck my tongue out, "Help me woman: I've fallen and I can't get up."

Luna smiled and helped me up, "Goober."

"I am not a goober." I breathed, curling into myself in pain.

"Keep telling yourself that," She said smugly.

I started playing another song, and the dancing continued. Couples danced, and the joy of this moment helped me momentarily forget about what I was going to do in two days' time.

I knew very well that what I was planning to do was madness, but I'm just glad that I was able to enjoy myself with my friends before I had to put my life on the line. Nova got into an argument with Grigori over the chemical composition of lithicite, Simon danced with Sylvia, (which had to have been the funniest damn thing I have ever seen) Analise had a knife in between her teeth as she danced with a partially terrified Dorrian, and I continued to dance with Luna. She proved to be a very graceful dancer while I was...not as good. I tripped on my own feet a few times, but I was able to keep up with my partner while playing a fast-paced jig that sent electricity arcing through my body. The amazing thing is that I didn't crack a single note while dancing. (Of course, I realized that in the middle of dancing and playing that everyone kind of forgot to talk about the plan for our mock-assault on Thaleous' stronghold and the following retaliation. Oh well, we have tomorrow to discuss it.)

When everyone danced themselves into exhaustion, I had to carry Luna and Sylvia back to our tent. As before, I laid Luna down first before setting Sylvia down and laying down myself. I yawned widely and fell asleep a few moments later.