SMOKE AND ASHES
Belle and Gold find a young child in Cora's kitchen who introduces herself as Elspeth. Gold realizes that she is the Lady Shivat who, now that she is awake, doesn't wish to return to sleep and has decided to stay with Gold. The Lady assures Gold that soon enough she will just be little Elspeth without any memories or talents of the Lady Shivat.
Gold has now also realized, just as Belle has absorbed many of his talents, he has absorbed some of the Empathy talent but definitely does not find this to be a blessing. Later Gold begins to bond with the ingenuous child and tells her a story about a Beauty that falls in love with a lonely, unhappy sorcerer. Jefferson who is able to recognize the child for what she truly is, has no concerns and immediately engages with the child, taking Elspeth and Belle shopping for clothes and a teddy bear.
Meanwhile Gold connects with Jones and begins to set in motion his plans for Undertown.
Far across the ocean, His Majesty and Cogsworth are closing in on the elusive Mr. Gold, beginning to center their search in Asheville.
Chapter 33
Loose Ends
AN: Just a little smut towards the end of this chapter (Happy/Safe Thanksgiving to everyone)
"I can't believe you asked Zelena to babysit Elspeth! Of all people!" Gold protested as he and Belle walked down to Carolina Lane on their way to the Villains' Club. "Leroy would have been a better choice!"
He had spent the afternoon talking with, briefing and giving instructions to his people. Everyone had their assignments. He hadn't been aware of Belle's activities except that she had been able to keep Elspeth from being everywhere and being into everything. The child had come back after lunch chattering about her new clothes and getting a hamburger for lunch. Elspeth had taken a moment to show Gold the new teddy bear that Unca Jeff had gotten her. Belle had then bundled her up to go upstairs with the request that Elspeth help her put away her new clothes. Before she left, Elspeth reached up and, as Gold bent down, she gave him a neck hug.
Gold now knew that while he had been taking care of his list of things, Belle had rounded up Zelena and the two women had had a heart to heart.
Belle'd come back down to the shop to see him late in the afternoon. She was carrying Zelena's necklace, the large green gem still set on the dagger blade piece.
"Here," she had dropped it into his hand.
"How?" he'd asked, examining the piece and ascertaining that he should be able to pop the gem off of the blade with no problems. As a stray thought, he decided that the gem was an interesting device and might warrant additional scrutiny when he had the chance.
"Zelena gave it to me," Belle told him. "She said she realized that anything from Pan was probably tainted with darkness. She felt like she needed to separate herself from all forms of dark magic if she was going to have a chance at redemption. I told her that you were interested in it and she handed it to me."
"Where is she staying?"
"Mostly with Emma, I think," she told him.
"That could be . . . interesting," he replied. Emma wasn't someone to suffer fools lightly. There was the possibility of literal fireworks.
Nonetheless, Belle gaining possession of the dagger piece was yet one more thing to check off his list of Urgent Things to Do.
But Zelena as Elspeth's babysitter?!
"Why not? She didn't have anything else pressing on her calendar. She was glad to do it," Belle told him.
"How did Elspeth feel about her?"
"Fine. Zelena brought some books with her and that completely won her over," Belle said. "Oh, I'm sorry about the t-shirt thing."
Gold stopped walking, "What t-shirt thing?"
"Well . . . I forgot to get any sleep things for Elspeth so we borrowed one of your black t-shirts."
Gold winced, "Sure, why not? Isn't it like a dress on her?"
"A long dress," Belle said with some amusement. "She was dancing around in it after her bath pretending she was the Queen of Darkness."
"How do you know about all this stuff?" he asked her and they started walking again.
"Know all what stuff?"
"Taking care of a three year old. I guess she's three, right?"
"Well, she said she was 'this many,'" and Belle held up three fingers. "You must know I have no idea what I'm doing. I never had a mother, but I do remember my dad doing the bedtime routine with me. He never took me shopping of course, having a kingdom to watch over and everything. I just figure she needs consistency, clear boundaries and affection."
"Yeah, all that? How do you know this stuff?"
Belle just smiled and shrugged.
"I'm impressed," Gold told her. "You are remarkable." He cleared his throat. "You know I found adoption papers in my shop on the counter when I got back from meeting with Jones. If I sign them, she's legally mine, Elspeth Miranda Gold."
"Miranda?"
"Apparently her middle name."
"That's odd. That was my mother's name," Belle told him.
"Was it?" Gold was thoughtful. Lady Shivat was certainly hitting him over the head with Elspeth's similarities to Belle – had she been afraid he might just turn her over to Child Services rather than take her in? He returned his attention to Belle, "You haven't talked much about your mother."
"I don't remember her. All I have is her necklace." It was Belle's turn to clear her throat. "I did want to ask you about something – something about magic."
She stopped and he stopped also. "What?"
"I didn't have problems with this before . . . before I came here, but now, well now that I'm sprouting out with more of these strange powers . . . ." She looked down trying to pull her thoughts together.
He waited.
"Why does it hurt me to be around iron? When Pan had me in that awful cage, I was in agony. I remember you telling me that people like . . . yourself have problems with silver and that the Fae and others that are aligned with the Light have problems with iron. Is that why?"
"Probably. As your powers have matured, your sensitivity has increased."
Belle hadn't moved. "Is there a possibility that some of this is connected with my mother? I know she wasn't from Avonleigh. Could she have had talents?"
"Eh. . . Belle . . . I probably should have told you, but I thought you knew . . . about your mother . . . "
They were interrupted by thundering hooves. It was Ruby's two hellhounds bounding up to them. Ruby was wearing a pair of rollerblades and coming up behind them. The dogs, now with checkered kerchiefs around their necks, stopped when they got to Belle and Gold and sat down to wait for Ruby.
"Good boys," Ruby told them doing a twirl around Gold and Belle. "I thought the outing would do them good. They've been cooped up in my apartment all day. And . . . if you need any backup, they can be pretty intimidating."
"Is there room for them in your apartment?" Belle had to ask.
"It's pretty cramped. I may need to be looking for a new place. I want something with a yard. Starting to look around," Ruby waved and skated off with the dogs in tow.
"Ruby might be leaving?" Belle was surprised.
"Tenants come and go as they are needed," Gold told her. "If it's the right time for Ruby to leave, then she'll find the right place."
The two started walking again, getting to The Entrance. The door opened for them and the rodent creature bowed low.
They started down the winding staircase.
"You may as well know that some of the other tenants may be moving out," Gold told her.
"You think?"
"Well, one of our primary enemies has been removed. The House tends to adjust depending on the needs of the community. We won't need as many people on staff as it were."
"Who's leaving?" Belle asked.
Gold shrugged. "Different people."
They stopped at the bottom of the winding staircase and Gold, now in his glittering guise, turned Belle to look at him. "Belle, you know I shall have to do some things that . . . well, you will not approve. You will probably strongly disapprove. These are entities that only understand violence and force. I shall have to show them that I am willing and able to use force when it is needed. It will not be pleasant."
"I understand," Belle told him.
"Do you?" he asked her. He traced the back of his hand down her face. "There is a dark side of me that you have not really met. A very dark side."
"All right," Belle answered perhaps a little less sure of herself.
He gave her a tight smile. "My dearest Belle," and he gave her a gentle kiss. "We'll see how comfortable you really are with that dark side."
+ + + + New Rules
They arrived at the Villains' Club. It was crowded with different representatives of the entities that populated the underkingdom. The grey shadow entities as well as some of the other shadow creatures, the dubharim, the bocans, among others, red caps, blue feet, so many other marginal creatures, lurked in various corners. Some of the creatures bowed low before Gold, but most were holding back.
"She cannot come in here," one of the shadow creatures protested Belle's presence. And it dared to put its hands on Belle. "She is Light Magic."
Gold turned and incinerated the impertinent shadow figure.
He could feel Belle's horror at his casual use of his fiery powers. He gave her a quelling glance. He could not afford to show any weakness.
He held out his hand to Belle and, trembling, she put her hand into his. "Come," he ordered her and by doing so he defined the relationship he had with Belle in front of his subjects. She was his woman – a Ruler of the Dark World had claimed a Princess of the Light as his own.
Everyone had stepped back from him after the casual execution, including some of his own people. Gold escorted Belle toward the dais.
The crowd groused but no one else stepped forward. Most were now wary in Gold's presence, many remembering the excesses of his father. They were now concerned if he would give them more of the same.
"Tough crowd," he muttered to Belle as he went and sat on the dais. Belle opted to stand behind his chair, keeping herself in the shadows. She knew what he was doing was necessary, oh, and he had tried to warn her, but it was all incredibly uncomfortable for her. These lives were different, different feeling, different acting, but they were living forms none the less.
Regina and Emma then joined him on the dais flanking him as befitted his lieutenants. Jefferson perched himself in one of the darker corners, a suitable place for a chief adviser. Ruby, his chief executioner, had blown in before them and, leaving her skates on, had sat near the door with her dogs. Milah, a secondary enforcer, came in and maneuvered so that she was behind the dais. Archie, in charge of gathering intelligence, came in and sat next to Ruby. Mary Margaret and David, also secondary enforcers, had opted to stay outside but Gold knew they were there. Gold had left Leroy and Ashley back at The House . . . with Zelena and his newly adopted daughter.
Among the last to arrive were Cora and Killian Jones. Cora sat next to Jones at one of the lower tables.
Gold waited until he thought there were enough of the denizens of the Undertown present. He then stood. "I claim this . . . District. . . . by right of birth and by right of disposition. Anyone here wish to challenge me?"
There were some murmuring and shifting around, and Belle held her breath. She watched as Gold conjured a small fireball which he played with, wrapping the fire around his hand or having it dance in his palm, while he waited to see if there were any one bold enough to gainsay him.
When things remained quiet, Gold nodded at his constituents. "It is done then."
He sat back down. "I have a few new rules," he began. "Those of you who are from this place, will stay in this place. You are not to attempt to go into the city above. If you go into the city above, the penance shall be death. He felt Belle twitch behind him. He continued. You will stay in your own zone and cease preying on each other. If you leave your assigned zone, the penance shall be death. I will appoint representatives who will be able to move freely from zone to zone and bring disputes to one of my lieutenants."
He waited while these new laws sunk in. He took a deep breath. "Cora, Jones, stand so these people can see you." Gold continued, "I don't want to deal with the day-to-day running of this circus act. These two will have power at my pleasure . . . in my absence. They'll hear disputes, appoint a police force, whatever they need to do to keep things running smoothly."
"Well," Belle heard Emma behind him. "That was unexpected."
"The roads and this part of the city shall be neutral zones. All may travel and may come here in peace."
"Are there any who would dispute me?" Gold looked out over the assemblage. There were murmurs aplenty but no one dared to confront Gold.
He slowly smiled at the assemblage. "Excellent," he said quietly. "Shall we celebrate?" And he nodded at the barkeep who began pouring out drinks for the gathered group.
"Is it over?" Belle dared to lean over and whisper her question.
"What do you think?"
Belle closed her eyes. "No, I think there will be attempts to overthrow you."
"Absolutely. Tell me, who do you think is most likely to strike?"
Belle closed her eyes and looked at the crowd. "The shadow creatures that were Pan's favorites. They have lost their power and prestige. They're big and they're strong."
He smiled at her. "I thought that too, so I have assigned them to Cora and Jones to be their body guards, their second in commands, as it were. It should feed their desire for power and placate them. And they will retain direct communication with me," he gave Belle a grim smile, "They like being snitches."
Belle nodded. "Sounds like a reasonable response. What made you put Cora and Jones in charge?"
"They are most qualified for this thankless job and, most importantly, they are willing to do it. They enjoy power but, especially Jones, they can generally be relied upon to be fair and impartial."
"So you've forgiven Cora?" Belle asked.
"Not at all. I've told Jones that I want no contact with the woman. I do not want to receive missives from her. In fact, this is the last time I want to see her. After tonight I don't want to be told what she's wearing, get a box of cookies she's baked, smell her perfume, nothing. Jones is to be my contact, Jones and only Jones."
"Think you can trust him?" Regina asked.
"He's afraid of me, so yes. I can trust him. Besides, with the deal I made with the Shadow Guards - that they can communicate directly with me – they'll be sure to share anything that looks like he's turning against me." Besides I have placed a spell on both Cora and Jones that their lives are in my hand. One turn of the spell, and they're dead. He smiled at Belle.
+ + + + Babysitting
"Read me 'nother stor-ree, pul-eese," Elspeth asked Zelena. She was sitting up in her bed having enjoyed a glass of milk and one cookie, one trip to the potty, three songs, had her hair combed out and, now, her fifth story.
"I'm out of story books, Miss Elspeth, and we'd said that last one would be the last one. Darling, it is past your bedtime. If you want me to be able to come again, I shall have to insist on lights out," Zelena was sticking to her previous bargain with Elspeth. The child was clever, using her charm to wheedle the best bargain, the best deal she could. Certainly reminded Zelena of someone.
Elspeth briefly pouted but agreed. "You come again if I go sleepies?"
"I shall do my best. Mr. Gold is the one to decide things."
"You love him?" Elspeth suddenly asked, her bright blue eyes locking with Zelena pale blue ones.
Zelena was a bit taken aback by the child's question and there was a brief feeling of discomfort. She had accepted Belle's story that they had found the child in Cora's house and taken her into their care. Zelena wondered if there was more to the story. Perhaps they knew who the child really was.
Zelena nodded, "Yes, I believe I'm in love with Rum . . . Mr. Gold," she confessed to the child.
"But he don't love you," Elspeth said sadly. It wasn't a question.
"No, but I think he might learn to like me," Zelena told her. "I've done some bad things, Elspeth, and I'm trying to be a better person. It's not easy."
"I help?"
"Perhaps. I like sitting with you. It gives me something useful to do. I'm having a lot of fun. But," Zelena realized the child was still actively distracting her from bedtime, "we'll have to talk some more another time. Right now is your bedtime."
And she gave the child a quick hug and tucked her in. She turned off the overhead and went into the kitchen.
Rumple had such nice things, Zelena thought. There was a vase of flowers on the counter, some cheery curtains and kitchen towels. The kitchen would have been a cold, unfriendly place without those added touches. She realized that the warm touches had probably been added by Belle. Zelena made herself a cup of tea and she turned a radio on to some soothing music. This was a nice place to live. A lot nicer than where she had been living. And The House hadn't tossed her out . . . yet.
As she was sitting there, an incredibly large, solid black cat came padding into the kitchen. It trilled a greeting to her.
"Well hello there, handsome," she greeted the cat. The animal came over to her and rubbed against her leg. "You are gorgeous," she told him, stroking his head.
+ + + + + Progress
"We have a report, your majesty," Cogsworth reported to his king.
"Please?"
"The elusive Mr. Gold has been spotted. He seems to run a rather unique antique shop downtown Asheville. We haven't spotted the Princess, but we are continuing to watch him. I am hopeful, your Majesty. I think it is just a matter of time."
King Maurice nodded. "I hope so. Do we think he's sheltering her?"
"Perhaps. We do know there is a connection between the two."
+ + + + Sitting
It was past midnight when Gold and Belle returned to The House. Zelena had lain down on the sofa in Gold's sitting room with Lovecraft lying stretched out next to her. She stirred as the couple came in.
"She's clever, you know," Zelena said yawning as she prepared to go downstairs to Emma's. "She kept distracting me from bedtime with requests and asking me questions. I did finally get her down." Zelena leaned over to Belle. "Thanks so much for trusting me with this job. I know it was probably a bit of a leap of faith."
"No trouble at all," Belle told her. "I'm glad it worked out."
"How did it go . . . you know. . . down under?" Zelena asked as she stood by the door.
"Pretty well. Gold's confined everyone to the Undertown area and appointed Cora and Jones as his Deputies."
"Really? Mother as one of the good guys? That's rich."
"We'll see. Gold has watchers watching the watchers who are watching the watchers and so on and so forth. I suspect if either one of them mess up, Gold will be on them and turn them into an insect or a snail or something unnatural."
"Probably," agreed Zelena.
"Now, will you be available another night for sitting if we need you?" Belle asked.
"What else do I have going on in my life right now?" If Zelena sounded a little bitter, Belle overlooked it.
"Lovely. I may be calling on you then," and she opened the door for Zelena to pass through.
When Belle returned to the sitting room, Gold was gone. She knew he was in the apartment somewhere so she stopped to listen. She heard voices and followed them to the Guest Bedroom . . . . er. . . . Elspeth's room. She heard the two talking in very low tones.
"You smell funny." It was Elspeth talking.
"I'm sorry. It's . . . I've been using Dark Magic. I didn't mean to wake you up little one. I was just coming in to check on you. You have fun with Aunt Zelena?"
"Lotta fun. She read to me, comb my hair, got me a snack."
"All right. Sounds all right."
There was a moment of silence.
"I sleepy now."
"Then good night little one."
Belle was waiting for him when he came out of Elspeth's room.
"She's fine?" she had to ask him.
"Yeah," he seemed a little disgruntled.
"Would you have been happier if we'd come back and found that Zelena had introduced the child to Ben-Wa balls?" Belle had to ask him.
"No," he seemed flustered. "I guess I still have a hard time trusting your ability to assess other people's true motives and such," he finally conceded.
Belle stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss. "I know darling. You've only had yourself to depend on for so long." She smiled up at him and turned to go into the master bedroom.
"Hey," he had a sudden thought as he turned to follow her. "How do you know about Ben-Wa balls?"
She looked back at him, "Oh Milah. . . and Ruby. They talk."
"You have trashy friends," he closed the bedroom door behind them.
"You introduced me," she reminded him. She sniffed him, "Elspeth's right. You do smell funny."
"You two make the same faces. It's the Dark Magic. It leaves a residue. Light Magic, Earth Magic, Water Magic, Sex Magic, they all leave a trace."
Belle was busy now, unlacing him from the complex leather vest he had put on to go down into Undertown. He started to undress her, but she stopped him.
"No, you always take off my clothes first. I want to do you first," she told him and he dropped his hands.
"As you wish," he said with a faint smile.
Belle busied herself with the vest, the silk shirt. She struggled more when she got to his pants.
"However did you get yourself into these? They fit like a second skin and I can't get the laces to start to loosen."
"Magic," he answered. "Do you need any help?"
"I'm fine," she told him and then he felt the smallest pulse of her own magic, telling the laces to relax, to yield. As she focused on unfastening his pants, he allowed small tendrils of his own magic to flow out. He began to stroke her. First down her neck. She brushed a hand down her neck as if to push away an errant lock of hair. Then down the side of her body where he might have allowed his hands to go if he were taking charge. Belle flinched but didn't yet recognize the source of the stimulation. He allowed a tendril to begin at her ankle and slowly move up her leg, caressing, appreciating her firm softness.
"Wait a minute," she looked up from her job. She had gotten the laces loose and was about to start to help him out of the pants. "You're doing that."
"What?" he was doing his best to pretend unawareness.
"Stop that. You can't pull off innocence," she told him. "Maybe I can do that too," she said to herself as if the thought had just occurred to her. And she stepped back. Closing her eyes she imagined his pants sliding off. He might have helped her a little bit but when she opened them, she was pleased to find the man was now standing in all his natural gloriousness, saluting her with unabashed desire.
"Now what, milady?" he asked her. "I'm all yours."
"Ruby told me about this position. I wanted to try it. Come and sit in this chair." She chose one of the cushioned chairs with side arms that he had in the room. It was a bit over-sized but that suited her needs. "It should be able to hold both of us, right?"
"I believe so," he answered her sitting back in the chair and he watched with curiosity and amusement as Belle reached up under her skirt to take off her underwear. She started towards him but he held up his hand.
"Understand, I'm not complaining, but you have always been a rather vocal . . . . participant. Should we sound proof the room?"
"But what if Elspeth has a problem during the night and calls out to us?" Now Belle was in a quandary.
"Simple enough. You construct a shield that sounds can come in but can't come out," he explained.
"You'll do that?" she asked him.
"No. You're in charge this evening. You do it." And he watched her as she puzzled her way through the complex bit of magic. She expanded her own shield first and then, in a peculiar twist she placed puckers in the construct, little dips and valleys that pulled inward but nothing protruding outwards.
"Should that do it?" she asked.
"Never seen one like that, but each person's talent manifests differently. Very good," he complimented her.
She grinned and turned her attention back to him. "Now this part is tricky. I have to climb onto your lap, facing you, put my legs inside the arms of the chair and then sit down in your lap."
He helped her but as she prepared to lower herself, he shifted and guided her directly onto his shaft, pulling her down abruptly. Her skirt flowed out around them.
She gasped. "I didn't think I was ready for you yet," she told him breathlessly her arms holding onto him tightly.
"But you were wrong, you see," he told her. "Now what my sweet?" he asked her.
"I'm supposed to be able to push up and down on you but my feet don't touch the floor," she complained.
"Ah yes, you got this idea from Ruby. Well, I can't say from personal experience but I suspect your friend has longer legs than you – although I rather think yours are the perfect length. I'm going to have to help," and he held onto her waist while he lifted himself up and down, rocking the chair.
Belle's feet didn't quite meet in the back and she settled on putting her ankles against the sides of the chair to brace herself. She was able to lean in to kiss and touch the man as much as she liked and he took advantage of her position on his lap to kiss and lick her neck, spending a little extra time on Belle's sensitive little juncture between her neck and where her shoulder began. He could feel her shivering and she would often forget what she was trying to do for him, close her eyes and just whimper. Soon Belle found that her weight and her bracing were keeping her still while he pushed up and against her. It was most stimulating. He kept to a slow rhythm at first but gradually his own desires began to overtake him and he began to push into her harder and harder. The chair began to shift with him despite Belle's best efforts to hold things still. The chair lifted with his thrusts and then slammed back down onto the floor. When Belle began to tighten herself around him, her head thrown back as the waves began to overtake her, he bent her backwards so that she had to entrust his strength to support her.
It was too much.
For both of them.
And Belle screamed out as the first pulsing wave hit her hard and Gold allowed himself to let go. He gently pulled her back up and held her close until they were both able to breath normally again.
Belle looked up. "Weren't we over there when we started?"
Gold glanced up. "I guess, I think we kinda moved the chair across the room."
He helped her untangle from both himself and the chair and then removed the remainder of her clothing helping her over to the bed.
Belle collapsed onto the bed her legs giving away under her. "That was pretty good."
"We can also do it with you sitting with your back to me," he grinned at her.
+ + + + Breakfast
It had been a quiet morning. Gold had fixed coffee for himself and Belle.
"I wonder if having Elspeth with us will mean we don't get breakfast out as much," he mused. "I've enjoyed my breakfasts with you Miss Belle and would not want to give them up."
"Perhaps for mornings when there hasn't been so much excitement the day before," she suggested.
He was about to suggest they prepared an omelet using whatever they had available in the fridge when they heard a yowl, followed by a thud, followed by a dark flash streaking through the kitchen, followed by ittle Elspeth running for all she was worth.
"Kitty!" she said by way of explanation.
"Oh good grief, you've scared him!" Gold nearly shouted.
Belle stopped her and began to explain, "Let Mr. Gold get the kitty for you and I'll show you how to pet him," and Belle looked pointedly at Gold. He sighed and got up to fetch Lovecraft. He heard Belle talking to the distraught child. "You scared the kitty, darling. We'll get him calmed down and I'll show you how to make nice with him."
"He runned away from me!" Elspeth wailed.
"He's not used to little girls. We can help him. Now let's practice our library voice. He doesn't like loud sounds."
Gold shook his head as he went in search of Lovecraft. He found the animal underneath one of his antique credenzas.
"Not a very good hiding place," he told the cat. "She's quite capable of crawling in there after you."
The cat meowed back at him.
"And why are you afraid of her? From what I've heard you just single-handedly beat off a demonic horde. You probably have a couple of pounds on the kid . . . and claws."
The cat meowed back, this time rather miserably.
"Well, yeah. Truth be told, I'm a little scared of her too. But you've got to man up and let her pet you or we won't have any peace."
Again the cat meowed mournfully.
"Balls to the wall, Lovecraft. Come on," and slowly the big cat allowed himself to be coaxed out.
Gold picked up the large animal. "I'm coming in with him," he called out to Belle.
"She's in my lap," Belle called back. "Come and sit with us."
Gold dutifully came and sat next to Belle and Elspeth, holding onto the big cat. Belle modeled how to gently pat the animal and Elspeth followed suit. Soon enough, Lovecraft closed his eyes and began to trill and purr.
"I think he's had enough," Gold finally said. "I'm going to put him back in our room."
"Good job Elspeth. You have to be gentle around Lovecraft."
When Gold returned he announced his plan to make an omelet for everyone, but Elspeth spoke up, "I want a floaty egg."
Thanks so much to all those people who took the time to read and to all my awesome reviewers: thedoctorsgirl42, RaFire, Robin4, orthankg1, AnneElliotsCat, jewel415, emospritelet, RoxyMoron, cynicsquest, CharlotteAshmore, MyraValhallah, deweymay, Erik'sTrueAngel, Chauchi, Aletta-Feather (chapter 30) (and jaime. wan. kenobi who sent several pm's).
Baileybugger (Guest) – thx so much for your kind comments (I love writing about Asheville, so I'll continue doing so as long as it works).
Anne Andrews (Guest) – thx so much. Obviously there has been more Gold/Elspeth bonding and I plan a bit more between these two.
NEXT: Gold begins to develop a plan to get the last part of the dagger