Malroth let out a growl when Lily gave him a shake the next morning. He covered his ears and curled up into a tight ball. "Leave me alone." He growled again when she sat on him. "Lily."

"Mal! You promised you'd be as fit as a fiddle this morning!" The builder let out a laugh and shook him again. "I'm going to get some breakfast, I'll come wake you in a little bit, whiney head."

Malroth grumbled when her weight was suddenly gone and the door to the sleeping quarters clicked shut. He started to relax though until he felt like someone was staring at him. Peeking one eye open, he flinched back, staring into the dark eyes of Tiny. "What do you want?"

"Jussst letting you know that Lily isss going to go into the minesss without you." Tiny purred and flapped over to the door, waiting for Malroth to get up.

"Dammit, Lily!" Malroth sat up, annoyance bristling through him as he shoved the door open. The repetitive 'clank, clank, clink' of metal being worked told Malroth that Lily wasn't getting breakfast but was already working on a new project, again. He let out another grumble as he stepped into the smithy, eyes narrowed on Lily's back.

Lily whirled around, a large metal mallet in her hands. "C'mon, Mal! Time to tear these mines apart!" She went to run out the door when Malroth wrapped his arms around her waist. "Hey! C'mon!"

"Food first, then the mines."


Lily and Malroth followed the miners passed the newly opening stone wall, a blue glow had them all looking around curiously. "Oi! Lily! Lily! Come look at this!" Lily ran after where she heard Dougie's voice coming from, she ran a little too far though, nearly tumbling over the sharp cliffside and into the water below when Malroth grabbed the back of her dress, keeping her on their level. "Holy crap." She whispered as Mal pulled her back to safer ground.

"I didn't know nothin' like this was down here." Dougie was spinning as he looked all around, in complete awe at the underground lake.

"Boss, how we's gonna get across the bridge? We ain't good swimmers." One of the newer miners whimpered, pointing to a bridge that had water pouring over it.

Lily walked up to the bridge, examining where the water came from. "I should be able to patch that up."

"How are you going to get up there?" Malroth barely got the question out before Lily reached over and started climbing up the thick chain. "Hey! Are you stupid?! What if you fall?" He rushed up the chain after her, growling at how slick the metal was with the water splashing on it.

"I'll be fine!" Lily laughed as she started patching up where the water was coming from. "There you go, Dougie, how is that?"

"Much better! Thanks, Lily!" The builders cheered as they took off deeper into the mines.

Lily turned and gave Malroth a smile, bouncing on her toes as she batted her eyes at him. "Now, just to get down."

Malroth let out a groan but scooped Lily up, tossing her onto his shoulder as he went to the ledge and dropped down onto the bridge. He set Lily down, shaking his head at her when she started giggling profusely. "And I thought I was going to be the troublemaker here." He let out a grunt when she grabbed his hand and yanked him down the path after her.

Dougie looked back at them when they caught up to them at another wall that needed to be blown to dust. "Ya know… they say there's treasure down 'ere, and an ancient, 'aunted temple."

"Haunted temple?" Malroth gave Lily a grin when she ran back to their safe spot as the wall exploded behind her. "That sounds like a right adventure!"

"Lulu is going to have my head." Lily laughed as she climbed back out of the hole and followed the miners again. As they ran through the old tunnels, she would stop and fix support beams and blow through walls or knock them down with her new hammer. She felt like a little kid during the holidays with her new toy as she knocked down walls and tore through ore.

They got to a large clearing, a group of monsters waiting for them, weapons ready to attack. Dougie and the few miners that were left let out cries as they huddled down. Lily and Malroth nodded at each other before jumping into the fray, back to back and dancing around each other as they traded blows with the monsters.

Malroth grabbed Lily's arm, swinging her around and blocking a blow from the skeleton. A smirk grew on his face when Lily slid around him, striking the skeleton down with one final blow. "Remember that time you said that we would never be partners?"

"Are you going to hold that against me?" Malroth's voice came out as more of a purr than the growl he meant it to be as he pulled Lily against him, quickly scanning her for any damage. When he was satisfied, he let her go and join back up with Dougie.

A blush had Lily stammering at Malroth's tone as she went over to Dougie, sweeping her arms out to the mine. "Took another area back from the Children, Dougie."

Dougie walked around, a hand on his chin as he thought about where they were. "Ya know… if my gut is right, I know exactly where we is." He pointed to the tracks. "Over there!" He ran over, Malroth and Lily hard on his heels as he followed them, frowning at the large wall blocking the way. "Now who'd be dumb enough to make pointless tracks!" Then something hit him, his fist slamming against the wall. "Lily! Knock this down! We should be on the other side of town here!"

Lily raised a brow but shrugged as she lifted her hammer, slamming it against the wall. She made quick work of it, hands on her hips as she looked back at Dougie who was jumping for joy. "I'll finish the tracks and we'll be set!" She beamed, laughing with the miner before she set to work on the tracks.


When Lily and Malroth headed back up to town after laying the tracks, they were nearly run over by Babs who was sprinting towards the minecart they got out of. "Lily! Lily! You finished the tunnels?! That's wonderful! That's so exciting! Soon this town will be bustling with excitement!" She cheered, hugging Lily before disappearing back into town.

Malroth glanced at Lily, a slight pout on his lips. "So…" He looked away when Lily looked back at him, tilting her head curiously at him. "Did… Babs actually kiss you? Like… not that it matters, but like… did she?" He shoved his hands in his pockets, still unable to look at Lily as she put her hands on her hips and stared at him.

"No, she put her thumbs on my lips and kissed her thumbs. Called it a stage kiss." Lily couldn't help the grin on her face as she put her nose to his, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You aren't jealous of Babs, are you?"

"What?!" Malroth jumped back, huffing at the audacity coming from Lily. "Good joke! I would never!"

Lily laughed when Malroth stomped back into town, her hand on her hip as she shook her head. "Weirdo."

"I heard that!"

Lily laughed more and followed him into town, seeing that, like usual, the men were goo-goo eyed for Babs as she walked into her kitchen. "ME LOVE BABS. BABS PRETTY… MY MARRY BABS YOU THINK?"

Digby gawked up at the golem as Lily and Malroth walked up. "M-M-Marry 'er?! Cor blimey, I've got some stiff competition… I'll 'ave to train 'arder than ever before to get muscles bigger than Billy Brick-Biceps."

Babs came back out, a plate of marshrooms in her arms. "If we keep goin' at this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before the gold comes pourin' out!"

"OH BABS… YOU MELT MY METAL HEART… YOU SO KIND…" Goldi let out a moaning weep.

Babs set the plate down on one of the chests nearby, her hands going to her hips as she puffed her cheeks. "I ain't as kind as that! The only reason I wanna turn ya back into a Gold Golem is so the Golden Age'll return to Khrum!"

Goldi reached down, carefully scooping Babs up in one hand. "ME UNDERSTAND… BABS DREAM MY DREAM TOO! WE BRING BACK GOLDEN AGE… THEN WE GET… MARRIED…?" Babs let out a gasp, jolting in the Golem's hand as she gawked at him.

Malroth snickered as he grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her away from the two. "Let's leave the lovebirds to it, Lily. You and me should head back down to the mine – all those stories about treasure and temples have got me fired up!"

Lily eyed Malroth for a moment, narrowing her gaze on him. "Why don't we wait and see what else I can do around here before we head out on that journey. At least let me enjoy the sun for another day before you drop me into the tunnels."

Before the two could get very far though, Dougie and his little group of miners ran up the stairs, huffing and puffing from running through the mines. "Goldi! Goldi! We got ya the last o' the copper!"

Goldirox set Babs down before jumping some, clapping his stone hands. "ME COPPER GOLEM… HIT ME… BUILDER!"

Lily took the copper from Dougie when he handed it over. She smiled at Goldi before winding up her toss and letting it fly at the golem. Everyone shielded their eyes as magic wrapped around Goldirox, changing his features some. His legs and arms grew, and he became bulkier, as well as being fully copper now. "Looking good, Goldi!"

"WOOHOO! ME BECOME COPPER GOLEM! THANK YOU LILY."

"Congratulations, Goldi! You're looking right dapper now!" Babs clapped for the golem and then climbed into his hand when he offered to hold her up as the others gathered around.

Dougie ran up to the small group, eyes locked on Babs. "Wiv everythin' finished, it's time for the main event! We done everythin' as you asked, Babs! Right, Babs?! Babs?!"

Babs reached up, cleaning her ears out and rolling her eyes. "Keep your 'air on, Dougie, I 'eard ya." She gave a sigh and a shrug. "A promise is a promise, I s'pose." She twirled, fanning her arms out as she laughed. "Sorry boys, but I ain't quite ready, there's somethin's missin'. Somethin' important."


For the rest of the day, the miners scratched their head, trying to think of what was missing for Babs, they even pestered Lily who would just shrug and tell them that Babs hadn't come to her about it. "Lily, ya gotta know what Babs is missin' – sumfin' important. Why can't she become a dancin' girl? Wot's she rabbitin' on abaht?" He thought for a moment, if Lily focused hard enough, she could almost smell the rubber burning from how hard this man was thinking. "Ah! I fink I got an idea! I reckon it's cos us miners ain't muscly enuff! If we beefed up a bit, Babs'd be back in toe-tappin' mood in no time." Digby flexed his muscles at her, groaning behind the effort. The look on Lily's face caused Digby to flinch. "Wot?!"

Lily pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing at Digby. "I think you're barking up the wrong tree, I doubt it's you guys not being muscly enough."

"Ya never know, Lily! Will ya at least build a pumpin' station for us?!"

"Please… don't call it a… pumping station." Lily let out a weak chuckle before disappearing into the smithy.

Malroth ran around the town, keeping an eye out for Lily as he ran around. He burst into the pub, hands on his hips as he looked around. "Whatcha lookin' for, Malroth?" Babs asked as she cleaned off the tables, her brows raised at the confused looking male.

"Lily."

"Oh- your girlfriend went missing?"

"Girlfriend?" Malroth's brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what she meant but when she only laughed, he turned tail and ducked out of the pub. He slammed to a stop, looking to his right where a new room had popped up in the minute he was in the pub. "Lily!"

Lily poked her head out of the room, grinning at Malroth. "Hey! What's up?"

"When are we going to the mines again?" Malroth stood in the doorway, gasping when Digby shoved him aside.

"Lily! Miss Lily! You finished the room?!" Digby ran in, checking the room out. "Babs! Babs!" He grabbed a set of dumbbells, hoisting them up. "OH, BAA-AABS!"

Babs came running in, pausing by Malroth who was seething as he glared at Digby. "What in tarnation do ya want, Digby?!"

"Look, Babs! I got us a pumpin' station! We'll 'ave the massive muscles yer missin' in no time – then you'll be all set to 'op into that cottontail costume!" He flexed for her, curling the dumbbells as fast as he could.

"Oh, Digby, ya silly sausage! That ain't it – yer muscly enough already." Babs covered her mouth as she giggled. "Why don't you an' Lily put yer 'eads together? I'm sure ya can work out wot I need." She winked at Lily before leaving the pumping station.

"Lily!" Digby wheezed at her, the dumbbells dropping from his hands. "Wot does she need?!"

"Oh, no. Nope. I will not play guessing games. You and the boys can come up with another idea, until then, I'm going to go find something else to build." Lily waved him off before quickly leaving the room and over to the sleeping quarters.


The sun was beating down on Malroth as he walked towards where Lily was working on a new room above the sleeping quarters, he paused at the newcomer, Serge, seeing the man was watching Lily intently. "What are you looking at?"

Serge didn't look to see who he was looking at as he rubbed his beardless chin. "I need to think of how to approach the heathen builder." He finally looked over, his face paling as he stared at Malroth. "O… oh no."

"First of all, she isn't a heathen. Second, you just walk up to her. If she's in the middle of a build you wait until she comes up for air." Malroth started for the staircase Lily had built. "Watch."

Serge slowly followed Malroth, the two waiting at the top as Lily ran around, placing items and adding windows to the walls. "Mi-" He flinched when Malroth held up a hand, signaling that he needed to wait. And then he saw it, Lily leaned back and cracked her back. "Miss Lily?"

Lily turned, smiling at the two men. "Mal! Uh…" She glanced to Malroth, clearly not remembering who this person was. "Uhm… who are you… again?"

"What do you mean, who am I?! I came when you last rang the bell! Serge! My name is Serge!" He huffed, glaring at the builder. "Anyways, the others have been kind enough to fill me in on the situation with Miss Babs. When it comes to the fairer sex, these uncouth brutes haven't the foggiest, but I'm rather in touch with my feminine side-"

"We can tell." Lily and Malroth high-fived as they spoke at the same time, grinning at each other.

"Excuse me! I'm trying to ask for a favor here." Serge clenched his fists, glaring at the two of them. "Anyways! I know precisely what Miss Babs needs before she will don that leotard – a private chamber in which to change!" He put his hands on his hips, puffing his cheeks out. "Put yourself in her place for a moment, she isn't like you. A lady would never feel comfortable changing her attire in this mire of testosterone and triceps! Now, make one of your fancy blueprints and design such a facility, would you?"

"Alright… Clayton." Lily snarled as she shoved by Serge.

Serge's face turned red as he stomped down the stairs after her. "My name is Serge, I told you that! And you should go find a gladioli, follow the valley eastward to reach the oasis-"

Lily whirled on him, their noses and foreheads pressed together. "Do you really… honestly think… that even if this is for Babs, that I'll build something for someone who just insulted me?"

"Well… uhm…" Serge gulped; eyes wide as he tried to lean away from Lily. "Please, let me apologize-" He watched as Lily stormed off, leaving him along with Malroth who was chuckling. "She's such a-"

"Spitfire." Malroth purred as he stalked off after Lily. She quickly worked on getting stairs up to where she was going to put Babs' room. Malroth could always tell when she was heated as she threw stuff down all willy-nilly. He waited at the top of the stairs as she threw up walls, the annoyance still not leaving her shoulders.

Lily was snarling to herself when she finally noticed Malroth watching her. She stopped what she was doing to take in his posture, he had his arms crossed and was leaning against the bare doorframe, but there was something that made her lower belly burn. His eyes, he was drinking in her anger, her annoyance. That look in his eyes reminded her of a predator watching his prey.

She let out a humph and went back to angrily slamming blocks around the room, not letting his cooled temper dampen hers. "Don't try to talk me down, Mal. I want to be angry. Who comes into a town and just… just… demands and… insults like that?"

Malroth listened to her growl for a few moments before quietly walking up behind her as she set down a bed, his eyebrow raised as he looked at it. "So, Babs gets a bed… and I get a pile of straw?" He grabbed her wrist when she whirled on him, growling at him. He held her against him, letting her squirm for a moment. "You looked like you were going to tear him apart." He purred as he put her chin between his index finger and his thumb, tipping her head up to look at him. "I don't… understand this feeling… I have, but seeing you like this, it… I don't know how to explain it." He whispered and put his forehead to hers.

Lily took a shaky breath, breathing in his scent; an odd mixture of citrus and wood smoke. She pulled away some, giving him a puzzled look before leaning back in and breathing him in again, she hadn't ever really taken note of how he smelled before just then. She looked up at him, a brow raised. "Have you been trying to cook?"

"No, I've been down in the mines if I'm not with you." Malroth shrugged and kissed her forehead before pulling away. "Are you almost finished in here?"

"Two things left, and then I'm done." Lily turned, nailing a sign to the wall and writing Babs' name on it. She put her hands on Malroth's chest, enjoying the way his muscles felt under her fingertips as she slowly pushed him out of the room, fixing the door up. "There, all finished!"

Serge ran up the stairs, eyes gleaming as he looked at Lily. "Is this it?!"

Digby was hard on Serge's heels, skidding into the bedroom. "Are you sure this is something that she would want? Will this do the job?" He turned, cupping his hands around his mouth as he hollered. "Oh~ Babs~! I 'as somethin' to show ya!"

"This was my idea, you ruffian!" Serge stomped, punching Digby with weak fists as Babs came running up the stairs.

"Wot, Digby?" Babs leaned around them, her eyes wide and jaw slack at the sight. "Is this a room for me?! You made this for me, Lily?!" She grabbed the builder, pulling her back into the room. "It'll make for a great place to change into my cottontail outfit!" She slammed the door shut in the boys' faces, leaving her alone with the baffled builder. "Don't worry, sweets. I have one for you too."


The guys flinched when they heard a cry for help, and then heard Babs shouting at them to go wait at the Declaration Post. Malroth was hesitant but followed the men over to the post. When Babs shouted at them to shut their eyes, and Goldi to turn away, Malroth kept his open, locked on the door for when it opened. Babs came out first, she looked alright in that silly little costume, but it seemed a little tight. Though, he had to admit, she looked stronger with those new horns on her head.

"Oh, c'mon, Lily! I ain't doin' this alone!" Babs hissed in a whisper at Lily who was still hiding in the room. "Don't make me drag you out by your tail!"

Malroth's chest tightened and his gut did flips when Lily teetered out in the heels she wore. As she drew closer, he noted that her legs looked a little longer, and that her arms were more muscled than Babs' was. He swallowed, trying to get rid of the dryness in his mouth as he watched her walk. Her face was red as the two girls climbed the stairs to the Declaration Post. He walked over, holding a hand out to help her up onto the platform.

Lily gently took his hand, not meeting his gaze, not wanting to see the smug look on his face. "Open your eyes!" Babs giggled as she grabbed Lily, making the girl pose with her; their chests and bellies pressed together and holding hands, one up behind them with the other down in front of them, and popping one foot up for good measure.

Serge let out a strangled noise, hearts in his eyes as he gawked over Babs. "I have an announcement! From this day forward, I hereby renounce my membership of the Children! I shall become a cotton-tailor and make the most dapper apparel for dancing boys and girls across the land!" His declaration sent a wave of cheering through the crowd of men, soon the newer miners were joining in on the renouncing of the Children. Then a gasp spread through the men when Serge fell face first into the dirt, a grin on his lips. "Such…a beauty… makes a grown man cry…"

"BABS… COTTONTAIL COSTUME LOOK AMAZING!" Goldirox cried out, holding his hand out to both the girls, waiting for a moment when Lily didn't jump into his hand. He shrugged and held Babs up, his jeweled eyes sparkling as he looked her over. "PRETTY BABS IS MOST PRETTIEST EVER!"

"Take me to the pub, Goldi! It's time to dance and drink like there's no tomorrow!"

Lily watched as all the miners and Babs ran into the pub, leaving her outside with a passed-out Serge and Malroth who couldn't peel his eyes away from her. "I can go change now." She whimpered as she started down the stairs, a startled squeal leaving her when Malroth swept her off her feet. "M-Mal!"

"You wanted to go change, yeah?"

"Yes, please… I started a room for us above the sleeping quarters." She leaned into him as he carried her up the stairs and into the room, she had made more progress on it than Malroth had thought.

He set her down so she could change while he explored. He stopped short though when he saw that there was a divider between the two beds. "What's this?"

"I put that there because I wasn't sure you wanted to sleep right next to-" Lily's jaw dropped as she watched him move the divider away and over to the wall and then move the two beds right up against each other. She shook her head, unable to hide her smile as she pulled her hair out of the twin tails.

Malroth turned to say something to Lily when he saw her struggling with a clasp on the back of the leotard. He walked over, standing behind her as she fumbled around with it. He reached up, moving her hair to one shoulder and then grabbing the clasp. "Want me to rip it?"

Lily was frozen, feeling his fingers in her hair and then against her back was making her head spin. "Wh-What?" Before she could really process his question, she felt the thick cloth tighten around her chest and then cool air rushed along her back as Malroth ripped the clasps off, freeing her from the constraints of the cottontail costume. "I-I-I…"

Malroth looked around, trying to find her something to wear. When he turned back to her, she was struggling to keep the leotard up. "I thought you wanted that off." He set her clothes down and held a hand out to her, ready to help her where she needed help.

Lily was about to whine about how she was going to be naked in front of him when she noticed he wasn't looking at her, not exactly. His eyes were trained to the top of her head. She carefully grabbed his hand as she took the heels off, feeling the leotard slip down and around her ankles. She had just wiggled out of the fishnet stockings when Malroth grabbed her, yanking her against him and turning, hiding her from the door when it burst open.

"Lily! Why aren't ya partyin' wiv us!?" Babs stomped, pouting at the two.

Lily felt Malroth turn his head so he could look at Babs, but he didn't speak. The look he must've given her was enough to scare her back down the stairs. "Mal… did you hear her coming up the stairs?"

"You didn't?" Malroth looked down at her, a brow raised as he watched her quickly yank her black shirt and shorts on. He shrugged, heading for the door. "You wanna go down there?"

"Uhm… actually… can we… lay down?" She watched as he pulled his jacket off and kick his shoes and gloves off. He easily scooped her back up and carried her to the bed where he plopped down, holding her tight against his side and tangled his legs with hers. "Thank you, Mal. Really, for everything you do for me."