Lily, Malroth and Warwick were headed down to a known marble quarry over by where they had met. Lily was bound and determined to ignore Warwick who was worried about her leading the way, if it were really a concern, Malroth would have taken the lead, but unlike every other person here, he trusted Lily. Until she let out a scream as a group of monsters jumped out at her, causing her to fall on her ass. She watched with wide eyes as Malroth lunged out in front of her, taking the hit from one skeleton before obliterating the monster.

Warwick held a hand out, helping her up and pointing to the canyon wall just beyond. "Right over there is where the marble should be, you get that while Malroth and I hold these guys off!"

She used him to help herself up before running away from the fray and going for the marble. She glanced back, ducking in time to miss the swing from a skeleton's sword. She spun awkwardly, slamming her new war hammer into the body of the skeleton while a war ax took the head in the other direction. Lily looked up, smiling at Malroth who was all but on fire with the amount of energy flowing through him. She watched him jump back down into the fray, Warwick couldn't keep up with Malroth; not that anyone could keep up with her lover.

With a hand on her hip and hammer resting on her shoulder, Lily whistled at the two boys. They were nose to nose, glaring at each other until she whistled, catching their attention. Warwick smiled up at her while Malroth continued to glare at Warwick. "We can head back now; I have what I need."


Malroth swung his ax, feeling it tear eagerly through the sinewy flesh of the walking corpse, blood spraying across the walls that Lily had just erected. His nostrils flared as he turned an eager look over his shoulder, seeing more enemy fighters running towards him and Warwick. He let out a deep growl, his muscles aching as he began walking towards them. He knew Lily was taking her time, letting him fight like this. His tongue swiped across his lips, he'd thank her tonight, that much was for sure.

Lily let out a little shiver as she tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears, risking a glance towards where Malroth was fighting. She could feel how happy he was to be fighting, to be destroying everything here, and he was purposely letting her feel how eager he was to find a secluded area later and thank her for the time to do so. She gasped when Zara ran by, grinning up at the red-faced builder. "You alright, Lily? You stopped building!"

"Wh-What?! Me? I'm fine! Totally… fine…" Lily glared at the back of Malroth's head, gasping when he turned in the middle of fighting three skeletons to give her a knowing wink. "That-! He knows what he's doing!" She huffed and puffed before going back to building, deciding she'd pick up the pace to shorten his play time. "I'm Malroth, I'm naïve in al-" She started in a mocking tone until movement to her left made her jump back, staring at the person that was suddenly there. "Uh…"

"Is everything alright, Lily? Zara told me you looked a little faint; do you need to take a break?" Warwick come up to her, grabbing her arm.

"I'm fine!" Lily pulled away, trying to hide – and failing, how flustered she was. "It's not every day I get to build this much, I just got excited… was all." She glared at Warwick, noting that he had decided to stay by her side. "Shouldn't you be helping Malroth fight off the monsters?"

"He's keeping them at bay far enough away from you, if any should stray over here, I'll be here to fight them back." Warwick gave her a grin as he watched her set blocks. "How long have you been building for?"

"A lot longer if you keep talking."

"You were just talking to yourself, though…?"

"That's different, I'm distracting myself from other things. You are distracting me from building." She fanned her arms out before pulling her sword out and throwing it to the side, nailing a skeleton in the head that had slipped past Malroth's rage. "When you should be fighting monsters."

Warwick took the hint and backed off of Lily, leaving the builder to her… whatever she had just been doing.


Malroth returned to Lily, panting and happier than Rosie seeing grass for the first time. "Lily." When the builder heard her name come out in the strained growl, she turned to him; those blue eyes wide, almost like she were afraid she had done something. But he only grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, spinning her around before planting a hungry kiss on her.

Warwick stared at the two, jaw slack in awe at how brazen they were. He cleared his throat softly at first, then a little louder. When that didn't get them to pull apart he let out a loud cough. "Ahem! There are other people here!"

Lily had to stop herself from biting the tongue that wasn't hers as she pulled back, staring at Warwick. "What? Do you want a kiss?" When the man seemed to contemplate the idea, Lily threw her arms out. "There's like five other women here! Go find one, genius!"

"Lily! You finished!"

"No." Lily strained to say as her fingers bit into the sleeves of Malroth's jacket. "Because none of you will let me." She turned, letting Malroth hide his face against a pigtail as Anessa ran around the corner.

"Lily! You beautiful builder!" What happened next, no one had been expecting. The King had beat everyone to Lily and Malroth. He ran over, cupping her cheeks as he planted a kiss on Lily's mouth, innocent to the fact that Malroth had just stuck his tongue down the builder's throat.

"Why did you kiss me?" Lily stared at the King in shock as she struggled to hold Malroth back, though thankfully Warwick was there to grab the angry, much larger male and yank him back.

"You have made Moonbrooke castle rise from the ruins!" The King cheered, clapping his hands joyfully.

"Indeed. All that remains is to rebuild the Great Eastern Gate – but this endeavor is not to be taken lightly-" Anessa went still, head snapping up. "I-"

"You feel it too, Anessa?" Malroth's eyes were glittering with warning. He looked to Lily, giving her a grin. "You came up with a new sword right?"

"Yeah, I handed them out earlier. The only one that doesn't have a newer sword is me. I still have my iron broadsword." She knew that look though, it meant a fight was coming and they all needed to be ready. "There should be an extra one, I'll go look." She quickly ran off to the bell room where she had moved all of her tools, finding an extra on in the chest. "Thought so."

Lily met Malroth and the others in the halls, grinning at Malroth who was already letting energy flowing freely. Her eyes went wide, and her heart sank some when a monster jumped over the walls, crazed eyes on her. And then there was another, and another. "What the hell?!"

"Don't freak out, Lily." Malroth purred as he charged, ripping into the first on with that deadly ax, sending the monster flying into the wall across the yard. "We're gonna have some fun!" He started swinging at the other that came over the wall.

Warwick and Anessa worked together, trading blows with another big one that jumped the wall. Warwick watched as Lily ran out the door to where monsters were surely waiting. "L-Lily! Wait!" He started to go after her when Malroth tore the door down, leaving their one defense open. "Damnit!"

Anessa blocked a swing from the monsters ax, her eyes wide as she glanced to Warwick. "W-Warwick! Help!"

The swordsman was distracted by Lily and Malroth, but Zara was there, jumping onto the monsters back and slamming her sword into the monsters' neck. "Warwick! Pay attention to your partner! Lily is more than covered with that!" She jabbed a finger at the overwhelming feeling coming from Malroth.

"Ri… right. I'm sorry, Anessa… I just-"

"You were ordered to help protect her; I understand." Anessa gave him a warm smile, clasping a hand on his shoulder. The two ran through the busted door, watching as Malroth took out one jumping monster after another and Lily ran along the steel spike traps, a small line of skeletons running after her. "How…"

"Odd." Warwick agreed, unable to contain his laughter.

Lily stopped on the tracks, suddenly turning and looking to Malroth. Anessa stepped towards Lily, seeing little red flecks in the girls' eyes as she ran towards Malroth, war hammer out and ready. It was as if they knew the monster was about to land right next to them. It was like they had done this a thousand times over. The move was flawless, and so power hungry it sent chills down Anessa's spine.

The monster was one of those jumping ones, he was bigger than the rest, towering over Malroth and Lily. When he landed, Malroth threw Lily up, the muscles in his legs taking him up from a standstill right after her. Her hammer landed on the beasts' head, a deadly blow all on its' own, but then Malroth landed on the back of her hammer like a comet. And the monster was done. The small group of human soldiers watched as the two high-fived over it and then carried on, taking out the last few monsters before the others could recover from the sight of them obliterating a large monster like that with one move.

The group was back in the bell room before they could think, eyes wide in shock at the sheer force those two brought with them. By themselves. And they had said they needed help? Just what was Hargon throwing at them? Anessa shook herself free of the stupor, grinning at Malroth and Lily who high-fived again beneath the bell. "And don't come back!" Malroth let out a loud laugh, keeping Lily trapped in his strong arms. "Not… that we could keep them out if they did… those spiky-haired guys just jumped straight over the walls."

Lily was content where she was at, Malroth wrapped around her with his chin resting on her head as he spoke about the monsters, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline of the fight against the back of her head.

"Yes, those are headhunters. Fearsome warriors who bound into battle over every barrier placed before them." Warwick whispered from behind Malroth, his voice strained with thought.

"If the fiends continue to send headhunters against us, our inner sanctum is safe no more. We must find some way to keep them at bay." Anessa put a hand to her chin, frowning.

"Ho, ho, ho! Come now, Anessa! If wisdom is what you seek, then you must first speak with your king! He might suggest you fortify the walls of the castle with magical traps! That would fill the bill quite nicely, don't you think? And I'm sure it would be well within Lily's capabilities as a builder." The King rushed forward, yanking Lily away from Malroth and showing her off like some prized jewel, albeit that jewel was covered in blood, but still a prized one.

"Magical traps? Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I… does Lily even have the necessary equipment to forge such subtle devices?" Anessa looked to Lily who was shaking her head but staying quiet as the King continued to laugh.

"Too true, Anessa – too true! Bu hidden deep beneath this castle lies a secret storeroom… with a workbench that might help Lily with this problem." The King purred; his eyebrows raised at the builder.

Lily slowly pried herself free from the King, seeing if he'd give her any other clues, but he did not. "Alright… guess I'm going to tear apart the castle. Be back shortly boys and girls." Lily gave him a glare before leaving, Malroth right behind her, and Warwick right behind him.

"She isn't leaving the castle grounds, Warwick." Malroth gave a tilt of his head, watching the way Lily walked as he followed her.

"Wherever she goes, I go. She was reckless enough in that battle, you never know what dangers lie hidden beneath the castle." Warwick gasped when Malroth suddenly turned on him, a dark look in those bright red eyes. "Erm…?"

"Reckless? You though… Lily was reckless then? You haven't seen Lily get reckless; not like I have. Are you trying to say I can't protect her, Warwick?" Malroth had slowly walked Warwick back until he was against the wall, staring up at Malroth. "Is that what you're saying?"

Lily slid between them, her hands on Malroth's chest, pushing him back slowly. "Mal, that's not what he's saying at all. The King gave him orders, he's just trying to follow them."

"Then he should do so, quietly." Malroth let Lily push him back a few steps before following her through the castle and to the little courtyard in the center, he looked around, frowning. "I don't think there's going to be-" He gave an interested little nod when Lily cleared snow, revealing floorboards covering a staircase. "How did you-"

"I have my ways." Lily took on step down, feeling her chest tighten as she slowly took another. She had been down here before; she knew it in her gut.


The guard set the small girl down on the cool ground of the room, leaving her with her grandmother and a few other servants and hand maidens. Soon, the Queen was ushered down, smiling at them. "Oh, Rose, it is good to see you again." The Queen walked over to the older woman, squeezing her hands. "And who is this?"

"This is my Lily; she wishes to be a builder for the Royal Family like her mother and myself." Rose stood, glancing down at the small girl.

Lily felt the Queen's gaze on her, taking her all in, but that smile didn't falter, not even a little from the beautiful face looking down at her. Lily sat up as best she could, taking the Queen's hand when offered it. "Hello, Your Majesty."

"I think you'll make for a fine builder, one day." The Queen sighed, relaxing next to Rose and a few other servants.

"My Lady," Lily wiggled closer to her grandmother, leaning around the older woman to look at the Queen again. "What's happening?"

"Oh, we do drills, in case anything ever happens, I want my people to know that we'll be safe down here." She smiled at the young girl, not minding the idle conversation. "Did your grandmother ever tell you about when Moonbrooke was attacked? This is where I was hidden away until I could be saved."


The room was smaller, much smaller. That, or Lily was just bigger. Or both. She looked around, seeing a workbench that she had never seen before, she could feel a small thrum of magic coming from it, almost begging her to touch it. She went to the two chests in the room, getting some gold ingot and sapphire, a crystal she had never seen, before she picked up the table and took it back up top and set it in her workshop.

The King had mentioned magic crystals, which had led to her, Malroth and Warwick going to the Northern pass to collect them. But they hadn't even made it there when two large skeletons jumped down from the overpass above. "Aren't those guys part of Hargon's army? I thought Captain Forgettable said they didn't have this place guarded." Malroth snarled, clearly annoyed but ready for the fight.

"She said it wasn't as guarded as the other areas." Lily offered, seeing it made no difference to Malroth.

"They've advanced since Zara rejoined us." Warwick shouted, a small grin on his face. "But this platoon is no match for us!" As he spoke, another small group jumped down behind the three, leaving them surrounded.

Malroth let out a laugh that had him holding his gut. "You idiot! You spoke too soon! They've got us in a pincer attack!"

"We have no option but to fight back!" Warwick let out his little battle cry as he turned, starting a fight with them.

Lily and Malroth breezed through the ones in front of them, grinning at each other before going and helping Warwick with the ones he was fighting. "Ha! Nice pincer attack, bonebags, but you need a bit more brawn to back up your brains!" Malroth laughed again, his arm around Lily's shoulders.

"It's a little unnerving that they would attempt such a tactic in the first place. Almost as if they are toying with us…" Warwick spoke, pacing as he thought. "They would lead us into a false sense of security, and then spring their trap. If the castle were to fall to such underhanded tactics, it would be most dispiriting indeed!"

"Or someone told them we were coming this way." Lily watched Warwick carefully before pulling Malroth behind her.

"C'mon, don't tell me you believe that old man about the traitor, Lily." Malroth had his hands behind his head as they walked now, rolling his eyes. "These people are gonna get into your head, Lils."

The three gathered as many crystals as they could, making it back to the castle as quick as they could. Lily frowned as they looped around the back. "Remind me to put a door in on that side to make it easier to get in and out."

Malroth only laughed at her. "Man, those hargonaughts were something, I wasn't expecting them-"

"I must say, Malroth, you have quite the uh… capacity for destruction…" Anessa looked at him when the three walked into the hold from their little trip. "When battle begins, you seem possessed by a monstrous energy… it leads me to wonder whose side you are truly on."

Malroth gave Anessa a strange look, lips pulled back in a half snarl. "Look, lady – we won, didn't we? If I knew I was going to get a dressing-down afterwards, maybe I woulda left you to fend for yourselves!" He jumped back though, eyes wide when Anessa was suddenly slammed into the wall behind her, choking and straining to get the angry being off of her. "Oi! Lily!"

Lily had Anessa pinned, forearm to throat so hard Anessa could only wheeze when she struggled to breathe. The builder stared at Anessa with nothing but loathing in her eyes. "If I ever…" Lily couldn't control herself, she was so angry. Why would Anessa say something like that. Malroth was the only thing standing between this castle and annihilation, didn't they see that? "If… you EVER say that… again…" She leaned in; her lips close to the guards' ear. "Malroth and I will leave this island, and I will happily… happily watch as it burns."

Malroth blocked the path to free Anessa, glaring at the other guards. He could feel a strange energy coming from Lily, it wasn't a mix of theirs, it was something… older than either of them. Anessa watched as Lily leaned back, those bright blue eyes weren't speckled with red like before in the battle, they were completely void of the life Lily lived. "Do you understand, Anessa? You accuse him… of fighting for that fucking scum, you accuse me of working for Hargon as well." Lily was trying to keep her voice even, but it cracked as tears welled in her eyes. "The traitors you're looking for… I can tell you right now… the two people that aren't that."

Zara finally broke by Malroth, her hand almost touching Lily when the builder let go, dodging the touch from the captain. The builder stared down at Anessa who was coughing so hard she threw up between them. "Clean yourself up, pathetic looks terrible on you." Lily turned away from the group, slamming the door to the bell room closed behind her.

Anessa looked up at Malroth who had his back to her, her eyes wide. "Malroth, I-"

"I don't care to hear what you have to say, Anessa, if we're being honest with each other." He didn't even look back at her as he left the group, going to the bell room as well.


Three days passed and Warwick was sitting with the other in their war room, Lily had built a room solely for her building and hadn't come out. Warwick had peeked in once, only to be chased out by the angry builders' glare over Malroth who had been relaxed on a bed that was in the room. No one in the war room spoke, no one knew what to say with the builder so angry with them. "Perhaps… I should go check on them again?" Warwick didn't wait for the others to speak before he got up and headed out into the main area, seeing that Lily had been hard at work that morning.

She had cleared out all of the old rooms that were torn apart and crumbling as well as she was putting up the Zap Columns now. Warwick ran back to the war room, smiling at the others. "She's finished the Zap Columns! They're going up now!" The group ran out, quietly watching as Lily placed the last on and did some finally touches to it before jumping down and listening to the subtle buzz going between each one.

As she landed, a headhunter jumped up, only to get zapped and thrown back. She looked to the inhabitants of Moonbrooke, clearly still not happy with them as she started to retreat to the room she had built. "Lily! Wait! I wanted to thank you. You and Malroth." Warwick ran up, grabbing Lily's hand. "Malroth told me that when you would ring the bell on other islands, it would bring more and more people and… maybe we could help rebuild the main gate. I won't let Moonbrooke be outdone by other islands!"

Lily frowned at Warwick as she pulled away from him. "Since when did Malroth talk to you?"

"I… It's been a few days; he's been in your room with you while you build." Warwick frowned when she headed towards that very room. "Please, ring the bell, Lily. We just want to help."


Malroth got up from the bed he was lounging in, tucking away his book that he had been looking at, hearing Lily building away later in the day. He went around the little half wall that separated their bed from her working area. "What's cookin'?"

"I'm making a kitchen and some medical stations."

"So… you're done being petty?"

"I wasn't being petty."

"You holed yourself up in here for three whole days, Lils. You barely even spoke to me."

Lily slammed the item she was working with down on the workbench, glaring at him. "Mal. They accused you of working with the monsters. I think I'm allowed to be mad about that."

"I'm not, though. Who gives a shit what they say? Build their stupid little castle up, take a few of the good fighters back to the Isle with us, regardless of if we like them or not, beat Hargon's army and ship them back here. This place really is getting to you, isn't it?" Malroth walked over, brushing the flyaway black hairs from her face. "Not gonna lie, I didn't think I was gonna like the black bangs on blonde, but I do kinda like it." He wasn't any good at this being soft shit, he didn't like seeing Lily so upset over a few words from someone that was basically a stranger. "Will you at least try to smile? Only I can wear scowls." Lily stared at him for a moment before giving him a small smile that gave way to a bigger one. "That's the smile I love."

Lily relaxed into his hold when he pulled her into a kiss, nearly melting into him. "Can I go build now?"

"Yeah, I'm done with that soft shit. Don't make me do it again." Lily couldn't stop smiling as Malroth walked away from her, leaving her to her building. She finished what she was working on quickly and went to the rooms she had set up, giving the castle a kitchen and eating area as well as a medical room where they could patch themselves up.

Zara ran up to Lily when she was finished a huge smile on her face. "Lily! The medical room looks amazing! Thank you, really!" She looked around, not seeing anyone else around them just then. "Lily, I know you're sick of hearing about it… but my pet potato went missing, it was in my pocket last night… and when I thought that was bad enough…. I've been hearing rumors that a guardsman has been seen speaking with the monsters in the dead of night… I shan't tell you who I suspect… But I would warn you to stay well away from Lord Gerome. Goodness knows what that man might be hiding behind that moustache."

"So, going out on a limb here, you suspect Gerome? The hungry old man who just wants a potato pocket?" Lily put a hand on her hip, sighing at Zara.

"What?! N-No." Zara quickly saluted Lily; eyes locked on the builder. "I will uncover the treacherous traitor among us if it is the last thing I do! You be careful out there, Lily!"

"Lily! Oh, Lily!"

Lily rubbed her temples, one headache was running away to go do rounds, while another was wobbling through the kitchen towards her. "Yes, Gerome?"

"The kitchen looks amazing! I'd like you to prepare a pot of soldier's stew! It's a hearty broth that warms the bones and steels the heart!" Gerome proudly purred at Lily who only groaned at him. "It's easy to prepare – just put-"

"I'll figure it out, geezer." Lily waved him off and went to find the ingredients she needed. Wheat was new to them, that much she had figured out when she had brought wheat seeds back with them after they got those magical crystals a few days prior.

After some trial and error, Lily found the recipe she needed. Steak and potatoes with water and a few herbs for added flavor. She smiled as she sat down, bowl in hand with a piece of bread to soak up the juices. The bite was almost in her mouth when Gerome was suddenly in front of her, mouth watering as he stared at the stew in her bowl. "Fine." She thrust it at him, watching him eat her hard work.

"By the way, Lily-" Gerome didn't even pause when shoveling the food into his mouth, a satisfied look in his eyes as he ate. "Do you remember what I mentioned before, about the spy? You do believe me, don't you?"

"I believe you're absolutely bonkers. But continue, like you're going to do anyways."

"Stop talking about spies!" Malroth burst into the room, clearly fed up with the talk that was keeping the inhabitants busy as of late. "It's spy this, spy that, spy the other with people! Where do you get off on making up stupid rumors about your friends?" He was breathing so hard that Lily could faintly see his breath forcing out of his nostrils.

"Gadzooks, man! I do not share my misgivings for fun, I assure you! I do so because I fear for my comrades' safety!" Gerome nearly dropped the stew from jumping out of the chair when Malroth burst into the eating area. He looked at Lily, pleading with her to understand. "Lily. I know not who among us is the traitor. It could be Warwick, Anessa… or even His Majesty! It could even be me! Mayhap a monster slew me in my sleep and took on my well-regarded form!"

"Are… are you trying to tell us you're the spy…? Or are you just confused? Want me to pull your whiskers to find out?" Malroth was grinning as he took a step towards the old man.

"No! No, no, no! What we need is Ra's mirror! It's a legendary artifact said to show the true form of all it reflects. Would that I had the faintest idea where the bally thing might be…"

"It sounds stupid. And like Malroth mentioned, enough is enough. I want everyone to drop the idea of a traitor. You all need to trust the allies we have." Lily got up, leaving Gerome and Malroth alone in the kitchen.