"Lady Dearborne! Good morning, my sweet friend." said the voice. She turned quickly to the caller and smiled as he reached her, and kissed her hand. "Miel, my dear friend, how are you?" she asked him in a surprised and happy manner. "I am fine. My wife is well, too! She just birthed our twelfth child a son!" he beamed with pride. "My, my! You do keep yourself active!" "Yes! That is why I could not answer the invitation to your anniversary celebration." "You are coming, are you not?" "Oh, yes! Of course, I'm coming. I wouldn't miss it for anything." he assured her. "And Aria? "I don't know yet. She doesn't recover from child baring as quickly as she had at one time. Nevertheless, I will be there." "Well, thankyou ... Brook and I shall watch for you!" "Goodbyes till then!" he exalted, then after he kissed her hand again, he walked off in the direction of the café, and shouted greetings to some men sitting at the nearest table. Dearborne turned and called to Boy. He glanced over his shoulder to see her waving him in with her hand. He motioned to the girl to stay where she was and ran over to Dearborne. They strolled over to Empal; the biggest seller of fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, known on the face of the continent, and perhaps in the whole world. He greeted her and Boy with the usual good-hearted smile, and warm hello. Then as always, in his brawny Virunese accent he asked about Brook, his favourite Lord, while he slowly filled Dearborne's basket with the best of his produce. In turn, Dearborne asked about his family -- his daughter in particular, and unobserved slipped several gold bits into his hand when they shook. Dearborne wasn't the only one of the nobility to do this. Many others had done it, as well. Not because of pity or any such sympathies but rather s a show of respect for his strength and his odd position in their society. Everyone in Phoride, except for the ArchBishop and his train of followers, admired his position against the ArchBishop when he was requested for Gaena, his daughter, to bare the child of "The Almighty". He refused to allow his daughter's virginity to be taken by anyone other than a mountain tribesman and so immediately arranged a wedding to take place between her and her betrothed love, Tucker. Tucker was a Krolalin Mountain goat-herder. Although everyone overpaid Empal for his services, he was forced into near poverty when he dared to live in Pomperaque or anywhere else in Phoride, for any lengthy period of time. This was caused by his obstinacy towards the ArchBishop. In the beginning, after a few months of hardship he returned to Exendria, the capital of Virune. He rebuilt his fortune, and later returned to Pomperaque. Since then, he had kept to a cycle of return to Exendria. Like a migratory bird, he headed North every summer then returned to Lower Phoride in the winter.