Tor nearly misted up, the emotions were so strong.

“I'm paying for everyone. We may even pick up a couple of others on the way, it'll be fun.” His voice was light and cheery, and out of all of them only Rolph got that something was going on.

Tor wasn't sure that he understood what exactly, but he grinned and looked down, as if feeling sheepish.

“Ah, that's true and I get to pick up the tip, because I kind of lost a bet with Tor… He bet me that he couldn't pick up my sisters. I mean, look at him, they should have been all over him, but no, all decorum and politeness. Go figure. Anyway, this meal is totally covered and for the bet we agreed at least six people had to come with to count.” He spread his hands and shrugged playfully.

Sheri stared and then laughed behind her hand delicately.

“Are you sure they weren't just discrete about it? I can't imagine a lot of women actually say no to him. Torrance? That's a nice name. I'd love to come, thank you.” Relief came out of her in waves and her stomached growled a bit already.

It was a giant thing, they were always hungry and the growing ones were generally worse about it than the adults. Going a day without food for the skinny Ducherina would have been like him going without for two.

Maybe three.

They walked into town, since it wasn't far at all and zipping along using Not-flyers would have been showing off here. In the Capital a few hundred people had them, the devices that let them float about four inches off the ground and travel way faster than could be run. Much more than that if they were military grade ones, which was all he'd bothered giving his friends. Plus Sheri didn't have one yet, so it would have been rude.