This is a continuation of a piece chosen by random-date-choice.

It follows Cost of Living and Paying the Rent in the Baram’s Elves story-set of the Fae Apoc: Addergoole setting.

It made Jaelie nervous to be away from the family this long.

Not that it was, in the grand scheme of things, all that long: two weeks at Addergoole, and a two-day drive in each direction.

But it was long enough that just about anything could happen. In two weeks, their portion of the city had fallen to pieces. In two weeks, Chicago had been reduced to rubble. In two weeks, she’d gone from being a relatively happy, normal girl… to being Amadeus’ pet.

In two weeks, what would happen to her family? What would happen to Aloysius?

At the moment, she didn’t need to be drawn a diagram; she knew what, in general, was happening to and with him and a tall, dark woman with a scarab-beetle Change.

“You have a very nice young man.” Dr. Avonmorea – Regine – took a seat next to Jaelie at the bar. Jaelie swallowed a startled reaction – she hadn’t expected to see the Director here, of all places. “Genetically, as well as in demeanor and appearance. I would be interested in purchasing his contract from you.”

Jaelie swallowed her drink and, with more effort than she’d thought it would ever take, looked the Director in the eye. “He’s not for sale. I promised him that.”

“Ah, well.” There was, as always, very little expression on the older woman’s face. “Would you consider ‘renting’ him to me again, at the very least?”

“How frequently, and for how long?”

“Ideally, every six months for fourteen days each time, as long as I can find willing partners for him. I would continue to pay the same stud fee, of course, with a potential renegotiation as we see what sort of children he breeds, and with the same caveat you asked for in this session, with parental rights reverting to you if the mother does not want them.”

Baram would like that. They were getting paid a hefty fee for the studding, and all in very useful goods for their little enclave.

What would Aloysius think? Jaelie took a sip, found her drink empty, and set the glass down. “I can agree to one more session, in six months, and then we’ll renegotiate. I have to consult with the rest of the crew.”

Crew. She tasted the word on her tongue, and found she liked it. What’s more, the Director was smiling.

“Very good. I think we’ll all be pleased with the results.”

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