Two dwarfs, Harriet and Lottie, lay in the magicite field, the purple glow of the crystal trees surrounding them.  Mining tools were placed carefully nearby, out of the way and orderly. Their clothes lay in various piles, strewn around them, discarded in haste a half-hour ago.  Now they lay intertwined, looking up at the Minos floor above them.

“Them’s the dark elfs,” Lottie said pointing to a section above them where it was mostly dark.

“Darkvision,” Harriet responded.

“Yep,” Lottie said. “Had to go there once, forgot my torch.  Wound up breakin’ off a chunk o’ crystal to carry around.”

Harriet laughed.  “Serves ‘em right for keeping it dark.”

“Turned out some rogue mage had attuned hisself to it,” Lottie said.  “He was mighty upset when his ritual failed when some lowborn dwarf accidentally saved the day.”

“What happened, then?” Harriet asked.

“Got me a medal, and an extra meal ration that week.  Oh, and them dark elfs is matriarchal, y’see.”  She chuckled lowly.

“And when was this?” Harriet pulled away.

“Months afore we met, dearheart, don’t worry. Y’r the beneficiary of that sweet vacation.”

Harriet looked up at the interior of Minos, the cities and houses bending up and around, pressed against the inner egg of the island.  As a dwarf it never bothered her that things were upside down and all that rock and metal and crystal was out there, pressing in around them.  She was more concerned with all the people those houses represented.  “You ever think they’re watchin’ us when we’re out in the fields like this?”

“Not really,” Lottie said. “But gives a bit of spice to the whole thing, don’t it?”

The two dwarfs rolled to face each other.  Harriet giggled and kissed her lover.  They had a bit more time before they had to return to the magicite mines, after all.

---

Note: We’re still looking for a Few Good Adventurers.