"Yep! Though I have mostly been working with Reeve Tuesti, you know, the engineer?" Delivered blithely, because of course she assumes everyone knows everyone. "Mark has the agriculture side covered but we're focusing more on building the lodging. I'm not the best structural engineer, I never designed buildings, but I can at least help out. And get things set up for that ferry to go up and down the river. I'm looking forward to spring."

For so many reasons. The mead could be ready in a few weeks, and her Swedish nature automatically longs for the warmer months: everything thawing, the world coming back to life, a vague wistful yearning for long summer nights. The sun rising at 4am in Gothenburg and setting at 10pm. It probably won't be the same here, but a girl can dream.

"Have you been here long enough to see the seasons turn? Someone asked me once if seasons even existed here and I realised I don't actually know for sure. The weather seems to be getting warmer, but..."