Kire could see plainly enough that the Kartaian was bothered. “It’s safe,” she said. “Nothing like any other world gate I’ve seen so far. No rabid animals or transformations---though that seemed to be what happened to the Gemini when they tried opening this by themselves while the Capital was under their control. Right now, it’s located in the Tower within the Palace grounds. And nobody else but me, my family, and whoever we allow into our presence is allowed in.” She paused, looking at Gavin. From the way he spoke earlier, it seemed he, too, carried the burden of Ruli’s current state on his shoulders. “Envy,” she said softly, stepping closer and lowering her voice, “he said the poison was familiar. The Gemini had it, but if Ruli thinks it’s something he had experienced before, then they might have gotten it from someone from this world.” She looked at Gavin. “Did Ikegai tell you anything about that?”

Gavin shook his head. “Not about this specific poison, no. But he did say that the Gemini had learned from Off-worlders in Amria. I don’t know how much, or what kind of knowledge, though.” He looked up at his foster father. “I’ll go list the ingredients down while it’s still fresh in my memory. And I’ll bathe and change. Kire, can I come back later to finish dismantling the ward? I kinda want to take a break.” Now that he was home—and a part of him was relieved to still consider this side of the gate ‘home—Gavin remembered his own room and bed and wanted very much to sink into it for a nap.

Kire nodded. “Ysaryn, you could stay here for now, if you like. Tomorrow, and five days after that, we’ll be busy getting the Capital in order, and to mourn our losses. After that, there’ll be a celebration for our return to the Capital. You’re invited to cross over for that, if you fancy it. The invitation extends to the rest of you, though I don’t know if the rest would want anything to do with Amria at the moment,” she added to Envy. She took a deep breath. “I better get back to camp, though. Daryll’s probably itching to see this side of the gate, but we still have work to do.”

Back on the other side, she almost jumped when she saw Narda and Myka, beside Ed and Daryll, who looked just about ready to jump in, himself. “So their world is just on the other side of this?” Myka asked. “Narda’s seen it. Ed’s seen it. When’s my turn?”
“Oy, me first,” Daryll finally said, frowning.
“Settle down, children,” Kire said, shaking her head. “Let them rest and settle down. This isn’t a playground.”
“Mum’s right,” Ed said, prompting a punch in the arm from Kire. He chuckled, rubbing the spot. “But in all seriousness, I don’t think this gate is going anywhere. Right, Kire? There’ll be plenty of opportunity when we’ve all settled down and rested.”

While Ed, Narda, and Myka went back to the Capital to oversee the work there, Kire stayed with Daryll to discuss the gate, as well as how best to dispose of the petrified remains around the Tower grounds. Those who could be spared from the task of clearing out the Palace and the rest of the work needed were called in to see if they could break down and remove the crystallized statues. Kire helped too, using her strength to speed the work along. She was glad that there weren’t any organic matter left encased in the crystals, or else this would have been a much more gruesome task.

They paused to rest, having a late lunch while waiting for Gavin to come back. Ysaryn came back later, along with Gavin, who went about dismantling the wards he and Ruli had worked on. A part of him was sad to break it, having been proud of what he had accomplished yesterday, but ultimately it had already served its purpose. When it was done, Gavin straightened up, hands on his hips, then took an experimental step over the former boundary. “Feels like nothing,” he said, satisfied, though he turned to Kire for confirmation. The Empress nodded, and he let out a deep breath. “All done now. Maybe you should consider protection wards around the Capital and the Palace,” he said, and Kire raised a brow.
“I have been thinking about that, but perhaps not so soon. I’ve dealt with enough wards and rituals for now. You have, too, young man.”
“Fair enough, Gavin nodded.
“Will you come back for the celebration after the week is done?” she asked.
Gavin thought it over. “It’d be nice. I mean, my first time in Amria was right in the middle of a war, would be great not to have that hanging over my visit, eh? Though—I don’t have to wear that fancy attire, right?”
Kire grinned, shaking her head. “You’re excused.”

They put a halt to the work by dusk, and Kire asked Ysaryn to take them both back to Ruli so they could show him the gate and bring him home. Gavin stayed behind, where Myka and the Wenches hounded him with questions about Uvano. Admittedly, Gavin found himself rather pleased to be in the center of the women’s attention.

--

Etta and Precy had been told by Elva that not only were Kire, Ed, and their friends alright, but that they had gotten the Capital back. So, understandably, they were restless and excited to hear of more news, even more so as the day waned and none of them had come back to the manor yet to satisfy their curiosity. None of their usual games or distractions were enough this time—until one of the servants had told them that somebody was in the kitchen baking a cake. “Is it Ruli?” Etta asked immediately and, not waiting for an answer, hurried downstairs, Precy laughing behind her as she chased after her cousin.

They found Ruli resting on a table, a finished cake nearby. Etta gasped, though Precy shushed her, reminding her not to disturb him. The kitchen staff too looked curiously at the guest and the cake. As quietly as they could, the girls entered the kitchen, sitting near the cake. “Is it for us?” Etta whispered.
“Probably. Nobody else is around,” Pres replied. “And he probably won’t eat it, or he would’ve done it already.”
Etta reached for the cake with a finger to taste a bit of the icing. “I like it. Can we have it for dinner, you think?” she asked, giggling a little too loudly, and Precy giggled even as she tried to shush her.

“What’s all this giggling and secrecy, girls?” Kire said, entering the kitchen, then stopping short when she saw the cake and Ruli. “Huh. Looks like the celebratory feast started early.”
“Kay!” Etta said, practically leaping from her seat to hug her tightly. Precy stepped forward to do the same. “I’m so happy you’re ok!”
“And you too, Miss Ysaryn,” Precy said, looking up to grin at the elf.

Envy exhaled softly, clenching his jaw. "Kire," He said in a low voice. "This is not a conversation I would have in front of so many." He warned, glad when she turned to Gavin instead. Ysaryn, within hearing range with her ears, tilted her head slightly, but didn't press. They both listened to Gavin speak, Envy nodding softly in agreement. "I would need to know more to give more accurate answers." He explained, though the antidote they mentioned aligned with the one he'd toyed with in his spare time.

As Gavin and Ysaryn wandered off to watch and rest, Envy turned his face toward Kire. "For now, we'll remain. See to your family. And bring mine home again when he's ready." As much as Envy wanted to demand Ruli's return now, Kire had more pressings matters, and Ruli was safe. When they left again, Ysaryn appeared at his elbow once more. "He really is okay." She reassured him. "He slept alot. looked peaceful. We kept an eye on him."
"Peaceful?" Envy repeated. So at least the antidote let him relax. Another heavy sigh, and Envy turned, patted Ysaryn on the shoulder, and disappeared along the cave.

~

He woke some time later, finally hungry and dying of thirst. Someone had cleared away the soup he hadn't eaten earlier and left the rbead and cheese. Ruli nibbled on the former, then drank a bit of the tea before he went to sit up. He still shivered, but nothing at all like before. Only passing chills, that were barely noticeable. His head was clearer, but he still felt unbearably tired. His limbs still felt like lead. And his brain.
Ruli sat still for a few minutes, remembering. The feeling of the poison, the smell of the desert sand, the yurt above his head. He could feel the lash of the whip, even if it never touched him.
And Elva's question. What was going on between him and Kire. A way to unwind. His disappointment in the truth.
And the fact that she was an empress again. Her throne reclaimed. Her enemy slain.
She really wouldn't have a use for him anymore.

Ruli stood suddenly. Too suddenly, as he wobbled on his feet for a moment before he caught his balance. The moment he could, he shuffled through the house to find the kitchen on the grounds of asking for more food. More tea. When the cooks set some down before him, Ruli devoured it, cleaning his plate, then downing two cups of tea. But it wasn't enough to quell his mind. To silence the shadowed pit that made him want to curl up in bed and not come out for a week.

So, he made an odd request. Ruli asked the staff for the freedom to make a cake, explaining that he'd promised the younger cousins. When they were visibly unsure, mostly because they knew he'd undergone some injury, he shrugged. "I need to busy my mind for a bit, then I'll sleep again."
So he baked. They allowed him anything he needed, and Ruli kept himself busy for the better part of two hours, eating another plate of fruit and meat while the cake cooled.

When it was finished, and iced, he settled down on the table to stare at it, criticizing his work, until his promise to sleep was fulfilled before he'd even left the table.

~

Hours later, washed, fed, and in a fresh set of clothing that, for once, was not combat leathers, Ysaryn returned. The Tower smelled slightly better, though she still rushed from within to the fresh air outside. It wasn't hard to locate the others, and she and Gavin went to work where they were needed. As Gavin broke the wards, Ysaryn inhaled, agreeing that there was a lack of anything in the air.

At dusk, Ysaryn felt a little more tired than usual. Fighting was one thing. Physical labour was something else. But she didn't mind offering her help, espeically since Ruli, the one incapable of sitting back and doing nothing, was currently unable to do anything.
And there was Ed. Ysaryn grinned at that unsubtle promise.

When Kire asked, she Walked the two of them back to the manor in the mountains, the elf shivering for a moment with the shift in air pressure, following Kire as they circled the house. Infirmary was empty. As was the room offered to Ruli. Before they went to search the hot springs, they were informed he was in the kitchen, and Ysaryn snorted.
Perhaps he was still incapable of sitting back and doing nothing.

As she eyed the cake, she chuckled. Indeed.
The commotion of Kire's arrival forced Ruli to open an eye, peering at them beneath a slightly-more-normal-coloured eyelid. Ysaryn winked at him before turning her attention to the younger two. "I an perfect." She declared with a slight lift of her chin. "And if you want to ask, ask now." She gestured toward Ruli, who watched them in silence. "Wait til you learn where the world gate opened."
Ruli inhaled and raised his head, wincing as his neck pained from the awkward position. "World gate?" He asked, rubbing his neck before he looked down to the two cousins.
"I promised. So yes, its yours." He answered their questions. "Dinner first, though, or I'll never bake another."

“Dinner first,” Kire repeated. “But I’m having a bite now,” she added gleefully, messing up Etta’s hair.
“Hey! No fair!” Etta said, pouting indignantly.
“Yes fair, I’m rewarding myself for getting us our home back!” Kire said, bending down to lift each girl in one arm. Etta stifled a shriek, while Precy giggled despite her protests. “I’m going to carry you like a baby if you protest like a baby.”
“Okay! Okay, you win!” Etta said, conceding as she dissolved into giggles. When Kire put them both down, Etta turned to Ruli. “Thank you for the cake,” she said in a polite curtsy, followed by Precy. Kire smiled down at them; she could tell they were excited about the idea of returning to the Palace. She was almost sure they would be reluctant to, having acclimated to the North, and after the painful memories of the night they had to flee. But while she knew such memories were likely never going to go away fully, Kire was glad to see her cousins had inherited the Wyvern resilience.

When the cousins left to sit down for dinner at the dining hall, Kire turned to Ruli, observing him. He seemed better, at least physically, but his mind was another matter. “How are you feeling?” She could still feel the way he shivered, see the desperate, pleading look in his eyes. The way he clutched her for comfort. “Envy’s eager to see you. If you’re up to it now, we can bring you to the Tower and show you the world gate.”

Propping his head on his fist as he leaned on the table, Ruli watched them with a blank expression. Ysaryn, on the other hand, looked amused as they girls complained about being denied cake. Especially when Kire teased that she would take her share now. Chuckling, Ysaryn leaned forward and sniffed curiously. "Why you not make this in Úvano?"
Ruli shrugged a shoulder indifferently. "No ones asked."
"Hmm," Ysaryn said, turning to lean against the table, while she watched the girls say goodbye to Kire.

As Kire asked about his wellbeing and mentioned the gate again, Ruli once more shrugged. "Fine." He said automatically. But her offer to take him home now made him hesitate, and he looked around. "I haven't apologized to the healer I bit."
"You bit a healer?"
"Will you make sure she gets a share?" Ruli continued, ignoring the elf. "But otherwise, sure, I want to go."

He rose from his seat and raised the blanket from his shoulders, moving to fold it neatly before setting it on the chair. "Seriously?" Ysaryn asked teasingly, moving around to help him, shooing him away.
He grunted, letting her finish, and faced Kire instead. "Ready." He continued with another shrug.

"I'll let her know," Kire promised, noting his demeanor. Could we forget everything else? he had said this morning. A selfish part of her was hurt by that more than she would like to admit to herself, but she reminded herself that he had been badly hurt. Still was. And it was a hurt that ran deep, awakening a pain from some past to which she wasn't a part. You are not what he needs right now, the rational part of her chided her. Accept that. You have other woes to attend to. "Let's get back to the Tower."

Gavin was already at the Seer's chamber, along with Ed, who had changed into more comfortable clothes. "I suppose I'm seeing you off, unless all of you are coming back after a week for the celebration," the captain said, though he looked at Ysaryn with a smirk. "Though spending a night in Uvano isn't a terrible idea," he added.

Gavin, not knowing or wanting to know what he said, put in, "I thought the ladies wouldn't leave me alone," he said, though the grin on his face betrayed his pleasure at the fact. Kire smirked, shaking her head before she led the way into the gate. Just like earlier today, the passage went quickly and smoothly, and in a blink of an eye they were in the caves, with Envy and Zeke. Gavin saw what they were working on and immediately folded his sleeves, ready to be assigned a task.

"That's... definitely better than the other gate," Ed remarked.

Ysaryn chuckled at him. "It sounds like a wonderful idea." Ysaryn answered to Ed, stepping beside him to walk through with him. Ruli, Kire, and Gavin followed, and Envy turned toward them as he heard their steps.
"You're back." Envy said, reaching out. Ruli stepped towards him, touching his hand briefly to tuck it out of the way, before strolling past them and out of the passage. Envy turned, following him with his head before he faced the others again, an accusing question left unspoken in his expression. What happened to him? Even Zeke followed Ruli as he wandered by, forgetting their feud as he worried.
Ysaryn cleared her throat. "Hungry?" She asked of Ed, stepped toward a passage that would lead them out, walking backwards along it as she grinned at him. "I could make you dinner, if you'd like to stay."

Envy was still, listening, though one ear was pointed down the passage Ruli had wandered. "Kire?" He requested softly, raising his hand to ask for her. "I think we need to have a conversation. Zeke?"
"We got this." Zeke answered, nudging Gavin with a grin. "This one will take care of the wards."
Taking Kire's hand, Ruli wandered along the stone path, free hand on the wall, as he led her to his chambers, and into the sound proof barrier he kept around it. When he knew where he was, he let Kire go, and turned to sit on his large chair.
After a few seconds of silence, the Kartaian inhaled. "Has he said anything?"

Ed watched Ruli walk off without so much as a proper greeting to Envy. He looked at his cousin, wondering what Kire was thinking, what she knew of his condition or why he was acting this way. Vaguely, he revealed that Ruli avoided everyone the next day after his ordeal in the Lithilote cells, but this seemed different. Kire's expression looked hurt, or tired. Maybe both. It had been a taxing few days, physically and emotionally. He turned his attention to Ysaryn instead, grinning at her invitation. "I would love that. I'm famished, honestly. I seem to have been on my feet the whole day. I'm thinking of staying at the house you lent us-- or rather, Kire's house." He chuckled, following her out.

While Gavin set to work with Zeke, Kire took Envy's hand, walking with him to his chambers. Once inside, she settled opposite him and sighed at his question. "Precious little. Even less today, after waking up. Now that he's lucid, he doesn't want to talk about it at all. The most he had said was that he had felt the poison before, and that he didn't want to be alone while recovering from it, since he had been alone last time."

She looked at the elf. "Who poisoned him?"

Envy exhaled and frowned, considering the question. "If he hasn't answered that himself, I should not. I believe I am the only one he's told." The Kartaian admitted. "But I can confirm he was alone the last time. He wound up in the tunnels some time after. He was ..." Envy shook his head. "It took him a while. That's all I can say."

His head turned toward the direction of Ruli's house, lips pressed thin. "He'll sleep. Keep to himself. Perhaps in a few days if he doesn't show his face I will intervene."

Kire nodded. "I figured as much. I'm just--I'm worried too, is all." She shrugged. "You know him best. Will you tell him he's welcome to attend the celebration if he's feeling up to it? If I don't see him then, I'll come by to see how he is." She stood up, the sombre conversation making her feel even more tired. "Narda, my cousin, and my other pirate friend might request a visit one of these days, by the way. Just let me know whether or not you're up for guests."
She smiled for a moment. "I'd best get back. Thank you, Envy."

--

This was one of those rare mornings where Ed hadn't risen early. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes and moving strands of his unruly, blond hair out of his forehead. Gods, he was deliciously sore. And he was sure his back had scratches. Ed lay on his back, not wanting to move or leave the bed anytime soon to begin work. Another rare moment. He chuckled at himself as he rolled towards Ysaryn, snaking his arm around her middle as he nipped her ear gently. "Morning, milady," he whispered, teasing.

"So long as they follow the same rules of conduct, I see no reasons to disallow visitors." Envy agreed, nodding. "I'll let him know. Perhaps I shall come along, just to see what this was all for. Again, figuratively." Envy sighed, waving his hand in front of his face.

~

Stark naked, her dark skin glowing beneath the sleepy morning sun, Ysaryn was stretched out on her belly, her arms tucked beneath the pillow she had her head upon. When she felt Ed's arm, and then his lips in her ear, the small of her back arched and she hissed as chills coursed through her.
"Ooooh." Ysaryn purred. Having discovered the effect such intimate touches had on her sensitive ears, he had taken full advantage, very much enjoying her reaction. With a pleasant shiver, Ysaryn turned her head toward him, smiling toothily at him. "It is, isn't it?" with a stretch of her limbs, she rolled, facing him.

Ed grinned, laying on his side as she rolled to face him, enjoying the glow of her skin in the morning light, the curves of her body, that smile on her lovely face. Gods, what a woman she was. "Indeed." He caressed her cheek, his thumb trailing down to brush against her lip before he leaned towards her to kiss her, unable to resist. So much of her was difficult to resist. "Sadly, I would need to go back to work." He gave her a cheeky grin. "Do you have time to stay here a little longer? I may need to properly wake up before I attend to business, " he said, his hand gently brushing her arm.

'A little longer' turned out to be longer than he had thought. He was lying on his back again, panting, definitely awake after that pleasurable romp. Gods, he really didn't want to leave the bed. After catching his breath, Ed pushed himself up to sit and stretch. "i better get back before they start running around camp like headless chickens," he said with a sigh. "I hope to see you during the celebrations in a few days, " he said, smiling fondly at her. He got off the bed reluctantly to gather his clothes, kissing her one more time afterward.

The rest of the week ran much the same: cleanup and repairs were made as much as possible, with other nobles sending more workers to help with the task. Jan had arrived, with more of Lord Ulrich’s men to help with the effort. Jan threw herself at work, though Kire knew her long enough to see she was using work to hide whatever she was feeling about her return to the Capital. She guessed rightly, as, alone in the Tower with Jan later that night, Jan embraced her tight and finally wept tears of joy. “Though, now that I have a fiancé, my days of living in the Capital are numbered, anyway,” Jan remarked. Kire only smiled at that and shrugged. The days sped along thus, while at the back of her mind, Kire worried about Ruli.

But as the celebration day drew near, Kire had yet to talk to Gael. She had decided that the day of execution will happen before the celebration, and outside the walls of the Capital. She would not deign to have his and the traitor lords’ blood spilled within the Capital. The lords would be beheaded, but for Gael she hadn’t yet considered a fitting way to end his life. In her worst moments, she considered asking where the Kartaians lived, have Gael struck blind and dumb and toss him into the murderous elves’ den, but she’d rather not invite trouble by involving them.
The night before execution day, she finally approached his cell. She wished she derived pleasure in seeing him debased like this, but she only felt empty, her anger spent. Or so she thought.

“I trusted you, once, a long time ago.” she began.
Gael looked up from staring at his chains. “And I, you. A poor decision to make.”
“When have I betrayed you?” she said. “We were supposed to work towards uniting our families, until you turned around and ravaged the Capital, mutilated my citizens, had my cousin killed. Tell me when, exactly, had I warranted that response from you?”
Silence hung between them. Kire realized she had clenched her fists, her Ring faintly glowing as if ready to give her the strength to bludgeon him then and there. Gael only looked away, chained hands clasped together. “You didn’t hesitate to blame all of us for Ikegai. Including me. You never trusted me beyond seeing me as a tool for a united empire.” He glanced at her briefly. “Do you remember Stonehollow?”
“Remember? Do you think that was a trifling matter to me? Do you think I don’t think about what happened there, what I had done?”
“Then you have your answer.” He bowed his head. “You have your wish now. Reunited the empire, and nearly eradicated my blood from the face of the earth. I wish you all the happiness in the world, Empress.”

The execution happened early the next day. The captured lords who had been condemned to death during the war council were beheaded one after the other, though as a gesture of mercy, she had agreed that the surviving members of their houses would receive their remains. But as Gael was led out, away from the execution platform, it became clear that he was not to receive the same fate. “No drop of your traitorous blood should spill upon the earth,” a herald read out Kire’s words. “The warlord sires of the Wyvern clan had, long ago, vanquished armies with dragon fire. Today, that is how you will perish.” Gael said nothing, though his eyes showed his fear. He had already prepared to die, but to be burned at the stake was going to make his death slow and tortuous. As he was tied to the stake, he bared his teeth in a wry grin at Kire, who stood on the ramparts of the Capital walls, looking down at him.
She raised her hand, and the fire was lighted.

The day of the celebration finally came. Early the next day, Narda, Myka, and Daryll stepped through the world gate. Myka was wearing the same red coat and ridiculous hat she had sported during the war council. Narda, for once, wasn’t wearing her battle-ready armor, but a more decorative cuirass and more lavish clothes underneath. Daryll was wearing a simpler version of the lord’s attire he had worn before. The scholar gaped around him at the caves, then noticed the wards around the gate. “So which way’s the beach?” Myka asked Narda.
“Later,” the giantess promised, grinning, looking forward to seeing Envy.

Úvano was much the same.
The animals were fed in the morning before the trade caravan went to their neighboring city. Meals were dolled out for those who had not yet the ability to cook in their own home, or preferred to spend the coin they brought in to have someone else feed them. What repairs were still necessary were made. The elves sparred and worked to hone their skills. The nets and traps were cast in the evenings to bring in at dawn.
It was all as usual.

Except the business with the gate.

Envy did his best to supervise, listening as Zeke and a few others worked on condoning the gate from the rest of the caves, while Gavin worked to create the wards that would protect it, as well as alert them whenever anyone came through. After the first night, Ruli appeared and wordlessly went to work to help, desiring to keep himself busy and throw himself into a task. No one pressed him, but Ruli knew he was being monitored.

He didn't mind it, to be honest. All it did was remind him that he had a real family nearby, people who cared, and he took that as encouragement. After another nights sleep he went back to work in the mess hall, earning himself some more coin he had no need to for. Envy, a few times, opened the door for him to speak with him, but Ruli dismissed it.
He'd be fine.
He was fine.
It was only the remnants of a nightmare. Dwelling on it would only keep it alive.

As the day for the celebration came, Ruli loitered in the caves, dressed in his usual nondescript attire, ignoring Envy's insistent demands that he attend with them. Why should he not go, the elf demanded. He'd done so much, and, even if it made Envy wary, he reminded Ruli that Kire would be glad to see him.
Ysaryn backed the Kartaian. She arrived in the cavern before the gate room well dressed; her hair was loose, her body swathed in a dress of gold, turquoise, and deep blue that was fitted in all the right places. Around her right arm, just beneath her armpit, was a band of gold made to look like a snarling wolf chasing its tail. Her black leggings beneath did little to hide the form of her legs. While Ruli couldn't see any weapons on her, he knew without a doubt that she had at least three hidden somewhere on her person. Any sign of trouble, and she'd have the skirts tucked away and herself armed in a single breath.
"You look nice." Ruli complimented. Envy turned his head as if he would see.
"I know." She responded with a smile.
"For your paramour?" Envy asked, grinning. He was dressed in creams and blacks, complimented with the abnormally bright robe that resembled the thing Ysarn had worn a week ago to Amria. Clearly, he was relying on her to shop for him on occasion.
"I dress for no one but myself." Ysaryn insisted. "But, should he be reminded how lucky he is, so be it."

When the runes lit up to announce that they had visitors, Ysaryn strolled forward and opened the door they'd installed, peering inside. "Finally. Something pretty to come through the gate." She declared in greeting, smiling wickedly. She swept back, inviting the three of them into the chamber.
Envy, waiting patiently to hear who had arrived, tilted his head when he heard Narda's voice. He grinned at once. "There is a voice I have missed, and am quite glad to hear." He extended his hand, inviting her forth so he could kiss her hand and embrace her politely.
After a quick glance to see that they were the only three, Ysaryn closed the door behind them. "Welcome to Úvano, Maika, and ..."
"Daryll." Ruli reminded her from where he stood.
"Daryll."
Ruli stepped forward, offering his hand to Daryll in greeting. "Honestly, welcome. I know you've been itching to get here."
"Daryll?" Envy asked, tilting his head again. "The Daryll?" He faced the sound of their voices, inhaling.

"Here come others." Ysaryn informed them, the runes and the alarm system no doubt alerting not only Gavin, but Rab, who came wandering through the caves.

Narda and Myka grinned at Ysaryn’s greeting, though when they followed the elf out into the chamber they had to drag Daryll along, who had been making mental notes about the runes around the gate. When the giantess saw Envy, she grinned wide and immediately stepped forward to offer her hand and embrace him. “Far, far too long, my good man,” she replied. “And now with the gate, perhaps we can have longer conversations.”
“’Conversations’, she says,” Myka said, shaking her head. “You weren’t kidding, Narda. Envy is an impressive fellow.”
Daryll, too, was looking at Envy, his mouth partly open as if already preparing for the barrage of questions his mind was formulating. Before he could, however, Ysaryn welcomed them formally, then Ruli stepped forward. Daryll shook his hand, grinning. “Only took a siege of the Capital to finally get here, but yes.”
“Glad to see you alive, matron of honor,” Myka greeted, tipping her hat.
To Envy’s question, Daryll finally got the chance to face him properly, taking the Kartaian’s hand to shake. “The very same. Though I’m not sure what you’ve been told about me to warrant that reaction. If it’s from Kire, I doubt all of it is good. ‘Third worst nag’ is my current standing in her eyes, I think.”

Gavin came jogging into the caves, already grinning. While he was dressed in more festive attire, they were of the same colorful variety as those worn by Ysaryn and Envy. If he was going to be dolled-up for a formal occasion, he wouldn’t be wearing that severe, lifeless attire he was forced into at Cordon. His hair he hadn’t bothered fixing at all. “Just to be clear, when Amrians say ‘celebration’, you mean food, right?” he said in greeting. Narda laughed.
“Of course, boy. Or I wouldn’t be attending at all,” the giantess remarked, before turning her attention to Rab. “Ah. I have only met this one once before, if memory serves.”
“What time’s the feast, Nard? Think we have time to look around here?” Myka said. Daryll, too, looked eager to loiter.
“Let me see. There will be a great ceremony, where Kire officially resumes the title of Empress. Wear the crown again and sit on the throne and go through the formalities of thanking the lords, etcetera,” Narda replied, also for the benefit of the guests. “But after that, food and drink. And once the big celebration is over, I think Her Majesty said something about wanting to get drunk by the beach here, so a smaller gathering with wine and ale afterwards, just friends and family. Who’s coming?”

Once they had settled the matter of the number of people coming through with them, they led the way back to the gate, with Narda staying by Envy’s side. “It should be safe for Envy inside the Tower, with regard to sunlight. Kire mentioned your sensitivity,” Daryll said. “And don’t worry, the Tower’s nice and clean now. No more noxious fumes from expired alchemy chamber supplies.” Gavin stuck out his tongue at the memory of the smell. “But from the Tower, we’d have to do that Shadow-walk thing into the Throne Room itself.”

The doors between the Great Hall and the Throne Room had been opened. Though repairs weren’t fully done, the Palace was at least inhabitable again. Kire wasn’t aiming for perfection, anyway; she wanted to show them she was an Empress in hard times and good, and not even the aftermath of a siege would stop her from finally celebrating their return. The whole family was here: Elva was with the two little cousins, Janes was nearby, accompanying the Lord Ulrich, and Ed was conversing with the other Wenches in attendance. The Great Hall was filled with flowers—purple orchids—and banners of the golden Wyvern on a green field hung from between the columns.

Kire was still in her old chambers upstairs. More than a year’s wait. She looked in the mirror at the dress she wore, feeling strange to be attired thus after a long while. Emeralds hung from her ears and neck, the collar of her dress open enough to make some of her other scars visible. So much, and so little, has changed. She had momentarily considered wearing gloves, but as she looked at her scarred hand, she decided against it. She wasn’t going to be a flawless Empress, at least for the remainder of her tenure. She had never been flawless, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how loudly they demanded.
A servant knocked politely and told her that her guests have arrived. With a nod, Kire turned and left the room to head downstairs.

Impressive. Envy's chest swelled as he heard the compliment, her face turning toward the giantess. "You've been gossiping about me." he pointed out with a pleased grin.
Ruli smirked at Myka, though, somewhere in the back of his mind, that quiver of disappointment surfaced, its gnarled fins breaking the glassy surface of his calm. He'd tried not to think about Kire, and being reminded of the source of that nickname stung slightly.
"Matron of honour?" Envy asked, turning his way.
Ruli cleared his throat. "For Kire and Ysaryn's wedding."
Envy's head turned toward the dark elf.
"She would be so lucky." Ysaryn quipped.

Conversation was short, Envy explaining that he'd been interested to hear about Daryll's research, Rab cautiously staring at Narda and Myka, then, finally Daryll in curiosity. Zeke appeared, as well dressed as he would manage, a blade on his hip. He'd cut his hair, at last, though his beard he'd combed and oiled so it looked neat and kept. When the topic shifted to how many would be joining, Envy and Ysaryn both turned toward Ruli.
"You're going." Envy insisted.
"I'm really not su-"
"One more word of objection and I make you spar with Ysaryn and Zeke for a week straight."
Ruli swore, then ducked out of the hall, Walking to his house to reluctantly change. Satisfied, Envy looked back around to Narda. "The empress wants to celebrate here? Should I find that odd? That she'd escape her world after finally reclaiming it?"
Ysaryn, who was circling Daryll, her eyes on his attire, muttered. "I'm sure it has more to do with the company. We're much more fun than men who dress like this."
"Like what?" Envy asked, tilting his head again.

Once Ruli reappeared, looking very much the usual in muted tones and his hair combed, he tugged on his boots and they went through to the gate. Ruli had to hold on to Envy, who repeatedly asked for a chance to get into Daryll's alchemy room, to prevent him from escaping. Zeke, likewise, held on to Ysaryn to keep her from the armoury, insisting they could return another time and inspect as they pleased.
Ysaryn was the one who brought everyone to the Palace, having been the only lucid one with the ability to enter the location, and Ruli refusing to help by stealing the location from her mind. Two trips later, and they were all present.

Envy tucked Narda's hand in the crook of his arm, listening to the many voices that circled the chamber. Ysaryn, wide-eyed, looked around at the formal attire, jewelry, and the many different perfumes worn. Ruli and Zeke, on the other hand, looked alarmed already.
"I forgot how crazy nobles get." Zeke muttered.
"Say the word and we're gone." Ruli whispered back.
"Forget it, you two." Envy chided. "You're here to celebrate your efforts. Go get a drink and see if you can make a lady smile."
Ruli and Zeke exchanged a glance, then turned and strolled off together.

“Ah! There you are,” Ed called, spotting the group, though he didn’t catch Ruli and Zeke when they walked off. “Welcome! Glad to see we’ve got such lovely company today,” he said, straightaway offering his hand to Ysaryn to kiss. “Radiant as always.”

“Always such a charmer, isn’t he?” Narda remarked, grinning. Around them, the nobles glanced at Narda and the tall stranger beside her, curiosity and wariness in their features. But when they saw the newcomers in the presence of the Wyvern captain, they let down their guard somewhat, if not their curiosity. “Where are the other Wyvernlings?”
“Around. Elva’s on the other side of the Great Hall with the girls, Jan is entertaining her fiancé, and Her Royal Sleepyhead will be downstairs soon. Come on, I’ll show you where the wine is.”

Elva looked up from Etta and Precy after making a game of spotting who had the most ridiculous hair in between conversations, sighting Ruli and a raven-haired man by his side. Not terrible looking, that one. Hair’s definitely not ridiculous. “Your baker’s here,” Etta told them, beaming at him. “And looks like he brought a friend with him.”
“Hullo, Ruli!” Etta greeted. “The cake was really good, thank you!”

“They wolfed that down so quickly,” Elva said with a laugh. “Though, admittedly, Kire took a big chunk of it for herself.”
“Are you feeling okay now?” Precy asked, before Elva could ask the question herself.
Elva grinned, shaking her head at their eagerness. “Also, introductions?” she asked, looking at the man Ruli brought along.
The herald announced that the Empress was joining them shortly, and soon enough everyone hushed as Kire stepped downstairs. Once she had joined them, the nobles bowed their heads as she passed and entered the Throne Room. “Formal boring bit’s coming up, but after that, we eat,” Elva remarked, inclining her head for them to follow.

Kire made her way to the dais and turned to scan the crowd for who was in attendance. Most were expected. She spotted Envy and Narda first among her friends, and soon after Ysaryn beside Ed, and Myka whispering together with Daryll. She grinned when she saw them, then, as her gaze swept to the other side of the throne room, she saw Elva beside Zeke and Ruli. She paused; while she had hoped to see him, she had been expecting, or at least conditioning herself to expect, that he would refuse the invitation. She smiled softly before she looked away, turning to the lords and ladies assembled.

“Thank you for standing by my side throughout the tumultuous year. Even when many of you kept faith, I promised I wouldn’t wear any crown until I have claimed the one that has always been rightfully my birthright. Today, after mourning our losses, we’re celebrating what they had died for: Amria united again.” The lords and ladies took up a Taakalon cry of acclaim for the Wyvern Empress of Amria as she rose up the dais and sat on the Jade Throne. Janes came forward, with an attendant by her side, an ivory box in hand. From this, Jan lifted out a golden crown, adorned with emeralds and rubies. She bowed her head before Kire before setting the crown on her head, descending the stairs of the dais afterward. The cry went up again as Kire took a deep breath. The weight of the crown was a familiar one, and as always, rested heavy on her head. She closed her eyes and sighed.

There was a short ceremony after, where renowned names who had fallen during the past year were recounted and honored. Kire knighted warriors who had done her a great service as well, and she received ambassadors from those nobles who couldn’t be in attendance, bearing gifts and tokens to rekindle their support for her and her family. And when this was done, at last, Kire rose from her throne to lead the way back out the Great Hall to begin the feast. “Finally,” Myka whispered, grinning at Narda.

"Not so bad, either." Ysaryn complimented back, smiling warmly at him before giving a wink to Narda. "Tell me, what you have been up to? Palace looks much better."

"And you," Envy suggested, guiding Narda forward a tentative step. "I must make a request. Would you be my eyes? Tell me what you see. How does everyone look? And if you see anyone with mud stains on their corsets, do inform me." The elf added.

"Hello Etta. Percy. Elva." Ruli greeted in turn, nodding to each. "I'm glad you liked it." Another nod. "And yes. A bit of sleep and I was back to normal. And the help of your cousin." Ruli said, his eyes roaming the crowd. He spoke without putting thought into it, smothering the memories down. "Oh." He whipped his head back around to his company. "This is Zekiel."
"Just Zeke, please." He insisted, extending his hand to each of the three women as their names were shared. "Elva, the healer, yes? I've heard about you. G-good things, I promise. Though, I feel like they hardly did justice."
"Oh, don't." Ruli sighed, glad that the arrival of Kire interrupted them.
Zeke rubbed his nape, feeling foolish, and turned away to watch Kire enter.

"Whoa." Zeke muttered as he spotted her. She was so adorned and glittering she would likely break skin if she drew too close. Envy, beside Narda asked for a description. Ysaryn, as Kire's gaze passed over her, winked happily at her, her arm looped in Ed's.
Ruli watcher her, only turned part way in her direction, his eyes roaming her. Her empire back. Her throne reclaimed. And she still looked tired. Spread too thin. It bothered him that he felt glad to see she didn't look as though all her dreams had come true. And when she smiled, his stomach fluttered, and he glanced down at his feet in order to crush the urge to grin back.

"That's all got to be incredibly heavy." Zeke whispered to him as Kire addressed them. Ruli didn't respond, listening to her words, and his eyes following the crown Janes delivered. Zeke made a noise that said that, too, had to be heavy to wear, and Ruli figured it was. Physically and in every other way.

They all fell silent as their dead were listed, and when Kire broke off to make her way to the other hall, and Elva motioned, the two men followed.
"We are to eat?" Ysaryn asked, looking to Myka, then Ed. "Maika says we are to celebrate in Úvano after all this? You are to come, yes?"
Holding Narda, Envy shuffled cautiously along, worried about bumping into anyone. Noticing, Ysaryn directed herself and Ed to walk before them, cutting through the crowd.
"Gavin?" Envy turned his head. "You'll mind your manners? There will be no work talk during any of this."

“Way ahead of you, Envy,” Gavin said, grinning, and maybe salivating a little, as he looked at the food served at the long tables in the Great Hall. Different kinds of roasted beef, pork, and fowl, delicacies brought in from different parts of Amria. Not even in Cordon had Gavin seen a feast this lavish.
Narda guided Envy, describing everything to him, and now telling him about the food laid out for the guests. “We made it through without anyone starting trouble, if that’s what you had been afraid of,” the giantess said, patting Envy’s arm with a grin.
“Mmhmm. Time to eat. And yes, I’ll be joining later. Empress’s orders, after all,” he said, chuckling. “As for what I’ve been up to these past few days, I can assure you, it wasn’t as interesting as my time with you,” he added with a cheeky grin. The thought of the execution day, however, put a shadow over his thoughts of the past week. He set that aside, putting on a smile for Ysaryn as he stepped forward to fetch a cup of wine for the both of them.

Kire was dying to go around and catch up with people, but for now she had to stay at the high table. Already she was looking forward to the gathering at Úvano, where she could be much less formal. “Now, where’s my wine?” she quipped, making those standing nearby chuckle. Attendants went around pouring wine for those who had not fetched some for themselves, and Kire raised it in a toast to start off the feast. She paused, having a prepared salutation to start with, but instead just said, “Go stuff yourselves,” prompting laughter among the crowd.
Elva, too, laughed softly at that “That’s more like Regular Kire than Empress Kire. There was a time she wouldn’t so much as let a hair fall out of place when she started taking her Empress duties seriously.” She turned to Zeke. “Now, what are these good things they’ve told you about? And don’t worry, I do like to be flattered,” she added with a wink.
Etta and Precy giggled at their older cousin, before Etta gasped, tugging at Pres. “Who is that, beside Miss Narda? Is he an elf too, like Miss Ysaryn?”
“Huh. Not used to seeing Narda being escorted by someone who could match her height,” Elva said, grinning. “Come on, I think Her Majesty is calling us to the high table.”

The high table was large enough to fit the Empress’s family along with her designated guests and friends. Jan had Ulrich to Kire’s left, while to her right Ed led Ysaryn to sit beside him. Further down the table after some lords and ladies, Envy had Narda and Daryll on either side, the latter looking like he would burst with all the questions he wanted to ask Envy. Elva had the two girls between herself and Myka, followed by Ruli, Zeke, and Gavin. “I’m glad you all could make it,” Kire said, grinning down the table. She had been somber ever since the execution, and this was the first time she had smiled in earnest since that day.

“Well, can’t say no to Her Grace, you know,” Elva replied, grinning back as she raised her goblet to Kire. She looked drunk already with the blush on her face, though that had more to do with her being unused to the temperature down at the Capital, especially while wearing more formal attire.
“Gods, sometimes it’s still a bit of a shock seeing Kay all done up like that, as if this isn’t the same woman who would drink with a ship full of pirates and curse just as badly,” Myka said to the off-worlders beside her. “If these other nobles had any idea the kinds of shenanigans she’d get up to, they’d all be blushing.”

Envy chuckled as he heard Gavin's response, though he listened intently to Narda's list of foods present, making a note to ask for details on most of them. "It was," He admitted. "The two have been known to hurl mud at nobles, and since they seem to be getting along a bit better, I was worried." He sighed, though he cleared his throat when he caught the tail end of Ysaryn and Ed's conversation.
The fuchsia haired female chuckled, though she watched him carefully. She picked up the fact that an execution had occurred, the whispered gossip reaching her ears. Their enemy finally gone, but at a price.
If she could help him relax, forget about the violence for just a little while, she'd be happy to do so. Especially once they returned to Úvano.

Ruli and Zeke both listened to Elva with blank expressions, even though Zeke had smirked at Kire's order to stuff themselves. His smirk vanished when Elva demanded to know the nice things said about her, and he immediately faltered. "Uh. Well... the uh .... N-Narda made talk about your skill with your han- NO, I mean-"
"Shit, Zeke." Ruli muttered behind him. "You used to be good at this."
"Oh, shut up." Zeke said, rubbing his face. He exhaled heavily, tossing out all ideas of trying to be flirtatious and deciding just to speak. "Narda said you were a skilled healer, Mis-er, Lady Elva. We have Sid, at home, she was taking lessons to be a practitioner before we lost our home, now she's trying to continue her studies as best she can."
Shaking his head as Zeke spoke about Sid, he turned to the younger girls as they eyes Envy in question. "That is Envy." He answered. "He's an elf, like Ysaryn. But far more gentler. He raised Zeke and me, as well as many others who live with us. He teaches us alot." Ruli glanced Envy. "He was wounded badly, and can't see anymore." He said in explanation to the splotchy scars all across the Kartaian's skin, and his clouded eyes.

As Elva mentioned they were being summoned, each of the two changed their stature; Zeke straightened, squaring his shoulders, while Ruli hunched his and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Ysaryn, glass of wine in hand, floated toward them, her slanted eyes taking in the room, then smiling at Kire. "Well met, Chieftess." She said, nodding her head in what would be the closest she would offer to a bow. She sat where Ed guided her, leaning back and folding one leg over the other.
Cautious, Envy felt for his chair, then sat uneasily, apparently worried he'd miss the seat entirely, or be too large for it. When he relaxed his weight and nothing creaked, he sighed, leaning back, turning his head to listen as Narda continued to describe what was before him, as well as who was nearby him.
Ruli and Zeke took their seats on the end near Gavin, the latter doing his best to be proper and sit upright. Ruli had no such notion about appearing proper, and he leaned back and sipped his wine. He wasn't here to impress, as Kire and her family knew. However, when Elva raised her glass, he raised his before digging into his meal.

"Just as amusing as seeing Ruli here." Zeke commented. "Granted, it would be funnier if he bothered to dress up and didn't just comb his hair."
"You're lucky I did that." Ruli commented idly. "But I am interested in ruffling the feathers of the nobility."
Envy, from the other end, cleared his throat, and Ruli went back to eating.
"Oh, come on, Envy, let the boy have a little fun." Ysaryn chimed in with a coy smile.
"'Boy'?" Ruli turned his head. "I'm older than you are."
"Can you stop doing that?" Zeke requested. "They'll think us rude for excluding them. And me. I think its rude."
"Should have learned." Ruli muttered.
"I think the new point is, many of the nobles would blush if they knew your lot mingled with our lot." Envy added, amused, as he tasted a bit of the meat on his plate. He suddenly forgot all notion of conversation as he went for more.

Myka grinned at Ruli’s response. “You lot—well, you lot, including me, anyway—being at the high table is bound to raise a few eyebrows already,” she said, sipping on the wine before starting on her own meal. “But over the years, she’s let her hair down in public—figuratively speaking—bit by bit to not care.”
Kire raised her brow at the conversation, amused. “There’d be people in here older than you, or maybe even Envy,” she said with a smirk.
“Oh, right! Don’t Amrians live longer than other humans?” Gavin put in.
“Between three to four centuries on average,” Kire replied, cutting into her meal, before her attention was diverted by another lord striking up a conversation.
“Hm?” Elva looked down at Etta, who wanted to whisper something to her. “Ah. My little cousin here is curious about elves and how long they live.” Both Etta and Precy were looking curiously at Envy. She introduced them both to Envy, and promised the girls they’d be able to have longer conversation later, after dinner.
“Oh, and after dinner I could show you the alchemy chamber, if you like,” Daryll said to Envy.
“Can I look, too? Though Envy might throw a fit if he saw how you normally organize your stuff,” Gavin said, snickering. “He’d definitely give me a long lecture if I left the alchemy chamber the way you do.”
“I have a system,” Daryll insisted.

Kire snorted at that, before turning to the cousins beside her. Edward looked to be relaxing much better now that Ysaryn was beside him. Jan, too, seemed to be doing a little better. “You’re both coming later, right?”
“Mm-hmm. Wouldn’t want to miss it,” Ed said, smiling at the elf beside him. Already he couldn’t wait to relax with her later. “Jan, you should, too.”
Jan looked hesitant. “This gate is safe, right Kire?”
“They made it here in one piece, so yes,” Kire replied, amused. “You’ll like Úvano, Jan. We’ll bring along some wine.”
“Perhaps for a drink, then,” Jan said. “Ulrich and I still have some business to discuss.”
“Business? Today’s a celebration day,” Kire said, pouting a little bit. “But I suppose drinks are as good as I could get.”

The meal continued much the same way. Kire though had to give her attention to her other guests as well, something she’d always thought was a disadvantage at big celebratory banquets like this, her attention divided too much to give any one person enough of her time. As the banquet wound down and the festivities for the rest of the guests continued outside, Kire grinned, telling the others to wait for her and whoever else needed to change into comfortable clothes at the Tower. The girls, too, asked permission to come along just to see Úvano, and Kire nodded.

“Finally, I can get changed out of this ridiculous jacket,” Daryll muttered once they had arrived, unbuttoning the doublet as he rushed upstairs to his room. “Be back down!”
“You goin’ like that, Nard?” Myka asked, grinning. Narda shrugged.
Ed had come along, though he didn’t bother to change, while Elva was fanning herself. “Is it hotter or cooler over there?” she asked. “I’ve been in the mountains too long, I think.”
“Yes you have,” her brother replied. “But there’s a cool sea breeze there, at least.”

“Okay, back,” Daryll declared. “You lot are all coming down, I take it? Alchemy chamber and armory tour?”

Kire, Jan, and the girls returned later, with Jan and the girls wearing simpler dresses, and Kire wearing travelling clothes. “Where is everybody?” she said, looking around, carrying two bottles of wine with her.
“If you lot are staying there to drink, that may not be enough,” Jan said, raising a brow.
Pres made a face. “I dunno why you like the stuff so much, Kay. It’s bitter.”
Kire laughed, ruffling her hair. “Ah, they’re down at the basement, then, I hear them coming up.”

"We are quite troublesome." Ruli commented. "Sorcerers, fighters, alchemists. Zeke."
"Fuck you." Zeke snorted.
"Well, depends on the breed." Envy explained, turning his head in the direction of Elva and Etta. "My people can live at least two centuries, but I am not sure how old until they would pass. They rarely survive to old age."
"Same with my people." Ysaryn added, almost clearing her plate already.
"I have a friend, miss Kire has met. Her father is nearly seventh hundred years old, and still quite energetic. Her mother, even older. More than a thousand years old."
"I'd like to join," Ruli spoke up about the alchemy chamber offer. He had missed the chance before, being more than a little out of it.
Gavin, Daryll, Ruli and Envy spoke a little about alchemy ingredients, and most commonly created items used for poultice. Most of their ingredients, albeit under different names, were similar, likely branching from similar floral ancestors.

They ate their fill, more than one serving for each of them. Envy didnt touch the wine, instead sticking to the non-alcoholic beverages. What he passed on, Ysaryn drank, enjoying a few glasses of wine, managing to at least appear collected through the evening. Though when they made their way into the Tower, she grinned crookedly. "Amrian wine is good." She declared.
"How drunk are you?"
"How dare you." She answered with a giggle. "Take me to weapons."

They all wandered down with her, Ed and Zeke accompanying Ysaryn into the armory while Gavin, Ruli, and Envy branched into the alchemy room. They took their time, only returning upstairs when they heard the others arrive, ready to cross through the gate.
"Quite impressive." Envy complimented. "Though, I admit, I can't see the logic in your system."
"A blind joke. Really?" Zeke asked.
"He knows what I meant." Envy chuckled. "Is Elva here? Does she by chance have some of her herbs on her? I am dangerously low, but if any night would be worth of the finale."
"With the Gaye, we can always get you more." Ruli offered.
"Oh, will we be discussing some sort of small trade route through here?" Zeke asked.
"Let's decide that another time, hm?" Envy insisted.
"Yeah, considering Kire just got the empire peaceful again."

They stepped through into Úvano, the air cooling slightly, fortunately for Elva. "Do mind your steps when you leave the caves," Envy warned. "We had rain, the steps are a little slick." He gestured to the northern side of the caves, which would lead to the beach with the view of the sunset. Through the elven homes. Zeke excused himself, wanting to change and set down his blade, promising to join them after.