My brothers, the others, and I—as well as Leon, at my request—gathered in Mother's old meeting room. In our year here, we'd only been in this room once before. We had to decide what would be best for everyone.

Upon leaving, Leon must've requested the room be dusted. You'd never know it'd be undisturbed for months. Those ladies really were something else.

At the head of the table, Ali rose. "Leon told you nothing, right?"

"Absolutely nothing." Eyebrows raised; Duke crossed his arms. "What's happening now?"

Ali rose. "I need to go home."

Ai raised an eyebrow. "To do what?"

"There are things I need to get figured out. Going home in the only way I can do that."

"It's been two years and you still haven't learned?" Marshall gritted his teeth. "You had no intention of telling us, but She forced your hand again, didn't She?"

"There's more." I rose. "But I don't know who you should hear this from..."

Noelle appeared behind my little brother. "Allow me. I was the one who made this critical discovery, after all."

Everyone, but Ali and I, looked at her with wide eyes. Like deer caught in the headlights as he'd say.

"That's fair." He sat down. "Have at it."

I sighed and followed his lead.

Noelle took the long way around the room, the soles of her shoes clacked on the hardwood floor until she stopped in front of the little girl, we all called Lie. "Sweetie... I have news for you that will change everything."

Seemingly on instinct, the boys each grabbed one of her hands.

"Your parents aren't dead. They never were." She gazed into Lie's big, brown eyes. "They're in this place Alain needs to search anyway."

Duke leaned back in his chair. "What do you need to go home for in the first place?"

He drew a long breath. "I have this girl I need to look for. I need to check if the information they spat out is accurate or not."

"A girl? Who even is she?"

"She was a childhood friend."

Duke sat up straighter. "A childhood friend? When was the last time you saw her? When you were four?"

If looks could kill... Ali glared daggers at him.

Still, Duke's questions were fair. If I didn't know better, I'd assume he was older. He didn't have the girly voice he had when Ali first freed me. He was tall. He could probably pass for nineteen if he really wanted to.

Ai muttered the words Ali must've thought before her, "Usodayo?"

"I wondered if it was a lie, too," he replied. "Noelle wouldn't have said anything if she thought it were. She's not like that." He turned to his Protector. "I imagine you've done more digging?"

"I have." She put her hand over Marshall's. "I'd never put a kid through unnecessary heartache." She smiled. "But you knew that already, didn't you, sweetie?"

Tears poked out the corners of Lie's eyes. She nodded.

Ali rose and moved toward Lie's side of the table. "T and Recah already asserted their desires to come, but what about the rest of you?"

"I'm eighteen." Ai said, "Now that I can, I'm returning to Daddy."

Fists clenched; Duke gritted his teeth. "If Lie's going then so am I."

"I share his sentiment." Marshall glanced at her. "I'm coming, too."

Phoenix threw his arms around Ali's neck. "Wherever you go, I wanna go, too... T... Ain..."

Leon let out a deep, booming laugh. "That settles it! I wish you luck!"

Leon and Noelle left first. Ali dragged Duke and Marshall out without a word, so Phoenix followed with wide eyes and furrowed brows.

Ai and Recah embraced Lie. The little girl looked smaller, shrinking into their holds with tears streaking down her cheeks and wails escaping her lips.

That was a gut-wrenching experience. I wished I could something for her as her elder, future ruler, and as a big sister. But I spooked her, so I had to leave it to the girls.

I hated helplessness.

***

Leon followed me when I ran to the throne room after the meeting. "Do you need something, Princess?"

"I don't know..." I sighed and gazed at the ring around my finger. "Reassurance, I suppose?"

I was glad I wore flats. The heels would've clacked. That would've drawn unwanted attention. The others didn't need to see me like this.

"What would you like me to assure you of?"

I heard Mother's laughter in the ticking of the grandfather clock. I wished I could speak with her one last time. "Why did Mother ask you to give me this when I haven't had my coronation yet?"

"It is the seal of the royal family." Leon approached. "Queen Cecelia wished to give it to you at your coronation." His face remained steadfast. "I was to give you the ring if you were to have your coronation or journey without her."

I raised an eyebrow. "To journey? Journeying is a rite of passage in this world."

He bowed.

"Leon, I told you! I hate that!" I was shaking. I drew a long breath and averted my gaze. "You aren't inferior to me. No one is."

"My apologies, Tiana." He took my hand. "Gaze at the stone. She said you would understand if you did."

The stone? I hadn't paid it much mind. Why was it so significant? Mother never mentioned, let alone showed it to me before. Was that due to my age?

My jaw dropped. The color drained from my face. "That engraving. It was engraved with the North Star."

"I was told it was significant for you."

Tears clouded my vision. Mother always watched over us. And, I still loved her. "Daddy died when we were young." I clenched my fists. "What happened to him, Leon?"

"His Majesty had been unwell in the months leading up to your sixth birthday." Leon's forehead lines were more pronounced. "It took him greats amounts of energy to leave his chambers, but he insisted on attending the prince's party."

My hands trembled. "What illness took my daddy?"

"I'm sorry. I wish I knew." He averted his gaze. "Even breathing was a chore on his worst days. I'd never seen it before."

I could hardly control my voice. "Why apologize for what you can't change?"

I wished I asked more questions. Since we were leaving for Earth soon, I'd never get them all answered. At five when he died, I had few memories of Daddy.

"You worry about the prince."

"I do." I sighed. "Have I made the right decisions? Am I making the right one right now?"

I had few memories of Mother before five. Phoenix must've had few, if any, of her.

"Have faith in yourself, my princess. It will all work out." His eyes glistened. "Be true to yourself and tell him the truth." He smiled. "The prince is no longer a child. He will understand."

I returned to pacing. "I know." I sighed. "It's hard to remember, though." I gazed at my ring again. "A year ago, he was merely four."

"And, you were seven."

"I was, but it wasn't the same." I turned my back. "Even at my young age, I understood our situation was less than ideal. I did as I saw fit to make Annie tell me."

He failed to hide his laugh. "I would expect no less from you, Princess."

"I must go." I headed for the door. "My brothers will worry if I hole myself up in here much longer." I smiled. "Thanks for listening, Leon. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, Princess."

***

I returned to my chambers to find Baby Brother lying on our bed.

Sweat beaded my brow. My heart skipped a beat. "Has Ali talked to you since the meeting?"

He got out of bed and tilted his head. "No. Why?"

"It's a big deal." I turned my back. "We can talk after I change out of this dreadful dress."

I changed into a white t-shirt and black ruffled skirt. I loved skirts and dresses but couldn't stand most of Mother's. Scratchy materials drove me crazy.

"Where did you get those from, anyway?"

I flattened the skirt. "Annie. She seems to have many connections."

Baby Brother grabbed my hands. "Why does Big Bro have to go?"

"Because, he has important work only he can do." I gazed at the curtains. "Do you remember where he came from before we met him?"

He had a blank expression on his face. "You found him in the garden, and he took a nap on a bench. That isn't what you mean, though, right?"

I found myself sighing. "Right. He lived somewhere far, far away before he returned to free us." I opened the curtains to gaze at the greenery outside. "He lived in a place called Earth. It's very different from our Engrada of old."

That was when I realized it. Lie and Duke were young. Lie wouldn't have been told much. Would they experience culture shock?

"But, what does he have to do? I don't get it."

"Maybe that's for the best." Tears poked out of the corners of my eyes. "I'm following him to Earth, but you don't have to." My voice broke. "You can remain here with Leon if you wish."

"I don't get it, but I get one thing. I wanna go where you go." Tears in his eyes, he threw his arms around me, nearly knocking me to the floor. "Why'd you ask? I can't imagine being away from you now."

"I didn't want to deny you the choice." I drew a long, shaky breath. "I'd be no better than those who sealed us away if I did."

His voice broke. "I love you, T."

"I love you, too, Baby Brother." A tear escaped. "I always will."

Always. I needed to remember the North Star and who my North Stars were.

***

I slipped away after that. More than anything, I needed time to myself. That was something I got little of as a princess, and I could only get it in my waking hours.

Another chance like this wouldn't come for a long time.

Earlier, I put a swimsuit under my clothes. I set out a towel and put the clothes in my bag and set it down. Then I ran, practically skipped into the water.

The August Ama warmed the water quite nicely. I hadn't set foot in it in thirteen years. The last time was the day before I turned seven.

In those days, dolphins could be seen if one ventured further out. But this wasn't the Engrada of old. After well over a decade, they could've left if not worse.

I used my wind to create an air bubble. Something was calling out to me in the distance.

As I grew closer, it became apparent. It was a series of clicks and whistles.

'I see you heeded my call, Princess.' A pink dolphin laid before me. it had a star-shaped birthmark on its nose. Its big eyes gazed at me with a sense of... recognition?

'Why did you ask me here, miss?'

She nuzzled my hand. 'Your mother brought you here when I was a calf. You rode on my back, so I could never forget you.' She gave a quick, sharp series of clicks and whistles. 'I sensed when you set foot in the water.'

I had no idea. Animals were so perceptive, much more so than humans. I may well not have noticed.

How had I forgotten her? It was one of my last memories of Mother. Not long after I was freed, Leon insisted I had a party. I asked specifically for dolphins. At the time, I hadn't known why.

Her skin was so slick. It reminded me of a long-forgotten sticky treat.

'It really is a small world.' I smiled. 'We've grown a lot since then.'

'I saw in your eyes you'll soon be leaving. I wanted to see you one last time before you did.'

I nodded. 'You're sweet.'

She clapped her fins. 'You'll do great wherever you go.'

Tears poked out of the corners of my eyes. It was good to know someone else was rooting for me. The support of animals was an unwavering wonder.

***

Thoughts on the Crown Princess? Leon? Eni? The scene with the dolphin? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!