"I just want to go home," I sighed, throwing my head back as Emree worked on my hair. "Ouch!" I cried, as she whacked me.

"Quit moving around!" she ordered as she continued to braid my hair and put it into a high bun.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

She smiled at me in the mirror. "I know this must be hard. Just think in four days you will be sailing home into the arms of your handsome lover," she said, laughing as I blushed.

"Why couldn't we just combine all the celebrations into one last night? We could have been on a ship today!" I said.

Emree laughed. "Customs. It's traditional when the king pardons someone to have a ball in their honor, thus the celebration last night," she said, talking about the ball that was held last night in honor of King Tathrow officially removing all blame from Elakim and Mikkel. "Then, when a visiting royalty leaves it's tradition to have three days of celebration, the first a celebration of Niveitara, the second a celebration of the friend country, and a final of the friendship between the two," she said.

"We only had one for King Syrus," I argued.

Emree raised an eyebrow. "I thought Rowen taught you some of our customs," she said.

"He did... we just didn't have time to cover everything," I defended.

"Seems as though this should have been a first," she said, then paused. "Although I see why he didn't... you wouldn't have gotten off the ship," she laughed. "Three days is for new friendships. King Tathrow and King Syrus have been friends for a long time. Your friendship is new. Next time it will still be three, then the following three times you come it will be a two day celebration then after that just one," she said. "Now, let's get you in a dress and to your ball," she said, helping me stand without messing my hair or make up and get into my dress.

The celebrations weren't as bad as I was prepared for. We even had dances and food from Auroja the second and third night, which made it better, but also made my longing for home larger. We were now gathering in the castle courtyard the morning of our departure. Queen Layann took my hands in hers and smiled at me. "It was a pleasure to have you in our country and to now call you friend," she said.

I smiled at her, squeezing her hands as she squeezed mine. "It was an honor. I am so glad that we are building a strong union," I said. Then turned to include King Tathrow. "It will be my pleasure to host you in my home when you arrive for my wedding in a few months," I said.

"Try a month and a half," Alakay whispered.

I froze, my eyes growing wide. Queen Layann smiled at me, pulling me close. "You were here a little longer than expected. Your wedding is in six weeks," she said.

"Nice going Alakay, you killed the queen!" Benedict said, slapping the back of Alakay's head.

"No, not dead yet. Oh, wow," I said trying to regain my composure. Taking a deep breath I nodded. "Yes, we will see you in less than two months," I said.

"It seems as though we just arrived, yet it seems as though we were there much longer," Sparrow said, standing beside me as we watched the docks of Sayven grow smaller.

"Time is a weird thing," Emree said, standing on my other side.

It had taken some convincing, but we were able to persuade Emree that she should come home with us. Although her father had been pardoned there was little left for her. When Elakim had said he would accompany us as well she agreed. There was no guarantee on how long Elakim nor Mikkel would remain with us, but for now they were. I looked down at Sparrow. She had only had a few conversations with her father in the past five days since they had been reunited. I couldn't imagine what she was going through. I had lost two sets of parents and a father figure, but they were all very different situations. Sparrow had created a father in her mind and now to have him here must be confusing. Rowen talked daily with Mikkel, but the tension was still very easy to see. Emree on the other hand had been furious with Elakim the first few days, but she had quickly overcome it and found herself seeking him out as often as possible.

I slowly slid from the rail and made my way to the crows nest. It was empty right now and that's what I needed. Our six week journey had turned into an eight week one. Nothing had gone as planned. Some were better than we had imagined such as finding Elakim and Mikkel, mending relations with King Tathrow, and meeting Emree and Morr-El. On the other hand facing La Fray at the ball, being caught in the fire, and the extra weeks grew heavy on my mind. I was still processing everything and what it meant for my future, for my friends' future, and for my country's future.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked. Turning I saw Rowen and gave him a nod. "I believe Emree is getting ready to throw Nate overboard, you might want to go down and either break it up or watch," he said with a grin. He quickly made his way over to me when instead of the smile he was hoping for saw the tears on my face. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked.

"So much," I said, trying to blink back the tears, but was unable. "This was my final trip as Sam..."

Rowen raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? You'll always be Sam," he said.

"To you, to my brothers... but to Auroja I am now queen. Everything's happening so fast. Less than four years ago I was living in a village hardly anyone knew about. Within a year I lost my village, my family, yet I gained a place as a Red Dragon. Then within the past two years I learned that I not only have a living brother, but I was to be queen. Less than four months ago I was crowned queen, lost my only father figure, and got engaged. When we return home I will have a month to prepare for my wedding and once that happens Nigel and Jone said that we will begin the shift in power from King Philip and Queen Vivian to Nikolai and myself," I said, hardly taking a breath as I spoke. I gripped the rail, my knuckles starting to turn white. "La Fray wasn't supposed to be in the picture anymore. How can I ascend the throne when he is still out there? My heart tells me to drop everything and find him, yet as queen I can't," I said, my head falling. "How can I do all that is expected of me?" I whispered.

Rowen reached out and pulled me into his arms. "You lean into us, your friends. You are not taking the throne and being left on your own. King Philip and Queen Vivian will still be present and beside you. You will have Nigel and Jone to guide you on the finer arts of ruling. You will have Nikolai to hold you and support you each day, in every situation. And you will have us, your brothers, to step in and do whatever it is you need, not as subjects, but as Dragon brothers," he said.

I nodded my head, the hiccups started as I listened to his words. When he finished talking neither of us said anything right away. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and stood up wiping the tears from my face. "Thank you, Rowen," I said. A loud yelp brought us running to the other side of the crows nest. Emree had just snapped Nate on the leg with a towel that had been laying on deck. Nate picked up his own and started to snap back.

Rowen gestured with his hand to the fighting duo. "See? One of them is going to be overboard before we return home," he laughed.

A smile touched my lips and then gasped. "Rowen! They aren't fighting because they're mad... they like each other," I gasped.

Rowen laughed, shaking his head. "You just picked that up?" he asked, laughing hard as I slapped his shoulder.

"I did not grow up paying attention to how couples showed their affections! It took Nikolai months to convince me that he actually liked me," I said, slapping him again as he continued to laugh. "It's not going to be either of them overboard... but someones going over," I said glaring at him.

"So you're gonna be a married woman in four and a half weeks," Alakay grinned as he took up the empty position next to me in the crows nest. "I still say Nikolai's not good enough for you," he said.

I turned, giving him a small smile. "You'd never say any man is good enough for me," I said. He nodded a smile crossing his face as I took his side. "So I might as well just marry Nikolai and then we can work on the adjustment phase," I said, laughing as his face dropped. My heart skipped as the "land ho" cry rang out. Looking out my hands tightened on the rail. "We're approaching the mouth," I said, realizing that the land ahead was the mouth of the river that would take us to Jarrow. "We're going to be home in less than four days," I whispered.

Alakay nodded letting his hand fall on top of mine. "You've got this," he said. Although Alakay joked like no other, he was also the one that could tell my emotions the best. He knew that these past few weeks at sea had been a time of peace and that when I stepped off the ship a new set of tasks would be set before me.

Turning my head, I smiled up at him. "I don't know what I'd do without you," I said.

At this he smirked. "Not have nearly as much fun I can guarantee that," he said.

"And have no one to try out the new stocks I'll be building as my first official order," I said, laughing as mock hurt covered his face and his hand flew to his heart. "I've warned you again and again, you just keep pushing my buttons," I said.

He raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I never push your buttons," he said crossing his arms. "Or do you mean when I do this," he said reaching out and poking my side. "Or how about this," he said wrapping his arm around my waist and tickling me.

I cried out in laughter trying to wiggle free. "Yes! All of that! That is what is getting you thrown in the stocks," I shrieked as he continued to tickle me.

The sun was starting to set as the docks of Jarrow became visible. The sun shimmering off of the water. My heart fluttered as we passed the island where Nikolai had proposed. Then it leaped for joy as our ship slowed and came up beside the dock. "A little excited to get off the ship?" Nate asked.

Emree slapped his shoulder. "No, she's excited to see her fiancé," she said.

Nate shook his head rubbing his arm where he was hit. "Woman, you've got to learn to control yourself," he said, shaking his head at her.

"I wouldn't have to hit you so much if you'd stop saying such stupid things," she argued crossing her arms.

Shaking my head, I quietly slipped away. "And to think it took me months to realize they liked each other," I thought as I approached the gangplank. The captain was the first to disembark as he had to talk to the dock master. I quickly followed. "Thank you, Captain Lapell," I said, earning a smile from the captain as I spoke in Nivetarian.

The Captain bowed his head. "It was a pleasure to have you aboard," he said, then his smile grew and my eyes widened as I felt arms slip around my waist. "I believe you have a welcoming party," he said, bowing his head one more time before slipping away.

I spun around and a grin crossed my face as I stared up into Nikolai's, his arms still wrapped around me. "Nikolai!" quickly throwing my arms around his neck and sighing deeply in content.

"Nikolai!" a mocking voice called. Sighing, I glanced over Nikolai's shoulder to see Alakay and the rest of my crew walking our way. "Do we not get the same welcome?" Alakay asked, walking over and crossing his arms.

"No, now go away," I said, turning back to Nikolai. "How'd you know this was the ship we'd be on?" I asked.

Before he could answer another voice spoke up. "Because lover boy has been at the dock every day for the past two weeks seeking out information about any ship coming from Nivetara," Erik said, with a smile across his face.

"Don't toss all the blame on the prince. I saw you down here your fair share of days as well, General," the dock master said with laughter in his eyes. "It's good to have you back home, Queen Scarlett," he said bowing his head then walking off.

I let go of Nikolai and pulled Erik close. "It's so good to be home," I mumbled into his chest as he hugged me back.

Laughing, he nodded as he released me. "It's good to have you, and the rest of you, home," he said, turning to the rest of my crew. His eyebrows raised in question. "And I see you have added to your number," he said, noting the four newcomers. "I'm sure we will have time to be acquainted, but if I don't take you straight to your sister she may kill me," he said.

A gasp escaped my lips. "Chloe! The baby! Has the baby come?" I asked.

A grin broke across his face a look of pure pride now on it. "Two weeks ago," he said, nodding his head.

My heart sunk a little at the time frame, if we had been back according to plan I would have been here. "Wait, this isn't the way to the compound," I said as Erik started to lead us to the castle, my hand now being held by Nikolai.

Erik nodded a quick look of pain crossing his face. "It was a rough birth. She went into labor too early... we nearly lost both her and our little warrior. We were fortunate that Isabella had convinced Chloe to move to the castle as she was already struggling. Being there gave her access to the best healers who brought Elias into the world," he said.

"It's a boy?" I exclaimed. "We have a little boy!" I said throwing my arms around Nikolai.