Hey, y'all. I've had this chapter done and waiting to be proofread for longer than I care to admit. And as for when this story will be done, I have no idea. It's pretty close to being wrapped up, but I have no idea how long that will take me. Anyway, enjoy.

The smell of cooking was overpowering. It was the smell of my childhood, the smell of the day after a raid or a special day.

I looked over at where Nigel was sitting.

"Is it someone's birthday?"

"No, this is all for you."

My father met my eye. He was in a good mood. He froze in the middle of biting into a sausage.

"Arriana!" There was his hand, imitating my curly hair.

I froze. He seemed happy. Too happy.

"Come. Sit down! Eat!"

I forced myself to take a step. Then another. Then another. I eventually sat next to him. He put his arm around me and pulled me into an awkward half hug.

"Everyone, tell Arriana how happy we are she's back home safe."

"Anything to get me back to my normal routine." The man across from me signed, his face not showing any sign of a joke.

"Did I disrupt your normal routine?"

"Are you kidding? We spent the entire time you were gone looking for you. If you'd been missing any longer, we might have voted your dad off."

I looked at my father. He just shrugged and stuffed another sausage in his mouth.

"When's the vote?"

"Next Wednesday."

I nodded. "Who's running?"

"Jim down there and your father." He pointed at a man several seats down the table. I knew him. He'd taught me how to throw a knife.

My father had been voted captain every year since I was 3 years old. For him to lose now would be bad.

The man next to me, Loui, tapped my shoulder. "You caused us all a lot of trouble."

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to hear that."

He shook his head. "I'm sure you are."

"I didn't ask you to come look for me."

"Your father was always going to look for you. Don't act like you didn't know that."

I didn't say anything. Side conversations sprung up, some spoken, some signed. I wasn't included in any of them. Not that I much cared to be. No one seemed to be happy with me.

I ate my food and stood up to go.

"Arriana, where are you going?"

There was my father.

"For a swim."

"Oh, no you're not. It's sword practice today. We're odd."

I stared at him. That was a flimsy excuse, and we knew it. My father was a fan of having multiple people team up against another. We all knew that the logic was not related to combat practice.

I didn't see what I could do, or how I could get out of it.

"Fine."

And there it was. My entire day, gone. Like that. Maybe I needed to work some stress out. Maybe the mindlessness of a swinging sword would be just what I needed. Or maybe it was too obvious of a ploy to get me to stay. Not that I wanted to leave.

I looked at my father. He was back to performing a vanishing act on his breakfast. A piece of meat was stuck in his beard. I raised my hands, about to point it down. Then I lowered them again.

Before I knew it, it was time for sparring. My old sword was in my hand, and I had a partner.

"Guelan rules?"

My father nodded. Guelan rules decided that each priate started with a partner, and went until one disarmed the other or was in a position to make a fatal shot. The winner joined another group and the loser stood aside until someone lost. The exercise normally ended up with two big groups all fighting each other, the loser group steadily growing.

I looked at my partner. Jim. The candidate for captain. He was good. But so was I.

He made the first swipe, which I was able to sidestep. I swung back, he parried. He swung, I blocked him. The cadence of the fight was soothing. I had one purpose. To make Jim lose. It was clear, it was achievable. I could do this. I would do this.

I'd been surprised when someone had first tole me hearing partners talked during their matches. When I was told that phycology was a part of the fight, and demoralizing your opponent was a strategy. I'd never thought of it. After all, my hands were full.

There it was. The first winner. The loser stood alone to the side. Who would the winner join?

Jim's blade sent a bit of air against my cheek. Focus, I needed focus. The winner hadn't bothered us.

All around us, matches ended. The losers were growing. No one had bothered us. I almost had his sword out of his hand, but he saved it.

One more winner. One more...

My father had won his match. There he was coming. Whose side would he take?

Our blades were crossed. He brought his under, breaking us up. Jim looked momentarily stunned. I took the opportunity. I brought my sword down on his hand. The wood would leave a bruise. It hadn't taken long for metal to be banned in friendly sparring.

There it was; his sword was out of his hand. I didn't have a chance to watch him join the losers. There was my father.

I knew my father's fighting style. I could anticipate it like I could anticipate the sirens would scavenge for shiny goods after sinking a ship. He could anticipate me too. We were caught in an odd dance. We knew each other too well.

My fighting style had always been defensive. His was aggressive. I took a deep breath. I knew what I'd have to do. I'd have to leave myself open. I'd have to leave myself vulnerable. It felt unnatural.

I took a deep breath. There it was. I went aggressive, pushing forward. He could go for my side. He could have me in a few moves. But he didn't.

I'd caught him off guard. That was too my advantage. I was pushing him back. Out of the side of my eye, I saw someone approaching. Nigel.

I needed my father to be with the losers before Nigel could help him team up on me. But Nigel didn't come. He joined a different group. It was just me. Just me and my father. And our swords.

I had him. I was sure of it. And then he changed. He was defensive. There it was. A moment of stupidity, a moment of overconfidence and my sword was flying. He smiled. I never could live down a loss.

I was relegated to the losers. It wasn't anywhere near as exciting as the winners, but it passed the time. I lost myself in my thoughts. Where were Castor and Juniper. Then I felt it. I would find them. I knew I would. I had to.

My sword met another. The sun crept by. Time moved so quickly until the final sword was surrendered and everyone wondered off in search of food to satisfy the appetite we'd collectively worked up.

I turned to go, but a hand caught my arm. I turned around.

"Arriana, wait." His fingers wiggled.

"What?"

"I just wanted to tell you I love you."

I blinked.

"Yeah, me too." My hand hovered between us, my thumb pointing to my chest.

He pulled me into a bear hug. I felt like a little kid again, and for the first time, I didn't mind it.

"Now let's go eat."

I smiled despite myself. "Sure thing."

And there it was, father and daughter. I took a deep breath. I would find Castor and Juniper, but at the moment, I had a lunch date.