Easy months continued to drift past.

Tannix learned to lead at his mother's side. Tairia began helping in the background, often attending meetings. Most of their time was still spent on war recovery. Sometimes, just because I was curious, I went to meetings and played the part of a servant. But most of my updates came from family meals, or Tannix discussing things with the knights, or late night conversations.

I learned that there were still plenty of East Draulin refugees in West Draulin. Many people had moved back to East Draulin, but some were choosing to stay. A woman named Lady Ohra frequently met with Tannix and Clairia to discuss her progress with finding them homes and jobs. These people had lived in a city, but Lady Ohra was trying to encourage some of them to move into the countryside. A lot of farmers had enlisted in the war, and there was real concern that the upcoming harvest would suffer.

"We didn't lose many men, actually," Tannix told me one night in bed. "Compared to other cities' armies. But a lot of them are staying on with the army instead of going back to their farms."

I was comfortably snuggled under his arm, watching his rings catch the flickering candlelight. "Better pay?"

Tannix sighed. "I understand, it's exactly what Evrik and Mandell did. It's just that the whole island relies on our farmlands. For food, and for exporting. It's not an easy problem..." He trailed off thoughtfully.

There was a similar concern with fishermen, I later learned, both in West Draulin and East Draulin.

"People lost boats," Kor was standing in the middle of the little private courtyard that belonged to Tannix's guards. "How are those fishermen going to go back to fishing if their boats are gone?"

Tannix frowned. "We lost fishing ships in West Draulin? I know the East Draulin Navy was devastated, but our fishing fleet should have been safe enough."

Kor looked frustrated, but Ender spoke over him. "Lost doesn't necessarily mean destroyed, mate. Some people couldn't pay docking fees, so harbourmasters claimed their boats. Some just fell into disrepair and now they're too expensive to fix. You want to encourage people to leave the navy and their good salaries? You need to get them boats."

"I can do that," Tannix said. "Well, I can try to. All right. Thank you."

The conversations were never-ending, but slowly things seemed to be improving. With the most pressing matters somewhat under control, Tannix, Clairia and Tairia could move onto other projects. The first was their plan to erect a monument next to the fortress gate. It was going to depict four people standing in a circle-a soldier, a navy sailor and a man and woman-to represent everyone who had died in the war. They wanted to post lists of names around the monument, although that was proving harder to arrange.

After dinner one day, Joen presented me and Tannix with our Zian wedding rings. He had carved our black marriage stone into two rings, polished smooth and shiny. I didn't even think such a thing was possible, but immediately I loved them. The rings were added to our respective necklaces. Mine was starting to get quite heavy.

***

Even though we knew eventually orders would come from Tandrin and the Queen about the ambassador trip, it still came as a surprise one evening, when Captain Roland was admitted into the family's dining room with a leather packet in his hands.

It was immediately obvious that he was holding the packet meant for Tannix, but Clairia spoke up before anyone else could.

"Roland, join us for dinner. Then you can deliver your message."

Servants rushed to add a place setting to the table. While crossing the room, Captain Roland noticed Kor on guard duty and gave him a casual salute with two fingers. Kor returned the gesture with a smile.

The more I got used to being around the Tandrans, the more Captain Roland interested me. Here was a man who had been very close friends with Lord Tandrael West Draulin, but he had remained very much himself through it all. He was wealthy and influential and yet he looked like any other Crelan sailor. He was wearing a long leather jacket and a wide brimmed hat. He wore his hair long, tied back, and had a black beard. Around his wrists and neck, I could see the ends of the dark lines of his Crelan tattoo.

Kor and Ender may have talked like Crelans, but compared to their uncle, it was easy to see the Teltan blood in them.

Roland ate with us, and he made small talk with the family, but it was clear everyone was trying to avoid the leather packet. After the food was finished, and nothing was left to do but finish sipping on wine, Roland pushed the packet towards Tannix.

"Can't avoid it forever, lad."

Tannix picked it up with a sigh and unwrapped the string around it. He took out two letters first, handing them off to Tairia and Clairia. A third, he opened and read quickly to himself. He folded it and placed it aside, then his eyes landed on a pristine piece of paper.

He rubbed his face with his free hand. "Korander, find Atricen."

"Aye, my lord," Kor replied easily, in his weird mixture of Crelan jargon and proper Teltish title, before heading out the doors.

Silence reigned in the dining room, as Tairia and Clairia read their personal letters and Tannix flipped through his packet of papers. I didn't have wine to distract myself with, like Roland did, so I sat back in my chair and tried to read Tannix's expressions.

When Kor returned, he had both Acen and Ender in tow. He and Ender moved back to Kor's original space at the wall, while Acen pulled out a chair at the table and sat without being invited. Nobody batted an eye.

Tannix cleared his throat and started to read out loud. "By order of Queen Esmeranda and King Tandrin, Lord Tandrix West Draulin will serve as Zianna's ambassador. He is to be accompanied by his personal guard, led by Sir Lord Atricen from West Draulin, and including Sirs Korander, Korender, Evrik, Mandell and Joen, as well as Finagale, thief of the West Draulin Guard, and any additional personnel he deems necessary. Lord West Draulin will travel first to East Draulin, where he will meet with the Navirian Ambassador, Lady Branni. Together they will travel to Deorun, to join with the Deoran Ambassador, Sir Darios.

"The ambassadors will represent the friendship that is being repaired between our three countries. Queen Esmeranda, King Tandrin, Queen Avaloni and King Valkiros agree to leave the specifics of the trip up to the judgement of our ambassadors. It is our wish to strengthen the relationship between our three countries, and those of the Northern Coast. Our suggestion is as follows.

"Together, the ambassadors will travel through the north, to known worlds and unknown, and finally they will visit the Island Lords. They will then report back to their respective kingdoms, before leaving together for a tour of the Southern Shore.

"We, Queen and King Zianna, look forward to receiving reports from our chosen ambassador, and wish him well on his journey."

Tannix put the letter aside. "The rest of these are all letters to present to various important people along the trip. This is a lot." He looked at Acen.

Acen rose one shoulder. "No more than we expected."

"More than I'm comfortable asking from you and Joen," Tannix said. "It feels like we've barely returned from the war."

"You're not asking." Acen levelled Tannix with the calm look that made him such a good guard captain. "The order is coming from the throne, and even if it wasn't, we would follow you. You know that."

The packet trembled just before Tannix dropped it onto the table. He clasped his hands together on his lap, but not quite fast enough for me to miss that his right hand was shaking. "I can't ask Joen to leave his family. You... it's just Lady Gallea. But Joen has his girls."

"I'll discuss it with him," Acen said. He had noticed Tannix's hand as well, his eyes kept flicking down. "But I suspect he won't want to be left behind. When do we have to leave?"

Tannix looked at the papers without touching them. "Three days."

Acen pushed his chair back and stood. "I'll get the preparations underway. By your leave, sir?"

When Tannix nodded, Acen spun and crossed back towards the door with brisk steps. He paused, right before exiting, and turned around. "Tannix, come to the barracks when you have time."

"It's nothing."

"Humour me."

Tannix looked at him. They had an entire silent conversation in that look, before Tannix nodded a second time. "Fine."

Acen dipped his head in a slight bow, then turned to face the ladies for a more formal bow.

After a moment, Roland broke the charged silence by clearing his throat. "There's something else, lad. I have that assassin of yours in my hold. Tandrin wants you to take him along."

***

The next three days bustled with activity. Acen tried to give every knight a final day off. Evrik and Mandell refused, insisting Acen and Joen each take an extra day with their families. Ender and Kor claimed they were far too busy getting the Thief Queen ready and hiring a crew, so they too insisted Acen and Joen take a third day. Their scheming worked on Joen, who we didn't see once over our final three days in West Draulin. Acen, on the other hand, was harder to send away. It wasn't until Tannix refused to let him do any more planning that he went off to be with his wife.

At family meals, there was a new tension that the three Tandrans did their best to ignore. They acted as if Tannix wasn't about to leave on a year-long journey through the northern countries.

It didn't take me long to notice that by sending Acen away, Tannix had taken on a lot more of the preparation work. It kept him occupied between meals and other meetings, giving me some free time.

The day before we were scheduled to leave, I talked Kor into escorting me to the port. I could have gone on my own, but I still didn't know how to get out of the fortress, or if I would be allowed back in on my own. Besides, I didn't really know how to act in the port.

Luckily, Kor knew exactly who I was looking for and how to find him. We made our way through the maze of docks and piles of cargo, and found a small, sleek ship moored at the end of a long stone pier.

A step ahead of me, Kor stopped just before he would have stepped up onto the gangway. "Ahoy, Queen of Crele! That you, Vosh?"

There were plenty of men on and around the ship. A trio near the end of the gangway looked over, and a tall Crelan man replied, "Ahoy, mate. You'd be... Korender?"

"Almost," Kor replied with a good natured laugh. "'m Korander, mate. My uncle 'round, then?"

The sailor, Vosh, shook his head as he crossed very tattooed arms over his chest. "Not now. Reckon he's up there in the fort."

"Ah." Kor shrugged. "No matter, that. 'm not really lookin' for him anyway. Lad named Kovin 'round?"

"Should be, aye." Vosh turned around to scan the ship. "Kovin! Fancy knight 'ere fo' you, lad!"

Kovin appeared at the top of the gangway a moment later and came down to join us. "Finn! Heard you're headin' out on that ambassador trip. And Sir..." he paused, then, "Kor?"

Kor lifted one shoulder and smiled. "Dunno if you get credit for a lucky guess, mate."

"I'll get it one day, sir."

"More fun for me if you don't," Kor teased.

"Kovin," I interrupted. "I have a favour to ask. Next time you're in Zianna, can you deliver this?" I held out a folder of papers, very similar to the one Tannix had received.

"Letters fo' Soldier and the others?" he guessed, taking the folder.

I nodded. "Yes, but..." This was the more awkward part of my request. "None of them can read, as far as I know, so... You can read, right?"

To my relief, Kovin didn't seem offended. "Aye, mate. 'm slow at it, but I can do it. I can help your family out."

"Thank you." My gaze dropped to his scarred and tattooed forearm and the collection of colourful string bracelets around his wrist. They were very similar to the ones Joen's daughter Lylah had made for us before the war. Everyone was still wearing them, in some way. I looked back at his face. "I know they'll be fine without me, but can you check in on them whenever you can? Castin... he might need someone who was there."

Kovin nodded, his smile slipping into something more solemn. "Aye, mate. Have those moments myself from time t' time. We'll look out fo' each other. And if you wanna send me letters while you're off, I'll get 'em t' the others."

I glanced at Kor. "Can we?"

He nodded. "Aye. They take time, of course, but we'll be sending letters back home. Just find a ship heading in the right direction and send them along. Sailors tend to be good 'bout that kind of thing, since we all need help from each other to send letters. If we label a letter for Kovin on the WDN Queen of Crele, it'll get to him. Eventually."

A slow moving letter was better than none at all. I grinned at Kovin. "All right. I'll send some. Thank you."

"'course, mate." He slung an arm over my shoulders and pulled me into a brotherly hug. "Be safe, aye?"

I hugged him back. "You too."

***

The day was bright, with a clear sky and strong winds. It felt like it would be the perfect day for sailing.

Most of the knights went ahead, but Acen and I accompanied Tannix as he was ceremoniously escorted down to the docks. He hadn't wanted to make such a fuss, but Clairia insisted, saying that the people deserved to know that their lord was leaving the city.

It was the reverse of what he had returned home to months ago. People lined the streets, held at bay by city guards. Tannix and the ladies rode in an open carriage. Acen and I, along with guards for the ladies, rode around it. When we reached the port, I immediately hopped off my horse to go join the rest of the knights. They were standing formally in a line, which felt odd only because none of them were dressed up in their uniforms. Instead, almost everyone was wearing casual clothing, boots, dark pants and a variety of different style tunics. Ender, the odd man out, wore a long leather jacket very similar to Captain Roland's.

After waving to the crowd and saying a few words that I didn't manage to catch, Tannix, Tairia and Clairia climbed from the carriage and moved closer to our line. Acen stepped in beside me as Clairia began to speak.

"You are the most capable personal guard in this kingdom." She clasped her hands together, despite the envelope she was holding that made doing so awkward. "Tandrael could not have chosen more loyal, or more talented men, to watch over Tandrix. I want to reassure you all, that while you are gone, your families are under my protection. They may come to me with anything, and I will do my utmost to help them. Atricen has given me a list of how to contact your families, and I will be sending out letters this very afternoon. Thank you for keeping my son-" Her eyes caught on me for a heartbeat. "My sons, safe."

Tairia went next. "Tradition may dictate that I only give a token of affection to one man, but Tandrans have never been ones to bow to traditions." Her comment, and the very Tandran grin that followed it, received a few chuckles from the men. Tairia moved down our line, handing each knight a small pin. I couldn't get a good look until she dropped one into my hand, and then I saw that it was a simplified version of the Lady West Draulin ring. While the real ring, which sat on Clairia's finger, was a delicately realistic golden flower decorated with blue stone, the pin was a flat image of a flower with blue specks. It wasn't until I looked up from my inspection that I noticed that the knights were all placing their pins on the collars of their tunics, and I rushed to follow suite.

Tairia stood in front of us again, hands on her hips. "Let these pins be a reminder that you are all war heroes. Let them remind you that all of West Draulin wishes for your wellbeing. And let them remind you that you are more than knights to a lord. You have all become a family, which means that you have a duty to me as your collective younger sister to return to us unharmed."

"Atricen and Joen," Clairia said. "I believe you have final goodbyes to say." She gestured to the closest edge of the crowd, where Catia and Gallea stood, each holding one of Joen's daughters. The two men nodded and went off to see them.

Clairia turned to Tannix and pulled him into a hug. "Your father would be so proud of you. You are going to make a wonderful impression in the Northern kingdoms." She drew back, and slipped her envelope into his hand. "If you come across your Uncle Tanden, this is a personal letter for him."

A puzzled look flashed across his face, but he nodded. "Of course."

He might have asked more, if Tairia hadn't thrown herself into his arms. "I hate that you're leaving again, even if I understand why. Shall I blame Tandrin?"

Tannix laughed. "That sounds appropriate." He kissed her forehead, then leaned around her to kiss his mother's cheek. "I love you both. May the Goddess watch over you."

"And you," they echoed in tandem.

At the end of our lineup, Ender cleared his throat. "Sorry t' interrupt, mate, but we need t' head out."

"Yes," Tannix agreed. He hesitated a moment longer, holding Tairia and Clairia's hands in each of his. Then he took a deep breath and called out, "Acen, Joen!" Then more quietly, "Well, lead the way, Captain Ender."

***

He stood on the deck waving until it was impossible to make out Tairia and Clairia at the end of the dock. Only then did he take my hand and lead me into the Thief Queen's captain's quarters.

"I know you'll hate being on a ship for so long, but I hope this will help." He tugged me across the small room to stand in front of a stuffed bookshelf. They seemed to be books of charts and tomes about different countries. Some of them were probably interesting, but what caught my eye was a small statue of Roe.

"This'll help," I said, and then I stood on the tips of my toes to kiss him.