Geric wearily trudged through Ostekin, trailed by a few king's guard. It was a frigid evening, and a thin layer of snow crunched underfoot. The weak, winter sunset cast dull rays of light on the wooden buildings and brown tents that comprised the Bayern war camp. Geric and Isi and taken up residence in a merchant's house, leaving the Councilman's house in the town center for women and children. Geric ducked into the merchant's house and nodded politely to the merchant's wife and young son. They gazed back wide-eyed, as yet unused to the presence of the king in their home. Geric gave a small smile and proceeded to the chamber he and Isi shared. The royal chamber was merely a small room with clapboard walls and windows without glass. The wooden shutters were tightly drawn with scraps of fabric tightly wedged into the gaps. Dropping his gloves, Geric gratefully raised his hands to a brazier of hot coals in the middle of the room. Warming, he sighed and rubbed his neck, before glancing around for Isi. She was not there. He was just about to leave to check the councilman's house for her, when his eye caught the glimmer of long yellow hair shining in the gathering dark. Perplexed, Geric slowly strode across the room to a small table where – shock gripped him – a skein of Isi's hair, nearly three feet in length, lay neatly bound with a ribbon. A teacup, drained, but dregs remaining, lay beside the yellow locks. Isi had shorn off her hair. But why? thought Geric, dismayed. Has she grown tired of covering her hair? As if in answer, a piece of paper disentangled from the hair and fell to the floor. Geric bent to pick it up and was seized with horror as he read,

I have gone to see Enna. I must, Geric. Do not fear for me. – Isi

Shock, dread, and then finally anger assaulted his senses. Suddenly gasping for air, Geric pulled at his tunic's collar, and then tore off his cloak in frustration, throwing it to the ground. "No, no it can't be," he growled. "How could she do this?" His eyes darted to the teacup. Isi had dulled her windspeech. She was defenseless.

He almost bolted out the house to call for the king's guard, before he stopped himself. Drawing attention to Isi's absence would only place her in more danger. No, he could only wait, wait and hope, that she would return and return unscathed. Both the Bayern camp and Tiran camp must think that the Bayern queen was safely ensconced on Bayern territory.

He frantically reread the note. It said she would see Enna. There was no mention of rescue. Isi herself had earlier agreed that Enna could not be rescued. Neither could Finn or Razo. No opportunity had arisen, and the Tiran army was on the move. Even now the Bayern camp was preparing to meet the enemy at Fedorthal. Had that only been today at the council meeting? Had she been plotting this insanity since? How dare she behave so recklessly, endangering herself and Bayern!

A horrible, crippling sense of futility gripped Geric, and he found himself sinking to his knees, head in his hands. Could he do what he must – for Bayern – should she be recognized and captured? He must. He heard his father's words, spoken on his wedding day, resound in his ears, "Do not allow love to cloud your judgment as sovereign." Geric shook his head. He had not heeded that stricture. "Remember that your duty is first to Bayern, and then to your wife."

Geric got stiffly to his feet. Pretenses must be maintained, if he had any hope of her returning safely. He took a deep, steadying breath, and walking to the door, he called, "Willem!"

A juvenile squire came in. "My lord?" he queried. His eyes widened at the sight of the hair in Geric's hands.

"The queen wished to be less noticeable as we continue to fight Tira," Geric found himself saying in an offhand manner. "She already covers her hair most of the time anyway."

"Yes, my lord," Willem replied, eyes still wide. Geric nodded to the cloak lying on the ground, and the squire sprang forward to retrieve it, gathering up the gloves, and arranging everything neatly on a stand. Geric unbuckled his sword belt and handed it to Willem, who placed it gently with the cloak.

"Bring dinner for the queen and I here," said Geric. "We wish to eat alone."

Geric had been unable to eat. The plates of food that Willem brought lay untouched on the table. Still fully clad and wearing his boots, Geric sat on the camp bed, his hand grasping the skein of yellow hair, waiting. The candles burned and sputtered, and the noise of the town dwindled and died. One candle blew out, then another, until Geric was waiting in darkness.

In the early morning hours, a chilly breeze blew into the chamber. The breeze caught and blew the strands of Isi's hair held in his hands and raised goosebumps on his flesh. In the dim light, Geric could see Isi enter the room, the door softly closing of its own accord. Isi batted distractedly at the air about her face as she crept in quietly.

"How could you, Isi?" said Geric in a low voice. He could barely feel relief at her presence, such was his anger.

Isi straightened, her eyes finding his in the darkness. "I did what I had to," she replied quietly, but firmly. "Nothing more."

"Have you any idea of the repercussions of your actions?" Geric growled, struggling to keep his voice down. "How you could have endangered Bayern's interests? We are at war, Isi!"

Isi blanched, but whispered, "They did not know I was a queen, let alone Bayern." She pulled off her hair covering. Her hair was shorn off at her shoulders, not unlike a laborer. A gentle wind tugged at her hair, separating the strands and smoothing the curls. She gestured at the Tiran garment she wore. "They merely thought I was a Tiran woman," she continued her voice lilting into a perfect Tiran accent.

Geric's eyes narrowed, unmoved by the performance. "How could you have been so reckless? You put us all – and Bayern – at risk."

Isi said nothing, but Geric could see her staring defiantly back at him. "All this for Enna who abandoned you, abandoned Bayern?" Geric whispered fiercely. "She tried to burn you, Isi!" He rose angrily from the camp bed. "You know that she has been seen with Tiran soldiers burning Bayern lands. How could you?!"

Isi took a step back, but remained defiant. "The fire has been consuming her, she can hardly resist burning anything or anyone, even me."

Geric threw up his hands and turned away in frustration.

"She is my dearest friend," Isi said quietly to his back. "She would do the same for me. She has done."

"She's not the queen," said Geric, turning back and glaring at Isi. "She doesn't have the same obligations. She's not as significant."

"She is not the queen, but don't belittle her significance," Isi insisted. "Her allegiance will turn the tide of the war; you've said so yourself. She's dangerous in Tiran hands, and after tonight, it's even worse than I thought. My presence reminded her of her loyalty to her friends and Bayern. And our loyalty to her," Isi continued, glaring back at Geric. An icy draft chilled the chamber.

"We can't rescue her, Isi!"

"I know," Isi replied. "And now she does, too."

"You are not to approach the Tiran camps ever again," Geric said heatedly. "You are to remain where I tell you at all times. You will not attempt anything like this again. Ever."

Isi stood straighter, glaring at him. "I can make no such promise."

"You dare defy your lord and sovereign?!" heaved Geric, incensed.

Isi raised her chin. "I am the first daughter of Kildenree. I am a sovereign in my own right. I did not come to Bayern to be ruled but to rule."

"To rule with me," retorted Geric, his face inches from hers. "As my queen. Queens should not endanger their country. Queens should not sneak into enemy camps to visit captured friends!"

Isi paled and looked away.

"Look at me," he chided angrily, and he roughly turned her chin towards him. "There's bravery, and then there's recklessness. You put Enna before Bayern, before me, before yourself. Can you not see what position you might have put me in? To leave you to be tortured or killed by our enemy? To negotiate Bayern's surrender for your ransom? To lose you or Bayern?"

Isi's lips trembled. "Geric, I – "

"No!" Geric tightened his grip on her chin, interrupting her. "No, Isi! I thought I was a terrible prince who would be a terrible king – putting my love for you before my country. But you won't even consider me before Enna?" He let go of Isi and stumbled away, his voice breaking. "I am your king… your husband."

"Oh, Geric," cried Isi. "You do come first!"

Geric stared at the wooden walls, listening to her muffled sobs, but unable to comfort her. He felt her arms reach out to him, her teary face press into his back. "Geric, I love you. I'm so sorry. You do come first, you do. Enna is my closest friend... she is also our most valuable warrior. You know this." Isi heaved a stifled sob. "Should she burn for Tira, willingly or not, we could lose the war. You remember Leifer's destruction? A battlefield on fire…"

Geric turned his head to look at her. Isi stepped away, covering her eyes. "If only to prevent that, I would have gone," she wept.

Geric swallowed and pursed his lips. He felt a tear on his own cheek. "And?" he asked.

Isi raised her head, surprised. "She won't burn for Tira. Not anymore."

"Good," said Geric. Isi nodded, eyes tear streaked and downcast. "What did you mean earlier," continued Geric, "that after tonight it's worse than you thought? What happened?"

"She's being held by Sileph, the people-speaking Tiran captain."

Geric exhaled with annoyance. He was not a believer of people-speaking power and never thought himself to be under the influence of traitorous Selia's people-speaking.

"Don't underestimate the power of people-speaking," Isi scolded, her face shining with tears. "It is more powerful than wind or fire."

"Right," said Geric shortly. "I'll remember that." He walked away and set Isi's shorn locks on the small table.

"Sileph is powerfully persuasive," Isi continued, "but I think Enna is just strong enough and tough enough to withstand him, especially after tonight."

"Fine," said Geric, annoyed. His voice hardened. "Anything else?"

Isi roughly wiped her tears away. "No," she imitated with similar irritation. "Nothing that can't wait for tomorrow." Without another word, she pulled back the bedcovers and climbed in, turning her back to him. An icy gust blew through Geric's hair and whisked away under the door.

Geric swore under his breath. He could not tolerate her unrepentant defiance another moment. He crossed the chamber with long strides and yanked his cloak and sword belt from the armor stand. He swept out of the merchant's house.

"My lord?" queried a nearby king's guard, but Geric waved him away, stalking off angrily towards the town gates. He kicked at the frozen grass and crested a hill just beyond the hundred-bands' brown tents and roped off fighting rings. From this vantage point he could easily see the Bayern camp sprawled beneath him. A gentle snowfall began, punctured here and there by the brightly lit torches staked into the ground. The sky was beginning to lighten, and Geric scanned the lands toward the south, where Eylbold and the Tiran camp lay. Although too far away to see, Geric knew that the Tiran camp would soon awaken, just as the Bayern camp soon would. Enna was there somewhere, yearning to burn. Thoughts swirled in his mind like the snow flurries about him. Would she have burned for Tira had Isi not gone? Would she burn for Bayern? Geric felt his heart harden toward Enna and the firestorm she had brought to Bayern. But could the war be won without her?