It wasn't Natalia's idea to shoot targets. After all, it had been a long time since she'd needed to fight, and keeping her skills sharp hadn't seemed like a priority. It certainly wasn't something she'd planned to do during a visit from a friend. But Tear had insisted that she wasn't in any hurry to go anywhere, and had reminded the princess how easy it was to get out of practice. So here they were – out in the east courtyard with a set of dummies lined up along the hedges.

An arrow flew past the target, striking a nearby shrub instead. "You missed again," said Tear. "How long did you say it had been since you practiced?"

Natalia drew back her bowstring and fired another arrow. This one hit the dummy right between where the eyes would be. "You were saying?"

Tear said nothing. "It's been about three weeks, if you must know," Natalia added. "Hardly enough time to forget how to shoot."

"You're still missing more than usual," Tear replied. "Is something on your mind?"

Natalia frowned. She walked over to the bench Tear was using and sat down next to her. "It has been busy here lately," she admitted. "Among other things, I've been involved with a plan to build cheap housing in one of the lower districts."

"That doesn't seem like the kind of project that would be bothering you," replied Tear.

"It's one of many," said Natalia.

She paused. "Perhaps that's the problem. I may be trying to do too many things at once. These projects can take years, you know, and there was a time not too long ago when I wanted nothing more than to be busy."

There was a long silence between the two of them. "What of yourself?" Natalia eventually asked. "I hadn't expected a visit so soon, given how much of last month you spent here."

Tear looked away. "He wanted me around," she said. "It's not easy to settle back into things after being gone so long."

Natalia didn't need to be reminded. "Of course. As glad as I was to have him back, things were...rather chaotic."

She looked away for a second before continuing. "But enough about Luke – how are things in Daath?"

Tear frowned, and took a moment to think. "Complicated," she answered. "The Order still doesn't know what to do with itself. You would think that after this long, things would have been sorted out, but no one knows where to go from here. Most of our resources are being used to keep the city running. It's about all we can do."

"They still don't have a Fon Master, do they?" asked Natalia. "I'm sure I would have heard if they'd chosen somebody."

"No, and that's not likely to change for a while," Tear confirmed. "Traditionally, they'd consult the Score, just like with anything else. But now…"

She shook her head. "There isn't any other process to fall back on. Several high-ranking priests formed a temporary council about two years ago, and they've been the ones making all the important decisions ever since."

"I see," murmured Natalia.

"They'd considered Florian early on, but Anise wouldn't have it," Tear continued, smiling just a little. "She insisted that he be allowed to live his own life on his own terms. And for practical purposes, he would have required more than just basic training. He didn't have adequate knowledge or life experience for the position, so the idea didn't go anywhere."

"That was probably for the better," said Natalia.

She frowned. "So overall, not much has changed."

It was a little disheartening. She knew that recovery would be slow, but it had been over three years by now. Even if the world's affairs were stable, the foundation was still shaky. It felt like a house of cards that could collapse at any minute, and few were in a better position to see it than she.

After a bit longer, Natalia picked her bow back up and resumed practice without a word. It ended up being short-lived. She could barely shoot straight – nearly every arrow missed its mark. Frustrated, she set her bow against a statue and began yanking arrows from the dummies.

Tear waited a bit before saying anything. "This isn't like you," she said, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Perhaps today was not the best day for this," replied Natalia, sharply.

Both of them were silent for a while. "There's something else bothering you, isn't there?" asked Tear.

Natalia pulled another arrow and sighed deeply. "A few, actually. First of all, I've had the worst time with the neighborhood where the houses are being built. The focus is on being affordable, and the people there are concerned about…well…"

Natalia stopped, choosing her words carefully. "The type of residents they might get."

"Is it crime they're worried about?" asked Tear.

"Well, that's part of it, but…"

She trailed off, and it didn't take Tear long to figure out what she meant. "Oh."

Natalia looked away. "Exactly. They've been here for years now, but no one wants them around. We've been doing what we can, but rules alone won't change people's minds. It's going to take time."

She paused, then changed the subject. "That aside, I've missed being among friends. Most of my time with people is meant to serve some purpose or other – making deals, strengthening alliances, and other things of that nature. I don't miss our journey together, but at least we could converse without strings attached. I suppose I grew used to it."

"Isn't that what we're doing now?" asked Tear.

"It certainly would have been if the first thing out of your mouth wasn't about my training!" said Natalia. "Must everything be business to you?"

Tear was silent. She stared at the grass below her feet, her expression difficult to read. Natalia took a deep breath. "I suppose that was rather harsh," she added. "I'm sorry."

"I was concerned for your well-being," Tear said, quietly. "I guess that's just my way of expressing it."

"I see," replied Natalia. "In that case, I appreciate it."

"Thank you."

She glanced over at the row of dummies. "You forgot an arrow," she pointed out.

Natalia ran over to the end of the row and yanked the last arrow out of the target. "Do you still have time to talk?" asked Tear.

"About what?" replied Natalia.

"Not politics or long-term projects. Just…"

"Whatever comes to mind?" Natalia finished.

Tear smiled for real this time. "Sounds like a plan."