Author's note for Cornelias: Thank you so much for your comments! We are very happy you like our story.


Reibun tugs the remaining quartet of confused and nervous girls away from the docks and towards the long streets of Sindria. Kadia can be seen ahead, pulling Noah behind her and shoving people out of their way.

"So this right here is the harbor, as you can see, and we'll be be heading straight up to the palace!" Reibun says excitedly, carrying on about how much they would enjoy their stay in Sindria. "You'll love it!"

The atmosphere of the harbor was unbearably humid and walking towards the looming mountain of a city felt as if treading through warm soup.

Reibun suddenly pulls the group to a screeching halt, throwing her arm into the air. Lulu stumbles forward, nearly falling to the ground, but Mariam grabs her waist and pulls her back with a firm grip. Lulu feels her feet leave the ground, but chooses not to mention it.

"What are you doing," asks Mariam, tilting her hooded head at Reibun.

The woman looks at them over her shoulder. "Hailing a cart," She answers, as if it is obvious. "You didn't think we were going to walk that distance, did you?"

"They are," Aafje says pointedly, motioning in the direction Kadia had dragged Noah in.

"Kadia is stubborn," Reibun sighs. "She doesn't really think things through when she's irritated."

...

"We've been walking for twenty minutes," says Noah, tugging at her scarf. It was starting to feel itchy in the heat. "Do you think the others got a cart? Maybe we should hitch a ride too."

"No, that'll take too much time."

"Walking all the way to the palace will take too much time."

"Who lives here? I do," Kadia growls, quickening her pace. "I know what I'm doing. We spent too much time waiting for you to show up in Remano, waiting for a cart will only waste more valuable time."

Noah's eyes widen, walking faster to keep up with the woman. She opens her mouth to reply, but is interrupted by yet another burst from Kadia.

"You were busy rescuing slaves, running around Reim with your buddies, and now we're running late—"

"I'll have you know I was looking for a very important book," Noah fires back. "One that was only available at the Remano— Oh my god I never asked that girl if she had it."

Noah begins dragging her feet on the ground in an effort to stop Kadia.

"We have to go back and get that book," She whines.

"What book," Kadia snaps, whipping around to look down at Noah. "You never said anything about a book."

"A book that focuses on the medicinal properties of root herbs that can be found in Sindria," Noah recites, stomping her foot on the ground. "And frankly, you never asked."

"My job was to bring you to Sindria," Kadia's fingers curl around Noah's scarf, glaring down at the herbalist. "Not to escort you on your adventure to find a book."

Kadia's releases Noah's dark blue scarf, and she turns on her heel to begin stomping ahead. Noah scrambles through the crowd behind her, frowning.

'Why was her breath so hot,' Noah wonders, trying her best to trail behind Kadia.

...

Nearly an hour has passed by the time Reibun's group makes it to the palace. Throughout their journey to the palace, Reibun had made idle comments about how Sindria was a lively country, but the streets were never this packed, in an unsuccessful attempt to make small talk.

"I don't see Kadia or Noah," Winter comments, absent-mindedly messing with her paper bag. "Do you think they got lost?"

"Possibly," Reibun replies, raising an eyebrow at the bag. She had honestly forgotten Winter had it, and was now filled with curiosity as to what was in it. For a brief moment, she wonders if the items in the bag are really as valuable as Winter had stated before.

"Um, Miss Reibun?" Lulu chimes, cutting into Reibun's musings. Reibun flinched. She had almost forgotten that the former slave was with the group, as she was practically mute and hadn't said a word most of the trip.

"Yes?" Reibun answers, racking her head for what possibly could be a question.

"Aren't we at the doors?"

Reibun, with a surprised look on her face, realized that yes indeed they were at the large doors of the palace, and that Mariam was holding Lulu bridal style.

"Do I want to know? No, probably not." Reibun mumbles to herself as she motions for the guards to push open the door, revealing their destination.

...

"Finally!" Noah gasps as she and Kadia rounded the corner to where their five companions stood. The androgynous individual pulls at her scarf, desperately scratching the back of her neck. "It's too humid, I thought I was going to die out there!"

"It wasn't that humid, you just didn't take off your stupid scarf," Kadia says as she stalks towards the group, a dark look on her face. "I got the kid. Now what?"

"Oh, Kadia. You're finally here," Reibun says as she impatiently taps her foot on the ground. They had only been waiting for a few minutes, but time was precious to Reibun. "Well now we have to find Ja'far and—"

"REALLY? Now we have to find him, at this time of day?" Kadia exclaims, interrupting Reibun before she could finish. Cracking her knuckles she began pacing up and down the hallway. "We both know he could be anywhere, especially with Sin gone. Have you tried his office?"

"I was waiting for you to bring Noah to palace. There wasn't a point in bothering him yet," Reibun calmly explained. "Now I think we should split up, and we can show our new friends around the palace—"

"JA'FAR WE GOT THE HERBALIST, NOW WHERE ARE YOU?" Kadia shouts, her voice echoing off the walls.

"Kadia, yelling isn't going to help us," Reibun sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

"Yeah, but it makes me feel better," The girl responds with a grin as she continues her yells.

"Oh my Solomon. Kadia, please, stop."

"Why are they yelling?" Lulu whispers to Mariam in the background.

"They're Sindrians, that's what they do" Aafje says with little emotion. "Reim is a place of knowledge, Sindria is a place of celebration."

"Kadia, for the last time, yelling has not summoned Ja'far nor will it ever," Reibun scolds. "Now I think he might be—"

"Right here," A voice smoothly finishes from behind her.

Reibun screeches at full volume as she trips backwards into the voice. The owner of the voice gives a weak 'oof' and stumbles as Reibun slams into them.

"Reibun, are you ok?" The man worriedly asks, gazing at her with concern as he holds her by her arms, having caught her before she could fall to the floor.

Kadia holds up five fingers and using them to signal a count down, silently mouthing numbers with a smirk on her face. The other bystanders look on in confusion as the scene unfolds.

"What are they doing," Lulu whispers, tugging on Mariam's cloak. Mariam shrugs her shoulders. Aafje's eyebrows are raised as her eyes dart from Reibun and the stranger, and Winter is casually pulling food from her 'mysterious' paper bag. Noah's nose twitches, one of her eyebrows raised at the odd scene, and continues tugging at her scarf that had become itchy in the heat.

Kadia's hand becomes a fist as her countdown finishes, and almost simultaneously, Reibun's face turns red.

"I— I'm so sorry Ja'far," She begins stumbling over the pronunciation of words, pulling back from his hold and covering her blushing face with her hands. Her voice becomes a squeak. "So sorry."

"That's," He pauses, offering an awkward smile. "Fine? I thought you would've been back earlier."

"Slave rescue. You?"

"Revolution," Ja'far replies, his shoulders sagging. "In Balbadd, to be more specific."

"Well," Reibun says, her blush having died down. "Did you pick up any kids this time?"

"Three," He cheerfully responds. "A prince and a former slave, and a little Magi."

"I picked up five," Reibun shoots back proudly. She points to each member of the small group. "Lulu, she's the slave rescue case. Aafje, she was librarian, she's still a little upset that she's not one anymore. Noah, the one with the scarf, and Winter, the one with the bag, they're strange ones. And then there's Mariam. I'm not entirely sure what Mariam's about yet, but she seems nice."

Picking up new individuals on their journeys was an old habit, but that is a story for another time.

A moment passes, and the group awkwardly stares at the smiling pair in silence. Kadia coughs, waving her arms at the newly introduced group as if to signal for Ja'far to approach them.

"So," Ja'far walks up to Winter, bowing lightly with his hands together. "You're Noah? I'm sorry our description was so wrong—"

"That's not Noah," Everyone groans as Ja'far greets Winter, slouching.

Noah waves at Ja'far from beside Aafje. "I'm Noah," She says.

"So our description was right," Ja'far mumbles, walking over to greet her. "Baggy clothes, a scarf, and short hair that makes her easily mistaken for a—"

"What should we do with the former slave," Kadia interrupts, motioning towards Lulu.

"Ah, go with Reibun and try to get her a Sindrian citizenship as soon as possible," Ja'far orders. "Reibun knows what paperwork to get, I'll be there in a minute."

Reibun waves for Lulu to follow them, and Lulu pulls Mariam along with her.

"Kadia, I need you to take Noah to the Black Libra tower, Yamraiha will show her the workplace we set up," Ja'far explains. "The rest of you need to follow me to the Green Sagittarius tower."

They begin to part ways, but Noah suddenly turns on her heel. "The one with the cloak! She's got the book about the medicinal properties of—"

"— root herbs in Sindria," Aafje finishes, holding up a rather large book Noah had failed to notice.

The younger girl dashes forward, taking the book. "Thank you," She whispers, holding the book close to her torso before Kadia grabs hold of her scarf and begins pulling her in the direction of the Black Libra tower.