A/N: Chapter contains NereaxLeander

It was a good hour after breakfast. King Mausinger stood at the gates to Ding Dong Dell, hands clasped behind his back, as he waited patiently for his guests to arrive. In the interest of strengthening and maintaining relations between the five nations, each of the five rulers (now six after Nerea and Leander's marriage) would meet once a month in one of the five nations. The appointed day had now arrived and this month it was Mausinger's turn to play the host. A whirring sound gradually increasing in volume drew his gaze upwards. Flying in from the south was Zip Vector's airship being piloted by Zip himself. Mausinger's stomach churned at the sight of it even though he would not be boarding the vehicle this time. He had little issue with heights but did not enjoy flying in the airship all the same. What if it fell apart in the sky? Or out of the sky? And no matter how many times Zip tried to patiently explain to him how it worked, it did nothing to ease his anxiety. He just wasn't cut out for technology it seemed.

The airship circled Dell as it descended and touched down a little way away from the gates. The whirring of the contraption's engines decreased in pitch as they shut down and the propellors slowed. The door opened and Evan stepped out first with his Kingmaker, Lofty. As soon as Lofty's feet hit the grass, he turned to Evan. Mausinger could just make out what he said next. "Righto! I'm off to join the others now, Evan. Don't have too much fun without me."

"I'll try not to, Lofty," Evan replied. Lofty transformed into his dragon form in a flash of gold light and soared off in the direction of Oakenhart's King's Cradle. Pugnacious emerged next, then Leander, who helped Nerea descend the stairs and lastly Zip, who brought up the rear. They approached together as a group and Mausinger's smile lost some of its strength; There was once a time when Evan would've ran to meet him, nearly bowling him over in a hug. But those days were no more and they would probably never return.

"King Evan, Grand High Roller Pugnacious, Queen Nerea and King Leander Aristides and President Vector. Allow me to formally welcome you all to Ding Dong Dell."

"Oh seriously, Otto?" Zip objected. "Are we really going to do this every time?"

"But of course. It would be unbecoming of me as King of Dell to shirk formality, especially for my esteemed colleagues."

Zip put his hands on his hips and shook his head as Evan giggled and Pugnacious chuckled.

"You are formal to a fault as always, Mausinger," Leander commented with a smile.

Mausinger sighed and admitted. "I suppose I am."

"You're one to talk, dear," Nerea said with a good natured smirk. Leander cleared his throat as he adjusted his glasses in response.

Mausinger glanced up at the sky before speaking. "The weather is nice enough that I was wondering if you would all be interested in a pleasant stroll around the Summerlands. We have a few hours till lunch after all."

"That sounds wonderful," said Evan.

"Yeah," Zip agreed. "Sometimes I get so distracted by work that I end up being cooped up in Broadleaf for weeks on end. It'd be good for me to get out and stretch my legs."

"We would love a walk, Otto," said Nerea.

"Indeed," Leander added. "Being surrounded by ocean means we are not regularly afforded the opportunity for long walks short of laps around Hydropolis, or leaving the nation altogether."

"It seems that we are all in agreement," said Pugnacious.

"Excellent," Mausinger replied. "Then let us be off."

Zip looked around and took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air. "Man it's so pretty around here. Not like back home in Autumnia."

"How are things going with the clean up, Zip?" Evan asked.

"We're working on it. We figured the first step would be finding a way to power the Treehouse with clean, renewable energy, so we stop producing that, well, gunk before we look at anything else."

"That is reasonable," said Leander. "If you cannot halt the production of the mire it would subsequently make the clean up effort an exercise in futility."

"Exactly. So we've been focusing on that. The windmills and waterwheels in Dell gave us a good starting point, though. At the moment we're looking into ways to transform kinetic energy into electricity."

"Considering the way your mind works, Zip, I would be hard pressed to believe that is the only thing going on inside that head of yours," Nerea commented with an amused smile.

Zip grinned back. "Well you know me! I'm also looking into ways to provide electricity for you guys as well. At the moment you'd all be pretty low impact, so you wouldn't need much. And some of you are pretty much set. Wavepower for Hydropolis and windmills and waterwheels for Ding Dong Dell."

"I cannot say that I am too enamoured by the idea of Ding Dong Dell becoming industrialised, Zip," said Mausinger.

"After what happened in Broadleaf I can't say I blame you, Otto. But bringing technology to Dell won't have to mean tearing it up if we do it right. And you don't have to do it all at once, either."

"Hmm. I suppose not."

"Speaking of Ding Dong Dell, Mausinger," said Leander. "How is the reunification proceeding?"

"It is proceeding but slowly. The atmosphere is much improved, admittedly even better than before the coup, but… At the same time I am afraid that my actions were something of a step back…" He dropped his gaze into the grass beneath his feet as he continued. "There are many who have not forgotten the lengths that I went to, grimalkin, humanfolk and even some mousekind. And I… I fear they never will…" He looked up in surprise when he felt someone place a hand on their shoulder.

Nerea smiled back, comfortingly. "We all treated our subjects with cruelty, Otto. Each of us in different ways. And we all have much to atone for."

"You must not forget that you are not alone, my friend," Pugnacious added.

"We made a promise, didn't we?" Said Evan. "United we stand as one single land. That means we all have to help each other."

"Yeah," Zip agreed. "We're all in this together, Otto."

"Yes…" Mausinger said and smiled. "So we are."

"Of course Evan is the only one of us who did nothing wrong."

"And Leander!"

Leander smiled. "That is very kind of you to say, Evan, but you are incorrect. Until you arrived in Hydropolis, I was subjecting my people in Nerea's place and likely would have continued to do so. Therefore it is only right that I share in her guilt."

Nerea sighed. "You are too hard on yourself, Leander. You were only following the orders of your Queen."

"But at the expense of my people. At the time I had convinced myself that it was the right thing to do, but they were miserable, Nerea. But I promise that I will not allow blind devotion to cloud my judgement again."

She stopped and took his hands in hers. "Then I could not have asked for a better husband." Zip, Evan and Pugnacious aww'd in unison as Mausinger smiled broadly and they both blushed.

"All right you lovebirds, let's get back on track," said Zip and they resumed walking. "So how things are going in Hydropolis after all that?"

"I withdrew from my people and subsequently became out of touch with their needs and happiness," Nerea replied. "So now, once a week I have taken to walking among them and listening to what they have to say, even if it is just to hear them tell of how their day went. Many of them have wonderful tales to tell and it has become a day that I look forward to."

"Our people seem to be happier now," Leander added. "But as you can imagine, there are still those who have yet to forgive or forget."

"I cannot say I blame them," she sighed.

"Indeed," Pugnacious agreed. "I face such a situation in my own kingdom as well."

"And how fares Goldpaw, Pugnacious?" Mausinger asked.

"Things are well. I have been making reparations for all of the money I stole. But beyond that, I have made the decision that the dice roles of Lady Luck be taken under advisement rather than law."

"Gosh, that's a big change," Evan remarked.

"And a very bold move, Pugnacious," Leander added.

"Indeed. Lady Luck has been integral to the governing of Goldpaw for almost as long as our nation has existed. But now I think it time we step forward into a new era."

"What did everyone think of that?" Evan asked.

"There was some resistance which was to be expected but the consensus was generally favourable. Following the revelation that the dice can be manipulated, I suspect that has thrown her reliability into doubt."

"That is… understandable," said Mausinger.

"Yes. And needless to say there are those who feel that my actions threw my reliability into doubt. It will be sometime before I win back their trust I think."

"We're all pretty much in that boat together," said Zip.

"Indeed we are. But so long as I have the support of my Kingmaker and my friends, I do not fear that I will lose my way again."

"A sentiment that we all share I would imagine," said Nerea.

"It is indeed," Mausinger agreed.

The conversation turned to Evan and the accomplishments of Evermore and then to other matters. It was well into lunchtime by the time they returned to Ding Dong Dell.

Ratja stepped out of Dell Castle and looked up at the sky. It was partly cloudy and slightly gusty but thankfully wasn't raining. Her day off had fallen on the day Mausinger was to be entertaining guests from the other nations, so she had made arrangements to meet up with an old friend. And it looked like she had picked a good day for it. Celia Crumbles, the shop assistant at the Hootique was waiting for her just outside the gates. When she spotted Ratja, she excitedly began calling her name. Ratja beamed, picked up her dress and ran the rest of the way. They hugged each other tightly. "Gods, Ratja it's been so long!" Celia exclaimed.

"It has!"

Celia took her arm. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"We do. I heard Rosamund moved to Evermore. How is she finding it?"

"It's very different to Ding Dong Dell. All sorts of people live there now, from all different nations. But she says they're all very nice and she's making lots of new friends."

"That's good to hear. Have you had the chance to visit her yet?"

"No, not yet. But I would like to. Evermore sounds like such a wonderful place."

"It does. Are you thinking of moving there yourself?"

"I do miss Rosa but I'm happy here, especially now that everything has changed for the better. Ding Dong Dell is where I belong I think."

"Yes," she smiled. "Me too." Celia gave her a smile that made her blink and ask. "What?"

Celia's smile broadened. "Let's get some coffee and cake. Then I'll tell you what." They had arrived at their destination; one of the few cafes in Dell and Celia headed inside. Ratja followed puzzled and they ordered their cakes and coffee and sat down in one of the window seats.

"So what is it you want to tell me?" Ratja prompted.

"Ask you, really. It's not escaped Leafbook's attention that you have been spending a lot of time with King Mausinger of late." Ratja spat a mouthful of coffee back into her coffee cup. Apparently she hadn't been checking Leafbook as much as she should've been it seemed. "So tell me, tell me. What's going on?"

"What… what do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"You've been friends for a long time haven't you? And you've always spoken of him very fondly in your letters. So I was wondering if there had been been any recent, shall we say, developments in your relationship."

Ratja sipped her coffee. "Celia… I don't think King Mausinger would appreciate me gossiping."

"Ratja, it's not gossiping if it's about yourself. And whatever you tell me, I won't be spreading it around if that's what you're worried about."

She sighed. Celia liked a bit of gossip, but she was also savvy about what she gossiped about. "All right. I, um… I can't speak for King Mausinger but I can speak for myself."

"Of course."

"He's always been a wonderful friend. He's so kind and generous and he makes me laugh. I love spending time with him. But… I've known for a while now that I… I…" She gulped.

"You love him?"

"… I do."

Celia clasped her hands together in delight. "Oh, Ratja. Haven't you told him yet?"

She dropped her gaze into her coffee. "Not… not yet… I wanted to. I will. I just… I could never seem to find the words. And then… and then…"

"Then the coup happened?"

"… Yes… Now… Now I can't seem to find the right moment to tell him how I feel."

Celia reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "I'm sure the right time will come, Ratja. But sometimes that means that you have make that time rather than wait for it to happen."

"Yes I… I suppose you're right…" She replied but distantly.

"Ratja? Is there something else going on?"

She sighed. "He has so much on his shoulders already, Celia. I don't… I don't want to add to his problems. I don't… I don't want to make things complicated between us…"

"Oh, Ratja," said Celia with amused exasperation. "The worst he can do is not return your affection, that doesn't have to spell the end your friendship, goodness me."

Ratja blinked several times then a smile slowly took hold of her features. "You're right, I suppose… I suppose I am being a little silly."

"Well whatever happens, I hope things go well. For both of you."

She smiled. "Thank you, Celia."

Mr Alderoy, the Butler, a humanfolk man with shortcut, dark brown hair, along with a number of maids and manservants that he had hand picked himself all bowed as Mausinger and company entered the dining room.

"Welcome back, Your Majesties," he said. "We hope you all had a pleasant walk."

Mausinger smiled. "We did thank you, Mr Alderoy."

"And it is always a pleasure to see you again, Master Evan. If it is not my imagination, you appear to have grown taller since I saw you last."

"I certainly have! I'm a whole half inch taller now."

Mr Alderoy smiled as he said. "That is most impressive, Your Majesty." And Evan beamed.

"If you would please take your seats we will begin serving lunch." Everyone took their seats with Leander first pulling out a chair for Nerea. "Our starter for today is a vegetable broth soup. The main course will be a steamed whole fish followed by a cheesecake dessert."

"Sounds delicious," said Zip.

"I love fish!" Evan announced with enthusiasm and they all chuckled.

"We also be serving wine as well as juice for Master Evan, and we have a selection from which to choose from."

Once they had selected their wine, or juice in Evan's case, and had got through the soup and had begun tucking into the fish, Zip spoke. "So, Otto. I've been saving this question for lunch."

Mausinger looked puzzled. "And what question would that be?"

"There are several posts on Leafbook of you in the company of a certain lady friend." Mausinger choked on a sip of wine at that. "So my question is. Who is she?"

"You mean Ratja?" Evan piped up.

"You know her, Evan?"

"I do! She's a maid who has worked in the palace in Ding Dong Dell for longer than I can remember. She's ever so nice."

"Oh?" He turned to Mausinger. "So do you two go way back then?"

"Hold on. What do you mean "several posts on Leafbook"?"

"Your subjects have been taking pictures of you and Ratja when you've been out and about, and posting them on Leafbook. You… haven't seen them?"

"I do not have a Leafbook, Zip. I do not have time for such trivialities. But now it seems that I should perhaps reconsider."

"I can hook you up with one if you would like."

He frowned. "Hmm. What exactly do these posts say?"

"From what Nerea and I have seen, the comments seem innocuous enough," Leander explained.

"They are mostly speculations about Ratja's identity and whether or not you are together," Nerea added. "But they also express gladness and wishes for your happiness if that is so."

"I see…"

"So?" Zip asked with a grin. "Are you?"

Mausinger stiffened. "I assure you that we are not. Nor do I see that it is any business of yours if we were."

Zip held up his hands. "Whoa hold on, Otto. I think you're getting the wrong idea. I'm not looking for gossip. I'm asking you as one friend to another."

He blinked. "Oh… I see. Forgive me, I am afraid I am not used to such conversation. I became so focused on achieving peace between mousekind and grimalkin as chancellor that the subject of romance became naught but a distant thought."

"But now that's all changed?"

"P… perhaps…"

"Oooooh?" Zip, Evan and Pugnacious chorused. "Do tell, do tell!" Evan continued enthusiastically.

"Evan you are far too invested in this."

"Sorry, Mausinger. But you both looked so happy together that I've been hoping that you really were."

He smiled. "That is very sweet of you, Evan but I…. I… We are not…"

"Would you like to be?" Zip asked.

Mausinger's mouth fell open, then. "I would." Came tumbling out before he could stop himself. Zip, Evan and Pugnacious aww'd in unison as Nerea and Leander smiled.

"Would we be wrong in assuming you haven't told her yet?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No… you would not."

"Why not? Are you waiting for the right moment?" Evan asked.

"I… I suppose I am…"

"Sometimes the moment must be seized rather than waited upon," said Pugnacious.

"Yes, you are… you are right of course. But… more than that I… I am afraid…"

"Of what pray tell?"

"I treasure her friendship and do not wish to lose it. If she does not reciprocate my feelings than I risk putting her in an awkward situation. I do not… I have no desire to do that."

There were hmms all round. "You do have a point," said Evan sadly.

"Yes, being put in the position of having to turn down the King of Ding Dong Dell is not one I would envy," Leander agreed.

"On the other hand, Otto," said Pugnacious. "If you do not find out, you will not be able to move forward, or move on. You could wait for her to confess, but if she does not feel the same as you, then you will be waiting forever."

"That is also true…" Said Mausinger. He dropped his gaze into the plate of food before him before asking. "What… what would you suggest I do?"

"Tell her how you feel. If she does not feel the same way, then move on."

"Yeah," Zip agreed. "I mean as long as you don't act weird about it, I don't think you'll have to worry about loosing her friendship."

"You make it sound so simple."

Pugnacious smiled. "Simple in theory perhaps but certainly not in practice. You must find the words and the courage but only you can do that." Mausinger sighed.

"Is telling someone that you love them really that difficult?" Evan asked.

Zip grinned. "I guess one day you'll find out for yourself."

"Well, I wish you luck on your… endeavour, Mausinger," said Leander diplomatically.

"As do I," Nerea added.

"Thank you," he mumbled.

"And do let us know how that goes," said Pugnacious.

"Yes, of… of course."

It was well after dinner by the time Ratja returned to the castle. She was coming back from Celia's house, who had cooked them a favourite dish from their youth, after which they embarked on a trip down memory lane.

"Welcome back, Ratja," said one of the guards stationed at the doorway. "His Majesty has asked us to pass on a message. He wishes to see you in his study."

"King Mausinger wants to see me?" She blinked in confusion. "Did he say why?"

"'Fraid not, Ratja. All he said was for you to report to his study at your earliest convenience."

"I see…" So she did. He bade her entry after she had knocked on the door and for all that he smiled happily when she stepped in, he seemed tense as well.

"Ratja, there you are. I trust you had a pleasant day off?"

"I did, thank you, Otto. I spent the day with an old friend, one I haven't seen in some time."

"You must have had much to catch up on, I would imagine."

She smiled. "We did."

"And your friend is well?"

"She is, yes. Her sister moved away to Evermore recently so today was probably as good for her as it was for me."

"I see. And does she have plans to follow?"

"She doesn't no. Celia feels that Ding Dong Dell is where she belongs. And… so do I."

Mausinger smiled brilliantly. "I am very glad to hear that."

She smiled back. Then she asked. "And what about you, Otto? Did you have a pleasant day?"

"I did, thank you. Nerea, Leander, Zip and Pugnacious are all a very interesting collection of individuals, all from very different cultures, and yet we have much in common. And of course who could forget Evan? He has come so far already and yet I believe he will go further still. I am glad and honoured to count them all amongst my friends."

"I'm glad to hear that, Otto. From what I've heard they all sound like wonderful people. It's good to hear you're all getting along well."

"Yes," he agreed. "We are. And I look forward to getting to know them better."

"I'm sure you will. What was it you wanted to see me about, Otto?"

His smile vanished immediately and he stiffened. "Ah… yes… that…"

"Is everything all right?"

He clasped his hands together and looked at them briefly before responding. "I suppose that will depend…"

"On what?"

Mausinger gathered his courage, stood up, rounded the table and moved to take her hands in his but then decided against it, choosing instead to clasp his hands together behind his back. "Ratja, I do not… I do not wish to put you in this awkward position, but… I am afraid I must…"

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath. "Ratja. You and I have been friends for a long time, and during that time you have never strayed from my side, even though… even though by right my actions should have pushed you away…"

"Otto-" He held up a hand to silence her.

"Ratja, please, you must… you must let me speak."

"… All right…"

"I sometimes feel that your devotion to me is more than I deserve and yet… I am grateful for it, always. Your company and friendship is a constant in my life that I fear I could not live without. And so I would hope that it shall long continue."

She smiled. "So do I, Otto."

He returned the smile but briefly. "But… but lately, I… I have come to realise that my feelings for you do not simply end there." Ratja's eyes went wide with both surprise and hope. "To put this plainly, Ratja… I love you. Very much in fact. And it is my fondest desire that you would reciprocate my feelings, but I would…" He shut his eyes and hung his head. "I would understand if you do not…" When he opened them again, Ratja was in tears and he became alarmed. "Ratja, I did not mean to distress you-" He was cut off when she flung her arms around him in a tight hug that had her seizing fistfuls of his overcoat and buried her face into the crook of his neck. He returned the hug but with confusion and some concern. "Ratja? Are you… are you all right?"

She pulled away, her face a mask of tears. "Yes!"

"Then… then why are you crying?"

"Because I… Because I'm happy!" She paused to wipe her face before taking his hands in hers. "I love you, Otto. In fact, I've loved you for a while now."

He seized her arms. "Then why did you not say anything sooner?!"

"I could never find the words and then… then the coup happened… It took me a while to forgive you for that. But then you came back to me, you became the man I loved once again. Only now there was so much for you to do, so much you had to put right, I couldn't… I didn't want to add to your problems."

"Oh, Ratja. I assure you that you would have done nothing of the sort. To know that I had the love of someone as wonderful as you… it would have been most comforting. But…" He smiled. "It matters not. I know now. And I would have you tell me again."

"I love you, Otto."

"And I love you, dear heart."

A/N: Some of these sections took a while to unstick. But it's finally done.