Gregor twisted and turned, yet for as hard as he tried, he could not surrender himself to sleep. He wasn't sure how long they had spent at the lake now, maybe a day, maybe more. All he knew was their collective agitation rose with every passing hour.

Five more minutes might have passed before Gregor released a silent sigh and rose. The orange glow of the lake illuminated his surroundings well enough, and he thought he could almost find it hindered him from trying to sleep, but deep down he knew very well that had other reasons.

As quietly as he could, he made his way up to the water and sat by the shore, staring at the pretty orange patterns the volcanic light painted.

"It... is certainly not a problem. Hera says she'd gladly stay with us."

Gregor's head jerked up when he discerned a hushed voice.

"How is she faring? I have not talked to her yet..."

He turned to check whether he had heard correctly – and his unbelieving eyes found no other than Luxa standing close by where the bats slept, speaking to... "She is better, now that she has other fliers to mingle with", Stellovet turned and shrugged. "At least something good came out of this whole mess, I take. Had I not been kidnapped, she would have most likely died in that wretched pit."

Luxa did not move, and Gregor had to focus to understand her quiet voice – "I...", Stellovet froze when she spoke on, "I would like you to know I never wanted for anything of the sort to happen. Not to you, nor any of your siblings, or anyone."

Stellovet twirled around. Her mouth opened yet she did not reply. Only now Gregor registered she had tied her waist-long, wavy hair into a somewhat awkward-looking, messy braid again. "Is... that so?", she finally replied, though did not look at Luxa.

"It is." Her expression hardened. "I despise what Dalia did as much as you, but we must take such experiences as they come, and learn from them." She twitched, "Not that I mean to say this was your fault, I...", she tugged at the seam of her shirt, "I do not mean to patronize you, just –"

"Just, you have experience."

Luxa stared at the floor, and Stellovet shook her head. "I should not have made fun of this matter." Both Gregor's and Luxa's eyes widened in surprise. "It is not something to laugh about."

Luxa gazed at her for a moment longer. "I can not claim I wouldn't have done the same, had it been me. I remember we sprinkled your dress for Nerissa's birthday with moth-attractor once. They nearly ate it off your body."

Stellovet's mouth curved into a sour smile. "Certainly. But did you also know I later sprayed the stuff all over your wardrobe? Must have been a fine mess. I am all but saddened I never got to see it."

Luxa stared at her. "That was YOU? They could never figure out why or how my closet had suddenly filled with moths." She gave a short laugh, "They had me wear Nerissa's much too large clothes until they had restocked my wardrobe. For me, it was quite amusing – though only for me." They both broke into somewhat awkward yet sincere laughter and even Gregor could not help but smile. Who would have ever thought to see Luxa and Stellovet in proper conversation, without –

He winced and lost balance when something suddenly darted over his head. The last thing he perceived was Luxa and Stellovet cry in unison before he landed, face forward, in the pleasantly warm water.

Gregor angrily surfaced, only to watch the large shape of a black bat touch down amidst the now all-woken questers. A black bat with a white face... and a total of two riders.

A moment of baffled silence passed before Luxa's joyous cry rang his ears. She darted forward at the Death Rider who dismounted – Gregor frowned and squinted in disbelief, on his head sat a human crown. He pulled himself out of the water entirely to look closer only to freeze together with Luxa who abruptly halted when she made out the second person behind the outcast.

"You... are still here?" The Death Rider turned and spread his arms though his expression seemed reserved. Gregor noticed he wore one glove less and the rest of his clothes were stained in blood. His eyes were captured by the frightening amount of scars on the newly exposed skin of his arm, though before he could dwell on that, the outcast spoke on – "You know we just fled from a couple rats who had made their way into that tunnel over there", he pointed to where Thanatos had come from, "I killed them, but more could follow. This spot is not as safe as we presumed, apparently. I know a –"

"What is the traitor doing here?" Luxa ignored him and stepped forward, finger pointed at the second person who Gregor only now saw was Dalia. He blinked and stepped closer, realizing he hadn't recognized her because her braid was gone. Her formerly waist-long hair barely reached past her shoulders anymore.

"I have...", the outcast turned to her as she cautiously slid off Thanatos' back, "not yet decided what to do with her. For now, she is and will remain my prisoner. It may interest you though", he stepped towards Luxa, "that Longclaw is dead. He will not bother anyone anymore. And I am certain he would hate for you to have this, but oh well, not his decision." He somewhat theatrically took off the crown to hold it out to her. "And I mean, it is a family heirloom, is it not?"

Luxa gazed at him with bewilderment, then slowly took the crown. "It... is very kind of you to return this", she twisted it between her fingers, "and I am glad to hear you defeated Longclaw, and came out unscathed, but...", Gregor winced at the relentless hostility in her gaze as it locked on Dalia, "what do you mean, she is your prisoner? Why is she even here?"

"Because we decided we could not just leave her in the prison of the rats."

"The prison?" Gregor thought he had heard this certain tone from Luxa before. Back on the boat, when she had condemned the same Death Rider who now stood before them as a friend and guide, to certain death. "Is she not a friend of the gnawers?"

"Nobody is a friend of those gnawers."

"You should have still left her there, where she belongs." Dalia jerked around when Stellovet spoke, yet she did not return her unclassifiable gaze, instead purposely looked past her, chin defiantly raised.

"HEY!" Everyone winced at Thanatos' sudden cry, even Howard and all bats apart from Hera who had fully woken and carefully approached. "For your information", the skull-faced bat growled, "we do not sympathize with her. But to find out someone's motive for such an action you must ensure they live, mustn't you?"

"What does her motive matter to us now?" Gregor frowned at Luxa whose eyes still emitted ice. "She has made her decision, for that we all suffered. What could possibly be added to that?"

The Death Rider's mouth opened yet before he could speak, Gregor had already taken a step at Luxa. "Are you serious?" He barely contained the rage that formed a burning knot in his stomach now. "Didn't we have a conversation about this just the other day? You promised!"

Everyone stared at the two in something like shock and an eternal moment after the faint echo of Gregor's words had faded, Luxa averted her gaze. "And what is it you expect of me now, then?"

Gregor's mouth opened yet for as confident as he was in his belief the outcast had done the right thing, he had not thought that particular issue through yet.

"Luxa, I understand your point", Howard placed a hand on her shoulder, "yet I believe we should at least give her a chance to explain why she did what she did. I am not saying any motive could excuse it, but it is the least she owes us... owes Stellovet." His other hand placed on the shoulder of his sister who still stared past the newcomers defiantly.

Gregor nodded, then opened his mouth to remind her this was exactly what they had wanted to know, back in the pit, when an unexpected other voice cut him off – "I... OWE you?"

All heads, even Stellovet's, jerked around to Dalia who had taken a step away from Thanatos and a shiver ran down Gregor's spine at the livid contempt in her sunken eyes.

"You... you actually mean that", she took another step forward, "that I... that I OWE you something." Despite her scornful scoff, her delicate hands she tightly clasped were trembling. "Frankly, I believe I have given you about enough. Though of course, all you ever want is more. But not this time. Not now, and not ever again."

Gregor frowned. Like everyone else, he stared at her with confusion more than anything now. Dalia took their faces in for a moment, then snorted and turned, though for a second Gregor thought he had spotted the glistening of a tear in her eyes. "It is as expected", she shook her head, "you all only ever ask for me to explain, and explain, and explain. Not for a second you consider using your heads and giving it some thought yourselves. It can not be so hard, can it?"

When her words were once more followed by perplexed silence she released an agitated scream. "Then how much do you care to know at all? Or is it really just me?" Her eyes suddenly locked on Gregor, "Is it really just me who feels this way? Who has the least bit of SIMPLE DECENCY left?!"

"Decency?" To everyone's surprise, it was Stellovet who cut her off. She stepped closer and pointed a finger at Dalia. She must be at least five years older but even Stellovet towered her by a few inches. "Who are YOU to speak of decency to us?!"

Dalia's eyes narrowed to icy slits. "You have no right to judge me", she spat out, then glanced around. "Is this what we are doing? Do you all arrogate to yourselves the right to judge me? Well –", she took a step back, "know this, I would rather DIE than accept judgment from the very people who believe to be untouchable, superior, when in truth, they are so unworldly they would not survive a MINUTE in my shoes!"

Gregor's mouth opened in protest. All his thoughts over how well he seemed to understand her flooded his mind but before he could voice a single of them a collective uproar of protest knocked him back into reality. Confused, Gregor looked up and around to spot the reason and froze to unmoving ice when he processed what he saw. What Dalia's trembling hand now held pressed to her own throat.

"Stop!", the Death Rider reacted first, yet as soon as he took a step towards her, Dalia retreated by the same amount. "Or what?", she barked out, her hand with the dagger she still urgently pressed to her throat trembled harder. "You... kill me?"

Gregor's head spun. For a moment he thought he would pass out as he barely kept himself standing. Every fiber of his protested against what he saw, even when this stuff happened in movies he usually either switched the channel or looked away.

His mind reeled back to the first time he had asked his mom to switch off the TV for this very reason, he did not remember the movie, all he knew was that it had been shortly before his dad had disappeared and that he had been way too young to be watching it.

That night, his dad had consoled him he didn't have to be afraid of a movie because it was not real. It looked real because the actors played their part well, but nothing bad was actually happening. So neither did he have to be scared nor feel guilty.

But this – Gregor forced himself to look back at Dalia, her hand trembled so hard a single, thin stream of blood made its way down her neck. Her cheeks were wet with tears. She was not an actress. This was not a movie. And if she went through with it... Gregor was engulfed in a wave of panic, if she went through with it, he already knew he would never forgive himself for not having prevented it. Gregor had to muster all his remaining willpower to keep the contents of his writhing stomach in.

"Don't do it." The outcast's voice was quiet and though he suppressed it, Gregor heard the strain in it well enough. "This is not worth it. It's not the solution."

"What solution?", she cried out and stumbled back. One more step and she would reach the water. "There is no solution!" The handle of the dagger slipped in her grasp and she nearly dropped it before raising it back up, higher than before. "I thought this was the solution, but it was not. She said there was a way out." Her teeth rattled so hard she could barely speak. "She said I deserved more than this. That I was... was kind, and considerate, and that those who are kind and considerate get stepped on if they do not fight back. And she was right."

Dalia's grip on the handle of the dagger tightened and Gregor barely followed the stream of words that poured from her mouth. "She said all I had to do was help deliver the exploiters to the gnawers. They deserve it, she said. After what they did to you, they deserve to die. They all. Admit it, Dalia, you have these thoughts. Sometimes, late at night, when your work is done you dread going to sleep for you do not want the next day to come. And you think about it. About how it would be if they were all dead."

With every word, her voice distorted further until it was barely recognizable. "The kind and weak are exploited, the kind and weak are exploited", she mumbled over and over, "Dalia do this, I don't care if it is your job or not. Dalia, go clean up the mess, who cares if your hands are bruised and your back hurts. No, Dalia, this is not quite right, redo it, over and over, for it is not right. Do not think, Dalia, it is not your job to think. It is your job to serve. Be a tool, Dalia, not a person, a tool... a tool waiting to be used... to be exploited... to...", her voice cracked as her torrent of words abated, "she did not exploit me, not push me around, she treated me like a real person... it is incredibly amusing, I know. The only stranger in a long time who treated me with respect was a rat."

"Tonguetwist..."

Her gaze darted up at the Death Rider. "Oh yes. Tonguetwist. Yet she was a liar too. She also exploited me. I did everything she wanted", she sounded a frantic sob, "everything... everything... she promised a way out. A way to afford the life we deserve for me and my brother, away from exploiters, from liars, from all this disgusting FAKENESS! I HATE my life, every SECOND of it! I HATE IT! I –!" Her voice cracked and she broke into proper tears.

For the first time, the hand with the dagger lowered yet as soon as Howard to Gregor's right moved, she yanked it back up. "STAY AWAY!"

Howard jerked back. What Gregor saw of his face was a frozen grimace of bewilderment and shock.

"To... end your life is not the solution..." Everyone twirled around when Thanatos suddenly spoke. His face was as grave as the Death Rider's. "Even if living can be difficult, even if we make mistakes, it is always worth struggling on." His gaze lowered to the floor. "So I have learned."

"It is true." Despite Dalia's furious hiss, the outcast took a step closer. "It's a never-ending cycle of agony. You rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, but you never see progress, never change, never... light. You think you are lost", he mumbled and a shiver ran down Gregor's spine, "until you realize you don't have to remain idle, you have the power to attempt and break the cycle. Even if only little by little, you can –"

"This WAS MY ATTEMPT!", she cried and the outcast remained frozen in place, mouth agape. He looked like he wanted to say everything but could not bring himself to speak.

"Why are you still talking?!", she hissed between clenched teeth, "Why are you trying? I will die regardless – either here somewhere, by whichever means, or by your sentence", she sent a glare in Stellovet's and Howard's direction. "I don't want to die like that." Gregor's heart skipped a beat, then froze to ice. "At least let me DIE BY MY OWN HAND!"

"You will not die."

Everyone winced as a different voice spoke, even Dalia. At first, Gregor had to blink and consciously make himself aware of who had spoken, beneath the strain and the angry determination he barely recognized the voice of Stellovet until she stepped forth.

Dalia twitched, then scoffed. "How amusing, to hear this from no other than YOUR mouth. YOU who –"

"You... will not die. I promise."

Howard's head twitched in his sister's direction, his hand raised to grab her but finally sank again, allowing her to take another step forward. Dalia stumbled back, Gregor winced at the loud splashing her bare feet produced when she stepped into shallow water.

"You can not die."

Dalia's swollen eyes stared at Stellovet with utter bewilderment.

"You will come back with us", she swallowed, "to take care of your brother. What will he do if you die?" Her voice rose until she cried out the last words, her fists tightly clenched.

Gregor's mind flashed with an image of Dalia, in the powerful beam of his flashlight. From that day on I had to care for my brother, her voice spoke in his head and he shivered.

"He... he loves you, I know that. And he needs you."

Gregor thought Dalia meant to stare at Stellovet with contempt but for the first time, her demeanor cracked to let through a hint of hope. "How do... you know my brother?" The hand with the dagger marginally lowered.

"I... I have never met him", Stellovet admitted, "but I have younger siblings too. They sometimes drive us up the wall but we love them all the same. And then, when they set your festive gown on fire and you think you're two seconds from strangling them with your bare hands you look at that picture they drew for your last birthday, you see their proud, beaming face, and... well, you still have the gown-on-fire-issue, but the point is", she shook her head, "the point is, someone's ought to teach them setting gowns on fire is bad, right? I... I don't usually do that because my siblings have other, far better qualified, people to teach them. But your brother only has you, and I –", she half turned and awkwardly tugged at her sleeve, I always thought we were like that too."

"Y... you?"

"I mean, I know I'm a disrespectful, disobedient brat, and just an overall disappointment", her lips pressed together tightly, "and maybe I'm stupid, maybe I'm delusional, oblivious, and childish, but... but I don't have an older sister. I... I always wanted one, and I thought... I thought you..." She cautiously raised her head at Dalia again, "I think I need you too."

Gregor thought he could have heard a pin drop in the following silence. "Howard, you don't count, by the way", she suddenly shot in her brother's direction and a part of Gregor wanted to break into laughter.

Stellovet took another step at Dalia and opened her mouth, but hesitated. "When you delivered me to those gnawers I was furious, I thought I hated you more than anything but... I didn't understand..." She swallowed. "I never... meant to mistreat you. In hindsight I... apologize, I never... never... what I mean is... I don't know how to...", she angrily squinted, "Even if you can not forgive me, I don't want you to die! None of us do." She glanced back and pressed her lips together, "That is why we talk, don't you get it? Because none of us wants you to die!"

"I don't", the outcast instantly concurred, "I don't either", Thanatos beside him nodded. "Neither do I", Howard spoke, "Me neither!", Gregor only then processed he had not said anything yet. "Me neither", "nor me", it sounded from Ares and Aurora.

All gazes darted to Luxa – the only one who had not spoken yet. She visibly swallowed. "Of... of course I don't want her to die", she mumbled and Stellovet turned back to Dalia. "See?"

Like in slow motion Gregor watched the hand with the dagger lower until Stellovet gripped and pulled it from her grasp. Moments later the blade hit the water with a silent splash. Yet she did not release Dalia's wrist.

The two exchanged a prolonged glance before Dalia's legs gave way. Stellovet cried and barely kept her from collapsing. Howard was at her side instantly and lifted the frail shape of Dalia out of the water and carried her towards the spot where they had lit an improvised campfire with one of the torches. "I will check for and treat any injuries", he announced, then turned at the Death Rider. "You and Thanatos will be next. Have you even taken a look at that arm since you received the hit?"

The outcasts exchanged glances, then nodded. "I don't feel so good anyway", the Death Rider mumbled, but Gregor suspected that had nothing to do with his physical condition.

None of them had any appetite, even as the seemingly enticing smell of grilled fish filled the cave Gregor still sensed leftover traces of sickness in his stomach. Dalia was the only one whom Howard forced to eat, and Hera when she then woke up, even claiming to feel better.

Thanatos accompanied the pups he had watched back to their mother and they clustered around her joyously. Gregor watched the happy family of bats with something like jealousy. None of them had witnessed the earlier scene by the lake, and with his every fiber he wished he wouldn't have had to either.

When he finally got himself to avert his eyes to search for Luxa, he found her a little offside, mindlessly poking the portion of food in front of her. "Are you okay?" Gregor uncertainly took a seat beside her. He hated himself for it but there was still a nagging voice in his head that reminded him of her moment of hesitation when Stellovet had asked who wanted Dalia to live.

"I... no."

His mouth shut and shame engulfed Gregor for doubting her. "Me neither."

"Those things she said...", Luxa angrily tossed the fish aside and pulled on her legs. "Perhaps it is selfish of me to think of this now when she is so clearly unwell, but I...", she poked at a pebble by her foot, "she used the term... "exploiters." What do you think she meant?"

Gregor shook his head. If he was perfectly honest, he barely recalled her monologue. Only the utter fear and despair radiating from her, infecting everyone in close proximity.

"Do you think I am an exploiter?"

Gregor looked up. "What? No –", he instantly called yet in the same heartbeat interrupted himself. "I mean... I don't think you would exploit anyone, at least not on purpose..." He stared at the floor and tried not to think about everything he had ever learned about the concept of a monarchy. There was always a hierarchy, and naturally, the higher-ups had the lower-ranked people do the dirtier work. He released an agitated sigh. In the end, wasn't the monarchy itself the problem? Was there even a way to do it fairly? Gregor didn't know, all he knew was that he could not tell to the face of a future queen he disliked the political system of her people.

"I... I have never thought about this." Gregor sensed her pensive gaze. "I know you disapprove of our hierarchic system, but it has worked for centuries. I doubt Regalia could be ruled effectively by any other means. I...", she sighed, "I always wanted to be a good queen, but I never considered treating servants and commoners with more respect to be part of it."

"Just... just treat others the way you want to be treated", Gregor sighed, "it doesn't matter what their status or job is. People are people."

"I suppose you are right..."

Gregor could barely prevent himself from groaning. Only someone who had grown up as a princess could ever not consider this basic knowledge. Basic... decency, he suddenly thought and his gaze darted at where Howard had set up a makeshift bed for Dalia.

"I also suppose she is not the only one with such a story", Luxa continued, "perhaps it is something I should keep in mind for when I become queen."

Gregor nodded. "Definitely. I mean, I doubt you'll be a bad queen anyway but every bit of effort counts."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while until Gregor spotted Stellovet with Hera, on the opposite side of the cave, they silently talked. "You know what...?", he smiled, "She was great, earlier."

Luxa followed his gaze, "... yes", she hesitantly nodded, "though I suppose she knows Dalia better than any of us. Still, had she not been..." Luxa didn't finish her sentence but, by all means, Gregor knew very well what she had meant.

"I... I hate this!"

Gregor twitched around and squinted, "What?"

Luxa looked up, tightly clutching the fabric of her pants. "Gregor, don't you understand? I have to make a decision." He stared at her with bewilderment and Luxa groaned. "A decision for what... what should happen to her now."

"What do you mean, "what should happen to her now"?" An icy wave of fear hit Gregor. "You can't possibly still consider her a criminal, after –"

"Gregor, this is not up to me", she cut him off. "Were I the queen I would pardon her, but I do not have that power yet. Only a tribunal could absolve her. The decision I have to make is whether to even take her back."

Gregor's mouth shut, then he shook his head. "I doubt she'd want that." He vividly recalled the panic in her eyes when she had announced she'd rather take her own life than accept judgment from those she deemed responsible for her situation. "Maybe", he looked back up, "maybe you don't have to make the decision. Maybe you can ask for what she wants, and go with that?"

Luxa gazed at him for a few heartbeats, then nodded. "I suppose...", she swallowed, "I can't help but think if we got her to go back I COULD convince a tribunal to pardon her. It is a dangerous gamble, but... honestly, how great do you think her chances will be if we leave her out here?"

Gregor's eyes locked on her narrow shape, in her restless sleep she looked more than ever like a child, and he instantly knew Luxa was right. Someone like Ripred, like the Death Rider, like Hamnet, could survive out here on their own. They were all warriors, though some more reluctant than others, they could fend for themselves, assert themselves against their environment. But Dalia? He had not been able to picture her even lifting a sword earlier, and he still could not picture it now.

"But what if you don't... tell people back in civilization this whole episode ever happened?"

Both of them winced around when a voice spoke from behind and Gregor spotted the Death Rider, with his hands to his hips. Once more he seemed to attempt looking confident when in truth Gregor sensed his distress plain as day.

"You must stop sneaking up on us like this", Luxa mumbled and he grinned, then sat down across them. "Never. But that's not the point now."

Gregor and Luxa exchanged glances. "I suppose that is always an option", she shrugged yet Gregor frowned. "I... I mean, in theory, but... do you think SHE would go along with that? She seems to be about done with lies." Gregor recalled very little of her monologue but the parts he remembered radiated with desperation to be accepted for who she really was.

"You think?" The Death Rider glared at him like he had said something utterly nonsensical, "I mean... other than that, every other option would be in some form or shape bad."

"We can still ask her", Luxa mumbled, then looked up. "Wait, if we are to leave her out here, could you not protect her?"

His face tensed. "I... I mean... in theory, I could, but...", he shook his head, "is this a sensible long-term solution?"

Neither Gregor nor Luxa had a response to that. Gregor's mind reeled yet for as desperately as he tried, he had no solution either. None that would make sense with the Underland's customs. And considering his only experience with their justice system had been when they had attempted to execute him for not killing the Bane, he could not really see things going well for someone who had deliberately delivered them to the rats.

"It's useless", the Death Rider rose, "I will find a moment to talk to her later. But we should also not linger for much longer", he threw a concerned glance to where they had come from earlier, "as I said, there might be rats on their way."

"Is it not I who should talk to her?", Luxa looked up yet the outcast waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it, I have this handled."

Gregor did not dare entirely believe him yet he still managed an encouraging smile. Luxa hesitated, then joined in. "Thank you."

ooo

I have this handled. Henry fervently cursed himself as he paced up and down by the beach, trying hard to resist the temptation to dunk his whole head underwater and scream at the top of his lungs. Of course, he had this handled. Of course, he knew exactly what to do in such a situation. Of course, he was entirely unbiased in this, for she of course did not know his identity, and he OF COURSE could advocate for letting her back into civilization without any second thoughts or ulterior motives whatsoever. OF COURSE.

"Could you at last stop pacing? Us others are trying to sleep, you know?"

"Ugh, why do I do these things to myself", Henry threw his arms in the air and plopped on the ground beside Thanatos who had come up behind him. "I don't even know how to deal with my own damn problem, how am I supposed to be unbiased in this?"

Thanatos remained silent and Henry buried his face in his hands. He still could not shake the image, it had burned itself onto his inner eye – Dalia with her dagger at her own throat. Yet the most frightening part was not the image, Henry shuddered and when he sensed Thanatos' head in his back he fell back to curl with his face pressed into his fur. The most frightening part was, he had found himself understanding her.

Henry consciously breathed out, attempting to slow his enraged heartbeat. It had all flooded back. He had not felt this way in a while yet at the sight of someone in such a state, it had all flooded back like all the barriers he had meticulously erected around that time of his life had never existed, never mattered... never stood a chance.

The sole fact he understood and... related to the words coming from the mouth of someone on the edge of ending her own life sent a never-before-experienced kind of shiver down his spine.

"I... I don't want to do this anymore", he muttered and pulled his legs on tighter. His body ached, despite the treating of his injuries from the battle Howard had done earlier, and it became harder and harder with the second to stand the presence of people. The presence of the same humans he had relished so much, earlier. "I don't want to be here anymore..."

"I'm certainly not forcing you to stay", his flier mumbled, "if you want to take a break from humans, as soon as this here is over, I am all for it."

"Okay", he squinted, then pressed his lips together. "Okay, you know what, I can do this. I can finish what I started if I get to look forward to a break after." He rose to his feet and though he felt like curling up in a ball to shut the world out more than anything, he exhaled determinately. "I talk to Dalia. I settle this once and for all. I take the kids home. And after that, all of civilization can kiss my ass, for all I care."

Thanatos opened one of his eyes to an amused slit. "Sounds like a plan."

"I've seen a couple miserable fates in my life, yet I don't think I've ever envied anyone less than you. For however much better that makes you feel."

Dalia's head shot up. She glared at him for a couple heartbeats, then lowered it again. "It does not really."

"Yeah, I'm trash at this, I know."

"I... expected the queen to come and decide my fate. Or is she too important to deal with such trivial matters?"

"No, I just told her I'd handle it for her. She's beating herself up over this enough, there's a limit to how much you should subject a thirteen-year-old, queen or not."

"You?" Dalia's already large eyes widened further, "You have the power to command the queen?", she scoffed, "I thought for them all you are no more than a strange outcast."

Henry tensed, then finally sat down across from her. He desperately attempted to rekindle any of his former determination yet all he felt was fatigue and a general desire to point an enormous middle finger at the rest of the world. Under normal circumstances, he doubted he would have asked so directly, but he was much too tired for the usual tricks. "Why didn't you tell them?"

Dalia gazed at him pensively, "Who you really are? Why would I?"

The response baffled Henry to the point where he could not think of a sensible reply. He stared at her, mouth agape, yet soon shut it again.

"What is so confusing about it?" She had apparently taken note of his astonishment. "I have forfeited my life. For as much as you all insist on attempting to save it, I have long accepted I will die. One way or another. I have no reason to drag you down with me."

When she saw her response only baffled Henry more, she scoffed. "I take you were... like me. You met her and you liked what she offered, and you also became caught in the web of intrigues she spins... spun. And you... also paid the price. Only you...", for a moment, Henry made out a hint of respect in her eyes. "You handle it so much better than I. The consequence. You are strong", she rapidly blinked, "you can face your fears and mistakes, you are smart and adaptable, so much so you have made a name for yourself in the aftermath of your own greatest failure... Death Rider. I am the last who would ever think to take that away from you."

Henry's agape-standing mouth shut. "Oh no... I was not like you." He squinted and stared down at his own clasped hands. "You... said it yourself." Tonguetwist's words replayed in his head – she was not even selfish like you. Everyone deserves what they earn, yet sadly, not all of us get it. The contents of his stomach cavity clumped together into a tight knot. "You did it because it was the only way to break free from exploitation, to help your family –", he scoffed yet could not bring himself to speak on. To voice how much of an immature fool her story made him feel like.

Up until this point, though he had recognized the action as rash and wrong, he had thought his own motive to be justified. Yet all his so unbearable-seeming feelings of being misunderstood and mistreated paled beside what Dalia had had to endure and his jaw clenched until it nearly hurt. She was barely a year or so older than he, how did her sole presence make him feel like a naive child?

When he realized she still waited for a reply, he clenched his teeth. "You did it because you had nothing to lose. I... risked and lost everything."

They remained silent for a long time, so long Henry thought she awaited some sort of judgment from him. He racked his brain in an attempt to sort out everything he had to consider yet to his surprise, it was Dalia who broke the silence – "Why has she... even sent you? The queen..."

"What?"

Dalia squinted. "Why are you here? Why are you still here, I mean. Why have you all not long called everyone together and decided my fate?"

Henry stared at her, then shook his head. "Because we don't know what to do. Luxa doesn't know. So what I'm here for is... to ask what it is you prefer. We don't have many options, but we all kind of agree you deserve to have a say in this."

"I..." Dalia's head darted up and her large eyes stared at him with disbelief. "You... you mean to say the queen is interested in what I want?", she scoffed, "What kind of interrogation tactic is such a blatant lie?"

"It is not a lie", Henry shot at her, "listen, I know you've had your issues with nobles in the past but we– they aren't all assholes. Luxa isn't like that, you know? She isn't conceited, and she certainly doesn't think herself too good to ask your opinion."

Dalia stared at him for a heartbeat longer, then lowered her gaze at her own hands. "She... she has helped me... carry the food", she mumbled, "to serve it, to... and Howard", she gazed up, "he has... I have never known he could be so kind. We had barely spoken. His father had kept him busy, or he had spent his time away."

"Oh yeah, Howard's a huge advocate for fairness", Henry shrugged, "and you said it yourself, Luxa isn't... an exploiter either. Or, she tries. Maybe", he narrowed his eyes, "maybe before you jump to generalizing conclusions, take a second to look at people closer. For as much injustice you have had to endure, it doesn't give you the right to preemptively write people off as bad just because they share the social status of your abusers. That's... not so far from what you accuse them of, if you think about it."

Dalia stared at him with tightly pressed-together lips, then averted her gaze first. "It was why I... helped you."

"To free the fliers?"

"I thought I hated you all", she spat out, "every last one. Yet once everything was done, it suddenly all seemed so... wrong. I really tried, you know? To remind myself over and over of the pain I had to endure from the likes of you, yet –"

"Yet suddenly it was like you were the bad guy."

"I never wanted to be the bad guy", she cried, "I never... I never wanted to... never thought I would ever hurt anyone. I told myself over and over it was all justified yet at some point... the bubble popped."

"Stellovet must have really done a number on you."

"I thought of her as an insufferable beast with the sole objective to make my life as miserable as possible", she scoffed, "I can not count the times she or any of them have mistreated or dismissed me, disregarded the impact their actions had on me. Though earlier...", she looked up and Henry spotted sincere uncertainty in her gaze, "do you think she... meant that?"

"Certainly", Henry swallowed and attempted to shut out his own most recent and much too hard-learned lesson on how to treat others. "Stellovet can be inconsiderate and mean, though she must really care about you. I have seldom ever seen her so sincerely express her feelings."

Dalia's lips pressed together and she stared at the floor. "I am uncertain whether I... can forgive her, at least in the near future. Yet I... for now, I will decide to believe you... believe her."

"I'm sure she will appreciate it."

They sat in silence for another minute or so until Henry sighed. "It's... a good conversation and all, but at some point, we still have to decide how we want to go forward. Gregor said you'd probably refuse to just... pretend none of this ever happened and come back with us, so I take it you'll request to be left behind?"

Dalia looked up, though there was something new in her gaze that sent a shiver down Henry's spine. "You would... do that? Take me back as though nothing happened?"

"Luxa said she would."

Dalia stared at him with an unreadable expression, then shook her head. "I want you to take me back."

Henry's eye widened. "Really? And you –"

"For I must ensure my brother is safe and cared for. Then I will surrender myself to the authorities."

Henry froze to solid ice. He stared into her grim yet nigh-uncomfortably determined eyes and sensed a shiver run down his spine. "W... what? You...", he frowned and leaned forward, "you realize this is essentially your second chance? Your clean slate? Why would you throw it away for –"

"I don't want your second chance." He winced at the spite in her tone as she suddenly scrambled to her feet. "You are right. I have endangered and hurt people who have treated me with kindness, all because of my own delusional, rash judgment. I do not care if I could get away with it, I don't even want to." She gazed at him as he rose after her, nearly stumbling over his own feet. "Could you sleep at night, knowing your life relies on a lie? That you have been given a second chance you don't deserve?"

"But you deserve it!", Henry cried and had to suppress a wave of relentless anger. He could not tell where it came from but suddenly all he wanted was to strangle Dalia with his own hands to prevent her from going through with this madness. "You're CRAZY!"

"Maybe I am." She stepped forward yet Henry jumped in her way. "DON'T. I can't allow this. We're not going to allow this." Dalia froze for a heartbeat and the hint of disappointment with which she gazed at him now sent a spear through his already bleeding heart.

"It will be for the queen to decide, I suppose." With that, she determinately shoved him aside and strode out onto the campsite, towards the others, leaving Henry to stare after her, more helpless than he had felt in a long time.