Now that the festival draws to an end, the Jaquins start preparing themselves for the final activities for today.

"Sky-lar!' Verago shouts gruffly demanding his son to cease speaking and he growls once more which scares the other Jaquins leaving Skylar taken aback, 'I will hear no more of this! We are celebrating Solyestra! This day stands in the honour of the Sunbirds, and nothing else… Migs, Dulce! Come with me! We must prepare for the closing meeting for this day."

"Sí… Yes, king Verago." Migs stammers uneasily at Verago's gruff intonation.

Both Migs and Dulce clearly can hear Verago being distressed after hearing again about his former mate. They know the disappearance of Myra, the former queen of Vallestrella, was troubling to Verago. Even after all those years, thinking about her seems to leave his mind clouded at times. *This makes him more austere than need be.* Migs thinks worryingly.

Before he starts following his king, Migs eyes Skylar and Nico out of little desperation, hoping that somehow their expressions can work soothingly for him. However, he sees both boys still being taken aback by their father's reprimand, their eyes enlarged still as they follow up on their father, who by now takes to the skies and heads for the Palace…

While the atmosphere at the funfair feels tense, it's quite the opposite over at the woodland. Some Jaquins are making conversation, while others are enjoying the remainder of the food they'd collected, and yet even others are basking in the sun. The latter is how Dióntan feels right now. He just found his way onto an upright standing rock, providing him with a vista overseeing the area. He takes in the view as he observes the woodland…

Then an idea strikes him: look for Luna. If he'd find her and be able to dance with her on a festive day like this, he'll surely deem this day complete! This thought makes him feel exalted and loosens him up also. The idea of wanting to woo Luna makes him feel like a suitor. After all, he's been feeling flirtatious lately, and ever since his brother started hanging out with Sienté, he now feels pressed to do the same. He's always been fond of Luna, feeling a funny feeling inside his belly every time he thinks about her. With time, this feeling developed into a silent crush without him spending too much attention to it. Still, it has him wanting to be around her and spend more and intricate time with her. Finding her lying about not too far away from his position, this emotion rises in him even more now that he starts watching her. Of all the females he can observe, that funny feeling in his belly isn't more present when laying eyes on Luna. *Argh, this is not getting me anywhere! She can act so distant… Her sharp commenting and often vehement personality. Hmm, now that I think of it: I also just described Vestia.* he wonders as he gives the females a thought.

Luna can act brash and loud, but proud also, and is always speaking her mind. Typical Luna stuff, or so Dióntan would describe these traits of her. As he remains intensely focused on her as a predator does with a prey, he becomes mesmerised and unable to get all of this out of his mind. It makes him want to approach her, also because today just feels right. But, besides Luna he also notices Cruz… Dióntan feels uneasy in his presence. Somehow, he never understood what she could see in him. Cruz, nothing more than the unpolished embodiment of a Juggernaut: strong, bulky, and fierce, but one with a brute and arrogant attitude. One Dióntan knows to be no match for if trying to chase him away from Luna. All this pondering really has him crave spending time with someone. It tortures him. He dearly wants to spend time with Luna, something he'd wanted to do for some time but never found the confidence to do so. *If unable to be close with Luna this evening, I will need to find someone else…* he ponders frustratingly.

Suddenly, he sees another noticeable Jaquin. *Ugh, and not to mention Tornado! She is always acting aloof. The spinster that she is, she definitely takes no for an answer if it comes to love interests! I just wonder why…*

While getting carried away by this thought, he spots Avira sitting by herself. She's quite the opposite of Luna and Vestia, being so shy and speaking only when she needs to. *Too much for my taste. I want to spend time with someone now… Argh, why is Cruz over there? Go away! Can you not see I want some Luna time as well? Maybe I need to seek someone in between for now, someone that compliments my confidence also. Someone who I…* he thinks and stops himself when laying eyes upon the female he deems perfect.

While he's in deep thoughts over who to pick this evening, Luna on the other hand feels content. She just ate good food, finds herself amongst pleasant Jaquins, is basking in the soothing sun, and, above all, is finally spending some quality time with Cruz that she'd been longing for. As she tries to make conversation with him, she also spots Avira at a short distance from the rest, lying stretched out comfortably on the ground and minding her own business, while carefully nibbling on what may be the very last prepared piece of food. On an impulse of feeling whole, Luna shouts excitingly: "¡Esta fiesta tiene comida muy buena!"

From behind her, she hears another female stating the exact same: "This party has very good food!"

Luna immediately looks up. She notices Tudor's mother speaking. A wide smile appears on her face. With the same ardour as before, Luna says to her: "Hey, I just said the exact same thing!"

By now, Dióntan has made up his mind. He decides to approach her. The azure blue Jaquin puts up a confident smile as he draws closer. He sits down right next to her. The female is busy rummaging through the feathers of one of her wings again, a typical quirk of hers. This makes her not noticing him. Some quick thinking makes Dióntan say calmly: "Here, let me help you."

The moment she looks up, he winks at her and starts grooming her wing for her. Sienté looks up at him as he intricately cleans her wing. "Ah! Thanks, Dióntan." she replies amiably.

Dióntan looks up and they catch each other's gaze. He cannot suppress the smile that starts appearing on his face. "Querida Sienté…' he starts uneasily but clears his throat and continuous more lovingly, 'Dear Sienté, will you have a dance with me during sunset?"

"Oh, okay. That came as a surprise, to be honest."

"Really?' Dióntan asks startled but quickly recovers into a loving approach and softly continues, 'Please, do tell."

"It is funny that you pick me because your brother happens to have a liking for me as well. It seems you and him have more in common than I thought. Picking the same female, being quite reserved yet confident, and…"

"What? No way! Veje is not confident. That is typically me, being brave and such." Dióntan replies fiercely.

"Then why have you not approached Luna yet? The way I sometimes see you look at her – makes me think you have a genuine liking for her."

"Uhm, yes… But you know her as well. She does typical Luna stuff."

"True. But that should not hold you back. Hmm…' Sienté says as she slows down her speech and seems thinking before she continues shortly after, 'Okay, let me make you a deal. If we dance this evening, you will ask Luna for a sleepover after."

"Uh… Hey, that sounds like extortion."

Sienté smirks and teasingly asks him: "Well, do you want to dance with me or not?"

Dióntan slows his speech down as he keeps an eye on Luna from his peripheral view. Droningly, he asks: "What if Cruz stays here in Vallestrella tonight? He will likely stay with her… Will she ask him to spend the night in…"

"¿Su nido?"

"Her nest – yes." he now says vaguely as he's distracted by the sight of Cruz hanging around Luna still.

"How am I to know? I am not too familiar with Cruz nor his intentions, or with her feelings for him. If you want to know, go and ask her… or him.' Sienté says calmly but then puts some vigor to her voice, 'But, you can do this once we have danced!"

"Yeah…' Dióntan says reluctantly as he tries to figure out whether he's being manipulated on purpose but shrugs and instead shouts energetically, 'Come on!"

At the same time, Migs and Dulce fly closely behind their king. Both look somewhat anxious over Verago's attitude back at the funfair, where he single-handedly altered the pleasant atmosphere into a grim one. *It is something he would normally not do. Something is stirring him when the queen is brought up by someone else… Given that he deems any conversation about Myra an undesirable topic, I wonder what troubles our king so much?* Dulce ponders over Verago's raw behaviour.

Though she is eager to know how the king feels now, she's withholding herself from asking him directly. Instead, Dulce persuades Migs to check with Verago using a few short gestures with the head. Migs gives in after a few attempts and slowly goes flying next to his king. From here, Migs has a good view of Verago's face and sees he's looking less stressed than he did earlier. Being away from the funfair eased his mind, or so Migs would say. His face looks distressed no longer, almost radiating ease as if nothing happened just now. To assess whether he's right or not, Migs comments carefully: "I must say, king Verago, you left Skylar humbled back there."

Without looking up, Verago keeps his gaze at the Palace and says: "The boy is heedless still Migs. Ignorance is bliss, even you know this. He should let the past rest as we all should. There is no need for digging into it. That would only lead to trouble, something that would bring disharmony to the clan."

To Migs, things are clear: Verago is holding something back. Something he knows that causes distress over the former queen of Vallestrella. He can tell Verago is becoming his self once more, so continuing on that subject seems unwise. Instead, he's bringing up a different matter: "Chief Zephyr always attends this meeting. Normally, he accompanies us to the Palace. Yet, I have not seen him. Should he be on time?"

"Of course. My bet is that he is there already, alongside Tornado. She will be attending this time as well."

*Ow, great! I was hoping I could avoid her for the rest of today… Ah well, this meeting should only take a little of my time.* Migs thinks disappointingly and looks at the Palace with a dull gaze.

Arriving at the Palace, the three of them indeed see Zephyr waiting for them. By his side, they find Tornado, seemingly grown dull of waiting for the meeting to commence.

"Ah, it is good to have you all here. I feel assured with such fine Jaquins as yourselves around me.' Verago states calmly and lets his gaze go past all attendees before he continues, 'This meeting heralds the end of Solyestra for this year. Without further ado, I will commence the meeting as we are late as it is. Now, there is something I want of my chest direly. It concerns one of my faithful Royal Guards. I have witnessed Veje commit a foul act against my eldest son by throwing a piece of food at him. This requires repercussion that I have yet to decide upon. However, everyone knows that I can never condone such actions, not from anyone!"

Verago states his last sentence with emphasis. It leaves Migs and Dulce look shocked and eye each other before Migs says: "Well, this is unfavourable news. My bet is that he wanted to get even with your son for what happened earlier today at the woodland. Still, this makes for a shameful and unnecessary act of vengeance in my book."

"Hmm…" Verago responds thoughtfully.

Tornado uses this moment to step in. With an aloof attitude over Veje, she says: "King Verago. I say Veje needs punishment for the way he acts nowadays. Not only for what he did to Skylar today but also for bringing danger to the hunt two days ago and getting hurt in the process."

Verago eyes Tornado for a brief moment, apparently gauging her mood. "Is that so?' he asks slowly with an intonation that deems it rhetorical and he shakes his head, 'Nah, he is better off being disciplined than punished. I know just how to do this. If he no longer desires to follow the rules, then he needs them taught again. Does anyone else share this view?"

Tornado grunts little and adds curtly: "I am sure you know my take on this, king Verago, but I will gladly repeat myself to make it clear even more: remove Veje from the Royal Guard! I value every one of their positions dearly but I cannot say so of Veje. He never was chosen by you for his qualities in the first pla…"

Tornado suddenly stops speaking the moment she hears her king snort violently, a cue that he's grown annoyed. "Noted, yet I must add that this is not the moment to get personal.' Verago replies strictly yet continues calmly as he approaches Tornado, 'I know you want to replace him for some time now. However, that is not your call to make. It is but fair that I will have a word with him first. Tornado, one day you will become a proud member of the Royal Guard. I have strong faith in your dedication and loyalty. In this, your father was no different. You will get to prove yourself in his memory, and I know this will make you proud. Rest assured, your time is still to come. With this said, I will prepare my decision over Veje."

Zephyr then steps forward. "King Verago, I have something to report of a different matter.' he says in a dignifying manner and continues after receiving an agreeing nod from Verago, 'Today I noticed Tudor acting like himself again, and we all know too well what I mean by this. If I may say so, I will deem it justified if he were to be put in his place before he galvanises others in doing the same."

"Hrm. Indeed, we all know Tudor and his unnecessary calls for bantering. Well, I think I heard enough for now. Even though the plot of this meeting seems to thicken, I will prepare my decision on the matter concerning Veje over a good night of sleep. I will execute it tomorrow during the briefing of the Royal Guard. But before I conclude this meeting, I shall first summarise Solyestra as is customary. Today was once more a pleasant one! We have done well to relieve ourselves from troubles and enjoyed ourselves richly, and the cubs have learned more about the Sunbirds. I deem today a success, much like last year!" Verago states amiably and the others nod agreeingly.

As the meeting draws to a close, Luna lies comfortably with Cruz when she suddenly notices something from the corner of her eyes. A silhouette had just appeared right next to her left. Out of fear, she hastily looks up and at that point, she releases a brief and frightful shriek. Someone's indeed standing really close to her, almost wing to wing. "You do not see the pretty ones from up this close very often, right una Luna?" Dióntan says lovingly yet bearing a smirk revealing he's clearly enjoying himself at this moment.

"Will you never do that again? My heart skipped a beat and I feel older already! Besides, that talking does not work on me. I am spending valuable time with Cruz now!"

Cruz smirks at Dióntan and replies in a sulky manner: "Obviously. So, what is with this 'una Luna'? It sounds…"

"Nice, now I think about it. Yep! There is only one of me, alright!"

"Sure is.' Cruz responds quickly yet without emotion as he feels Luna shouldn't act this vibrant at Dióntan's comment and continues flatly while eyeing Dióntan, 'Well, I am off back to Avalor. I have important stuff to do being the Navegera and all… More important than whatever you will be doing."

"Wooing Luna." Dióntan inaudibly whispers.

After saying this, he smirks at Cruz knowing this will only build the tension between them. Cruz returns the gesture by squinting his eyes at Dióntan out of disdain before he readies himself to take off. "Well, see you around, Luna. A fine lady like yourself should only mingle with the likes of me."

"Uh, sure…' Luna says reluctantly over his latter statement but disregards it and continues in a loving manner, 'Bye, Cruz! See you later…"

She waves a wing at him as he takes to flight. She then turns around towards Dióntan. She gazes at him irritably, giving Dióntan the idea he's about to be questioned over something he'd done wrong. "So, what is it that you want?" she asks him rather sternly as if he's the reason Cruz took off.