The first thing Maka became aware of was a warm and heavy weight resting against her side. The second was the shift of soft, silky fabric, and the third was the weight moving away, leaving behind a cold, empty space.

She opened her eyes slowly, a little unsure of where she was at first. Then the memories of the previous day crashed over her all at once, and Maka almost wanted to close her eyes again and push back the inevitable fallout just a little while longer.

Maka had pledged herself as pair bond to Soul Evans. Who was currently lying right next to her.

She turned her head just so until she could see his burst of white hair contrasted sharply against the pillow, his limbs sprawled out carelessly in slumber. There was a peace on his face Maka had yet to see when he was awake, and it struck her again how much time he must spend wearing a mask, that he looked so drastically different now.

It was a peace Maka didn't wish to disturb, or perhaps she didn't want to see the change on his face when he realized who slept beside him. Whatever the reason, she moved as quietly as possible to avoid disturbing him. She crossed the room and found a dressing gown in the wardrobe, which she shrugged on and tied around her waist. When she turned back, Soul was sitting up and watching her with a gaze far too penetrating.

"Morning," he said, his voice scratchy with sleep. He stretched languidly. Maka's eyes darted around the room, unsure of where to rest. This entire moment felt too private, like something she'd stumbled upon by accident. She'd always had the opportunity to prepare herself, to gather her thoughts before the day began, but here and now, she'd been thrown headfirst into something entirely new, and though she'd known a little of what she'd been getting into, she found herself still entirely unprepared.

So she fell back on what she knew. She retreated into the depths of her own mind, reeling back the uncertainty, the fear, the doubt that was creeping in. Even the cautious hope, the small flower blooming in her chest from the relative success of yesterday's ceremony - she gathered hold of it all, and wrapped it up in a neat little bundle for her to examine later. When she looked back, the familiar facade of calm and poise was once again in place, but what she found had it slipping almost as soon as she'd donned it.

Soul's face had shuttered, that sleepy, peaceful expression suddenly gone, and in its place was something hard and unreadable. "There it is again," he said quietly.

"What is?"

"Every time I think I'm about to see what you really feel, you lock it away, and all that's left is that aloof queen we've feared for years. Hiding behind that damn mask." He looked down at his lap. "I know I have no right to ask this - hell, I'm the last person on earth who should - but you need to give me something. You enter a room and it's like a statue has found its way inside."

There were many, many things to address about that statement, but Maka somehow latched on the least important. "What do you mean, you're the last person who should ask that?" She knew the answer, or thought she knew, but wanted to hear it from him.

"I think you've noticed by now how open and free the serpiente are with their emotion," Soul said, meeting her gaze once more. "Whatever they feel, they show."

"They. Not you?"

Soul gave her a self-deprecating smile and a shrug. "Something my brother was better at than me, I'm afraid. I have never been one to broadcast what I feel, but to have a ruler so closed off… it's not exactly encouraging to them. I never thought I'd have to overcome that particular problem, but Wes died, and all of a sudden I'm left to fill his entirely-too-charismatic shoes." He shrugged again. "It's not easy for me. And yet I'm asking you to open up a little. For me."

Maka chuckled wryly and shook her head. "I think we were born into the wrong societies." To answer Soul's questioning head tilt, she continued, "In avian society, it's frowned upon to show strong emotion - it's seen as disrespectful, a loss of control. We're taught from birth to keep everything stowed away, to let no one see what we feel." She hesitated, then added, "It's something that doesn't come easily for me, either."

"I wondered if that was the case when you yelled at me in your room," Soul said. "It was why I started thinking this could work. For the first time, I saw what you really thought and felt, and I knew for certain that you wanted this as much as I did."

Maka hadn't exactly known he was real and truly there at the time, so it likely didn't count, but she decided not to press the issue. "You must understand," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself, "that it will not be easy for me. Whatever my inclinations may be, I have been raised to bury any and all strong emotion, to keep myself in control before making any decisions. Asking me to throw that aside… it's a lot to ask of me."

Soul was quiet for a long moment as he weighed her words, a gesture Maka appreciated. "I understand," he said finally. "And you likely know that it will be difficult for me to do the same as well. But I do truly believe that this alliance between us, and by extension, our peoples, is destined to fail if we do not agree to extend a little trust to the other."

Privately, Maka thought she'd extended more than a little by coming here and walking freely among his people, but shoved the thought away. She nodded. "I'll try."

Soul tilted his head in acceptance. "That's all I'm asking."

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a commotion outside the chamber doors. Maka seized instinctively at the collar of her dressing it gown, pulling it further across her body. Soul, while still startled, moved at a more unhurried pace, pulling a plain white shirt from the armoire and pulling it on just as a heavy knock sounded at the door. Neither had time to respond as the door to the room burst open.

Anya stuck her head in the room, her lip curling in disgust as she caught sight of Maka in her dressing gown and Soul still slightly disheveled from dressing. However, she only said, "Apologies for the disturbance, but there's a bird out here demanding to see your Naga." She nodded to Maka, and never had the motion felt so dismissive. "He's making quite the fuss, and since we're not allowed to touch him…" The tone of her voice did plenty to show just what she thought of that.

"Black*Star," Maka murmured. The reality of what she'd done the day before crashed upon her once again, revealing yet another unsavory task she'd have to complete as a result - breaking the news to Black*Star.

Anya nodded. "You'd better come quickly, before he tries to fight his way in here. I won't be held responsible for what happens if he does."

Maka and Soul finished dressing, Soul in the adjoining room, while Anya waited outside. A few minutes later, all three were striding quickly down the hall and soon were at the reception hall Maka had been inside so many times.

Black*Star was pacing up and down the center of the hall, but when he saw Maka, all the tension seemed to rush from him at once. He hurried over, the gaze sweeping over her a familiar one. Once he was sure she was uninjured, he stepped back. "Thank the skies, Maka," he said heavily. "Blair gave me your letter, but I had to see… what on earth are you doing here? I know you mentioned-" He stilled quickly as he finally caught sight of Soul standing behind Maka and off to the side. "If I could speak with my Tuuli Thea alone." His tone sounded forced -diplomacy was not among Black*Star's many skills.

Soul nodded, beckoning silently to Anya as he retreated. "I'll be across the hall," he told Maka, and with that, they were alone.

"What's going on, Maka?" Black*Star looked like he wanted nothing more than to grab Maka by the shoulders and shake her, but it was only through great restraint that he did not. "What are you doing here? Do you have a death wish?"

Maka laughed hollowly. "Just the opposite, in fact. I'm doing what I've always done - trying to end this war. And it's working, at least in part, can't you see? Why do you think they let you in? You're here because Soul allowed it - why would he do that unless he was just as willing to make peace as I am?"

Black*Star shook his head. "Maka-"

"No, you listen to me," Maka said forcefully. Black*Star blinked, startled, and shut his mouth. "I know what I'm doing," she said, despite the part of her that wondered if that was wholly true. "I know the risks, and yet I'm still here. I have gone through every possible scenario, and every possible plan, and yet I am still here. I have walked among them, the entire serpiente people, and I am fine. I spoke with them, ate with them, and nothing has befallen me. They're trying," she said quietly, "like I am."

Black*Star searched her face, some part of him still uncomprehending. "You weren't lying in your letter," he said hollowly. "You really did it. You've tied yourself to him."

Maka's throat went dry at the distress on his face. She could only nod at his question.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Skies, Maka. Of all the things you've done…" He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"I know you, Maka. You throw yourself headlong into things, sometimes without hardly thinking of what might happen to you. You say you've considered the risks of this plan, but have you thought of the risks to yourself? There's a reason our kinds don't get along." He threw a poisonous look at the door over Maka's shoulder, as though he could see Soul waiting on the other side.

"I will do whatever it takes for my people, damn the consequences," Maka said heatedly. The fire burned out almost as quickly as it came. Her knees wobbled under her, and for a moment she felt achingly tired, despite the early hour. "'Star, I need your support," she said quietly. "I know our people are different - I'm not that foolish. And I know that I'm taking some enormous risks here. But I'm willing to take them if it means no one else dies. You may not agree with my decision, but if I have to go through this alone… I need you to stand with me on this. Please."

Black*Star swallowed hard, his eyes softening. "Dammit, Maka. I know that look. Nothing I can say will turn you from your course, so… yes, I'll support you in this. I won't like it, but I'll stand by your side."

Maka didn't know how much those words would mean to her until she heard them. "Thank you, 'Star."

He sighed. "You're going to announce him as your alistair tomorrow, aren't you?"

Maka nodded.

"Then I'd recommend keeping this under wraps for as long as possible. Bring him into the Keep secretly, with as few guards knowing as possible. I'll keep the Royal Flight in check, and no one in court will make a scene in public." He shook his head again. "They're not going to like it, but there isn't much you can do about that. But they might follow you if they see how determined you are to keep any more of them from dying." He grimaced. "I hope."

And this is why Maka had needed him. Facing her court without someone by her side supporting her decision was unimaginable.

"I hate to say it, but the Royal Flight might be your biggest obstacle. Many of them would rather lay down their lives than see a cobra by your side. To the extent that some may feel comfortable going against your orders."

"That's what you're for, isn't it?" Maka attempted a cheeky smile, but knew she's failed miserably at it.

Thankfully, Black*Star ignored her. "Your mother isn't going to like this."

"My mother is not Tuuli Thea," Maka said sharply.

He raised his hands in supplication. "I know that, and she knows that. She's moved into an alternate suite, opening up the Tuuli Thea's chambers for you. The Royal Flight will have a hard time guarding both you and her if I have to assign a guard to Soul to protect him from them as well."

"There are side rooms attached to the suite, correct?" At Black*Star's nod, Maka continued with the plan she'd thought up on the flight over here the day before. "There's only one way in or out, so it will be relatively easy to guard the both of us."

"It also puts you closest to Soul if he decides to change his mind on this whole peace thing," Black*Star pointed out. At Maka's sharp look, he added, "And if someone decides to go after him - I'm only trying to think out all options."

"If he wanted me dead, he probably would have done it the half dozen times we've been alone," Maka snapped. "Putting him in the Tuuli Thea's chambers makes the most sense and you know it; it's the most heavily guarded place in the Keep."

"I'm not saying you're wrong, was just pointing out a few points, that's all," Black*Star muttered. "Well, if we're moving today, I've got a few guards stationed in the woods outside who can escort Soul to the Keep so the rest of the Flight doesn't kill him on sight. I might send Ox ahead beforehand; he's one of the ones I'm wary about. I'll talk to him and the others when we get back." He ran a hand through his hair and down his face again. "I'd like you to at least note that I object to this plan very much."

"Noted and ignored."

"Well, so long as you're aware." Black*Star sighed. "Well, let's get your Prince Charming on the road."

"'Star!"

"What? You're the one who married him."

Oh, this is gonna end well.

Despite Black*Star's reassurances that he would personally see to it that Soul made it to the Keep in one piece, Maka could not help but worry all through the flight back to the Keep. If Ox, whom Black*Star had sent to accompany Maka in the air, wondered why Black*Star and the rest were staying behind, he didn't bring it up. He did, however, pick up on Maka's anxiety and kept sending her concerned looks - or, he did so as much as an osprey could look concerned mid-flight. He might have asked, had he the capability, or he might have left his Tuuli Thea to her own thoughts. Whatever might have been, the flight was long and quiet.

They arrived back at the Keep around late morning. Soul and Black*Star, traveling on horseback as they were, would likely not arrive until evening at the earliest. The hours spent waiting were filled with pacing and nervous imagining - what if a fight had broken out, and this tentative peace Maka had been trying to weave was ripped apart before it even began? What if the guards went against orders and decided to take things into their own hands?

What if Soul had changed his mind?

Maka had just retreated to her rooms after dinner, barely taking in the new suite that was to be her residence for the foreseeable future, when a knock sounded at the door. Black*Star, looking travel worn, slipped inside. "Everyone's back and safe. We're putting Soul in a set of rooms in the back corner now. Your mother's been keeping to her own rooms so she hasn't spotted him yet, at least."

But that would change once Maka made her announcement tomorrow. Everything would.

"Are you alright?" Black*Star asked, brow furrowed.

Maka didn't know the answer to that. Yes was a blatant lie, and No seemed far too simple. Everything she'd worked for would come to a head once she presented Soul to her people, and she would have to deal with the fallout, whatever it was. "I'm nervous," she finally admitted. "And scared."

Black*Star stepped forward, and in a rare gesture, took her hands in his own. "I know I've argued against this and made my position clear," he said, "but I still support you, in the end. Whatever road you choose to take us down, I trust you. So maybe give yourself a little more credit. After all, I don't just put my faith in anyone."

Maka screwed her face up. "I can't tell if you're genuinely trying to cheer me up or turning this into something about you."

Black*Star cracked a grin, and something in Maka's chest loosened. "Eh, take it how you want it." He sobered a little and said, "I'm serious - whatever happens tomorrow, I'm with you."

Maka nodded. "Thanks, Black*Star."

He let go of her hands and snapped off a cheery salute before leaving her chambers. Maka stared at the door for a long moment after it shut, as though she could see Black*Star and his guards setting up the night's watch.

Despite what should have been a restless night given who occupied the rooms just down the hall, Maka slept well, rising with a newfound energy and drive the next morning. She had set her plans in motion, and now there was nothing for it but to ensure they went through.

She met Soul in the hall outside her rooms after she'd bathed and dressed. Black*Star, who had retrieved him in the first place, was detailing the alistair ceremony and what was expected of those within it. "Good morning," Maka said as she drew level with them. "You've been briefed on today's vows?"

Soul nodded. "Thought I must admit, I do seem quite a fair bit older than those who usually undertake them."

A muscle in Black*Star's jaw twitched."I already told you, the decision of who is to be alistair is made when they're young, it's the vows that are made when they're older. If you're having trouble understanding the concept-"

"I'm sure everything is perfectly clear, Black*Star, thank you." Maka shot a warning glare to both Soul and Black*Star, who shifted but backed down. More rustling further down the hallway had Maka turning, then warning, "Ox, Kim, stand down."

Ox was looking at Soul like there was no other place he'd like to rest the tip of his spear than inside Soul's eye socket. The robin at his side looked no less murderous. "I'll stand down when I'm sure that he poses no threat to any avian in here," she said, her voice eerie in its quietness. She flicked a glance to Maka, then added, "My lady."

Kim was another of the Royal Flight Maka was worried about when it came to Soul. She'd joined with a massive chip on her shoulder, one Maka still had yet to understand, and like Black*Star, she'd been keen on proving wrong any who thought a songbird couldn't make it in the Royal Flight. Anyone watching her spar during training exercises would be hard-pressed to say she didn't belong exactly where she was. However, it was the passion and drive that made her such a dedicated guard that had Maka worried now. She mad a note to bring her concerns up to Black*Star, and possibly have him separate Ox and Kim in future posts.

Black*Star must have read some of that in her expression, for he leaned over and whispered, "I know they may not be the best match, but I trust their loyalty to you beyond a shadow of a doubt. They've sworn not to harm Soul, but I'll have them reassigned if anyone who might wish harm to Soul is around - I don't have that much faith that they'll uphold their promise in that circumstance. But I'm keeping around those who won't be afraid to fight a serpent whenever you're alone with him."

Maka shot a glance to Soul, who merely gave a wry shrug, as if to ask, what else did you expect? He'd done his best to look less serpiente that morning, but though he was clad in the warm brown and golds favored by the avian court, it was difficult to fully hide the grace with which he held himself, or the strength still coiled in his body. He was still so totally other.

"It's time!" Blair burst into the hall in an explosion of color and sound. Her cheeks were pink from excitement. Maka had asked her to help in putting together the alistair ceremony last minute, in part because she needed the assistance, and partly so Maka could keep the secret of who her alistair was until the very last possible moment.

Which was now. The moment seemed to sink into Soul at the same time as it did her. He offered his arm, one eyebrow raised as he gave her a sardonic smile. "Well, if nothing else, this'll make for an interesting day, at least."

There was a rustle of movement and surprise among Maka's people as they took to the raised dais in the courtyard where Maka had become Tuuli Thea less than a week ago, but no shouts of alarm or rage. Maka was curious at the lack of reaction at first, but quickly realized that no one here had ever laid eyes on Soul before. The surprise was likely that no one recognized the man she was presenting as her alistair. However, as they took their places at the front, unease began to ripple through the crowd like wildfire. They might not have known who he was, but they could sense something was wrong in the same way a mouse who has not yet seen the cat behind him knew something was amiss. Soul, for all he had tried to hide it, was the furthest thing from avian.

But as neither Maka, Black*Star, or her guard looked alarmed, no one raised their voice in doubt, or began to question what was going on. There was a low murmur winding through the crowd, but no outright dissent. Save for one avian who stood near the back of the courtyard, who had seen Soul up close and personal, who had heard and rejected this very plan not that long ago.

Sid caught Kami before she could lunge for the stage, though he looked very unsure as to whether or not he was doing the right thing. The outrage on her mother's face sent blood pounding into her face and sweat pooling in her palms. Maka had known her mother would not approve, but to see such a visceral reaction… but no, she could not doubt herself. Not here, not now.

Thankfully, as her mother was tucked near the back, no one had yet noticed their former Tuuli Thea's reaction. They remained forward, watching Maka, naked curiosity shining on their faces.

It would not be for long.

"Tuuli Thea Maka Albarn," Black*Star said, his voice ringing out across the crowd as he recited the words that had been said to so many pair bonds before her. "You have chosen this man as your alistair, your protector, of your own free will and without outside influence or coercion."

"I have." Her voice was steady and strong, a minor miracle.

Black*Star turned to Soul. "Are you willing to swear upon your own spirit and the skies above that you will protect Maka Albarn from harm?"

"I swear," Soul answered gravely.

"And do you swear you will never raise your hand against her?" Black*Star's intonation did not change, but the look in his eyes had grown as sharp as the blade he wore at his hip. Maka started a little at the unexpected addition to the ceremony, as did those in the audience who were old enough to remember the last alistair ceremony. It had never been necessary to add a question like that before, because who would ever think of raising a hand to their Tuuli Thea? Surely there were some in the crowd asking themselves that question, but those on the dias understood the addition.

Soul paused at the question, his words coming a little later than the one previous. "I would never willingly harm the woman I love."

A vein in Black*Star's forehead pulsed. He'd caught the carefully worded answer - Soul had made no claims of love for Maka. This vow did not hold him. He was offering no promise.

He looked to Maka for guidance, but she only nodded for him to continue. As much as it smarted, she understood Soul's hesitance on this. As hard as they both were working for this alliance, for this peace, both were still wary of giving up everything in the event that it all fell apart. As terrifying as it was, Soul would choose his people over her, a choice Maka knew she would make for the sake of her own people. Without knowing whether this arrangement would be successful, neither could promise to not harm the other.

"Maka Albarn is Tuuli Thea, and as such, when you swear to her, you swear to her people," Black*Star continued, his voice not quite as steady as it had been before. "Will you protect her people as you would your family, and risk what is necessary to defend them?"

"I swear upon the tears of the goddess that I will do everything within my power to stop the bloodshed among the Tuuli Thea's people." Her words rang with an undeniable sincerity. This, at least, was true. Maka was unfamiliar with his turn of phrase regarding the goddess he swore to, but knew deep in her bones that this was not a vow he made lightly.

While Soul's wording might have been foreign to Maka, there were a few scholars in the crowd more educated in that area. A frantic whispering grew within the crowd, and Maka knew it would be only a few more moments before everyone within the courtyard was aware of who had just sworn himself to her.

"Maka Albarn, Tuuli Thea, you have chosen this man as your alistair," Black*Star continued, his voice rising as the volume of the crowd began to grow. "Soul Evans, you have sworn to defend Maka Albarn, your Tuuli Thea. Upon the words you have spoken, you are bound for life."

A small voice in the back of Maka's head wondered how long that might be.

The whispering had extinguished, the crowd falling silent as they took in what had just occurred, who they had just seen bind himself to the Tuuli Thea. Maka found her gaze moving to the back of the room, where her mother stood, hands clenched into tight fists at her side, twin spots of angry red coloring her cheeks. "The Tuuli Thea has made her choice," she spat loudly. "My words mean nothing here." She spun on her heel and marched out of the courtyard, Sid hurrying after her.

Her words stung, but Maka had expected it. She tried to tell herself it didn't matter, but she knew better.

But Maka had no time to dwell on that. Instead she stepped forward, holding up her hand to silence the quiet roar that had begun to sweep the crowd. They settled in an instant, though there was still an undercurrent of anxiety rippling through them. "It's true," she said simply. "This is Soul Evans you see before you." She raised her voice as some within the crown began to protest. "Soul Evans, who has just sworn to defend your Tuuli Thea, and you. When he first came to me, speaking of peace, I was doubtful. But I have sworn to do what it takes to protect you as my people, to end the fighting and bloodshed that has ravaged us for so long. As your queen, I am willing to do whatever it takes so that you might be protected. So that this war might end."

She scanned the crowd, her gaze landing on every face that she could. "You know me. You know that I don't shy away from walking the killing fields after every battle and tending to those wounded. I don't look away as they carry back the bodies and burn them on the funeral pyres. I don't ignore the suffering of my people, nor do I ever intend to. I have looked into the eyes of the dead and dying, held their hands as their souls escaped into the great sky beyond… and I am tired of it."

Maka reached out blindly and took Soul's hand, a gesture that elicited gasps from some. "I was terrified of this man, and hated him, as you all do. But then I saw his brother cut down in the fields where we have lost so many, and yet I was the only one left to sit by his side as he died. And he was no more different than any other soldier I have sat beside and comforted in their final moments. I wondered at all this pain and bloodshed, and when Soul came to me asking for peace, what else could I do but to listen?" She took a moment to catch her breath. She had not meant to become so caught up in this moment, in these emotions. The court watched her with wide eyes and amazement on their faces. "Soul has sworn to defend you, and as his Naga I have sworn to defend his."

The protests that had died down during her words sprang up again, but her raised hand had them quieting once more. "We have all lost someone. All I'm trying to do is prevent that from ever happening again. If that means I have to go out into the battlefields and disarm every soldier one by one, then I'll do it. As of right now, this war is over. Our peoples have united in this bond - any harm done to the serpiente is harm done to my people, and now, to your people."

For the first time, quiet reigned over the crowd. Despite the anger and fear they were no doubt feeling, all of them had been trained from birth to hide it deep within, to not show it in public. And yet polite caution and mild distaste were not enough to express what they felt.

A small voice lifted through the crowd and filled the courtyard. "How can we be sure, milady?" The crowd parted to allow the woman speaking to approach the dias. "Of course I trust in you and your judgment, but could this all be a ploy? Could it be that the serpiente are waiting to attack the moment we withdraw our soldiers?"

"I thought something similar when Camille Evans first approached us to ask about a meeting in Mistari lands," Maka admitted. "Both the Royal Flight and my own mother warned me against trusting the serpiente, and we left quickly, before plans could be discussed. But Soul would not be dismissed. He came to me in my rooms, in the middle of the night, without anyone else in the Keep knowing, and yet his only words were of peace."

Black*Star looked like he might throw a fit at this revelation, but somehow managed to hold his tongue.

"If the serpiente truly wished harm upon me, they have had every opportunity to do so, and yet I stand before you without a scratch." Her voice lowered, but the courtyard was so quiet that her words easily carried. "I am asking for your trust. I am asking that I never again have to hold the hand of a dying soldier as I sing him into his death. I am asking that you discard your weapons so that we might mourn our dead and learn how we might move on from this. I am asking for our children to learn of peace before they learn of war. I know it's a lot, and that it isn't easy. But this is all I ask."

Maka and Soul left the dias and withdrew back into the Keep, leaving the court to think on her words. Blair's voice was among those first raised, declaring her whole-hearted support and bringing a small smile to Maka's face.

They reached a balcony at the highest point of the Keep, a place Maka frequented when the world sometimes became too much, and all she wished to do was to settle her racing thoughts. She hadn't been thinking of this particular spot when she led them away, but now they were here, it seemed fitting. She rested her palms along the smooth stone railing, her eyes fluttering close as the wind played gently with the loose strands of hair around her face.

"Is this what the world looks like when you're flying?"

Maka opened her eyes to find Soul looking out across the landscape below them. Maka looked out as well, trying to take in the view as someone who didn't see it from this height, as she did, every day. The sun was just beginning its descent into the horizon, coloring the sky with bursts of orange and pink, and sending long shadows to cling to the base of the trees and distant mountains. "It's not usually this still, I suppose," she mused. "When I'm flying, I'm focused more on the air around me - the wind currents, how they play with my wings. I'm not usually looking at the ground unless I'm diving, landing, or falling."

"Falling?"

There had been one occasion where the battlefield had not been cleared of enemy soldiers as her guard had thought. She'd been flying out to comfort the wounded, as she always did, when the warning had come: the field is not yet clear, turn back! Maka had just wheeled around to retreat as quickly as she could, but the warning had come too late. She'd been clipped by an arrow, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, she'd been falling, unable to steady herself for several long moments. It was a moment she didn't like to dwell on.

"It happens sometimes," was all she said.

"Milady?" a timid voice interrupted them. A small sparrow approached, trembling in fear as her eyes darted to Soul. "Your mother wishes to speak with you and your… alistair, when you have a moment."

Maka sighed. Here came the moment she'd known was coming, yet dreaded nonetheless. Still, Maka would not be summoned as though her mother still had absolutely control here. "My mother is free to come and speak with me at any time," she told the sparrow lightly. "You may invite her to join us here."

The sparrow curtsied clumsily and left quickly.

"You know, I don't think your mother likes me very much," Soul confessed, turning back to lean against the railing. The statement summoned an unexpected smile out of Maka.

"Well, there's not much she can do about that," Maka said, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "Trying to summon me like a disobedient child."

"Up until this week, she's been able to," Soul pointed out. "Changes in leadership take some getting used to."

Maka shot him a sideways look. "Speaking from experience?"

Soul only shrugged.

"Maka Albarn." Her mother's voiced thundered onto the balcony a second before she appeared on the balcony. "You are Tuuli Thea now, and I know that I have no power here to override your decisions. But I will not support this sickening arrangement."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Maka said lightly. She'd known her mother would never agree to this, but some small part of her had hoped that her mother would see what Maka was trying to do, and would support her daughter's decision. But it had been a small, reckless hope. "However, my duty is to my people, meaning that they now come before you and your comfort."

"I wouldn't be arguing against this if I thought this would work," her mother hissed. "You think I didn't seriously consider this proposal when it was first brought up? I out of everyone know the risks a queen undertakes for her people, but you have gone too far. There is a reason we do not coexist, Maka! Our kinds are too different. We have been enemies since the beginning of time, and this will not end until either of us are destroyed."

"You are right about that," Soul said softly, startling Maka. "Our kinds are very different. But everyone seems to forget something. For all our differences as creatures, we all have the same human roots. We meet each other with human faces and human voices, and we exist now with human bodies. Right now," - he gestured between them - "I'm having a hard time finding any notable differences. Our animal counterparts may not have been intended to live together, but I'd like to think we're more than that."

"You dare to lecture me on this," Kami spat, her eyes full of fire. "Your kind murdered my parents. My alistair."

"Your kind murdered my mother, my father, and my brother," Soul replied, and though he may have meant to remain calm, his voice betrayed his anger. His fingers tightened on the balcony railing. He took a deep breath and said, "I have no wish to fight with you," he said, and this time his emotions were slightly reigned in. "I'm only trying to say that I'm willing to leave the past where it is and work toward a different future."

"Your kind has had no trouble fighting in the past," Kami pressed. "They're not exactly famous for their tight control, now are they?"

"What are you saying."

"How am I supposed to trust you with my daughter? I've heard emotion runs much more freely in your court, and that includes anger. How am I supposed to believe that you won't turn on her when your rage finally overwhelms you?"

"Kami, stand down."

"I have sworn not to harm her." Soul's jaw twitched as though there was much more he would like to say, but he kept quiet.

"Because a cobra's promise means so much," Kami sneered. "You may have lied and schemed your way to get here, but I know better. I know your kind."

Soul's hands seized on the railing.

"Kami, stand down," Maka ordered again.

Kami ignored her. "You can say you're different all you want, but at the end of the day, you're no better than the rest of your kind. Ruled by your emotions, unable to see anything farther than what's in front of you. It won't take long for that control of yours to crack, and when it does, my daughter is going to be the one in the way-"

"Your Tuuli Thea gave you an order." Maka inserted herself between Kami and Soul, her face mere inches away from her mother's. "Stand. Down."

Kami backed away, her face still curled in disgust. Before she could say anything more, Maka pressed after her. "You are not Tuuli Thea anymore," she said softly. "I am. And my decision is final. You have no power here to change my mind, and you have no right to speak to my alistair this way. Now, I will escort you back to your rooms, where you will think on your words and your actions. Are we clear?"

Her mother looked at Maka as though she'd never seen her before, but nodded. Maka caught her mother's arm and led her from the balcony. They walked to her mother's room in silence, only stopping once they reached her door. "You may not agree with my decisions," Maka said, "but you still have to respect them."

"I understand," her mother said. "But Maka, please, be careful. Don't let your guard down around him. Sleep with a knife under your pillow if you have to. You may have thought through this decision, but please, don't let it make you careless." Her voice was nearly a whisper as she added, "I don't think I could survive losing you as well."

Maka swallowed hard. "You will not lose me, mother," she said.

Kami clasped her hands for a moment, then turned and entered her rooms, leaving Maka alone in the hall.

Maka made her way back to the balcony where they'd left Soul, hoping that she still might find him there. To her relief and slight surprise, he remained where he was, bent over the stone railing, staring out into the vast landscape, though she suspected he wasn't taking any of it in.

He didn't say anything as she approached his side. They stood together, Soul staring out, Maka watching him, for a long moment. "Starting to regret your decision?" he asked lightly, though there was a tense undercurrent to the question.

"Should I be?"

"I didn't go into this lightly," he said. "I knew the risks, and I knew what your people were likely going to say about me. But to hear those words from your mother…" He shook his head. "It was more than I was anticipating."

"She had no right to say that to you."

"Didn't she?" He laughed humorlessly. "No doubt it's what the rest of your people are thinking."

"So what," Maka said flatly. "Of course they're not going to like this. But you let me worry about what my people think."

He met her gaze finally, and though those ruby eyes still unnerved her, she didn't look away. "This will make me sound terribly naive, but this may be harder than I was anticipating."

"We both knew this wasn't going to be easy," Maka said. "And there are times when it may be more difficult than either of us imagined. But worthwhile things often are."

Soul searched her face for a moment, then gave her a small smile. "Your people are lucky to have you, Maka."

"They have us, now, I suppose," she said. "I'm willing to work for this. To make this work. Are you?"

His answer came without hesitation. "Yes. Yes, I am."