Dunban left the meeting with Melia feeling mixed emotions.

First was guilt: he knew he shouldn't have interrogated her, especially about her comings and goings in the evening. It was not his place to question her political methods or invade her privacy (especially when she had so little of that these days). Truthfully, the Homs had been frustrated at being left in the dark. Specifically, about the Homs Entia and Entia tension and the assassination attempt. Did she not trust him? Perhaps that it is what frustrated him so. No, frustrated was the wrong word. Frustrated was the surface emotion: he was...disappointed. Even though they had traveled so long in each other's company, had saved the world together, she still couldn't let her guard down in front of him. Perhaps anyone, save Riki and occasionally Shulk (though Dunban surmised that that comfort no longer existed). It was disappointing, but it also worried him. However, as a friend, he was supposed to support her, not command her. And tonight, he'd let his anger get the better of him. He would have to work to repair the harm he may have done.

Second was curiosity: he had been surprised by at Melia's conversational misstep, especially when considering his previous observation that she played her cards close to the chest. The request itself was completely normal and forward thinking. She knew that there would be moments when her subjects would not feel comfortable expressing their true feelings to her. Dunban would appear to be an approachable conduit. However, her stumbling to bury the unintended innuendo had been...surprisingly cute. He recalled how the Empress blushed when she realized the intimate subtext her words, and immediately attempted to backpedal. Had he ever seen her in an embarrassing position? Perhaps once or twice, but that had been of a more casual nature, not involving any intimations of a sexual kind.

Another thought crossed his mind as he entered his rooms and began to ready himself for sleep. Where does she go? And why? Why is it a secret? It tickled him, refusing to let go. But he knew better now; he would not pry. Nonetheless, despite the information he'd learned, Dunban still felt there was much mystery surrounding the High Entia, especially Melia.

"You and the Empress are friends, yes?" Kiefer asked him, four days later.

"I believe so." Dunban said as they disembarked from the shuttle and walked onto the grass. Kiefer's team was accompanying Camar's team to the Eryth Highlands that day. The current irrigation systems were in need of a fix while the replacement system was being designed. If the irrigation pumps remained in disrepair, it could seriously damage the crop yield at the end of the summer, hence why Kiefer had paused the other projects of his team to come solve this problem.

The Homs turned to look at the older Homs Entia. Kiefer shifted on his feet, not meeting Dunban's eyes. "What's wrong, Kiefer?"

He paused before he said anything. "My team hasn't had a break for six months. Working straight every day for six months takes its toll."

Dunban could tell Kiefer wasn't one to usually ask for help. So the Homs nodded and replied, "I will bring it up with the Empress and ask if the men may take some time off."

"Thank you." And with that, Kiefer strode off towards the water pumps. Dunban liked Kiefer. He was a straightforward, hardworking fellow who was loyal to his comrades. Dunban admired Kiefer and was happy to help him in any way possible.

It was half past eleven, and Entia laborers were already working in the fields, planting new seeds and watering those already in the ground. Dunban led Kiefer's team out of the shuttle and towards the crops, leaving Camar and his team to work in the shuttle. Dunban much preferred that; he couldn't stand the Homs Entia. For Melia's sake, he would endeavor to stay cordial and work with Camar, but Dunban could never see the two of them becoming friends, much less friendly acquaintances.

The Homs moved through the fields, greeting each of the workers by name as he passed them. Being a Homs, Dunban knew he was a fish out of water. That didn't make him feel awkward. But it did make him feel foreign to the others. He wanted to be a familiar face, a friendly one. Someone they felt they could talk to, even if it was just a superficial level. So, he'd taken the time to introduce himself to each and every one in the previous days. Most responded well to his advances; some kept themselves withdrawn.

"Dunban." He turned to see a young male Entia approach him. He had blond hair and dark eyes, standing just short of Dunban. His white skin was tinged brown by exposure to the sun.

"Alderon. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you might have dinner with me and Camille tonight." He looked up at the Homs man hopefully. It was funny; something about the young Entia reminded Dunban of Shulk. Perhaps it was the constant optimism, especially in the face of pain.

"Absolutely. I would be happy to join you." The young man was eager, and Dunban was happy to offer his time. It might also be a good opportunity to learn more from the perspective of an Entia instead of a Homs Entia.

"Wonderful." Alderon clapped his hands together and grinned. "I shall find you when the day is over." He rushed back to his place in the fields. It seemed Dunban's plan of approachability was already working.

After surveying the current status of the irrigation pump, Dunban and Kiefer's men hunkered down to work on its repairs. The hours rolled by into the mid afternoon. The sun was high in the sky, blazing down on those in the fields, hot on their backs. Soon, the males were removing their shirts while the females members were rolling up their sleeves and the bottoms of their shirts. It was hot. Sweltering hot. Dunban could feel the sweat rolling down his forehead as he and the other Homs Entia of Kiefer's team worked at the pump. His body glistened with a layer of sweat in the sunlight, and he plugged away at this work. The outlines of his muscles became more defined with each stroke as he worked into the afternoon.

Then, without warning, a gush of water shot up from the ground, ten feet away from the pump. Water exploded everywhere, drenching those nearby. The flow of water rose in the air and suddenly fell to the ground, as if forced by the power of gravity. Dunban ran towards the geyser of water, Kiefer and his team in tow. Camar rushed after them as well, bringing up the rear.

"Shit." Camar swore as they reached the site.

The main irrigation pipe had burst just at the cross section where it split into four directions, each heading to a different section of the field.

"If we don't fix it, the crops won't get watered and the heat of the sun will dry out the ground and kill the crops with it." Camar said. Dunban knelt down and inspected the broken pipe, taking note of the denting around the ruptured area. It was serrated, like someone had taken a knife to it.

This was intentional.

The man didn't dare say that out loud, but he knew it in his bones. Someone had deliberately cut the pipe.

But Dunban couldn't concentrate on that now. He needed to fix the problem immediately.

"Running back to the city to get a replacement pipe will take too long." Kiefer said. "We need to seal it temporarily to buy us some time." He turned to one of his men and ordered, "Jamal, take the team back to to the city and get extra piping equipment." The young Homs Entia nodded and the group ran towards the shuttle.

"Kiefer, we'll need to clamp this shut. Camar, get the first aid kit from the outpost." Dunban said as he looked up at them.

Camar was about to protest when Kiefer glared at him. Filled with resentment, Camar took off towards the outpost as Kiefer went to grab the tool kit from the pump site. Out of his pocket, Dunban grabbed his pocket knife and ran it over the outside edges of the cut in the pipe, filing down the sharp edge. Water continued to flow out of the broken pipe, soaking the knees of his pants.

Minutes later, Camar returned with the first aid kit. "What now?" The Homs Entia demanded.

"Open it and get out any bandaging materials and cotton pads." Dunban prayed there would be something in there they could use. Otherwise they would be in hot water. Literally.

"Got it." Camar held up a binding of wool. Not ideal, but it would have to do. Kiefer reappeared with the tool pack in one hand, and a clamp in the other.

"Kiefer, make sure I haven't missed any sharp edges," Dunban said as he passed the knife to him. The Homs Entia took it wordlessly and set at the task. Dunban grabbed the tool pack pack and ruffled through it, looking for the mossy panel he'd packed in it. He grabbed the flexible metal and stuck it over the rupture, cutting away excess metal so it made a neat rectangle over the gap. "Kiefer, hold this here." He did as he was told and Dunban ruffled in the bag, looking for the bottle of glue he'd made from the oil branches he'd collected around the Eryth Sea. He rummaged through, and finally pulled it out from under the other tools, in addition to a Hode plank. Precisely and accurately, Dunban filled the edges between the metal and the pipe with glue, making sure he covered every edge of the metal. As Kiefer held the panel in place, pressing it down onto the pipe, Dunban said, "Camar, wrap the wool bandages around it, tightly." Camar moved quickly, wrapping the bandage around the panel and pipe, binding them together. Kiefer removed his hands and picked up the clamp he'd dropped to his side. Dunban added the Hode plank to rest on top of the bandaged metal. "Kiefer, put the clamp here." Kiefer put the clamp in place around the pipe and wood, securing the fix in place. After a moment, they all stood back to see if the fix would hold.

The pipe was leaking no more.

"You think quickly," Kiefer remarked, standing and crossing his arms. His eyes were warm, even if the rest of his face was blank.

"Nice job," Camar volunteered with begrudging congratulations.

"Thank you both. But we all contributed to this solution." Dunban had no interest in taking all the credit, especially if it would help forge bonds with both Homs Entia men.

"Dunban!" He heard a voice call. Quickly, he turned to see Serenity, Melia and her ever-present guards walking towards them. The Homs hero wiped his hands off on on his pants and walked forward. He and Melia met in the middle, Serenity and the guards just a few feet away.

"Empress. I did not expect to see you here." He knew better than to use her first name in public.

"Today is my day to visit the various project sites. I didn't realize there were two teams here on the Highlands today." Her eyes wandered over his appearance: a naked chest and flushed skin. He wasn't quite sure what the expression was she wore.

"The heat has been intense all day long. A pipe burst and it required immediate attention."

"Nothing serious I hope."

"It was fixed. Kiefer and Camar were very helpful."

After a brief moment of silence, Melia asked, "I shall see you later then?" She regarded him with a cool expression, though her words conveyed friendliness. It was certainly odd.

"It may be a little later. I've been invited to dine with one of the Entia field workers."

A look of surprise came over Melia's face but she all she said was, "Come when you are able."

Later, Dunban walked with Alderon towards the Entia's home quarters. During the entire span of the walk, Alderon questioned Dunban about his journeys through the Bionis. The Entia was eager to hear about the other races and different places that existed. The Homs man learned that Alderon had never left the Eryth Sea, despite having been trained in the military. The Homs Entia was just twenty-four years old and had had a bright future ahead of him. That was, until Zanza struck. Now, the Homs noted that the Entia man struggled to keep himself together.

When they arrived, Dunban was greeted by an Entia woman at the door. Her bright red hair and green eyes were striking against her dark brown skin. "Ah Alderon. You brought home the Homs male."

He could hear the slightest disdain in her voice. Dunban knew he needed to tread carefully this evening. However, Alderon remained oblivious and grinned, "Camille, meet Dunban."

Dunban stuck out his hand in greeting. She took it limply and smiled. "Well, come in."

The quarters were small, but homey. Alderon brought Dunban over to a square table and sat him down. "Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Beer?"

"Beer?" Dunban was almost entirely sure that they did not have beer for sale anywhere in Alcamoth.

"It's not exactly beer. More moonshine," Alderon shrugged.

"Water is fine for me."

After a few moments, Alderon sat across from him, placing a jug of water in front of his guest and a large jug of moonshine in front of himself. A large pot of soup was deposited in the center, and Camille sat down adjacent to the two males. Smiling, she took a sip of her own moonshine. Alderon began to serve the trio.

"Alderon tells me you work in the clinic?" Dunban asked Camille.

"Yes. It's more set-up and maintenance than actually conducting medical procedures though." Camille took another gulp of moonshine. "Not many people have physical injuries these days. More mental ones. We can't really help that past daily herbal supplements."

"What kind of herbal supplements?"

"Just anti anxiety medication. Herbs for sleep. Not that they help."

"What do you mean?"

"Alderon. How are you fairing these days?"

Alderon looked at her, surprised. "Um...you know I don't sleep that well."

"Even with the herbs?"

He looked sad as he nodded his head.

"So you see, the wounds run even deeper than what is to be expected." Camille took another drink from her mug, satisfied with herself.

"How did the two of you meet?"

"Camille and I grew up together. After the Fall and being..." Alderon trailed off. He shivered and handed Dunban a bowl of soup.

"After being put back to normal, we found each other wandering around Alcamoth. I didn't remember much, and neither did Alderon. And now we're here." Camille finished. He could hear an edge of anger in her voice.

"How has it been since the Fall?"

"Things are much better than they were months ago. I mean, when the Empress came back to the city with the rest of the High Entia, we were all hunkered down in the Whitewing palace, starving. Now, we have food, running water, and shelter." Alderon smiled. "I almost feel like a real person again."

"The operative word being almost." Camille scoffed, taking the bowl from Alderon's outstretched hand.

"Do you disagree?" Dunban inquired.

"She thinks she speaks for all of us. She thinks she knows what's best for us."

"The Empress?"

"Who else? She sits in her ivory tower looking down on all of us. I'm sure all she does is sign documents and think of lofty ideas, and does none of the hard work herself."

"Camille, she's doing her best—" Alderon began.

"Really? Is she doing her best? She doesn't defend us against those mixed breeds. She assumes we all just want to live here and move on with our lives. Doesn't she see we can't move on? We're totally ignored! And she doesn't give a damn!" Camille spat.

"I can assure you that is not the case. The Empress takes all of this very seriously." Dunban said calmly.

"Then why hasn't she done anything? We sit in these walls an suffer!"

"She's done a lot Camille—" Alderon tried again.

"Sure. You're right. She's fulfilled our basic needs. But that was months ago. The others have been blaming us since they got here! So why hasn't she addressed that? Why hasn't she said anything to help us? Her silence is just another condemnation! That goddam speech in the town hall, that bullshit about us working together and moving forward. Who does she think she is? She hasn't experienced what we've been through! How can she ask us to just forget about it? How?!"

Silence.

"What would you have her do?" Dunban asked.

"Put an Entia on the cabinet for starters."

"What else?"

"Publicly defend us against the Homs Entia."

"The Empress is not going to create an us vs. them dynamic."

"It's already like that. Can't you not see it? Until they stop blaming us for what happened. Otherwise there will never be peace. Otherwise, we'll go to war."

"She was very adamant about the Entian side being ignored during the restoration efforts." Dunban concluded. Upon entering Melia's stateroom that evening, Dunban immediately relayed his interaction with Camille. Now, at the end of his story, Melia's face was completely pale.

"I should've forseen this. I will elect an Entia to join the cabinet immediately."

"But that can't be the only thing that gets done."

"Of course. But it's a start." Melia rose from her seat, circled the back of the couch, and began to pace. "I'll have to do more than the therapy groups. Mari'ell says only about half of the Entia attend anyway. But she says those that attend appear to be feeling better by talking about their experiences." Ruminating, she continued walking back and forth. Dunban watched her, equally perplexed by what to do. These problems were not his specialty. Melia stopped mid stride, her eyes wide with the light of an idea. "What if I visited every High Entia?"

"Do you have the time for that?" Dunban asked, skeptical.

"I know it would be extensive, but it would show that I care. You're right. The reason we're having these meetings is because I haven't been able to interact with my people, the very people I am in service to. This way, I can give each of them my undivided attention. I'll learn what they're going through. They'll feel that they've been heard."

He had to admit, it was a wise tactic. Not very practical, as it would take an enormous amount of time. But, she was right. There was no way anyone would be able to criticize her for not making herself available to her people. A thought occurred to him and he said, "Don't meet them in the palace. It makes them have to come to you. Go to them. They will feel more comfortable in their own homes."

Melia focused her eyes on him and nodded. "You're right. That's a good point." She continued to stare at him for a moment, silent. It was a similar expression to the one on her face this afternoon in the Highlands.

"Melia, are you okay?"

"Oh sorry, yes." She looked away. Her eyes wandered to the clock. "I need to leave now. Is there anything else you wanted to discuss this evening?"

Kiefer's request. He was sure not to forget it. "On the topic of working, the cabinet member's teams have been working around the clock. If you think it feasible, you should give them a vacation. Not a long one, but at least a few days."

"I'm sorry it didn't occur to me before. That is my oversight." She paused, thinking about the request, and said, "We need to keep progressing, so I may rotate the teams that will be on vacation. That way, projects will continue moving forward, even if they're not all simultaneous in their timelines. I will speak to the cabinet about it tomorrow."

Dunban rose and walked to the door. "Have a good night, Melia. Whatever you're up to." He gave her a sly grin.

But she didn't take the bait. "You as well."

As he walked down the corridor towards his quarters, he smiled to himself. He was starting to feel useful. Useful not just to the High Entia, but to her as well. They had a plan now. Perhaps things were looking up.

And then he realized he'd forgotten to tell her about the pipe. But as he turned around to go back to her quarters, he watched her go, escorted by her guards. She was out of his reach for the rest of the night. He'd have to wait until tomorrow.

And once again he wondered, where did she go?

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the longer chapter. Just laying the groundwork for more exciting things to come! Please leave a review if you have a moment. It would be greatly appreciate ^_^