The heat of the sun warmed his back as Dunban made his way down the slope towards Colony 9, worn boots pounding heavily on the jagged grass. Elation swelled in his chest as he watched his hometown grow larger and larger with each step he took. Even from afar the man could hear the noise from the town: people calling out to each other in greeting nad haggling over wares to be bought and sold, children playing hide and seek, dogs and cats chasing each other through the streets. The hustle and bustle of civilized life made him smile; it had been so long. Almost too long. The Homs began to jog, feeling the bumping of the pack against his back and exhilaration running through his veins. He was ready to rejoin his family.

Slowing back to a walk as he reached the bottom of the hill, Dunban strode towards the entrance, a surge of adrenaline spiking through him. Simultaneously nervous and excited, Dunban was eager to see what awaited him beyond the gates. As he walked across the bridge, he looked to the left at his house, hoping to see some activity inside. Was Fiora home? He hoped so. A year and a half was a long time; they had never been separated for more than six months, when Fiora was taken by the Mechon, and even that had been a one time situation.

Gripping the brass door handle, the man turned and pushed the front door open. As he stepped inside, the waft of a home cooked meal reached his nose and his stomach grumbled. He hadn't had a home cooked meal for months. Well, he was looking forward to eating anything that wasn't simply roasted over an open fire. He'd had enough of catching hyenas and other animals that had preyed on him. Not that that had been bad. He had made due on the road, finding herbs to create variety in the monotony of the types of meals he cooked for himself. But now, with every favorite food item of his at his fingertips, he was looking forward to something of substance.

"Fiora?"

Silence greeted him.

Then the creak of a door upstairs sounded and two footsteps could be heard.

"Dunban?"

"The one and only."

Footfalls sprinted down the hallway. She appeared at the top of the stairwell, an expression of joy painted over her features. Cheeks slightly flushed and eyes sparkling, filled with recognition, she shrieked in happiness.

"You're home!" She barreled down the stairs. He dropped his pack as she jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe it! You're finally home."

"It's good to see you too."

They stood in their embrace for a minute or two, communicating silently their mutual relief and happiness. After a few moments, the young woman stood back to inspect her brother and he her. Her hair was cut in a fashion where it was short to her chin and curved to the other side where it fell to her shoulder. It was still brown but now with blonde highlights. It seemed without his watchful eye she took advantage of her freedom.

"Well you're just in time. I just made lunch. You can tell me everything while we eat." Fiora exclaimed as she sat him down at their dining table. Serving him a fillet of dark fish and a cobbler made from dance apples and spicy bananas, the young woman said, "I'm glad I still made extra."

"Still?"

"Shulk was supposed to come over but he got tied up in the lab again. You know."

As Fiora, took a seat, Dunban noticed a sparkle catch the sun's glare through the shiny crystal window. There was a ring on his sister's left hand.

"Is that what I think it is?"

She nodded. "It's only a week old, don't worry. You didn't miss much there."

Still, he was disappointed, though he didn't let it show. Dunban had known the possibility of missing significant moments in Fiora's life while he was gone. But he had made his peace with it when he'd left.

"Are you happy?"

"Very."

He smiled and took her hand in his own. "Congratulations, Fiora. We shall have to find some way to celebrate."

"Thanks, Dunban." They released their hands and she cut herself a piece of fish. "Okay, so tell me about it! Where did you go? What did you see? Don't leave a single detail out."

"Alright. When I left, I headed towards where the Bionis' left arm used to be."

"How far west did you go?" She asked, cramming a spoonful of crumble into her mouth.

"Pretty far. It was about at the end of the first month I reached a set of mountains. They spanned for miles and miles, Fiora. As far as the eye could see."

"Did you climb them?"

"I wasn't equipped for harsh winter weather so I didn't climb very high. I couldn't see the tops, but from the ground I could tell there was snow at the peaks."

"Wow, that must've been pretty far."

"I kept to the lower passages. But as I made my way through them, I came across a deep valley between two of the mountains. Do you know what found there?"

"No, what?"

"Take a guess."

"Dunban, just tell me."

"A Nopon village."

She gazed at him, slack jawed. He grinned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I told them about where I came from and the purpose of my travels. They asked me to come back through when I was on my way back. They asked me to deliver a bunch of these letters and they were saddling up a group to travel towards Frontier Village. They call themselves the Nopon of Sylvalum."

"That's amazing! What were they like?"

"Not much different from the Nopon of Frontier Village. But I think they are more adapted for the cold than our Nopon."

"How cool."

"Not only that, they provided me a map of their region, which I added to our own."

"You've got to show me!"

"I will later."

The young woman nodded and gulped down another piece of fish and proceeded to pepper him with questions. He continued his tales, with occasionally interruptions from his sister, but bit by bit, he shared as many details as he could recall with her. Her gullibility made her an easy target for teasing, and she retaliated by tossing bits of fish bone at him. They laughed and she went back to urging him to finish his stories. Eventually, their plates were clean, and Dunban's tongue stilled as his memory darkened. Fiora suggested they adjourn to the balcony and he nodded in agreement.

As she put the dishes away, her older brother drew down a large circular bottle from the top of the highest cupboard, grabbed two glasses and headed for the balcony. It was a beautiful day and he wanted to take in the scenery before night descended. Taking a seat in one of the wooden chairs, Dunban poured two glasses of bourbon and set them on the small table between his and the other porch chair. With one glass in hand, he leaned back, glossing his eyes over the lush green landscape and blue lake of Colony 9. Despite the many landscapes he'd encountered over his travels, nothing compared to the cozy, calm panorama of the Homs colony. A wave of nostalgia flushed through him as remembered the first time he'd set eyes on Colony 9's small slice of the Bionis. Fleeing from the destruction that was Colony 2, the Homs had thought Colony 9 was just short of paradise.

The sound of the door shut behind him reverberated in his ears and Fiora sat down in the empty chair beside him. He handed her the other glass and they cheered.

He took a sip of the liquor, savoring its taste as it hit his tongue. God, it felt good. The cool liquid dribbled down his throat and into his stomach, immediately warming him. In the year and a half he had been gone, the man did not have a single drop of alcohol. He couldn't have afforded it otherwise considering he needed to keep his wits about him in the wilderness or even in the Nopon encampment. But now, in the comfort of his home, he could break his fast and enjoy it in peace.

He turned his eyes back to the view. "I missed this."

"Of course you did. Colony 9 is your home."

"Home is more than just a place. You know that."

"Things aren't going to change because I'm getting married, are they?"

"They will. That's inevitable. But they'll change in a good way."

"Promise?"

"Yes. Shulk is already family."

"Good." Fiora paused. "What about you, Dunban? What about Melia?"

The man looked down at his glass and swirled the liquid around the inside. He had planned to ask Fiora, but was waiting for the liquid courage to take the edge off before asking. It seemed his sister had beaten him to the punch.

"She's doing okay." Fiora said turning her eyes downward to her glass as well. "I mean, as far as I can tell."

"I'm glad to hear it."

He was. After everything that had happened with Nae'ell, Dunban had hoped that her time as Empress would become much less complicated and Melia could focus on those matters that were most important to her without being hindered by a saboteur. That didn't change the fact that he wanted to know if she thought about him ever. For he had thought of her, many times on the road. It was her smile that had kept him warm on cold nights, the song of her voice that comforted him on lonely days. It was the promise of seeing her again that encouraged and inspired him to go forth and explore; to leave no stone unturned, and experience the unknown to the fullest.

But now Dunban was back. And he wanted was to speak with Melia. He wanted to tell her what he learned about himself and what he wanted.

And that was her.

"I get to see her once a month generally, and we write to each other a lot. She's very busy, but that's normal. She's always busy." Fiora took a drink. "She definitely threw herself into work after you left."

He shut his eyes. Was that his fault?

"But she didn't talk about it at all. Your good-bye, I mean. I mean, you and I didn't talk about it either, so I don't really know what happened between you guys. The next time I saw her, I asked if she wanted to talk about what happened and she didn't say anything. She just said she and Tyrea went out on the town after we all left."

"What does that mean?"

"Probably Tyrea took her out so she wouldn't feel bad. That's what I would've done if I were there." Fiora looked at him and frowned.

"It's not your fault."

"It is. I should've stayed. Anyway, I don't know if she and Tyrea talked about you or not. It felt like there was a little bit of conversation from the way Melia said it, but not much. Knowing Tyrea, she probably had them get wasted and do some daredevil stunts. Or some other trouble."

Dunban felt his hand clench around the glass and he took a swig, feeling the fire burn down his throat, straight into his gut. He did not like thinking about Melia engaging in perilous risks to her health, even if her stepsister was with her, watching out for Melia's safety. But it was not his place to say what she should or should not do. It was not his right to say anything at all.

Fiora hesitated then took another sip. "I get the feeling she didn't want to talk with me about it cause you're my brother and didn't want me to feel weird. Though I told her it wouldn't be. After all, who knew when I was going to see you again."

"I'm sorry. That's my fault."

His eyes met hers and held them. The apology was twofold: they both knew it, but neither said anything to indicate that.

Fiora shook her head and lay back on her chair. "Did you miss her?"

"Yes. I still do."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I want to talk with her. But if she's not interested, then I will leave her alone."

"That's great! I'm sure it'll all work out!" Fiora sat up, clapping her hands together.

But the smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

Dunban felt his chest clench. He swung his legs over and sat up, facing Fiora.

"What?"

Her shoulders slumped and she bit her lip. "I should warn you, she's been assessing potential...consorts."

Consorts.

The word hit him like a brick. Melia was going to pick a consort and bind herself to him. She would make an heir with this person. An image of Melia intimate with a faceless man reddened his vision.

Gritting his teeth, the man asked, "Is she going to choose one? Does she want to."

"Nope, not in the slightest. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Melia doesn't want to. She's been delaying as much as possible but people are getting ancy, namely the People's Council. They want to see an heir soon."

A lump dropped into his stomach. "All the more reason for me to go now."

"Absolutely. But before you do, let's deal with...this." Fiora gestured at his face, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"What?"

"No offense Dunban, but you need to ditch the mountain man look. Your beard is..."

"You don't like it? It's rugged."

"Hardly. You look like a hox's tail. And that's not a good thing."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Instead of taking a shuttle directly to the Diamond City, the man opted to hitch a ride to Frontier Village, passing on the message from the Sylvalum Nopon, and then transporting himself to Eryth Sea by the newly formed land bridge.

As he entered Alcamoth, Dunban was momentarily blinded by the sparkling of the towers rising high into the sky. It was as if everything shined anew. None of the depression of the aftermath of the Fall remained. The High Entia had emerged and reclaimed their glory.

As he reached the gateway, the Homs was confronted with a registration counter, and the attending clerk asked him what his business was in the city. Dunban produced his passport, newly acquired with Fiora's help, and answered that he was visiting friends. The clerk asked to inspect Dunban's bag, and did a thorough examination, peeling through the various clothing items, and other things Dunban had decided to bring along. After a few moments of waiting, the High Entia gave Dunban back his documentation and the man passed through the security checkpoint.

Walking up into the city, a flood of memories rushed back to him. It had been two and half, possibly three years since he had first set foot in the city. He hadn't known anything about Melia at that point, just that she was a young woman that he and the others had discovered on their journey through the Makna Forest. An image of the Empress flashed in his mind: the blue eyes that called out to him and demanded his attention at every encounter. His heart shook in his chest: she was here, so close and yet so far. Would she see him? Hear him out? Would he finally be able to confess to her his feelings?

Only one way to find out.

Dunban walked into the main square. It bustled with activity: transport cars moving from one end to the other, High Entia ascending and descending the moving walkways up to the Great Hall, and children playing in the grass while parents cast watchful eyes. There was no trace of the hardship and sadness that had spilled over every edge and corner a year and a half earlier. Relief surged within him; he hoped that meant Melia had encountered no terrible obstacles since his departure and was well, both physically and mentally.

Squeals and shouts came from his right and his eyes darted to the origin of the sounds. A crowd had grown in the matter of seconds, excited yelps and eager whispers hummed along the airwaves into the man's ears, creating a curiosity that needed to be satiated. The group grew bigger and bigger with each instant. Making his way to the outer edges, Dunban wondered what all the fuss was about.

Then he saw her.

She had her back to him, but he knew it was her. There was no mistaking that slender figure and the grace endemic to her every movement. Her silky, lavender hair was half up, wrapped in a neat bun, and half down, pooling over her shoulders in perfect ringlets. As she stopped to listen to a High Entian woman, the floor length skirt of her pale blue dress swished gently to the right and left. The soft tones of her voice filled the air, and he heard nothing else. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but it was enough to hypnotize him.

He saw her nod and turn slightly left, closer to him, but not yet far enough. He couldn't see her eyes: her bangs covered them. But he could see that her dress had a princess cut to it, elegant yet conservative. Fitting. In everything she was always elegant. Then the man saw she wore long sleeves, though they curved off the shoulder. The bare skin was sufficient for his mind to retrieve memories of intimate times, but he pushed them away, entranced by the live figure in front of him, and not the one who lived in his dreams. But the long sleeves signified something more. The man wondered if this was a choice of the day, or if it were a conscious effort to keep the scars on her arms hidden. It was a rather warm day: long sleeves seemed unnecessary.

She nodded and then turned once more. It was just enough.

Their eyes met.

Dunban stared into those piercing, icy blue eyes that had haunted him since his departure a year and a half ago. He remembered the stony gaze and the perfect line of her lips. He felt his heart fly into his throat; he held his breath.

A burst of shock registered in her eyes. Shock and recognition.

Straightening her back, Melia refocused on the woman she had engaged just a second before seeing Dunban. She kept the conversation short, but made sure to appease the parishioner. Deftly avoiding Dunban's eyes, the Empress thanked the people and took her leave, James and Elrich following her.

As the crowd dispersed, he watched Melia disappear into the Great Hall, delighted and frustrated simultaneously at the chance encounter. God, he wanted to go to her, take her hand, sweep her into his arm.

"Dunban."

He turned. Kiefer nodded at him and stuck out a hand in greeting. He looked a little older; Dunban could see a few slivers of grey running through that almost fully dark brown set of hair. Had those been there before he left on his journey? He couldn't remember; his interactions with Kiefer had dwindled in his last days at Alcamoth as he had tried to maximize his time with Melia. Nonetheless, the Homs was truly happy to see his friend and eager to hear the status of the restoration.

"Kiefer, it's good to see you." Dunban took his hand and shook it.

"You as well. How were your travels?"

"Well worth the many cold nights."

"I would like to hear about your journey."

"I'd be happy to share. Do you have time now?"

"No, but tonight you should join myself and Sonya for dinner."

Dunban raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Neither did Kiefer, but an unspoken message passed between them. It seemed much had changed since he left.

"Absolutely. I will be there."

"Where are you staying?"

"I'm —"

"Sir Dunban?"

The feminine voice sang through his ears. He turned to see Serenity, smiling up at him, clutching her notepad to her chest. Just as he remembered. And yet, she too had an air of maturity about her that he did not remember.

"I apologize for interrupting, but the Empress has requested your presence in her Receiving Room."

His heart leapt, but he kept his face blank. An opportunity: Melia wanted to see him.

Dunban turned back to Kiefer and the High Entia nodded in understanding. "Come by whenever you are free. I'm sure Songya will be please to see you as well." Then he gave a small bow and departed, leaving Dunban and Serenity alone amongst the happy noises of the courtyard.

"Shall we?" Dunban asked.

Nodding, Serenity turned towards the Great Hall and lead the way, her curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"How are you?" he inquired, forcing himself to keep his voice steady. With each step, he inched closer and closer to the Empress. To the woman he...

He needed to distract himself.

"I'm doing well. It's been quite a long time since we've seen you here."

"Yes, it has. It feels longer than it should."

"Did your expedition go well?"

"Better than."

"I would like to hear about it sometime if you can spare a moment."

"You're the busy one. Whenever you're free, I'd be happy to sit down and chat."

Serenity giggled. "That's true. The Empress keeps me busy. But I shall endeavor to find some mutually convenient time."

As they entered the Great Hall, the internal lights shined and a glimmer shone on Serenity's face. A fracture of the light splaying small circles across her cheeks. He looked down at the source of it to see two metal fingers attached to her hand where there had once been a bandage. The silver was hypnotic; he found it hard to look away at the metallic robotic fingers. The Homs had forgotten Camar had taken those fingers in an effort to force Melia to bend to his will. Now, it seemed Serenity had found a replacement for her missing appendages.

"How are those?"

Serenity looked down at them and rolled her fingers out back and forth. "The Machina made them for me about a year ago. At the beginning, I didn't like them very much to be honest, even though it was a nice gesture and the Empress had requested them herself. I wasn't sure I wanted them, but the Empress encouraged me to take the chance. They were difficult to adapt to." Serenity sighed and looked at him guiltily. "At times, I didn't even want to. But Tyrea helped me and now I'm quite happy with them. Even if they are a bit visually...jarring."

He shook his head. "Not at all. I like them."

A comfortable silence settled between them as they took their final steps through the Great Hall towards the Receiving Room.

"Well, here we are." Serenity said as she stopped outside a blue metallic door. She paused, as if giving Dunban a moment to collect himself, which he did need, then the young woman opened the door and stepped in.

After taking a deep breath, Dunban followed her, feeling the thumping of his heart. His stomach clenched as his feet passed over the threshold. The room was simple, and yet it felt intimidating, though that may have been only been the case because Melia sat on the opposite side of the room at a desk, head down, writing quickly.

"I have brought Dunban, your Majesty."

"Thank you, Serenity." She said without looking up. "Dunban. I didn't know you had returned."

"Only a few days ago."

"I'm sure Fiora was happy to see you."

"It was good to see her as well. She mentioned you were busy lately."

"Yes. Lots of things in motion at the moment."

"Good things, I hope?"

She looked up at him, her face impassive. Those bright blue eyes stared once more at him and he felt the slightest tremble run up his spine. It was as though she could see right through him and dared him to come right out and say what was on his mind. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

However, he wanted a private audience, free from all of the prying eyes. But he knew if that would not be the case in the coming days, the man would take her aside and confess right then and there. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"I wanted to speak with you."

"Oh? About what?"

"I encountered a tribe of Nopon on the road. I was asked to pass along their letter of peace and treaty." He retrieved the letter from his pack and gave it to Serenity, who walked across the room and handed it to the Empress.

He didn't even have the chance to break the physical distance between them yet. This would be difficult.

"A new tribe of Nopon? That is very exciting." And yet no excitement passed through her features.

"I also have other things I would like to speak with you about."

"Oh?"

He did not respond. He said his peace.

"Serenity will find us a moment to speak in the next few days. Of course, you can stay in the villa during your time here."

"I do not wish to impose."

"Nonsense. The High Entia owe a debt to you for your aide in bringing peace to our society. You may stay as long as you wish."

"That is very appreciated."

She turned her face downward once more and said in a dismissive tone, "I look forward to hearing about your quest."

Ushering him out, Serenity escorted him towards the Villa.

"So what is she working on?"

"I...can't say."

"I see."

"No, truly. Only a few know. It is very...sensitive."

"I understand." That was rather mysterious but he did not press. Instead, he asked, "So when do you think I might see her?"

"Erm..."

"I guess between this mysterious project and our history I can assume not any time soon?"

"I will do my best."

"Don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I know Melia is your friend and I don't want to cause trouble for you."

"That is kind of you. But I will do my best Dunban. I think the two of you owe to yourselves."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's not my place to say." The young woman said as she opened the door to his room.

Before he could take it all in, he saw that a figure stood in the middle of the parlor, arms crossed, as if waiting for his arrival.

"Well, hello there. Didn't think you would be coming around here any time soon."

"Tyrea."

She wore a black military uniform, slimming out her figure. Her severe eyes focused on him and she sauntered over to him, smirking. "That's Lady Tyrea to you, Dunban."

He raised an eyebrow as he crossed the threshold. "I didn't know you cared about titles."

"I don't. But as the the Champion of the Empress, if I get into trouble, I can just blame it on her." Tyrea turned away and began to pace around the room. "What are you doing here?"

"I was planning on unpacking."

Tyrea rolled her eyes. "I know that. What are you doing in Alcamoth?"

He set his pack down on the sofa. "I need to speak with Melia."

"About?"

"That is between me and her."

"Oh, come on. We all know what about." Tyrea stopped and leaned on the back of an armchair. "Have you come to win her back?"

He said nothing.

"Guilty as charged!"

"Let him alone, Tyrea." Serenity pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. She was leaning against the door frame, observing the scene in front of her.

"Why? I'm just teasing. Somewhat." Tyrea shrugged as she walked over to the man. "All I have to say is that if you hurt her again, I will break every bone in your body."

Hurt her again. A rush of self-loathing flowed through him, but he kept his face resolute.

"I don't doubt it."

"Good." Tyrea walked towards the doorway where Serenity stood, still wearing a disapproving glance.

"Even with such a threat, I won't hurt her." Dunban said.

"You better not." With one last glance at him, Tyrea strode out of the room and took a right down the hall.

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize she was here." Serenity sighed.

"It's fine."

"I'll send over a messenger with Kiefer's address in a little while."

"Thank you."

"You can wait two minutes." Serenity responded, exasperated.

"Fine."

"It's good to have you back, Dunban."

"It's good to be back."

"I will endeavor to make a meeting happen between the two of you."

"Thanks, Serenity."

"I'll be in my grave before you finish." Tyrea interrupted.

"Goodness, Tyrea. Can you not wait one single minute?" Serenity glowered as she disappeared from view, her stomping footsteps echoing down the hall.

He could hear murmurs of bickering as they drifted farther and farther away from his room. Dunban chuckled and took his bag to the bedroom to unpack. It seemed some things hadn't changed at all.

"You had a lot of adventures, Dunban. I'm surprised you made it back in one piece." Songya said as she placed a bottle and with three glasses on the table. Her voice was husky, matching the sensuality of her movement as she slid an arm along Kiefer's back and took a seat next to him, the dim lighting of the room only adding more mystery to her presence.

"Challenges, sure. But I was aware of the risks."

"I don't think I would've let this one go." Songya said, passing her eyes over Kiefer. Kiefer held out his hand and she took it, a loving smile appearing on her face. Before Dunban left, he would never have thought Kiefer to be public with his affections. Granted, Dunban was a friend and this was an intimate gathering, but regardless, Kiefer was a private man, reserved whenever eyes were on him. But it seemed Songya had broken through that severe exterior. He wondered if they considered the lifespan difference between themselves; after all, Songya was Entian and Kiefer was Homs Entian.

Maybe it didn't mean anything to them. He couldn't see any signs that it did. Both Songya and Kiefer were rational beings. If they had cared, they would not be pursing a relationship that would end in inevitable heartbreak. And he knew it didn't mean anything to him either, with respect to Melia. He did not mind; he simply wanted to have her in his life for however long he could. Briefly, Dunban wondered if Melia had thought about their respective longevity since his departure and dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. There was no point in considering if he did not know what her feelings were on the subject of their relationship.

If there was anything left to call a relationship.

"Well, I'd let him go if he took me with him. Now that I think about it, I want to take a trip to the frontier. Especially since things are settling down. We could use some excitement."

"Are they? I mean, things settling down."

"Almost all necessary projects tied up several months ago." Kiefer said, still holding Songya's hand.

"It's now mostly people getting used to government and vice versa. Though the People's Council is getting to be a thorn in my side." Songya grunted as she took a sip of her whiskey.

"She's bothered by them deciding to intervene in her housing projects."

"I'm not. They're just doing everything wrong."

Kiefer raised an eye brow and Songya pursed her lips.

"Anyway, the Empress is juggling some stuff that she won't tell us about. So I feel like a vacation is in order." Songya flipped her hair nonchalantly.

"You don't know either?" Dunban asked. Curious that the cabinet members wouldn't know. Melia was playing her cards to the chest.

"No. It's as tight-lipped as it goes."

"Strange."

"I'm sure she'll tell us at some point." Kiefer said in his usual flat tone.

Once the hours ticked to midnight and the whiskey bottled was emptied, Dunban took his leave, thanking his friends for their generosity. As the Homs ventured back to the Villa, he contemplated Melia's secret agenda. How many people knew what she was planning? Certainly Tyrea and Serenity. Most likely James and Elrich. Any more? Was that it? What was so intense that she could share it with no others? His gut twisted inside out. He hoped it wasn't something nefarious, something that was threatening her well-being. But he knew that was an emotional reaction. It couldn't be. Tyrea would have been far more tense when he'd seen her earlier. And Kiefer himself seemed unconcerned. No, it had to be something else.

The questions continued to swirl around in his head as he passed through the teleporter to the Villa. As Dunban walked across the courtyard towards the towering building at the opposite end, a single movement caught his eye and he turned to the right. A silhouette materialized in the darkness and took a seat on a lone bench faced. The blue light from a nearby lamp shined down on the figure, its luminescence barely reaching the head of lavender hair it showered upon.

Melia.

Dunban took a few steps forward and stopped. His heart ached for her. What was she thinking that had caused her to rise in the dark of the night to gaze at the stars? If only he could see her face, maybe he could catch a glimpse of her thoughts. He considered walking across the courtyard and greeting her. But he imagined the surprise and coldness on her face at his arrival, the displeasure of being jolted from her thoughts and thought better of it. That is what he expected now, anyway. He wished that she would instead greet him with her soft, beautiful smile.

This night he would not invade her space in what appeared to be a private moment. The Empress would call upon him when she was ready to speak. And he would just have to be patient until that time came.

Bowing his head in her direction as if she knew he were there, Dunban took his leave and strode into the Villa, wishing their emotional separation would come to an end.

With no obligations the next morning, the Homs decided to take a walk through the city to embrace the the sights and sounds of what was now a peaceful nation. As he entered the commercial district, he came across a stall of jewels and stopped to inspect them. There were many bracelets inset with rainbow zirconia gems; a couple of rings made from sterling silver and gold dust; a broach fashioned out of red frontier; an ornate hair clip carved from a lemonade sky. Dunban picked up the hair clip and examined it, wondering if Fiora would enjoy such a piece with her new hairstyle.

"Dunban."

He turned to see a Homs Entian woman walking towards him. Her dark hair was tied up in a bun; her gaze as resolute as ever. "Bella. It's good to see you." He had always appreciated her directness and no nonsense attitude, though perhaps she could be overly logical. But he didn't know; he didn't know her that well.

"I heard you were back. How was your journey?"

"Never boring, that's for sure."

"I didn't know you liked jewelry."

"For Fiora. I think she might like it."

"It would look nice against her hair color."

"Have you seen her hair?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. What happened?"

"She decided to dye it."

"Ah. I still think it would be a good match."

Dunban nodded, then turned to the stall owner and paid for the hair pin. Pocketing it, he asked, "Are you headed somewhere?"

"Back to the clinic. I decided to take lunch at a new restaurant."

"I'll walk you back then."

Bella nodded and they headed down the stone pathway towards the main courtyard.

"So tell me. What was the most exciting part of your journey?"

"No need to start with the easy questions first. Most people want to hear about everything."

"We don't have much time. I prefer to get right to the point."

"Alright. I'd say it was...crossing the land bridge."

"Land bridge?"

"Far west, past what we used to know as the Bionis' left arm, there is an entirely new land mass across the ocean. You can see it on a clear day from the beach. It took a lot of effort, but I climbed up the mountain to reach the bridge that connected ours with this new place. It was the only way across, save for a ship. But I didn't have the materials nor patience to construct a boat to take me across."

"Probably a wise choice."

"The land bridge wasn't without its dangers thought. It did get thin towards its center."

"Do you mean to say you almost fell?"

"Just don't tell Fiora. She wouldn't be too please." He grinned.

"I'm impressed you didn't turn back."

"No. I wanted to see what was across it."

"And you did?"

"More than that."

They had just arrived at the clinic as he finished sharing his story. Bella turned to him as they stood to the side of the entrance. He noticed that the building now had a second story, and the infrastructure itself was much sturdier than he imagined.

"Perhaps we could find another time where you could tell me about the other moments."

Internally, the man hesitated. He knew he had to be careful. He didn't want to give Bella the wrong impression. He had remembered a few moments before his departure where she indicated perhaps the tiniest of interest. She was an attractive woman, but he had eyes only for Melia. But before he could answer, a voice interrupted the conversation.

"Bella. Dunban."

They both turned to see Melia walking out of the clinic. This day, she wore her hair completely up in a ponytail where the hair pooled down the back of her neck and settled in soft waves. She had switched her dress for a sea foam green blouse and black pants, but it was still those eyes that drew his attention.

"Hello, Empress." Bella bowed.

Dunban inclined his head, unsure of how to address her. Melia? Empress? Both sounded to be dangerous options, one indicating a close relationship, the other a completely formal one. He did not want to try either and risk doing more damage to that which he had already done.

"How are you doing?" Melia asked. He looked up, surprised. The question was directed at him. The woman watched him, the intensity of her gaze oddly uncharacteristic compared to the indifference to his presence she'd demonstrated the previous day. He wanted to reach out and touch her cheek, but such a gesture was impossible now as things stood.

"Good. Bella and I were catching up."

"Oh?"

"I was planning on telling her about my travels over a coffee later."

Coffee was unassuming and safe.

"Well, why don't the two of you come to my chambers for dinner this evening? I'm sure that you would like to condense the amount of times he has to share his story with separate parties."

"That's very considerate."

"Serenity mentioned her eagerness as well, so I shall invite her too."

"Thank you, Empress."

"I will see you both at 20:00." And with that, the Empress walked away, her hair bouncing around her shoulders with each departing step.

Dunban considered her as she strode into the sea of people, creating a path as she went. Had that spark been jealousy he'd seen in her eyes? Or had that been his imagination reaching for something not there? Regardless, he was seeing her tonight. And he would do his best to make the most of it.

The sun was just setting when Dunban stepped into the Formal Dining Room in the Villa. He had never been in this room before, as Melia had never expressed interest in utilizing it. In all the months he'd been in Alcamoth, he'd only heard Melia refer to it once, and not in a favorable manner. Now he knew why: it felt like it belonged to history, to a time lost. From the long, draping curtains with tassels hanging from the ends, to the plush carpet of blues and whites, the colors of the Royal Family, and the long mahogany table, he assumed that this room had once been used for formal state dinners, entertaining nobility, and on occasion private gatherings for the royal family. Just like the receiving room, this one had the flavor of the formality that accompanied Melia's station as Empress. It seemed an odd choice to him for her to use these spaces when she had tried so hard to connect herself with the people during his time in Alcamoth.

The chair at the head of the table was empty, but the seats directly to the right and left were filled by Tyrea and Serenity respectively. And next to Serenity sat Bella.

"Dunban. I didn't know you would be joining us." Tyrea mused, leaning back in her chair and placing her hands behind her head.

"Melia asked us to join her when we saw her this afternoon." Bella supplied as she watched Dunban take a seat next to the Empress' stepsister.

"Ah. And you two were together?"

"Yes. Dunban escorted me to the clinic after we ran into each other in the commercial district."

"How gallant."

At that moment, the door behind the head of the table opened and in walked Melia. There was a slight blush to her cheeks and the quick rise and fall of her shoulders accompanied by a slight faster breath, as if she had hurried from wherever she had come. Her eyes scanned over each of them before taking her seat.

"I apologize for my tardiness. My time with Anthony ran over."

"Your suitor?" Tyrea jeered.

Dunban tensed every muscle in his body, feeling his stomach curl in on itself. Fiora had mentioned the consort business. Was Anthony one of these men?

"No. Anthony is the minister of the interior. You know that." The Empress glared at her step sister, who remained unaffected.

"Oh right. He just follows you around like a dog because he doesn't know any better."

"He's still learning how to do the job."

"If you say so. I think he just likes getting so much of your attention."

Melia leveled her gaze at Tyrea, who cackled, rose, and rang the bell, for what Dunban assumed would be dinner.

Directing her gaze at him, Melia said, "Dunban. Why don't you tell us about your trip?"

"Yes. Start from the beginning." Serenity piped up, leaning forward with avid interest.

As the next few hours passed, Dunban described the different places he'd ventured through, stopping occasionally to field questions from his audience. The man shared his stories about the Nopon he had met and what their village had been like. He remembered the new animals he'd seen, the dangerous encounters he'd had (Tyrea was particularly keen on these), the gentle ones he'd traveled with (Serenity oo'd and awe'd at these). All seemed enraptured by his story. He could tell even Melia had a hard time keeping the fascination out of her perfectly defined features. But as his tales drew to a close so did her openness.

"Thanks for sharing, Dunban. It sounds like it was a wonderful trip." Serenity said, pulling his gaze away from the Empress.

"It was eye-opening on many levels and one I will not forget anytime soon."

"Now I want to go out there." Tyrea said. Serenity twitched her mouth back and forth and Tyrea rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I want to see how the Empress' consort search turns out." She sniggered.

Melia glowered at Tyrea. "There is no consort search."

Under the table, Dunban curled his hand into a fist, but kept his face blank.

"You don't really need to search. You have plenty of volunteers."

"That does not mean I am taking any offers."

"Are you sure? I thought I spied that man Garrett making moves yesterday. I hear he is quite the mountain climber." Tyrea sniggered.

"Tyrea!" Serenity exclaimed, her face turning a bright pink.

"He did not." Melia responded.

"How about Flanders?"

"No."

"Xavier? Rafael? Neil?"

"No. None at all."

"I did hear Lady Evelyn was interested. That would be quite an upheaval of tradition, don't you think?"

"Melia. There is a cartographer you employ right?" Dunban asked, changing the subject. He certainly did not want to hear about all of these men — and apparently women — trying to court Melia.

A speck of relief appeared in her eyes as she gazed upon him. "Yes."

"I would like to speak with him. Maybe he can help create a new map of the world considering now of what I know of its geography. And I do have the map the Sylvalum Nopon gave to me."

"Yes, that would be very useful. I would like to attend that meeting as well. You too, Tyrea. Shall I make the appointment for tomorrow morning, around 8:00?"

"Sure. That's fine by me."

"That is so early." Tyrea complained.

"Consider it punishment for your behavior." Melia countered. "Serenity shall join us as well. Bella, would you like to come too?"

"Thank you for the invitation, Empress. However, I must attend at the clinic."

"Of course. It is settled then. We shall meet tomorrow morning."

It was two hours after sunrise when they met in the Study. Dunban remembered that Melia had only started using this room towards the end of his time with her. When he walked in, the Homs saw a completely different environment from what he recalled. Before, it had been barren save for the old furniture. Now, it was filled with files, notepads, books and touch pads on every surface. Passing a glance over a few of the books, he saw that they were histories, records of past reigns of Emperors and Empresses. It occurred to him that this was where she must be conducting her planning for...whatever was happening. And from the looks of it, it seemed there was quite a lot of research going into this secret.

He turned his attention towards the table where two High Entia sat. The cartographer was an elderly Entian man. He had silver hair that fell down his shoulders and farther down his arms, thin and wispy. His green eyes were slightly cloudy with age but his wrinkled hands held steady the quill ready to paint on his parchment. Melia was already seated at the table next to the cartographer when Dunban entered. She gestured to the seat across from her and he took it, the cartographer situated in the middle of them.

"Where is Tyrea?"

"It seems she decided not to join us."

"Too early?"

"No. Apparently she is not feeling well." Melia folded her lips into a thin line. Obviously the Empress did not believe this excuse. Neither did Dunban.

"And Serenity?"

"Last minute request from the People's Council." Melia turned her attention to the cartographer. "Wilhelm, please meet Dunban. Dunban, Wilhelm is the royal cartographer, and has been for many centuries. He was the administer to both my father and grandfather."

Dunban raised his eyebrows. That was impressive.

"So you're the Homs everyone's buzzing about." The High Entia said as he gazed up at Dunban.

"Buzzing about?"

"The hero? The one who helped with that awful business with...what was his name...Camar?"

"That is correct." Melia said, an unreadable expression on her face at the mention of her previous cabinet member.

"Anyway, it's nice to have a new face in these parts. Moving on. Here is the world as we know it. I want you to tell me what you saw."

Dunban pushed forward the map the Nopon had given him and began pointing out the geography he had encountered that was both included and not recorded on the map. Places where land met sea, or where land encompassed water. Mountains, valleys, plains. With each remark, Wilhelm drew, capturing each and every comment with the brilliant brushstroke of his hand. It was fascinating to watch the older High Entia; he seemed to know where the pen would go before Dunban even said anything. Of course, they all knew that much of these observations needed to be corroborated. One man after all could not account for everything, nor remember things so accurately (though Dunban kept a journal detailing his experiences and keeping approximate measurements).

Finally the Homs reached the end of his recollections. "That was as far as I went." Dunban pointed at the map, towards the south point of the continent of Sylvalum. As Wilhelm sketched it, Dunban turned to Melia. "I think you would have liked this place. It reminded me of Colony 2."

Silent, the woman nodded.

"Well, that's all for me." Wilhelm sat back to admire his work. "I think it will do for now, Empress."

"Of course. When we have more time on our hands, I will send out a team to explore as well via our shuttles and we shall add to it."

"If you don't mind, I will see myself out. I need to ply my own mind with some coffee." The man chuckled as he rose. "You sir should come by my home some time. I would like to hear about the Homs Colonies."

"It would be my pleasure."

Wilhelm nodded and headed out the door, leaving the two alone for the first time since Dunban's arrival.

"Melia."

"I am sorry, Dunban. I must get to my meeting with Councilman Ryver." She began to rise.

"I understand. I just ask a moment."

Hesitating, the Empress remained in her seat and met his eyes. "What is it?"

His heart thumped in his chest as he thought through the next few seconds.

"I wanted to give this to you." Withdrawing a small pouch from his pocket, the man held it in front of him. "These are seeds from all the flowers I came across. I thought maybe you'd like to add them to your garden."

An expression of surprise bloomed on her face. The flicker of delight flashed in her eyes and he felt his own heart smile.

"Dunban, this is...very thoughtful of you. And a very considerate gift indeed. I shall take good care of them."

She reached out to take the pouch, and as her hand enclosed around the brown fabric, her fingers brushed against his palm. The skin to skin contact sent fire through his veins and he met her eyes in earnest, as if trying to communicate what he felt through his eyes. A small blush rose in her cheeks, and her eyes fled away from his. Without another second of hesitation, she plucked the pouch up and drew her hand back towards her chest.

Silent, she regarded him with eyes containing the same unreadable expression from earlier.

"Thank you, Dunban. Once again, this was very generous of you."

"It was no trouble. I thought you would like them."

"Now, if you will excuse me."

"Of course."

Rising, the Empress nodded at him and turned on her heel. As she made her way to the door, she paused in the entrance, but did not turn, as if she were going to say something. Then the young woman passed through the doorway and out of sight.

Alone with his thoughts, Dunban reflected on the encounter. He knew that Melia had felt it too, the spark between them when their hands touched. He was certain that she still felt something for him, and it was enough. He would do everything in his power to win her back, unless of course she said she wanted nothing to do with him. He hoped it would not come to that. With a renewed hope, the man strode out of the room, considering what his next move would be.