A Distant Tellius

by Mystery of the Emblem

After the events of Awakening, Priam arrives on Tellius. Once there, he forms a bond with Lehran and the current Empress of Begnion, Seraphina. His days become lazy, his mornings spent training anyone who asks while his evenings are spent with the empress. She takes it upon herself to arrange a trip around Tellius to share his home land, and stories of Ike, with Priam.

4. Crimea

I feel so bad about how long this took me to do. I did not expect to struggle so much with this chapter. Crimea has gone through so many different revisions in my planning. I had beats I always wanted to write, but even the queen changed so many times that it's not funny.

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Priam had expected a bit of a show when it came to departing Daein. It felt like the sort of thing Tavin would do, inviting all of the country to see them off. He was surprised to find it was Tavin alone who was there to big them goodbye. He offered them horses to make the trip to Crimea easier and faster, but Seraphina turned it down. Priam was thankful; he had never really been one for horses.

"I truly enjoy our trips! I know it may sound strange to you, but I like walking, sleeping outside, and even relying on ourselves," she admitted to her cousin. Tavin could only sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Would you at least consider taking a horse in case you get tired? You are not made for this sort of travel." When Seraphina politely declined again, Tavin had another suggestion. "Then let me go with you."

Seraphina looked to Lehran for an answer, her mouth partly open, before she regained her composure. "I think you are far too busy to leave your people and come with us across Tellius."

Tavin wanted to argue, his expression made that clear, but he was quick to give up. Priam thought he saw the king of Daein tear up a bit as he lifted Seraphina from the ground into another hug. He could not hear what the king was saying, as his voice was muffled against Seraphina's shoulder, but the mercenary knew whatever was being said was not meant for his ears.

Just as Lehran considered stepping in to gently, yet firmly, pull the two of them apart, Tavin pulled away and held Seraphina at arm's length. His eyes were wet with tears. "You won't let so much time pass between this visit and your next, will you?" he asked her. She shook her head. "Good." He gave her shoulders a squeeze and added, "I will send word ahead so you do not surprise Queen Gwyneth as you did us!" Though Seraphina had not wanted to tell Tavin of their next destination, it had not been too difficult for the king to figure it out.

Seraphina chuckled nervously but thanked him. She appeared a little uncomfortable with the affection and exchange with her one-sided rival, but she gave his hand a brief squeeze and told him she would give his condolences to the dragons should they be allowed in Goldoa. When it appeared as though Tavin was going in for another hug, Seraphina told him they needed to leave. "We will never make it to Crimea if you keep hugging me goodbye!" she said playfully.

Tavin laughed, as well, but her words struck him. "That is a good point. Take care, all of you." He waved as they departed and did not stop until they were out of sight.

Tavin had resupplied them and advised them of several stores along the way. He had also made sure they had more than enough money to buy whatever they needed. The coins, spread out between their bags at Priam's insistence, make faint clink clink sounds as they walked.

"Oh, Priam, I have something for you."

Priam looked at Lehran, confused as to what he meant. For a moment, he thought that Lehran may have picked something up for him at the market, but then he remembered he had never seen Lehran actually leave the keep.

"You asked me to go through the records in Daein. I was not allowed to remove them from the keep, but I did receive permission to copy a few things. I will give them to you later, perhaps when we stop for the night if that is not an issue?"

Priam, who had almost forgotten his request to Lehran, quickly went from ecstatic to disappointed as Lehran spoke. He understood the reason for waiting, of course. If he handed the copies to him now, Priam would not want to do anything else. "I'll wait," Priam replied. He could not fully hide the fact that he did not wish to do that.

"I would give them to you now, but walking and reading are not two things one should do at the same time," Lehran said, trying to lighten Priam's mood.

"Heh. You sound like my mother, Lehran." Lehran gave his wings a faint shake while Seraphina giggled. "She used to tell me something like that," he added. "My lessons would be in the morning while training would wait for the afternoon. I tried to do them both at once, as I wanted my lessons over quickly." He smiled to himself as he remembered his mother's desperate attempts to get him to focus. "She eventually gave up, telling me not to come running to her if something happened to me."

Lehran offered a guess at how that ended. "Did you walk into a tree? Or the side of a building?"

"I almost wish I had. I went too close to one of the older mercenary's foul-tempered horses and was nearly bitten."

"Oh!" Seraphina clapped her hand over her mouth, and Priam had the sneaking suspicion that she was trying not to laugh. "What did your mother think?"

"She told me I would have deserved a bite or two, but I did later hear her scolding the horse's owner for not having that beast in the stables." He smiled to himself as he recalled hearing his mother's anger. She was very quick to protect him, though she had not wanted Priam to witness such. She showed him plenty of love and affection, but she also did not want her son to be seen as weak around the mercenaries he had grown up with. It had also been nice to not be on the receiving end of one of her tongue lashings for once!

"You speak quite fondly of your mother," Seraphina said quietly, "but I do not think I have ever heard you speak of your father."

"Empress," Lehran began softly.

Priam waved his concerns away. "There is little to say. He was a tall, intimidating man, but he was really as gentle as a lamb. He'd rather spend time by himself, working with his hands or meditating." Priam's own interest in meditation came from his father. He recalled spending countless nights sitting with his old man, under skies full of stars, his mind free. His mother would fuss, telling them they were risking their lives sitting outside where anyone could stumble across them, but she would leave them outside if that was what they wanted, usually with a comment of how they could defend themselves and she was going to bed.

He looked over in time to catch Lehran smiling to himself. He wondered what that was about. He'd have to ask later.

"When you meditate, what exactly do you get from it?" Seraphina asked. Her question was sweet and innocent. Priam knew exactly what she was thinking: that was why he was sitting on the floor with his back to the bed in Daein.

"A clear mind," Priam told her. "A calm heart. Sometimes, even answers."

"Like… Ragnell?"

"Yeah, like with Ragnell." It was not exactly the truth but agreeing with her would not hurt anything. At the time, he sought nothing but a feeling of calm and instead heard a voice that brought him to an entirely different world. Seraphina appeared pensive, causing Priam to wonder if she wanted to try meditation herself. If anyone needed it, he felt it was her. She had the weight of an entire country on her shoulders, along with her own feelings of doubt.

"I'm glad you came to us."

Priam smiled and agreed with her. He was glad he had come to Tellius. There was so much to learn about his family, some of which had already surprised him, and there was even more to go. He had also liked most people he had met, from the bird king to the small children that whacked at each other with training swords on his command. He also liked Seraphina and Lehran, even if the older man got on his nerves from time to time.

There were things he missed. This peaceful place he now lived in had no room for a regular mercenary, but the descendant of the Radiant Hero was a welcome sight anywhere. He did not understand such peace. He missed the planning and training that jobs required of him, he missed the days spent in taverns and inns, the noises of rowdy fighters hollering and celebrating after a job well done. But at the same time, there was something to be said for sitting under a tree, just the three of them, and enjoying a nice, quiet meal, napping under the same stars his heroic ancestor once slept under, and having Seraphina listen to his every word.

The day passed so slowly that Priam wondered if they had made any progress at all. He knew, however, the slow passage of time was due to him wanting what Lehran had unearthed for him. It was not until they had stopped for the night that Lehran finally gave him a small bundle of papers. He could see the heron's small, neat script and could not wait to dive into the information before him.

Seraphina, who had chosen her spot to sleep between Lehran and Priam, peered up at him. "Don't stay up too late, Priam," she said, punctuating her sentence with a yawn.

"I won't," he assured her.

That promise was quickly forgotten. He lay awake, reading from a combination of the nearly full moon and the flickering light of the small fire they had built, for quite some time. He learned a bit more than he wanted to about Elena and the heron princess, but what pained him more than that sorrowful tale was how Lehran's hand became somewhat jerky as he had written that out. There was a page and a half detailing reports of the hunt for the former priestess and her husband. They had been spotted in various towns and cities, and it appeared they were heading towards Gallia, a laguz country, but the soldiers sent to find them had been uncertain. It was almost as if, in a game of cat and mouse, Ike's parents had not been the mice but instead became the cats while the Daein troops fell for every ruse they tried. There were reports of them in two cities so far from each other that only one, if either, could have been true. One soldier even suggested that Elena and Gawain had perhaps chosen to lay low in Daein, knowing the troops would be spread thin to find them. Priam smiled to himself and hoped that one was the truth. It was an obvious plan, but even he had come to learn that sometimes the obvious hiding places were the best ones.

As he reached the end of Lehran's hand printed notes, he frowned. He read what was written again and then shuffled the notes. He looked over Seraphina, fast asleep with her hand pillowing her face, to Lehran. He had been quiet, but Priam was not sure if he was sleeping. He scowled again at the pages and searched them again for what he was looking for. They ended so abruptly. That surely could not have been everything. Had Lehran forgotten to give him a page?

Puzzled, he collected the papers and stored them safely in his bag. He then flopped down and stared at the starry sky above him, certain he would not go to sleep with his worry of a missing page buzzing in his head. Yet the next thing he knew, he was being gently shaken awake by Lehran.

"How long did you stay awake?" Lehran quietly asked.

"Don't know," Priam mumbled sleepily. "I was thinking about…" he trailed off and gestured to his bag. He blinked slowly in the bright morning sunlight and looked at Lehran. "Did you leave something out?"

"Excuse me?"

Priam rubbed his face, his half-asleep mind not fully finding the words he needed to ask the question on his mind. He mumbled again, this time something neither Seraphina or Lehran could understand, and added, "Later."

"Very well." Lehran looked a little concerned for the young man. Seraphina was merely confused. She encouraged Priam to eat, which took very little effort on her part. As he ate, Lehran asked, "You did not read anything that troubled you, did you?"

Priam shook his head no. The abrupt ending of the documents that Lehran copied was what troubled him. Now that he was more awake, he voiced his concerns. "I felt like there was something missing, something you might have left out by accident or as though you simply lost a page. I could be wrong, though. It could be that Daein could have lost some documentation over the years or once they lost track of Greil and Elena."

Lehran nodded along as Priam spoke, listening to the young man's concern with his full attention. He felt a twinge of guilt as Priam voiced his confusion. The only answer was an honest one. "There is, as you are aware, more to their story, though I thought it would be best to spare you the ending at this time." His voice was so low that Priam could hardly hear him as he added, "There are also some things that should be said that might be hard to hear. When I copied these reports for you, I decided it might be best to tell you these things in the places they occurred." Lehran would not admit that he was not looking forward to bringing up certain details that would eventually have to be said.

"You gave me a small piece of the story, though you could tell me the whole thing." Priam's words were slow as he took in what the heron was saying.

"Yes."

"Priam…" Seraphina reached for him. Her fingers had barely touched his arm when Priam turned away.

He did not even truly notice Seraphina or her attempt to soothe him. He exhaled slowly in an effort to control the wave of emotions that cascaded over him. "I understand there are not easy parts to my family's story. No one has a perfect, peaceful family. However, I am not a child," he reminded Lehran. "There is no need to treat me like one."

Lehran had the grace to bow his head in shame and said, "I truly apologize for that, and I hope you can come to forgive me in time."

Priam did not respond as he began to busy himself by clearing up their campsite. Seraphina joined him, though there was little to clean. As she knelt to roll up her blanket, she quietly said, "Please do not be too angry, Priam. We are all children when it comes to Lehran, and he seems to think that way far too often."

"I'm not angry," Priam told her. While he did feel a small prickling of anger, he was more confused and a little hurt that Lehran intentionally withheld information from him. As much as he hated the thought, he would not push the subject. Getting angry with Lehran would accomplish nothing.

He spent most of the morning in silence as Seraphina and Lehran made idle chatter. His thoughts were a mess as he wondered just what Lehran would keep hidden from him. Seraphina kept glancing behind her as she walked to make sure he was all right. At one point, a rabbit burst from the brush beside the road, startling Seraphina. Priam reached out and caught her as she jumped back. Her cheeks flushed as she looked up and thanked him.

"No problem," he said as he gave her a gentle nudge to keep her moving.

Silence fell again until they approached an inn. Seraphina and Lehran began to debate on whether or not they should stop for a meal. They had food, yes, but nothing would beat a hot meal. They also had the money for it. "What do you think, Priam?"

He looked at the smoke rising from the inn's chimney and admitted a hot meal sounded good. Seraphina clapped her hands together excitedly, determined the issue settled, and started for the door. Priam followed closely, always careful to consider what sort of people could be lurking behind closed doors. There could be trouble anywhere, and in his experience, it often came in dimly lit inns.

There was no threat inside. They saw no guests, only two small boys playing with blocks near the fire. A delicious smell coming from the large pot on the fire filled the room. Priam realized just how hungry he was at the scent and sighed wistfully. The two boys looked up at their guests. They appeared confused at first, but then they must have recalled where they were.

One of the boys ran off while the other just remained seated and shouted, "Ma, we have guests!"

Seraphina managed to stifle her laughter, Lehran smiled, but Priam was unable to hide his amusement. His hearty chuckle carried throughout the room, though he was quick to compose himself as he heard the boys' mother approach.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she called as she came into view, wiping her hands on her apron. Her hair had been pulled back, but several strands had come free. She tried to swipe them out of her face, failed, and exhaled loudly. "I didn't expect guests so soon. What can I do for you?"

"We were hoping to get a hot meal," Seraphina said. "If we are going to cause you any trouble – "

The woman waved her hand dismissively and said, "No, you're no trouble. Take a seat and relax. Lunch should be ready soon." She started to leave the room then paused, giving the trio a second look. She started to speak, then she changed her mind and left the room.

Seraphina sat down at the table that was closest to them. The two boys quietly resumed their playing, as their mother had taught them to not disturb her guests. Priam sat down across from Seraphina and tried to ignore the hunger pangs that had only increased due to the delicious aroma in the air.

"You know, I just realized that I haven't asked you much about Crimea," Priam said, breaking the silence in the room.

Seraphina smiled and nodded. Priam was right; he had not asked. Before she could speak, one of the young boys spoke up instead.

"Crimea's that way," he said, pointing in the direction they had been traveling. "What are you going to do there?"

"We have business in Melior," Seraphina replied. To Priam, she added, "That's the capital of Crimea."

"There are other places to visit, as well," Lehran added.

"Are you going to see the queen?" the louder of the two boys asked. He sounded a little sarcastic, which Priam found amusing. He would not have been surprised if the question had been punctuated with an eyeroll.

"Yes, actually."

"Uh-huh." There it was; the boy rolled his eyes and knocked over a stack of blocks he had built.

Priam put a fist to his mouth to hide his smirk. He wondered how the kid would react knowing he was mouthing off to the Empress of Begnion. Somehow, he doubted the child would even believe them.

"Where are you from?" the quiet boy asked as he collected the fallen blocks.

"Begnion."

"And I bet you met the empress, huh?" asked the sarcastic boy.

Playing along, Priam leaned down to the boys' levels. "I have, actually. She's a nice, polite, beautiful young woman. I've also met the King of Daein and the Bird King."

While the quiet boy stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide, the mouthy boy just rolled his eyes. "Next you're going to tell me you're the Radiant Hero."

An undignified snort of laughter from Lehran almost caused Priam to lose his composure. Seraphina managed to hold it together, for which Priam was thankful. If they both lost it completely, he would have, too. "No, I would never say that," Priam said slowly. He propped his chin up on his hand and said, "Ike left Tellius a long time ago, did he not? I have heard, however, that his descendant might have arrived recently."

"We did, too. Several travelers have said that."

The sarcastic boy mocked his brother behind his back before saying, "You believed them! How much of a baby can you be?"

Priam felt sorry for the other boy, whose face was now the shade of a ripe tomato. He sniffled and ducked his head, no longer interested in the conversation.

"That was not nice. You should apologize," Seraphina said softly.

The boy turned away from Seraphina and half-heartedly shrugged. "Arthur believes those silly stories, so why should I apologize?"

"That's enough of that." The boys' mother walked briskly into the room carrying a bundle of sheets. "I've told you not to pick on your brother. Here," she dumped the linens unceremoniously onto her son, "go make the beds."

He managed to catch the sheets without letting them touch the floor, but the boy was displeased. "But Ma!" His shout was muffled by the cloth. He stumbled a bit as he tried to keep his balance and hold onto the sheets.

"No 'buts.' I told you the next time I heard you talking about your brother that way, I'd put you to work. Go on."

A muffled groan came from behind the mountain of sheets, but the boy walked off, his stance wide-legged as he did his best to avoid tripping over any bit of cloth that dangled near his feet.

His mother watched him go, her hands on her hips and her mouth set. Once he was out of sight, she muttered, "Like night and day, these two," to herself.

Though she did not speak to them, Lehran agreed. "Children will do as they please, no matter how much we try to guide them along the proper path."

The innkeeper smiled at him as she slipped into the kitchen and called, "I bet you anything he's going to short-sheet those beds." Lehran agreed that was likely.

"I didn't know you had kids," Priam said quietly.

Lehran nodded his head, his expression a little wistful. "My wife and I had a child, though that was a long time ago," he said quietly. He then gestured to Seraphina and said, even more softly, "And of course, there has been the care I have given the empress and generations before her."

"You see why we're all like children to him," Seraphina whispered. "It is not just our ages compared to his. It is simply something Lehran cannot change about himself."

Priam remained silent. He did not wish to offend either of them, so he wanted to be careful with his words. Being a father did not mean he could handle Praim, or anyone else, like he was fragile. Priam was spared having to reply by the innkeeper, who returned with fresh bread, cheeses, and fruit. She placed it before them and grabbed some nearby towels to remove the pot from the fire. Priam offered to help, but she declined.

"I've been doing this for a long time. I won't burn my hands. Please, you're my guests. Sit and eat. I'll have this out in a moment." She carried it off to the kitchen, where they soon heard the sounds of slamming and dishes clattering together. Arthur glanced at them before hurrying off into the kitchen with his mother. They were quick to return, as promised, carrying three large bowls. The boy set the bowl he carried in front of Priam.

The bowl was filled with more potatoes than anything else, but it was still a welcome meal. As the three of them ate, the innkeeper took to tidying up around the room. She made small talk as she went. "So you're heading into Crimea, huh?"

"That's right," Seraphina said after swallowing a mouthful of potato. "We have business in the capital."

"Ah." The woman had started to clean the empty tables around them. "I've been, once. It's a lovely place. Even saw the queen from afar. I'm a little envious, I must admit."

"They're going to see the queen." Her mouthier son had returned and plopped down at the table she had just cleaned. Sarcasm dripped from every word he spoke. She swatted at him with her cloth.

"Well, maybe they are! There are plenty of people who speak the truth. I think you could take a few lessons from them."

Priam said nothing as he continued to eat, but he decided that there was something he was going to do when they left. He caught Seraphina's eye and winked. She looked confused but nodded. It took him no time at all to scrape the bottom of his bowl, so he began to nibble at the bread before him while waiting for his companions to finish their meal.

"Was it good?"

"Wonderful, thanks. Here," Priam reached for his bag, "let me go ahead and pay for us."

"Oh that's…" the woman started to protest and insist they all finish eating first, but Priam placed several coins in her hand. Her eyes widened as she began to thank him profusely. Not only did Priam pay for the meal, but he wanted to be sure she could get enough meat to go into her next dishes. Potatoes were good, but they were not the only thing one could live off of.

And he was about to cause her a large headache, so it was an apology, too.

Lehran eyed him suspiciously as he finished his own meal. Seraphina finished last, savoring the warm food for as long as she could. She was the first to rise and offered her hand to their host. "Thank you for sharing your food with us. It was delicious."

"It's no trouble. I've been here as long as I can remember. My mother and grandmother made sure to teach me that food and shelter are meant to be shared. If you're in need of anything else, just say the word."

"We're all set, but do you need anything?" Lehran asked.

She stuck her hand in the pocket of her dress where she had placed the coins Priam had given her. "I'll send these two to the market after I feed them."

They all slowly walked to the door as they spoke their parting words, even the boys. Priam, seeing his chance, crouched to their level. He patted Arthur's shoulder in a farewell gesture then turned his attention to Arthur's loudmouth brother. "I was not lying when I said I met the empress, you know." He pointed to Seraphina behind him. "Do you see that nice young woman? That's Seraphina, Empress of Begnion. The heron beside her is Lehran. As for me?" He stood to his full height so he could make a quick escape. Arthur's eyes were already wide, and it was his mouthy brother's turn to become as red as a tomato. "I'm the descendant of the Radiant Hero. My name's Priam." He started to leave and waved to them over his shoulder.

He noticed the innkeeper's hand clasped over her mouth, though she could not stop the giggles from flowing forth. Priam was quick to nudge Lehran and Seraphina out the door just as the boy began to yell. "Maaaaa!"

"Priam, that was terrible!" Seraphina said as they hurried down the road. Priam almost expected to see the roof of the inn rattling when he looked back.

It was Lehran who spoke, not Priam. Priam was too busy howling with laughter. "I think it was quite deserved, Your Majesty."

"Lehran!" Seraphina tried to keep a straight face, but she soon dissolved into giggles, too. "Oh, his mother is going to have her hands full," she said as she wiped a tear of laughter from her eye.

"She already does," Priam pointed out.

"Perhaps the child will learn some humility," Lehran mused.

"I don't believe it, but maybe he'll recall today when he starts to mouth off again."

Seraphina, still smiling, tried to remain the voice of reason. "We should go back before we return to Begnion. I should hate to think that boy will act out further after being embarrassed like that."

"Or we could not go back as we might get an earful from his mother based on his behavior," Priam pointed out.

"We could also risk further embarrassing that boy," Lehran added.

"I suppose you are right," Seraphina said slowly. There was a small part of her that felt bad about Priam's little stunt, but she could not fault him for doing it. He saw his opportunity, and he took it. Still, she probably needed to change the subject. "I did not get to tell you anything about Crimea except the capital city."

"You did not," Priam confirmed. "Let me guess," he asked as he shifted his bag, "anti-laguz?"

Seraphina's eyes widened in surprise, but then her expression softened and she let out a tiny laugh. "Truthfully? No, not nearly as much as other countries. Crimea and Gallia, the home of the cat laguz, are neighboring countries and have always co-existed quite well. There are always some people who refuse to get along, but there are far less reports of anti-laguz actions from Crimea throughout the country's history."

"You may be pleased to learn that Ike considered Crimea his home," Lehran said, taking over for Seraphina. He hoped his being a little more open with Priam would make up for the secrecy he took in copying records from Daein. "He and his sister were not born in Crimea, but that is where they were raised." He considered a moment, then added, "Crimea is also quick to claim them both and there is still much adoration for the two of them."

"There seems to be plenty of adoration for Ike among the Tellius populace," Priam pointed out.

"Do you recall that I told you Ike did not care for the trappings of lordship?" Seraphina asked.

Priam nodded. Lehran looked from Seraphina to Priam and asked, "When did – ?"

With another small laugh, Seraphina said, "It was a Crimean queen who bestowed Ike with a lordship. He and his mercenaries saved her and her kingdom and returned her to her proper place on the throne. In thanks, she made him a lord." She broke into a wide grin and said, "That title did not last long. He was quick to abdicate his position and was noted to be quite bored in meetings before he did so."

Still confused as to when they spoke without them, Lehran added, "Crimea is a more peaceful nation than most, so there was little to talk about when it came to combat and battles and other, more unsavory tasks. It is not hard to understand why Ike was so disinterested."

"Yeah," Priam agreed. The sword on his hip was very much on his mind. It bounced against his leg with each step, and his hand itched to swing it. "Mercenaries and soldiers are easy to find in my family's history. Grunt work and the ugly jobs that no one wants to do? Most of us would gladly take them. Sitting down in a castle with lesser nobles answering my every beck and call?" He smiled at Seraphina to show he meant no offense. "It's not for me. It works well for others, especially those born into it. I couldn't sit inside all day and not handle the dirty work myself."

"It is an admirable way to live."

Priam felt a twinge of self-consciousness at the compliment from Lehran. He decided to shift the subject a little. "So this Queen… Gwyneth, I believe? Should I expect her to bestow me with a title, as well?"

"Land, money, whatever your heart desires," Lehran said. Priam could not tell if he was serious or not.

"I must confess, I do fear another situation like with Tavin. Jealousy at the best, an effort to steal you away at the worst."

Priam, trying to hide a grin, said, "Really? You think some other country could just steal me away?"

"Yes," Seraphina said quietly. "You do have closer ties to these other places and…" She trailed off and grabbed her braid. Stroking it, she continued her thought. "Well… you are a mercenary, after all. If these countries offer you wealth beyond your wildest dreams, would you not go to them?"

Priam was left struck by her words. It wounded him to hear that she thought he would just up and leave them. "You've given me a job. My current work takes me all over Tellius, with the payment being knowledge I could not find elsewhere or get to on my own without a great deal of effort. Have you thought of that, Empress?"

"Well, no…"

Lehran reached over and gently took the empress's hands to keep her from stroking her braid. "Besides," he said quietly, "I do not believe Queen Gwyneth is up for such a long journey. Priam is not going anywhere right now."

Seraphina bit her bottom lip and nodded. She felt a little embarrassed that she had blurted out such fears, yet she was quite touched that Priam had taken her plans to travel with him across Tellius as an assignment. She would have never considered the trip to be work! "Since you consider your knowledge payment, you may be pleased to learn that there is a large library within Castle Crimea that houses more books and documents than anyone could possibly read in a lifetime."

Priam rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I just hope that there will not be a repeat of what happened in Palmeni Temple." He could easily go the rest of his life without stepping foot near that place again.

Seraphina shook her head, sending her braid bouncing from shoulder to shoulder. "No, not at all! Queen Gwyneth will be more than happy to allow you access to whatever you wish; of that I am certain."

"I'll trust your word."

Though the beginning of the journey towards Crimea started off rough, the three of them were quick to move past the bickering and fears as they traveled. Priam knew squabbles were something that came with traveling, and he was certain Lehran knew that, too. They spent the next several days talking about everything, including Priam's own trips. He told short, little tales of bravery, of odd jobs, and even one story about a ferocious goat. Seraphina listened to him in awe, just as she did Lehran, and giggled far more than he expected. He found himself honored that his life, far less interesting than anything he knew about Ike or anyone else who lived during his time, was just as captivating to Seraphina.

After several bright, sunny days with only a few wisps of cloud in the sky, they awoke to grey clouds on the horizon. Looking at them apprehensively, Priam asked if Melior was far away. He did not mind traveling in a light rain, but he did not know this location well enough to know if he could trust an area to not flood or be prone to mudslides. If they would need to seek shelter, it should be found sooner rather than later.

Lehran, too, looked towards the horizon. "We should arrive in the capital before the clouds do," he assured Priam. Judging the distance as best as he could, he estimated they would arrive by midday, earlier if they hurried. He then thought of King Eylan, who would have had a few choice words about the possibility of Seraphina being out in the rain. Ushering Priam and Seraphina ahead of himself, he hoped the hawk would not hear of this.

Their arrival in Melior was met with zero fanfare, not that it mattered much to Priam. Whereas Daein's market and surrounding areas had been crowded and busy, the dreary sky appeared to have driven Crimea's populace inside. Priam stopped to look around, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He was not quite sure what he expected when they arrived in Crimea, but it was not shuttered windows and silence. As he looked around, a large statue caught his eye. He overlooked it at first but quickly snapped his head back around when he noticed something familiar.

He stepped towards the statue, his footsteps sounding loud in the silence around him. He did not need the plaque at the bottom of the statue to tell him who it was. He knew it had to be Ike because he recognized Ragnell. He studied the craftsmanship on the blade. It looked just as he recalled, though far less battered than the Ragnell he had returned to Seraphina. He could pick out distinct cracks in the blade and remembered them all being there. It was as if someone had taken the sword, dipped it in bronze, and planted it in the base of the statue.

Priam exhaled slowly, not having realized he was holding his breath. "Beautiful," he murmured to himself. He forced himself to look away from the sword that had belonged to his family for generations. He smiled a little to himself as he took in the cloak. Despite the lack of color on the statue, he knew it would be red. He had, after all, left the small remains of a red tattered cloak behind in Begnion.

When he finally urged himself to look at the face, he felt a sudden chill as the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The statue of Ike looked serious; its eyes were fixed somewhere far off in the distance that no one could see. Even so, with the statue not looking directly at Priam, he felt as though Ike was watching him, waiting to see what he would do. He could see, even in the plain coloring of the statue, why Lehran knew he was Ike's descendant even without Seraphina alerting him that he would arrive in Begnion. The shape of their noses - though Priam had broken his years before and it healed a little awkwardly - was the same, as was the shape of their eyes. Ike's physique was larger than his own, but Priam himself was nowhere near willowy or skinny. Priam brought a hand to his hair and ran his fingers through it. It never laid flat, and if the statue was anything like Ike's true likeness, Ike's did not seem to lay flat, either.

"Priam, we need – "

Priam, not taking his eyes away from the Radiant Hero, held up a hand and gestured to Lehran to approach. When he felt the heron behind him, he said, "You said you knew Ike."

"Yes, but – ah…" Lehran had noticed what had distracted Priam. He, too, looked at the young man he had met so long ago. "We should go inside," he said quietly. He placed his hand on Priam's shoulder to guide him.

"Just answer one question."

Hesitantly, Lehran asked, "What would that be?"

Priam pointed at the statue and asked, "How close is this to Ike's likeness?"

Lehran did not even have to look too closely to answer. "It is a near exact likeness. I believe the artist responsible met Ike on a few occasions." Again, he urged the young mercenary to follow him inside the castle. Priam took one last look at the statue, gave it the briefest of nods, and followed Lehran.

Seraphina was waiting for them in the doorway. Standing with her was a tall, thin woman who introduced herself to Priam. Her name was Sala, and she kept her hands clasped in front of her in an effort to hide her trembling fingers. Whether she was nervous or excited, Priam did not know. It might have been both. Her voice was quiet as she led them into the castle; it did not help that Priam was only paying partial attention to her words.

Not too deep into the castle, they came across two pink-haired young men. One sat at a table, his head in his hands. The other stood behind him, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the other man. They heard a snippet of their conversation as they walked by.

" - a whole week's pay and part of mine!"

The seated man gave a muffled response that sounded like, "I thought I would win."

"You tried to cheat and poorly at that!"

"I can win it back – "

Priam was glad they were out of earshot. Someone clearly had little skill when it came to gambling. He knew, without even having met the men personally, that this was not the first time this conversation had happened. It was probably not going to be the last, either. He heard quite a few conversations like that among his own mercenaries.

Sala, who had also heard part of the conversation, began to apologize for passing by the two men and causing them to overhear. Priam waved his hand, dismissing her apology. "I've heard worse, believe me."

Sala looked at him with wide-eyed surprise, then her face lit up as she burst into laughter. "Yes, I suppose you must have heard worse!" She covered her hand with her mouth but still continued to giggle.

Thinking about what Lehran and Seraphina had told him about the Crimean royal family and how they treated his own family, Priam expected Sala to lead them to the throne room, where he would have to kneel before the queen. Sala instead led them to a small, comfortable sitting room where the queen awaited them.

Queen Gwyneth smiled when they approached and stood to greet them. She was a tall woman, dressed in a simple deep green gown. Her silver hair was pulled back away from her face and secured in a bun. Her green eyes glittered as she took the three of them in. "Empress Seraphina, it has been far too long since I saw you last." She turned her gaze to Lehran next. "Lehran, you're as charming as ever," she said with a laugh. "As for you…" she said quietly as she turned to Priam. "Oh, I am so pleased to have been able to meet you. It means so much to me to know that the Radiant Hero's descendant has returned to Crimea. If there is anything I or my people can do for you, just name it."

Priam found himself at a loss for words. As the queen stood before him, a faint smile at her lips, waiting for his response, he felt a small nudge from Seraphina. "I, ah, thank you. I am happy to meet you, too. Ah…" He looked down at Seraphina and wondered if she was judging him as harshly for stumbling over his words as he was judging himself. "Sera – Empress Seraphina mentioned that you have a massive library, one that I am hopeful will have some information about my lineage."

Gwyneth smiled warmly and nodded her head. "I had thought you might be interested in that. After receiving word from King Tavin, I have had a few of my scholars searching the library for you. There are many things related to your family, some of which are kept safely stored away while others may have gotten mixed in with other materials. We have tried our best to keep the library, including everything we have on the Radiant Hero, as tidy as we can be, but we have gone through a recent renovation and I am afraid quite a few boxes were misplaced." She gestured to a nearby window. Outside, the sky had grown darker and the occasional fat raindrop started to hit the glass. "I could be wrong, but I cannot imagine that exploring the capital would be too appealing right now." After a brief moment of thought, the queen added, "Your rooms are being prepared as we speak, so you are free to go to the library now if you so choose."

"Where is this library?" Priam could not stop the words from tumbling out in his excitement.

The queen laughed softly, sounding more like a young girl than the older woman she was, and said, "Let me show you. Please, follow me." She gathered her skirts and led them from the room.

As she led them along several passageways, Priam barely took in his surroundings, and he certainly did not hear a word the queen spoke. A small part of him knew that Seraphina would scold him if she knew, but he did not worry about that for the time. There were materials on Ike in a massive library! At least a box, if not more, of papers on his family history! Why had they not come to Crimea first?

'Because of Seraphina. She had a travel plan in mind, remember?'

The empress walked beside him, listening as Queen Gwyneth and Lehran talked as they led them to the library. As though she had sensed his thoughts, Seraphina looked over to Priam and smiled. "Are you excited?" she asked quietly.

"I am."

Her smile widened a bit at his answer. As they passed another window, she added, "I know you must be thrilled to see what you can discover in the library, but I do hope the weather does not remain so wet. There is a lot to see in Crimea, and a great many things you may enjoy."

Priam was sure she was right. As someone who lived his life with a sword in hand, he wondered what sort of training grounds the castle offered, and he was also curious about their smithies. The statue outside the castle had also piqued his interest. Was there anything else like it in Crimea? Were any locations or areas important to Ike still standing? Had they perhaps been made into some type of national landmark? He could always ask the queen about these things, but it would still be much better to see them in person. If they still stood or even existed, that is. He reminded himself to not think too far ahead and get his hopes up.

One final flight of steps led them to a set of double doors. Queen Gwyneth looked back at him and flung the doors open with a flourish. Priam stopped in his tracks as they entered the room. He knew of libraries, of course, and Seraphina had mentioned there were more books than a person could read in their lifetime, but he did not realize how massive the entire library would be. Shelves towered above him from floor to ceiling, and most of them were lined with books. There was the occasional shelf that housed a glass display case, each containing some sort of relic. There were bare tables for studying and working. Other tables held massive books or more display cases. Comfortable looking chairs and couches gave the room a cozy feel. Large windows looked out into a garden, though for the time, all that was visible outside was darkness and rain. A large frame on the wall to his right held a massive map of the continent of Tellius.

"Is everything all right, Priam?"

"Yeah," Priam replied a little weakly. "It's a lot."

"It is," Lehran agreed. "We will be more than happy to help you if you would like."

Priam could not help but laugh. "Last time you gave me a bit of my history, you admitted to keeping some of it hidden." He noticed the concern on Seraphina's face and assured her that he was only playing with the heron. She sighed with relief and joined Gwyneth as the latter excused herself to speak to her scholars, leaving Priam with Lehran.

"Do you need a moment to collect yourself?"

"No, I'm fine," Priam dismissed the heron's concern. "When you're told of a grand scale, it is still hard to picture it completely." He was over his initial shock within moments and was now more interested in diving into the books and relics that lined the shelves. He just did not know where to start.

He looked back to Seraphina, who looked like a small child waiting for adults to finish speaking before she had her own turn to talk. He shook his head, though he smiled to himself, as he noticed she was holding onto her braid. It made her look even more like a small child.

Even though he wanted to devour every scrap of paper in the library, he knew it would be best to allow the people who knew the library to search for texts concerning his lineage. If he tried himself, it could take months to find anything, if he even found anything at all.

Boredom joined his curiosity, leading to Priam wandering over to a nearby shelf. He heard a rustle of wings and knew Lehran was not far behind. He chose to ignore the books for the time being and leaned over to study a dagger in a glass case. It was a simple weapon, devoid of any type of gemstones or other embellishments. At first glance, Priam would not have thought the dagger should have been in any sort of display case at all. There was nothing notable about it that he could see.

"Since you know everything, Lehran, do you know if there is any story behind this weapon?"

Lehran, flustered, blurted out, "I do not know everything!"

Priam made a note to himself to tell Seraphina about Lehran's reaction later. "Do you know anything about this weapon, though?"

"Yes, actually," Lehran said as he tried to regain his composure. "It was a gift from one of the beast kings, Kaikane, I believe. It was one of the first exchanges between Crimea and Gallia. The Crimean king at the time, Lothar, exchanged a dagger of his own with Kaikane."

"You do know everything."

A sudden gust of wind ruffled Priam's dark blue hair. Lehran, agitated, had given his wings an angry shake. Priam chuckled to himself as he walked away to another case. He spent several minutes questioning Lehran about the artifacts behind each glass. As they approached an emerald bracelet, the sound of muffled footsteps met their ears.

As Seraphina rejoined them, she quietly asked, "Do either of you want to eat? See our rooms? Wash up?"

Priam glanced over to the small crowd huddled around the queen and raised an eyebrow. "Is anything wrong?" he asked. "Are we in the way?"

"No, Queen Gwyneth does not want to see you spend the entire trip in the library." She stifled a laugh when Priam gestured to the windows and the rain that was still coming down in sheets. "There is much to see even within the castle."

Priam took a quick look at the small crowd gathered around the queen. Their energy seemed to be a frantic, excited buzz, and more than one took a quick glance his way. Though he was sure Seraphina was not lying to him, once he had learned of the library, it became the only place he was interested in during this trip. He allowed Seraphina and Lehran to lead him out and show him around the castle, but he knew he would eventually disappoint Queen Gwyneth.

For the next several days, no matter what Lehran and Seraphina, and even the queen, tried to share with him, Priam would find himself drawn to the library at some point during the day. He was shown many interesting areas of the castle, like the open and spacious training grounds, soaking wet and covered with puddles from the rain. That never stopped him from training, as mercenaries had to fight in all conditions, but he did not draw his sword for a moment during his trip to Crimea.

There were gardens in glass houses that contained flowers and crops from all across Tellius. The scents all mingled together and created a fragrant perfume. There were blossoms no bigger than a fingernail and flowers as large as dinner plates. Small, purple berries grew near tart green apples. The gardeners had been pleased to show off their work, but Priam would not have been able to recall the name of even one flower if he had been asked.

He was introduced to the queen's personal tailor who presented him with a beautiful, full length, deep crimson cloak that he had begun to work on once the castle had received word of their departure from Daein. He thanked the tailor with grace and tact as he accepted the gift, which caused Seraphina to beam with pride. It was a beautiful cloak, and it looked great on him, but it did bring about a small bout of sadness as it caused him to miss the tattered scraps of the red cloak back in Begnion.

He met many of Queen Gwyneth's household staff, including her knights and her own family. Her daughter, Lya, was the youngest of the queen's children but was the most responsible. If messages arrived for them, it was usually brought by Lya. Priam could see Seraphina perk up with each message, and he hated to inform her that none had been from the dragons. "I suppose we will have to visit them later," she said one morning as Priam skimmed another letter from another noble, politely begging that the three of them visit their lands and people before departing Crimea. The rainy weather had kept many of them home, which Priam was thankful for. He did not wish for another repeat of the fancy dinner that King Tavin had arranged.

It was nearly a week before Priam was summoned to the library.

A young man who introduced himself as Xan joined them as they were finishing their breakfast. "The queen has asked me to take you to the library," he said after he introduced himself. That was all Priam needed to hear. He began to push himself away from the table, but Xan hurried on. "I do want to apologize before we do. My colleagues and I have not been able to find everything for you. The library has gone through an extensive remodel, and many files are still in storage. There was supposed to be a system in place to make sure nothing was lost, but boxes have been shuffled around and are not where they should be." He laughed nervously. "It is… chaotic in the storage rooms. But I am certain we have found some things that might interest you."

"Then let's go."

Xan led them to the library, making apologies the entire time along with assurances that they would bring anything new to him immediately. He then led them in a room to the left, one Priam had not noticed before when they first arrived. Lehran would later explain that the library was filled with these small rooms, private places to research in peace.

Large windows lined the back wall, though they did not let in much light at the moment. The rain had ceased, but the sun was stubbornly hiding behind gloomy grey clouds. There were small lanterns on a table in the corner of the room if they needed them, but it seemed like they would not be required as several sconces were lit around the walls. A large table dominated the floor space with chairs arranged around each side.

Priam did not have his expectations very high after Palmeni Temple – he thought that there would be a box or two of data – but the collection spread out on the table floored him. There were tidy boxes of various sizes on the table, nearly dominating the surface. Spread out among those boxes were organized stacks of papers. There were larger boxes on the floor near the table that Priam could not see in from the doorway. What could they hold?

Priam said nothing while Xan was in the room with them, but once he departed - telling Priam to ask for him if he needed anything - Priam let out a low whistle. "And this isn't even all of it, is it?"

"I have seen more than this on a previous trip," Seraphina confirmed. "Queen Gwyneth and Xan both said that the storage system is a bit of a mess right now." She glanced at Priam and asked, "Are you disappointed?"

"Where do I start?"

Seraphina exhaled quietly, relieved that Priam was not upset. She should have known he was going to be overwhelmed by the information before him. "You should sit," she suggested. She did not expect Priam to faint, but she was a little worried for him. When he sat down in the nearest chair, he really looked lost. "Would you like me to see if there is any order to this?"

"Or begin with what is in front of you," Lehran suggested as he took a seat across from Priam. "If it is too much, the empress and I are more than willing to join you and point out anything interesting we may find."

Priam looked confused for just a moment more before he gave them a warm smile and said, "I would appreciate that." Did he truly think he was going to have to go through all of these documents, and anything else that might arrive, by himself? The thought tugged at Seraphina's heart. She took a seat, as well. Each one grabbed the box or stack closest to them and started to work.

"These are… real, aren't they?" Priam asked as he picked up a wrinkled and faded piece of parchment. Lehran was quick to confirm that. There was another low whistle from Priam at his confirmation. That really meant a lot to him. Despite the age and wear on the history before him, they did not give him handwritten copies. They must really trust him.

Or they were trying hard to win his favor.

Lehran, who had been gingerly looking through a stack of documents, stopped at one. "Hmm?" Then he smiled. "Ah." He turned the page upside down and slid it across the table to Priam. "Look familiar?"

Priam took the sheet offered to him. "That's Soren's penmanship!" He smiled at the document he held. It was almost like seeing an old friend. Soren had documented a good deal of his and Ike's journeys, and Priam had carried those documents with him for many long months after he gathered what he could find. Then he took in the actual words recorded on the page. It was nothing important, but it showed how much Crimea cared for Ike and the Greil Mercenaries if they would keep something so simple as an inventory list. "That's a lot of meat," Priam mumbled to himself.

Lehran laughed and quickly covered his mouth. The sound was so loud in the small room. "Ike certainly loved food." He smiled and said, "That must be where you get it."

"Couldn't be," Priam said sarcastically. He studied the paper a little longer, then he put it aside. He was not here to linger on an old list of weapons, armor, tomes, and food. He began to sort through the papers he held, taking the time to gently remove only one at a time. The stack he had picked up had more of the same: inventories, orders sent to merchants, what appeared to be battle reports, checklists, and even an old map. He put the map to the side for later, wanting to compare it to a current map to see if there were any changes in location.

He pulled a few more pieces from the box to sort through. Looking through them confirmed that this box held many documents from the Greil Mercenaries. He looked over a document that listed the pay of the mercenaries. He knew Ike, of course, and Soren, and there was Greil himself listed at the top. He wondered who the others were. It was his turn to flip the paper upside-down and offer it to Lehran and ask him to tell him of the others.

"Let's see…" Lehran said carefully as he looked over the old paper. "I do not need to tell you who Greil and Ike are…" He ignored the movement he saw from Priam over the top of the paper. He did not need to see it to be sure the young mercenary had just rolled his eyes. "Titania was second-in-command if I recall correctly, and a former knight of Crimea. Soren was the tactician."

"Seems like he might have been in charge of everything," Priam remarked. There had been a few more pages written in Soren's hand among the files that had he had looked through.

"Someone had to," Lehran reminded him. "Titania may have written a few of these reports," he added, gesturing at the documents on the table. "Some might even be Greil's work." He turned his attention back to the list before him. "Oscar was also a former Crimean knight. He and Boyd were brothers along with – hmm?" He scanned the list of names again. "Ah, I thought some were missing. Oscar and Boyd had a younger brother, Rolf. He and Mist are not here. Mia is missing, as well. This was before they officially joined the company and received payment for their services, though Mist and Rolf were, of course, taken care of by the group."

"I would be surprised if they weren't." Priam watched the heron intently as he spoke. He found himself thinking that this trip across Tellius was not pointless, but it felt odd having to come to a library in Crimea to learn things like this. The true font of information was Lehran.

Lehran continued going down the list. "Rhys was the healer, and he taught Mist healing. He was rather sickly, if I recall correctly. Then you have Shinon, an archer. The last knight of the bunch was Gatrie. They were not the largest of mercenary companies, but they were never without work."

"What of Mia? And Rolf?"

"Rolf was taught archery by Shinon. The two of them made a remarkable shot, though I believe it was Shinon who took it, to save a young woman from the gallows. Mia was a swordswoman, and quite skilled in her own regard. She was always searching for her rival, though I do not believe she ever found that person."

Even though he had not heard of Mia until that moment, Priam felt a twinge of sorrow that she might have never found her rival. Maybe it was the warrior in him, or maybe it was her connection to his family, but he hoped Lehran's information was incorrect. "Are any of the others as fondly remembered as Ike is?" The question just slipped from his lips despite him already knowing the answer. There were always some that stood out from the crowd while many others were lost to the passage of time.

"Some more than others," Lehran admitted.

Priam nodded slowly. While he had hoped for a more detailed answer, that was the one he had expected to hear. He turned his attention back to the documents before him.

Their time spent in the library seemed to fly by faster than Priam wanted. They took only a brief break to eat before Priam dragged them back to the library. Seraphina and Lehran knew it was not what Gwyneth wanted, but they also felt they could not stop Priam from devouring whatever he could find in Crimea's archives. It was late in the day when there was a knock at the door. A young woman stuck her head into the room and smiled apologetically. Priam recognized her as one of the scholars. He thought he had heard someone address her as Moira once before.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to tell you we were leaving the library for the night."

"Oh! Oh, I apologize," Seraphina said quickly as she hurried to her feet. Lehran reached out to catch her as she looked close to stumbling over the chair.

"No need!" the other woman tried to assure her. "You are more than welcome to stay as long as you like."

Priam looked longingly down at the treasure trove before him and said, "Nah, I think we'll leave for the night." He rose to his feet and stretched, his body feeling stiff from barely moving from the table that day. He would need to move more, even if it was just pacing the little study area.

The scholar looked unsure. She did not expect them to want to leave, nor had she told them they must do so. She continued to apologize as their guests stood, shook off the aches and weariness from having sat for much of the day, and departed the room, leaving everything as they had laid it down. "Very well," she finally managed to say as she led them to the exit. She held the door open for them and left last so she could lock it behind her.

The three of them soon fell into a rhythm: they would wake, dress, and eat, then go to the library and spend the entire day there just as Gwyneth had hoped they would not. They only left to eat a midday meal, and that was sometimes skipped completely. They only retired from the library when someone stuck their head in to say they were leaving for the day. Each day, there was something new to be found waiting for them. Sometimes, it was simply one slip of paper while other days brought much more. It occurred to Priam that the queen might have been trickling information to them to keep them in Crimea as long as she could, but he did not voice those concerns with Lehran or Seraphina.

There were a few nights when Gwyneth joined them for their evening meal. If she was displeased by their reclusive ways, she did not say it. She asked, instead, if they found anything of interest. Priam responded by telling her it was all interesting. "Even the invoices?" she asked playfully, her eyes sparkling.

Priam had said yes, even the invoices.

Three days after that conversation, there was a disruption to their normal routine. The trio had settled around the table, a new half-full box sitting in front of Priam's chosen chair, when there was a small knock at the door. It was Lya, who apologized for interrupting and said the queen needed to speak to the empress. Seraphina looked to Lehran then excused herself and left with Lya.

"Wonder what that's about?" Priam mused as he leaned over the box. He gently reached inside and pulled out a handful of documents.

"I do hope nothing is wrong," Lehran murmured. He was curious as to what Priam held, but he knew that the young man could stare at these documents for hours no matter what information they contained.

"She'll be OK," Priam assured him before turning his attention to the contents of the newest box. "Looks like more battle reports," Priam stated as he started to lay each document on the table to read later. "They certainly were diligent."

"Yes, they were." Lehran chuckled, but Priam could tell he was concerned for Seraphina. He would relax once she returned, but when she was out of his sight, he worried.

Priam had just finished sorting out the reports when the door burst open. Seraphina hurried inside, shutting the door behind her, something clutched in her hands. Priam, put on alert by her sudden appearance, jerked his head up and reached for his sword. Or he would have if he had been wearing it.

"I finally heard from the dragons," she said breathlessly, as she had run back to the library once she read the letter she now tightly held. "They will allow us to visit, though – "

"Then let's go," Priam said, pushing his chair away from the table and standing

Lehran and Seraphina gawked at Priam. "You want to leave Crimea now?" Lehran asked him.

"Yes." How hard was that for them to comprehend?

Seraphina crumpled the response in her hands more as she looked concerned. "But everything you could ask for is here…"

Priam put his hands on Seraphina's shoulders and said, "You have been waiting to hear from the black dragons for a lot longer than I have wanted to be in Crimea. All of this," he released her to gesture behind him, "will be waiting for me whenever I want. Now let's go."

Touched by his selfless gesture, tears began to fill the empress's eyes. "Priam…" she sniffled. Her sniffling turned into a yelp of surprise as Priam picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She expected Lehran to scold him, but her faithful advisor just hurried along to keep up. She had almost given up on it, but they would be going to Goldoa after all.