The day they arrived at the First’s port, Rose was convinced she would go insane if she spent another day on the ship with those smelly pirates. The small cluster of buildings and tiny dock couldn’t have been a more welcome view for her. She was the first off the boat, eager to distance herself from Jin and the others. She’d not enjoyed their company as much as the others had.

While the others unpacked the boat, she wandered around the buildings. They were mostly storage places for merchant’s goods, but there was also a blacksmith, an inn, and some homes. She walked past the small inn and could see that a there was a large group of Genti people gathered in the downstairs room. One of them spied Rose and pointed her out to the group. They all turned to look out the window and rose from their seats. Rose hurried back to the ship. She didn’t feel comfortable talking to the natives without Navihm to translate. The group of Gentis, made up of men and women, followed Rose back to the dock.

Navihm looked up from where he was perched on Andromeda’s railing, throwing the bedrolls down to Hue who was standing on the shore. He saw Rose hurrying down the main street, shooting slightly anxious glances over her shoulder at a large group of people. Navihm recognised them from his home. Most of them were advisors to the king or members of the guard but there was also some people who were personal friends of Navihm dotted amongst the officials. Navihm waved his arm over his head in greeting and called out to them. He threw the last bedroll to Hart who was on the shore then jumped down after it.

“Enfeitar Navihm,” greeted Kahlo, the Rei’s chief advisor. “Welcome home.”

They bowed formally to each other. Navihm opened his mouth to greet his countrymen when he was suddenly bowled over by a slight figure, babbling in Genti. Rose flushed with jealousy. Perhaps this was the girl Navihm was bound to.

“Hello, Hitomi,” Navihm said fondly to the babbling girl, patting her back. “It is nice to see you too, Meribah.” He said to the young woman standing at Hitomi’s back, waiting patiently to greet her friend.

Meribah was a young teacher who worked closely with Navihm’s mother. She was understatedly pretty with plain clothes and a neat, sensible bun. Navihm had asked her to look after his mother while he was gone. He always worried that she would get lonely.

“Hello, Navihm,” Meribah said when Hitomi finally released him. “You mother sent us to escort you home.”

“Of course, she did.” Navihm kissed her on the cheek.

“Navihm,” Hart called. “We are all unpacked. Andromeda and her crew are about to leave.”

Navihm nodded to his cousin and left him to make the final preparations for their short journey home while he farewelled the crew.

“Captain Gideon, I would like to thank you again for being so hospitable towards us,” he said, pressing a purse of coins into the Captain's hands. “This should cover the expense of our journey, Captain.”

Captain Gideon shook his head and tried to give the purse back. “Boy, I owe you too much to take this. If you hadn’t warned me, I would have set sail and been caught by that storm. Without your foretelling, I would have lost merchandise worth a hundred times as much as this, probably also my life and the lives of the crew. I can't take this.”

“I told you, Captain. Your company during those storms and your stories more than paid for my warning.” He placed the coins on the rowing seat next to him. “Now we are even. Goodbye, for now, Captain. I have a feeling I will be seeing you again soon.”

The trip to the First took the rest of the day, they arrived just as the sun was setting. Rose spent the time avoiding Hitomi and Meribah. The girls seemed determined to befriend the Ianterran, eager to hear about her journey. Rose largely ignored them, all they wanted to talk about was Navihm. Rose got enough of that from Hart and Professor Ward and every other person they came into contact with in the entire North. She spent most of the trip sullenly looking at her horse’s mane.

She refused to cheered by their arrival at the beautiful tribe of the First, not bothering to do more than glance up. Navihm lead the group up the winding paths to the cluster of buildings set at the highest point of the village. The buildings were the home and offices of the Rei and his family.

“It is customary for visitors and members of the tribe to visit the Rei when they first arrive,” explained Hart when Rose asked why they were all going to visit the princess. Rose had very little interest in meeting Navihm’s betrothed and was growing weary of the endless Genti customs that were the norm in the North.

The royal grounds were more elaborate than those in the Second, with buildings three stories high and huge Oak trees evenly spaced in a perfect circle around it. They were stopped by a guard, just inside the ring of trees who talked with Navihm briefly before admitting them. Most of the welcoming party had said their goodbyes and departed as they had walked through town, it was only Meribah and Hitomi that went as far as the royals grounds with them. At the trees, the girls decided to turn back, making their goodbyes.

“It was nice meeting you, Rose,” said Meribah sweetly. “I hope to see more of you.” Rose smiled cordially but didn’t say anything. She followed the others towards the main building.

Next chapter you get to meet Kaia, Navihm's betrothed, and her family.