“What took you so long?!” Ulana rushed across the great courtyard to throw her arms around Huo Lohse. “It’s already sunset!”

“I ran into some friends along the road today. I had to stop and talk for a bit.”

“Oh? Who did you run into?”

“Well, Standig walked me to the tournament grounds yesterday, so this morning I said goodbye to him. Then I ran into Kuchezan when I stopped for food at the Panther Tribe, and Durfein was waiting for me at the last fork in the road, so I stopped to talk with him for a while too.”

“And how did those meetings go?” Lolo could tell that Ulana was restraining herself from asking what she really wanted to know.

“You mean to ask, did any of those encounters result in anything even remotely romantic?”

Ulana grinned. “You know me so well.”

“Well, then you will be delighted to learn that Standig is my fake husband and that Durfein kissed me again.”

“Ooo!” Ulana squealed. “Details!!”

“Which one?”

“Um…. Start with Standig.”

“Last night, I got a bunch of drunks to leave our campsite by telling them that Standig and I were married, and this morning, he thought it would be funny to tease me by asking for a good morning kiss. So I teased him back and kissed his cheek. He blushed so hard!” The girls shared a good laugh at Standig's expense.

“Serves him right! So then what about Durfein.”

Lolo’s face fell slightly. “He still has feelings for me.”

“And you still don’t have feelings for him?”

“Actually, I don’t know that I don’t. I’m just confused. I gave him permission to kiss me, and I thought for a moment that I might have feelings for him. But then I wasn’t sure again. Part of it is that we haven’t really spent time together for the last two years.”

“That’s more than the last time I talked to you about Durfein,” Ulana observed. “Last summer you told me that you only felt friendship for him.”

“True. And part of me still thinks that. The other part of me thinks that maybe something could develop from that if we were to spend more time together.”

“And after having Fortus stay with your family most of this last year, nothing’s changed there?”

Expecting this question, Lolo rolled her eyes. “We’re still just friends. Close friends, mind you, but nothing more than that.”

“Pity,” Ulana sighed. “You two would make quite the power couple, but Durfein is a good choice too.”

“Don’t get ahead of me, Ulana,” Lolo chided. “What about you? Any handsome men in uniform I should be aware of?”

“Plenty!” Ulana winked. “Lots of flirting, but no one for whom I have any intentions.”

“Fair enough,” Lolo smiled. “Well, where do I need to be right now?”

“Let’s go put your things away and clean you up really quick. Your hair smells like a campfire. And then we’ll go have dinner. The Old Phoenix is holding a banquet to kick off the summer’s exchange. I think it’s just you and me this summer, Lolo. Saikhan officially dropped out of the exchange all together, and I’m not aware of any new trainees or people coming from any other tribe.”

“Wow. Just us?”

“As far as I know.”

“How they choose to do classes this summer will be interesting.”

Ulana nodded and took Huo Lohse’s bag. “This way.”

Ulana led Lolo through the courtyard and into the palace. They turned right almost immediately to walk down a long hallway to a series of guestrooms on the south side of the palace.

“We have the option of separate rooms or sharing,” Ulana informed her as they entered one of the oversized guestrooms. “Do you have a preference?”

“I could work with either, but I’ve really enjoyed having roommates during past exchanges. Without a sister, I don’t have that opportunity often.”

“Oh good! That’s my preference too,” Ulana laughed. “Come with me then.” She led Lolo across the hallway to an equally oversized room outfitted with two beds instead of one. Ulana set Lolo’s bag on the bed to the left as her own things were already cluttering the bed to the right. “Make yourself at home, Lolo. I’ll get a bath started for you while you unpack. We need to hurry if we’re going to make it to our own banquet.”

Two girls left the room forty minutes later dressed to kill in green and red respectively. Lolo insisted on wearing her sword belt, so Ulana wore hers too.

“I feel anxious without it,” Lolo had explained. Ulana rolled her eyes a little but understood. This was the result of being disarmed for the duration of the Dragon Tribe exchange. Ulana linked her arm with Lolo’s as they walked to a large ballroom for the banquet.

The ballroom was enormous and brilliantly decorated in rich reds and golds, celebrating the traditions and culture of the Phoenix Tribe, and it smelled amazing. Tables had been organized around the edges of the room with large floral centerpieces featuring long, flowy feathers and an array of some of the most unusual foods Huo Lohse had ever seen. Several hundred people had been invited to this banquet, but the room was so large, it didn’t feel crowded in the least.

Khalam Zugeer saw his daughter walk in and intercepted her. “You’re late.”

“Dad, Huo Lohse only just got here,” Ulana protested.

Khalam sighed and shook his head. Such was the condition of having all daughters.

“Advisor Zugeer,” a young assistant appeared to his left, “are we ready to begin?”

Khalam nodded and the assistant bustled off to set things in motion. “You two are the guests of honor tonight. Your seats are at the front next to King Ukhaan.”

“We’re assigned to sit next to the Old Phoenix?!” Ulana was surprised. Her father nodded and offered each of the girls an arm to escort them to their seats. “I’m glad we dressed up,” Ulana said, pulling an uncomfortable face at Lolo.

Huo Lohse was deposited to the king’s right, and Ulana was seated to his left. King Ukhaan was easily the oldest tribe leader alive at the age of eighty-nine, so his presence commanded deep respect. As a Phoenix and an elder, he was known for his wisdom and patience. The Phoenix Tribe as a whole was renowned for its unparalleled judicial system, orderly laws, and meticulous investigations when issues arose. Nothing was done in haste, and justice was always served appropriately, or at least as often as was possible. The Old Phoenix seemed to embody these characteristics with shrewd grey eyes that matched his sleek salty-grey hair, a long angular nose, and many thinking lines and wrinkles along his brow, eyes, and where his lips pursed when in thought.

“Miss Zugeer,” King Ukhaan turned to Ulana, “kindly introduce me to your friend?”

Ulana stood up and curtsied deeply. “I have the honor of presenting Huo Lohse Lang, princess of the Wolf Tribe, to you, your majesty.”

King Ukhaan nodded to Ulana as she sat back down and turned to look at Lolo. Huo Lohse stood up and curtsied to the king as Ulana had done. “Please,” he smiled, “do sit down.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Lolo nodded and took her seat.

“I remember you, princess Lang,” the Old Phoenix said, amusement playing at the corners of his mouth and glinting in his intelligent eyes. “You were the first applicant for early admittance in decades to best your senior opponent during the trial, and to do so two years early, that is a thing unheard of.” Not sure what to say, Lolo simply smiled bashfully. “Since then, I’ve heard a great many stories about you. Miss Zugeer has been good enough the last few years to provide us with some clarification through her father about many of the rumors. I was impressed that one so young would stake her reputation on a coup failing, a coup from another tribe, I might add. You must be a loyal friend and a seeker of justice.”

Again, Lolo wasn’t sure what to say. “You flatter me, your majesty.”

The Old Phoenix smiled sagely. “It is only flattery if it is undeserved or insincere. Neither apply here, I assure you.”

“Erm. Thank you,” Lolo blushed.

“So what is your next great project, princess Lang?”

“That would seem to be the question, wouldn’t it?” she laughed warmly, surprised by the king's active interest in such things. “I guess I will let you know when I find it.”

The Old Phoenix chuckled. “If you find one here in the Phoenix Tribe this summer, let me know, and I will do my best to provide you with whatever help you need.”

“That’s a very kind offer. Thank you,” Lolo bent at her waist in a shallow bow.

During the feast, the guests were entertained by various cultural presentations including dances, acrobatics, and an appearance of the shieldmaidens for a demonstration of synchronized sword maneuvers and simple aerials while wearing their vibrant red and gold training uniforms. During this particular show, Ulana sat forward in her chair to give Lolo a meaningful and somewhat embarrassed look.

After the guests had eaten, King Ukhaan leaned again toward Lolo. “I see that you and miss Zugeer have brought your swords.” Lolo nodded. “Would you like to give us a demonstration of what you are capable of with them? We have many of our military leaders here tonight. I’m sure they would appreciate a good match.”

“If Ulana agrees, I have no objection. You probably already know this, but Ulana is quite talented with a sword herself,” Lolo smiled.

King Ukhaan turned to make a similar inquiry of Ulana, and a few moments later Ulana leaned forward again to nod at Lolo. The two girls stood up to take positions in the middle of the ballroom floor as the king had someone announce their sparring match to the room.

“'Have some new aerials to show me this summer?” Lolo grinned.

“Always!” Ulana laughed, “though perhaps not while wearing a skirt tonight.”

“Fair enough.”

The girls drew their swords. Ulana attacked first, spinning in a great flash of red. Lolo blocked the attack and returned with her own, pushing Ulana back with a slice level with her waist. Ulana stepped out of reach and brought her sword down over Lolo who dodged to the side in a flurry of green. As they warmed up, their strokes became ever faster, their swords blurring together and their skirts whipping around their legs in a second battle of visual contrast. It was a beautiful, intense fight that Lolo won by knocking Ulana out of position as she tried to dodge an attack with another of her gloriously dramatic twirls to the side. The ballroom erupted in applause, and Lolo helped Ulana to her feet so they could take a bow together.

“Oh, how I’ve missed having a decent opponent!” Ulana panted slightly as she wrapped her arms around her friend.

Lolo laughed. “You’re not so bad yourself!”