We met each other, celebrating and conversing with each other, catching up.

"I missed you, don't ever leave me again" Shassii beckoned as she wept in Aya's embrace.

Pounding on her chest.

"You're squishing my boobs, Shassii" Aya chuckled as she looked down.

"Too…bwig anyways" she replied, brushing her face as her tears wet my clothes.

Quine came closer along with Yannu and Ussu laughing at the two sisters.

"So!!!, your back? Am assuming…." Ussu asked, a smile gracing her face with open arms out.

Aya stood quietly, nodding back in reply.

"Am sorry, for your loss". Quine spoke out regretfully.

Aya didn't respond maintaining a neutral response.

Shassii looked back at her curiously.

"Good to have you back Aya. We missed you" Yannu cheered.

"You too, thanks for staying with us. I know you miss your family's" Aya suggested while holding Ussu' and Yannu's shoulders.

Aya's words hit Yannu deeply as he contemplated, he hadn't thought of his parents up until now. He had pushed it to the side in all the chaos of the moment.

"Well, let's all sit down and talk it out. Now that we're all together" Shassii proposed while skipping to the wagon. Patting down on the scabbard, inviting them forward.

Quine got closer to Aya, hugging her.

A deep sigh let out as she felt the tension, stress, and worry leave her immediately.

"Happiest I've seen her since!"

Quine rubbed her face as she freed Aya from her grip.

"I thought I'd have to start breastfeeding her soon if you didn't turn up. Don't disappoint her again" she said as she punched Aya's arm.

"Ouch"

Aya rubbed her hand softly, giggling at her comment.

Ussu jumped in and wrapped her arm around the two.

"Glad all of us made it. Not one scratch as you can see. Of course, all thanks to mwah!!" she boasted flaunting her chest and butt out. Dusting her clothes with a smirk embracing her childish smile.

"Ughh, girl if I told you. How we hauled her drunk ass around the town. We've got a lot to talk about hehe" Quine teased, butting in.

"You did not!?" Ussu replied folding her hands smugly.

The trio smiled laughing with each other as they slowly walked to the wagon.

Yannu stood idly left behind. Lost in thought.

"Yannu, you coming….dear" Ussu peered back.

"Nah, go on ahead" he responded snapping back to reality.

Yannu waved back while swaying his head.

"Okay," she said while smiling and trailing along.

Yannu steadily took steps around, pacing back and forth. The thoughts of his parents and the invading army troubled him. No one knew. Of the threat. He looked back seeing his friends happy together. He couldn't ease up to the moment.

He made his way to a large rock beside the lakeshore. Sitting on it, he met a more cheerful or at least less occupied Sannu.

Leaning over at Yannu he proclaimed.

"Huh, I've seen that look before".

"What??" Yannu spoke out abruptly.

Questioning Sannu's blunt face.

"That look! The look of loss or misfortune. Or even longing and worry" he put across.

Yannu lay silent. His mind still troubled and riddled with worry.

He picked up a small pebble and skipped it along the lake. It volleyed from each skip around seven times before drowning into the lake.

"That fear, it's not for your girl. It's for your homeland".

Yannu lifted his head and stared back at him surprised.

"How'd you know??".

"Come on, although mixed. I am a foreign refugee of some sort. Homesickness kills me every day, all day. Staying in one place is something not inclined to my nature. Or my people's nature to put it bluntly" he confided.

"But you have… a".

"A wife!" he said cutting Yannu off.

His mood sank again.

"I had Rachel. She kept me close" He said sobbingly while staring into the sky.

"Yeah, I did. She was everything to me. But it doesn't mean the feeling dissipates. I once thought like you before. Trust me, I did".

Yannu shied away, hiding his feelings and thoughts.

"Denial's a killer. It worked out well with me and her because Rachel was a blacksmiths apprentice. She could follow on my journey as a traveling blacksmith and easily adjust" he explained.

"It's the main reason, we stayed together for soo long before I settled down for good here in Eein or R'einsel town specifically. Actually no, I was in Rhein city first.

"No back then it was still a town".

"Most still refer to it as a town, that's what the ancients say. The Śeingtts Last touch they call it".

"Those dusty old scrolls in the academy huh!?" Sannu questioned.

"Yeah..." Yannu chuckled at his description of the ancients.

"They called them the twin towns back then named after the twin Śeingtt and Śeikl that met and found each other. Real love story, that one is".

"I know the story. Why you telling me all this" Yannu observed. Kicking his leg outwards before picking up a pebble and skipping it across the lake.

The pebble skipped, bopping up and down as the two observed, it sank to the bottom of the lake.

The sun gave in through the clouds, shining down on the group at the lake. The spirits of the lakes darted up seeping out as mist and floated up into the sky. The atmosphere and fresh air cheered everyone up.

"Three skips at best. You suppose to have muscle Caciccaci boy!" he uttered while chuckling, massaging Yannu's shoulders.

Yannu let out a soft chuckle too.

"Go home!" Sannu declared to him, switching back to the topic at hand.

Yannu peered at the lake.

"What do you mean? It's not that easy??" Yannu fought back, denying his outlandish statements.

"It is. Your minds made up already. Believe me, Don't deny it".

Yannu lay back down again in silence and frustration.

Covering his head as he fought with his inner thoughts.

"She'll grow to hate you at first, but soon she'll understand" he advised.

"You could take her with. Race-relations are good you know. Culture shift not so, not so. Although similar it is an adjustment" he referred to as he motioned with his hands.

Yannu looked at him desperately and seeking answers.

"Reasonable adjustment" he confirmed smirking.

"She's got family in town".

"Ouuu, bummer. Good luck with that then, whatever you choose".

Sannu laughed as he peeked at the girl.

Yannu looked at him surprised, he didn't expect such a bland open answer.

"No sugar-coating with you then, I presume" Yannu replied.

"Straight truths! My motto".

"Thought it was love and necessity. That's what the plaque said in your shop".

They both lay there silent.

"That too" he answered back after a while.

"Do me a favor though?"

"Warn my people, although they are hard to find! The Saiyn' Saiyn, the Sathajalinn too! Tell them of what came here and train to become stronger! For yourself and that girl".

"Sathajalinn??"

"Small mini sect. My tribe if you call it. I forgot you outsiders don't know of our governance structure or politics!?"

"Who could??"

"Hehe, you're right. We're a very conservative bunch! Saiyn' Saiyn will grant you access soon enough though. No worries! My name and town of residence rings much" He championed swirling around.

Yannu humbled down and nodded in acceptance.

He didn't need to question whether he was right or wrong. He knew one road would eventually lead to him seeing his people. Sooner rather than later.

"That girl's world is about to end entirely," he said in a pitiful voice as he glanced at Ussu.

Yannu knew what he meant. His words stuck true to his heart stinging him but he acknowledged the horrors ahead with a stern look.

"I like that look, that's a look of a man" Sannu mocked while flicking his chest.

"Am going to go scout ahead tell Kai to make preparations and fill your friend in".

"Śeingtt be with" he let out as he waved goodbye.

"Śeingtt and Śeikl bewith" he sent back.

Linniq knows I need both to help me through all this.

Yannu stood up as he saw Sannu wander off ahead. Looking to his right he saw Kairui sharpening her gear. He overheard Ussu and the others laughing and felt at ease.

"And she was like….. ahhh.. Yannuuu" Quine poked fun of Ussu.

"Do wuuu luvv me….".

Quine mimicked Ussu's drunkard act as she leaned in, blowing out her lips.

Shassii and Aya fell on top of each other swelled in laughter while dying in tears over the story.

"That didn't happen. OMG!! Did you really let me say all that??.. Quine you Meany!" Ussu quizzed as she blushed in embarrassment.

The group rejoiced at the story, Ussu's reactions made it even more worthwhile.

"Wait, when I was asleep. I HEARD ONE OF YOU MENTION MY WEIGHT!!!" Ussu Roared.

Quine looked away cheerfully pretending to be innocent. Aya spotted Yannu peering at them giggling. She put it together, Quine would never mention her weight it had to be Yannu.

Ussu took notice and turned her head around to him.

Yannu in sync swiftly rotated his head away and made his way to Kairui masking his laughter in his fast strides.

Ussu turned back around to find all three of them compiled onto each other, crying and laughing.

"It's not funny. Quine, Aya! Don't laugh. Shassii you too" she whimpered, pointing at her.

Quine and Shassii dragged her onto them as laughter consumed them. Ussu gave in as the atmosphere sank into her.

The group was happy to be united with each other once again.

The metal let out sharp scapes as the two blades collided.

The dagger was being sharpened at the makeshift workstation.

A woman stood bent over, her sexy figure showcased through her leather tight outfit.

"What are …..you d...doing?" Yannu questioned as the smile on his face stuttered into his words.

Kairui straightened up, popping over his shoulder seeing the Group gleam with excitement.

"Ahh, lover boy. The cute one. What can I do for you?" she teased elbowing his arm.

"Nothing, I just came to let you know. Sannu said make preparations and his gone to scout ahead".

She swiftly pointed her dagger at him.

Yannu flinched back.

The blade's motion was too fast for his eyes to keep up with.

"Got ya" she jested.

"You know you scored lucky!"

Yannu stared blankly and unaware of what she meant.

"With her"

"Ussu….. you mean".

"Yeah, I am".

"You know, for a scrawny, kid. With these long conjoined twists, a woman style I believe and a babyface, might I add? I personally didn't bet on you living this long" Kairui assessed, bopping her blade around as she spoke.

Goggling at him up and down.

Yannu was dressed in a long Green and black garment. With brown pants on underneath and soft leather sandals. His face was young with dark brown eyes and skin similar to wooden oak. He had small thin eyebrows with a grace-filled smile, his figure was small but stocky in the right places with a height of around five ft ten. His twists marked his head reaching up to around his eye level.

Yannu caught her blade, stopping its motion before arguing back.

"You can stop examining me. Am a man now as well so stop with all the cutey, cutey stuff and treating me like a child. I've proved my worth".

"You're right you have!" she said in a smug look. Her arms bracing each side of her hips.

"You deserve respect and acknowledgment; I can give you that".

"Protecting that girlfriend through all of this. Sticking with her, I commend that! Personally from experience I've seen husbands abandon wife's during the war!".

"Well, am not like them!" he refuted without thinking.

"Guess, so!"

"You had some yet," Kairui asked in a revering smug look.

"Had some?? Had what??" He replied in confusion.

She let out a sigh and looked at Ussu.

Yannu looked at her too.

He looked back at her.

"That's got nothing to do with you, know your Place!" He strictly remarked flushed and annoyed. Raising his chest up to her, his fists clenched defensively.

"Okay, okay. Emir of Caciccaci! Hehe just wanted to know! Just curiosity...." Kairui giggled as she swung her short daggers back and forth. Sheathing them.

She made her way, Leaving him uptight and flustered.

Yannu stormed off frustrated.

The nerve, the nerve of that woman!