The sight of the guards from Alarna staring at us in awe and trepidation was glorious. At this moment, as Riala and I looked down at them from atop Hati’s back, and with nine more enormous wolves lined up behind us, I felt an intoxicating sense of supremacy wash over me that could easily go to one’s head.

It was a satisfying end to an already remarkable day. I couldn’t have planned it better if I wanted to, though it happened entirely by accident. We hadn’t known of their presence, nor had we anticipated the sheer force we would return with. And even that we were dressed regally was entirely coincidental. It was clear though that, all of it combined, had a profound effect on them.

However, it had also caught me by surprise to see unknown Fighters at our camp. I was on edge for a second there, until I scanned the clearing. Standing by the campfire were Oryn, Taul, and Hayla, who met my gaze. A confident smile on her lips, Hayla nodded at me firmly, indicating that there was no need for concern.

As we stood there, scrutinizing the guards in front of us, one of them stepped forward and sheathed her sword, signaling the others to do the same. Despite her attempt to appear confident, I noticed a nervous flicker in her eyes, but she spoke with competence, immediately explaining the reason for their presence.

“Welcome back, Mr. Miles. Ms. Riala,” she said with a respectful bow. “My apologies for facing you in a threatening manner. My name is Keo Carlyt. We’re here as personal guards to Mr. Lait and Ms. Zara who seek an audience with you.”

A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of Zara's name. My seemingly perfect day was taking a dark turn. Riala’s face on the other hand lit up with excitement. She stretched her neck in search of her sister.

“Sis?” Riala said, elated.

Prompted by the call, Zara suddenly leaned out of our house’s entrance, tears forming in her eyes. “Riala!” she yelled happily.

Hati began to lower himself, for us to climb down, but Riala had other ideas. With a nimble leap, she hopped off the wolf’s back and hurriedly slipped past the guards. The sisters met halfway as Riala jumped into Zara’s arms.

“Hi, sis!” Riala exclaimed, her voice gleeful.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of their embrace as my feet made contact with the ground and the guards parted ways to open a path. Riala had very clearly missed her sister. I felt a little bad that I couldn’t quite share her happiness, but Zara’s presence here, dressed in finery and accompanied by a Ruler and a squad of guards, didn’t bode well. It obviously wasn’t a social call.

As I approached the two, Lait cautiously peered out as well. Seeing the wolves, he was taken aback for a moment, but recovered quickly and followed Zara outside. He seemed equally happy to see the sisters reunited.

Standing on either side of them, our eyes met and he greeted me with a slight bow of his head before he fixed his gaze on the two girls again. We watched as they spoke in hushed tones.

“Are you okay?” Zara asked, her eyes closed, keeping an iron grip on her younger sibling.

“Yup! Are you too?” Riala asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

“I am,” Zara replied. “It’s thanks to you, isn’t it? I heard you protected all of us.”

“I think so...” Riala said contemplatively. “I don’t really remember everything.”

“That’s fine,” Zara assured her. “We’re safe, that’s all that matters.”

She squeezed Riala even tighter and we stood in silence while we waited patiently for their emotional moment to come to a natural end. The stillness was only broken by the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the crunch of twigs underfoot as Hayla and Berla joined me, while the Alarnan guards flanked Lait.

As the others descended from their wolves, I gestured silently to Reurig to take care of the beasts, knowing full well that a lengthy discussion with Zara was looming. Slowly, the group began to disperse, but Zara remained rooted to the spot, clinging to Riala as if her life depended on it.

As time ticked by, my patience wore thin, and I finally decided to break the silence. Firmly but respectively, I said, "Hi, Zara," hoping to snap her out of her reverie.

Her response came in the form of a glare in my direction. She shifted her body protectively around Riala as if I was about to snatch her away. I frowned at the implication, but I could understand her defensive stance.

Her eyes smoldered with hatred as she responded with a menacing voice. “Tomar, I’m taking her back to Alarna. Don’t try to stop me.”

“Huh?” Upon hearing this declaration, Riala finally wrestled free of her sister’s grip and locked eyes with her in defiance. “I don’t want to go back to Alarna,” she protested, and quickly offered an alternative. “Why don’t you stay here?”

Zara’s gaze narrowed as she took hold of Riala’s shoulders. “Listen to me,” she said, her voice low and insistent. “I’m your sister. You belong with me. Tomar is not good company for you.”

Hearing the name “Tomar,” Riala grimaced. “His name is Miles now,” she said, her voice low.

“I don’t care what he calls himself!” Zara said in irritation. “He’s a criminal! But it’s not too late for you. I have talked to the king, and he’ll gladly lift your banishment. So we’re going to return to Alarna. Understood?”

I scoffed inwardly. He’d be glad to do so, hm? I bet.

As one would expect, Riala was having none of it. Freeing herself of Zara’s grasp once more, she took a determined step back. “No!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the clearing. “Why are you always like this, sis? He isn’t bad, we’re protecting everybody!”

Zara looked at her sister affectionately, but her response was dismissive and belittling. “I know you think that, but you don’t understand what’s going on. You’re too young to understand that you’re being tricked.”

Riala’s anger boiled over. “No, you don’t understand!” she shot back. “Everyone is stupid for believing these lies about him!”

I had to suppress a chuckle at her declaration. I agreed with the sentiment, though I would’ve phrased it more diplomatically.

Zara was about to retort something, but I had a feeling that we wouldn’t get anywhere like this. It was always the same with these two. To diffuse the situation, I took a step forward and addressed our guests.

“Perhaps it would be best if we sat down and discussed this calmly,” I suggested, hoping to steer the conversation in a more productive direction.

Zara’s expression darkened, and I could see the venom on the tip of her tongue. But before she could unleash it, Lait interjected. “I agree. Let us talk and seek a resolution.”

I sensed the tension in the air as Zara’s gaze darted from Riala, to me, and finally to Lait, her rage simmering beneath the surface. Strangely, however, she didn’t complain. Her anger was palpable, but she composed herself and brushed off the dirt from her dress. Eyeing her sister warily, she advanced towards Lait.

With a flick of my hand, I beckoned them towards our humble abode, while the gears in my mind turned with suspicion. As if on cue, Hayla leaned in and divulged the most crucial information she had gleaned, including the pair’s marital status. Depending on the importance of this meeting to Lait, there was a possibility that she had to exercise restraint, or risk suffering for it.

Very Interesting... I thought.

Leading our entourage to the rear of our residence, we took our places around the freshly built wooden desk, waiting to bear witness to our discussion. Me, Zara, and Lait took seats opposite each other, while Hayla, Berla, Riala, and our visitors’ guards huddled around us. A deep breath filled my lungs as I prepared for what was bound to be an exhausting conversation.

To my surprise, the first to speak was not Zara, but Lait. “Thank you for receiving us, Mr. Miles.”

“Just Miles, please,” I said.

Lait nodded. “Very well,” he said. His tone shifted from respectful to challenging. I could feel the weight of his words before they even left his lips. “Miles, we’re here to demand the release of Zara’s sister, Riala, into our care. The king has granted me authority to negotiate this matter, and in the interest of the child, who has been repeatedly taken away from her legal guardian, we expect to come to a swift agreement.”

I took a moment to size up Lait, impressed by his composure and unflinching gaze. Sitting with perfect posture, his eyes bore into mine, exuding an aura of capability and respectability beyond his youth. Though I had only glimpsed him a handful of times, serving as a workhorse for Rulers of higher standing, his composure spoke volumes. Instinctively, I sensed that he was a man with whom one could reason.

“Okay,” I began, my tone measured and clear. “Before we start with any sorts of negotiations, I’d like to establish a few ground rules. It’s been a very long day, and I’m in no mood to dance around certain issues. Would that be alright with you?”

Zara's face contorted with frustration, her teeth grinding together. Despite her annoyance, she maintained her composure and gave me a curt nod of acknowledgement. Lait echoed her sentiment, his tone even and controlled. “We don't mind,” he said smoothly. “In fact, we appreciate your willingness to expedite this process.”

“Excellent,” I replied. “Then let’s speak plainly. We all know why the king is so eager to help Zara retrieve her sister. It’s not out of the goodness of his heart, or even for Riala’s benefit. It’s for his own interests, and perhaps for the town’s as well. But let’s not pretend it’s anything more than that.”

Lait bristled at my words, but he maintained his decorum. “I will not take offense at your assertion, as the safety of our town is naturally on the forefront of our minds. However, don't make the mistake of thinking that is our only concern. I believe Ms. Hayla just informed you of my marriage to Zara, in which case you’ll understand that I’m now also Riala’s legal guardian. By effectively keeping a future Ruler-in-name from her destined life, you are jeopardizing her future and the future of our town. That is not something we can take lightly.”

I was taken aback by Lait’s unexpected statement, and it seemed that Zara was as well. She shot him a puzzled look, clearly not aware of his feelings on this matter. I leaned back in my chair, pondering his words carefully.

“Interesting...” I murmured, intrigued by his argument. “But this doesn’t change the situation significantly,” I declared. “I assume you recognize that I’m not keeping Riala against her will. It’s always been her decision to stay with us the majority of the time. With that in mind I must ask you... What do you expect of me?”

A crease formed on Lait’s forehead as his gaze flickered to Riala. “Perhaps it would be best if we didn’t discuss this in her presence.”

Positioned between both parties, Riala stood beside the desk, holding onto it. She watched the exchange with curious eyes, but remained silent, trusting me to handle her sister once more.

Encouraged by her trust, I braced myself for what was to come, determined to make this the final time we had to solve this problem.