"We've received word from our allies across the sea," Halla said. "And they want confirmation that we have the rightful queen. They don't want to help us usurp the crown."

I sighed deeply. "So, what do we need to do? Send them a photograph? Call them?"

Halla snorted and shook her head, taking a sip of her beer. "They want to meet you in person. On their grounds."

"We don't have time for me to travel across the damn sea," I growled and clenched my fists.

"Technically we don't need you here. What we're doing now is using the mechanic's robo-suits to stop the transports between Bursaaq and Andaheim. You're not a soldier, Your Highness. You're a diplomat. So you have to do what diplomats do. Make deals."

"I want to be there when we go to Andaheim."

"Of course. You'll make it back in time, hopefully. But until then, you've got to go make this deal." She sent me a bit of a pointed look and I knew there was no use in trying to debate her. She was right. As much as I wanted to be there for everything, I had my own part to play.

"I'll go with her," Dy said.

"Yeah, I think we all know that," Halla said and smirked at Dy.

Dy sighed and sent her a tired look. "I speak Kabiran. Going to Kabir it'll help."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's your reason." Halla winked and then turned serious again. "My queen, it's of the utmost importance that you convince them to help us."

"Right," I muttered. As if I hadn't been doing this my whole life? I always had to dance around people to make them do one thing or another and believe it was their own idea. This whole thing wasn't one bit different.

"I... Do not like this," Barr said and stared wide-eyed at the thing we were going to travel in. Huck called it a blimp. I had no idea what it was, but it was apparently some kind of airship? We'd be able to fly in it and it sounded unreal.

"It'll be alright. I designed it myself," Huck said and smiled up at Barr. Barr's cheeks darkened and he smiled back before glancing at the blimp.

"If you built it, I will trust it."

Huck smiled a whole other smile I had never seen before. This one was softer. His eyes didn't clench as much either.

"What do you think?" Dy asked with a low voice.

"Huh? About what?" I snapped out of it and looked up at my girlfriend.

"The blimp? We're going to fly. I gotta admit... I'm as terrified as I am excited." She put her arm around me and brought me up and close to her. I loved it when she did that.

"I'm nervous about going to Kabir," I admitted. "I don't know anything about their culture, and I don't want to be disrespectful."

"I'll teach you on our way over there. Everything I know."

"I love you," I murmured and stretched to my toes, kissing her cheek.

"Are we ready?" Huck asked and rubbed his hands together.

"We? Are you coming?" Dy arched a brow at him.

"Yes. There'll be a need for a mechanic. And they don't need me here now when the kinks have been worked out on the robo-suits. So, I'll join you. If uh... You'll have me."

"Of course!" Barr exclaimed, making Baby squawk. "Huck is essential for the journey."

Dy and I shared a look before we just nodded. Barr had been acting a little weirder than usual whenever Huck was around.

"Of course," Dy said. "Yeah, Huck, you need to come."

Barr lit up and nodded very eagerly. Which caused Baby to squawk loudly and slam her beak into his scalp. He yelped and brought Baby down to his shoulder, petting her head with his finger.

"Sorry," he murmured at the dragon and glanced over at Huck. "I keep forgetting she is up there."

"Maybe you shouldn't keep her on your head?" he said and shrugged a bit. "I could make her a nest or something."

"Really?" Barr's eyes widened. "No, it is... It is okay. You do not have to make me anything."

"Well, I'm technically making it for Baby." Huck smiled wryly and winked at the spirit.

"What the fuck is going on?" Dy whispered making me snort.

"No idea. But let's get on that blimp?"

Dy pulled me with her to the bridge, that lead up to the floating blimp. It was massive. The balloon part anyways. The actual ship where we'd live and move around was maybe the size of a small house, residing underneath the balloon. I wondered how well fastened it was. How sturdy it all was. I didn't wanna die in a blimp accident.

It was laid out like a ship. Or from what I could remember of seeing on blueprints of ships. I had never been on a ship, but I imagined they were laid out like this.

On the upper floor was the bridge, from where the whole thing was controlled. Below were the cabins and the galley. There was even a small deck outside in the back, guarded by a metal fence so no one would fall off the blimp.

Our captain was a very tall man. And very dark. He had a scar running from his forehead all the way down to his jaw, sealing his one eye shut. All the stories I had ever read of pirates, and he looked like one of them. But his voice was soft as he gave us a tour. His name was Aleksandur, but he just wanted us to call him Aleks. And he was probably in his forties. His first mate was a woman from Bursaaq named Raakili. Obviously very Bursaaq.

"I know what you're thinking," she said as both Dy and I stared wide-eyed at her. "But the entire tribe of Bursaaq is not supporting this. Lots of us have chosen to leave. We're just a little late, but we're coming in streams. Another should be coming to Paasmut soon."

"Everyone's welcome," I said and put my arm on Dy's before she could say something. "But obviously we have to be cautious." I wiggled my metal fingers and they creaked a little.

"Of course. But I can assure you Raakili is on our side. We've been married for twenty years," Aleks said and took his wife hand in his.

Dy snorted and the tension ran out of her body. "Maybe you know my father then."

"I do. We grew up in Antraaq together. He was the one who reached out to us about this trip, actually. While we may not have done many voyages in an airship, we've been training for the last six months. We'll also serve as your bodyguards, along the rest of the crew. We're here for the voyage and your safety."

"We're very grateful," I said and touched my forehead. Both did the same.

"We'll be taking off in just a short moment, so if you'd like to stay on the bridge and watch, you're more than welcome. It has the best view in the house," Aleks said and motioned towards the big glass windows covering almost every wall in the oval room. It was the very front of the ship and it sure did have the best view.

"Can we stay?" I asked and looked up at Dy.

"You'd have to pry me away, screaming and kicking." She winked at me and together we walked to the windows.

I was very cautious. I had never been a fan of heights and though we weren't more than maybe five-ten metres off the ground, it still made my knees weak.

I held on to Dy's hand very firmly as the engines started roaring. We slowly lifted off the ground and I couldn't hold back a gasp. The floors were vibrating under us.

Dy put her arm around me and pressed me to her side, placing a kiss on my head.

"It's amazing," she murmured into my hair.

"I can't believe we're actually flying." I put my arm around her waist, balling my fist in her jacket.

"I know right? Who would've known we'd be here? On our way to Kabir on an airship."

"We've... Been around, huh? Bursaaq, the spirit world, Paamut. And now we're going to Kabir. I can't believe it. A year ago, I had never been anywhere outside of Andahavn."

"We'll continue to travel like this when it's all over, right?"

"Yes. I want that." I stretched to my toes and she turned her head, catching my lips with hers. I intended to kiss her cheek, but this was perfect too. Absolutely perfect.

The berths weren't very comfortable, but Dy made ours comfortable. They were small and cramped. Dark too. Just more wood on dark wood. No windows. And the cots were just built into the room, leaving barely any room for the anything else than the bed. And it was supposed be a double, but I had a hard time believing that.

At least I could lay on top of Dy. She was less soft than she had been when we started dating, so I needed to fatten her up again. I needed her to be soft. Especially if we kept sleeping in uncomfortable beds.

"You're very selfish," she laughed when I aired that thought for her.

"Yes. Now get softer."

She chuckled and ran her hand through my hair. "You've lost weight too. We both need a bit of love in the form of food."

"If you could get anything, what would you get?"

"Rast meat soup. The one we had in Aatskina in the food hall."

"Oh, gods yeah," I moaned and hugged her closer. She was on her back and I was slung over her. It was still early, but we should've gotten a move on and gotten out of bed. It was just the first time in a long time we didn't actually had to do anything. Whatever we did wouldn't get us faster to Kabir. So if we stayed in bed for a whole day, it wasn't like we'd ruin any plans or anything.

"You know what I'd also really like?" Dy asked. "A beer. A nice, dark, ice cold beer."

"I would like ten of those, please."

Dy snorted and placed a kiss on my hair. "When this is over, we'll get so drunk on beer, we'll be hungover for weeks."

"I love that idea."

"Okay. We've been dillydallying for long enough. Let's get up." Dy sat up and I groaned very dramatically. She was an evil and wicked woman, making me get out of bed like that.

"We've got rolls, bread, jam, butter, coffee, cheese, herring, and some carrot juice," Huck said and spread his arms out towards the table.

It looked marvellous and my mouth was watering. I couldn't remember the last time I had had a proper meal. And here it was. Real food. I was almost about to cry.

"It looks delicious," Barr said with a wide smile. "Did you make this?"

Huck chuckled and shook his head. "No, the cook did. But I did ask them to stock the ship with some proper food. You all look a little famished. Well, Dy and Al do. Not you Barr. You look..." Huck trailed off and then the top of his ears turned dark. As did his cheeks. "You look good."

Barr widened his eyes and looked completely stumped.

Dy and I shared a look and then sat down at the table. We were famished. Literally had just talked about real food and there it was. Real, nice, food.

Dy poured me some coffee, while I handed her some bread. Huck and Barr shared another glance and then joined us, them sitting next to each other across from us.

"So, how long will it take?" I asked as I spread butter on my roll.

"About four days. If we don't run into any storms," Huck replied.

"What if we do run into a storm? Will this thing be safe?" I asked and looked up at the ceiling.

"It'll be safe," Huck said and took a sip of his coffee. "We're very unlikely to run into a storm though. It's not the season for it in Kabir, nor the oceans surrounding Kabir. It mostly stays down south in Andaheim and Skyen."

"I hope that's true," I muttered. My thoughts were quickly averted from storms as I took a bite of the roll. It was so nice to finally get proper food. On the road we had been eating this stale bread and some dried fruits. And that was all.

"I like this," Barr announced and pointed to the mug of coffee in his hand.

"It's coffee," I said and smiled. "We actually import the beans from Kabir. Same with cocoa beans that makes chocolate."

"Lots of beans," Barr said. "Will this be good knowledge for when we arrive? Should I compliment their beans?"

Dy snorted. "No, but if they do serve you coffee, you can tell them it's nice."

"Thank you, Dy. I will remember that." Barr smiled and it was infectious to my girlfriend.

"You know, if you ever want to ask about anything. You just ask, alright? Don't hold back."

That made the spirit widen his eyes. "You... Want to help me?"

"Sure." Dy nodded.

"I kind of thought you did not like me," he muttered and scratched the back of his head.

"Dy's just very serious. But very soft on the inside," Huck chimed in and grinned at Dy. She just rolled her eyes.

"I don't actively dislike anyone without reason, Barr. And you helped us a lot. Saved my life too. So, yeah. I'll answer any questions you've got as well as I can."

"You are very kind." He took another sip of his coffee and looked so content.

I looked around the little dining room and my eyes fell on a radio. I rose to my feet and went to it, turning it on.

"... Once again the Aatskina tribe has shown their true face." Quinn's voice sounded from the small wooden radio. "They've destroyed a convoy from Andaheim to Bursaaq to help the people get through a rough winter. They want to cause us harm."

I turned the radio off again and turned to Huck. "How long has my brother been on the radio like that?"

"About a week or so. It started right before you guys came back. There's a new one every day, more or less. And it's all this hateful propaganda," Huck muttered and took a sip of his coffee.

"He's being forced to do it," I said and clenched my fists.

"Our informants think so too. There has recently been news of Islo Charred being in a horrific horseback riding accident, leaving him crippled." Huck sighed deeply. "We don't think it's an accident."

I clenched my jaw. "So they're hurting Islo to get to Quinn or what?"

"Yeah, they're engaged." Huck shrugged a shoulder.

"What?!" I growled.

"No one told you?" Huck cringed. "King Quinn and Islo Charred are to be married. We're planning on hitting Andahavn during the wedding where everyone will be distracted. We'll blow up the harbour, cutting them off from Skyen."

"Why did no one tell me my brother was getting married?" I asked coolly.

"I honestly thought they had already told you. If I had known, I would've told you myself. I'm sorry, Al."

"It's... Not your fault." I sighed and sat back down again. "I just feel like I'm kept out of the loop and now getting shipped off. They don't want me in their revolution, do they?"

"Al," Dy said and took my metal hand in hers. "What you're useful for right now, is making connections in Kabir. They might be allies to Paamut, but that doesn't mean they'll go to war for them. You're supposed to inspire them to wanna fight with us."

"But how will I do that, when I don't have all the facts?"

"Well, we did bring a shitton of gold from the Paamut mines," Huck chimed in.

"So we're going to buy them."

"We're buying their good graces, yes. And we'll be funding whatever expenses they might have." Rakiili stood in the door, leaning against it. She came in and sat down by the end of the table, helping herself to some coffee. "We can't just come there and demand aid without giving them anything in return."

"I guess," I muttered. I couldn't believe I had actually forgotten once again, people wouldn't rush to my aid, just because of who I was. Especially not someone from another country. Why was I just assuming people would?

I had been brought up with this mentality. My mum always told me I'd become queen and the people would love me. She had never prepared me for what would happen if they didn't.