Enfri took the bridge spanning two trees of Chaya Domun at a sprint. One thing that could be said of the shorter skirts here, running was much simpler when she had her hands free and didn't need to keep her hemline out from underfoot. As she dashed from one treetop to the next, the four crewmen Kolbat assigned to her as bodyguards were having a bit of difficulty keeping up.

This is going to probably end up being a little awkward, she thought to herself, but I don't care. Winds, but I just don't care!

Her smile was as broad as it was eager. She ran onto a lift and was all but dancing from one foot to the other while she waited for her guards to join her. The last of them had barely gotten aboard before Enfri threw the lever and sent them downwards to the ground level.

One of the Pearl crewmen, Rand was his name, couldn't contain his chuckling. "Waves, Majesty. Excited?"

Enfri beamed at him. "Bet your last penny."

Another, a seventeen year old Protectorite girl named Shadi, had misty eyes as she leaned on her spear. "Good to hear more happy news after everything, and it doesn't get much happier than this."

Somewhat disconcerting, but Enfri realized that she was the oldest person on the lift. Youth seemed to be the norm among aviators. Enfri's older and more experienced armsmen were usually less eager to hop onto the back of a dragon and go flying into the sky. That had the unanticipated consequence of Enfri's crews having a tendency towards brash action and reckless bravery. They picked up the necessary skills quickly since they were unburdened with old habits needing to be unlearned.

Winds, but they were magnificent.

Enfri was actually starting to miss her own crew, back with the legion. She wouldn't have said she was all that close with Kora, Dahvid, or any of the Opal crewmen, but she'd come to rely on each of them, whether in the sky or on the ground. Enfri decided that as soon as she got home, she'd treat them to a dinner or something.

Before it felt like too long, the lift settled on the ground. Shadi slid the gate aside, and Enfri sprinted off before the crew realized that was obviously what she was going to do.

Aleesh got wide eyes and stepped out of Enfri's path as she ran through the markets. Men and women with facial piercings and next to nothing for clothing made surprised exclamations as the girl wanting to be their empress flew by like a shot. A kits in his natural fox form gave a startled yelp when Enfri nearly trod on his seven extraordinarily large tails. Enfri shouted an apology over her shoulder as the kits hollered how it happened all the time and really wasn't a bother.

Kits, in Enfri's limited experience, were wonderfully polite.

She came to the edge of the Danriim before finally coming to a stop. Enfri panted and thought that she hadn't had a run like that since... Winds, since she had a crooked spine. Ironic, maybe, that in the past, she'd been running from someone. Now, she ran towards that same person.

Grimdar the Gladiator was easy to spot in the air. Aleesh fishermen and alligator ranchers pointed up into the sky and shouted in awe at the red dragon's size. The thunder of his wingbeats grew louder as he dropped beneath the jungle canopy and skimmed over the water's surface.

Enfri grew a little nervous once she noticed the crowd of people coming down to the water's edge to see such an impressive sight. They were getting used to dragons being around, and Elise's renegades had more than a few impressive individuals among their number. However, Grimdar was in a category all his own. Among the reds, he was second in age only to Kimpo, and in size, second to none. Only the elders from the previous generation were larger than the Gladiator, and even then, only the oldest among them.

Winds, but his head's bigger than my old cottage, Enfri thought.

Grimdar's legs dropped into the water to slow his flight, then his body sank the final few feet. A great spray of water flew out in front of him as he transitioned from flying to swimming with an easy grace. Enfri didn't think anyone on his crew would've even gotten wet. He slithered through the water like a serpent. His wings submerged and helped propel him along as he made his way towards where Enfri stood with her panting guards.

The Aleesh, mostly of the fourth and fifth summits, cried out and cheered at Grimdar's arrival. Their regard caused an embarrassed ripple to pass down the Gladiator's scales.

Then a young woman dropped from the nape of Grimdar's neck into the shallow water of the Danriim. She ran the final few paces towards the shore in a high-stepping gait, her eyes only for Enfri.

The crowd sobered and grew quiet as Enfri accepted Jin into her arms.

"Is that..."

"Oh, flames, it is."

"A black hound? Here?"

"Did the claimant summon her?"

"Algara swine."

The words were spoken in Aeldic, and Enfri was glad Jin wouldn't understand them. Nonetheless, there was a tension in Jin's muscles that led Enfri to guess that Jin could deduce the meaning behind the dark mutterings surrounding them.

Jin held her. The embrace was tight, all but desperate, and when Jin whispered in Enfri's ear, her voice rasped. "I'm sorry, my heart. I'm sorry about Ban. About Moon."

The excitement Enfri had felt turned to sorrow in an instant. "Don't give up hope, my light. Pacifica told me her plan."

Jin pulled away, allowing Enfri to see her face. For one moment, there was a glint of something within her eyes that gave Enfri pause. More so when she figured out what it was.

"Not..." Enfri cleared her throat. "Not here, Jin. Winds, but we weren't apart that long."

Jin smirked. "Then you should have reconsidered your wardrobe."

Enfri looked down at herself. Drat. That was a lot of skin she was putting on display.

"Of all the outcomes," Jin said with a touch of mockery, "never would I have expected this one. Goes without saying that I approve. Winds and storms, I approve."

Blustering assassin, making her blush in front of all these people. Enfri afforded the gathering crowd a glance before looking back to Jin.

"I'm glad you came," she said, loud and clear so to be sure it'd be overheard. "How was the flight?"

Jin pressed her lips together in displeasure. "Irritating."

The reason why presented himself. Lord Darian climbed down from Grimdar to land heavily on the shoreline. His steel gray eyes took in the crowd before passing quickly over Enfri's short skirt and cropped blouse. Darian offered a deep bow. "It is good to see you well, Your Majesty."

Enfri regarded him warily. "Jin, anything suspicious out of him?"

Jin opened her mouth to respond, but Darian was already speaking over her. "Whatever you may believe of me, my empress, I will prove my innocence. Her Highness has kept me under the strictest guard, and she will be the first to tell that I've taken no action against you."

Enfri looked up at Jin.

"As he says," Jin growled, "but it means nothing. Only a complete fool would attempt to contact his master under my watch."

Darian let out a breath through his nose, as if he was disappointed in her. "I am neither a fool nor a spy, Highness. Before this is over, I will convince you of that."

Jin frowned. "The crew could use assistance unloading. I am certain Grimdar would appreciate haste so he can polymorph."

Darian straightened his back, and his voice grew cold. "As you say, Highness. Whatever you need."

As Darian stormed off to assist with the unloading, Enfri gave Jin a searching look.

"I do not trust him," Jin said without looking at her.

Enfri bit her lip. She was furious at herself for not considering Jin's feelings on the matter. She'd taken Jin for granted, didn't give a thought towards if she'd be able to cope with a Teranor with the legion. Guilt was a bitter sensation, and it came more and more often whenever Enfri thought about how she treated the woman she loved.

The rest of Grimdar's crew had disembarked. Enfri caught sight of one man among them who wore a House Yora tabard over his light chainmail. She nearly gasped when she recognized him. It shocked her so much that her planned apology was pushed aside.

"Goodman Shepherd?"

Calton Shepherd stopped in mid-stride when addressed. He pressed his hand down over his open-faced helm as if it were the old fedora he'd worn at their previous meeting. An exuberant grin full of youthful pride split his face. "Your pardon, Majesty. It's Knight-Lieutenant Calton now."

Jin raised her chin and gave Calton a fond smile. "Lieutenant Calton impressed his sergeants during training. Of all the pilgrims who enlisted, his assessments were the highest. When it came time to select a second officer, I thought him an excellent choice. The Ulthred gave him a field promotion in light of..." Her expression fell slightly.

Enfri nodded in understanding. Enough knights and officers had lost their lives outside Sandharbor that there weren't many options. Even so, Calton must've worked hard if he was considered for a promotion.

Jin's first officer was an even greater surprise. Enfri felt her jaw nearly drop to the floor before she realized that it wasn't Lady Starra.

"Knight-Captain Suuri Nolaas of House Nolaas, at your service, Your Majesty." Starra's younger sister said. She nearly dipped into a curtsy before giving a salute instead. It would have been a difficult gesture to pull off while wearing that armor. The sight of a woman barely any taller than Enfri in full plate was something of an oddity. Even Ban's smallish first officer, Natanya, had a few inches over Suuri.

"My lady," Enfri replied. "Rather, Captain? Forgive me, but I wasn't aware you were a knight."

"Against daddy's wishes, I assure you," Suuri laughed. "My sisters hogged all the arcane talent in the family, so I was obliged to take a more... direct approach."

Jin gave an approving nod. "I can attest to Lady Suuri's ability, my heart. We sparred regularly over the flight."

Grimdar blew out his nostrils. "Against regulation. Knight and officers must remain tethered during transit."

"I am not a knight," Jin said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not a good officer," Suuri added.

Grimdar grunted as he assumed his human form and waded out of the water. It was difficult to say which form was more imposing. As a human, Grimdar looked like the sort of man who could chew on iron ingots and spit out nails. He went shirtless, exposing his broad and muscular chest, and wore dark green trousers with a large sash about his waist. He was thicker about the middle than most dragons chose to appear, closer to the look of a prize fighter or professional soldier than the comely bodies chosen by his colleagues. Combined with his charcoal skin and red markings, Grimdar looked positively fearsome.

"I'm glad to have you here," Enfri said to them all. "As excellent as Kolbat and her crew have performed, we've all been feeling a little outnumbered."

Rand, Shadi, and the others murmured their agreement.

"My host, Therrak Velahrai Second Summit, has arranged housing for you and your crew," Enfri continued. She pointed in indication towards the treetops. "It's an improvised barracks, I'm afraid, but it's close to the Velahrai manor. Just a couple of levels below it."

Calton removed his helmet and ran a hand through his hair as he goggled up at the massive tree dwellings. "Winds and storms. Don't see a sight like that every day."

A surprised murmur arose among the crowd at the sight of Calton's hair. Enfri heard many of them whispering that he was an Aleesh. It seemed that, Enfri and Elise aside, the idea of having brethren outside of Chaya Domun hadn't fully set in among them yet.

Calton seemed to notice all the onlookers for the first time. His face paled, and he quickly set his helmet back on his head as if he was worried he'd given offense by uncovering it. All the bare heads around him should've told him that it wasn't a concern, but Calton hadn't exactly impressed Enfri with his ability to take in social cues. The bath incident was still fresh in her mind.

Sighing, Enfri sought out Jin's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Better to rip the bandage off in one go. This needed to be addressed at some point. Might as well be now."

Jin held her hand just as tightly. "My heart..."

"Don't you dare apologize," Enfri interrupted. "I'm not about to, so everyone here needs to just accept who I'm going to marry. I refuse to hide anything about myself ever again."

Jin made as if to protest, but she closed her mouth and offered a smile. "As you say, my heart."

Enfri released Jin's hand and strode towards the crowd. Their murmuring quieted once it became clear she meant to address them.

"People of Chaya Domun," she began, raising her voice so she was sure most could hear her clearly. As she saw it, there was no point in beating around the bush, so she drove right into the heart of the matter. She let her elder magic free to change her words into the Aeldenn Tones so there'd be no misunderstanding. "I present to you my betrothed, my greatest love, and my light. Princess Jin Algara, second daughter of the Highest King, and soon to be Imperial Consort of Shan Alee."

She'd expected the stunned silence. What Enfri hadn't anticipated was the tension growing in the air. She saw men balling their fists and women gripping the knives on their belts.

"Royal assassin," someone hissed.

"Althandi!"

"She's an Algara!"

The shouts rose in volume and number. Soon half the crowd was stepping forward and shaking fists at Enfri while the other looked ready to make a break for safety.

"Murderers!"

"Monster!"

"Traitor! Traitor to the blood of Inwé!"

Enfri backed up a step. More of the crowd's anger was being directed at her.

"Heya, now hold on!"

The shout from behind Enfri startled her. She turned to see Calton pulling off his helmet again and moving to stand next to Jin.

Calton passed a critical eye over the crowd. "Are these people stupid or something?" he shouted. "I expected better."

The crowd started jeering at him as well. Enfri's guards placed themselves between her and the approaching mob.

Didn't go as you hoped? a voice asked mockingly. Enfri recognized her as the former empress who kept demanding Enfri take Ban into bed. Blustering harlot. Maybe this rabble will do us all a favor and rip you off your pedestal.

Go soak your head in a latrine, Enfri thought back.

Jin was at Enfri's side in the next moment. "My heart, I need to take you away from here."

"You most certainly will not," Enfri said stubbornly. She pulled away from her and stepped forward, intent on thumping some sense into everyone's head if they wouldn't listen to reason.

Jin grabbed her arm again. "My heart, it's important you don't resist."

"What..."

Whatever else she might have said was smothered by Jin's lips pressing against hers. Before the kiss could last more than a moment, Jin broke away to stride towards the mob.

"Jin, no!"

Dauntless, Jin walked right up to the tallest and burliest man at the forefront and planted herself in his path. "Strike me, Aleesh," she snarled.

The demand must've caught the man off-guard. He hesitated, but emboldened by the crowd behind him, he obliged. He hit Jin across the face with a right hook. She staggered, then stood straight once again.

"Is that all you got? I said strike me!"

Enfri screamed, but Calton and her guards held her back from running to Jin's side. Even Darian put his arm around her waist to keep her from rushing off.

The Aleesh man roared as he swung his fist again. This one spun Jin around and dropped her to a knee. She spat into the dirt and stood once again. "Don't waste my time. Hit me or let your grandmother take a swing!"

Someone tossed the man an iron maul, a two-handed hammer for pounding wooden stakes into hardened earth. He grit his teeth and readied a blow. Jin made no move to defend herself.

Before the hammer fell, a hand grabbed the maul's haft just beneath the head. The man spun around and found one of his fellows shaking his head. Behind him, the crowd had grown silent. He looked back at Jin, the faded scar on her cheek reopened and leaking blood. His eyes went wide, and he dropped the maul into the dirt, horrified at what he'd nearly done.

"What's the matter?" Jin demanded of them. "Won't my blood repay my father for the Aleesh deaths he's commanded? Am I not enough? Shall I bring my sister and my cousins, so you may exact retribution on them? Will that be enough?" She glared at the man she'd goaded into hitting her, and he averted his eyes. "Do you not feel any better after striking me? If not after the first, then the second? Surely, the third or the fourth will give you some satisfaction. Tell me, Aleesh, isn't that what you want?"

The man shied away from her. Everywhere Jin's eyes fell, the mob shrank back.

"Don't tell me you're satisfied already," Jin said scathingly. "One cut on a princess can't repay six centuries of genocide. My blood can't be enough. The blood of all Althandor wouldn't be enough. And by all the fires of Hell, an apology will never be enough! That isn't what you want!"

Jin paced in front of them like a tiger trapped in a cage. She stood in front of the first man again. Her hand reached forward and took him by the jaw. She raised his face and forced him to meet her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet.

"Never enough. Not so long as the system that held you down as it raised me up endures. I will help you destroy it. I will help you build a new one for us all." Her eyes grew pleading. "Will that be enough?"

Enfri let out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. Her lungs burned from both the lack of air and terror. Her breathing didn't go back to normal until the mob started to disperse, hanging their heads and casting furtive glances back towards where Jin stood alone. As far as Enfri could tell, Jin hadn't received an answer.

One by one, the crewmen let go of Enfri's arms. Darian was the last to let go, and he murmured an apology as he withdrew. Enfri didn't give him a second thought, as a plaintive squeak had caught her attention. She looked above her. There, sitting on a branch overhead, Zette looked down on her with concern painted over his little face.

If Zette's here...

Enfri looked again at the retreating mob. Her eyes landed on each back and pair of hunched shoulders she could find, seeking out a familiar figure. Then, she looked down at the abandoned maul lying in the dust. No one had picked it back up to return it to where it belonged.

With a rising sense of dread, Enfri had no doubt in her mind of whose hand had given it over to be used against Jin.