“In these times of darkness, we can only strive together, and in that way, succeed for our future.” Sebastian yawned, belatedly covering it with his hand before anyone could see. That wouldn’t look good at all; the King’s son dying of boredom. Too late, his father had seen him, a flicker of his eyes had let his son know that they would discuss the action later. Alongside Dreivan, Elissa smiled primly, and took over the speech.

“People of Leontine, as you know, our allies, the Effoi, once our sworn enemies, have never failed to come to our aid, despite the past hatred.” Murmurs broke out among the people, as was expected. Even Sebastian knew that they would never forgive the Effoi for the murders of their forefathers. He hadn’t even been born when the wars ended, but he could understand it. How his parents thought that they could be allies, even with Uncle Johdian ruling them and keeping them in line, amazed him.

“I know the hate and frustration you feel.” she interrupted, and waited until silence had fallen again. “Recall that my family was murdered by the Effoi-du-Vanc. I bear them no love as well, but also recall that they helped defend us against the raiders a few years back, and the attempted invasion by the Freisian merchants last spring. They ask for nothing but that we allow them to supply their ships here.”

“And trust that neither I nor my brother their King would bring this to you, if we were not sure it were safe.” Dreivan added.

“We leave this to you, our people. Say no, and Johdian will understand.” Sebastian looked around. Faces were disturbed, everywhere he looked. Tears glistened in some eyes, as people remembered the crimes the Effoi had inflicted. Nowhere was there a smile or a thoughtful look. Mainly hatred, fear and anger, which he was free from. He had heard the stories, been told the histories by both his father and Johdian, and while he felt a sadness for the people, and a sympathy for all the losses, he couldn’t feel the sorrow or the hatred like anyone else. He simply had no memories or experiences to draw from. There had been no wars, in all his life, no battles save for the invaders, and even then, he had watched from afar with his mother, until Dreivan had returned victorious. He blinked suddenly and turned as someone behind him spoke up from the chatter.

“My lady…I lost my husband in the last Effoi attack. I truly wish them all dead for what they did to our kingdom. However, since Lord Dreivan has become your husband, there hasn’t been one day in which he has let us down.” The old woman stiffly glanced at her fellow Leontians. “If he believes this to be best, and you trust that judgement, then I trust it as well.”

“This is insane,” someone else spoke, a man, who gave the woman an apologetic look. “I trust you as well, your majesties, but to trust the Effoi back on our land, barely having washed the blood off our sands that they have spilt-I cannot put my approval on this!”

“Barely?” Dreivan glanced at the crowd with cool eyes, his voice low but easily heard across their heads. “It has been nineteen years. Those of you here in the prime of your life, were huddling for safety in the castle while the blood was being spilt.. All of your opinions matter, but think of the fact that it has been nineteen years. Even my own son has no memory of the days of fear, and he is a grown man!”

Sebastian felt a flash of pride at that statement, and maintained a straight face full of concern as many turned to see his reaction.

“What does the Prince say?” asked the old woman curiously. Several people began to mutter, causing sweat to break out on his forehead. No, don’t look at me! I don’t have anything to add! Dreivan gave his son a deep look once the delegates from all the cities had turned to face him. He knew how important this was to his father, so he took a moment to swallow, and chose his words very, very carefully.

“What have I to say about allowing the Effoi into our ports?” Elissa gave him an encouraging thumbs up, which really didn’t help, but he appreciated it anyway. “As my father says, I am too young to know the same heartache they have caused you, and for that I am sorry.” So far so good, although Dreivan was slightly frowning. Sebastian stood, but only to hide the fact that he was uneasy. Speaking to the people did not come easily to him, not at all! “However,” he licked his lips as he realized how many eyes were watching him. “However, I have taken many a summer visit to the Effoidian kingdom, to spend some time with my uncle. Not once has any hair on my head been harmed, and I have always been treated with the utmost of respect and caution by them. They are an island reformed, changed by my uncle, and kept in the ways that a kingdom should be. Such as ours.” They seemed to remain unconvinced, and he saw his parents exchange worried glances out of the corner of his eye. Taking a breath, he felt a tremor of nervous energy run through him. If he could just say the right thing, and make Dreivan smile, it would be worth it. “As for my final thoughts,” he said quickly, before they turned away again. “Perhaps it would be well to ponder that, just as it has been two decades for us, so it has been for them. Two decades of a normal existence, children being taught as we have been taught….that we are all allies. The war has been dead for twenty years. It would be nice if…our hatred was as short-lived.” He swallowed again, as this made the congregation erupt in whispers and new discussion. After a second he hazarded a glance at his father, and felt relief wash over him. Dreivan was smiling, and nodding his approval. Thank Heya!

Sebastian sank back into his chair, exhaling slowly so no one would notice how fast his heart beat. He waited with only a little anxiety as they all came to their decision. It hadn’t used to be this way, he remembered a time when his parents would simply decide, and the kingdom would have to follow with the choice, but in the last eleven years or so, they had begun having councils, hearing the people’s opinion before their own, and factoring that in their commands. He hated having to sit through boring meetings, but he was willing to put up with it once Dreivan had begun teaching him things after every one of them. His mother didn’t approve, but she said nothing about it, in all the years Dreivan had been training him. Or maybe Dreivan simply overruled her. Sebastian didn’t know.

“Why did Johdian not come himself to speak to us?” another random man asked. For once, Dreivan looked irritated, but kept himself in check.

“Because he is my brother, and knew to come to the rulers of a kingdom for permission to port.” The rebuke stung as it hovered there in the silence.

“Am I missing anything?” Sebastian jerked around at the familiar voice.

“Blackbird!” Another quick glance to make sure no one noticed this intruder, and he pushed her farther back into the crowd, hoping his parents weren’t noticing his sudden bolt from his seat. Knowing Dreivan, he noticed immediately. Then again, if Blackbird was here, then Dreivan knew already too. No wonder he had been smug at breakfast! His black-haired cousin grinned and pulled him into a bear hug.

“Bastian! It’s been forever!” Pulling away, he marveled at her appearance.

“Apparantly so! When did you cut off your hair?” Tugging her ear-length locks, she smiled ruefully.

“Two months back. Father nearly cried!”

“What are you doing here? I didn’t think you could come visit for another three months or so?” Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she nodded to the gathering.

“We’re here for the port decision. Father thought it was best if we didn’t announce our arrival until Uncle Dreivan said so, but I just had to come see you!”

“That was wise of him,” he said softly, casting a glance at the gathering. “It could go either way I think.”

“That bad?” He nodded solemnly. She shook her head, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s what Father said would happen. We didn’t have high hopes for the alliance in the beginning. Mother didn’t even give it a year.”

“Let me see if they’ve reached a decision yet.”

“Allright.” she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “We’ll be unloading our latest gear, and I’ll see you at dinner.” He watched her go, feeling upbeat now that his favorite person was back in Leontine, and slid back into his seat, hoping he hadn’t missed anything of too great an importance.

“-reluctantly agree to go along with this.” Perfect timing! Sebastian grinned. Dreivan glanced at his son reprovingly, but a return smile drifted around his lips.

“I am very glad to hear this.” Elissa stepped forward as well, her gentle voice soothing the ruffled personalities as best she could. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a delicate range of loops that made her almost look the like goddess herself, and it had the effect of reminding the people who really made the choices here.

“You have our word, the word of not only your Queen but your King and your Prince, that there will be no incidents to remind you of the past.” Elissa’s words quavered a bit as she finished, and her hand sought out Dreivans for support. “We have to look ahead, not back. If I can do it, we all can.”

---

“Blackbird!” Dreivan swung his niece in a large hug that left her laughing when he released her to a softer embrace by Elis. “You cut your hair!”

“Why is this the first thing everyone notices?” she complained teasingly. Johdian looked rakish as ever, his eye patch a simple black with blue threaded edges, and grinned as he clapped Sebastian on the back.

“Bastian! By the gods! I’m glad I didn’t bring you clothing, I would have your size all wrong!”

“Yeah, you porker!” added his cousin as she hauled a tightly wrapped package from their carriage. By now the kingdom knew of their arrival, and although it wasn’t as largely celebrated as most visitors, at least it was a quiet reunion. Partly since they came flanked with two sets of Effoi-du-San bodyguards. Not exactly people Leontine wanted around, but it was dealt with.

“Johdian.” Elis gave him a tender hug, and kissed his cheek affectionately. “It really has been too long. Where is Becca?” The one good blue eye of her brother in law rolled iconically.

“We are having issues with a group of glory-blinded youngsters who want to revive the Effoi-du-Vanc and go back to the old ways. She is remaining behind to educate them against uprisings.”

“I pity them,” she teased. Dreivan helped his brother unload, marveling at the amount of cargo they had as gifts.

“Really, Johdian, you shouldn’t have!”

“Blame me!” Blackbird cut in, roughly dropping her package in Sebastian’s arms. “I’ve been practicing, and I wanted to give you all a present.”

“She’s just as good as her father,” Johdian boasted, receiving a snort from Drei.

“Then be prepared for the metal to shatter!”

“Uncle Raven, that’s terrible!”

“WHY did you ever tell her that nickname, Johdian WHY?”

“For times such as these!” came the laughing reply, and Sebastian had to join in. The day couldn’t seem to get better, not with his uncle and cousin here for an extended visit.

“You two want to catch up, I know,” Elis murmured in her son’s ear. “Run along and let the brothers insult each other freely. They need the exercise.” Only too glad to obey, Sebastian darted off with Blackbird, leaving their fathers in a deep debate about who could best whom in a weapon’s making contest.

“Honestly,” Blackbird mused as they strolled lazily along the far side of the castle framing the beach. “Our parents.”

“How have you been, really?” Blackbird sighed, and swooped down for a rock to study, wiping the sand off carefully.

“I’m fine.”

“Liar.” he chuckled. “What has happened?”

“Recall Joack?”

“You mean Joke?”

“Stop it,” she laughed, tossing the stone at him. Deftly he caught it, and without breaking a stride, tossed it back with a flick of the wrist. Snatching it out of thin air, she copied him, the rock dancing between them smoothly until finally he dropped it in his pocket, and stopped walking.

“What about Joack?” She flicked her eyes away, and he knew it was bad.

“He tried to kill me.”

“What!?” Anger flooded through him. Joack had been a person she doted on, adored beyond thought, and never seemed to stop talking about until it drove him mad, but he endured it for her sake, and now she revealed he was an assassin? “I’ll kill him!”

“Oh, I slit his throat, of course, but…” she folded her arms across her chest, and turned away from him to search the horizon. “It made me think. The only people I can trust in Effoi is my father, and it hurts.”

“What about Aunt Becca?”

“Oh, she is a good Queen,” she admitted quickly, “But as a mother…”

“Lacking?”

“Very much.” They stood in silence, watching the sea, for a span of heartbeats before he spoke again.

“I’m sorry Kayda.”

“I hate that name, don’t call me that.”

“But I made you smile!” She burst into laughter, and started picking her path across the rocks once more, Sebastian following. It made him glad to see her happy, after not seeing her for so long. He was only a month older than her, a fact he loved to remind her of, especially when she had just beaten him in weapon-based combat. They had grown up together, in the beginning when Johdian hadn’t trusted the Effoi to leave his daughter alone. Once she turned ten, after both he and Dreivan had spent time training her, Johdian had deemed it safe to take her to Effoi, and Sebastian missed her anytime she left. Dreivan had then turned his attention to his son’s training, and now they felt about equal.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, breaking into his wandering thoughts. “You look like a zombie.”

“Thinking about how things changed once you went back to Effoi. I miss you living here.” he admitted. “There isn’t anyone here for me to connect with either.”

“You really should start looking for a wife.” Blackbird joked. “How old is Dreivan the Raven?”

“Oh hush! Not you too, I swear.” he made a gesture of disgust. “I shall never marry.”

“Sure, you say that now!”

“Ask me again in a few years and I will say the same! What about you?” Blackbird fell silent, and for once in a long time, did not let him into her thoughts.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Bastian. Can we head back? I’m starving.”

“What did I say?”

“Nothing, it’s not you. Can we head back now?” He studied her eyes, exactly a match between her fathers sea blue and his aunt’s azure grey, and saw a wall there that she would not let down, not even for him. Slightly hurt, he nodded, and held an arm out for her to lead the way.

“Sure…” Watching her gracefully pick her way across the rocks, he felt a little more alone. They had never shut each other out like this before, and it was a very disconcerting feeling for him to know she could not confide in him about something. Perhaps she was simply tired, but he felt deep down that there was something bothering her. If she couldn’t tell him, how bad was it?