"Why didn't you invite Reggie to join Moonflower?" Henry asked. They sat on their horses as they watched the haphazard group of five adventurers set off on the road that led back to the capital.

Ash sighed. "He's not ready yet. The skills we'd need from him aren't yet refined. I also don't want to trap him in something when he's not yet sure of what he wants to do. Let him experience what's out there first."

Henry let out a hum of agreement. He tugged on the reins and turned the horse away to head down another road almost parallel to the mountain range. "When are you going to check in with the Guild that you completed the quest?"

"I can do that at the next big city, or even at Shae. I asked Reggie and Claude to report on my behalf and that I'd confirm my part and safety later," Ash replied. He followed a half horse behind his brother. "Thank you for this, Brother."

Henry shook his head. "It's fine. I'm glad your friends found each other. And I hope that they sort everything out."

Ash released a low breath. "It's not uncommon for adventure parties to change as time goes on, especially at their ages, but it was still unexpected considering they're all from the same hometown and have known each other."

"Yes, usually those childhood friends turned into adventure parties stay together," Henry agreed. "At least, until one or more of them die, sending the remaining members either spiraling into depression with survivor's guilt until they find themselves dying of alcohol poisoning at a random tavern on the outskirts of society, or losing themselves in a quest for vengeance, then trying to replace, but not really replace, the lost members with new ones who will never quite meet their standards and are lost in the shadows of those who have died, resulting in resentment or growth and understanding of the human condition."

Ash squinted at his brother. "That's oddly specific, but you're not wrong."

"You're not the only one who reads books."

The two began their long journey to Shae, which would require them to follow the southern border of Dareisol before going along the border region between miscellaneous territories and Suna.

Messenger hawks between them and Nera confirmed each other's locations, as well as information on where they would be lodging when they arrived in Shae. Since the Invitational would flood the city with visitors, lodging would be difficult to find. The family's private apartment above the Snake, Scarab, and Sons in Shae would be their lodgings with Effie.

Hana and her brother would also stay there, as there were enough rooms. Nera, as a competitor in the games, had separate lodging until her event was completed, so it was important that they arrived well before the Invitational's opening ceremonies so someone could watch Effie.

The gods knew they could not leave Effie alone. Left to her own devices, she was a menace.

Nera said that if they did not reach them in time, Cio's mother would take care of Effie until they arrived, and the Stavos mother and son would be staying on one of their family's ships anchored in Shae's massive bay as guests.

Still, both Henry and Ash wanted to be there for the opening ceremony. It was one of the most exciting parts of the entire Invitational and everyone was going to be there.

One of their rest areas where they'd refresh their supplies and pick up a carriage Nera arranged was a large border town, Terenur City.

A major entrance into Dareisol on its eastern border was on the steppes at the base of the Mt. Asai Mountain Range. There were few roads in and out on that border and it was considered an easy to defend location, as the mountain range stretched across the continent with a few breaks that allowed for roads.

The mountain range also formed the eastern and southern borders of the empire. Beyond it were numerous kingdoms, principalities, the Suna Kingdom, and Ashtar. West Wind Valley was nestled in the mountain range's western region.

However, travel over the heavily mountainous part of the range could triple to quadruple the travel time, depending on the weather.

Due to the limitations of passes, there were choke points for travel in and out Dareisol.

The Terenur Central Southern Gateway was surrounded on both sides by a bustling trade city. Outside the gate was South City and inside the gate was North City, but the two combined was commonly referred to as Terenur City.

The brothers were not strangers to it. They'd passed through numerous times, including the first time they visited Dareisol.

They were roughly two weeks, if by wagon, away from the capital, and this far away, the air was filled with not just Dareisol's local languages, but foreign ones, as well. Because of this, most people, especially merchants, used Iverian Common.

"The checkpoints have become more stringent recently due to the aggravation of Ashtari soldiers in places of imperial interest," Henry told Ash as they walked out of the local Snake, Scarab, and Sons.

This teahouse, like most of them, had private quarters for the family and esteemed guests to stay in when they were in the area, but because of the location and importance of the city as a gateway in and out of Dareisol, it was one of the locations that would be expanded soon.

"Have those soldiers made it this far?" Ash asked with a frown.

"Not that I know of, but Auntie did say that more merchants from Ashtari had been sent out to gain trade for the country," Henry replied.

Ash made a face, still frowning. "Merchants from Ashtar? With what money? They're so heavily controlled by the nobles...oh...nobles."

"Disgraced nobles," Henry corrected him. He shook his head. "I honestly don't know what they're doing. No, I do, but it's not beneficial."

"From what Momma said, it sounds more like a punishment to be forced out of the empire and ordered to bring trade back."

"It is a punishment," Henry said with a sneer. "The empire isn't supporting them in anyway aside from giving them travel papers. Travel funds must come from the family. They must provide their own transport, staff, and pay costs up front. Not only that, but they don't force out able bodied young people with enough experience. They're sending influential elders that pose a threat, essentially exiling them."

Ash lowered his eyes as his steps slowed. "And their families are left behind like hostages."

Henry let out a low breath, his eyes narrowing. "Not like. They are hostages. The Old Bastard can't be rid of those noble houses that don't support him or his son without good reason, so he's doing this to weaken their power and gain control over the families. Who wants to live like that?"

"No one," Ash said. "That's why Momma has found and won several of them over."

"It's just a handful. There are a hundred or so noble families. That doesn't count the families that are martial or wealthy merchant. Auntie is doing what she can, but even she said that there are too few allies outside the borders."

Ash slowly turned his head towards his brother. His eyes squinted. "Then...she wants to go inside?"

Henry drew his lips inward and was quiet, unwilling to answer as he wasn't sure of it himself. Nera, as the head of Snake, Scarab, and Sons, was able to see audiences with various parties who were 'looking' for trading partners. The family company was very well known across all the continents, not only for their quality goods and network, but for how fast they rose to their status.

People came to seek opportunities with Nera many times, so it wouldn't seem out of the ordinary that elderly, downtrodden Ashtari came to her for help. It was when they did that it gave her the opportunity to assess their stance and decide whether or not they would be likely to support Henry.

"Even if she wants to go back, we can't get in. Ashtar's trade is still heavily controlled, and tourism isn't exactly something that is done in Ashtar." Henry couldn't help the irritation in his voice.

When their great-grandfather took the throne, Ashtar traded heavily. They had goods they were famous for, and caravans were always coming in and out of Ridua. During the country's prosperous times, there were many foreign visitors who came for Ashtar's food and specialty items.

They had beautiful palace-like inns with plazas surrounding shallow reflection ponds. Ridua and other large towns on trading routes often had skylines shaped by the numerous wind catching towers that cooled wealthy homes and centers.

By the time their great-grandfather's reign ended, the empire was crumbling under poor leadership and fractured imperial power.

Henry remembered reading about how glorious the empire had once been. His mother had once sighed at this.

"All it takes is one bad leader," she had told him. "And an empire can fall."

The countries had, for the most part, settled on borders and were concentrating on trade to keep their countries' coffers full. There were always a few skirmishes and disputes on how far a country's reach actually went, but for the most part, there was no one campaigning to unify the continents.

War was expensive, both monetary and with human lives.

As such, Nera had stressed many times that when they began to retake the throne for Henry, it had to be done quickly and efficiently so as not to drag it on and waste money or destroy lives.

He agreed, but they weren't fighting only his father and alleged half-brother. Even with those two gone, there was still an entire nobility to face. A nobility which had far more power and influence over the common people than ever. This was a result of multiple generations of rulers whose power was eroded, if not handed off to parties whose personal interests were more important than the country's.

"All the powers of the spirits in the world will not restructure and recentralize imperial power for me," Henry said in a low, tired voice.

"Yes, heavy is the head that wears the crown, and all that," Ash replied. "That's why I'm glad I'm the youngest son."

Henry shot him an annoyed glare. "Are you forgetting who your mother is?"

Ash let out a small snort. "Even if that crown falls on my head, it's nowhere near as in need of restructuring as Ashtar. And that's saying something considering my people haven't resettled in the territory that was handed over yet."

Henry rolled his eyes. Ash also had the advantage of a parent who was, despite ruling remotely, a competent ruler. Nera had an Elder Council that acted in her people's best interest and listened to her. Nera also had a firm grasp on international politics and local governance, directing resources where they needed to go. The last Henry remembered of their father, he listening to whatever noble gave him the most benefits. His decisions didn't consider the people.

His blood boiled at the memory of it.

"Forget about that. Have you decided what you want to eat for dinner?"

"Something like a local delicacy that we can only get in the region," Ash replied. "Eat it authentic, while we're here."

"That narrows it down a bit. Cold dishes or hot?"

"Hot."

"For the main meal: fried, stewed, grilled, or baked? Maybe a soup? And meat or vegetable?"

"Too warm for a soup. Stewed." Ash thought for a moment. "If we're here, local mutton."

"Bread, grains, dumplings, or noodles?" Henry continued narrowing down their choices.

"If it's stewed, then bread. We can dip it."

Henry nodded in agreement. "Local mutton must be eaten with flatbread." Henry was getting hungry just thinking about it.

"I saw several along the main road and down to the plaza, all the way to the gateway. If you're not too hungry, we can line up at the ones that look particularly popular," Ash said.

"That's usually a good sign, let's go with that." Henry allowed Ash to lead the way. The city was bustling and like any large trading center, there were people from all over, wearing a multitude of different styles of clothing in different colors and patterns.

Ash and Henry didn't stand out at all.

Ash sniffed the air. "I smell something good." He turned his head in the direction of the scent, to a large restaurant that had an open courtyard, but a long line.

The brothers stopped across the street and grimaced. "Are you...very hungry?" Henry asked.

Ash seemed to debate with himself whether it was worth the wait. After a few moments, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists with determination. "We're not here often. We should just wait."

Henry nodded and the two approached the host by the door to ask how long the wait was. Surprisingly, despite the line of people, it was about half an hour, and they were given a number and told to return at a set time.

Ash gave them his name and took the small wooden plate that had their number in multiple languages.

"Let's walk down to the gateway," Henry said. "I want to find out if there is any news on the Smiya-Suna route." By now, their family's caravans should've settled in place to act as a first line of defense to keep the small battalions of Ashtari soldiers from congregating in foreign territories and prevent them from causing trouble on the route.

The local Adventurer's Guild was also nearby the gateway, so Ash wanted to quickly visit.

Henry went to the posting station beside the main gateway and began to chat up some recently arrived merchants taking a rest.

"The Suna Empire has enacted a ban to prohibit any Ashtari citizen, soldier, or merchant from entering their borders," a tall, dark-skinned middle-aged man said in a knowing voice. "It was bound to happen with the Ashtari soldiers stationing themselves near the Suna border where they weren't before."

"They must've lost their minds," another merchant said with a disgusted click on his tongue. "They dare provoke Suna? What next? Dareisol?"

"What do they have to provoke Suna with? All they have are people, not resources," a woman wearing pants and a long tunic criticized. "I heard they're still reeling from the effects of that famine years ago."

"They're trying to do trade with West Iveria," the first middle-aged man said. "A trading partner of mine says that several Ashtari ships had been seen along the coasts of West Iveria."

"Trading ships?" Someone asked.

"Are they trying to trade with the Federation?" another asked.

Henry shook his head. The Federation had too much leverage; Ashtar couldn't afford to trade with them. They'd lose out on the deal. "I saw the Crown Prince's ship in one of the port kingdoms in West Iveria," he said, joining the conversation. Several people turned towards him as he sat down. He gave them all a small, apologetic bow of his head. "I overheard. I hope you don't mind my interjecting."

"Of course not, young man. The more news we have the better," the eldest sitting around the post station's rest area replied. "When did you see this?"

"A few months ago," Henry replied. "I heard they were trying to make a deal to secure Zimora's port as a major shipping port to gain access to West Iveria."

A series of 'hmms' came from the merchants. "Where is Zimora?" the woman asked.

Henry drew a map in the air with his hands and noted that Zimora wasn't far from the newly joined Federation city, Ji'Kerra.

"The Federation is allied with Dareisol and Suna. It's not going to trade so easily with Ashtar," someone said. The group agreed.

"I heard there have been Ashtari soldiers along the Smiya-Suna route." Henry steered the conversation back to the land route. "Has there been any trouble?"

The first man chuckled and grinned. "You know who's invested a lot in that route? The Mt. Asae Merchant Guild. They have some of the most powerful merchant families in the world. They wouldn't let Ashtari soldiers take over their territory."

Technically, the route crossed multiple territories, but much of its upkeep and security was overseen by the Mt. Asae Merchant Guild and the Federation of Merchant Cities' continental trade commission, which helped fund the maintenance of some of the most important trading routes on both continents.

The woman leaned forward and looked around the group. She lowered her voice. "There was a skirmish recently along the route. Ashtar's soldiers were told they were prohibited from using the route, as it was a trade route and their presence would alarm merchants. The soldiers were upset and tried to push through. That was a mistake. Do you know who stopped them?"

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"Who?" Henry asked. He already had a feeling.

"The caravan guards of Snake, Scarab, and Sons!" The woman clapped her hands and sat up, her eyes wide with excitement. "I heard it was brutal. Who knew those guards could best an entire battalion?"

Henry nodded. He knew. Many of those guards were descended and trained by soldiers and officers of the Lunapsar Continental army that Nera's grandmother was the Supreme General of. That was the same army that assisted Dareisol's Imperial Family in stabilizing their power after a rift in the family threatened a war of succession.

"Knowing that a Federation's merchant's guards are keeping order for the trade routes is comforting," someone said. "But how long will it last?"

"What if Ashtar sends more people?" another person asked.

Henry listened for a while longer to their concerns. Many of the merchants traveling through Terenur used at least a portion of the Smiya-Suna route, so they all had opinions on the recent concern of Ashtari soldiers appearing.

After checking the time and realizing they had five minutes before they could check into the restaurant for a table, Henry excused himself and walked out of the post station. Ash was already waiting across the street for him. Henry began to cross the street when he heard urgent voices in Ashtari.

He couldn't help but turn his head towards the sound of his mother tongue, which was rarely heard. Three men were rapidly discussing what to do, as they didn't seem to have the right documents and were prohibited from entering. The youngest of them turned to the officer and spoke in an accented Iverian Common.

"What else did you say was needed?"

"You need a letter of introduction from a merchant guild or a Dareisol merchant in order to enter," a Dareisol border officer was standing in front of one of the entrance gates. The gate was still blocked off, keeping the people on the other side from going further as their travel documents were checked.

"I was not told that a letter of introduction was required," a man with a sun-tanned face and thin rimmed glasses led two other men, who were leading donkeys. All three men were dressed in worn, dusty Ashtari clothing. Long, loose, light colored tunics and pants, leather shoes, and headpieces to keep their heads covered under the sun. "Our travel documents and identification state that we are merchants from Ashtar. Before, there was no restriction as long as we properly filled out the entry forms."

The officer shook his head. "There has been a recent change due to the conflicts. New requirements have been required for Ashtar citizens."

No wonder Henry didn't hear any of the other merchants talking about any change of documentation requirement at the post station.

The man speaking to the officer, who was tall and somewhat thin in his dirt dusted, wrinkled robes, seemed to pale. "How are we supposed to get a letter of introduction from a Dareisol merchant if we can't enter?"

"I suggest seeking assistance from South City. There are a number of merchant guilds with offices there that may be able to help you," the officer said. "Failing that, you can re-apply as a visiting citizen; however, there will be a waiting period to review your documents."

The man's eyes crinkled up. "How long is the waiting period?"

"Two to three months."

"That's too long! Are we supposed to wait outside the gate for that long?" the man cried out. "We are traveling to Shae Merchant City. At this rate, by the time we reach it, the Invitational will be over."

The officer raised his brow. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do."

Henry narrowed his eyes. The Ashtari man looked no older than he was, though he had bags under his eyes and his face appeared a bit sunken. Travel had not been good to him. The man turned his head and sunlight hit his face. It allowed Henry to get a good look at the man's burgundy eyes.

He grit his teeth as he took in a sharp breath.

"Brother?" Ash reached his side, having made his way over when Henry had stopped to watch a confrontation. Ash looked from him and back to the men who were pleading to speak to another official.

Henry patted Ash on the shoulder. "Stay here," he said. "And wait for me."

Ash raised a brow. "All right...." He turned and watched as Henry made his way to the gateway.

"Mr. Heigoren! There you are! I've been waiting for you!" Henry's voice was just loud enough to be heard over the hustle and bustle of the crowds coming and going. He raised his arm in the air and waved, as if greeting an old friend.

His words were also in Ashtari.

The three men immediately turned around to look for whoever was speaking their language and saw Henry in glasses and wearing a wide, welcoming smile walking towards them. Confusion filled their faces and the two men behind the burgundy-eyed man looked at each other and seemed to be asking if the other knew Henry.

"Are you...are you speaking to me?" The burgundy-eyed man awkwardly pointed at himself and Henry laughed.

"Who else would I be talking to?" he said in a boisterous voice. He reached out, over the gate that was drawn between them, and put his arm around the man's shoulders, pulling him close while patting his back as if embracing an old friend. Henry leaned into the man's ear and whispered Ashtari in a low voice. "Play along if you want to go to Shae." The other man's eyes dilated. Henry laughed once more and released him, looking towards the officer. "What's going on here? I've been waiting for them for some time." This time, he spoke in Iverian Common.

The officer raised a brow and looked from Henry to the men and back. "Do you know these men?"

"Yes! Well...I know this man! Haha!" Henry slapped the burgundy-eyed man's shoulders once more. "What's holding them back? Are their identification papers missing? Is the entry fee too much?"

"Sir," the officer said, looking at Henry with suspicion. "May I ask, who are you."

"Oh, I'm being rude." Henry stepped back and reached into his bag. He took out a thin, neat leather folder. It was dyed dark green and gold bossed with the seal of Snake, Scarab, and Sons. "Henry Atractas."

He opened the folder and held it out for the officer to review.

It was likely that he didn't need to do that much. Upon seeing the seal, the officer's suspicion seemed to vanish. His demeanor changed again when he saw the documents in the folio. Aside from Henry's Federation of Merchant Cities paperwork, which gave him rights and freedoms in Dareisol equal to that of a Dareisol citizen, there were also documents with Dareisol Imperial seals.

This made him an official 'guest' of the imperial family.

The officer took in a sharp breath. "Young Master Atractas. Good afternoon!"

Henry kept a pleasant smile on his face. "Good afternoon. May I ask again what is holding back my guests from entering?"

At this, the officer turned all his attention to Henry. "Due to recent entry restrictions imposed on Ashtar and its people, even Ashtari merchants are required to provide letters of introduction for entry."

Henry nodded. "All right, and who needs to sign off on those letters of introduction?"

"A trade guild or a Dareisol merchant they intend to partner with," the officer replied.

"I see. Then in that case, I can write a letter of introduction on behalf of Snake, Scarab, and Sons under the Mt. Asae Merchant Guild," Henry said. "Will that suffice?"

"Yes, of course, Young Master!"

Henry nodded and motioned for them to step aside. "Then, if you'll lead the way to an office, I can prepare a letter and get this straightened out."

The officer gave him a nod. "Yes, Young Master." He signaled the other guards to allow the leader of the three men, the burgundy-eyed man, to step forward. "Your escort and donkeys must wait in the courtyard."

The man nodded. "I understand." He looked over his shoulder to tell the other two in Ashtari. "Follow the guards to wait for me. Young Master Atractas will arrange for a letter of introduction!"

The two men looked relieved at first, but then a bit hesitant. One of them stood in place. "Young Lord, the Prime Minister instructed us not to leave your side."

Henry kept a smile on his face and didn't show any reaction to what he heard. It looks like he had guessed the man's identity correctly.

"It'll be fine! Nothing will happen to me!" the other man assured them.

"Brother!" Ash called out. "What's going on?"

Henry pointed to the post station. "Wait for me there! I need to deal with this!"

Ash scrunched his face. "Who are they?" he asked in Lunapsar.

The burgundy-eyed man turned to look at Ash. Henry gave his brother a dismissive wave, but answered. "Talam Heigoren."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Ash had never seen the man before, but he'd heard of him. He was roughly Henry's age, and was the only son of former Prime Minister Heigoren's eldest son and daughter-in-law. After an accident took Talam's parents, his grandparents and younger uncle, the now Prime Minister Heigoren, raised him.

Ash had never seen Prime Minister Heigoren, either, so he stared at the man across from them to try to guess what the older man would look like.

Dark hair, somewhat tanned skin, and burgundy eyes. To Ash, he neither looked handsome nor ugly. Just average.

He held back a sneer. Did that mean Talam's uncle was 'just average', too? What did that say about his mother's taste in men? Let's not over think it, she was young.

"Introductions are in order," Henry said after the server left their private room. There were five men, two on one side of a rectangular table, and three on the other. Ash sat beside Henry. "Once more, my name is Henry Atractas. I'm the eldest son of the Atractas family. We own and operate Snake, Scarab, and Sons." He motioned to Ash beside him. "And this is my younger brother Ash."

The two escorts of the burgundy-eyed man sat in silence, deferring all conversation to their charge. The man bowed his head to each brother.

"I am Talam Heigoren, and these are my two escort guards, Bo and Diyar," he replied. "Thank you for writing the letter of introduction. If you hadn't, we'd be forced to turn back and try to find another route to Shae."

"I heard you are trying to go there for the Invitational," Henry said. "I'm afraid if you turned back now, you'd miss it."

Helpless, Talam nodded his head. "Yes, it's imperative that we attend. There will be a large gathering of merchants there; the largest in the continents since the last Invitational, I was told. We are trying to increase trading in Ashtar, so we can't waste this opportunity."

Henry nodded. "Many agreements and deals are made during the Invitational. You're not wrong."

Ash tilted his head to the side. "You're not from a merchant family. Why are you involved in trade concerns?"

He ignored the suspicious looks of the two escort guards, but Henry didn't. "We heard them refer to the Prime Minister earlier. If I'm not mistaken, the new Prime Minister of Ashtar is surnamed Heigoren, and he is not from a merchant family."

"How do you know that?" The escort guard on the right, Diyar, frowned at them.

"Influential people of the courts in the major countries must be kept track of," Henry replied in a calm voice. "Especially in Ashtar. We heard of the recent military movement."

Across from them, the three men tensed. Talam lowered his eyes. "These are soldiers under the command of His Highness Crown Prince Eskander, not the legacy armies of the marquis or general families."

"My Lord, you should not tell them these things," Diyar said, leaning forward.

"It isn't as if it's a secret," Ash told them as he leaned back against his seat.

"You two speak court Ashtari very well," Diyar replied in response. He continued to frown, still suspicious of them.

"Language books for Ashtari tend to focus on formal court Ashtari," Henry said. "We can use a more informal version if that makes you feel more comfortable."

Diyar sneered. "I didn't realize that Ashtari was so popular to learn outside of the empire."

"It's not," Ash replied. "Our family fled Ashtar during the great northern famine."

"Ashtari is our mother tongue," Henry added. He gave Diyar a slight look of arrogance. "And you should be glad it is, otherwise, you'd be waiting outside the gateway instead of having dinner with us in the best mutton restaurant in the city."

"He's right, Diyar. Don't be rude," Talam said, giving his escort a stern look. "We will be able to reach Shae Merchant City on time because of Young Master Atractas."

"It is still suspicious why they agreed to write a letter of introduction for us, Young Lord."

"Consider it helping an old countryman," Henry said. "And if there is any news about Ashtar, we'd like to know."

Before Talam could respond, Diyar spoke up. "Why?"

His voice was dripping with suspicion, but neither Ash nor Henry were bothered by it. Ash raised a brow. "Why else? We're merchants. Rumors abound that Ashtar is seeing trade. It's an opportunity to build rapport with a prospective trading partner."

"Do you think our family grew our business to reach across two continents in so little a time by sitting still?" Henry asked. "Ashtar is currently an untapped market. Building a Snake, Scarab, and Sons teahouse there would be a good foothold into the country's commerce."

"And it's also well known that nobles are heavily involved, so having a partner from a noble background, such as yourself, would be very beneficial," Ash said.

Talam squinted and cocked his head to the side. "How did you know that I'm from a noble background?"

"Your eyes," both bothers said at once. Ash hadn't noticed until after Henry told him the man's name, but it was enough to confirm his identity.

"There are only two families in Ashtar that carry blood lineages that can be shown through their eyes," Henry said, gently adjusting his glasses. "The Heidar Imperial Family, with their lapis eyes, and the Heigoren family, which have been ministers of the court since its founding. They are known for their burgundy eyes."

Talam took a deep breath. "You are well informed."

Henry nodded once more.

The door knocked and a server came with some drinks and appetizers. They were placed on the table and Henry and Ash gave polite thanks before motioning for their guests to eat.

"So, tell me," Ash said as he picked up a fried chip to eat. "The Prime Minister your uncle or father?" He prodded the other man despite already knowing the answer.

"Uncle." Talam answered openly, appearing to give up on trying to downplay his family background. "Although, after the death of my parents, he raised me as his own."

Henry and Ash exchanged subtle looks in the midst of eating. "That didn't cause any problems with his wife or your uncle's children, did it?"

Talam shook his head. "My uncle and his wife were married legally, only. They never had any children."

Ash looked up. "Is it because he's raising you?"

"That's part of it," Talam said. "My uncle is the second son. He never planned to succeed the family. He said that if anyone would succeed the family, it would be the son of his elder brother, my later father."

"That's quite a sacrifice, but it shows his love and respect for you," Henry said. "And your aunt was accepting of this?"

The air seemed to grow a bit colder. Talam's face darkened and his hand paused over the plate of fried chips. "If you'll excuse me, please do not refer to that woman as my aunt."

"Lord Prime Minister was forced into a marriage," Bo said. Diyar shot him an annoyed look.

"What are you saying!"

"It's not a secret," Talam interjected, settling any argument between them. "My uncle did not want to marry his wife, but there was an imperial order for him to marry the second daughter of General Heikaravian. It was particularly infuriating because my uncle had been engaged to General Heikaravian's oldest daughter. They were very close to getting married and then...." Talam shook his head, as if at a loss. "I don't know what happened. My aunt, the woman my uncle planned to marry, ended up marrying Emperor Keirsas."

Ash looked at Talam a bit longer. "She became one of his wives?"

Talam drank his tea and then nodded. "I don't believe she wanted to. I was young, but I remember very clearly how close my uncle and her were. She was close to me, too actually. After my parents died, the entire household was in chaos. My grandparents were at a loss and because they were so lost in their grief…I wasn't…very cared for during that time. It wasn't until my uncle returned with his fiancée that things got better. Uncle focused all his energy on the family, and his fiancée stayed with us to take care of me. She was incredibly good to me and I'll never forget her for being there when I needed her most."

"You never saw her again?" Henry asked.

Talam was quiet for a moment. "She died several years ago." He knit his brows and looked down, frowning. "She and her son, the Fourth Prince...." He looked across the table at the two. "You should've heard how four of the Emperor's sons mysteriously died, leaving only one son to be heir, yes?"

"Yes...tragic," Ash said, his voice a bit tight.

Talam nodded. "She and the Fourth Prince were caught in a hunting accident." He scowled and narrowed his eyes. "At least, that's what they say. They fell from the walls of one of the imperial hunting lodges and were carried off by wolves. Only scraps of clothes and blood remained. They only searched for them for two weeks before declaring them dead." He let out a cold laugh and shook his head before reaching for more tea. "Accident, they said...who would believe that after several princes died in a row?"

Henry and Ash looked at each other for a moment. Henry took a deep breath. "It must have been sad for you."

"It was worse for my uncle," Talam said. The door opened again and the scent of fresh bread and spices from a large bowl of mutton and vegetables filled the room.

Each person got a small bowl and a metal serving spoon was left in the center bowl so the guests could serve themselves.

"We'll take some clear wine, as well," Henry told the server before he left. The server nodded and the door closed.

"So," Ash said as Henry scooped him some mutton stew. "Your uncle is doing well now, though, yes? He's the Prime Minister."

"Yes," Talam said. He paused and perked up. "If you do wish to gain a foothold in Ashtar, our family would be ideal as support. Even though he and his wife divorced, he is still close to General Heikaravian and so the General will also offer his support."

Henry paused in the middle of splitting a large piece of flatbread between him and Ash. "He divorced his wife?"

Ash drew his head back, his eyes wide. That was the first time he heard of that. Wasn't their marriage an imperial order? Those couldn't be defied so easily.

Talam nodded. "She did not agree with my being the heir to the family and desperately wanted a child with my uncle, but my uncle refused to spend even a night with her. She became pregnant and tried to claim the child as my uncle's, but he denied it. After some investigation, it was revealed that it was the child of a distant cousin on her mother's side. My uncle divorced her on the grounds of infidelity and plotting against a noble family."

"Good for him," Ash said, nodding. Perhaps the Prime Minister wasn't too bad. He still didn't approve completely though.

"In order to strengthen my family's position, I must bring more trade to Ashtar. I have a year to do so."

"A year?" Ash asked.

Henry frowned. "It takes weeks, if not months to travel places. If you have no pre-existing relationships, how can this be done in a year?"

Talam grit his teeth. "I was given a year to accomplish this task, otherwise, they would send my grandfather." He looked up at met their gazes. "The current court, under the guise of forcing families who didn't support the Emperor and his son's decisions before to show their loyalty by sending their elders on this task. Our family is very small; there are only five of us, and I am the heir. In a way, I have more importance as the only heir to the family at this time, which makes me the most vulnerable to their orders.

"However, I'm young, able-bodied, and our family still has some wealth. For all their talk, they don't want us to succeed or, at least, have an easy time with this task, so they instilled a time period for me. If I can't draw business into the country, they will send my grandfather. This was the best arrangement my uncle could make."

"If your uncle arranged this, didn't he give you anything else? Names of people who may help?" Ash asked. According to his mother, Prime Minister Heigoren had traveled around a lot in his youth and knew many people.

Talam nodded. "He gave the name of one woman who may be able to help me. Apparently, she had ties to my aunt, his former fiancée." He put down his spoon and reached into his inner tunic. He unfolded a piece of paper. "A woman named Soraya...I believe she's a nun."

"Soraya?" Henry's brows rose.

Ash almost grimaced on Talam's behalf. Soraya did not have the best opinion of Talam's uncle. If Talam approached her, she'd laugh in his face.

Talam nodded. "Yes." He looked at the paper once more. "Unfortunately, Uncle doesn't have her surname, so I am hoping to go to one of the large holy orders on the way to inquire."

"You know," Henry began a bit hesitantly. "It may be easier for you to go directly to Shae to meet other merchants. We can even discuss this with the head of our family's company."

Talam's eyes widened. "Really? You're sincerely interested in working with me?"

"As we said earlier, Ashtar is an untapped market. If we can get a foothold there, it would be beneficial," Henry replied.

Ash nodded. "We don't only trade in tea, but we're expanding to hospitality. We also do trade all around the continents, with expansions in the Dragon Continent already in progress."

Talam let out a small, breathy gasp. "Wonderful...wonderful!" He leaned forward. "Can you arrange for me to meet with your family company head?"

"Yes. And you're in luck with that," Henry told him. "Like many other merchants, she will be in Shae for the Invitational."

Talam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It is the will of the gods," he said in a soft voice full of relief. He opened his eyes and looked at the two brothers. "Thank you both."

"Don't thank us yet," Ash said with a slight grin. "You still need to close the deal with my mother."

"Your mother?" Talam smiled. "If she is as kind as you both, I will be glad." He concentrated for a moment. "Perhaps I should bring a greeting gift?" He looked at his two escorts, who nodded.

"If they are from Ashtar, it would be appropriate, Young Lord," Bo said. "She will understand the custom." Diyar nodded in agreement.

"Then, we shall prepare one, wait." Talam looked back at the brothers. "Are there any more in your family? Father? Another sibling?"

"Momma is a widow," Ash said. Henry nodded in agreement.

"A widow!" Talam's brows shot up. "And she now heads Snake, Scarab, and Sons...." His voice was filled with awe.

"The Young Masters' mother is formidable," Bo said. Talam nodded.

"Indeed. I will prepare a meeting gift for her."

"We also have a younger sister," Ash said. "However, she likely won't be at the meeting."

"I must still bring a meeting gift to extend to the Young Miss," Talam said with an excited smile.

"She's seven, going on eight," Henry told him. "And she likes food."

Ash bit his lip. Effie also liked money, but that would've been a bit crass.

"I understand. Thank you." Talam couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"By the way, you said earlier that there were only five of you in your family," Henry told him. "Your grandparents, you and your uncle...?"

Talam's already brightened face seemed to glow as he immediately beamed. "My wife!" His cheeks had a faint flush. "Varellian." Ash froze, and almost didn't see the momentary jerk of Henry's head when they heard that name. "To be honest, it is her money that is funding most of this trip. When we married, she brought a good deal of wealth with her."

Ash swallowed hard. He only knew one woman in all of Ashtar with that name. "Did she come from another noble family?"

Talam laughed a bit, completely lowering his guard to the brothers. Perhaps it was because after their arduous journey, they met countrymen who were willing to help them.

"You can say that," Talam said. His eyes softened. "She is a Heidar."

Ash closed his eyes for a moment. Beside him, Henry took a sip of tea and lowered his cup. "Imperial family?"

Talam nodded. His expressions saddened. "Though she and the rest of her siblings from the Court of Imperial Wives don't have much value in front of their father, she is still a princess."

Ash let out a low breath.

Who would have known that all the way out on the edges of Dareisol, he and Henry would randomly meet their brother-in-law for the first time?

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