Thinking about the unofficial Ashtari delegation reminded Henry of Talam. He and Ash had been sidetracked with the baby fire giant and lost several days of direct travel. If Talam and his escorts traveled with a caravan enroute to Shae, even with a few stops, they would've arrived already, or at least, been very close.

He tapped his fingertips on the table, his brows knit in thought.

"I'm going to have some guards posted by the city gates."

Prince Tae's brows shot up. "Henry, I know you don't like them, but assassination-"

"I'm not sending guards to assassinate anyone," Henry said with a roll of his eyes. "There is another party from Ashtar that we're waiting for."

"Oh, yeah...." Ash lowered the drink he'd almost finished. "I forgot about him."

"Him?" Prince Tae looked from brother to brother.

Henry raised his cup to call for some more wine. "A Heigoren."

Prince Tae's relaxed demeanor tensed at once. He sat up in his seat, his hands nearly slapping down on the tabletop as his eyes widened. "He's coming?"

"No, not that Heigoren," Henry said, motioning for the server to ignore Prince Tae.

"His nephew," Ash told him. "He's been given 'the task'."

Prince Tae sat back down in his seat and frowned. "You mean unofficial exile." Ash lifted his cup towards him in a sign of acknowledgement. Prince Tae thought for a moment and frowned. "Isn't he a bit young? All the ones we've met were old."

According to correspondence from Suna, several of the elders sent out for 'economic' reasons had gone to Suna, their immediate neighbor, in hopes of building trade, but were unsuccessful. However, through Prince Tae and Nera's arrangements, Prince Tae would subtly direct some of those elders to Nera for screening as a possible ally.

Then Suna became more upset with Ashtar and prohibited entry all together.

"He got special permission to come in place of his grandfather," Henry said. "You should've heard by now who became the new Ashtari Prime Minister."

The corner of the Prince's lip curled up, and he let out a small scoff, but didn't give Henry an answer.

Though the Atractas family kept their real identities a secret from their civilian friends whom they interacted with daily, that wasn't the case for some of East Iveria's powerful imperial and royal families who had known them before they became the Atractas family.

Before Ash and Nera 'died', messages had been sent asking for assistance to be sent to the borders of Ashtari. Ultimately, Soraya was the one who sneaked into the country to get them when they neared the border, but the Dareisol Imperial Family had also been on guard and waiting, as was Suna's Imperial Family.

The current Dareisol Emperor's wife, Empress Eliza, personally went for support and was instrumental in setting up the Snake, Scarab, and Sons in Dareisol's big cities. The Empress was herself from a merchant family.

From Suna, Prince Tae had overseen the patrols along the border with his and his sister's personal guards.

Their personal ties to Nera went far beyond Nera being an Ashtari Imperial Wife. It went back further. Dareisol and the Celestial Kingdom were ancient allies, with many close relationships amongst the elite. Looking after Nera when Nera was escaping was protecting one of their own.

The same went for Suna. Empress Yayae was Nera's junior at the West Wind Girls Academy. Yayae was a sickly girl and under the 'big sister-little sister' mentorship system, Nera became her big sister. Yayae being sickly was troublesome, and she had an older half-sister who suppressed her, so no one came forward to be her big sister, except Nera.

Yayae's climb to power in Suna was in part an effort to give Nera backing after finding out what happened to Nera. As for Prince Tae, he'd had long-standing 'admiration' of Nera since he met her when he was visiting his sister at the abbey.

Soraya said that if Yayae had not disapproved of Prince Tae pursuing Nera because he was 'not worthy', Prince Tae would've confessed. Of course, this also meant that Prince Tae resented Prime Minister Heigoren and hated Emperor Keirsas with a passion.

Outside of that, he and Nera were good friends, and he was also good friends with Henry, who once thwarted his assassination.

"The nephew...." he said in a low voice. "Can he be trusted?"

"That's why we suggested he meet with Momma," Ash replied. "She will assess his sincerity."

"Hmm...." Prince Tae pursed his lips.

"Are you concerned she'll be soft-hearted with him and reveal too much?" Henry asked.

Prince Tae took a deep breath. "Nera has always been very soft-hearted to children. In that interim period where the Heigoren Clan was reeling with the death of the heir and his wife, it was your mother and aunt who cared for him. She wouldn't forget him."

"He certainly didn't forget Momma," Ash said, lowering his eyes. "He held her in a higher place than his uncle's legal wife."

"All that aside, Auntie is pragmatic. She will deal with him according to what's most useful for us."

"That's true."

"We'll deal with him when he arrives and after Auntie's events are over," Henry told them. The smell of food wafted from the entrance.

Ash called Hana back to eat, but in the end, she put food on her plate and went to sit with the children so she could continue explaining how her little windmill she'd built out of the connector blocks could grind grain, pump water, and even cut wood.

Prince Tae tried to take his nephew back to hand him to his nanny to be fed, but Effie insisted on feeding him herself.

The Prince raised a brow and looked at her with doubt. "Are you...do you know how?"

Effie gave him a wave of her hand. "Of course, I know how. I feed babies all the time."

Henry raised a brow and Ash scoffed. "Since when?"

"All the time! You weren't there!" Effie snapped. She carefully balanced Prince Muran on her leg and squished some vegetables with rice. "Come on, baby! Let's eat! The ship is coming into the harbor!"

Prince Tae still carried a look of doubt and Ash opened his mouth to tell Efie to stop playing and let the nanny take the baby, but Prince Muran opened his mouth. He even said 'ah'.

"Effie likes to play with babies at the teahouse," Cio explained, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

Prince Tae pursed his lips. "Every time I see Effie, I discover something new."

Despite his tired voice, the two brothers took his comment as a compliment. They sat up a bit straighter and lifted their chins a bit higher.

"She's multitalented," Ash said.

Henry nodded. "She's an Atractas."

Prince Tae rolled his eyes and urged them to eat. The rest of the meal discussed the minor annoyances Ashtar had created along the Suna border.

"Henry, as a warning, several courtiers in Suna are pushing for Suna to invade some territory in northeastern Ashtar."

Henry froze in the midst of cutting a scallop. He looked up. "Northeast Ashtar? But there's nothing there. No farms or big cities. Even the coasts are rough and violent; they're not suitable for trading ports."

Prince Tae shook his head. "Suna doesn't need another port, but land is land. And northeast Ashtar is only in the situation it's in currently because that careless Emperor never reinvested in that area after the famine. Hardly anyone who fled returned. No support was given. It's immensely underpopulated. It's practically desolate."

Henry's hand tightened on his utensils.

"It doesn't have big cities and the available farmland is underutilized, but I don't think Suna is going to try anytime soon, despite what those courtiers say," Ash said.

The two older men looked towards him.

"Well, of course, out of respect, my sister won't invade," Prince Tae replied and looked at Henry. "However, if the power doesn't shift soon...."

Ash waved a hand in front of him. "Are you forgetting what else is in that region?" He swallowed his food and looked from one man to the other. "Heikaravian."

Prince Tae took in a sharp breath and Henry clenched his jaw.

The Heikaravian they were familiar with was Nera's maiden Ashtari family. Though it had lost influence in the court because of internal conflicts within the clan, they had a trump card that even the Old Bastard could not take away: the Heikaravian army, the largest and best trained army in Ashtar.

Nera's father's clan was one of the great military general families that had managed to stay in power for so long. Though the clan's estate was in the capital of Ridua, the army was stationed in the north, but due to their distance from the capital and their self-sufficiency, they were difficult to control.

The Old Bastard could pull them away from the border, but Ashtar and Suna weren't on pleasant terms, and he couldn't risk moving a strategic chess piece that protected a border just because he didn't like them. It was a bit of a cold war; as long as the Heikaravian army did its job and stayed where it was, and didn't get involved in court politics, the Old Bastard wouldn't be bothered with them.

"The Old Bastard may leave them alone for now, but the dynamics of the court are constantly changing," Henry said. "The Heikaravians maintain neutrality and don't have a representative in the court."

"They don't?" Prince Tae frowned. "But the General wasn't an only child. Didn't he have a younger brother?"

"He hasn't shown up in court from what Auntie has noted," Henry replied. "It could be that the General overwhelmed him and told him not to get involved."

Prince Tae let out a small sneer. "Years too late, if you ask me."

"Whatever the reason, as long as he doesn't get in the way, I don't care," Ash said.

Prince Tae looked at Ash with some curiosity. "Have you ever met your grandfather-"

"Don't call him that." Ash put his utensils down. The usual, carefree look on his face was displaced with a serious one. "I've never even met the man. I can accept, and even respect, that he's a good general...but as a grandfather?" Ash shook his head. "He has no right to consider himself as such."

Henry stared at Ash and felt his chest tighten. Where was General Heikaravian when Nera was drugged? Where was he when she was set up to marry the man who would abuse her and neglect their son?

When the princes were being targeted, where was the General?

When he, Ash, and Nera were fleeing Ashtar in the midst of a famine, where was he?

"Auntie doesn't speak of him past his status and usefulness." Henry reached out and helped himself to some more food from one of the shared plates in an effort to diffuse the tension. "She'll call him 'my father' or 'the General', but nothing sounds intimate and familiar."

Prince Tae retracted his gaze and nodded. "I apologize, Ash."

Ash lowered his head and shook it. "No need. Just take it as information."

"Ash," Hana called from the children's table. "Come take a look at this! It reminded me of something that we can use for the medical supplies line!"

Henry didn't know if Hana heard or felt the sudden tension from Ash and decided to speak up when she did or not, but he silently thanked her for doing so. Ash put his utensils down and abandoned his plate to go to her.

Henry glanced at Prince Tae, who pursed his lips and looked at Ash's half-eaten plate with some regret.

"Royal families," Henry lifted the small cup in his hand and tried to get Prince Tae's attention once more. "Always complicated, am I right?"

Prince Tae gave him a wry smile and grasped his cup to clink it with Henry's once more. "Though our father only had two wives, it was enough for us to struggle, so I understand."

Though the General famously only favored his first wife, Nera's mother, he had two at the same time at one point, which resulted in Nera's mother's death and Nera's estrangement from her paternal side.

Henry and Ash, obviously, had different mothers. The Emperor of Ashtar's indifference could be counted as a blessing in disguise, as once he actually paid attention to his sons, they began to die off.

Prince Tae and Empress Yayae's father, the late Emperor of Suna, had two wives. Their mother was a political arrangement and was the least favored of the two. This ended up trickling down to how their children were treated.

Yayae once told them that she was sent to West Wind Girls Academy to be compared and found as inferior to her older half-sister, the Emperor's favorite daughter. A lot of good that did them, as Yayae learned well, and out maneuvered her half-sister and half-brothers, proving herself the superior heir for the throne within years of returning to Suna.

Even when the court was on her side, and the military favoring her, the final decision on who would become the crowned heir, as in Henry's situation, was up to the Emperor.

How could the gods' favored son go against his personal wishes, and name Yayae Crown Princess, when his favored children were still alive and well?

Unwilling to see his sister face injustice, Prince Tae went on a business rampage, destroying the financial support systems for his half-siblings, putting them and their maternal family and their supporters in such heavy debt that several family members became debt-prisoners and were forced to do labor.

That only angered the Emperor and, in a heinous act that reminded everyone of how cruel a royal family could be, ordered Yayae and Prince Tae killed for attempted royal siblicide, and their mother imprisoned.

It was Nera's animals who warned them. Nera's animals who protected them, and Nera's animals that paralyzed the Emperor, making him unable to rule.

Henry knew this, as their family had been in Suna when the imperial family's fight for succession reached its peak. He accidentally got in the way of Prince Tae's assassination. Henry was young, but he was already a talented swordsman and summoner. What were a handful of assassins against elemental spirits?

Though his involvement was accidental, Nera had no business involving herself in the succession struggle of another imperial family on purpose. They were outsiders, after all.

"But who made Yayae my little sister?" Nera had sighed helplessly when she released a venomous creature into Suna's imperial palace years ago to protect Yayae. It was as if she couldn't stand by and allow Yayae and Tae to be hurt.

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With the Suna Emperor unable to move or speak, the court pushed Yayae as the interim ruler, and eventually Empress, after Prince Tae formally relinquished his claim to instead focus on imperial economics. As for their half-siblings, they were demoted to commoners and farmed on imperial farmland under careful watch.

"The Empress has one husband. Her family life is simple now," Henry said. Yayae's husband was a quarter Lunapsar from West Wind Valley and they had been friends while going to school. Her husband was also distantly related to Nera through Nera's grandmother's side, meaning he had been a Lunapsar soldier before being willingly dragged off to Suna.

The memory of the quiet, somewhat easily embarrassed man awkwardly trying to have a conversation with them made Henry laugh. It was always the quiet ones who married the loud ones.

"Will you do the same?" Prince Tae asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Henry smiled for a moment and raised his eyes before nodding. "As long as she'll have me."

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"Give me...one orange juice slushes, three strawberry juice slush-"

"Make it four," Ash said.

"Five!" Hana piped. Henry took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"One orange juice slushes and five strawberry juice slushes," he told the street vendor as they stood in front of his booth on the street.

The day would become even hotter than expected. It wasn't dawn yet, but the streets were alive with people selling, buying, or wandering around while waiting for the first of the all-around competitors to arrive.

The sun hadn't risen, but there was a humid heat in the air. The group had planned to stop for breakfast after Nera reached the finish line, but the temptation to cool down with a frosty beverage was too much.

"Do you want cut fruit with them?" the young man taking their order asked.

Before Henry could reply, a series of 'yes' came from three children and two teenagers. Henry pursed his lips and nodded, giving the server a confirming nod.

"Here's your total. Your number is twenty-eight. Please wait on the side and we'll call out your number when it's ready!"

Henry paid for the group and then ushered them to the side so they didn't block the way of the next people in line.

"I was starting to think we wouldn't find the fruit slush place," Cio said with some relief.

Effie nodded. "I've been looking forward to it for months!"

"These are premium southern greenhouse grown strawberries," Hana stressed, motioning to the sign above the booth. "They're plumper, juicier, and sweeter than regular strawberries! We're lucky today!"

The three children nodded with them in excitement. Henry glanced back at the booth. Perhaps he should've bought one for himself instead of the orange juice.

Their drinks came out and he passed them to each person before herding them to the stands. They used reeds wide enough to suck up pieces of cut fruit at the bottom. The streets and competition sites were illuminated with lanterns, so there was no difficulty seeing.

The Carthage Harbor section of the stands was already lively. People were eating early breakfasts, drinking tea and coffee, and chattering away on the events that would be happening that day.

An acquaintance had saved a space for them, so they thanked them, and sat down to drink their beverages and waited.

Henry looked out into the harbor. The starting line was also the finish line, and large buoys with lights at the top marked the sides while floating lanterns created the outline of the finish line that needed to be crossed.

In the distance, they could see the closest check point ship's blinking mast beacon in the dark.

"How far do you think-" Effie's questions was cut off by the dull sound of something exploding in the past the harbor.

Almost at once, everyone on the stands rose to their feet or sat up straight, and went quiet. They turned their attention towards the mouth of the harbor. The beacon was almost drowned out by the white fireworks exploding in the air above them.

"They've reached the last check point!" Someone shouted and the crowds began to cheer with excitement. It was the final leg. While it was a shame that it was dark and so the competitors couldn't be seen, everyone fixed their gazes into the darkness.

"Will we be able to see them?" Terry asked with a worried expression. It was her first Invitational that she attended.

"They will," Ash told her, patting the top of her head. "As soon as they enter the harbor, the lanterns will light the way to the finish line, and we'll be able to see the competitors."

"The floating lanterns were created by Second Brother and Hana," Effie said, puffing out her little chest in pride.

"Momma came in too fast the first time. It was still dark, so we could barely see her crossing the finish line," Ash replied. "We've since kept in touch with the Invitational Committee to make magic products to improve the events."

Ash and Hana hadn't taken any money for their work, but it did spread their names.

Henry was halfway through his orange slush when the lighthouse at the tip of the harbor illuminated from the bottom up, making it visible.

People around them began to cheer. The lighthouse was the first of the markers. In its glow, two outrigger sails could be seen cutting through the water and passing the lighthouse.

The crowd seemed to collectively hold their breaths and clench their hands, freezing in their spots as they waited for the first floating lantern to be reached and illuminated the water.

Henry found himself doing a mental countdown.

A flash of yellow white shot out from one side of the designated waterway to the other, connecting two floating lanterns and a ribbon of underwater lights. While not as bright as daylight, it was enough of a light source to reveal the first of the competitors who'd entered the harbor.

Barely holding their lead was an outrigger with three grain ears as a symbol on their sails. Right behind them, the outrigger with a sail baring the star-compass of Carthage Harbor.

Henry almost dropped his drink as he shot up and yelled along with the others. "Auntie's coming in second!"

"Go, Momma!"

"Faster! You're almost there!"

"Auntie!"

From their distance, Nera wouldn't hear their individual voices, but she could definitely hear the chaotic yelling coming from the stands.

"Here! Here! Take a look!" Hana handed the children binoculars from her bag and then shoved one in Henry's hand. "Brother, use this!"

Ash was already peering through his, one hand gripping his binoculars while the other had crushed his disposable drink cup. Thankfully, it was already empty.

"She's looking good; no immediate signs of exhaustion." Ash sounded relieved. Henry put the binoculars to his eyes.

He searched around until his gaze settled on the four outriggers fighting it out to make it through the finish line first.

Several lanterns had been passed and they were halfway to their destination.

Nera was on her feet, her knees bent as she leaned back, holding on to a rope while controlling the sail. Her hair and clothes didn't seem to show any sign of distress, though her veil was wet and had raised up against the wind to reveal her eyes.

It happened in previous races and it didn't seem to bother her, as she and the other competitors near her were all focused on their race.

Her outrigger and another were neck and neck. In previous Invitationals, Nera had won by at least a ship's length. This was the first time she and an opponent were so close. However, as long as Nera got into the top three, she would be fine. This race didn't determine the winner.

Henry could see Nera shouting, but didn't know what she was saying. She gripped a rope and leaned to the side. She used her leg to hold down the rope and steady her sails as she grabbed something she'd strapped to her other leg.

Ash yelled. "Something's wrong!"

A yellow flare with smoke was shot into the air. The crowds rippled with confusion. Nera's boat was moving fine, with no signs of distress. Nera herself was up and steering without a problem.

"There's someone on her boat!" Another person shouted.

Henry snapped his head towards the shore. Emergency personnel were rushing from their stations while two boats were heading towards the finish line.

"What's going on?" Hana asked as she crinkled her eyes. "How did another person get on to her boat?"

The confusion over the second person on Nera's boat was so distracting, no one seemed to notice that the first boat crossed the finish line just moments before Nera's. The difference couldn't have been more than the length of a hand.

Horns blew signaling that someone had crossed, but the crowds didn't react as usual. Instead, the crowds seemed to wait with bated breath as Nera's outrigger was steered between two assisting vessels. She shouted orders and two people latched on to her boat to drag it to shore and the awaiting emergency team.

"Looks like Keygo won first place," someone said.

"Never mind that, what's going on with Madam Atractas?" another person said.

Henry and the others wanted to know as well. Nera didn't seem injured, but whoever was on the boat with her wasn't doing well.

One by one, outriggers entered the harbor and raced to the finish line. Henry counted them. When the signal was released that indicated that the last boat had entered the harbor, he frowned.

"There are two boats missing," Henry said. It wasn't unheard of for an outrigger to have problems and be left behind, but usually they'd be towed back. Then the completion alert would be sounded to indicate that all competitors were not only back, but returned safely.

"Orm Point is missing," Ash said. "As is Llyle."

Orm Point was another Federation Merchant City, but Llyle was an invited competitor, a port city on the Dragon Continent.

"There's another person on someone else's boat," Hana said, her binoculars still in front of her. "The outriggers are small...they can't accommodate many people."

"Go find out what happened!" They heard Effie's firm little girl voice give an order and then saw two black birds fly overhead.

"Do you think there was an accident?" Terry asked in a solemn voice.

"It looks like it," Henry replied. He kept his eyes on the shore, where the person who was lying in Nera's boat was taken away.

"Don't worry, the ravens will get answers," Effie said.

After some time, several people arrived at the sign board on the floating stage. They were there to update the scores for the all-around.

The first competitor who crossed the finish line was from Keygo Merchant City.

However, when the name of the second competitor slid into place, the crowd erupted with refusal.

"Why is it them?" Effie huffed and almost threw down her binoculars. "Momma came in second! They came in third!"

"Hold on a moment," Henry said, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her. They watched as the names were added along with their ranking scores.

At the very bottom were Orm Point and Llyle, both baring the score of zero, as they did not cross the finish line. However, Cirota, who had been second to the last, was placed just above them. Above Cirota, Carthage Harbor.

The booing was immediate. Carthage Harbor had been a favorite to win. Even if Nera didn't win, she obviously crossed the finish line second and should've been counted as that.

Henry narrowed his eyes. "It's because they came in with two people on their boat."

"What?" Ash's face flushed. "But they were rescuing people!" Cirota's ship had been towed back to shore and the person on their boat had also been removed on a stretcher.

Hana clicked her tongue and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. They lose their rank if they have another person on the outrigger with them, regardless of whether or not that person was helping."

A dark shadow well over them and Effie held out her arm. A large raven carefully landed on her sleeve and began chirping. Effie's lips were in a tight line as she nodded, listening to the bird with clear frustration on her little face.

"What's going on?" Terry asked, looking from Void to Effie and back.

"Early this morning, around the third checkpoint ship, Orm Point's float broke off from their outrigger. They lost control for a moment, but they were close to Llyle's boat and they collided hard." Effie visibly winced. "One boat went on top of the other. Momma had been ahead, but turned back to help. Other outriggers sent out distress flares, but their flares either didn't work or the nearest checkpoint ship didn't acknowledge them.

"Momma had no choice but to utilize everyone available to keep the broken boats afloat long enough for her and the others to carry the competitors off before the boats sank. She and Cirota decided to each take an injured person and rush back. A few competitors tried to get the attention of other checkpoint ships for aide, but they said that since they were so close to the shore, they didn't have a full medical team on hand." Effie looked at her brothers, distressed. "Momma and the others had to come back with the injured."

On a technicality, Carthage Harbor and Cirota were practically disqualified, however from what Henry could see from the shore, several competitors were arguing with officials, motioning towards the scoreboard and then Nera.

Nera was sitting next to Cirota's competitor, appearing to comfort them after they were punished.

No one, not even the first-place winner of the regatta, looked happy with the score. They stormed off the beach, bringing Nera and Cirota's competitor with them.

Carthage Harbor's fans were irritated, especially since Nera had only broken the rules to save a life, and still crossed second. Unfortunately, the officials would not change their minds. The fans left the stands to attend other events in frustration. Ash and Hana tried to encourage them, saying that this should only make everyone work harder.

After all, it wasn't that Nera came in last.

"It is honorable to save a life over a friendly competition," one of the council members said.

"All right, don't look so sad." Henry picked up Effie. "Auntie is fine, and there are several more events. She'll place, don't worry."

"Let's go get breakfast," Hana spoke up with an encouraging smile to try to raise the mood of the three disappointed children. "Aren't you hungry? That slush wasn't enough for me, you know."

"If Hana is hungry, then we should get food," Effie said. A small noise came from her tummy and her face flushed.

"Oh, my tummy is growling!" Cio let out a clearly fake surprised gasp. He put his hand over his stomach. "We should go to the Pancake Cafe soon!"

Henry cracked a small smile as Effie gave Cio a thankful look. She wiggled out of Henry's arms and grabbed Cio's hand. "Let's go!" Not to be left behind, Terry grabbed Effie's other hand. The trio began heading towards the stairs to get down and the adults followed behind them to the tune of Effie's voice singing. "Pancake Cafe! Pancake Cafe! Here I come! Pancake Cafe!"

"I'm going to get a savory one," Ash said. "Hana, are you going to have a sweet one?"

"I'm going to get the waffle pancake made with pandan," Hana replied. "You want a bite?"

"I do want a bite."

Henry sighed at how easily they were distracted. Then again, there was nothing they could do about the outcome of the event, and Nera could not contact them while she was in the dormitories during her event period.

He supposed knowing their aunt and mother was safe was enough for them.

The six headed towards a cottage with a large courtyard run by an elven family. Pancake Cafe was a chain and they had a location near Effie's school, where she took all her little friends to when given the opportunity, for 'pancakes all day'.

When they reached the hostess counter, Effie brandished her membership card, which got her priority seating. Henry didn't ask questions. The line wrapped around the corner of the storefront, and he was also starting to get hungry.

"Effie, how do you get one of those?" Hana asked in a quiet voice as they were led to a second-floor patio seat that overlooked the interior courtyard.

"You have to know people," Effie replied casually. "My network is extensive."

Hana nodded, a bit in awe. "It really is who you know."

"Are you here for breakfast, too?" An amused voice asked as they walked out onto the patio. On a small table next to them was a man and a child in a children's seat.

"Sister!" Prince Muran clapped his sticky hands together as bits of pancake and some sort of fruit were stuck around his chubby face.

"Your Highness." They replied, but Effie also zoomed to the two-year-old prince's side.

"The line outside goes around the corner," Henry said as Prince Tae motioned for them to join him and his nephew. "How'd you get in? They just opened."

Prince Tae lifted a small, familiar card. "I have a membership." Tables were pulled to connect with him and this time, the children sat with them.

"Your Highness, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get that membership?" Hana asked.

"You really want that membership...." Ash muttered to himself.

"Priority seating, Ash…."

"It's technically my sister's," Prince Tae said. "The family that owns Pancake Cafe has daughters who went to West Wind Girls Academy and know my sister."

Ash looked at Effie. "Is that how you got yours?"

"Birthday present from my classmate, Cassandra Vogel," Effie replied. "Of the Pancake Cafe Vogels."

"This is the same Cassandra who asked you to dance at her birthday party last year?" Cio asked. Effie nodded.

"She loved it."

Hana sank down on her seat. "I need to make more friends...."

They prepared to make their orders when a server came up and handed Henry a piece of paper. Henry narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Ash.

"Talam's been spotted. You stay here. I'll go and meet him."

"Brother, what about breakfast?" Hana asked, frowning.

"It shouldn't take long. I'll come back after I meet him," Henry said. He gave Effie a firm look. "Stay with your Second Brother."

Effie looked affronted. "Why are you telling me? I'm not the one who runs away to take part time jobs."

"Don't use that against me-"

Henry ignored his two siblings and got up to leave. One of his family's guards was waiting across the street with a horse for him. According to the note, Talam and his two escorts were spotted at the gate where they'd come through a few days earlier.

It didn't say much else, but considering the timing, there shouldn't have been any problems in his journey.

He took the horse from the guard and headed towards the gate. Though it was morning, there were plenty of people on the main streets of the city, all looking for breakfast before rushing to get seats at the arenas and stadiums for various competitions.

With the majority of guests there for the Invitational already inside the city, the gateway's traffic had been reduced to normal levels. Still, each group had to be checked.

Talam and his escorts had a letter of introduction from a Merchant City sponsor, so they wouldn't have any problem getting in.

Inside the gate and city walls was a large plaza where it was common to wait for arrivals, so Henry dismounted and led his horse to the side, near a raised walkway where he could see anyone who entered through the gate.

After some time, he hadn't seen them yet and frowned. He couldn't wait all morning, and the message said that Talam was near the gate. Henry handed his horse to the guard escorting him and headed for the stairs that led up to the top of the tower.

So long as the city wasn't under attack or it was particularly chaotic with how busy it was, the ramparts just above the gate could be entered by people wanting to look out over the other side of the gate and look for the people they were expecting.

Henry lashed his Carthage Harbor document and was allowed into a narrow stairway built into the city wall. He walked up several flights to get to the ramparts. There was a slight breeze, but it felt nice against the warm, humid air.

There were few people on the ramparts with him, just him and four city guards. He gave them nods of his head before approaching and peering down.

The line of people trying to enter the city wasn't surprising. Most people were coming in through the non-citizen gates. There were the usual: caravans of wagons, carts loaded with merchandise, people on horseback and the like.

Henry scanned the lines for three men in Ashtari clothes who looked exhausted.

His lips pulled into a line when he finally saw them. They weren't standing in the queue to enter. Rather, they were off to the side and Talam was frowning as a larger group of men seemed to be arguing with him.

Henry reached into his pocket for the binoculars Hana had given him.

"I can tell you who they are before you look." He turned his head to the side and saw Prince Tae approaching.

Henry frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Prince Tae lifted up a note of his own. "The people we're watching have arrived."

Henry narrowed his eyes. His voice lowered as Prince Tae stopped beside him. "The Ashtari envoy?"

"As far as I know, they don't have papers that will let them in easily," Prince Tae said. "When you said that the nephew was here, I didn't think much of it. Then I got notified. If the nephew made it this far, they might suspect him."

Henry turned his head back to the queue below. He lifted his binoculars and set his gaze on the top of Talam's covered head. The men talking to him were also in Ashtari clothing, but there seemed to be a carriage and horses parked nearby. Talam was shaking his head and held up his hands to indicate that he didn't have anything.

Henry didn't recognize the men talking to Talam. The one at the forefront was a middle-aged man with graying hair peeking from beneath his headpiece, and a full beard. He looked slim and his face was flushed with anger or, at least, irritation. As the others with him allowed him to talk, it seemed he was the leader. "Are you sure that's the Heikohbi person?"

"At least one of them has to be," Prince Tae said. "Do you want to go down and check?"

He glanced at Henry, who stood in place. His hands gripped the binoculars as he lowered them. "If one of them is Minister Heikohbi...they are familiar with how the Old Bastard looks." Prince Tae cocked his head to the side and looked at Henry with some confusion. Henry met his gaze. "Guess which son of the Old Bastard unfortunately looks the most like him?" Henry gave him a cold, bitter smile. "I'll give you a hint. It's not his favorite."

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