From Tashala's house, the piglet recognizes the scent and comes out to greet them. Nadjela squats down, caresses her back and dewlap.

"Did the maids bring you food as I ordered, my dear?"

The animal blows in confirmation. Instead of entering the house, the princess asks the swordsman if they can walk alone for a while. The Lancaster smiles at her in that way that fascinates her so much.

The satellites are particularly bright that night. Chester and Nadjela walk along the pebbly bank of the dry river. They notice a fracture in the wilderness, with the inside covered with rocks. The princess points with her chin.

"That's where you landed. It seems like a long time ago"

"I don't remember any of it. My journey began when I saw you"

"That's when you heard my mother's voice"

"That's right... But I was still undecided. I was worried about being left in charge of a spoiled and insufferable child, like the ones living in the Principality"

"I was worried that you were going to eat me"

"And you're not worried about that anymore? I have room for dessert"

The princess smiles mischievously and folds her hands behind her back.

"Hmm, it depends"

"It depends...?" Chester arches an eyebrow, sensing something. "You really need to spend less time with Erika. She's corrupting you"

"I learn a lot from her. Did you know that the Aryan race is undoubtedly superior and more intelligent than the others?"

"Fuck, it's already started"

"I don't really know what the Aryan race is. I just went along with it and she was happy"

"It's okay. But if it gets too intense, you let me know"

"Intense how?"

"Like earlier when she kissed you"

"Oh... Okay"

Nadjela's eyes return to the covered crack. Her smile disappears. Neddin tells her that Majani died in the cave-in, and as she imagines her companion's body crushed between the stone, grief shakes her. She clasps her hands together and prays.

(Majani, loyal friend.... It was my decision to have you accompany me that night, and it is my decision to bear the burden of your death. I pray for your immortal soul and for your forgiveness. May the mother of all birds take you under her wing)

Chester asks him for whom he prays.

"For all those who have fallen by the wayside" answers the young woman.

They take a seat on a large boulder, from where they watch the cyclones of dust pass by. Chester warns Nadjela about the mission of Erika and Ash, who will leave the same night.

"And that's why I'm not wearing my glasses" he finishes the explanation.

"You giant... You need it to protect our village from the slavers, right?"

"Exactly. Are you afraid of what might happen?"

"No"

"It's normal to be afraid. They're bad people"

"I said no" Nadjela repeats firmly. "You'll take care of me. You always take care of me"

"You trust me too much. If my father saw you, he'd say you're making a mistake"

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"You've earned my trust by deeds, Chester. What others say or don't say doesn't affect me"

Chester whistles.

"Sometimes I think you're a lot more mature than I am..."

"I don't know how to respond to that"

"Don't worry about it"

The silence grows between them, and within that peace so unbecoming of those times, Chester slips his arm around Nadjela's waist and pulls her close. She gladly accepts and snuggles up to him, planting her hand on his strong back. They gaze up at the sky.

"There is no moon tonight" Nadjela says after a while of scrutinizing the sky.

"Even if you can't see it, there is. It may be hidden by the tides of junk, but it never leaves us"

"It never leaves... It's like you"

"No." Chester is quick to dismiss the compliment, as if the words burn him. "The moon is you, Nadjela. You never abandoned your people. You find ways to save them, even putting their future ahead of your own safety or benefit. Unlike me, who hurt for revenge, and ran away. It is a miracle that North Star decided to obey me after..."

Leave the sentence unfinished.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nadjela asks.

"Maybe... Maybe later. Right now I just want to enjoy the moment and forget about everything. The slavers, the Lancasters, the war... All of it"

"Me too" Nadjela pauses to gather her courage and asks. "Chester, when it's all over, will you leave me?"

They both look into each other's eyes, and in their close breaths there are words and wishes they dare not say.

"I made promises to you, and I plan to keep them" the swordsman says.

"I know, and when you keep them, will you leave me?"

Chester delays in answering, in his countenance there is pain. A pain that goes beyond his body.

"I don't know" he swallows. "I'm broken too, Nadjela. I'd hate to... I'd hate to cut you"

"Then it's true... You will leave"

Though her eyes are glazed over, Nadjela does not cry, and instead flashes a tremulous smile. She brings her face close to Chester, and with extreme delicacy, plants a kiss on his right cheekbone. That done, the princess turns away and walks away, leaving the Lancaster alone on the rock. Silence remains.

...

Erika and Ash wait at the door of the temporary inn, near the jeep. The mechanic has her visor on, and is carrying a heavily laden toolbox under her arm. She is the first to catch a glimpse of Chester, who appears from the river.

"What's the matter, sleepy?" Erika asks when she notices him sluggish.

Lancaster shrugs his shoulders.

"I'll go warm up the car" Ash comments, and adds cautiously, looking in Erika's direction. "Are you sure you want to drive?"

"I'm not drunk, damn it!"

"I'm just saying"

"Whatever, you drive, whore!"

Ash embraces that small victory and trots off towards the vehicle.

"Any reason to be so hard on her?" Chester asks.

"Fuck her! She said the holocaust was real"

"And wasn't it?"

The German shortens the distance and hits him with her fist on the shoulder, soft enough to make him understand that she's playing games, hard enough to make him grunt.

"You don't know anything, and you owe me big time! Or am I letting you steal from me? How many favors is that now? I still don't know why I'm still trying" Erika sighs.

Chester scratches his head.

"Because I'm handsome, charismatic, and my heroic spirit arouses passions?"

"Not in your wettest dreams"

Another soft smack manages to elicit a small smile from Chester, which then falters and disappears as he faces the leader's house in the distance, where Nadjela sleeps.

"I think I screwed up"

"How?"

He tells her about the talk. Erika rolls her eyes.

"You didn't screw up at all. If you had, you'd know, because I'd be kicking you in the balls.... Again"

Chester takes a step back, far enough away to avoid any kicks.

"Did you really tell him you were broken?" Erika asks with her hands on her hips. Chester nods. "And you sounded like a fucking pussy"

"Hey! You used the same words in the dining!"

"I'm a queen. Queens are allowed to be dramatic, it looks good"

"Hateful!" Chester snorts. "There should be an ideal to break down these barriers and inequalities between men and women. A force to build awareness, a social movement! And with a name that resonates. The manhood movement!"

Erika slaps her palm against his forehead.

"You're a fool, Chester"

"You'll regret talking to the founder of manhood movement like that"

Erika rolls her eyes again. She lowers her hand and speaks.

"The thing is, Nadjela is right. Relationships are complex, both in origin and in form. To give you an example, I had a female comrade in the army who fell in love with her dog"

"Don't fuck with me"

"A Dobermann. They got married and everything. Are you interested in finding out where she put the ring?"

"No!"

"Good" She grabs his arms. "Chester, we are ignorant of what the future holds, so avoid being so self-centered as much as possible"

"Me?"

"Yes, you" Erika narrows her eyes. "You're retarded and clean-shaven and have a sun complex. You think about how you'll affect Nadjela, and it doesn't even cross your mind that she's capable of affecting and changing you. I'll even bet she already has"

Chester is speechless. Ash, in the jeep, presses the horn, which sounds just like the chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody mixing with the ride of the Valkyries. The Swiss woman stares at the steering wheel, dumbfounded, unable to understand that such a sound exists. Erika senses that her mission partner is getting impatient.

"Time to get off your ass and get your toy, pretty boy" she lets go of his arms. "When she comes back we'll continue with the talk. You don't get all hot and bothered and try to go to sleep, jerk off, or something"

He walks past Chester to the jeep, but stops when he remembers an important fact. He leans over and mutters.

"One more thing... If I were you, I'd keep an eye on this Zell guy"