Three Years Later:

As he stood slightly behind and beside S'haar, Jack did his best not to sigh audibly between supplicants. He wouldn't mind so much if they were complaining about things like needing food or shelter, but the last few years of S'haar's rule had more or less seen to it that those were no longer issues barring unforeseeable emergencies. Instead, it seemed like every other complaint they received was about some grudge or dispute between those who perceived themselves to have power.

Judging by the exasperated expression on S'haar's face as she listened to the two petitioners speak to her about the "grave injustice," she felt much the same. After the third round of back and forth between the two, she held up her hand to stop them from talking so she could speak while pinching the bridge of her nose with her other hand. "So let me get this straight." She pointed at one Lord. "You contend that your counterpart here promised his daughter to your son, but now she's run away, and you have to go through all the expense of finding another 'suitable' replacement?"

The Lord in question looked flustered. "Well, I wouldn't say..."

S'haar cut him off. "If you're about to quibble over the specific words I chose without offering any new information, I'd recommend you stop while you're behind. Now is that correct?"

Finally, the Lord nodded. "Yes, my queen, that is...more or less correct."

S'haar nodded and turned her attention to the other Lord. "And your issue is that he," She pointed to the first Lord, "has suddenly stopped providing you with a discounted price on the raw materials you're using to expand your village, is that right?"

The second Lord looked ready to burst at the seams because he wanted to argue the semantics of her words but was evidently smart enough to realize S'haar wasn't in the mood, so he simply nodded. "Yes, my queen, that is correct."

The warrior woman turned regent shook her head. "So essentially, you're telling me you two can't figure out how to play nice, so you've come crying to mother?"

Both of the Lords looked like they were going to argue, but S'haar cut them off, pointing to the first Lord. "You. Children have a mind of their own, and if she doesn't want to partner with your kid, that's too bad. Your son can either try to win her over and accept whatever happens and/or move on! That's it! That's how life is! Get over it!"

Then she turned to the second Lord. "And you. Maybe next time, don't negotiate your deals based on a headstrong girl doing what she's told without asking her what she wants! Pay the standard rate! If, for any reason, you don't have the funds necessary, you can apply for relief support as usual. Lord To'brel will be happy to review your village's finances, and assuming you haven't been pocketing any additional funds, we'll help you expand your village as needed."

S'haar fixed both men with a glare that had frightened much sterner men in battle. "Now, unless you have any further concerns to bring before me, you're dismissed!"

After a moment's hesitation, the two Lords bowed their heads respectively and retreated, leaving S'haar shaking her head while Jack chuckled before speaking quietly enough that only she heard him. "You might have been a little harsh with that comment comparing them to children, but I have to admit, it was kind of funny."

S'haar's mouth curled into the tiniest smile. "You know they would have gone on for the rest of the afternoon if I'd let them, and I'm sure there are other places you'd rather be!"

Jack shrugged and nodded. "Well, I would assume that was obvious. I'm all packed and ready to go! If we leave soon enough, we should get there before sundown, and I'll have enough time to set up our tent."

S'haar fully smiled as she stood up and led the way back through the door to their private chambers behind the simple throne from which she received petitions. "Well, it's good to see you excited about something again. I was starting to worry that the man I loved had disappeared into the role of royal advisor!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, I haven't been that bad! I've just had a lot on my plate. And besides, I'm not sure if I'd say I was excited so much as worried, hopeful, scared, determined, and okay, maybe a little excited!"

As S'haar opened the door to their room, she laughed. "So, just like old times then?"

Jack nodded and grinned. "Yeah, I suppose so, in a way..."

Em'brel looked up from her spot on the floor, from where she was watching Bar'ela walk over to Grim so she could play with his fur. "Oh, what's like old times? Are we leading an army on a life-or-death chase through the mountains, again?"

Jack rolled his eyes but smiled as he watched his adoptive daughter march right up to the wolgen many times her size, only for Grim to drop his head low into his paws so he could see her face to face. All the wolgen in the pack were familiar with the young Bar'ela, but Grim was by far the gentlest, so she got to play with him with minimal supervision. She walked right up and put her tiny hands on his snout, to which the wolgen responded by snorting and giving her a tiny lick, relatively speaking.

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As the child's laughter rang throughout the room, Jack turned his attention back to Em'brel. "Not quite. Just talking about my new project, is all."

Em'brel frowned and crossed her arms, reminding Jack more of the child she was when they'd first met rather than the young woman she was these days. "Ah yes, the project where you go out and have an adventure with Lon'thul, leaving me to take your place as S'haar's advisor. Which I'm totally not qualified for, by the way. How'd you talk her majesty into this anyway? I didn't think she'd ever let you escape her sight again!"

Jack shrugged. "Well, I suppose S'haar realizes how important this is to me. And you're plenty qualified. You've sat in on hundreds of meetings with us. Besides, your main job is simply ensuring S'haar doesn't actually draw her swords! Also, between having the best hunter in the world at my back, an entire pack of full-grown wolgen, and the guards S'haar's sending with me, it'll be almost as much protection as having our Queen herself present!"

Beside him, S'haar sighed and shook her head. "Would you please not call me that when we're not in public? I hear it enough from all the nobles seeking my favor. I don't need to be hearing it from my family too."

Turning to his partner, Jack did his best formal bow. "Yes, of course, my liege. Is there anything else your humble advisor can do for you this day?"

S'haar glared at him a moment. "You know, just because you're not returning to our bedchamber this evening does not mean I will have forgotten this a week from now when you return. You're going to pay for that remark sooner or later!"

Jack smiled innocently. "Oh, I'm looking forward to it, your highness!"

That was when a projectile pillow hit Jack right in the face, launched by a clearly disgusted Em'brel. "Ewww, I don't need to be hearing that! More importantly, neither does Bar'ela!"

Jack laughed and winked. "Relax. Eventually, you'll find someone to talk with about things like this too, and you'll probably be just as obnoxious!"

Before Em'brel could answer, another door opened from the back of the room, from which Sare'en emerged, followed by the aroma of whatever she'd been cooking. The years had given her confidence, making her smile all the more charming. "Excellent timing, my Ladies and Lord. Lunch is ready!"

Then looking over at Bar'ela, currently covered in Grim's saliva and fur, she frowned slightly. "But first, you should all clean up. Particularly those who let themselves get extra dirty right before lunch!"

Bar'ela smiled back innocently, and Sare'en's frown quickly turned into an affectionate smile before she looked over to Em'brel, the younger argu'n face suddenly stern again. "I'm sure Aunty Em'brel will be happy to help!"

Since "Aunty Em'brel" had been in charge of the child's cleanliness at the time of Grim's offending affection, the young noble had no real recourse to argue her fate, so she picked up Bar'ela and walked her over to the pump young noble had designed and built less than a year ago. Though she didn't miss the wink her friend sent her way before retreating into the dining room with Jack and s'haar.

-

As Jack rode Grim down a path familiar from years ago, he couldn't help but reminisce about all the times he'd walked it before. Particularly the first time when... "Hey, Jack! How's it feel to be going back after all this time?"

Jack looked over at Lon'thul and raised an eyebrow. "You know, your timing has always been a little questionable for such a supposedly great hunter!"

The hunter grinned back at him. "First of all, nothing supposed about it. I'm the best! Second... Honestly, it's kind of an art. You look for when someone is just staring to get a pensive or thoughtful expression, then blare out the first thing that comes to mind! It's hilarious to see their reactions!"

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes but couldn't help but grin a little. "I knew you did it intentionally! No one is that oblivious!"

Lon'thul just shrugged, his grin getting all the wider. "What can I say? You all are so serious. You need someone to shake things up a little now and then!"

That was when Lack'nul came walking up beside the two of them. "Best not humor the lad too much. He only gets worse if you do!"

Lon'thul looked over at the former guard captain with annoyance so clearly exaggerated no one was fooled into taking him seriously. "What are you doing here with us anyway? Shouldn't the head of the Queen's guard be with, I don't know, the Queen?"

Lack'nul shrugged and laughed. "Lad, the day our Queen needs mine or anyone's protection is when an entire army somehow snuck past our border defense, infiltrated the countryside, and subdued all the other guards to somehow ambush her alone with one hundred warriors. And in that scenario, I'd only give them even odds at best. My real job is keeping Jack here from wandering off and getting into danger. I'm under strict orders that if things get messy, I'm to tie and gag him and send him back before he can so much as think about playing the hero again!"

Jack looked wearily at the captain of the Queen's guard. "You know she was only joking when she said that, right?"

Lack'nul looked straight ahead with no discernable expression to read. "I know nothing of the sort, Lord Jack, and I think you'd best avoid any trouble lest you test my dedication to my duty!"

Jack was at least sixty percent sure the Queen's guard was messing with him, but he decided not to push the issue. Besides, the Dragon's Outpost ruins were in sight, which brought to mind why he'd come out this way. The rubble outside the cave had already been carefully and meticulously cleared. He was here to determine the viability of digging the cave itself out.

As he walked past the long charred foundations of the walls that had once protected his home, he felt the echoes of the past threatening to overcome him. All the happy times and sad, all the people who'd lived, fought, and died, and of course, the absence of one particular person weighed so heavily on him that for a moment, he just stopped as his memories bordered on the tangible.

Then there was a telltale wet contact, and Grim poked his rider with his nose, drawing Jack back to the here and now. After a deep breath, he focused back on the tasks at hand. "Alright, we'd best set up camp. We've got a week to determine the viability of digging out the cave, and I want to get started in the morning!"