Rene honestly spent half her free time just…staring at the ring Adelinde gave her. She hadn’t really expected the proposal, but she considered both of them to be ready. She only took the ring off when she slept, keeping it in close reach so she could immediately put it back on again in the morning.

The engagement and Adelinde’s choice to have Mark officially take over was announced together on the last week of June. San Asari’s people were remarkably nice about it—anyone who Adelinde knew personally and happened to walk past her in town actually gave her some kind of congratulation or pride. Sometimes when all three of them went to the music district and Adelinde played on the piano, a person or two would walk over to Matteo and ask if he was excited or worried about his mother marrying. The kid’s response was always positive; Adelinde and Rene already fit into what he understood as a ‘married couple,’ so he was already adjusted to any changes.

Adelinde and Rene sat outside to watch Matteo and some of his friends run around the front courtyard, entertaining conversation regarding plans while also participating in Matteo’s games when requested. That didn’t stop Adelinde from leaning on Rene’s shoulder, albeit calling to the children on occasion if they started yelling or tried something questionable.

Adelinde sat up again when Matteo came over, pointing at the palace gate.

“Someone’s here!” he reported dutifully.

Rene looked in that direction, vaguely recognizing the figure. She cast an apologetic look towards Adelinde.

“Looks like it might be for me,” Rene said. “I’ll go check.”

“All right. You can let them in if you need to talk.”

Rene nodded, although didn’t intend on saying much to him. She walked up to the gates, frowning as a sort of greeting to Lord Dazuz on the other side. He gave her the same response.

“What do you want?” Rene asked, trying to sound relatively even. She partially failed.

“I just wanted to congratulate you,” he said, feigning a kind of smile. He glanced over at both people standing near the gate, stopping him specifically from coming inside. “But I do have a request as well. Privacy would be preferred.”

“I’m not going back,” Rene replied firmly.

“You don’t have to. I won’t come here again if you accept.”

He wasn’t particularly one to keep promises—Rene had personal experience to point to for that. Still, seeing as how he likely wouldn’t leave if she walked away, she cast a quick glance back towards Adelinde. With her fiancée preoccupied by becoming a part of the kids’ hide and seek game, Rene figured she could trust the gate watchers to let someone know if she was out for too long; the conversation was tense enough for some kind of outsider worry, at least.

Rene opened the gates, stepped on the other side, then closed them again. With a light gesture to get him to follow her, she walked about halfway to the conservatory and stopped. They stayed a reasonable distance away from each other, neither one pleased.

“Why are you here?”

“I just need you to come with me for a few days,” Lord Dazuz said. “I’ll be damned if I let a girl like you prevent the creation of an island for another two decades.”

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“In that case, I wish you the best in hell. I’m not leaving San Asari without Adelinde.”

She stepped around and past him, almost thinking she could end the conversation there. She didn’t get too far before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, more aggressive than she actually thought him capable of.

“I’m not above taking you regardless,” he said coldly. A bit quieter, he added, “Nor am I above removing any kind of motivation.”

Rene tensed, and he smiled knowing what kind of threat might actually work on her. He continued on with that same emotion, same look.

“Accidents, we’ll call them, would be hard to track in city like the capital—to say nothing of how easily something can go wrong in a smaller town.”

She really wanted to be able to carry through with what she promised herself—that she wouldn’t continue helping them if she had a choice. Even if it happened to be empty, a threat was still a threat; if he was confident enough to say it, he had some means or intentions to carry through.

It went back to risks, and that bothered her. She knew he noticed.

“I think you underestimate,” Lord Dazuz maintained, “How long we’ve all waited just to be set back by some person deciding they wanted something else or dying in some misguided attempt to ‘fix’ their mistakes. I’d consider it in everyone’s best interest if you listened for once.”

Rene managed to pull her arm away from him, but something in her expression must have convinced him she wouldn’t leave again. She hated his satisfied look.

“Where do you need me to go and how soon can I be back?”

“I’ll be taking you to the chosen location,” Lord Dazuz explained. “You’ll do your part, and if you cooperate well enough you’ll be back in less than a week. As promised, I won’t bother you again—not for your power, not for the prince’s.”

“You still need a second omyn,” Rene pointed out. “I don’t think just one person will be enough.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to try,” he reasoned.

She watched his expression for a second, then sighed.

“…I’ll go—but I’m ratting you out to Adelinde the second you try to convince me to do something for you again.”

“I would expect nothing less from you at this point. Go ahead and gather your things; I’ll wait at the station.”

…

“He really expects you to leave tonight?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I won’t be able to promise any gifts to come back either to make up for it.”

Adelinde sighed, standing near the door to Rene’s room while Rene herself packed up whatever she needed.

“You’ve been living here for almost a year,” Adelinde said, sounding both justifiably frustrated and wary. “Why ask you on some trip now?”

“It’s whatever he prefers, I guess,” Rene replied. “But regardless, this will be the last time.”

Rene finished packing, picking up the bag and walking over to Adelinde to offer a kiss. She only partially accepted, leading Rene to pull away just a second later.

“It’ll be fine,” Rene said, noticing some kind of hesitance in Adelinde’s expression. “I promise.”

“That really doesn’t sound like a promise,” Adelinde pointed out softly. “You’re not looking directly at me, either. You don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to—I said that when this first came up.”

She understood, but at the same time she didn’t. Rene still smiled at her effort, at least.

“I’ll be back in about a week,” Rene assured her. She gently brushed Adelinde’s cheek, but didn’t give her a second kiss. “I love you.”

“…I know,” Adelinde said after a moment. She gave the kiss instead. “You just worry me sometimes.” She paused, sighed, then tried to give some kind of smile. “Make sure Matteo knows you’re leaving, too. I’ll think of some ideas for the wedding while you’re gone, then we can go over them once you come back.”

“Sounds good.” Rene pulled away, stepping out to leave before casting Adelinde her own smile. “And thank you for worrying. I’ll try to be as quick as I can.”