Lieutenant Commander Victor Thornton turned out to be a liar.

He most probably wasn't doing that on purpose, but the fact remained that he lied to Princess Theresa. He told her that the destroyer wasn't a luxury place and the conditions were going to be harsh. However, the ship was anything but the conditions described by its captain. Everything on board was brightly lit by many magical lamps. The steep staircases were protected by railings that provided a safe grip and ladder accesses were painted with yellow and black markings that presumably indicated the need for additional caution. The smooth sleek corridors were laid with wooden panels that provided a cosy environment and warmth that made you forget it was a warship. As she and her knights were led through the labyrinth of the ship, she peeked inside open rooms and cabins they passed by with curiosity. She saw so many new things that she had problems with processing everything. The Arcadian sailors and soldiers, called Marines, observed them with soft smiles which was a bit annoying. She used the same kind of smile way too often to not recognise it. It said: I'm trying to be friendly but your presence here is a nuisance.

With a sigh, they descended another flight of stairs and reached what must have been the crew quarters. It was suspiciously quiet and only the entrances to two cabins were open. The Ensign leading them, accompanied by four mean-looking Marines, entered the doors on the right, and everyone followed her. The room was fairly spacious, and there were many tables, chairs, and sofas. Pieces of furniture inside were built using a few types of wood which gave them an interesting and eye-catching texture. The chairs looked comfortable and the sofas, at first glance, simply invited one to sit and relax. Wall panels, also made of wood, gave the room a very distinguished look. It was more in appearance to a noble mansion than a warship.

"This is an officer mess hall." Ensign Ulla explained making a wide gesture around. "Your soldiers should stay here for the duration of the journey. We will serve you the meals, and the Marines will be waiting outside so, in case of questions, just ask them. On the opposite side of the corridor is an officer room where the Princess and her two knights should rest."

The Princess, a little stunned, followed the Nekomi to the other room with Melody and Kana quickly trailing them. The cabin wasn't particularly lavish but it was clean, sleek, comfortable, and functional. There was a certain beauty to Arcadian Navy minimalism. Theresa, Kana, and Melody glanced at the officer's quarters and, after hearing the explanation tour from the Ensign, used the bathroom and shower the moment the polite Nekomi Ensign closed the door. Refreshed, Theresa sat down on a soft comfortable sofa and took a better look at the cabin. All corners of the furniture were rounded and everything was safely secured. It contained enough space for wide and comfortable bunks as well as living space to sit and rest. There was even a neatly designed desk in the room.

Theresa, mindful of her duties, started far more serious preparations with the diligent help of Kana. Melody acted as a scribe as she tried to help detail the most recent dire news from the common people of Iceleon. During their discussion, Captain Krone joined them and disclosed the state of the nation information given to him by King Lars - the amount of emergency supplies kept in the kingdom granaries, the condition of the treasury, and the state of the army. He left the cabin once a meal was served as the Princess needed a moment of silence to think. The meal was incredibly tasty which reflected further on what kind of man Theon Avalon was. His ships were built and designed to last but also served as homes away from home for the men and women who manned them. The quality of living conditions and food were a stark contrast to everything she was taught.

Like most of the Royals and nobles of Aderon, Theresa grew up believing that her lineage was special. While her family never extorted their people, the fact remained that she never thought about her subjects as people who deserved anything. The royal blood in her veins meant that everyone was born to serve her. She rarely cared about the poor and weak people of Iceleon. The army, on the other hand, was rather a useful tool and was used to keep the order and law that her family imposed on their people. She always considered her family benevolent and merciful rulers who cared about the people. However, seeing HMS Scimitar, a warship that its crew called small and basic, caused Theresa to contemplate how misguided she may be. Everything she saw, so far, mercilessly proved that there was another, much different way of ruling and treating the people. During those few moments she spoke with Captain Victor and Ensign Ulla, she heard their absolute and fanatical devotion to their Lord. From the snippets of conversations gathered as they moved through the ship, she realised that her family weren’t particularly good rulers. They were decent by the standards of Aderon and that was probably the only thing that made this Emperor willing to hear her out.

Theresa slowly realised she wasn't going to be negotiating with a typical noble like she was accustomed to interacting with. She tried to devise a brand-new approach which, in turn, would require her to listen to her people. But, right now and right here, it was far too late for that revelation.

"Gods... Melody, Kana, please tell me with all honesty, and I promise you that you won't be punished, I must know the truth." Theresa almost whispered, making both her knights stiffen. She looked at them with begging eyes, however, until they slowly nodded in agreement. "Were my family good rulers? Have we made our people suffer needlessly or overlook something that was our responsibility?"

Kana took a deep breath and slowly shook her head. "I know what you want to ask, but I have no right to speak, my Lady. My status might be low, but I was born and raised as a noble. I couldn't name any wrongdoing that our customs and traditions have inflicted, even if my life depended on it."

"I... I don't know, my Lady. I'm truly sorry." Melody hesitantly took a deep breath. "Before I earned my knighthood, I was just a simple peasant girl. I became a warrior out of necessity because my family was poor. I ran away before they married me against my will. The taxes were high, it's true, but in return, we lived in safety. When monsters appeared, the army always arrived to save us. No bandit bands were terrorising the villages and slavers were not capturing innocent people. However, back then, I considered that state of matter normal. Only after I became a warrior, in service to the crown, did I realise how foolish I was. I learned that, thanks to high taxes, the country was safe. I saw how the people lived in other places during that time as I travelled with our diplomats and merchants, and considered myself fortunate to be born in Iceleon. So, no, my Lady. Are you arrogant? Yes, sometimes. But your family ruled the kingdom quite fairly."

"Thank you." Theresa took a deep breath and calmed down. Until the smile faded from her lips. "Am I really arrogant?"

"I am sorry!" Melody blushed in embarrassment but Theresa just waved her hand to indicate that she wasn't angry. "Kana?"

"Yes..." She muttered under the Princess's gaze.

"That's not good..." Theresa sighed and gathered her hair. Suddenly, she smiled widely. "Melody, Kana, I want you both to become my friends."

The two knights looked at each other in shock but couldn't even muster a word. The Princess, however, realised that she needed those two women if she ever hoped to become a good queen.

"The moment we entered this ship, my personal world of illusions and lies shattered like thin glass." Theresa smiled a bit nervously. "I understand that it may sound sudden, but I want you two to become my friends. I want you to always tell me the truth because, only then, can I change the way our country is ruled. Some things can be improved and there are areas where the crown should step in. After seeing just this ship, I know that as long as there are areas to improve, we will never match Arcadia. We may be poorer, but we still can improve the lives of our people. I want to change that."

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"I will be honoured to be of service to you, my Lady," Kana responded in a way that made Melody roll her eyes.

"You missed the point, Kana." Melody giggled and grabbed the Princess's hand. "Being called your friend will be a pleasure and honour, my Princess."

"Theresa, Melody, when we are alone, please call me by my name." The Princess smiled, feeling strange, but somehow, it was a very satisfying feeling. She extended her other hand to Kana with an honest smile. "Kana?"

"Of course!" Kana smiled and eagerly accepted the extended hand.

Theresa felt as if something very important just happened in her life. While she couldn't name exactly what changed, a strange excitement she had never felt in her life filled her racing heart. The three women spend the rest of the time talking about their lives, genuinely laying the foundations for becoming true friends. Theresa enjoyed this and realised that they were her first friends. Their conversation caused time to fly and the nervousness left the Princess. She confessed many things to her new friends and promised them that they would be her personal guards as long as they desired. Before she was ready, they were interrupted by Captain Victor's incorporeal voice which informed them of their arrival over Avalon.

The Princess, along with her friends, approached small, round windows, and gasped in shock. The sight, despite the darkness of the night or, maybe because of it, was breathtaking. A ring of light was glowing in the night. Avalon, with its streets illuminated by countless lanterns, seemed full of life. As the warship descended, she marvelled at the grand and magnificent palace in the very centre of the huge city. It was surrounded by a few rivers of dimmed light and Theresa needed a moment to realise that in the dark areas between the palace and the city were vast gardens. HMS Scimitar gently and gracefully continued its descent and the Princess saw many huge and wonderful buildings: a Temple, a Town Hall, and, probably, various Guilds. There were other buildings, even bigger than the temple but she couldn't have guessed their role. The homes in a different part of the city looked wonderful and picturesque. They were arranged carefully in a functional and efficient manner, unlike any city she had seen in her life. There were still people on the streets and it seemed as if they were celebrating. Theresa wasn't ready for what she saw and she started worrying about her meeting with a man whose wealth and power allowed his people to live in a city like this. It was the longest and most anxious half of a night of her life.

•••

I read the report I received from Lieutenant Commander Victor Thornton and groaned painfully.

"Why?! I just wanted to have a vacation." I complained, threw the report angrily on the table and accidentally pushed my teacup on the floor where it shattered. The Slime Maid that was standing nearby quickly cleaned the mess. I looked at her with gratitude. "Thank you."

"What happened?" Amber looked at me.

She was almost finished deciding what she wanted to take to Ceallach's Dungeon. Five Slime Maids were still standing near Amber's travel chest presenting her various dresses and casual attires. Once the Half-Elf decided on an outfit, it was stored in the chest. She was the last one to pack her things which wasn't strange considering the amount of her duties as Arcadian Prime Minister.

"The Iceleonian Princess arrived after midnight at Avalon and Eva scheduled a meeting at ten. So, in two hours..." I helplessly slammed my forehead on the table and I was lying like that, defeated. "Can't we just run away or something?"

"Hmmm... The Kingdom of Iceleon was once among the mightiest and wealthiest kingdoms of Aderon. But we don't have any political ties or even general connections with them at the moment. I wonder what she wants." Amber tapped her lips and hummed thoughtfully.

"I don't!" I turned my head on the table to have a better look at my first wife.

"Why?" Amber looked at me by only slightly turning her head.

"It's another hassle! I just wanted to spend some time with my beautiful wives but no! A Princess out of fucking nowhere!"

"Oh, stop whining. I will go with you, my Darling. Maybe we can solve this quickly?"

•••

The very next day, after choosing the best dress she brought, and applying her best cosmetics talents, Theresa summoned Captain Krone. She explained Kana and Melody’s new status and all four of them went to see the Emperor. The rest of their soldiers followed but, even to her sensibilities, their presence was just amusing. The Guardsmen who secured their route wore the professional but bored faces of veterans of thousands of victorious battles. Compared to them, her guards seemed like children. However, she cared little about the, more or less, legitimate concerns of Captain Krone. The fact that no one approached them since their arrival in Avalon spoke volumes about the power wielded by the Emperor. If there was even a single faction that worked against the Emperor, she would have already been approached by them. She, desperately, wanted to learn how that man held such an enormously big country in the iron grip of total control. In comparison, her own small kingdom had, at least, a dozen factions that plotted against her house. She tried to ignore those problems for now and focused her thoughts on the view outside the elegant carriage they were provided.

In daylight, Avalon was even more magnificent than when she saw it from above. The streets, laid with smooth stones that joined seamlessly, allowed for extremely comfortable travel. The trees, growing on both sides of the wide road, cast a pleasant shade. Multistory buildings with establishments on the ground floor were full of customers. The people appeared unhurried while walking and enjoying the warmth of late summer. Suddenly, Theresa noticed a large patch of green between the buildings full of children playing. She sat in silence, undisturbed, however, Kana and Melody were quietly discussing the city. Internally, however, Theresa was intensely focusing on the sight. Despite the clearly relaxed people, they were in the middle of a Dungeon. The Righteous Dungeon seemed tame. Theresa, while nervous about it, had no proof that the place was dangerous. On the contrary, it contained smiling people, carefree children, not a single monster in sight. It produced picturesque scenery and magnificent buildings and she had to accept that, somehow, the Arcadians found a way to totally control a Dungeon. With a sigh, she returned to admiring the sight behind the window just in time to notice their entry to the Palace Gardens. Yet again, she couldn't believe her eyes.

The Palace itself was beyond this world. Her head was spinning and her heart was beating faster. It skipped a beat around every corner when she saw another priceless marvel of art. However, only when she crossed the tall gates leading to the grand throne room did she feel incredibly small. The Lord of Arcadia was so wealthy it was just staggering. But, a man who forced a Dungeon into compliance must be powerful and wealthy beyond any imagination. She walked slowly; her footsteps echoed in a vast and magnificent chamber, amplifying her sense of insignificance. She looked around with curiosity and slight fear. Her Royal Guards followed her but they paled in comparison to the Arcadian Royal Guards who were standing silently at the base of the walls. The fame of black-and-gold-clad Praetorians had crossed even the mountains. When Theresa finally reached the central point of the throne room, her eyes went wide when she saw the Emperor and the Empress of Arcadia. The man was indeed young, tall, and muscular. He was incredibly handsome and it made Theresa's heart start beating faster. Unfortunately, he was in a bit of a bad mood, which was never a good sign before any sort of negotiations. His wife was sitting on his right, shining like a star. Her perfect face was gentle and her lips were softly smiling. Her graceful features and unfair, angelic beauty made Theresa momentarily jealous. The princess swallowed, knowing that she paled in comparison.

"Princess Theresa of Iceleon, welcome to Avalon." The Emperor almost grumbled.

"I'm honoured to meet you, Emperor Theon Avalon." Theresa bowed respectfully and her soldiers kneeled with a thump. "However, the circumstances that brought me to your impressive and wonderful city are dire. My country is dying. I’m begging you for help."

"God damn it... The only thing I wanted was a vacation!" The Emperor groaned and tiredly rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm sorry, Princess Theresa. This is not a place to discuss something like that."