She stared down at a portion of the street they stood in, where the locals had gathered the pieces of debris that nothing could be done with. Some children were clearly given the task to sort it out as they were busy organizing it into piles of wood, metal, or stones with little brooms, an older boy in charge. The sight gave Cessilia an idea.

“You should become one of the counselors,” she said.

“Me?” her grandmother exclaimed. “Why would I? This old lady is long retired from politics!”

“Ashen could use someone like you,” Cessilia insisted. “Grandmother, you know politics and men better than anyone! It’s going to take a while before we get a new council going and finish digging out all of the traitors. You’re unbiased as a non-citizen of the Kingdom, and you’re the wisest, most clear-sighted person I know.”

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Cessilia. Like I said, I just want a palace and fresh morning cocktails every day until the end of my life. Actually, a view of the sea would be nice, as well.”

“You’re not just going to stay here doing nothing while Ashen and I struggle,” Cessilia smiled. “I know you too well, Grandmother. You just don’t know how to sit back when our family is in trouble...”

“This old lady already outlived two Emperors, Cessilia. I do not want to have to take care of that brat of a king too!”

“Think about it. Please. It’s not like you’ll be busy until your palace is done... in many, many months.”

Her grandmother rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, directing her stare toward the Fish Market rather than facing her stubborn granddaughter. Cessilia didn’t insist, but she was confident she’d get her grandmother to change her mind. Now that this tiny seed was planted in her mind, Lady Kareen would most likely keep an eye on the politics of this Kingdom, and she would definitely come out of her palace to help if they ever needed it. Perhaps she wouldn’t become a counselor, but Cessilia had learned to aim high if she wanted to hit anything at all...

“Who are you calling a brat of a king, Lady Kareen?”

Behind them, Ashen appeared, sighing. Cessilia had temporarily forgotten about his new haircut, so she got to discover it a second time, with much pleasure when she turned around. She couldn’t help herself and walked up to him, a big smile on her face. Ashen smiled back, grabbing her hands. Beside them, Lady Kareen clicked her tongue loudly, a habit when she was annoyed, one she had passed on to most of her children and grandchildren.

“Who else?” she shrugged. “You’re too green to call yourself a man just yet.”

“I’m up for a challenge,” Ashen retorted. “Moreover, I heard the War God himself gets called a brat...”

Cessilia bit her lower lip to keep herself from laughing. Indeed, her grandmother wasn’t gentle with the men she cared about... She never had been. Ashen then turned his eyes to Cessi. He looked a bit calmer, more serene than before.

“Sorry,” he said. “Our talk took a bit... longer than expected.”

“Did you manage to tell him everything you wanted to say?”

“I hope so... I probably still won’t become the Cheshi’s favorite King, but that can’t be helped. I don’t think I’ll ever really trust them either. They never really forgave my mother, and neither did she. So, I think we might have to leave it at that for a while. I’ve already learned to ignore them, anyway. And since they are quite obsessed with my future Queen...”

“Speaking of,” said Kareen, “you–”

“Grandmother,” Cessilia suddenly interrupted her. “...Not now, please.”

Kareen raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t mad at her granddaughter for cutting her off, but surprised. Cessilia had always been, by far, the most shy and obedient of her grandchildren, so this was highly unusual for her. After a few seconds, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

“...I think I’ll go and check out that Fish Market,” she finally said. “Those Dorosef people seem like they can come up with... surprising ideas.”

Without giving them the time to say anything, she turned around and left, walking as elegantly as ever despite heading to the Fish Market.

Cessilia and Ashen watched the older woman until she was completely out of sight, then he turned to her, frowning and clearly a bit confused.

“What was that?” he asked.

“Grandmother was starting to be a bit too... inquisitive, about our love life.”

“Hasn’t she always been?”

“Let’s just say I’m trying to manage her expectations for the future,” muttered Cessilia, a bit embarrassed.

“Oh...”

If he had understood, Ashen didn’t say anything. Instead, he gently took her hand, rubbing his thumb on her skin, and tilted his head.

“So you really do like my new haircut, huh? That look you gave me just seconds ago...”

“I just need a bit of time to get used to it!” Cessilia protested, embarrassed. “This is really different from before...”

“But you really, really like it,” he chuckled, teasing her.

“Stop it...”

Cessilia walked away to avoid his amused eyes, but as their fingers were still interlaced and neither of them loosened their grips, Ashen followed after her, a smile stuck on his lips. For a little while, they walked, in a different direction from the one Lady Kareen had taken, of course. They simply strolled along the river, holding hands, watching the Capital get back on its feet.

“I feel a bit guilty, not helping out,” muttered Cessilia, after they walked by another group of children busy carrying little water buckets to their family.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we will be busy soon enough,” sighed Ashen in response. “Plus, with everything we went through, you and I both earned a little break, don’t you think?”

Cessilia nodded. It was in her nature that she couldn’t help but want to do something, somehow, to relieve those people’s burden. She tried to fight that feeling by reminding herself that neither she nor Ashen were completely healed. And he was right; they would both be the busiest getting this Kingdom back in order soon. For those people, it would perhaps be a matter of just days before they could resume life as it was, but for the two of them, nothing would be like it had been.

“...I’m curious,” she whispered after a while, “about how it will turn out, in a few years. This Kingdom. You and I... which direction we will take it in.”

“Do you have an idea in mind?” he smiled.

“A few... I don’t want to do things like in the Empire. I’ve only been here for a short while, but... it’s clear the heart of this Kingdom is so different. The people are different. That’s how exciting it is. We could go in so many directions.”

She smiled, trying to envision that future. Next to her, though, Ashen’s smile gradually lessened, and he frowned, visibly absorbed in his thoughts. He suddenly stopped, surprising Cessilia as they were on a quiet street, without anything special around. Ashen looked down, seemingly conflicted.

“Cessilia... are you sure you’ll be alright?” he suddenly asked.

“What do you mean?”

“If... If you stay here, if you marry me, and become the Queen... It will be hard for you to visit home. Maybe not now, but as time passes, it will get harder to go back. You won’t be able to go there very often, even riding your dragon. Your brothers and sisters probably won’t come often, either. I’m worried you might... get lonely, and one day, regret it.”

Cessilia was surprised. So that was what he had been so conflicted about... Ashen, who had finally stopped pushing her away, was now even more afraid of her choosing him. This man... Cessilia couldn’t help but fall for him a little more. She liked how he said what was on his mind, but that mind was needlessly thinking and worrying too much at times. Still, she tried to think about it seriously. She knew his worries weren’t completely baseless.

“...Would you rather I don’t stay?”

She saw the utter pain on his face, for just a split second. Then, he took a deep breath, seriously pondering her question, and eventually, he nodded, very faintly.

“I think... as much as I want you by my side, I would regret binding you by my side, if you ever come to be unhappy about it. I have spent... years wanting you by my side, thinking I would do absolutely anything to get you in my arms, to make you my woman, but now... I realize that was my one-sided, selfish thinking. I barely got to experience having my family around, but the pain of their loss was too hard. If you ever come to regret choosing me over your family, I would be the first one to regret it. I don’t... I don’t want you to have to choose, and I hate that you might come to regret either choice.”

Cessilia sighed, and stepped forward. Suddenly, she slapped Ashen’s cheeks between her hands, making him grimace, but forced him to look at her, her hands still cupping his face.

“Ashen. You are thinking way too much,” she said. “Just stop. I understand what you are worried about, but I am a grown woman. I know exactly what I am doing staying by your side. Firstly, do not underestimate my Cece, she will fly me back to the Onyx Castle whenever I feel like it without issue. Secondly, even if I do get busy here and see my parents less often, so what? It won’t make me bitter. I will look forward to being reunited with them even more! ...Do you know how my mother can keep working at the palace, away from my dad?”