“How?”

“Because she knows that no matter the distance, my dad’s feelings for her won’t ever change. Even if they miss each other, that’s only because they love each other that much. They even enjoy sending each other letters during those times, and they are still very much in love after spending a month or two apart. They don’t have any issues sending us away either, as long as we’re safe and happy. My little sister often sneaks out and disappears for a week or two. My parents even hide away from us to have some alone time sometimes, they are a couple after all. ...I want the same thing, Ashen. I want to visit my family when I miss them, but I also want to be busy and happy with you. If I see them less, that means that I’m busy here. I don’t want to stay at home being Daddy’s princess! ...I want to be my man’s Queen.”

She smiled and tilted her head. This time, Ashen was the one who blushed, and had to look away, embarrassed. He grabbed her wrists to gently take her hands off his face.

“...I guess I’ll have to keep you happy here, then,” he said. “If I don’t want... Daddy to pay me a visit.”

“Oh, he won’t need to,” Cessilia chuckled. “You should be the one to come to the Empire, sometime.”

Ashen grimaced. Perhaps it was a bit too soon for him, but Cessilia had no doubt the time would come when she would see Ashen and her father sitting together again, and chatting around the fire, a cup of wine in their hands.

“...One day,” he finally muttered.

Cessilia smiled. Ashen had come a long way already, so it would take just a bit longer for him to finally heal from his past. And she felt like that truth was real for her too. While in the Eastern Kingdom, she had already overcome quite a lot. Now, and with Ashen by her side, they would take their time building this Kingdom back up, and taking care of each other, paving the way for the future.

Ashen smiled again, and stepped forward, kissing her forehead.

“Feeling better?” she asked.

“Well, my cheeks hurt.”

“Oh, sorry... I forgot I’m... a bit stronger than you.”

Ashen chuckled, and took her hand again to slowly resume their walk.

“I’ll survive that too. I need to toughen up if I want to be worthy of a dragon and her mistress.”

Cessilia rolled her eyes. As if he had ever been unworthy. The truth was, she was probably the one with a lot to learn. Becoming this Kingdom’s Queen wouldn’t be as easy as simply acting kind to the locals and eating fish beignets. She had good relationships with the Clan Leaders, but she knew that the real hardships were to come. Not all problems would have easy solutions, and relying on the Empire’s fortune wouldn’t work twice either. Still, she felt strangely confident about the future already....

“How about you?” she asked.

“What about me?”

“Do you have any visions for the future?”

“Oh... for this Kingdom... I don’t know,” he sighed. “To be honest, I used to live day to day, I never really thought beyond the next week. I never got enough freedom to either. I was always busy keeping the tribes from fighting each other and the Clan Leaders from jumping at each other’s throats or mine. Now that so much has been destroyed, I can’t really think of what to do aside from repairs. I’m not a very visionary leader, it seems.”

“Maybe start with one thing at a time... let’s say, the castle. It’s your castle, after all. It will need to be rebuilt too, at least a large part of it... I mean, what we destroyed. What of it?”

“I hate it,” Ashen scoffed. “I never saw that place as my home. More like I was simply there for the sake of being called the King... I never really liked any of it. Except for the time spent with you there.”

“I like the Cerulean Suite.”

Ashen nodded.

“We can keep that...”

“We can do more than keep that,” Cessilia chuckled. “Ashen... your Kingdom is so reliant on everything coming from the sea. How about we rebuild the castle to that image? Let’s make it a beautiful place, with so many seashells no one will be able to count them all. Colored glass, sandstone, corals, and maybe even nacre. Let’s get the artisans of your Kingdom to do their very best and make that place a real palace, and a real home... After all, that’s where you and I will live. With our own family.”

To Cessilia’s surprise, that last sentence made Ashen unexpectedly smile. She could see his eyes lighting up at the idea, as if she had just unlocked a precious little thought in his head.

“I thought you… Weren’t ready for children yet?” she boldly asked.

“I wasn’t. Not until recently… Maybe you convinced me, and your family inspired me. Well, we can take it slow, so I can learn… One at a time. Three or four children would be good… But that’s only if you want them too, of course!”

He had added that last bit urgently, with that worried expression back again, as if just realizing he might be putting pressure on her. Cessilia smiled and nodded.

“I do want children too,” she said. “How wouldn’t I want them? But... maybe not right away. Let’s give ourselves a few years so the castle can be rebuilt and ready for them, and our Kingdom back on its feet too.”

Ashen nodded, but to her surprise, she saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. He really wanted children... It was a good surprise to her. Cessilia thought that maybe she’d have them a little bit sooner than that, then.

“...Let’s go somewhere,” suddenly said Ashen.

He stopped walking, and wrapped his arms around her, visibly excited.

“Somewhere?”

“On a date,” he smiled. “Just you and me, while everyone is busy. After this, how many times will we be able to get away and fool around, just the two of us? I want to take you away, now, while no one’s watching and have you all to myself.”

“But where? The castle is busy, and the cave will be submerged at this time...”

“I have another idea,” he chuckled. “Can you call Cece? We’re going to need a bit of a ride...”

Of course, Cece was only too happy to answer the call. The majestic Silver Dragon appeared flying high in the sky, making Cessilia wonder what her friend had been up to so early in the morning. Had the dragon been extinguishing fires all night, or simply watching over the Capital? Maybe the dragons had enjoyed a late morning hunt together, before Kian, Krai, and Roun had been taken back home by Kassian. Cessilia realized, for her, home would be the Eastern Kingdom from then on... It was a bitter-sweet feeling. She’d never stop loving the Empire she had grown up in, but she had a lot of love to grow for the Eastern Kingdom as well. Especially if she got to shape it to her will, along with Ashen.

Cece began to dive, but fast, very fast. Seeing that the dragon wasn’t slowing down at all, and diving right in their direction, Ashen and Cessilia exchanged a worried look. Cece definitely had seen them standing there, right? Yet the dragon kept flying down, faster and faster, its silver tail whipping the air excitedly. Understanding at the last minute, Cessilia and Ashen suddenly grabbed each other and crouched down. Cece flew just an inch above them, and dove into the sea with a loud splash. A wave as big as the dragon washed over the sidewalk, rendering not only the two of them but all the people passing by completely drenched in sea water.

“Cece!” Cessilia exclaimed, shocked.

Next to her, Ashen was already laughing his head off, holding his ribs. He was also completely drenched, but absolutely fine with the dragon’s playful joke. The dragon, who had disappeared under water, suddenly popped its head out of the water, with those big ruby eyes pointing at them, a hint of mischief in them.

“This isn’t funny!” Cessilia protested.

In response, Cece spat another little jet of water from her mouth at her, but Cessilia jumped back just in time.

“Dran’s been grounded for less than that, Cece, you know that” Cessilia told her dragon, squinting her eyes.

However, Cece blatantly didn’t care, and kept happily swimming in circles in the water. The silver body was making little hoops under and above water, in a snake’s fashion, and was gathering a lot of attention too. All the people who had been doused before were now curiously staring at the gigantic dragon, having forgotten about their earlier protesting. Ashen stepped forward first, standing on the edge of the sidewalk, to face Cece with a big smile.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “There’s nowhere big enough to keep you grounded anyway, girl.”

Cece happily chirped, a strange sound that was a half growl, half high-pitched scream. That was the first time Cessilia heard her dragon make that sound, but no doubt it was all for Ashen. Having his attention was already making Cece happy, the dragon completely smitten with him. Cece approached, and Ashen put his hands on the dragon’s face with a smile. Despite Ashen having rather big hands, Cece’s face was still pretty large, making even him seem small. He scratched the dragon’s silver scales, which made it swish its tail happily in the water.

“Can you let us ride?” Ashen asked with a smile.

Of course, Cece happily answered, and turned around for the two of them to climb on the floating part of the dragon’s body, just behind the head. Cessilia sighed. She felt like Cece would always get away with things as Ashen was ready to spoil the dragon anytime... He sat first, and then extended his hand for her to take and climb behind him. By then, there was a whole crowd assembled on the bay, watching the King and his lady ride a dragon away from the shore. Cece happily swam away without Ashen even giving any directions yet.

Cessilia didn’t dare to look back. For sure, Tessandra would learn of this somehow and scold her later about running away from all that needed to be done downtown... She couldn’t help but feel unapologetic about it, though. In fact, it felt nice to just run away with Ashen and Cece, get away from all the chaos and commotion, and simply ride the waves, leaving behind all the troubles they would go back to later. For now, it seemed like they were free, swimming off from the world, into the unpredictable sea and its unruly waves.