"How's it feel to be back home, Nikado?"
He looked up, and smiled as he saw the couple venturing toward him: Malanya and her brother, the latter in a wheeled chair that Malanya was directing around. "I didn't think you'd come all the way out here. I would have come to visit you, you know."
"I knew you'd come back here," Malanya said with a smile, leaning on her brother's chair as Saturi held out his hand, taking Nikado's in a firm shake. "It looks like everyone else had the same idea, as well. It's nice to meet some of the people in the other towns. Now that we can travel again, it'll be important to get trade relations going again."
"Why, Malanya, that sounds like something your brother would say," he laughed. She stuck her tongue out at him in response. "Anyway, the people you want to talk to are that couple over there. See the pair arguing? Yep, that's them," he laughed as he caught her doubtful look. "Best traders in the world, so I hear. They helped us out quite a bit."
"I'll keep the recommendation in mind."
"You've done well, Nikado of Lorasia," Saturi said with a smile. "What are you going to do next?"
"I'll figure that out when I come to it." He smiled and waved, Malanya steering her brother's chair toward the arguing traders.
No sooner had she left, then a cry of "Nikado daaaaarling~" came from behind him, and someone leapt onto his back, nearly pitching him forward. "If it isn't our little hero!"
"I didn't do it alone, you know," he protested. "Hello, Anko."
She let go of him with a pout, snuggling against him. "But I already said hi to the both of them. You're the only one left~"
"Anko!" he heard Talira's voice next, the other woman freezing. "That is the type of fraternizing I will not put up with, girl. Go flirt with a guard."
The woman made a face at her boss as the bandit joined Nikado, nodding over the grounds. "Nice digs you got here."
"Not really mine. I just live here." He looked over at her. "I didn't expect you of all people to show up here."
"Well, I figured it was only the right thing to do. Welcome you back, clear up the air with the old bastard here. After all, we are going to be associating from now on, what with Lirastan taking root well."
"You're still calling it that?" he asked in exasperation.
She grinned. "Plus, Rehanin told me it'd be a bad idea to come, so naturally, I had to." She sighed. "He knows me too well."
"Well, I'm glad you came," he said, giving his sister a smile. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you around more often."
"Not here, you won't." She made a face. "That's what flunkies are for. You'll see whoever I don't like at the moment."
He laughed, and she rested against the wall. "So what are you going to do now? Take over for the old bastard? It'd be a relief on my part."
"I don't think he'd be up for that," Nikado laughed, waving as he saw Aeun. "Aeun, this is my sister, Talira. Have you two met? Talira, this is Aeun, princess of Osterfair."
"Queen now, but thank you," she said with a nod, her tail swishing around slowly.
"I'm running the crowd around the old Moonbrook area," Talira said, extending a hand confidently. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Aeun bowed her head slightly, shaking the offered hand.
"Did Lithrik come with you?" he directed at the half-monster.
She shook her head. "He's holding the peace in Osterfair while I'm over here. Even with Hargon gone, there's still a lot of troublemakers that think Osterfair is a good place to set up shop. We've been having to set them straight."
"They'd do best to find the corner of the world that Osterfair is farthest from," Nikado laughed. "Glad to hear you're doing well."
"You look well yourself. I didn't expect that from one of the three that went against Hargon himself and lived."
"I've still got bruises I'm feeling," Nikado admitted. "Fortunately, nothing that ruins my good looks, I hope."
Aeun snorted in amusement. "So are you going to settle down here again? You're welcome to come by Osterfair anytime."
"I don't know. I'm still thinking about it." He bowed, letting the pair talk among themselves, his face brightening as he saw a winged horse swooping in to the courtyard.
Kiel and his parents were already over there by the time he got to where Roybealle had landed, and Ameko and Alex were with him as well. "Teslian!" Nikado shouted, waving at the man. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I had to thank the lot of you in person," Teslian said. "Maybe now Murkbythe will be able to rest in peace."
"And maybe you'll be able to move on," Nikado agreed.
"Perhaps. I'm going back there to set the place to rest," Teslian said, and the shadows that had been over his face at the previous mentions of his hometown were now gone, replaced by a calm determination. "So maybe I'll see you around? I'll be in the area for a while."
"Maybe," Nikado said.
Ameko smiled as she put a hand out to stroke Roybealle's neck. "So, when are you going to tell him?" she heard the woman whisper. "That you can talk and all?"
There was a pause, and then he heard an unfamiliar voice reply, "How long have you known?"
"Oh, I'm hard to fool. So? Are you going to tell him?"
"Not yet. He still has some healing to do. But he's getting there," and Nikado realized it was the horse that was talking.
Well, of course, he noted to himself with some amusement as he caught Ameko's eye. The woman put a finger to her lips, giving him a wink. What else would a winged horse be but a monster?
"Alex, my boy!" Jace greeted the Cannock prince, giving him a hug before he dragged Nikado into it as well. "And Nikado, you two are looking fit as fiddles and bright as the sky! I never doubted you for a minute."
"Sure, you never doubted them," Kiel snorted. "You just fretted over them every minute they were gone."
"You see the kind of boy I raised? Spouting lies and nonsense all over the place," Jace complained, cuddling his son in an affectionate manner. Kiel let out an 'urk' sound at the sudden contact, but didn't try to get away. "And Ameko! Come over here and let your honorary uncle give you a hug!"
"I still want to know how you tolerate him," the woman sighed to Rasmahn.
"With knives. Let her go now, dear," Rasmahn told her husband, and he did so with a pout. "So what are the lot of you going to do from now on?"
"Don't know," Nikado said with a nod. "We'll figure it out."
As they watched, the last slivers of light vanished from the walls and the top of the castle's towers. "Okay! Hit it!" Anne's voice shouted out.
"Number one away!" Shichiya's voice replied, and a streak of fire shot into the sky, bursting out into a shower of color over the castle. Cheers and gasps of awe broke out from the crowd in the courtyard as Anne set off two more, Nikado smiling as the sky was painted in color. Servants brought around glasses of drink, and Nikado accepted one, standing with Ameko and Alex as they watched the air above become alive with bursts of fire.
"Prince," came a voice at his elbow. "The King wishes to speak to you."
Nodding to the pair, Nikado followed the servant. The King was seated along the wall, Morita at his elbow as he watched. "It's a nice show," Nikado said, looking up.
The king set his glass down, looking over at Nikado. "Welcome back, son. I'm very proud of what you were able to do. Your name will be remembered for generations."
"Thank you."
The king nodded, turning back to the display. "I've been thinking about things since you've been gone. I think it's about time that you stepped into the role that's been prepared for you."
"The role?"
"Yes. Of king. You understand, the biggest trials of your life are already behind you. There's no challenge you can't face now," the king said with a nod. "I've had everything prepared. Once the show is over, we can proceed with the coronation. With your new life."
Nikado blinked in surprise, then smiled. "I see. I'm sorry, but I can't do that."
It had apparently not occured to the king that that might be the response he got. "I beg your pardon? Do not shirk from your duties."
"I can't be a king," Nikado said with a shake of his head. "Not here. I look around this place, and all I see are servants, are subordinates. I don't see people, Father, and that's not how it works. That's not how a king should see things. I'm not yet mature as a person enough to take on the role of king, just enough to know that I'm not ready for it. I need to do some growing up, Father. I'll return when I'm ready for it." Nikado leaned over, giving his father a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for everything, Father."
The man stared in shock as Nikado left, making his way off the wall, glass still in hand as he accepted a few more congratulations from servants and friends. "Well, that's done," Nikado said as he joined them. "We'd better go now."
"So soon?" Alex asked, frowning in confusion. "Why?"
"Because I don't really want my father to arrest me," Nikado laughed.
Ameko sighed. "What did you do now?"
"Told him I didn't want to be king. I've decided what we should do," he said with a nod. "We have a ship. Let's sail for a while. There are still places we haven't seen. There are places to go, people to meet. We have the rest of our lives against us."
Ameko shook her head, handing her glass to Jace, and Alex and Nikado passed theirs over. Jace shrugged, and downed one of the glasses. "I wish you all the best of luck."
Nikado grinned, taking Ameko's hand in one hand and Alex's in the other, leading them out toward the gates, where the small white ship waited.
