Usama’s eyes remained firmly pressed upon the carriages as they rolled away, heading towards the next town, which stood tall and proud to the east of the capital, though not quite as tall or as proud as the capital, not quite as tall or as proud as the Ebony Tiger. Scholar Muh stood humbly beside the Ebony Tiger, his smile warm and gentle as always, but if he lost his humbleness, he would have stood taller and prouder than the Faro.

“You were right in every way,” Usama admitted, still watching as the carriages slipped away, out of his grasp, for he did not hold the courage to grasp such figures within his hand. Perhaps, he thought, not even the Shen held such courage, nor should he.

“It is an honour to speak with the descendants of such great warriors,” Scholar Muh admitted, still smiling warmly, his heart soothed. His warmth spread out, even tickling the Faro, whose heart remained cold and burdened.

Usama was glad to have met with the group, not just the Raining Bow, who he had hosted before she had joined the group, as well as the rest of the Iyrmen. ‘The Butcher. Mad Dog. Flame Brand. Blood Blade. Duteous.’

There was, however, one name which had unsettled him the most.

‘Hadi Tanagek.’

Hadi Tanagek, who he had the pleasure of meeting once as a boy. One might have suggested, if there was one Iyrman who had imposed himself upon the Ebony Tiger, engraved himself into his heart, it was certainly Hadi Tanagek. Even now, he could remember it, the Iyrman’s softness, but it was not the softness that had surprised him, but the firmness of his conviction.

Scholar Muh noted that Usama was looking towards another time, to a memory long past, but surely it was because he was thinking of him. As the noonval sun continued to blind them, raising over the walls of the large town, they were blinded by their reminiscing.

“He was as I remember,” Dunes admitted, the young man’s arms crossed, protecting himself from his thundering heart.

“Yeah?” Adam replied, his heart still troubled as they made their way to the next town, unsure if they could trust a noble like that, who he had disrespected so brazenly.

“Lord Usama has been that way ever since he was young,” Dunes informed, thinking back to what he knew about the Aswadian. “If he was not so heavily tied to duty, he would have made a play for the Shendom, especially during the civil war.”

“Huh…” Adam raised his brows, rather impressed, and then thought deeper about the situation. ‘So the Shen went to go fight on the front lines, leaving behind his cousin, or is it his uncle? Either way, someone related to him who has that much power and influence, and he doesn’t seem worried?’

“The pillars which hold up Aswadasad do not have much time,” Anka said, allowing Amal to hold her finger, the girl sucking upon her little dummy as she rested against Ashmir’s chest, enjoying the feeling of all the blankets around her.

Dunes let out an awkward sigh, glancing aside towards Uli awkwardly, unsure of how much to speak so openly in front of him, for he was the royal family’s loyal hound, so whatever they said in front of him would make its way back to them one way or another.

“Which pillars?” Adam asked, leaning in slightly, for technically, this was all still fantasy politics to him.

“The Shen is the foundational pillar, but due to the fact he only has a single daughter, and she is a woman to inherit the Shendom, much to the Grand Malawi’s displeasure, if he ends up passing against the Reavers, I cannot imagine the Chaos it would cause. Even if-,” Anka continued, feeling Uli’s glare upon her, “the Shen lives a long life, it may come to pass that the Amira may not be able to keep influence, unless she has a partner who is undoubtedly loyal to her, who would not wish to claim the greatest power of the land to himself.”

“The Faro is a pillar, but his children have passed, and though one of his granddaughters is making waves, she may not be able to hold enough influence to assist, especially not like the Ebony Tiger.”

“You’re telling me he outlived his children?” Adam whispered, turning his head, hiding his face in shame. “If I had known, I would have been much nicer to him…”

“It was a long time ago, two daughters, both dying as they gave birth,” Dunes said. “It was shocking to hear it in this day and age, and twice, to the Faro of all people?”

“That is kinda crazy…”

“There is the Mustashalur of the Black Lions, who…” Anka cleared her throat, feeling the gaze from the Black Lion. “With three fifths of a shendom, various pillars soon to disappear, the next century will only know turmoil. The Reavers are but the first sign.”

“You say that, but the Black Lions are still around, the various Orders, then there’s all the dragons, and if Aswadasad crumbles, Aldland might gain too much power, and they’ll commit even greater atrocities than it already does as one of the superpowers, so if Aswadasad is going to lose its pillars, I suppose we’ll have to step forward and keep it up while you all fill the void of the pillars,” Adam mused casually.

Dunes almost snorted, chuckling quietly, before his chuckling stopped, and Anka noted the way Dunes glanced out of the window, his brows furrowing into deep thought upon the half elf’s words. At first, she had thought the half elf had made a funny joke, but seeing as how the half elf had returned to spoiling Kizwolima, and Dunes was thinking heavily upon the half elf’s words, her heart began to race.

‘When you said you were keeping his secrets, just how many were you referring to?’ Anka thought, for Dunes apparently knew enough to consider Adam’s words.

Kal Uli blinked, his eyes falling between the pair, unsure of whether he should take this seriously.

“Hmmm,” the half elf groaned, thinking deeper about his words. “Rather than carrying Aswadasad on my back, you guys should figure out a way to make new pillars so I don’t have to do that.”

“You are underestimating how much power the pillars hold,” Dunes said. “If we focused entirely on keeping Aswadasad up, our Orders could step in to assist, but do you think the Grand Malawi would allow us to step forward? The Black Lions will assist in protecting the royal family, which may take all their focus, and then which Orders should step forward? Who would step forward for those that replaced them? It is not just about the strength of one’s forces, their will, their conviction, it is also about the heart of a person, how popular they are across the land, not just the towns and cities, but the villages. There are few so universally loved, perhaps only Scholar Muh, but he is older too.”

Adam yawned, glancing aside towards the hills around them. “I guess I have a lot of work to do, but the moment I see none of you working hard while I’m carrying Aswadasad on my back, protecting it from all the grave threats, foreign or domestic, I’m going to let it drop and you can pick up the pieces.”

Dunes noted the annoyance in Adam’s tone, causing him to laugh, reaching out to slap his arm gently, the pair shaking forearms. Uli wasn’t sure what was so funny, but his thoughts then fell upon the half elf.

“It’s not like I’ll be doing it for free either,” Adam said, feeling the gazes upon him. “I’ll ask for a title while will allow my children to hold the titles of Prince and Princesses, and maybe some land for our business, and some excuses to beat up the Aldishmen who pissed me off.”

“I would also wish to fight,” Jurot said.

“That goes without saying,” the half elf replied, holding up a fist, Jurot bumping against it. “I’ll be carrying Aswadasad on my back so you’ll have to cut down all the trouble to lighten the load on my shoulders.”

“I should carry it, since I am stronger,” Jurot said.

The half elf scoffed, before taking a moment to think. “Then you can carry Aswadasad, I’ll cut down all the threats, since I’m quicker than you at that sort of thing.”

Jurot’s lips formed the smallest of smiles, the Iyrman glancing out the window, imagining a hypothetical future where they would assist the country, and the amount of great foes they would be able to face.

“I guess Floria can help too, but…” Adam frowned slightly. ‘If the King hates me, it’ll be hard…’

Dunes wasn’t sure what the future held, but staring at the half elf, whose thoughts suddenly shifted to trying to protect Aswadasad, he smiled. If it was Adam, then his heart would remain at ease.

“Oh!” Adam gasped. “If I train my kids, won’t they be able to get a lot of influence and power, and then everyone will adore them, won’t they?”

“Perhaps Jirot can stay within Aldland to help you cause trouble?” Dunes joked.

“What are you saying?” Adam frowned. “My children, they won’t help out! They’ll stay small and cute forever!”

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Adam really is British!