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Zha Tahl returned the gesture much to Rokai’s pleasure.

“He’ll visit soon, mother,” Quin said. “At the moment, he is secretly excited to be on the warship without my influence.”

Eula laughed. “I know. He’s already told me twice.”

Quin shook his head. “This was much easier to speak of doing, than to actually do,” he admitted.

“It was inevitable, Quin. It will be for the best, you will see,” Zha Tahl said. “You become accustomed to it more quickly than you expect.”

“I hope so,” Quin muttered.

“Vivian…” Zha Tahl said, walking away from his son and toward Vivian and Eula.

Vivi turned to him and without hesitation walked into his arms as he held them out for her.

“Let’s get you home, yes?” Zha Tahl asked.

“But I’m so excited to see everything!” she said, stepping back to be able to look up at him.

“There will be plenty of time for that,” Zha Tahl answered, his gaze lifting from hers to quickly scan the crowd gathered.

“And we’re very much the focus right now,” Vivian said, watching him watch the crowd.

“Exactly.”

“Let’s go home, then,” she said, allowing him to escort her with his hand at the small of her back toward the waiting charis.

At their chari, Quin took over, waving Kitty up and into it before lifting Vivi up to sit beside the shraler. Once he saw them both settled, he followed, taking a seat right beside Vivi.

His mother and father joined them, sitting on the facing seat as Eula continued to chatter excitedly to Vivi about all the things they could do now that they’d be living in the palace.

Quin, unable to break years of training, kept a watchful eye on everyone and everything as security quickly got in place. Quin stood up and made eye contact with Zahn who waved at him to let him know he had it under control. Quin waved back, retook his seat.

After a few moments of Zahn making sure that everyone and everything was seen and ready to leave the arrival hub, Zahn whistled sharply to let Quin know they could begin their trek to the palace whenever he was ready.

Quin caught his father’s eye and gave him a single nod.

“We’re ready, Ban Lo,” Zha Tahl said.

Ban Lo gave the word and the line of charis began its way back to the palace much to the pleasure of the waving crowds lining every inch of the streets.

“There are so many people!” Vivian said, enthusiastically waving to everyone they passed.

“You are their Sirena. They’ve never seen you in person before, and Quin, their protector, has returned home, and you bring with you a new youngling. There is much to celebrate,” Eula said.

“So many people,” Quin echoed in a whisper as he rode stoically along with Vivian at his side.

Kitty roared noisily from Vivian’s other side and Quin focused on him for a second. Maybe he wasn’t a bad addition to their homecoming after all. “Tell them again, Kitty,” Quin said.

Dutifully, Kitty threw his head back and roared again, warning everyone to stay away from Vivian.

~~~

Upon their arrival home, the great hall became a place of frenzied activity. Quin and Vivi along with their entourageincluding, but not limited to Zahn, Au'revele, Ba Re’ and Elisha, Rel, Asl, and Kail, Li’Don and certainly not least, Kitty, along with several of Quin’s own security and Zha Tahl’s and Eula’s and the standard palace guardsmen as the new arrivals all did their best to adjust to all the activity of arriving in their new home. Eula transitioned seamlessly from greeting her own family to graciously welcoming everyone as members of her palace staff offered food and drink from huge silver platters to those arriving, while others unloaded baggage and personal items and waited for instructions to take them to their new quarters.

“Anything anyone needs, don’t hesitate to ask. I believe I’ve covered everything, but it’s always possible I missed something,” Eula said, her voice pitched a little louder than usual so that everyone could hear her over all the conversations taking place in the great hall.

“Quin, when you get settled, I feel a meeting to briefly touch on the time line for your transition into the position as Sovereign of Cruestace would be in order,” Zha Tahl said.

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