Kire turned around when Daryll, Ruli, and Gavin arrived, raising a brow and smirking at Ruli’s reaction to her getup, then at Ysaryn’s response to him. “The woman has a point. I’d still look better than you if I put a sack on,” she quipped, before grinning at Daryll, who hadn’t been wearing the royal attire when they had spoken earlier this morning. “Nice hat.”
Daryll went red, frowning, as he promptly pulled it off his head. “I don’t know how formal a war council’s going to be! And I didn’t know you weren’t going to wear one!” 
Elva looked at Ruli, Gavin, and Ysaryn. “You’re going to need a coat, still. It won’t be snowing where you go, but it would still be cold, and a bit windy. So lose the hat,” she added to Daryll with a wink. Daryll grumbled as he put it into a satchel he had with him, where he had carefully wrapped and stored the flash bomb. 
“Elva, will you tell the girls I said goodbye? I didn’t want to wake them.” Kire stepped closer to Ruli as she fixed the mantle around her shoulders. “If you’re ready, I have the location.” She extended her hand to him. “Daryll, we’re going to Shadow-Walk. I told you about this before, so just brace yourself.” 

They stepped out into another great hall. Though narrower than the manor, it was taller, with a vaulted ceiling. Tapestries and paintings decorated the walls, while the banners of the great noble families hung in between the pillars. Greatest of these was the winged dragon in gold on a green field, the sigil of the Wyvern house. They had arrived early, so the people inside where mostly attendants and guards ensuring everything was in place. As soon as they saw Kire, however, they gasped, surprised at her sudden appearance, each bending in a bow or curtsy as Kire passed and acknowledged them. “You alright, Daryll?”
	“Yeah.” Daryll was reeling from Shadow-walking, despite the forewarning, but despite the unpleasantness he grinned. “Fascinating,” he murmured. 
	“Is the lord of the castle present?” Kire asked one of the guards.
	“Yes, Your Grace, but he is out meeting with the newly-arrived guests. Shall we fetch him for you?”
	“No need, just send word that I have arrived. He can finish with his task. But are Lord Edward or Lady Janes here? I’ll see them first.” 

	Not long after the guard went to fetch them, Edward strode in. Like his cousins, he had dressed formally, his long, gold hair parted on the side and tied back, though the green of his clothes was closer to Daryll’s, while the cape around his shoulders was all black. He acknowledged them all with a nod in greeting before he looked Kire over; even on days when Kire wanted to deny it all, her body slipped into the manner of Empress all too easily. He stepped closer to hug her, glad she was alright, though he did hold up her scarred hand, frowning down at it, and at the Ring on her finger. 
“It’s fine, Ed,” she murmured, and he put on a smile.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been decked out like this together, hasn’t it?” he commented. Daryll, though, made his brows rise. “Now that is a surprise.” Before Daryll could retort, however, he extended his hand to Ysaryn. “[i]It is a genuine pleasure to see you again. Half a year is much too long[/i],” he greeted with a grin, before taking her hand and kissing it. 
	Kire grinned, watching him before she cleared her throat. “Ed, before we get carried away, I’d like to introduce Gavin. And for the purposes of the war council, he’ll be just Gavin.”
	Ed looked thoughtfully at Gavin, who gave him a formal bow, the way he did Elva. “You were the lad who helped bring Kire back after Ikegai, correct?” 
	“Yes my lor—yessir.” 
	Ed paused thoughtfully again. “My thanks, then. Let’s hope that doesn’t become necessary again this time.” 

	“So.” He looked around at all of them. “Narda told me about the plan you cooked up. And I assume we’ll hear a bit more about it. Am I going to be happy or very worried about what I will hear later?” 
	“If this one actually manages to follow it, we’ll all be happy,” Daryll put in, pointing to Kire with his thumb, making her frown.
	“How long do we have till the meeting starts? Half an hour? I’m actually surprised Lord Ulrich wasn’t at all hesitant for us to use his land and his castle for the duration of the planning until the final march,” she commented, looking around the hall. “He’s mostly a decent man I think, but I remember him to be quite shrewd, too. Don’t know if I can say the same for the sons, though.” 
	Ed tilted his head, a quizzical frown on his face. “You…don’t know?”
	Kire frowned back at him. “Don’t know what?” 
	“…ah. I think Jan wanted to tell you in person. It was very sudden, admittedly; I was surprised too. But I’m shocked no word has reached you, though.”
	“What about Jan? Reached me about [i]what[/i]?” Kire pressed, growing annoyed at the dancing around. “Ed!”

“You’re alive! And Daryll, you look ridiculous!” Myka called, before Ed could answer. Though her clothes were still rather simple, not too different from when Ysaryn had last seen her, she did throw on a bright red coat and a rather loud hat, adorned with ostrich plumes. Kire grinned, raising a hand in greeting. 
	“I am, indeed. And I’ve brought along the riffraff.”
	“Ha! The riffraff are most welcome,” Myka said, grinning wide as she took of her hat and bowed to them, doffing her hat in a flamboyant gesture. “Welcome back to Amria, messirs.” She smiled at Ysaryn, saw the blade she had lent the elf, then gasped, seeing the twin sabers. “No! [i]Two[/i], really? Did you have to twist Kay’s arm to get that out of her?” 
	“She’s prettier than you,” Kire said, to which Myka stuck out her tongue, then glanced at Ruli. “Hello again, matron of honor. Are you growing out your hair to match Kire’s for the wedding?”
	“The what?” Kire threw up her hands. “What is everyone talking about?”  

	“And this is the lad, then?” Myka said, ignoring her, stepping closer to Gavin. The young man regarded her carefully but didn’t speak just yet. “Hm. Seems a bit short, isn’t he?”
	“Oy,” Gavin said, frowning, crossing his arms, more irritated now than afraid of backlash. “The ‘lad’ has a name.”
	“Relax, Gavin, I’ve been told.” Myka saw the Wyvern dagger at his side. “That’s a good dagger.” She nodded, as if this was confirmation enough of Kire’s trust in him.