Utterly exhausted I fell asleep after my night with Kaoru, which had lasted for almost two hours. I heard Hikaru and Kazu's voice sometime after midnight, having raised my head just enough to look at our locked conjoined door. I then snuggled closer to Kaoru a content smile on my face. A happy smile.

He was gone by the early hours of the morning, most likely to help his siblings open the Inn once more. Still, I couldn't help but feel just a little bit sad even if I knew that it was for the best. Still his body heat kept me warm until I finally decided to get out of bed. I knocked on Kazu's door hoping he was already awake. I unlocked my side finding his to be unlocked to.

Stepping into his room I found his bed, which was sloppily made, and not much else. On his nightstand he had an assortment of goods he had bartered and bought from the stalls on the docks. I saw some candied crystals, which was just caramelized sugar with fruit extracts. I shook my head with a laugh exiting his room in hopes to find him.

I wanted to leave within an hour that way we could make it to the capital by noon, as it was only eight in the morning now. It would take just under three hours to get to the capital, we could get a quick lunch and then head for the royal's estate.

I heard their voices before I ever saw them as I walked down the stairs. A smile adorning my face before I could stop it, as I looked unto the bar I saw the triplets talking with Kazu. Kazuki let out a big ole laugh glee written all along his face. The siblings looking just as happy.

"Mira did what? She truly fell off her horse one morning because she was drunk!" Ayaka asked, seemingly delighted at my short comings, a high-pitched laugh coming from her mouth. I rolled my eyes.

"Face flat into the dirt to, dear ole pops had to carry her back to her home!" Kazu took a sip from his drink, ginger ale because that boy knew I would rip him a new one if he was drinking alcohol.

"Do continue the rest of the story though... you trying so hard to be like me pretended to be drunk and stubbed your toe on the table." I walked into the bar settling into a spot next to Kazu spilling his own little misfortunes.

"Kazu's been keeping us entertained for the last half hour Mira." Hikaru spoke his eyes wiggling in amusement, a smiling smirk on his face.

"He sure has told us a lot about your parenting fails to, did you really use fennel seeds instead of peppercorns for a stew?" I sighed my head falling to my hand, my hair falling in front of my face. Of course he had to tell Ayaka, Chef extraordinaire, that little story.

"I was nervous! It was our first bonding moment after I had taken him in!" I was so nervous in fact that I put nearly every incorrect spice you could put in chicken noodle soup. Including, curry powder chili flakes, fennel seeds, and celery root. Turned out to be a pretty vibrant soup, once we added some tomatoes. It was not chicken noodle soup though and we later named it the spice bowl. Where you threw whatever spices, veggies, and broths in that you had on hand.

"Come now Mira, surely you learned at least a few things from our Mum and Pops!" Ayaka retorted looking at me like I had not learned a single thing when I had spent a wonderful winter week here. Learning to cook for big crowds when I was only fifteen.

"How are your parents anyhow?" I hadn't seen them, thankfully their faces didn't fall instead brightening up.

"They are good, traveling a lot nowadays. Mum's been learning from backwater chefs all over Clarines. She says that's where the best cooking is found." Ayaka responded with a smile, though I detected just a sadness behind it.

"Tell us Kazuki, is Mirayuki a pretty good care giver? She didn't mess you up did she?" Hikaru asked a silly smirk lying lazily on his face. I rolled my eyes at the question, although I was intrigued on what Kazu would say.

"I hadn't felt safe for a long time before Mira took me in. I was orphaned at a young age and eventually taken in by the Sea's Talon." Kazu began and I placed my hand on his underneath the table. He gave it a small squeeze.

"The sold me off to the Varneci House because I looked pretty and I stayed there for two years until Mira saved me." My other hand clenched itself into a fist, he had never told me how long he had been in the nobility's house. He had just said it was in the past... How long would he have been there if we hadn't went there that night?

"She gave me a shoulder to cry on and a sword to protect myself. She trained me even when I made things difficult for her. She's still doing that though." I smiled at him encouragingly him smiling a small grin back at me. He squeezed my hand again.

"I am who am I am today because of her and I wouldn't change a single thing in my life because it led me to her. It led me home to the lions." I felt like crying in all honesty and I felt so similarly to him.

"You brought light into my life Kazuki, one that's given me more things than you can imagine." I spoke only looking at him but I couldn't help but remember the first full day he spent with us. It had been long and exhausting, but entirely worth it.

I woke up at dawn to some sort of thrashing sound and I hastened my steps when coming to find they were coming from Kazuki's room. I knocked lightly not wanting to barge in, but when he didn't answer I rushed in. Finding him battling some sort of nightmare, which sprung me into action.

I woke him up gently fully expecting the panic in his eyes when he awoke. Had he dreamt that he was back at that nobleman's place? It didn't matter, perhaps I could ask him at a different time. I stayed mostly silent letting him bury his head into my side, knowing he was trying his hardest not to cry.

"I'm here Kazu, I'm here." I whispered gently stroking his soft mop of hair, trying to calm him down as much as possible.

We stayed there for several minutes and as he calmed down he eventually went back to sleep. This time I stayed, I should have last night because it was his first night away from what he was used to. His head was in my lap his body curled up against me.

I had kids to train and I knew someone would come looking for me at some point. Still, I had at least an hour and a half before I had to be at the training grounds. Plus I wanted Kazuki to see what kind of training my group does, so that he eventually could join the troop.

At first I would have to train him one on one though, probably sometime in the afternoon or in the night time. Depending on how many meetings I had to attend, since I was still second in command.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, which was the most time I could give him, I woke Kazuki up. He looked up sleepily at me, grumbling about being woken up again. I was glad he felt safe enough to argue with me, even when he was half asleep.

"Come on Kazuki, I have to train the troop and I want you to watch." He would have to get used to being up early in the mornings eventually. Though I suspect once he started having happier dreams then all would be well.

"Do I have to?" He drew out his syllabes his 'puppy dog' eyes watching me intently. I rolled my eyes and shook my head yes, wordlessly getting up from the bed. Making him get his head out of my lap as I went.

"Be ready in five minutes, if you're not I'll drag you out with your sleeping clothes on." I threatened not looking back at him while I walked out of his room.

He came hobbling and hopping out of the room four minutes later still trying to put his shirt completely on while one shoe was in his hand. The other on his foot, though it seemed like it was about to fall off. I had given him a pair of regular clothes and a pair of sleeping clothes not knowing his style. I figured we could go to our little clothes storage and see if there was anything he liked.

I would eventually have something more custom made for him, which he would be able to pick out. I refused to dress him up like a doll like those nobles had.

"Excellent, let's be off then." I didn't pause to give him any time to consider my words, instead heading off like a whirlwind. I heard his feet pitter pattering after me, rushed.

"So then, what kind of training do you teach the 'troop'?" He asked saying troop in a questioning manner which made me realize he didn't know I had trained a lot of the men who had saved him that day.

"My troop, or training group, mainly uses bows and arrows for hunting wild game. But I train most of them in hand to hand combat and a few in weaponry other than bows." I had twenty five members in my troop, of that twenty-five I had twenty-three training in bows and arrows. I had two training solely in swordsmanship, of the twenty-three I had eighteen in hand-to-hand and the rest in weaponry.

"Which will you train me in then?" I had given this a good amount of thought, wondering if I should give him a range of choices or just start him out on something simpler. Then when he became more adept he could choose something he would rather have.

"I thought that we could try several different weapons and see which you favor." I had bows, lances, hand axes, long swords, and short swords. I had an inkling that he would go for either two hand axes or two short swords. He seemed the type who liked to use both hands in combat. I always had shields though should he want a defensive option.

"That sounds fun! Are we going to do that this morning?" I could see the hope in his eyes and while I wanted to say yes, I knew that I wouldn't be able to.

"We're going to practice later tonight, once you've got a handle on your weapons then you'll start sparing with my troop." Kazuki seemed to deflate a little bit, but I knew it would be better for him this way. I trained my troop hard and I didn't let them win unless they deserved it.

"I guess as long as we start today then..." Kazuki didn't seem as excited to meet the troop now, but I hoped he would make some friends with his future peers.

"You two have been good for each other I imagine." Kaoru spoke lightly looking up at me his eyes piercing mine, electric blue clashing against his deep chocolate.

I swallowed knowing that he probably understood me a little bit more now. Why I did everything I did and what I valued in this life. Kazuki, my father, and the lions were my whole life. But just maybe, I had enough room to fit my sister in to... even if she didn't live in the mountains.

"I am extremely lucky to have Mirayuki in my life." Kazu spoke softly looking down at our conjoined hands with a soft smile.

"Alright enough of this sappy stuff, we have to head out soon." I nodded my head towards the stairs telling him to go pack up his stuff for traveling.

"I'll get the horses ready to." Kazu spoke and headed off upstairs leaving me with the siblings alone.

"You've done a great job raising him Mira." Kaoru spoke gently and left with a small smile that he shot my way. Going back to business.

"You know I think maybe now Kaoru can move on a little easier. Knowing that you're doing something really good." Hikaru responded looking towards where his brother walked towards the front desk.

"You know that I do care about him, that was never in question." I responded looking at the two siblings in front of me, knowing that I would be leaving soon. Still, they needed to know that I always cared about them and about their brother. Even if it's not possible for us to be together.

"We know, we hate seeing him unhappy though." Ayaka responded looking towards her brother and both of them nodding. They rose and walked over to where I was to give me a hug.

"I'm still rooting for you two to make a comeback." Ayaka whispered into my ear as she hugged me tightly. I hugged her right back wondering how long it would be before I saw her again.

"Maybe I am secretly to." I whispered back and leaned away to bring Hikaru into the hug. He came willingly and we all stayed there for a few more seconds before a yell of a hungry patron came nearby.

"I'll miss you guys." I exclaimed trying to make sure that the tears that threatened to well up into my eyes would not roll down.

"Stay safe out there, Kazu told us what happened with the Bandit. I know your capable of handling yourself but-" Hikaru continued but I cut him off.

"We will be fine, we will be in the capital by noon." I didn't mention how my belly began to grow hungry by the minute but Kazu had ate and I would be fine. I had fasted many times during my hunts with my troop. I would be fine.

"Come see us again soon, okay?" I nodded once at Hikaru's question and then we dispersed. I went back to my room to pack up my things and met Kazu at the front of the Inn. I sent on last look at Kaoru, a smile adorning my face and a small nod was shared between us.

"You ready to go Mira?" Kazu yelled from the top of his horse with a big grin on his face. He was finally going to get to see the capital.

"Yeah let's go." I put my stuff on Anri's saddle and we took off riding in the warm morning sun. The wind tickled my face as we rode through the hills of Clarines.

We rode in silence for two hours and as the drew nearer to the capital the more nervous I grew. She would be guarded heavily considering that she has gained favor by the second prince. Normally, I would be granted access into the castle grounds as second in command of the lions. We have recently been verified as our own little state. Sort of like a Kingdom. Which meant that I held a certain level of power and therefore access with my title.

But I wasn't coming here in an official capacity, I had handed off my duties while I went to find Shirayuki with Kazu... But Clarines didn't know that. I would just have to bide my time and act as if I was working in an official capacity.

"Hey Kazu." I yelled over to him as he had already went several paces ahead. He turned his head to face me and I saw a huge smile on his face. The sunlight reflecting off of his hair and for once, he had almost a boyish type wonder to him. Like a teenager would.

"What's up Mira?" He yelled back slowing down his horse that he could fall into a gentle rhythm with mine. Anri's head tilted towards Juniper and let out a short neigh. Juniper gave a loud neigh in return and tried to speed up, but Kazu kept the horse controlled.

"I'll have to introduce you so you can get a temporary badge, but after that you can roam around freely for awhile." I exclaimed knowing that he would probably want to roam right away, but I needed him available to come and go from the castle. He would be able to find me when he got back from roaming.

"Do you have to? I could just sneak in each night like a cat or something." Kazu tilted his head back and let an annoyed sigh pass through his lips. His distaste for nobles, especially royalty, clear as day.

If I could I would let him do that. But I couldn't risk it.

"Yes, but I'll be quick I promise." I rolled my eyes at his cat comment and clicked my tongue signaling for Anri to start to pick up the pace. We were nearing Clarines's capital after all.

"Come on Juni, we can't let them win can we?"

And thus Kazu and I sped off towards the capital of Clarines. Heading for our future.