Tell tales for a time.

Battling crabs. Noble balls. Giant crabs. More balls. Fighting dragons. A tournament in the desert. Undead armies and a witch. Cities under the ocean. Mysterious islands. Demigods. Demon Kings. Adventurers. Powerful mages. You've done so much and met so many people, and you spend some time sharing bits of what you can remember, all while you snack on fine cheeses served with grapes and meat, washing it down with delicious wine. It isn't just little Einarr thrilled to hear such stories, but his mother as well, and there's plenty you say that most people in the room had never heard about, except perhaps Nyllia.

A good amount of the afternoon is spent there.

Eventually, however, things wind down. Queen Catherine II speaks up as she stretches from her seat. "I must get ready for this evening. Be sure to come watch, Kyle, and be ready to speak to my people. I wish you to first arrive in the crowd like any other. At a certain time, I will call you to the stage."

"Why that way?" you ask.

"I'll show everybody that you're just one of the people. That and it's the way of Tivera to be dramatic. But don't be afraid. The people here are already learning to love you. And after all is said and done, we will not yet be finished. You'll be invited back to my home, so that we can discuss things further. No, you are not free of me yet, Kyle."

"Such a shame."

She smiles. "Come, sister. Finaros. Einarr. Let's begin preparations."

Once everyone has stood, and they near the exit, Prince Finaros stops you once again. Though not trembling or red, he seems focused on you in particular. The two of you linger behind the rest, and he speaks up. "Pardon me, Your Majesty."

Don't love the tone he said that. "Yeah?"

"Finaros," speaks the queen. "What are you doing?"

"Relax. This has nothing to do with combat. I wish to ask a question. Speak my mind. I only desire an answer."

"Fine then. Go ahead. But then we're leaving."

He looks back to you. "The Demon King of Oraang Desert. Also, the one from the southwest, who I heard much of in my time between the free cities. Demon King Cresswell I believe. Rumour says you're not enemies but allies. That you talk. You were called Demon King for some time, especially by decree of Thadius, and while he was clearly a fool, I worry there was a kernel of truth in there. So, are you friends with these two, or not?"

"Demon King is just the title given to a person enough people distrust, with the power to do actual harm, and the people want to put a target on their head. Sometimes that's a genuinely bad person, but other times it's purely a rebel living by their own means. I'm not going to defend Lady Vex or William Cresswell, because I don't know what they do when I'm not around, but they both helped me more than once, especially Vex of Oraang Desert. She I trust more, I admit. So by that logic, Demon King isn't such a strange title to call me still. Whether you go with that or something else, I didn't make any of them up myself."

"That's a dangerous game to play, especially if my sister-in-law is going to trust you as an ally to the Empire."

"The world is dangerous, but the people I'm close to are my friends, and we protect each other. That means I'll defend Tivera as well. Like I said, both the people you mentioned came to its aid. Maybe they had ulterior motives. Maybe not. My only motive is to be happy and to keep the people I care about safe."

Princess Dayna sighs. "Such a speech could make a girl swoon."

Finaros' brow twitches. "All right, my dear. Let's go."

"Did you get the answer you wanted?"

"All I want right now is more wine."