Sabine's return.

Sabine had been away a week surveying the defenses on the border of the realm. New colonels had been appointed and now she was looking forward to getting back to the capitol. She had missed her queen and this scared her a little. She had always relied on just one person herself and now she found herself falling in love with this enigma called Arerto.

One minute Arerto could be tough as steel especially with the military then in the blink of an eye she could be very loving. When she was among children she would join in their games until duty called then it was back to being tough and unforgiving. As Sabine and her entourage rode back a messenger arrived from the capitol with the report of the joint exercise.

From the reports, Sabine started to seethe as it had been a disaster but luckily no one had been killed just a few injuries. Sabine wrote out a quick note requesting that the admiral meet her on her return. Sabine's aide was ordered to ride back with the messenger and report to the queen that they should be home by early evening. Sabine started to calm down as she read through the report and soon realized why it had been a disaster.

She smirked as she contemplated the meeting to come with the navy because it was primarily their errors that had caused the debacle. The group moved on passing through villages and settlements only stopping once to water and feed the horses and troops. Life seemed so simple out here in the rural areas but it would bore Sabine as she was a fighter, not a farmer.

In the capital, a new admiral was being sworn in as her predecessor had resigned after the failed exercise. She to looked at the report and came to a conclusion that she could not get away from. The navy had failed and it was her job now to get the navy working properly. Her first order of business was to demote ship's captains and also reorganize the quartermaster's department.

She read the message from General Sabine and steeled herself for the meeting to come. She knew that she was not to blame but still now she represented the navy. Arerto received the aide and smiled as she heard of the return of her Sabine. She was also informed that Sabine had summoned the admiral for an urgent meeting on her return. Arerto smiled knowing that she had chosen well because anyone else would have reported to the Queen first.

This way Sabine could give her answers when she finally did come to her chambers so she could wait for Sabine.