“Well, clearly, you have come to us for help,” Alex says. “I don’t know what you think we might be able to do, but the picture of possible future events that you paint is more than bleak enough to have our attention.”

“Our request is a simple one,” Lee tells the two of them. “Will you consider coming north with us and seeing if there is anything that you can do to help. We honestly have no idea what that might entail, but you are the two most powerful mages that the world knows of.”

“Getting to the northern continent is beyond my range,” Alex tells them. “It will entail a long journey by sea. Once on land, things should be easier. I can simply move us across the continent in a handful of steps.”

“Not as easy as one might expect, even for you,” Lee mutters. “We have two mages who can travel, as I believe you do. They are usually able to move up to a mile or two at a time. This power seems to have become… Weakened? Their ability seems to have been reduced by a factor of ten or twenty. Again, we suspect that the Star is trying to draw magical power to itself, draining their abilities. I fear that you may also be affected.”

“So, even with the Flame, it will feel like it did before we encountered it?” Jamie asks.

“That seems likely,” Alex agrees.

“I understand that the two of you are still formidable,” Jin Chao suggests. “However, it will mean a land journey of several weeks, at the very least. As we have already suggested, the lands of the north are as safe as anywhere else, but nobody can say other than it would be a dangerous journey.”

“So, you want us to travel to the frozen north, with minimal magic, in winter, to see if we can help?” Alex asks.

“Yes.” Jin Chao says simply.

The four men sit in silence. Alex stares across at Jamie, a hint of the question in his gaze. He hardly feels the need to ask for his husband’s answer. Jamie is almost bouncing in his seat at the possibility. Their guests can surely not fail to notice that he’s acting like an excited child. It’s all Alex can do to not smile at him.

“Let us assume for the moment that we are inclined to help,” Alex says. “What sort of timeline do you have in mind and what size of group do you propose?”

“We have no restrictions in mind, although we’d rather you didn’t bring an army with you,” Lee Shan tells them both. “We have a ship in the harbour that can leave within an hour. It will sail for Mekalla. Once there, we will provide horses, equipment, suitable clothing for the north and anything else you need. I can’t impress on you both just how important this is to the Emperor and our world as a whole. We will fund the whole expedition.”

“I will accompany you both, if that meets with your approval,” Jin Chao adds. “I have made a considerable study of the Star and my presence might be of some assistance. Also, I know the language and have travelled widely.”

“We’ll need to discuss this with others. Despite outward appearances, we are not without commitments,” Jamie tells the visitors. “Do you gentlemen have accommodation in Fundis?”

“We do,” Lee Shan agrees. “We have taken one of the inns just down the road. Take what time you need, but understand there is a pressing need to begin.”

“Of course,” Alex agrees. “Might I suggest that we have another meeting, say in the morning the day after tomorrow. If we are able to help, we will be ready to leave one day after that.”

“We will be at our inn, then,” Jin Chao agrees. “If you need us, or need further information, please send word.”

Satisfied that the meeting is at an end, Alex and Jamie stand, the four men exchange handshakes and Alex escorts the visitors towards the front of the embassy. As they approach the main door, Shara appears from the corridor opposite having walked in from the gardens at the rear.

“Forgive me,” the leopard sends. “I didn’t know your guests were still here.”

Lee Shan looks confused, but Jin Chao leaps backwards, hand reaching across his belly to the sword at his belt.

“Highness, please relax,” Alex yells before the sword is drawn. “Not only do I not want you to draw that sword – and stopping you could be very painful – but you’d never finish the movement before Shara got to you, no matter how good you are with a blade.”

It takes the young man a moment or two to regain his composure, but he has the awareness to visibly relax and release the grip on his sword hilt. “I feel a bit of a fool,” he admits with a bashful look at the floor. “I know of your companion yet I reacted as if he were a wild beast.”

“Not all the time,” Shara sends amiably. “I did startle you, but no harm was meant or has been done.”

Alex and Jamie try to relax for the rest of the day, but their guests from the south can clearly see that they have much on their minds. At dinner, Alex explains to Markus and Katrina what they have been asked to do. Markus is intrigued by the prospect of travelling to the northern continent, but has to accept that he would never be able to accompany them.

“However much I wish to explore further, there’s no way I would be able to spend so much time away from home,” he admits. “Not just because the king wouldn’t permit it, but also because I have too much work. It was difficult enough to get these few days away from court.”

“We would love to stay here for a few more days,” Katrina tells them over dessert, “But clearly you must make plans and have meetings, to come to a decision. Would you take us back to Fionor tomorrow morning?”

“Yes,” Markus agrees. “That would be for the best. We can always come and see you here when you return?”

“And you will both be welcome to do just that,” Alex tells them with a smile. “The timing of this whole thing is both good and bad. Bad because we lose this time with the two of you, but good because we were both beginning to get restless with our soft and stable life. Right now, my gut feeling is that we shall go with them to the north.”

“You will always have that spark for adventure within your heart,” Markus agrees. “Your life as a guard and then as a leader on a dangerous quest will always be with you. You need to feed that need regularly; I fear.”

“Do you know who you will take with you?” Katrina asks.

“Well, I know who I am going to ask, at least,” Alex tells her. “Brion and Garvan are both available and, no matter how good the guards who’ll accompany the prince might be, I like to have people I know around me when the going gets tough. I also suspect that Catheon will be reluctant to miss the opportunity to see more of the world.”

“Captain Petaron will not wish to leave his wife and the new baby,” Jamie adds. “More to the point, she will not let him go. Shara has already agreed to go with us, but he wishes us to meet with some of the mages from his homeland before we go. He can be quite insistent.”

“He thinks they will have some insight?” Markus asks.

“Yes. Despite what we have learned of the north today, Shara’s people are still the largest collection of people with magical ability that we are aware of,” Jamie says. “Honestly, Alex and I should have visited these people before now. We have no reason to hide from them and probably have much to learn from one-another.”

“Then, we have a tentative plan,” Alex agrees. “We will take you both home tomorrow, spend some time in Tanis and make any necessary arrangements. Then Jamie and I will go with Shara late in the afternoon to see his people. We should be able to make our meeting with the Mekallan delegation the following morning with ease.”

“You have travelled by sea before, haven’t you, Markus?” Jamie asks.

“Yes indeed. Although I travelled by land to meet Katrina in Meribor, we decided to return to Fionor by sea. On such a direct journey, it is somewhat quicker than horseback or carriage – and considerably more comfortable.”

“Well, if you don’t get sick,” Katrina adds with a wrinkle of her nose. “It took me almost a week before the nausea passed. The sailors call it ‘getting your sea-legs’ but I called it hell.”

“The strange thing is,” Markus continues, “it didn’t bother me at all. I do have excellent natural balance, but I’m not sure if that is what actually made the difference. I may just have been lucky.”

“I’ve always had an issue with similar situations,” Katrina says. “Even going any distance in an enclosed carriage would make me feel decidedly unwell. I used to infuriate my parents by insisting on riding outside with the driver.”

“I read a work on the subject recently,” Jamie adds. “Whatever it is that gives us the sense of balance is believed to rely on our sight for confirmation and clues to reset the system every so often. The odd movements of ships and enclosed carriages confuse that system of confirmation and it makes some people feel very unwell indeed.”

“Well, that explains why I always felt better outside of the carriage,” Katrina says.

“Yes, you would have also been better on the deck of the ship whenever possible,” Jamie agrees. “All things we shall have to take into consideration if we go north.”

“Well, if we are going to have a full day tomorrow, I’m going to retire early,” Alex tells them, finishing his wine and rising to his feet. “I suspect I’ll have trouble getting to sleep with so much on my mind.”

“We will be ready to leave right after breakfast,” Markus tells him.