The capital welcomed us home with the particular relief of a city that had clearly weathered its own smaller anxieties during our two months away—rumors of the empress's extended absence apparently generating more theories than Aldric's careful, deliberately vague official explanations had managed to suppress.
Elian met us at the palace gates before we'd even fully dismounted, having apparently badgered Aldric mercilessly for advance notice of our arrival, and the force of his embrace nearly knocked me off balance despite my having braced for exactly this greeting throughout the final day's travel.
"You came back," he said, muffled against my traveling cloak, as though genuine surprise mixed with the relief. "You promised, but you always promise things that turn out complicated."
"I promised specifically this time," I said, kneeling to properly embrace him. "And here I am."
