The trip home was as long as the trip to the Throat to begin with. As the sun rose on another day, Kahlua thanked Gaucho and his party for their hospitality and set off back to the Edge. It was almost cruel of her to drag the rest back with her, when only one would be made lead, but a plan had been made and she stuck with it. It didn’t matter anymore anyways. There was no stress in her heart, no struggle in her head, no war waging in her breast. Life would be as it was supposed to be, she was sure. Whoever it was that Ophelia would pick, Kahlua was sure the white woman would make a wise choice. She had not failed to deliver when Kahlua had needed guidance before. She would not fail to deliver now.

Back they went, Kahlua walking beside Mauja, pressed gently against his side, enjoying the way her body bumped and brushed against his. It was easy to walk beside him. As she thought about her life and what had led her to this moment, her mind conjured memories and images of Kaj and she wondered what about Mauja made her feel so different. But it some ways, she already knew the answer. Kaj had been more of a father and a mentor than a friend. He had always been there pushing her to be greater, pushing her to grow, but at those moments when she had been broken down to her lowest point she had not been ready to grow and be greater. At those moments, all she had needed was a ladder to help her climb out of her pit of despair.

Mauja seemed to understand this, to know what it was like to have darkness in his heart, to know when to push and when to offer a steady hand. She didn’t know how she and him, so opposite as they were, had grown together, but something within her had connected to something within him. What had been a crusade to clear his name, to free him from the accusations that haunted him, had turned into something more. Friends first, but then something else that she could not deny. But the nice thing about Mauja was that she didn’t have to even know what it was that they were now. He didn’t ask, she couldn’t tell him anyways, and it didn’t matter. They were what they were, or what they were not, and that was fine.

No pressure. No expectations. Just happiness.
She was content.

---

Crossing the border of the Edge, wondering what would be done with the remnants of the glass wall now that the land was under new leadership, the queen (the last time she could say that) found Ophelia. Kahlua, still jaded on the idea of war, listened long enough to hear the Forsaken’s judgement- Torleik. An easy smile settled on her lips and she bobbed her head contentedly. She could accept him… she owed him, after all. As for the rest- discussion of tactics and the whys… Kahlua wanted to listen, she really did, but the words still brought back flashes of war and destruction that she did not want to (and could not) listen to. Instead, she laid her head against Mauja’s neck and enjoyed the warmth that coursed from his body into hers.

In time it was her turn. She knew she could never be so eloquent as the white Lady and her words would surely fall short in comparison, but the sooner she spoke the sooner this would all be over. The sooner she could go back to living her life the way she wanted to. The sooner Helovia could begin to heal from the tragedies that she had helped cause. At any rate, Gaucho had done much of the analysis for her. All she had to do was follow through. Lifting her head from Mauja’s side, she began.

“Amaris decided she would rather not be queen,” she started, because that was easiest. “As Gaucho pointed out in the Throat, both Verlaine and Thor approached with friendship and promises but did not bring anything that would suggest they could keep their promises later on. Thor does, however, have history as a leader…” Somewhat apologetically, her eyes roamed to Thor. She actually rather enjoyed his company, but this was about what was best for the Edge. “Mauja had a backup plan if peaceful negotiations were not enough to save his herd. He has history in this land, with the Lady Moon, and as a leader…” Again, she trailed off. It felt odd to be judging him- awkward, even. He was standing right there, after all. “I propose that Mauja lead this land, with Torleik.”

Shuffling away from Mauja slightly, the Sunshower looked between the two of them. The Lady Moon had told her once that queens don’t bow, but she was a queen no longer. Extending one forelimb, the queen curled her neck around and acknowledged them as leaders- her leaders. “I wish to stay here,” she announced at last, specifically to the two of them. “I would like to be your Seer, if you and the Lady Moon would have me.” Of course she did not know that Nasreen had recently returned… An issue for another time, perhaps.

For now, the world simply felt… right.