Leaving his students to practice or do as they pleased, Basque trotted through the empty halls, only occasionally passing by an occasional servant. With all the other teachers and students still at the tournament, the servants had free rein of the halls, and there was no one to get in Basque’s way as he began his search for his wayward girlfriend.

  He greeted Kamryn, Kolt, and Jame, who sat on the lounge sofa, playing a game they’d invented with their reading flash cards. Going into his room, all he found was Yesenia cleaning. She told him Natt hadn’t been there.

  Next, he tried the teachers’ room, but the lights were off. The guidance rooms were empty. Not even Tyze was in his office, as he was out at the colosseum for the tournament.

  Basque wondered if she’d gone out to the Tinkerer’s place. It was possible, but she’d been standing by the school, not by the exit to the pastures. He liked to think he would have noticed her walking across. Maybe she went to find Sophia?

  Deciding to check their room one last time before heading out to the Tinkerer’s place, Basque walked back across the school to the dorms. His three students were still in the lounge playing their game.

  “Hey, guys, have you seen Natt?”

  “Yeah,” Jame said. “She went into the hall like a minute after you left.”

  Basque blinked. They’d just missed each other. “Thanks.”

  At least he knew where she was now.

  When he walked into their room, she lay slumped back on the couch with her arms draped beside her. Tears rolled out of her unfocused eyes, but her mouth was slightly upturned.

  “Hey! What is it? Are you okay?”

  Her eyes focused on him. “Basque!” She jumped off the couch and hugged him. Her tears became vocal. “I’ve finally seen a light,” she sobbed.

  “A light?”

  “With Banca.”

  Standing and holding on to him, Natt explained her conversation with Banca and Yesenia.

  Natt took a step back. Holding on to Basque’s arms, she looked up at him. “So you have to! You have to take them to the camps.”

  “I thought we already agreed on that.”

  She let go of him and walked back to the sofa. “Yeah, but after I take Reianna to her parents, I’ll go join you in the camps.”

  Basque looked at her from where he stood. “Yesenia is a smart girl, but I think you might be pinning too much hope on her idea. And it feels a bit dishonest to me.”

  “Dishonest?”

  “Yeah. It’s a bit manipulative, like you’re trying to set up a scenario so that she’ll look at you favorably, rather than letting it happen organically. What she did today, what she said to you today, that was borne from the effort that you, Yesenia, and others put into helping her. Not some scheme.”

  Natt looked away. “I just…”

  He went over and sat next to her and rubbed her arm. “I know.”

  They sat in silence for a couple of seconds before Basque continued, “She wants to go, and I already told her I would take her. You can come check on her, but I think it would be best if you don’t try to take the role of ‘savior’.”

  Natt nodded, then crashed her head into his shoulder. “You’re right. I’ll come hang out for a couple of days, then go back.”

  “You know, I’ve never asked, but where are Reianna’s parents?”

  Natt smiled at him. “With my parents, of course.”

  “Your parents?!”

  “Yeah, Dad still hunts enough to be a baronet. They’ve got a little section out in the outskirts on the north end. It’s not much, just their place and a handful of commoners with their stores. But he’s a good lord, and I think it’s one of the best places to live in Kruami.”

  Basque swallowed. “Your…parents…”

  She smiled again. “You seemed surprised. Why? Do you want to meet them?”

  He shot up off the couch. “Well…I…umm…”

  She stood, too. “Hey, relax. You don’t have to meet them if you don’t want to.”

  He scratched his head. “No, it’s just…well…did you want me to meet them?”

  She shrugged. “Sure? I guess? I mean, it’s just my parents.”

  “‘Just’?”

  “Yeah? Why is it a big deal in Hianbru to meet someone’s parents?”

  “Kinda?”

  “Is this one of those ‘can’t tell the local savages anything’ things?”

  “You’re not a savage.”

  She snorted. “I noticed the singular in that statement.”

  “Well, I mean, not all Kruamians are savages.”

  She nudged him with her elbow. “Just most of them, huh?”

  “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

  Natt jumped away from him. “Whoa! A body part idiom! Was I right, and you aren’t as dumb as you pretend?”

  “First off, I resent being called dumb for not understanding your language’s silly idioms, and no, that doesn’t mean I magically understand all of them, just that one.”

  Natt’s stomach growled. She put her hands on it. “Man, I’m hungry. Come on, let’s bathe, have sex, bathe again, and get ready to go out. By the time we do all that, the last night of the festival should be in full gear.”

  “So long as we don’t eat those sick-sticks again.”

  Natt pursed her lips and shook her head. “A definite no on those. We’ll leave them to the kids.”

  She grabbed him by his sash and pulled him into the bathroom. He was glad that she let the topic of parents drop. He didn’t want to answer the question. It would lead to complications in their relationship. Complications he wasn’t ready for, both personally and international-relations-wise.

  After her stomach growled again, Natt combined the first three tasks on her make-shift to-do list. Basque didn’t complain as he was just happy she didn’t cut the first two off.

  He couldn’t get enough of her. Despite their cultural differences, he’d not met a woman who completed or complemented him as a person more. All he could do was hope that she felt the same.

  It didn’t hurt that she was beautiful and really good at sex.

  He needed to solve those international problems sooner rather than later. He knew there was no way he could give her up.

  As Natt finished up first, Basque stood alone in the bathroom, doing his best to dry his hair without proper technology. He couldn’t wait for the next batch of ambassadors and hunters to show up. If Rakelle listened to his request, they would bring a hair dryer over.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  There was state secrecy, and then there was showing off for trade. After almost a year, he wanted a dryer. He needed a dryer. To deny him one would be cruel and unjust. Maybe that’s why Eder, who’s been here much longer, cut his hair.

  “If we’re going to establish trade, we should establish trade,” Basque muttered to the mirror.

  Natt stuck her head in the door just then. “Who you talking to?”

  “Oh, uhh, myself.”

  “Well, throw on some clothes. Reianna and Uscar are here to talk to you.”

  Doing as he was told, Basque almost kissed Uscar for solving the hunting break dilemma. “Do you know Count Corvin?” Basque asked Natt after the two students left.

  She was braiding his hair, and with the evening setting in and not having a dryer, he needed to tie it up.

  “I do.”

  “Can we trust the students with him?”

  “Absolutely. He was one of my closest compatriots when I was still noble. He’ll look after them well.”

  “Do you think he’s here?”

  “Probably? Uscar has an older sister in the fifth-year, so his parents should still be here tonight.”

  “Do you think we can find them so I can meet them myself?”

  “Sure. I’ll keep my eye out for them.”

  He tilted his head back so he could look up at her. “Don’t you mean eyes?”

  She pushed his head back up. “Yes, eyes. You know, I never thought I’d be dating a guy who has hair as long as mine.” She patted his shoulder twice with both hands. “All done. Finally.”

  Basque grabbed it and looked at the pink ribbon on the end that Natt had used to tie the braid together. “Cute.”

  “I thought it suited you.”

  “I didn’t even know you owned anything pink.”

  “I stole it from Julvie.”

  Basque spun around in his chair. “You didn’t!”

  Natt laughed. “As if I’d want anything that belonged to that Yani. It’d probably turn us, too. No. My eyes don’t match my hair. I don’t do that monotone fashion, and it’s not pink’s fault Julvie sucks.”

  “Well, it’s great,” Basque said, stood, and kissed her. “You ready to go eat?”

  “You’re paying, right?”

  “Still, no money.”

  Natt shook her head. “You’re going to eat me out of house and home…”

  “You live rent-free with me.”

  She lifted a hand and pointed to him with it. “See! You already ate my house!”

  He laughed.

  They left the dorm and went down the grand stairwell. They joined in the flow of students heading out to the festival.

  “Is it just me, or are there more people tonight?”

  “The spring festival is always bigger than the autumn one,” Natt explained. “Oh! Have you tried the croquette yet?” She asked and pointed at a stall.

  “No…what’s a croquette?” Basque eyed the oblong brown food.

  “Yummy. That’s what it is.” She pulled them into line and bought them a case with five in it.

  It was fried and heavy. “What’s up with all the food stalls selling fried stuff?” Basque finished one and wiped his hands off.

  “Easy to produce in a stall,” Natt answered with her mouth full. She cupped her hand under her mouth so nothing fell out.

  “Have I ever said you are quite lady-like?”

  “Shut it. Here, have another.” She held the pack out to him.

  He looked down at it. “I’ll pass. Let’s go line up for pig-squash.”

  She shrugged. “Your loss.” Taking her second one, Natt shoved a huge bite in her mouth.

  Basque winced.

  “Whart? I’mr hurngry.” Her mouth was too full to even enunciate.

  “I’m not holding your hair up tonight.”

  She swallowed and slapped his shoulder. “I’m not going to throw up again.”

  While they waited in line for the pig-squash, Natt finished the rest of the croquettes. Licking her fingers, she said, “Man, those really hit the spot. Maybe we should get Reaggie out here to learn.”

  “Pass. I’d rather not remember what I ate than remember that what I ate is what killed me.”

  “Fine, then can we at least get him to learn what a flavor palette is?”

  “Let’s get him pig-squash to work with. I don’t think that could be messed up.”

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t put it past him. Oh! Be right back!” Natt took off and ran through the crowd chasing after a man with copper-colored hair.

  She came back leading the man and a woman with pink hair and piercing blue eyes. “Ambassador Basque, this is Count Colvin and his wife, Countess Elaryn.”

  Colvin bowed to Basque. “Ambassador Basque, what an honor. I hear you’re to thank for Uscar’s dramatic improvements.”

  “Count Colvin. Mister Uscar is a brilliant young man. All his achievements are his own.”

  Elaryn inserted her arm into the crook of her husband’s. “He’s humble, too.” Her gaze shifted to Natt. “I can’t help but be jealous.”

  Colvin cleared his throat. “Darling, I told you, the Hianbruns don’t have the same values as we do. Please, leave it there.”

  “Oh, well, Natt, if you ever feel like sharing…” Elaryn looked Basque up and down.

  “Ambassador Basque, please forgive my wife. She’s never really understood monogamy.”

  Elaryn laughed. “It doesn’t mean I don’t love you any less, darling.” She kissed his cheek.

  Basque cleared his throat. “Though I don’t understand the practice—I’d probably go Yani if Natt ever tried anything—I can appreciate the cultural difference.”

  “If we’ve got the awkward topics out of the way,” Natt cut in,” shall we discuss hunting break?”

  “Of course,” Colvin said.

  “Your son has offered to house Class E during the break,” Basque said.

  “Has he now?”

  “Yes.”

  “All of Class E?” Elaryn asked.

  Basque shook his head. “I think seven students are going home, so you should have eighteen kids signing up tomorrow.”

  “Wait,” Elaryn said. “That’s twenty-five students. Are you sure it’s not eight coming with us?”

  “I’m sure it’s eighteen. Twenty-four started, and Banca joined.”

  The count and countess stared at him.

  “Is he lying?” Elaryn asked Natt.

  “No. Did you not see Class E fight yesterday?”

  “No,” the count answered. “We only watched B. First-year battles are pretty dull.”

  Elaryn looked at Natt. Her stunned expression didn’t fade. “No wonder you’re so smitten.” She curtsied. “Master Basque, I am sorry for my previous discourtesy. I should have practiced discretion. Please continue to look after my precious son.”

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  They continued to talk after that. Despite the Countess’ early forwardness, the couple was pleasant. Natt gave them full marks for being sympathetic towards commoners.

  While they weren’t passionate about improving commoners’ standing like Natt, the Tinkerers, and Sophia, they were a far cry from psychopaths like Julvie or self-serving like Harnel.

  While Basque wouldn’t write a glowing review of them, he did feel safe enough leaving his students with them over the next three months. They weren’t a danger.

  “He was a close compatriot?” Basque asked when they separated.

  Natt was munching on popcorn as she answered, “Yeah. He wasn’t married to Elaryn, then, though. I’m sure what happened to me also freaked him out some. But the kids will be safe with them.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, Yani! Cinnamon Funnel cakes! I so want one.” Natt shoved her half-eaten popcorn in Basque’s hand and then grabbed his other one and dragged him off to a stall that was selling fried dough with cinnamon on it.

  “Natt, are you sure about this?”

  “No, but I’m craving it so bad, and it’s another one of those festival-only foods. Live a little with me.”

  “I’ll have a bite…”

  “Wow, Mr. Adventure over here.”

  “I did sail halfway around the world through Yani-infested waters.”

  “Master Basque? Madam Natt?”

  The couple turned to look at who called them. Elaina, the second-year’s Class A teacher, stood two steps away.

  “Madam Elaina,” Natt said. “How are you this evening?”

  “Umm…I’ve actually been looking for you. I left my hunting group…”

  “I see.” Basque didn’t see. He didn’t understand why she was telling him.

  “I’m not noble, he’s not even Kruamian, and that’s only three of us.”

  Basque’s eyes widened. “Oh, you want to go hunting with us?”

  The cornflower-blue-haired teacher nodded. “Ever since you started training me in the morning, I feel so much more confident. I want to see how you hunt. If you can train first-years in formations that well…”

  Basque shook his head. “The only plans I have over the break is to inspect the camps.”

  “Oh! That’s great then. Would you mind if I join you?”

  “But we won’t be hunting.”

  “I know. I’m pretty sure I can get my ten just running protection for the camps. Thank you for your concern.”

  He wasn’t concerned about her making some random number of Yani kills. He was more concerned that she thought ten Yani would attack a human settlement in just three months. Hianbru hadn’t had that many attack a settlement in over a century. This country really was optimal hunting grounds.

  “If you want to come out with me, I won’t stop you, but I do have to warn you again. I’m not interested in anyone but Natt.”

  Natt burst out in laughter.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You don’t have to worry about that with Madam Elaina. With her, it’s me who should be worried about that.”

  “Oh…” Basque said and blushed.

  However, he wasn’t the only one alone in his embarrassment that night. Once again, Natt ate too much fried fatty foods, and once again, Basque held up her hair for her as she couldn’t keep it down. He was glad the festival was over, and not just from Natt over-indulging, but hopefully it would be the last tournament where a student would be allowed to die.