That night, Faralynn found her father sitting by the tree that his brother became. He had a bottle of Naik, an elven spirit made from the sap of a local tree, which tasted similar to mead.

He looked at the tree with sadness and regret, sitting on a stool with a gold chalice on his hand and a bottle on the other.

"Ufa." Faralynn called him.

Farzan looked at his daughter and gave her a huge smile, clearly drunk.

"There’s my princess." He said, lifting his arm and asking for a hug.

Faralynn obliged him.

"Can’t sleep?" She asked, feeling the warmth of her father and ignoring the alcohol stench on his mouth.

"Yes." He nodded. "I tried to avoid this." Farzan added, pointing at his brother’s prison.

"I know. Everyone knows." His daughter tried to console him.

"I remember when we were kids. He used to follow me everywhere." The elf now had tears in his eyes. "But he was always like this. He always wanted more. I warned him many times that it would lead him to this." He pointed to the tree. "He never listened."

"I know, ufa." Faralynn kissed his cheek.

"He wasn’t a bad person. He treated people under him with care. He always did." Farzan defended his brother. "When father died he was so sad. But, when people started to talk about who was going to lead the duchy, I saw that glint in his eye. The same he always had when he saw something he wanted."

Faralynn stayed silent, hugging her father with her head on his shoulder.

"I knew he wouldn’t accept me inheriting the house. So I took your mother and left." Farzan placed a kiss on Faralynn’s head. "I never regretted it. I thought he would be a good leader. He was always smart and cared for those under him. I didn’t think that his greed would be so..." He didn’t find the words to describe what he was thinking.

Faralynn just listened.

"Idiot." Farzan cursed his brother and drank a huge gulp of his drink. Tears ran across his face.

Faralynn took the goblet away from her father and served herself some naik.

Farzan tried to protest, but soon stopped himself.

"I keep forgetting you’re not a child anymore." He smiled at her even with tears running across his face while she drank.

"I’m soon to stop aging." She said while serving her father more liquor.

"Speaking of which." Farzan dried his tears. "Matthew."

"Ufa." Faralynn looked at her father with a serious tone.

"You know humans live barely 100 years." He worried about his daughter’s heart.

"Then I’ll make these the best 100 years of my life." She answered annoyed.

Farzan laughed loudly.

"You’re just like your mother."

Faralynn pouted.

Farzan picked up Farynn’s silver bow that was resting against the tree.

"Take it."

"Are you sure?" Faralynn asked, picking up the bow and studying its craftsmanship.

"It belongs to the head of the house. And that’s you." Farzan said with a smile. "Ask the bowyers to put a new string on it." He added.

"But I can’t take this to Earth." She protested.

"Nonsense." Farzan laughed. "No one will take offense if you hold it."

"Are you sure?" She repeated herself.

"Of course I am." He patted her head. "With the luck of that boyfriend of yours, you’ll need it more than anyone."

"Okay." Faralynn blushed.

"And ask an armorer to fit Farynn’s armor to Matthew. Call it a wedding gift." Farzan laughed while drinking more naik.

"Ufa!" Faralynn blushed and protested, but with a smile on her face.

The next few days were hectic. The news of Farynn’s demise spread throughout the duchy and the kingdom. Battles that were still raging were stopped even if Farynn’s side was winning.

The encampment was undone, the walls collapsed back into the earth and the tents lifted. They all moved into the fortress or the city. Repairs soon started to be made on the damaged walls.

All the nobles from the duchy came down to meet with Faralynn and Farzan. Those who fought for them eager to be rewarded and those who fought against them eager for mercy.

Many got new lands, riches or new titles, while others lost all their lands or parts of it, or had to pay fines.

A shrine was built around Farynn’s tree which was known as Farynn’s Folly. It became a sacred place where spiritists, spirit worshipers like Mayan, Faralynn’s aunt, congregated to pray.

Karynn and Kazan, who held no lands, were banished from Nuilynn and forced to serve Faralynn on Earth. Both soon went to the Laufgraan academy where Professor Claude put them to work.

The duchy was restructured by Farzan who was serving as Faralynn’s regent. He lowered taxes and gave more autonomy to local lords, fulfilling the promise he made when he started the war against his brother.

A week passed in a blink of an eye.

Faralynn finally had some free time and decided to relax on the beach, since the cold weather went away and the sun was now shining hot.

Elven culture wasn’t as prude as Earth’s. Since their goddess, the Lady in Darkness, only preached about compassion and bravery and not about purity, their clothing, although very similar to Earth’s middle ages, was way more revealing.

Nuilynn had a flower similar to dandelions, but with black top, had a rubber like cypselae that was processed and used to make bathing suits.

The beach they were on had black rocky sand, surrounded by the fortress walls and huge rocks.

Faynn was sun bathing in a single piece black suit that left most of her back bare and a window showing her midriff.

Erin and Helen played on the water, the first one using a pink two piece she brought from home and the second with a black small short and a very slim top that she borrowed from Faynn.

Tina was wearing a light white laced dress with a black bikini underneath while reading a book under a green velvet tent.

Mia’s bikini was a black thong and a very small strapless top covering her breasts. She was sunbathing laying by Faynn’s side.

Ffyr was dressed the same way as Mia and was flying around the ocean playing with 2 small dolphin like creatures in the water.

Matthew was wearing a black speedo, that was too small for his liking, but very much appreciated by the women around him.

Faralynn wore a dark green bikini with purple strings and silver chains decorating it. Around her neck she wore a silver chain with her family’s green leaf on the point.

Matthew and Faralynn were walking together by the water in silence, just basking on the sun.

"So... When are we going to the capital?" Matthew asked Faralynn, breaking the silence.

"I’ll go with dad. You don’t need to come." She answered while picking up a shell from the sand.

"Don’t need to go or is it better if I don’t?" Matthew asked.

"You don’t need to." The elf smiled at him. "You should spend some time with your family. Erin said you barely spent a day with them after you came back." She explained herself.

"Are you sure?" Matthew asked with a sad tone.

"I’m sure. You mother and father must really miss you. And I know Sarah does." Faralynn caressed his face.

"Alright." Matthew agreed, taking her hand in his and kissing it.

"You got really corny after all this time." She commented with a blush, trying to hide her smile.

"And you got cuter." He replied, noticing how her ears twitched.

After a while, some servants came with food for them, some sort of big birds hunted nearby with a dark meat, but a kind of sweet taste and with minty seasoning.

Until now, all the cuisine Matthew experienced on Nuilynn was war ration, soup or stale bread. That was the first time he ate something truly elven.

They rested in their rooms for the afternoon and at night they had a huge party in the city hosted by the richest merchant there. All the nobles nearby came dressed as best as they could afford.

Rich merchants from all the duchy also were invited, everyone eager to make new connections with the new duchess and Farzan the regent.

Matthew was told to come dressed in Farynn’s red dragon scale armor to show off as Faralynn’s shield to all who still didn’t know him.

He wore a green cape over it with Laufgraan’s family symbol on the back and a silver decorative sword on his waist.

The event was a huge success for Farzan. Matthew’s visage drew nods of approval for the shield and for his relationship with Faralynn.

The older elves agreed that he was a good match for her youth and once his small mortal life was done, Faralynn would return to Nuilynn to rule as a wise woman, learned from her time on Earth, but still in touch with elven customs, shown by her successful dealing with the spirits.

The next day, Matthew, Ffyr, Erin, Helen and Tina left to go back to Earth. Mia stayed with Faralynn, since her father was invited as a representative for Earth in Faralynn’s ordnance as the Duchess of the Laufgraan Duchy. She would meet him there and attend the ceremony.

When Matthew got home, his mother hugged him tight. She didn’t say a word, she just brought him inside with a smile and heated his diner.

Matthew slept as soon as he hit his bed.

His bed wasn’t as soft or as big as the ones he slept in the fortress after the war was over.

But there was no better place to sleep than home.