Ophelia had wasted no time in getting to work. Shortly after her arrival, she’d passed off Lorelle to a nurse—secretly glad to be free of her most difficult child. Lorelle would be happy to be back in Arynn Frey, she thought. Back in the doting presence of her father. But for now, the family reunion would have to be forstalled. As Akagi met with the commander, Ophelia had set about to have meetings of her own.

Dinner passed in a whirlwind. Ophelia had trouble tracking the conversation, listening and nodding as her husband told her of recent events. Lorelle was overwhelmed enough by all the changes that she behaved herself at supper—which Ophelia considered a small victory.

She excused herself while Akagi sat with the children. When Ophelia returned, she lingered in the doorway with a smile to see Lorelle passed out in her father’s lap. When Akagi indicated for a nursemaid to fetch their daughter, Ophelia leaned out into the hall to indicate for one. Ophelia would approach, gently taking up Lorelle to pass her to the waiting nursemaid.

She wouldn’t speak until her daughter was taken away. Then, Ophelia would curl up on Akagi’s laugh with an exhausted sigh to replace her.

“I’ve missed you…” She said, leaning her head against Akagi to listen to the gentle, steady beating of his heart.

Akagi accepted his wife with a gentle and soft embrace, he wrapped his lean arms around her nuzzling his nose into her hair breathing her in, "I've missed you my Felita," she kept him ground so he didn't float away with his sweeping emotions and day dreaming and her absence wasn't only physically felt with their empty bed but emotionally and spiritually as well, he knew she felt it too their souls were intertwined for life so they felt a great deal of each others emptiness without the other, "These are big changes to return to...my Queen..."

Ophelia snuggled closer, towards the warmth that always seemed to radiate from him like the aestas sun. Ophelia was smooth as marble, cold as the Nevermerean sea. To have him here brought her balance, even amidst the tumult.

“Yes, my king,” Ophelia responded softly with a playful lilt to her voice, “But we’ll face them. Together.” She raised her head, looking at him and holding her face in his hands.

“And what shall we do first, my king?”

He finally took one of her hands and brought it to his lips kissing her knuckles gently, "First love, I wanted to talk to you about all of this the transition of power and your role in it all...I want you to know I support you in any all things that's blessed to be, I know you went back to Nevermere to find some solice and comfort our relationship was rough for a while...I know I want you here with me to rule, is this something you are ready for?"

For some reason, the raw honesty of the question surprised her. It was an entirely reasonable one, Ophelia was ashamed to realize as she gazed back at her husband. She was hardly the bastion of strength Kimora had been—despite the woman’s faults. Though she put on a brave face, too often Ophelia was quick to crumble. That was one thing when she had been a princess, but now? Everything she did was far more important than before.

Ophelia was quiet for a moment, letting the full gravity of what was before her sink in. Then, she answered with the same honesty Akagi offered.

“I’ll be ready. I promise you, I will be. Just tell me what you need me to be,” She took his hand and squeeezd it.

Akagi let out a load of unknown tension from his shoulders, he didn't want her to feel as if he had doubts about her abilities this lay more spiritually or emotionally overbearing, "I didn't mean that bad love, I believe in you and the role of Minister it is a proud position...because I want you here as my strong wife and Queen...I want you to work alongside my Mother as she eases you into the role as Minister of Goods," he kissed the top of her head and stroked her cheek delicately, "I even have plans for the children, they will be occupied with studies the little ones too, I still wish for Lorelle for every other season begin to spend time between here and Nevermere...but tutors will accompany her between her homes from each kingdom," he paused, "sorry...mm..I'm getting a head of myself."

Ophelia smiled at him, a warmer smile than either of them had seen her produce in a long time. Akagi was a good man. What a rare thing for a king to be, she thought: pure of heart. Good, in a way that her brother—however much she loved him—wasn’t. Ophelia giggled when Akagi stopped himself, kissing him lightly before parting with a smile.

“No, please go on, Your Majesty,” Ophelia teased playfully, stroking his cheek.

She kissed him and suddenly everything he said or thought was gone, however etched into his memory was that warm smile he had seldom seen since their early courting days and it was just another reminder of all the things about her that he had fallen in love with. Yet he couldn't and didn't want to go on with his original train of thought because he was kissing her back because this was what he wanted right now...Akagi wanted to make love with his wife...his Queen...not with any inkling of getting her pregnant or silly notion of anything than just her and him...wrapped up in each other until morning (he had promised no more babies; Arynn Frey had better means to prevent pregnancies than the other kingdoms).

His kisses were passionate and they said he wanted her...

...then he slowed down, smiling, "...I truly have missed you my Felita," he told himself he had to wait, "...as I was saying, I want your return to be as stress free as possible love. Times are going to get hard after the attack our peoples faith in logic has been tested, nearly broken but what they see as broken I see as pieces still, ones we can build from..."

Akagi was good to her—better than she could have hoped, better than she deserved. Ophelia was ashamed to admit that even now, after all these years, some small part of her was suspicious. Because it all seemed to good to be true, that an arranged marriage could transform into one of love. Then the guilt set in. How could she doubt him, after all? Then, from that guilt was left to wonder that if in all of this, was she the piece that didn’t fit?

Ophelia sank into him. She’d never been a creature of passion but she returned his kisses with tender encouragement. When he smiled at her, she listened, nodding slowly.

“We will. Together, we will.”

"Yes love, together," Akagi reassured his wife, but this meant open communication, "so we do have somethings to discuss as far as the future of Arynn Frey, hard decisions that must be made and I'd like to see how you feel," he took a deep breath, "The actions of the Eldouir are something I can't allow to stand, my Mother failed to protect our borders and she failed the Dresmondi...all those refugees are gone Felita and their lost lives have weighed heavily on me, they must answer and the question we must ask is: should we go to war?"

Ophelia watched him talk with her wide eyes which seemed full of childlike naivety. Seemed, that is—for any daughter of Julius was not entirely ignorant to the ways of the world. That was something he’d never allow. Her heart hurt when she thought of the Dresmondi; strangers from a strange land, who had come to make Arynn Frey their home. Only to have what they’d build destroyed.

But the prospect of war. Ophelia was quiet for a moment, before saying: “Arynnites have never felt war’s harsh sting—not in the ways that Lorendale and Nevermere have. Though war might be the answer, I fear that once blood starts being shed, the people will not have the stomach for it.”

"Well over 500 years by now and definitely not in my lifetime," he rambled out always happy to share facts or Arynnite history, "We were known to end single battles in destructive and quick manners in fact, our recorded history tells of great skirmishes ended in minutes," he reflected on the peace that came from their history out of these wars, "Your brother is answering my call to ready our Peacekeepers for war, we will be supplying the enchantments. I will not sit this out, I can't you do understand that right love? I plan to put so much power into the forces of this war that crush the Eldouir...permanently. With our leading my Queen, we will not folly with the Eldouir again..."