Mura and Haban both came to greet them.

“Leah! Lesha!” Mura shouted, and was pleased when Leah lifted a hand to wave at her. While Leah, Ishakan, and Lesha had traveled quietly, the rest of the Kurkan that had departed Estia with them had raced across the desert.

As soon as Ishakan confirmed there had been robbers by the oasis, he had sent a message on to his Kurkans to warn them. It would be a nuisance if there were other robbers nearby, so he summoned his guard to help protect Leah.

Mura had departed the moment she received the summons.

“Why does it feel like so long since I last saw you?” She exclaimed. “It seems like we’ve been apart a hundred years! I have missed you so much, Leah.”

A short distance away, Ishakan was rapidly speaking with Haban, most likely about the robbers.

“All right, drink this first,” said Mura, pulling a glass bottle from her pocket. It was a potion that returned their appearances to normal. An exclamation rose from the caravan as Leah’s ordinary brown hair shifted back to its beautiful silver color.

Leah ran a hand through her wavy hair self-consciously.

“……”

Mura glowered at the caravanners until they came to their senses.

“You can’t help it if you are beautiful, my queen,” she said, snorting.

“My Mama is the most beautiful in the world!” exclaimed Lesha.

“And you are the smartest little boy!” Mura hugged her Prince, tossing him high into the sky and catching him effortlessly.

Truly, it made Leah’s heart stop to watch her little boy at such rough play, but Leah held her tongue. She had learned not to judge the Kurkan from a human perspective. And though it seemed dangerous, she knew Lesha would never get hurt.

Once, Mura had apologized for leaving the tiniest mark on Leah’s wrist. She wouldn’t allow even Lesha’s fingernails to come to harm. If he had ever been in danger, Mura would have shielded him, even by throwing her own body before him.

And with Mura to entertain the little boy, it gave Leah a little freedom for the rest of the journey. Serenely, she guided her camel, watching the desert landscape roll by.

The next day, they arrived in Kurkan.

Some of the caravanners were awestruck at the sight, looking with wide eyes at the capital of Kurkan. In the distance, they could see the huge Royal Palace, the white stone buildings, the paved streets…it was an amazing place.

It was hard to believe they were near the desert with so much lush vegetation. With so many exotic trees, bushes, and flowers, it was as if they had come to another world.

But even more amazing were the crowds lining the streets. In Kurkan, all the people in the capital turned out to celebrate the return of their Queen and their Prince, who had been away for a long time.

They flung out colorful flower petals, scattering them in the wind, a delightful shower to greet them.

But most strangely, there was no cheering. As word of their arrival circulated, the Kurkans murmured amongst themselves about the best manner to welcome their Queen. They were a cautious people, and worried they might break Leah in some way if they were too noisy with their welcome.