Tae poured sweat as he climbed up the steep side of the waterfall. Above and below him the others in his unit were doing the same. The climbing exercise built muscle and stamina, keeping the soldiers fit for battle. However, Tae's mind was not on his duties or training. He was remembering the previous night. Eveline had sobbed in his arms so long he did not know if she would ever stop. After she fell asleep, he had laid her gently in her bed, wiped her swollen tear-stained face with a damp cloth, and tucked her under the covers. Michelle had promised to keep watch over her just in case of nightmares. Then, he had reluctantly left for home.

Hesher was waiting at the top of the waterfall. He sought out Tae and announced, "The king demands your presence and mine. He also sent for Kelan, though why I do not have a clue."

"And Eveline?" Tae asked.

"She was not mentioned in the summons," Hesher replied. "We must go quickly. The fastest way would be in dragon form."

The royal blue and bright red dragons took to the sky. They had no need to touch the ground, for the king's domain was higher than the waterfall. They landed on the roof and were escorted to the king's chambers. Kelan had already arrived.

Wary, they stood before the king to hear his proclamation. "I am most pleased with your timely arrival. This meeting had to be fit between many other tasks. Early this morning, I received a recording that I found to be both enlightening and distressing. I understand your motivation in sending it, Kelan. You want the woman spared from an inquisition. I could not decide whether to go along with the prompting or do as I had originally planned, questioning her myself. I showed it to Shara. She advised me that I would be considered an inconsiderate ogre if I demanded to interrogate the human. So, I will let the recording suffice."

Tae's audible sigh of relief caught the attention of the king. "You, Tae, did a noble thing in rescuing her from the clutches of the Savra. She clearly would have died at their hands. However, your actions were insubordinate and rebellious. I have taken into account that you are young and the situation was dire, so I will not take away your promotion or your apprenticeship. But, you cannot go unpunished. You are to spend one hundred hours training the newest recruits. You must instill in them the obedience that you are lacking. If they also learn compassion from you, then I shall have to endure their kind hearts as I have done with the group in front of me."

"Kelan, you have proven your worth many times over. The weapon saved many lives, and I am sure the new larger version will keep intruders off Talonia. Your family enhances our world and Michelle has kept her word. She has not reached out to announce our existence, so I am restoring your rank. You may leave the mines and the weapons to those you have trained if you wish. You may choose how you want to handle it. The mines are no longer a punishment."

"I want to oversee the work, but I will spend less time there. I need to begin training once more," Kelan replied as he bowed.

"Now, I will address your part in this, Hesher. As commander, you are responsible for the actions of your men. You not only lost control of Tae but aided in his rebellion. This is a confusing problem for me. You did your duty by protecting your soldier, yet you risked your life for one woman who was not your responsibility. It is perplexing. Perhaps, I have grown too soft-hearted and forgiving in my old age, or maybe it is the influence of my daughter. Instead of punishing you, I am presenting you with a commendation." He held out a medal for Hesher to take.

Hesher bowed and accepted the honor. He was too shocked to speak. Tae was not. He had a question for the king. "Your Majesty, is Eveline to be assimilated into Talonian life or do you have other plans for her?"

"I do not see a danger in her. She has no loyalty to the Savra, as the recording made clear. Since she left Earth so many years ago, there is no fear that Earth will send a search party to recover her. I cannot send her home. It would risk our discovery, and we have already taken that chance by sending Kelan to live among them. Yes, I want her assimilated. I have thought long and hard as to her needs and ability to be a useful citizen. She is to work as an assistant to our teachers. It will earn her a place in our society, and she will learn our history and rules along with the children. Until other arrangements are made, she can have a home in the servants’ quarters of the palace. Each dwelling is completely separate and works as a house. They are small but adequate. I have no more time for questions. I am late for my next meeting. I shall blame all of you when I am faced with their frustration." The king had a sense of humor after all.

When Tae came to see her in the middle of the day, Eveline feared the worst. Either he was coming to tell her goodbye forever or the king had finally summoned her. Sadly, there was a possibility that it was both. Though Tae had held her while she cried, it didn't mean he was okay with her story. Few men could listen to it and not want to rid themselves of someone so tainted by abuse.

Unable to look him in the eye, Eveline stared at the floor and asked, "Is it time to see the king? Has he already seen the recording from last night?"

Tae hated the fact that Eveline would not meet his gaze. It meant she still felt guilty and embarrassed over the things the Savra had done to her. It would be his mission to remove all her guilt and embarrassment. Amidst all the turmoil, he had fallen in love with the lost little girl inside her.

"Yes, the king has seen the recording. But, he is not asking to see you. He called Kelan, Hesher, and me into his chambers this morning to pass his judgments. He was very understanding and will accept the recording as your sworn testimony. You need not worry about facing him," Tae explained.

Eveline sucked in a shuddering breath. "It's over? He's not going to imprison me? Oh, no! What about you and Hesher? Are you to be punished for aiding me?"

"No one is to be imprisoned. He admonished us for disobeying protocol, but only because it is part of the law. I must help train the new recruits as my punishment. He had to do something so that other soldiers would not rebel as I did. Hesher was actually given a commendation for his heroics, and Kelan has been returned to his previous rank. All is well."

"Where am I to go? Is he sending me home?" Eveline asked.

"He cannot do that without risking our discovery. You are to stay here and assimilate into our society. He has given you work and a temporary place to live. I am sorry if your wish was to go back to Earth," Tae answered.

"No, I didn't wish to go back. I don't remember much about my family, and I'm sure they have let me go. The king is correct. There is no way to explain my disappearance without causing speculation. Who would believe such a tale anyway? What work am I to do?"

"So that you may learn our ways, you are to work with the teacher. You will get history lessons, learn Talonian law, and aid in the children's care all at once. The king has offered you a small residence in the servant's quarters of the palace until you find a better option. You may move as soon as you are ready," Tae replied.

Eveline looked at the home around her. She liked living with Michelle and Kelan in the sky. She felt safe here. Watching the weredragons from afar was one thing but living and working among them was a terrifying thought. Would they welcome her or reject her? How would the teacher react after being forced to work with a refugee from another planet? She had to admit; the king was an intelligent man. He had placed her in a job that would help her assimilate quickly, and children were less judgmental than adults.

"I will be ready by the end of the day," she announced. "Michelle isn't here, and I want to tell her goodbye before I leave. I don't have anything to pack, so that's not an issue. How will I know where to go?"

"I will come and get you. You will not be as alone as you think. Just because you no longer live here, it does not mean Michelle will abandon you. She is your friend, one of many. Kelan, Daer, Hesher, and I will be here whenever you need us. You will soon wish that I would leave you alone, for I plan on seeing you every day. I promised you a trip to the waterfall, and I intend to keep the promise. Now, I must return to work. I will return before the red sun sets."

Eveline shyly kissed his cheek and waved goodbye. Her heart was racing with excitement, joy, and a tiny bit of fear. Tae hadn't rejected her, and he still spoke of taking her to the waterfall. She hadn't lost him. Better yet, she had dodged an inquisition by the king. She had a job and a home. Her days as a slave were behind her and a whole new life was opening up. Talonia was beautiful, and it was to be her planet now. She could dream again. She desired the same kind of relationship Michelle had with Kelan. Eveline wanted love, and she had already chosen the man she wanted to share it with: Tae.

Eveline went out to the balcony and looked up into the sky. She raised her arms high and shouted, "I'm free! Thank you for answering my prayers and keeping me alive. You have blessed me with more than I asked for."

Stepping over to the railing, she stood for hours watching the Talonians as they went through their day. Tomorrow she would join them. She paid close attention to everything they did in hopes of sliding into their rhythms seamlessly. Her one regret would be that she couldn't transform and fly.

Upon her return, Michelle found her still standing at the railing. "How long have you been out here? You're trembling from fatigue. Let's get you inside and have a drink or something."

"I'll be fine. I was just studying the workings of Talonia. Tae came by and told me the king has ordered me to assimilate, and I want to get it right," Eveline explained.

"I heard all about it from Kelan. Congratulations on becoming a member of our society. But, stop obsessing over assimilating. Except for their greater strength and ability to transform into dragons, Talonians aren't so different from humans. They share the same feelings, worries, longings, and needs as we do. They care for their families, work diligently, and enjoy good food."

"They go to battle on foreign planets, fly, and breathe fire," Eveline argued.

"They have to let out their stress somehow," Michelle joked.

"How does it feel to fly across the sky on Kelan's back? Are you afraid?"

"It's the most exhilarating feeling I've ever had. I was frightened at first, but the fear disappeared the instant I opened my eyes and looked around. I trust Kelan to keep me safe, so it's easy to just let go and revel in the wonder of it all. Even in dragon form, he's still my soulmate. It's impossible to describe exactly how it feels. You'll need to try it for yourself," Michelle concluded.

"I don't have a soulmate to take me on a fanciful journey. However, I do have a job now and a place to live. Tae is coming for me soon. I will miss you all so much, but I need to make my own life. Promise you won't forget me?" Eveline begged.

"I'll see you all the time. I pass the school daily, and you can come to dinner often. You're allowed company in your new quarters as well. I'm sure Tae will be there a lot, despite his duties. Have you packed?"

Eveline confided, "I don't really have anything to pack. It will only take a second to grab the nightclothes and extra outfit you gave me."

"That won't do. A girl needs clothes and shoes. Let's go look through my stuff. I have more than enough and can give you some. Once you start earning money, we'll go on a shopping spree. The teachers wear a uniform, so I bet the king will have provided some for you in your quarters. They consist of simple black leggings and a bright, belted tunic. They are comfortable and easy to clean, since you'll be spending many of your days outside with messy kids," Michelle told her.

"If that's the case, I won't take more of your clothes. The uniforms will work for the day and the two sets of clothes you've already given me will do for evenings. You've been generous enough to me," Eveline commented.

"You at least need some things for your times with Tae. If you want to swim under the waterfall, you'll need a bathing suit. Unless you intend to skinny dip with him," Michelle teased.

Eveline didn't reply. It sounded like an excellent idea to her.