Rayla was exhausted. She shared this emotion with almost everyone in the room. The air had turned thick and sickly from the many bodies that used its oxygen.

The speaker was still barking "TIME!" and arguments still streaked over their heads like arrows, but attention was tenuous. Even though there was so much on the line here, Rayla's head did not want to focus any longer.

Next to her, Callum didn't fare any better. In fact, he was distracted by the increasing pain in his legs, switching constantly between them. Standing for this long was worse than walking.

At least, they felt they had said everything that they could in their - her - defense. It was a strangely satisfying feeling, not to be challenged as the dragons tore each other apart, as though the storm had moved on to pelt someone else.

They had gone over their entire journey, had scrutinized all their action and inaction. Then the discussion had been derailed into speaking about dragon's affairs again.

Selendis had acknowledged the fact that Callum was the one to come to them, even after losing both his parents to Xadia. Somehow she had seemed wounded by the admission. They had then spoken about Viren, how his crimes had affected both nations. This section had ended when Callum, close to grieving tears, had sworn to bring him to this very same place to stand trial for all his deeds, once caught. This had earned him very obvious, audible points.

Then discussion had once more turned to dragons. The earthblood speaker was furiously trying to keep the dragons on track, but she, too, showed fatigue, letting people run over their time more frequently now.

After a while of that, the silver wing's delegates had given Selendis a list of questions to ask them about the Bloom, ostensibly to ensure that they hadn't lied about undertaking the ritual.

That, too, had eventually led to more dragons bickering, which was still going on. At least the silver wing had seemed very satisfied with their answers.

The speaker's voice cut off Raszagal who was angrily accosting Selendis about… what was she so mad about? Rayla didn't know. She hadn't spoken for a while, since the dragon's affairs had no effect on her and she had nothing to contribute. Plus, her throat was so sore it felt almost as though she had a cold, the numb, rough feeling spreading up into the back of her nose.

Callum was trying very hard to focus, reading over his notes. His brain refused to process anything, he caught himself reading the same line for the fifth or even sixth time. Who knew?

The speaker just finished saying "We are currently at hour three, eight minutes of this session. It is now, mercifully, the final round of discussion before we will move to vote. I will remind the speakers again that I will not tolerate straying too far from the current point of order. The topic is still that of Lady Rayla. Sol Regem, please."

Rayla and Callum barely perked. The speaker had said this before, pointlessly. The dragons were eager to spit at each other. Why should they change their tune now?

Then Rayla saw the look between Selendis and Sol Regem and got cold, suddenly.

They were not done with her.

"Thank you for bringing us back to the matter we're actually here to discuss, once more. Hm… Lady of the Crescent Reflection, huh? An interesting title you've chosen, to my knowledge its former human owner is rather well known for killing thousands if not tens of thousands of your brothers and sisters. Is this how far removed you are from your home, your people? That you would take to sharing a life with a human over one of your own, take a name that spells insult to them? Further, I believe we have yet to speak on your sharing of secrets of national importance, such as details about the organization of our troops, their restricted equipment and their deployments as well as a litany of smaller facts that we can assume range from cultural details with tactical importance to the exact location of the moonstone path."

"I am impressed, red wing, you have managed to stay within your allotted time!", the speaker said, supremely annoyed, then paused for a moment. Full of real shame, she added, "I'm sorry, I was out of order. Queen Selendis. Go ahead."

"Yes, I'd like to add to the points we seem to have been neglecting; Aaravos and Elarion. Now I know, Triton, this is your favourite topic but I'll have to make my point somehow, forgive me. Aaravos, the megalomaniac who threatened the dragon canon and the covenant between us and the elves had a human mate, Elarion, who corrupted him…"

Shouts of incredulity now washed over the hall. One of the names was well known. The details of the people behind both of them, however, hadn't been.

"... and brought him to the creation and use of dark magic. For over two hundred years after the Archmage's arrest, our society grappled with the disturbing acts of the Children of Elarion. To suppress them, the Assembly of the time, elven and draconic both, decided to alter history, to remove Elarion from Aaravos' side. Public art and scholarly writ were altered by Koross, grandmaster of illusion. Wherever their names and faces appeared, nothing but solid black would remain. We removed their companionship, even from symbols of our hard-fought victory. We invented an alternate history for them, and alas, peace fell upon our cities as the Children of Elarion were snuffed out without reinforcement. Since then we have frowned upon relations between elves and humans. Allowing for more of them, especially with a human who has access to an arcanum but admitted to being tainted by the crime of abuse strikes me as dangerous and we're already seeing their destructive influence! At the border, a rebellion against the decisions of this Assembly is forming, with the tacit support of the conspirators Triton and Raszagal. Unsurprisingly, their commanders have all had in-depth contact with the accused and her suppose-"

"Are you quite finished, Excellence?! I am half-asleep, as everyone else here, but even I still know how to read a clock!", a beat later the speaker groaned, "Once more I am sorry for my lack of decorum. Lord Karmanor."

The earth king's eyes drilled into Selendis. "You are insinuating that they are the same as the killers of thousands, merely by who they chose to share their lives with. I resent that accusation. From what we've seen and heard today, these two have very little in common with Elarion and her lover! Yes, he's a mage! Yes, she's a warrior! That's where the similarities end! As for their `rebellion` as you put it, if you had not kept Azymondias a secret from this body, it is unlikely that authorization for the strategy of total war would have been granted here or, as a result, in the tactical senates! You stoked this conflict under the idiotic assumption - I am sorry madam speaker, it was idiotic! - that the human kingdoms would make it a point to kill more of us! And yet! Here we are! With them bringing back Azymondias! With them, grappling with their own to keep them from harming us! The conclusions I've had to draw here are ghastly; How am I to trust you ever again? Simply put, I cannot! As for the betrayal of secrets, I cannot say I condone her actions, but without them she could not have executed on her stated miss-"

"Lorrrrrrrrd Karrrrrrrrrrrrmanor!", growled the speaker, "If you please, Lord Triton!"

"Karmanor is right. Rayla gave what she had to to return the Prince. Plus, I very much doubt that the Crown Prince will use any of the information he's gained during their venture for the gain of himself, his kingdom or their allies. He has shown himself even-handed, honest, openly admitting to his use of dark magic. He must have felt the collective shudder we all experienced and understood its implications. Do not hold it against him, we all make mistakes, especially in the heat of battle. Isn't that right, Sol Regem? I'm sorry madam Speaker, I know. Finally, I will join Karmanor in denouncing Selendis; Comparing two young adventurers to a couple of murderous terrorists is an obvious attempt at slander. Do not fall for it. Further, calling me and Raszagal conspiratorial is laughable. Of course we support our troops at the Breach in shielding us from harm, what does it matter which side of the border that harm comes from?"

"Thank you!", the speaker barked, "Queen Raszagal."

"Today we heard astounding facts. About ourselves. About humans. About history. It was changed, quite literally. Now, we have to turn inward, to solve our obvious problems at home", she looked pointedly at Selendis and Sol Regem, "We can't afford being this divided during a time of war and should be thankful that the humans have afforded us armistice despite our bellicose actions, taking loss with grace and forgiveness. Mind, this was mostly thanks to a king we attempted to kill as a prince. History has gifted us wonders, one of which stands in front of us now. Lady Rayla, you have achieved your mission. You have returned to us the possibility, the impetus, for peace. We must act on it. We must also forgive you any sins you may have committed during your fight for survival in a regio controlled by the unsavoury interests of our very vocal opponents. Anything else would be an insult to Xadian sense of justice!"

"Lady Rayla, your closing remarks."

"I've taken a lot of your time t-today and feel exhausted. Thank you all, I'm sure the same goes for you. Sol Regem. You almost k-killed us at the border. We only barely made it through the canyon you guard. But we did make it", the Lady of the Crescent Reflection said hoarsely, "Now, I don't know much about Aaravos or whoever Elarion's supposed to be. All I know is that I'm me. Xadian. Moonshadow elf. Scotian. Rayla. I'd hope y-you see the same thin', not some scary historical figure. I'm not with a human because I hate my kin, I'm with him because I love him. That's all there is to it. My title I picked because I love the idea of takin' Xena's name and twistin' it to our likin'. I am here because I, uh, I want your approval, your respect. If nothin' of that mattered t-to me, I'd just hide. I'm a moonshadow elf assassin, we're kinda good at that. Callum and I sh-"

"Mind the time. Prince Callum. Last word", the speaker said, quietly organizing her papers.

An odd peace was now falling on the room, people seemed to relax a little now that the discussion was done.

"I said I'd work with you all to make lasting peace. I just want to make sure that you know that that's a promise, not an argument. Rayla, I feel like you had more to say. I'll leave it to you."

She looked at her fiance, unsure, then nodded. "I was gonna say, uh, Callum and I share the Bloom and part of that is to share your secrets, so we can be one. The `cultural details with tactical significance`, Sol Regem, would talking about those not fall under that, anyway?"

Callum's head whipped around to stare at her, incredulous, when she stopped speaking. What was she doing?! Giving the last word away!? The tension snapped back into the room.

Sol Regem smirked slightly, realizing her mistake in asking a question, meant to be rhetorical. "As far as I understand, that is indeed the last part of the ritual. I'm no expert so, maybe Selendis could add to this?"

Rayla stared between him and the speaker, caught off guard. Why were they still talking? Didn't she have the last word?

The old woman motioned limply at the moon queen.

"I think you are attempting to misdirect us into forgiving the only crime you and your apologists have not been able to talk your way out of, convincingly."

"Selendis!", shouted the speaker, "You were not given the floor to argue! Expert knowledge, not challenge! Either do so or be silent!"

Selendis nodded, slowly, "I apologise. So, yes, it is part of the ritual. I thought you knew, however, that it's the second to last part. Minor secrets. Secrets of hurt. Secrets of the family. Secrets of the state. Consummation. If you were summands this would be a cultural argument we would have to accept, however you are not. I might add; mercifully so, at your age. This means that you hold no rights to the privileges enclosed in the term."

Raszagal frowned. This could be a colossal blunder, allowing the opposition to make a point in the last minutes of the session.

The speaker then heaved a sigh of relief. "With these; the last words spoken at the third hour and twenty-first minute of this session; the point of order is elucidated and we shall hold the vote. The proposition is as follows; Grant full amnesty to Rayla, Katolin Lady of the Crescent Reflection for the following charges: Two counts of desertion; for abandoning an assigned post and disobeying an order to kill. Perjury; for breaking a binding oath. Betrayal of Secrets; for speaking to an outsider, in depth, about the state. The defender and accused are asked to leave the plenum at this time and to remain in the antechamber until called for the verdict. Thank you."

Four Templars escorted Callum and Rayla outside into the sitting room set right before the chambers. There a few other people were already waiting for their turn in the spotlight.

Callum fell into a seat and took off his shoes. "Ow, yikes, that is just…", he said, massaging his tingling feet.

Rayla slumped next to him to follow his example. "I really messed up there. The last second, too. Should've kept my mouth shut."

"It wasn't a good move", he replied, truthfully, then embraced his fiance, "I'm just glad I get to hug you again. There were a few moments where I just wanted to lean over and grab you. Hearing all of this stupid garbage thrown at us was not nice."

"That's sure one way to put it. Ugh, I hope they hurry up, I can't deal with all this waitin'!", Rayla said, her right leg bouncing rapidly on the ball of its foot, "I think we did good", she said, then looked over at him, worriedly, "Did we do good?"

"We did. I mean, I hope they cut us some slack at least for getting dropped into the center of attention like that. Though, you saw how good they were about your ramble there in the first hour."

Rayla simply nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder. She felt like a nervous wreck, but the fact that she had barely slept was starting to catch up with her. There was a headache in the back of her skull and her ears felt hot.

Callum lifted her chin to share a round of kisses with her that lasted for a beautiful while.

When they separated, her glance fell on her ring on his hand. "You!", she said, blushing, "You didn't tell me that getting engaged was so… so… uh, serious! You never said it was like stuff after the incense!"

He seemed thunderstruck. "Oh. I'm sorry. I… I thought you knew. Felt like I talked about it at some point."

"No, we did talk about it, a lot. You just never really made the comparison. In there, when you finally did, I was just… I just couldn't think straight for a moment!"

His expression turned into a sad frown. "Uh… well, I mean… you can always take the ring off, again. It's fine, you know, I didn't mean to trick you into anything."

"No, you big dum-dum! I was standin' there, picturin' our future together and couldn't stop blushin' like an idiot!", she laughed and embraced him.

"Oh, wow", he said sheepishly, but happily, "I guess that's good!"

"`I guess that's good`", she mocked him, smiling, "Don't worry, dummy, we're gonna take it nice and slow from here. I didn't say our imagined future had to start tomorrow."

He shrugged. "It kinda will though. When we both go home to Katolis, people are gonna see us. You're gonna be a Queen, sooner or later, Rayla"

She shook herself at the thought, it was outlandish. "I can't grapple with that right now, urgh! Let's just hope I walk out of here at all!"

"Don't be so pessimistic, fawn, it really hurts to hear", he said, gruffly.

"I figure I'll better be dim and dark so if somethin' bad happens I get to at least be snarky and go `Told ye so`", she quipped.

Her dark humour helped a little. Her kiss was better, though. Callum savoured it, focussing on the softness of her lips on his. When they had started their relationship, the sensation had been strange, the joining more like a crash than a soft touch.

"We're now experts at make-outing", he stated, smirking, when they separated.

His fiance snickered. "There's a few thin's we still need to learn, I think."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, well, uh, our kisses feel great and are loving and all that but I'm sure to someone who's watchin' we look like two boulders knockin'", she laughed.

"I don't really think about that when I kiss you", he said, frowning slightly, "I'm too distracted by your smell and the feeling of your lips on mine and… uh?", the crown prince felt himself blush when he noticed her do the same, "Was that too much detail?"

"You… you sniff me when we kiss?!", she said, incredulous.

He laughed brightly at her expression, then lightly slapped her thigh which made her jolt.

"No! It's more just.. It just kinda ha-happens, I ha-have to br-eathe somehow!", he wheezed.

Suddenly she grabbed him by the gold ring around his neck and pulled him into another kiss.

"I paid attention this time. You do smell good", she said mischievously when they separated.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I smell like whatever is in all those vials at the guest house", he laughed.

"You tried them all aga-"

A Templar interrupted their shenanigans. "Lady Rayla, Lord Callum, please follow me. They are ready to read the results."

Rayla's extremities became icicles and she clumsily pulled on her boots.

Next to her, Callum fumbled, as well.

Walking back through the center of the quiet plenum was somehow harrowing and the trip to the pedestals felt like it dragged on for an hour.

As soon as they had returned to their podiums, the speaker made herself heard.

"Let it be known that the votes have been counted and summed in order of preference and this Senate has arrived at the following conclusions on the matters of Lady Rayla."

Rayla's heart pulsed in her throat and chest. It felt like she was going to faint.

"Two counts of desertion; Absolved!"

Elation threatened to make her sick. Two more.

"Perjury; Absolved!"

A big smirk spread across her face.

"Betrayal of Secrets; A much reduced sentence. Three years, eight months to be served!"

She couldn't breathe for a moment, then exploded in genuine, happy laughter. There was no helping it, she just laughed, even though she was trying her hardest to suppress it.

Callum was frowning in her direction, clearly thinking she had lost it.

"The session will continue after one hour of recess. On the matter of Lady Rayla; Populo in nomine Domini: Factum est!", the speaker said, closing the matter and busyness erruped all over the plenum, with people shuffling out of their seats and excited chatter starting up.

Once more the four templars showed up, making it clear that they were to be brought into the anteroom.

Sirta was already hovering there, rubbing her throat.

"Hey guys", she said, happy but hoarse, "That went well. I wish Rasz would stop shouting so much…"

"That went WELL !?", Callum exploded, making everyone present jolt, "Did I not hear that right?! Four years! Did she not just say four years of jail!? Am I going insane!?"

"Callum!", Rayla said firmly, embracing her fiance, "Callum, it's less than five! That's all that matters!"

"You don't deserve to go behind bars, Rayla! You don't!", he shouted, "Why are they doing this?!"

"We gambled and won quite well", came Raszagals frustrated voice from Sirta's mouth, the queen reasserting herself, "But it's still a travesty. It offends my sense of justice. Forgive me, this is my fault. I was being jerked about by Sol Regem, the wretch, rather than focussing on what they were avoiding to mention. He will find his end soon enough, now!", a very animalistic, guttural sound spilled from her clenched teeth.

There was no doubt in the statement.

"Rayla, no", Callum said quietly, "You can still run."

"No, dummy. I'm happy with this. It's not a super long time and after, I'll be a totally free girl. You'll be a full King when I get out. That's a good thin' in my mind. I mean, think of Opeli's letter. People will be more okay with me if you're already crowned and rulin' for a bit."

"But my whole reason for going home and bringing you was Ez. I… There's nobody home, Rayla. What do I do? Worse, how are you gonna do in there?", he started crying despite himself and she pet his hair.

"You need to go be a king. If anythin', I understand duty, dummy. You gotta make and keep peace. Xadian prisons aren't known for bein' terrible places, they're not dungeons, more like fenced in villages. We can even send each other letters. It'll be fine", with mock anger, she added, "You still better pick me up on the dot!"

"How are you taking this so lightly?", he demanded, pushing his face onto her shoulder.

She hugged him tightly. "I told you. I saw the fifty, then fifteen years comin' down the pipe and I told myself that's what I was gonna get. Drove me crazy, as you know from our little conversation up on the mountain. Less than four years don't feel so bad now"

"Your sentence is set to end the first of july in the fifth year of… me", Raszagal said, stupidly, "Rayla is correct in saying you'll be able to exchange letters. Be aware though that there is an outbound and an implied inbound limit. One letter a month."

The moonshadow elf did some mental math, then frowned.

"Yeah, put in those terms I like it a lot less", Rayla spat, "Forty-four letters, whew"

Callum stood up straight and pulled the ribbons of his extravagant dress into place. Sniffling, he palmed at his eyes. "So you're staying?"

"I'd love to be able to say no. I want to come with you, obviously. But, uh", she threw a glance at the templars, "It's a bit late for that. Dummy, I love you. I'll write you lots of letters that we'll keep to cry and laugh and be ashamed over when we're old and crusty. Callum, we actually get to grow old together! That just makes me so happy! Less than four years is a span I can look at and go, `okay, I'll just find a few thin's to learn or train for and pass the time`. I'm not worried about you. You'll have so much to do it'll just fly by. Please smile for me. I don't wanna see you go sad."

Callum tried, very hard, to smile. It didn't feel right. "I'm gonna miss you so much", he said, feeling more pinpricks in his nose.

"I'll miss you, too", Rayla said, embracing him.

The templars were now obviously waiting for her.

"Excellence", Rayla turned to Raszagal, "If I find out that my prince… my king got lost by your templars when I get out of prison, I will personally strangle every last one of them."

Raszagal snorted. "I don't doubt it! Don't worry, I will attach Yasra to him, she is very fond of him. Says he reminds her of her son. She could do with some long-term travel"

"You're sending her with him to Katolis?", Rayla asked, confused.

"Yes. She's going to warrant his safe passage back, as well."

"But you just said she has a son?"

"Yes. He's an adult, himself, don't worry."

This was just like Rayla. She not only noticed the details but also cared enough to make sure nobody was getting a raw deal. While she was staring down a prison sentence.

Callum swallowed hard.

"Well, my queen", he said hoarsely, causing a deep flush in Rayla's face, "I guess this is `see you later`, then?"

She walked up to him and drew him into an extremely tight hug. "I love you", she whispered, now sounding very close to tears.

Somehow, the obvious sadness in her voice made his own seem less important. He put on a brave face, as she had demanded, smiling for her. "I love you, too. Please be safe. I'll see you soon."

They shared a few long kisses, then Rayla stepped back and the Templars ushered her along. Her hands came up to palm at her face.

She had put on a face for him, too.

A blink of the eye later, she was gone.

Callum breathed deeply. `Don't dissolve in tears in front of the useless, powerless Queen of Xadia!`, he thought.

"Again, I am so sorry. I have a responsibility here that I can't forgo. I know this won't make things easier, but I'd like to give you a gift", Raszagal said, motioning him outside.

"Sire. Are you sure you don't want me to hold you up for the first while?", came Yasra's concerned voice from his left.

He shook his head, wildly.

Under him, powerful wings moved to propel him forward. The winged Peryton's name was Isoros, and he was his. Callum was obviously not a bad rider at this point - but the motion was rather different and made him a bit motionsick.

Dressed once more in his skywing winter armor, he was ready to travel the skies.

But he sure wasn't ready.

Yasra closed on Andris, her own doe. She was very concerned that her charge would fall off.

"It's fine. Really. I just have get used to it. I need something to focus on, anyway."

He had spent the night at the empty guest house crying and was exhausted because of it. He wasn't ashamed of it. It was the only way he knew to deal with this deep loneliness.

His stag's saddlebags held both his and Rayla's belongings. Where she was going, she'd be allowed to keep the ring, and that was it.

Below him already were the mountains of the wall of fire. On the pass, he could see a column of marching soldiers, going eastward, back home.

The war was paused, at the very least. Raszagal, Triton and Karmanor had made sure of it. There was not nearly as much elation in the thought as he felt he should have.

Turning back over his shoulder, there was the gleaming city of Veltis-Tiram.

She was there, too, for now. Where would she be taken? Would she get through it? Remember him? Stay true?

Callum shook his head, angrily, addressing the intrusive thought, `To a prison village. Yes, it's Rayla. Yes, it's Rayla. YES, DAMN IT, IT'S RAYLA !`

With a deep sigh, he turned back to face westward.

An empty throne waited there for him, in cold, empty halls that used to be filled with his family's warmth and voices.

The only person there that he could honestly look forward to seeing again was probably Claudia.

Oh, and Soren, maybe, if he'd managed to work on his sometimes offensive manners a little.

How was all that going to play out?

Where was the Key of Aaravos?

Where was Viren?

On the whole, his work seemed far from done.

Once more he turned back.

It would all be so much easier with her by his side.

Then, he looked up.

The bright, happy sun offended him.

But at least it reflected beautifully in the simple gold ring on his left hand.

THE END

Continued in 'Priority Mail'

Dear Reader.

As I keep telling people who will listen; A story is only as good as your own imagination.

So; Give yourself a clap on the shoulder, if you're enjoying yourself (or not, for this last chapter).

This is the end of `Hard Priorities`.

I hope it was worth the read and you're suffering about as much as I am, writing this chapter. Generally when I write emotional scenes, I tend to channel my own experiences into them. Here it was the long goodbyes of a long-distance relationship. Life does not stop for us, even in the most emotional of moments. When you have a flight to catch, you have to go, whether your sweetheart cries or smiles.

After writing ~170k words over three months of my life, I am still not quite finished, but I have to end this story, here. I'm even somewhat wary of hitting a random chapter limit, soon.

Thank you so much for reading along, especially those of you who have commented and shared the story on social media. I always feel a bit sheepish to be advertising my own work and can't get myself to do it, consistently - so thank you!

You've made writing this work a joy and something I look forward to every day, even though it tends to steal my sleep.

Please Be Well,

Decorated Expression.