After the meeting, Khalam Zugeer stopped the girls before they could leave for training.

“Ulana, your mother asked me to invite you and princess Lang to dinner tomorrow night.”

“We are training tomorrow,” Ulana responded automatically.

“Your mother and sisters haven’t seen you in over a month, and she would like to meet your friend anyway.”

“Now isn’t exactly a good time, dad.”

“Just dinner. That’s all we ask. You have to eat anyway, and you can get back to training and saving the world after that.”

Lolo tugged at Ulana’s sleeve to give her a look and nod, indicating that the terms were reasonable.

Ulana exhaled a deep breath. “Alright, dad. You win. Tell mom we’ll be there.”

Khalam smiled and nodded to Huo Lohse as he left.

“Are you ok, Ulana?” Lolo observed a bit of a storm cloud forming over her friend's head.

“Yeah. Just grumpy.”

“Why are you grumpy?”

“Lolo, I love my family. They are kind and good people, but I always feel like the real me is overlooked when I go home.”

“How so?”

“You’ll see when we get there tomorrow. After dinner, how about we go do something fun, just us? It will cheer me up having something to look forward to,” Ulana pleaded as Lolo bit her bottom lip.

“I need to make arrangements with General Baatar, first.” Lolo looked up to see the general’s curly black head a ways down the hall and sped up to a jog to catch him. “Baatar, a quick word?”

“What is it, princess Lang?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you, it’s Lolo. I think we can move past the formalities at this point. I won’t correct the Old Phoenix, but I can order you if you make me.”

General Baatar laughed. “No need to be so pugnacious about it. What’s up?”

“Ulana’s family invited me to dinner tomorrow evening.”

“So you need to cancel plans to sort through the military library with me?” he grinned.

“Just push it back un-”

“No problem, Lolo,” he interrupted. “Really. You’ve already given me so many things to read, I’m falling behind. I could use an evening to catch-up.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely, and I think you could use a night off anyway.”

“Thank you!” Lolo forgot herself and gave the general an exuberant hug before taking off to give Ulana the update.

Baatar was left a little stunned as he watched Lolo leave. It was surreal. Only a week ago, he was little more than a foot soldier, raised by farmers. Now he was the general of the entire Phoenix Tribe army, reporting directly to the king, being specially trained by the Wolf Tribe princess, and apparently on hugging and nickname terms with her. He shook his head. It was easy to become overwhelmed these days. He just had to take tasks one at a time as they came, and right now, he was due on the practice field to help Lolo and Ulana train the commanding officers.

***

Ulana helped Lolo get all dressed up for their dinner with her family. It wasn’t exactly necessary, but her mother would appreciate the effort. Besides, in a house full of girls, (silly, boy-hungry girls), being pretty was kind of an expectation, and Ulana didn’t want Lolo to feel out of place.

“You haven’t told me much about your sisters, Amidra and Sarnai. How are they doing?” Lolo asked while Ulana fussed with her hair.

“I haven’t told you much because there isn’t much to tell,” Ulana laughed dryly. “Galod broke Amidra’s heart by joining the army two years ago instead of marrying her, and you know he’s one of the captains you picked.”

“Really?! I actually didn’t know that!”

“You didn’t recognize him? Captain Galod Khad-- he grew his beard out, but that’s him.”

“I’ll have to pay closer attention to his face. I'll admit, I haven’t been trying too hard to remember names and faces. It’s been more important to note things like skills and deficiencies. Captain Khad... Captain Khad,” Lolo tried to remember her notes on him. “He is one of the better swordsmen from among the captains. Now, I guess, I know why. Anyone else that I should recognize and haven’t?”

“You might recognize Captain Dulaan’s name, but you don’t know him.”

“Dulaan? Isn’t he one of the council advisors with your dad?”

“Yes. But Advisor Dulaan is also Saikhan and Captain Dulaan’s father.”

“I don’t think I ever knew Saikhan’s last name or that he had an older brother,” Lolo laughed. “Is Captain Dulaan also an exchange graduate?”

Ulana nodded. “Without realizing it, Lolo, you hand-picked quite a few old exchange graduates. A few of the older captains are also former trainees.”

“I had no idea,” Lolo shrugged and returned to the original subject. “So tell me about Sarnai.”

“Oh, I think she’s finally accepted that your brother isn’t interested in her after two years of no contact. She’s been moving on, finding other young men to smother with her affection.” Ulana shook her head and sighed.

“What?”

“I just feel bad for my sisters. They’ve never seriously considered any possibilities outside of finding romance and getting married, but being pretty is not enough of a reason for someone to want to marry them. I mean, they can cook, order servants around, and they are nice girls. I’m sure that if someone just wanted an animal spirit hosting trophy wife and a pile of kids, they could make someone really happy.”

Lolo frowned. “I thought they trained as shieldmaidens too, and they were part of the training exchange. That has to count for something, right?”

“Yeah, but they haven’t picked up their swords since, and they have no intentions of doing anything with those skills.”

“That's a shame. I was going to suggest that maybe they’d like to join the military. Plenty of handsome men in uniform for them to drool over, and they already have some skills. They’d just need to dust them off a bit.”

“I’ve told them that at least a dozen times. I’ve suggested they start a beauty products business, train as a nurse, write trashy romance novels…. Waiting for a prince charming to fall from the sky hasn’t done them any favors. Maybe you should bring it up tonight. They’re more likely to listen to you than to me.”

“Why's that?”

“I might have told them about all of the boys chasing after you,” Ulana admitted awkwardly.

“What boys?”

“Well, I might have stretched the truth a bit, but Durfein, Fortus, Standig, pretty much all of the guys from last summer’s exchange besides your brothers,” Ulana blushed.

“They’re not all chasing after me!” Lolo protested.

“Hey! I did say that I stretched the truth a bit,” Ulana waved her protest off. “It’s just that your love life is significantly more interesting than mine, and that’s the only thing my mom and sisters like hearing about. But it means that your opinion holds the weight of someone who is actually successful at catching a guy’s attention. And you are the Wolf Tribe princess. Even with such a high social status, you’ve done things with yourself.”

“I mean, I guess,” Lolo’s eyebrows came together. “That just seems silly to me.”

“I won’t deny that,” Ulana laughed. “Anyway, what do you want to do after dinner tonight? We could explore town, go dancing, see a show…. What sounds fun to you?”

Lolo smiled. “This is your town, Ulana. You know what’s fun. You choose.”

“Don’t regret saying that,” Ulana chuckled.

***

Dinner with the Zugeer family was a casual affair, much to Huo Lohse’s liking. The dinner table sat quite low, so everyone was seated on thick, colorful cushions on the ground. It created a very laid-back atmosphere, sometimes literally.

While Khalam ignored the dinner conversation in favor of eating silently, Ulana’s mom, Imraa Zugeer, was a very chatty person. She enjoyed first-rate gossip, especially about relationships, and seemed eager to coax juicy details out of her daughters and guest, even if there weren’t any such details to tell. Already knowing everything there was to hear from her older two daughters, Imraa was quick to interrogate Ulana.

“No, mom, I’m not seeing anybody,” Ulana was getting exasperated after the fifteenth question about her non-existent love life. “We’ve been too busy training the men to get to know any of them,” she repeated herself again.

“It’s Huo Lohse Lang, isn’t it?” Imraa turned at last to Lolo. “What about you? Any dashing young men in your life?”

Lolo turned to Ulana for help and Ulana shrugged. “Erm. Plenty, I suppose. I’m just not in a relationship with any of them.”

“Why ever not?!” Imraa’s surprise felt forced.

“Mostly because I’m not interested in a relationship right now. We’ve got too much work to do.”

“Or is it because you already have a lover back home?” Imraa had clearly been holding this question in reserve for some time, and Sarnai and Amidra appeared eager to hear the answer as well.

Lolo shifted uncomfortably on her cushion and shook her head.

“I’ve been hearing rumors about you and a certain young lion.” Imraa grinned triumphantly around her drinking glass, and Ulana glanced at Lolo apologetically from across the table.

“You mean Fortus Arum,” Lolo surrendered. “Yes, there would be rumors about the two of us. We intentionally planted them.”

“Ooo!” Imraa squealed. “Tell me all about it.”

“There’s not much to tell. Fortus and I were spying on last summer's coup and got caught. To get out alive, we told them that we were lovers, and then we had to make the lie believable for a couple of weeks until the coup failed.”

“I understand that Fortus is quite a looker,” Imraa pressed.

The corners of Lolo’s mouth twitched in a slight smirk. “He is.”

“And after two weeks of pretending to be lovers, you didn’t become lovers for real?”

Lolo chuckled a little, finally understanding the root cause of the Zugeer girls’ propensity for seeking romance where none exists. “Fortus Arum and I are friends, very close friends, actually. For a little while, we explored the possibility of becoming more than that, but we both prefer to remain friends only. I respect and trust Fortus, but we are not in love.”

Imraa seemed to be replaying Lolo’s answer in her head to find any hint that there was something worth digging into, but the answer was honest and air-tight. “There aren’t any other young men in your life that have prevented you from falling for Fortus, are there? I heard that the Badger Tribe prince confessed to you.”

For the first time that evening, Lolo blushed. “You’re talking about Durfein Anam.”

“Yes! That was his name.”

Lolo nodded. “Durfein has feelings for me.”

“But the question remains. Do you have feelings for him?” Imraa was on the edge of her cushion.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Lolo admitted.

“Ooo! How delicious! Is he handsome?”

Lolo hadn’t given this much thought. “I mean, I suppose in his own way,” she shrugged.

“Is he a great fighter?”

Lolo laughed heartily. “Not at all. He’s an artist and a craftsman. He’s quite talented, actually.”

Imraa was strangely disappointed by this fact. “... But he is a prince?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s not talented with the sword?”

Lolo shook her head.

“Hm.”

“Durfein makes the most beautiful things,” Lolo felt the need to defend him. “He paints and draws. He creates armor and sculptures. His interests may be unconventional, but I think it’s wonderful!”

“Well, your opinion is what matters, dear,” Imraa suddenly seemed bored.

Lolo was confused. “If you’re interested in great fighters, you need not look any further than your own daughter. Ulana is excellent with the sword. Her aerial maneuvers put me to sh-”

“Yes, yes,” Imraa waved her hand dismissively. “She’s very talented.”

“Yes. She is,” Lolo insisted. Her confusion was beginning to be replaced by anger.

“A lot of good that’s done for her. A lot of good that’s done for any of my girls, for that matter.” All three Zugeer girls looked down at their plates.

“Personally, I take great pride in being able to defend myself and the people I love. I’ve made incredible friendships because of my sword studies, and I’ve met some of the most interesting people. I also happen to love what I do,” Lolo grew increasingly indignant as Imraa seemed to check out. “My friend, Durfein found his passion in other things. I respect him for that, and I love his work. Ulana has become the single most capable aerial swords person that I know, and now she is teaching others her passion. I’m incredibly proud of her! Sarnai and Amidra are bright and vivacious young women. They are both capable with swords. They should use that, and you should be proud of them!”

At some point amid Lolo’s speech, she’d risen to her feet. She looked around to see everyone staring at her, including Khalam who had looked up for the first time the entire meal. Embarrassed by her own outburst, Lolo sat back down and stared at her plate. Why were her emotions so near to the surface these days?

“Exactly!” Ulana stood up. “Let’s go, Lolo.” Ulana walked around the table to pull her friend to her feet again. “Thank you for dinner, mom.” Lolo bowed slightly to her hosts as Ulana dragged her out of the house.

“Ulana, I’m sorry about that. I don’t know why I’ve been so, you know, so…”

“Emotional? Unrestrained? Prone to outbursts?” Ulana laughed. “It’s fine, Lolo. In fact, it’s more than fine. Maybe now that a princess has scolded her over that, she’ll actually give it some thought.”

“I didn’t mean to scold her.” Lolo was feeling desperate.

“Lolo, it’s really ok. My mom is a kind person, but she has a one-track mind. With three daughters, she only seems to care that we all marry well. Nevermind our interests. Nevermind our talents. Nevermind what we can bring to the world. Nevermind who we are or want to become. My sisters gave up a long time ago trying to do anything else with their lives beyond seeking marriage because of her. My mom has humored me as I’ve pursued my sword training, but she is not really supportive. And my dad just doesn’t want us to embarrass him. I love my family, Lolo, but I want to be somebody, not just somebody else’s wife. And I wish something similar for my sisters. What you said just now, I’ve been trying to explain in so many words for years. Maybe this time she’ll listen.”

“I’m still sorry to stir up trouble, Ulana.”

“Don’t be. This is a good kind of trouble, Lolo. This is the kind of trouble that creates change.” Ulana watched as Lolo frowned. “Let’s go dancing.”

“What?”

Ulana laughed. “I told you not to regret letting me choose. Let’s go dancing!”