In the months that followed their victory over Enrhyll and the massive construct that had arisen in his place, the elementalists, Summer and Eun Mi struggled to pick up the pieces.  While their physical wounds had been healed by the power of the elements, it did nothing for their mental and emotional scars, though some were definitely more affected than others.

                All of them were afflicted with varying degrees of separation anxiety after they had removed themselves to Silverberg manor, with both Eleanara and Kyuhyun showing some of the more severe symptoms if left alone for any period of time.  Intermittently, they all suffered bouts of insomnia or nightmares, most of which did not last long and were generally soothed by an herbal tea or a kiss on the forehead and the assurance that it really was alright.

                For weeks after they were free, Summer and Siwon had trouble in confined spaces and both experienced some difficulty sleeping in total darkness.  Leeteuk battled bouts of depression where he blamed himself for not being able to do more to protect them all; an affliction which was a bit harder to treat.  Alternately, he either needed sense knocked into him in spirited sparring sessions, usually prompted by Kharin or Siwon, or consoled repeatedly that he had done everything he could, a role that tended to fall to Eleanara and Eunhyuk.

                Most distressing perhaps was an irrational fear in both Eleanara and Kyuhyun towards fire and shadow in specific circumstances.  They were fine around small fires, such as candles, sconces or hearth fires, but anything larger induced nervousness or outright fear, depending on the situation.  Likewise, the creation of a shadow construct or summoning a sphere of darkness was alright but any time they saw a shadow blade of any sort, it prompted a similar reaction.  It was many weeks indeed before either of them was able to start making steps in the right direction, during which time they all felt the effects.  Fear was an enemy they couldn’t defeat on a whim and so it was something that had to be conquered, one painful step at a time.

                It started with Eleanara as the healer in her saw the hurt their own fear caused the others, especially Kharin, and that drove her to act.  Determined to heal it as best she could, she made the first steps in overcoming her phobia, working in tandem with both Kharin and Kyuhyun.  Not to be outdone by the smallest of their group, the somewhat in denial, pride driven Kyuhyun followed suit.  The weeks following were tense and difficult for the entire group and there were tears and arguments on more than one occasion.  Fortunately, Silverberg manor was a spacious residence and there were plenty of places to go to get away when they needed the space.  Even after several months, they were not fully recovered, but they were functional and from there, they could work on the rest of their concerns at their own pace, along with the rest of the group.

                Despite the challenges they faced in recovering, the group maintained contact, at least tentatively, with the rest of the world via messengers.  They met the rest of the Silverberg household very early on and, as Eunhyuk had predicted, Kharin did get along rather well with Kangin, even if they tended to throw each other around the training room.  Zhou Mi, Henry and Hangeng all arrived at the manor within a few days and a large banquet was shared with the household and its guests.  The minstrels livened everything up with song and dance and they revealed the handful of songs and tales they had completed about the adventure of the Elementalists and the Neutralizer.  Their revelry lasted well into the wee hours of the morning and if they were a bit worse for wear the following day, no one complained too much about it.

               A couple of weeks later, a messenger from Kwan was received bearing the amulets that had been taken from Summer, Eleanara, Kyuhyun, Siwon and Leeteuk, as well as three sais, two of which belonged to Summer and the other blackened, burnt and bent.  Eunhyuk grinned when he picked it up, remembering quite clearly how it had ended up as it was now.  Around the same time, Yong-Soo arrived in a cart pulled by Glory with a missive from Eun Mi’s mother, requesting she check in personally since things had settled down after Enrhyll had been deposed.  It had no time limit on it, so it wasn’t something that the herbalist was eager to fulfill, but neither would she ignore it.  A couple weeks later, Yong-Soo returned to Corley Port with a message to assure Eun Mi’s mother she would in due time, but promised nothing further.

                The message also reminded the elementalists that they should probably send word to Master Yoogin in the monastery to let him know what had happened in the time since they had been gone.  They had much to tell and they all knew he would be interested to hear it, though they were hesitant to return to the monastery.  Since they had no precedent to go by, they did not know if he would wish them to remain, hidden in the cloistered walls as they had been originally.  Did he expect it from them?  Would they be summoned to return to a life of anonymity?

                Having tasted the outside world, they found it was something they didn’t wish to give up so soon.  Fortunately, in a matter of weeks, their fears were allayed when a letter from Yoogin, written in his elegant sprawling hand, arrived.  In it, he expressed his congratulations for their having succeeded in what they had set out to do and was happy for them in their new lives.  He expressed that the monastery would always be open to them if they should care to return but he did not expect it or request it.

                Accompanied with the same messenger was another letter written in considerably blockier print from Marcus Frostbiter who was perturbed he had received no such letter as Yoogin.  Shamelessly, he admitted that he had convinced the courier to fill him in on where the message had come from and then demanded he take one back to them in turn.  His ears burning with chagrin, Leeteuk was the one to read the letter aloud to the others and they all laughed in fond remembrance at the words of the village chieftain.  To their surprise, Marcus also mentioned that while they were still rebuilding Moorhall, they would come and visit when they were able…well as many as could come anyway.

                As time went by they were kept up to date by the newly promoted Commander Kwan on the happenings in the capitol with the news that an heir from the previous royal family had been located and was being instated with all due haste.  Young-Jae was a close cousin of the former ruler who had gone to live on the neighboring continent of Arcova with extended family.  Having been the third son in his line, he had no prospects of ruling or inheriting much of anything at the time and so had gone to learn more diplomatic and mercantile pursuits on his own, thereby avoiding the slaughter that had found the rest of his family.  Young-Jae was young but he had a bevy of advisors more than willing to assist him in fulfilling his new role.

                While reconstruction was taking place with the capitol, the Silverbergs were helping to assist in locating a suitable area for the Elementalists to relocate to, as well as funding the cost of supplies and labor.  Rightfully so, they would likely be recompensed for their expenses by the new ruler, but even had that not been a possibility, their favor had increased greatly with the fall of Enrhyll.  Since the elementalists were not asking for any favors, the Silverbergs could request just about anything to assist them and the people scrambled to fulfill it as quickly as possible.

                At Zhou Mi and Henry’s suggestion, the elementalists were pointed in the direction of Fairmeadow, a small village town located in the southwestern part of the continent near the sea.  It had been too small and out of the way for Enrhyll to be overly concerned about it when he set about conquering the nearby cities and it ended up being just what they were looking for.  The people were awed by them, of course, but they had only stories and hearsay to go on and with them being as far removed from civilization as they were, visitors were few and far between.  Construction of four houses was begun almost immediately, with the buildings located on the outermost edge of the village but still quite near each other.

                As they waited for their own homes to be built, the days passed by in relative peace for the elementalists.  After the chaos they had experienced since leaving the monastery, it was a welcome reprieve.  They assisted in chores around the house and worked with Amber, Autumn and Sage on their lessons of just about everything.  Henry and Zhou Mi stayed on longer than usual but eventually they recovered and rested enough to resume their usual circuit, leaving vocal lessons in Kyuhyun’s capable, and less forgiving, hands.  They promised to return soon though and there was a large celebration the night before they headed out.

                The minstrels had not been gone long before the household received a very ornate invitation from the almost fully rebuilt palace in Lornhaldt.  The entirety of Silverberg Manor and the guests therein were humbly invited to the celebratory ball to be held in one month’s time, which equated to just over three weeks by the time they received the invitation.  Immediately, the manor was in an uproar as the ladies of the household lamented that was certainly not enough time to get everything ready and the men sat back and watched in amusement.

                Considering the Elementalists and the Neutralizer were to be the guests of honor, they couldn’t really bow out of the invite and were both moderately excited and understandably discomfited about attending.  It would be the first time returning to the place where the Elementalists had died, at least for a little while, and none were in a hurry to remember.  Still…  With much coaxing from the Silverberg household as a whole, the group was cajoled into attending and, seeing that they had nothing fit for a ball, it was another bill their hosts were quite pleased to foot.  In the excitement of getting ready, Eunhyuk sent a wind construct to fly as fast as possible to Moorhall to give them the news should a messenger not reach them in time.

               Myung Hee and Amber in particular appeared to be everywhere all the time as they took measurements, ordered fabric and accessories, and with Sang Kyu and Autumn, helped to coach their guests on how to behave at a ball.  While they had originally thought that three weeks would be more than enough time to get ready, as the day approached, the elementalists began to understand why Myung Hee was so distressed by the notice.  Dresses and suits had to be fit and refit, trimmed and adorned with all the extra embellishments until they were up to Myung Hee’s standards, which were high indeed, and with all of the protocol they were expected to at least try to learn, there did not seem to be enough time in a day.

                Fortunately, both Henry and Zhou Mi returned with a couple days to spare, having been alerted on the road by another messenger heading up the continent giving the good news and handing out invitations where appropriate.  Being the practiced performers they were, it was easy enough to deflect some of Myung Hee’s worry and give the guests just a bit of space to breathe before it was time for them to head out.

                Leaving but a skeleton crew to man the house, the majority of the household were packed into several carriages and pulled by the dressage horses they owned and when they ran out of those fine creatures, the scouts’ horses were enlisted.  It was not often that they took out all four full-sized carriages that they owned so it wasn’t expected to have dress horses for all of them.  Granted, they had two teams of four which would be able to pull three of the carriages; four on one and two each on the other two, but they still had to bring in two more to pull the fourth carriage.   Each carriage was topped with chests full of their garments and traveling gear; the number of which surprised the elementalists and had Myung Hee worried sick that they still hadn’t brought enough.

                 The largest carriage, which seated eight, was given to the Elementalists; the Silverbergs and their servants took the two six person carriages and Hangeng, Kibum and Kangin were given the four person carriage to ride in.  The minstrels brought up the rear, carrying those scouts who would not fit in with the rest of the carriages.  They made quite a procession as they set out from the manor and took up the majority of the road, with the constructs that still followed their creators hanging around the outskirts, making travelers nervous when they saw them.  No one had asked if they had kept them because they couldn’t or wouldn’t send them away, but they had become a familiar presence at the manor so back in the rest of the world, it was interesting to see what sort of reactions they prompted in others.

                They collectively spent one night on the side of the road and another in a new town that had been promptly built to aid in the growth of the rebuilt city.  Well, to be fair, a town had been there before but it had subsequently been razed by Enrhyll when he had first taken the throne and none had thought to rebuild it until now.  Both nights were spent in quiet revelry where the minstrels provided constant entertainment and the group as a whole was encouraged to brush up on their etiquette.  As usual, the constructs remained guard at the perimeter the one night and outside the door the other before they were kindly asked to move since they were frightening the potential guests.  Profusely apologetic, the elementalists had sent them aloft to the top of the inn where the creatures then kept their vigil from above.

                When at last they made it to Lornhaldt, it was a city much changed from when they had last seen it.  It was still a vast, sprawling confusion of buildings and people, but a great many of them looked newer and the guards at the gate were more jovial than the last time.  They kept a meticulous count of who came through the gate and what they arrived with but there was no searching and no suspicion as they entered.  In fact, the guards, one and all, stopped to salute or bow as the occupants of the carriages were recognized.  As news traveled quickly through the city, they saw more and more, that even the regular people would stop to stare or wave as they went by.  Of course, the rather obvious constructs flying above their carriage did nothing to dissuade anyone that they were there either.

                Graciously, the Silverbergs smiled and waved, while the minstrels did the same in the rear, all of them putting on a good show.  The considerably more shy elementalists mostly hid in the carriage, working up the courage every now and then to wave at the masses which prompted great cheering when they did.

                “Do you suppose they’re happy to see us?” Kyuhyun asked dryly as he looked around at the other occupants who continued to stare out in wide-eyed wonder.  The last time any of them had been present, Eun Mi notwithstanding, they hadn’t really been able to actually enjoy the scenery.  Free of duress, it really was an amazing sight and they were able to at least feel a little bit excited about being here.  Several onlookers actually cried in thanks when they passed by and when nothing untoward happened, the occupants loosened up enough to wave and smile back as they made their steady and unobstructed way to the palace.

                Their nervousness returned though as the crowds fell away when they were admitted to the palace gates, otherwise closed to keep out those who were not invited to the event.  The massive building rose up in front of them and before they had even stopped at the front stairs to be let out of the carriages, they were all holding hands again, taking strength from each other.  With practiced ease, the carriages were unloaded by a steady stream of men who poured from the front doors to assist with them and it was Commander Kwan himself who came to retrieve the Elementalists.

                Politely, he opened the door of the carriage and smiled.  “It is good to see you again,” he assured them with a deep bow.  When he stood up, he politely extended his hand to assist Eleanara first as she had been sitting in the front seat with Leeteuk.  “My lady,” he murmured, patiently waiting as he could see her making up her mind.

                With a quick glance at the others and after a reassuring nod from Leeteuk who placed a comforting hand on her back, Eleanara nodded to herself.  She accepted his hand lightly and stepped down, minding the hem of the flowing lavender dress she was wearing.  “Thank you…Kwan,” she finally smiled, regarding him evenly.  He looked happier than the last time she had seen him and he had allowed his dark hair to grow out just a bit more so that it gave him a softer appearance.  “It is good to see you too,” she admitted as she reclaimed her hand and smiled warmly when Leeteuk, garbed in a fancy white shirt and dark brown pants, stepped out to join her, one hand reaching to retrieve hers and tuck it into the crook of his arm automatically.

                “Kwan,” Leeteuk nodded in acknowledgement and allowed a smile to pull at his lips.

                “My lord,” Kwan responded with another bow.

                The earth elementalist put up a hand and shook his head, “Just Leeteuk.  Please.”  When the commander smiled and nodded in understanding, he looked down at Eleanara and pulled her aside gently so the others could follow suit.

                Out came Eun Mi in a vibrant yellow dress and Siwon adorned with an off-white shirt and dark blue pants.  They were followed by Summer in a warm green dress and Kyuhyun who had opted for a white shirt and dark gray pants.  When he saw Kwan, it appeared that he still seemed conflicted on whether to glare or smirk at the commander and so finally settled with a nod and a smirk when he laughed at himself.  They had parted on decent enough terms; he could meet him on those same terms at least.  Kharin, in a muted blue dress, was followed in turn by Eunhyuk who wore an off-white shirt and deep green pants, grinning the whole time.

                Preceded by the Silverbergs, the elementalists and the rest of the entourage, allowed themselves to be escorted inside the palace.  As they had a chance to look around nervously, their constructs floating above them persistently, they realized that all traces of Enrhyll had been erased from the halls.  Nothing remained of the tyrant who had terrorized them.  Instead, the walls were decorated by all manner of peaceful pictures and artistic works of art that helped to sooth those who looked upon them.  The pillars had been restored and the framework rebuilt so that the cracks were no longer visible and everything felt new.

                Kwan gave them a knowing smile as he looked over his shoulder and took them to the right, mindful of where they had been taken the last time.  New guest rooms had been built on the opposite side of the palace and it was to those that he was guiding them.  The throne room remained closed and he informed them, “His majesty is finalizing the preparations for the morrow.  You will meet him at that time, but he wishes to extend his greetings to you and asks that you speak if there is anything you need while you are here.”  The Commander bowed low again and smiled at them warmly once more before continuing on to the guest rooms.

                The new hall that had been rebuilt looked outwardly similar to the last one they had spent time in, but on entering the rooms, they found them vastly changed to reflect a considerably more humble approach.  They were still spacious and filled with a great bead, a large dining table and several chairs and decorative pieces, but it felt warmer and more welcoming.  The coloring of the walls was more subtle and soothing as opposed to bright and gaudy as they had been before.  A personal servant was assigned to each room in case the occupants might need anything during their stay.

                While there, they were given free rein of the castle with the exception of the royal chamber and the throne room for the time being.  Hesitantly, the elementalists found themselves curiously drawn to explore…to see just how much things had changed.  As they broke off in small groups and pairs, their nervousness continued to dissipate, replaced instead by wonder and excitement as they discovered, little by little, the library, dining hall, several recreation rooms, the ballroom which they were gently guided from due to last minute preparations, as well as an indoor garden like the Silverbergs had and lavish bathing rooms even nicer than the ones they had already thought were grand.  The servants they came across were all quite happy and polite and even the guards stationed throughout were professional but eager to assist when they were asked any questions.

                In pairs, they returned to their rooms and discovered, to their delight, a menu that they were free to choose from should they decide to dine in.  It was an option they were more than happy to use and they spent the rest of the day relaxing and getting ready for the next.  Myung Hee and Sang Kyu both came by to visit each pair and make sure they understood how things would proceed on the morrow before leaving them alone for the rest of the evening.  They all enjoyed decadent baths and more succulent food before calling it for the night, curled up with their other halves.

                The day of the ball was a blur as the morning and early afternoon were spent in preparation and last minute adjustments.  The pairs were reluctantly split up to get changed into the celebratory attire, which only the wearer and Myung Hee had been privy too, personal servants notwithstanding.  The men were guided to the ballroom first along with Sang Kyu, Sage and Hangeng.  Kangin and Kibum had been allowed to go at their own pace, having little to do with the ball itself.  When they entered, they were greeted by the sight of dozens upon dozens of brightly dressed nobles in various colors of gowns and suits.  Their own attire was fairly similar in cut but defined neatly by their shirts which were a rich, vibrant color of their own element, even Leeteuk’s who had never thought brown could look so remarkable.

                 Within, Zhou Mi and Henry were playing along with the royal band, dressed in finer versions of the clothes they had seen them perform in already; nice dark brown pants, with crisp white undershirts and deep blue and green vests, respectively.  The king was easy to spot among the crowd, bearing a thin gold circlet on his brow and dressed in tones of deep gold and red.  If the clothing hadn’t set him apart, then his entourage of nobles and a ring of personal advisors did, all of whom paused when the elementalists arrived.  Granted, their interest may well have been for the constructs with them as the creatures drifted above the crowds lazily, looking down at the people with mild interest but little else.  The creatures caused quite a stir themselves in those directly under especially and as a result, the space beneath the constructs tended to be relatively free of persons.  Many were those who could be seen just pointing and staring at the well behaved creatures.

                Nervously, the four men pulled at their garb and glanced at each other.  This just felt odd…  With a glance up at the constructs and then back down at his clothes, Eunhyuk laughed and shrugged, “At least we look the part.”

                “We look dumb,” Kyuhyun mumbled, wishing very much that he was wearing what Henry and Zhou Mi was.

                “You look very dignified,” Sang Kyu assured them with a small bow as he ushered them out of the doorway.

                Leeteuk bowed at the lord of Silverberg manor, “And we have you to thank for it.  Your generosity has been overwhelming,” he assured the older man with aplomb.  His statement brought answering smiles and nods from his companions, even Kyuhyun who was still mumbling under his breath.

                “Father.  Isn’t that Young-Jae heading this way?” Sage asked nervously as he tugged on Sang-Kyu’s sleeve slightly.

                The elementalists shifted to look at the King as he headed towards them and Sang-Kyu leaned down to respond.  “Yes, Sage.  Now remember, you must address him as Master or Lord Young-Jae.”  Sage nodded energetically and became visibly more nervous as they approached but before the new King could reach them, the doors they had entered opened again to admit the ladies.

                Myung Hee led the pack with a glowing Amber, and just slightly less ecstatic Autumn, on either side of her.  She ushered her daughters in easily and the duo disappeared into the flowing crowd effortlessly, brilliant smiles on their faces, before she turned back around and smiled encouragingly.  “Come on ladies.  It’s alright.  You look lovely,” she assured them as she coaxed the women to emerge from the hallway.  Only slightly more used to court politics, Eun Mi approached side by side with Summer who had been mandated to come forward by her mother.  The former wore a beautiful lavender gown while the latter was elegantly draped in a soft golden coloration.

                Summer and Eun Mi looked up at their companions in front of them and smiled shyly, a delicate flush creeping across both their faces as the men looked back in appreciation.  They had seen them in dresses many times since living in the manor, but never like this with their hair done perfectly and adorned artfully with face paints, wearing silver and bejeweled accessories.

                The pair approached the others slowly and as Summer drew near, she raised her brow at Kyuhyun, who still appeared mystified, and grumbled, “What are you staring at?”

                Aware of the others waiting for a response, Kyuhyun shook himself and gave her that cocky smile before he stepped close and whispered in her ear, “You.”  As the others laughed when she turned bright red, Kyuhyun reached out and grabbed her hand genteelly before raising it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers as he did so.

                Speechless, Summer could only beam like a little girl as her stomach filled with butterflies.  Still smiling so hard her cheeks hurt, she took her place beside Kyuhyun, holding lightly to his arm.

                Nervously, Eun Mi stepped up to Siwon and looked up at him from under her lashes.  The water elementalist reached out to pick her chin so she would stop looking down and smiled sweetly at her, the dimple appearing in his cheek.  “You look beautiful, Mi,” he spoke softly and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek and then surprised her with a gentle kiss on the lips.  When he stepped back, he had caged one of her hands in his and he clasped the other around it too, smiling when she mirrored the gesture.

                “Thank you,” she ducked her head shyly again and smiled, her other hand caressing her lips gently with her fingertips while her eyes sparkled.  With Leeteuk and Eunhyuk, they waited as the other two elementalists took their time in heading out.

                In the hallway, Kharin and Eleanara held each other’s hands and took a deep breath.  “We can do this,” Kharin encouraged, nodding her head firmly.  She couldn’t believe that she, who was afraid of next to nothing, was having a hard time facing a bunch of nobles in a dress…  A beautiful dress, but quite unlike anything she’d ever worn before.

                “Sure…” Eleanara breathed quietly as she picked at the elegant fabric with her free hand.  With a little help from their constructs who nudged at them from behind with their noses, the pair were pushed through the still open doors and put on the best smiles they could, taken aback by the myriad array of people already milling about within.  It took them a moment to find their group but their smiles became quite genuine when they did.

                Mesmerized, Leeteuk and Eunhyuk stepped forward from their group and couldn’t help but stare at the gorgeous contrast if nothing else.  Kharin was wearing a striking black gown with silver adornment in the chest and on the halter straps while Eleanara appeared almost sylphlike with a draping white gown.  Seeing the support and appreciation in Eunhyuk’s gaze, Kharin shoved Eleanara gently towards Leeteuk with a parting squeeze of her hand and stepped up to the wind elementalist.  “Yes?” she asked with a teasing smile, biting her lip nervously.

                “Yes,” he nodded with a bright gummy smile in return, purposefully misinterpreting the one word question.

                Kharin laughed anyway and traced an imaginary strand of hair over her ear.  “You’re hopeless,” she chuckled, leaning forward and placing her forehead against his with a warm smile on her face.

                “I know,” he agreed, threading his fingers between hers and rising up on his toes so he could kiss her nose playfully.  Kharin mock glared at him and then laughed in earnest when he pulled her back to the rest of the group, still holding to one of her hands tenderly.

                Eleanara stepped up closer to Leeteuk slowly, clearly nervous and uncertain.  She glanced over and saw that Kharin and Eunhyuk were smiling brightly at each other and she looked away, meeting Leeteuk’s gaze again.  As was not uncommon, she felt herself falling into the warm brown depths.  She swallowed and smiled brilliantly, “You… you look good.”

                Chagrined that he hadn’t said it first, Leeteuk shook himself lightly and then closed the distance between them.  “You look magnificent, Nara,” he assured her warmly as he brought his hand up to caress her cheek with the back of his fingers.

                For a moment, they just stood there, as if uncertain what to say or do next, until Kharin rolled her eyes and stepped up behind him.  “Just kiss her already,” she murmured with a mischievous grin before she nudged him forward.

                Surprised, Leeteuk was pushed into Eleanara who was just as startled as he was, but when he ducked his head, she raised hers to meet him and neither complained that their lips met in a tender kiss.

                Her job done, Kharin grinned and nodded before returning to an amused Eunhyuk who captured her hand in his again and planted a kiss firmly on her cheek.  “And you say I’m hopeless,” he chuckled.

                King Young-Jae approached then with an amused smile at the still embracing earth and light elementalists.  “Thank you for coming, Elementalists.  Neutralizer,” he bowed respectfully at the group as a whole.  “And to you as well, Master Silverberg, for taking care of them.”  He offered Sang Kyu and Myung Hee a polite nod to which they bowed in return.

                With a glance at the distracted Leeteuk who normally took the lead, Kyuhyun grinned and was about to step forward before Siwon beat him to it.  “The pleasure is ours,” the water elementalist bowed politely and then gestured at the room and its occupants.  “You have done a remarkable job in restoring this place.”

                Young-Jae bowed in acknowledgement and then gestured back at his own entourage.  “I have had a great deal of help, but none of this would have been possible without all of your courage and strength.”  Considering that was true, all of the elementalists and the neutralizer simply nodded in agreement.  “Please,” he went on, smiling broadly at the group and noting how they held to each other, attentive and caring.  “Do not let me keep you.  This is a ball in your honor and the people here wish to thank you in turn.  If I may be of any assistance, do not hesitate to ask.  For now, though, just enjoy,” he gestured towards the moving mass of people currently dancing to the stately tune that was playing.  Easily, Young-Jae melted back into the crowd followed effortlessly by his own group, and left the elementalists behind.

                They looked around at each other and noticed that the Silverbergs had absented themselves as well when the King had.  Judging by the music, the song was winding down and they patiently waited to hear what the next one would be.  When Zhou Mi and Henry prompted a sweeping ballad, the pairs let themselves be pulled into the flow of the music, except for Summer who held to Kyuhyun’s hand gently but firmly.  “Aren’t you going to ask me to dance?” she asked with a mischievous smile, calling to mind their first dance around the campfire with Henry and Zhou Mi playing the music for them there as well.

                “Should I?” he asked her archly, a smirk on his face.

                Summer scowled at his answer and raised a finger to point at him, “It is only polite.”

                The smirk remained in place as Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and he could feel Summer getting annoyed.  He glanced back at her out of the corner of his eye and when she was about to say something else to him, he pulled her close and kissed her firmly, enjoying her surprise.  “Care to dance?” he asked smugly when he pulled back and effortlessly guided her unresisting form into the stream of people.

                For the rest of the evening, the elementalists danced and mingled.  At one point, they were startled by a small disturbance at the front door when, of all people, Marcus Frostbiter made his way into the hall with a large portion of his remaining village in tow.  As was his way, he had bullied their entrance into the ball and with the elementalists to vouch for him and his party, was accepted with some reservation.  The elementalists were overjoyed to see the massive man again and they exchanged many handshakes and hugs, especially since Vayna and her husband Drell had made it with the blacksmith Tierne in tow as well.  They were dressed in their best, which was nothing in comparison to the nobles present, but they did not seem to care, and made themselves at home, marveling at the constructs in admiration where the rest seemed simply nervous.  Marcus managed to corner Young-Jae for a time and the pair was in deep discussion for a good long while.

                As for the others, they partook of the hors d'oeuvres that servants brought around on trays and danced surprisingly well with the nobles and the elementalists.  There were several tables off to the side that had other foods to snack upon and several beverages that they all partook of, including a light, fruity wine that made Eleanara, Siwon, Summer and Leeteuk tipsy and giggly.  The others made sure to keep an eye on them since they steered clear of it themselves, except Kyuhyun who seemed to have no such trouble with the amusing side effects.  Eventually, Henry and Zhou Mi made their way to the floor and, with the rest of the Silverberg household, stole dances periodically from the elementalists and Vayna, who the minstrels both managed to make blush like a young lady again.

                The ball lasted well into the wee hours of the morning and only when the King retired, did the rest of the room finally begin to empty in earnest.  Those from Moorhall let themselves out, claiming they had lodging in the city already and bid farewell to the elementalists with more hugs and handshakes.  At last, the tired elementalists were guided to their rooms to sleep until they woke late the next morning.  They all slept in and the palace was fairly subdued the following day as everyone recovered and cleaned up from the celebration.  From there, it was a matter of speaking with Young-Jae one more time before saying farewell.  The loss of order in the capitol had been restored and they were no longer needed there, so they returned to Silverberg Manor.

                Within the next week, they were greeted with the announcement that their new homes had been completed and furnished and were ready and waiting for them.  It was a bittersweet announcement.  While they would not argue that they very much wanted a space of their own, they had been treated very well and had made good friends in Silverberg manor.  They were almost sad to go, but it was something they needed to do and they knew it; not only for their gracious hosts but for themselves as well.

                While they could have easily ridden their constructs to Fairmeadow, they allowed Sang Kyu to have them driven there in the large coach, followed by Henry and Zhou Mi who carried the rest of what wouldn’t fit on top of the main cabin.  The ride wasn’t particularly long, though it was fairly bumpy after getting off the main road and using the small path that had nearly been swallowed up by the countryside.  All things considered, it would have been faster to fly but it was relaxing in its own way on the four day journey there.

                Their arrival caused quite a stir among the locals who were unused to such crowds arriving at once, followed by strange creatures they had never seen.  Everything was sorted out quickly and the villagers were assured that nothing would happen to them at all from the new residents’ ‘pets’.  Once they were able to get the initial excitement out of their systems, the group looked over their new homes and chose who would get which one.  The decisions were easy and within the hour, they were settling in, unpacking the belongings that they had been given by the King and the Silverbergs… and anyone else who thought they’d accept their gifts.

                Zhou Mi and Henry agreed to stay on for at least a little while to help get things smoothed over and while they brought the villagers up to speed on the exploits of the elementalists, the group relaxed into their new homes.  As the sun set on them for the first time in this place, they stood outside and held hands while they watched it sink below the horizon.  Over the cliff in the distance, the sea reflected the last of the brilliance off the water in an extraordinary display of fading shades of blue, pink and orange.  They took a deep breath and smiled at each other in contentment.  After everything they had faced and overcome, they had come out victorious.  In the end, in finding this place, they had found themselves and in so doing, had finally restored the loss of order within.

(a/n:  Well, this is it, my wonderful readers.  The end of this adventure.  *sigh*  It has been a most interesting and enjoyable journey and I can only hope that you have found it equally entertaining.  I have certainly enjoyed your support and presence with me all this time so to my readers I wish to extend my thanks.  You definitely made it easier to go on when things got tough occasionally.

While this one is done, I might still work on a few one-shots in conjunction with it.  I have at least one more in planning with the whole gang, but I haven't set pen to paper yet.  haha  Soon though, I hope.  I am also not averse to opening the floor to see if you may have any thoughts on additional one-shots you might like to see.  While I cannot guarantee anything, if you are interested, please shoot me a message.  :)  Either way, I shall respond.

As for everything else...this has been a wonderful experience for me and I again thank you for sharing it with me.  To my readers, silent and otherwise, and especially my commentors, you have made my day several times over.  Happy reading and good luck in your endeavors!  <3)