Bye!

Adanita woke Rosamund up early, because she knew he'd be devastated if she left without a proper farewell. He was absolutely adorable when he was still half-asleep and dizzy and it took all her self-restraint not to go back to bed with him.

"Have you packed everything?" he asked, sitting up.
"Aye. We'll leave with the afternoon tide. I won't be coming back to the manor." She sat on the bed next to him and leaned in to give him a small kiss on his cheek.
"I understand- oh. Your pinecone is still here."
"Aye. I don't want it onboard, I'm worried it might get damaged. And... I'd like if you had something of mine with you."
"I see. I will take good care of it, then," he said, carefully holding the stuffed toy.
"Thank you, love. I will be seeing you soon."
"Did you have breakfast?"
"Aye, aye."
"Should I pack you a meal?"
"You have your own work to do, love."
"I know. I don't have the time to go to the city today, but I could send a servant before you depart."
"Please focus on your work. I'll be fine. I don't want to be a distraction to you at all times, you know."
"At this point, work is the distraction," he said. "Stay safe and return to me. I will keep Ekliptik safe in your absence."
"Thank you. They love you very much," she said. "I will take care of your brother, too."
"Thank you."

He pulled her into a hug, tightly holding onto her. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his shoulder, letting the gentle scent of his perfume overwhelm her. The world was cold and distant, but Rosamund was soft and warm. She wished she could stay and braid his hair all day.

Alas.

Two days before her departure, she found time to invite Mislav and Lady Ansatz to her ship. Both women came wearing simple pants and comfortable tunics, matching Adanita's usual outfits quite well. They had tea and chatted for a while, mostly about work while the ladies were trying to get details of her love life out of her. Not that she could blame them. She started wearing the rose collar pins as a sign of... something. Did it really need to be so complicated? She just wanted to spend some peaceful time with her lover. It was nobody's business but theirs, after all. But she was tightly gripped by sheer terror of the idea of nobles using it against her, like they used so many other things when she was there first. Back then, she didn't have any kind of safety net, though. Lady Ansatz seemed to be genuinely interested in- well probably not her well-being, but Rosamund's for sure. Perhaps with so many women by her side now, and allies that came with Rosamund... it could just be a relationship. But what if she cost him his allies? His position? What would the Queen think? If she succeeds with his help and their relationship is known, it could become a one-way sail straight to Bretonian gallows. Along with the rest of his family. Did he not even consider this possibility?

Sometimes the differences in the lives they've lived surfaced in most unexpected ways...

In either case, Lady Ansatz agreed to arrange tea parties and invite guests Rosamund tells her to. Once she returns to Hipparcos, she will have a schedule packed to the brim with meetings, tea parties, and talks. And she won't be free of those in the Cove, either. Mislav promised her full support. It didn't mean only money. It meant even more contacts with traders and navy captains from all across the world. Truly stabilizing the Cove's economy was Adanita's top priority. A "furniture" factory won't be enough, although she was in a unique position of knowing popular styles in advance. The fields and fruit gardens in villages nearby were enough to keep the city reasonably self-sustainable. Outside of that, she had pearls, obsidian, sulfur, saltpeter now that the Earl provided her with a recipe, a new shipyard and a salt plant in the making, and negotiation between the pirates and the merchants. Hell, if Mislav sends her the silkworms as she said she would attempt, she could even start producing silk.

She can do it.

Her ability to run such businesses was the reason why she was elected in the first place.

And Nino, that gods-damned idiot and others like him. If they decided to lose faith in her now of all times, then they could all go to the bottom of the sea for all she cared. They can raise concerns and discuss issues, but traitors will be killed like the worms they were. Even if they were once her friends.

No mistakes this time.

This happiness she had for the past few days was only a taste of good things that were to come with her success. Now that she knew how beautiful life could be, she was burning with a new sense of determination. She will grab this opportunity with both hands and never let go. She can make a better world.

It was the dead of the night when she docked her ship in the city, but she felt as if she was glowing with confidence.

No matter what.

She will win.