This story is part of the Wanderer series.
The three girls followed behind and to the side of the Kingdom of Light’s delegation, indeed a stone’s throw away. The United Republic’s delegation followed not too far behind them. They kept quiet as they climbed the steps. Remarkably so for Nozomi, though her need to focus on climbing the long steps, for fear of tripping over herself, helped to dampen her immediate enthusiasm of reuniting with a long unseen friend.
As the steps continued for a lengthy distance, Nozomi began to utter closed-mouth grunts as she tried to keep her pace, brows furrowing a little. Picking up on this, Chiara started glancing at her every few steps, watching Nozomi’s feet as if she expected her to trip. Yet, she too stayed awkwardly quiet, as if she were not comfortable with speaking up.
Rin, who was fluently swiveling her hips with her steps, eventually wandered her eyes away from the steps, gazing forward and up. Seeing the top, her expression widened. Without leading her eyes away, she leaned towards Nozomi and drew her attention with a hushed voice.
“Hey.”
Nozomi and Chiara glanced at her, then up the steps. There, standing at the top, were several more instantly recognizable figures. Dressed in mostly deep ocean blue cloth clothing, with voluminous wide-leg pants, upper garments with overlapping front panels tied closed with a tall sash, and open jackets the color of a cool mist… Dark-haired, they were delegates from the Celestial Empire.
At the center, squarely facing them, was a young woman with long, smooth, dark blue hair and blue eyes. Her stare and gait, with one hand held on her hip, brought back memories. Standing to her left were two contrasting figures that stood out from the group. On the far end was a middle-aged looking man in an elaborate white tunic, arms hanging at hip level in front of him, as if ready to grab something. Between him and the northern woman was a white-robed, white-cloaked young woman, no taller than either, with a voluminous oval hat and a tall, cream-colored stave held by her side. Promptly recognizable as the clothing worn by the high elders of the Kingdom of Nomads, and her face, though unexpected for the clothing she donned, was familiar as well.
Nozomi gasped with excitement, rising up onto her toes. However, before she could raise her voice, something unexpectedly held back her tongue. In her periphery, she noticed Rin and Chiara halt their steps, falling behind her. Glancing back towards the two, she noticed their gazes had diverted; their expressions uneasy. When she returned to the top, she saw the blue-haired woman’s gaze had slightly shifted to the side, towards the collective cladded in gold. Tatiana had stopped, gazing with narrowed eyes at the northern princess. In return, the blue-haired woman kept her composure, remaining expressionless. They did not get the chance to lock gazes for too long, however.
“Ah!” the man in white tunic standing next to them warmly exclaimed. “Princess Tatiana Aelia, eldest daughter of Queen Diana!”
Casting her bitter gaze away from Karin, Tatiana softened her face. Though, still, she did not look interested in the man’s formalities. “And you are?”
“Elder Peacekeeper Damiaan.” He crossed an open hand across his abdomen, dipping forward slightly. “I have had the pleasure of coordinating your accommodations here for the duration of the conference.”
Tatiana subtly raised her brows, perhaps showing a hint of embarrassment for not recognizing him. “Yes, of course.”
“It is good to finally meet you in person.” Warming his smile, he took a step to the side and revealed two similarly dressed men behind him, one of which stepped up to the ledge of the steps as Damiaan turned his open hand to him. “Allow my friend, and Elder Peacekeeper, Erwin to show you the city grounds.”
Erwin performed the same motion of recognition. Without returning his gesture, Tatiana started climbing the stairs again without another glance towards the northern delegation, dragging her congregation with her. Karin and her delegates simply traced their advance with unflinching eyes, watching them summit the steps and divert to the right, along the tiled pathway, like a stream snaking a hill. With the rest of the royal guards avoiding direct eye contact and keeping their distance on the wide junction, no commotion arose.
Blinking, with a silent breath of relief, Alisan turned her gaze down the steps. Not to the trailing royal guards, nor the cluster of republicans further down, all of whom had also stopped to steer clear of the confrontation, but to the three girls stood out and alone in the middle of the steps.
Noticing the green-haired girl’s gaze, Nozomi flicked her eyes back to the center of the steps, her face brightening up again, drawing in a great breath.