A shadow swept across the floor. He was moving at a speed that even the fastest horse at full gallop could not have achieved by far. Nothing could match the speed of a flying dragon. Even the highly acclaimed Ostland would not have achieved this speed.
The dragon left the edge of the forest behind and hovered over the meadow that covered the top of the hill. At a distance, towers stood out against the clear blue sky - one large and five small. The dragon had the academy before him and was now going deeper.
The pentagonal wall was overflown. Colonades emerged inside, leading from the central tower to four of the five corner towers.
The dragon skilfully flew over one of the colonnades and then lowered itself to the ground, straightening its body and vigorously rowing its wings. The air sang under these wingbeats, and that was also the reason why this type of dragon was called the song dragon. They were the rarest species of dragons on Halkeginia. Hardly anyone could behave that they had seen a song dragon with his own eyes.
But it was different here at the academy. As soon as the dust vortex caused by the dragon's landing had subsided, young people came running from many sides. They showed no trace of fear of the dragon, but waved and called as they rushed over. The dragon had had a rider, and they knew him. Some had seen him before, others had at least heard of this strange couple.
The rider was a young woman with blue hair. She patted her dragon companion tenderly on the neck and then descended from the dragon's back. The dragon carefully lifted its left foreleg so that the rider could step down from her back and then reach the ground.
Immediately the young people came and surrounded the dragon. Shouts resounded: "Tabitha! No, Queen Charlotte! Are you visiting us again? "
Tabitha waved to the others, but turned back to her familiar. "Sylphid, we landed in the middle of the way to the tower. Could you please move aside a little so that it doesn't get blocked? "
"Kyuu!" Replied Sylphid and took a few steps to the side. The curious boys and girls gave her the way. So the rumors about the strange couple were true - the dragoness understood human language.
Tabitha laughed and raised the gnarled staff she had been holding. "It's nice to be here again. Is everything okay here? "
"No," she was replied. "Have you heard it yet? We have visitors here, people from Saito's world. "
"Yes," said Tabitha curtly. After a pause,she relaxed to the words: "That's why I came."
"Then you sure want ..."
Instead of answering, Tabitha just nodded. She wasn't a friend of many words. "Where?" She added.
"We have put most of them in the Void Tower," she was answered.
Tabitha nodded and strode out. Of course she knew the location - after all, she had attended school here for many years.
But Tabitha had hardly taken the first steps when she met people in strange clothes - clothes like the ones she had already seen. Saito had worn such clothes ...
And then two people emerged from the colonnades whose faces she recognized. There was a joyous shock on her face - especially when she saw one of them ... She almost dropped her staff. She also recognized her dragon companion at once. "Kyuu!" Her call echoed across the courtyard.
Tabitha leaned her staff in the crook of her arm and spread her arms. "My Ivaldi!"
Saito laughed. "Still Ivaldi?" He said. "You know I'm embarrassed. I'm anything but a legendary hero."
The two embraced - a process that was observed by Louise with a sour face. But she was not forgotten. Tabitha pulled her into her embrace. "Friends ..." she said in a wavering voice - in view of her other equanimity, a sign of how much this moment moved her.
"It's good to see you again, Tabitha," Saito said. "Or would you prefer Queen Charlotte?"
"At the moment only Tabitha. 'Queen Charlotte' keeps the throne warm for me. "
"So Josette," Saito grinned. "How are you? And of course Sylphid... "
"A lot of work," Tabitha replied. "We share it."
"Share?"
*
A few months ago ...
"Do you really think that's wise?" Asked Tabitha's brother-in-law. "There is this law ..."
"This law was made by a king -a queen cancels it," Tabitha replied. "I am determined. I will no longer live in a lie. And it has advantages too, Julio. Just wait!"
Julio Chesaré shrugged his shoulders. "You are the queen, it is your choice. I'm just worried about Josette. There could be forces that encourage the old law."
"I know," said Tabitha. "But even they will never know who is now sitting on the throne and holding the scepter of Gallia. And it must be clear to them that any attempt to get rid of my sister or me will result in the toughest countermeasures. How do you think about that, Josette?"
"You are the rightful queen, Charlotte," said the twinsister of Tabitha. "The decision is yours. And I support you in any case, however you decide. "
"The power doesn't appeal to you, Josette?" Asked Tabitha.
"I am happy on our small property and with Julio. I never really wanted more. But I think our mother will be happy about that too. It must have been a great burden on her to put one of her daughters into a convent. But she and our father were bound by the law. You couldn't help it."
"The law is nonsense!" Said Tabitha vehemently. "Look at our father and Joseph. They weren't twins. Yet our father was murdered at Joseph's instigation. Why should one of the twins be killed? To avoid power struggles? Not with us. We serve our people. None of us have ever aspired to the crown. And when you took over the throne back then, it was under the influence of the Pope." Tabitha looked sharply at Julio Chesare. "I am reluctant to threaten my brother-in-law ... But if you influence Josette in this direction again, I will banish both of you to Eumenes. Romalia and his Pope should keep their fingers out of Gallish throne affairs. "
"I did it under the influence of Vittorio Serevares. I was his familar. How could I have resisted? I was only able to assert myself in small things - for example, by not hindering the romance between Louise and Saito, but promoting it. And now I am Josette's familar. You know how she thinks, and I'd rather have my wife all to myself. But if she wants to help you, I won't stop her. "
"Then that would be settled. It will soon be time for the audience. Julio, take another good look at Josette and me. Romalian Flamen are trained to perceive small things. Do you notice any differences between us?"
The Familiar eyed the two young women critically. "Hmm, Josette is up here" - he made a movement with his hands to his chest - "a tiny bit fuller. And your eyes, Charlotte, have a slightly different look. I suppose that's because of the amount of reading. But these are things that only people who know you well notice. And very few are."
"Then it's good. Let the audience take place. The distribution of roles is clear? "
Josette nodded. "We take turnstalking so that nobody knows who the 'real' Charlotte is."
*
When the doors of the audience chamber opened and the nobles entered, they were presented with an unusual and terrifying sight.
Robespierre III. who had let made the throne had been quite a stout man. The armrestsof the old throne had wedged his stomach, so that he had made a point of having enough space for the fullness of the new throne. The seat of the throne of those of Martell was wide and offered enough space for two slim girls like Tabitha and Josette. The nobles who entered the audience hall were presented with a sight that caused many to rub their eyes in disbelief: on the throne sat two queens who were in no way different for their eyes. Both wore robes of blue and white. Both had the blue hair that was characteristic of the Gallic royal family and the tiaras they wore on their heads were exactly the same.
"We welcome you!" Said the two queens in one voice. "Queen Charlotte will lend you an ear so that you can express your wishes and concerns."
One of the noblemen came before the throne and bowed. "What kind of mystification is that, Your Majesty?" He asked. "What shoud that? Which of you is our real queen?"
"It's both of us," replied one of the double beings. "You see Charlotte and Josette in front of you."
"We are twins!" Added the other. "I'm Josette, Charlotte's twinsister. But maybe it's the other way around, and I'm Charlotte and the other me is Josette. Together we are Charlotte, your queen."
"That mustn't be!" Shouted another nobleman. "The law says ..."
"The law has been repealed," replied one of the two girls. "We will not fight for the throne, Marshal Binot. When it comes to the Kingdom, we speak with one voice. Be content with that, Marshal. You get two queens for the price of one. "
A faint smile twitched the corners of the Marshal's mouth. "If that is the queen's wish, I will comply. But please allow me a question: Why? "
"You will remember how the Pope at the time tried to oust Charlotte from the throne and put Josette in her place instead of her in order to promote his plans for a great crusade against the Elves. Josette followed his command, out of loyalty to the church and out of love for his messenger. But that's over now! You will never know for sure whether you have Charlotte or Josette in front of you when you step before the throne. "
"And whoever tries for selfish motives to play one of us against the other should know that he will have us both against him," added one of the two queens. "Our love and concern are for all of Gallia."
"All well and good," said one of the speakers. "But you are different! Queen Charlotte is a well-read woman with a lot of knowledge, andJosette just a comparatively naive woman with little experience. How do you imagine the distribution of tasks? "
"We will share the burden of the crown," replied one of the dual beings. "Of course Charlotte is more experienced in the government of the country, and she is also a powerful magician. But you will never know exactly who you are facing - her or her sister. One will always sit on the throne of the House of Martell and the other will attend to the matters which a queen has to decide on the spot. Your queen can now be in two places at the same time. "
*
"So that was it!" Saito said and looked up at the towering body of Sylphid. "There are certain dangers in your behavior, of course, but I suppose you have considered them carefully." Saito tenderly caressed the bridge of the dragongirl's nose. He had known for a long time that Sylphid was quite a young being compared to other dragons - almost a child. "When I think what we owe you, Sylphid ... none of us would be here."
"Yes!" Said Tabitha. She had hardly changed, was as taciturn as ever.
Now Louise came up to them too. For once she didn't have Mariko with her in her baby basket, but carried her in her arms. The baby suckled on her pacifier.
"How cute!" Said Tabitha. "I envy you."
"You could have that too," Louise replied.
"Well. Will you lend me Saito?" Asked Tabitha.
As Louise's head jerked around, she saw a mischievous grin flicker across Tabitha's face, indicating that she hadn't been too serious about the question.
"Why Saito of all people?" Was Louise's question.
"Because he's my Ivaldi, my hero who got me out of Alhambra Castle," Tabitha replied. "I would vegetate there now, surrounded by madness, had it not been for him."
"Come on now!" Saito writhed in embarrassment. "There were others involved ... Louise and Kirche, the whole Order of Ondine. They all worked hard for your liberation. "
"None as much as you. When Henrietta forbade you to go to Gallia, you did not hesitate for a second to give her back your title of Chevallier. And Louise didn't hesitate either. That's what I mean by friendship. But I can't have children from Louise. "
There was no answer to that. Saito thought of the crazy scene in Les Ornielles when he found an almost naked girl in their bedroom and had mistaken Tabitha for Louise...
Meanwhile the other students had come up and stood around the small group. Tabitha was especially amazed, and a little boy, one ofthe few children who had been on board JAL flight 318, crowed, "She has blue hair!"
Saito laughed. "It's nothing special here. Here on Halkeginia there are hair colors that do not exist on earth - even green hair. "
"Great!" Said the little boy."But who is the aunt?"
"This is the Queen of Gallia," Saito tried to explain. "A friend of ours."
But the boy had criticism to make. "If she's a queen, where is her crown?" Interesting here was the fact that the little fellow had gushed it out in, albeit very hesitantly, Halkegin language.
Tabitha smiled at him and leaned down to him. "I left it at home in Lutec," she said. "And queens don't always wear crowns. They only do that on very special occasions."
"Queen Henrietta was wearing a tiara when she came here," objected the boy.
Tabitha laughed. "I'm also here incognito - that means nobody needs to address me as queen. This is where I went to school, here I am just Tabitha. I am Queen Charlotte only when I am at home in Lutec and sit on the throne."
"Oh, so it is", Said the boy, satisfied. He looked up at Sylphid. "Do you have a big dragon! Is it allowed to fly on it? "
Sylphid bowed her neck again and looked at the boy. "Kyuu!" She said.
"That means: maybe later," interjected Tabitha. "When you are taller and you can hold on better." Turning to Saito, she added: "I'm amazed. The little one is not a bit shy of Sylphid. "
Saito laughed. "Dragons to ride on are everyday stories on earth. Fairytales for children. Some are evil and need to be fought, others are valued allies with a different kind of wisdom. And since we all act without fear in Sylphid's presence, the little one automatically assumed the second kind. "
"I understand."
"It's refreshing not to see your nose in a book!" Put in Louise.
"Headwind," said Tabitha. "I can't read while flying."
"I already know why you're here," saidLouise. "But how did you find out?"
Now Tabitha had to come up with a longer explanation: "A dealer from Tristain came to Lutec. The message spread from the market that foreign visitors from Saito's world had arrived in a large flying machine. I didn't know that you came with it yourself. "
"He probably didn't know himself. Not many Commenors are informed that Louise and I were on board ourselves. This knowledge is almost exclusively limited to the academy. "
"Why?"
"We don't want to be admired like wonder animals. That just keeps us from work."
"Understandable," said Tabitha. "Which work?"
"We have to prepare the passengers for life here in Halkegina. They have to learn the language and know the most important customs. "
Tabitha just nodded.
Now two people appeared under the colonnades, and Tabitha's face lit up at the sight of them. It was Colbert and Kirche.
The sight of Kirche in particular made Tabitha's heart leap. They had been best friends whenTabitha went to school here. They fell into each other's arms. Meanwhile, Flame, the firesalamander, Kirches Familiar came up. He chatted something in the language of his kind, and Sylphid replied with a "Kyuu!" Familiars understood and tolerated eachother, but beyond that Flame and Sylphid were as good friends as their mistresses.
Colbert squeezed Tabitha's hand, but he had come for other reasons: "Saito, you have to break away here for a moment and come to the translation. The old man you brought me ... He drew something on the big blackboard in my workshop and he wants to explain something to me, but I can't figure out what it is. "
"Well, I'll be right there!" Saito said. To Tabitha he said: "Can I leave you alone with Louise for a moment?"
"Not necessary!" Answered Tabitha. "Can I come with you?"
"Why don't we all go over to Master Colbert's workshop?" Put in Louise.
"Why not?" Saito said. "You can get to know one of our protégés right away. I have high hopes for the old man."
It wasn't far to Master Colbert's workshop - through the colonnades to the fire tower. Colbert had built his workshop at his court - a flat, single-storey building. Before she left, Tabitha warned her dragoness not to let the students feed her - at least not too much. Sylphid was almost always hungry - and a gourmet.
When Colbert opened the large wooden gate, Saito was surprised to see that Siesta was present. The young woman stood awkwardly in the aisle that led between the work tables. And the old man he had introduced to Colbert himself held her hand and gently stroked it. "Understand?" He was saying in halting Halkegin. "Bad. Rough."
"What is it about, Mr. Müller?" Saito asked. "Master Colbert told me you had drawn something, but he didn't understand what it was about."
"Ah, good that you came, Saito!" Said the old man in English. "The poor siesta! She has very rough hands. It comes from washing. Keep your hands in the water, and then the sharp soap! "
Saito laughed. "It was the same for me when I was new here. Siesta was a great help with washing. She is much more skilled at this than I am and knows her way around silk. "
"That does not have to be that way. I drew something on the chalkboard, but Master Colbert and Kirche do not understand what it is for. May I show you? "
Saito said encouragingly: "Kirche, could you open the shutter so we have light?"
While Kirche left the room to open the outside hinged shutters, Müller was amazed at Tabitha. "Blue hair! And the first glasses that I see here!"
"Tabitha reads a lot and needs a visual aid for it."
"And who is she?"
"A former student - and by the way the Queen of Gallia, a neighboring state. An old friend."
"Oh!" Müller bowed deeply. "I am delighted and honored!" He had said the latter in halting and faulty Halkegin, but Tabitha understood him and smiled at him.
"Could you come to the board now?" Asked Colbert. "I saw that this is a kind of machine that the old man drew there, but I don't understand what it's supposed to be for."
"Oh, that's easy!" Explained Müller as he stepped to the blackboard with a chalk drawing on it. "That should put an end to the rough hands of the laundresses. It's just supposed to be some kind of washing machine. I also had something like that for camping - with an electric drive, of course. But we haven't got that yet, so I've provided a hand crank. "
When Saito had translated the words, there was a startled silence allaround, until Colbert hit his forehead with his hand that clapped.
"Now I understand! Master Müller only drew the mechanism, without the bucket around it! Logical - two pairs of bevelgears, and this structure in the middle. It should move the laundry?"
"That's right!" Said the old man after Saito had translated. "Like a kind of mill wheel, only under water. By turning the crank in both directions, the laundry is rinsed back and forth. And what's the best thing about it: You can fill it with very hot water without harming the laundresses' hands. "
"And the plate under the washing wheel is supposed to prevent items of laundry from getting into the deflection mechanism, yes?"
"That's how it is!" Replied Müller after Saito's translation. "Of course you have to make the bevel gears out of rustproof material. Brass should be suitable for this. MS-60 would be the best." Müller wrote the formula on the board. "CuZn 40."
Colbert understood that straight away. He knew, of course, that brass was made of copper and zinc - after all, some parts of his steam turbine were made of it.
Colbert picked up a piece of chalk and drew a bucket around the device, but Müller shook his head. He erased part of Colbert's drawing and added something to it. Now it could be seen that the rotating mechanism was attached outside the bucket, with a passage in the bottom of the bucket. Colbert rubbed his chin, drew a pair of short legs on the bottom of the bucket, then drew a circle around the opening, and from there a line with a larger circle to an as yet unwritten part of the board. "Detail!" He said slowly and very clearly to Müller. "What do we take for the implementation?"
"Rubber?" Replied Müller after Saito had made things clear. "Uh ... Kautschuk?"
Colbert did not understand rubber, but the German word Kautschuk was very similar to the French word: "Caoutchouc! Yes, that could be done. Brilliant! Why has nobody thought of it yet?"
"Because you don't care about your womens hands?" Put in Louise with a smug expression.
"You have to say that!" Saito replied. "Like you tormented me with your laundry!"
"That's the only thing you're good for," said Louise. "Besides saving the world." She grinned at the last few words.
Saito shook his head and then said to Tabitha, "You can see what we're struggling with here. These people from my world have knowledge, skills, but without knowledge of the language they cannot use them."
"So that's what you intend to do!" Said Tabitha. "Import the knowledge of your world. A good thing, but everyone should benefit from it. "
"And that's how it should be done," Saito replied. "Small things first, things that are useful, that make life easier. Then later the big findings. "
"This... washing machine would be something like that," Tabitha nodded.
"And you want to build it now?" Siesta intervened. "I admit it would be a great relief. In the palace, at Queen Henrietta's, I didn't need to wash the laundry, but here in the academy everyone has to do it." An almost affectionate look brushed the old man. "How lovely that he thought of us women at his first ceation. Please tell him that, Saito! "
After the translation, Müller looked relatively embarrassed. He took Siesta's hand again and stroked it. "Had a child in my world," he said haltingly. "Girl, is ... married. Right word?"
"Indeed!" Saito confirmed. "So you were married?"
Müller sighed. "Now divorced - due to our transfer here. Sad, isn't it? "
"Sorry, my friend," Saito said after a while. There was nothing more to say about it.
The silence that followed was broken by opening the door to the workshop. One of the students appeared in the doorway and blinked in the semi-darkness. "Is Saito here?" She asked.
"Yes. What is there?"
"The stagecoach from Tristainia has come, and this time it not only brought the mail, it also had a passenger on board. And she asks for Saito! "
"She?"
"It's an elf!"
"Oh no!" Crunched Louise. "I already suspect who that is. That had to come! "
"It's already clear who that is," Saito said and grinned crookedly. "Let's go to greet her."
"Just keep your hands to yourself, Saito!" Demanded Louise.
"A hug is allowed, isn't it?" Saito replied. "After all, I owe her my life."
Saito has always been a "ladies men". He had instilled protective instincts in practically all women with whom he had come into closer contact - and not quite so protective instincts ...
As they left the workshop, they saw Tiffania approaching across the yard. The half-elf was outwardly an image of her murdered mother, as not only her pointy ears testified. Like practically all elves, she was radiantly beautiful. What made her unique in the eyes of many of her admirers, however, was her huge bust. Her breasts were not only large, but also well shaped.
Saito felt a pleasant shiver run down his spine. In a moment he would feel this abundance once more...
Tiffanias beautiful eyes were swimming in tears, but Saito suspected that they were tears of joy. The half-elf quickened her pace, and she practically ran the last steps. Her arms came up and wrapped around Saito's neck. "Saito! Thank Brimir! You're back!"
"That's me, Tiffania. And I'm also full of joy to seeing you again. "
Tiffania pressed her face to Saito's chest. "As always, you make my heart beat faster. It hits me up to the neck. To see you again...! And Louise too." Tiffania turned her head sideways to look at the mentioned. "The little one on your arm - is that yours?"
"Ours!" Saito corrected . " This is our beloved Mariko."
"A sweet child. Let me look at you ... You have become a bit fuller, haven't you? "
"Nobody can keep up with you," said Louise.
"I'd like to give you a little of it, Louise, but how do you do that? Tabitha? As always, a pleasure to see you! How are you?"
"Good," Tabitha replied shortly, as was her way. "And you? How are you? Are you still the head of the Tristainia orphanage? "
Tiffania released her arms from Saito's neck. "Yes, I am and I'm fine. Without my children I would have been very lonely. How is it that you returned to Halkeginia? "
"Coincidence," replied Louise in Saito's place. "We were on a business trip and our plane got into a solar eclipse."
"I heard about it inTristainia, and I wanted to go see it with my kids, but it's going to be difficult to organize so many wagons. And then someone mentioned that the famous Chevallier Saito was also on board. There was no stopping me and I booked a ride in the stagecoach. And here I am!"
"We're really pleased, Tiffa!"
"Why didn't you visit me?" Asked the half-elv reproachfully.
"Too much work," Saito said. "The newcomers are a great opportunity to improve life in all of Halkeginia, but without language skills their knowledge and experience are useless. So our first approach is to empower them. This is a crash course in the language and the most important customs of the world. If they can make themselves understood to others than us, we will release them from our care. And only then do we have the chance to take a deep breath. "
"I see," said Tiffania. "I didn't think of that at all. But you should be right."
"I have now written a long letter to my parents, but have not yet received an answer," said Louise.
"I'm not surprised," Tiffania replied. "What should they write to you? I am sure they were happy to have their most famous daughter back in the world. But beyond that? They had a hard time accepting Saito as your husband. And your spontaneous decision to accompany Saito on his return to earth shocked them even more. I remember what it was like immediately afterwards ... They thought you were something of a moral guiding star, an example ... And you evaded that and disappeared without leaving anything behind. I can understand that, because Saito was also my familiar. But after your 'departure' there was a lot of embarrassed head shaking. Everyone broke up and didn't know how to deal with it. You left a lot of unanswered questions. "
"That makes sense," Saitohad to admit.
"And now you're back, and I'm happy. It's easy for me - I can pick up where I left off 1 ½ years ago. And even I felt the blank space you left.
But what should your parents do now, Louise? Give you good advice? About what? You are now a grown woman with a child. Sure, they'll be curious about how life in Saito's world has changed you, but that's something that needs to be experienced through your own eyes. You should visit them."
"You have become wise, Tiffania," said Louise after a pause of silence. "Is that the wisdom of the elves?"
"That doesn't include wisdom!" Tiffania waved off. "Just a pause. Just think about what the whole story should look like from their perspective ...
There we have Louise Francoise Le Blanc, the baby of the famous and powerful Valliére family, who have always been a pillar of the Tristain throne. The girl who couldn't wield magic, who could only cause explosions in all her attempts. Not exactly a family asset, but at least she could be married off to another nobleman, an upcoming man: Viscount Wardes."
Louise grimaced when she remembered the former commanding officer of the Griffin Riders, who had then turned out to be a traitor and a member of the Reconquista.
"More or less known sizes, aren't they? But then the vortex of events begins as you had summoned Saito out of his world and made him your familiar. Saito, who turned out to be Gandalfr, and you as one of the four Void magicians.
Saito, who tipped the scales in the war against Albion, and your burgeoning love for one another. You two have always been at the center of events - be it in the war against Albion, or be it Tabitha's kidnapping by King Joseph, or be it in thwarting Joseph's attack on Romalia - you have always been at the center of events. And finally, the appearance of the Ancient Dragon, who could only be brought down through united efforts and in whose destruction you were the main participants. And that you gave Saito your hand in marriage.
As far as you were concerned, Louise, you have shaken up her whole ideal world and turned everything upside down. It would be rather strange if they hadn't felt overwhelmed.
So what should they write to you, Louise? 'Come to us and let us look at you?' But in your letter you have probably already written about the amount of work you have to do. In addition, it is impossible for them to assess what possibilities the training of your protégés opens up. In their view, waiting is the better solution. It is up to you to take the step that will bring you and your family back together. "
"You are probably right, Tiffania", Louise had to admit. "But it won't work yet - not before we've finished our training here. I can only send a second letter asking them to just wait and see."
Tiffania smiled. "That seems to me to be the smartest solution. Write to them that you are looking forward to a family reunion with great joy. Your father and Karin once had great responsibility, and they faced it without hesitation. So they understand too that you cannot easily shake off the responsibility you have taken on here. "
"Your psychological empathy amazes me again and again, Tiffania ..."Saito said.
"Psy .... what?"
"Psychology. The study of the workings of mind and soul. That, too, is an achievement of the earth."
Tiffania's smile turned bright. "Do you remember how I followed you here when you asked me to? I wanted to explore the world and see more of it than the little settlement in the woods of Albion where you found me. You revealed all of this to me, and the spiritual worlds are a large part of it. "
"I'm glad you found the inspiration here that you were looking for," Saito said softly.
"And now enough of the serious discussions!" replied Tiffania. "I just want to be happy to have you back. Let's leave the future to itself."
*