Rishe slept all the way back to the coastal town but forced herself up after Arnold tried to lay her down into a bed. Despite his insistence on her getting some proper rest, Rishe got right to work with two other apothecarists on making a cure for Suzaka.

The princess called upon her five years in a previous life while also consulting with a book she kept with her, a gift from Arnold years earlier. Her fellow apothecarists proved capable enough, though they were a bit slow and every minute counted.

Rishe grimaced and felt knots form in her stomach after recalling how much time she spent on the island looking for additional ingredients. How could she be so reckless? Rishe added the venom to mashed up herbs and started stirring until her hands wobbled.

"Princess, you've done enough, let us take it from here," one said in an exacerbated sigh as she pulled the bowl from Rishe. The other got between her and Rishe, leaving the princess to sulk. Suzaka was her patient and if anything went wrong with the cure that she could have prevented it would lead to the same disastrous conflict between the Kagai and Galkhein as her previous lives.

Hoping to distract herself, Rishe took out the letter she received earlier that day from Elise. Reading it over, the princess found herself smiling again. Apparently, Elise successful gave birth to a very healthy baby girl who already had Kamil's brown hair. A year earlier Elise and Sir Kamil revealed that they had secretly been in a relationship for some time and asked Arnold and Elise for permission to marry. They got it and only three months later Elise was already with child.

Rishe's smile lessened as she started to stroke her own stomach. Elise got pregnant so fast, but what if Rishe could not? She did so much in her previous lives, but not once had Rishe ever had a child, though she had never lay with a man before Arnold in any life. Even so, what if she was unable to conceive? Rishe's throat started to dry up at the horrible thought. Theodore had no desire to take the throne. Arnold promised her that she was the only woman he would ever love, but if they had no kids, the Empire would devolve into civil war.

Stop it, Rishe scolded herself. Now was not the time to worry about such things. She was only twenty and had plenty of time. Soon the princess found herself smiling again and pink in the face. Perhaps she would be with child by the time their honeymoon ended, maybe even now, only time would tell.

"Your majesty, it's ready," one of the apothecarists said with an exhausted expression.

As if someone spiked her with pure energy, Rishe sprung up and took the cure, cradling it like a child in her arms. A few minutes later, the very carefully poured the mixture into Suzaka's mouth and helped him swallow. Arnold stood over him and watched the procedure carefully alongside the physicians. Within moments, Suzaka's breathing eased and his face started turning back to a proper color.

"There we go," a physician checked his pulse with a widening smile. "He'll need some rest but should recover now. Princess, you are remarkable."

"Yes, she is. But Suzaka isn't the only one who needs rest," Arnold said as he came up behind her.

"I'm fine-" Rishe could not finish. Fatigue hit her like running into a wall, and the princess collapsed into Arnold's arms.

After several hours of blissful sleep, Rishe awoke back in the vacation estate master bedroom. She let out a pleasant yawn and stretched, realizing she was in a blue night dress. Despite how refreshed Rishe felt, a sense of disappointment overtook her face when she saw Arnold was not beside her.

Rishe supposed given Arnold's near superhuman abilities, he probably was not tired even after everything on the island. Then again, falling asleep beside him was more precious than gold. Moments later, the door opened, and Rishe's heart leaped when Arnold walked in.

"Sleep well?" he asked with his irresistible smile.

"Yes," Rishe muttered, trying not to pout a little.

That was until Arnold crawled onto the bed beside Rishe and stroked her long hair. Rishe's frustration melted away into bashfulness. How was it these gestures never failed to break her. Then again, did Rishe even care? She wrapped both arms around Arnold and eased her head against him.

"What have you been up to?"

"Speaking to Count Leo on the readiness of his local force," Arnold's voice hardened a little and Rishe gulped.

Count Leo was the overlord of this province and in charge of its defense. From what Rishe understood, he was young but already a capable naval commander.

"Why do you need to know that?" she asked, speaking a little faster than she intended.

Arnold did not respond immediately, but just stroked her hair again. His iron face sent a shiver down Rishe's spine. Not for herself of course. Even if Arnold had killed Rishe in a previous life, she knew this Arnold would die before he hurt her.

"We must be prepared is all, Rishe."

"You're not thinking about war with the Kagai, are you?" Rishe muttered, shaking a little.

"Not yet. They never did make amends for those privateers, so I want to see what Suzaka wants."

Rishe took a deep breath and met Arnold's gaze with her own iron expression. "Arnold, we have a chance to make amends with the Kagai. Certainly, the empire only stands to benefit with trade and good relations with them."

Rishe listed off every benefit they stood to gain, from immense potential wealth generated by trade, new technology through the exchange of information, and even potential allies in future wars. A rush of adrenaline flooded Rishe when she saw a smile creep over Arnold's face.

"My, you certainly have thought this through, haven't you?"

"Yes! A future empress should know these things," Rishe all but boasted. However, her proud look vanished into a scarlet mess when Arnold pulled her into a kiss.

The next twenty minutes or so disappeared in a bliss of kissing and cuddling that Rishe never wanted to end. But alas a knock on the door ended their fun.

"Pardon the interruption, your majesty, but Prince Suzaka is awake," a voice said from the other side.

Arnold and Rishe stared at each other for a moment, then, taking a deep breath, got up. Rishe changed into a regal dark-blue and black dress, emphasizing her authority as the princess consort. Together, they waited in one of the manor's sitting rooms while a few royal knights stood guard.

As the minutes dragged on, Rishe felt Arnold's hand move onto hers. She gave him a sly smile, but he maintained his composure. In response, the princess started playing footsie with Arnold at least until the door opened. Slightly red in the face, Rishe regained herself and held a blue fan to her mouth.

Suzaka came in looking as good as new. He was taller than Rishe imagined, reaching Arnold's height of six foot and with a similar build. He wore a green suit, clearly provided for him by Arnold's men and inclined his head.

"Yoi tsuitachi, Prince Arnold, Princess Rishe," he said in a far stronger voice than their last encounter. "Arigatō, you saved my life. Twice now."

He avoided Arnold's piercing eyes but found Rishe's to be little better. Both remained silent for a few moments as they sized up the Kagai prince. Then, Arnold broke the tension and said.

"We were far too intrigued to let you die, too many questions needing answers." Arnold leaned his head on one hand as he spoke.

"You should inform your father that you are safe," Rishe said, louder than she intended.

Arnold gave her a slight smirk, but Suzaka looked a little sheepish and nodded.

"Hai, it will be done, I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea."

Rishe let out a deep sigh of relief. She did it, she prevented war with the Kagai Empire, for now at least. Rishe still could not let her guard down with something so serious.

"What is a Kagai prince doing here anyway, I was not aware of a delegation," Arnold said, and his smirk vanished. Rishe tried to squeeze his hand, but it did nothing and Suzaka gulped.

"No, you didn't because I'm not supposed to be here," Suzaka sighed.

"What?" Rishe muttered, lowering her fan.

"Hai, I heard of Prince Arnold's fearsome reputation as a warrior and commander, but more importantly, someone who does not forget an injustice done to him, or his people."

Arnold kept silent, but his steel gaze told more than a thousand words could. Even though Arnold had changed in this timeline, Rishe shivered a little, knowing that Arnold might still hold a grudge for his people killed or abused by the Kagai privateers.

"My father and older brother are far too proud to apologize or try to make amends, so I came here hoping to do so in their stead," Suzaka's face broke down and Rishe thought he might actually cry. "Please, Prince Arnold. I care about my people, just as much as you care for yours. I don't want to see a pointless war ravage both our homes and tear families apart."

Rishe opened her mouth, about to promise that no such war would happen. But Arnold squeezed her hand back and spoke first.

"Many good sailors died at the hands of your privateers. Good honest men and many women too, abused by Kagai pirates. Would you deny their families justice?"

"Justice has been served!" Suzaka pleaded. "You saw to that yourself, all the privateers were wiped out!"

"Perhaps, but what about the man who unleashed them upon us."

Suzaka went pale and Rishe almost felt the lump forming in his throat.

"Recompense," Rishe spoke up. "The Empire stands to gain more from concessions and deals rather than blood."

She said this more to Arnold than Suzaka. To Rishe's delight, the faint smile came to his face. Color returned to Suzaka's face too and he seemed to perk up.

"Hai! I can help you make deals with my people. Merchants and scholars. All for the benefit of both our Empires."

Rishe had to hide her bright smile with the fan. A wonderful fantasy returned and she envisioned overseeing the terms of these deals.

"Perhaps," Arnold said, snapping her back to reality. "We shall require proper negotiations."

"Of course, but, there's something else. I didn't come here alone," Suzaka said and Rishe heard him start to breathe faster. "I had a whole party with me, but as we got closer, those pirates attacked us. They killed our crew and took the rest of us prisoner."

"How ironic," Arnold said despite Rishe's glare.

"We have to save them, please!" Suzaka begged, tears in his eyes.

"We will, we-" Rishe started.

"We, won't do anything," Arnold interrupted and turned to his knight captain.

"Have three ships made ready. Inform Count Leo I want his best men prepared to assault an island."

"Yes my liege!" The captain bowed and departed.

"Suzaka, you will tell us which island those pirates are on and we'll take care of the rest. You and Rishe will stay here."

"What!?" Rishe and Suzaka muttered together.

"These pirates are brutes, not the average brigands or hired muscle that you have fought before," Arnold said giving Rishe a stern look and then turned to Suzaka.

"I also won't put you at risk of dying again, not after all the trouble we went through to save you."

"But these are my men! I am a samurai, I have a duty to them!"

"And I helped fight that chimera!" Rishe shouted, her voice rising.

"I said no. You'll stay here and begin negotiations with Suzaka, we will finalize them when I return." Arnold spoke with a finality in his voice and Rishe knew there was no point in arguing. She puffed up her cheeks even as he leaned in to kiss her there. After Arnold left, Rishe and Suzaka stared at each other.

The Kagai prince looked deflated and slouched in his chair.

"Shall we begin?"

"No, not when we have prisoners to rescue," Rishe said with a mischievous grin on her face. Suzaka perked up and smiled with her.

"I have a plan," Rishe giggled.