As they left the Baron's residence, Delphi's opinion of the man firmly shifted, Jane told of how she had finished quickly with the seamstresses and organisers – Tarin was organising much of the technicalities, and neither doubted his ability to get things right without their continued input. Asking at the gate, she had found which way he had set off, and easily deduced his destination.

"On foot?" she berated him from beside him in the carriage she had arrived in. "And alone?" She gestured at the squadron of guards that had accompanied her. "Even through the avenues, this is the minimum my uncle would allow me to travel with. And you took a route direct! Did you run into anyone?" she asked at the last, obviously concerned.

"People, yes, obviously, but no trouble." He didn't exactly lie to her; Left and Right hadn't been any particular bother.

"Well you're lucky," she said still not placated. "People have gone missing in there before, you know."

"I'll be more careful next time, I promise," he said reassuringly. "It won't happen again. I appreciate your concern, but I can look after myself, you know."

"Hmph," was his only reply, and she looked out the window away from him. He took her hand.

"I know you can't help worrying, and I appreciate it," he said, "and I'll try to be more mindful of that."

Her glance lowered and then moved back to his face. "You always know the right thing to say," she said softly. Her voice hardened. "But that doesn't mean you're going to get off lightly."

He just laughed lightly. "Oh, I do love you, Jane," he said, putting his arm around her contentedly.

"Hmph," she said again, but rested her head on his shoulder and held his hand.

That night passed relatively uneventfully, except for the Kahn's slight remark on Delphi's journey that morning. "Direct through to the River District, you say? My, just today a man was found unconscious in the middle of one of the lanes; when he came around he was full of protesting innocence of any and every thing. Very accusing of a group of men who'd knocked him out, though he wasn't too clear on the reasoning – his story kept changing, so we kept him in custody."

"Indeed?" Delphi said innocently. "I must have just missed that confrontation; didn't see anyone other than those going about their daily business."

The Kahn regarded Fox knowingly, but nodded understandingly. "Well, I don't doubt you could take care of yourself anyway – though I'm sure Jane would much rather you avoided the necessity."

Delphi winced at the mild rebuke. "We've already had words on the matter, il'Kahn, and I agreed to be mindful of not giving her cause to worry in future."

Chimaera nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer. "Anyway, I heard you defeated the poor Baron at his own game – and even sentenced him to finding a new woman to help him look after his roses?" He looked at Delphi questioningly. "You don't seem like the sort to play matchmaker."

"I must be more than I seem, then," Fox joked, then continued more seriously. "No one should spend their life alone."

Chimaera nodded agreement. "You're a good man, Fox, you know that?"

"You've said that before, I believe," Delphi pointed out lightly.

"Doesn't make it any less true, my boy."

Delphi shrugged. "Good, bad; I just do what I think is right. One can't but do what seems best."

The Kahn rolled his eyes ceiling-wards, then looked at Jane. "This is one very irritating young man."

"You've said that before too, uncle," she reminded him, then looked across at Delphi. "Though it's not any less true by that fact."

"Should I retreat so you can discuss my short-comings in private?" Delphi asked mildly, but not genuinely offended.

"No, that's all right dear," Jane replied. "We're all friends here anyway. Besides," she continued impishly, eyebrow arched, "you don't have really have SHORT-comings, as such."

"You raise an interesting point, my dear."

"Perhaps I should be the one to retreat?" Chimaera said to no-one in particular as Jane blushed under Delphi's gaze.

"No, that's all right uncle; I'm sure Delphi and I can continue this conversation later, more privately." She continued to blush as Delphi's legs brushed hers under the table.

The next day they slept in, unsurprisingly, and spent the rest of the time with the Kahn planning details of their expedition – he was hoping to get the whole thing underway soon after their wedding.

"Trying to get rid of us, uncle?"

"Not exactly, dear, but once you're married it's really time for you to move out and get your own place, don't you think? Delphi can finally get some place less luxurious that he can feel more comfortable in."

"I don't know, Chimaera, I'm getting pretty used to it now; I'm sure I could manage to learn to like it."

Finally, their big day arrived. The wedding wasn't scheduled until mid-afternoon – which was just as well since they didn't get out of bed much before noon. Gaian custom, unlike Prasian, certainly did not include the groom not seeing the bride on the wedding-day until the veil was lifted, although the more prudish suggested it. They were inevitably ignored, as many of them never actually ever did marry, and so had no inkling of what they were talking about.

They met their families for lunch, the traditional time for airing any disagreements that may exist before the ceremony, but there certainly was none in this case. The general sentiment was instead "About bloody time," as Delphi's father expressed it.

Trepidation was expressed on the news of their upcoming voyage, and there was much advisement of being careful – or in the case of Jane's father, to be on the look out for some good fish to catch on the way.

"And make sure it's a sunny spot you choose for your capital," Delphi's father added, ever the practical one. "We want to feel at home when we come to visit."

They all reassured the well-wishers as best they could, and agreed that favourable weather was a prime consideration. "I'll keep a look out for a good desert," Fox said to his father. "Just bring plenty of fresh water."

Chimaera joined them then, throwing the Fox parents out of kilter a bit, as they'd never met the ruler before, obviously. As Delphi had found, a general sense of awe gave way quickly to a general sense of liking, and they were soon all chatting as if they'd known each other forever. At long last also, the Kahn was able to identify where it was Delphi inherited many of his more noticeable qualities, though many remained unexplained as Delphi's very unique personality.

And then the time had come; the royal procession that led to the Grand Auditorium and the grand entry. The Kahn, conducting the ceremony, entered first, followed by Delphi and Jane. In two ranks behind them were their respective families, who veered off to take seats in the front row of the massive seating space as they reached the front. The Kahn continued up the steps Tarin had placed leading up to the stage, the couple following.

Originally, Delphi had dreaded the enormous amphitheatre being the venue, given the massive turnout of 'guests' that had turned up to be a part of the occasion. Most of the usual court-goers were attending, after all. He was indeed surprised that Jane had even mentioned it, given her terror of appearing in front of crowds. But now, up on the stage before the lectern where the Kahn stood, holding the hands of the woman he loved, he understood perfectly – he didn't notice any of the crowd, almost didn't even notice the Kahn. All he really noticed was Jane, that radiant beauty before him.

Gaian wedding ceremonies were usually blissfully short, for the benefit of the audience and couple both, as each looked forward much more to the party afterwards. For the benefit of the crowd, the Kahn droned on more than was really usual, incorporating some of the more ancient speeches and blessings that most people now did without to promote brevity.

Possibly half an hour later – neither Delphi nor Jane knew exactly or particular noticed or cared – the ceremony was concluded, and the couple was told "you may now celebrate your union" – their cue to exchange their first kiss as a married couple. That went on for quite a few seconds, to the applause of the witnesses, then the guests who were not invited to the party left – about 90 percent of those who attended.

The curtain then went up, revealing the rest of the stage and the tables and chairs set out for the celebrations. The Fox family was relatively small, but Jane's certainly was not, and when their respective friends were added to the list, there was still quite enough of a crowd left to easily fill the stage. Karl Psilum headed the catering as they all took their places and set themselves the arduous task of drinking to the health of the happy couple.

Needless to say, the following day was rather a write-off, to be spent recovering, or in some cases still celebrating in the palace rooms. The guest wing remained quite a jovial place until the morning two days later, when the more enthusiastic finally gave up and passed out.

The Kahn, unfortunately, was not able to be one of those enthusiasts, holding court the day after the ceremony to announce the impending expansionary fleet and detailing the plans he and Delphi had so far decided upon. Various complaints were first quite numerous, with many a member with more than their fair share of ego putting forward suggestions; the statement of "If I may suggest..," was quickly met with a negative from the Kahn.

Ferré was suitably eloquent with his protestations, dismissing such an idea as unfeasible, saying that surely no commander could be trusted, not to mention able, to function so distant from the primary continent. Finally, he simply asked who had volunteered for the position of commander of "this doomed expedition."

"No-one volunteered," Chimaera replied. "I had to appoint someone whom I thought capable."

"Who could be so capable as to establish a nation without the guidance of the capital, so separated by ocean that it will be?" Ferré not quite scoffed.

"After due consideration, I appointed Delphi Fox as expedition commander, whose idea this expedition was right from the initial stage. The basics which I have so far outlined are his and mine, and I intend to leave all relevant planning and strategy in his hands once he has evaluated the situation as he sees fit."

Ferré stood stock still for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. "I withdraw my objections, il'Khan, and offer my full support to this expedition in any way that my suggestions may benefit."

"Thank you Baron," Chimaera acknowledged. "I'll leave that up to Commander Fox to decide; he may wish you to appoint a representative to travel with him."

"I presume your daughter will be travelling with him?" Ferré enquired.

"I don't think there's any likelihood of ever separating them," Chimaera said with a wry grin.

Ferré laughed easily. "Indeed. In which case, no representative of mine will be necessary. By your leave, il'Khan." He bowed and retreated to stand by his father.

Two weeks later, all was in readiness. Volunteers for settlers to accompany the expedition had been considered and ranked by ability – extra ships had been added at Delphi's request that they take more than planned, given how many more had volunteered than they had first anticipated. They were to be accompanied by regiments of infantry from the Gaian and Delphi garrisons, Delphi's brother, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Karl Psilum. He had presented himself the day previous to sailing, requesting that Delphi take him on as attendant to the Governor's household. Fox was more than happy to grant his request – though Chimaera was less than pleased to lose one of his best staff.

"Still," he said, "at least he's going to a good home."

It was a long, arduous journey, as they had all known it would be. Tempers ran high, but the soldiers, distributed throughout the ships, managed to keep the peace, with authority as arbiters should the need arise.

Harsh words were quickly forgotten, and tensions seeped amazingly out of all the adventurers once land was sighted. The first land they were to happen across a small island that Delphi decided to pass by – to a certain amount of grumbling, admittedly, but he assuaged the protesters by pointing out that such a restricted space would do no good to support any size of population given the limited equipment they'd brought with them.

And so they continued, until the fleet finally happened across what appeared to be a substantial land mass. Fox dispatched some smaller, faster ships to explore up and down the coast for a suitable landing site, and potential settlement.

"At best we can put to shore to better explore," he mused. "We can decide on a good place to permanently settle later – there's no particular hurry, realistically."

As it turned out, the Southward scouting ship soon returned with favourable news. Apparently, a large bay was only a day's sailing down the coast, approximately opposite Delphi's positioning on the far continent, and with what appeared to be similar surrounds. The skiff scouting North along the coast returned with nothing more promising than a river delta bordered by thick forest, so the fleet turned South.

Sure enough, the cliffs gave way to plains trailing down to rocky, then sandy beaches, until finally they happened across the delta of a river that meandered through the plains, and a scouting party was sent ashore, led by Delphi and Tarin. They surveyed the area with a closer perspective, looked at each other, and nodded.

The place the chose for the base camp was on the river bank some distance from the coast, but the ships were still able to sail in close without grounding. The weather seemed favourable too. Though it would take some time to confirm, the prevailing wind seemed to roll warm off the plains, and the mountains dimly visible in the distance reminded many of home.

It took quite a number of months, but finally New Delphi – name chosen by consensus to much protest from Delphi himself – was a recognisable settlement with a few hundred citizens. Routine scouting parties roamed the plains on some of the few horses they had brought with them, reporting plains that would be well irrigated farmland if tended properly, and the fishing out in the bay was apparently bountiful.

Not long after they were settled in properly, Jane gave birth to their first child, a son. Delphi named him Sorla after his grandfather, with the second name of Chimaera in honour of the Kahn. "I thought she was just sea-sick," he was fond of joking, after it was plain they had conceived in Gaia – to no-one's particular surprise.

Traffic between New Delphi and the continent was reasonably regular, the voyage uncomfortable but relatively unproblematic. Slowly and steadily the new settlement grew to a village, then a town, as the surrounding fields were cultivated and farmed.

It took quite a number of years, but they finally started excavation of Tarin's planned amphitheatre, and construction of a proper manor-house for the Governor. Naturally Delphi insisted that concentration be given to the more civic buildings rather than spending so much time on them, but workers kept arriving from Gaia, and his justifications started to lose their credence as the marketplace, library, harbour, and finally the amphitheatre were completed. He relented, though insisted that due attention be given to the construction of proper houses for the citizenry.

Stone quarries were excavated in the nearby hills and sailed downriver to what was now recognisable as a small city in its own right. Finally, after nearly two decades, Delphi was happy that his dream had been realised. New Delphi was now a reasonably bustling city boasting several thousand in population, and regular trade with the original continent.

Furthermore, his confirmation that his dream was achieved came when New Lagash, the second Eastern city, was first settled upstream in the forest, trading them wood for stone and produce. He conducted the ceremony of his brother's marriage to Sarna, a woman who had been on their ship from Gaia and who worked with Tarin in the amphitheatre. He and Jane had had two more children, both daughters, named Cloud and Lora, and Sorla was nearly come of age.

They had briefly returned to Gaia for the funeral of Jane's uncle, the Kahn Chimaera, and the coronation of his son – still only a boy, since Chimaera had only married late in life, but guided by Baron Ferré, who's own father had passed away not long previous.

Jane Pilat was the first of the two to pass away, peacefully in her sleep after over five decades of life. Delphi handed over governance to Sorla the next day, and ceased to live himself that night. Many said he died of his broken heart – those who knew him better claimed that he had willed himself out of life to join his only reason for existence in the beyond.

It was the latter that stuck, and the tale of their love was set down in the annals of time, and Delphi was ever recognised as the one who had changed the destiny of so many people, and an entire nation.