"Come in," called a warm soprano voice. Aidan swung the door open and stepped inside. "Why Aidan!" The queen, who had been sitting in a chair with a book on her lap, set the book aside and rose. "What brings you here? Nothing too catastrophic, I hope?"

Aidan smiled and stepped into the room. "I don't think I'd call it a catastrophe, but it's not exactly good news either. But here, I should make introductions first. Tara, this is my son Damien. Damien, this is Tara Stargazer." Tara smiled at the boy, who suddenly felt shy. What was he supposed to say to a queen? She was tall, and beautiful, and he was just a little boy. But she held her hand out to him, and he took it almost without thinking about what he was doing. She squeezed it gently, and said "It is a pleasure to meet you, Damien. Aidan has told me about you."

"It's good to meet you too, ma'am," he said. He thought after he said it that he should have called her "majesty" and not "ma'am," but she didn't seem to mind.

"Come, have a seat," she said, and seated herself again. Aidan glanced around, then smiled and dragged a pair of peculiar chairs over by the fire. They were chairs meant for aerians, Damien realized. He'd seen a few in Aerievale. He perched on one of them gingerly, still feeling nervous. He feet didn't quite reach the floor. He looked over at Aidan, and had to hold back a giggle. Aidan's feet only just barely reached the floor, just his toes touched. Aidan grinned at him.

"So if it's not calamity, what does bring you here? I'm always glad to see you, but I know it's not a short journey."

Aidan's expression sobered and he sighed. He fished the poster out of his pocket and handed it to Tara. She unfolded it and her eyes scanned rapidly across it. "I see. And is the account given here correct?"

"Well, I think I would dispute things like 'monstrous fiend' and 'terrible fate,' as I don't feel particularly monstrous, and I don't think Damien feels that living with his father is a terrible fate, but I did more or less steal him, yes." He put his head in his hands then and sighed, all his hurt and frustration flooding back. "I tried to do it legally, I really did. But they refused to even admit I was his father. Seven years I've been visiting him, and I never hurt anyone, or threatened anyone or did anything at all to give them reason to think I was dangerous. But just because of what I am, I'm a monster, and I must be meaning to haul him off and... I don't even know what they think I'll do with him! I didn't ask to be like this. It was the last thing I wanted, and sometimes I would give anything just to be normal again! I'm so sick of this. So very sick of it."

"Aidan..." Tara reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. If I could fix this, I would. But for all I do, not even I can wipe out racial prejudice. I try, and I think that this kingdom has come a long way. But these people aren't even within my borders. There is only so much I can do about it." She looked at the poster in her hand. "This, on the other hand, I can do something about." She stood, and went to a spot where there were several tasseled cords against the wall. She pulled on one of them, and then seated herself. It wasn't even a minute before someone opened the door and came in.

"Ah, Avery! I'd hoped you would be free. I need you to make some arrangements. Get together a company of the guard, have them ready at..." she paused and turned to Aidan. "How long will you be staying here?"

"Uh." He blinked. "Just one night, I think. I just want to get home."

She nodded. "Have them ready tomorrow morning then. I want the full show, formal livery, pennants, all of it, but do send real soldiers."

"That won't leave more than half a company here, and mostly the more useless types, Majesty," he said.

She smiled. "I don't think we need to worry about attack here, Avery. And if something should happen, I am not above dealing with it myself if I must."

"Yes your majesty. Is there anything else?"

"Yes." She held out the poster to him. "Someone is putting these up in the villages. I want messengers sent out, and I want these taken down, every last one of them. And if anyone finds the person who had been posting them," she said "person" in the same way that the mayor of Stonewood had said "creature," "then I want him arrested and brought here. I will be dealing with him personally. I do not approve of this sort of thing, particularly not when it's perpetuated against one of my own."

"Yes your majesty."

"Send the messengers out now. That will be all, I think."

Avery bowed and left the room. Tara leaned back in her chair and smiled at Aidan, who looked a bit surprised. "That should take care of things nicely, I think. My guard will escort you to Porttown and see you safely aboard a ship, and that should probably suffice."

Aidan shook his head. "You're doing far more than you really need to. But I suppose I won't object too much."

"It wouldn't do you any good if you did," said Tara with a somewhat broader smile. "But you both look tired. I'm sure somebody's readied your room by now, so go and rest."

Aidan rose. Damien slid down off his chair. "Thank you," said Aidan.

"After all you've done for me, how could I do anything else?" said Tara.

Aidan smiled, and turned to go to his room and rest. Damien, still somewhat dazzled by having met a legend, had a moment of further awe to think that his own father had done something that important to the queen, whatever it might have been.

The room was indeed ready, and there was even a real bath-room, with a bath drawn it it. Damien was amazed at such luxury. Aidan was too tired, and too used to it, to be particularly amazed. He washed and went straight to the bed and slept. Damien had insisted on staying in the room with him, not wanting to let his father out of his sight. There wasn't much to do in the room once he'd bathed himself as well, but he was tired too, and it was still early when he crawled in to the big bed to sleep.