The inspection happened two weeks later than Hendrik originally intended, mostly because being crown prince had proven inconveniently incompatible with disappearing into a restricted forest whenever Arion found the alternative more interesting than reviewing budgets.
Nero had found this deeply amusing until Dax arrived to collect him.
Not metaphorically.
Dax and Chris had remained in Alamina several days after visiting Theodore, and when Nero attempted to extend his stay for what he described as important godfather responsibilities, Dax had informed him that Saha also possessed a government and that several of the documents Nero had been avoiding were now waiting in his office.
Nero had been considerably less amused after that.
His real disappointment, however, had been the inspection.
"You delayed it specifically until after I left," he accused Arion on the morning of his departure.
"I did not."
"You knew I wanted to go."
"You wanted to see whether the bear remembered you."
