King Jaren made sure that Mana and Raven didn't have to meet either Head Sage Yue or Crown Princess Pica before their departure, even though both of them had approached several times to meet the children. But King Jaren had already asked Raven if he wanted to see them after the debacle with Head Sage Yue – and Raven had asked nervously, "Would I be a bad person if I said I didn't want to meet them?"
His anxious little face had made King Jaren go into overprotective papa bear mode. Jules and Bella had offered to take the two younger ones on a picnic to a nice lake outside the capital, and Mana and Raven went along happily. The only surprise was that Azar, who was always excited to see new places, wanted to stay back with his Grandpapa.
"If you like the place, just stay there for a few days," King Jaren told the four children. "I may be able to join you once these envoys of the Obsidian Kingdom and the Pearl Kingdom bid us farewell."
