16 East

On the eve of departure, Dumai grapples with leaving Mount Ipyeda and visits Unora. Mother and daughter reconcile over past deceptions; Unora confesses fear and regret, while Dumai credits the mountain life for her strength and asks Unora to come. Unora refuses, fearing she would be used against Dumai, and begs her to return safely.

Before dawn, the Grand Empress outlines the plan: Dumai will first hide with Lady Taporo, then enter Antuma Palace under the cover of a staged procession. She warns that Kuposa pa Fotaja, the River Lord and head of Clan Kuposa, is a formidable adversary. Osipa will serve among Dumai’s attendants, and Kanifa will join the palace guard in spring to protect her covertly.

In private, Dumai protests that Kanifa is ill-suited to court and may be recognized, but Kanifa insists he can guard her from the shadows. He gives Dumai a piece of their shared rope as a promise. Dumai and Unora exchange a final, heartfelt goodbye, pledging to look toward each other each morning. Dumai boards the palanquin, leaving her mountain life behind.

During the descent, Dumai dreams of drought and a white dragon. Reaching the lowlands for the first time, she is awed by Ipyeda’s full grandeur. At Lady Taporo’s home, Taporo welcomes Dumai and Osipa, recognizing Dumai’s likeness to the Emperor. They agree to keep Dumai concealed and to prepare her for the perilous court, taking care not to alert the River Lord.