The problems of my previous dreams- namely, how to separate Temeraire and I so the Chinese can whisk him away back to China - seem to be resolved: I will be accompanying Temeraire to China. I cannot say it sits right with me, being taken out of the front lines of one of the deadliest wars in all of history for more than a year (as I must. A one way journey to China, especially on a ship built like the
Allegiance, will take upwards of six months,
with favourable weather the whole time. We can hardly expect to be so fortuitous), but Temeraire has proven himself vital to the war efforts, and more important still to my dreamself as a companion and a confidante, and so every effort must be made to keep him British. Perhaps I should not be so anxious, however; if history holds true, there will still be eight years of fighting after our return
assuming that we're both permitted to return.If only our diplomat, a Mr. Arthur Hammond, felt the same way in regards to Temeraire. No, he seems keen on allowing the Chinese embassy to do what the will, damn the consequences. We have only just begun our journey to China, and relations are already strained between the British and the Chinese. I can only hope that in the next six months, no one lights a match to this powder keg
though I can hardly expect such good luck.