A/N: this is just a very short, unpolished piece that came to me while I was writing A Tale of Sacor City. A slight departure from my usual KxZ stories. Enjoy, and please review - I would love to know what you think! Special prize to the first person to find the hidden factor here... There's a little more going on than meets the eye. PM me if you're curious :-D

"Daddy!"

It was the children's bed time and King Zachary smiled as the nanny opened the door to his study so they could come and say good night.

The two older girls went to their mother, who stood smiling by the fireplace, the two blonde heads matching the Queen's.

Ava, now 10 and considered herself already a young lady, took after her mother in many respects. She took her studies seriously, and carried herself with a solemn grace as if she expected to rule the kingdom any day now. Nuria was 8 and had her Weapons tearing their hair out at her exploits. She loved horse riding and playing with her terrier, and her parents tended to think it was best to keep her outdoors, as when indoors she had pulled off some alarming pranks on the nursemaids aided by some of the other children in the castle.

Zachary smiled at the sight of both princess accosting their mother. The elder was complaining she simply could not do her sword training tomorrow because her tutoring in politics was far more important, while the younger insisted she needed to spend far more time with Arms Master Grecia if she was going to fight off the groundmites that could attack any day now. Zachary frowned and made a mental note to tell Rory to stop telling such wild stories to his middle daughter; although it was quite funny seeing the stern weapon turn to putty in the hands of the feisty princess.

He was interrupted by a tug at his sleeve and looked down to see his son's hazel eyes gazing up from next to his knee. He pulled little Zachary junior into his lap and ruffled his dark brown hair.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Zach?"

"You were very sad today."

"What makes you say that?" Zachary was startled by the four year old's astuteness. He was sure Estora thought him perfectly happy.

"When your friend left you were sad. That's ok, I was sad when my friend left too."

The young prince had made firm friends with little Talia Mirwell when Lord Mirwell came to visit for the summer masquerade ball recently, and Estora had spent the whole of the previous evening trying to explain to the disconsolate boy why his friend had to return home again.

Karigan and her father had also had attended the annual ball, which traditionally only those of the noble ranks attended but to which the king now made sure to invite the prominent merchant families as well. It was the first time he had seen her since her broach abandoned her a little over four years ago, and she had gone back to Corsa.

Zachary saw Estora give him a sharp glance and forced himself to smile.

"That's true Zachie, sometimes it's sad when people leave. But you know what? If they don't leave, then they can't come back, can they?"

The prince's eyes grew wide as he absorbed this information, but then frowned again.

"But Daddy, why were you also very sad when your friend arrived? Having a friend should make you happy."

He king blinked back the tears that he could not let fall. This young child seemed to contain more wisdom than some of his advisors.

"That's a long story for another day, my boy. But…" he stood and swung the boy onto his shoulders, making him squeal with excitement. "If you're good we could have a round of horsie before bed?" And the king began cantering around the room urged on by his laughing son.

This meeting had been difficult; painful but joyful all at once, to see her again, and simply greet her briefly. He was sure the pain would ease with time, as they continued on their respective journeys. And perhaps they could talk more easily and exchange stories in the future, if and when their paths crossed.