A/N: I must thank my two reviews for their support. It is greatly appreciated. As a reward I am posting the next chapter. There is more action in this one and I hope it will bring you to the edge of your seat. Please enjoy and review.
Disclaimer: Disclaimers are depressing. (sigh) I don't own anything, okay? I'm poor as dirt.
Part Two: "Accident"
Breakfast was slim pickings as usual. Innes secretly despaired at the thought. Slim pickings shouldn't be usual. But he ate silently. This must be very different for Eirika. I hope she isn't too hungry. She's an amazing woman if she doesn't complain about the lack of food. She isn't like the painted, dainty court ladies who starve themselves for appearance. She was a soldier and knows how bad food can get; she wouldn't turn down an important meal. Well, at least Tana hasn't said anything about how bad the food situation is.
He felt the huge urge to yawn and stifled it with a napkin. He hadn't slept at all the night before. I'm glad that Eirika didn't notice I went in the opposite direction of my room. Had she figured it out, I wouldn't have finished the paperwork for the farmers' permission to plant seed wherever they deemed fit and how much they thought was adequate for a particular plot of land. After breakfast I can send that to the Agricultural Committee so they can approve it and then maybe we can get somewhere in restocking the food shortage. Then I must speak to Eirika about importing food temporarily until we can get our feet under ourselves. There's also the matter of possible sabotage. No, it's more than possible. These accidents simply don't bode well with me. She'll want to help, of course. I'll allow Renais soldiers if she insists upon it. But I can't let this leak to the people. They'd panic if they heard of rumors about something like this. In no time they'll have to the truth twisted to the point of—
". . . Innes? Innes!"
"What?" he asked quickly, being jerked out of his thoughts.
Tana sighed exasperatedly. "I said pass the butter! Honestly, if you intend on being a good king you had better start listening once in a while!"
"Yes, Tana, I hear you." he muttered back, handing down the dish of butter.
"Did you get enough sleep, Innes?" Eirika asked from beside Tana.
"Enough," he replied.
Tana snorted. "Hah! I'm sure! He's either a vampire or an insomniac. I'm not sure which one he is, but I'm leaning toward vampire."
"Tana, be nice to your brother." Eirika scolded. "You really should be getting more sleep, Innes." She told him in a gentler tone.
"I'm busy what with reconstruction and all of its maddening qualities." Innes replied, toying with the remaining bits of food on his plate.
"Yes, Eirika, he's too busy," Tana echoed. "Dreaming about you, that is."
"Tana! Hush your nonsense!" Innes exclaimed with a disapproving scowl. He cast a quick look at Eirika. Her cheeks were aflame with embarrassment and her eyes were trained on her plate, which was empty.
His sister cackled wickedly. "Nonsense? It's the truth, dear brother!" She pushed back her chair. "Ta-ta, now! Play nice!" The purple haired witch in a princess's garments exited the dining room, still laughing.
"Eirika, remind me to read those 'secret' letters she receives from Ephraim. I must have a weapon if I am to go into battle." He muttered.
She chuckled, but still had yet to lose her blush. "I can tell the two of you are definitely siblings."
He smiled thinly. "Indeed." He cleared his throat and rose from his chair. "You'll have to excuse Tana for her bad behavior. And you'll have to excuse me for I have an errand to run. I'll be back in a few minutes. It shouldn't take me any longer than that. You can wander where you will. I only hope Tana doesn't bother you."
"I'm sure she will." Eirika mumbled.
"I'll be back." He repeated.
He felt a bit guilty about leaving her there alone, but this document was crucial. He left the dining room and sought out a page. He didn't have to go too far. He caught the attention of a skinny pageboy and handed over the piece of parchment. Innes stressed the significant value of the document and gave the boy directions. He watched the youth scurry off, hoping he knew what he was doing. Trusting an important document as that in the hands of a hungry pageboy? That didn't sound like him at all. With the "accidents" occurring, he couldn't trust anyone entirely. It could be anyone trying to sabotage the efforts of reconstruction. The only question he had—and the only question that truly mattered—was: why?
Shaking his head slightly, he withdrew back into the castle. He wondered where Eirika could possibly have wandered off to. He didn't have to worry. She found him first.
"There you are, Eirika. I was about to go searching for you. I'm mildly surprised you haven't lost your way yet." He teased.
"I didn't go too far." She replied. "And if you still need that weapon, the letters are located under Tana's mattress. There's a hidden pouch in the fabric, that's where she keeps them."
He blinked with shock. "Now I'm truly surprised. Are you sure you want to betray Tana like that?" he asked, leading her to his study.
She smiled devilishly. "I think I deserve some payback for all of the teasing."
"How did you acquire this knowledge? You said you didn't go far." He asked, holding the door to the study open for her.
"She has her head in the clouds, Innes. It doesn't take much to get her ranting about my brother . . . and his letters." She explained, taking a seat across from him at the desk. "Today is the day I find out everything that's going on here, right? I'm a bit in the dark and I'd like to help the best I can."
He leaned his elbows on the desk and braced his chin against his clasped hands. Innes was quiet for a moment, thinking over the different ways of embracing the topic. He eventually placed his hands on the desk, sighing. "I shall say this clearly and bluntly. Someone or a group of people are sabotaging the reconstruction. There have been numerous 'accidents' in the past three months. First, it was something simple. A large amount of tools and supplies went missing. Blueprints were disappearing. But as construction went on, the 'mishaps' escalated. Wooden frames were breaking. Stones were shifting and collapsing walls. No one was hurt in those. They were little, not too much damage was done and it was easily fixable even though it set the schedule back by a small margin. But then . . ."
Innes scrubbed his face with his hands. He felt tired, but he had to continue. "But then the accidents and mishaps became more than just innocent misfortunes. Workers were dying in large numbers. There have been only a few cases like that. This month nine men were killed in two 'accidents'. In total, there are more than thirty men dead. I have confided only in Tana and Karlen, my chief architect my suspicions. I haven't let this leak to the public. They would panic and soon there would be rumors of an assassin roaming Frelia. There is no evidence left. There are no suspects. Karlen checks the sites every night for unsound structures. If he finds any, he has a small group specifically selected for night work. They fix it and occasionally the next day there will be an accident."
He shook his head, closing his bloodshot eyes. "No, accident is too innocent a word. These aren't misfortunes without purpose. These . . . murders are specifically designed to either scare us off or warn us of a greater act. I've contacted the families of the dead. I've personally checked most of their backgrounds. This isn't a case of revenge for vendettas. None of those men had shady dealings or qualities. This is slaughter. And I believe it was meant to capture my attention. Whoever wants it has it. And I don't know what to do to prevent this."
"Innes, this is . . . horrible." Eirika whispered. "I have no knowledge in this area at all. How am I supposed to help?"
"My only idea is that you will allow any willing Renais soldier join forces with my guards. They'll patrol the area day and night in teams around the construction sites. This way we may be able to catch glimpse of something out of order, some kind of evidence that these aren't just accidents. I've tried to catch something before, but my soldiers are weary and unwilling from the war. Many of my forces were destroyed in assistance to the Renais army in the war. It doesn't necessarily mean I don't have enough soldiers. And I don't wish to bring any of your people into this, but . . . perhaps the saboteur will slip up if he or she or they hear the infamous Renais soldiers are moving in. I hope to use fear and intimidation to the best of its ability. If that doesn't work, I'll have to draw a new plan." Innes explained. He looked up at her. "Would you be willing to—"
"Consider it done, Innes." Eirika interrupted.
"What of your brother? Won't he need to be notified?" Innes asked.
She shrugged. "My brother has enough things to worry about. My escort can join your guards tonight. We'll have to spread the word that Renais forces are coming."
"You are a godsend, Eirika." Innes said with a rush of relief. Maybe together we can stop this before more people are hurt or killed.
But she shook her head. "No, I'm just Eirika of Renais."
He reached across the desk and touched her hand. "No, you're more than that, whether you believe it or not." Innes said sincerely. He noticed her creeping blush and withdrew. "Now, onto another pressing concern."
"The food shortage, I presume?"
"Yes. I've done a rough sketch of a formal request and I think even Ephraim would agree to it." Innes searched through his drawers and pulled out the document. "Now I just need approval from a few officials and I can send it." He pushed the parchment across the desk for Eirika to read.
She just glanced down at it once. "I'm not an expert on formal requests, but . . . you can consider this done as well." She said simply.
"But Eirika, it must be approved first and—"
"Innes," she broke in. Something in her voice made him stop and listen. "Not only are you an ally of Renais, but you're my friend also. I don't care what it says in the formal documents. Friends help friends. It's as simple as that. I'm not going to let you or your people starve while Renais has food to spare. Ephraim will agree to that without a doubt. You two may be rivals, but the point of having a rival is to challenge yourself. How can you challenge yourself if there is no rival? If you can't accept my earlier words, then accept those."
"Eirika, you are an amazing woman." He said softly. "Brave, strong, practical, gentle but firm, generous, and kindhearted." He shook his head slightly. "You stun me and leave my head spinning. You have no idea what a blessing you are to your friends, to your family, and to your people."
"Thank you, Innes." She said, reddening further.
"I'd like to show you the construction sites, just to show you what I mean." Innes said, standing.
"Of course. I'd like to see the damage myself, anyway." Eirika stood and walked out of the study while he held the door.
In the hall she accepted his offered arm. Innes led her outside and away from Castle Frelia. He took her beyond the castle perimeter to the nearby tower. From the ground there was obvious damage to the tower room, but the extent was impossible to tell. Wood peeked out in several places where the workers where setting stone to complete and make steady the tower. Before taking Eirika the rest of the way, he stopped at Karlen's tent where the hardworking man was filling out another order form.
"Oh, hello King Innes." Karlen greeted. "We're getting low on materials for the orphanage. The supplies I had ordered earlier are arriving in a few days, but I don't think that will be enough to cover both the half dozen houses near the guardhouse that were ransacked and the main building of the orphanage. Better safe than sorry." He glanced over at Eirika. "Good morning, milady. Who's this, King Innes? She looks like . . ."
"Karlen, this is Princess Eirika of Renais, a friend and ally of mine." Innes introduced. "She arrived here yesterday to visit my sister. Eirika is interested in the reconstruction taking place and I plan to take her on a . . . tour for lack of a better term. Is that all right with you?"
Karlen gave a thoughtful frown. "Well, I don't see why not." He said as he thought it over. "The shift changed ten minutes ago, so I don't think you'll be trampled. Just be careful. I wouldn't want either of you to be hurt."
"We won't get too close." Innes promised.
Karlen nodded at them and they exited the tent. Innes led Eirika to the tower, where they stood a respectful distance. While she looked on with silent approval, Innes kept an eye out.
"It doesn't appear to me that the room itself has been worked on." Eirika commented.
Innes shook his head. "No, there was an accident. The wooden frame for a flight of stairs broke. They had to start over. A minor setback if you don't include the casualties. The frame should be done by now and the workers should be setting the stone. Hopefully nothing goes wrong this time. The men haven't been able to reach the room yet due to all of the damage done in Caellach's rest stop here. He also was the one who destroyed the guardhouse and razed a few houses."
"Was anyone injured?" Eirika asked.
"A few," Innes replied grimly. "I'm glad to say they've recovered physically. Only the guards were killed."
"I'm glad to see such evil is being repaired. It makes me feel that things will grow more hopeful with every house and building restored. It's the same in Renais. The castle was in ruins. The foundation was still intact and the damages done were easily repaired. Brother and I aren't living in the castle yet. We're staying with some of the soldiers' families. We've only held a few ceremonies in the intact meeting hall. I hope by the time I return the bedrooms will be safe to sleep in. They were almost finished when I left." Eirika told him.
"You shouldn't have to stay in a soldier's home." Innes said quietly.
"I've lived in worse, Innes, remember? I used to have only a tent and a bedroll." She reminded him. "A house is a luxury. And every time I look upon the castle, I feel the awe a commoner does. To be living in such a grand place as that . . . it's amazing. I've learned not to take things for granted."
"Yes, but that was in the war." Innes pointed out. "This is reconstruction; it's different than the circumstances in the war. I wouldn't have stayed in a soldier's house. They have enough burdens without me there. I would move out to Border Mulan if I had to."
"Speaking of homes, how is the orphanage coming along?" Eirika asked.
"I could show you." He offered.
"Please, I'd like that." He steered her in the other direction and they continued walking deeper into the city. "I can't imagine how out of place those children must feel. Are they taking it very hard?"
"I don't know the children personally, but I have the headmistress make her rounds. From what she says, everyone is affected by the war and there are some scars that take a long time to heal." Innes answered solemnly. "Some of the children that are of age are helping out with little tasks. And every little bit counts. No one forces them to do anything they don't want to, but you'd be surprised at the number of volunteers."
"It's not so unsurprising the courage and steadfastness of the people. I mean, look at all the young people we had in the Renais army." Eirika commented.
"Yes, I suppose your right about that." Innes looked up at the sturdy, but unfinished building looming above them. "Here's the orphanage, or the start of it."
"Wow, it's tall." She commented, looking up and shading her eyes from the early morning light. "Are there really that many orphans?" she asked sadly.
"Enough of them." Innes answered just as desolately.
They walked around the orphanage, looking at all sides of it. Half of it was already set with stone and the workers milled around it, looking weary but determined to finish. There was a groaning sound, low at first. Innes almost didn't hear it. He looked at the structure critically, noticing a slightly wavering in the wall. This wall was mainly a wooden frame, but the first floor was reinforced with stone. Men on the frame began to shout.
Innes felt his stomach plummet. This wasn't right. Something bad was happening. He felt it coiling in his stomach. The wall gave a violent shudder and moaned loudly. The workers were shouting, running, and screaming. Eirika's hand gripped his arm tightly. There was a loud, reverberating snap! Then the whole wall began to fall. Several loud cracks followed with a chorus of deafening groans. Wood fell like rain. It happened fast. So fast . . .
"Eirika!" he shouted over the roar of breaking wood.
He shoved her away from him violently, sending her flying a few feet. He didn't have time for his own escape. Please let her be safe. Screams rose among the cascading creaks and groans. Wood crashed all around him. He didn't have time to react or to think. The sound, the panic, the weight, the pain. He suddenly couldn't move, not even if he had wanted to. His body numbed as darkness filled his vision. He wasn't sure where he was, if he was alive or dead, but he felt himself drifting painlessly just beneath the surface of consciousness.
Eirika waited with fear in her heart and tears in her eyes. The workers that had the escaped the chaos were frantically digging at the pile of broken wood and bits of stone. The dust was just settling, but the men were already digging. She couldn't see Innes.
Innes was beneath the destruction.
Innes could be dead.
Innes had saved her.
She walked forward a little unsteadily, still overcome by the suddenness of the disaster. One moment she was at Innes's side with her hand on his arm, his fresh, lightly spiced scent filling her nose. Then next she was landing hard on her forearms and knees, stunned. Now she was repressing tears, heart hammered off her ribcage. Her head throbbed softly and warmth trickled down her temple. She felt a bit winded and coughed on the dust tickling her throat, making her tears spill over. People were arriving, helping the workers dig out the buried victims.
Do they even realize their King is in there too? Innes, please be alive. Please be okay.
"Eirika!"
She whirled and saw Tana running toward her. "Eirika!" she shouted.
Eirika stayed where she was, pressing a hand to her mouth. Tana sprinted to her side, purple eyes wide with fear and worry. "Are you okay?!" She exclaimed. "Eirika, are you all right?"
She nodded wordlessly.
"Eirika, you're bleeding." Tana gestured to her temple. "Where are the priests? I hope they're here soon. I came as soon as I heard the cracking. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Magvel heard it. Innes isn't going to be happy about this." She frowned and looked around. "Hey, where is he?"
Another tear leaked from her eyes. She couldn't speak. Her tongue was glued to the roof of her mouth.
"Eirika?" Tana asked. "Where Innes?" She sounded worried, as if just realizing this could be more serious than she at first had thought. "Eirika! Where's my brother?!"
Eirika bit her bottom lip until she tasted blood. She looked over at the ruin of wood. She heard Tana gasp sharply.
"No!" she wailed. "No, he—he can't be! Eirika, where is he?!" she shrieked.
She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, her vocal cords suddenly freezing. "He's—Tana, he's under that." She whispered. "He—he pushed me. But h—he didn't have enough time to—to save himself." She stammered. "It was so fast . . ."
A moment later the priests and clerics arrived. Eirika ignored them. They didn't matter. Not unless someone found Innes. People were shouting orders and calls for help. Eirika's heart was in her throat. Tana clung to her arm, shaking with fear and worry.
Please, Innes, be alive. Please be alive. Please, gods above, hear me.
There was a sudden murmuring through the workers, which spread to the crowd. Peoples' faces looked suddenly bewildered and horrified. The diggers' movements increased, raising more dust. Eirika drew closer, dragging Tana along with her. Maybe she might be able to see him. Maybe she could help. Maybe he's alive.
Maybe he's dead.
She tried to hear what the crowd was saying, but it was all mumbled together. She couldn't decipher what they were saying. Maybe they found him. Maybe he's alive. Maybe he's okay.
Or maybe he's dead.
Or maybe he's wounded.
Please, Innes, be alive. Please be alive. Be all right.
Tana was murmuring something low and frantic, but Eirika couldn't hear her. Tana was a consist hum in her ear like a bee. She needed to see him. She needed to know he was all right. The murmurs in the crowd rose into exclamations. She strained to hear them, hoping, praying.
". . . nes! King Innes!"
"Innes?" Eirika whispered.
"Bring a priest over! We can't move him!" a man yelled back into the crowd.
At that point, Eirika couldn't bear it any longer. She tore out of Tana's grasp and pushed through the crowd. She shouldered past bystanders, eyes searching wildly. She stopped abruptly, her breath stilling.
No.
"Hurry!" People pressed forward, straining to see. A priest shoved past, mumbling apologies. Eirika was frozen, rooted to the spot.
He's still alive, he's still alive. He's got to be alive. Please.
Among the debris, Innes lay on his back, pale faced, eyes closed, unmoving with a jagged spear of wood imbedded through his shoulder. Blood stained his clothes, his face, and his hair. The starkness of crimson against his bloodless pale face was vivid, burned into her mind. She'd seen blood before, many times during the war. She'd seen her companions horribly wounded. She'd seen loyal soldiers die before her eyes. But every time she saw it never prepared her for the next incident.
"We'll have to remove it." Someone said.
A few men braced him and another gripped the wood. It wasn't too wide in diameter and resembled a spear shaft, though slightly wider than that. He appeared to be unconscious, but when the man pulled the lumber out and away, Innes's face twisted into a grimace. His cry of anguish pierced the dead air. Tana sobbed beside her. Eirika could only watch in silent horror. The worker threw the bloodied timber out of the way and a priest rushed forward instantly. She could see the soft aqua glow a moment later. Innes's expression relaxed slowly, but there was still a hint of a wince in his brow.
"Bring a stretcher over, we have to take the King to a safer location." The priest ordered.
A few men dashed off to find something to find something to make a stretcher. Tana pushed forward and knelt at her brother's side, white hands clasped together tightly.
"Will he be all right?" she asked worriedly. Eirika stood behind her, her stomach coiling into a nervous knot at the sight of all the blood.
"He will be." The priest told her determinedly. A few moments passed as they waited for the men to return. The priest reapplied his healing magic, concentration furrowing his brow.
A second healing? How is that supposed to be good? Isn't one healing enough? Is Innes that badly injured? Eirika thought she would snap then and there.
Fortunately, the men arrived with a crudely made stretcher. They carefully loaded their king onto the swath of fabric between two wooden poles that had been quickly nailed together. Eirika and Tana followed quickly as the priest led the way back to the castle. The servant who answered the rapid knocking looked quite taken aback as he stepped aside.
"Princess Tana, is there a place where I can—" the priest began.
"Yes, of course." She said quickly, already leading them down the hall.
They passed servants with wide eyes and dismayed expressions. Eirika was silent, following them solemnly. She wiped at her filling eyes, oblivious to the slight tremor in her hands. She glanced once at the hall they had just entered. She realized her room was just a few doors down from the room Tana led them into. The men placed Innes gently on his bed and filed out when they saw they weren't needed. The priest again fretted over Innes, beginning a third healing.
Three? He shouldn't need that many healings. Something is seriously wrong.
She heard hurrying footsteps on the stone floor. She glanced over at the door to see Hayden, pale faced and worried, appearing in the doorway. He shuffled forward a few steps, eyes darting from Innes to the priest to Tana and finally to Eirika.
"Is it true?" Hayden asked a little breathlessly. "I heard the orphanage wall collapsed. I heard he was caught beneath it. Is it true? Will he be all right?"
Eirika stood beside him, placing a hand on his arm. "He pushed me out of the way." She said softly.
Hayden looked at her mournfully and then at Tana. The usually cheery young woman crumpled into a worried, fearful girl and hid her face in her father's shoulder. Hayden embraced his daughter, looking on at his pale faced, bloodstained son with intense concern. Eirika watched the priest's flurry of movements. The man scrabbled at Innes's tunic, unbuttoning it and pushing it aside to have better access at the wounded shoulder. There was still a wound, though it was shrunk from being thrice healed. The blood on the clothing, skin, and hair was slowly drying a dark crimson.
"What's taking so long?!" Tana exclaimed from her father's side. "Why isn't he healing properly?!"
The priest started and his hands became an azure blur as he tried his healing magic again. "I—I must apologize, Princess Tana. I'm not a very experienced priest and when I heard—"
"Moulder! Get Moulder! Now, go!" Tana ordered sharply. "Once you find him make yourself useful elsewhere!"
The man looked stricken, but nodded quickly and left in a hurry. Tana massaged her temple and sighed, closing her eyes. Hayden rubbed her back softly, almost automatically. Eirika didn't blame Tana for being so snappish, but she really didn't focus on that. She walked to Innes's side quietly and touched his red dyed hair. She trailed her fingers through the dark gray-red locks, studying his pain filled face. Her fingers traced his face and its sharp contours. His still-wet blood stained her fingertips, but she didn't notice. She swallowed thickly when she heard his breath strained by pain.
A hand touched her shoulder and gently moved her aside. She looked up quickly to see Moulder and his tight, but reassuring smile. He nodded slightly as if to tell her everything would be all right now. The middle aged man looked down at Innes and performed his magic, calm and focused. It lasted only a minute, but it seemed like forever. The glow that seemed familiar now faded away and Moulder looked over at her again. His smile was more hopeful, more truthful in its attempt to lift her spirits.
Innes would be all right.
Moulder walked by her to Hayden and Tana. Eirika heard them conversing and caught only snatches of the words being traded.
". . . wrong with him?"
". . . fractured collarbone, dislocated shoulder."
". . . damage . . . ?
"No . . . just fine eventually . . ."
". . . lasting effects? He's a sniper . . . King . . ."
". . . for long. He'll be fine with time."
". . . relief."
"Oh, Innes." Eirika murmured. She drew up a chair sitting inconspicuously by a desk. She sat and took his hand, smoothing the back of it with her thumb.
"Princess Eirika, please allow me to take care of your injury." Moulder said, suddenly appearing by her side.
"Injury?" she echoed.
Moulder tapped his temple. Eirika touched her head and found sticky blood. Moulder muttered a few words and swept his stave over the wound.
"Thank you, Moulder." She said hoarsely.
He nodded and handed her a damp cloth. She proceeded to scrub away the half dried blood from her face. Moulder said a few more words to Hayden and Tana, saying that there were injured at the destruction site, before leaving. Eirika discovered that servants had brought in cloths and a bowl of water. She turned to Innes and wiped the dried blood from his face and shoulder.
Tana came up from behind her, bracing her hands against the back of the chair. "Moulder apologized for leaving so suddenly to clean up." she said quietly. "He said there were more wounded workers and not every priest and cleric here is as experienced as he is, which we all learned at a bad time."
"That's okay." Eirika replied, rinsing the cloth in the water at the desk. "I don't mind."
She returned to her chair and smoothed the cloth over his skin. Eirika didn't notice Tana and Hayden leave quietly, leaving her alone with Innes's silent form. She couldn't do anything about the scarlet stained locks, but she rid him of the dried blood. The task was sobering and she felt numb save for the concern that seemed burned into her core. Eventually, she took a folded, quilted blanket from the foot of the bed and drew it over him. A few servants came and went over the course of unfathomable time, asking if she needed anything. She murmured a quiet "No" and continued her silent vigil.
"Eirika?" Tana asked. "Would you like something to eat? You've been up here all day."
"Oh, Tana." Eirika glanced from Innes, who had yet to waken, to Tana, who looked concerned. "Ah, I'm not too hungry. Go on and eat without me."
She frowned slightly. "But you haven't eaten anything since breakfast. You really should eat something. And . . . Father and I already have eaten. We couldn't wait for you any longer." She had a guilty grimace on her face.
"Oh, that—that's all right. What time is it?" she asked, looking around for a window, but finding none. She discovered oil lamps and candles set up around the room, bringing some light to the room.
"It's well after sunset. Father and I have just finished eating, but we saved some for you. It's not much, but I thought you'd be hungry." Tana answered.
"That late?" She said with some surprise. "I didn't realize it had gotten so late. It didn't feel like much time had passed."
"Eirika," Tana put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I know how much you want him to wake up. I believe me, I do. But, Eirika, if he hasn't woken up by now, I doubt he'll wake up in the half hour you use to eat. Come on, the chef did the best he could with what he had."
"Well, okay, I suppose you're right." Eirika said reluctantly, standing. Tana touched her brother's hand and whispered something Eirika didn't quite catch. The purple haired young woman with bloodshot eyes smiled faintly at her. Tana walked with Eirika down the hall and down the set of stairs to the kitchen. Eirika realized then how hungry she was.
A/N: And there you have it. I hope it was intense enough for you. I have no expertise in the law and goverment department, so I apologize for my more-than-likely incorrect information. I'm trying to write this in a logical sense, so please don't come to me with many horrendous complaints about my inaccuracy. I've come to the conclusion that this will be at least four chapters long. This means we're halfway through. That's a sobering thought. But, never fear! I hope the remainder of the journey is enjoyable enough. Please review, drop a thought, leave a comment. It might persuade me to update again. (wink) Thank you for your support!