Chapter 3:

Tension

Joeshan could tell by Keira's looks that she needed time away. Finally he stood from the dinner table. "Forgive us, but my daughter and I have some reuniting to do."

Accordingly, Keira bowed to the others and left, for once in a kimono. It was a dark blue, with a dragon of bright green embroidered along it. Her under-robe was a lighter blue, and her obi, containing her shukusen, was gold. She had taken time to wash before dinner, and her hair was tied back to show her face.

When they were outside the house, Joe went to the stable and brought out two regular riding horses. Keira, who had learned not to question her father when certain things came up, mounted side-saddle very carefully and waited for her father to lead the way.

Silently they traveled up a hill, neither talking until Keira finally broke.

"Father, what aren't you telling me?"

Joeshan looked at her for a moment before sighing. He could not read her Yamani mask. "I am a distant cousin to the King of Tortall, and only through a marriage many centuries back. I did not think anyone would remember, so I said nothing. It appears now that they wish to strengthen familial ties even more by bringing us back."

Everything was said emotionlessly. His mask was in place. Still, Keira knew it hurt him. He was loosing his little girl very soon.

"You know I will write to you," she said quietly. "And I will find ways to visit often."

Joeshan nodded slightly. "I know."

Again they rode in silence.

Back at the house, Liam knocked on the door of the room where Keira's mother was sewing. "May I speak with you, please?" he asked, Yamani-polite.

"Of course. Please, come and sit while I make some tea." She stood, putting her sewing carefully on the footstool before her, and went out to find two cups, the whisk, and the tea mix. Withing moments she was back.

Liam waited while she whisked the tea, then took a sip. "It is very good. I thank you." He waited, then said, "I wonder... do you know how your daughter feels to her coming marriage?"

Renae looked up for a moment, her mask in place, and said "She is not certain yet. Perhaps a few more days of questions before her mind is made up. Why do you ask?"

Liam shrugged slightly. "I worry about my Prince at times. He is very headstrong, and I did not wish anything to come between them to soon."

Renae nodded slightly. "I can understand the feeling." Her eyes crinkled as she sipped again. "My daughter is headstrong as well. Somedays more so than others. To this, though, she offered no protest, just questions. Questions which I could not answer..." She sighed slightly. "You understand, I only want the best for her, don't you?"

Liam nodded quietly. "I will look out for her. I promise you that." Rising after finishing his tea, he bowed low. "I thank thee for your counsel." Then he left.

Returning home, Keira dismounted and began to slowly walk around, finally giving up and returning to her room. There she picked up her pencils and began to draw. On the pad emerged a serene picture of a river, running through a forest, and drinking from it was a winged horse and its foal. She was still working on it when a knock sounded on her door.

It was George. "I came to see if you had any more questions, lass," he said quietly, shutting the door a bit behind him.

Keira sighed and returned to her drawing. "Can you tell me if your Prince has any kind of routine?"

George fell into the description easily, so caught up in the drawing before him that he barely knew what he was saying. Finally he stopped talking just as she stopped drawing.

An hour had passed since he had come in, and still more since she had begun drawing. They both stepped back to view the finished piece.

"You are a wonderful artist, a trait my Prince lacks." He smiled at her. "Do not be nervous. In Tortall, you will be safe."

Keira nodded and smiled slightly. "I know. Although, I don't want to be safe all the time, status or not. Your Prince will just have to understand that as well."

George grinned, sensing Liam's presence inside hearing range. "That he will, lass," he said. "That he will." Bowing, he left to join his Prince, only smiling when asked any questions at all.

The Next Day

Liam sighed as he sat up in the new bed. He hadn't been here long, and already he was longing to go home. His routines had been disrupted, and it took him a while to remember exactly what he was doing in the Yamani lands.

When he remembered, any regret of coming at all (and all vestiges of "why am I here?") disappeared. He remembered Keira again, and the routine she had performed on the high bars. Faintly, without truly caring about it, he wondered if he could learn. Liam was much more curious as to how long she had been practicing. In fact, he was curious about Keira. George wasn't answering his questions, so he decided he would find Keira and ask her.

Standing at last, Liam donned a goldenrod cotton tunic and brown slacks, finishing it was brown boots. He was glad that no one had stopped him from bringing plain clothes on this trip, a fact he had worried about beforehand.

Leaving his room, he politely asked a nearby servant where he would find the family. Once told, he placed his mask upon his face, concentrated, and entered the dining room to find the family sitting at breakfast, taking turns in sharing their night and the joy of rest after so long a fight. Joeshan was also taking his time in elaborating on his latest trip, which proved to be very interesting, and very long.

Liam's eyes were drawn to Keira immediately. She seemed immaculate in a black kimono, the over-robe carrying a scarlet stitching of an elaborate lily. Her obi of a lighter red held a shukusen in delicate pink. Her hair left down, she was eating her food with lady-like patience as she listened to her father.

George appeared behind Liam. "She's a beauty alright. Your parents made a good choice, for once." He had been one of the few who did not totally approve of giving the Princess Kalisen ((sp, but I couldn't remember her name)) to the Carthaki prince. Still, this was a good match, whether or not the Yamani loyalty had already been gained.

Liam nodded silently, only partly hearing George. Finally he went and sat down after politely excusing his late sleep. Eyes occasionally drawn to Keira's form, he remained silent as he ate the food, then sat and waited to see what would happen then. Surely it would be an eventful day.

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Well, there you have it! I hope you all enjoy it, and once more, I'm sorry it took so long. Thankies!

Helka