Disclaimer: I don't own anything belonging to Tamora Pierce. That includes Tortall and all its characters. Anything you don't recognise, including Lia and plotline, is mine.

A/N: I know this is a tiny, tiny chapter and I'm sorry. However, I feel so, so, so bad for not having updated for so long, and at such a crucial moment in the story. Therefore, I decided to give you a very short chapter and finish it at the appropriate moment rather than taking longer and including the reaction to that announcement. I will update soon though – I am now on the summer holidays. They only started about four days ago – yay!! Now I have six weeks off school, work-free! Much more time to write… Oh, wait a minute, I do actually have work. Grrr… Art coursework… However, I do have much more time to write. I really shall try to get the next chapter up before I go away in a week. I can't keep you waiting that long as I know you'll all what to know what happens.

Chapter Seven:

It should have been intimidating to be standing before the king in his office. However, that was lost on me, having been treated almost like his daughter for as long as I could remember.

As such, my gaze wasn't captured by him, but by the man standing just behind him. His eyes fixated on me as soon as I entered the room, and they hadn't left me since. Tall, dark haired, dark eyed, this was definitely my… acquaintance from earlier.

I would swear that there was almost awe in his eyes as he looked at me, and I didn't have a clue why.

It was then that I realised that alongside him stood Sir Alanna, Sir Sacherall, Sir Douglas, Sir Gregory, Baron George Cooper, the former king Sir Jon and Sir Gary. It was evident that if Kel had been at the palace rather than with the King's Own, she also would have been present. It was quite a strange gathering. Most of the people were high ranking, but they wouldn't necessarily be in a meeting together. It only served to increase my apprehension.

My attention was broken as King Roald began speaking.

'Lia… I've never had to deal with a situation quite like this one before. Firstly though, could everyone leave, please?'

My heart rate increased slightly. There could have been no reason for that unless this was something very important. It also did not escape my notice that whoever that mysterious man was, he was not leaving.

I turned my head slightly as I realised that Dom was leaving along with the others. There were few moments when I actually felt like he was my father as opposed to my older brother, but this was one of them. I shook my head slightly, my eyes imploring him not to leave.

King Roald must have noticed, as he said 'You can stay if you like, Dom.'

To my relief, he did.

I hated feeling this helpless. I had no clue what was coming, except that it might have some link to my long gone father. And that was the one subject, excepting my mother's disappearance, I didn't want to discuss. Some might have said that never having seen him in all of my fifteen years should have made it easier to let go of him. Trust me on this, it didn't. I guessed there were just times when you are helpless and nothing can be done about it.

'Well, I suppose the best thing to do would be to introduce you to my… friend here.'

Roald stumbled over the word 'friend' as if searching for a suitable term and failing to find one. However, he continued smoothly enough, with only one glance up at the man behind him. The most unnerving thing though was that that man's eyes had never left me.

'This,' Roald turned to the man and gestured to me, 'is Lady Jaliarin Tourakom of Goldenlake. Lia,' now he turned to me and his eyes were almost anxious, 'this is Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. Your father.'