10- Worry

"Kia, wake up." I start awake and Matthew touches my shoulder, trying to make sure I don't jump off the bed or anything. I actually did that once, a few days ago.

"What?"

"Adelina is getting Danica, but you might want to go calm him down first."

"Who?"

"Andreios. Well, he claims to be the leader of the Royal Flight." I nod and get up.

"Okay. I need my…"

"Clothes?" Matthew picks up a loose, bright red top and a pair of black slacks.

"Thanks." I get dressed and run my fingers through my hair. Matthew comes up behind me and pulls a corset around my stomach. He laces it and ties it in the back before reaching up and kissing my cheek lightly.

"You look beautiful, as always." I smile and turn around.

"Thank you. I should hurry." He nods, letting me go. I leave the room quickly and head to the reception hall. "Good morning, Andreios."

"Kiara." I frown at his poise, a soldier's attention.

"You're here to fetch Dani?" He nods once.

"What are you doing in this place, Kia?" I sigh.

"I'm more comfortable here. And now…"

"Kia! You forgot your ring." Matthew hurries into the room and runs to my side.

"Thanks. I don't think the two of you have officially met. Matthew, this is Andreios, the leader of the Royal Flight. Rei, this is my Alastair, Matthew."

"Your…" The door opens and Danica and Zane walk in, with Adelina trailing behind. "Danica, thank the sky. Eleanor gave me your letter. What are you doing here? This—"

He breaks off, barely realizing that Zane and Adelina are in the room. I take my ring from Matthew and slip it on, waiting for something to happen. "I would like to speak to my Tuuli Thea alone, if I may."

"Adelina." She turns stiffly to the door and leaves. "Danica, I will be across the hall when you are finished." Zane leaves the room and I take Matthew's hand.

"Let's go on ahead to the market. See you later, Dani." Matthew and I leave the room and head towards the market.

"Hey, Kia, can I talk to you a minute?" I look at Zane and Matthew backs up a bit.

"I'll go ahead. I have someone I want to talk to about something anyways." Matthew walks down the hall and I nod to Zane.

"What?"

"Should I be worried about…what did you say his name was again?" I laugh slightly.

"Andreios. And no. He's just really protective of Dani."

"Are they…?" I shake my head.

"I'm not sure. That's something you'd have to ask Dani about. Zane, I know that you're not just acting. I can tell." I touch his shoulder. "Don't worry so much. Jealous." He frowns.

"I am not jealous! It's just…I mean, if anyone were to misinterpret any of her encounters with him then…" I laugh and shake my head again.

"That's about like the risk of people misinterpreting your encounters with Adelina from here on out. You know how she feels about you, and you know that she's stubborn." He nods and I smile.

"What are you grinning about?"

"I just think it's cute."

"What?"

"How easily you're getting what you want."

"I know it's not going to be easy. She doesn't trust me…"

"What do you expect? She's probably only heard horror stories about you. And I know from when I was growing up that there are never good stories about the Serpiente floating around the Market."

"That shouldn't matter. I mean…"

"Zane, you can't expect for everything to change in one day. You know that there are going to be a lot of people in both groups that are so far into the fact that they grew up at war and that's how it should be that they won't accept peace."

"I know that but Danica…" I sigh.

"She's the one that would have been told the worst stories, because she walks the fields all the time. Her guards and her mother would make sure that she should be very afraid to leave the Keep."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. Seriously though, she can't believe everything she hears."

"I know that. But she never had a safe encounter with any Serpiente until recently. Whether she knows that she's safe or not doesn't change the fact that she's scared."

"But what about you? She sees how safe you are."

"And she also knows that the only reason I'm here is because I helped you that day. Of course I'd be welcome and trusted here after that."

"That had nothing to do with the situation." I sigh.

"Try to think how she would see it. I helped you and stayed here. One on the outside would think that it was a trust based on the one event."

"You have a point…"

"Zane, you know it's pointless to argue with me about this."

"Right."

"Something else is on your mind. If you want to talk, you know that I'm around."

"It's something I'd rather talk to Matt about, if I talk to anyone about it." I nod, conceding, and turn at the sound of a door opening. Danica and Rei step into the hall and I wave at them.

"Kiara, I thought you were going to the market." I shrug.

"Zane needed to talk to me about something. Speaking of which, Andreios, you should be formally introduced to Adelina and Ailbhe. I'll take you to speak with them. Zane, I'm fairly sure you need to talk with Dani." Both men nod and I lead Rei through the halls.

"You know this place fairly well, Kia." I nod.

"I'm part of the local Dancer's Guild, sha'Mehay. We know everything that goes on in this place, and as someone considered as part of the royal family, I know this place as well as I know the Keep." We get to a room and I look inside.

"Morning, Sparrow." I laugh slightly.

"Good morning, Amara. Have you seen your cousin?"

"Which one?"

"Both of them."

"Last I saw Ailbhe, he was with Galen. I think they were plotting something for Irene's birthday next week."

"Oh right…that's next week isn't it? I totally forgot about that. And Lina?"

"She's not bugging Zane?" I shake my head.

"She vanished."

"She might be in the Market. Who's the crow?"

"Andreios."

"Oh, Danica's personal guard?"

"Yep. Where's your brother?"

"Probably with Ailbhe." I sigh.

"Figures. Can you toss me a roll? I haven't eaten yet." Amara nods and throws a roll into my hand. "Thanks."

"Good luck looking." I laugh and continue down the hall to the market. I spot white blond hair and sigh.

"You looking for Matt, Kia?" I shake my head at the guard who spoke.

"No. I'm looking for Adelina." She frowns, but points.

"Oh, she's right over there. Do you need Ailbhe as well?" I nod. "He was with Galen and Hal, in the training ground."

"Thanks. Can you go tell Adelina to meet me and Zane there? It's rather urgent." The guard nods and steps into the market.

"A rather round-about way of locating someone." I shrug.

"It's normal. People wander a lot. Though, a few people have patterns. Like about now, Matthew and I would normally be in the market, alternating between dancing and me taking on the role of a royal, listening to gossip. Zane would be wandering through the market talking with people. And Irene would be watching Galen train people in the training ground. Which is where we're going right now." I lead Rei to the training ground and locate Ailbhe, Hal, and Galen immediately. I flag them down and Ailbhe walks over, looking confused.

"Is something wrong, Kia?" I shake my head.

"No. I'm actually on a 'mission'."

"Meaning? Oh." Ailbhe notices Rei and examines him.

"Ailbhe, this is Andreios, the leader of Danica's personal guard, the Royal Flight. Andreios, this is Ailbhe."

"I'm the second in command over Zane's personal guard."

"I see. And who is in charge?"

"Adelina, my sister. Kiara, did you locate her? She hasn't been around."

"In the market, she should be on her way here."

"And Zane and Danica? I'm sure that there are things to be arranged at this point."

"They should be on their way here as well." Ailbhe nods once and looks at Rei.

"So, one thing I should ask. How will guards be arranged?"

"Naturally, in the Keep, for a short time, we'll only be able to permit a maximum of two of your people to guard Zane, but my flight can be trusted. I assume the same for Shardae here?"

"No one here is against guarding her, and there aren't many even in the court that are…zealous enough to try to harm her. As it is, it might make Danica more comfortable to have at least two guards she's familiar with here. And there's also the matter of Kiara's guard. I'm sure that she'll be traveling between the two courts as well."

"Does she have her own guards?" I sigh.

"I'll leave you two to your conversation." I walk over to Hal and Galen. Hal rises and hugs me slightly before Galen does the same. "What are you guys up to?"

"Planning something for Irene's birthday. It's a pretty big occasion now." I laugh and nod.

"So you want to surprise her? What's the plan so far?"


AN: R&R and keep reading to the end!

Disclaimer: I don't own it. TT