Whew! wipes sweat from face that was a long chapter to write. Four and a half pages. Hey, it book form, that'll become eight pages, so stop laughing! I think I did well on this chapter. Farris wasn't here in this chapter, but when Namir talks to Kaylen and reveals his dastardly plot (Namir is quite evil, you know) he'll come back into the story. Yes, I have big plans for dear Farris.
Oh, and just to check, everybody reread the 8th chapter? I changed it a lot, so I suggest you do. Yeah, nothing more to say. Thanks Yabberli and FaylinnNorse for reviewing, as of now! I love you all, and Yabs is still stupid for not learning how drive.
The sun had just begun to cast its bright rays across fields outside the bedroom window when Kaylen's sticky eyes cracked open. The princess had never lived in the countryside, instead constantly residing in the city with her parents. Her parents.
The remembrance hit her like a wave. She spent yesterday in a kind of shock at what had happened, and with Farris to distract her, Kaylen had barely thought about it. But sleep loosened her thoughts, letting the barrier to chaos inside her mind break down under the stress. Now it was all Kaylen could do not the let loose a horrendous scream of rage, sadness, of everything she now felt. And what was worse, she wasn't even sure if her suspicions had been confirmed.
The princess's imaginations could have run away from her again, and she was just over reacting. Kaylen clenched her fists and ground her teeth together, forced herself to calm down. It took a short while, but the princess became once more controlled enough to rise from her bed and dress herself.
What a strange life, she thought as she walked down the stairs. The previous night, Namir had enlisted one of the maids to give Kaylen a tour of the dwelling, and now she could easily navigate it. For the first time I'm alone. I take walks by myself, I sleep alone, and not a single maid is arrives to dress me. I am solitary, and I find that I enjoy it. But this is not the life of a princess. Am I a princess any longer? She now wondered. The thought frightened her. To not be a princess was to no longer be the daughter of Darcy and Gerard.
I am a princess until Namir tells me of my true past, which I'm sure he will. If I begin thinking of myself as one of lower status, I will begin to act like one, and that will not do. Kaylen decided.
When she entered the dining room (it was not a hall, as Kaylen had expected but a stuffy, rather small room), Vivara and Namir sat across from each other in silence. While Namir was serenely spreading butter on a slice of toasted bread, Vivara sat sullenly at her place, glaring as Namir.
"Kaylen, how did you sleep?" He asked jovially. Although Kaylen longed to be treated like a normal human since she could ever remember, Namir treating her this way bothered the princess; a silent nagging which would not go away. He should not be treating you like this, he has no right.
He did, of course, but Kaylen didn't want him to. All the yearning for a normal life had gone away when she realized this option was now open to her. It was all she could do not to correct stiffly correct him that she wasn't a casual acquaintance, but a member of the royal family.
Instead, she sat at the open place at Namir's left hand and replied, "Quite well, Master Namir. How is the lady Kathrin, if I may inquire?"
"Very well, indeed! My dear lady is doing quite well, although she is still bed bound. I will be sure to give your regards when I visit her this afternoon. I would suggest you do so, but I wouldn't want any more stress being placed upon her. Dr. Whitdell is administering several days of bed rest and visits from none other than her closest friends. I should think I am counted among them," he added merrily. Kaylen noticed Vivara's face cloud over when Namir spoke off the Lady Kathrin. The princess instantly regretted bringing up Kathrin.
Although she was keeping secrets from Kaylen, Vivara was one of the two people she knew in an unfamiliar place, and the Princess had come to attain a form of care towards her.
Breakfast continued with small bits of chitchat between Kaylen and Namir: she told him of her favorite studies, and he welcomed her to use his library at any time. He mentioned that he owned a small heard of horses, when Kaylen let it slip that she adored the beasts, he enthusiastically threw himself into planning a time to go riding with Kaylen.
"They woods in this land," he exclaimed, "are full of wonder and magic. There is a well known rumor of a witch living in this land." At this, Vivara looked up and flashed Namir a warning glance. "Of course," he added, "It's only a rumor. Nothing more." When there was finally a lull in conversation, Vivara spoke for the first time.
"Namir, if you have completed your fast breaking, you may leave so I can talk to Princess Kaylen." Namir frowned.
"I'm sure I can stay, Vivara. I can handle myself." The man protested. Vivara stared fiercely at him until Namir slowly rose from the table. "I'll send a maid in to clear the dishes. I'm sure she won't –"
"We don't need any of your spies Namir. Leave, now." Kaylen shrunk back in her seat, wishing to disappear from the scene. The image of Vivara on the mysterious night back in the castle came to mind as the adults fought. Vivara wouldn't dare to knowingly conduct magic before Kaylen, would she?
It seemed an eternity before Namir at last agreed to leave. The lady watched the door closed and then put a finger to her lips as she listened to Namir's footsteps leave the house.
"I'm sure that you have discovered that something is strange here, at least. I would not be surprised if you knew more." Vivara began, looking intently at Kaylen. The princess didn't reply, only staring awkwardly at her half eaten plate of food. "There are clues all over. Namir doesn't treat you as one should treat one of royalty, you've never met him, yet he is supposedly a former member at court. And then there's the matter of you listening at the door. Although I was surprised, I am not angered by your behavior. It's typical to be curious about ones future, and I suppose one way of finding out information is to listen at the door." Vivara raised her eyebrows slightly at this, and Kaylen blushed furiously.
"I told you, I was worried for –"
"No, no, you weren't." the lady cut her off. "I never believed you, but I decided not to press you for information at the time." Vivara explained. Kaylen bit her lip, but didn't resist Vivara's accusations this time.
"I'm sure you desperately want to discover what Namir and I are being so secretive about, but we were having a – a disagreement over who should tell you. I didn't think you would take to the news as well from Namir. He is a dear man if one knows him well, but you do not. He seems to think that you do." Kaylen fought the urge to instruct Vivara to tell her what she needed to know, and hurry up with it. It would be most unfeminine, and she was just able to keep herself under control.
"You are already aware of the fact that Namir is your father." Kaylen drew a sharp intake of breath. Hearing the statement said directly from Vivara was a lot harder to stomach than she had expected.
Well then, a rather unkind voice inside her thoughts said, I guess you aren't a princess anymore.
"When you were but three months old he – disposed of the proper princess and put you in her place." Kaylen's eyes grew round as saucers as she struggled to take in this information.
"By disposed you mean…" she trailed off. It was only years of practice which kept Kaylen from breaking down into pitiful weeping. Vivara bowed her head solemnly.
"I was against it, but by the time I found out, the deed was done." She explained. Vivara put her hand on the table, although Kaylen was seated on the other end and it would never been able to reach her. All the same, it gave Kaylen some form of support, and she was able to restrain her tears.
The true princess, a small child of only three months had been killed. And it was all because of Kaylen. A small bubble of thought appeared in her head, and even though it seemed somewhat inappropriate, she asked Vivara anyway.
"My name… the princess' name was held soon after her birth, correct?"
"About two months later, in fact." Vivara replied.
"Did – did Namir name me?" Kaylen asked, eyebrows knit tightly together at her forehead. Vivara nodded.
"Your given name is Leisel." Vivara explained. "Namir wants you to go by it, but I disagreed. On your behalf, I hope?"
"I can't do that. I grew up as princess Kaylen, and although I may have need to give up my title, I won't throw away my name. Tell me everything." She instructed Vivara.
Kaylen's companion did so; beginning from when she had first awoken to a man's footsteps in the princess's room to agreeing to bring the imposter to Namir when he called for her.
"To this day, I don't understand how I sank low enough to help Namir." Vivara finished. Kaylen noticed she was not alone in the struggle not to cry. "And – and one last thing, Kaylen." Vivara stopped here, and Kaylen stood, walking around the table to lay a hand on Vivara's shoulder.
"Your true family name is Carnon." She confessed at long last. It took a moment for this to register. Carnon. Carnon. She was her adopted family's worst enemy.
What a long chappie! Proud of me, guys? I pretty much blew myself away, and I'm happy with my progress. Sorry for all the typos in chapter nine, I'll fix that soon. Review! Review WELL! PLEASE! you guys rock my sox off.