Kyandi: And I'm back!

Alair: You are far too cheerful for four in the morning.

Kyandi: I've had too much coffee. Coffee, coffee, coffee, coff-

Alair: I believe we get it.

Kyandi: Hehe!

Alair: Shall we move on?

Kyandi: Oh my gosh, yes!

Alair: ...

Kyandi: Everyone enjoy and review!

Alair: Kyandi-sama does not own The Heroic Legend of Arslan.

Chapter 12 Surprise!

In the morning Jaswant was brought before Arslan in the courtyard of the fortress. Alair found herself standing at Arslan's side. Why she was required there, still slipped her mind. Jaswant kept his head bowed, staring at the flagstones of the courtyard.

"Tell me something. Did you mean to betray me from the beginning?" Arslan asked.

"Betray? That word doesn't apply." Jaswant retorted, raising his head to glare at Arslan. "I am a Shindran! I follow the Grand Vizier's orders as they were given to me. It is not you to whom I am loyal."

"I assumed you are sworn to Prince Gadevi?" Arslan asked.

"No! I obey Lord Mahendra, the Grand Vizier of Sindhura, who has been as a father to me!" Jaswant replied.

"I said I could sense deceit in him, though I was not sure it was towards you, kingling." Alair remarked.

"Pardon, highness, but I would be happy to permanently silence this wretch's babbling." Gieve offered.

"Have patience, Gieve. I wish to speak with him a bit longer." Arslan told him.

Gieve accepted the answer and Arslan turned back to Jaswant.

"Jaswant, how is the Grand Vizier like a father to you?" Arslan asked.

"He raised me. I was an orphan and never knew whom my father was. But a man took me in and cared for me. That man was Lord Mahendra. I would give my life for him." Jaswant replied.

"Never knowing your own father. That must have been difficult." Arslan remarked.

Jaswant didn't reply to that, though Alair had a pretty good hunch that Arslan had hit the nail on the head.

"Now, end my life swiftly. I am ready for it." Jaswant said.

"Certainly. I'm happy to oblige." Gieve said, stepping forward, drawing his sword as he came to a stop behind Jaswant.

Alair reached out, taking hold of Gieve's wrist. She halted him, making Gieve look at her in questioning. She simply shook her head.

"Hold your sword." Arslan ordered.

Gieve looked at the prince as Alair released his wrist.

"Untie him. I wish this man released." Arslan said.

"I suspected you might say that. If your highness bids me, I must, of course, obey. We shall set the Black Cat free. I hope we don't regret it." Gieve said.

He released Jaswant, much to the man's surprise. He looked up at Arslan, who gave him a simple nod. With that Jaswant flew to his feet and fled. Alair watched him go.

"For what its worth, I think you are being too soft. But it is done. And whatever harm may result from this fit of mercy, I suspect we can overcome." Narsus remarked.

"I believe his heart bleeds enough, Narsus. Someone must feel these emotions or it will be just an endless cycle of hatred and violence." Alair said, laying a hand on Arslan's shoulder.

She gave the shoulder a pat before she moved past Arslan. Arslan turned and watched Alair. He remembered what she had said about possessing a heart that sometimes bled more than she wanted it to. Yet she thought his bled enough. Some times he didn't understand Alair. None of them did. If ever he managed to have a moment where he fully understood Alair, he felt that might be a sign of the end of the world.

Not a good thing.

-0-0-0-0-

"I shall prepare Narsus' meal tonight!"

"No, I will do it. I know his preferences better than you do! I spent years seeing to his nutritional and culinary needs."

"Do you think he'd rather have a pretty girl cook for him, or a scrawny boy?"

Narsus' head was about to split open. Elam and Alfreed were bickering like children as they followed him down the hall of the fortress that night. What he had ever done to bring this upon himself, was beyond him.

"What do you say, Narsus?" Alfreed asked.

"Who's food would you like?" Elam added.

"I can't decided, so I'll sample both of your dishes. Would that be satisfactory?" Narsus replied.

"Yes! I will prepare your meal immediately." Elam said.

"I know you'll love it." Alfreed added.

With that the two ran off to prepare Narsus' dinner, leaving behind a frustrated Narsus. Chuckling drew Narsus' attention to Daryun.

"You saw all of that?" Narsus asked.

"Yes. I found it most entertaining." Daryun replied.

Narsus shot him a glare, huffing under his breath.

"Oh do not glare so." Daryun told him.

"Do you not have Alair to content yourself with. I am sure she would keep your hands full if you would allow her." Narsus retorted.

Knowing that Alair could and would create trouble just to preoccupy him, Daryun could only shrug in reply. To willingly ask for such trouble would be going too far. He would rather have a calm and open Alair, than one bent on wrecking hell on his life. Narsus, though, had his own troubles.

"Oh foolish Elam. He can still behave like such a child at times." Narsus remarked.

"He's a good boy though. And someday when Prince Arslan is king, Elam will be by his side, advising him. And if you ask me, Pars will be fortunent to have them at the helm." Daryun replied.

"Agreed. I only hope that will come to pass before a decade is up." Narsus said.

The two started off down the hall, walking side by side.

"Though in all likelihood, the prince is not Andragoras' son and does not belong to Pars' royal line." Narsus said.

"That is true. He must be aware of it as well." Daryun replied.

"Never the less, I fully believe he should become king. For the sake of Pars and her people."

"Yes, as do I."

The two reached the end of the hall and stepped outside. Across the courtyard, movement caught their eye. When they looked, they found Alair standing there, staring up at the night sky while petting the head of Wolfsbane.

"And then there is Alair." Narsus said, crossing his arms. "I can say I never know exactly what she is thinking or what she is aiming for."

"I can agree with the former, but I would think the latter obvious." Daryun replied.

Narsus looked at his old friend. Daryun was staring at Alair, watching her.

"Then please share what you know." Narsus said.

"She wants to know her people are happy and safe, wherever they may be. She only wants what is good for them and I feel she craves the family she lost. That she refuses to speak of it reveals how much she fears jinxing those goals." Daryun replied.

"You just might be right, my old friend. She has been more open lately, though, and it seems that is mostly when she is in your company." Narsus said.

"Ridiculous." Daryun protested.

"Believe so, if you wish. But we do have a reason to worry where she is concerned. Prince Hilmes made it clear that he wants to take her along with the throne. His highness would no more want to lose her than the rest of us would. The men she leads have grown attached as well." Narsus remarked.

"He won't have her." Daryun said firmly, almost instantly.

Narsus glanced at him, a smile curving his lips. Daryun didn't even realize how possessive he sounded over Alair just then. When he finally figured out how he felt, it would be entertaining for Narsus, just as it was entertaining for Daryun to see his trouble with Elam and Alfreed.

"Agreed, my friend. Agreed. Now, go. I am sure she would be thrilled for your company." Narsus told him, patting his shoulder as he turned and left.

Daryun looked after Narsus, one eyebrow raising in questioning. What was Narsus trying to get at? Whatever it was, he was sure the tactician would not tell him. Daryun turned and looked towards Alair. The thought of Hilmes trying to take her and force her into marriage to him made Daryun angrier than he thought he would be. Alair had once told Arslan that Alhirians married for nothing less than true love and that if they did it was like dooming that Alhirian to a life of misery, misfortune, and pain. He could not bare the thought of seeing Alair in such a state.

Before he knew it, he was walking towards her. Wolfsbane's ears pricked up before he ever reached her, but Alair was so lost in her thoughts that she did not even turn to look at him.

"A gold piece for your thoughts."

Alair turned when she heard his voice. The flames of the torches lighting the courtyard danced in her hair and eyes, setting them, as it always did, ablaze like flames. Being afraid of fire as he was, Daryun could not see how Hilmes could look at her and truly appreciate the warm beauty of her.

"I do not particularly like gold. For all of its worth it has never really appealed to me as a precious metal. I much prefer silver. That being said, there is your thought, so where is my gold piece?"

It took Daryun a moment to recognize that for what it was. When he did, he broke into laughter. A smile curled Alair's lips. She had been joking! It was the first joke he had ever heard from her lips. It was nice to know that she was capable of joking around.

"Well now, that is a first. I was sure you did not know how to jest. You never once jested. Not since I have known you." Daryun told her.

"I knew how to jest. I was simply...out of practice. Wolves, beautifully brilliant as they are, do not understand jokes. I never had someone to jest with. I thought I would attempt it now." Alair replied.

"I see the sense in that. You have, though, changed greatly since joining us." Daryun remarked.

"I suppose I have. I do hope it is for the better." Alair said with a sigh.

"I believe it is. You've grown more open and easier to approach."

"I dread to think I was never approachable. For that, I am glad I changed." Alair remarked, massaging between Wolfsbane's ears.

The wolf made some kind of groan noise, his ears sinking to the sides and his shoulder slumping as if he enjoyed that massage more than a filling meal. His eye slid close and he leaned into Alair. Daryun thought then that Wolfsbane was the most spoiled creature he knew. But the beast worked for it, so he could not fault him.

"Do you not ever grow tired of asking after me, Daryun?"

Daryun turned his eyes from wolf to mistress. Alair's head was tilted to the side as she watched him. She still had that tendency, but it was a cute one. Endearing almost.

"It helps me to better understand you and know who you are." he told her.

Alair turned, leading the way to a stone bench where she sat down, Wolfsbane laying at her feet. She pat the bench next to her. Daryun sat down next to her.

"I am not so easy a person to understand, Daryun. No one is. But perhaps I would like to know more of you instead of forever speaking of myself. If you keep structuring our conversations so, I will grow vain." Alair told him.

Daryun chuckled, a smile curving his lips.

Alair?

Vain?

This was coming from a woman who grew embarrassed when too much skin was shown only to turn around and declare that if it would better make her movement easier in battle, she would deal with embarrassment. From a woman who never dealt with make-up, never so much as glanced at a mirror, never even heard the compliments of men around her.

Vain?

Daryun could never see her as vain.

"What would you like to know?" he asked

"First and foremost, your age. Try as I might, I can not place an age on you. There are times when you sound and act older than Narsus, and others when you appear younger. I know his age and would like to have the answer to that question." Alair said.

Daryun looked down at her surprised by the amount of thought she apparently put into such a minor topic.

"Twenty-seven. Only a year older than Narsus and only six years older than yourself." he told her.

"Five."

Daryun turned to fully face her, raising an eyebrow at her. Alair smiled, looking up at the moon hanging in the sky.

"Judging by the moon's placement in the sky, it is moving on into the early morning of the next day and this day in January...is the day of my birth. I am twenty-two years of age now. So it would be five, not six." she told him.

"You had not said anything. Congratulations." Daryun told her.

Alair laughed, the sound surprisingly light and tinkling, like a jolly bell. It was the first time he had heard her truly laugh.

"With our march on a foreign country's royal capitol and our advancement in a war, my birthday seems like such a unimportant topic." Alair replied.

The day of a person's birth was never unimportant. He would have to speak to Arslan and Narsus after this. He simply could not just let the day slip by without anyone paying it heed.

"My next question, dear warrior, is personal and you do not have to answer if you wish not." Alair said, still staring at the sky.

Daryun waited, curious to hear what she deemed so personal he didn't have to answer if he didn't want to.

"Are you married? Have children?" she asked.

Daryun had to clear his throat. It was a little embarrassing to be asked such questions but he didn't fault her for asking them. It just proved how little she truly knew about him.

"Neither. I have spent most of my life in the army, fighting along side my uncle." Daryun told her.

"I see. It is hard to have a private life when you are forever concerned with the state of a country's defenses. Your uncle must be a great man if you would follow him into a military life." Alair said.

"He was." Daryun agreed.

Alair turned her head to look at him. She reached out, laying a hand on his hand that rested on his knee. Daryun looked at her, his eyes meeting hers.

"I apologize. I had not known he passed." she said.

"It is alright. You could not know. He fell during the maiden battle that first started the war within Pars with Lusitania. That was quite some time before you joined us." Daryun told her.

"Such is the price of war. It does not make the passing of a loved one any easier, I'm afraid. I do apologize for bringing it up. Please, forget that I said such a thoughtless thing." she told him, giving his hand a squeeze.

She was so concerned with how he felt losing his uncle, when she had lost all the family she had. It was so heart warming that he couldn't help but smile, laying a hand over hers.

"It is fine, Alair. Think nothing of it. My uncle was a great man and I will always remember him with affection and pride." he told her.

Alair smiled at that. He had a feeling she knew what he meant. Whenever she spoke of her family, it was with so much love and pride, he was amazed she did not choke on the words.

"I do have one more question for you at this moment." she said.

Daryun raised an eyebrow. Neither of them tried to remove their hands.

"Do you think me a fool for fighting so fiercely for my people when there is a great chance that they will not accept me?" she asked.

Daryun was surprised by such a question. It revealed more vulnerability and insecurity than he had ever seen in her. He had the sudden urge to defend her that was so fierce that it hit his gut low and hard. He wanted to gather her in his arms and sooth away her worries, but he knew, where she was a woman, she was also a warrior. She would never allow such a thing.

"I don't think you a fool. Though there is that chance they will not accept you, will not wish to join you since you are fighting for the prince of the country that destroyed their lives, I believe they will see how fiercely you have fought for them and will, at least, hear you out. You are a strong person, Alair, to even consider putting yourself in such a position. You would have made a great queen." he told her.

Alair couldn't help her smile anymore than she could help her need to breath. It was so heart-breakingly sweet and soft that Daryun felt his chest tighten like there was a great fist gripping him.

"I would not have been queen. My brother was the heir, not I. But thank you. You have no idea the worth of your words." she told him.

To his great shock, Alair leaned into his side, laying her head on his shoulder. Wolfsbane raised his head and Daryun could have sworn he saw the wolf grin.

"Many thanks, Daryun. You are a better companion and friend than I deserve." she told him softly.

He didn't know how to reply to that. They sat there for so long that she must have dozed off, for when he looked down at her, she was sound asleep, leaning against him, her hand still caught between his. She must have trusted him greatly for she did not budge even when he gathered her in his arms and carried her back to her quarters. Wolfsbane followed him, trotting easily at his side, and managed to paw open the door to her quarters for Daryun.

When Daryun entered her quarters, he found Greyback laying before the fire burning in the fireplace. He raised his head, eyeing Daryun and Alair as Daryun carried her to her bed. Wolfsbane joined his brother at the fireplace. Their sister was probably with Arslan, as she was most days now. Daryun laid Alair on the bed, taking the time to pull off her boots and set them beside the bed, before tucking her in. He turned to the wolfs and gestured to the bed.

Both jumped up, trotting over to the bed and climbing in with Alair, settling on either side of her. Daryun pet Wolfsbane's head.

"Keep a good eye on her, my furred friend." he told the wolf.

Wolfsbane snorted as if he was agreeing, before he laid his head on the pillow beside Alair's. Alair looked so peaceful in sleep, as she always did, her hair spilling across the pillows. Any man who could wake up every morning to see her laying next to him, would be a lucky man indeed for she was a soothing sight to see. Daryun smiled before leaving the way he came.

He would find Arslan and Narsus to speak to them before he went to bed. Perhaps they could some up with something, even if it was last minute, to make her birthday something to remember.

-0-0-0-0-

Alair awoke the next morning not remembering falling asleep or making it to her bed. All she remembered was talking to Daryun. Had she fallen asleep talking to Daryun? With a groan she knew she had. An embarrassing thought. And from the way the sun was slanting through the windows, she had slept well past dawn. She was amazed that Alfreed or Farangis hadn't come to wake her up. Or that her wolves hadn't.

Alair pushed herself up in her bed and looked around the room, running one hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face. Greyback and Wolfsbane both were gone. Usually at least one of them stayed with her until she was awake. They usually feared leaving her exposed and alone when she was vulnerable in her sleep.

Something was going on.

Alair got up, changing into a fresh outfit. She pulled on her boots and buckled her sword belt around her waste. Though she was poor with a sword it served well enough for a back up weapon. She grabbed her glaive on the way out of the door. Her best bet was to find the others and she would more than likely find her wolves. She didn't find Alfreed or Farangis in their rooms. Nor did she find Arslan, Narsus, or Daryun in the meeting hall. She did not hear any sounds of Gieve's music nor any sounds of Elam and Alfreed's fighting.

She spent hours searching the fortress but it was like every time she got close to finding one of her friends, they would vanish once more. It was growing ridiculous. Finally she passed a servant of the fortress and asked where she could find the prince. The man bowed to her and told her that he had last seen the prince in the dinning hall. Confused as to why he would be there, Alair made her way to the dinning hall. She didn't hear anything from the other side of the doors, but pushed them open anyway.

Alair nearly jumped out of her skin when she was greeted with a loud cheer of "Happy birthday, Alair!" from the people gathered in the spacious room and the wiggling forms of Wolfsbane and Greyback. The two wolves jumped up to lick her. With a snapping bark from Lunarwind, they backed up, making room for the she-wolf. Lunarwind rubbed up against Alair's leg.

Alair stared at the scene before her, confusion open on her face. The long, low set table that spread down the center of the room was covered with a small feast. Some of which, she saw with surprise, were Alhirian dishes. The center dish was a traditional, Alhirian dessert made for celebrating one's day of birth. Alair hadn't seen these dishes in years.

Then there were her friends gathered around the table. Each of them were smiling at the thoroughly shocked look on Alair's face.

"How did you-"

"Daryun told us." Arslan answered her.

Alair's eyes turned to Daryun who bowed his head to her. She wasn't exactly quite sure how to feel about that. One hand came up to her face and she snagged one nail between her nail in a look that was a mixture of surprise and confusion. It was a cute look on a girl that usually hid her feelings.

"You should have told us sooner, Alair." Arslan told her.

"With the coarse our lives are taking now, I did not believe it mattered. We have more important things to concern ourselves with." Alair replied, dropping her hand when she caught herself nibbling on her nail.

"Its your birthday, Alair! It matters!" Alfreed told her.

Alair tugged on a piece of her hair. They had managed to surprise her so badly that it was easy to see what she was feeling, and she was feeling uncomfortable.

"Come, Alair. Let us celebrate a friend." Arslan said, gesturing for her to join him at the head of the table.

Alair started forward when Wolfsbane nudged her from behind. She turned to look at the wolf who wagged his tail before joining Arslan at the head of the table. It was all last moment, but each of her friends had a gift for her.

Arslan's gift was a silver pendent with a ruby at it's center. It would hang just out of sight under the collar of her top.

Farangis, knowing that Alair was fascinated with her ability to speak to the djinn, gave Alair a whistle, like hers. She promised to teach Alair how to converse with the djinn.

Alfreed gave her a Zot Clan knife with a cruelly curved blade. Alair had a feeling it could slice someone to ribbons.

Elam's gift, which she assured him was far more than enough, was the meal of Alhirian dishes. Alair knew, from experience, that not all Alhirian dishes were easy to make and he had done it with no previous experience.

Gieve's gift was bejeweled arm bangle made to curl around tattoos. It would fit perfectly around the crest on her arm.

Narsus' gift was simple, and yet something that Alair really could use. He gifted her with lessons in swordplay. Something she accepted happily.

Daryun was the last one to give her a gift and his was a ring.

Alair held the ring up to her face, turning it in her fingers. It was large, meant for a man, was silver and had a dark blue stone set in it. It was so large that it had to be worn on her thumb. She slid it on the thumb of her left hand and ran a finger tip over it.

"Its beautiful. Is that a sapphire?" she asked.

"A blue diamond. It was one of the gifts my uncle gifted me with in my life." Daryun told her.

Alair's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

"Daryun, I cannot take it if that is the case."

Daryun was shaking his head before she could even finish the sentence. There was a smile on his face as he looked at her.

"I feel you would take better care of it than I." he told her.

Alair looked down at the ring before folding a hand over it. Daryun had loved his uncle, had probably grieved when the man had died, and the ring had to mean a lot to him. She would take good care of it. Alair nodded and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Daryun." she told him before looking at the others. "My thanks to you all. It is heart warming to have a normal birthday for once in seventeen years."

The others nodded, glad to see that she was happy with her birthday. They enjoyed their feast, eating, talking, and laughing for a few hours, and Alair enjoyed being able to taste the food of her homeland once more. She thanked Elam again for his hard work and praised how well the food came out. Gieve, once again, drank a little too much trying to keep up with Farangis and with the help of Elam, Farangis crated the man off to bed. Narsus and Arslan left to discuss possible plans of moving on from there, Alfreed following Narsus. Alair's wolves had long ago vanished from the room.

This left Daryun and Alair alone to walk the halls.

"If I had known you would go to such lengths for me, I might have thought twice about saying anything." Alair told him, her eyes fixed on the ring he had given her.

"Everyone deserves good memories, Alair." he said simply

"This is certainly that. And the gift is simply stunning. I shall cherish it." Alair told him.

Daryun looked at her, catching her looking at the ring. He had thought she would like it. He was just glad that it fit on at least one of her fingers. Though she would have probably had worn it on a chain around her neck if it hadn't.

"I'm glad you like it." he told her.

They had reached Alair's room by then. Alair turned to face him at her door. She laid a hand on his arm, making him turn to look at her.

"Truly, Daryun. Thank you. I have no words to convey how much this means to me." she told him, her fiery eyes locking on his.

Before he could say anything, she rose up on her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. Daryun was so shocked he didn't say anything as she stepped back from him, hand on the door handle.

"Thank you. Good night, Daryun."

With that, she slipped into her room. Daryun stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door. Alair was changing, slowly become more open and more human. Though she still had a few wolf-like tendencies. But what was he suppose to do with that kiss? It was innocent, he knew, but it was so unlike Alair that he was confused on how to proceed.

Perhaps a good night's sleep would produce the answer.

END

Kyandi: I'd love it if someone would throw me a surprise party.

Alair: Why? You are impossible to surprise.

Kyandi: I'm a curious kitten! I can't help but stick my noise into suspicious activity.

Alair: And that is exactly why no one tries.

Kyandi: Unfair!

Alair: If you say so.

Kyandi: ...

Alair: Shall we finish?

Kyandi: Oh, fine! Everyone enjoy and review.

Alair: We shall return soon.

Kyandi: Bye!