CHAPTER 21 Facing Forward Earnestly

It had been decided the night before that they would gather at the breakfast cart in the aide's wing to see Mitsuhide and Kiki off. They would have made food and thrown a great party, but they knew they were all going to sleep in after the ball. The breakfast cart party would have to do as their farewell and congratulations banquet.

Mitsuhide and Kiki were there first, not surprising as their internal clocks would never let them sleep very late, but Shirayuki and Dane were not far behind. As they were approaching the cart, Ilena's personal door opened and out walked Obi, half dressed. They all stared at him in shock. He was carrying an armload of clothing.

"Ehh, ah," he rubbed the back of his head.

At the same time, they heard Obi's bedroom door open. Every head turned to look. Ilena was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame wearing only one of Obi's shirts, though it did come down to her mid-thigh. She was looking at them all brightly and cheerily wished them good morning. Every head turned back to Obi for an explanation.

Obi smiled benignly. "I found her in my bed last night so we traded places." As he walked from her room to his, he said to Ilena, "I'm just bringing your clothes now. Come on, I'll help you get dressed." He wrapped one arm around her to half-lift her out of the doorway, the other arm holding the clothes, then shoved the door closed with his foot.

The others on the floor looked at each other, still in shock. Shirayuki slowly turned beet red and put her hands to her face, trying to cool it. Mitsuhide looked like he was trying to decide if he needed to be angry. Kiki looked more like she wanted to laugh. Dane just blinked.

They heard a click of a tongue above them. "Tsk. You all keep forgetting, she's got lots of guards here." They turned to look up to see Henry and Marcus leaning on the banister, looking down at them, smiles on their faces.

Henry blinked at them. "When we got back last night, she wasn't doing well, having her partner's back that exposed when she was that close, yet not able to move. She even called the lower office a 'small room' and wouldn't go in. I kept my ear on her after I left her down there on her order. Honestly, we were all glad she was willing to go into any room and sleep." Marcus nodded. "Obi's still being good." Henry added.

Everyone in the lower half slowly came out of their shock and relaxed. Shirayuki looked worried for a moment, then relaxed. "She seems in better spirits this morning," she said.

Henry nodded. "It's a good thing." They walked down the stairs to join them at the cart.

In a short while, Obi and Ilena, completely and appropriately dressed, came out of Obi's room, wheelchair included. They were smiling pleasantly as usual.

"I'm sorry," Ilena apologized. "I didn't mean to cause such a fuss. I just couldn't get settled and somehow ended up in Obi's room. It was much easier to sleep in there for some reason last night."

Mitsuhide sighed, "Ilena...it's not good for you to do that."

"Yes, Mister Mitsuhide," Ilena answered contritely.

"But, it is perhaps the most Obi-like thing you've done so far," Kiki said. "Will you perhaps become more like Obi when you have your legs under you?"

"Ehh...I don't know?" Ilena answered.

Obi looked innocent as he said, "Well, I don't go somersaulting out of windows, so I suspect it's likely worse."

"Hah?!"

Ilena turned faintly pink. "I do climb trees," she said.

Mitsuhide covered his eyes, and Kiki finally laughed, unable to contain it any more. Shirayuki smiled. It was a good morning.

Ilena asked Marcus to push the breakfast cart into the lower office. Grandfather came out of his room to come and eat also. Leah and Rio had slightly rearranged the lower office so that everyone would have a place to sit and comfortably visit. As they were finally filling plates, Zen arrived, bringing Tairn and, unannounced, Ryuu. Ryuu was warmly welcomed, and he gave Mitsuhide and Kiki a shy congratulations. Once they were all seated, they made a toast to the new couple using their tea cups.

The conversation was kept light, given it was a meal and a celebration, but it was not prolonged. There was another reason they had all gathered in this room this morning. When the plates had been collected by Rio and Leah the follow up meeting began. Zen looked at Ilena and allowed her to begin it.

She gave her report of what the gossip flow had been that night and the result of her speaking to the lords. She included a list of the lords who had been openly angry that she had blocked them from setting her next to Zen. She reported also several alliance changes agreed to that night, and what strategy she thought they might try to employ next based on what she had heard. She would keep paying attention to see what developed. She would also have more to report the next morning after there had been a day for things to settle and the news of the actions at the ball entered every ear. She did say that even already this morning her network was very noisy.

She passed the stage to Dane who filled in the gossip gap after Ilena left and gave the list of names again of those who had been particularly upset that Zen had shown favor to Shirayuki. All of the ones who had been angry with Ilena were on his list. He reported that Zen offering him to Shirayuki as a substitute for Ilena and Henry, keeping the number of guards upon each of them even, had been as useful a move as the necklace had been. The necklace had shown the court Zen's favor of Shirayuki, but the movement of his own guard had shown that he was also willing to protect her in that position. That this had been understood was good news indeed.

Obi dropping his sword had lost them a few points, but by the end of the ball, the rumor that he was covering for an altercation had gone around the room as an alternative and pulled it up to 'open to debate'. If they wanted, they could feed that rumor. In general Ilena's leaving early had not been a surprise, but Shirayuki's over-solicitousness followed by Obi's dropping of the sword had raised some questions as to whether they were appropriate to follow Shirayuki as guards if she was going to be a princess. This had been somewhat balanced by the rumor that it was not clumsiness that caused the brief interruption to the ball, and by the fact of Ilena's position. Also, there were those who were glad that Zen's announcements had been in behalf of house Seiran and not himself, but by the end of the night there were many grumblings that he may as well have, and a few supporters claiming that he had.

Dane passed the stage to Mitsuhide. He had heard some very interesting things. Many of the single women who had secretly hoped to catch his eye had come to him to wish him sad congratulations and spilled several things relating to their own circumstances in their sorrow. It mattered because a high proportion of them were daughters of the lords who were set against Shirayuki. Mitsuhide listed off their names, their father's names, and specifically what was said. Ilena immediately requested corroboration of the comments from her network. It would matter if they were truthful comments or plants. She also glanced at Leah, sitting at the writing desk, pen in hand, writing with deft strokes. The list was being taken down as well.

Several lords had come to test Mitsuhide, but these he had handled by saying that he was going with Earl Seiran after the ball to his house for training. When he'd been asked about the wisdom of Zen being left by both of his faithful aides, he had pointed to Dane and said he was just now done training him and his brother, Kiki having already finished training them. It had not come as a surprise to the Regent, and he had properly prepared. Ilena asked for the list of lords who had tested him. It was somehow not a surprise to have his list contain several names they had already heard, though it was not a completely matching list as there were those who were genuinely concerned about the Regent in the list as well.

Kiki was next. She'd been approached by lords who wanted to know what Zen's intentions were for the earldom. She had been truthful in her answers and, for the most part the lords had been fairly content. A small contingent had remained distrustful, suggesting that perhaps he wanted to have too much control over the detailed workings of the land, interfering with the rights and responsibilities of the landed lords. She listed off the names of those lords. Ilena and Zen both responded to the list and looked at each other, concerned.

Zen explained to the group as a whole that the list included representatives of all the lesser holdings around Earl Seiran's holding, and a few more were from the area just east of Lyrias. This list seemed to be direct evidence that the Lord of Tarc's subversive message was making its way into the hearts of the minor lords of the areas he was currently focused on. Discussing what could be done to turn the hearts of those lords back to Zen was written as an action item to discuss after the reporting was completed.

Kiki continued, admitting that she'd also been approached by those who weren't all too happy with her accepting Mitsuhide as her husband, though it couldn't be said anyone was surprised by it. They were split into several camps. There were those who found it inevitable and had just come to congratulate her, some sadly as they had still held out some hope they might be potential candidates even still. Another group had come to see if they could determine if she had been forced into it just because Zen had wanted it for his own convenience. She had firmly set these straight, she said, and she listed for them who they were. Again, many of the same names as those already set against Shirayuki were on the list, as if they were looking for fodder to use against Zen directly. The final group demanded to know why it was acceptable for her to want such a lowly husband, and why her father had allowed it. These she had only given her back to, but she remembered their names and gave them to the group at this time. The list wasn't surprising to Zen and Mitsuhide who had already had to deal with the suitors of Kiki. Ilena found it intriguing and useful to some of their other pieces of information she was tracking.

Zen pulled from his jacket the dreaded potentials list. He and Shirayuki talked about how they felt about each candidate they had spoken to. If they decided it was acceptable from the one visit to take them off the list, Zen crossed off her name from the list. If they felt a particular candidate had sufficiently strong points, he made a mark next to her name signifying she might be a potential strong candidate to stand against Shirayuki.

As for the lords, the summaries the pair gave divided them into those who had spoken to them in complaint against Shirayuki, those who had apparently chosen to stand with Zen, and those who had come to learn who she was and understand the determination of Zen. Ilena found this last list the most important, suggesting to Shirayuki that she might like to focus her next set of efforts on winning those lords to her side. She would only need to give them opportunity to visit with her. Shirayuki said she would consider it.

Finally Zen turned to Obi, looking at him a long moment. Then he looked at Ilena and Henry and thanked them for protecting Obi. Looking back at Obi, he told him he was very glad that Shirayuki had insisted on giving him a partner. Obi nodded and admitted that he was himself glad for it, and at that time most surely. Zen asked him to give the report again for the sake of the whole group. Obi complied, telling it from his viewpoint. He let Henry add comments, then asked Ilena to as well. Ilena explained that she had seen murder in the eyes of the assassin and nervousness in his partner on the other door, but according to the plan had only warned Obi that the danger existed and he should let everyone know to be watching for it. She had not known then who the target was, of course.

Ilena was quiet for a moment, remembering. "As the door was closing, I heard the assassin's footfalls. He should not have been moving away from the door, but he was. I immediately sent Henry back through the doors to help Obi." She pursed her lips. "It wasn't something that I thought Obi and Henry couldn't handle between them. What I found most concerning after it all had happened was that I hadn't heard the sword being removed from its sheath. I believed the assassin had a knife. When I heard a sword fall to the ground I thought it was Obi's until he gave the sword to the soldiers." She looked at Obi and Zen very seriously. "Only the assassins of the Lord of Tarc know to silence their sheaths so I may not hear them."

Obi nodded, and Zen looked at him curiously. "I went to be present for the time of his sleeptalking. I asked him who his targets were. He told me I was, and Mistress. I asked him why and he answered it was because we stand in the way of the princess standing next to the prince. By this answer I knew he was from Tarc. So, I asked him why Tarc wants the princess to stand next to the prince. The answer was informative but didn't answer the question satisfactorily. He said, The high lord will come to claim her shortly. He has been watching for almost 20 years and is pleased that she is nearly ready to receive him."

Ilena's hand clenched and she looked angry. Grandfather sighed. "This is the style of message he sends," he explained. "Always pricking, always letting us know what he intends to do ahead of time as if laughing that we are impotent to prevent it. The fact that you've heard it means he was the sacrifice. Were you able to catch the second? The second is the return messenger who takes what he has seen and heard back to the Lord of Tarc, if he can escape."

Obi looked at Zen. Zen shook his head. "No one could remember what he looks like, and Ilena was already in bed. Shirayuki and I decided her recovery was more important. Did you see his face, Ilena?"

Ilena nodded. "I sent to the Family he was not to escape, but be sent to ground. I want to know what message he was going to take back. By the answer Obi received, the Lord of Tarc already understands that Master Zen is working to have Princess Shirayuki by his side, and I'm helping them. What other information is it that he's seeking, that he is willing to sacrifice another assassin?"

Grandfather allowed that was a good question. Obi added that the guards had also gone on full alert and not allowed anyone out of the castle. They were also systematically searching through their ranks and facilities to find him.

"Master Zen," Ilena said. He nodded. "The one piece of intelligence that I do not wish to have leave this castle is that you are using the Little Death to interrogate prisoners. That is a powerful tool for the moment against him."

Zen and Ryuu both shook their heads, and Zen let Ryuu explain. "Obi, you didn't stay after you questioned him?" Obi shook his head. "Doctor Elliot came to me this morning and asked if I knew of an herb that would interact negatively with the Little Death. He told me that when this prisoner reached the pain payment phase, rather than cry out for a time, then have the tearing phase, he screamed in great agony until he suddenly died." Ilena stared at him in horror, already understanding.

He continued to explain for the others. "Even if he had been already on the Little Death and a maximum dose user, this is not typical behavior. The dose he was given is a very minimal dose that now only needs one very light dose following it to come off of, thanks to Ilena's input to the research. No normal person, or even light user, would die from it nor have such great pain. Doctor Elliot could only surmise this man had something already in his body that the Little Death reacted with, causing the severe pain and subsequent death."

"You're saying they sent him already expecting he would be given the Little Death?" Obi asked.

Ryuu nodded. "It appears that way." He turned to Ilena and looked at her soberly. "I was on my way here to retrieve your medical notebook. I'm sure you haven't tested many of the trial teas yet, but I hoped maybe a clue might have already shown in it." Ilena nodded, her shock still showing somewhat, and Rio went to retrieve it.

Ilena shook her head, "No, I shouldn't be surprised. It is not unusual to think the Little Death could be used for interrogation. But why would he allow us to learn of the interaction?"

Ryuu hesitated, then answered, "If he wishes to let us know he can poison anyone he wishes until we learn of the correct herb and how to counteract it."

Ilena looked confused. "But we only use the Little Death on prisoners for interrogation. It will be certainly inefficient to only have one questioning session, but that does not threaten anyone we wish to keep alive."

Ryuu looked at her soberly. "I hesitate to say it, because we still need to learn which two cause the sleeptalking and you are an excellent research assistant, but it is possible he already knows which two cause the sleeptalking, and having discovered the third, he will send someone to add it to the mix in order to cause the death of someone we do not wish to have die."

Ilena still wasn't quite following, but Obi suddenly clenched at the arms of his chair as he struggled to hold his seat, having gone white. "Rio, bring all of the afternoon teas here to Ryuu immediately." His eyes snapped in fear and anger. Ilena looked between him and Ryuu, who's eyes were sad, and he nodded in complete agreement with Obi.

"You believe he would target me?" Ilena asked, astonished.

"I can't say," Ryuu said. "But we can't afford to take the chance." Obi, and now Zen, were in complete agreement. "I will continue the experiment, but with those who are more expendable. We need to understand what the new component is, and we can't do that if we don't understand the first two to begin with."

Ilena drew herself up, her own eyes snapping in anger. "Grandfather, recall my Ivy."

Grandfather looked at her surprised. "He has not said he's learned the formulation yet."

"Even if all he knows is the ingredient list, as long as it's complete, that is sufficient. We know enough here to calculate the formulation. It may be he already knows the third component."

"Yes, Mistress Ilena," Grandfather bowed his head.

"I have worked very hard to get one of my agents into a Little Death factory, in order to learn the secrets to making it," Ilena explained. "Likely he will be at death's door when he arrives, though I've told him not to be. It's a very closely guarded secret and those who make it aren't allowed to leave their laboratories. There will only be this one opportunity, for he is the only one who I have been able to get in. When he arrives, he must be taken immediately to Ryuu and Doctor Elliot if he even has a hope of passing on his information to us. He has to come personally for we've already changed the Family code twice since he went in." She looked fiercely at Zen. "He will be recognized by his extreme paleness from being kept indoors for many years, and also likely from his severe wounds. Because he is sensitive information, you must take care that he is not betrayed. Let no one, not even your most trusted men in the barracks, know anything about him." Zen nodded his agreement. He would see the agent was watched out for properly.

"Grandfather, see to it that he arrives at all." Ilena looked just as fiercely at him. Grandfather bowed.

"Thank you, Ilena," said Ryuu, his eyes wide. "I'll be watching for him."

"Ask him for his name when he comes, Ryuu. When he says to you he is Ivy, tell him you'll send for Mother, and then see that you do. He may test you before he'll tell you his name. If you believe it is him, and there isn't time for testing, call him Ivy. If he reacts, then say the same, that you are sending for Mother. I will come quickly for he won't give the full formulation until he's seen my face."

"Okay. I'll remember to do that." Ryuu said.

Ilena smiled slightly, knowing he would because of his eidetic memory. "Master Zen, I have the locations of all of the manufacturing facilities in Wilant. May I instruct the Family to move against them at this time?"

"Ilena," Zen called slowly, thinking carefully. She looked at him and waited. "Why would the Lord of Tarc want you to know now that there was a third component that brings death?"

"To discourage us from using it to learn his secrets as he increases the number of spies and infiltrators in Wilant. To let us know he is already at the next step or two in front of us in the reason for the existence of the Little Death in the first place. To make it more difficult for me to function in my place by removing the medicine Ryuu gives me daily. Because there is a thing he believes I need to learn that I have not yet understood or seen. And other reasons I cannot see."

"Hmmmm. Do you know of the locations of the manufacturing facilities in Selicia and Tarc?"

"In Selicia, yes. There are none in Tarc."

"Please take them all out at once." Ilena nodded. Zen turned to Ryuu. "If that's all you need, you may return to your work."

"Ah," interrupted Shirayuki, "Ryuu, what was it you were putting into this tea?" she gestured to the teas on the table in front of him.

Ryuu listed off what they were and their amounts. Shirayuki listed off what she had put in the original nutrient tea and asked if that was what he had also put in it. He had. They both considered the two ingredient lists for a moment, then Shirayuki slowly asked about another herb. Ryuu had just been thinking of it himself and nodded. "It is a possibility. I will check the stores and see, as well as add it to the experiment." Shirayuki turned to the group and explained the last herb was a look-alike for one of the ingredients in the afternoon medicinal tea. Ryuu stood and collected Ilena's notebook and the teas. He bowed and left, Rio helping him with the door.

"Ilena!" She looked to Zen in surprise. "You said you told your agents in the castle to run the spy to ground." She nodded. "If only you saw his face, how have they been obedient?"

Ilena smiled. "I set up a network around the ballroom. I wasn't the only one who saw his face. He was watched and followed."

"Which means you know where he is."

Ilena cocked her head. "Probably."

"Not certainly?"

"Not yet. I haven't seen his eyes with mine yet."

"Sooo...when will you bring him in?"

"When you're ready for me to."

Zen put his head in his hand. "Wouldn't you just normally capture him and take him to the prison to be held?"

"Ah...no." Ilena answered.

"Why not?"

Ilena looked at Zen for a moment. The others who were the original part of the castle group also looked at Ilena, not understanding. Her people maintained carefully neutral expressions. Ilena finally sighed. "Master Zen, I know you love and generally trust your military. It is therefore a difficult thing to tell you that I do not trust your Garrison general. The same is true for many of the soldiers. They are the next group for me to focus my efforts on to fully determine their loyalty to you."

Zen, Mitsuhide, and Kiki looked at Ilena in surprise. Obi was startled at first, but then sighed. Zen glanced at him, but he was only resting his arm on his chair, his head resting on his hand. He wasn't going to say anything yet.

"I will submit to you as one evidence the fact that such an important guard position as the doors to your ball were guarded by two foreign spies who were recognized soldiers of the castle garrison. Said garrison should be extremely difficult for spies to enter into even as regular soldiers. I wish to understand this and other things about the garrison and its General. I will not turn my own needs and assets over to it until I am content, unless you command it." Ilena had spoken calmly and without condemnation.

Zen unclenched his hand from the arm of his chair and sat back. He folded his arms and thought about her words. He looked up at her without moving his head. "You've been gathering evidence?" Ilena nodded once. He went back to thinking. Then he nodded. "I'll review your evidence when you've obtained it. If you won't take the spy to the prison, then where would you take him?"

Ilena shrugged. "I can't bring him here. I will go to him. My Family will detain him, then I will question him. If it's necessary, I will take him to Doctor Elliot's laboratory, but I don't think that it will be."

"You will go yourself?" Obi had lifted his head from his hand and was frowning.

"In this case, yes," Ilena said. "I don't need to normally, however."

Obi sat up and put his elbow on his knee and rested his chin in his hand. "Please...explain." His eyes were just slightly narrowed as he looked at her.

Ilena cocked her head and looked at him innocently for just a moment. "Because when I ask them directly myself, they do not lie."

Obi's eyes narrowed further. "And if I'm with you? Will they still tell the truth?"

"I would think so," Ilena answered, "though if you are concerned about it, you may stay hidden until I'm done with the questioning."

Obi's eyes opened wide again in surprise. "You would easily let me go with you?"

Ilena looked at him confused. "Of course."

Obi merely looked at her for a moment, then his eyes turned to Zen. Zen looked from him to Ilena. "I probably don't need to ask, but I will anyway. Why do they not lie to you?"

Ilena opened her mouth, then closed it again and looked at Grandfather, asking for help with her eyes. Grandfather sighed. "It is perhaps a complicated answer?" he said. He paused while trying to wrap it into a summary. Zen waited.

Leah opened her mouth. "It's because she's the Princess."

Ilena looked to her, then relaxed and nodded at Zen. "It is that."

"And all the things that entails, I suppose?" Zen asked dryly.

All three of them nodded. Zen sighed. "Very well. You may handle that on your own, then. I'll wait to hear your report." Zen relaxed his posture. "I think for now, we will keep the assassination attempt and the investigation quiet, even in the rumor mill." Ilena nodded. "I think while we have Mitsuhide and Kiki still here, we should discuss what to do about the increase in belief in our people of the subversive lies of the Lord of Tarc, as there may be things they can do." The next portion of the meeting focused on this issue.

As the topic wound up, Leah and Rio passed around drinks to everyone. The meeting had become rather lengthy. As they had just been discussing the Lord of Tarc, Zen asked Ilena to expound upon her expected timeline for the use of Falcon's Hollow. She said that her hope was that within two months she should be able to sit a horse, even if for only brief periods, and walk on her own, even if tenderly.

"I must have the herds here before the winter snows block the passes through the northern mountains. That will give us four months or more of the year to not have to deal with the lords of Tarc trying to retrieve them. In this amount of time we can have them sufficiently trained to stay at Falcon's Hollow, or to return to it. I will need to be excused from my duties here at the castle for two to four weeks from the time they are being brought into Wilant in order to train our people in how to handle and train the horses."

"Also, in order for Obi and I to fulfill our general duties to the household, there needs to be an established time each month that we may go there for two full days at a minimum. I would like to schedule the next trip to be in approximately three weeks, once I've completed my review of the garrison."

Zen nodded. "What are you doing with my garrison that is there at Falcon's Hollow?" he asked.

Ilena raised her eyebrow at him. "I, Master Zen? Are they not yours to command?"

Zen looked at her, waiting. Ilena bowed slightly. "I am training them in the basics, Master Zen."

"That is sufficient...for now. And what will you do with them?"

"At the first, replace the members of the garrison here who are not worthy of you. Once the castle garrison has been appropriately strengthened, there are various assignments that could be given."

Zen nodded. "I've asked my brother to give me permission to announce you and Obi very soon, for many reasons. As far as the Lord of Tarc goes, I wish to send the message that you will not be his, but belong to the one I choose for you. Is it better to wait until the horses have come, or does the timing not matter?" Even though this was not new news to the company, it still electrified the air to have it so openly spoken. Ilena and Obi both went very still, as if a predator had suddenly flown across the sun, and they were it's potential prey.

Ilena considered the question. Carefully she answered, "For the cause of T'lalac, it is only within the year from when the landslide occurred. It could already be argued the year of engagement to Obi has already passed, for a normal marriage. It was an arrangement my father agreed to when I was a child. I was sufficiently old enough, when I came there at nine. We were together in that place, though in separate buildings, for over a year from when I came to when he left, and the family continued to care for me until he came for me himself. This is equivalent to what would happen in Tarc. The Lord of Tarc will argue that my year of engagement to him came before the one at Farmor, but my father never agreed to such a proposal, as he had for Obi. If Obi will still accept me anyway, then by rights it is valid. He does have the right to reject it, however, giving the Lord of Tarc the right to his claim."

"You only spoke of T'lalac before. Are you saying that by normal engagement laws of Tarc, you are already married?"

Ilena shook her head. "There is one thing yet lacking, and that can't be done until King Izana gives his approval. But we are engaged, yes."

Zen looked between her and Obi. Finally he said, "Then properly prepare yourselves. And Obi, you do not have the option to reject it unless the Lord of Tarc is dead first."

"Ah...I understand, Master," Obi managed to get out.

Ilena blinked a few times at Zen, then turned to Obi and said, "If you decide to go and kill him in the next few days, please let me know. I will give you the information you need. And take Petroi and Thayne, please. They would be glad to help you."

Zen looked at Ilena, affronted.

*Pft!* Obi put his hand over his mouth. Ilena smiled at him, and he smiled back. The room relaxed.

"That would solve a lot of problems," Kiki said to no one in general.

Zen nodded. "That's why I want to understand. It is in my mind to not give the Lord of Tarc what he is planning, nor what he expects. But I will send him my messages first." He looked at Ilena. "I still to don't understand why you find my own marriage so important to your plans. Will you tell me?"

Ilena looked at Zen. "Because they are important to your own."

"But wouldn't it have been sufficient to wait upon my own timing then?"

Ilena sighed. "Zen. It was already well past your own timing, and Princess Shirayuki's as well. Everyone in the kingdom with eyes to see knows it. There was just none who could help sufficiently." She sighed again. "Of course, that is my answer as the Princess who would see her cousin happy. I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you as the aide who stands behind you."

"Is there an answer from the Princess of Tarc?"

Ilena looked at him, the question obviously unexpected. She blinked. "You will then be his equal: a full man, head of your personal house, your given land and your people."

Zen smiled slightly, satisfied with the answer. "Will he still hear what I have to say to him before I have reached that goal?"

Ilena considered it. "He will hear it, but he may judge it and disregard it as he chooses. When you are his equal, he must consider everything you say with great seriousness."

"How will he be affected by my announcing you and Obi if it's before my announcement?"

Ilena looked at him with a funny expression, then answered him, "He will hear and disregard your words, but he will hear Obi's."

Zen frowned. "It might be acceptable, but it isn't what I am wanting. What was it you were just thinking?"

Ilena looked at Shirayuki. "Princess Shirayuki, please cover your ears and do not listen to what I will say." Shirayuki looked at her puzzled. Ilena just waited. Shirayuki looked at Zen. His eyes asked her to obey. Trusting them both, and keeping her eyes on him, she covered her ears. Very quietly, Ilena said, to Zen, "You just did announce it, at the ball. If you take her to your bed before you announce Obi and I, it will meet the requirement."

Zen froze in shock and his face and ears slowly turned red. Shirayuki looked at him in concern, then looked to Ilena. Seeing she was done talking, she took her hands down and turned back to look at Zen. In the motion she caught sight of Obi. Obi was also in shock, his ears bright red. Shirayuki looked from one to the other, then back at Ilena and around the group. Mitsuhide was almost as red as Zen. When her eyes caught Kiki's, Kiki shook her head. "No, you don't want to know. Ilena was right. Just let it be." Shirayuki looked back to Ilena. Ilena nodded her head soberly at her. Shirayuki took a breath, then nodded.

"You may ask after you are married," Ilena told her, "if you really must. But it would be better, likely, to forget this moment happened." Zen, Obi, and Mitsuhide all nodded in complete agreement.

Zen finally said, "I will have to think on that a very long time, I think."

"Don't," Mitsuhide said.

"I think it is a pleasant thing to think on, generally," Obi said. "However, it was a bit too close to home, this time," he shuddered.

"This is why I said that it is more important to consider the laws of Clarines than of Tarc," Ilena said. "You must rule here, not there. In an attempt to speak to him in his own language, you don't want to make the error of moving to his will and influence."

Zen nodded. He would decide it for himself, how he said it as well as what he said. He opened the list of candidate brides again and looked through the list. "We said last time, before we began this past two weeks, that we would consider having another ball in two months time, with the time between the testing of the second level of candidates. I would like to shorten it." He looked over to Tairn, who took out the notebook that had always been Mitsuhide's before. "Schedule for there to be...four meetings with five of the remaining candidates at each one. Lunch, tea, dinner, and lunch again, all consecutive. Shirayuki will attend them all with me. After each one we will determine the status of the candidates that attended. We'll narrow it down to the best candidates within three days. Ilena, how much longer does Shirayuki need to be able to meet the requirements?"

"Princess Shirayuki, do you have the list?" Ilena asked her. Shirayuki took it out and handed it to her. Ilena looked it over. "I think the lessons can be completed by the time Obi and I go to Falcon's Hollow again. She will need another few weeks to become strong on her own thereafter. Perhaps then five to six weeks, approximately, at the earliest. It would still be kind to wait the two months. At the two month mark, I plan to begin to focus on bringing the horses here, whether or not she is ready, so you won't have very much of my attention after that, if it's needed for your plans."

"Then during the next week after the second testing of candidates, I will meet with the lords who are set against Shirayuki so that I may understand their complaints and answer to them." Tairn made a note. "In the weeks following, I will meet occasionally with the remaining candidates, including Shirayuki in the end, so that it can be said that I have more fairly considered it. I would like it to be at the end of the five weeks, if possible, that we can announce it, but I understand that we must also wait for the appropriate time."

Zen looked at Shirayuki. She took a deep breath. It meant a lot of hard work on her part. She nodded. She would do her best. Zen looked at her kindly. "You do understand that I think you are already a perfectly acceptable candidate, I hope."

Shirayuki nodded smiling back. "I understand that I must win the hearts of the lords sufficiently," she answered.

Ilena muttered under her breath, but wouldn't expound.

Zen looked at her and Obi. "Would it be possible for you to wait that long?"

Ilena shrugged, "I am already waiting on Obi and Izana. What more is it to wait on Master Zen?"

Obi, Leah, Rio, and Grandfather all looked at her in exasperation, even to the point of protestation in body and voice.

"What?" she asked.

Leah folded her arms. "Who was it that said she would listen to the voice of Leah?"

Ilena looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Nana. What is it I need to be taught?"

"You must be more honest with yourself so that the rest of us do not have to pay the price." Leah said firmly.

Ilena's eyes widened. "Ah," she finally said. "Is my patience already gone?"

They all nodded, quite sure.

"And your tea to help you stay calm has just been taken away from you," Rio said sadly.

Shirayuki thought about that. "Um, then perhaps we should switch the one taken away. If you will eat enough, Ilena, we can remove the first tea instead. And Ryuu will very carefully be sure to not include the wrong herb in the other tea. In this way, you may be able to bear with it for longer."

"She will not," Obi said. "It will help her to not cause trouble for the rest of us, but there is no amount of tea to help the impatience."

"And what about you?" Zen asked him.

Obi shook his head. "I would like to have the time to properly speak with Ilena, and we must hear from King Brother. I will do whatever Master requires of me other than that."

Rio, Leah, Marcus, Henry, and most surprising to Obi, Zen all looked at him in exasperation.

"What?" he asked, unconsciously holding up a hand to defend himself.

"You also need to be more honest with yourself, so I don't have to pay the price," Zen said to him. "And my price is greater than all the others."

"Ah," Ilena held up her hand, requesting to interrupt.

"Yes?" Zen asked her, still grumpy with Obi.

"The announcement, is it something that must be made like last nights? Always formally in front of a large crowd? That is, in order for it to be acceptable."

Zen shook his head. "No. It was convenient last night. In most cases making a private request to an official and having them register it is sufficient."

"Might I make a suggestion, then?" Zen nodded. "If it is acceptable for us to announce it to only you early, then later, when you announce your own, you make ours public knowledge, saying loudly to the Lord of Tarc what you have done. This would satisfy both the requirements of Tarc and Clarines and give you the ability when to choose what you will say."

Zen liked the suggestion, but Grandfather shook his head. When Zen looked at him, he said, "It would be sufficient, but the spies would know because the whole Family would know. Especially when you went out of the castle. It wouldn't be hidden, even if the announcement was made privately."

Ilena shook her head. "I have taken that into account." They looked at her in surprise. "The 'little announcement' is Obi announcing that he has claimed me. The Lord of Tarc will see it that way. The 'large announcement' is Zen proclaiming it was according to his will, after he is equal to the Lord of Tarc, and he will also see it that way, the way Zen wishes him to."

The room was quiet. Zen looked triumphant. "We'll do that, then. When I hear from Izana, I'll let you know Obi. I'll wait a little while for you to come to me, but I expect you to be properly aware of both you and Ilena. When I make the official announcement for Shirayuki, I'll also make one for you."

Obi and Ilena both bowed. "Yes, Master."

"Ah, to be married all for the sake of war, or the prevention thereof," sighed Obi. "I had always thought it would be for the sake of love."

Ilena kicked Obi.

"Arah!" he cried out, grasping his leg in surprise.

Kiki's hand moved to her dagger. "Would you like my knife, Ilena?" she asked.

"Ah!" Obi said pulling back from Kiki. "It wasn't that bad," he protested.

Shirayuki frowned at him. "Obi. It was."

Obi sighed. "I'm sorry, Ilena," he said meekly.

She looked at him darkly a moment longer. "The first half was true, but if the second was we have a problem."

Obi quickly thought back to what he had said. "Ah, I'm sorry. It's true, that was not proper to joke about. And it wasn't true." He turned faintly red again.

Ilena looked at him closely with her eyes that could see through to the interior soul. "Then I will forgive you," she said calmly.

"Ah, thank you," he said weakly. That seemed to calm the other ladies in the room. He spent the next little while recovering from his near death experience.

Tairn cleared his throat. Zen nodded at him. "Ah, I have a matter of the King's to bring up. Knowing your schedule was important to it." They all gave him their attention. "There is a house the King has been working to bring under subjugation here in Wilant. He is nearly ready to move against them. Because there may be need for Ilena to participate in a small way, I will let him know that he may begin to move when she and Obi return from Falcon's Hollow. This will allow her the time to focus on Princess Shirayuki uninterrupted before then."

"Is it time?" Ilena asked. Tairn nodded. "Then that would be very kind of the King, to wait that long."

"How much participation from our end does my brother want?" Zen asked Tairn.

"Very minimal. Let his agents act in the castle sufficiently, and let them make the arrests. Ilena will know what she can do. He trusts her in this."

Zen looked at Ilena. "I will have to see how they move, Master Zen," she said, "but as soon as I understand it, I will speak with you before acting."

Zen nodded. "That's acceptable." He looked at Tairn again. "You may let him know." Tairn bowed. Zen looked around the room. "Is there any other business?"

Ilena raised her hand. He gave her the floor. "I would like to invite everyone to a dinner, Ryuu included if he could be told, to be held here in this wing in the hall. It will be my reward for a job well done this past two weeks. Please let me know when it may be held."

Faces lit up. "Thank you, Ilena." Zen said. "We will let you know." Zen looked around the room, but no other comments were forthcoming. He stood, bringing the meeting to a close. They filed out to escort Mitsuhide and Kiki out to their waiting horses, bidding them farewell until the next time they should meet.

-o-o-o-

That morning Izana read the letter from his little brother. He looked around, wondering where the letter from Ilena herself was. He finally found it in the stack of letters from her, bound in gold, black, and green, not too far down from the top. He re-read it and grinned. She had predicted fairly close how long it would be before he could no longer deny her.

Now he had to consider carefully what his own move would be. They were all relying on him. He added the letter that had come from Zen to her stack, retying it. As he twirled his feather pen, made from an eagle's feather, and gifted to him by Ilena herself, he thought about his moves. Then he paused again, wondering just who he should address the letter to. He got a wicked grin on his face. That earned him a reprimand from his close aide, friend, and Ilena's 'Uncle', Lord Barret, who knew him well, and had a very good idea why the letter had been sent. He recomposed his face and lightly defended himself, but did stop to consider it again seriously. They were, after all, really relying on him. He sighed and put his pen to the paper. "Prepare to plan a royal visit to Castle Wilant," he ordered. "It won't be too much longer."

Lord Barret pulled out his scheduling notebook obediently. "Miss Ilena requires of you that your lady Queen come," he said as he wrote.

"She what?" Izana's head came up.

"When I last talked to her, she said that when you came you must bring Queen Haki. Because you have been neglecting her, Miss Ilena plans on scolding you severely for it. Please prepare yourself for it."

Izana put his hand over his face. "Maybe I should postpone it then."

"You may not," the Uncle said severely, though in a mild tone.

Izana dropped his hand and sighed. His aide was, of course, right. "Very well, inform her to begin to be prepared as well, then. Though I want a minimum of personnel to go with us, please. We can't afford to be gone long. Tell her we are waiting for Zen's invitation, though I'll only give him a certain amount of time to send it. None of them are handling the waiting very well any more. It even bled through in Zen's writing, though he tried to hide it." He wrote a bit longer, then, when he paused to review it, he added, "Ah, the wild emotions of youth."

Barret looked at him for a moment. Then said, scolding, "You wouldn't have to be jealous if you would only attend to your own jewel, which you selected with your own hand." Izana ignored him. Again. The aide was getting testy over the issue. He hoped they would be going to visit Wilant very soon. He wanted to hand Izana over to Ilena for a while.

Izana put down his letter, mostly satisfied with it, and looked up at the 'getting testy' man. "I will consider it properly before we go, Barret, and be prepared for the journey. It will be a good opportunity to visit with her and properly apologize."

Barret looked like he didn't quite believe His Majesty, but he nodded. "See that you do, lest a certain princess bite a hole or three in you. I'm sure she would rather greet you with open arms, and you would wish the same."

Izana didn't answer him. Instead he picked up a second sheet of paper and began to write again. When he picked up the third sheet of paper, Barret was surprised. He could no longer contain his curiosity. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Izana answered, still distracted by the writing, "Answering my letters. I don't get much in the way of actual correspondence, after all. Shouldn't I respond appropriately?"

Barret sighed and picked up the two that were done. He needed to make sure Izana wasn't going to cause more problems without him understanding what they were. Between the two of them, they managed to get them all written in a way that wouldn't cause more chaos, maybe. Izana always knew what he wanted to have happen, but he was still just as lousy a writer of letters as any member of the Wisteria family that was born in Clarines.