CHAPTER 21 A Family Evening

Julie sighed and ran her hand down her hair. They had left the house and were slowly walking back down the street. Kirk watched her closely. "Are you really okay?" he asked her, concerned.

She looked at him with her brown eyes that were soft and melty unless she was angry. He'd missed them. "Yes, Kirk. I've heard what I wanted to hear. I can leave this place without regrets now."

"That's good," he looked away from her. "It changes our relationship, though."

"Does it?" Julie asked, surprised. "Does it have to?"

"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad." He'd done it again. Even though they'd grown up together, communication was not their forte'. He could talk to any lord or servant at the castle with grace, but his own sister was another thing. Especially now….

Kirk looked around. They were still in the residential district, but close by he could see a place to sit. "Can we sit and talk for a bit before returning?" he asked.

Julie nodded and he led her over to the bench that was under a large shade tree. When they were seated, he took Julie's hand in his. It wasn't too unusual for them, but today it made him blush a little. He looked away from her. "Lady Ilena is a matchmaker so it will be hard to go back without us talking plainly first. But I need to start at the beginning I suppose? ...Except I'm not sure where that is." He shifted his sword into his lap, still covering the house symbol, sat back against the bench back, and looked up into the tree. He was glad Julie was willing to wait patiently for him.

"In the position I've been called up to, I don't need to worry about my Father any longer. He can't touch me." Kirk looked at Julie. She understood what he meant by that and relief was in her eyes. "I also have the means to provide for myself and a family without his support, though it doesn't make me wealthy by any stretch of the word. Just content, I suppose." Julie nodded. "The problem is, I'm in a position, or will be soon, where the person I marry will have to be willing to deal with many people in nearly close quarters. It won't be much of a private life at all. Likely only a room or a small number of them in which to find privacy. In the main, it will be many people being one large family in close company. It's a thing difficult for even the castle ladies to bear, even though it's similar to what they know. I have to think of this in my selection."

He paused and looked at her puzzled look, but she was still willing to let him get there in his own rambling way. She'd had a lot of years to learn his ways. "It will be my selection, too, a thing I had never thought possible before Lady Shirayuki chose me." Julie smiled at him. She was happy for him, and he was glad for the support. He paused, needing to find which direction to go next. "It seems to me you still haven't figured out what has gone on in the country while you've been at the final stages of your research, or you would have immediately known who I stand behind." He judged her.

Julie paused, then shook her head. "There's something I feel like I know but it isn't coming to me. I keep seeing glimpses of it, then being distracted from following it."

"Well, then I'll retrieve it for you," he smiled at the woman he'd been with for as long as she'd be able to eat on her own. "I was called up by Court Pharmacist Shirayuki when she was working to become the Princess candidate for Regent Zen. The four of us who follow her now were called to follow her because Director of Intelligence Ilena had taken Lord Obi as her Assistant Director and they needed to follow that path. They still follow Princess Shirayuki at formal occasions when they aren't needed to perform their own official roles. When they were formally announced less than one month ago, Regent Zen made Lady Shirayuki First Princess of Clarines, and he and the King made Lady Ilena Second Princess of Clarines, with Lord Obi as her Consort. I follow the First Princess, but Regent Zen made me his personal knight before they were married to guard her." He stopped. Julie needed time to process it. He'd rambled it, of course. He waited patiently.

Julie thumped back into the bench, blinking and trying to wrap her brain around it. "That - that's a rather lot of high titles you've thrown at me, Kirk."

"Yes," he agreed. "That's why they wouldn't let me tell them to you before. I think Princess Shirayuki is expecting me to, now, though. They wanted you to meet them as people first, rather than titles." He smiled at her again. "Because that's what they're like."

Julie looked at him curiously. "Is that why you like them? Why you're happy? Because they are people to you?"

Kirk considered it. "I suppose it's one of the reasons. Certainly, one cannot be a servant of another and not form personal opinions about their true selves."

Julie nodded slowly. "Then, you like their true selves...except Lady Ilena?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

Kirk sighed. "Well, I can't say I dislike her. I'm still trying to get used to her. As you say, she has a very forceful personality. In the office, she and Obi are called 'wild' and it fits well. But when they are being royal, they are most definitely noble, with little to fault. ...They know it also, and do try to restrain themselves as much as possible, but because we are all the 'royal family' they do it less with us."

Julie was thoughtful. "So...this 'family' Lady Shirayuki spoke of...because it's the royal family, and you are part of the servants within it, ...you have a responsibility that's great enough that you really do have to be family."

Kirk nodded soberly. "Yes. Even to the extent we share the same quarters." He shivered. "At the moment that is almost as bad as it sounds. They are building a more appropriate building that should be ready by the spring, or sooner, where we'll actually have separate rooms, like we should."

"You sleep in the same room as the Regent and his wife?!" Julie was aghast.

"Not quite," he said with an internal groan, "but almost. It's an old facility and they're renovating it even now in the hopes we can all survive until the new building is done."

Julie squeezed his hand. "Well, I hope for your sake that part gets better."

"Thanks," he said. "All of us, too." He looked away again, wondering where to go next in his ramblings. He took a breath, then looked down at their joined hands. "You asked me why Princess Shirayuki asked to talk to you." He looked up at her. "I can't answer that. Please wait for her to let you know. I can tell you that she's a researcher who has worked very hard to get where she is and that I admire her, the same as I do you."

Julie looked at him with an expression he hadn't seen before and she turned away suddenly, her cheeks red. He tipped his head to see if he could see more of it. She held still, as if poised for flight. His heart squeezed just a little. He didn't want her to take flight. He looked down at their hands again. He wasn't going to let go. He couldn't - not yet.

He paused, then decided that there really wasn't any 'good' time to say it. "Julie, I have a selfish reason for deciding to go with you to hear the story, and it's the same selfish reason that makes me want to ask you to come with us when we leave here." He stood, still holding her hand, but made her keep sitting. He looked down at her, his feelings deep but his heart pounding. "I, too, expected to hear the story as we heard it, or at least I hoped to." He went down on one knee in front of her. "Julie, will you please consider my request? If you're willing, please come with us, and think on me kindly. If you will stay, please stay with me by my side. Even if we aren't brother and sister, I would be even happier if you were wife to me and I your husband. ...But if you cannot abide it, then I won't make you stay."

Julie stared at him, her face showing her shock. She finally turned away, her face going red. "Kirk...you have been my brother...it is rather difficult to suddenly find such a proposal not ridiculous." He waited, still holding his heart in his mouth. He knew that this day was full of complex things for her. He hadn't asked her to say 'yes' to him after all - not yet. But he'd needed to say it now, before anyone else could confuse things, or steal his words from him.

Julie sighed and dropped her head. "All of a sudden, this has become a strange day and I almost don't know myself. I have a parent I never knew I had, have lost a brother, and been told he's been picked up by the highest royalty of the region to leave me to my sorry state. And now to be told by that same man he'd rather be my husband than my brother...who is it that sits here?" She lifted her eyes to look into his and they were rather glazed and looking far away, he had to admit.

"Julie Ulmer Inule, researcher, and my friend who has held me from drowning over and over again in the depths of my own sorrows." Kirk answered solemnly.

"You, Kirk? I've kept you from your sorrows? Isn't it the other way round?"

Kirk shook his head, "Perhaps I've been able to help you also. That's good, if so, but always you were able to cheer me when I came to you from the depressing presence of my family. ...I've missed you, and until I was tapped by Lady Shirayuki, I was drowning without you. I still miss you."

Julie sighed. "I miss you, too, Kirk. I'm always looking for you when I'm walking the streets. It was so surprising to be rewarded today."

Kirk looked down in embarrassment. He knew Ilena had not been walking them in her area without purpose. He wouldn't tell that to Julie just yet, though. Not until she understood Ilena for herself. "I'm glad you saw me," he finally answered. "I did want to see you today."

She tugged on his hand and he rose and sat next to her again. Finally she sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I will think on it, and perhaps ask my parents for their advice, as you suggested earlier. You won't be offended if I ask for a postponement?"

"No," he answered gently.

"What about the others?"

"They are very kind people, really."

"...Well, that is true. I did notice that."

It occurred to Kirk that Ilena's requirement that he let Julie get to know them as just people first had been, indeed, wise. He sighed. She was wild and difficult, so how could she be right all the time? It was perhaps the thing that got under his skin the most. He closed his eyes, enjoying having the first love of his life, after his mother, resting closely by his side.

-o-o-o-

Shirayuki watched Kirk and Julie walk away into the crowd of shoppers that thronged the market street. She turned back to the others and took Zen's hand. The group began to walk again, though they didn't go back to shopping. "Zen," she said thoughtfully.

"Mmm?"

"It sounds like 'home' for Julie is a cage. I want to bring her back with us. Is there something she can do at the castle?"

"Well, there are the castle kennels, ...and the mews, though they're empty at the moment since I don't have time for birding."

Shirayuki thought some more. "What about the messenger birds?"

Zen considered it. "Well, that could be a possibility, though she would need to be sent to the island for training."

"You could have her apprentice to Master Obi," Marcus murmured from behind them.

Shirayuki glanced at Ilena who was giving a scathing look to Marcus. Shirayuki chose to ignore the comment.

"It wouldn't hurt to have one more trained in the medical care of the birds," Zen continued. "I would think the training for it would be between half a year and one year."

Shirayuki tipped her head. "Can we ask her if it's something she would like to do?"

Zen smiled softly at her. "If you want. Asking never hurt anyone, and sometimes opens unexpected doors."

Shirayuki was silent a little longer, then said, "Thank you, Zen." He squeezed her hand. "...Ilena, is there a private place we can all have dinner, the maids and menservants also? I don't think I should make Kirk tell his story in a public location, and I'd like to have just all of us together, I think, at least once while we're here."

"Yes, Mistress Shirayuki. There's an upper room at the inn, over the main dining room, that has a door for the guests, and another for the servers. We could use it."

"That would do nicely," Shirayuki nodded and relaxed.

"Is there a particular menu you'd like to request?" Ilena asked.

"No. Not particularly."

"Then I'll take care of the arrangements," Ilena promised.

They walked in silence for a bit, wandering towards the inn, but not in a hurry. "Obi, go to the garrison and call...eight of the castle guards, I think should do it. We'll have two on the outside of each door, since we have to, and then four inside as our minimum requirement. That way the rest of us can relax and eat together they way Mistress Shirayuki wants," Ilena ordered.

Shirayuki sighed as Obi, Thayne, and Petroi peeled off from the group. She hadn't thought of that part. Tonight, like Zen, she would have preferred not to have extra guards. But then, she didn't want party crashers, either.

"Marcus and Henry, you'll be the enforcers in the kitchen to make sure the staff taste tests the poisoned food first."

"Mother!? You really expect it?" Marcus complained and Shirayuki had to agree.

"Of course not. But if I haven't been obedient to Uncle, what will Izana say? I won't be able to show my face in Wistal." Marcus and Henry sighed. "But don't test it yourself. You're supposed to eat with the rest of us."

"Yes, Mother," they said with a bit of a whine.

Ilena detoured their steps to a wine and drink shop and they had fun taste testing until they had found several wines and other sterner drinks that were agreeable, plus a juice that Shirayuki particularly liked. Ilena made sure a sufficient number were purchased, then gave them to Leon to carry. "Don't let Obi touch any of it," Ilena warned him. "As a matter of fact, keep it with you until we're in the upper room. That way we'll know for sure he hasn't drunk it all, and it hasn't been poisoned - except by you."

Leon was nodding, but paled slightly with the last phrase. Sam patted him on the shoulder. "She's teasing you, I'm sure of it," his partner consoled him. Ilena ignored them, so even Shirayuki wasn't sure she was, but she nodded anyway, wanting Leon to know that at least she trusted him.

They eventually arrived at the inn and Ilena excused herself to see to the arrangements of procuring the room and setting the menu with the chef. Shirayuki herself went to the maids, both Ilena's and hers, and invited them to attend, then to Justinian and Rutherford's room to invite them also. They all wanted to know how formal an affair it was, surprising her and she made sure they understood it was a casual family gathering of the households. She found Zen again and sat with him to wait until they were called to dinner.

-o-o-o-

The food was castle formal, delicate, and delicious. The wine matched, and Obi raised his glass briefly to Ilena. She accepted his praise with a silent tip of the head. "You have a castle trained chef here in Lyrias," commented Zen.

"Yes, Regent Zen," Ilena answered calmly. "I must be prepared for all contingencies, after all, at least as best I'm able." That last comment earned her a longer look from Zen than necessary, but she continued to eat calmly. "It has always concerned me that I might have to suddenly host King Izana in the hometown of his Queen wife on a family visit. ...The nightmares didn't subside until I had a proper chef in my employ." Obi had to hide a laugh, and even Zen almost choked on his food.

"Surely," Zen tried to recover but was having difficulty succeeding, "such a remote possibility would not have kept you sleepless and your nights full of nightmares?"

"Well, considering that it's come true even to this level, I think it was not ill advised to follow through on it," Ilena said practically.

"Well, no perhaps not," Zen allowed.

After a pause, Shirayuki asked, "Is the chef the same as the one that cooks for this inn regularly?"

"Yes, Princess Shirayuki," Ilena answered.

"Is he content with it? The difference in cooking styles seems so different."

"It is, and he is. I was able to procure him based on the promise that he would only have to cook castle food when absolutely necessary. He was ready to move on to learning and enjoying other techniques. There's enough diversity of peoples here in Lyrias he has learned a wide repertoire, though in the main he must cook what the clientele of the inn wish to eat. He was quite desirous to turn his hand to castle fair again after so long a time of being away from it."

"He hasn't lost the touch, I see," Shirayuki commented.

"No. I'm pleased to see it as well," Ilena agreed.

The conversation calmed in favor of eating again for a while, though they didn't let their conversation lag into uncomfortable silence. That would have been the height of rudeness, after all. Ilena had set up the room so they were sitting in a square, Zen and Shirayuki at one side, Obi and Ilena on the opposite side. Maids were to the side of the Princesses and menservants next to the Regent and Consort. Separating those two rows were the opposing sides of the squares holding the four personal knights, connected to their proper sets from the men's side of the main edges. The square arrangement made it easier for all to participate in the meal together.

The only person out of place was Julie. Ilena had set her at the end of Shirayuki's row of guards, next to Kirk, so that she had Rio and Leah to talk to at Ilena's table. Shirayuki thought it a rather ingenious way to help her be surrounded by people she could be comfortable with. It was obvious Kirk had explained to her who everyone was and she was more reserved tonight than she had been at lunch, particularly when they'd first arrived. Everyone else had been just as relaxed as before, and that seemed to have helped a little. When Rio told Julie that she was the personal maid to Ilena, Julie's eyes had widened in surprise that a personal maid had been seated at a 'head table'. Rio confided that the ladies seated next to Shirayuki were that as well, and that the menservants were next to their lords. Kirk had smiled and nodded at her when she had looked at him for confirmation and Julie had finally relaxed sufficient to be merely polite, instead of stiff.

When the meal was done, the servers took the dishes away, leaving only the glasses. Leon had been serious about his duty and had passed around the dinner wine, and now he pulled out the evening drinks. No one let Obi touch the bottles, in particular Justinian who seemed to have learned already Obi's penchant to not pay attention to his drinking. "Mistress Shirayuki," Ilena called.

"Yes, Ilena?" Shirayuki looked up at her.

"Please refrain from alcohol tonight. We don't have Kiki and Mitsuhide here to watch over you." Ilena looked at her directly in the eye. "And I believe you will never learn to tolerate it. Will you do it please, so that you may enjoy the evening as you hope to?"

Shirayuki looked down at her glass, then sighed. "Okay. For tonight I'll stick with juice."

"Thank you, Mistress Shirayuki," Ilena said firmly. "Master Zen," her attention moved to the person sitting next to Shirayuki, and she looked at him from under her eyelashes. He had slightly frozen, his hand on his glass's stem. "How many have you already had?"

"Ah, one, with dinner."

"Again, we do not have Mitsuhide and Kiki here to watch over you. Please limit yourself to two more or less. I think your Lady Wife would like to enjoy your pleasant company tomorrow, rather than the hung-over Zen."

Zen blinked, then relaxed his shoulders, putting his elbow on the table, his glass hovering in the air. "Ilena…," he glanced at Shirayuki and she openly looked at him calmly. Zen sighed. "Alright. Shirayuki, if I'm still thirsty after that, can I have some of your juice?"

Shirayuki smiled at him. "Of course, Zen."

"Thank you, Master Zen," Ilena said calmly.

He glanced at her and lifted his glass again for the refill he had been about to ask for. "It really isn't fair, you know," he complained calmly at her, "that the two of you can drink all of it."

"If you'd begun when only just beginning to walk, and had it only for all your growing years, and craved water instead, you also would have the proper tolerance," Ilena said without emotion.

Zen sighed and Shirayuki felt her stomach turn. "Is that really how you learned your tolerance, Ilena?" she asked, aghast.

"Yes, Mistress Shirayuki," Ilena said, and Obi nodded his head as well. "You will never catch up. Please do not try." Shirayuki sighed, and heard Zen echo her. She glanced at him and they shared a common look. "Now that we are past the main meal, may I complete some business?" Ilena asked.

Shirayuki looked questioningly at Zen. He shrugged. It was her night. She thought about it. "I think I would like to hear from Kirk, first," she answered. Ilena nodded, and Shirayuki looked at Kirk.

Kirk swallowed his mouthful of wine and carefully set his glass down in front of him. He looked at Julie and took her hand in his, then looked back at Shirayuki. She looked in his eyes calmly. "The beginning of our story you've already heard to some degree. I was the one who gave Julie the infant rabbit that died and that began her search to understand how to treat animals. Because I was as sad as she was, I encouraged her in her desire to learn it, and I was as surprised as she was when my father forbade it upon discovering it. However, I stood in her defense and entreated her to go to Lyrias when she was ready to leave the barony."

"My defense of her earned my father's ire and he sent me to Wilant castle as my punishment. When I found Mistress Shirayuki studying in the library, it reminded me of Julie and I found myself wanting to help her also. There, my father couldn't prevent it, and I felt the same joy and exhilaration at her steady progress that I had felt for Julie's."

"When Mistress Shirayuki asked me to stand as a guard and aide for her, I was willing because I already knew she was studying to become Regent Zen's Princess. It's a Lord's duty to support his liege and in helping her to become a strong and intelligent Princess I felt I would have properly supported the Regent. I knew my father would disagree, but I'd already determined we would always disagree on this point. It would be sufficient redress to my father if he felt I was serving the Regent directly, particularly if he didn't know to what extent I'd been helping Mistress Shirayuki."

Kirk paused before continuing. "There's another piece to understand from the beginning. My father set aside his first wife for being unable to bear children after five years of effort. His second wife was a researcher he met while visiting in Lyrias. After the first two years of trying to create an heir, she did what all researchers do. She went and visited the first wife and asked her many questions about why no heir had been produced, and asked if she would do an experiment. That is, find a man to marry and try to get pregnant again. The first wife sent a letter to the second seven months later saying she was pregnant."

"When the second wife attempted to explain that the reason my father had no heirs was because he was not capable of producing them, he was very angry with her and nearly set her aside at that time, but she repented and said she would try again with him. He was satisfied when nearly a year later a son was born. Within two years another son was born, and again he was very satisfied. Nearly three years later I was born...but I was born almost a month earlier than my father expected."

"My older brothers look like my father, but I look like our mother. He'd been allowing her to return regularly to Lyrias to continue at the University, but after I was born early, and looking different, he became suspicious and sent one of his men to follow her whenever she went to Lyrias. He was unable to find anything out at the time. Then mother became pregnant a fourth time and our father became suspicious once again. She assured him time and again that it was his child and apologized for it being a surprise for them both, but he already would not believe her. He finally sent her away back to Lyrias, telling her to go and see if the man who she had been laying with would keep her now."

Kirk's face twisted in wry comic grief. "She returned with an infant girl several months later, saying it was his child and he should therefore care of her. My mother left that child at the barony, and my father gave her to one of the couples on his estate to take care of. Because I was already under suspicion, I was interested in who this sibling of mine was and spent many hours, days, and years with her until she left the house for Lyrias also. My older brothers would not spend time with me anyway, learning from my father and his third wife to turn their backs to me. My father and his third wife have also never had children, but my father is content as he believes the heirs he does have to be sufficient."

Kirk paused again. "I don't think my mother took a lover, but merely, as a researcher who needed to complete a requirement, found a way to meet that requirement. As with most researchers, she was married to her research first, her husband second, though she did desire to be obedient to him. Julie asked me to go with her today to meet with my mother and her current husband so that she might ask for the truth one more time, thinking my presence might help my mother to open up a little more. It was sufficient to bring her out to be questioned, and she finally allowed her husband to answer to Julie's existence. I am personally content with my own past as my mother has explained it already."

"The story we heard today from Mister Inule was that he and his first wife took in my mother when she was sent away pregnant to Lyrias, as they had been friends from her research days. Mister Inule's wife was also pregnant with their first child. On the day they gave birth, my mother's child was born deformed and already dead. Julie's mother died in childbirth on that same day. Mister Inule requested of my mother that she claim Julie as her own child and send her to be taken care of by the Baron. She did so, though she warned him that Julie's life might not be any easier. Mister Inule has apologized and he and Julie have reconciled and promised to reunite whenever possible."

Kirk shifted ever so slightly. "I had hoped to hear such a story and after we left the house, I spoke with Julie privately about my station and position openly, as well as my future prospects and hers. I have requested that she think kindly on me and to someday answer to my request that she become my wife, though I am content to wait upon her decision for as long as she needs to properly consider it." He lightly stressed the last. Everyone in the room could feel Julie's embarrassment, but they politely ignored her so she could recover. They all knew it was important for Kirk to share it openly, and why, even if she didn't.

Shirayuki looked over at Ilena sternly until Ilena bowed her head slightly. Once she was content she'd received a sufficient promise, Shirayuki looked at Kirk. "Thank you, Kirk," she said. He bowed slightly. "Julie," Shirayuki called her. Julie looked up at her. "I've spoken with Zen. There is a possibility of a position for a veterinarian of birds with the messenger bird corps sponsored by the Regent. It would require training at the island the birds originate from that would last between half a year to a year. Then you could return to Wistal or Wilant and work with the soldier corps that handles the birds. The birds are very intelligent and very beautiful. ...Would this be something that might interest you?"

Julie sat up straight. "Ah, ...well, I suppose it might." She did sound somewhat intrigued by the idea.

"The daughter of the head of the island is a personal friend of mine," Shirayuki said. "I can write a letter of recommendation for you."

"Or," Zen said calmly, "if you wish it, I can write a writ of assignment...or both can be done. If you are willing to accept my writ, then you'll receive proper direction and resources to arrive at the island without difficulty."

Julie blinked her wide eyes. "Ah, thank you. Th-that would be very generous of you." She trailed off a bit.

"You may think about it," Shirayuki reassured her. "We don't need an answer tonight. We'll be here in Lyrias another three days."

Julie bowed. "Thank you very much. I would like to consider it carefully, but I will be sure to let you know quickly."

Shirayuki nodded and smiled. Julie looked at Kirk and he smiled for her again, his eyes sparkling. "Ilena, I believe I'm done," Shirayuki said and drank from her glass again.

Ilena bowed slightly and turned to look at Obi. "Obi, have you made a determination towards Justinian?"

"I've accepted him," Obi said simply.

"Are you pleased with his current progress?"

"Yes."

Ilena nodded. "How far has he come in his training?"

"He was tested to Page four days ago, and is working on reaching Agent. It seems he's an overachiever." Obi's eyes were sparkling.

Ilena raised an eyebrow. "Hoh? Is that so?" She leaned out and looked around Obi, who also turned to look. Justinian was blushing faintly.

"We've learned that Justinian's skill set is quite large, and also includes small hand blade and hand-to-hand combat. We've been training him to strengthen those skills and adding to them slightly. I've required that he practice slight-of-hand attacks with the hand blade, contrary to the traditions of the Tarc, so that we'll have that much more the advantage over them." Obi told her.

Ilena raised an eyebrow. "Do you see this causing more problems with his defense if he should be discovered, Petroi?"

Petroi carefully answered. "As long as he continues to practice, we intend to test him before we enter Tarc. If he can't be discreet enough he won't be allowed to do it. If he has learned to not be noticeable sufficiently, then we'll allow it."

Ilena looked at Justinian thoughtfully. He continued to look at her respectfully. "I would see it," she finally said.

Petroi bowed. "We are ready for your testing when it's possible to show you," he said.

Ilena looked over to him and Thayne, then back to Obi and Justinian. "I look forward to seeing what you have to show me." She was looking at Justinian again thoughtfully, then began to rapid fire questions at him in a language Shirayuki had never heard before. He sat up and answered them in the same language as best he could, then she suddenly stopped and switched to what sounded like silence for a while. Shirayuki could see Zen was listening closely, as were Ilena's guards and Obi. She guessed it must be their coded language Ilena was testing now, particularly since she continued to look at Justinian with the same piercing look. Finally she put her lips together and paused. "Very well," she said. "Consider yourself Agent already, though they will correct the few errors you had. Why you want it I have no idea."

Justinian bowed from his seat. "Thank you, Princess Ilena," he said quietly, with a satisfied look on his face.

Ilena turned to Obi. He had a small jaunty smile on his face and he was looking at her. "I think that was the best gift you could have given him today," Obi said in response to her querying look.

Ilena looked at him in surprise, then her look fell somewhat. "Oh, dear. Is that what it is?"

Obi grinned at her. "Yup."

Ilena sighed. "I'll see to it later, then."

Obi nodded at her. "See that you do," he said cheerily.

Shirayuki wondered what it was, but this part was Ilena's business, so she wasn't likely to know.

"Petroi," Ilena turned to her senior personal knight. He bowed formally. "Please report on the progress of your students."

Zen sat forward and listened very closely as Petroi reported that all of them had learned Tarcian sufficiently for the study of the law to begin, that they had all learned to ride their horses acceptably, and were well into the practice of warfare from horseback, focusing on defense, and would be ready to receive from her the plans she had thought of as they began the next leg of the journey. Also, they had all learned the braids and were in the process of mastering them at various levels, with Justinian being the farthest along. "We've determined that he must know them the best as it will be his protection if he's captured." Petroi told them, and Ilena's pleased reaction made Shirayuki wonder what could be worse, then decide she didn't want to know.

Petroi also gave a numbered report of the speed by which they could take down and set up the tent. "Does that include the time to get it tied onto the horse?" Ilena asked him.

Petroi paused. "No, I have forgotten to add that time in."

Ilena nodded. "Please continue to work hard on that. It's not yet sufficient." Petroi bowed.

"Is there anything else?" Ilena asked him. Petroi shook his head. Ilena sat back with a satisfied nod, took a sip of her glass, then went to thinking.

"Ah, Master, Mistress," Obi raised his hand, "I also have something to bring up. I've been considering Ilena's request to me that I test her knife skills." Ilena sat up and looked at Obi sharply. "Petroi told me that here in Lyrias there are two fighting competition rings, one for hand-to-hand combat, one for knife skills. She still isn't healed sufficiently for hand-to-hand, but I think she may be able to perform well enough in the knife ring. I also would like to practice with her in doubles of the same, though I'm perhaps a bit weaker there. We haven't had the opportunity to work side by side yet in that manner. May we be allowed to enter a doubles tournament there while we're here?"

"Will it lead to injury of either of you?" Zen asked.

"We are both very good," Obi said.

Ilena shook her head. "It doesn't need to, even so. We can enter and exit the tournament at any time. If we only wish to reach a level of practice, we can remove ourselves at the point at which only the good fighters are left, then let them continue to the top level. I never lose, so I occasionally will follow that pattern so as to let the other competitors not give up early."

Shirayuki blinked at Ilena's bald proud statement, said so calmly. Zen stared at her. "Well, then, do that," he finally said. "I'll come, but Shirayuki has already requested to sit it out."

Ilena and Obi both nodded. "Also," Obi added, "I would also like to practice with Petroi and Thayne in a three-on-three tournament in the hand-to-hand combat. We've fought each other, but not partnered together. I think it's necessary for us to do so at least one time before we enter Tarc. If Ilena would be willing to set up such a thing, may we participate?"

Zen nodded immediately. He already knew Obi's skills and trusted them. He'd already won several tournaments on his own. They looked at Shirayuki. She looked at Ilena. "Ilena...are you really not fit to fight hand-to-hand?"

Ilena looked at her in surprise. "I can, but only in a limited fashion. The muscle and tendon are still weak, in comparison to those who will be fighting in the ring."

"I think Zen needs to see that as well, though."

All three others raised their eyebrows at Shirayuki. Ilena blinked, then looked at Obi. "I can schedule in an exhibition round, where only you and I fight to whatever level we want to. There's no reward for it, other than the entertainment of those watching, and an opportunity for the fighters to practice against each other."

Obi nodded slowly. "I haven't fought you standing yet, as I recall. That would be acceptable to me." He looked at Zen. Zen paused, then nodded.

"Please get it all out of your system for a long time," Shirayuki said to Ilena with a sigh.

Ilena raised a surprised eyebrow at her. "Has it been so bad even you've seen it?"

Shirayuki nodded sadly. "Yes."

Ilena's mouth went round in an 'oh', then she shrugged. "It's Obi's fault," she said simply. Shirayuki was surprised when Obi didn't protest, but then decided it made sense.

"Well," Ilena said after a bit of a pause, "if it's the arenas, then I should let everyone know the rules..." She looked around the room, including at the castle guards, then let her eyes settle a little longer on Shirayuki's guards and her lips pursed a little. "We haven't quite completed the business Mistress Shirayuki's guards brought up. Will they eat me if I expound?" She looked at them with a raised eyebrow. She got shrugs for the most part. "Alright then. So...there's a House of the night walkers - that is, thieves, pickpockets, assassins, etc. - that I use to gain information so that I know what's going on among those types of people. After all, most internal problems are going to come from that part of society. The House I use is called the House of the Queen of Knight, or formerly Queen of Night. I'm the Queen. I own the House and run it."

"One of my businesses here in Lyrias is the two fighting arenas, one for knife and the other for hand-to-hand, because those are the two skills I need to hone and they are the two all of my Agents and above use, both day and night sides, in their own tasks. So, in effect, they're my training grounds. However, since it's also a business, they are both open to anyone who wants to play...until they decide to get ugly. Then they get tossed out." Ilena paused briefly, then added, "That includes the castle guards and all the rest of you." Shirayuki felt the interest level in the room rise. She sighed to herself. Soldiers and men would always be interested in the competition and fighting. She settled herself to hear more things about Ilena she hadn't really understood before.