Chapter Eight

Noaa'lan rapped softly on J'aa'nalia's door, so as not to wake up any of the guards or Residence Assistants.

"Who is it?" She asked as she peered through the crack with her almond-shaped eyes.

"It's just me, Noaa'lan." He said, but she had already opened the door for him.

"Come on in. I just have to get my coat," she said, and disappeared into an adjacent room. Her roommate stared at Noaa'lan, confused as to how J'aa'nalia could have met the crown prince when it was her first day at the Academy. Noaa'lan could understand the question that the girl's eyes were asking him.

"I'm her senior guide. It's my job to make sure she's as comfortable as possible here," He replied. The young girl smirked, and then went back to doing her homework.

"All right," J'aa'nalia said as she reentered the room, wearing a long blue cloak. "Lets go."

"Wait! Where are you going? It's after lights-out!" Her roommate protested, but J'aa'nalia was already herding Noaa'lan out the door. She motioned to her roommate to be quiet as they slipped out the door into the night.

"So, do you know how we're going to get out of here?" J'aa'nalia asked. Her face was very difficult to distinguish in the dim light from N'aanwaria's three small moons. "Wow, this place is crawling with guards!"

"Yes, it sure is. That's why the most difficult part of the journey is going to be getting to the docking bay without being detected." Noaa'lan said while peering out across the quad.

"I have an idea. Why don't we use the force to come across as guards? They wouldn't stop us then!" She said with a devious smile.

Noaa'lan grinned at the young girl. She might fit in with K'aashi and him after all!

"Good idea, J'aa'nalia." Noaa'lan said, and abruptly his appearance changed to a shorter, stockier N'aanwarian male of middle age.

J'aa'nalia also took on the image of a male royal guard. The guard's features were bland, so that no one would remember them if they tried to describe him.

"Lets go," Noaa'lan whispered, and he led the way across the campus to the landing grid. The two of them were able to walk unnoticed with their new disguises, and they talked casually amongst themselves so they'd draw even less attention.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your mother." Noaa'lan said softly. "I didn't know about that until today, when my father told me."

J'aa'nalia gave him a forced smile, and he could tell that it wasn't a good time to bring up that topic. He quickly switched to a different discussion.

"So, do you think K'aashi will ever get a date with S'aalia?"

"Who's S'aalia?" J'aa'nalia asked.

"Oh, she was that girl he was hitting on this afternoon when I took you to your last class. Remember? That girl with the golden-brown hair," He said.

"Yeah, I remember her. She seemed nice. If I remember correctly, K'aashi was hitting on ME this morning! So, as an answer to your question, yes, I do think he'll get with her. However, it will be for a very short duration of time, specifically the amount of time it takes for the next pretty girl to walk by!!" J'aa'nalia said candidly.

"Wow! You really are perceptive!! It took me the better part of two years to realize why K'aashi could never keep a date!! He's not very into monogamy, and I have yet to see a girl that could cause him to go that way!"

"What about you? What's your dating style?" She asked, giving him a furtive smile.

"Well, I don't seem to have one yet. I've never dated before," He said shyly.

"You're kidding me!! Isn't your father just a little bit upset with you??"

"Well, no. Unfortunately, the crown prince still has an arranged marriage, and I don't think it matters whether I love someone or not. Besides, K'aashi's dated enough girls for the both of us!!" Noaa'lan said with a chuckle.

"Man, that stinks!" J'aa'nalia mused softly. "That really stinks!! Why do you let him do that to you?? Doesn't he realize that you have feelings just like everybody else??"

"Oh, he cares about me. He just believes that an arranged marriage is the best thing for me! It's really stupid, because even Kahl'aan doesn't have to have an arranged marriage! He doesn't even care if he marries! I guess that the Narundi men are horrible at selecting a mate, so it's a good thing that we have arranged marriages!" Noaa'lan ranted.

"You're telling me that you've never even been attracted to anyone!?" J'aa'nalia exclaimed.

"I've thought that girls were cute and everything, but I never actually got up the courage to tell them about it, because I knew it was pointless, J'aa'nie. Why bother with dating when you're going to have an arranged marriage anyway?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe if you showed your father that you COULD find a mate of your own, he'd forget about all of that traditional stuff??" J'aa'nalia suggested, smiling warmly.

Noaa'lan thought about this for a second. It did seem like a good idea, but the only girl that was in any way attractive to him was standing right in front of him. He knew what the consequences of falling in love with her were.

"I'll have to think about that. It just might work . . ." Noaa'lan said, trailing off.

The two of them reached Noaa'lan's landspeeder, and he fired up the engines. Before long, the two of them were speeding across the night sky, away from the palace and toward the outskirts of Freedom City. During the trip, J'aa'nalia became a lot more open about her mother's death. She explained that the reason why she was attending Narundi Academy on a scholarship was because her family had spent most of its fortune on her mother's medical expenses. Her father had been left with so little that they could barely get by, and he was forced to go to work elsewhere. He reluctantly sent J'aa'nalia, his last child living at home, to Narundi Academy, because he couldn't teach her anymore. As she told her story, Noaa'lan could sense J'aa'nie's sadness, and he put a hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him and told him that she was grateful for the help that he was giving her. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and told her that if she needed anything she could count on him.

Noaa'lan set the landspeeder down outside J'aa'nalia's home in the suburbs of Freedom City. He turned to tell J'aa'nalia that he was impressed by her family's landscaping. However, she'd already forgotten that he was there, and was running toward the door.

Almost as if he'd been expecting her, her father opened the door, and she ran to embrace him. She clung tightly to him and began to sob. For a good five minutes she did nothing but cry on his shoulder, and he stroked her hair gently. Noaa'lan wasn't sure if he should even approach the two of them. It just seemed like the wrong time.

"Shhhhh. It's ok, J'aa'nie. Really. Is it really that bad at Narundi Academy? Are those evil Narundis giving you a hard time?" R'aa'nlan said softly to his daughter.

"No! They're being really nice to me, believe me! I . . .I just missed you so much!! I've never been away from you for all of the years I've been alive!" J'aa'nalia cried.

"But they're treating you nice, aren't they?" R'aa'nlan said in a gruff voice.

"I've only met one of them, but he seems to be a pretty decent guy," J'aa'nalia whispered.

"J'aa'nie, all of the Narundis seem to be decent when you first meet them, but that's only an act! They use niceness as a disguise so they can take advantage of people who have less power than they do! The Narundis are nothing but a bunch of thieving scoundrels, that's what they are! You're best to stay away from them!" R'aa'nlan warned angrily.

Noaa'lan was trying to keep a low profile so he wouldn't disturb the two of them, but R'aa'nlan's accusations made his blood boil.

R'aa'nlan turned his head when he sensed Noaa'lan's agitation.

"Is that the nice young man who took you home?"

"Yeah, it is," J'aa'nalia said sheepishly. "So, have you heard anything from D'laanie about her baby?" She asked, trying to change the subject. She didn't want her father to come into direct contact with Noaa'lan, because she knew that he couldn't refrain from taking cracks at him. R'aa'nlan sensed that she was trying to change the subject.

"Well, I'd like to meet this fine young man who gave up part of his night's sleep to usher you around." R'aa'nlan boomed. "Come here, boy!" Noaa'lan felt his throat go dry at the thought of meeting R'aa'nlan. He thought about putting on a force generated disguise. No. R'aa'nlan would easily see that he was hiding something. There was nothing that he could do but come closer, into the light of the porch.

"My my, you're a mighty fine young gentleman for taking my daughter over here this late at night," He said. "What's your name, boy?"

Noaa'lan looked up, straight into R'aa'nlan's eyes. His blue eyes bore deep into R'aa'nlan's. R'aa'nlan's smile quickly melted into a frown, and Noaa'lan knew that he had immediately recognized him.

"Noaa'lan Narundi," R'aa'nlan said grimly. "I should have known that your father would appoint you as her guide. Did he arrange for you to bring her home?"

"No. He doesn't know that either one of us has left the Academy," Noaa'lan said flatly.

"Ah, but he will, if he doesn't already. Your father always knows everything," R'aa'nlan said, the sarcasm evident in his voice. "Still, I applaud your efforts! If I've heard correctly, you're quite a devious one. Always sneaking around behind your parents' backs. Doing things that they tell you not to. Yes, Narundi. You and I are going to get along just fine!!" R'aa'nlan laughed as he clapped Noaa'lan on the shoulder, but Noaa'lan could tell that R'aa'nlan liked him no more than he liked his father. His eyes shot daggers at Noaa'lan, and he could see the hatred in them.

"Now, go away, Narundi. I want to have a private moment to speak with my daughter," R'aa'nlan hissed as the frown returned to his face. Noaa'lan nodded and returned quietly to his speeder. Things definitely were getting worse and worse today. Noaa'lan sat silently in the darkness and longed for the comfort of his sleeping pallet back home.

He woke to the sound of J'aa'nalia jumping into the seat next to him.

"Ready to go?" She asked, excitedly.

"Sure. Are you feeling better?" Noaa'lan asked with concern.

J'aa'nalia nodded, and he could sense that she wasn't homesick anymore. He could see that she had a new determination in her eyes when she smiled at him. Noaa'lan fired up the repulsar lifts, and the speeder lifted up off the ground. Then, the landspeeder rocketed off through the night, back toward the Academy.

"My father told me to thank you for bringing me home," She said, interrupting the silence of the speeder-ride.

"Hey, it's no problem for me. I just wish he didn't know that I was the one who was taking you around. I don't think he liked me that much," Noaa'lan muttered.

"No, I think he treated you pretty decently, for a Narundi. He really hates your father. If your father would have dropped me off, I'm sure that my father would have picked a fight almost instantly! I mean, he smiled at you! And thanked you!" J'aa'nalia exclaimed, obviously amazed by what had happened.

Noaa'lan couldn't believe it himself. He could tell that R'aa'nlan still harbored resentment toward his father, but on the outside he seemed almost friendly. Maybe it would take some time, but Noaa'lan hoped he could show R'aa'nlan that not all of the Narundis were horrible people. He still wished he knew what it was that happened between R'aa'nlan and his father, and he wanted to see if J'aa'nalia knew anything about it. He looked over to ask her, but she had already fallen asleep in the passenger's seat. He decided to let her sleep.

"Wake up. We're here," Noaa'lan whispered. J'aa'nalia opened up her eyes and stretched.

"You better put back on your disguise, because we don't want to be detected by anybody," He said, and then transformed back into the Royal Guard he'd been earlier that night. She quickly followed suit, and the two of them walked quickly away from the landing grid toward J'aa'nalia's dorm. The two of them were almost home-free, and even Noaa'lan couldn't believe that they'd managed to sneak out undetected. They were about to cross the quad when Noaa'lan sensed someone was coming. He motioned for J'aa'nalia to keep herself out of sight, and he peered around the corner of one of the immense stone buildings.

There, in the dim moonlight, stood ten Royal Guards and the King himself. Cel'aanaeus Narundi seemed very perturbed as he led the guards on a search of the campus. His hair looked disheveled, and Noaa'lan could tell that his father had awoken from a sound sleep with the feeling that something just wasn't right. He knew that the person they were looking for wasn't J'aa'nalia. He had to think of another way to reach her dorm, because their disguises weren't foolproof.

"It's my father," He whispered softly through clenched teeth. "Got any good plans now??"

"Well," She said, pondering the situation. "We could always make a run for it"

"Great idea," Noaa'lan whispered back, rolling his eyes. Still, he couldn't think of a better one, and he decided to go once his father left the area.

Once the king was fully out of sight, Noaa'lan took J'aa'nie by the hand and the two of them raced across the quad. Noaa'lan could feel his heart pumping in his throat from the adrenaline.

'This is certainly proving to be a much more difficult experience than I'd bargained for,' Thought Noaa'lan as his fear of getting caught caused him to run faster. Surprisingly, J'aa'nie managed to keep up with him every step of the way. The two of them reached her front door and then collapsed against the wall, laughing and gasping to catch their breaths.

"Wow! That sure was fun, wasn't it?? We should try that again sometime!" J'aa'nalia said while gasping for breath.

"I don't know if I want to go through that again for a little while. I think I should at least tell my father where I'm going," Noaa'lan said with a smile.

"NO! You won't be allowed to bring me home if you tell him!" She said, giving him a hurt look.

"Well, if he finds out that I've been going around behind his back, then he'll be even less likely to let me take you to see your father!" He said, slowly standing back up again.

"We'll just play it a day at a time, ok? Anyways, thanks for taking me home, Noaa'lan," She said as Noaa'lan helped her to her feet. "I really appreciate it . . ." She whispered, trailing off.

"Hey, don't mention it," Noaa'lan said, smiling at her. He was about to say goodnight, but then he noticed the look that she was giving him. Her hazel eyes gazed up into his bright blue ones. It wasn't the look of admiration and gratitude that a freshman might give to a senior who helped her out, but one of seduction that a young woman would give to the man that she loved. Noaa'lan knew all too well what was about to happen, yet he found himself powerless to her gaze. She slid her hands along his chest and brought them to rest on his shoulders. Her eyes looked up, trying to confirm whether this was all right with him, but all Noaa'lan could do was stare deeper into her soft green eyes. The two of them leaned in, and their lips met. They kissed gently at first, but passion overpowered them. Noaa'lan had long since forgotten where he was, or what he was supposed to be doing. All he could feel was her lips pressing against his, her fingers running through his hair, her body becoming intertwined with his . . .

'You're a dead man!' Noaa'lan's mind yelled at him, jolting him back to reality. 'R'aa'nlan is going to kill you for this!!'

"J'aa'nie!" He gasped. "J'aa'nie, I think I have to go now. My father's going to catch me if I don't."

J'aa'nalia looked up at him in shock, and her eyes told him that she hadn't expected things to get so carried away either. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at what she had just done.

"Noaa'lan . . .I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened!!" She gushed.

"I don't know what happened to me either," Noaa'lan admitted. "I guess we're even then, aren't we?" J'aa'nalia nodded slowly, but he could sense that she still felt guilty. He smiled at her, and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"I have to go now," He said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, J'aa'nie."

"Bye Noaa'lan." She said, and then slipped back into her room.

Noaa'lan raced across the campus back to his speeder. Part of him felt really great, because now he knew that J'aa'nie also had feelings for him. The other part of him felt like he was slowly sinking. His father was going to catch him. Her father was going to find out about the two of them, and then he was going to eradicate Noaa'lan from the universe! This thought spurred Noaa'lan on. No. He wasn't going to get caught. Not just yet.

"Noaa'lan!" boomed a voice, and Noaa'lan froze in his tracks. "Where in El'aanus' name have you been? Your mother is frantic! She thinks you were kidnapped by assassins!!"

Noaa'lan turned to face the angry eyes of his father. He struggled to think up an excuse, but he knew that making excuses would be pointless when his father was this angry.

"Father, I think mother overreacts about that assassin stuff! We haven't even seen an assassin around these parts in the past twenty-four years!" Noaa'lan protested.

"If you think challenging our motives for searching is going to save your hide, you're sorely mistaken! You're coming with me, right now. Don't even worry a bit about your speeder. You won't be piloting that for a while!" His father said sharply. "Give me the keys!"

Noaa'lan shoved the keys to his most prized possession into his father's outstretched hand. He gave his father an angry scowl, but even he knew when he was defeated.

"Lets go!" Cel'aanaeus commanded roughly. Noaa'lan hung his head, and slowly obeyed orders. He could tell that this night was far from over.