-Yorda-
By Julie Danskin
Chapter 12 - Discovery -
Ico watched his sister sleeping intently all night while sitting in his bed, wondering how it could be that she, Siania, had led him to Yorda. Yorda, who had not noticed him. Yorda, who had been angry at her brother. Yorda, who was being pressurised to be married to someone she did not love. He knew this was not Yorda's intent.
Who had made Yorda an angry person? Who had made Yorda look so upset and lost that she could not stop to recognise her boy. Had he changed so much?
He got up from his bed silently and swept through into the larger room with the kitchen and living area. Right enough, above the fireplace, was a portrait of a young girl, half in light and half in shadow. It was a younger version of Yorda, most likely painted before she had been put in the cage. At the bottom was the strange lettering he could not understand; yet he was sure it was Yorda's language. But she spoke Ico's language to her brother. Everyone in the village spoke the language Ico could understand. In a place that Yorda was called Princess, why not speak what she had known to be her tongue?
Pondering on this yet not really caring, Ico jumped suddenly when he heard Siania's voice behind him suddenly.
"Ico," she whispered, "Is that the girl? The girl you saved?"
"Yes, Sai," Ico replied, not quite believing it after all these years of sadness knowing she was dead and was in fact alive, "Yes, that's Yorda."
"What does the writing say?"
"You'll have to ask her. She's coming this morning." Ico's heart pounded just thinking about it. Yorda was coming to see him. No, not him. Siania. Would she recognise Ico? Should he tell her if she didn't, and if she did should he deny it?
"Uhh, it is the morning! Didn't you sleep?" Siania laughed, and Ico whipped round to see out the window. The sun had risen fully, the sky turning blue and warm. Just for Yorda.
He started, and fumbled around, falling into his room and slamming the door shut, leaving Siania giggling hysterically.
When he emerged from his room in what he thought was an acceptable manner, he ordered his sister to go and change into a dress, not a skirt and a scabby blouse. Siania stomped off mumbling under her breath about how she had to wear stupid buttoned dresses as she couldn't slip a garment over her head because of her horns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A little while later, the anticipated and dreaded knock sounded at the door. Ico slowly walked towards it, scared as if it might bite him. Siania lunged forwards and he knocked her back, apologising clumsily. Open- mouthed, his sister scowled at him and he noticed tears in her eyes.
"Sai, try to understand," he said quietly, helping her to her feet. She brushed herself off quickly and wiped her eyes, and nodded, "This isn't easy for me, you know. We weren't friends like you and Tannie are. I don't expect you to, but try to understand."
Siania smiled and straightened the bow on the sash around her waist. Ico stood tall and swung the door open nervously. Instead of a beautiful young girl, a guard stood face to face with the young man and his horned sister.
"Princess Yorda," the guard announced, "You were expecting Her?"
"Yes," Ico replied croakily, "Yes, I - we, were."
The guard nodded and stepped aside. He reached up to his horse and held out a rough gloved hand. A silky, pale, delicate one collided with it elegantly and the form of Yorda slid from the magnificent stallion that she had ridden upon.
"I'll pick Her up at dusk," the guard said roughly, leading the princess to the gate.
"No, no, it's alright. I will bring her home safetly," Ico promised. The guard nodded and looked to the stable where Riia was resting. He bowed to Yorda and left.
Ico ushered Yorda into the house, his heart pounding helplessly against his ribs. He bowed to her, and she curtsied in return. She looked to Siania and beamed.
"I knew a horned boy once," she told her. Siania gave her an I-know- something-you-don't-know-yet look and glanced at Ico, before curtsying to Yorda too.
"My Lady," Ico croaked silently, "Would you like to come in and sit down? Can I fetch you something to eat?"
"Yes, please. Can I have an egg put to the boil? If it's not too much trouble." Yorda asked.
"No trouble! No, Sai, you want the same?" Ico tried his best to stay calm. It was nearly impossible.
"Yes please." Siania replied, and helped Yorda to a chair while Ico went to the kitchen at the other side of the room. He cooked the eggs with a bright red face and shaking hands, he prayed Yorda wouldn't see right through him. He would have to tell her. But not in front of Siania, it would be too awkward.
Ico served breakfast clumsily but carefully, and Yorda seemed to enjoy it. Ico didn't notice his food much. He was too busy looking at how slowly Yorda ate her food, seeming to wonder and appreciate where it had first come from and how it had been made.
Afterwards, Ico asked Siania to wash the dishes and then check Riia had everything she needed. He and Yorda walked outside into the fenced off garden, so no one would pester the princess while she was talking.
"Your sister is a nice girl," Yorda said politely.
"She is. She isn't my real sister, though. Her family adopted me when I escaped the Spirits and ran into the village. I was looking for yo - er - someone.
"I see. Did you find him? Her?"
He looked at her, "Eventually."
"You know what used to happen to horned children."
"You could say that."
"What do you mean?"
"It doesn't matter. Are you going to do that to Siania, Princess?"
"I'll avoid that circumstance the best I can, but I must be fair. It also depends on what the villagers want. I won't make an ultimate decision right now, it will take time."
"I'm in no rush."
"You were the boy that was in the room while my brother and I were arguing," she told him.
"Yes." Ico replied, not sure if he was glad she had changed the subject.
"What did you hear?"
"That you were being told to married to someone you weren't too keen on marrying."
"You don't know Giannias."
"I know you."
Yorda looked at him, bewildered. Her eyebrows raised and looked at his face strangely, as if searching for something.
"Yorda, don't you recognise me?" he asked her, hurt.
Suddenly a thousand memories flooded the princess and she gasped.
"Ico!" she faltered, and flopped down onto her backside against a large oak tree in the garden.
"It hurts me that you didn't know me when you first saw me, Princess," he told her painfully. She looked away.
"I was the one you were looking for," she whispered, "I thought you were dead."
"I thought you were. I didn't want to give up looking for you-"
'Nor did I. But Keoden - he made me believe the Spirits had devoured you. I tried to find you, but the people needed me here."
"Yorda-"
"Don't speak! It hurts to hear you speak," she shushed him, and felt his face gently, "You've changed so much."
"You've hardly changed at all," he told her deeply, searching into her soul through her sad, violet eyes, "I don't know what to do or say, Yorda. Help me."
"I can't-" she choked, "My people-"
Ico stopped her with his hand. He didn't want to hear about her duties to her people, nor her helplessness or her thinking he was dead. He didn't want to hear it, he only wanted to know one thing.
"Why did you run away?" he asked her, and her eyes snapped to his urgently.
"What?" she whispered.
"Why did you run away from the cave while I was sleeping? You didn't say goodbye."
"Because Keoden took me, Ico. I tried to get back but I couldn't, he tied me down. Please, forgive me," she thought. It was what she wanted to say, but the words couldn't, wouldn't come out.
"Because I couldn't cope with it all. You were scared, I was scared, we had nowhere to go, no-one to help us-"
"We helped each other! We could have found a village and - and lived happily ever after and-"
"But we didn't, did we? And I'm glad."
Ico stood abruptly, as did she. He pointed to the gate that also led back to the road.
"Go. You can walk yourself to your grand castle. I won't demean you with my unworthy horse and company," he told her bitterly.
"Ico-" Yorda began, but scowled at him, stuck her nose in the air and ran to the gate, holding back mountains of tears. She stopped breathlessly, as if expecting him to call her back. Instead, he said to her sadly,
"I'm sorry for what you've become," and he turned his back on her and walked back into the house.
It was then that Yorda cried.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Sobbing, Yorda kept to the shadows of the streets and sank down against the bitter dirt of the ground that mercilessly sucked her into sorrow. She had found Ico, and she had hurt him. He had told her he was sorry of what she had become. So was Yorda.
She looked at her hand, pale and delicate - and powerful at the same time. Her physical strength was not of the best, but her people skills and mental awareness was something the villages of the islands she reigned respected most about her. The people that Ico had never known, how could he know how important they were to her?
Because he knows you, her mind nagged her impatiently. Go back to him.
"No. No no, I can't go back to Ico, he can't forgive me," Yorda muttered to herself.
You can. Make him forgive you. What have you to lose when you have so much to gain?
"What have I to lose? Everything. To gain - love."
With that knowledge, Yorda turned back.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ico tried his hardest to be angry with Yorda, tried to hate her. He looked to the sky to block out tears, warm and sunny still.
"What can I do now?" he asked the sky, "I've lost Yorda again, and I've doomed Siania surely."
"Knock, knock," answered the sky. Ico blinked, surprised, and looked to the gate of the garden. He ignored it and moved to return into the house, "Knock, knock."
Ico started, and moved towards the gate. It was not the sky that was at the door. Was it Yorda's guard, here to execute him and Siania? Was it Yorda herself, here to tell him that she would take Siania to die? He knew he could find out who was at the door and what they wanted unless he opened it. His hand touched the latch, and the "Knock, knock" returned again impatiently. Ico swung it open.
Yorda.
"Ico-" she began.
"Don't take Siania. Take me instead, please. I'm sorry I told you to go, Your Majesty, I was not thinking!" Ico begged desperately, ready to get down on his knees. He cared deeply for Siania, and could not bear to go back to Raath and his wife empty - handed. She stopped his descent by taking his upraised hand and pulling gently.
"Ico, don't apologise, please. I was in the wrong. My people are important, but so is my past," she told him. Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, he reacted. Slowly, but he thought it was a good one.
"That's all I am, your past?" he challenged. He was putting himself in deep water again, but it needed to be said. Yorda certainly hadn't been expecting it, as she stepped back slightly. He let her in through the gate and she sat underneath the tree she had previously sat under, rocking her knees slightly.
Ico stopped at her, crouching down and touching the ground next to her. He wasn't sure whether to apologise or not.
"Is that all I am to you now, Yorda? A person from the past?" he asked again, determined for an answer. She looked up at him sadly.
"You'll always be something else. . . I just don't know what and how. . ." she murmured almost silently, but he heard her. He placed his hand on her knee firmly to stop her rocking. Ico struggled to answer.
"I missed you," said Ico, "And if you missed me too, then that's all that matters."
Yorda leaned forward and Ico broke the gaze. She crooked her finger and placed it under his chin, pushing it upwards to look at her.
"Of course I missed you," she whispered, "There wasn't a day that went by I didn't think about you."
Ico could have cried.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ico and Siania took Yorda home, the girls on the horse's back while Ico walked on its side.
"I'll need to come back and speak to you both," Yorda said. Ico wasn't about to argue, but Siania chipped in.
"Why?" she asked, but then saw Ico's dagger gaze, "Not that I don't want you to, Princess," she added quickly. Yorda smiled reassuringly.
"Because I need to know you better, Siania, so I can strengthen your case. I may have to come often," she replied, "You see, if it was up to me you'd be home already, but it's up to the villagers of Ara P'Way too."
"But the villagers don't like me-"
"We'll talk tomorrow. Is tomorrow alright, Sir?" Yorda asked. Ico took a while before he realised she was addressing him.
"Yes. We aren't doing anything," Ico expressed obviously, "Same time?"
"Evening, I think. Would dinnertime be appropriate?"
"Very. Thank you, Princess. We would be most honoured. Wouldn't we, Siania?"
"What? Oh - uh - yes, very, " Siania replied, smiling. She continued to smile until they reached the castle door, when she ran up and knocked on it excitedly. Ico wondered why, but when Biocha answered it and she leapt on him, he remembered how much she twittered about him before bedtime the previous night.
"Biocha!" she called happily, and he chuckled.
"It's a good thing the prince isn't here to see me - Oh! Princess! I wasn't expecting-" Biocha stopped himself. Yorda walked in the door with Ico behind her and removed her rain cape, handing it to Biocha, who took it automatically.
"That's alright, Biocha," she answered politely and smiled, "Ico, would you escort me upstairs please? I'd like you to meet my brother."
"Of course, Princess," Ico replied, "Biocha, is it alright if-"
Biocha nodded his head vigorously, and Ico walked up the stairs with Yorda, leaving Siania with the guard.
They reached the chamber door Ico had first seen Yorda in again, where she and her brother had had their fight. He wondered if they fought often, and if Yorda would give in this time. He prayed she wouldn't, as he hated to see her unhappy. They entered the room, Yorda first.
The chamber was empty, yet Ico felt another presence in the room, as if they weren't alone. Ico shook it off as Yorda was waving in front of him, trying to get his attention.
"I'm just going to get changed into something less wet, alright Ico?" she told him, and walked off into another room quite far away. It was when she mentioned getting changed that he noticed she was wearing a similar dress she had worn in the castle when he knew her, except that it was longer and the pattern was slightly different.
Ico wandered around the chamber again. At the other side of the room was a door. Ico walked up to it, and to his astonishment heard mumbling coming from inside.
Ico's heart pounced into his throat and he had to swallow to be allowed to breathe again. He pressed his ear against the door and heard the voices clearer.
"I tell you I don't think it's a good idea!" one voice said, one Ico didn't recall.
"It's the only way, Giannias, she has to go if our plan is going to work!" another voice Ico recognised as Keoden's snapped in return. Ico remained still.
"Can't we do something else, you know, like-"
"LIKE WHAT? There is no other way! Yorda must be disposed of or else-"
"This isn't gonna work, Keo. I can feel it in my bones . . ."
"Don't be such a coward! You of all people should be begging for this idea to go ahead, it can make you king, Giannias!"
There was laughter from the other man, who was called Giannias, it seemed. Ico didn't want to hear it, but he dared not stop listening.
"More like it could make you king!"
"I'm not marrying her, fool!"
"Well you can't make her marry me! What's the plan, Keo? Kill her then kill me? Why not just kill her yourself, you'd be next in line anyway!"
"Too obvious, Giannias. If it looks like you killed her after the marriage then I'll-"
"You're framing ME?!"
"It's alright. I'll be made king and make sure you don't hang."
"Well that's reassuring."
"Good. So it's a dead? I mean deal?"
No, no no! Ico silently prayed. No, don't do it, you stupid man! He tried to force himself to believe Yorda could refuse to marry this man Giannias, but knew simultaneously that if Keoden wanted her dead he could do it. But why? Surely the kingdom was not so important-
"Ico?" Yorda asked from the opposite side of the room. Ico had only just enough time to listen to hear "Deal" from Giannias. Ico closed his eyes sadly.
"No," he whispered, inaudibly luckily.
"Ico?" Yorda said again, "Are you alright?"
"Yorda, I just heard - I just - I have to hear - I mean go," he managed to stammer. Yorda looked at him funnily but nodded her head.
As he swept out of the door, Yorda watched his fearful face. It resembled the look he wore three years ago when he met Yorda's mother face to face. Excepting of course that Ico was no longer a boy but a young man she was finding herself unwillingly attracted to.
She felt herself loving Ico again, although in what way she did not know. She would ask him tomorrow how he felt.
"Absence really did make the heart grow fonder," she thought to herself, smiling.
Unaware of the danger being planned for her.
Unaware of everything.
Chapter 12 - Discovery -
Ico watched his sister sleeping intently all night while sitting in his bed, wondering how it could be that she, Siania, had led him to Yorda. Yorda, who had not noticed him. Yorda, who had been angry at her brother. Yorda, who was being pressurised to be married to someone she did not love. He knew this was not Yorda's intent.
Who had made Yorda an angry person? Who had made Yorda look so upset and lost that she could not stop to recognise her boy. Had he changed so much?
He got up from his bed silently and swept through into the larger room with the kitchen and living area. Right enough, above the fireplace, was a portrait of a young girl, half in light and half in shadow. It was a younger version of Yorda, most likely painted before she had been put in the cage. At the bottom was the strange lettering he could not understand; yet he was sure it was Yorda's language. But she spoke Ico's language to her brother. Everyone in the village spoke the language Ico could understand. In a place that Yorda was called Princess, why not speak what she had known to be her tongue?
Pondering on this yet not really caring, Ico jumped suddenly when he heard Siania's voice behind him suddenly.
"Ico," she whispered, "Is that the girl? The girl you saved?"
"Yes, Sai," Ico replied, not quite believing it after all these years of sadness knowing she was dead and was in fact alive, "Yes, that's Yorda."
"What does the writing say?"
"You'll have to ask her. She's coming this morning." Ico's heart pounded just thinking about it. Yorda was coming to see him. No, not him. Siania. Would she recognise Ico? Should he tell her if she didn't, and if she did should he deny it?
"Uhh, it is the morning! Didn't you sleep?" Siania laughed, and Ico whipped round to see out the window. The sun had risen fully, the sky turning blue and warm. Just for Yorda.
He started, and fumbled around, falling into his room and slamming the door shut, leaving Siania giggling hysterically.
When he emerged from his room in what he thought was an acceptable manner, he ordered his sister to go and change into a dress, not a skirt and a scabby blouse. Siania stomped off mumbling under her breath about how she had to wear stupid buttoned dresses as she couldn't slip a garment over her head because of her horns.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A little while later, the anticipated and dreaded knock sounded at the door. Ico slowly walked towards it, scared as if it might bite him. Siania lunged forwards and he knocked her back, apologising clumsily. Open- mouthed, his sister scowled at him and he noticed tears in her eyes.
"Sai, try to understand," he said quietly, helping her to her feet. She brushed herself off quickly and wiped her eyes, and nodded, "This isn't easy for me, you know. We weren't friends like you and Tannie are. I don't expect you to, but try to understand."
Siania smiled and straightened the bow on the sash around her waist. Ico stood tall and swung the door open nervously. Instead of a beautiful young girl, a guard stood face to face with the young man and his horned sister.
"Princess Yorda," the guard announced, "You were expecting Her?"
"Yes," Ico replied croakily, "Yes, I - we, were."
The guard nodded and stepped aside. He reached up to his horse and held out a rough gloved hand. A silky, pale, delicate one collided with it elegantly and the form of Yorda slid from the magnificent stallion that she had ridden upon.
"I'll pick Her up at dusk," the guard said roughly, leading the princess to the gate.
"No, no, it's alright. I will bring her home safetly," Ico promised. The guard nodded and looked to the stable where Riia was resting. He bowed to Yorda and left.
Ico ushered Yorda into the house, his heart pounding helplessly against his ribs. He bowed to her, and she curtsied in return. She looked to Siania and beamed.
"I knew a horned boy once," she told her. Siania gave her an I-know- something-you-don't-know-yet look and glanced at Ico, before curtsying to Yorda too.
"My Lady," Ico croaked silently, "Would you like to come in and sit down? Can I fetch you something to eat?"
"Yes, please. Can I have an egg put to the boil? If it's not too much trouble." Yorda asked.
"No trouble! No, Sai, you want the same?" Ico tried his best to stay calm. It was nearly impossible.
"Yes please." Siania replied, and helped Yorda to a chair while Ico went to the kitchen at the other side of the room. He cooked the eggs with a bright red face and shaking hands, he prayed Yorda wouldn't see right through him. He would have to tell her. But not in front of Siania, it would be too awkward.
Ico served breakfast clumsily but carefully, and Yorda seemed to enjoy it. Ico didn't notice his food much. He was too busy looking at how slowly Yorda ate her food, seeming to wonder and appreciate where it had first come from and how it had been made.
Afterwards, Ico asked Siania to wash the dishes and then check Riia had everything she needed. He and Yorda walked outside into the fenced off garden, so no one would pester the princess while she was talking.
"Your sister is a nice girl," Yorda said politely.
"She is. She isn't my real sister, though. Her family adopted me when I escaped the Spirits and ran into the village. I was looking for yo - er - someone.
"I see. Did you find him? Her?"
He looked at her, "Eventually."
"You know what used to happen to horned children."
"You could say that."
"What do you mean?"
"It doesn't matter. Are you going to do that to Siania, Princess?"
"I'll avoid that circumstance the best I can, but I must be fair. It also depends on what the villagers want. I won't make an ultimate decision right now, it will take time."
"I'm in no rush."
"You were the boy that was in the room while my brother and I were arguing," she told him.
"Yes." Ico replied, not sure if he was glad she had changed the subject.
"What did you hear?"
"That you were being told to married to someone you weren't too keen on marrying."
"You don't know Giannias."
"I know you."
Yorda looked at him, bewildered. Her eyebrows raised and looked at his face strangely, as if searching for something.
"Yorda, don't you recognise me?" he asked her, hurt.
Suddenly a thousand memories flooded the princess and she gasped.
"Ico!" she faltered, and flopped down onto her backside against a large oak tree in the garden.
"It hurts me that you didn't know me when you first saw me, Princess," he told her painfully. She looked away.
"I was the one you were looking for," she whispered, "I thought you were dead."
"I thought you were. I didn't want to give up looking for you-"
'Nor did I. But Keoden - he made me believe the Spirits had devoured you. I tried to find you, but the people needed me here."
"Yorda-"
"Don't speak! It hurts to hear you speak," she shushed him, and felt his face gently, "You've changed so much."
"You've hardly changed at all," he told her deeply, searching into her soul through her sad, violet eyes, "I don't know what to do or say, Yorda. Help me."
"I can't-" she choked, "My people-"
Ico stopped her with his hand. He didn't want to hear about her duties to her people, nor her helplessness or her thinking he was dead. He didn't want to hear it, he only wanted to know one thing.
"Why did you run away?" he asked her, and her eyes snapped to his urgently.
"What?" she whispered.
"Why did you run away from the cave while I was sleeping? You didn't say goodbye."
"Because Keoden took me, Ico. I tried to get back but I couldn't, he tied me down. Please, forgive me," she thought. It was what she wanted to say, but the words couldn't, wouldn't come out.
"Because I couldn't cope with it all. You were scared, I was scared, we had nowhere to go, no-one to help us-"
"We helped each other! We could have found a village and - and lived happily ever after and-"
"But we didn't, did we? And I'm glad."
Ico stood abruptly, as did she. He pointed to the gate that also led back to the road.
"Go. You can walk yourself to your grand castle. I won't demean you with my unworthy horse and company," he told her bitterly.
"Ico-" Yorda began, but scowled at him, stuck her nose in the air and ran to the gate, holding back mountains of tears. She stopped breathlessly, as if expecting him to call her back. Instead, he said to her sadly,
"I'm sorry for what you've become," and he turned his back on her and walked back into the house.
It was then that Yorda cried.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Sobbing, Yorda kept to the shadows of the streets and sank down against the bitter dirt of the ground that mercilessly sucked her into sorrow. She had found Ico, and she had hurt him. He had told her he was sorry of what she had become. So was Yorda.
She looked at her hand, pale and delicate - and powerful at the same time. Her physical strength was not of the best, but her people skills and mental awareness was something the villages of the islands she reigned respected most about her. The people that Ico had never known, how could he know how important they were to her?
Because he knows you, her mind nagged her impatiently. Go back to him.
"No. No no, I can't go back to Ico, he can't forgive me," Yorda muttered to herself.
You can. Make him forgive you. What have you to lose when you have so much to gain?
"What have I to lose? Everything. To gain - love."
With that knowledge, Yorda turned back.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ico tried his hardest to be angry with Yorda, tried to hate her. He looked to the sky to block out tears, warm and sunny still.
"What can I do now?" he asked the sky, "I've lost Yorda again, and I've doomed Siania surely."
"Knock, knock," answered the sky. Ico blinked, surprised, and looked to the gate of the garden. He ignored it and moved to return into the house, "Knock, knock."
Ico started, and moved towards the gate. It was not the sky that was at the door. Was it Yorda's guard, here to execute him and Siania? Was it Yorda herself, here to tell him that she would take Siania to die? He knew he could find out who was at the door and what they wanted unless he opened it. His hand touched the latch, and the "Knock, knock" returned again impatiently. Ico swung it open.
Yorda.
"Ico-" she began.
"Don't take Siania. Take me instead, please. I'm sorry I told you to go, Your Majesty, I was not thinking!" Ico begged desperately, ready to get down on his knees. He cared deeply for Siania, and could not bear to go back to Raath and his wife empty - handed. She stopped his descent by taking his upraised hand and pulling gently.
"Ico, don't apologise, please. I was in the wrong. My people are important, but so is my past," she told him. Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, he reacted. Slowly, but he thought it was a good one.
"That's all I am, your past?" he challenged. He was putting himself in deep water again, but it needed to be said. Yorda certainly hadn't been expecting it, as she stepped back slightly. He let her in through the gate and she sat underneath the tree she had previously sat under, rocking her knees slightly.
Ico stopped at her, crouching down and touching the ground next to her. He wasn't sure whether to apologise or not.
"Is that all I am to you now, Yorda? A person from the past?" he asked again, determined for an answer. She looked up at him sadly.
"You'll always be something else. . . I just don't know what and how. . ." she murmured almost silently, but he heard her. He placed his hand on her knee firmly to stop her rocking. Ico struggled to answer.
"I missed you," said Ico, "And if you missed me too, then that's all that matters."
Yorda leaned forward and Ico broke the gaze. She crooked her finger and placed it under his chin, pushing it upwards to look at her.
"Of course I missed you," she whispered, "There wasn't a day that went by I didn't think about you."
Ico could have cried.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ico and Siania took Yorda home, the girls on the horse's back while Ico walked on its side.
"I'll need to come back and speak to you both," Yorda said. Ico wasn't about to argue, but Siania chipped in.
"Why?" she asked, but then saw Ico's dagger gaze, "Not that I don't want you to, Princess," she added quickly. Yorda smiled reassuringly.
"Because I need to know you better, Siania, so I can strengthen your case. I may have to come often," she replied, "You see, if it was up to me you'd be home already, but it's up to the villagers of Ara P'Way too."
"But the villagers don't like me-"
"We'll talk tomorrow. Is tomorrow alright, Sir?" Yorda asked. Ico took a while before he realised she was addressing him.
"Yes. We aren't doing anything," Ico expressed obviously, "Same time?"
"Evening, I think. Would dinnertime be appropriate?"
"Very. Thank you, Princess. We would be most honoured. Wouldn't we, Siania?"
"What? Oh - uh - yes, very, " Siania replied, smiling. She continued to smile until they reached the castle door, when she ran up and knocked on it excitedly. Ico wondered why, but when Biocha answered it and she leapt on him, he remembered how much she twittered about him before bedtime the previous night.
"Biocha!" she called happily, and he chuckled.
"It's a good thing the prince isn't here to see me - Oh! Princess! I wasn't expecting-" Biocha stopped himself. Yorda walked in the door with Ico behind her and removed her rain cape, handing it to Biocha, who took it automatically.
"That's alright, Biocha," she answered politely and smiled, "Ico, would you escort me upstairs please? I'd like you to meet my brother."
"Of course, Princess," Ico replied, "Biocha, is it alright if-"
Biocha nodded his head vigorously, and Ico walked up the stairs with Yorda, leaving Siania with the guard.
They reached the chamber door Ico had first seen Yorda in again, where she and her brother had had their fight. He wondered if they fought often, and if Yorda would give in this time. He prayed she wouldn't, as he hated to see her unhappy. They entered the room, Yorda first.
The chamber was empty, yet Ico felt another presence in the room, as if they weren't alone. Ico shook it off as Yorda was waving in front of him, trying to get his attention.
"I'm just going to get changed into something less wet, alright Ico?" she told him, and walked off into another room quite far away. It was when she mentioned getting changed that he noticed she was wearing a similar dress she had worn in the castle when he knew her, except that it was longer and the pattern was slightly different.
Ico wandered around the chamber again. At the other side of the room was a door. Ico walked up to it, and to his astonishment heard mumbling coming from inside.
Ico's heart pounced into his throat and he had to swallow to be allowed to breathe again. He pressed his ear against the door and heard the voices clearer.
"I tell you I don't think it's a good idea!" one voice said, one Ico didn't recall.
"It's the only way, Giannias, she has to go if our plan is going to work!" another voice Ico recognised as Keoden's snapped in return. Ico remained still.
"Can't we do something else, you know, like-"
"LIKE WHAT? There is no other way! Yorda must be disposed of or else-"
"This isn't gonna work, Keo. I can feel it in my bones . . ."
"Don't be such a coward! You of all people should be begging for this idea to go ahead, it can make you king, Giannias!"
There was laughter from the other man, who was called Giannias, it seemed. Ico didn't want to hear it, but he dared not stop listening.
"More like it could make you king!"
"I'm not marrying her, fool!"
"Well you can't make her marry me! What's the plan, Keo? Kill her then kill me? Why not just kill her yourself, you'd be next in line anyway!"
"Too obvious, Giannias. If it looks like you killed her after the marriage then I'll-"
"You're framing ME?!"
"It's alright. I'll be made king and make sure you don't hang."
"Well that's reassuring."
"Good. So it's a dead? I mean deal?"
No, no no! Ico silently prayed. No, don't do it, you stupid man! He tried to force himself to believe Yorda could refuse to marry this man Giannias, but knew simultaneously that if Keoden wanted her dead he could do it. But why? Surely the kingdom was not so important-
"Ico?" Yorda asked from the opposite side of the room. Ico had only just enough time to listen to hear "Deal" from Giannias. Ico closed his eyes sadly.
"No," he whispered, inaudibly luckily.
"Ico?" Yorda said again, "Are you alright?"
"Yorda, I just heard - I just - I have to hear - I mean go," he managed to stammer. Yorda looked at him funnily but nodded her head.
As he swept out of the door, Yorda watched his fearful face. It resembled the look he wore three years ago when he met Yorda's mother face to face. Excepting of course that Ico was no longer a boy but a young man she was finding herself unwillingly attracted to.
She felt herself loving Ico again, although in what way she did not know. She would ask him tomorrow how he felt.
"Absence really did make the heart grow fonder," she thought to herself, smiling.
Unaware of the danger being planned for her.
Unaware of everything.