-Yorda- By Julie Danskin
Chapter 15 - Torn -
Author's note :Hey sorry been so long. I've been writing new stories about Invader Zim (fans of IZ check it out) and making a skeleton of what happens next. Anyway here is the fifteenth chapter ppl. NOW REVIEW!

How long have I been writing this? Exxxxactly. No damn excuse. Honestly. Bet you didn't think someone as crazy as me could write something sweet! Well I did and it made me puke. Nah, it's Yorda so it's cool. As reply to a previous review, it is true, Yorda is the bomb and this story is hers. I hope you are enjoying this, people. It was only meant to be about five chapters, but then I got an idea and hey . . . I get carried away, alright? Now, on with the story. Look out for Keoden being nasty to Ico and Giannias coming back for another snidy fight with our Yordie-Poop! REVIEW!!!!!!!! Or feel my wrath .

About a week later, Yorda made a couple of other visits to see Ico and made an arrangement for them to come to talk with her, so Siania could play with Biocha. They were due to arrive around about mid-afternoon in time for reservations to be made for dinner.

She was in a reasonably cheery mood, looking forward to tonight. At the moment she was seeking Keoden, to try and convince him to let Ico and Siania stay in the house while she made her decision. She found him in the room Giannias trapped her in, she was careful to keep the key in her pocket and leave the door unlocked but closed.

She sat down beside him and forced a smile.

"Hello, Keoden," she said pleasantly. He acknowledged her presence grudgingly and nodded.

"Hello," he replied, "Were you looking for me?"

"Yes," Yorda answered, surprised Keoden had guessed. He always seemed to just take things as they came to him, and didn't care how. She presumed it was more a question to be polite, "I have to talk to you."

"Giannias told me about what happened last week," Keoden told her without sympathy or emotion. Yorda scowled.

"Did he now?" she retorted coldly, "What did he say exactly?"

"Just about what happened. About how you refused to marry him."

Yorda laughed as if it were the funniest joke in the world.

"Is that all?" she asked, smiling.

"He told me he was a little - ah - rough with you, Yorda. No harm done. You know Giannias has a foul temper, and he does love you so, he hates to hear you say-"

"Oh Keoden enough of your shit. I know about-" Yorda stopped herself just in time. She had nearly said she knew about the plot to kill her, "I know that he doesn't love me, he just wants the crown." Better. It would still make Keoden angry, but he didn't know she knew, which gave her the advantage. Didn't it?

"Is this what you came to see me about?" Keoden snapped irritably.

"No - you know that the girl and her guardian are coming for dinner this evening?" she replied, glad to have the subject changed.

"Yes, I vaguely recall. What about it?"

"I wondered if perhaps their stay could be a little longer."

"As in?"

"Until the matter is settled. It shouldn't be much longer anyway, Keo. Please? It saves me having to travel down there and back up, or them coming here."

"I don't know if the time calls for it, Yorda. With all due respect-"

Yorda thought this was a good place to challenge him.

"Why doesn't the time call for it? What's different around here that it would not be appropriate for an important matter to be sorted?"

"I - very well. I'll have Biocha send a message for them to bring their horse and belongings. If I'm going to be associated with them, I had best know the names to call them by."

Why did he say "them" so distastefully?

"Thank you, Keoden. The girl is called Siania, the man is known as Ico."

Keoden's eyes narrowed. He remembered.

"Ico was the name of the boy from the castle," he snarled, "What are you playing at, Yorda?"

Yorda's heart beat in a panic but she remained calm and steady.

"I am "playing" at nothing, Keoden. It is just a coincidence that the boy has grown up and brought his adopted sister on her twelfth birthday. I hardly remember him myself!"

"Is this the truth you are telling me, or are you playing a game that has no appeal to me?"

"Keoden you surprise me. I thought you were perhaps more mature. I have been surprised by it but moved on. He means nothing to me now as he is part of my past. You told me I had to forget yourself! So why are you angry at me?"

"You once said you had no life without Ico. You had been willing to die to find him."

"You led me to believe he was dead."

"I was sure he was dead! How he survived I have no idea . . ."

He's controlling the Spirits! No wonder they do not bother him when he rides, or when he took me from Ico. Oh God, he tried to kill Ico! Yorda thought angrily, furiously. She glared at Keoden disbelievingly. She hated him.

"Well it is him and he is coming to stay until you subside this silly feud over Siania. Let the girl go home. Our mother's reign is done, let me do it my way," Yorda snapped at him, unable to look at him anymore. She walked briskly to the door, flung it open and slammed it behind her. She fled outside and looked at the rose garden. She sank down into the flowers crying.

High above from a window, Keoden watched her with glaring eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Ico had been given the information that he was to stay at the castle and was overjoyed for a number of reasons. One of course being the fact he would be able to keep a close eye on Yorda. Two was that they wouldn't have to travel so far, nor Yorda having to make two journeys. Three was that they were going to live with fine dining and comfortable accommodations instead of this rubbish heap. Four was that Siania would be able to play with Biocha. Five was that he would be with Yorda.

He and Siania longed for the evening but time was spiteful and dragged. They were ready and packed in an hour and were waiting on the time to depart.

"Ico," Siania moaned, "Is it time to go yet?"

Ico stared at the hand-made sun dial, the shadow was just about in position.

"Well, it can't hurt to leave a little earlier than we're supposed to-" he began, but Siania cut him off with a jerk, and she ran to Riia.

"Yes! Well, let's go on then, get out of this dump! Help me on Riia, she's too tall!" Siania yelped excitedly, and Ico scowled, but helped her on to the horse, then getting on himself. Their small amount of luggage was put on Siania's lap.

"Siania, it may not be as nice as the house in Furwha, but it gave us a roof over our heads," he told her, although he was secretly very glad to get out of there too.

"Okay, okay," she allowed, "Come on, Yorda's waiting for yooou!"

Ico smiled wryly and patted Riia, signaling her to go.

* * * * * * * * * * *

After the journey, which had been shortened significantly because of the horse, Ico knocked on the large door, which was almost immediately answered by Biocha.

"Do you never not work, Biocha?" Ico joked. Biocha laughed gruffly as he scooped Siania into his arms.

"Sure I don't . I go home at night!" he replied, pretending to be defensive.

Ico smiled and took Siania by the hand, telling her she could see Biocha later, but they had to meet Prince Keoden. They walked through into a large room with a blazing fire at the opposite wall to which they were standing. Adjacent to them was a large wooden bench with a table laden with food.

Sitting at the bench was Keoden, Yorda, and the man Ico supposed to be Giannias. He held a growl in his throat, and restrained himself from attacking him. Instead, he bowed to Keoden, that took a lot of effort too, but walking up to Yorda and kissing her hand melted him inside.

"Hello, Ico," she said delicately, winking subtlely at him. He smiled slightly.

"My Princess," he said respectfully, and sat next to Keoden. Siania sat next to Ico at the end of the bench. Ico could see clearly Giannias enjoyed sitting next to Yorda, who tried her best to ignore his slurred remarks, but Ico could see she was feeling uneasy.

Ico ate slowly, not wanting to take his eye off Yorda or Giannias for that matter, but the man plotting to kill Yorda didn't seem to do anything other than flatter her, which was evidently getting on her nerves. He would be glad when he and Yorda could talk. Ico had to find some way to foil Keoden and Giannias' plan, but he had a bad feeling that he had perhaps left it too late.

He cast a look over to Yorda that seemed to reassure her as she relaxed, and gave him a look that simply said, "I love you," without it being said. Giannias didn't seem to notice, but Ico felt a little stupid when Keoden moved next to him warningly.

After dinner, Ico and Siania were shown their rooms by Keoden, who told Siania she could pack later, so she went downstairs to speak to Biocha. Ico made to follow her, but Keoden's arm shot out in front of his path.

Ico glowered at Keoden.

"Can I go now?" he asked politely.

"I'd like to have a talk with you first," Keoden snarled, and gestured to a sofa, "Please,"

Ico frowned and walked over to the sofa, Keoden following him closely.

'What if he stabbed me in the back right now?' Ico thought uneasily, an unwelcome shiver shooting up his spine, 'He could do it easily enough, there's nothing stopping him.'

Ico sat down, Keoden doing the same about a foot away from him. He glared at Ico.

"You're the boy that saved her," Keoden said coldly.

"Yes. How did you-" Ico trailed off.

"She told me of course. Didn't want to leave you, had no choice but to take her away by force, you know what these girls are like -"

"Wait a minute," Ico interrupted, "Yorda ran away from the cave that night."

Keoden raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"If you like," he said dismissively.

"What happened?" Ico demanded, knowing he was risking it. If this guy was dangerous then it wasn't a good idea, never mind that Ico was questioning a prince. Yet he had to know the truth.

"I came to the cave that night," Keoden sighed wearily, as if he couldn't be bothered, "I came and she fainted so I took her away."

"You stole her?" Ico gasped, remembering his frantic searching the morning after. He had been twelve then, "Why would she lie to me? She told me she ran away!"

Keoden gave him a funny look.

"Why are you so worked up about this? You're here for your sister, aren't you?" he challenged.

Ico frowned angrily. He wanted more than anything to rip this man's throat out and strangle Giannias with it.

"Of course I am," he snapped, then again as if to reassure himself, "Yes, I'm here for Siania."

Keoden smiled, as if he had just gotten Ico to give him some very confidential information.

"I saw the way you looked at Yorda today," Keoden sneered, talking very quietly, and Ico's head shot up to meet Keoden's cold eyes, "I know you love her."

Ico scowled.

"Don't be ridiculous . " he murmured in defense. Keoden chuckled.

"Are you pretending? I can see right through you, Ico. And I bet her fiancé can, too."

"Giannias isn't her fiancé! She hates him!"

Keoden now laughed aloud, which made Ico shudder.

"So you do love her. Well I suggest you stop right now. A Princess has not time for an insignificant peasant boy like you!"

"I didn't ask for it!" Ico snapped angrily. He may as well fight it out now, Keoden knew, really.

"No, no. Of course not. I think you should stay out of the Princess' way while you're here, don't you? We don't want your sister to be here any longer . than she has to be."

"Are you threatening me with a child's life?" Ico spat, "You're pathetic!"

"Maybe so, but I've worked too hard for this."

"So what if I refuse?"

"Well, I can guarantee your sister's life . or yours for that matter."

Ico frowned and held back a growl.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, Yorda sat at the dining table still with Giannias whispering in her ear.

"Marry me, Princess. I can make you so happy," he murmured.

"If I'm happy in my grave, then no doubt you could," Yorda snapped back, now had enough.

Giannias laughed softly, making Yorda feel very uneasy. She wanted Ico, knew he was only upstairs, a cal away. A floor away .

"Keoden tells me . " Giannias began, stroking a strand of her hair. Yorda pulled it from him angrily.

"I don't care what Keoden has told you. I'm not going to marry you," she said angrily.

"Keoden tells me," Giannias continued, ignoring her, "That you love the peasant boy the horned girl comes with. Says you have a past together. Is that true?"

Yorda's blood ran cold. How could Keoden have known?

"What business of it is yours?" she snapped.

"A lot of my business, Princess," Giannias slurred, "Seen as I do not like competition."

"You were never in the running," Yorda said coldly.

"Owch! That hurt, Princess. But not as much as your peasant lover will if you refuse again."

Yorda looked at him with pure horror and disgust glued on her face. Giannias lifted a hand to stroke her face but she slapped it away. He crushed his lips against hers, and she pushed him away angrily.

"Get off me!" she cried, "Get out!"

"No. Not unless you want your Ico to die. You don't want that, do you?"

"No . "

"I'm sure I can come to an arrangement with your brother. If you agree to marry me, I will see to it your boyfriend and his horned sister get out safetly."

Yorda said nothing, her eyes wide in horror.

Ico .

"Well? What will you do? Will you marry me?"

Ico, forgive me please .

"Well?"

Ico, I love you Ico .

"Yes," she whispered, "Yes, you win. Alright."

Ico .