Author's note: Hey guys!

True, like Tara says, the romance's the point. But never fear, the story's halfway over now.

Dominic; promise, promise, promise, there is Cole/Alyssa stuff coming. Promise.

Being Royalty

When she returned she looked every bit a princess. Dressed in a rich gown and wearing jewelry, she glided down the hall and stopped in front of the dais to curtsey.

"We are honored, my Lady." the King said, rising to bow. Cerbhall came around the table and extended his hand to her; she accepted it easily, allowing him to help her to a seat beside the queen.

"Isn't this your seat?" she murmured.

"Every man in this hall would attack me if I put you anywhere else." he answered, helping her into the seat. "I've been demoted…may as well face it."

"Awww." Deirbhile said, smiling.

"Tell me, Princess." the Queen said. "How did you manage to tame my son?"

"I don't really know. Good luck, I guess."

"Where are you from, Deirbhile?" the King asked.

"It's only a small country, my Lord; it lies beyond Gaul, to the south. We are not a famous country, nor do we seek to be."

"Do you stand to inherit?" King Cathal went on. Cerbhall groaned, sinking his head into his hands.

"No, my Lord, I have an elder brother. Besides, where I come from, women rule only occasionally."

"How odd." the Queen commented. "Some of our country's most famous and brilliant rulers have been women."

"One of our most loved rulers was a woman as well," Deirbhile told her, "but as a rule our men rule."

"Tell me, son," the King said, turning away from Deirbhile, "what did you find out while familiarizing yourself with our lands?"

"Well, for one thing," he leaned forward, "I think we ought to stop clearing trees for farmland." Deirbhile stared at him.

"Why, exactly?" the King asked.

"Cleared land isn't good for farming anyway. Besides, we haven't the people to farm the land we have." He caught Deirbhile's eye and grinned.

["That's so sweet." Alyssa said, clasping her hands together. "He was sticking up for you."

"He didn't even know what he was sticking up for." Taylor protested.

"He didn't have to." Tara said, smiling. "He knew it was important to me, so that made it important to him."

"Awww!" Alyssa said again.

Cole smiled, wrapping an arm around Alyssa's shoulders. "Go on, Tara. What happened next?"

"Next? Well, winter came. I was housed with Cerbhall and his parents…not with them with them, Max…and we stayed all winter. Cerbhall helped his father, and I drifted around and looked pretty. And then spring came."]

"Deirbhile?" Cerbhall came out into the courtyard, looking around. When he didn't see her, he stopped a nearby guard. "Where is the Lady Deirbhile?"

"I think she's on the wall, my Lord."

"Thanks." Cerbhall made his way up onto the wall and found Deirbhile staring out over the fields. "Love? Is something wrong?"

"No…" she leaned back against him, still looking out. "It's spring, Cerbhall."

"It is." He tried to look at her, but he couldn't quite manage it. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She straightened, turning to look at him. "It's nothing."

"It's not. What's wrong, love?"

"I just…I told you before, Cerbhall. I'm not one to stay in one place for very long."

"We've only been here a few months."

"I know, Cerbhall. But…" she shook her head quickly. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." She looked down into the courtyard. "I'd love to go for a ride, Cerbhall. Could you arrange it?"

"Of course. Do you want an escort?"

"No, I'll be fine, thanks." He turned away, hesitated, and came back.

"Can I come?"

"Why, exactly," Cerbhall asked, helping her to dismount, "are we all the way out here?" Deirbhile smiled at him, leading her horse towards a strand of trees. Looping the reins loosely over a branch, she turned back to face him.

"There are things about me you don't know yet, love. Things that are important."

"What kind of things?"

"Who I am."

"Deirbhile." he said promptly.

"That's not all I am."

"It's enough for me." She smiled faintly; he would leave it at that if she let him, she knew.

"No, Cerbhall. Who I am is…it's important that you know."

"So tell me." he said, throwing his reins over another branch. Tara nodded, mentally preparing for this.

"Well…"

{"How did he take it?" Danny asked, when Tara hesitated.

"Pretty well, actually. Better than I thought he would. He didn't think it mattered as much as I had made out."

"It doesn't." Cole pointed out.

"Not to you, but you're slightly more used to odd things than most."

"What?"

"Cole, you live on a floating island, talk to mechanical animal spirits, and your mentor and team mate are both over three thousand years old. Any of this sound familiar?"

"Oh." He had the grace to look abashed. "Right."

"Yes. Right." She grinned then, reaching out to him. "I'm only teasing, Cole."

He took her hand without hesitating, smiling. "I know. I don't see why it was so important, though."

"Because Cerbhall was a prince." She sighed, looking at the fire again. "That was his next question, actually…"]

"It's not that big a deal." Cerbhall said idly. "Our Druid does magic all the time, and no one thinks anything of it."

"Cerbhall, it's not the same. His magic is something he does. Mine is something I am." She sat upright, looking away again. "You're a prince, love. You have to have an heir, and that's not something I can give you."

"I don't care." He sat up and caught her hand. "Someone else can reign. I don't care, I just want you."

"You say that now…" she sighed, letting him pull her closer. "But you're a good prince, Cerbhall, and some day you'll be a good king. And one of the things a king has to do is provide an heir."

"I'll find another way. We'll think of something." He pushed her away slightly, turning her so he could see her face. "You were going to leave, weren't you." She nodded unflinchingly; he deserved that much from her. "Why? Because of that one thing?"

"Because I'm not human, Cerbhall. I can look human, but I'm not. There are factions in your father's court who would try and have you deposed if this came out. And that would put one of your cousins on the throne." She smiled gently. "I've met them. Your kingdom would be history in a few years."

"Why are you doing this?" Cerbhall asked. There was a note of desperation in his voice. "Don't you want to be with me?"

"Of course I do, Cerbhall. You know that. But it's not…"

"Then the rest of it doesn't matter." he interrupted her. "I want to be with you, you want to be with me…"

"But it's not that simple, Cerbhall."

"Yes. It is. If you really want it, then it is." Deirbhile laughed abruptly, pulling away from him. "What? What's funny?"

"I don't know why I'm trying to talk you out of this." She turned back to face him, still smiling. "I love you. And if you're willing to risk being with me, I can do no less." Cerbhall smiled, wrapping his arms around her again.

"Don't worry, love. I have a plan."