ok i 4got a disclaimer in the other chaps so just to make it clear - i own nothing here except the people who don't feature in tp's books. ::jealous glare:: but i own the plot. ::happy once again::

katgirl07 - thanx so much 4 reveiwing! i woz beginning to get depressed and ur reveiw made me decide 2 update. thanx!

to anyone else - i need advice on whether i am rambling and should get to the point or if it's fine or if i should change it. please reveiw and tell me what you think. (no im not begging, simply asking for advice. kinda...) oh and i hadn't got the hang of the updating thing thats why there werent' any author's notes before.

Chapter Two

Though the monarchs of Tortall had vaguely expected some kind of traditional dress or custom from the arriving Everton Princess, they had not been prepared for the girl who stepped out of the carriage. Followed by a severe looking woman she presented no elegant beauty as the ambassadors of Everton had led them to believe. No, it was impossible to see anything of her facial beauty for, from head to knees, she was covered in a shawl that she hunched under, as if hiding shamefully from the world. Her expression was completely hidden, but, from the way she held herself, Queen Thayet felt that it must be one of shyness, slight shame and nervousness and immediately felt a little sorry for the girl. After all she was only sixteen which did seem rather young when she considered it in the light of her own daughter Lianne.

She was pretty right about the expression. However much she tried to hide it, Asa was nervous and rather shy of the monarchs. Not having ever been amazing at meeting new people at the start, her reputation of madness had done nothing to improve matters. She had always much preferred being alone or with Aranias or Shadow than with others and the fear of rejection. Looking up, her face safely shadowed by her shawl, Asa gazed at the Prince standing beside his parents. He was handsome enough, jet black hair quite tall, well built, but the cold look in his sapphire eyes was confusing. Surely he had no reason to dislike her yet? They hadn't even met! Not that it's likely that he will anyway, the pessimistic part of her mind whispered. Shut up! She told it angrily. He liked Aranias didn't he? I'm sure he'll give me a chance anyway. A chance?!the other part of her mind retorted. Nobody bothers to give the seer girl a chance. Remember? She remembered, and also remembered the shawl draped around herself. With a slight feeling of shame she pulled it around herself. It really was illogical, as she had often thought to herself, that when ashamed by being shrouded she tried to hide herself more. Now I'm arguing with myself! Not a good sign, Asa. With a frustrated sigh at herself and the world, Asa walked demurely up the steps.

Liam struggled to keep from glaring at the girl coming towards him. Aranias' words still rang in his head, though more as a memory of how a grudge started than an actual insult now. He knew that coldness showed in his eyes but didn't care. If she really cared about what I think, she wouldn't hide herself behind that shawl. He thought, angrily. I suppose the ambassadors lied when they said she was pretty. And they didn't have a portrait. Else why would she hide like that? He wouldn't admit that he was slightly intrigued. Her figure didn't seem to be any cause for shame, and her height was nothing out of the ordinary, a slight bit smaller than normal. He could see nothing in her appearance that would cause her to hunch under her shawl. And yet, despite being so hunched and hidden, she still had something, not commanding exactly, but more an air of calm and collection, of dignity. He noticed this and also an air of mystery. Liam had always liked to solve puzzles and now, without even meeting her, he was sure that she definitely was a puzzle. But I don't want to solve this one. he thought, annoyed with himself. Being related to Aranias, the answer will probably be bad anyway. He wouldn't admit that despite all the bad feeling between them, Liam missed his best friend.

Reaching the Royal Family, Asa dropped into a curtsey, realising halfway through that it was an Everton curtsey, half bow in fact, and they did things differently here. Now she wished she had paid some attention to the Mistress, or at least to the things that might have saved her some embarrassment. Oh well. She thought ruefully. I never do make things easy for myself. The King smiled at her, welcoming. "I am afraid that first you will have to be introduced to the council and the betrothal fully cemented." Cemented? Asa thought nervously, is that even a word? What's going on? The king carried on, "Then we can move on to more personal matters, such as less formal greetings and you can make yourself at home. If that is alright with you." He nodded to her. Realising that it was actually a question, not a 'question' hr parents asked that required no answer, she fumbled for something appropriate.

"That is fine thank-you, your Majesty." Curse my accent, she thought silently, I just hope he never asks me to pronounce his name! The King nodded again, seeming to take no offence, and lead her into the council room, his wife, Liam and the Mistress following.

After facing a council of men and one woman, Asa was relieved when they retired to the Monarch's personal chambers. The Queen smiled. "We need not bother with formalities. I am Thayet and my husband is Jon or Jonathan. As I am sure you guessed, that is Liam. Please feel perfectly at home here, we are glad to have you." I'm not, Liam thought rebelliously. He saw the shawl that had hidden her face had fallen back a bit and you could make out gently carved features. She looked nervous. "Thank-you your…um." Asa decided to stop there. The King – Jon – smiled at her kindly, "As Thayet just said, you can call us by our names." She nodded mutely.

"Is something wrong?" Thayet asked gently. "Would you rather call us something else or…" she trailed off. Asa turned her face away as if expecting retribution, "I can't pronounce it," she whispered in a voice hardly audible. Thayet laughed, a rich sound. "Don't worry child, I can think of much worse things to be called than just my name mispronounced!" Asa smiled. So they weren't like her parents!

A woman, who looked to be approaching forty, poked a red head around the door. "Sires, can I speak to you? The council has thought of something and it's important." The King nodded. "You two get to know each other a little. We may be awhile so amuse yourselves however you wish." To Liam he said pointedly, "Perhaps later Asina would like a tour of the castle?" Then, he and the Queen were gone.

Liam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Why did Alanna have take his parents away now of all times? The Princess also sat silent. Great marriage we'll have. He thought bitterly. When we can't even talk to each other!

Asa surveyed Liam carefully, as the silence stretched between them. Why wouldn't he say something? Some kind of conversation. First thing you say to him, come on Asa think. What is it supposed to be? But she wasn't sure the Mistress had ever told her. Or at least not when she had been listening. She gave it a try anyway. "Um…Hello?"

Liam started. She had said something. He looked at her. She had sounded uncertain and now she looked nervous, as if he might say something to hurt her or something. But why?he wondered. Aranias can't have told her anything. He decided he'd better answer. "Hi." She looked confused. He sighed inaudibly. Did he have to spell it out? "Hello." He corrected himself, more clearly. She gave a small smile. "Um…ah…I don't know what else to say!" Liam grinned suddenly. "How are you?" It was the first thing he had learnt in Carthaki and Scanran, which he had learned as a page, and he was willing to bet it was the same for her and Tortallan.

Asa sighed with relief; familiar territory! "I am fine, thank-you. How are you?" "Fine," Liam replied shortly, remembering that he wasn't supposed to like her. But being polite isn't liking her is it? a small voice whispered at the back of his mind. To hell with Aranias, he finally decided. I'll do what I want. Although that doesn't necessarily mean liking her either. "Would you like to look around the castle?" he asked, remembering his dad's idea. "And meet some of my friends if they're around?" Immediately after saying that Liam realised it was a bad idea. She probably had heard from her brother's letters that the two were friends and now he might have to find him. Pushing it from his mind he focused on her reply. "If you are wanting to then yes thank-you." Her grammar's almost as bad as Aranias when he first came here! Liam thought amused, before leading her out into the hallway.

Asa said nothing as they walked down the corridors, too overwhelmed to think of and then make conversation. It was huge. Some corridors were small and windy, while others had huge roofs and paintings decorating the walls. Come on Asa, you lived in a palace all your life, it's not like this is any different! But however firmly she told herself so, the palace in Corus was infinitely different to the one back home. It was busier, more colourful. And it was different, which counted for a lot. Slightly intimidated, she pulled the shawl closer around herself. Liam noticed, and looked at her sharply. It was a strange custom, that a princess would be hidden like that. But she's different, remember, he thought bitterly. And she'll hate me, according to Aranias. He was interrupted by the arrival of his friends at yet another corner in the corridors.

"I told you, it's impossible, what do you think we've been trying to do for the last month?" Lachran argued, waving his arms around expressively. Eremin nudged him. "Oh, hi Liam!" he finished, trying not to look like he had been thinking up schemes to get his best friends friendly again. "What are you doing then?" he continued. Liam looked at him suspiciously. "This is Princess Asina of Everton, Asina this is Lachran of Mindelan and Eremin of Masbolle."

"The player and the one who is down to Earth but won't walk straight." Asa said calmly before clapping her hand over her mouth. Please let me have said that in Eve not Tortallan. Please, please, please.

They three boys were staring at her open mouthed. No such luck, then. She huddled further under her shawl and looked at the floor. After a minute the boys exchanged glances. "Pardon?" Eremin managed weakly. "Uh…um…well…uh," Asa shut up. Lachran grinned suddenly, "Let me guess, Aranias told you that?" Asa was saved from answering by another suspicious voice that came from a personage around the corner.

"Aranias told who what?" Lachran and Eremin looked at Liam hoping to somehow deter the argument or awkward moment that could follow but were distracted by the sudden and abrupt change in the Princess. Her shawl was suddenly away from her face, revealing a pretty face framed by ebony hair, and her posture went from bent to straight in a moment.

"Nias!" Asa cried. Rounded the corner and she found herself swept up in a tight hug. "Asa! bene tyen lior? ii nyosor lui maya!" (Asa! how are you? I missed you so much!) She smiled a genuine smile of true happiness for the first time in seven years, before replying, still in Eve, "I should be asking you the same thing!" Her expression turned thoughtful for a moment, "I suppose you could say I might have missed you. A little…" Aranias mock-glared at her and she finished off her sentence, "…mostly…every day for the last seven years!" He grinned, hugging her again. "That was what you meant to say. How's Everton been? And Shadow the wolf cub, what happened to him? And how exactly did you end up here? What were the –"

Liam coughed. Aranias turned to glare at him. "What?" Liam opened his mouth but Eremin got there first, "We were just taking your sister on a tour of the palace and to show her to her room so you could continue your 'catching up' then? Not that we mind exactly, but listening to people talk in a language we don't understand can be a bit boring." Aranias nodded slightly, still glaring daggers at Liam who completely returned the stare. Asa frowned slightly, in confusion. "Weren't you supposed to be friends?" she asked her brother in Eve. "Not any more," he replied pointedly, so engrossed in glaring at Liam that he didn't realise he spoke in Tortallan. "What's that supposed to mean?" Liam exclaimed, angrily. Eremin and Lachran exchanged glances, then each took an arm of a friend and practically dragged them apart, Asa in between, wondering just what was going on.

They walked to a huge decorated door. "That's the portrait gallery, if you want to see it." Liam said, managing to be civil. "Of course she doesn't, who in their right mind would like to see rows of dead people?" Aranias retorted scornfully. "I wasn't asking you!" Liam snapped back. Asa almost groaned. "Why don't we walk through it to whatever is on the other side?" she suggested, trying to compromise. "The gardens," Eremin said helpfully. She gave him a weary smile, before saying slowly and clearly, "I am wanting to go through the gallery to de gardens please." Liam looked away from Aranias, remembering his manners, and offered his arm to her politely, muttering under his breath, while Aranias muttered what Asa could recognise as Everton swear-words. Maybe I'll just let it drop and they'll get over it. Although come to think of it, judging from Aranias character and what Liam's probably is, I'd say they won't.

They continued down the galleries and Asa gaped at the paintings. What particularly interested her was the line of portraits of honoured knights who had service the realm long ago. Some were women. About to drift over to them, Asa looked at the two princes who were still glaring, ignoring and making snide comments by turn. I'll come back later, she promised herself silently. Finally, they reached the door at the end of the gallery. "That took long enough," Aranias said with an exaggerated sigh. Eremin and Lachran groaned together, glancing at the princess. It was unclear what her feelings were, as her face was once again shadowed. Liam glared once again at Aranias, "Well it wouldn't have taken so long if you hadn't made such a fuss in the first place!" "Me! Make a fuss! You're the one who…" Eremin and Lachran exchanged yet another glance of hopelessness as the Princes continued to argue. As they had thought a month ago it was going to take a miracle to re-unite those two.

Luckily, the Miracle was standing right next to them, steadily loosing the last grip she had on her temper.