*It doesn't take long for Sam's dreams to become a flash of her past life.*

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Macaria?"

She turns around to see Rath's face, he looks worried.  His face is still holding onto pain from seeing Kivar so close to her.

"I have to see my father Rath!"

Macaria tries to push by him but he catches her by the shoulder.  They're covered in the shadows, and the light is flickering off of Macaria's deep black eyes.  He wanted nothing more then to kiss her to hold her all night.  Macaria shook him away from her.

"Right now Kivar is proposing marriage"  Macaria hissed out the words like daggers to Rath's heart.  He shook his head violently trying to make it untrue not only to himself but the outside world.

"Your father would never agree to you marrying below your rank."

Macaria smiled angrily, "he is a Prince by birth, but only in name does he carry Duke, a bastard son to a King and an embarrassment to his Duke father."

Macaria looked to Rath's lips she shook her head at her own words and feelings, she had to regain control.

"You're getting  married soon, maybe now is the time to stop this, childish fantasia and acknowledge the truth."

Rath nodded, "Right the truth."

Macaria nodded and swallowed hard, "we're not going to be together, you and me, this isn't going to work."

Macaria started to walk way from Rath, he grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him.

"I can't loose you!  The only thing that is keeping me sane right now is the thought of you always.."

Macaria tilted her head, "Always what?  The thought of me chaste in some room of my Father's palace waiting for you to sneak into my chambers.  Proving your love, your great so called love that keeps you sane to the thought of your upcoming marriage.  That's great Rath prove your love to me in the privacy of betrayal and infidelity."

Rath pulled Macaria closer to him, his heart was breaking in two but he didn't have the strength to tear their worlds upside down and leave his arrangement for love.  "Who do you wish me to tell?"

Voices from the balcony became louder as faint as they were while footsteps steadily came closer.  Rath and Macaria instinctively separated as Zan and Anassa came in from the balcony.  Macaria walked over to her sister and clasped their arms together leading one another onto the floor to their father.  As they approached their father high in the balcony he stopped his conversation and smiled at his daughters.  He was talking to his eldest son Larek who looked to his wife with a smile on his face.  The King stood and looked down at Macaria.

"Walk with me my child."

Macaria nodded as her father looked to Anassa.

"Please my dear take my seat and keep it warm for me."  He winked as Anassa followed his request.

The King lead the way down the stairs and out into the Royal Antarian garden. 

"What is it father?"

The King grabbed his daughter's hand and sat her down next to him on a stone bench.

"Kivar has just told me of his intentions for you."

Macaria nodded she knew that custom was if a suitor was of equal or greater birth to a Princess he had the right to an engagement.  Her Father looked stressed.

"I don't want to marry him my lord."

The King sighed, Kivar has a steady following, many spread throughout all the planets believed that he being the true first born should be the heir to his father's throne.  Although Lucian was kind and strong, some held their loyalties with Kivar who was sneaking and told people what they wanted to hear.  By denying a marriage proposal even on the grounds of Kivar's patronage mean he could diplomatically put himself and the peace of the other worlds in peril.

"I'm sorry my child."

"No Father, listen Anassa is in love with Zan."


Her father's head wilted to her words he had the look of great love and shock.

"I had been fearing so for many years."

Macaria smiled hopefully, she had a slight idea on how to approach this situation in which would convince her Father of the best intentions.

"Father if by any birth right Anassa is the true last Heir of Marcadia."

Her father patted her hand patiently.

"I know my love but I'm in a bind."

"But Father can't you see, a solution has been right in front of us all night.  One that will strengthen the powers of the allied planets and allow your children to be happy in the process."

"How, what do you propose?"

"A royal decree given by the great King of Marcadia announcing during a veiled party to celebrate upcoming marriages a announcement of royal patronage.  Publicly reveal Anassa as the last heir to your throne and show your strength with your kindness, and your wisdom with a marriage between two houses Antar and Marcadia.  Father Zan loves Anassa, he has even proposed giving up his position and leaving with her."

Her father looked flushed almost angered.

"But she refused him, her love for him was too great, with the announcement of her lineage he would have nothing to stop him from asking you for her hand.  This will be the greatest night of all time, they will talk about our families for generations.  Four houses aligning in marriage all in one cycle.  And just in case those who would oppose such a engagement with a short announcement of true birth right offer your daughter as a dowry."

The King looked to Macaria in shock, he stood up and began to pace the hard ground.

"But, you?"

"Father," Macaria stood up and comforted her father settled him back down on the bench and spoke soothingly.  "I can't marry, my purpose is to fight, to lead the allied army and keep the sanctity and peace of what you and all the other families have sacrificed to build.  By becoming a part of the Antarian court I will have the opportunity to do so.  I will be married to Antar, my allegiance will be to them, to her people."

The King sat back slightly as his daughter put a warm arm over his shoulders.

"I will loose two daughters to Antar?"

Macaria shook her head with tears falling down her cheeks.  "Not loose Father but gain, you will gain much more than you will loose and I will always love you and be your daughter."

She hugged her father all the way back inside.  The two climbed the stairs, King Marceau approached King Antar and Zan was summoned as well.  It wasn't long before the three men came back out with smiles spread across their faces.  A page was sent to prepare for the King's speech.  King Marceau stood at the head of the balcony and raised his right hand to silence the entire hall.  Macaria went to get Anassa she was sure that her Father would soon need her by his side.  The hall was silent and the King cleared his throat and spoke in a deep rich bass voice.

"Friends, we are gathered here today in celebration of peace and harmony.  I'm afraid I have held in my palace a true jewel that I have kept veiled from many years.  Of course whom I'm speaking of is my last born daughter, I would like to formally introduce you to her now, Princess Anassa of Marcadia."

 Anassa stepped forward into the arms of her father as the entire section of Marcadia jumped up in unison of sheer joy for their little sister.  All the other families stood up in formal fashion and there was several moments of applause.  The King stood with great pride and kissed Anassa's hand.  The crowd settled and took their seats again waiting for the King to finish.

"With that I would also like to announce the impending marriage of two families, Antar and Marcadia through Zan and Anassa."

Zan had been walking slowly towards Anassa now he took her hand and there was more applause.  The King smiled and once again the hall grew silent.

"As a token of the union I would also like to offer as a Dowry to the court of Antar my daughter Princess Macaria of Marcadia."

The crowd began to speak in hushed tones Kivar tried to stand up in protest but his father kept him seated.  Rath looked up at Macaria he didn't expect this from her at all.  Macaria approached her father kissed him gently on the cheek, King Antar approached Marceau and the two shook hands.  The hall once again grew silent.

"On behalf of Antar, I accept the token of union and wish my Son all the happiness in life that I have had.  It is celebrations like these that we truly see the strength in each other, Princesses or Kings.  I welcome Macaria with all my heart to our court."

The crowd all stood and cheered both King Antar and King Marceau's names.  Macaria had already made her way to the Antar section and sat below the King in his court.

The band began to play a soft tune as Anassa and Zan took the floor alone in their first dance.

Anassa looked to Zan she was so overwhelmed by her sister and Father she had no time to think of what they were risking for her happiness.

"Zan is this really happening?"

Zan looked into Anassa's eyes he had loved her so much he was willing to do anything for her and now she was going to be with him.  It was as if they were dancing on air.