Jaz lay in bed happily. Liam was asleep next to her, his arm protectively over her stomach.
"Liam," she whispered shaking him gently.
Liam grunted and tightened his grip around her.
"We have to get up," Jaz said louder.
Liam only grunted in reply showing no sign of waking up.
Jaz leaned in and whispered in his ear. His eyes immediately snapped open and he grinned wickedly at her.
"Is that a promise?" he asked mischief dancing in his eyes.
"Maybe..." Jaz answered, "But only if you get up so we can get ready for breakfast."
Liam kissed Jaz then jumped out of bed and began the long and gruelling process of finding his clothes 'He looks better without the shirt,' Jaz noted thoughtfully to herself.
Liam succeeded in his mission to find his clothes and quickly dressed.
"I'll see you downstairs at breakfast," Jaz said getting out of bed, dragging the sheet to cover her, and walking towards her wardrobe.
"Okay love," Lima said and left after kissing her until her lips throbbed. Jaz reached into her wardrobe and pulled out a skirt that reached her ankles and a top, both a dark green, which accented her deep green eyes.
Jaz pulled her clothes on and went downstairs. She walked across the court yard and into the mess hall. She saw a certain young prince and grinned and the prospect of a surprise attack. His back was to her so she snuck up behind him and flung her hands over his eyes.
"Jaz my love, I know that it's you, I sensed your presence when you entered the room," Liam said mockingly, he quickly turned and hugged her forcing the breath from her lungs.
"I am chocked at your behaviour little sister," said a man that Jaz immediately recognised. "Is that the way you behave normally? Because if it is then I will have you sent back to the convent to teach you some manners," Runihura said, his voice dancing with suppressed laughter.
Jaz threw herself at Runihura and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Runi!" she cried, "How are you? I have missed you so much. How are mother and father," Jaz asked formally.
Runi stiffened at the last question and the smile faded from his face.
"What is it?" Jaz asked.
"Ma and Da are dad and have been dead for the past ten years," Runi said.
"Oh," Jaz said "But who has been taking care of..." Jaz trailed off, "well, you know!" she said exasperatedly.
"We all have," Runi said "We thought that you were dead and we couldn't decide on who the heir was so we shared the responsibility. And before you have a heart attack I shall let you know that we are all getting along quite well, but have missed you dearly" The attractive, young man opened his mouth as if to speak, but was quickly silenced by his younger sibling.
"No!" Jaz shouted, interrupting. "I will not under any circumstances!"
"Are you sure?" Runi asked, "because we will leave you alone if you won't, but if any emergencies arise, we will alert you," to anyone merely listening, this was quite a confusing conversation, but for the people involved, it made perfect sense.
"Very well then," Jaz said, calmer than before.
"Ok, well then, I'd best be leaving," Runihura turned to leave, "Wait, would it be too much to ask if I could to send my children here,"
"That's fine," Jaz sighed.
With that said and done Runihura left the room, the door slammed shut and Jasmine burst into tears.
"What's wrong?" he hadn't understood most of that conversation, but Jaz was upset, that was all that mattered now.
"He's mad at me," Jaz stammered in between breaths, "He's disappointed with me, he thinks I am a child, he believes I cannot live up to his expectations, he always did," tears slipped freely down Jaz's tear-stained cheeks.
For the second time that day the doors crashed open and a man entered. Jack paused and looked around. He saw Jaz crying into Liam's shoulder and marched over to them.
"What happened" Jack asked worriedly.
"Your brother was very rude to Jaz and has made her cry." Liam said anger seeping from his pores.
"Oh Jaz darling don't be upset. Runi is under a lot of stress. Sobek, Set and Sekhmet are being stupid and causing trouble. They are arguing with Ma and Da' will. Did Runi ask if he could send his kids to you because he asked me if I would take them but I said that you would be best."
"Yes he did." Jaz said "is there anything I need to know about them, are they like us or are they normal?" Jaz asked suddenly.
"No they are like us," Jack replied just as suddenly "cause I mean they have Runi as their father so they can't be normal."
This comment from Jack caused Jaz to burst out laughing. Jaz smiled at Jack and went and sat at the head table.
Liam scooted in next to Jaz and started prodding her in the leg. Jaz answered this assault by prodding him in the thigh.
"I bet you that the pages that are watching us won't notice" Liam said grinning.
"I bet you that they do, they aren't as dumb as they look" Jaz replied grinning.
"How much" Liam asked mischievously.
"Ten gold coins and a days "service"" Jaz said just as mischievously.
"Deal" Liam said finally.
They continued attacking each other under the table.
"Stop touching each other" one of the pages called out
"We're not touching each other" Jaz said grinning
"Well then stop fingering each other" Fred said
"We're not fingering each other" Liam said.
"Well then stop doing what ever you are doing." Fred said exasperatedly
"We are expressing our feelings for each other in a physical manner" Jaz said triumphantly. "And I do believe that some one owes me ten gold coins"
"Well just stop it" Fred said irritated at their childish behaviour.
"Get a room" a page called from across the hall. This comment made a few pages snigger.
"We have one" Jaz replied "but we are human so we do need to eat" she finished.
"You 're coming with me today" Jaz told Liam grinning in triumph.