A/N: I was thinking . . . and then I realized I don't like thinking very much. Hehe. Though I think this one is going to be painfully short. Sorry guys! And I think it might be in the next one, there will be some fast-forward time travel.

So, I'm sure you guys weren't expecting the chapter so soon. But school is starting and that means less time to write which ultimately means (more than likely) larger gaps between updates. Because I'm moving into highschool (yes, I'm a freshman fish.) and that might take a bit of getting used to right? But I will try to stay on track, I'm just warning you so I don't get angry e-mails and/or reviews saying I don't update.

Disclaimer : Back to this. Arra, and everything in Karucia belong to me. As do Joel and Damien. But, sadly, everything else does not belong to me.

x..:..x

The days passed and at the end of each the Chief healer deamed Arra unfit and still unhealthy to go back. Many questioned, why? She looked perfectly healthy. But away from everyone Arra admitted soley to herself she didn't feel healthy in the least. But Duke Baird wouldn't give details, possibly because he may not have had them, he only said that something was not right with her.

What is the matter with me? Surely, if it had been because I was 'stressed' Duke Baird would've told me. Arra knew she was still worried about . . . everything. About whoever it was who wanted her dead. The need to speak of her greatest secret loomed over her but she shoved it back with every ounce of strength she possessed. But she'd dealt with all of that the way she dealt with any other problem. She examined it and let her skeptic, cynical thoughts whittle it down till it didn't seem as horrible.

And yet she still didn't feel hungry. Damien noticed this and nearly every time she saw him a thoughtful scowl inhabited his features. Apparentley he had planned to leave earlier than this but due to Arra's peculiarities he'd lengthened his stay.

Arra heard a comment. Of a healer, maid, or noble she couldn't tell but all the same the words almost made her want to join the conversation. "The Pheonix acts like her father."

"Well, shouldn't he? If she was indeed apprentice to him. He raised her. I'm sure she thinks of him as a surrogate father."

Arra thought about that. Did she think of him as a father? No. Her thoughts answered simply. She realized that it was true. She thought of him as more of a favored uncle. Someone she could talk to easily and yet still consider some sort of parental gaurdian.

I-I can't think of him as a father because I know my real father still lives and . . . despite all Damien's done for me he won't ever be my father.

For all that she'd wished she had never been born a princess she couldn't bring herself to wish away her own father. That seemed to her to be crossing some sort of line.

Such thoughts came to her as she soon became too tired to walk very long. Though she expressedly refused to become bedridden. For some reason, that seemed to assure people that she wasn't too ill and that she'd soon snap out of it. Arra on the other hand held on to doubts about her 'small sickness'. Something deep, deep inside of her told her it was much more than that.

"Damien may I ask a favor of you?"

He looked at Arra suspiciously and handed her an herbal tea before saying. "You are hardly ever so formal with me. What do you want?"

She inhaled a lage amount of air before beginning her request. "I feel like the pages may have been away too long, and no one here is reallly teaching them anything. I-I want you to take them back. I don't think I'll be up to the ride for a while and--"

"Of course you'll be fine," He said sharply. Almost as if not wanting to believe she might not.

Arra sighed. "Yes. But the matter isn't whether I'll be fine or not. For all I know the pages could be missing something they need to learn and here they are waiting for me to get better with no definite date of when that will be."

"I see your teacher instincts are kicking in," Damien sighed and looked at her. "I'll take them back if it means that much to you, but while I'm away you get into no trouble."

She grinned. "Come now, the whole two months?"

He laughed. "You seem to be mistaken. I'll take them there but I'm coming back."

"You can't. They'll be short one of their Shang."

After much persuasion Arra finally got Damien to agree to take the pages and also stay with them. King Jonathan agreed that might be the best thing. Arra saw them off early the next day. The forest soon engulfed them and she was left with her own thoughts. I don't want to go back to bed. I'll go see Lindhall surely they won't keep me from practicing with my Gift? She shrugged and walked slowly to his study.

Arra closed the door loud enough for him to hear.

"Arra, I've heard about your illness. How are you feeling?" Linhall Reed himself walked out of one of his rooms carrying a snake which he put into a glass cage.

"As fine as I can be." She shivered one last time, shaking away the cool air from outside. "I'm always--" She yawned. "I'm always drowsy."

"Then perhaps you should rest. You shouldn't be working yourself. No lessons today until you get better."

Arra mumbled a 'fine' and left. She wandered around a bit longer suddenly thinking. It's not that cold out here. Why am I wearing this? Arra took of the sweater. The cold air blew freely through her clothes but she was impervious to it. Now where is Ghost? Soon after, Arra found her mare sitting with all four of her legs tucked under her in the pastures. The Shang sat beside her white horse. Everything seemed oddly peaceful. She decided to find her Gift the way Lindhall had taught her.

Arra closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Looking inside of herself she found what she was looking for. A ball of crystal blue fire which burned endlessly. For a second a very dark color flickered across the orb. Arra wasn't sure if she'd seen it but then it happened again. That is not my Gift. I know it. She tried to reach out and probe it with her mind but when she did she suddenly became very sleepy.

She fell against Ghost. The mare calmly prodded her mistress with her snout but she slept on soundly.

xXx

Liam wanted to stop being worried but it still grew. Where is she? Though another part of his mind continued to say he was becoming paranoid. She's a Shang she'll be fine. Anything that comes her way she can handle. The Prince tried to believe it but he couldn't.

She's . . . not well.

Something in the back of his mind told him to continue his search for Arra. He'd already checked her rooms. No matter whether she wanted to answer the door or not for him she always did. Though this late in the night he didn't want to alert anyone to anything. Perhaps . . . perhaps on the practice grounds? With the new thought he nearly sprinted there only to find absolutley no one.

A horse whinnied from the pastures. He didn't think much of it until the sound became more insistant. Liam sighed and decided to put his search on pause while he saw to the problem of that horse. As he slowed to a jog he found out that both problems were one and the same.

There she was. Arra leaned against her mare, Ghost. While the horse looked back as if to say 'Well? Do something already.' The prince ran up to her.

"Arra, what are you doing?" Though she didn't answer. He continued to walk cautiously till he looked at her face to face. Arra looked pale, her lips were purple but despite unhealthy hints she looked . . . peaceful. "Arra wake up." Liam shook her. Ghost gave a sound much like a snort as if saying 'don't you think I've tried that.'

"ARRA!" He shook her harder.

Her eyes cracked. "What is it?" She mumbled. "Let me sleep."

"No, you must wake up. Come on, let's take you inside where it's warm." Liam tried to lift her but she struggled half-heartedly.

"No, it feels nice out here." He put a hand to her cheek and found it very cold. He took of his own jacket and wrapped her in it. Whether she complained or not he lifted her up. She groaned.

They walked for a while when she spoke again. "You're very warm." She nuzzled her face into his chest and sighed. Liam looked down at her not really sure what to say. Thank you didn't really seem to fit in his opinion. In his search for words he noticed one of her hands lay limply atop of her. He studied that too. It was a small hand, smaller than his own anyways, though it was calloused in various places. Somehow, past all of that, he could see that if she had never become a Shang her hand could have been delicate and nimble like any one of the court ladies he'd seen.

Though, she would've never gotten that chance right? Because she was a commoner. Again the thought seemed to somehow sadden him.

A commoner.

And he himself a prince. Life never seemed to be fair. Wait, what exactly am I thinking? He didn't have time to answer because the door to Arra's room presented itself before him. Arra's eyes opened and she struggled out of his grasp. "I can open it." And indeed she did. She entered and hissed.

"It's hot in here!"

Liam followed her in unknowing of what she planned to do and found it just pleasantly warm. He searched the room and found Arra struggling out of her clothes grumbling things about 'uncomfortable heat'. He turned his back to her heat rising in his cheeks.

What is the matter with me? Though he knew he could name at least five court ladies who wanted to do more than just undress in his presence. That isn't the point though! She's sick and obviously not all there. . . seeing her undress like this is—its not right!

Would I be alright with it if she was perfectly fine and she wanted to? Liam refused to finish the thought for his own sake. He couldn't think like that about her. She was his friend. She was a Shang. She . . . she was a commoner and he knew that was the only thing that stopped him from having those thoughts and possibly even nurturing them. Had she even been just noble he would have tried something. Like courting her. But him being a prince and she a commoner made it only too impossible.

He peaked over his shoulder seeing she was already in bed, though to his embarrassment in only a breast band and loincloth. He found a cover, a light one, and put it over her. Prince or not he couldn't deny she was beautiful. Why does she cover it? Liam stayed a bit longer, sitting in the chair beside her bed. He checked her temperature. Finding it was considerably warmer he decided it was time for him to leave.

His kissed her forehead gently and turned to leave. But there was something small in his hands holding him there. It wasn't a firm hold but it was enough. Arra's face was still impassive with sleep but her hand held his. His hazel eyes grew softer. "Goodnight Arra. I would stay but I fear what you'd do to me in the morning." Liam whispered.

xXx

The girl yawned, seeing a light coming from her brothers rooms, she entered. "Zedar, what are you doing at this time?"

His eyes didn't leave what was in front of him. "It'd be better if you didn't know." He said, a dark blue color around his finger tips. "All you need to know is you are well on your way to having that Prince. . . whatever."

"Prince Liam!" said Zefra indignantly.

"Yes, yes." He said distractedly. His twin couldn't help but notice the smallest twinge of grey in his face with exhaustion.

"How long will this take?" she asked.

"A few months." He said nonchalantly. "If this plan is to work it'll go perfectly. I don't want anyone to notice that something is too far out of the ordinary." The cold smile came over him again. "They may find out what it is but it would be too late."

Zefra worriedly put a hand on his shoulder. "D-don't over-do yourself, okay?"

He barely flicked his green orbs towards her. Only mumbled. "I'll take it too slowly for her to notice."

xXx

The next day Arra awoke at midday still very much tired. The only thing bringing her from her bed being persistance. A luke warm bath waited for her in the bathroom as she entered the water she remembered pieces from the day before. Something about Liam. I think he helped me. It was night. And that's . . . it. She rubbed her forehead. "Gods, I hope I didn't do anything stupid."

Arra scrubbed though she wasn't sure why she went so fast. Every one of her duties had been taken away since she took up illness.

She sighed at her reflection.

A face pale with sickness.

Dark bags under her eyes. Below that on her chest stood the Fate's silver handprint. It was resting atop her breasts, the middle finger reached up to her collar bone.

I can barely replace my spells. Barely, but she did.

She lifted her hand and knocked on the door belonging to Prince Liam. Arra knocked for a while with no answer. Shrugging she turned to leave.

"Were you looking for me?"

She lifted her hand to punch him in shock but only barely stopped right in front of his nose. "Don't scare me like that!" Arra said as she retracted her hand.

Liam smiled. "So, is there anything you wanted."

"Er. . ." So saying thank you never came easy to Arra. Then again neither did apologizing or saying she's wrong. "I wanted to say thank you."

"For?"

He's not going to make this easy is he?

"I'm not entirely sure. All I remember is looking into my Gift near morning and then . . . something about you I'm sure and nighttime," she took a deep breath. "then I remember waking up. And that's about it. I'm pretty sure you had something to do with me not waking up in the fields so thank you."

He grinned and tousled her hair. "No problem."

"I am not a child," She said, flattening her hair. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me like one."

"Fair enough." They smiled at each other bt Arra's fell sooner, like she no longer had the energy to keep up even her smile any longer.

x..:..x

A/N: That's it. I wonder if anyone has cought it yet? Ah, well. I really don't like the next chapter. And I'll probably say so too. So just be ready for the crappiest chapter I've gotten out yet.

Oh, wow. So questions? Aww, Liam really does think of Arra like that. But he's too much of a trained prince to actually do anything. And the twins. I'm guessing you all have already guessed what they are up to. Hmmm, lets see. Oh yes, what is the deal with Arra? I mean she fell asleep and when Liam found her she was still sleeping . . . late at night.

I'm just answering a couple reviews that got to me. (no not in a bad way.)

Zerrin of the Wind – Actually, yes. I'm not going to say as to what I'm saying 'yes' to though. Whether to 'will we meet joel' or 'did arra break his heart'. Muahaha. Guess you'll have to see.

Tinufuir – Yes! It is a lot like roswell. But if you'd like to know more reasoning than "I was watching roswell when I wrote it." here it is. I wanted the idea of the handprint because it wasn't a necklace. You know how the Goddess gave Alanna the coal necklace and th Badger gave Daine the claw? Yup. Well, so I wanted a handprint. Then, continuing with Tamora Pierce's example I made it silver because you know how the gods 'shimmer silver' and etc. So theres the reasoning. And, oh my, I hope you aren't dissapointed with what I have planned. I am very much a simpleton and probably don't have something planned as great as you would have it done.

Clair-a-net – Nope, the voices in her head wasn't Fate. It was just good ol' fashioned 'I'm-talking-to-myself' lol.

On top of Cloud 9 - Does anyone else know that she is supposed to marry Liam? (yes, I'm actually going to answer that, sorta) Yes and no. They do not particularly know Arra was supposed to marry him. But as Semarra . . . well, I think that's all I can allow myself to anwer. Giving away more would make you lose attention to later chapters.

And thank you to everyone who gave me a happy birthday. :D