A/N: Ah, yes here we are. Chapter 25. Maybe I shouldn't be saying this but . . . oh well its my choice. See if you can recognize a certain name. Haha.

Disclaimer: This lovely world belongs to Tamora Pierce I'm just toying with it a bit.

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Arra checked the hall one more time before knocking on the door. A short moment passed and the door swung open. "Arra, come in."

Arra nodded and entered. She started to pace across Liam's room. Was she going to do this? Really do this? I've already come this far.

"Arra is something the matter?" Liam asked, falling into a chair, still watching her pace back and forth.

She thought about nodding then maybe shaking her head and ended up doing neither. "Just, ah, g-give me a moment."

Arra shook her head realizing how incredibly silly it would sound. To be telling a prince that she was a princess who'd left and stayed away for far too many years. And then I"ll tell his parents which isn't much easier. She would seem the coward, or at least she felt like the coward, in their presence, even at the thought of it. My reason being I was scared, or didn't want my fate when they had braved that and become exactly what they were supposed to. And what would Liam think? Would he rebuke her because he'd only liked her because she wasn't a princess or a proper Lady? Would he think it a joke because she wanted to be of the same status as him?

Arra flushed in anger, frustration, and embarrassment at any one of those thoughts.

She finally stopped pacing and looked up to find Liam writing something. She cleared her throat forcing herself rather than deciding that this needed to be done, "Liam, do you think the Karucians would just leave if they had their princess?"

"So they claim. Though they do seem like they would." He looked up. "Why?"

"Wh-what if I told you that I . . ." She swallowed. "That I could make them leave? Without your father having to make a pact with them to search for—for their princess?"

"Then I would tell you to divulge this great plan to me because the only way I can think of is to give them their princess and we don't know where she is." He said.

Her head pounded the same way it had when she had come close to telling Damien, "Give me to them, I'll go."

"You want us to dress you up and pretend your their princess?" Humor etched his words. "Somehow I don't think that'll work. They seem like they know who their princess really is."

"That's not what I mean." She said gravely.

His eyebrows snapped together and his hazel eyes spoke of confusion. "Then what do you mean, Arra?"

This was it. She could answer 'nothing' it wasn't too late. But I can't, I won't. This has to be done. She motioned outside vaguely as she said. "Its me. It's me they want," It didn't seem sufficient. "I am their princess."

The silence stretched. Liam sputtered but it quickly turned to laughter. "Your kidding right? In this kind of situation people do crazy things. Don't worry about trying to save us. My father is working on getting a translator just in case he needs one, though its hard to find one that speaks Karucian here in Tortall, and he'll try to work with them to find their princess and everything will be alright. We'll either find her or we make a promise that if we do we'll return her."

Arra flushed in frustration a shade darker than before. "Then you'll be searching futilely! I am that princess. Princess Semarra, that is me!" Her frustration grew towards where she thought the only sounds that would come wouldn't be coherent so she clenched her jaw tight. How many years had she kept this a secret? Fourteen! Fourteen long years! I guess I was too good at hiding it.

She turned away from him, tempted to growl.

"You're serious aren't you?"

Arra had a strong urge to say something sarcastic but held back and just nodded.

"B-but how? The Shang Phoenix said you began training to be a Shang when you were four. How—" He stopped not being able to put words to his confusion.

"I know its confusing but right now I just need you to trust me."

Liam sighed. His footsteps were almost silent but in a few moments he stood behind her. His arms were around her and he said, "Either your insane and your just making up false memories or this is true," he set his head on hers easily; she could almost feel him close his eyes, "If this is true I'm going to want a long explanation."

"That is exactly what's coming next," Now who would have thought this would be harder than telling him I'm a princess? Tears flooded into her eyes. "Liam think. Think what will happen if I am their princess—and I am—what will they do?"

He was silent for a split moment. "You'll have to go." Liam's voice was far away. Then he turned her around to face him. Arra saw his eyes were wide and crazed. He whispered, "No.

"Stay, it could work. Stay hidden here and it could smooth over again."

Arra smiled and put her hand on his cheek. "No, I can't. I've run away from being a princess for fourteen years. I won't do it any longer."

For some reason it feels like he only pretends to believe me just so I won't get angry. She sighed. Arra untangled herself from his arms and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To tell a servant that I wish to speak with the King and then that's exactly what I'll do." She answered him. Liam nodded, his hand on his chin as if thinking something. His hazel eyes looked serene until she took a closer look. Underneath the cover, emotions swam wild. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, held it and finally let go. When his eyes came open again the emotions remained but they had settled. I won't try to read them. Arra thought tearing her eyes away.

A warm hand took hold of her chin and Liam placed a soft kiss to Arra's lips. A fire she suspected wasn't her gift rose into her chest. She wanted more than this one kiss from him. Arra pushed away a little sadly. "This has to be done today."

Liam smiled but nodded. She held her hand on the door before turning one last time. "Will you be there? When I tell . . . everyone?"

"I"ll try."

Thats the best I can hope for. With that she stepped out of Prince Liam's room.

Arra wasted no time. She pushed back the nervousness as far away as she could and tried to find a servant not so close to Liam's rooms. Somehow she ended up finding the messenger-servant from the day before, "Could you deliver a message to King Jonathan?"

The woman nodded her light brown hair moving curtly with her head..

"Tell him that I," She guessed the servant knew her from the day before, "need a word with him, preferably not an open meeting." As an afterthought she added, "Tell Liam when this is happening also." It no longer seemed to matter if she thought something was between the two of them.

A look of confusion passed over the servant's features. "Why don't you just go talk to him, the King I mean? I hear you've done it before."

She'll talk back to me because I'm not a noble. Arra just shook her head. "Tell him . . . tell him I know where Princess Semarra is."

Her eyes widened but figuring Arra wouldn't lie about something like that at this time she left to deliver the message. Telling Liam was hard but . . . at least it was only him. Once again nervousness and even embarrassment rose into her system. She walked to her room and plopped down on her bed to stare at the ceiling.

And Joel? What should she do about him? Tell him of course. Arra bit her lip. Life is never easy. I wish Damien were here. He needs to know too. Just then a knock sounded at the door. Arra rose instantly to get it thinking it was the servant coming to tell her the King would see her. When she opened the door she was only half-right.

"H-he followed me when I told him I was delivering a message to you." The servant explained. "The King says he can see you now."

Arra nodded and turned to Joel. There was one thing she knew and that was if he was there when she told everyone it wouldn't be good. She would have to give it to him slowly to ease any shock or pain that might ensue. He may have taken me having the Gift well but it is more common to have the Gift than it is to be a princess. "Joel, you may not want to come for this, it . . . won't be pretty."

"Nonsense! I"ll come." He smiled sweetly. Arra shook her head and growled stepping out of the room.

"No, please stay, go out to the practice fields, something." Please, she begged mentally, please. Joel raised a brow at her in suspicion and continued to walk by her side. He said nothing but made no move to leave. She sighed unsure of how all of this would turn out.

The halls, she was sure, were decorated nicely. Joel probably tried to start a conversation many times and the servant might have made a comment. But Arra wasn't sure. Her thoughts, her mind, her whole self was away from Corus and away from all of Tortall entirely. Walking down that tortuously long hall she realized this might be the last time would be 'Arra the Nameless Shang' to them. No, I'll still be the Nameless Hang . . . I always will be but this will be the last time that that is all they see me as.

When did they make this hall shorter? The door loomed. Here we go. The servant knocked, waited for an answer before opening it and waiting for Arra to enter. She did, stiffly. The servant left without a word and closed the door. Arra swallowed and ticked off the people in the room. King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Alanna, when her eyes fell to Lianne Jonathan answered her look.

"She insisted on being here." Arra nodded signaling it was fine. I suppose she deserves to know.

Thayet coughed. "You said something about Princess Semarra?"

Arra nodded again. Where was Liam? Had the servant told him? Mentally she shrugged but her tension didn't ease. Go, her thoughts prodded her body to move and act. Go. Arra opened her mouth and the door opened with it and closed with a loud sound.

"Am I late?" Liam's voice sounded. No one answered though as he walked up to Arra's side. She shook her head and mouthed to him, 'Go stand with them.' Something in her eyes spoke to him and he nodded.

The storm inside of her settled. She could do this and even if she couldn't she would. Arra wanted to say her whole story looking at the ground away from penetrating eyes but she held her ground and looked up. She would meet their eyes. Arra cleared her throat and spoke, "Please, try not to interrupt me I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish otherwise."

She had expected the confused nods. Jump in and don't beat around.

"I was born Semarra of--" She translated quickly, "Silver Crest, Princess of Karucia." Gasps and whispers Arra decided to ignore filled the chamber they were in. She took a glance at Lianne. Her eyes were wide and she was obviously frozen is shock. Where to go from here?

"My Gift runs in my father's side but is granted only to the females. The . . . peculiarities of the certain Gift I won't go into too far but it does bring Awareness at a young age. I could read, write, do simple maths, and speak fairly well by the age of one. By three I realized what exactly a princess does for her country with that realization my three year old self fell into depression.

"My maid, Marina, seemed to be the only one who noticed. She took me away and handed me over to the Shang in Maren. They did not find my Gift and I was accepted into Shang.

"At first I thought I'd never return. That it was my past. But as time progressed I thought maybe I'd return . . .someday, sometime after I finally received my Name. You see, to become a Shang became something I knew that if I gave up I'd call myself a quitter the rest of my life so I hung in promising I might go back after the Naming . . . if I ever got there. Slowly something revealed itself to me. Wouldn't it be odd for their long lost princess to suddenly show up out of nowhere? Then I also remembered why I had left in the first place and from there I told myself I would not be returning."

Arra took another deep breath and kept her back straight and did not shy away from their stares. "I come forward now to try and relieve what damage I have caused." She paused then whispered. "I am sorry."

By now Joel no longer stood beside her at all but backed against the nearest wall. Later Arra would reflect and know that Joel's face had been the hardest to bear. His face so twisted it seemed he suffered from some physical agony. Arra tore her gaze away. Next was Lianne's her face permanently set at a glare. Her thoughts being something along the lines of, 'who was she to tell me not to run away? To order me like some perfect person?'

Alanna's face held nothing but surprise. Jonathan had his eyes closed and his hands pressed together over his mouth while Thayet's eyes were wide.

Arra was on the verge of trembling. Liam moved to stand by her. "Father, what will you do?"

Liam's fingers worked until they found Arra's hand and took hold. This did not go unnoticed. Arra noticed Joel nod tightly and then leave the room immediately. I think I've lost him. And the thought saddened her. She'd known him most of her life and he couldn't stand by her now.

Jonathan finally opened his eyes and they immediately locked on the connection of Liam's hand on Arra's. "What else can we do but give her to the Karucians if she really is their princess?"

"We can't do that!"

Arra squeezed his hand. "That is what has to be done, Liam. I knew that when I told you and everyone else." She looked to the Royal couple sitting side by side. "I will leave as soon as possible if that is what is completely necessary. I'll prove I am their princess and take them out of Tortallan lands."

King Jonathan spoke, "We already had a meeting set up with them for this evening. I suppose now we have something important to tell them. You can return at that time."

His voice wasn't cold or cruel and she heard the dismissal. She nodded taking her hand from Liam's hold and leaving with a bow. Her foot barely placed outside the doorway the whispers started up. I suppose I'll have to get used to whispers. Arra found a random male servant and asked him, "Do you know where the Shang Hawk's rooms are?"

"I'm sorry, but he's left." The man said and continued on.

"I see . . ." She whispered. Gone, he was gone and without a word. He's hurt. Far more than I wanted to ever make him hurt.

Inside her room Arra lifted the packs she'd used on the journey to Cragwey and back. I guess I'm packed for the most part. She gathered the rest of the things she had left behind. Picking up the Shang gloves she looked at the design on them. Left hand with the Fire bird right hand with only an orb.

"The Shang Fire bird." Arra said aloud. The words from the letter he had sent with the gloves stood out in her mind, but don't forget who you are. "And I am the Nameless Shang."

Arra had understood what he meant by that and the combination of putting the Fire bird on her left hand, her weaker side, and only the Orb on her right hand, her stronger side.

Arra finished packing up her things, all of them. She stood for a while doing nothing, just a pause in her life, before moving and laying curled up on her side staring at the opposite wall. Everything had gone too fast for any of this to seem real. Arra took no count of any real thoughts she just stared in a daze.

Dully she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." She called back equally dull.

Arra heard the door open and close. She didn't look but soon enough she knew who it was when they knelt down in front of her.

"You okay?"Liam asked. Arra nodded her response before turning over and scooting closer to the wall. A weight pressed the bed at her back. For a moment she thought maybe Liam had taken a seat until his arms wrapped around her, pressing her back to his chest. She didn't know if he just had nothing to say or if he knew she needed the silence. Yes . . . that sounds right. I need the silence.

After a while Arra turned around and resettled herself. Liam must have noticed but he kept his eyes peacefully closed. Arra admired his handsome face and placed a hand on his cheek. He opened his hazel eyes at her touch. Liam pulled her closer to him before taking her small hands into his larger ones.

He spoke in a whisper, "Are you scared?"

Arra thought she'd miss the silence but his voice was just as comforting. "No," She whispered back, "not scared really. This is just a bit to take in, thats all."

"If it makes you feel any better," He grinned, "Everyone else is confused too. I think part of the reason they believe you is because they know you wouldn't lie about something like that."

The silence returned after that and their lips met. His lips were warm and softly moved against hers. It was Liam who broke the kiss after what seemed like forever. His eyes were serious. He put his hand over her lips.

"Arra," His voice was gentle and soft, "I know I love you." He noticed her eyes widen and he smiled. "I won't put you on the spot and demand to know whether you love me too. I . . . just wanted you to know."

Arra wasn't sure she'd be able to answer anyways. Do I love him? Liam lifted himself from her bed and straightened out looking completely calm while Arra felt like she'd been doused with too cold water. "I believe its near time for the meeting with the Karucians. They'll call you down. I'll be there just a bit later."

He left and Arra noticed the bracelet still on the bed next to her where he had been. Had he left it there on purpose or by accident? She shrugged but pocketed it.

oOo

Arra didn't need to explain her whole story to the Karucians she only confessed.

"How do we know you aren't lying?" One man asked. He was commander over the army, named Feran. The name buzzed at the back of her mind. "You could very well be some random person wanting to become a princess. And from what I can gather, the princess doesn't seem like the type to just show herself after fourteen years."

He had the Karucian accent, while the words were spoken well there was still a slight twist to tell you he wasn't from Tortall. His hair was a deep, rich brown and his eyes were a dull grey. His nose looked like it had been broken one too many times and he owned a nasty scar from his chin up to his temple.

Arra's eyes narrowed. "You speak as if you knew me, then or now," She paused then took out the bracelet. "This was given to me by my mother, Queen Iolana, from the Queen's own treasury. Examine it if you need to, question me, you may even test my blood with a healer but I assure you I am Princess Semarra."

One of the older Karucian knights came forward. "Feran you were too young to remember Queen Iolana, may she rest in peace, but I remember her, and this young girl looks almost exactly like her. Except the hair of course."

Arra was surprised at how quiet Jonathan and Thayet were but there was nothing she could do about it.

The older man leaned in close and whispered in Karucian to Feran, though Arra overheard, "Besides you've the Gift can't you sense the oddities of her Gift?"

Feran nodded sourly and said back in a voice much louder than a whisper, still in Karucian, "So I suppose they really were hiding her from us."

"I'll have you know they did not even know I was a princess at all!" Arra said heatedly in Karucian.

Something glinted in his eye. Feran's lip twitched as if he held a secret he wanted to smile at. He turned to the Royal couple of Tortall. "Yes, she is ours. We will leave at her command and that of King Emereth."

"I will need to get my things. Then we will leave as soon as possible."

"Spoken like a true princess." Feran murmured in Karucian.

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A/N: Hm . . . what to comment on first? I don't know. What do you think? Please REVIEW and give me your opinion. Whether its critiquing or just a 'hiya I like your story' I love love love reviews.

The button is just too tempting for you to resist. Click it. You know you want to. (haha )

I just had to add this part here. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! And as a sidenote I just now realized there is a reply button-clickie-thing for signed reviews SO that means from here on out if there is something I want to reply on (of course for signed reviews only) I'll probably use that. I've never used it so I don't know what will happen . . . if you don't want me to do this then I won't.