Disclaimer: You know what I own and what I don't own. Last time I checked I wasn't Tamora Pierce.

Authors Note: Sorry for the short chapter and thanks for the reviews. I'll put the replys to my reviewers at the end of the chapter because I don't feel like doing them now. Thanks for the support everybody and enjoy the read!

I would once again like to apologize for my spell check - I'll try my best to spell correctly but sometimes my fingers slip...

Fire of the Elements

Silent Love

And when you feel like crying, I'm going to try and make you laugh.

It was a week after the ball when Sierra finally (the length making her feel incredibly horrible) realized what - who she had been missing. Sam. Since the night of the ball, Sierra had spent the majority of her waking hours with Kevin, and now the whole palace knew of their affair. Sierra wondered how Sam felt of the whole affair, but forced herself to believe he understood. Sam was like that, he would befriend anyone.

Since Kevin was a knight, as he was nineteen, he had his duties, which left Sierra to spend the day with Sam. She had not seen Kel since the ball, and the large space between visits had troubled her. Was she ill? Sierra decided to visit Kel after she visited Sam. It seemed strange that with one week with Kevin, Sierra had missed so much.

Reaching the servants' wing, Sierra followed the familiar corridor to Sam's rooms, and knocked lightly, hoping it was Sam's one day off. There was a moment of silence, and as Sierra turned to leave and search the kitchens, Sam opened the door. He looked unusually pale, but other then that and the glittering in his eyes, Sam was the same old Sam.

"Hello Sam." Said Sierra, wondering how to apologize.

"Sierra." Sam nodded, hiding his hurt. One week she had stayed away. With...

"I am truly sorry for not visiting - I was - busy and..."

"No matter. You have a life." Sam smiled pleasantly as he and Sierra began the walk to the gardens, their special 'best friends' place.

"Maybe, but still..."

"It's fine." Sam's tone was friendly, but told her to drop the subject.

"Well anyways - how long have you been given a break from work?"

"A week. Every year each servant has a week off. This is my last day."

Sierra felt horribly sorry and wished that she could hide her face. All the time that she had been with Kevin, however lovely, she had left her best friend alone. Finally, she forced herself to ask, "What occupied you?"

"My younger sister came up for a day and I showed her around. Talked with Ahn. Not much really." Sam smiled - he and Sierra both knew his great - dislikement for Ahn, probably is only known hatred for anyone. Ahn was a servant, like Sam, but there was something irratating about her.

"Had fun then?"

"With Ahn? Hahahaha I'm so funny. What do you want to do Sam? Huh? Huh? Haha you are a riot!" Sam immatated the annoying servant and brought a smile to Sierra's face.

"I should leave you with her more often!" Joked Sierra, throwing a stone to skip in the water.

"If you do that too many more times, I'll have to hurt you." Joked Sam, beating her skip.

Conversation went on, and jokes immerged. There was only a small part of Sierra that believed there was something wrong with Sam, but the rest of her dismissed the idea. Sam was like he always was. When the lunch bell rang, Sierra apologized to Sam and left to visit Kel.

Sierra stood outside Kel's door, about to knock, when she heard the voices inside. Ignoring all lessons that had taught her not to eavesdrop, Sierra pressed her ear to the oaken door and began to listen, her conscious hidden in the back of her suspicion.

"I think you should speak to Cleon of Kennan of this." The voice was male.

"No! Dom, I told you, I don't want him to know anything about this. He'll just get frightened and run like the baby he is." This voice was familiar - it was Kel's.

"He should know. This is not a light matter, Kel."

"Dom, I do not speak to Cleon anymore. I do not want to speak to Cleon anymore! Don't you understand?" Kel's voice was almost a scream.

"Kel this is a life you're talking about. Your daughter should meet her father!" Dom's voice was even, yet you could hear the anger in it.

"You could always pretend..."

"No Kel. I won't. So don't try and make me. Cleon is Sierra's father. She should meet him."

Sierra pulled away from the door, horrified. Cleon of Kennan! She had heard rumors of him and his love affair with Kel but...she was a love child!

Forcing herself not to run away, Sierra blocked her ears to the voices and knocked heavily. She was not going to leave now.

A tall dark haired man opened the door to Sierra - Sir Domitan, Kel's husband if Sierra guessed correctly. And not her father. "Hello Sir. Is Kel around?"

Dom eyed her suspiciously before motioning Kel over. When she saw her, Kel ran to Sierra and hugged her briefly. When she let her go, she turned to Dom and said, "Dom, this is Sierra - my daughter. Sierra, Dom - my husband.And your adopted father."

Sierra smiled politely and curtsied to Dom mumbling a 'How do you do?'

"Well thank-you. And you don't need to be polite to me," When he noticed Kel and Sierra smiling he added, "I mean you don't need to curtsy."

Sierra nodded her understanding and smiled, deciding that she could get used to Domitan.

"I just came by to see how you were doing for I have not seen you in a week." Muttered Sierra, her shyness taking over.

"I am well, thank you. I had a slight cold for a few days and then I was getting reunited with Dom...I am sorry for leaving your ball honey, but Dom had just come."

"That's good...and I do not mind." Sierra smiled, a large smile that Kel had rarely seen.

"Well I shall be off now. Nice to meet you Sir Domitan..."

"Dom."

"Sorry. Nice to meet you Dom and I'll see you around Kel." Sierra waved her good-bye and silently left, thinking over her situation. She did not hear Dom say to Kel, "Poor girl. She's too shy to even call you mother."

That night, while Sam and Sierra were enjoying a game of What's the Worst Thing, a messanger came into Sierra's rooms, bringing a message from Kevin. It read Dearest Sierra, I am dearly sorry I must be on guard duty tonight. I shall see you tomorrows' eve. Love Kevin.

Sierra smiled and tossed a silver coin to the messanger and turned back to Sam, not noticing his strange face.

"Your turn. What's the worst thing you ever did to a sibiling?"

"I dunked Brent underwater and kept my hand over his head and blanked out for a moment...he was blue when I remembered him!"

Sierra gasped.

"Now your turn. What's the worst thing you've ever done to a friend?"

"Ignored him for a week."

"Wow Sierra...you're too nice for your own good."

"I know."

And definately too good for that dung-face Kevin.

Authors Note: Wow, this chapter came up QUICK! Thanks for the few reviews that I did get. And I hope it was long enough.

To My Reviewers...

Aly the Spy: Was the update quick enough? lol. I hope I don't have to feel your wrath.

Drop Your Oboe: Thanks. What I know, I felt bad writing it.

klutzyspaz: I know. Keep reading.