AND: This isn't really a chapter, cause it doesn't really have a time place in the story except it takes place between chapters 12 and 15. I just had to get it up tonight since people loved the fluff. It was supposed to explain some things from the next actual "chapter." But I decided to put it up now rather than later.

I just watched tonight's episode. I now have a favorite quote: "Did I say something wrong?"- Rick to Don Wei

Disclaimer: See previous.

Interlude 1-Kiss

Weeks had passed since the Naurasians arrived in the Keep and everyone was busy settling into the life. Aikka and Canaan had officially started to teach Eva how to swordfight. She also had a spear and staff instructor, not to mention meditation with Nagali in the early morning and late evening. Ahn had joined the Keep's healers and was building quiet a reputation for treating children, leaving others to take care of the warriors. The other Naurasian soldiers took up various duties, like foraging and hunting or guard duty.

In short, most everyone had something to do. And Eva was exhausted beyond belief: mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted.

"Tired?" Aikka asked Eva as she came into the Naurasian quarters, as they were now being called. He was sitting in the common room, sharpening his sword. She just glared at him and sunk into a chair.

"I'm exhausted, but tomorrow Nagali promised to teach me to summon one of my bonded," she said.

Aikka raised an eyebrow. "I thought Elysians were only bonded to one animal."

"Not the royal family. Turns out that when we are born, we are bonded to the spirits of our ancestors, who then take on a physical form of an animal," she said. "Depending on how deep your connection with the spirit realm is, a royal can summon different animals. I have a deep connection because I was using my gift to hear the wind's voice during Oban, when I was 15. Few royals have ever awoken the true ear ability before they reached majority before."

"What, or should I say who, are you planning to summon?" he asked. Curiosity over a very secretive culture won out in the first week. He had become Eva's rock when she was overwhelmed. He was truly enjoying having her trust, and the memory of that night when she kissed him, albeit only on the cheek, kept running through his mind lately when she spoke with him.

"I'm supposed to be summoning a bird," she said with a sigh and leaned her head back.

"You look like you need sleep," he said. She sat up and grinned at him. Getting up she walked by him. He was looking down at his blade with intense concentration. A smirk appeared on her face as she leaned toward him. He looked up suddenly and the two met in a kiss, a lip-on-lip kiss. Eva pulled away quickly and ran to her room, where she sank to the floor with a deep red blush on her face and fingers touching her lips. Aikka was sitting in the common room in shock. He didn't even notice a certain female Naurasian watching him from the shadows with a huge cheshire cat grin on her face.

AND: Hope you like this interlude. It was just something that came up when I was listening to some music.