Hey all heads up just wanted to let you know that yes the original name for Hamir's brother was Tairan. I had been going back and forth on Cassain and Tairan for awhile, but I'm going to stick with Tairan.

When Araiel came to, her head was pounding, and she wished she could fall back asleep. She felt soft cushions underneath her, and she also realized the sudden change in temperature. She felt a drop of sweat trickle down the side of her head. Then she heard the voices.

"Well done, Riand," a deep familiar voice muttered. "The remainder of your reward is on the table."

Araiel heard footsteps near her. She pretended to be unconscious still for she knew all too well who the voice belonged to; Tairan. She heard the sound of jingling coins as her abductor picked up his reward and began to walk out of the room.

"The sleep potion will wear off soon," he said just before he left. "It only lasts one day."
"Thank you, Riand. You may go now. I will deal with her."

She heard the sound of the tent flap open and close. She debated about continuing her pretenses, but what good would that do her? She was a prisoner none the less. Now was the time to glean information and find out what she was doing here. Araiel slowly fluttered her eyes open. She noticed her surroundings first. The tent was fairly large with exquisite furniture resting all around, a turquoise pool of water dug for the Prince's convenience, and a large dinner table where a number of official looking papers rested. She lay on a pile of velvet cushions near the bed. Tairan stood at the table looking over the papers when he noticed her movement. He instantly straightened and came to her side.

"Ahhh," he began, "So the beauty finally awakes. How do you fair, Queen Araiel?"

She slowly rubbed her eyes with both of her hands and tried to sit up feeling the effects of the sleeping potion instantly as her head started to go dizzy again. He set a hand upon her shoulder to settle her, but the sudden touch was unwanted, and she flinched in disturbance.

"Be careful, the potion gives you terrible headaches. But it was quite clever if I do say so myself. We have spent years perfecting it. All Riand had to do was enter the city, track you through the palace, find you when you were alone, and then simply take you."
"How did he get me out of the city?" she asked softly. "We have guards posted at every wall."

"Riand has his connections and his ways of getting out of places. You also have a network of tunnels that go under the city do you not?" he kneeled down to her level.

She looked up in surprise. "How do you know that?" For it was supposed to be kept only a secret within the family of royals.

"Oh Araiel," he chuckled. "I make it my business to know these things."

She now wished that she had spent the night with Hamir. Riand would not have dared taken her while he was in the room. She laid her head upon the pillow once again and closed her eyes. She heard the sound of Tairan's movement as he walked back over to the table. He took a pitcher of wine and poured two goblets full. She noticed they were very ornate, entirely gold since it was heavy riddled with semi-precious jewels. She took the wine knowing alcohol put some people in unpredictable circumstances, but she knew it would matter none the less. Her throat ached for the wine as she pressed it to her lips.

"I must admit I am surprised at you behavior," he murmured lowering himself to a cushion beside her.

"What do you mean?" she kept her eyes focused on the wine.

"Most girls would instantly strike me and run from the room and foolishly knock themselves unconscious again. You seemingly do not have any notions of escape."
"I never said that," she hissed. "But I prefer to keep my plans a secret."
"Well then I shall enjoy your performance when it does come," the corners of his mouth upturned into a devious smile. "I also must say I did not expect you to arrive in a man's clothes nor smelling so badly," he grinned even further.

"I was practicing in the rings of Minas Tirith the previous day."
"And where do your strengths lie?" she wondered why he was asking her so many questions.

"I am skilled most in archery due to my blood lineage of the elves," she emphasized elves showing that she had more nobility than he, which he stiffened briefly at.

"I shall have to see your presentation sometime then. Perhaps we will have a coupled tournament."

There was a long pause where she finally broke the silence to ask her most important question.

"What am I doing here, Tairan?" she asked.

"Now, now Araiel, patience," he came to a stand hovering over her. "First thing is first, I hate discussing business on an empty stomach. And you are not dressed for dinner. There is suitable attire for you to wear upon the bed. I thought of giving you Easterling attire, but I thought a dress of your country would befit you more. There is the pool for you to bathe. I shall leave the tent, and one of my sentries will stand guard. And please do not make any ridiculous attempts at escape yet. I wish to see them when you do. And the desert is four days in every direction on foot. So you will need to eat first."

Araiel flinched as he took her hand gently in his grip and pressed his lips firmly to the back of it. She watched as he left the tent and knew he would be gone for quite sometime. Ariael turned her attention to the water and slowly shed her clothes stepping into it. It was still warm, and she was grateful for the bath in any case. She dipped her long dark hair to the back of her head and tried to concentrate on her present situation. What could Tairan want? Elendriel? Minas Tirith? She knew Hamir and her father would never surrender either on her behalf. Well…her father would not. He was more sensible, but Hamir loved her greatly. Would he give up his city to save her life? And if she was doomed to die, why did Tairan keep asking her intriguing questions and act as though she would be kept alive for quite some time? Araiel's thoughts were too jumbled in her head.

One face came to mind which comforted her. She dreamed of the night spent in his quiet little cabin just outside Minas Tirith. She thought of his warm loving hands draped around her stomach and only the crackling fire watching them. She thought of how much she now abhorred politics and how much work running a country was. She was tired of being strong.

The Princess finally exited the pool and wrapped the long drying towel around herself. She decided to take a quick glance at the papers upon the table. Then she realized they were all written in an Easterling tongue she had never learned before. They were useless.

She used the comb sitting nearby to sift through her tangles, and then went to inspect the dress assigned to her. She was glad it was not Easterling attire. It was a simple makeshift gown of crushed red velvet with no sleeves because of the late summer heat. She slipped it on. The neckline was low. She noticed a necklace sitting on the small table beside her bed. She fixed the delicate gold chain around her neck. A single black pearl was attached upon the end of it. She also fixed two simple strings of gold around her head emphasizing that she was royalty.

Tairan's time was impeccable. He entered the tent just as she had finished. He smiled walking up to her as she looked in the mirror.

"Now you do not look so much like a man. So please, come," he offered her his arm.

"Lead the way. I only take the arm of a gentleman," she refuted.

He chuckled in amusement. "I will take that as a compliment."

He placed a strong hand on the small of her back and moved her forward. The tent flap was opened beneath her, and she took a deep breath of fresh air in. Surprisingly, it was cooler outside because of the breeze. She noticed all of the tents in the distance. Tairan's was the largest of course, but there were so many. He noticed her gaze.

"Impressed by my strongholds? They extend for a mile in every direction. This is not my city of course. This is merely my army. You would be keenly impressed by my city. It is very vast and luxuriant. We hold festivities every night."

Araiel did not reply as he led her to another tent. This one was slightly smaller, but she guessed it was the dinner tent for a long table was set up, and rows of food were already prepared. She was seated directly to this left upon the corner while he remained at the end. Araiel began to eat and took much since she had been without food for nearly two days.

"Now will you tell me?" she finally asked looking up at him and breaking the silence.

"Tell you?" he cocked an eyebrow. "Oh yes, of why you are here. I am wondering where I should start. It is very…complicated," he smiled seeming to enjoy her gaze as she waited. "Well, Princess, let us examine the situation. Hamir is my younger brother as I am sure you know well. I am only a year older than he, but still I am first born. I grew tired of court life as most know. I sought my true calling upon the sea and within the military. I had a skill in battle that has never been rivaled yet. I commanded the arsenal for our father. We raided the lands growing richer and richer.

"After we had conquered our enemies, I finally returned home to discover that our father had no intention of passing the crown legitimately to me. He chose Hamir. Only the gods will know the reason. Hamir was quiet, wise, and skilled in the art of politics. But I never understood how our father could possibly understand that he could not lead an army or be a striking symbol in battle." He paused momentarily waiting for her to speak, but she kept her eyes merely on her food listening instead. He continued, "So I vanished. Much of the army followed me. Hamir had never been their leader, and they knew I had led them in many successful battles. We took more. I acquired the city that lays to the west of our stronghold here. But when my father made the trade agreement with Minas Tirith, this strengthened my malevolence. The marriage should have gone rightfully to me along with the trade spoils of Gondor."
"But it didn't, Tairan. And it is too late."

He stood up throwing back his cloak with all of the pride he possessed and stood at her side. "It is never too late."