Nixiesocean: Yes! I am updating (can I have a couple claps?) for Lady-in-Shining-Armor! I had a major (major, major) writers' block. If you have a problem with that, take it up with my brain and its fingers. Seriously, I swear they have a mind of their own!

Anyways. An update! (Be grateful!) I may be adding a story about the princess and the man (maybe knight, maybe commoner) that rescues her sorry butt.

Any questions? (looks through a stack of papers and pull out a sheet) Ah, there they are.

Sera dy Relandrant: Aww, I'm so flattered! Thanks!

Me: uh…okay… riiight…

Chapter 13: Affirmations and Conclusions

The Prince of Auszin and Guen, Prince Brennin, arrived in our capital just after the Hunt had started. Lance and I were there to greet him; after all, Auszin and Guen shouldn't be slighted! Lance wore his livery, which I won't bother to mention. He had, very forcefully I might add, made me dress in a dress of all things!

"Welcome to Furde, Prince Brennin." I said politely. Lance nodded and stepped forward to open his carriage door.

"Thank you, Lady Katharine. Prince Lance, thank you." The Prince of Auszin and Guen replied.

"You are welcome, Prince Brennin." Lance said. "I hope your ride was comfortable?" Who was this man? He had not acted so, well, princely in a long time.

"It was, Crown Prince Lance." He smiled.

"Would you like to take a rest so soon after your journey?" I asked through a smile. Lance wouldn't have to worry about my loyalty. Prince Brennin, I knew, wasn't here for a marriage.

"I would, thank you." He smiled; there were no traces of flirting in it. He had probably been warned about my soon-to-be-marriage. We walked inside.

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Cyrun opened her eyes. It was dark. Had night come so swiftly? She had missed Prince Brennin! She was about to get out of bed when she felt a hand on her pull her back in. After all, she could wait until tomorrow… She rolled over and kissed Bamien's forehead. She curled into the hollow she had been sleeping in ever so recently. Before she went to sleep, she felt Bamien curl his arms around her protectively. Comforted, she slept soundly until movement roused her again. Bamien was about to get out of the bed, though it was still dark! She opened her eyes and wrapped both arms around his chest, gently tugging.

"Let go, Cyrun." He whispered. She couldn't. She wouldn't. "Please."

"No." She murmured into his well-muscled shoulder.

"Please?" He pleaded.

"Where do you plan on going, dolos?" She felt his muscles tighten at the Draconic word. She put my head over her shoulder and gently kissed his cheek. She tugged again, trying to pull him back under the warmer covers.

"The privy, dalas." He replied. Cyrun let him go, but not without another kiss on the cheek. She slid back under the covers; enjoying the warmth it gave her. He came back shortly. He kissed her lips before crawling under the sheets. We closed our eyes and our hearts beat together, lulling her into sleep.

-Bamien's POV-

He couldn't believe his ears, Cyrun, his Cyrun, had called him a dolos. And yet, without knowing it, he had called her a dalas. Her warm body was a comfort. He was glad she hadn't noticed the blinds being drawn shut to keep her from running around. He wanted to hold her for so long. Not long after she fell into a dreamless sleep, he, too, was lulled into a sleep.

He awoke, Cyrun still in his arms. This time, instead of the bed, they were on a stack of cushions, rich and gold-threaded. They were under a silk sheet and surrounded by a sheer veil to conceal their shared bed. The veil had small gems that sparkled in the false light. As he looked around, they were in a cave. The stacks of gold and riches around them only proved his suspicions.

Cyrun awoke. "Bamien?" She asked, still sleepy. She pressed her lips onto his and- he awoke. Cyrun was still over him, her face still close.

He put his arms around her neck, pulling her face back onto his. Gods! How did he come to love her so much?

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I walked next to my fiancée, Katharine. Her midnight black hair swayed back and forth like a waterfall of dark liquid. The more I look back on our meeting, the more I was glad we had met, even if we had been conspired against. Her hand was in mine, the golden ring gracefully cool against my fingers. It wasn't a gaudy ring, I noticed for the millionth time, merely a simple golden band with a small gem. I had been almost a day; I could tell Katharine was worried for her future sister-in-law, though she tried to deny it.

We were meeting Prince Brennin at a small garden-party. Conveniently, Cyrun's rooms were on the way. "Hey, Lance, I'm going to get Cyrun, she may want to come along." Katharine said lightly. I nodded. She brushed my lips and walked away, her green dress swaying as she walked. I didn't have to ask anymore, she knew I loved her in a dress.

I kept walking toward the gardens. Prince Brennin was there, awaiting my arrival. I knew as well as he that I stood higher on the social ladder; I was a Crown Prince rather than a normal prince. What a shame. Not.

"Good Morning, Crown Prince Lance." He bowed. I clapped in shoulder in a un-prince-like gesture.

"Prince Brennin, we're in the same boat here. Lance is just fine between us." He nodded, very formal, I noted.

"If I am to call you Lance then I insist on Brennin." He said quietly.

"Agreed." I smiled. For once, I might have a friend that didn't bow every two seconds, except, of course, Katharine. My Katharine.

"You called me here… Lance?" He asked, getting down to business. I sat, gesturing for him to sit also.

"I did indeed." I said seriously. "As you know," I looked around. "Of the problem we're having."

"Yes, I do." He smiled. "That's why I'm here. But I confess, if it is just an assassin problem, could you not take care of it yourself?"

"The problem," I stressed, hoping he got the hint. "Is that our family is well loved among the people, and have been, since our dynasty began. Now, we have an issue. Someone tried to kill me after I was captured by the dragon."

"So… the problem is an unusual occurrence?" He asked dubiously. "Even we had problems with my parents taking the throne…"

"You did?" Of course, this had been information kept silent for obvious reasons. If the monarchs were concerned, the nations went into a state of disarray.

"I overheard my parents. Apparently, my father's twin tried to kill them the day they took the throne." He admitted. I nodded. "He wasn't found in Auszin or Guen. We got word, though, that he re-appeared… in Auldn. With my sister." This time, he was very concerned. Apparently he and his older sister were close. I knew the feeling; Ilona and I were close as well. I wanted her back dearly. "I'm thinking my uncle is trying to claim a throne to start a war between our countries." He declared.

I was silent. How could I say that our throne was secure? I was engaged to a country-renowned knight. Ilona was safe with the dragon that… my mind jumped to a conclusion. "Are you thinking that Asnarinith and your uncle are in league with one another?" I asked, wide-eyed.

He nodded yet again. At this moment, my soon-to-be-wife and her best friend chose to appear. I smiled and greeted them. Cyrun gracefully bowed, her silver hair never leaving the graceful place on her scalp. They sat, Katharine slightly closer than the normal distance. Brennin bowed to both women. We brought them up-to-date. Cyrun was furious when I mentioned her old master and Katharine was merely plain-faced, not letting the anger that showed in her eyes erupt into a full-scale temper like her friend,

"That good-for-nothing man-gone-dragon!" Cyrun cursed in her hissing language, or what I guessed was cursing from the way she spat it out. "He is a betrayal to the race of dragons!" She shook her head. "To be in league with such a foul man!"

Katharine touched her friend's shoulder. They made eye contact. Cyrun sat. "I am of the opinion that your uncle is going to have a wife very soon." She stated.

I stared at my fiancée. Did she say what I thought she said? "Katharine, are you implying that I set up my sister to be married to his," I pointed at Brennin, who was deep in thought, I doubt he noticed the impolite gesture. "Uncle?"

"Yes," She said seriously. "I think your," She was talking to Brennin, who barely noticed, again. "Uncle is going to pose as a knight to rescue Lance's sister and marry her, like the decree said."

"An effective way to infiltrate the royal family." Cyrun noted. "All, then, that would be left would be to get rid of Lance. Since you two aren't married, the marriage proposal would simply be void." How in the world did Cyrun know so much about court and laws?

"I believe Lady Cyrun is right, Lance." Brennin said, startling us all. "All that would be left would be to kill you. He tried it once when you were with Lady Katharine in the woods." He didn't add a derogatory tone to that fact like many men would. "That time, however, he failed. He hadn't counted on Lady Katharine being loyal to her soon-to-be monarch." I didn't mention she had fallen (almost) head-over-heels, nor did she. She reached out a comforting hand. I grasped it.

"Sometime between his bringing back Princess Ilona and your marriage, he will strike in desperation. It is possible he himself will put a dagger in your back."

We were all silent after such a statement.