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Chapter 4!

Chapter 4: Innate Ability

After that kiss, Ditri felt sorry for Tristan. She also felt sorry for herself. Perhin, she was told by the common folk of Guen, was possessive. She doubted he'd let her run off with Tristan. She couldn't elope with him. The thought depressed her, but she didn't let that sour their relationship. They had arrived at the border and hired a carriage; Tristan paid… mostly by promise of the prince reconciling the lost money. They had five days to be together; then Ditri would be wed.

They were in the carriage. "Tris?" She had taken to calling him that; it was more affectionate than his full name. She wore a lavender dress and her hair was in a bun. Ditri snuggled under his arm, delighting in his muscled figure. He kissed her forehead.

"Yes?" He rubbed her back.

"What will we do… when… we get to the capital?" She tried not to cry. It annoyed her that men never cried. Women always did the weeping.

"Think not on it, sweet, think on it later. We still have a few days." Ditri started to sob, it was an excuse for Tristan to kiss her… and he knew it. But, being a lover, he complied. She responded to the kiss and they wrapped their arms around each other, pulling closer. Ditri started to untie his pants, but Tristan stopped her.

"We can't, Ditri. It wouldn't be right. Perhin could never wed you if his… valet had… deflowered you, per se."

She wanted to cry, but didn't. She loved Tristan. Yet, could never love Perhin. But, without him, she'd never have met her lover. "Damn Perhin then. Kiss me." She whispered. "I love you, Tristan, I can't love Perhin. He'll take you from me."

Tristan caressed her, holding her tightly. He didn't want her to marry Perhin, he wanted the princess for himself. They loved each other, but he knew his prince had his heart set on Ditri. He may even like Ditri by now.

"Tristan, send a picture of her," Perhin whispered. Tristan obliged, her didn't want his liege to think he loved Ditri, it wouldn't be right. "How far are you?"

"Four more days, liege." It was a painful reminder of what Tristan would lose: his heart, his soul and more importantly, Ditri. Normally, he was more talkative, but Tristan wanted to go back to kissing his lover.

"Is something bothering you, Tristan?" He really wanted to say 'Yes! You!', but he didn't.

"No, prince, I was just thinking about your marriage." He was, in truth, just not in the way Pehin thought.

"You will be my best man, right?"

"I will try to be there, my lord."

"Thank you, look. Juliana is here, I have to keep her busy." Perhin sounded like he wanted to talk more, but to Tristan's pleasure; Juliana had come to bother him at the right time. "Good bye." Perhin broke the conversation off.

Ditri breathed deeply and spoke. "Whom were you talking to?"

"The prince. Don't let it discourage you, lovely." He said tenderly. He re-enfolded her in his arms. She reached up and snagged his hair.

"It won't." She kissed his lips and then his forehead. They delighted in each other's presence until movement outside the carriage forced them apart.

"Excuse me my lord, my lady." The driver bowed to each in turn. "We have arrived at the next town, should we stop?"

"Yes." Ditri said at the same time Tristan said "No."

"Pardon, my lord and my lady, but maybe I should leave you-"

"We are stopping," Ditri said. "My back has a crick in it and I need a bath."

"Yes, your highness." The driver responded as he closed the door.

"What were you thinking?" Tristan hissed. "We need to keep moving!"

Ditri stuck out her tongue and pulled on her shoes. "I need a bath. I want a bed." Her eyes bulged out with a pleading look. "Plus, I want to delay my marriage as long as possible." Tristan also pulled on his shoes.

"You may, but Perhin wants the marriage to happen a-sap." Tristan said, opening the carriage's door.

Ditri climbed out and jumped, totally ignoring the diver's hand. He looked stunned, but allowed it. Tristan followed suit. The driver had them two rooms at a local manor; the driver would sleep at a nearby inn. The pair ate dinner with Lady "Sunin" and Lord "Woerin" then was sent to their rooms, "to get ready for bed." Lady Sunin said.

Eventually, the house calmed and servants went to bed. No one walked in the Guest's Quarter, no one moved. Ditri crept out of her bed (the floor was really cold, the bed was really warm) and slipped on thin slippers. A servant slept on the other side of the thick walls, but she still had to be quiet. She lit a stub of a candle and quietly slipped out of the guest room.

Tristan's room was "just down the hall a ways" a servant told her before she went to bed. Ditri had learned from trial and error when she snuck out of her castle back in Guen. She walked lightly and quickly. In the manor, she didn't know where all the squeaky floorboards were, so she ended up stepping on a few. She reached Tristan's door. It was dark cherry with gold inlay and a gold-brushed handle. They are rich! Ditri thought to herself. She, with the grace of a small cat, unlocked the door; it slid open without a squeak. Tristan slept in his bed. Ditri melted; he seemed so peaceful and so handsome.

She silently made her way to his bed, making sure not to hit another floorboard. He stirred and opened his eyes. In the dim moonlight, he could make out a thin figure with long hair that shone in the night's light. "Ditri?" He whispered. "What are you doing here?"

His lover had come to the side of the bed; she placed her fingers on his lips. "Shh. I couldn't sleep." She spoke lightly, as if afraid to be heard. Tristan closed his eyes. He knew why she was in his room.

Breathing deeply, he spoke. "Love, you shouldn't be here. You'll be married in a few days' time. Go back to your room, please."

Ditri bit her lip and let her slippers slid off her feet. She lifted the covers and crawled in. It was so warm! She rolled over to face Tris. She snuggled up to his bare chest. "What if I said no?" She asked sweetly. Smiling, Tristan pulled her head toward his and kissed her on the lips.

"Then I'd have to kiss you." He kissed her again on the lips, then on her cheeks. "Despite my bet efforts, you won't leave, will you?"

Ditri wrapped her arms around his tanned body. "I doubt you are trying very hard." She whispered. Then, she showed Tristan how glad she was that he felt the way she did.

Perhin:

Perhin was worried. His valet hadn't slept; maybe his injuries were keeping him awake. It was dark out. He shouldn't be awake! Any sort of "bad thing" could have happened. He wasn't in his light sleep like he normally was. So, he tried the harder and more strenuous way of contacting Tristan: being awake.

"Tristan!" Perhin yelled via mind-contact. "What are you doing that is keeping you awake?"

"My lord! I didn't know you wanted to contact me tonight. What did you want to know?" His valet and best-man-to-be responded, obviously startled.

"How far are you?"

"We are in Silvertown and tomorrow we will be near Big Falls. Accually, we may reach Auszin City in a day less than thought."

"Good. Be here as soon as you can."

"Good night, my lord."

After that, Tristan promptly fell asleep, as Perhin noted. What did he have to hide? Aren't we just like brothers? The prince asked himself. In any case, he dreamt of a peaceful country graciously accepting the new princess and queen-to-be. They loved each other and had three sons and four daughters.

Tristan:

"We have to go to bed." He said. "Perhin knows I haven't been sleeping." Ditri gave him a kiss and slipped out of the room. There was one factor he hadn't counted on. Perhin's innate ability to rat out if someone wasn't sleeping, so, as soon as Ditri left he fell asleep.