Everyone has their issues with Niira's return that they have to work out. So they try. Let's see how well that goes...

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Niira rested her head on her arms, closing her eyes as if tired. She was tired, actually. Tired of trying to explain things to Alakyl, who did not understand why there were three men also in the room. The wolf still did not trust Coen, despite Niira's numerous coaxings, and had once more planted herself firmly between her sister and the knight.

Alakyl could sense the similarity between Niira and Lavitz, and so she left the older man alone. Albert was a conundrum for her, though. She didn't understand the concept of a king, and Niira had given up trying to put it in terms she would know.

The half-blood was really in no mood to be listening to the wolf in the first place. She ended their conversation with a curt, "If you so much as bark at one of them, I swear I will throw you from the highest turret of the castle." This, Alakyl understood. She fell silent without protest.

Lavitz had been strangely silent since he had stopped the fight in the courtyard. He and Niira hadn't spoken a word as they walked through the lower levels of Indels to the room where they now sat. The First Knight was now leaned back in his chair, one hand covering his face, as if he didn't want anyone to read his emotions. Niira understood the feeling completely. She hadn't even been able to bring herself to turn around to greet Coen and King Albert as they too had entered the room, and soon after when Alakyl had shown up. Nobody had bothered to ask how the wolf got into the castle in the first place. Such details were not important now.

"Niira..." Lavitz's voice had an odd, almost sad sound to it.

She opened her eyes slowly. I don't want to talk right now...

"Why...why didn't you come back...before?" Her father sounded hurt, as if she had somehow betrayed him.

"I couldn't."

"Why?"

She turned away from him. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Why didn't you even let us--me...why didn't you let us know you were even alive?" He still had not moved his hand from his face.

I couldn't get out.

"Niira..."

Wait...they thought I was dead? "They thought I was dead?" She said it in a whisper, more to herself than anyone else in particular.

Lavitz did lower his hand then. Niira got an unfortunate glance at him, and immediately wished she hadn't. She had never seen one person in so much pain before.

Thankfully, it was Albert who clarified that. His voice was soothing after her father's hurt tones. "Everyone thought you had died in the fires."

She couldn't think of how to respond to that. It had never occurred to her before now that her sudden disappearance back then could have been construed as her death. She frowned. Damn you...I bet that's exactly what you wanted people to think, right Uncle? So you wouldn't have to bother with people coming to look for me. Damn you. She made a soft sound of disgust that made everyone, even Alakyl, look at her in concern. Niira sighed. "I'm sorry...I...I don't want to talk about it..."

"Why?" Coen said. He sounded irritated. "What happened?"

"I said, I don't want to talk about it," Niira growled forcefully at him.

Startled by her sudden change of mood, Coen and Albert both took a step away from her. Lavitz could only stare at her, as if wondering how she could possibly be the same girl he lost nearly fourteen years ago.

I'm sorry father... I'm not the same person I was back then. I wish I was, but I'm not. I can't change that.

Alakyl could sense Niira's anger and stood, her neck ruff bristling and rust-furred ears turned back. "Rrrruff?"

Niira slowly calmed herself, settling back in her chair, almost exhausted from her outburst.

"Wuff?"

"Nothing," she said to her sister.

"Rrrr..."

Coen gave a short laugh. "Good to see your watchdog is still here. I thought she had taken off for good when we got to Indels."

Alakyl made a series of half-barked sounds.

"She says she doesn't like you." Translating for the wolf was second-nature to Niira.

"I know that, I was just--"

"She also says to stop calling her a watchdog, or she'll bite you where it hurts."

"The wolf...talks?" Albert asked cautiously.

"Wuff!"

"Of course she does. All Northlanders do. Except not many people understand the caniforms. Lucky for you, she's my sister, so I can."

"She's what?" The dull question came from Lavitz. He was staring at the wolf now.

"My sister. The closest thing to a family I had besides my cousins and..." She stopped herself. I almost included Shining Claw just then.

"So..." the knight said slowly. "You left your family here to go live with your family in the Northlands, and then you leave them to come live back here? Do they at least know you're alive?"

Niira opened and closed her mouth several times, not sure if she should be angry at that or not. "I did not leave you back then. I had no choice in the matter. And I did not leave my mother's family. I didn't have a choice in that either." She tried to relax the hand that had curled itself into a fist. "And yes, they do know I'm alive." She heard herself putting an edge to her words, and was immediately taken aback by her growing aggression.

"That makes no sense," her father commented.

"It would if you had been through it."

"Then why don't you tell us?"

"I can't." Really? Or do I just not want to? I don't even want to think about it...

"Why not?" She could hear the same angry edge to Lavitz's speech now.

"I just can't!"

Beside her, Alakyl shifted uncomfortably, as if she would rather be anywhere but in between two angry family members right now. Niira felt a guilty sinking sensation in her stomach. She had only been home...for how long? Not long. And she was already causing strife for others.

Niira shuddered. "I can't do this," she whispered. Before anyone could stop her, she jumped up and fled the room.

She hurried through the old familiar halls of Indels Schloss, fully aware of the single tear that slid down her cheek. I've not even been here one day, and I'm already turning my back on--no, running from--the people I care about? What am I doing? Ignoring the guards, she rushed out into the courtyard, kept going. Maybe this really wasn't such a good idea. It hurts too much. Everyone's the same, but I'm not, and I can't change that any more. I don't think I can make them understand that.

Why did I come back?

I'm so sorry father.