Moments before, Charis had overheard some of their conversation as she approached the door where they had retreated after the little incident that'd just occurred. It seemed this little Avian was determined to prove everything the cobra had thought about her people to be completely the opposite. Just listening to the banter between her son and his . . . Gods, his wife now, was enough to make her soul soar like the bird Kyra was at the thought of Zane being like this for the rest of his life when he'd been somber and angry for all of his life.

Unfortunately, however, she had to force herself to break the moment between the couple and knock on the door. Upon entering, she jolted in surprise when Kyra was looking at her with a pair of eyes red enough to rival Zane's very own Cobriana garnet. "What . . . Kyra?"

Those eyes that were doing such a wonderful job of confusing the former Naga widened comically as the Avian seemed to realize what Charis was asking about. "Um . . ."

Zane looked almost as panicked as his Mate. "Mother, there is something you need to know."

After a somewhat frantic explanation of why, exactly, Kyra was not blind as she claimed, Charis was nodding in understanding. "Don't worry, child. Your secrets are yours to keep so long as they do not harm our people."

"Thank you, Charis," Kyra breathed. Her stoic exterior was returning of its own accord not that she knew how the elder cobra was going to react.

"What did you need to ask, Mother?" Zane asked. It slightly stung that she was hiding herself from him like she'd said she wouldn't, but the larger part of him understood that it was merely habit.

"Several things that can wait due to . . . recent information . . . but the most important thing is are you okay? Both of you."

Zane smiled at his mother's concern for the woman who's started worming into his heart so easily. "We're fine; I promise. Kyra is apparently more that capable of taking care of herself even without using her eyes."

"Is this true?" Charis asked, turning to the girl herself.

"Yeah," Kyra smiled almost unperceivably. "What else did you need?"

"I wanted to remind the two of you to make sure you get some rest because you're expected to arrive at the Keep tomorrow." When both new monarchs looked confused, Charis sighed. "Did you honestly forget? You are being wed in both of your kinds' traditions as a symbol of acceptance on both people's parts. The ceremony is the day after tomorrow over there."

Kyra groaned when she realized that meant that she would have to deal with the hatred of her mother again. "Then I definitely need sleep; I can't handle her when tired without wanting to stab her with my talons."

"I won't let her do anything to you, Kyra," Zane promised, kissing the side of her head reflexively. That tiny action earned minute amounts of tension to radiate from the eagle that alerted him of the forwardness of that action in a public setting. He apologized with his expression as he continued, "She wouldn't dare say something in front of me and risk giving up this peace."

"The problem is that you will not always be by my side, Zane. It is not customary for Avians to share beds very often, even when they are bonded," Kyra informed him.

"We will figure out something on the journey there, then. It will be fine."

Charis smiled once more at the pair before sweeping her arms wide. "Well, in that case it's off to bed with both of you. I had something taken to both of your rooms for dinner, and after that straight to bed with both of you!"

"Yes, mother," Zane laughed before taking Kyra's hand and leading her towards their suite. "She really does like you, you know," he whispered close to her ear. They were back in the roles of the leaders they'd played in the crowd earlier in case someone ran into them on the way to the inner parts of the palace since it was a public area until the part where the family itself resided.

"That is actually quite reassuring since I was kind of worried about that," Kyra smiled openly again since it was just the two of them.

Upon reaching the room they'd shared previously, the unspoken decision went through the couple to share the space for another night, neither wanting to be alone. Kyra was pleased to notice that, while meat was included in the food left on the table for them, poultry was not on the menu. She was quite happy to be able to enjoy some well-cooked meat since she'd never fully understood how a society with its leaders as carnivorous birds didn't eat meat. But, given her own strange animal form, it wasn't surprising that the eagle differed from the norm once more.

Not many words were spoken as they enjoyed the meal and dressed for bed, but small smiles were an almost constant occurrence in their place. It wasn't until she was safely nestled in the cobra's arms that Kyra actually spoke up again.

"I'm glad it was you my mother forced me to marry," she whispered.

"As am I, only there was no forcing on my part," he murmured his reply. "Once we are at the Keep, you still need to show me your form."

"Oh?" Kyra replied teasingly. "Only if you show me yours."

"It's a date then," Zane grinned. The eagle couldn't see it from her positon, but she knew it was there.

"We will have to do it while in our room there—because I'll be damned if my mother keeps me apart from someone I care about," she'd decided to be defiant to the woman during the course of their quiet dinner. "I am certain that the rule prohibiting people from seeing my second form is still in place. Plus, I really don't want to be pointed at more than we're obviously going to be." After saying that, she quieted, seemingly lost in thought about all the ways people had judged her without knowing her for years.

Zane leaned forward to kiss the top of her head, not caring if it was still inappropriate by the standards in which she was raised. "Stop thinking, Kyra. Get some sleep."

She only nodded and wiggled lower into the plushy bed. His hands carded though her hair gently, lulling her to sleep.