Hey guys, happy new year!

This chapter will be a little shorter, which I feel bad about, but that's how it worked out. Next week's chapter will also be short.

I'm also setting up the next installment of The King's Daughters, starting in this chapter. Let me know your guesses of what you think it'll be!

-owl

Tony was sitting at the head of the royal banquet table. Unfortunately, at events such as this, the lords, ladies, earls, and the rest were at a different table than the kings, queens, and so on. Tony was sharing a table with Ziva, Kate, Nell and Eric, King Steve, Prince Daniel, and Princess Grace.

Every seat at the table was filled, save two. Ziva's seat was empty, as was Kate's. Ziva's seat being empty was planned. She would be walking in separately as the champion of the tournament. Kate's seat raised questions. Ziva's sister was never late for anything, so it was odd she wasn't here yet.

Tim and Abby were sitting at a table with Nick and Ellie, Deeks and Kensi, Sam and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Noshimuri, and Lord and Lady Grover. The knights were at yet another table. Callen was the only knight that was absent.

Tony gave a discreet nod to the royal page, and the trumpets sounded. All conversation in the room stopped as everyone turned to look at the page. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw Kate rush in and slip into her chair.

"We welcome Queen Ziva, champion of the DiNozzo Summer Tournament!" the page yelled as the doors were opened by a pair of servants.

Ziva entered the room amid thunderous applause. She was wearing her favorite dress, one of the ones she had brought from Meadth. It was purple with gold accents. The crown she wore added to the effect beautifully.

When Ziva reached the head table, she gave Tony a shallow curtsy as he reached over the table to hand her the trophy cup, filled with mead. Ziva then turned back to the crowd, lifting up the cup.

"Let the feast begin!" She raised it in a toast then drank from it, the action echoed by the attendees. Then she rounded the end of the table and took her seat next to Tony.

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Good job today," he said quietly.

Ziva gave him a grin. "Thank you, Tony."

The feast went by with nothing major happening. Everyone was in a jovial mood and with the drink flowing freely and the copious amounts of food, nobody wanted to leave early. A few minutes after the feast had started in earnest, Tony had seen Callen come in and take his seat in between Nick and Lady Quinn.

"Who were you talking to before the final round started?" Ziva asked that night while they were getting ready for bed.

Tony sighed. "That was the ArchDuke of Operacje, Duke Owen Granger of Nodian."

"We have never met him, right? What was he doing here?"

"He wants our help detaining the murderer of his best friend and former head of household."

"That makes it sound like he knows who did it, and that they are here." Ziva put down her brush and got into bed.

With a grimace Tony got into bed. "He's under the impression that Kensi did it."

"There is no way Kensi would do anything like that. I will talk to her tomorrow and see if there is any way for us to help."

Tony blew out the candle and laid down, pulling Ziva into his arms. "I told Duke Granger that we will not be stopping Kensi from leaving, and that he would need to leave the city when the rest of Operache. If you go talk to Kensi tomorrow morning, don't forget that we have that meeting with King Steve and Prince Daniel at the noon bell."

Ziva nodded, yawning. "I will not forget, Tony. Goodnight."

Pressing a kiss to Ziva's hair, he echoed her words. "Goodnight, Ziva."

Ziva woke up early, when the first light of dawn shone through the windows. Tony was still asleep when she got dressed in her short-sleeved green dress. After brushing her hair, Ziva pulled it up into a bun before she silently left the room.

The halls were still quite dark, as they were lit only by the few candles that were let to burn throughout the night. Immediately Ziva made her way to the room assigned to Kensi and Deeks. She knocked on it harder than she probably should have, seeing as it was yet early in the morning.

It wasn't too long before the door was opened by Deeks. He still looked half asleep. "Ziva?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you and Kensi."