you'll be the prince and i'll be the princess
#1
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Sorry that this got long... wanted to offer some sort of back story as to what Ryan's been up to. Also, I hope it's Ireland that DaVinci went to. :3


     The only trace of Ryan that remained in Inferni was the letter she had left on the door. Everything else had vanished with her – her possessions, her spirit, and eventually, even her daughter. It had been a hard choice for the previous leader to make, but it had been necessary in her life. When DaVinci had come to see Ryan one last time, he had spoken of his plans to leave over the ocean. Just like before, Ryan had deserted the man she loved for her clan. Yet the days ate away at her and she had finally realized – her life was nothing without love; the true love she had found in DaVinci 'Dait Nasphrite.

     After venturing away from Inferni’s lands, Ryan headed southeast to the other coastline of Nova Scotia. The trek had left her plenty of time to think of her actions, but she knew she was doing right by this. Sure, she would miss Inferni and those who remained there – Valkyrie, Anselm, Corona, and the rest – but she knew she had to go after DaVinci if she ever wanted to have a life with him. He had tried countless times to get Ryan to see that they were meant to be together, but she had chose the clan over him. She was finally seeing that true love was more important than the clan. After all, wouldn’t her family love her no matter what?

     She stumbled along the stand of trees the guarded the coast line, catching herself with a palm against the bark. Tears spilled from the flawed crimson eyes as she looked out to the sandy beach. She wasn’t sure how she was going to make it across the ocean. She had neither the boat nor the knowledge of sailing to get her there, but Ryan wouldn’t let that stop her. She’d figure out a way.

     It took the girl days of wandering before she came across a boat that seemed to be in relatively usable condition. It had been ditched outside of the city along a private dock pulled back into a cove where the ocean had begun to erode away at the coastline. It had taken Ryan quite awhile to prepare the boat and swing it down from the contraption that kept it held slightly from floating in the water. Once the cinch had been lowered and the boat didn’t flood, she knew it was going to be okay. The gasoline in the tank had long since gone bad from almost two decades of sitting idle. The mechanics of the boat were beyond Ryan anyhow, so she merely resorted to using a paddle over the side of the boat. It was very slow going and it seemed to take her ages to get away from the dock, but she didn’t know what else she could do. She was desperate to find DaVinci, and this was all she knew to do.

     The Inferni woman had managed to get herself out onto the ocean’s waters, but she had no way to navigate other than the sun and stars in the sky. She had begun to drift south without even realizing it, but was blinded by emotion that she was doing the right thing. Ryan was ill prepared and it wasn’t long before her food supply had dwindled. To make matters worse, the weather had seemed to only regress since she managed to get herself away from the coast of Nova Scotia.

     A hurricane ripped up the east coast of North America, finding its way to the little drifting boat where Ryan had spent many nights. It was far too much for either to handle, and Ryan was tossed into the sea like a mere rag doll. As the cold water churned her body in the angry waves, the de le Poer was sure that she would die. No one would ever know what happened to her, save for Mother Nature herself.

     By some chance, Ryan didn’t drown in the water. Instead, she was picked up by a boat of gypsies traveling to the shores of North America. The small group pulled Ryan from the water and offered her plenty to eat. It wasn’t but days later when they made landfall in the dilapidated Boston harbor.

     For awhile Ryan became accustomed to a new lifestyle, living with these Luperci whom had rescued her. Though she wasn’t yet closer to being with her love, Ryan felt a small bit of contentment here amongst her rescuers. In some way, this gypsy life reminded Ryan of her youth when she and her mother moved from place to place. Still, it was always in the back of the girl’s mind to find her way to DaVinci. She wasn’t sure how things would play out, but she kept the promise in her heart – she would be with him.

     A ship was setting sail to retrieve more souls from Europe. Ryan’s interested was instantly piqued at the news, and she rushed to make sure she could secure herself a position on the ship. She didn’t know much about working on the sea, but they put her to use as a maid and she worked just fine repairing sails and whatever else the crew needed. It was a long, unsteady sail over the great Atlantic, but finally the crew made landfall along the coast of the United Kingdom, and Ryan was much closer to being reunited with DaVinci.

     From the city of Cardiff, Ryan moved her way north to Birmingham always in search of someone who may have heard her love’s name in passing. The story was always the same – no one had heard a thing of DaVinci and they wished her all the luck in the world.

     Ryan came to rest in Liverpool, where she met a young man by the name of Lee Bristow. He was a devilishly handsome boy with icy blue eyes and deep brown locks of hair that cascaded into his face. In some ways, the blue reminded Ryan of DaVinci, but in another, it sparked interest in a new life she could have. For some time Ryan lost footing on what her real goal of coming to Europe had been. A complex of old human buildings served as a community of fisherman where Ryan decided to stay. It was here that an interest in Lee began to blossom, and Ryan thought perhaps she might stay in Liverpool. She let her heart slip and the doubts began to work their way inside. Perhaps she’d never find DaVinci. After all, she didn’t know exactly where it was he had gone off to. The de le Poer woman still needed to find someone who had the navigation skills to get her to Ireland and the boat that could carry them.

     As she lay curled at his side, Ryan brought her fingers to curl into the soft, dark locks framing Lee’s face. He was fast asleep as the moonlight cascaded in through the broken window, but Ryan’s mind was far too caught up in thought to let her sleep. Even though she felt content there beside him, she knew that this wasn’t how things were supposed to play out. Lee awoke only to offer Ryan a soft smile, before shutting his eyes again. Those vibrant blue eyes should have made her want to cuddle closer to Lee, but instead they only made her think of those brooding, steel blue eyes of the Nasphrite boy. She needed her Romeo back. She wouldn’t be able to settle for life here in Liverpool, no matter how pleasant she had made herself believe it was.

     She knew that Lee didn’t understand her sudden decision to leave. Though they had not physically been together with one another, it was obvious to all in their complex that the two Luperci had a mutual attraction for one another. Lee planned to make Ryan his mate, though the de le Poer had her heart set on her one true love. With a parting kiss goodbye, she left on a boat that had promised to sail the relatively short distance to Dublin.

     It had been quite some time since Ryan had left her home of Inferni and Nova Scotia behind. She had almost all forgotten of her times in Crimson Dreams and her clan’s feuds with Phoenix Valley. But now, the de le Poer’s mind had wandered back to her thoughts of first meeting DaVinci. The boy had been such a mystery to her, but Ryan had felt some kind of an attraction almost instantly. He knew so much about her past and who she was. He would be one of the only ones in the world to ever know so much about her.

     Her hair had grown long and Ryan had not attempted to sheer back the curls. The auburn locks fell to her chest and her bangs had grown wildly past her crimson colored eyes. She brushed them back out of her face repeatedly, but to no avail. Her familiar purple dress had long since been abandoned. Had anyone from Nova Scotia seen her, they would have thought it strange, but Ryan had almost forgotten about that plaid smock. Now, she was dressed in a simple grey dress. It did nothing for her form – no emphasis of her curves or flattery to her minimal cleavage. Instead, the dress was really nothing more than a smock. It seemed as if her adventure had seized a hold of her, and rendered Ryan a new girl than what she had been in Nova Scotia. If only DaVinci would still accept her.

     Those she had met had told her that she had indeed arrived in Ireland, but she wasn’t sure where she was even to begin looking. In the crumbling city of Dublin she asked around, tossing her love’s name into the air in hopes of getting a response. No one seemed to know a thing and a sinking feeling found its way into the girl’s stomach. Perhaps she would never find him.

     But then, a lead! A stranger remarked that they had heard the name before, and sent Ryan in the direction of which they knew. Perhaps it wouldn’t lead her anywhere, but she could only help but try.

     The sky was darkening as the night closed in, and Ryan decided she would settle for the night. In a valley between two curving hills, Ryan prepared a fire that she might cuddle close to. Rabbit meat had been brought along from the night before and she skewed it onto a sharpened stick, letting it heat over the open flame. She didn’t carry much with her, but she did have matches to get the fire going. A blanket had been rolled and bound with twine, and she unrolled it so that she might cover herself from the chilly winter air. Though the ground was dusted in snow, Ryan was sure to keep warm. It had been some time since she had slept many consecutive nights out in the open. Though the stars where a beautiful sight to look up upon, the dark expanse that surrounded her left Ryan in what seemed like eternal loneliness.


SoSuWriMo: 1861



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#2
Ooc: Zana gets to be a delivery service! DaVi shows up after the next post, umm.. feel free to play them getting to the old castle in your post if you’d like. and yes, it's ireland...
IC

How the war had been won in such a short amount of time was beyond her, but even though DaVinci had claimed his rightful place as the Ri of the clans there was still a lot of work for the warriors. Zana found herself away from the great hall often as she was sent to flush out those who had been too fearful of the Ri’s wrath to come forward when the war was lost. In the past moon the nights had grown cold and quite a few of the old clan members who’d sided with the usurper had decided that they’d had enough forging and hiding and had come back into the arms of the clan, a little disgraced but whole none the less. Why she was out tonight she really didn’t know except that rumors of the last remaining strays and deserters were lingering close. She hadn’t believed the rumors but when she’d come upon the woods and seen the small flickering of a fire a grime smile had settled upon her maw.

Aisleran once more had accompanied her, along with a few of the warriors who’d come across seas to retreave the king. They trusted her and she them but what her shadow friend had to offer when he come back from scouting caused her to shake her head and ask if he was sure. The knowledge of a stranger, a female alone out in the countryside this far south made her wonder. Few of the wild folk traveled this far and they made certain they were not seen, this one didn’t seem to belong. Instead of give the men instructions Zana moved forward with Aisleran shadowing as always behind her as she slowly crept to the edge of the campsite.

She couldn’t really tell who it was that she’d found but when the winds kicked up the powdering of snow she sighed and stepped out into the flickering firelight as she spoke up. ”You’d better have a good reason for being on these lands lad-“ her words were caught in her throat as she realized that Aisleran and a few others had appeared as well. She realized that if she didn’t say something soon that she was going to make it rather odd for the woman who lay before them.

Clearing her throat Zana couldn’t help but scuff as she just stared at her old clan mate, wondering just how in the hell the woman had made it this far and just what was going to happen next. ”Ryan…” She said breathlessly, a soft chuckle following as she turned to catch Aisleran’s eye as she smirked. ”Romeo’s fair Juliet has denounced her clan it seems..”, she said in the tongue of her brother’s clan, her eyes shimmering with excitement as she just shook her head a moment while Aisleran delivered the message over to the rest of their scouting party.

The men had known of the two star-crossed lovers and how it had ended, rumbles of amusement seemed to echo about the fireplace as she watched Ryan, wondering what the woman was going to make of DaVinci’s change in the world. ”I think we’d better take you to see the Ri.. you two have probably got a lot to talk about..” she said in the language shared between Ryan and herself before leaving the men with her own commands, telling them that once they found themselves at the castle to make themselves scarce and not breathe a word of what they’d found in the woodlands to another, not anytime soon at least.
#3
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Wow, I have missed playing these kids so much! I'm so excited for us to play all of this out. Big Grin


     Slender fingers reached for the sharpened stick, and Ryan tested the rabbit meat with a prod of one finger. It seemed as if it had cooked long enough and would be well enough to put some substance into her belly. Pulling the meat away from the sharpened stick, she began to eat, letting her eyes drift above the fire where little dots of orange and red seemed to leap up from the flames and drift off into the night sky. Perhaps that was how starts were formed; maybe that’s why the sky was littered with so many. When she finished, Ryan laid the stick idly into the dusting of snow beside her, and pulled the blanket up around her frame. This was not her first night alone and surely it wouldn’t be her last, but she could only hope that this part of her journey would end soon. Talk in the cities had spoke of war, and though Ryan did not know whether or not it was still raging, the thought still scared her. What if she was to be caught alone in the midst of battle? But she didn’t let it bother her too much now, for she needed to quiet her mind. Often she didn’t find much rest on nights like these, for her memory conjured up images of times long past and it sent the Inferni girl wondering about what could and should have been.

     Though both crimson eyes were fixated on the fire, it wasn’t the flames that Ryan saw. Her mind had wandered away back to Nova Scotia, and for a moment it felt as if she were really there, living as she once had amongst the coyotes of Inferni. So lost in her daydream Ryan was that she did not even sense the footfall of the approaching Luperci. It wasn’t until a voice rose in the air that Ryan, startled and confused, looked up from the fire to find herself surrounded by a group of unfamiliar faces. Her gaze settled on the one who had spoke – a fearsome looking hybrid with eyes a brilliant shade of lavender shadowed by the flames. For a moment, Ryan was unable to speak, and she tried to find her words. "I…," she muttered, feeling the tingling sense of fear creeping into her stomach. And then the woman spoke her name, and Ryan was left baffled. How did she know who she was?

     The woman turned to speak to the others whom had surrounded the small fire, but Ryan kept her gaze fixated on the girl. The words that came from her muzzle were incomprehensible – spoken in some other language that the Inferni woman had not heard before. And as she studied those eyes, she realized how the woman had known her name. "Zana," Ryan murmured in surprise. It was a wonder that the Lykoi girl would be the one to find her out here. She was older now and her frame had grown more curvaceous and carried less childish features. There was still some time before she would be a mature woman, but she had come a long way from the mischievous pup she had been back in Inferni.

     When laughter erupted from the other mouths around the fire, Ryan looked to them in wonder. What was it that Zana had said to them to make them chuckle like so? It worried her slightly, but Ryan had faith that Zana would lead her in the right direction. After all, she had to know where DaVinci was. And then, she spoke in words that Ryan was once again able to understand. The Ri. The title sounded very prestigious and made Ryan worry, until Zana said she’d have a lot to talk about with him. She had to be speaking about DaVinci, wasn’t she? She merely nodded, watching as Zana turned again to speak in the unfamiliar language. As she turned to leave, Ryan frowned. "Wait! What about me?" She called out to the Inferni girl, but she merely kept walking and left Ryan behind with those unfamiliar faces. Ryan looked up to one, and he beckoned her to follow. With no other choice, Ryan nodded in agreement.

     Rolling her blanket, Ryan repacked her belongings into her small satchel. Once packed, the others helped her put the fire out by kicking snow on top to extinguish it. When they were ready, they beckoned Ryan in the direction of the castle, and the group began their trek in silence. Ryan didn’t mind so much that she couldn’t speak with the men that surrounded her. She didn’t feel like answering any questions or retelling any of her story to anyone except for DaVinci. Though Zana had not made it clear if they were taking her to see DaVinci, Ryan kept the hope that that was their final destination. She could only hope that they were not too far from where Romeo was staying, because she couldn’t take the anticipation that was building in every bone in her body.

     As they walked, Ryan kept casting her flawed gaze up towards the stars, marveling that even though they were moving, the stars seemed to keep their position. When she happened to catch the gaze of one of the men, she merely offered them a small smile before looking away. She wondered how much they knew of her, and what it was Zana had said to them. Ryan supposed it didn’t matter too much, but she had to wonder what thoughts were running through their minds as they stole little glances at her.

     When the castle came into sight, Ryan could only gape in marvel. The men gestured that this was where they were headed and instantly their pace began to increase. The de le Poer woman did not mind at all, as she was eager to get inside. Once there, she was sure her Romeo would be waiting inside. Ryan could only hope that he would be happy to see her there, and not deny her as she had done to him.

     Once they had made their way inside, one of them motioned for Ryan to stay where she was. She nodded, taking a seat on a stone bench and waiting to see what would come next. It seemed as if her escorts had all but disappeared, and she wondered whether or not they had summoned DaVinci to his visitor. Inhaling deeply, Ryan held her breath in anticipation. Would he be happy? Would he still want her?


SoSuWriMo: 1083



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#4
I miss them so much toooo...

Zana had not realized how demanding she had become, how her hot temper had settled some and her annoying ways had diminished for the most part in the time she’d spent away from Inferni. She truly was a different creature now. She smiled slightly as her storm brewed lilac orbs turned back to Ryan, the woman seeming to not realize just who she was as she found herself surrounded by strangers. Zana would take care of that later. It was not as important as finding DaVinci and letting him know what she’d found in the wilds. She had grown tired of seeing her sibling brooding and moping about when he wasn’t busy running the castle and doing the mundane important things that the Ri of the lands was required to do. She believed that this would put a damper on his sour moods, or at least she hoped it would.

She stole a darting glance towards Aisleran before she noticed that Ryan had seemingly found her voice and a realization of who the tiny creature was who stood before her. Zana had been surprised at how long it took her, seeing how she was the only luperci of her kind, or the only one that she knew of. She raised a brow at the woman, wondering what she had been up to in her travels to forget the child she’d helped to raise alongside her own daughter. She nodded to show that she was indeed Zana and with a soft sigh she said briskly. ”We’ll bring you to him..” not knowing if the woman even really understood her words with the accent she’d developed from the overuse of the language of the lands here.

Zana turned back to Aisleran and said in the same brisk tone, but a whole other language, ”I’ll run ahead, you and the others bring her.” She let her eyes linger on Ryan for a moment before turning away and darting through the undergrowth, knowing that the progress of the men and Ryan would be a little slower; this was one of the upsides of being so tiny she guessed. Her paws darted through the lands, knowing each and every shortcut that could be gained within the woods and meadows that encircled the castle where the Ri and court resided now. She smiled grimly to herself as she popped out of the cover of the woods and found herself leaving a trail of tiny paw prints across the light layer of snow that had taken over the clearing about the castle.

One of the guards called down to her from a watcher’s nest as he saw her approach, it didn’t take him too long to realize who she was, her cloak a few shades lighter than her siblings, showing that she was of the Ri’s close family. She didn’t stop to chatter though, which raised a fuss among those warriors who were not on duty. Zana was usually good at giving away the chatter of what was going on in the lands surrounding. Rumors already were blazing at the sudden appearance of Zana without Aisleran and their trackers.

She ignored the whispers behind her as she quickly took the stairs, using her forepaws almost as she would front legs, almost upon all fours as she circled the rise of the steps to the upper floor where DaVinci’s chambers were. She knew that at this time of night he would be in his study winding down from the day or even in his bedchambers already, but she wasn’t for certain as she came to a halt outside his rooms. She was quiet a moment as she hesitated on attempting to push open the large door to his room or to search the parlor and study first. She sighed and pushed open the door, knowing that the guards that stood at the end of the hall were probably wondering what she was about at this hour.

When her eyes adjusted she was disappointed to find that he had not fallen asleep in his chambers yet. She knew that he spent too much time pouring over the events of each day and she would obviously find him in his chambers beyond with a glass of mead and that brooding look upon his face. She wondered if Ryan and the warriors had returned yet but she didn’t let that thought linger as she padded into his room, shutting the door behind her and moving across one of the few large bedchambers in the hall and to the smaller door that separated his study from his living quarters. She pulled that door open with a grunt as she prepared to step into his study, already knowing what to expect in the room beyond.

She was more than surprised though when she was not met with the flickering glow of a candle and the roar of a bright and cheery fire. Instead there was little more than a stub upon the holder, the scent of warm beeswax lingering in the air and the embers of a fire that had been neglected in the fireplace. DaVinci himself seemed to be asleep at his desk, his form bowed over the top, his face resting in his arms. She paused for a moment to catch the rhythmic sound of him breathing before moving into the room, shutting that door behind her as well before throwing a few small pieces of firewood onto the fire and grunting and huffing as she managed to pull one of the larger ones that would burn all night as well. She turned her eyes back to DaVinci, the man who normally would wake at the slightest sound, so exhausted that he hadn’t even budged at the wracked she had created.

She snorted and shook her head, something very unladylike but she didn’t care, everyone knew she was a warrior, not a lady. The small woman plotted over to the desk and climbed up onto one of the drawers of the desk, using it like a ladder to reach the top, where she very quickly gave her brother a quick shake before moving backwards to the ledge of the workspace, knowing that she might not like the way that he arose. She smiled, her eyes merry and bright as he came to life with a blur, knowing objects off the desk but missing her by a hair. She crouched before him as she grinned and whispered before he was fully awake. ”There’s a princess in the throne room…” She knew that he would have little to no clue what she meant and she preferred it that way.

He seemed to blink himself awake a moment to actually lead back a little away from the desk. Zana moved to sit before him, her frame leaning over the edge of the table, one arm resting against DaVinci’s shoulder as she played at his mane, settling some of the wavy locks and settling the mussed fur that he’d rumpled in the scant sleep he’d received. It didn’t take him long to swat away her hands, in which she knew that he was pondering what she’d said, instead of reveal the truth she sighed to herself and tutted at the Ri before leaping down to the floor and padding out of the room through the formal entrance. ”You shouldn’t keep a princess waiting you know..” she said, a wicked glint in her eyes as she left him alone to go find Aisleran, knowing that he would probably be sitting outside the door to the chambers where Ryan stood waiting.

At her instructions the rest of the warriors had melted away into the castle to rest for the night, knowing that what they had found was far better than deserters and that there would be no more scouting for a few nights at least. She moved quickly down the stairs once more and through the halls of the castle, finding Aisleran right where she’d thought he would be. She smiled to the warrior and opened the door to the chambers to stick her head in and announce, ”The Ri will be here shortly..”, then just disappearing as quickly as she’d appeared. She knew she would have to apologize to Ryan later, but she didn’t believe that Ryan would want her in attendance when DaVinci found out just what princess was waiting for him in the throne room.

She was quick to usher Aisleran away as well, a smug little smirk on her lips as the dark warrior shook his head and followed her lead, knowing that their guest would be safe enough alone for the moment.
#5
DaVinci had had a long night. The ollamh’s had pressed for his decision in quite a few matters and their talks had been rather lengthy. They were still annoyed with him for holding out on ending the lives of the usurper’s men, which they believe would have been the things to bring order to the clans. He had believed that the number dead in the war had been enough and the beheading of Malchan’s mother, who seemed to be the one behind putting her son on the throne. Perhaps if Malchan had been raised in another land he would have been the rightful heir to these lands but it was not the way of things here. Two had died by his hands that he could remember, Malchan and his mother, the rest in the fury of battle had been forgotten all but the masses that had been laid in the ground.

When dinner had arrived he hadn’t been worried when Zana hadn’t shown, since the end of the war she and a few senior warriors had taken to scouting the lands and bringing the troublemakers to the courts. DaVinci had willed it being that those who had sided with Malchan had lost their land and holdings, those who had turned from the usurper had in turn been granted new titles. Many had been second and third sons and daughters who never would have inherited anyways. In time perhaps the loss would be righted but now they knew where they stood in the eyes of the Ri, and the rest of the clans folk knew as well. That had been justice enough for him but the ollamhs still tried to press him, though they knew they were getting nowhere now.

When he had fallen asleep at his study he had been looking over the day, wishing that for a second in time he could have a breath for himself. Perhaps it was the wine or the warmth of the fire, he would never know but the man had found himself drifting into a comfortable sleep after the exhausting day that had taken it’s toll. Once he would have woken at the sound of nothing but his time in these lands had changed that. It wasn’t as though he believed that he was invincible, that none could take his life, but the comforts of the hall and the trusted warriors standing guard did well enough, not to mention the need for a deeper sleep with the taxing worries of the everyday life that came in the hands of a ruler. This exhaust and deep sleep had brought Zana scurrying upon his desk without his notice, lost in dreams until his sudden rude awakening by the youngest sibling of his.

He hadn’t known what was upon him and he thrust out his arm to take a swipe at whatever had disturbed his slumber. The crash of many objects falling to the ground made him cringle slightly as he blinked away the sleep from his eyes, unfocused at first he finally was able to make out Zana perched precociously on the edge of his desk with a mischievous look to her eyes that he wasn’t all together sure that he liked. Grumbling to himself he began to gather his arms beneither him as he rested his chin on one fist as he realized that Zana was speaking.

This talk of princesses in the castle threw him off as he leaned back a moment before settling in his chair. He was trying to make out who or what she was talking about, his mind beginning to awaken as he realized that his sister was playing at his mane, settling loose locks and brushing his fur back into some sort of order. He shook his head at her strange manner and batted her paws away as he sighed and turned to asked her just what she was up to, but as quick as a flash she’d moved across the floor and was opening the door to the hall. She spoke before darting through the door and into the castle’s inner works beyond.

He flicked an ear forward as she seemed to be teasing him, her words causing further annoyance. DaVinci didn’t take to surprises in his castle and Zana seemed to be enjoying this fact a little too much. He grumbled to himself as he settled out his affairs, threw his cloak over one shoulder and sighed. He was still in his attire from dinner and he figured that there was no need to change from the buckskin pants he wore. They weren’t dirty and aside from a little rumpled from his sleep he believed that they would do fine. Zana was probably pulling his leg in her strange mocking ways and had a new assortment of captives that she wanted him to deal with right away. He knew the sooner the caught ones were managed the sooner she would be back in the woods with her warriors. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair before opening the door to the hall beyond.

He ignored the amused looks of the warriors who stood guard at the ends of the hall before he moved to the stairs and silently and slowly descended into the main workings of the castle. He really hoped that Zana had a good excuse for waking him, even though he knew that she would have been even more cross at having found him still asleep in his study if she’d returned in the dawn hours. He had come to realize that the small woman had become his shadow of sorts, almost like Aisleran had become her own. DaVinci had done right and dismissed his friend from service as his guard, knowing that it would be easier than reprimanding the man all the time for the distraction that was his sister. Nesmed had taken his place and things had moved smoothly. DaVinci wondered if he needed to call on his guard at this moment but decided not to. If Zana wasn’t too worried then he wouldn’t be either. He shook his head and turned to the bottom of the stairs and began his long walk to the throne room, wondering just why they had placed them there.

He was greeted by very little as he moved down the wake, none of the castle really seemed to be awake at this time. He didn’t mind though, it meant fewer people that he had to acknowledge and be proper and courteous to. There were some parts of being the Ri that did not come so quickly to him, the manners expected of him being one. His brooding sometime sullen manner made it hard for him to be a proper face in the court at times. This moment to relax was a blessing in disguise.
The man came to the archway that would lead to the chambers beyond where Zana wanted him. He was slightly annoyed to realize that Zana nor any of the other warriors were waiting outside the chambers. He began to wonder if perhaps Zana had been honest after all and there was someone of importance beyond the way. He frowned slightly and walked into the antechamber and walked down the entry stairs towards this princess that Zana spoke of with such mischief in her eyes. He really hoped this wasn’t her try at matchmaking because he would have to wring her neck, and that wouldn’t bode well with the ollamhs or the people of the clans.

Halfway down the stairs he stopped, the lone figure sitting all alone on one of the many stone benches that lined the walls made him loose track of what he was suppose to be doing. There was little light in the room and what light was there threw shadows across the figure, but the scent that reached him as his heart gave a leap was one that he would never forget. A barely auditable whisper broke from his lips, ”Ryan..” He couldn’t believe it; he almost didn’t believe it, as much as he wanted to. She’d chosen the clan over him time and time again, why she was sitting here in this castle so alone he couldn’t bring together any reason that would seem reasonable.

His movements were almost mechanical as he found himself drawn down the stairs once more and slowly across the room. His stormy orbs lost and confused as he tried to find words but nothing would emerge past his lips. He drew his tongue across them nervously as he swallowed and came to rest before her. His eyes troubled with a thunderous look behind them as finally he asked, ”Why are you here.” Those were not the words he had expected to come forth and the tone was nothing like what he’d thought he’d speak to the woman who’d stolen his heart but it had been so long since he’d seen her and he’d all but given up hope on finding her again, much less being close enough to touch.

His fingers quivered at the idea of the feel of her flesh beneath them as he swallowed back the hurt and pain. He was afraid in some way that she was a ghost, that if he did reach out towards her that she would vanish and he would be left with nothing but the memories of the precious time they spent together once more. Life was so cruel and yet sometimes he wondered if he deserved it. He bowed his head in defeat as his voice choked, his words wavering and barely there as he whispered. ”Is it really you?” He wasn’t for certain if he could trust his heart anymore, or if he could trust his eyes for that matter. He raised his blue grey eyes once more to find those crimson eyes he’d dreamed of so often, tears misting the stormy orbs as he waited for some sign, some truth to it all.


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