A few weeks had quickly slipped by and still the slight framed daughter knew nothing of her fate. The Ollamh had left her alone and the women had troubled the Ri to be instead. DaVinci had been short tempered and offcolored in his words lately and Zana had decided to give him his space, after all she was just another figure in this war fighting for his cause, she was not the one that the weight bore down on. One of the younger men had shown her one of the babbling springs of the lands and she’d taken the time to find comfort in a cold dip in the pool that collected at the bottom of the tumbling falls. She was sore from the workout that she’d received that morning and was basking in the glory at a chance to cleanse the grime from her pelt.
While it had taken DaVinci a while to finally get her to wear clothing upon the ship she understood now that the clan here didn’t live like the shifters back home. They seemed to take their whole lives in ther bi-ped form, leaving the wilder savage quad form alone for the most part. She didn’t mind, she’d never liked settling in her smaller form but it had taken a while to get use to actually needing to dress herself each morning. Now she took the time to remove those annoying garments and slide into the cold waters with a hiss, goosebumps emerging upon her flesh as she grinned and sighed as she began to pour the water over her form, taking the time to ease the tangles from her long curly mane as she soaked in the peaceful pool.
She hadn’t realized that another had come to join her until he splashed into the waters. She turned her gaze towards the male, her eyes sharp, expecting one of the younger males who had hounded after her most of the afternoons when they were free from their training. She relaxed slightly when she realized it was only Aisleran, though she wondered why he’d come bath now when it was clear that she’d come here alone. She ignored the male for a moment while she teased a knot from her pelt, finally able to run her claws through her mane with little trouble. She sank down into the waters and sighed, her ears detecting Aisleran’s slow approach but she tried her best to ignore the male until he was almost before her. Turning her face towards him she pinned her ears back, confused as to why he was watching her silently.
When the words emerged from Aisleran’s maw she felt her heckles raise slightly, utterly lost at what he spoke of. Asking her if she was going to take a mate when the time came, how she felt of being the chosen mother of the Ri’s heir… Her eyes narrowed as she bared her fangs at the man who had always been a friend until now. She had come into her first heat and though the women of the clan informed her that it was normal and what it meant she had dismissed it as nothing more than another challenge in her life, not thinking on pups and mateships. Now with her warrior shadow before her asking such questions everything finally fell into place in her mind, the few things that no one had ever really spoken about before her but the looks they gave her as she moved through the lands. This was not boding well for her conscience.
She snarled and quick as a snake her claws lashed out at Aisleran, four angry welts marking his face as she hissed. ”I’m not the chosen anything!” her muscled tenses as she realized that the warrior before her had not been expecting her reaction, the musky scent of the man she knew well and the apparent arousal were too much for her to deal with as she scrambled from the waters, snatching her dress up and fleeing the scene, not looking back at the man she’d abandoned in the waters, crushing his hopes right there as the scared girl dashed for the halls where her brother was.
DaVinci hadn’t expected to see Zana before the evening meal and when she’d appeared out of nowhere, standing in the doorway to his chambers dripping wet and obviously dressed in a hurry he raised a brow, he had been about to ask her what was going on, that was until he saw the look of malcontent upon her face. He turned back to the commanders he had been conferencing with, dismissing them early from the meeting, noting the looks they gave one another as they quickly made their way past the slight figure and disappearing out of sight.
DaVinci picked up the papers and brought order to the chaotic desk as he asked without glancing up, ”What is it Zana?” Having a feeling he already knew what was wrong, the Ollamh had informed him that Zana had gone into her first cycle recently and they were well pleased. He had dismissed the facts quickly, not wanting to know what new dangers his sister was getting herself into other types of swords. When she’d arrived just moments before though he’d realized that she hadn’t been told yet what she was viewed as within the clan. It was more than apparent that she damn well knew now.
He turned his eyes back up to his sister, knowing that any minute she was going to explode and yet wishing that he could shut down the whole thing before it even started. When Zana began to rage she could cause great havoc on the mind and make a soul feel worn and weary. He did not wish to feel like an old man this early in the afternoon but he had to admit to himself that he had this coming and he probably deserved it. Firefly at least had known what she was in for when she was adopted into the clan, he wondered If that was why she’d suggested DaVinci take Zana along. He had a lot of choice words for his absent sister but he figured he should face down this one before beginning on another.
If looks could kill then DaVinci would have been dead the moment she’d stepped foot in the room. There was a raging fury within her and she demanded answers. The almost casual way that her brother dismissed his men and began to clean the room made her tremble with pent up anger as lightning flashed in her eyes. When finally he turned to address her as he lounged back in his seat she growled and took a step closer as she hissed. ”Did you know of this? Did you know?” her tone rising as she struggled to make her way through the fury that beat within her veins. Her heckles rose in jagged spikes as she challenged him. ”Am I the chosen one, to bare heirs for the Ri?” the distress in her tone was causing her words to sound like nails on a chalkboard as she pushed across the room to stand before her brother.
She shook her head as she tried to gain control over her emotions. Her eyes welling up with tears as she whined, ”Did you know.. did you know Aisleran wanted..” She couldn’t even finish her words as she stood there, her breath heavy as her chest trembled with the raw emotion of it all. She could pretend all she wanted, she could even fool the warriors of the clan but deep down she was still just a child in many ways. She hadn’t even noticed that Aisleran had been interested in her. She’d never thought that anyone would want her so she’d given up on girlish fantasies and prince charming. She’d seen what had happened to Ryan and DaVinci and she’d never wanted to find herself in the same position. Now it seemed that her dilemma was far worse that the star-crossed two.
Zana raised her gaze back up at her sibling, the rage in her eyes was replaced with something close to fear. She had no clue what was going on and she didn’t like not being in control of her world, she’d always made certain that she was in control of things because if she wasn’t in control she could believe that she would always be considered weak. She wasn’t weak, at least not normally. The news that had hit her today had unsettled her and indeed she felt weak now. She just needed to hear the truth from DaVinci, she had to know why she’d never been told before. This was not how things were suppose to go for her.
When it came it came like hellfire, the fury and outrage that sang from his sibling could have probably been heard downstairs and out in the courtyard if she had wished, but for the most part she had kept her voice low, her anger showing in every word that she dripped before him. He couldn’t help but close his eyes as she delivered the word, the truth she’d finally learned. He knew that he should have been honest with her right from the start but he hadn’t exactly expected she was going to be the one, he’d always thought that Firefly or Magdalena would show once more and take the position from Zana, now though he wasn’t for certain. He really didn’t know and he didn’t like it, just as much as Zana didn’t like the way she’d learned of her believed future.
DaVinci meant her no ill will but he couldn’t help it as he raised his voice above her own. ”Zana, silence!” his eyes flashed as he rose from his seat, leaning against the desk as he spoke. ”You learned on the way here the traditions and ways of the clan. You knew that the heir to the Ri always came from a sister kin. It has always been and always will be.” His eyes grew dark and stormy as he sighed and admitted the truth. ”I had thought the Ollamh had spoken to you, she made like she would, but yes, you are one of my sisters. Firefly, Magdalena and even Ember are as well.. any one of you could bare the heir.. the only problem is you’re the only once present and they’ve probably assumed that you will bear the next heir.” He crashed back down into his seat and shook his head. He wished that this could have went another way but there was nothing that he could do now.
Her next words startled him, he’d also assumed that Zana had finally learned that Aisleran had feeling for her, the way they worked together, head’s always bent over some paper or another, configuring what would be needed for a battle across different terrains and whatnot. Now it seemed that he had thought wrong once more. DaVinci shook his head, running a hand across his face as he admitted. ”I believe that he was smitten with you the first time he saw you climb the mast of the ship and declare war on the gulls.” He eyed her a moment before pressing on, his words sharp as he asked, ”What did he ask of you?” He didn’t care what his sister did in her free time among the lands but he had spoken to Aisleran and as upset as Zana was he wanted to know if his friend had pushed beyond what was acceptable.
He narrowed his eyes as he asked again, ”Zana, what happened?” He really did hope that he wouldn’t have to drag punishment out for something that the two could have settled on their own. Aisleran probably already knew exactly where Zana was and the fact that the warrior hadn’t appeared yet made DaVinci wonder even more as he waited for his distressed sibling to give him the whole story. The look in her eyes as she raised her head made him sigh, realizing too that she was still just a kid in so many ways.
She had been babbling and whining and sniveling, she knew it but she was afraid. She would have kept going if DaVinci hadn’t brought her to a halt with one of the few displays of his temper she’d witnessed. She swallowed the words in her maw as she glared at him, the anger still boiling in her veins as she realized she had so many more words that she wished to share with her sibling but had not been given the chance, many of them highly colorful and creative. Her ill temper was a creation of many things but he was the one that it was pointed at right at this moment.
When he finally spoke again Zana couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He had know, he’d known all along. She was about to scream at him her outrage at what he was saying but quickly he cut her off as he explained that in a way she knew as well. She realized now that he was correct, that he did indeed speak of the lineage of the Ri and how the next heir would be chosen. She lowered her head as she listened; knowing deep down that she really wasn’t at fault. He should have told her plain and simple, no, he’d only assumed and now she was muddled in this large mess and had no clue where to turn. Her eyes were soft as she whined softly. ”I don’t have to be the one?” She asked, wanting reassurance that she didn’t have to make any life altering choices this early in her life.
When he told her of Aisleran’s feeling for her she couldn’t help the blush that rose upon her cheeks. She felt so foolish now, knowing that the man had doted on her so as a lover and not as some fatherly figure. She should have realized, but then again she’d never really had any father in her life, just her brother to raise her after her mother had become an utter failure, then Gabriel and Ezekiel had taken his place. She’d had a slew of men in her life but never one that wasn’t viewed as a brother or uncle of sorts. Now she was facing the facts that men would be hunting her down as though she were a trophy. She flicked her ears back at the thought and turned her eyes away from her brother, suddenly uncomfortable at where this discussion was going.
She was silent still when DaVinci asked her once more, her eyes darting up to meet his face for a moment before shaking her head and answering meekly. ”Nothing, nothing happened..” She wasn’t going to tell her brother that Aisleran had stood before her with nothing to cover his feeling for her but a damp coat from slipping into the spring and she was definitely not going to let this conversation go much farther if he was going to keep pressing on about what had frightened her so. She sighed and just let go of it all, feeling right foolish for having thundered into his rooms now, and right embarrassed at the fact that her mind was wandering down a trail that she hadn’t even dreamed of thinking about. She had realized that her relationship to her sibling had placed her as something to be desired in the eyes of the men, she had yet to realize that love and desire were two totally different things.
If she had been paying attention she would have seen that DaVinci was a little bit more than amused by her sudden change in attitude. How she’d gone from wanting to kill him to finding some ray of hope in knowing that she didn’t have to be the one to bear heirs to the clan. He shook his head softly and gave her a gentle smile as he chuckled. ”No Zana..” he hesitated a moment before admitting his fears. ”I honestly don’t think it’s possible if you want to know the truth.” He had actually argued with the Ollamh’s on that number, telling them that he had years before he would need a heir and he didn’t see any reason in pushing so quickly when he wasn’t even upon the throne yet and Zana herself just coming out of the cusp of childhood. It was all a giant mess and he wasn’t exactly sure where to go from there but he didn’t think that he actually had to do anything right at this moment either.
There was general concern built up inside the man for his young sibling, a child that he had almost considered his own, having raised her for the most part. It had hurt him fierce when she’d stumbled away from the pack at such a young age and had fled to the security of the Lykoi clan. He would never say it out loud but part of his fury at Gabriel was indeed tied up in the refusal to return his young sister back to Phoenix Valley, the other half was justly deserved in some way if not wholely unfair. Whoever said loving the enemy would be easy, he knew that for sure now as his heart still ached for Ryan though he kept his mourning silent from the world.
When he finally left off his mind wanderings and turned his gaze back to Zana he realized that she had gained a bit of embarrassment in the time that he had been busy pouring over his emotions in his mind. A small smile wavered on his lips as she tried to cover up whatever had taken place between his old friend and herself. It seemed that no harm had been done outside the scare Aisleran had given her and if she didn’t wish to talk to him about it he wasn’t going to force it out of her. Sighing to himself he shook his head once more thoughtfully before stating, ”I’ll have a talk with Aisleran then..” Though he knew that he would probably forget all about this once the mundane tasks came back with the counselors and advisors, the commanders and ollamhs.
He studied Zana’s face a moment more before offering her a smile as he asked, suddenly remembering the state in which she stood before him. ”Why are you all wet?” Even though he had no fear for the girl’s safety for the most part he really didn’t feel like explaining to the ollamhs or anyone else how she’d caught the chills and ended up weak as a kitten. Lord knew they would probably blame him in the end since she was his sister. He stretched his arms out, rubbing the back of his neck as he studied her silently once more, wishing that she would just tell him if something was indeed wrong.
Zana had startled at the words that DaVinci spoke honestly. She didn’t really understand what he meant by saying that she probably would never be able to bear the next Ri even if she wanted to. She pinned her ears back in offense as she hugged. ”Why do you say that? They accept me as a warrior and obviously they wouldn’t mind me as the mother of your heir..” She hadn’t realized that his words were voiced in concern for her life; she hardly even knew anything about herself much less sex or the aftermath it could lead into. She glared at her brother, her emotions flitting from one to another so quickly it was almost hard to keep up with them. She demanded an answer now and she wasn’t going to take some brisk brush off just yet.
It didn’t take long for that anger to subside a little at the suggestion that DaVinci had offered, of speaking to Aisleran and finding out what had happened. She colored quickly and her voice rose as she protested. ”You’ll do no such thing!” once more embarrassed by the fact that her brother was suggesting going to the man that had taken an attempt to prod at her current affairs and seek to know what she was to do when the time came to bear heirs. The flush to her neck and cheeks burned upon her skin as she stood up straight before her brother and hissed. ”I will deal with Aisleran in my own ways, I don’t need you to do things for me!” If she’d known that the sudden change in emotions, the quick turn of everything could in part be blamed on the cycle she’d entered into she probably wouldn’t have believed it. She had never had anyone pry into her personal life, not even her brother and she wasn’t about to start now.
She couldn’t believe the next words out of her brother’s mouth though as he took in her appearance once more. She threw her hands partly into the air with a groan as she turned towards the door. She was going to get nowhere when he was in one of these thoughtful moods. Every turn, every word seemed to make her skin prickle with embarrassment and she wasn’t about to start having to explain everything in her life to him. She didn’t even want him to know anything as personal as the cycles that the women said were natural for her to be going though, but it seemed that one way or another he’d found out, if not by another’s tongue than by her display today. Her ears drooped slightly, not liking the face that it was obvious that she was not going to have much privacy from here on out for a while.
Sighing to herself she muttered, ”Is there anything you don’t know?” she asked, her eyes sharp with annoyance as she waited for his reply. She was on the verge of leaving but she hadn’t really had a chance to talk to her brother in a long time alone, if this was going to be one of the few chances she was going to get then she’d take it, no matter how tainted it actually was.
He couldn’t help but be amused as he watched his sister go from hot to cold so quickly and suddenly. He wasn’t going to tell her that in the rage she was in right now she sort of reminded him of Firefly, that would definitely not bode well for him and he was smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut. His upper lip twitched, giving rise to his amusement at how she thought that he didn’t want her to have children. He couldn’t see her reasoning behind believing that but he could just give in and answer her instead of sitting there with a look of amusement plastered on his maw, which at anytime she was more than likely to slap off his face, rank or no rank. ”Zana, you’re not like the rest of us.. If it was your wish to choose a mate and get with pups I wouldn’t raise my voice against you.. but I would worry for you.” He sighed as he turned his eyes towards the lone window in the room, watching the sunlight filter in as he spoke. ”No one can say if you bear young if they will follow after your ways or if they would be normal.. I’m afraid of what would happen to you if it was the later.” His eyes voiced his concern as he turned back to her. He’d lost Ryan in a way; he didn’t want to risk losing his sister, not in this way not at all.
He studied her a moment, his silence lingering until he noticed the change in her posture once more. He couldn’t help the smile that twitched upon his lips once more as she dared him to go to Aisleran. He only raised his hands in defeat as he sighed once more and eyed her with reproach. ”Fine then. I won’t talk with him without you know.. Though I don’t see why you’re so upset about it, he’s bound to know you’re here now.” He turned back to one of the papers upon his desk and eyed it a moment before pushing it away from him. His mind already swam from all the plans and strategies that he’d been over already. It seemed that his cousin had taken his sudden reappearance to heart and a temper had flared afterwards. The scouts had reported his army’s movement south from the castle and were heading this way. They believed it would be almost a month before they reached them and DaVinci had been in the middle of deciding where and when they would march for the battlegrounds. He was not going to have the war brought to the doorsteps of the hall where they were guests. He pushed away from the thoughts and turned back to his sister to notice the look of disgust upon her face.
He smirked at the look she granted him and raised a brow as he waited for what was to come. When she made the move to leave he didn’t stop her, but instead of go she turned back and asked him one simple question which he greeted with a chuckle of amusement as he shrugged his shoulders and admitted. ”It is my duty to know everything, though there are some things I wish I was not so privy to.” his voice was dry as he eyed her, merriment danced in his stormy orbs as he waited to see if she would challenge his words. As bitter as this reunion was he’d missed his younger sibling and her sharp tongue. To have her back, even for just a moment was enough for him. He knew too soon she would go back to being a warrior princess and he would return to carving out a new way for his people. Growing up was hard to do he knew but he believed that she’d do just fine.
Zana had not realized that DaVinci’s concerns might just be for the best. When he spoke his piece she flicked her ears back as though she was being reprimanded, even though her brother’s tone was far from that. It was a lot to swallow and she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to hear it. She raised her muted lilac orbs to gaze at him as she pressed her brother on. ”Do you think it would be stupid of me to try, if I wanted pups?” she asked, not realizing that her brother probably wasn’t the best one to be having this conversation with. She had never thought of her size as much of anything except a challenge in her everyday life. Zana hadn’t thought that it could hinder her in anything like the natural order of things. Her eyes were crestfallen as she thought on this silently, not knowing how exactly she felt. Moments before she was afraid of the thought of even having a child, thinking it was her duty, now knowing she was free to choose but the danger that loomed over that choice could end in something so devastating. She wasn’t sure if she was free to even make such a decision as choosing a mate now, knowing that there was the danger of what pain she might bring to him if she did choose to try and bear pups.
The silence that fell over them was too much for her and she was glad when DaVinco moved on to other things. Though his choice of topics was one she’d wished he’d had the common sense to drop earlier. A flicker of annoyance crossed her face once more as she growled. ”Well then, I don’t give you my permission to talk to him ever of this, of any of this..” she said, her gruff tone falling apart as she realized that if she’d ever realized that Aisleran’s feeling were that of a different love than she’d originally though before DaVinci had spoken to her that it could have well been him that she’d left in such pain if she’d attempted to bear young and anything had happened. A shudder coursed through her body as she inhaled and tried her hardest to push the thoughts away. She did not need anything like that riding on her conscience. It seemed she was going to be spending her life pretty lonely until she could find an answer to this all.
Zana’s mind began to wander slight as she stood before her brother, thinking of what could have happened if she hadn’t been alarmed by Aisleran’s questions, if she had already known what her roal in the scheme of things was suppose to be. She sighed softly, not for certain exactly how she felt about any of this, how she felt about anyone. She wished that she hadn’t been blind to Aisleran’s emotions and feelings towards her but she believed that things were too late to patch now. Her face blanching as she realized just how she’d left him and what she’d done to the man. He’d only been trying to tell her how he felt and though it probably wasn’t in the best way she had lashed out at him. She wondered if her friend would even begin to forgive her for what she’d done.. she wondered if he had known that she had been clueless before he spoke of a sister’s role to the Ri. She glanced up at DaVinci and asked. ” Did Aisleran know I didn’t know?” her eyes were pleading, it would be easier to forgive the man if he hadn’t know. She knew in the end she could forgive him, though she didn’t know if he would forgive her. Her life had suddenly grown a lot more complicated that she’d wished it to be.
She almost didn’t hear her brother’s last words as she gave up leaving and crept up to claim one of the chairs beside him. Drawing her legs up so she could wrap her arms around them she glanced over at DaVinci and frowned. She hadn’t thought of the fact that maybe he hadn’t wanted to know everything that he was privileged to know. She shook her head and gazed down at her grimy feet as she said softly. ”I bet you didn’t think to find yourself in this position for a long time.. did you?” DaVinci had never really told her of his status in Eire until they were aboard the ship. She wondered if he had ever mentioned it to anyone overseas. Her ears pinned back as a slight pout crossed her lips. She would have liked to know back then, not like he’d have really been given the chance to tell her all about it, with the tension between their pack and clan.. but she still would have liked to know.
DaVinci wouldn’t admit it but he gloried in the little time they’d stolen away from the plans of war. He needed the everyday occurrences and arguments. He was not meant to be a warlord though he seemed to find a way to make it work for the moment in time. He rubbed the edge of his ear where so long ago a leader from the clan had taken a knick out of it, the other almost a mate to the first, Gabriel following in his mother’s pawprints to try and take the other. He sighed softly as he let his eyes fall upon Zana’s state before him. She, the one who had always been so strong, sharp and bright now in the worst mess he’d ever seen her in. It hurt that he’d thrown her in there in a way. His eyes flashing slightly at his own emotions, angry for not telling her sooner, for letting himself believe that someone else had done his dirty work for him. He was foolish and he could see that now.
When Zana’s words came softly forth he raised story orbs to meet her equally strange eyes. His words faltered on his tongue as he tried to give her an honest answer, finding that he couldn’t do that. He sighed and twisted an earring between his fingers as he came clean. ”Perhaps I’m selfish, but I would wish it if you didn’t attempt for children anytime soon. I don’t know if I could live with losing so many of my girls so soon.” It was one of the few times he’d come out and rightfully spoke of Ryan, even if it was in an off sort of way. He let his eyes trail over to the window, the sound of the hall and courtyard murmuring through the pane as he shook his head slightly. ”I think it could be reckless, but if you did make that decision I don’t think I could hold it against you..” Why in the world was he sitting in his chambers speaking of love, mateship and pups with his sister he couldn’t even begin to explain but he had a feeling that some god somewhere had a warped sense of humor.
He let the words settled between them and almost as quickly as it had begun she’d moved on, this bantering back and forth flying from one topic to another had happened for so long between the two that it was almost second nature to him. He smiled slightly as she begged him not to speak of a word of it. He nodded and agreed. ”Aye, perhaps it’s best. He probably already feels horrible, not that Aisleran would show it to the rest of the world though…” His friend had always been one for keeping his emotions at bay, not letting them run his life and for the most part he had been good at it, until Zana had appeared, a warrior in miniature come as the right hand of the Ri in more ways than one. DaVinci didn’t voice his thoughts to Zana, knowing that she was already in a bind with the male and he didn’t think it was needed by the mixed emotions showing upon her face.
She spoke softer this time, her words something that he hadn’t believed he would hear, but hearing them didn’t bother him too much. The face that she seemed to care if Aisleran had known was better than being dense and just blaming him. DaVinci shook his head as he explained. ”I spoke to him of the ways of the lands where we came from, of the differences in mateship and courting.. but I never expressed my worries of you.. I think it would have hurt him to know and I didn’t think he would take it so far.. I thought little of his feelings and perhaps it was wrong, but I think perhaps that he does love you..” He said the words softly, not for certain on anything that had to do with Aisleran but knowing that it was better if she knew the truth than not. He watched as she slowly came to join him in another of the chairs before the desk.
He let her be for a moment before he ran a hair through one of her damp curls, touching her cheek gently where he was surprised to find that there were tears in her eyes. He’d never really known the girl to be so caught up in her emotions and it had been a long time indeed since he’d seen her cry. He was silent while she seemed to be lost in her own little world, waiting for her to return to him. When she did he couldn’t help but smile at what she asked. A sigh escaped his lips as he stole a glance towards the window beyond as he admitted. ”No, not for a long, long time..” He wondered what would have happened if he never left Phoenix Valley, or if his cousin hadn’t tried for the throne and won it on the wrong side of things. He gazed out the window and pondered these things he would never know, silently believing that he’d done the right thing and he would have done it time and time again if he’d needed to.
She sighed and laid her cheek against her knees as she gazed up at her brother. She was indeed like a child trying to sit at the adult’s talbe, her own legs would have dangled over the edge of the chair if she’d sat properly. She let her gaze drop back down her to feet quickly as he spoke, his words causing a warm glow upon her cheeks. She knew that DaVinci cared about her but they were not normally creatures of many words, atleast not when it came to their emotions. The words that DaVinci spoke were too much for the girl as a sniffle came to life, a small sound in the large room as she whispered quietly. ”I won’t.. “ and she meant it. She had no reason to find a mate and children had never been much of an idea to her, even if the children of the clan adored her. She figured it was because she was just about as tall as most of them were, but now she began to wonder.
Zana was quiet as he spoke softly of Aisleran and what he did and didn’t know. It made her feel better to know that the man had never known she had been utterly clueless to the scheme of things in the way of the clan. She shifted in the seat and followed DaVinci’s gaze out the window as she listened to the call of the birds beyond. She sighed softly and climbed out of the chair, once more reminded of what she didn’t share with the rest of the world around her. She bit her lip to keep her eyes from tearing up but there was little more she could do than that. She shook her head and turned back towards DaVinci as she spoke. ”Thank you, I think perhaps I should go now though..” she was quiet a moment before admitting. ”There’s a lot I have to think about..” and a man I need to find she added silently. She knew that sooner or later she was going to have to apologize to Aisleran.
She moved towards the door once more before hesitating in the doorway before saying softly. ”I wish she could have been here..” There was no further need to explain, she knew that DaVinci would know exactly who and what she meant. Before she could find another excuse to remain Zana walked out the door quickly and padded down the hall to her own quarters, knowing that she’d need to clean herself up a bit if she was going to go looking for Aisleran and explain things. She didn’t tell DaVinci but she knew that sooner or later she’d have to go speak with the ollamhs as well, to see if there were any more surprises waiting for her that she ought to know since DaVinci was obviously busy with other things and probably wouldn’t be able to find the time to explain anything even if he wanted to. Zana shook her head and sighed, knowing that this adventured was going to grow even stranger with every turn it took.
He was silent as he watched Zana pick herself up to leave. He had been wise enough to ignore the sound of sniffles when they had started, as prickly as the girl was right now she probably would have bitten him if he had attempted any other form of comfort other than being right there. His eyes were dark as he watched her, a soft lingering smile upon his lips, knowing that the young princess had a world of troubles that she had to brew over, even if she hadn’t told him anyone would be able to tell by her stormy look across her face. He raised one hand slightly in a gesture of goodbye, not even turning to look at her as he heard her hesitate at the door. One ear flicked back as she spoke, and then just as quickly as she’d came she was gone again.
He closed his eyes slightly and sighed, opening them a moment as he breathed out softly. ”Aye, me too.. me too..” he said to no one. He too wished that Ryan had chosen for once to follow love instead of the loyalty of the clan. A weight bore down on his heart as he turned his eyes towards the window once more, picking himself out of the seat to stroll over to the brilliantly lit panes as he gazed down at the world below him. A world he had inherited and a world he’d always felt closer to than the pack he’d once helped lead in the old territories. He didn’t know what to think of much anymore but for just a moment in time he forgot about everything that mattered and just let his mind wander back to a crimson eyed beauty who had stolen his heart and in almost the same moment dashed his dreams to bits. He knew he’d never stop loving her, he just wondered if she would feel the same.
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