The next day was slow in comparison. The day before had happened so fast- when Gendrel had sent for them to come to the tavern, the free food was welcome and there seemed to be no real need to refuse. They walked to the tavern with empty bellies, and when they arrived, proceeded to fill them. Feyion sat on Terira's right and Sariya to her left. Thye ate to their heart's content all the while Gendrel asking them if their meal was to their liking and asking about how life was at home. When he told Terira that she was a princess, however, it all seemed too soon. They were eating, enjoying their time when he kneels, sapphire in his hilt dimly shining as he pledged the service of himself and his men to her.

And they were determined to hold true. They accompanied them home and brought every wagon and man with them. Terira was fearful, as was every sibling she was traveling with, and her mother as well. Sariya remained on edge with the troops the entire time and talked with Gendrel to allow them to ride as a family in one caravan alone. The silence was incomplete, filled with mutterings and looks at Terira, and Terira herself silent, sitting within the comforting embrace of Sariya's arms. Or at the very least leaning against her shoulder. Her entire was defined by her being an orphan; having no one, being no one, and her only family were people that had no one as well. Eighteen years she had only these people for family, and nothing beyond that.

In a day that changed. She was a princess, the last of an annihilated line as if it was a story. In a night she gained the service of a house guard and was told that she was a princess. Her family was bought enough food to eat the way they had tonight for at least another week. The entire guard had traveled with five wagons, and only four of them were coming to the house now, the other remaining behind to gather the things left in Captin. The wagon they were in was large, with benches on the side and enough space between them for them to lay down. The roof of the wagon was high, and three horses pulled. them.

Terira knew when they entered the village by the commotion- Groon came around loudly asking questions, a dog barked and the snap of branches showed that they had passed under the grand plain tree that was at the end of the trail leading into the village. The wagon continued, and Terira faintly heard Gendrel's voice attempting to explain to Groon what exactly was happening.

As they neared the house, Deera leaned closer to Sariya and Terira and asked quietly, "Do you believe this? Do you truly, honestly believe it? That you're a ....princess..."

Terira smiled as Deera's brown hair swayed gently with the motion of the cart. It was good to know that Deera was still happy to talk with her, or at least willing. Sariya answered for her, "They aren't taking her from us." Turning to Terira, Sariya's eyes held sorrow. "They won't take you. For as long as we can, we stay together. " For a half-second, her eyes grew distant. "We always stay together..."

Terira returned Sariya's words with a sad smile and placed her hand against her shoulder. " Of course. I'm not leaving, mother." She then turned and looked Deera in the eyes, replying "I'm not sure what I believe. The story makes sense, or at least it would either way seeing as how I'm an orphan." She looked down and pulled her pendant from around her next, hung from a thin silver chain that Gendrel had given her. "And there was some form of proof.." She turned the butterfly over in her hands, looking at the Gargoyle as it looked back. "I want to believe it. I want this to be true, to be all there is. But I don't think he told me everything; I feel like there's something more to this than there was before and I'm not sure I understand... anything." Terira looked up at Deera, and said, "It happened too fast. As if it was sent in place... maybe it wasn't. But that they would believe this in a day alone, pledge their service in a day alone... something about that is too odd for me to grasp. " Then she looked around the wagon and met eyes with Sanisa then Feyion, who looked back at her with a sort of empty desolation. Every time she looked at him, she saw the days when Kuxalo and Calkolh would take him out to play in the grasses, forest, and trees. She saw when it snowed and Kuxalo took him out to melt it for water, returning with smiles and a head covered in the cool, white fluff. And she saw him as he walked back through the house, sad, empty, and alone. "But no matter if it's true or not, or what they say, I'm not going to leave. We stay together."

Feyion smiled faintly, and Terira smiled back. They all seemed content as the wagon stopped, loud voices giving out orders to set tents and things that Terira either didn't understand or hear. Gendrel arrived at the back of the wagon with another guard and held the canvas back with one hand as he swept his other outwards. "We are at your home. Please," He said almost pleadingly and gestured out of the wagon as if scared to frighten them. Terira grabbed Fey's hand, as Sariya held Sanisa's, Deera taking the lead as they stepped out of the wagon and in front of the tall stone gate to the house. The other wagons had stopped off to the sides, rears facing the house as well. The horses were tied to stakes in the ground, and soldiers seemed to be setting camp. "I would ask that you allow my soldiers to sleep within your fencing around your home." Said Gendrel. "If you would please. Or soldiers will do nothing you wouldn't allow, on our honor."

Sariya looked at him skeptically, but in the end, nodded. "They can, but no one touches my garden. No one."

Gendrel's mouth twitched into something of mirth as he turned to the soldiers accompanying him. The soldier nodded and left, calling orders that they could sleep within the fences. Gendrel turned back to them. "I will have my soldiers gather water for you to bathe in, and will tell them to allow you a good rest." He waved his hand as Sariya started to tell him it wasn't necessary. "No no, don't mind. It is already being done and is truly our job and responsibility to you. Please, allow us this. " When she nodded, he continued. "I'll head them placed in your room, and you will be given complete privacy until you wished them to be taken away. It is late of hour, so after we will allow you to sleep for however long you would like; I promise, we will do our best to stay out of your way of living beyond being here." With that said, he looked at Terira once more, then turned as a fire began to crackle in the night.

The family walked into the house with wood in every hearth and every hearth lit, and as Sariya led the children to their rooms Deera and Terira walked into the dining room and sat, Terira silent as Deera pulled a chair out across from her. Terira sat, her chin in her left hand as in her right she turned her pendant over in her hands. She was studying the edges of the crystal when Deera gave a loud and short laugh. Terira looked up at her confused, broken out of her reprieve. "The one time I see you brooding is the one time when you could have it all." Deera's face remains genuinely mirthful as she chuckles, head cocked to the side. "You would think that your elder sister would be happier."

Terira grins, letting go of the pendant and placing her hands upon the table. "In truth, I'm just not sure." She stared at her hands as she turned them over and said, "Everything just... it's too different. For my life to be defined in one day, and for me to be told that it is this..." She looked up from her hands into Deera's thoughtful face, brown eyes deep and attentive. "I lied in the wagon." Deera's face turned to question. "I do believe it. Not just the facts, or maybe I don't believe in the facts wholeheartedly, but I believe in the situation. I believe that it could have happened, I believe that it could have been me. I just really don't want to."

Deera turned sympathetic, grabbing her sister's hands in her own. "Why? What could you lose from this, if they're wrong you get nothing and if they're right you get everything."

Terira shook her head. "I don't want to believe in this and have them be wrong. This is my whole life." Terira felt something pang inside of her, an emotion. "And if they're right... what does that mean? Will they take me? Will I have to do something, be someone? I don't want to leave us Deera. Kuxalo left for no reason, and Calkolh won't even acknowledge that he existed. Feyion is torn, and Sariya is missing two of her children. In less than a year. She still cries, not with sounds but the tears will fall either way." Deera nodded, giving a soft and sad smile, her short hair shaking into her eyes and forcing her to push it away. "I can't be the one to hurt her more. And the little ones, and you. No matter what they say, you are the only true family I've ever had. You always have been-"

"And we always will be." Deera cut in. "No matter where you go, or who you are, you will always have your family with you." Deera still had a smile on her face, and Terira smile back when she thought of how rarely Deera was without one. She would always be the hope Terira needed. They walked around the table and hugged, Terira putting her head against Deera's shoulder before separating and heading to their room to bathe.

When they finished, Terira walked down the stairs and out the front door to politely ask a soldier to take the tub away after Deera's prompting and teasing. As the soldier left, Gendrel caught her eye from a nearby group and walked over, holding his hand in the air to signal her to wait. She did so quietly and politely, waiting with her hands clasped in front of her. Gendrel came in front of her and knelt, one first on the ground and an arm across his chest. "Princess."

Terira recoiled, stepping back and putting her hands out low in front of her. "You don't have to do that, there's no need."

Gendrel stood, face stoic as he replied with all seriousness, "This is part of my duty. I honor you as I honored your mother and father, as I still honor your family. " A soft look, almost as if smile, touched his face. "You are, after all, a princess."

Terira shook her head, then tilted it to the side thoughtfully. "And who else knows that I am a princess? Has your kingdom recognized me as one?"

"Our Queendom Princess," He corrected, "And no, they do not. But they soon will."

Terira looked back at his dark brown eyes, coarse, thick, black hair making a short beard and short crop on the top of his head. A scar cut through his right eyebrow and a longer one on the same cheek. "Do you trust that I am the daughter of the queen that was murdered? You truly believe that?"

Gendrel nodded. "If nothing else," he said, touching the sapphire in the hilt of his blade, "your blood is true. But in truth, you look just like your mother." A sad smile took his face. "You have her look, her hair. Even the same walk, the same grace. But you have your father's eyes," He said with a smile, "And from what I've seen, his small ears too." Terira smiled with him at that, remembering the jokes and banter about her small ears within the house. Gendrel's smile faded from his face he said to her "But that is enough for the night. I'm sure you have more questions but they can be answered in the morning. Sleep well Princess, and sleep as much as you want. I have things to attend to in the town as it is, come morning, and I am sure that you will sleep late. Goodnight, Princess."

With that, he turned from her and walked back to his camp, talking with his soldiers once again. Terira watched him for a moment, contemplative, before ending her pondering for the night and walking back inside. She closed the door and walked up the stairs, lightly so that they creaked as little as possible. When she reached her room, she slid into bed with but a soft goodnight to and from Deera, and stared at the darkness of the ceiling until it reached her mind.

-

Terira awoke the next day with the smell of good food wafting up the stairs, through the open door that allowed light to come through. Turning to her side, she looked over to see an empty bed across from her. Finding that Deera had already left, she groaned softly as she sat up, stretching her spine until it popped. The covers fell from her softly as she grabbed her pendant in her hand and let it sit, weighing out the new meaning it had. Terira turned the pendant over in her hands, watching the light catch the wings of the facets, then slid it around her next. Reaching for the cup on the dresser by her bed, she raised it to her lips and took a gulp, holding it in her mouth and rubbing her tongue over her teeth and gums to wet them. Taking a strip of linen from off the dresser, she rubbed the rough material over her teeth, using her finger to push the fabric back to her molars. Finishing, she grabbed her cup and fabric strip and walked down the stairs to the kitchen, hearing unfamiliar voices.

As she reached the dining-room door, she heard the gruff baritone of the men pass from the door. She walked in to see Sendar with five other men in the kitchen, and one passed her by with two plates on each arm, bowing his head respectfully. Pieces of cheese, bread, grapes, and steaming fowl were on the plates as he walked past, and the others seemed to be waiting for their plates as well. Where was he getting this food from when they barely had enough to feed themselves? Were they taking food from her family?

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Terira walked to Sendar, somewhat angrily at seeing her home being treated like a common tavern, who turned at the sound of her approaching footsteps. Upon seeing her, he lowered his head respectfully, placing his right arm across his chest with a "Princess."

"Don't call me that." Said Terira, ignoring both his bow and those of the other soldiers in the room. "Where are you getting this food from? Are you taking it from my family?"

Sendar's head remained bowed low as he responded respectfully, "Princess, no, we would never take from you or your home." Terira looked down on him, untouched. He was a nice and kind man, but what relation would you expect to build with someone you met on the day before who pulls an entire armed guard into your house and claims he understands more of your life than you do? "Madam Sariya was kind enough to offer us a meal to break our fast and assured us it was no trouble. If it pleases you, they are in the kitchen as we speak, Princess." His head remained low.

She turned from him with an absent "Don't call me that!" and walked past the other soldiers with their heads bowed into the kitchen. Upon entering, she saw Sariya standing by a full and blazing hearth, talking to Gendrel standing but a few feet from her. Upon a stone in the hearth was the meat of fowl cooking, and wooden plates lay by the stone edge of the hearth. Upon the counter in the back sat the biggest piles of grapes she had ever seen within a house beyond the Ode of Harvest, and bread and cheese as well. Sanisa and Deera stood by the door, so they noticed her as soon as she walked in, and Feyion walked to her to give her two mint leaves. Terira placed them into her mouth, chewing to get rid of the morning breath, upon which she realized she still had her cup and cloth in her hand. She placed both down on the floor, hoping to avoid Sariya's notice. She took no mind, talking to Gendrel. Terira walked over, and Gendrel turned and knelt when he saw her, saying yet another "Princess."

Terira found herself recoiling, stepping back and replying, "You don't have to do that." As he opened his mouth to reply, she turned from him and faced Sariya. "Mother, where are you getting this food from that you could just give it away?"

Sariya looked at her with an eyebrow raised as Gendrel stood and said, "Where have you gone to become so terse with me?" Terira did not back down, yet made her demeanor more respectful. "This food was given to us Terira. They had already given us more food than we'd eat in a week, and when they came in this morning with more I offered to make them a meal. I see no harm in such an action, and it at the very least keeps their vast majority out of our house." She gave a sideways glance to Gendrel, then her eyes quickly roamed over the kitchen door before turning back to Terira. "The most of them."

Gendrel chose this moment to speak. "Princess, the food was given to us as a gift from the city. It can be hard to feed a group of thirty men on the road, especially after so long a way. We had already bought rations, however, and didn't intend to stay long. Sariya was kind enough to offer to cook for us, seeing as how she is better than the cook we have. We have taken nothing from your house or these people Princess, on our honor."

"Please stop calling me that Gendrel," she said, "and I'm sorry that I questioned your...honor." She turned to Sariya. "I think the fowl has cooked long enough Mother."

Sariya nodded, walking to the hearth while telling Terira to grab the plates. She did so, holding out the plates by the hearth as Sariya slid meat onto them. Deera would then take them to the counter and place bread, cheese, and grapes upon them, giving them to either the children or Gendrel to take outside. When they were finished, they walked into the kitchen with plates of their own, sitting at the table and eating breakfast as Gendrel walked out with his own plate to eat with his men. Sariya walked out with home-brewed mint tea, steaming. They laughed as both Deera and Sanisa both burned themselves trying to eat the fowl, talking through the meal about things of no consequence, and at the moment the family was a family once again.

As they walked out the front door to wash their plates and cups, Gendrel walked towards them, stopping as he pulled even with Terira. "I was thought that now would be a good time to... talk. We do, after all, have much to discuss. If it would please you, Princess." Sariya, Deera, and Terira all looked at each other, the unease evident in their eyes. Those she did have questions and would love to know what he knew, there was too much... unknown. Gendrel picked up on it. "Have we done anything wrong or unhonorable?" He unbuckled his blade, handing it out to Sariya with a repeated, "On my honor."

Deera and Terira both looked confused as to the point of taking his blade, while Feyion and Sanisa's eyes grew wide. Just as Terira opened her mouth to say that this wasn't necessary, Sariya snatched the blade, belt, and all from his hands. "I will hold you to it. Take your time, this is an important..conversation. Just know that I will return for my daughter" She said, putting emphasis on the word, "in time." With a hug and a kiss, she led the children away, Deera following last with a hug of her own. Gendrel stood with her, watching them walk away. Terira was mildly surprised that she felt calm, and pleased that it was so. The bright sun caused her to squint before Gendrel, at last, opened the door and with the same stoic face beckoned her with "By your leave Princess."

Terira nodded respectfully and walked into the house, walking to the dining room and taking a chair, the one closest to the hearth. The flames flickered and crackled behind her, the heat warming her neck. Gendrel took up a chair across from her, sitting with his arms on the tabletop. He looked at her and a faint smile came to his lips as if reminiscing. Terira cocked her head to the side in question.

"Your mother," he said, "would often opt to sit in front of a fire when meeting someone in her own quarters. She said it gave her a greater sense of presence and intimidated the people she was forced to meet with." His face turned serious again, and he looked down. "She was a great Queen."

Terira smiled kindly and said "What was she Queen of? What Kingdom?"

Gendrel lifted an eyebrow. "You weren't told?"

"I was, but it was in the moment and I've forgotten what he told me. I was taken with other matters after."

"Who is he?" Gendrel asked.

"Sendar, one of your guardsmen. He was the man I talked to when your group first entered Captin, who told me to meet you at the tavern."

Gendrel nodded, lacing his fingers together as he explained. "Your Mother, Queen Tihisa Iringel was the Queen of Geao and it's people." Terira found that the kingdom was foreign to her, but he seemed to have been prepared for this. "Geao is in size a small power, a single large castle and bigger town. We have a new town under our rule, and eleven days worth of territory. It is considered a "Free nation" as it is not held by one of the ten great powers. It holds, however, a large amount of influence, due mostly to prestige and trade. We are also known for being hard to conquer." He said the last with a bitter smile. "Geao is several months south of here, a little more than a week west of Wreek Wood. "

Terira nodded, then asked, "So why did you travel so far to come here?"

Gendrel sighed heavily. "Since the late- pardon Princess, once late- Royal Family Iringel was... killed, the Queendom of Geao has been split into a Regency. The Regency has divided the powers of the Queendom, allowing regions and even certain sections of the city to be split into factions of the houses of nobles. As far as members of your Royal Family go, you have only your mother's cousins. Neither, however, can take the thrones as neither have a child. We have come to plead for the support of trade specifically for the Royal house, under acting Regent Thya of Iringel."

"Specifically for the Royal house?" Said Terira quietly. "So they are trading openly with other houses." Gendrel gave the affirmative. "Why, does that give them more money?"

Gendrel nodded. "It does. The other houses now each have resources of there own. Before the Royal house controlled the other houses, therefore there was no need to go to other houses for gems or gold. Now, however, with every house vying for power, everyone wants their own resources. "

Terira nodded, it made sense now. "You're here because if a Kingdom like Kara supports your house and only your house then you have more power than the other houses."

Gendrel grunted. "Your house, Princess. And yes, it seems you've already got your parents' talent for politics."

Terira flinched; he had come close to the question she was avoiding asking, but she set that aside. He was obviously smarter than he let on. "Then why send you here? I'm sure the Royal house has people in place for these things. Why send a Royal guard?"

Gendrel stared at her intently, brown eyes meeting her green, locking for a long moment before he answered. "For one, we deemed the matter incentive enough for one of our caliber. But for another, we were... unsure of the events that would happen here." His eyes drilled into hers the entire time, and Terira felt that this was almost like a test, as if he was probing her.

Terira knew that this was one of the things she was hiding. She felt it. She asked a question that had been on her mind for a long time. "When you met me, you trusted that I was the daughter of this, Tihisa Iringel as soon as you heard of it. Or close enough. You held no suspicion, just sadness, and remorse. That's all you had. In one day, you moved into my house and seemingly pledge your services to me for life." His face remained impassive. "You've even fed my family. It all happened too quickly. Why?"

Gendrels face remained stone still, but something in the tone or atmosphere changed to Terira. "We knew- no, we had hoped that you would be here. Princess, please wait," He said, holding up his hand to stop her questions, "allow me to explain. When the assassins came and killed your parents, the bodies were left. Yours was not- it was gone, far from the castle or our Queendom. Many, including myself, believed that you had been killed as but a child. Until I saw that the Royal pendant was missing, I thought it was a fact. They used to hang that," he said, gesturing to the chain about her neck, "at the top of your peg on your cradle. But when you died, the pendant disappeared with it. Why would they take the pendant? I asked myself and searched for the content of my fostered suspicions. Maybe something bigger was going on here, maybe something I didn't know or couldn't see. I shared this with your cousin, and before we left we met with a traveling seer. We begged her to tells us anything about you. And she told us that we would find the one we have sought her. Or at the least that we could. It was then decided that the guard would go, though we never hoped to find you here. We expected to find you in Karan City, but this serves us well. I am happy to have found you, Princess Terira. All of us are."

Terira sat staring back at him, and a log in the fire popped. "All of you? Even the soldiers outside; Gendrel you are the only one who bows when you see me. Not that I complain that you are the only one who does, but I see it. They lower their heads out of respect for you, not me." Terira narrowed her eyes at him as he continued to stare back, unflinching. "Did they know?"

Gendrel nodded. "Before we left, we told them all that there was a chance that we would be searching for our long lost princess, and that if they didn't want to go then they could remain behind. We didn't tell them more beyond that we had reasoning to suspect you were still alive. They trusted me." He sighed and leaned back wearily. "And they trust in me even now. My men are... unsure of how to react that you are alive. They accepted that it might be a possibility but was unprepared for the chance of it being truth. You must understand, to them you blood and family died many years ago. They were there to help maintain order when the riots and crime started. They have lived through you being gone. It was known. And though they believe it more with each passing day, they are just unsure of how to react. They would have died for your mother, your father. They just don't know if they would yet die for you."

Terira had no problem with this. People willing to end their entire lives, stop everything for eternity for her seemed too much to bear. She still had one question to ask of him, however. "You believe that I am the daughter of Tihisa? Really believe this?"

He smiled. "You have her hair, but your father's waves. You have her face, her eyes. You look just like her." He seemed to somber. "I was a friend of your fathers, King Ladir, and I can see your similarities to him as well. You have both your mothers and your father's presence, and I truly believe in my soul, I swear upon the skies, that you are the daughter of Tihisa Iringel."

She nodded and asked the question that she had avoided asking for the whole of the conversation. "What does that mean?"

Gendrel seemed to grasp the weight of the question because he softened, placing his arms upon the table and looking at her kindly but firm. "I would mean that we would want to take you home, with us Princess. Geao is a vast city and vast land, and I promise that it would be to your liking. We couldn't leave you here Princess. You are the hire to Geao, beyond that you have been missing too long. We should take you home, take you to be a Princess. It will be a better life than this, I assure you. All the food you need, always a good roof, and people around you that will always protect you." Gendrel folded his hands together. "I know you haven't known us long Princess, and as such we would at least take you with us to the great Karan city. You could travel with us, and maybe in time learn to trust us. What do you say?"

Terira sat back, thinking. She knew that she didn't want to leave... but what was she leaving? One brother could be dead for what she knew, but at the very least he wasn't coming back. Another was a Grim and hadn't been home in a month. But she knew his concern would be great if they left without explanation, which is what she would have preferred if possible. Given that he is a Grim, he would be likely to find out, but that didn't mean that she would still leave without him knowing. Or saying goodbye. She looked up at Gendrel and told him as much. He seemed somewhat more interested then she thought he would be. "A Grim? Hmmm. Well, from what ti know most of the Grims in this town have been moved out, and if he's been gone for this long it is most likely quiet the extended mission. I am sure that we could make the journey to the Karan embassy and come back by the time he returns."

Terira found that she couldn't really argue this point. He would know more than she did. She realized that it wasn't really leaving the home that caught her. It was leaving her family. They had been through so much already, and to leave them for a family and people she didn't know... she couldn't bring herself to do it. "If I go, my family comes with me. Wherever I go. Before you try and say something," she said when she saw his mouth open, "You have said multiple times that it is a big castle and even bigger city. If you can't find space for my family, then you won't find space for me. You'll have to force me to go, and I won't make that good for you whenever we get to Geao or where you sky dammed castle is."

He smiled, most likely the biggest smile she'd seen from him, and said, "As you say, Princess. I'm sure we could find some way to do this."

Terira nodded, both pleased and relieved. Though she hadn't learned everything, she had learned enough to satisfy. There was only one thing left to do now. Ask the family.