Day 12 22093

Henry shook his head. You know I don’t mind people coming in here to get a break. So you know who flew that flag? The print is still in your room, there could be some other things you want from there. I don’t know that anything has been touched.” It as Oliver left. “So they know?”

I shook my head. “Those with me and Roland know that I grew up here, that I lived in the house. They do not know why I was in the house, just that I worked in the archives before I was sent to the tests. I did not feel it right to say more, just that there were things from the past that did need to be dealt with in private. They will leave us be as long as it is just us in here and there is no yelling.”

He shook his head. “Just what are you thinking? Coming here now of all things. And that nonsense title. Just what is that Highness , how is it? You are his voice? Just what? As if the dragon wasn’t enough you go and tie up with Glacier of all things.”

I said. “I told you how I ended up in Glacier, I didn’t have a thing to say about it, being unconscious at the time. I wrote you about that, and nothing I said then was a lie. I understood what it meant, as I said they just know I was raised here. I didn’t want to come, but Emporium insisted that it should be me, even after I told him of the tie, if anything that just made more convinced. There needed to be a family member here so that everything didn’t have to checked, and he said I was the one that was best. I have no idea why, but I couldn’t talk him out of it. I shouldn’t have the title, but it is mine. Not that I ever wanted it. I am a princess now, ridicules as it is. I think I was more upset than most of the lords that objected to the ceremony.  It is. I never wanted any of this. Yet I have it. I still wanted no one, I was not interested in a relationship. Not after Cord. That did it. I had healed a lot before I went to the tests, and had even had a couple of flings that year. Meeting and bonding with Ryder helped and I was opening some, but not wanting any long term ties. Yet another bond found me, in spite of how I tried to avoid it.”

 I shook my head a bit.  He just looked at me, waiting.“I never. When I met him Quin I didn’t even know who he was. If I had of I would never have went for drinks with him, little own invited him up to my room that first time. Now the next time I did know, but well I had done it once so why worry now. Then a few weeks later we realized we were soul bonded. Neither of us had expected and we were not too sure just what to make of it. His father found out a month later and I found myself going to the palace soon after that, then I was expected to be at the functions with Quin. Luckily it was his habit to avoid all he could so that kept me out of most of them. Emporium was starting to talk about how I needed to be formal crowned, but we found ways to put it off. Hoping to find a rule that would see it didn’t happen. Then he and a group went out on patrol, they were all skilled and ranked, it was a safe area, but you know how it can be. Nothing is ever fully safe. They were ambushed, by what we still don’t know. No one lived and there was not enough left to be able to tell what had killed them. I. There are no words for what it did to me. To make it worse I had been forced into a court diner that day and was there when. Well after that everyone knew of the bond, but at that point it shouldn’t have mattered. In truth. Well I was once again not expected to recover. In fact the next month I went to the Fay and stayed there for six months as they taught me how to live with what had happened. It was. I scared a lot of people, basically the shock let my Fay blood become dominate. It had been getting stronger anyway, and those gifts waking do to the bond with Ryder, but the shock just blasted everything open. So I had to learn fast how to live control that as well as heal form the rip in my soul. It is a bit more common among the Fay that one will live when the other dies. When I got back I was being bowed to, and when I complied I was informed that the ceremony was set for the next week. I was family and that made me a princess no matter what I said I had a crown and duties that I had to stop running from. His way of giving me a reason to fight, for they had told them that it was still touchy. That I had to want to stay here if I was ever going to fully recover. Anyone he deputizes is called a voice, it just means they have the right to act in his name. The rest is just military stuff that I walked into.”

He was clarly upset, and it took a bit for him to answer. “I don’t know how you mange. It was bad enough to know what you had done without knowing all of it. It was bad enough that you were there. I still don’t know what you were thinking in going to those games! All you had to do was keep your head down. It was. There was is no justification for your being there at all. Little own out there in place to end up bonded. Of all things. There is no words. That was. Well at least you kept me out of the rest of it. As if it wasn’t a nightmare already.” He shook his head. “You have no place here and should not be here. The place you have put me in. Just how do you ever manage? I can see that nothing I said had an impact on you. It was just wasted breath.” The door open and he looked then said. “To think I feared that you would be sent here with the troops. That I thought was the only possible way this would happen. Now this. I it is imposable to fathom. All the same you should see what you want from your room before you leave. I believe it is as you left it. You didn’t take much so I am sure there are things you were missing.”

I can’t see the door but if he said that then he must not mind if the person knows. “I was not planning on even taking the tests, so when told to I never thought I would be going further than Texas. Wasn’t expecting to have to pack and wasn’t happy about it. There are indeed a few things I have regretted not taking, but I wasn’t going to invade your house. Thank you for giving me permission, and I will see to it. I was not looking for that. However the print is one of the things I miss, so I had to see if there as one here. I was hoping to get a chance to ask for a copy.”

Henry shrugged. “Take yours and I am sure Archer will give you a couple more. Ask him about books you want and he will let you know if he can get them to you. Likely he has a few he wants to know if you can get him. I should have realized. There is no need for you to stay to the public areas. Make use of the library while you are here.”

I smiled. “Thank you sir, that will help there are some things that I want to look up. Half remembered texts and the like. I just didn’t feel right, the way things are strained with Glacier, and my being here on their behalf not on my own, it makes everything more complicated than it should be. It is strange to be here.”

Devan said. “I don’t see why it would be a big deal for you to be using the library Ambasdors always do, and you are from an ailie. I am in my old room, and here on behalf of a land none here know. Hope I am not interrupting anything, but this seemed like a good time to ask what the devil was going on.” Nancy entered and took up a place behind me, Oliver had followed Devan, there sure were staying to that one person.“I take it Dad is safe but I’m not? I don’t know if I should be flattered or hurt. Also here is a real drink instead of that fancy stuff.” He held out the glass to me and Oliver stiffened and went to take it.

I shook my head. “Relax, Dev isn’t going to try and poison me. Thank you Dev, and it is not you.” I took the glass from him. “It is Rick’s orders. Titles have prices, and being visible doesn’t help. There are a few that have made threats and I can’t be openly armed here so I have to have a guard. Besides it would look strange if I didn’t. It is a pain. In short after I started training with the Air units I met on of Emporium’s sons and a bond formed causing me to ended up with a title and a crown.” I wanted to leave it there, but just looking at him I knew it wasn’t enough. I took a long drink of the ale then said. “We were close to finding a way out of it, but then he was killed on a mission and by the time I was over it his titles had all been given to me. The only thing I could do was attuned the ceremony and try to look happy about it. So I am now a princess of Glacier as well as a few other things. Mostly it just comes into play when I am acting as an ambassador. I do my best to stay out of court, but then that was what Quin did as so I don’t think the lords mind to much. However the fact that I have no staff does drive them crazy. Then as I made General they insist that I should have a unit or two under my command at all times. It is a bit of pain, but they do have a point. I do need to stop running, it just isn’t easy to. I never wanted any of what I have. It is a big change from working in the archives. I should never have been there, yet I am glad I was.”

Henry shook his head frowning. Clearly not seeing why I would be glad about it. Then as he saw it I had betrayed him. I am fairly certain he is with those seeking to remove Glacier from the treaty. If it was up to him we would never have been invited. I don’t know if Steven has any idea how he feels, I know Roland doesn’t. Rick let me be alone with him and that wouldn’t have happened if he knew.

Devan looked at him then at me. “Sorry to tell you sis but I am not a bit surprised to learn you are a general. However seeing you near the dragons was odd, and then to learn you were bonded. that I would never have expected. The Highness had me completely lost, I don’t know what to say. I would hug you, but give the look I am getting that would be a mistake. Clearly they think I am to close to you now.”