day 15 26593 and the day my old nook died.

He looked and me and smiled. “When I have I ever not? Oh that’s right you were always hiding in the library until I dragged you out. Come on, but you are going to play, not just hide. It will do you good to learn how the younger group feels. It will help you latter, and will make the parents feel better about you. They worry when you act their age. They might not know just how young you are, but they know you are younger than them.”

I smiled and said. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t plan on playing. Daren and Rick will show up before long just to make sure I am. They took over the job of seeing I got of the library and have kept it.”

Dev looked at me, but just opened the door to the games room and led me to the table. “Not very hidden, but we left the back rooms for the teens, as we are adults now. They are the ones that need to hide as the sneak the watered wine. Wonder which ones has taken over getting the real drinks? ” The others laughed and then looked at us, a few went a bit pale. “Issy here was ordered to find the younger grown and hang out. So I thought where better to that. Relax guys she doesn’t care who is sitting where any more than she did when I dragged her out the library before. Sis come on, and sit. They don’t care, just a bit worried about what they shouldn’t be doing. Not realize that you have no idea who should be fight with who, or against what, and wouldn’t care if you did know.”

I shook my head but took the chair. “I want to gain trust not leverage votes. There is nothing I could possible learn about any of you that will help convince your parents that I know what I am talking about.                                               I need them to believe me, not just give me a vote. Blackmail is useless and I know the rules of the table. Nothing here goes from the table. Oliver will you go find us some food? I need something real not fancy, and I bet they do as well. You are least likely to be noticed I know Mike took the drinks up after you left, but by now it is likely one of Shara’s. Hard as is to think of them being old enough. Dev try to stay to Anna, I have him upset enough, without the others knowing.” Mike looked at me then at Dev and I smiled a bit. Dev shook his head but sat down.

Oliver bowed. “Not a problem. General. Cap said I am to get some drinks as well and he will be here in a few. Just trying to get away from someone telling him that all we need is a wall and we would have to worry about Outsiders.” Oliver shook his head. “No idea, but Daren is going to rescue him.” He looked at me than sat a knife on the table next to me. “Nancy is right there and isn’t going anyplace.” He bowed again and left before I could tell him to take his knife.

One of the others said. “So he isn’t. Then where?”

I smiled a bit. “Oliver and Nancy are both members of the Ninjas and so seconded to my command, but the Ninjas are a boned unit and so those orders matter more than mine. I have no staff and no regular units. Normally it is fine, but here it looks wrong and then to I can’t be openly armed in this house so it is a risk. I know I need a staff, but it is not as easy as it sounds.”

Mike said. “Pulled her from. no it can’t. I mean. Yet who else. I mean the library.” The others were looking at him confused, I was struggling not to laugh, which Deven did help as he started laughing, but did manage to nod. “Issy, but. Just how? I mean I know you boned and went to Glacier, but you’re a royalty?  That wasn’t in the letter and just how could it? I don’t get it. I mean he was way to upset about the school in the first place given he forced you to take the test and then didn’t even tell you what school were there. Then to blame you for bonding of all things. Like you can control it or went seeking it.”

I said. “There is no way you could have known of any titles I have. I never wrote after telling of the bond. I didn’t want to force anything, and as there was no answer it was best to let it go. I still don’t know about the title. It isn’t something I should have. Yet by the time I was well enough to look into the laws and find a way out it was to late. Not there was much chance Emporium would have let me. He was bound and determined I was going to take my place next to Quin even as I was saying it wasn’t mine. His death just made it all the more important that I take it and take up his titles as widow does under Glacier law. Not that we were married, but he said the bond was the same under the law. So I became a princess. As hard as it is to believe. So he did tell you that I boned to a dragon? I wasn’t sure what anyone knew about the test or what happen after them.”

Daren said. “Now that has to be the most shocked I have seen that group. That was fun, thank you love. Just what did we walk in on, I know those looks aren’t because of us?”

Dev said. “They are just working out who Issy, missing the clue I gave and getting it only as she told Mike how she is a princess. Come on and sit. Relax, they will recover soon. Then you can help her answer, if you would. Say just how did you come to be close anyway? She would never join us if you were here so I know you didn’t know her at all.”

 I looked and smiled, nodding, as Rick looked a bit uncertain standing there. He had to feel a bit out of place. These games were not what he had signed up for. “Come on and sit. Dare I ask what you did to get the shocked looks? Rick go head and kiss him, no one here is going to care.”

Rick did, flushing a bit then said. “I don’t want to choke anyone, it was close enough when he put his arm around me as we started here. Neither of us thought until the coughing. At least I didn’t kiss him then, as I had started to. It is just the bond. I’m upset so he needs me to know he is there, and for him that evolves touching me. I just wanted to reassure him, but forgot where we are.” I shook my head a bit and looked at the door.

Daren said. “My dad has it Highness, don’t worry it is fine. Most recovered when he told them that they should be so shocked they knew I was in a bonded unit. I am sorry I just wasn’t thinking, I forgot that Richards felt and well.”

Dev and a few others smiled. “I almost wish I had seen that. I do wonder just why you hugging him got him. I mean we made out in front of him once so he shouldn’t have been so shocked.” I looked at him he shrugged. “He started on his whole they are ruining us thing because a couple of maids were giggling together. Seemed like a good way to stop him. I was a bit drunk at the time and scared Daren so badly he didn’t speak to me for a week. Didn’t realize he hadn’t kissed anyone before, then made it worse by telling him he should as he was good at it.”

Rick sat down and shook his head a bit. “Well you are right he is good, once he gets past the shock.” He looked at Daren and shook his head. “Come on and sit love, if you can’t take the chair just no then use the stool. Nancy and Oliver are enough right now. Anna no one is going to be upset if you hold the knife. No matter what those fools said you are fine here.”