She stared at him for a long moment and Kan looked at her, but only slightly . He didn't turn to face Kyera, as he normally would . Instead he t.i.tled his chin down and slightly toward her, barely catching her eyes . Those deep brown pools hidden by the shadows caused by the angle of his head .

"I only had one crown at the time . I was the Princess of the forest, nothing more . " Kyera replied a bit puzzled and he chuckled, laying back in the gra.s.s . His eyes were closed to hide his emotions and thoughts behind thin lids, like s.h.i.+elds . This was his best kept secret . How was he supposed to explain this to her .

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"Kyera, have I ever told you my family story? I don't think I ever have . Afterall, no one really asked where my father came from . " Kan replied with a deep sigh . With that he began:

"My Grandfather was a craftsman . He made weapons, and taught us to use them . His swords were used in The War . A master Blade Smith and a Weaponsmaster That taught anyone who wished to learn regardless of s.e.x or age . He was respected, but lived outside the Bazaar . He enjoyed the quiet life, but wanted a wife and family . It just didn't seem to be in the cards for the warrior as he reached the end of his prime years .

One day he met a woman, a beauty who had just returned from a far off land . No one knew why she was returning, only that they  were glad she came home . They met in the market one day, the Serpent food stall that's been in Cora's family for generations . He fell for her over a bowl of soup and mushrooms, and apparently so did she . They were married within the year . " He opened his eyes to stare at the night sky .

"Soon after they were married he found she was carrying a baby . Grandfather was ecstatic to have a child running around . They say he didn't even care if it was a boy or a girl . He just wanted a healthy child . He was a good man, married to a good woman… or so we thought . " He added the last bit and Kyera felt uneasy though she couldn't quite place why .

"You see, my Grandfather took care of her all through the pregnancy . She gave birth early by almost three months . Even then, after she had the baby he took care of them both . He was proud of his baby girl, even though he had his suspicions at the time . You see, Grandfather knew this child was too perfect and healthy to be born so early . There was no way the child was his, but he didn't care . He loved them both . Then my Grandmother became pregnant again . She bore him another daughter and Grandfather rejoiced . He raised both children equally because he didn't care who my aunt's father was . They grew up, My mother married off young and in love with my father, and her elder sister stayed with the family training to be a leader . " Those words made Kyera's heart thump hard against her chest . Half this story sounded like a bit of a broken puzzle piece she had been studying for a while now .

"My Mother went on to have me and my sister and my dad split the twins up between his lover and his mate as I told you before . Grandfather was fiercely loyal to my Grandmother till the day he died . However, before that we found out the truth . You see, my Grandma got sick and told my Grandfather who my aunt belonged to before she pa.s.sed . He didn't tell a soul, and three year later these soldiers came knocking on our door . I was 3, and my aunt was 19 . They took her away . Later she returned, pregnant with her first son . When my mother found out what happened, he whisked me away to live separately from her sister and father . No one knew the relations.h.i.+p between us all because Grandfather was so secretive . " He turned to meet Kyera's eyes . "Can you guess my Grandmother's name?" He asked, eyes soft and sad .

The image from the Dancing Memory played through her mind . Those brilliant Golden eyes . The name fell from her lips before she could stop it . "Fantasy . "