"Sorry, did I wake you?" Nalick asked back looking up from the ring.

"I tried to wait up for you, but I must have fallen asleep." Leila sat up and noticed she was under the covers. "What time is it?"

"Late," Nalick replied. "I think Endika was trying his best to keep me there so that I could not come up here to you. You did quite a good job of rubbing it in his face that you are staying here with me." Nalick smiled as Leila gave him a fake innocent look.

"Did I really do that? He must have just misunderstood," Leila chuckled.

"Are you okay?" Nalick asked changing the subject. Leila did not understand, and he gently rubbed the dried tearstains on her face. Leila blushed.

"Oh that was nothing. I was just a little sad," Leila replied finally noticing that Nalick was sitting very close to her. Her heart for once was not racing like mad while he studied her. It somehow felt different, somewhat comforting to have him so close while she felt so sad. She looked up into his eyes and could tell that her crying was not *nothing' to him. "Really," she said trying to convince him. Nalick picked up her hand and held it next to his face. He gently kissed the palm of her hand. Leila shivered as goose bumps ran down her arms from the faint touching of his lips to her hand.

"I will do anything for you to be happy," Nalick said. Gently he touched her cheek. His hand drifted down and touched her necklace. "It is from Erich," he guessed. Leila nodded without looking into Nalick's eyes. Nalick gently raised her face to look at him. "I would never try to replace him. I want you to know that." Nalick understood why she had been crying, and he was not jealous or angry. He leaned closer and gently kissed her forehead as he had done each night since they returned. "Goodnight, my queen."

Nalick stood to leave, but Leila grabbed his arm startling him. The sadness she felt before in the evening was quickly returning the farther away he got from her. Leila did not want to be alone. The moment she was alone again, she would begin crying. Nalick was surprised that she stopped him from leaving.

"Please stay," Leila begged softly, her self-assurance gone. Nalick sat back down. "Not just until I fall back asleep." She was asking him to stay the night. "I know Mauve will be upset, but I just don't want to be alone. Besides she will only be upset with you," Leila joked, but Nalick knew it was true. He hesitated, but the look in Leila's eyes told him she needed him to stay there with her.

Slowly dropping his shirt and shoes on the ground, Nalick moved around to the opposite side of the bed and lay down next to her. She turned to face him and smiled.

"Thank you," she said.

Nalick tenderly stroked her hair as she laid and stared at him. Her expression of sadness changed. As she looked into his eyes, Leila did not feel like crying anymore. Nalick had never been in love before, but he knew what he felt inside was just that. He moved to lie on his back as Leila moved closer and laid her head on his chest. Nalick smiled and kissed her head. Leila felt safe with his arms around her; slowly, she drifted back off to sleep.

Chapter 15.

In the morning Leila woke to find she was still sleeping on Nalick's chest. Without opening her eyes, Leila felt the muscular chest beneath her hands. She was not dreaming. Nalick had stayed the night. She rubbed her hands down to the muscular arm that was now her pillow. He was a warrior king, and it showed through his well-defined muscles. Rubbing her hands back across his bare chest she could not help but smile. He was actually hers. She slowly lifted her head. Nalick was already awake. She smiled at him. He was happy. Cautiously, she looked around the room for Mauve.

"Don't worry," Nalick replied, "she has already stopped by this morning. I am in for a good scolding. Yes, you are not getting in trouble. Just me." Leila grinned. Getting a king into trouble was a funny thought.

Leila moved so that her face was just inches from his. It was now Nalick's turn to feel his heart beat race in her presence.

"Thank you for staying," Leila said quietly. "I just was a bit sad last night, but somehow you make me feel better. Thank you."

Nalick cautiously moved closer and pressed his mouth to hers. Leila felt his soft lips graze hers and then move more passionately. Leila did not back away as he thought she would but instead returned the kiss. More than ever, Leila wanted to be close to him. She had spent days denying the feelings she had for him, but now was too exposed to keep lying to herself or to Nalick. Leila's head was spinning wanting to tip over, but she remained leaning half way on top of him. Inside Nalick's heart raced at an unbelievable pace. Casually as possible, Nalick's hand moved down her back and traced the outline of her thin back. Nalick's hands had made it down to the scar on her hip and paused. Both wanted to savor the moment of their first real kiss.

"Young man, come this way," Mauve ordered ending the moment. Though Nalick did not want to let go of Leila, he reluctantly followed Mauve. Leila smiled and watched across the room where Mauve was scolding Nalick. After Mauve was done yelling at him, she pushed him out the door and returned to Leila. Leila watched Nalick unwillingly leave the room. "We need to get you ready for your lunch today," Mauve said cheerily with a completely changed attitude.

"Mauve," Leila said hesitantly. "Why did you yell at Nalick? Is this not his palace?"

"Yes, but he should have better manners. He was raised to be a good kid," Mauve explained.

"He is a good man," Leila replied. "I asked him to stay."

Mauve seemed shocked.

"I was lonely last night and didn't want to be alone," Leila continued.

"Oh child," Mauve tried to comfort Leila. "I know you are far from home."

"Then why can't Nalick stay here with me?" Leila wondered.

"He has promised the priests he will not let anything happen that will tarnish your honor before your wedding and he is a hot blooded boy, so...," Mauve would not say directly what she meant, but Leila understood.

"That was not what was happening," Leila quickly replied trying to stop the blush forming. "He was just keeping me company."

Mauve was not completely convinced from the kiss she saw shared between the two of them. Mauve continued to dress Leila in silence as two of the girls were fixing her hair. Leila was not excited to again be seeing Endika, but at least she was happy he would be leaving soon.

Nalick waited outside her room as Theo came in to fetch her.

"Are we back to this now? Does he not want me to join him?" she asked Theo.

"Yes, he would like you to join him, but Mauve has told him he is not allowed in this room unless you two are supervised," Theo explained while giving her a questioning look, "and I guess I don't count."

Leila rolled her eyes, "It was only a kiss," she complained following Theo out to the hall to meet with Nalick. Leila laughed as he really waited in the hallway. Mauve seemed to be the one person that could order the king around. "So, here is the bad boy," she teased leaning against him to mock Mauve pulling on his ear. Nalick replied by scooping her into his arms.

"Thanks for not helping me," Nalick grumbled. Leila playfully protested being picked up.

"No problem. It is fun to watch her yell at you," Leila said as she was being set down and taking Nalick's hand.

"So does that mean you will not be staying with me again tonight," Leila smiled as she teased him. Nalick was surprised that she would even offer. He searched her face afraid that she might still be sad, but he could see no signs from the night before.

As the doors opened to the same hall they were in the night before, Leila saw the room had been rearranged. There was now one single long table in the room. Several couples were seated at the table. Endika was across from empty two seats at the one end of the table. Leila was happy to see she would not be sitting next to Endika and thought it would be easier to eat, but then she realized he was seated directly across from him. Leila cringed and Nalick could see the reason why. He leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"I am willing to bear the wrath of Mauve if you can find it in your heart to behave just one more day, and then he will be on his way home," Nalick said quietly.

"He saw what he wanted to see, so why can't he leave right now? I'm even willing to help boot his butt out of the palace," Leila replied.

"Please be nice," he whispered.

"So are you willing to break Mauves new rules?" Leila asked; Nalick nodded in response. Leila was getting the better end of the deal so she nicely greeted Endika and sat across from him.

Next to Leila sat Lord and Lady Maclen. Neither of them acknowledged Leila but both bowed their heads towards Nalick. Nalick controlled his anger towards his nobles as well as Leila control her disgust with Endika. Leila studied her drink and listened to the conversations around her with the nobility assuming she did not speak their language. The Maclens were very unmoral people who seemed to be very upset Nalick would not marry a local girl. Others were just disgusted that a common person was sharing their table.

The food was served and the conversations died down a bit. Leila recognized the slightly bitter taste in her drink at her first drink. It was poison. She decided to play along since it would not be affecting her and carefully scanned the people eating with her as she took another sip. Lady and Lord Maclen were doing their best not to watch her, but they both kept checking her.

"Don't change the expression on your face," Leila whispered, and Nalick nodded his head. "I am going to get up and leave and just tell everyone I am feeling tired. Tell Anatolio to follow me, but stay out of view." Nalick did not understand what Leila was doing. Suspiciously Nalick eyed the guests as his table.

Leila slowly walked down the hallway leading back to the royal chambers. Along the way two young men greeted her. Pretending that she was getting tired, she yawned as she greeted them back.

"Would you like us to walk you to your room, my queen?" one offered.

"That would be so nice," Leila said taking the arm the one boy offered her. As Leila walked, she pretended to be falling asleep. When she began keeping her eyes closed for longer periods of time, the two men began to lead her away from her room. The men were leading her to the stables. There they put a plain dress over the dress she was wearing and covered her hair with a scarf, as they thought she was asleep.

"Hurry up. They will soon notice she is gone, and then we will not get her out of here," one complained. Leila felt them lift her on to a cart and place a blanket around her.

"Come on," the other said. "Once we make the trade, we can come back and no one will notice."

Leila felt the horses move, and she was being pulled on a cart. She opened her eyes just a slit to observe the situation. They were pulling the cart to one of the gates. As they stopped, Leila closed her eyes quickly.

"Hi Mica. Hi Nell," a guard spoke. "What are you two up to today?"

"One of our maids got sick and we are taking her home," the first said. Leila heard the guard walk around to look into the cart before he let the boys leave. The cart moved on into the city. Leila calculated where they were in the city in her mental map. They stopped at another gate. This time, though, no one checked the cart and just let the two boys pass. Finally the cart came to a stop outside the city, and she could hear Mica and Nell arguing.

"We need to take a left here," one said.

"No, I think we missed it. We should have taken a left back there," the other replied.

Leila slowly got out of the cart. As she approached the front of the cart, Leila could see the two young men were both standing on the ground holding onto a map. They seemed to be lost and arguing over the directions. Leila checked to see if Anatolio was near and could not see him. Oh well, she thought, I'll just do this myself. Quickly she approached and disarmed the larger of the two boys and knocked him unconscious before turning to the other boy. He quickly surrendered. Leila then tied up the two boys and placed them in the cart together.

"Who were you going to meet with?" Leila asked, but the boy seemed too scared to answer. "Then, let us try an easier question. What is your name?"

"Mica," the boy barely whispered.

"Then this must be Nell. What family do you belong to?" Leila asked.

The boy seemed scared to answer again. Leila walked over and pulled the back of his shirt to see the emblem on his back. It was the Maclen family. She then checked the unconscious boy, who had the same emblem. Leila walked back to the boy who was still awake.

"Who were you going to give me to?" Leila asked again.

"I don't know," Mica quickly answered. "Nell had the plans; I was just helping him. What are you going to do with us?" He was going to cry soon.

"For now, we are going to sit here until I get all the answers I want," Leila replied walking back to Nell. She slapped his face a few times to wake him up. Groggily he opened his eyes. After he focused on Leila he quickly tried to move, but he was tied up. Then she saw the terror in his eyes as he realized he was caught.

"But you shouldn't be awake," Nell said.

"There are a lot of things I shouldn't be," Leila replied. "So the question for you is: who were you going to meet?" Leila repeated her question for the older boy.

She was not someone he wanted to lie to; he hesitantly answered, "His name is Marx. He offered us a lot of money if we transported you to him." Leila smiled. It had been almost a year since she had seen Marx. She was tempted to ask about the meeting point but Nalick by now would be worried.

"Who drugged me back in the palace?" she asked though she already knew her answer.

Both boys shook their heads. "If we tell you, then we will be killed by them," Nell explained.

"And what do you think Nalick will do with you?" Leila asked as the color drained from both the young men's faces. "Here's the deal, I will ask Nalick to spare your lives if you tell me who drugged my drink."

The boys looked at one another. "Our uncle came to us about everything, Lord Maclen. I think it was our Aunt, Lady Maclen, that was actually going to put the drug in your drink," Mica told her.

Leila smiled. Her assumption was correct. In the distance Anatolio approached. Leila waved to him as she sat on the edge of the cart. "About time," she called to him. "I figured I was going to have to wait all day for you to join us." Anatolio began to protest, but the smile on Leila's face made him stop.

"So these two boys figured they could kidnap you?" Anatolio questioned.

"Yep, but as you can see, we didn't get too far before they got lost," Leila smiled as she replied. "We better get back. I didn't have time to explain anything to Nalick, and I am sure he is worried by now."

"Or furious," Anatolio suggested, looking at the terrified two boys' faces.

Anatolio helped Leila into the cart before hoisting up the two boys like sacks of potatoes. Leila and Anatolio quickly took the cart back to the city. Leila immediately went to Nalick's office sure she would find the worrying king there waiting. As soon as Leila entered the office, Nalick quickly hugged her and checked her over for damage.

"What is going on?" Nalick asked worriedly. "You said you were going back to you room, but when I checked, you had not made it there. Anatolio left a message at the gate saying he was leaving the palace."

"I've had a nice ride through the country today due to Lady and Lord Macclean," Leila explained seeing the anger building in Nalick's eyes. "I asked the two boys and they said they were to meet a man named Marx. I was tempted to go meet him, but I came back instead. I have not seen Marx in a long time. The last I heard he was working for Endika. Marx is an old courier friend."

"So they were trying to take you to Endika?" Nalick asked.

"Probably, though Marx would not have followed through with it," Leila replied watching Nalick continue to pace around the room. She quietly sat on the top of his desk and just watched him. The anger continued to grow within him. Suddenly he stopped and turned to Leila. His expression completely changed as he stared at her.

"Why are you okay?" Nalick asked finally realizing that Leila was drugged. "You don't seem to be affected by the poison nor are you mad for being poisoned."

"Courier, remember? I knew immediately what drug it was. There is only one drug out there that will put me to sleep, and Roger is the only person that has it. Also these boys were not a threat. They really are quite harmless. I didn't even break a sweat tying up both of them. My problem more is that you have people in your own court that were willing to do such a thing," Leila explained. "How am I supposed to stay safe if your own court is willing to sell me out?"

Nalick moved closer to Leila and wrapped his arms around her, "Please next time tell me what is going on. I was so worried." Nalick took a deep breath before kissing the top of her head.

Leila smiled up at him. "There was no need to worry. I had it all under control." Nalick understood Leila was capable of protecting herself, but he still wanted to be the one to protect her. Gently he kissed her forehead again. Leila reached up to his face to continue what they had started in the morning, but they were interrupted once again.

Softly there was a knock on the door, as Theo stuck his head in the room. "Nalick, everyone is assembled in the judgment hall."

"Is Anatolio still out there?" Nalick asked reluctantly moving to the door.

"Yes," Theo replied.

"How will you punish them?" Leila asked knowing that Nalick was not kind when it came to handing out punishments.

Nalick wanted to explain, but Leila did not want to hear how they would actually be punished. Her heart was too pure to deal with the reality of running a kingdom.

"Please give both boys a break and their daughter Emma too. I know she was not involved," Leila asked. Nalick gazed into her eyes and was not able to refuse her.

Nalick put his arm around Leila as he escorted her out the door. "As you wish," he replied. As they approached the door to the judgment chamber, Nalick stopped. "This is not something I want you involved in ever. I don't want this to weigh down on you so please stay here with Anatolio." She understood. She also did not really want to know what would happen to everyone. "I want to first talk to the court, and then I might need for you to come in for a minute. But that will be it," he explained.

Leila watched as the doors were opened before Nalick. The room where she had first met him was now packed full of people. The court all stood and bowed to the entering king. The doors shut, and Leila was left to wait. She could not make out words, but from the tone Nalick was not in a good mood. He was now the man everyone feared. Down the hallway next to the room, Theo appeared from a side doorway. Theo motioned for Leila to come over to him.

"Nalick will need you to join him for one minute," Theo escorted Leila to the side door. Anatolio waited outside the door for Leila to enter behind Theo. Theo led her past the first row of people as everyone sat silently as she entered. The steely stare Nalick gave the room changed when he saw Leila. Leila walked over and took Nalick's outstretch hand. Again, like the first day she was presented to the nobles, Leila could feel their cold stares as she stood before them.

"May I?" Nalick asked lightly tugging her sleeve. Leila stretched her left arm for him as he gently rolled her sleeve back. Leila could hear a gasp that started from the front row as whispers proceeded to the back of the room. Nalick gently place her arm on his and turned to the crowd. "We predicted that we might encounter problems with other kingdoms wanting Queen Eia. So the priests decided that she would join the royal family not as a princess, but as queen." Leila did not understand, but it was not the time to ask. "Thank you," he said to Leila softly kissing her cheek before Theo returned to her side to escort her back out of the room. Leila turned one last time before she left the room to see the hardened stare of Nalick as he stood opposite of the Maclen's.

Once outside the room, Leila walked back to Anatolio. "What did Nalick mean that I am already queen?"

Anatolio nodded his head and replied, "Oh, so you finally found out?" Leila stared at him waiting for him to explain. Anatolio tried to usher her back to her room but she stood with her hands on her hips waiting.

"Nalick was worried when you said yes to marry him that in the time before the wedding other countries might try to claim you. Lior has many peace treaties that are very unstable and rest on the exchange of noble family members. Nalick thought that if you were given the title of princess other countries might rightfully ask for your hand in marriage. So he asked the priests to make you the queen."

"But how did everyone in the room not know that until now?" Leila asked.

"See, when a royal son comes of age, about age twelve to fourteen, they get a marking on their hand; the same marking as the one you have. The same goes when the bride is chosen for a royal son. The difference is when one becomes king or queen, the lines are extended. When you are just a prince or princess the lines end at the wrist. Because your lines continue up your arm, you are not a princess but a queen." Anatolio looked to see if she understood. He laughed to see her shocked expression. Since he met her, nothing seemed to shock her. Leila was the most experienced courier he had ever met, and yet she was only a few years older than him. Leila quickly pushed his right shoulder and tipped him off balance. Anatolio had not noticed he was leaning only on the edge on the wall behind him. Leila then laughed with him. Anatolio stared at Leila with admiration. Though she did not understand the court customs, there was so much he hoped he could learn from her.