"You know your guards are not very efficient," Leila said to Nalick, casually putting a hand on his shoulder. "I did have to wait over an hour to be let back in." The men all laughed.

"Hello, Papa," she greeted her father with a hug and a kiss.

"So how was your trip?" Dirk asked, while hugging her back. "Besides finding a husband," he winked at her. Leila quickly turned to Nalick, who just smiled.

"It was fine. I ran into a bit of trouble with Kay, but it all got sorted out. She was able to finish the assignment," Leila said while sitting between her father and Nalick.

"So when will you be heading back to Lexia?" Dirk asked.

"I figure we better head back tomorrow. I don't want to worry everyone if they find out their king is gone," Leila explained.

"Well then, you better get busy and show this man around," her father suggested. "There are still some daylight hours left."

"But you just got home," she complained wanting to stay and visit with her father.

"I'm not going anywhere. We can catch up after it gets dark out," Dirk said, while pushing her to stand back up.

"Fine, but you better not go off anywhere. This way," she said while standing up and directing the three guys, but Theo and Macarius remained seated.

"We'll stay here," Theo offered.

Leila and Nalick bundled up in fur-lined coats and boots. For hours Leila walked around their village hand-in-hand with Nalick. He listened intently as she talked about various buildings, homes, and people. As their tour finished and they returned to her parents' home, Leila grew quiet again.

"Could we sit out here for a bit?" he asked. Leila was happy he had asked because she thought it would sound silly if she has asked to stay outside rather than visit with her family.

Leila led Nalick over to a bench beside the house and wiped the snow off the seat before sitting down. Their backs were protected from the cold wind. The snow had stopped falling and the yard and trees were covered. As the sun had already started to set, the world outside her home looked magical as everything was coated white while sparkling. As a child she had always waited for the moments when she could pretend she was in another world. In a way her dream was coming true as Lexia felt like another world.

"I'm having a hard time understanding you. You seem to be happy here so part of me wants to just let you stay here, but then you are so sure you want to return to Lexia. If you only want to return because of our deal," Nalick picked up her mittened hands and stared straight into her eyes, "I will leave with Theo and Macarius, and you can stay here."

Without breaking his gaze Leila asked, "Do you love me?"

Nalick tried to turn his head away before responding, but Leila slipped off her gloves and quickly caught the side of his face to hold it facing her. "Yes," Nalick replied looking down quickly after replying.

Leila smiled at him kindly, "Then I will return with you to Lexia."

"What was Erich like? You don't mention him and seem to cringe anytime someone else does," Nalick asked about the one man who had once won her heart.

Leila leaned back against the house and closed her eyes. "I was fifteen when he asked me to marry him, and at that point, I didn't think life could get any better. I fell in love with him years after I met him, but he always told me he loved me the moment I followed him home. Within months of telling everyone we were going to get married, I messed up an assignment in Samael. I panicked, and I signaled to Erich.

"Erich got me out but got cut by a poisoned blade in the process. I brought him back to Roger, but there was nothing he could do. Instead we both sat with Erich and watched him die. He was the first and only man I ever truly loved, and yet, there was nothing I could do to help him." Leila involuntarily reached up and felt the ring beneath her shirt that was hanging on her necklace.

She opened her eyes and looked at Nalick who was watching her. "Erich was a good man and his life was cut short because of me. I have spent the last years training and taking on every hard assignment so that I could get better at my job. I never want to be the cause of someone getting hurt again. Part of me died that day with him."

"Did you love him?" Nalick asked.

"Yes, very much so," Leila replied. "Will you still want to marry me, even if I don't love you back?" she wondered. "I just don't know if I can ever love again."

"I am willing to wait. I truly believe you will love me some day. If we don't get married in three months, then so be it," Nalick tried to reassure her. "When I looked into your eyes that day we met in the woods, I saw what I always have felt: loneliness. I no longer feel it." Nalick removed his gloves and gently took her hands in his hands. "I am willing to do anything for you even if it means somehow explaining to the priests that you are not ready to marry." Nalick thought for a moment. "Do you at least not hate me?"

Leila laughed. "I don't think I ever hated you."

"But you were quite mad with me the day that you agreed to stay," Nalick responded.

"Only because I felt like I was failing to protect Kay. I had tried so hard to get better and the one time I was put to the test to see if I was better; I was failing," Leila tried to explain. It was freezing out, but she did not want to take her hands out of his.

"Hopefully you will let me lighten your load a bit and help you protect everyone," Nalick causally put his arm around Leila. She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled. It had been a long time since she trusted someone. Nalick was wearing down the barrier she kept around herself. Leila and Nalick sat together in silence. By the time they both realized they were quiet cold, they had to sneak back in the house as almost everyone had gone to bed. Nalick and Leila stopped briefly to talk to her parents.

With night settling in, everyone rose to go to bed. Leila and Nalick returned to her room and she lay down quickly and closed her eyes. Quietly Nalick joined her. Leila was not asleep, but because she was not opening her eyes he played along. Nalick took his time getting into bed while studying her face.

Vaguely he could see the crease in her right cheek where she got a dimple when she smiled. Her light skin was periodically speckled with freckles. Leila was the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and she was by far the most unique. With her red hair and eyebrows, she was much different than the dark haired women of Lior. Even her odd green eyes captivated him. Her eyes told a story and her mood. He caught himself many times over the past few days, wondering what thoughts were going on behind those eyes. As she lay with her eyes shut, Nalick still wondered about her.

Gently Nalick leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Quietly, he whispered, "Thank you for bringing me to see your home."

Leila did not respond. She was still awake but did not know what to say to him. In the quiet of the room, if Leila opened her eyes she would not be able to hide the way she felt.

Chapter 14.

After brief goodbyes, Leila escorted the three men back to the port of Cath. Once on Nalick's ship with the army escort, it took two days to make it home to Lexia. By the time they reached the palace, Leila had spent three days straight traveling. Leila was very tired and could not wait to just relax a bit and catch up on her sleep. Being royalty did have a few benefits. Nalick though did not have time to sleep and relax. Nalick had been away from Lexia for almost a week and out of Lior for several days and his country needed his guidance.

Late in the evening, after being back in Lexia for two days, Nalick finally found time to talk to Leila alone. Quietly he entered her room and could see she was on the balcony where he had been told she spent most of her time. Time either on the balcony of her room or in the garden below helped Leila to know that she was not trapped in the palace. Nalick approached her cautiously. It had been several days. Though he felt they had been moving forward with their relationship in the North Country, everything was halted back in Lior with him gone all the time. Leila heard the footsteps behind her but did not turn around.

"Finally got away from your work?" Leila asked.

"I have been trying for days to get away, but there is always work to get done." Nalick walked around the bench Leila was sitting on. Leila moved to make room for him, and he sat down beside her. "It seems Lior's ally King Endika wants to make a formal visit to congratulate me on my upcoming wedding." Nalick watched Leila's expression as she laughed a bit to herself.

How nice, she thought sarcastically but held her tongue from saying it.

"That or he just wants to see if the rumors are true," Leila replied when he took her hand in his.

"So you have met him before," Nalick guessed, gazing over the city with her.

"If you are referring to the diminutive man that could not actually even beat a girl in any sort of competition, then yes. I have met him before. Personally, I wondered how he could actually be king, but I did not wonder why he was not married," Leila responded as Nalick laughed. They agreed on most things including King Endika.

"Since he is an ally, we have been trying our best to arrange everything. He will be here tomorrow, and there will be a feast in his honor. He has requested lunch with us and a few of the noble families for the next day," Nalick explained waiting for her to pull away. Instead she leaned into his arm that snuck around her shoulder.

"Since he is an ally, does that mean I have to be nice to him?" Leila questioned. Nalick smiled and nodded his head. Leila gave Nalick a disappointed expression.

"And the nobles too?" Leila pushed her luck. Nalick nodded again.

"Is it wise to be having foreign Kings visiting?" Leila asked changing the subject. "Will he not be traveling with a substantial army?"

Nalick nodded, "Yes, but it is also not wise to rebuke a foreign king who wishes to visit, especially since he is an ally. Besides, the main force of our army is here in Lexia and will be in any city you are at from now on."

"I doubt that will do any good for Jahangir," Leila cringed at the thought of that man. Nalick pulled her closer, hoping to emphasize that he would always keep her safe. Leila felt the safety in his arms, but was still horrified at the thought of the man.

"My reports so far have indicated that he is back in his castle sulking at being deceived by you again. Our spies in all the other countries also say so far there is no threat to you," Nalick tried to reassure Leila.

"Do they know about Jahangir's newest plans?" Leila asked. Nalick raised his eyebrows. Roger would keep Leila informed, but Nalick didn't know that she had already met one of her courier contacts since they had been back.

"My report was that he has sent his best spies and couriers into Lexia to look for an opportunity to get his hands on me." Nalick looked a bit alarmed at her statement. "Don't worry. Seth would need to bring more men with him than he currently has to get anywhere near the palace. Anatolio has done a good job securing the palace." Nalick seemed to be a bit more relieved. "So what time tomorrow will the dinner be?"

"Just past sunset," Nalick replied. Leila leaned against Nalick as she relaxed and looked into the sky. Feeling his skin touch hers made her heart race, but also comforted her at the same time. Though she had two days of leisure, it had been a bit lonely without Nalick to tease. "Do you regret coming back?" Nalick asked more somberly as he cautiously put his arm around Leila.

"Not at all," Leila replied scanning the sky looking for familiar constellations. Nalick was relived.

"It has been a bit lonely, but Macarius, Theo, and Anatolio all try their best to keep me company." Leila did not look to Nalick to see his response. He was just as unhappy as she was about his job taking so much time. Most of her assignments over the year had been alone so she was used to it by now. It was just after she was home at her parents where there was always commotion; it was a bit lonesome to then be by herself. The quietness that followed her around the palace made her feel a bit lonely.

"I know," Nalick said stroking her hair. Leila tried to hide her heavy breathing as her head tingled at ever place he touched. "I really wish I could spend more time with you. After I get everything back in order, it should be better," he reassured her.

Leila continued to rest her head on his shoulder. "Can you at least stay a little bit now?"

"Of course. Anything for my queen," Nalick replied. Leila closed her eyes. Though she had been resting for several days, she was still a bit tired from everything. Leila had been on assignment for two weeks in Lexia before the whirlwind of motion from agreeing to marry Nalick had begun. She never slept well in new places, but sitting in Nalick's arms made her feel safe while she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Leila awoke alone in her bed. It was early enough that Mauve had not yet woken. Leila quickly dressed and hurried to leave before Mauve found her. Leila did not enjoy the demands placed on her, making her get ready for the formal meals that were planned for the upcoming evening. Leila quickly grabbed a letter on the table and hurried silently out the door of her room. As she passed the surprised guards at the bottom of the stairwell, she found Anatolio waiting for her. He smiled as he yawned to greet her.

"Up a little earlier than normal," Anatolio commented.

"I was hoping to escape. If Mauve found me, I would have been stuck all day in that room." Leila led the way to the palace garden. As they neared, Anatolio signaled to several guards to better watch the passage ways around the garden. The garden was in the middle of the palace, which was not an easy place for intruders to enter but Anatolio worried anyways. Once in the garden Anatolio climbed his normal tree as Leila walked over to the largest patch of grass and sat down. She opened the letter from Nalick and smiled as she read it.

As Leila read, another person entered the garden. As she had done each of the previous days, the young woman would enter and sit on the opposite side of the garden. Each day the woman moved closer and closer. Leila could tell she wanted to approach her, but the young woman was a bit hesitant. This day the young woman was much closer. Leila stopped reading and looked up at her. The girl quickly looked away. Slowly, Leila was winning over the shy girl. The girl had not said more than a couple words to Leila, but each day she was closer.

Suddenly one of the doors opened. Anatolio quickly jumped down from the tree startling Emma who did not know he was nearby. In walked Mauve with two of the maids following her.

"Miss Leila, you are a hard person to find," Mauve scolded while approaching Leila and Anatolio relaxed. "You were not supposed to wander off this morning. We need all day to get you ready for tonight."

Leila's freedom was short lived and she spent the rest of the day in her room being prepped for the dinner that night. Everything was tedious and silly. Leila did not understand why she had to be so presentable to a bunch of people who hated her anyways. Mauve, on-the-other-hand, felt it was even more important to make Leila look her best for the nobles because they all disliked her. Mauve fussed for hours over every little detail; by the time Mauve was finally satisfied, Leila was ready to call it a night. Nalick waited for her to finish since Leila needed to make, at least, an appearance. Leila took the out stretched hand of Nalick and walked with him to the entertainment hall. Nalick was happy to see Leila, but part of him worried about King Endika meeting her.

"Could we just possibly get lost and make a wrong turn?" Leila asked as Nalick shook his head no. He stopped before they entered.

"This is the one part of the job I also dislike," he told her. She smiled to know that he did not like meeting with foreign kings either. "I know the nobles are not happy about the situation, but they will just have to get over it. And Endika will just be Endika, an ally we appease to keep our boarders safe." Leila liked his resolve.

Nalick raised his right arm, and Leila placed her left arm on top of his as he led her into the room. The room was filled with people. Leila recognized many of the faces as nobles who lived in the palace. Other faces she remembered from the day she was presented by the priests. Leila tried not to giggle as everyone bowed and greeted them; some found it more painful than others to bow to her. Leila scanned the crowd to see if Endika was there. Seated at the head table was the man she remembered. Nalick led Leila reluctantly to Endika. Nalick introduced Leila, though it was not necessary.

"King Endika," Nalick said while shaking the smaller man's hand. Leila tried to cover her laugh with a cough. Endika was literally half the man Nalick was in every way. Next to Nalick, Endika looked like a child, an older looking bearded child. He was half Nalick's height and shorter than Leila. He had a full beard to try to make himself look older, but she always felt he looked like a small child playing dress up. "This is my future bride, Queen Eia," Nalick introduced Leila as the diminutive man took her hand and kissed it.

"My, you seem so familiar, as if I met you before," Endika added ogling her, trying to get a response. Leila quickly took back her hand as Edika made her feel disgusted.

"I get that a lot," Leila replied.

Endika continued to stare at her. He was just the same as all the other kings Leila had met over the years. His stares made her feel like a prize that someone could win at the faire. She was glad to have Nalick seated between her and the creepy man. Leila was trying her best to not say what she was really thinking. Nalick quietly tried to thank her, but Leila would not let him. Nalick turned to his guest, and they began to talk. After the meal, the entertainment started and Leila used it as an opportunity to go onto the balcony. As she stood, Nalick turned to her. She leaned down next to him balancing herself with her hands on his shoulders.

"I am just going onto the balcony for fresh air," Leila explained as Endika continued to eye her up and down. Nalick nodded and Anatolio, who was standing behind Leila, followed her out onto the balcony.

"Is everything alright?" Anatolio asked.

"That man just gets to me with all his staring, not that these dresses leave much to the imagination," Leila explained gesturing to her dress. Anatolio gazed back across the room and stared at the other king. Anatolio gently moved Leila to the left of the balcony and undid one of the curtains.

"Is that better?" Anatolio asked.

Leila turned to see she was out of view of Endika while still being in the view of Nalick. She smiled at the young man standing with her.

"Yes." She leaned on the rail of the balcony. She was sure Anatolio was not a noble and watched the glares often in the past few days he received from everyone. "Do these people ever get to you?"

"No. It has been like this my whole life. I am used to it," Anatolio explained keeping a distance between them.

"I have not read about you," she said to him.

"But I have about you," the young man replied leaning against the rail next to her.

"Why did you take this job?" she asked. "If they have always treated you like they treat me, why would you purposely want to work in the palace?"

"I was offered this, and I really could not come up with any reason to turn down being able to work so closely to a legend. I hoped that maybe by being so close to you, something might rub off and make me a better tracker," Anatolio replied. Leila smiled at the young man who was finally opening up a bit.

"I don't think I'll let you learn all my secrets," Leila teased. The young man chuckled while tossing his blond hair out of his face.

"Just a few will be better than none," Anatolio replied. "Let's not worry Nalick any longer." Anatolio escorted Leila back to Nalick's side, and she sat down next to him. Endika had left his seat to mingle with the nobles.

"Is your wonderful friend already tired? It must be past his bed time by now," Leila said, referring to Endika.

"I thought you promised to be nice?" Nalick replied putting his arm on the back of her chair.

"I will be nice, if he returns. Little Endiki must be tired being up so late," Leila responded, and Nalick had to suppress a laugh. "Besides, it is very hard to be nice to such a creep." She was doing her best not to tell the other king how she felt.

Leila watched as the nobles huddled in groups. She could tell which families were allied and which were not. On the dance floor, Leila watched Endika dancing with Lady Maclen, mother of her soon to be new friend Emma. In the corner of the room Leila could see the sad face of Emma. Watching to the area where Emma was looking, Leila could see a young man with his parents. Leila was wondering who the man was but her gaze returned to Endika. Something about him being so familiar with Lady Maclen made Leila's stomach churn. After the song finished, Endika approached the head table in front of Leila.

"I was wondering if you would be so kind as to dance with me," Endika asked Leila.

Leila smiled politely, "I'm sorry, but I am so exhausted from our recent trip to meet my family. With Nalick's permission, I was just going to head to bed." I would not touch you with a ten-foot stick, she thought. Asking her to dance with King Endika was stretching the amount of nicest she had already shown, so Nalick nodded as she stood to leave.

"Will you be up later?" she asked Nalick.

"Of course," Nalick replied. He had checked in on her before he went to bed each night. He assumed she had been asleep, but as always, she seemed to know more than she ever let on. Leila was only now making it obvious to irritate their guest. Leila smiled at the hint of jealousy that crossed Endika's face. To add to it, Leila leaned over and kissed Nalick's cheek.

"Good night, my king," Leila said before leaving. Nalick grinned as he watched her leave. The sparkle in her eyes made him want to follow, but he needed to stay with his guest. Trying to hide his grin from her blatant actions to make Endika jealous, Nalick resumed his conversation while watching Leila cross the room and out the doors.

Leila returned to her room. Anatolio, as always, checked the room thoroughly before he bid her goodnight. After shutting the door, she carefully removed the jewelry around her neck and arms. Underneath her dress she felt the necklace she refused to remove. On it was the ring Erich had given her the day he had proposed. Leila sat down on the edge of her bed and started to remove the hair clips thinking of him. What would Erich look like now if he was still alive? Where would we be living? Would we still be running assignments for Roger, or would we have started a family by now? Dozens of unanswered questions ran through her head. Leila was unsure how to feel; she was beginning to have feelings for Nalick but part of her felt she was betraying Erich's memory.

After Leila removed all the hair clips and jewelry, she could let her hair down. What took hours to do was undone in a matter of minutes. Leila closed her eyes though she was not ready to go to sleep; as she tried to stop her racing thoughts, she pictured Erich. Erich was taller than her and much less muscular than Nalick. He had scraggly, dark blond hair that was always getting in his eyes. Though Leila's job required her to blend in and be similar to the people around her, Erich always told her that her greatest asset was that she was different in looks and mind than everyone. Her ability to befriend and build the trust of people around her made her a better person than anyone he had ever met. Erich convinced the young, scared Leila that she could make her life into anything she desired; she just needed to decide what she wanted. Leila tried to remember Erich's smile, but the image that came to her head was the painful smile; the man she loved asked her to promise him as he lay dying that she would never give up on love. Erich had known all along that one day she would meet Nalick, and if she were to give him a chance, she could learn to love him. Leila had Erich's blessing all along to marry Nalick.

Leila opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. If Leila threw herself into assignments and didn't slow down, she didn't have to admit that he was really dead. Now she actually had time for leisure and could actually think about it. It just hurt to finally admit to herself that Erich was not coming back. As Leila laid on her bed, it hit her. Erich really was gone and never coming back. Carefully, she wiped her tears and sat up. She needed to get her mind off of Erich so she walked out to the balcony and sat down. The stars calmed her heart, but not tonight. Leila found no comfort in the familiar stars. She returned to the bed and lay down. Leila was not tired, but sleeping was the only way she figured she would feel better.

Later that night Nalick returned to say goodnight to Leila after everyone had left. She was already tucked into her bed. When she had left the dinner Leila had been her normal, challenging self. Gently, he smoothed her hair away from her face. The chain around her neck was outside of her shirt. He could now see the ring. As Nalick studied her ring, Leila quietly opened her eyes. "Everything is done for tonight?" Leila asked sleepily rubbing her eyes.