"Thanks for helping out with my new curtains." Zella thanked her little brother Xiam. She didn't need help with the living room drapes. She simply wanted him to be around. Being alone was not a comfort to her right then. Even though there was no one else who came to prey upon her, for the good of the kingdom, her last encounter had shaken her up. Yesterday she convinced her brother darker curtains would complement her house nicer than the light airy off-white colors she used to have.
She lied of course. Dark curtains brought no extra beauty to her home and the stark deep burgundy was almost silver, making it feel like a prison. Why had she been cursed with the luxury of perfect lineage? She was no genius, no beauty, no one special at all. She was just an innocent bystander who was dragged into a fight for keeping her race alive. For all she cared the warno's could evolve into waryes one day, it didn't matter to her.
The annoyance of intrusions in her life had been avoidable for some time, but after she met that pretentious pretender in the restaurant a month ago, she would no longer take the king lightly. After waking up in a compromising manner in an alley, her tune had completely changed. Somehow, she needed to keep the kingdom out of her life.
Besides, the Warno Kingdom did not deserve to win against her, and she had no sympathy for it. In fact, if they wanted nothing but for her to shake King Sheward's hand she would still refuse. Let it sink; let the whole damn place sink.
"Zella, I know it won't be easy to do, but you're not getting any better. Why don't I try to locate Zeph, he could help," Xiam suggested.
"Zeph?" Zella's stomach felt queasy. "I'm fine, don't try to contact him." If Zeph found out how she had been deceived, her shame would never go away. He taught her from a very young age how to treat men, and she couldn't bear to think what her old friend would say if he found out the truth.
Zeph knowing? Absolutely not an option. Zella didn't even want her own brother knowing what had happened. Xiam had poked and prodded at her though and she was never good at lying. If only she had the gall to go back into his restaurant to say goodbye then he would have never known. "I'll be fine Xiam, but could you hold the left corner up higher? It isn't catching the hook." After they placed the hooks on appropriately, someone knocked on the door.
Zella glanced at the door. Please, not another warno trying to con her. She looked toward her brother with a small plea in her eyes. He took charge and answered the door, Zella staying slightly behind.
"Hello?" Xiam asked.
Zella stared at the man from her distance, but it was as she feared. Deep dark pants, shirt, even the uniform vest. A Guard. He had the typical silver tail and silver eyes. She kept her distance, only stealing a glance before going back behind Xiam.
"Is Zella-" The voice sounded irritated, probably coming down with a virus. Served him right. "Xiam?" The sound of the voice corrected itself, becoming a deeper baritone. "Wow, you've really grown. Are you still outdoing Muin and Zelly or did they leave you in the dust?"
"Ky?" Zella's heart skipped a beat, only one man besides Xiam ever called her that.
"Zeph!" Her brother knew it too. She felt a sense of happiness within, she hadn't heard or seen Zeph in a long time. They had become close childhood friends when her stepmother and stepfather gave him shelter and food when he was young and in training. In return, he had helped take care of her and her family. They were all so close until his training was completed.
They had all tried to keep contact with letters, but Zeph's work was all over the place. They soon lost contact with each other.
He was a great Guard. Her smile slowly faded away though. Oh no...with what just happened, he was not someone she could handle seeing right now. She heard Xiam and him chit chat, telling him about where they all lived now, even inviting him over to his own house. That would be a great idea, it would give her some time to gather herself before talking to her old Guard.
Then again, maybe he's changed? Zella's reasoned. It's been awhile since they'd been kids, maybe he'd loosened up?
"Muin married Zaria?! She's not even 300 yet. That girl has no idea what she just did," Zeph bellowed through the door.
Never mind that thought. Zella groaned, if he was upset when Xiam told him about Muin, he wasn't going to be tickled pink at what she did. She heard Xiam switch conversation subject, asking him why he was here.
"Work. I've been assigned to someone in the area and I bet you know her."
Oh no. Her, was it really her?
"Zella?" Xiam's voice groaned. "Well, normally she'd be thrilled to see you, but now isn't a good time, something bad happened.
Gee, thanks Xiam, spill it all, Zella thought angrily.
"How so?" Zeph's voice sounded curious. "Is everything alright?"
That's it, she couldn't let Xiam tell him. Zella came from behind the door and appeared in front of Zeph. "Xiam, who is it?" She faked dumbness, not knowing quite how to act yet.
"Can't you tell who it is?" Xiam smiled at her. "It's Zeph."
"Hi." Zeph smiled. "I've got great news, I've been appointed to guard you. Yeah, got all the paperwork out of the way myself."
Zella didn't look comfortable as she shifted her feet and rubbed her left elbow. "I guess so." Oh geez, that was lame.
"Sorry about her bashfulness, your timing's just off." Xiam hid his hand beside his mouth and spoke softly to Zeph. "You already missed out."
Zella gawked at her brother as he said that and ducked quickly back inside. Couldn't she tell him in her own way before her brother blubbered it out?
She headed to the kitchen to fix a sandwich, she had to keep her hands busy.
"Zella?" Zeph's voice came from behind her. No doubt Xiam invited him inside, did he tell him too?
"I don't have room. I mean, prepared. I don't have a room prepared." Zella cursed herself as she heard her jumbled words.
"I'll help." Zeph went over closer to her. "You okay Zelly?"
"Fine." Zella lied.
"Liar." Zeph leaned against her table. "Come on, I'm not clueless. Did it have to do with what Xiam said? It's okay, everyone slips up every now and then. You learn from your mistakes. If you never make any, what do you learn from?"
Zella looked at Zeph oddly. This was no mere mistake; this was huge. She had been taught so many times what to do with males pursuing her that he should be showing great disappointment in her. "I still don't remember what happened." She moved away from the table. "I was in Vallencio's waiting for someone and then the next thing I know I'm in an alleyway and-" She stopped her sentence right there not wanting to say anything more.
"...It happens Zella." Zeph spoke in a soft tone.
"It shouldn't have," Zella said, glancing briefly at Zeph. She wished he would just yell, but he had chosen to be sensitive? Knowing him, he would probably wait until she felt more at ease, and then let her have it. Zeph was a great guy and easy to get along with for those who knew him, but he was blunt and uncaring to those he didn't know or felt cross with. "I've been taking pills to keep me in check every year. I never missed one, and it shouldn't have gotten out of hand. Why did they mess up and why wouldn't I remember? I mean, I'm sorry, I...ugh."
"It's fine, I deal with it all the time." Zeph smiled at her. "Don't worry! Now that I'm here, whatever happened, it won't ever happen again."
"Just the timing." Zella looked over at Zeph. "You don't think that maybe the King had-"
"The King's got way more important things on his mind!" Zeph quickly interrupted for some reason. "What would one thing like this accomplish? It's fine, okay? It was a mistake, move on."
Zella didn't agree. "He brought some others around before." She looked over at Zeph and asked the biggest question she needed to know. "What if the guy at the restaurant had no corrupted lineage? What if I was setup?"
"Don't think that way." Zeph waved it off. "The King would never do that, it was an accident! Chances are you'll never see this guy again, and you can work on getting past this."
Zella nodded. "I hope you're right." She scratched her forehead not knowing what she'd do if she saw the guy walking down the street. "That dark green jacket and those clothes and that voice." She covered her eyes for a moment. "He knew exactly what he was doing."
"You know it's been forever since I've seen little Muin. What do you say we go see her and meet-" Zeph had interrupted her sentence. "That guy."
"You mean Zaria?" Zella forgave his interruption, even welcomed the subject change. "He's not such a bad guy."