A few weeks passed since Nia had arrived. Kazi had noticed a change in Azrael's behaviour, he refused to speak to her directly and seemed more distant than ever. It was as if he was trying to avoid her. One afternoon, Kazi was in her chambers, when she heard the familiar sound of the arrival of a carriage. She glanced out the window and saw a carriage that had the Niamedan crest...Ren had arrived.
Excited, Kazi burst from her chambers, downstairs, through castle doors into the courtyard with her heart thudding against ribs. Ren stood next to the carriage; face lit by a smile that was real.
"Ren!" she called, running forward. He smiled wider and the next thing she knew they were wrapped up in each other's arms. The weight of her secrets was momentarily forgotten as she breathed in his familiar scent.
A sharp cough interrupted them. Kazi broke away to find Azrael standing in the entrance of the courtyard, surrounded by a cluster of maids who fluttered around him like frightened butterflies. He looked barely irritated.
Kazi cleared her throat and gestured towards Ren. "Your Majesty," she said "this is my friend Ren from Niameda."
Azrael's eyes narrowed. "So," he drawled slowly while glancing from Kazi to Ren and back again, "it is true then? You actually do know someone named Ren?" His words contained an odd undercurrent that Kazi couldn't quite place.
Unaware of the tension, Ren bowed and then stretched his hand out. "Greetings Your Majesty. It is an honour to finally meet you."
Azrael, however, simply stared at Ren's outstretched hand, his jaw clenched tight. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away, his entourage of maids scurrying after him like frightened chicks.
Ren's smile faltered slightly. "What was that all about?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.
Kazi forced a smile. "Oh, Azrael," she said dismissively, "he is usually like that. Arrogant and...well, unpleasant."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Well, he doesn't seem like the most welcoming sort," he commented, still a bit unsettled by the exchange.
Kazi dismissed his comment. "Enough about him," she said, linking her arm with his as they walked. "Let's focus on getting you settled, okay?"
Kazi led Ren through the castle. Seeing the coldness in Azrael's demeanour had brought her an odd sense of relief mixed with disappointment. He had acknowledged her existence for the first time in a while, yet the pang of rejection was undeniable.
With a small shake of her head, she dispelled those thoughts and concentrated on introducing Ren to the women in the drawing room. Nia welcomed him back with a smile that spoke of the old days they had spent together in Niameda. Queen Evangeline gave a formal nod, while Concubine Coriel gave him a warm smile that made her seem almost approachable.
Lady Layil, her face pale with the strain of pregnancy, offered a gentle smile, and Princess Athiel, wide-eyed with curiosity, peppered Ren with a barrage of questions about Niameda. As Uriel, a young serving girl with a kind smile, entered the room with a tray of tea. Kazi returned the smile.
"We will leave to give you women privacy," Ren announced. Kazi and Ren bowed low before turning to leave.
As they walked through the courtyard, Ren commented on how white Althea was "Everything from the buildings to the animals," he chuckled, "seems to be white here."
Kazi laughed, "Give it time," she teased, "you will start seeing the beauty in all that white eventually."
"Perhaps," Ren agreed, his gaze shifting to her. "But tell me, Kazi," he said, his voice dropping a notch lower, "how have you truly been? All these months alone...it must have been difficult."
Kazi managed a smile, "I have been fine, Ren. Busy, that is for sure. But I have managed to find a few intriguing clues about the missing ships. Things we can discuss later, once we are somewhere more...private."
A sudden sharp pain twisted Kazi's abdomen and stole her breath. She gasped and leaned over for a moment.
Ren's eyes widened with concern. "Kazi! Are you alright?" He reached out a hand, hovering near her shoulder.
"Just a twinge," she said, forcing a smile. "An old injury acting up."
Ren's gaze narrowed. He looked at her as she lifted up her shirt to reveal a bandage wrapped around her midsection. "An injury?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "Where did this come from?"
His hand hovered over her injury for a moment, a conflicting desire to touch and to leave well enough alone warring within him. "You promised you would keep yourself safe," he said, finally brushing his fingertips against the bandage. Her skin was warm and soft under his touch, and it was all he could do not to press closer, to feel more. "Who did this?"
Kazi paused. She had not meant to tell Ren about the tussle with the changeling, but his eyes were full of concern, and she could not bring herself to lie. Speaking quietly, she described the event, her voice barely above a whisper and a cold shiver running down her spine as she recounted the battle.
As she spoke, a cough cut through the air, sharp and dismissive. Both Kazi and Ren turned to see Azrael standing a few feet away, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze flickered between them before settling on her.
His eyes, usually a cool blue, were burning with an emotion Kazi couldn't quite decipher
His eyes, usually a cool blue, were burning with an emotion Kazi couldn't quite decipher.
"What is the meaning of this, K?" Azrael demanded, his voice cold as steel.
Kazi straightened, her back stiffening. "Your Majesty," she said, inclining her head in a respectful nod. "I was just showing my friend Ren here, my injury." She gestured to her bandage. "It is nothing serious."
Azrael's lips twisted into a sneer. "Your 'friend,'" he mocked, placing an emphasis on the word. "Seems like you collect them rather quickly, do not you?" Before Kazi could speak, he turned to her, his voice cold and commanding.
"Follow me, K," he said, his words leaving no room for argument. "I require your assistance with something...urgent." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Kazi's heart sank. Ren stood there, his face contorted with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. She offered him a helpless apology. "I am so sorry, Ren," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "We will catch up later, okay?"
Ren nodded; his eyes filled with a hurt she couldn't understand. He watched her go, his heart heavy. He longed to confess his feelings for her, to tell her how much her strength and bravery had captivated him. But the words stuck in his throat, choked by the unspoken anger he felt towards Azrael and the fear that Kazi might not feel the same way...