The waiting room just off the King's Hall was built to host thirty people with its high ceilings and abundant seating. At the moment, however, there was only a Healer and Leyla who were sitting near the door, the muted sounds of excitement filtering in through the walls around them.

She was being exchanged for trees.

Leyla's lips thinned. She didn't blame the King, not for this decision, but she couldn't keep a grim smile off her face when she the thought about the events of the day. Almost dying, finding out she was getting a promotion, being accused of treason, being whipped and now...

"Did I hurt you, Lieutenant?" The woman beside her held a cloth covered in blood and a foul smelling poultice, her dark eyes watching her intently. She was not the Healer who helped her in the morning, in fact, Leyla didn't remember ever being treated by her. There was something about her that seemed different to the other two Healers in residence. They wore the same green garbs and head coverings, had the same gold hoop earrings, and similar circular face tattoos...but something she couldn't put her finger on felt different.

The Healer's thin brows rose, reminding Leyla she had been asked a question.

Leyla rubbed her hands over her eyes, feeling so very tired. "This pain is nothing. Do you know if Warrior Beck fully healed?"

"Yes, he returned to duty just after mid-meal." The Healer nodded, then returned her attention to Leyla's back. A few moments later, the cloth slowed its movement. "You are different, Lieutenant."

Suddenly her back felt as if it was on fire. Leyla curled her fingers into fists, trying to keep her breathing even. "You noticed the hair, did you?"

"No," The crystals on the Healer's wrist jingled as she continued with suppressed excitement in her voice."You heal different." The woman was quiet for a moment, then the towel moved down Leyla's back shooting a burning heat in every direction. The heat suddenly turned into an icy-cold which sent shivers over her arms.

"I don't feel like I'm healing at all," Leyla said after she had caught her breath. What was the Healer going on about?

"It's incredible," the woman whispered, ignoring Leyla's sarcasm. "It shouldn't be possible -" before the woman could continue, the door to the waiting room creaked open.

"Lieutenant?" Isabelle's small face appeared around the door, then she rushed in. "Lieutenant, are you alright?"

Isabelle was wearing yellow again, Leyla noticed absently. Although this dress had long sleeves and a plainer bodice than the one she had been wearing last night when Leo was harassing her. What am I thinking about right now?

"You shouldn't be here, my Lady."

"Could you stop saying silly things?" Isabelle hissed, casting a glance over her shoulder. "How is your back? Can you run?"

"I'm fine, I -" Leyla stopped short, narrowing her gaze. "Run?"

"Yes, run!" Isabelle wrung her hands, casting a glance in the direction of the Healer. She cleared her throat, lending an arrogance to her voice that just didn't suite her. "You are aware that the punishment for disclosing information that you've come by while treating a Warrior, is death?"

The Healer looked from Isabelle to Leyla and back, then nodded slowly.

Apparently satisfied, Isabelle turned back to her. "Lieutenant, this is all my fault. The lashes...Leo did this because you helped me! I will fix this, I promise, but first you need to escape."

Leyla felt the Healer stiffen behind her and warned: "My Lady, someone may overhear you and misunderstand. Please let's change the subject."

"Can you think about yourself for once?" Isabelle complained angrily. Yards of pale yellow silk fluttered this way and that as she paced. "No one has ever been inside the Castle of Light and lived to tell the tale. Once you are inside, you will never be able to come out. No! You can't go. They are practically sending you off to die!"

"Maybe," Leyla nodded, surprised when the movement did not hurt her. The Healer's poultice was amazingly effective.

"What do you mean, maybe? This is not right! This can't happen! If Alec were here, he would stop this!"

Isabelle was quite a few years older than her, she must have been in her mid-twenties at least, and yet the lady was very naive. "He wouldn't stop it," Leyla said gently. "He is an officer. As am I. Our first priority is always the Warrior Kingdom and this exchange is good for our people."

Isabelle stopped pacing, tears welling in her big blue eyes. "But it is not good for you! You are also one of our people! This is not right!"

Leyla looked away from Isabelle, her eyes landing on one of the many small busts of past Warrior Kings in the room. It would have been nice, if her King had negotiated. Tried at least, to add a requirement that ensured Leyla's safety. That would have been nice, she thought, but this was the way of the world. The expendable would be expended. She would not run. She would not betray her Kingdom. No matter what, it was this Kingdom that fed and clothed her since birth. It was this Kingdom that taught her everything she knew.

Finished with her work, the Healer touched Leyla gently on the shoulder and helped her into her jacket. When the last button was done up, Leyla thanked the woman and turned back to Isabelle who was watching them in helpless silence.

"Lieutenant Leyla," a guard opened the door, saluting before he delivered his message. "The envoy from the Land of Light is waiting for you at the south gate, Lieutenant."

"I'll be right there," Leyla replied, feeling Isabelle bristle. Waiting until the guard closed the door once more, she turned to her. "My Lady, if you would truly like to do something for me, then I have a request."

"Tell me!" Isabelle wiped at the tears on her cheeks, straightening her shoulders. "If it's within my ability, I will do it. Even if it isn't, I will do it!"

"There is a girl, Tia of the House of Kings Wards. She is seven years old. Her parents ran away, leaving her to suffer in their place." Leyla spoke hesitantly, praying Isabelle would not show the prejudice of most. "She is a good kid, please look after her for me."

"I will." Isabelle said quickly. "She will not suffer, I promise." Leyla saw from the Lady's eyes that she meant her words. In another life, Leyla would have liked to have had a friend like Lady Isabelle of the House of Steel. Relieved, Leyla straightened her uniform. If she was really going off to die, then leaving Tia to suffer on her own would have been her only regret.

"Thank you, my Lady. And will you thank Colonel Alec for me? I think I might have misunderstood hm in the past and I never repaid him properly for his consideration. Perhaps he will accept my apologies instead."

"Alec would not accept an apology from you," Isabelle's eyes were sad. "But I will pass on your message."

Leyla stood, surprised yet again when there was no pain. "Stay well, my Lady."

"May we meet again," Isabelle tried to smile, but they both knew that the chances of that were slim. Her lips trembling, the Lady left the room.

Leyla took a deep breath, it was time to go.