"Have you chosen?" Alec smiled.

Leyla nodded in the affirmative. "I still think this is a ridiculous idea."

"Now, now, no backing out." He leaned down, looking over the two dozen objects, then nodding as if he had discovered something.

He couldn't possibly know which one she had picked and the chance that he could guess it was slim, so why did he seem so confident?

"Like all Warriors, you respect horses. And while you like them, you've never been attached to any one in particular. It's likely because of the drill sergeant who had you ride a wild horse while you were in your second year of officer training. He threw you badly and you dislocated your shoulder."

Leyla's lips parted in surprise. How did he know about that, he was definitely not there at the time? She opened her mouth to ask, but Alec was leaning over the carvings again and smiling.

"The kivki is a misunderstood creature. It often seems not to care at all for its babies, but actually it puts itself forward, diverting the attention of predators away from its children and onto itself." He picked up the carving, admiring the horns of the beast. "You spend so much time pretending that you don't care about people, that it is almost impossible to see just how much you care. But like this kivki, you just show it in a way that doesn't immediately make sense. Knocking people out and sending them away. Refusing to run for the sake of fruit trees. Mucking out stalls in the middle of the night..."

"How..." She felt frozen to the spot. How could he know all those things about her?

Alec's gaze was intense as he watched her, "But you didn't choose these, because there really is only one creature on this whole stand that you would pick."

He held up the carving of the hayvan, its tail curved around its body, its front paws in the air. "Yes hayvans are loners, like you. They are smart, like you. They are survivors, like you. But you will have chosen this one, because it is the only carving that is obviously damaged." The breeze picked up although Leyla barely noticed. Alec tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear, his fingers soft on the skin of her neck. "The Leyla I know is a consummate defender of the weak. She wouldn't be able to resist this hayvan with the chipped ear."

She couldn't to form a cohesive thought. Alec was so close, his eyes watching her with their hot gaze, his words mesmerising her. How did he know her so well? How could he know? And why did he smell so good?

"Judging by your look, I got it right," Alec put the hayvan back on the counter, breaking the spell. "You're accepting the dress and you owe me a favour. Don't forget."

Gone was the heat of a moment. He was back to being the in-control-General while she felt exposed; like he had been watching her her whole life, seeing everything she had tried so hard to hide.

Taking her by the hand, he led her across the bustling market and back to the garment seller. She stood mutely, looking at their interlinked fingers while Alec purchased the dress; his hand was so much bigger than hers, so much stronger...

"Hold this," he smiled back at her, then turned to pay the vendor.

Nodding mutely, Leyla accepted the red silk and held it against her chest. Was it really possible that he liked her? Actually liked her...a nobody orphan with no family or connections?

By the time they got back to Happy Time, a small ball of warmth had settled in her chest. Finn picked up on it the moment they sat at his table.

"My life-saver, you look the happiest I've seen you!" He was well into his cups and the voluptuous woman on his knee offered him more drink as she stroked his arms.

Alec tossed the woman a coin and sent her away with a single look. Finn didn't seem to notice her departure, his eyes were on the material in Leyla's arms. "Is that a dress? Oh! I think you'll look magnificent in red, it will go well with your fair skin and dark hair." He leaned over to touch the silk. "That feels like good quality stuff, it must have cost a fortune!"

"Finn," Alec warned when the boy continued to stroke the material with glazed eyes. "You should go up to your room."

"I can't!" Finn protested, wagging his finger no. "I'm celebrating."

"What are you celebrating?" Leyla smiled, amused by the situation. She did not usually tolerate drunks well, but Finn was like child, all smiles and ridiculousness.

"My savior's escape from the Heka's clutches of course!" He gave her a wide grin. "We didn't know what was going on exactly, but Alec was certain that the Healer called Serena had an agenda. If those soldiers from the Land of Light didn't show up, he was ready to destroy relations with the Healers to free you."

"Finn!" Alec warned again, but Leyla looked at him in surprise.

"That's not true right? You'd never do something that stupid."

"That's what I thought!" Finn piped in. "General Alec of the House of Steel would never do something so irrational! But I swear, he told me to prepare for a fight and he was wearing his super-serious face! Like this." The boy attempted a glower and failed miserably.

"You shouldn't have even thought about it," Leyla frowned, reaching for the jug of water on the table. "The relationship between the Healers and the Warrior Kingdom would have been damaged. You would have been stripped of your rank, your title-"

Alec stilled her hand and leaned over to whisper in her ear: "You've already sacrificed your life for our Kingdom once. I'm not letting you do it again."

Leyla took a deep breath, inhaling the spicy sweet scent of him. His eyes grew a darker, stormy blue while the hand holding hers tightened its grip.

"Alec!" Finn interrupted a wide grin on his face. "I just thought of something really clever!"

Alec let go of her and Leyla straightened, feeling hot. Far too hot. How could such a big establishment be so stuffy?

"What's that?" The General asked, sounding completely at ease. Why did her mouth feel so dry?

"You should get Princess Mira a dress like that one!" Finn pointed at Leyla's dress. "She's probably pretty mad since you left so soon after your engagement announcement. Pretty women love pretty dresses. A dress should pacify her, don't you think?"

It was as if she had been doused with cold water. Leyla blinked, unable to believe her own stupidity. Alec was engaged and his, unlike hers, was a real engagement! What had she been thinking? What in Tevvuk's name had she been thinking?

"Finn is right, General. Pretty women love pretty dresses. You can give your Princess this one," she held out the dress to Alec.

His expression was unreadable as he looked from her to the dress and back. "The Warrior Princess doesn't wear hand-me-downs."

Heat crept up her neck, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. She kept her face impassive. "You are right, of course." Turning to Finn who was busy trying to get the attention of a waiter, she forced a smile. "Finn, try not to drink too much, your head is going to hurt in the morning."

"Yes lady-life-saviour!" Finn gave her a mock salute, then resumed his efforts to order more drink.

"I am turning in, good night," she said to the middle, careful not to let Alec catch her gaze.

She ignored Finn's drunken protests and moved swiftly away from the table, the dress scrunched in her hand. Haunting music punctured by jingles from the bells of the dancing girls and the laughter from happy customers followed her all the way up to her room.

The whole world seemed to be mocking her stupidity.