Their bodies were carried to a room to the west of the King's Hall. Leyla knew from having counted their steps and the sounds around them that they were in the Hall of Glory; the chamber where the Warrior dead were kept before burials. Footsteps shuffled and voices grew more distant until finally only the sound of her own shallow breathing remained. She counted to one-hundred then pulled the sheet away to sit up.

She was on a marble slab, a swords length from the ground. Before she had a moment to adjust, Alec was beside her, holding her face in his hands.

"Are you alright?" he whispered into her hair. His warmth surrounded her cold body as she looked at the room. Torches lined the walls, throwing shadows across the six empty slabs of marble around them.

"Your wound!" She pushed at his shoulders, trying to see his stomach, but he stepped out of reach.

"It's healed," Alec said, then seeing she was unconvinced, he lifted his blood stained shirt to reveal a thin white scar below his rib cage. "I promise you, I'm alright."

"All of this has to be the Green King's doing." Leyla said. She had thought about the sequence of events on their way here and it was the only conclusion that made sense. The bitter drink, the palace messenger, the Green King suddenly 'finding' them in the woods...that beady-eyed bastard wanted the Warriors and Light Landers to fight each other. Of course, whatever weekend others would make conditions more favourable for the Greenlands. "What do we do next?"

"I will go to the Warrior King. He needs to see I'm alive before he starts thinking about revenge," Alec raised her chin, looking down at her pale face. "Soon, all of this will be over. Just stay put."

Leyla held on to his wrist, suddenly wary. "Where is Raphael? He probably has a plan, shouldn't we wait?"

"The Prorex did well getting us here, I owe him for that. But we are in the Warrior Kingdom now." Alec stroked her cheek. "Don't worry about anything. I'll come back soon."

Leyla pulled her legs up to her chin as he disappeared out the double doors. She closed her eyes, focusing on her slow breathing. Some time passed. There was barely a sound from the corridor outside. A crusty feeling under her chin made her look down at her white dress. It was covered in blood. Alec's blood. Her mind was feeling fuzzy again. She rubbed at the streak on her chin, trying to get it off.

"Alec!" The doors burst open and a woman rushed in, in a flurry of silk.

Leyla recognised the frantic face that locked onto hers. "Lady Isabelle?" She looked over to the door. The Green King couldn't find out Alec was not dead, not yet! "Lock the door, quickly!"

When Isabelle only stared at her, Leyla rushed to close the door against the streaks of early morning light.

"Where is Alec?" Isabelle spoke from behind her. "Tell me he isn't dead!" her voice rose, "Tell me you didn't kill him!"

Leyla turned to face the distraught woman. Soft words would not work as well as simple facts. "Alec is alive and well. He is speaking to the Warrior King at this very moment."

"Then what is that!" Isabelle pointed a shaky finger at the stains on Leyla's dress. "Are you telling me that is your blood, when you look perfectly fine?"

Trying to cover some of the marks with her hands, Leyla spoke in a calm voice. "There was an accident, but it is nothing serious. Just wait a little and you'll see him for yourself."

"You aren't lying?" Isabelle asked, searching her face.

"Would it do me any good to lie?"

Isabelle took a shaky breath and exhaled slowly. "That dumb ass Finn. He was also convinced you were dead. He obviously missed whatever game is afoot."

Leyla gave a weak smile, glad that Isabelle believed her. "It's not Finn's fault. The situation was...not what it appeared."

"Lady Isabelle?" A small, worried voice came from the other side of the door, surprising them both. "Lady Isabelle are you in there? Lady Isabelle!"

"Is that Tia?" Leyla whispered with wide eyes. Why was she running around at this hour!? "Tell her you're fine, but don't let her in. She shouldn't see this blood."

Isabelle gave her a narrow-eyed look, then turned to the door. "Everything is alright, Tia. Go back to your room."

"But my lady - "

"Now, Tia!" Isabelle lent her voice more force. "I promise, I will be there shortly."

They both listened to the girl's footsteps recede, then the lady turned back to Leyla. "Tell me, how did you recognise my charges' voice just now?"

"Her voice?" Leyla realised that she had made a mistake. "I spoke to her at the Celebration of the Sword, you had her bring me a gift, do you not remember?"

"That's true," Isabelle acknowledged, but she still seemed dissatisfied. "The first time I met you and even now, you reminded me of a Warrior who was sent to your lands. She cared for Tia more than she cared for herself."

"Oh?" Leyla tried to look uninterested.

"Her name is Leyla. Perhaps you saw her?" Isabelle pressed.

"I'm afraid I've never even heard of her." Leyla smiled stiffly, then changed the topic. "You were worried about Alec, will you go to find him?"

Isabelle nodded, took a step towards the door, then stopped. "Do you know, Alec has not been the same since the night Lieutenant Leyla was summoned by your Leader?" She reached out to touch the cold marble of the bed beside her. "He returned to the Keep a few hours after she left and flew into a rage. He wanted to go after her. He asked to take her place. He wanted permission to request an audience with her from the Leader of Light." Isabelle turned towards her now, taking her measure. "The Warrior King denied all of his requests and gave him a promotion instead. For subduing rebels, he was told, but in truth his majesty wanted to pacify him. Of course it only made Alec angrier."

Leyla tried hard not to look interested, but she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Alec had tried to take her place? Did he really love her then? Perhaps it was not all an impossible joke...An ice-cold layer around her heart began to melt as she imagined being beside Alec freely. Holding his hand, kissing him...

"Lady Alessa?" Another knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Lady Alessa, it is I, Tennin. The Prorex sent me to collect you."

Leyla rushed to the door and opened it to reveal the Captain of the Light soldiers who had travelled with her from the Giant Forest. Two of the King's Shadows stood behind him, waiting quietly.

"Where is Raphael - I mean the Prorex?"

"He is in the Great Hall with the Warrior King, my lady. They request your presence," Tennin held out a folded dress of flowing blue silk.

"What is this?"

"The Prorex said you would be needing it." The guard looked at her dress, reminding her of the blood stains. "Please, change quickly and follow me."

Leyla took the clothes, then shutting the door behind her, she looked at Isabelle. "I'm sorry if this upsets your sensibilities," and with that she began to change.

"Here let me," Isabelle said, moving to help her button the back of the layered dress.

"Thank you," Leyla replied, adjusting the long arms of the dress over her shoulders.

Isabelle finished buttoning and took charge of her hair. "You must have been training your whole life."

"Sorry?" Leyla asked, distracted.

"Your arms, your back...I live in the Warrior Kingdom and I know what trained muscles look like." Isabelle was gentle with her hair, pulling strands back one by one as she weaved together an intricate hairstyle.

"I really don't know what you mean..." Leyla hedged, trying to think up of a believable excuse for her unladylike physique.

"If Lieutenant Leyla were here," Isabelle said after a long moment. "If Leyla were here and she found out that Alec loves her. Truly loves her. Do you think she might want to stay?"

Leyla's fingers stilled on the collar she was adjusting. "I really can't guess at such a thing," she said slowly. "But even if she did wish for such a thing, how would it make sense? Isn't General Alec is engaged to the Warrior Princess?"

"That engagement was forced onto him by that conniving Mira!" Isabelle scoffed, finishing the hairstyle and coming back around to face Leyla. "Alec will find a way out of it."

"Will he?" Leyla spoke to herself as she pulled her braided hair over her shoulder. There was the Green King to see to and her innocence to prove, but all she seemed to be able to think about was Alec. It was stupid. It was not befitting a Warrior, but for the first time in her life, Leyla seemed unable to push away her feelings.

Her heart filled with hope, she followed Isabelle to the door.