(Lychorida)

We were moved into the palace the next day, I had a far bigger room than I was used to, but it made good floor space for Kiro and I to spar. The first day after Lana's wedding was eerily quiet, and I didn't see Edward at all. I saw the Queen a few times, with mother, to plan my wedding, which would be done at the same time as Edward's coronation. They were having a dress made which was made of our family's red silk for the morning, a longer train than I was used to and smattered with rubies, and a blue lace dress which I would wear when I came out of the chapel, plus my crown, which was a plait of two strands of blue stained platinum, and one strand of red stained platinum, it was awfully plain but so was I, that's what the Queen said. That was as much of the information as I could take in.

Whenever I saw her I couldn't help but see Sara with a knife in the back of her head, our family red staining her blonde hair. It made me gag slightly when I thought of it.
And it made me afraid that the thought of it made me gag.

This was my duty.

It wasn't even the idea of the blood coming out of her, I realised as I lay awake in the middle of the night in my bed, but it was that I could see her corpse drop to the ground, I could hear it thud, then Edward's face would fall into my mind, that sickening expression I had seen earlier yesterday on his face when he had realised that his father was gone. It stung me to the bone when I knew that it would be because of me.

It had to be me though, James is too loud, father too clumsy. I couldn't dream of saying that I couldn't do it either, otherwise what was Kiro's entire career worth? Why did I even exist if not to serve my purpose and kill the things which were not welcome?

I needed sleep, I concluded, I wasn't myself because I was tired and I needed sleep.

But I couldn't sleep because Milana wasn't with me. We had shared the bed when we got here. I only needed a little rest, but last night I had had nothing without her, instead pacing my chamber, thankful for Kiro's deafness. But I needed sleep tonight.

I pulled myself out of the covers and padded over to Ki's little bed, it was smaller than we gave him back home.
I nudged his shoulder and he was awake and alert, pulling out his knife from under his pillow. I was expecting it though, seeing as he had taught me to do it, and disarmed him by grabbing his wrist and twisting it to my advantage with my left hand whilst throwing the knife away with my right. I lit a candle on the table beside him and he sat up.

"It's only been an hour." He signed and I nodded, apologising.

"I can't sleep, I need someone else in the bed, I miss my sister." I blurted out, hoping that he would understand it.

"A hunter needs her sleep." He nodded along, his face was tense.

I took his warm hand and pulled him over to my bed. He pulled the covers on to him and I rolled over, putting my arms around his chest. He really was extremely tense, but then I noticed that I was too. Kiro was my best friend, it felt weird for him to be my bedfellow. I relaxed eventually, but he still didn't. His words were true though; "A hunter needs her strength." I had no time for compassion, I needed my sleep.

I pulled the covers up and started to doze when light from a candle by the open door made us both shoot up to sit straight.

Father stood in the doorway, I couldn't fully read his expression, but it didn't seem angry. He beckoned for me to come so I did, pulling one of the fur blankets from the bed and dragging it onto my shoulders.

I followed him out into the corridor, where a tall figure was standing. He held a candle too and he was the Prince. I dipped a curtsey but it wasn't as deep as it should have been because I was still tired. Father didn't say anything but kissed my head and went back in the opposite direction towards his room, although he went past that, I noticed, to Jim's room, Knocking before entering.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Edward asked and I shook my head, but he didn't see that, so I agreed, taking his proffered arm and pulling the fur blanket over me.