(James)
"When's Ly coming back?" Milana asked as soon as our door was shut. She went to go sit on the arm of the armchair father inhabited.
I went into the kitchen to find Kiro and Aaida sitting on the table, mugs in hand. I poured myself some water from the porcelain jug and sat with them.
"How was the journey?" I kicked off my boots and crossed my legs on the tabletop, making sure to face Kiro so he could lipread.
"Cold." Kiro grumbled, he was like Lychorida in quite a lot of ways.
"Long." Aaida nodded, her mind somewhere else. "It's been a while since I was last here."
I raised my eyebrows and went to mend the fire. "When were you last here?"
She drank from her mug. "I was ten. It is not pleasant here."
Kiro rubbed his dull grey eyes. "Where's your sister?"
I caught his gaze.  "Still at the palace."
He stood up and went over to the window, you could see the palace wall through it.
"When will she be back?" I shrugged.
Lana called for Kiro, so Aaida took him through, leaving me alone in thy kitchen.
I finished my water and went over to the window facing the palace. That would be mine, father said. One day. I would live in the palace, I would rule from the palace. This wall, in place only to segregate the fortunate from their victims, I would melt it down. I would be a good ruler, I understood the people. Speaking of which, father came into the kitchen.
"We passed Harlev at the feast tonight." He said, sitting on the bench seat by the table. "I'm surprised you didn't recognise him."
I sat down on the table again. "Father I've never seen him before." I pointed out, knowing that it wasn't a good enough excuse.
"A true king knows his -"
"subjects." I finished off. "I'm a bit distracted tonight. And don't remind me that a king doesn't get distracted too, because I know that you're worried about Ly and if you're not then you should be because she's your daughter. She doesn't know how to survive in court and why isn't she back yet?" I stopped myself, surprised at my outburst. Father didn't seem surprised by it. In fact, he looked somewhat proud. Still no sense of worry for my sister though I saw.
"Anyway Harlev will keep an eye out for Lychorida and Milana after we're gone. He's the children's Geography tutor, so on good terms with the Queen."
I looked down at him. "And when is Lychorida coming back?"
He frowned at me."You know I don't have the answer to that question."
I groaned and walked out of the room.
I walked back into the living room and saw Lycho sat down next to mother. I pounced on her and she punched me off. The twins were already gone so neither of them scolded us.
"Are you alright? What happened? How come you were out so long?"Lycho punched me again, to get out of he face, so I sat on the floor by the fireplace.
She began to speak but then I noticed that she had a heavy fur cloak, it was tipped with blue.
"Whose cloak is that?" I sat over by her on the armchair.
"Oh it's the prince's." She mumbled and mother and I shared a look. "I was bloody freezing give me a break!"
I chuckled nervously.
"What happened after you left?" I asked and she scowled.
"The Queen has an awful lot of questions, I don't think she likes me. The Prince and his father went away almost straight away, after Edward had given me his cloak, then she sat me down in this horribly uncomfortable chair facing her and made me pour out my life story."
"What did you tell her?" Father spoke sternly. 
"That you tried to raise me like Lana but I kept on sneaking off to James's lessons - not to say that I'm good at fighting, just that I am good tactically, which I am, which she'd appreciate. I said that I had brought Kiro with me, that he was trying to teach me better manners and that because he's deaf you two thought he would tame my loud mouth. She kind of left it there."
Father sat back, impressed, so was I.
"But I'm going to bed now. I'm exhausted. Where's Ki?"
"With Lana." I informed her and she sprinted up the stairs, tripping badly twice on her dress.
"She's got this." Father nodded happily.
"No she doesn't." Mother sighed, "She doesn't have the first clue, I told you we should have raised her better." I frowned at mother and made my way up to my room.