The level of anxiety that Kiara was feeling in this moment was ridiculous.
All the eyes in the room were awkwardly pinned to her and she had to talk a big,  uncomfortably gulp.

"My queen, hi how are you?"

All the questions directed at her were ones inquiring of her well being and she has to clear her throat before answering.

"I'm doing fine thank you all for asking."

Marquése sees that she was uncomfortable taking about it so he took initiative, requesting for them to have the room.

Everyone gracefully agrees, getting up and exiting the room to give them their privacy.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did, I could see how uncomfortable you were. Anyways, what would you like to eat?"

Kiara wasn't quite paying attention to him in that particular moment, her eyes trained on the door the people had left through.

For the past few days she was blissfully unaware, living in her little bubble and she had almost forgotten about the people outside it. She had almost forgotten that she had a pack that depends on her, one that she gave her word to lead and protect.

"Kiara?"

"Huh?" Her eyes switch back to her mate's familiar face and he shakes his head,

"What do you want to eat?"

"Um, how about pancakes?" A girlish smile overcomes her face and Marquése raises an eyebrow as if to say 'really?'

"Just make the things and stop questioning me."

"Haha. Yes ma'am."
Marquése smirks as he goes about preparing her meal.

"So are you gonna talk to Khal today?"

Realization hits her and she just now remembers that she hadn't spoken to him in days,
"Oh my goddess, I didn't even remember that I was going to go see him. I haven't talked to him in so long."

"It isn't a big deal, trust me, he's gotten used to it."

"How so?"

Marquése remembers how he hadn't wanted to speak to anyone either, not even his own mother but Khal always tried. Tired and failed as it was but he never gave up.

"Because even though I pushed everyone away he always kept coming back."

Her eyes softened at his statement, connecting with him in a vital way not even she herself could put into words in that moment.

"Yes I'm gonna go see him, and Hailey.. and oh yes our mothers to apologize on your behalf for your rudeness." Marquése only laughs at this

"Here you go."

Fifteen minutes later a plate full of hot, fluffy pancakes were placed before her.
Kiara licked her lips, grabbing the syrup bottle and squeezing harshly to drown the pancakes in sticky syrup.

"Wow, just wow." Marquése was at a lost for words at her actions, he didn't know why she liked them so much and why she had to use so much syrup.

He watches her as she ate properly for what must be the first time in over a month. She clears her plate in less than fifteen minutes and he doesn't know what came over her but he was thankful for it.

"Thank you." She smiles and he takes her plate gladly returning it to the sink.
"You're not hungry?" She observes

"I'll get something to eat while you're gone."

"You're not coming with me?"

"I have some things to take care of here, plus I don't think I can face my mom. She must be so mad at me." He laughs

"Oh I'm sure she definitely is."

"Soften her up for me will you?"

"I'll try my best."

Marquése stretches across the counter, leaning in towards her and she does the same. Their lips meet in a sweet tie of emotions and they both sigh before pulling away.
They haven't kissed like that in days.

"I'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye babe."

Kiara walks away and Marquése smiles, he was more than able to go with her to see everyone today but he didn't want to. He wanted her to do it by herself, to be strong and if he was there he knew that she would just leave him to do all the talking.

Kiara stops by the door taking a deep breath in to calm herself. She opens her eyes and readied herself before taking a step back into reality.

She can do this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kiara walks out the door and onto the busy lands of her pack. It was like nothing had changed, the people were still the people, all there, going about their own business.

She takes her first few steps and no one realized who she was but she wasn't so lucky forever. As soon as she got near the busy square all eyes turn to her and the whispers erupted.

The arrival of their queen caused a ripple effect amongst the crowds, causing everyone to know of her presence.

Everyone just looked on, none brave enough to step forward and actually speak to her because in truth they didn't know how to.
Nothing stayed a secret in a pack of this size so obviously everyone knew if her extensive injuries and all the facts that surrounds them.

The Queen just sighed and walked on.

"My queen."
An older woman that Kiara recognizes steps out before her, blocking her path. The woman had sold produce at her stand in the market from Kiara was a young girl. She had always looked out for her.

The woman bows her head in respect before raising up to meet her Queen's eyes.

"Maria" Kiara whispers her name.

"How are you honey?" The woman asks with a motherly tone and an almost sad smile.

Kiara sighs again before making a small smile,
"I'm fine Maria, thank you for asking and not just staring at me."

"Anytime Darling."

Kiara nods her head in acknowledgment before walking off and back to her path of finding her mother in-law.

She walks to the edge of the town where the little house was located and knocked on the door.

"It's open!" The voice shouted from within and Kiara pushes the door open on receiving her welcome.

"Oh my goddess! It's you."
Celestia was so surprised that it was her son's mate that was in front her eyes, she had no ideas she was really there.

"Hi."
Both women hug and Kiara smiles, loving the comfort of her embrace.

Celestia pulls away and holds Kiara at arms length,
"Let me look at you, oh my I was so worried. I'm so happy that you're ok."

"Yeah me too."

The mood of the room completely shifted once Celestia knew that Kiara was ok, now she was out for blood.
"I can't believe that that idiot son of mine would do that! I can't believe that he kept me from seeing you! He just shut me down when I went to talk to him and then he told the guards not to let us in. Where is he?!"

"Hiding from you", Kiara laughs,
"He doesn't know how to face you but it was just his way of grieving I guess."

"I know that but we should have been able to be there as support, and as much as I dislike your mother we should've both been able to see you."

"I know and I'm sorry, everything that has happened has been so unfair, so unpredictable."

The mood shifts once again and Celestia takes Kiara's hand in her grip. She looks up to see her eyes welled with unshed tears.

"So, so unfair."

"I know hunny, I'm so sorry that happened to you."

The tears break free from their walls and an embrace that could seal faith was formed.

"Are you ok now?"

"Yeah I'm fine. It was really nice to see you but as much as I want to stay I still have to go and see my mother."

"It's ok, go talk to your mother and you come back to see me anytime ok."

"Of course mom."

That statement warmed Celestia's heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word spread through the pack and by now everyone knew of their queen's recovery. As she walked on her path to the throne room she was stopped multiple times to receive gifts or expressions of happiness in regards to her recovery.

Kiara gets to the throne door and she sighs before stepping in.
Her soft slippers gave no sound to her ascend and Ciara didn't know that she was there until she had come up behind her.

"Mother."

Ciara turned around and a bright smile forms on her face at the image of her daughter standing before her.

"Oh my sweet girl."
Ciara embraces her daughter and Kiara did the same, returning her show of affection.

"It's so good to see you, I'm so glad that you're ok."

"Me too mother."

Her mom was being so affectionate, and in all honesty, gushy. This wasn't like her mother at all Kiara thought to her self.

"It took you long enough to come see me."

Oh, never mind there she is

Kiara shakes her head at the former queen, knowing her all too well.

"I was busy, but I wanted to come see you because Marquése told me that he didn't allow anyone to see me while I was asleep."

"No he did not, not anyone but he and Khal at least. I couldn't believe him, I'm your mother."

"Yes mother and as true as that is I have to go. I have one last stop to make but... It was nice to see you."

Liar

She snickered to herself as she exited the throne room doors, going to see the one person that she had been absolutely dying to see.

She steps into the square once more, scanning the crowd for his dark hair.
Her eyes droned in on him and a certain redhead and a smile envelopes her face.

Kiara took off, running towards the small group of people. She runs for the first time in like a month before yelling out and launching herself at the unknowing target.

"Oh my goddess! Have you gone completely insane!"

"Nice to see you too, best friend."

All the usual exchanges were made, the emotional hugs and everyone telling her how good it was to have her back.

"You're insane you know that? What if you had tore your stitches?"

"Oh relax, I'm all healed up and besides you caught me."

"Well I did promise to always catch you from we were kids. Couldn't let you fall now, could I?"

Kiara smiles remembering the promise that she and Khal had made to each other the day they vowed to be best friends.

"I missed you, you didn't come back."

"I knew that you'd need some time."

"Yes, I did. Thank you for that."

The mood gets a little somber but count on Khal to never let anything stay that way.

"So who wants a drink?!"

"I do!"