Cybelline watched as the drama between the two young people play out. She almost wished she had some popcorn. When she was back in her own body, she was going to have to find Jinon and ask about this Kyria woman.

Thinking of the golden maned man, she sighed. He looked perfectly good as a youth, but now he looked like he swallowed a lion.

She blinked, watching as three years passed, the young captain was now a seasoned warrior, winning battle after battle, war after war. The king piled riches and titles on the youth. Jinon received everything except for the women, he often told the King that he would choose his own wife. The King would only shook his head, "Sybarius, you are like a brother. And being that there is no one else in your family, as your older brother, you should let me help you find a wife." Jinon would only smile and run off to war

Kyria in the meantime, blossomed into a beautiful, learned woman who could philosophize any scholar under the table and beat any warrior into the ground. After her defeat at Jinon's hands, she began to study fighting in earnest. Soon it became evident that no man could best her, and her suitors stopped trying. The gossip around the city was that all the extra grey hair on her father's head was because of her. Kyria had refused all men, and no matter what her family did, she never agreed to any marriage.

They hadn't seen each other for three years, but Jinon would become extremely clumsy when he heard any gossip about the young woman. So much so that his men knew not to gossip about Kyria if the general was holding anything heavy, or on a horse. Nine times out of ten he fumbled and drop whatever he was holding. Many important army missives were accidentally set fire to this way. One time, he had fallen from his horse, to the greatest embarrassment of his troops.

Three years passed this way, until the General returned from the border, the war nearly won. The people received Jinon Sybarius with flowers and song as the young, dashing man rode ahead of the troops in triumph.

"My Lord" An attendant bowed to Jinon, "Lord Torin invites you to his house for a banquet."

Jinon, who had been untangling his blond hair, dropped the comb into the basin of water, and then knocked the basin onto the floor and his foot. He cleared his throat, "Really? Will Lady Kyria be there?"

"Dear god man." A voice said at the door. Jinon looked up to see one of his friends from the army walk in, "If you like the woman, ask her to marry you. For the sake of your safety and the health of our kingdom at least."

Jinon shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You almost just lost a toe." Was the sarcastic reply. The young man clapped Jinon on the back, "If you don't start acting like a man around her, she's never going to know you exist."

Jinon smiled, "Andras, I'm a commoner, her father would throw me onto the streets." Andras smiled at his young general, "I've heard that she is a proud, intelligent woman, if you let her walk all over you, you're never going to get the girl."

He shoved a few articles of clothing into Jinon's arms, "Get dressed and find the girl. If you don't the entire army will propose for you. We can't let you fall off any more horses or towers because of her."

Jinon threw a towel at him.

Jinon arrived at the residence with a set of fresh robes. He nodded to courtiers who bowed at him. He knew the circles of court and he knew that he would never belong to them, after all, he was just a lowly commoner who could fight.

"Jinon!" Torin smiled and clapped the general on his back, "Welcome back! We must celebrate your victories."

Jinon smiled, "You are as kind as always, my lord." Torin guffawed, "You know, if I wasn't born a lord I would have be a soldier for all my life. These people bore me." He glanced at all the courtiers who had been gossiping about General Sybarius. They avoided the powerful young lord's glance and moved to the other parts of the house.

"Where is the rest of your family?" Jinon asked, his host did not notice the slight pinkness of his ears.

"My mother and father are in the inner courtyard. My sister." Here Torin sighed.

Jinon's brows furrowed, "Is she alright?" Torin shook his head, "She's confined to her quarters."

"Confined?" Jinon's voice was edged with worry.

Torin, not noticing, continued, "She punched one of her suitors in the mouth so hard his front teeth came out. Father told her she was not to attend any more parties until she has learned manners."

Jinon breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Your sister sounds spirited."

"She is one of the most powerful mages I have ever seen, but she doesn't like using her powers. Rather, she spends her days learning how to fight. She does what people tell her not to do." Torin laughed.

Jinon smiled and followed his host into the party.

Jinon had not meant to get lost at the party, but he had taken a wrong turn and left the main part of the house.



He found himself in a courtyard that was delicate and beautiful. Large peach trees lined the walkways, their pale pink bloom whispering secrets in the wind as the young general walked beneath them.



"Who's there?" A fire ball flew at his face. Jinon dodged and an unfortunate tree caught the brunt of her power. It exploded into ash as Jinon casted his own fireball on reflex.



A figure grinned and back flip somersaulted out of the way, landing lightly like a falling petal.

Sometimes he wondered if Kyria was made more of air than human, always out of his grasp. She wore a flame red dress that threw a glow on her complexion, a beauty in red in a sea of white and pink petals.

Her toes barely touched the grass before she jumped lightly onto a big branch of the peach tree.

Sunlight glanced off her skin, dusting her with a golden glow. It encircled her her hair like a halo. Jinon felt that he could look at like this forever

Jinon stared at the faerylike creature who grinned at him, her eyes were like jewels on a face he had often dreamed of but dared not touch.

"Aren't you suppose to be the greatest general. They're singing the praises of young genius warrior of his conquests. How come you can't even reach the hem of my sleeves?" She teased, her voice carried down to him like pollen from wandering flowers. "Maybe it's all just talk."

He smiled "Lady Kyria, I assure you, it's not just talk." He had learned a lot in the last three years, he was no longer the bumbling youth. He remembered what Andars said, he needed to be more assertive.

Kyria just laughed from her perch on the tree, "Prove it."

"They also say that I add a hundred women to my harem for every city I conquer." He remarked casually, "Do you think that's true or false?"

Her feet slipped from the branch just as she was about to sit down.

She fell, still unable to react after that bit of news. She was as light a falling leaf, redder than the heart of a rose. her glorious robes flowed around her as if she was in water, not air.

He nearly flew to her.

Before Kyria figured out what had happened, she was in a pair of strong arms. Her red cheek pressed into a wide and powerful chest. The heartbeat she felt matched the thunderous sound in her ears.

For a single second, Time forgot to take her ever steady breath. Instead a silence fell onto the world as a moment existed outside of Her control. And in that space abandoned by Time, only they existed.

She was so close that he could see the thick eyelashes that framed her large, vivid eyes. Her warmth against him was so real that for a brief moment, he could forget that he had once been a lowly peasant and she a high born daughter of the Grand Vizier.

She pursed her lips at him, a dash of perfect pink against her snowy complexion. Two pink spots had appeared on her cheeks. He wondered how color so vivid and yet so soft could appear her skin. If he breathed too hard, will that color be blown away like new snow in the winter winds? His eyes trailed back to her mouth.

He had a sudden, terrifying thought. Would her lips taste as sweet as they looked?

Kyria looked up into a pair of eyes that had her image imprinted into them. She had never been so close with another man before. In this society where even a touch of fingers could be seen as improper, if anyone saw their position now...

Kyria bit back a grin.

Jinon saw her delicate movement, and as if there was a spell he could not break, he leaned down and kissed the lips he had thought about for the past three years.

She pulled back as if shocked by lightening. Frantic, she looked around, and then looked back into his eyes.

Panic, shock... and something inexplicable were all held in those irises. Gently, reluctantly, he set her down.

She jumped back, her hand to her lips. Slowly he lowered his gaze to the ground. After all said and done, he was lowborn and she was so far above him that heaven and earth separated them. How could she love him?

Hurt and sadness filled his heart, and there was a flame of anger too. Anger not at her, but that he would never be allowed to be with her. No matter how hard he worked, how many battles he had won, he would never reach this high born woman.

He drew out his sword and handed it to her, his hand gripping the blade tightly. A few drops of blood fell onto the grey stone path, doting the colorless land with tiny red suns. "I have dishonored you, you have to kill me." He closed his eyes and waited for her to pierce his heart.

Kyria looked at the idiot who wanted to die by her hands. Didn't he understand that she was only shocked, not displeased? Suddenly,a wicked thought came to her. She took the sword and threw it to the ground. With a small spell, his cuts were healed.

Hooking her delicate hand around his neck, she attacked his mouth with hers.

Jinon's brain exploded, as did his heart. They seemed to freeze at the moment, drowning in the warmth of their lips, breaking apart only to breathe.

Kyria's eyes widened as she blinked frantically, her lashes tickling his face. She gasped a little and her breath skidded over his lips. Her breath was like wild honey, it overwhelmed his senses.

There was no man in all of the six kingdoms who could best him with a sword. Yet she could defeat him with just a look. Suddenly her lips were gone.

"You didn't kiss back." She said, a tremor in her voice. She looked up into his eyes. Jinon saw a hint of tears at the corner of her eyes and every word about propriety and station flew out of his head. She looked at him accusingly, "Is it because you've kissed hundreds of women in your harem and find me lacking?"

Before she could saying any more nonsense, he leaned down and covered his mouth with hers. Two people who had never kissed before were slowly learning this dance of lovers.

Then, Jinon, as if thinking about what she said, panicked, "I-I-I've only ever kissed you, I swear. I would never..."

She blushed, "Gods, you are so infuriating." Then as if she had decided, she stared into his eyes, "To prevent all those women you speak of wreaking havoc in your life, I've decided that you're mine and mine only." She warned him, "This is the last time I'm saving you."

Jing An looked at the tiny, commanding, magical woman in his arms, and grinned as he had never grinned before.

That is until a slender hand reached up and pinched his cheek. "No laughing" came the muffled command.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Lady Nura" A servant girl's voice rang out as she announced the woman before the King's chambers.

A woman no older than twenty, her dark liquid eyes lined with kohl, dressed in the wine red that noted her high stature walked in, her supple waist seductively wrapped in light, almost translucent cloths. The lower half of her face was covered by a cloth of light gold, barely hiding her ageless face and impeccable features.

She knelt before her step-son. Before her knees could hit the ground, the young man had already rushed to her side and raised her to his level.

"Nura." His smile seemed to warm his entire face. She bowed her head, her eyelashes hiding her her eyes from him. He slipped a finger underneath her chin, but she avoided his touch.

He frowned, "What troubles you?"

The young woman sighed a little wistfully, "My lord...I beg you, send me to a monastery." Tears fell from that flawless face.

The young king floundered, he hurriedly wiped them from her face, "Here sweet, what's this nonsense?"

Nura sniffed, "I don't want to be a burden to you"

The king crushed the woman to his chest, "You are the light of my life. What's come over you?"

Nura sighed, "When I entered this palace at sixteen, fated to be the concubine of a seventy year old man, I thought my life was over. Then I saw you, under the the shadow the acacia tree, you were my hope." She kissed his hand, "If only I had been born a lowly serving girl who would be by yours side, I would have died happy... now..." her lips trembled as she cried silently in his arms.

The young king kissed her with passion, "Nura, you are my queen. One day the world will know it. Why are you being like this all of the sudden?"

"The Grand Vizier is already gathering a list of women. He's planning to have you marry one of his choices" Nura's eyes filled with fresh tears, "He's planning to send me away. Back to the wretched Fae kingdom where I am treated like dirt. Back to the civil wars."

"Him again." Jayin's teeth gritted together, "He wouldn't dare."

"My lord, he is the Grand Vizier. He has a lot of influence in this court. They say that if someone he recommends becomes Queen, then he would be the true power behind the throne." Nura's voice was low and soft. And then, seeing that the king was seething, continued,

"He has all the scholars of the court eating out of his hands. Half the court is under his power. I heard my maid say that the people praise him more than any man in the empire."

"Is that so?" The youth's voice was colder than winter.

"Even so, I should leave." The woman buried herself in the young king's chest, "Our love is forbidden. I'm afraid that he'll use it against us. What if he tells the world that the wife of the former king is now mistress to her step-son" She touched his cheek, "It would destroy you. I can't bear the thought of him using me against you." She closed her eyes as if in pain, "So my lord, please, send me away. For your sake, and for the sake of our son"

She tried to kneel again, the king only held her tighter, "I will go against the world for you. So don't you dare even think about leaving me."

Tears flooded her eyes and she leaned in for a kiss, "What are we going to do?"

The king's eyes flashed, "It's time to get rid of the old man."

"I've heard that his daughter is sinking her hooks into General Sybarius." She sighed, "Such a bright young man, to be blinded by such a snake."

The young man scoffed, "He is loyal only to me."

Lady Nura nodded, "Yes, he is now. But to truly capture his heart, you must make sure he marries someone of your choosing. He is your sword, and he must aid you."

"How do you suggest that, my sweet?" The king ask, absolute trust in his eyes.

The Fae princess, smiled, "This is your chance, majesty, to test his loyalty."