Kahal sat up from where he was resting on the floor and leaned his back against the wall, Othen sitting to join him. The eldest brother sat patiently, waiting for Othen to begin.

"That female is quite something." Othen whispered nervously.

"She is definitely that." Kahal smirked. "Don't stall, brother. What do you need to speak with me about."

"I... um..." Othen drew in a deep breath and then sighed. "She has made it seem like a big deal. I was simply inquiring about how the women had fared and she had asked me about your relationship with Lady Biechta."

"She asked you about that, hmm?" Kahal glanced at Rahn to find her in light conversation with his other brothers. Then he turned his attention back to Othen. "And that is what you needed to speak with me about so urgently?"

Othen's eyes rounded and he looked away. "I didn't need to... um... she just seemed to think you and I should discuss..."

"Othen. It's just me, tell me what you have to say. There is no need to be so nervous."

"You're right." Othen, sighed. "You said your feelings toward Biechta had changed and then invited her as your date to the production. So I take it that things between you two are going well now? Do you think...you two will become... partners?"

"I never said my feelings toward Biechta changed. I invited her as my date because I thought her and I both could enjoy going with someone we both agreed would come with no strings attached, no pressure. As we had both made it clear that neither of us had any romantic interest in the other. We went as friends."

Othen sat up straighter. "You both agreed you have no romantic interest in the other?"

"Yes." Kahal eyed his brother, who was acting strangely.

"When did that happen?" Othen asked quietly, staring at the floor as if deep in thought.

"When she asked if she could extend her stay and explore the Grand Hall and the homeland while further expanding her knowledge and discovering new things she was never allowed to before."

Othen closed his eyes and exhaled deeply while dropping his face into his hands.

"What's wrong, why are you...?" Kahal placed his hand on his forehead. "I am so blind. Forgive me, brother, I have been so busy with everything going on and all of my responsibilities that I failed to see what was so obviously right in front of me."

"What?" Othen asked as he looked at his brother.

"You care for her." Kahal smiled slightly. "I should have seen it. It is so obvious now." "Obvious?!" Othen asked in alarm.

"Biechta is a lovely female. Her and I are not a good match for each other but you... oh, you two are perfect. I wouldn't have asked to escort her to the production if I had realized... I apologize."

"Don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong." Othen offered.

"Now we just have to get out of here so you can go tell her how you feel."

"What?!" Othen tensed. "What if she... I mean, she likely doesn't..."

"Little brother." Kahal placed his hand on Othen's shoulder. "Now that I am seeing things clearly... trust me. She does."

Othen glanced down at Kahal's hand on his shoulder and smiled slightly.

Kahal looked at the contact as well and smirked. "It appears Ashima is rubbing off on all of us."



~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I think you've made quite the impression on my brothers." Kahal said to Rahn as he sat next to her an hour later, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Oh?"

"Yes, it normally takes us a long time to get people to be comfortable around us. Especially guards and females. Everyone is always so... formal, so distant."

"I would think that would mean they're showing you your due respect."

"Yes, of course. The titles and customs have their purposes. But we are also just people. Hoping for those close to us to see us for who we are."

"And yet as a guard, I should be following these titles and customs well. I have been too forward. I will apologize to your brothers. And I must apologize to you as well, my Lord."

"Please, Rahn. I told you on our first meeting you didn't have to address me as such all the time."

"Maybe not all the time, but when appropriate. I do not wish to shoot overstep. Please accept my apology, my lord."

"If you insist."

"I insist."

"You are apologizing for overstepping, yet somehow I feel like you are the one commanding me at this moment." He turned to find her watching him. "Just as you have in every moment."

She opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed her mouth and looked away.

"I...forgive me, my lord. It has never been my intention to-"

"Rahn." He drew her attention back to him. "It is one of the things I like about you. Having everyone be so distant is exhausting. And Lonely."

They both stared at each other for a moment before she spoke again. Rahn was filled with confusion and anxiousness and she didn't like it. Yet she liked the feeling of his arm against hers, which caused her further confusion.

"I regret you have had to live that way, Lord Kahal." Was all she could think of to say in response.

"Rahn, please just call me Kahal." He reached over and squeezed her hand gently but it was her chest that felt as if it was being tightened.

"It's time to change shifts." She removed her hand from his and stood, walking to the door.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They've never waited this long to bring us food before." Othen observed.

"Likely they've had to make changes due to their underground facility being found." Joreth added.

"Or they're mad and trying to punish us." Kietnan added. "Probably both."

"Maybe they're distracted by all of that, and have simply forgotten about us." Othen sighed as he rubbed his hand over his bald head.

"That's too bad, I was really craving some braised Kachi." Rahn stated and then chuckled, the four males joining her.

"Someone's coming." Kahal whispered from beside the door. The rest of them quickly and quietly joined him, lining up on either side of the door.

When the door opened and a guard began walking in with a tray of food, they quickly rushed him and the guard behind him. Easily knocking them out, they cuffed them to the chains inside the room and locked the door behind them as they raced down the hallway.

"This way." Rahn called out, taking the lead.

"I thought you were blindfolded?" Joreth asked.

"I still have a general sense of the turns. Do any of you know where you're going?" SHe asked, knowing all four of them were unconscious on their way into the cell. When no one responded, she continued. "That's what I thought. Now, let's go."

A few minutes later they were outside what appeared to be an abandoned factory.

"Didn't that seem a little too easy?" Kietnan asked as they ran toward the woods.

"It was rather abandoned." Kahal nodded in agreement.

When they were just inside the tree line, Rahn stopped and turned to the males. "Keep going. I'll cover our tracks." She turned to leave but Kahal grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"We stay together."

"I was taken here in a transport. We're on foot. Once they realize we're out, they'll track us down and overtake us quickly. I have to cover your tracks so you can all get back safely."

She pulled against his hold but he grabbed her other arm as well, holding her in place. "I said we will stay together. That's an order."

"Agreed. We're not letting you fall behind for us. Now, let's go, we're wasting time." Kietnan supported his brother.

Kahal released one of his arms and held it out toward the forest to motion for her to take the lead.

She pressed her lips together in anger. "Stubborn males." She said under her breath as she took off at a sprint, the four brothers following behind her.

Half an hour later they had reached the outskirts of the city and were making their way to the closest guard station. Once there, they were greeted with shocked and relieved looks. They had one of the guards use the station tablet to pull up a map where they marked the location of their captivity and sent it digitally to the commander, along with word that they'd be arriving at the grand hall shortly. They wanted guards at the factory as soon as possible, to look for any evidence or fugitives remaining.

When they arrived at the grand hall, they were immediately taken to the premier's medical ward and looked over thoroughly. Soon their loved ones rushed in to greet them. Rahn watched as Kietnan and Ashima, Joreth and Halan reunited with hugs and kisses and tender words. Such public displays were so rare... it was normally so easy for Rahn to not notice how alone she truly was in this life. When the king and queen entered and began loving on their sons, Rahn stood and left the room, ignoring the protests by the medical attendant checking her over.

She briskly walked to her room within the guards barracks. Once she arrived there she stood inside the closed door and stared at her bed, her small desk, her dresser. Her walls were blank, her linens and her furniture all the neutral standard issue. The room she had called home for many cycles, the one she had been eager to return to... now it just seemed empty. This room could be anyone's, there was nothing to show that it was hers. No family portraits, no artwork, no bedspread that she picked out because she enjoyed the colors and patterns.

She stood there in silence for a long time contemplating... Who is Rahn? Is she any different than any of the many personas she had taken undercover over the years? No... she was different. They all had actual lives, they had interests, Lana actually had a partner who cared about her.

Even during their captivity, she was surrounded by the other females who checked on each other and cared about each other. Now that she was back home...Rahn had no one and she had nothing. It's what she had always had, or not had, but for some reason now it was bothering her. She felt hollow.

So she did the one thing she knew, the one comfort she had. She turned to her work. The entire ordeal was just off. It was too easy for them to escape. Too little resistance. The group didn't even take advantage of having them there, they barely questioned the males or the females, they didn't ask for a ransom, they didn't physically hurt anyone...they didn't seem to do anything. Why did they take them?"