A Crown and A Curse

Chapter 25: A New Alliance

Zora

Kian and I watched as my people filed through the entrance with looks of astonishment on their faces. I took comfort in knowing that they would be well taken care of. Stailon had promised me that there were plenty of spare rooms and that there was a surplus of food to go around. That was all we could get out of him before he made his way over to Tyri. Areis and I grinned at each other as he swept her up in an embrace.

"Aw, Tyri has a crush!" He called out mockingly. Stailon smirked down at Tyri as she stuck her tongue out at Areis.

I swatted his arm, "Leave them be."

"Where's Mace?" Cayra asked Kian.

He shrugged, a look of puzzlement on his face, "I have no idea and Stailon didn't seem eager to speak of it.

"Well, why don't we go inside and try to find him?" Areis suggested, walking eagerly through the doors.

"The only thing that boy wants to look for is food," his sister sighed in exasperation, following him.

"Guard the pastries with your life, Cayra!" I called out after them. Then I turned to Kian, "We might as well go look. You said that your men would handle getting everyone settled, we should have some extra time on our hands anyway."

We turned to head inside, just as a familiar voice called my name, "Zora, wait up!" Hestia approached us. "Can I borrow her for a moment Kian?" She asked, gesturing to me.

I smiled, "Go ahead in, I'll catch up." I told him. He shrugged and went on his way.

Hestia and I walked in after him and a guard closed the heavy door behind us with a thud. "I've been meaning to talk to you ever since we got to Stockgrove but you've been so busy I could barely even find you," she said.

"I'm sorry, Hestia, I'm never too busy for a friend. My door is always open no matter how swamped I may be."

Hestia smiled, "Thank you."

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well," she started, "In Stockgrove everything got too chaotic before we had a chance to ask around about my family. Now that things are peaceful and all of your people are in one place, is there any chance we could find the seers?"

"Of course! I'll try to get all of them together after dinner."

"Thank you so much, Zora. You have no idea how much this means to me."

I caught up with Kian by the time he had found Mace. The man looked better than when I'd seen him in the woods. I hoped that meant that he and Stailon's reunion had gone smoothly.

"I've been helping clean out the rooms and arrange more frequent supply deliveries from our insiders," he was telling Kian as I approached.

The prince turned to me with a small smile, "Ah, there you are Zora. Mace this is Zora Stone, I don't think you two were ever er-properly acquainted in the woods."

I winced at the memory of that encounter. Though I hadn't harmed Mace, I had held him at sword point until Kian had intervened. "Sorry our last interaction wasn't this friendly," I said, awkwardly.

The man just chuckled, "You were doing your duty to these people. There is nothing to be sorry for." He turned to Kian, "So this is the queen-to-be? Your council chose well." Kian and I both blinked slowly.

"Um...what?" Kian asked, scratching the back of his neck. My head was spinning with confusion.

"Your advisors told me about the arrangement they'd decided on. You know, for you and Zora to be married." We continued to stare at him blankly. "Oh," He winced, "I see that they haven't discussed it with you yet..." For the first time since I had met him, Kian was speechless. And who could blame him? I could barely think, let alone speak. "I'll just... be going now..." Mace stuttered as he turned and walked down the hallway.

Not knowing what else to do, I turned on my heel and left Kian standing alone at the end of the hall.

"Why didn't you show up for dinner?" Hestia asked me as I let her into my room. I shrugged, head still spinning.

"I've just had a lot to think about."

She studied my face, her brows knit together, "What's wrong?"

"According to Mace, Kian's advisors want us to be married," I sighed.

Hestia sat down in an armchair, her head propped on her hand. "Since when has Kina done anything his advisors tell him to do? Honestly, I don't think you have anything to worry about."

I frowned, still not quite convinced. "Don't get me wrong, Kian's great. But I just... I can't marry him."

Hestia grinned, "He's great huh? I thought there might be something between the two of you. You like him, don't you?"

My cheeks heated. In Stockgrove I hadn't ever discussed things like this. Sure I had been in relationships before, but I had never felt inclined to talk about it with Cayra or Tyri.

"Maybe."

She smirked, standing up and ushering me towards the door. "Well however this ends up working out for you, we've got a whole room full of seers to talk to and about an hour to do it. Maybe it'll help take your mind off of this marriage nonsense."

I got to my feet, "I sure hope so."