Warrior's Heart (Book 1 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 24

At the head of the long dining table was a man she presumed to be the Leader. Long white hair, a trim beard and long arched white browsall set in a slim face; he wore a similar headdress to the other High Thinkers, but the gem at his forehead was a bright yellow and was surrounded by yellow diamonds. To his left sat a man in his late twenties. He had the same air of confidence as the Leader, but his shoulders were broader and his dark brown hair was cut to his chin. As he was currently speaking to the Leader, Leyla could not see the colour of his eyes, but imagined they would be a similar to the leaders; a pale shade of blue. Finally, on the other side of the younger man sat a familiar face; the Book Keeper looked happy as she watched the men talk.

"Don't be nervous," Michael spoke in Asch as they approached the diners. Why should she be nervous, didn't the Leader call her to thank her? She was going to tell him to stop being ridiculous, but the Leader spotted them at that moment and rose to his feet.

"Michael," he held out his hands, his smile warm as Michael rushed forward and touched his forehead to the Leader's fingertips. "You have had an adventure."

Michael smiled sheepishly, then looked across the table. "Leader. Brother Raphael, I worried you. I am sorry."

Raphael, who had risen to his feet at the same time as his father, smiled in surprise. "Humility from Michael? I see you have aged well, brother."

Leyla found her lips curling at the thought. Humility was definitely not Michael's strong point.

The Leader then turned his attention to her. "And you must be Lieutenant Leyla." Leyla felt herself stiffening under the intent gaze of both father and son. She couldn't have been more wrong about the latter's eye colour; now that he had turned her way, she could see they were bright gold. "Please, Lieutenant, come and sit next to me," the Leader went on.

"Thank you, Leader," she nodded, walking to the chair Michael held out. The skirts of the dress got in her way as she tried to to sit. Why were there so many layers?

While Michael took the seat beside her the Leader continued to observe her. "Are you uncomfortable my dear? I had our best seamstresses make that dress, don't tell me it is not to your liking?"

Leyla blinked, realising her face had to be giving too much away. "No, Leader. The dress is very nice, thank you."

"You say its very nice, yet it's obvious you can't move well," Raphael spoke with a tone too haughty to be kind. "The women of our kingdom do not wear trousers, but surely an exception can be made for the Lieutenant. She saved my brother, after all."

"That would be great! La-La and dresses are like mortal enemies! You had to see her face when she was forced to wear a feather dress at a Misty Dessert ceremony. She was so mad..." Michael's face coloured when he realised his mistake.

"La-La?" Raphael burst into laughter.

Leyla narrowed her eyes at the arrogant man. "Nicknames are common in the world we've just come from. It may take Michael more than a few hours to shed the habits of a decade, we do apologise, Prorex."

Raphael's laughter died abruptly, and Leyla was not cowed by his obvious anger. She did not care for royals who saw themselves above others due to sheer circumstance of birth. His cockiness was probably not helped by his looks. Thick hair, straight nose, high-cheek bones and those strange molten-honey eyes framed by thick black lashes; he was mesmerisingly handsome and he knew it.

"Lieutenant," Michael tugged on her hand trying to get her to break eye contact.

It was the Leader's laughter that finally made her relent. She was in the Land of Light, ready to fight the Leaders son. Dimension travel must have driven her temporarily mad.

"You've made a good point, Lieutenant. You have safe guarded one of our lands greatest treasures's for over six years. Without Michael, Raphael's reign would have been shaken. Don't you agree, son?"

"Indeed, father." Raphael's expression changed and for a moment he looked genuinely contrite. "My apologies, Lieutenant. It is hard for me to imagine what my brother or you have been through these past years. I found it humorous that my usually shy right-hand, should call anyone with such fondness. I was crass, forgive me."

Leyla was confused by the honesty in the Raphael's words. How did he go from being so highhanded to humble in just a few seconds, and why could she not tell which was fake? She watched the Prorex with fresh eyes; here was a dangerous man. "No need for apologies, Prorex. I may have over-reacted a bit myself."

"Yes, sorry Raphael," Michael jumped in. "The Lieutenant gets a little fierce when she thinks I am being attacked. It's burdensome..."

Once again the Light Landers laughed, this time at the obvious pleasure Michael took from being protected by her. Leyla shot him a look of warning, which had him straightening up in his seat, provoking yet more hilarity.

"Our Curator's obvious regard for you has helped me reach a decision." The Leader announced as the laughter came to an end. "As payment for saving my son's reign, I will have you and the Prorex marry."

The silence was deafening.

Leyla looked from the Leader's smiling countenance to Raphael's shocked one. The Book Keeper gave a warning shake of her head when it looked like he was about to protest. Was this some kind of joke?

"Leader, I don't understand this kind of humour?" She spoke with measured words.

The Leader's raised brow spoke volumes. This was not a joke.

Trying to keep her temper, she looked to the Book Keeper. "I was promised that I would be sent home once my mission was complete."

"That was when we didn't know how great the difference in time flow was between the dimensions." The Leader waved her protest away with a jewelled hand. "You can hardly go back to being Lieutenant Leyla of the Kings Wards! How would you explain why you have aged half a decade in a few weeks?"

The fact that he was right made added to her suppressed anger: "Even so, I am a Warrior!"

"Exactly father!" Raphael pitched in, his eyes blazing. "She is a Warrior! All she knows is how to kill! How could you wish such a wife on me?"

"You and Lieutenant Leyla will be married, and that. Is. Final!" The Leader's voice rose with each word. Then he stood, prompting all of them to follow suit. "Book Keeper, we will meet later to make arrangements. I bid you all good evening."

Leyla watched the Leader of Light disappear through the arched doorway, too stunned to feel anything at all.