The couple returned to Rivera Manor with Kieran's horse following behind them, and were welcomed by Anne.

"Back by nightfall, as I said," Kieran told Anne, who smiled.

"Please, General," she said. "Do join us for supper. It would be lovely if father and mother could see you."

"Well, it's not like I can refuse an invite from my future in-laws," Kieran answered.

Anne smiled at his affirmation, but when she looked at Elena, astonishment replaced her smile.
"Elena, your dress!" She shrieked.

Having forgotten about her current predicament, Elena looked down at her dress and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, this is nothing."

Anne reached forward and touched her dress, that still had bits of brown painted over it. There was a look of absolute horror on her face when she felt the humid. "What you mean!" She cried restlessly. "It's all damp and ruined!"

"It was just a tiny incident that occurred," Elena said, hoping her cousin wouldn't take the situation so seriously. She was then quick to add, "The General had nothing to do with it; it was entirely my fault. I'll just go get changed before supper."

"You can't!" Anne held Elena back from moving towards the main steps.

"Don't worry. Mother and father will barely notice," Elena assured her. "I'll just swoosh past like a bat and they won't realise what's happened to my dress."

Kieran smiled at her simile. Anne, on the other hand, was a lot less than glad.

"No, you don't understand," Anne said and chewed on her bottom lip anxiously. "It's not just father and mother in there."

"What do you mean?" asked Elena.

Anne glanced at Kieran, who was also curious. She then replied,
"The General's family is also around."

"What!" Kieran and Elena chorused.

"They're here for dinner."

"But I did not know they were coming," Kieran and Elena said at the same time and looked at each other, finding it odd to have the same thoughts.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Anne explained. "It was planned so that by the time you two returned, you'd be surprised by this little get together."

Kieran remembered how it had been his mother's idea to take Elena out on a walk and wondered whether this was what she had been planning at the time.

Elena tipped her head back and let out a groan. "Well I can't let them see me like this!"

"Me neither," Keiran agreed. "They'd all give me a handful if they found out I let you out of my sight."

"Elena, just go through the back door and get changed," Anne suggested. "If mother notices your change of clothes, I'll cover for you."

"Sounds like a plan," said Elena. "But what about the General?" She turned to her betrothed and asked, "Will you wait for me?"

Kieran looked at her like she were mad. "Wait for what?"

"Well it would certainly be suspicious if you walked in without me," Elena said sensibly.

"She's right," said Anne. "It might be a burden, but you have to wait until Elena returns."

Kieran looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do. He wasn't exactly fond of 'waiting'.
"I think I'll just come with you," Kieran said to Elena, who widened her eyes in surprise.

"Whatever for?" she asked.

"General," Anne said, her voice attaining a light hearted tone. "I get that you don't want to be a part from Elena, but you shouldn't worry. She'll come right back to you."

Elena looked at Kieran with a facial expression that read, "Is that it?"

"That's not it," Kieran replied curtly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "I mean, that's not why I said that. I just don't like waiting."

"Again. Don't worry," Anne stressed. "The time you'll be away from her must feel excruciating to you, but I promise, it won't be for long."

Kieran blinked and shuffled his feet uneasily, alarmed by her accusation.
"That's not-" he claimed, and stopped midway the sentence, failing to have different words to argue with, and noticed Elena was giving him that look. That look which was half-horrified, half-disgusted.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, a bit insecure.

"Don't you start believing a word she says," he warned.

Elena merely took a step back from him and held onto her sister's arm.
"We should go," she whispered and pulled her along, to the side of the house.

Kieran had lifted a finger to explain himself, but the girls disappeared before he could do so.
"Not want to be a part from her?" He mused, thinking of Anne's words.
He then scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

*****     *****    *****

After telling the couple to act surprised, Anne led them into the house where Kieran tried his best to seem surprised to see his family.
The Commander was grinning from ear to ear, happier to see Elena than his eldest son.

The moment they walked in, Mara immediately noticed her sister wearing a dress different from the one she'd left in, but chose not to bring it up in front of everyone. She would ask Elena herself later on. However, in the procession to the dining area, her mother beat her to it.

"Elena dear," Victoria said, regarding her daughter suspiciously. "Was this the dress you were wearing earlier? I could've sworn you were wearing something white."

Elena gasped, momentarily losing her speech.

"Actually, mother," Anne cut in for a save. "Elena went and changed her dress right before she left on the date. I convinced her to."

Elena looked at Anne gratefully, and Mara raised her eyebrows in surprise at the blatant lie.
Something had definitely happened on her sister's date, and she imagined plenty of scenarios.

As soon as they sat at the dining table, Mara pinched Anne's arm and asked her why she had lied.
"Do you know something I don't?" Mara whispered.

"It's a long story," Anne whispered back.

"Oh do tell me!" Mara mewled, shaking her arm, "I know it involves General Kieran!"

"Hush. I'll tell you after dinner."

"It better be good." Mara said, shifting excitedly in her seat.

It was just their second time coming together as complete families, but anyone who didn't know any better would think they were one giant happy family. The dinner arrangements were more or less the same as they had been at Hammedatha Manor.

"Speaking of which," The Commader said, slicing through his turkey meat. "I forgot to ask. Kieran and Elena, how was your date?"

"Mother said you went to the flower fields," Aira said and added dreamily, " It must have been lovely, I bet."

Kieran flashbacked to his evening with Elena, and most especially reminisced about that moment he'd held her hand as they ran together through the dandelions. He was bathed in nostalgia, and was about to reply in the affirmative to Aira's statement, when Elena gave the reply first.

"It was okay."

Kieran looked up and cast his eyes in her direction instantly. She was sitting diagonally across from him. He found her response nonchalant, as well as her facial expression and body language.
Despite knowing he shouldn't be shocked, he couldn't help but feel...bothered by her impassiveness.
Had she really thought nothing of their time together? To her it was just plain 'okay' and meant no more.

He heard his father call his name, and Kieran looked at the end of the table, where he sat, waiting.
"Nothing interesting went down?" Xerthes asked.

Kieran glanced at Elena, who had picked up a whisper conversation with Ray, having already moved on from the date subject.

"Nothing special." Kieran replied and bit his tongue, feeling stung by his own lie.

After supper, the Hammedathas wanted to stay a little longer to converse. Kieran stayed at the dining table with Aaron, and Aira pulled her remaining brothers aside and into a corner.

"What's going on?" Josh asked. "Why are you acting secretive?"

Aira glanced at Kieran and Aaron. She then leaned forward to Joshua and Raymond and said, "I think I now understand why brother chose to marry Elena."

Josh rolled his eyes. "This drama again," he said with fatigue. "We had already moved past this issue. Isn't it, Ray?"

Joshua's personality was generally solemn. He never cared for other people's business, unless it concerned him directly. He was most passionate about work; training and missions. He was the most rigid of his siblings- actually, he was the rigid one, and considered many things idle and irrelevant.

Poking into Kieran's personal life was one of those things. Raymond, however, had contrary thoughts.

"Tell us the reason, sister," Ray ignored Josh and encouraged Aira.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a bit there," Josh said. "This is an idle chat. I'm not going to stand here and participate in...gossip about our own brother."

Aira gave him a drained look.

Joshua had a tremendous amount of respect for Kieran. It wasn't just about being the eldest brother, it was about his capability to handle military matters and take care of his siblings as well, right from childhood till now. 

Joshua's respect built as he lived, trained and handled missions with Kieran, and he had the notion that whatever Kieran wanted to do, he could, without any interference.

In spite of holding him in such high regard, there was one thing Joshua craved for but never accomplished, and that was the kind of relationship Kieran had with Aaron.
Within the Prince's Guard, Joshua was his second in command, but whichever way he looked at it, he saw Kieran much closer to Aaron, yet Aaron was the only sibling that wasn't in the Prince's Guard.

Kieran and Joshua's bond came with duty, buy Aaron was the one he talked to the most.

"This is not gossip, Josh," Aira said. "Kieran is our brother and we have to understand every decision he makes. I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of secrets. They break trust among siblings."

"Aira is right," said Ray. "If one sibling isn't settled with something or has any problem, then that issue becomes for all the siblings to bear. Isn't that what we agreed on?"

Joshua remembered that that was the promise the five of them had made when Aira had just joined the Prince's Guard.

"Well I am quite curious about brother's reasons for this marriage, so I am not settled at all," Ray continued. " And Aira feels the same way. Whether you like it or not, Josh, you are involved in this."

"Besides, you of all people know what Kieran is like," Aira added. "You know he's not the type to submit to one's wishes when he's against those wishes. Even if that person is father."

"Yes," Ray said. "And you know his reluctance towards women. Aren't you curious about this giant step he made to commitment?"

Joshua was pensive. He looked towards Aaron and Kieran, and had to admit that it was a bit strange. Indeed there had to be a big reason behind everything.
Clearing his throat, he assumed his signature stance where he folded his arms and lifted his chin to appear dominant and supreme.

He nodded to Aira and asked, "So what's your deduction?"

Aira exhaled, readying herself to spill the beans.
"Well, I have been observing Kieran and Elena's relationship, and the answer is simple," she said. "Kieran chose to marry Elena because she is a normal girl."

Joshua arched a brow inquisitively.

"What I mean is, she doesn't go crazy over him like the deranged spinsters we've seen so far," Aira explained. "Haven't you noticed it? She doesn't give him much attention and lets him be wherever he wants."

"Kieran does love his space," Joshua said thoughtfully.

Ray snapped his fingers zealously, "I get it now," he said. "Brother must have been looking for someone who wouldn't be all over him and stick to him like tree sap, because he really hates that. If he had to spend the rest of his life with a woman, then it had to be one who isn't in love with him."

"And you think Lady Elena is that person?" Josh asked Aira, who nodded.

Josh and Ray exchanged glances.

"She actually hasn't been any trouble for him," said Ray. "I've talked to her a lot and she's quite nice. She never brings up Kieran in the conversation."

"And Kieran seems contented. He hasn't complained yet.." said Josh. He sighed and added, "But still we can't be sure."

"Let's go and ask him then," suggested Aira, and she marched to where Kieran sat with Aaron. Josh and Ray followed.

It didn't come as much of a surprise to Kieran that Aira had figured him out so quickly. He knew Aira was much smarter than Josh or Ray, despite being younger. Maybe it was because she was a girl, and girls tended to notice such things.

Nevertheless, since he couldn't deny anything, he ended up telling them the whole truth, including how he had actually proposed, and made them swear never to tell his parents. Kieran could trust his siblings on this because unlike Luke, they knew how to keep a secret.

"Since when did your life turn into a drama, brother?" Ray joked.

"I think it's an interesting story," Aira said. "It'll definitely be one for your kids."

"Nice one," Aaron said, chuckling.

"And by then, both of you will be deep in love," Aira declared with a huge smile on her face.

"What are you saying?" Joshua chimed in. "Clearly this is not a love relation."

"Yeah for now," Aira emphasized. "Anything can happen in the future. Don't you think, Kieran?"

Four pairs of eyes looked at Kieran.

"That is not my intention. Love, I mean," Kieran replied, causing Aira to frown.
" I do not love Elena, and
Elena does not love me. We just happen to be compatible, and that is why I'm marrying her. It shall remain this way even after marriage."

"You not intending it doesn't mean it won't happen for sure," Aira thought.

Ray nodded. "I finaly understand your decision, brother," he said and grinned. "And I must say you were lucky to find her. She's going to be a great sister-in-law.  Right, Josh?"

Joshua shrugged his shoulders in response. He then looked at Aaron, "Aaron you've been rather quiet. Are you feeling alright?"

Aira and Ray looked at Aaron worriedly as he inhaled loudly.

"I'm fine, just-" Aaron's reply was cut short by a loud cough, so brutally dry, Kieran thought he'd cough his lungs out. This was followed by a wheeze, and Kieran rushed to hold his brother around the shoulders as Aaron gripped at his chest.

"I'll bring your coat and scarf," Aira said anxiously, and rushed off.

"Since when has this cough returned?" Kieran demanded, his voice and face expressing dread.

"Since today." Ray said softly, apprehensive of his brother's temper.

Kieran glared up at his two other brothers.
"And you brought him her knowing that and that we'd be leaving late when it's cold?" Kieran almost shouted.

"Come now, Kieran. I insisted on seeing your surprised face tonight," Aaron said, a weak smile crossing his lips.

"This won't do," Kieran said, grimly. "We have to leave now."

"Kieran, I'm fine," said Aaron. "I just choked a bit, that's all. I took some syrup before coming here, and I'll take some before we leave. Aira's bringing my warm clothing anyway."

"Don't be such a worrywart," Ray said to Kieran. "Of course we took precautions when he coughed earlier. You are acting as though Aaron is too weak to move at night, as if it is his first time to do so."

Kieran gazed at Aaron, who shrugged in affirmation. He sighed, relaxing a bit just as Aira returned with warm clothing.

"It's just..." Kieran said. "I've been away from him for so long, I forgot how strong he is."

Aaron raised his head to let Aira wrap the scarf around his neck, and sniggered at Kieran, who smiled, the uneasiness leaving him.
Joshua looked on at the two of them.

*****     *****     *****

Because of the conversation he'd had with his siblings, Kieran was reminded of the kind of relationship he and Elena were in. It was based on nothing more than compatibility, and he wasn't supposed to expect some things from it.

He was reminded that Elena had not wished to marry him in the first place, so he wasn't supposed to be shocked by her nonchalant nature, nor expect her to feel the same way he did about their moment in the flower fields.
In fact, he wasn't supposed to feel anything at all.

"It shouldn't bother me," he told himself as he felt the breeze on his skin outside, at the front steps. "Kieran, you knew what she was like when you asked her to marry you. You should get used to the fact that she has no feelings for you."

He came down the steps and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. He wanted to get the memory of Elena out of his head. As Joshua would say, "It is irrelevant."
He decided to erase the emotions surrounding the evening's memories, so he wouldn't have to overthink things anymore.

When he had cleared all the thoughts and cleansed himself, he opened his eyes, only to find big blue orbs staring back at him with babyish curiosity. For that brief moment, his heart beat twice as fast.

"How can this be?" He whispered. "You are in front of me, yet I didn't sense you approach."

Elena smiled mischievously.

"At home, they nicknamed me phantom, because my footsteps hardly make a sound," she said. "I might even be stealthier than you, General."

Kieran snorted.

"I admit you startled me," he said. "But this will be the first and last time." He looked around and asked, "What are you doing outside, anyway?"

"I enjoy the night air," Elena answered, "as well as the night sky."

She looked up at the stratus clouds that were illuminated by moonlight, but there was no moon in sight.
"The clouds are hiding the moon," She observed, and crossed onto the lawn to sit on the stone bench under the oak tree.

Kieran followed and sat next to her.

After a while of watching the clouds, She broke the silence.
"You know, I never imagined that I would find myself sitting with you like this, and talking for that matter."

"Because of our past catastrophes?" Kieran asked, and she smiled.

"No," she replied. "Even before those incidents occurred, I thought the same.
You were always so closed off from everyone else. The first son of the Commander to the King's Army; you were of the higher nobility, and different from the rest of us.

"You were the best in the class. You spoke better and wrote better, you knew very many things, and even those we were yet to learn. You were in your own league, and that is why I was so afraid of you when I made those mistakes. It wasn't my place to. But now here we are, sitting and talking as though we are friends."

Kieran looked over at Elena. She was drawing a spiral with her foot, within the bare radius of the circular flower garden that surrounded the tree.
"Friends," he said the word as though he was meditating on its meaning. "I didn't have those as a child."

Elena quickly turned to look at him, her face showing bewilderment.

"I guess it felt good," said Kieran, "being able to know things those in my age group did not, being able to do things they could not, and being able to surpass them in every other way. But then again, it was also a bit...lonely."

Elena said nothing and waited for him to continue. He was looking at the spiral she had made as he told his story.

"Being the Commander's first son, I held a lot of responsibility, right from day one," he said. "I had to learn everything I could, as fast as I could, as early as I could. I was always reading to  know more about the kingdom, the city, and its people. And as I grew older, I had to expand my knowledge outside of Rievelt, and learn other languages and cultures. Besides that, I also had to undergo physical training at home and take care of my siblings."

He paused for a brief moment, and went on.

"My brother Aaron, was born with weak lungs. He needed a lot of care and attention in his first stages of childhood. The physicians said he would not make it past his first speaking stage, so my mother had Joshua. But Aaron turned out to be stronger than they had presumed.

My family worries were never an excuse to cease learning and training. Aira had just started to walk when I started studies with Instructor Garilaya. At that time, I guess I thought I had no time to make friends owing to all the responsibilities I had to juggle, as the first born son, eldest of five, and soon to be General of the Prince's Guard. Connecting with other children other than my family seemed...irrelevant."

Elena could see the depth of his love for his siblings from the way he spoke about them. He'd smile each time.

"I did not know it was so tough for you," she said tenderly. "Had I known, I would have befriended you instantly. Then I wouldn't be so afraid you."

Kieran looked up at her, and into her kind eyes. He remembered how he had wished to connect with her the day before he left for Novoa, so much that he had asked his mother to delay his trip. But it had been impossible, and now fate had brought her back in front of him.

"You are here now," he said. "That is what matters."

Elena smiled on hearing those words. "It's not lonely anymore, is it?"

Kieran shook his head. "I have made enough friends, and even more acquaintances. The most continuous and permanent friend being Prince Lukas. He was my first."

"Can't say I didn't see that one coming."

Kieran chuckled at that and glanced skywards. "There's your moon."

Elena looked up and gazed in awe at how bright and full the moon was. The clouds had disappeared, and the moonlight was so effulgent, the stars in the vicinity of the moon could not be seen. She lifted her hand and made the gesture Kieran recognised as the same one from the evening they had watched the sunset together at Hammedatha Manor.

"You do that with the moon too?" he asked her.

"If I can touch the sun with this, then the moon is no different."

"Hey " Kieran called. Elena turned her attention to him.
He stretched out his arm and made a grabbing motion at the sky. He then presented to her his fist, and opened it to reveal an empty palm.

"What is this?" She asked, confused.

"I just picked out a star from the sky, and now I am giving it to you," he replied with a goofy grin.

Elena blinked in surprise, then burst into laughter.

"Well, aren't you going to accept it?" Kieran teased.

"I did not know you had a goofy side." Elena said, quite amused. She brought her hand to his awaiting palm and made to make a scooping motion, but his hand enveloped hers and trapped it instead.
She lifted her eyes to him.

"You brought it out of me," he said. "I did not know you were such good company to do so."

Kieran also did not know why he held her hand. He just found himself wanting to, so he did. As he stroked her hand with his thumb, he realised it was hard to keep away from her because he liked the time he spent with her; and this was dangerous because he did not do attachments. They always ended up in tears - for the other party.

He looked from Elena's hand to her face. He had to keep away from her somehow. Only if he did could he be able to revert to the person he was before meeting her; the person who was reluctant to even holding a woman's hand.

*****     ******     *****     *****

Early the next morning, two visitors showed up in the Hammedatha grounds, one of them walking with urgency and the other struggling to keep up from behind.

"You don't have to walk so fast!" Prince Luke complained, half-walking, half-jogging. "It's not like he's going to disappear."

She did not listen, and the heels of her black leather boots continued to clank against the stone pathway with haste, her hips swaying dangerously with each motion, as well as her long blonde curls.

In no time, the pair arrived at the training grounds, where Kieran was having a sword duel with Joshua. It was Joshua who noticed them, and lowering his sword, motioned to Kieran.

"You have a visitor," he said, a cunning look on his face.

Kieran turned around, and froze on seeing her.
She had stopped walking, but now that his attention was drawn towards her, she started towards him. Her walk was more of a strut; one that flaunted her passionate character.

Kieran watched her steadily; from how her corset vest and fitting brown pants complimented her curves, to the way her mass of curls bounced to the fiery, yet confident essence behind every step.

She walked until she was nose to nose with him and he saw the fury, and passion, within her smoky grey eyes. Her sharp gaze was as intense as ever, only this time, it did not have the same effect on him as it used to.

"Debra," Kieran said so only she could hear.

She folded her arms and pushed her hip out.
"My name?" she replied in her sultry, alluring voice.