Chapter 9: Leaving Home For The First Time

"Are you looking forward to your Commencement?" he asked in a voice that suggested he was bored.

"Would you, if you were me?"

His laughter was a sharp bark before he responded, "hell no."

She nodded her head softly. "Yes, I'm not so much looking forward to it as I am dreading it."

"Are you scared?" His eyes were drilling holes into her or at least that was how it felt.

"It's not fear..." She tried to put her emotions into words. "It's far more than that."

"Then what is it?"

"The prophecy."

"The one that doesn't exist?" Humour dripped off his words.

Grinning at him, she said, "yeah, that one."

His eyes sparkled a deep ocean blue.

"What is it? Does it spell out your doom?" His words were intended to entertain. They were a joke. But laughter failed him when he saw her face drop. "It doesn't, surely?"

"One Ren's doom is another Ren's chance at survival." There was no bitterness to her words, instead she sounded as if she truly believed them. As if her downfall would be tolerable so long as the rest of the Ren would survive.

"What aren't you telling me?" His eyes scrunched up slightly, worry lines that she hadn't realised existed now lined his face.

"There is much you haven't been told." Her voice turned to a mock-whisper, "Hell, they've kept secrets from me too."

"Secrets?" He raised his hand to touch her forearm but pulled back, with a glance towards her protectors.

"Thousands."

Armel frowned, unsure how to press the topic further or even if he should. "You must be excited about visiting the realm though?"

Nodding her head, her face lit up. "You have no idea."

"It won't be long before you visit us in Canku," he replied politely. "Are you nervous about meeting your suitors?"

"Should I be?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he said, "at least we got rid of the fight to the death." Chuckling, he watched as her eyes bulged.

"Are you serious?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "we are warriors, Princess."

"But..."

"We don't kill our own," he said with a sincerity that all his earlier words had lacked.

"Oh." She couldn't stop herself from blushing a deep crimson at her own gullibility.

Grinning at her, Armel was remarkably handsome. He had a strong, bulky frame, standing at least a head taller than Bae. His hair a dark, caramel brown was tied in a bun. Picturing him in his warrior garb, she bit down on her bottom lip, and lowered her eyes as if to hide from him, suddenly shy.

His grin turned arrogant and once more, Bae wondered if he could read her mind.

She was at a loss for how to continue their conversation so instead she chose to allow her eyes to drift back to where she could still see the outline of the castle.

"First time you've left home?"

With a nod of her head, she glanced back towards him. "It feels odd," she admitted.

"It gets easier," he told her softly. "What about this lot?" He pointed towards her protectors. "Do you ever get rid of them?"

Giggling, she replied, "No. Never."

"That must drive you mad."

"More than you know." Sighing deeply, she continued, "it won't always be like that."

"How do you mean?"

"Once I've claimed my Seven," she told him awkwardly, "I'll be deemed less vulnerable."

"Well I guess, you'll have at least one amongst your Seven that will protect you with his life," he said, the implication of his words clear. He was referring to her Cankurian mate. It had always confounded Bae how each of the tribes were so very partial to their own kind. Her father had told her it was a matter of survival. Each tribe was focused on the continuation of their own line, even at the expense of the others'. What equally confused her was the fact that she did not feel that way. She had no favourites. Be they Cankurian or Wenheene, they were all Ren... they were all her kin.

"I'm sure any of them would," she said sweetly.

"It would be the height of dishonour if you were to die while your Cankurian mate lived." His words were harsh but they resonated truth. Bae could certainly see the benefits of having a Cankurian for a mate.

"I would hope that none of my mates would ever have to sacrifice themselves for me." Her eyes brimmed with tears as she thought about her late mother. Her sacrifice had hurt. It had been a stark reminder that not only was she not safe but equally all those around her were in danger just by their mere association with her.

"Some things can't be avoided, Kumari." He passed her a handkerchief, hiding her behind his large frame so that those around them would not see her tears.

"I don't want anyone else to die for me." She chastised herself almost as soon as the words left her mouth. She needed to get better at hiding her emotions, if she was ever going to survive as Kumari.