PLANS AND MESSAGES

The sound of her footsteps echoed in the large room as she paced from one end of her chamber to the other.

Thonda's mind was racing. She had somehow convinced the council to let her live, but now she wasn't sure what to do next. They had given her two weeks to leave Reeth, and while it seemed generous enough, she knew it was barely enough time to get started, but she would have to make do.

"By the gods, why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?!" She groaned, tugging at her hair in frustration. Yes, she promised to leave the city and hunt her soulmate down like a predator hunting its prey, but how does one hunt another person?

There were many other kingdoms, cities and provinces on the planet apart from Reeth. Was she to start from the Syrtian Kingdom close to Reeth? Or perhaps the sands of Velmira? She definitely wouldn't survive among those barbarians. The only thing worse than the Velmiran sand nomads were the Velmiran animals and wildlife – horrible, ferocious creatures of every shape and size, the stuff of nightmares, hard to think her beloved would be in such a place.

Thonda dropped to her bed in defeat. "I suppose it makes a little sense to begin from Velmira. I'd be safe there while I decide on where next to go." The idea was still rolling around in her head when a knock on her door made her jump to her feet.

"You may enter."

The light bouncing off his electric blue hair entered the room before he did. L'ar still wore the decorative armor from the council meeting, its vibrant colors illuminating Thonda's chambers some more. Thonda relaxed a little when she saw it was only him and not some assassin after her life.

"Daughter." The deep timber in his voice warmed her heart. He was proud of her, she could see it in his eyes. She said nothing in response, only straightening her back and lifting her head slightly. L'ar walked up to his daughter and held her in deep embrace. The silence spoke louder than any words they could ever utter. Thonda returned his embrace, savoring his scent. Her father smelled of expensive spices and polished metal.

When last had they done this – relating as father and daughter? It had been too long. The matters of court kept L'ar away for long periods of time and recently, Thonda's own misfortune pushed him even further away. Too bad only the threat of death and danger was enough to turn his attention back to her. She wished they could live in this moment could last forever, but she saw a flash of red in the corner of her eye.

Muri Kareese stood by the door, smiling softly at the two most important people in her life.

"Mother." Thonda let go of her father and hurried to her mother, but stopped a few paces shy. Muri was not one to display affection of any kind unless it was directed at her husband. Her presence was an announcement in itself to any other person.

"You did well." Muri smiled.

L'ar burst into a deep belly-laughter and the mood immediately changed. "She did better than that, my love. Oh, it was glorious! Did you see the looks on their faces?!" He laughed again, clapping Thonda on her back. "I didn't know you had it in you, daughter!"

In truth, Thonda had no idea either, but she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Yes. Yes. But what are you going to do now?" Muri asked Thonda impatiently, waving her husband away as though he was a pest. L'ar clutched his chest like she had physically hurt him.

"You wound me, wife." Then stepping closer and slipping a hand around her slender waist, he dropped his voice to a whisper. "Are you so eager to be rid of me?" He teased with a grin.

Muri looked up at him, a devilish smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, that it were so simple."

Thonda cleared her throat awkwardly to remind them that she existed and they were still in her chambers. Her parents didn't separate however, they simply continued to look into each other's eyes, smiling like two youths just paired. Only when Thonda began to answer her mother's question did they tear their gazes away.

"I do not yet know what I am to do. I thought perhaps I might take a hovercraft and journey into the sands to see –"

"You will never survive." L'ar interrupted, his tone serious. "The sands are not meant for people such as ourselves. It is full of every vile creature you can imagine."

"Then I'll take an animal expert along with me."

"Who says I was referring to the animals?"

Muri stepped forward to intervene before her husband became agitated. The sand nomads were a touchy topic for him. He was a disciplined man after all, one could even say he was a fighter, and so he hated anything that was an enemy to order. The sand nomads of Velmira represented everything that was chaotic and destructive.

"What your father means to say is that while Velmira might prove useful in keeping enemies away, it is not the best choice for a foreigner to stay."

"What do you suggest then, mother?"

Another knock on the large doors stopped whatever Muri was going to say. They all turned to see who it was.

A young servant girl with long, pink hair entered slowly. She saw her master and mistress and turned white in fear. "Pardon me, d'av, d'avi. I did not know you were here."

"What is it, Nyra?" Thonda asked the girl. She was the one who came in everyday and changed her beddings and clothes to replace with fresh ones. Thonda had come to know her quite well, but she usually came towards noon. It was hours past her normal time, so what could she be possibly here for?

Thonda's eyes caught a tube in the girl's hand. Another message.

L'ar stretched out his hand to collect the tube, his quick eyes spotting it before Thonda did. The girl, Nyra, placed the tube in her master's hand carefully, then hurried out of the chambers.

"It has no seal," L'ar observed, turning the tube over in his hands. The tension in the room became thick as everyone's minds thought of the same thing.

"Why go through all this trouble for me?" Thonda whispered into the air. It wasn't a question directed at any one in particular and so no one bothered to answer.

L'ar opened the tube and let the parchment inside slip into his hands. His eyes scanned the paper silently and Thonda saw a muscle clench in his jaw. Once he was finished reading, he didn't pass the paper to anyone else but instead squeezed it into a tiny ball and flung it across the room.

 "You must leave soon, daughter. It seems there are some who do not have the patience for a fortnight."

Thonda nodded in understanding and tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. L'ar looked at her, smiling softly, sadly. He placed a comforting hand on her head, stroking her white hair.

"It's been a long day. You should get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll begin making preparations for your journey."

Thonda nodded again. She couldn't trust herself with words.

Her parents had just left the room when another servant came in and stood by the doors.

"Should I prepare a bath for you, d'avina?"

Thonda looked at her wearily. The events of the day were beginning to weigh on her and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to soak her tired body in a tub of warm, perfumed water.

"That would be wonderful, yes."

The servant disappeared again and left Thonda with her thoughts. The young heiress sat in silence for several minutes before a thought occurred to her. She turned her head in the direction her father had flung the parchment.

That was a bit careless of him.

Before she could change her mind, she walked over to where she believed it fell and picked it up. Her heart began to beat faster in anticipation of what she would see. What had triggered her father like that?

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she set the ball on her lap and unfolded it carefully.

The message on it caused her blood to freeze.

Did you really think we would let you see a fortnight in our city?

The gods demand to be sated and we will do just that.

Enjoy the little time you have left, d'avina.

There was no doubt about it, the message was from the Thread. Hands shaking, Thonda let the paper fall out of her hands and to the floor. She would have trouble sleeping that night.