" Kasara!"

Ten year old Kasara looked up, startled by her brother's urgent tone. Gerard's dark sienna brown eyes normally held a soft mischievous light to them but today they were shadowed by worry. Kasara pushed herself away from the table she was sitting at.

"Gerard?" She worriedly asked as she rushed to his side.

"Father…wants to see you. Be careful to not show any emotion." Gerard told his little sister in a slightly worried tone.

Kasara nodded her head in understanding. King Verald hated his youngest child and daughter, Kasara with a passion. As a result the king never wanted to see her. The only time the young girl ever got to see or talk to her cold distant father was when there were formal events, state dinners, or Verald telling her of her 'vacations' or trips away for 'fresh air away from court' as he called it. Verald was a harsh towards Kasara and tried to find something in her behavior or actions in which in he could slight her. But if Kasara stuck to the strict "Code of Conduct" that the Elves of Lilithela practiced, then she would be fine.

The Lilithelian "Code of Conduct" was an extensive set of rules that the Elves followed at all times in fear of offending another Elf. The first practice of this "Code of Conduct" that Elves were taught as children was to not show extreme emotions that could potentially cause a feud in the future that would last for hundreds of years, so having a polite detached court smile was accepted by all the Elves.

Kasara tried to swallow the little lump that had started to form in her throat. What could Verald possibly want with her when he hated her so much? What business could the King have with the royal family's "Shadow Child".

Do you know what father wants?

Kasara asked her brother distressed enough to use telepathic communication. (It was seen as rude to talk to other Elves using telepathy because it was an "intrusion" of their minds.) Gerard quickly glanced at his sister disturbed by her obvious distress over the situation.

I think…it has something to do…with the treaty.

He replied his voice sounding strained and tired. Kasara peered closely at her older brother. Gerard looked so tired and stretched thin. What he really needed was to just get away from Lilithela and i relax /i . Poor Gerard, who was only seventeen, felt the pressures of being Royal and Kasara's favorite sibling, the most out of their seven other siblings. Throughout the realm the Elves knew as common knowledge that Kasara was closer to and showed more affection to Gerard because of the involvement he had in raising her from a little infant. So it was only fitting that Verald would show his son just a bit of the same maliciousness he showed his daughter. Also being one of the two remaining un-wed sons of King Verald put immense pressure on him to learn how to become a better ruler for the future, better fighter, and better man.

Kasara clenched her tiny hands into fists when she heard the word treaty. The treaty with the human kingdom Rassa was a very touchy subject, for progress was not going as well as hoped and planned for. So, for Verald to send for Kasara was not a good sign. By this time tomorrow she would be probably be either gone or packing up her stuff to go to Rassa.

I wanted to stay longer here. Kasara told her brother sadly referring to the fact that about a month ago she was finally able to come back to the main palace after staying in exile for two years, at one of the forest castles that their family owned.

Gerard lightly brushed his fingers across the back of Kasara's hand in an intimate gesture of comfort. Rarely did Elves touch each other in. In doing so it showed that the Elves had strong feelings of love or affection for each other.

It'll be okay Sari. Gerard said using Kasara's special nickname that only he, and several other Elves that were particularly close to her were allowed to use.

Kasara felt her racing heart slow down slightly at her brother's reassurance. She squashed down the sudden impulse to run when Gerard and her reached the door to their father's study. The wooden door noisily creaked open to reveal Verald in the middle of the room sitting at the circular table that served as his desk.

"Father." Gerard said with a small Lilithelian bow. (Left arm crossed over the chest with the fingertips lightly touching the shoulder.)

Kasara repeated the bow as she peered at Gerard from the corner of her eyes. Gerard was great at hiding his emotions but she knew him to well. The obvious distaste he had for his father sparkled behind his heavily guarded eyes. Kasara shifted her gaze to her father's face to find that he wore his straw colored hair braided down his back. The hairstyle left her to see the look of pain and disgust he felt for her flicker through his brown eyes. Kasara felt her heart sink, how could her father hate her so much? Even though Verald never got over the death of his beloved wife Ilane there was no reason to blame her for his wife's death. Kasara sighed silently to herself, it also did not help her father's dislike of her when she looked so much like Ilane. Except for her eyes… Kasara knew that so many of her fellow Elves-not just Verald-were really disturbed by the color of her eyes. The little girl knew that she unnerved people just by looking them in the eye. Once she had over heard two servants talking about how her blood red eyes seemed to bore down into their soul and just want to make them shudder.

"Gerard, Kasara." Verald said with a slight nod of his head. "I'm sure you know as to why I have called you two here. Our peace treaty with the Rassians is not going as well as we had hoped… So I am sending you, Kasara, to Firan their capitol. I was thinking that with your presence added to our ambassador's would be enough proof to them of just how much we want this alliance. Also I want you to learn about their culture as much as possible. Not to mention you have great diplomatic skills, which will help along the progress. You are to stay in Firan throughout the rest of the duration of the writing up of the treaty. Do you understand?"

Kasara linked her hands behind her back trying to get them to stop shaking with anger. Fortunately her face was as smooth as glass, betraying none of the emotions she was feeling on the inside. She felt anger and fear surge through her veins. Verald was sending her away again. The little Elvin girl probably would not have minded being sent away had she not spent such a long time in her last exile. Not to mention she was being sent away so far and to a completely foreign country with foreign customs and foreign people with round ears not pointed ones. Kasara released an inward sigh. There was no way she would be able fight being sent away. Besides she saw the importance in being sent to Firan. The human kingdom Rassa was one of the many human kingdoms scattered around the planet of Eavian. For the past couple of centuries Lilithela had tried to bring peace between the immortals and mortals. Progress in the plan was going slowly due to the fact that many of the immortals did not get along with each other.

“Do you understand?” Verald asked again with an irritated tone in his voice.

“Yes father.” Kasara replied in barely a whisper.

“Good, now go start your packing you are to leave in the morning bring all that you think you will need. If you find that you need something write and I shall have someone send it to you.” Verald said in a clear cold dismissal.

The little girl nodded her head before walking out of the room still not revealing the emotions she felt on the inside.

Gerard clenched his fists as he watched his baby sister walk out of the room. Verald….that man was so…rude and nasty to Kasara. The poor little girl only wanted to have his approval and affection. Gerard unclenched his hands before speaking.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you sending her so far away when she only just returned?” Gerard dared to ask of his father.

Verald’s eyebrow just barely twitched in annoyance. “Why do you question my judgment? For one so young you act as if you know better than I do.” Verald said his calm voice masking the anger he felt.

“I do know better. Father don’t do this. Kasara just wants to be at home, here, with her people not be sent away time and time again.” Gerard’s voice took on a slight pleading tone at the end.

“You forget your rank!” The king snapped as his eyebrow twitched more noticeably his anger making his control over his emotions slip.

Gerard inwardly rolled his eyes. “Rank does not matter here. It is just me and you, Father, talking. Child to parent. Son to father. So please listen to me. Don’t send Kasara, send me instead.”

“You?” Verald said as he ran a hand over his pointed ear in irritation. “You? Who has no diplomatic skills to speak of? You who does not know how to hold his tongue? You who has such a short temper?”

Gerard winced inwardly regretting all the times he let down his guard around his father. But he could not help it. Sometimes that man could be just so infuriating.

“I can marry.” He pointed out.

“Look here,” the Elvin King said as he laced his fingers together and placed his elbows on the table “Kasara is also able to marry. But the reason why I want to send her is because despite her youth she is quite smart, has great diplomatic skills, and can easily mask or hid her feelings. Besides if I send her away now, then I will not see her for probably a while, and that is completely fine with me.”

“Your fine with banishing your own child for what will probably a little more than five years?” Gerard asked incredulously while clenching his hand again into a fist. “Your fine with sending away a lonely little girl into a completely foreign country with no friends and no one to talk to? And what about Leon, her bodyguard? Will you banish him along with Kasara just because he is her bodyguard? The poor boy was looking forward to celebrating his thirteenth birthday with family, here.”

“Kasara has her bodyguard and the number of other soldiers we will be sending with her as company. And Leon will just have to be disappointed.” Verald said impassively. “Besides his family knows what responsibility he took on when they offered him to be her bodyguard. They should just be happy that we chose their son to be her bodyguard... They should find it an honor.” He added coldly.

Gerard openly glared at his father, dropping the mask. “Fine, if you won’t send me instead I’m going with her. Kai can take over my responsibilities here. I’m going and that is final. I made a promise to Mother that I would look after her and that’s what I’m going to do.” He said naming one of his older brothers.

With that Gerard swept out of the room leaving behind him a slightly disgruntled Verald. Gerard made his way to his little sister’s room where she was no doubt already packing for her upcoming trip. As he stomped his way up to Kasara’s room he thought about the old tradition the Elves had of pairing a newly born royal Elves with a bodyguard from one of the many Elvin families. The elf was to be several years older than the royal elf, and from that day forward that elf was to serve and protect that elf. Gerard reflected on all the selfless things that his own bodyguard, Niav, had done in order to stick to his duty and job.

Kasara strode up and down her room contemplating what to do. The girl was more than fed up with being sent away from her home. She could runaway from the palace and live in one of the many Elvin cities of Lilithela.

“Don’t even think about it.” A voice behind her said.

Kasara whirled around to face whoever had talked. The little girl put a hand on her hip as she stared at a boy with dark curly maroon-brown hair and pumpkin-orange gold eyes. Her bodyguard was casually leaning against the door staring right back at her.

“Don’t do what?” Kasara asked innocently.

“You know what.” Leon said as he walked over and bopped her on the head with his hand.

Kasara gave a tiny sigh. All the Elvin Codes of Conduct were lost on her bodyguard. Having grown up with him he felt entitled to speak his mind or reprimand whenever he needed to. The little girl looked up at the older boy before giving up on her plan to runaway not wanting to have to drag Leon along with her if she did. She knew all too well that he would not leave her side willingly.

“So where are we going?” Leon asked as he picked up a bag and started to look around for things to pack understanding that her state of agitation was caused by the news of being sent away.

“We’re to go to Firan. It seems that they are having trouble with the negotiations and need my help.” Kasara replied bitterly as she too grabbed another pack.

After several minutes of silence Kasara said quietly, “I’m sorry you can’t stay to celebrate your birthday with your family.”

Leon glanced at her from the corners of his eyes. “I must admit I am disappointed that we can’t stay…but it’ll be okay…I have my responsibility to protect you. And that is more important than celebrating my birthday with family.”

Kasara inwardly winced when she caught the slightly bitter note in his tone. The two once again fell into silence as they packed up more of their possessions. Kasara and Leon were deep in their own thoughts when the silence was broken by quiet quick approaching footsteps.

The door burst open to reveal Gerard. He strode over to one of the many cozy chairs that were scattered in Kasara’s room. He settled himself on his on a chair before he fixed his gaze on Leon and then Kasara.

“I’m going with you. I tried talking father out of sending you, Kasara. But the man is a stubborn old fool and wouldn’t listen.” At that statement Leon drew in a sharp breath of air. Even though he felt the same there was no way he would say it out loud like Gerard had. “I know, I know I speak treasonously right? Well it is true. I even told him about your wishes to stay here to celebrate your birthday with family he said that he didn’t care. He said that your family would understand since it was your duty to stay with her no matter what. And that your family should be happy that you got chosen to be her bodyguard, that they should be happy that you’re going to be banished with the Shadow Child.”

At the last comment Gerard could not help but give Kasara an apologetic look. The little girl did not respond knowing that what Gerard had said was all to true.

“He said that? The King said that? Leon asked in an incredulous whisper. “If only my family heard! We’re one of the most powerful Elvin families in Lilithela!” Leon said as his voice steadily rose till he was practically shouting.

Kasara brushed her fingertips across the back of Leon’s hand in an attempt to calm him.

Shush. she told him telepathically we don’t want to start a civil war. We’re having enough trouble trying to negotiate with the Rassians. Causing a civil war now…would not be wise…

When finished speaking with Leon, Kasara turned to Gerard then fixed his sienna brown eyes with her piercing red blood ones.

Gerard, please you need to be careful! Watch what you say. You may never know who else is listening. The girl pleaded. Please I don’t want you getting in trouble with Father. Besides if you were him would you not hate me too? Kasara asked reasonably.

Defiance flickered through Gerard’s eyes before he pealed his eyes from his sisters.

“I should start packing. I believe we are to leave at mid-day tomorrow.” He said before getting up and making his way out of Kasara’s room. When Gerard got to the door he turned around and locked eyes with Kasara.

I would never hate you Sari. I love you.