Leyla stepped into the bright sunshine as she tightened the string that held back her long black hair. It would have been easier to braid it back, but since the moment she realised she would never be a Warrior officer again, making braids had felt...wrong.

"Utan La-La!" The Bird Rider she recognized as Jara's right hand man, Siti, saluted her as he approached. "Mahsap is preparing your Rezeg, if you will follow me?"

"You go ahead, Siti. I am waiting for someone," she glanced back at the entrance of the Jade Palace, wondering when Raphael would turn up. After the angry words she said yesterday evening, Asya took Raphael to eat while Leyla proceeded to spend the rest of the night going over security measures with Jara.

By the time she made her way to the rooms Jara had re-opened for their use, the door to the bedroom Michael used to use was firmly closed. Assuming Raphael was asleep, Leyla had gone to her own bed.

It was only early this morning, when she knocked on his door and found the room empty, that Leyla felt a prickle of guilt. Alright, the Prorex could take care of himself, but his wellbeing was her responsibility; she should have checked on him and made sure he was alright.

"Ah, you are waiting for your brother!" Siti's face lit up with understanding as he fiddled with the red helmet in his hands. "Then we will wait for you behind the stables."

Leyla nodded as the man took his leave. Brother. Information travelled fast in the Jade Palace rumour mill and when they returned from the desert, Jara would be feeding that very same mill with news of their engagement.

"Did I make you wait?"

Leyla turned to see Raphael walking out between the giant bird statues at the entrance of the Palace. He was wearing the dark green formal attire of Aqua royals, the high cut jacket and tapered trousers fitting him to perfection. Asya must have provided him with the clothing...Leyla should have thought to do it. Guilt nagged at her once again. He was stuck here because of her and she wasn't taking care of him like she should.

"No, Prorex." Leyla spoke quickly. "Did you sleep well?"

Raphael looked amused as he came to stop beside her, "I did indeed."

Did you sleep in Michael's room or somewhere else? The question popped into her head, but she pushed it aside. That was not pertinent now that she knew he was fine.

"I sent a guard to find you so that I could inform you of my departure. I will accompany Jara  to the Misty desert. It should not take long and I've informed security to make sure you are well protected in my absence." 

"This suits you." Ignoring her words, Raphael looked at the red Bird Rider uniform she was wearing. "Although you're prettier in white."

Prettier? Leyla narrowed her eyes on the man in front of her, trying to gage what he was about.

"Don't look at me with suspicion, Lieutenant, it's merely an observation." He looked over her shoulder towards the stables, then smiled back at her. "Will we be travelling on Rezeg birds?"

Leyla's brows shot up in surprise, "You wish to come?"

"Of course," he said the words as if it should have been obvious to her. Leyla did acknowledge that a visit to the Perka tribe would likely intrigue him, but he had not taken to flying...

"You don't wish me to come?" That arrogant brow was up again.

Alright, if he wanted to fly, they would fly. "Not at all, please follow me."

Three stable boys leading horses saluted her as she crossed over grass and onto the sand covered grounds of the Palace back yard. In front of them, five massive Razegs towered over the four riders  and their helpers who were securing harnesses. At the center of the commotion, Jara stood with his back to them, stroking Kizari's beak.

"Utan La-La!" The men saluted her as she stopped a few sword lengths away to give Raphael a moment to get used to the look of the animals.

Jara turned at the sound of her name and Leyla immediately recognized the gleam in his eye. Jara Da Su was going to cause trouble.

"La-La, Mik-Has!" He called, throwing Kizari's ropes to the closest of his shocked men as he moved towards her.

By Tevvuk's Beard.

"Judging by their shocked expressions, I'm assuming the Mahsap just announced your engagement?" Raphael questioned, his tone mild.

Leyla nodded, her lips pressed firmly together in annoyance. He was not meant to have made the announcement until they came back from the misty dessert, but the Mahsap was obviously not following the plan.

"Mik-Has, Mik-Haya," Jara reached for her hand, continuing to spew endearments. It took all of Leyla's willpower not to punch him in his grinning face. "I have been waiting for you impatiently."

She shot a quick glance over his shoulder where the Bird Riders and their helpers were still trying to recover from their shock. "I suggest you stop calling me strange things, unless you like getting hurt Mahsap," she muttered.

Jara just laughed and kept looking at her foolishly while holding her hand.

"Mahsap," Raphael stepped up beside her and made a formal bow.

Jara let go of her to respond in kind. "Brother Ra-Fa-El," he smiled. Then he was reaching inside his breast pocket and turning back to Leyla.

"I apologise that I could not give you this engagement present yesterday. You will forgive me, won't you Mik-Has?"

Leyla swallowed a curse as she took the bejeweled object from Jara's hand. Last night when he insisted he had to give her an engagement gift to keep up appearances, they settled on a dagger. But what in four kingdoms was this? The knife wasn't only worth a fortune, the stones on the scabbard and hilt made it so heavy that there was no way it could be used properly. 

"You shouldn't have, Mahsap," she attempted a smile as she slipped the dagger into her boot.

Jara laughed yet again, then leaned close so as not to be overheard. "I know asking you to gaze at me lovingly is unthinkable, but try not to look like you want to kill me, will you?"

Leyla took a step back, clearing her throat to cover the feeling of embarrassment. He was right, she wasn't good at this act. She would have to control her expressions better...and find that killer fast. 

"Shall we get going?" Leyla turned to Raphael and signaled for him to follow.

"You're riding with him?" Jara asked, suddenly looking surprised.

"It is my brother's first time on a Rezeg bird," Leyla said over her shoulder. Then she was taking the lead of a magnificent beast from a waiting stable boy who tried to raise his fist and bow at the same time but just ended up with a panicked look on his face.

"M-may you l-leave and come back like water, Utan," the boy stuttered the traditional parting of Asch.

"It's Mahsappa, not Utan," Jara corrected as he swung onto Kizari. "You are no longer speaking to a commander, you are addressing my future wife."

"Yes, Mahsap," the men all bowed in acceptance of Jara's decree.

Leyla ignored the pleased glances coming her way and focused on Raphael who was looking at the bird they were about to ride with skepticism.

She stepped a foot into the stirrup and pulled herself onto the beasts back before reaching a hand down, "Whatever calculations you are making, Prorex, there's no need. I won't let you get hurt."

Raphael's eyes met hers for a brief moment, then he pulled himself up behind her with one graceful manoeuvre.

"Helmets!" Jara called.

The stableboy at the foot of their bird held out two helmets for them to take. They finished putting them on just as Jara spoke again: "Retreat!"

The stable boys rushed away and Leyla took a better grip on the bird's reins, patting its neck all the while. "Hold onto me, the take off will be bumpy."

Raphael's arms came around her waist, his hands locking over her stomach. Leyla straightened her back, surprised at the strange tingly feeling that rushed up her spine as his heat enveloped her.

"Rise!" Jara's call echoed across the lawn as the Bird Riders pulled sharply on the reigns and kicked their feet.

The Rezeg birds spread their wings, their golden under feathers catching the sunlight as they lifted off the ground and into the sky. Raphael's hands loosed around her as he tipped his head back.

"Are you alright?" She called over the sound of the rushing wind.

"Alright?" Raphael laughed, raising his hands into the blue sky, "Lieutenant. This is amazing!"

Leyla smiled as she pulled on the reigns to direct their flight. She had to stop underestimating the man behind her.