It had been four days since she got out of the dungeons and with no morning classes scheduled, Leyla took the opportunity to do rigorous training. It wasn't until the sun was halfway across the sky that she made her way to the training fields.

"What's so amusing?" Michael raised his spoon, shovelling rice and spiced beans into his mouth. They were sitting under the army tent, having their usual mid-day catch up over lunch. Not that Leyla had managed to eat with all the staring she'd been subjected to.

"I was just imagining what these soldiers would do if they saw a Warrior officer training in the heat of the summer." She pushed back the chair, crossing her legs in front of her with a shake of her head. After her workout she had discard her jacket and tied her shirt just under her breast to allow the soft breeze to dry her sweat, but what was with the ridiculous reaction? If the weather was hot, she would have been training with just a strip of cloth over her breasts!

Michael snorted, "They'd probably keel over." He looked up from his plate, "But did you ever train like that? Half naked, like Warriors do, I mean?"

Obviously, Michael was also a prude. "You're acting like you've never been to a Aschian bathhouse." When he looked like he was about to argue, she went on: "Aren't you running late for your meeting with the Book Keeper? I thought today was the day she was going to let you see the unmarked collection you've been obsessing over."

Michael sighed, narrowing his eyes at his last spoonful of rice. "She was, but it got pushed to later in the afternoon due to a High Council meeting."

"Oh?"

A group of soldiers saluted in her direction on their way back to the training field. Leyla nodded her acknowledgement, then watched as one of them almost fell flat on his face because he couldn't managed to take his eyes from her bared stomach.

"If you don't put something on, someone is going to get seriously hurt," Michael warned.

Leyla rolled her eyes, looking around the now almost empty tent. A few soldiers were still working on their meals and doing their absolute best not to look her way. "This is unacceptable. If they are this easily distracted, they will get themselves killed out there."

A jacket suddenly covered her as Raphael's annoyed voice filled the tent: "If they keep looking at you like that, they won't have to enter the No Lands, I will kill them right here."

Michael laughed as Leyla tried to throw Raphael's jacket from her shoulders. "Prorex, take this away. Are you trying to torture me?"

Raphael stepped around her and began doing up the buttons of his jacket with great focus, "You, Colonel, have been torturing me for days. Do you hear me complaining?"

Leyla followed his gaze to her bare wrist and blushed. He was right, she had been avoiding giving him an answer about the marriage, but it wasn't her fault. She just couldn't think of a way around her loyalty dilemma. "What brings you here?" She asked, changing the subject.

Raphael arched a brow, clearly aware of what she was doing. "I've come to take you to the Defence meeting."

Michael pushed up from the table, all smiles. "If La-La is attending, it is bound to be better than this morning's meeting!"

Raphael shot him a haughty look. "Our gatherings don't meet with your approval, brother?"

"With all due respect, Prorex, you were present this morning! Waiting for the Minister of Health to make a point is like waiting for Delphine to stop talking about dresses."

"That will never happen," Leyla agreed, following them out of the tent. She looked around for Timken, her drill master, but he was at the other end of the field. "I just need to see to something..."

Raphael took her hand, threading his fingers through hers before turning to the closest soldier on the field. "You there."

The boy dropped his sword in his rush to stand before the Prorex. "Yes, Leader!"

"The Colonel needs to attend an important meeting and will not be available for the rest of the day. Run over there and tell Commander Harvey."

"Yes, Leader!" The boy nodded, then ran off.

"Are you trying to undermine my authority?" Leyla frowned.

Before Raphael could respond, Michael burst out with laughter. "La-La, don't you know the whole kingdom is gossiping about how you have the Prorex wrapped around your finger." He cast a sad look at his brother, "If anything, he is proving the rumours true with all this excessive attention."

"What in Four Kingdoms are you talking about little man?" Leyla mumbled as they continued on their way to the Inner Keep.

To her surprise, Raphael didn't seem to mind Michael's nonsense. "Nothing is excessive where my Consort is concerned," he said and she barely suppressed a smile.

It was only a ten minute walk from the field to one of the many doors into the 'restricted area'. Leyla was once again taken aback by the sheer noise in the hallways of the underground labyrinth as Light landers trained, planned and performed experiments. Many looked in their direction as the threesome passed, saluting them as they moved through to the furthest chambers of the maze.

"There will be someone you haven't met before in attendance today," Raphael said as they approached their destination. "Eliot is the Head Alchemists and a part of the High Council."

"Oh?" Leyla had no time to ask any questions before Michael ushered her into their meeting room.

Inside the glass walls, General Lanark, the Book Keeper, the Minister of Defence, a robed man that had to be the Head Alchemist and Raphael's mother were already seated. Leyla was surprised to see Diana; since when did the leader of the White Gardens attend defence meetings? The woman caught her eye and gave her a warm smile which she returned.

"We apologise for the delay," Raphael said as they moved towards their chairs. "I trust you have all been notified of King Alec's approach?"

Leyla froze halfway into her chair. Alec was back already? That was several days faster than she had expected, he must be driving the horses hard. She took a steadying breath, noticing Raphael's eyes on her.

"Yes, Prorex. We will employ the same defence layout as before," the Defence minister spoke. He had dark circles under his eyes; worry for his daughter's fate must keep him up at night. Although Leyla had no sympathy for Annabelle, she felt for the man who obviously loved her.

"Colonel, you helped draw up the previous plans. Do you have anything to add?" Raphael asked.

Leyla dragged her gaze away from the Minister and looked at Raphael. Was she already being made to choose between Warriors and Light Landers? Last time she had spoken up to make sure Alec's moves were not misinterpreted as an act of war, but this time...

"Colonel?" Raphael repeated.

No. She wasn't going to choose one side or the other, she would choose peace. And the best chance of keeping peace between the two Kingdoms was for the Land of Light to observe good defensive strategy.

"Yes, I do." She nodded slowly. "We need to change the entire frontline formation of defence. The Warriors will have made precise notes last time they were here. We need to surprise them so they know that they don't know anything about us." That way, they wouldn't be tempted to attack, Leyla thought.

The council members were nodding their agreement, but Raphael stared at her with an inscrutable expression, saying nothing.

"I agree with the Colonel," the General spoke up. "I motion to redraw the frontline formation."

"The Colonel's reasoning is sound," the Minister of Defence agreed reluctantly.

"Since there is agreement," the Book Keeper spoke up, casting a sideways glance at Diana. "Why don't we move onto our next topic?"

"Yes, I think this is long overdue," The Teacher agreed. Then she turned both of her palms upwards to indicate for them all to rise.

Unsure of what was happening, Leyla tried to follow suit, but Michael put his hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. The rest of the room was all on their feet now, looking at her.

"Prorex, if I may?" Diana asked.

Raphael nodded for his mother to continue.

"Consort of the Land of Light and Colonel of the Light Army," the Teacher began. "We, the High Council have done you a grievous wrong. Not only did we fail to investigate the incident at the river, we also falsely accused you of injuring two guards. A formal withdrawal of our verdict will be posted across the Kingdom to ensure one and all are made aware of our error and your innocence." Diana raised her fingers to her forehead and bowed her head, "We ask for your forgiveness."

With a sense of embarrassment and wonder, Leyla watched as each member of the council repeated the gesture. It seemed impossible that people with such status could be lowering their heads to her, an orphaned Warrior, a nobody. All her life people had wronged her without a thought, and yet now these people, some of the most powerful individuals in the Four Kingdoms, were asking for her forgiveness?

Coming to her feet, Leyla cleared her throat. "Thank you for your apologies, but it was a difficult situation -"

"La-La" Michael interrupted, "Just say you accept or we are going to have to keep bowing." His whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear across the silent room, making her want to throttle him. He had really left her with no choice now!

"Thank you and I accept your apology," Leyla said quickly. Then a wicked gleam came into her eyes as she turned to Michael. "Except for yours."

"What?" Michael groaned, drawing laughter from the others in the room and breaking the tension.

"Alright, as I have other matters to attend to, I need to take my leave," Raphael pushed up from his chair. Then he took her hand and started leading her towards the door. "General, I will send the Colonel right back to work on the new plans."

Leyla followed along until they were out of the room and down one of the quieter corridors.

"This being dragged around is becoming a little too frequent for my tastes," she complained as they finally stopped in a quiet corner. "Next time, just ask me to follow, will you?"

Raphael's answer was to pull her against him for a kiss that left her breathless. Leyla could only blink when he set her down, her fingers touching her swollen lips.

"You said us," Raphael spoke with a hard edge to his voice. "When you were talking about showing the Warriors that our defence is strong, you said us." He pulled a hand through his midnight hair, his eyes filled with frustration. "That made me so happy and it should satisfy me, it should be enough, but it  isn't! The thought of you speaking to that bastard is driving me mad!"

Leyla watched him with surprise. "What bastard? Raphael, what are you trying to say?"

Slamming his palms onto the wall on either side of her head, Raphael leaned in. "I'm saying marry me, Leyla. Marry me right now and share my bed. Maybe then I'll let that Warrior who keeps trying to steal you from me, go home in one piece."

His closeness made it hard for her to breath so she put her hand on his chest to push him away. Under her palm, she felt his heart pounding just like hers. "I don't know what I would do if Light Landers and Warriors fought."

Raphael blinked, some of his ardour dissipating. "That has not happened in a hundred years. I will make sure it doesn't happen for a hundred more."

Simple. He made it sound so very simple.

"And what about going through portals -"

"I don't care if you never do it again." Raphael cupped her face, rubbing his thumb along her cheek. "Everyone in this building would be at your feet if they knew what you can do, but they don't know and they will not know, because your ability has nothing to do with why I want you as my wife."

Leyla bit her lip, feeling like she was about to fall off the edge of a cliff.

"Raphael?" Diana's voice reached them from down the corridor.

"I'll be right there, Teacher." He called, then his hand wrapped around her nape and he pulled her forward, kissing her until she couldn't breathe. "Please. Don't make me wait much longer." He spoke the words against her lips and then he was gone.