Yanira could feel warmness all around her as she slept, but then she also felt the bumpiness of the road making her eyes open wide. She found herself in the carriage of Shuyu. She tried to get up only to realize that a strong arm was around her form. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Shuyu’s sleeping face.

            I’m back with Shuyu.

            Just that thought alone filled Yanira’s heart with sadness. Yanira tried to pry herself from Shuyu’s arm only to roll onto the ground with a grunt waking Shuyu from his slumber.

            “Yanira?” Shuyu muttered rubbing the sleep from his eyes. There was slight panic in his eyes when he saw that Yanira was no longer in his embrace, but turned to relief when he saw Yanira lying on the ground rubbing her bottom.

            “Did you fall?” asked Shuyu in a playful tone. Yanira nodded and muttered, “You have a very strong hold.” Shuyu chuckled and pulled Yanira to her feet so she was facing him.

            “I’m sorry about last night. If I knew of the danger, I would have used a transfer spell as soon as we left Balwar Kingdom,” stated Shuyu placing his hand on Yanira’s small hands. Yanira shook her head.

            “There was no way you could have known the danger and you did find me in the end using that fire.”

            Shuyu smiled and nodded, but Yanira looked away trying to hide the sadness in her eyes. In truth, she didn’t want to return. She wanted to spend another day with the village…with Farkas. It was only one night, but she felt more connected to him than any other person and knowing that she might not see him again brought sadness to her heart.

            Shuyu noticed her look of discontent and asked, placing a hand to her right cheek to make her face him, “Is something wrong Yanira?” Yanira shook her head stepping away from him and sitting on the opposite chair. She pulled out one of her priestess’ book and stated, “I would like to read until we reach our destination.” Shuyu nodded, but there was a slight frown on his face.

            Shuyu knew that something was bothering Yanira, but he could tell that Yanira would not open up to him at that moment and chose to leave her be, even though he felt tempted to hold her in his embrace to remedy whatever was bothering her.

            Yanira was glad for the silence as she read her book, but her mind would sometimes wander back to Farkas wondering if his village was now truly safe. Soon she stopped wondering about Farkas, believing in his well-being, and continued to read the advanced spells of a priestess. When she finally reached chapter thirty related to the earth binding spells, she began to hear Kaysan calling out to Shuyu from outside of the carriage.

            “Your majesty, we are almost there,” stated Kaysan.

            “Just in time,” stated Shuyu with a smirk. He glanced at Yanira and yanked her book from her hand and dumped it on the floor to her discontent.

            “Azseldo Kingdom is in view, so we must make you presentable.”

            “Presentable?”

            Shuyu nodded and held the hem of her dress, a dress that was like the leaves of a willow tree.

            “If my people were to see you in this rag, they would mistake you for a commoner.”

            “But this is…”

            “Yanira.”

            Shuyu only said her name, but the tone was clear enough for Yanira to understand that Shuyu was not going to take a “no” for an answer. Yanira nodded and muttered, “I’ll change so please leave the carriage.”

            “We are to be married, so why not let me stay?”

            “It is true that we will be married, but the time is not now, so please leave the carriage so I may keep my dignity,” stated Yanira with puffed cheeks. Shuyu chuckled and opened the carriage door saying, “Just let me know when you are ready.” Shuyu stepped out of the carriage making sure to shut the door.

            Yanira heaved out a sigh of relief and finally took notice of her silver dress that she had packed lying on the chair that Shuyu sat on before. She took the dress and stared at it with a warm smile. This dress was a gift from Xema on her birthday. Xema had told her that the silver thread of the dress was made from the stars and that her wishes would come true. Yanira loved this dress. It reminded her of happier times with Xema, but now Xema hated her and that brought sadness to Yanira’s heart. She wanted Xema’s forgiveness. She wanted Xema to be her loving older sister again, but she feared that the day would never come.

            Yanira shook her head and told herself to think positive. Someday, she hoped, that Xema would love her again and they would get along like sisters should. That thought made Yanira smile and then she immediately began to change into the silver dress and silently made a wish in her heart.

            I want to play with big sister again.

            While Yanira changed in the carriage, Shuyu walked next to the carriage with a smile on his face.

            “Did something good happen, Shuyu?” asked Raul. Shuyu chuckled and stated, “I was just thinking that Yanira’s embarrassed look is quite charming.”

            “What did you do?” asked Raul with both concern and curiosity written in his face. Shuyu just chuckled in reply making Raul more concerned for the young girl changing in the carriage.

            Shuyu then looked at Raul and stated, “When we return to the kingdom, don’t let anyone of the common folk know of my new bride.”

            “The reason?”

            “You said it before that the other kingdoms will look down on me for marrying such a young girl and commoners do have a habit of spreading rumors.”

            Raul frowned and mentioned, “But they will know when you marry.” Shuyu smirked and stated, “And by then, I will have their approval and they will think twice before speaking against me.”

            Raul could practically see the scheme dancing off of Shuyu’s lips and all he could do was nod and wonder exactly what Shuyu had planned for the unsuspecting kingdoms.

            Shuyu then knocked on the carriage door saying Yanira’s name.

            “I’m done changing,” squeaked out Yanira. Shuyu opened the carriage door at those words and leapt into the moving carriage making sure to close the door behind him. He glanced at Yanira and felt his cheeks heat up. Yanira now wore the silver dress that reached just above her ankles. The flow of the dress made it seem like she was wearing a stream of glistening water and the silk complimented her figure that was still developing.

            Shuyu smiled saying, “You are really lovely in that dress.”

            Yanira held the hem of her dress sitting on the opposite seating and stated, “It was a gift from my sister.”

            “Your sister…Xema right?”

            Yanira nodded.

            “She has good taste. I should give her a present as a thank you when it is time for our wedding.”

            Yanira suddenly smiled saying, “I believe big sister will love that, especially if it is from you.”

            Shuyu found Yanira’s smile lovely, but he soon realized that the smile was not really directed at him, but for Yanira’s sister. Just that thought made Shuyu boil with jealousy. Why show that smile for someone as simple as a sister? He wanted that smile directed at him and only for him.

            Yanira was ready to peek from the carriage window, but Shuyu suddenly closed the curtain of the window making Yanira look at him with a puzzled look.

            “I don’t want the commoners seeing you just yet. Not until the wedding day.”

            Yanira nodded, but felt a chill run down her spine when she noticed the possessiveness in Shuyu’s eyes. Yanira hid her uneasiness by pulling her small legs to her chest and looking away from Shuyu.

            I can do this.

            As the carriage continued to roll down the path, she began to hear cheers and without opening the window, she knew that she had finally arrived in Azseldo Kingdom…her new home.