First Eclipse

Tim stood back with the other guards, as they were supposed to. This time, it was hard to stand there and appear stoic and removed from the conversations. Fauna was sitting on the ground with Tawny. It was as if the cat had known she was here and had once again escaped the wall that was supposed to keep her on the other side of the yards around the palace.

The royals were waiting for a few more to get back, so they kept going into the solarium for refreshments. It looked like a garden party as they stood around with a sandwich and coffee-unless you took into account how they were dressed, then it became a goth-themed garden party.

When he looked over at Fauna again, he saw it. The uneasiness, the fear, and his heart felt actual physical pains. Sighing, he glanced at Sith. "I'll be right back."

Sith looked him up and down. "Were you injured?"

"Just my pride." He admitted.

Sith scoffed. "The growth was jungle level around that camp. Not even Princess Kara, up in the tree, saw that man who got to her." He glanced in Fauna's direction. "Yeah. I failed my objective."

"It happens." Sith shrugged. "She's fine."

Tim nodded and walked away.

When he reached her, he squatted down and rubbed the top of Tawny's head. The cat was almost on top of Fauna as she rubbed her side.

Fauna gave him a brief, unsure smile. "She's a little spoiled."

Tim grinned. "As the only palace cat, she gets all the attention."

Fauna looked behind them. "It's a real palace." She whispered.

"It is."

She turned back. "It doesn't have a moat or drawbridge."

Tim rubbed his hand over his jaw. It was a little tender. That one guy had landed a pretty good punch. "The humans prefer their moats and bridges." He grinned. "We have caves and secret entrances." "Really? Do you live here?"

Tim shook his head. "No. There's a room we hang out in here and in the underground chambers, but I have a small house on a hill overlooking a lake."

"That sounds peaceful."

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"It is." He left out the fact that he only spent one night a week there since he was assigned to guard the huntress. Since she'd arrived, prophecies and plots had begun to unravel faster than they could keep up with them. He knew it was his duty as a Royal guard to do what was necessary to keep the realms safe, but he looked forward to a time he could be home for more than a day.

Victor appeared with Crissy. Tim felt his cold assessment as the justice of Alterealm with him being on the ground with Fauna and not with the guards. He straightened up, gave Tim an abrupt nod and then went over to the kings. "Are you going to get in trouble for not standing over there like a large lawn ornament?"

He snorted quietly. "It's doubtful. The huntress won't let it happen."

She looked around. "I feel like I'm not important enough for you to be spending time looking after me."

Tim clamped down on the anger that filled him because of her words. "You are just as important as any of the royals, Fauna." She didn't understand that she was born to be part of this. Literally.

Prince Rafael was walking toward them. Tim started to get up, and the captain held his hand up to stop him. "Stay. She's behaving with the two of you instead of trying to knock all of us over like bowling pins." He studied Fauna for a moment and then looked at Tim. That was when he noticed the anger and hesitation in the prince's eyes. "The Solrelm princes found out something when they went into that building." He rubbed his hand over his short hair. "It's not good." He looked over his shoulder to where Kara stood.

"Not good, how?" Fauna got to her knees but continued to pet the oversized house cat.

Bastain appeared with Nova, Tor, and Daxx.

The prince's guard put his hand over his stomach but smiled.

"Looks like that implant is working." The captain said.

Tim turned to look at him. "To help them not need the acclimation chamber?"

Rafael nodded. "It makes things easier with everything going on." He turned and jerked his head to Prince Leone. "We're going to move inside to discuss this." He sighed. "The ladies are going to flip out." He mumbled and walked away. "Why?" Fauna whispered.

Tim watched the captain speak to two of his brothers. All of them looked apprehensive. "I don't know." He stood up and held out his hand. "But anytime they upset the women, I get caught in a tug of war." Fauna put her hand in his. "Because of the huntress?"

He wanted to hold her hand longer, but he didn't want to draw attention to them. "Because the men try to place restrictions on the ladies and there's a certain amount of rebelling that occurs." It was the politest way he could think to explain what happened when you told Daxx she couldn't do something.

Fauna hissed. "I don't blame them. They're adults. They can make their own decisions."

Tim glanced at her and then motioned to the path to the door of the solarium. He suspected she wasn't going to be pleased with what they were about to find out. His gut was telling him things since that man had grabbed her and he hoped for once in his life, he was completely wrong.