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Aynira was proud of herself. She had followed the sound of flowing water to one of the narrow streams that flowed through the palace garden, and skillfully navigated her way back to familiar lands. Now all she had to do was sneak back in ... The coast was clear, there were absolutely no signs of life anywhere except for a few birds chirping. She might just be able to slip back into the garden unnoticed and run into the bath alone. By now she was sure everyone knew she had skipped her lesson, but maybe she could convince them that she had been home all along if she got all the dirt and grime off of her.

She was so close now, the garden was in her sights. fl She could almost smell her safety, and it smelled like the fragrant leaves of the gardens oldest tree. However, there was about a fifty yard clearing between where she was and where the palace garden started. Aynira gripped the lumpy sphere through her shirt to keep it from dropping, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She could do this.

The young royal exhaled, threw her head forward and sprinted with more determination and emotion than she could ever recall having in her life, taking about six very soulful, very heart-felt steps before she began to hear it:

"There she is!" shouted a guard.

"Princess Aynira!" one called, waving their arms to catch her attention.

"Over here!" one called, waving his arms to catch the attention of the other guards.

"We found her!"

Dejected, her heart dropped to her toes, but she couldn't stop. She was too invested. Her body seemed to move in it's own.

"Why is she running?"

"Princess, are you in danger?"

The guards swiftly met her, and ran along side her.

"Did someone chase you?" asked one of the guards.

Aynira responded with silence.

The guards kept her pace until she ran the adrenaline out of her system and slowed to an agonizing halt.

The young princess dropped her hands on her knees to rest, causing the pewter colored sphere to slip into the tall grass. She quickly scooped it back up, and returned it to its warm position. She noticed a few shocked face as they witnessed the odd behavior, and the odd item.

Well, she couldn't pretend she had been home now, no matter how much she wished she could. Her stomach churned.

A brawny, female guard with a round, cheeky face began issuing orders, pointing at each guard and telling them what their tasks individually. Her higher rank was marked by the purple trim on her garments, which denoted that she'd studies basic medicine and completed training in first aid. It was also evident in the way the other guards stiffened when she spoke. She was well respected, maybe even feared. "Inform Ohaike that the princess has been found," she finished, pointing, muscles rippling.

The guard nodded respectfully and hastily retreated into the garden.

"Your Highness, please allow me to assess your physical condition," said the guard boss.

Aynira nodded respectfully and gazed at the garden haplessly as the guard boss announced each bruise an abrasion for another guard to record. Aynira never had a chance of making it back to the garden without being seen, no matter how fast she had run. She was upset with herself for deceiving herself into believing otherwise. She hated disappointment.

"Princess!" a familiar voice broke her thoughts. The guard had swiftly returned with Ohaike taking the lead. His sandy brown cloud of hair was full of sticks and leaves, his youthful eyes had instantly formed dark stress rings, his tawny skin was sticky with dirt, sweat, and anxiety. "Our kupata bird found your blood, are you ok?"he asked, examining her with wild eyes, clutching her arm and twisting her entire body as he did.

"I'm Ok!" said Aynira, allowing her other arm to swing as he handled her so, flopping like the arm of a rag doll.

Once Ohaike decided that the princess was not going to die, he scooped her up and embraced her much too tightly, then placed her firmly on her feet.

"Why would you run away from the palace?"

Aynira dropped her gaze to stare at her bare feet, avoiding her guards stern, hazel eyes.

"Why?" Ohaike repeated, bending over almost double to be at eye-level with the princess. "You could've been kidnapped! You could've been murdered! Did you think about any of that? We were worried about you. I was worried about you. Why would you do this?"

What could she tell him? What would he think if she told him that she chased the rainbow lights out of the palace again? She hadn't forgotten what happened last time she'd told him that. Ohaike lacked the authority to punish her, but he did have the power to make her feel, really bad. Especially when he gave her those long disappointed looks.

Aynira shrugged.

Ohaike let out a deep, painful sigh, and stood back up. " What's going on with you lately? This isn't like you."

Aynira shrugged.

"We can talk about it later..."

Please no. Aynira thought.

"...Right now we have to get you to the infirmary. After that your mother wants to see you."

Nooooo! Aynira thought, her already sunken heart dropping even further. This was going to end terribly. Why hasn't she stayed with mother Mougui?

"But first -" Ohaike picked her up, and gently lowered her onto his back. "Let me get you off that knee."

The kupata bird circled above and squawked loudly, following the scent of Ayniras blood, and attempting to alert the already-alerted guards of her where-abouts. It was probably still hoping for the treat it would've earned if it had found her first. Kupata's were excelent trackers. Aynira couldn't help but to think of how odd it was that it hadn't found her. She'd never seen or heard of a kupata bird failing to find it's target. She mused over this thought for a while before eventually allowing her exhaustion to lure her to a deep sleep.