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Irish Beauty (butterfly0408/Kolath)

Kiara felt a happy spark a moment there, a soft smile on her lips, but it faded the moment she saw Daphne coming for them. Taking the plates from Alan, she smiled at him, "You take a seat. This is a woman's work. Go on now. We will finish up." Daphne waited to see where Alan sat and planned it perfectly that when she finished with her tasks, it put her right next to him, no space near him left for Kiara, who found herself all the way at the end of the table away, children on all sides of her. No one two even talk to.
 
Alan had sat down and saw what Daphne was doing and had not all the others almost in the same instant come over and taken seats he would have moved. The food was excellent had he been able to eat any of it. Daphne was literally hanging on his arm constantly fawning over him the entire time. Cassandra and Tomas looked from him to Kiara and saw what was brewing there.

Cassandra spoke up trying to change things. â??Alan you and Kiara are planning on staying the night here arenâ??t you?â? Alan looked glad of the diversion, â??Well I think we were talking about going to the inn for the night its up to Kiara really.â?
 
Kiara had been so withdraw on the other end of the table, listening to the children talking to one another that is surprised her when she heard her name. "OH, ummm... I suppose it would be better for us to stay here. More time with your family Alan." She smiled, but there was no heart behind it. Anyone could see she was unhappy but hiding it. Attempting to hide at least.
 
Cassandra sighed nodding, â??Ok so Alan you canâ?¦â? she was stopped when Daphne stood grabbing Alanâ??s hand, â??He will stay in my room!!â? she had already started for the stairs before anything could be said, only Alan pulling his hand from hers stopped her. it gave Cassandra time to stand, â??Now Daphne you know Alan has his own room he will sleep there.â? She looked at Kiara, â??umâ?¦would you mind sharing Daphneâ??s room? There isnâ??t that much room here and I think you might feel out of place in Alanâ??s room wouldnâ??t you?â? she asked hoping that Kiara would want to take the chance to stay close to Alan.
 
The idea of staying in Daphne's room made her skin crawl, but then again, Cassandra's comments were true as well. And Alan would not want her there anyway. "That sounds like the sensible arrangement, Cassandra. Yes, I will stay with Daphne tonight." She stood then and started to pick up the empty plates from around the table. It was her chore to do dishes at home. She was just on auto pilot with this, doing the job she was use to without even thinking.
 
The dishes tonight were Daphneâ??s job but seeing that Kiara just started right into them without being asked or asking about them she let her. Daphne draped herself over Alan smiling and talking it wasnâ??t till Cassandra growled at her and told her to see that the children were put to bed that she got up making a promise to be back soon. Alan didnâ??t wait moving into the kitchen and over beside Kiara, â??Here let me help you some.â? He reached out to take some plates from her and start washing them.
 
It was only then that Daphne seemed to recall that it was HER turn to wash the dishes. Right as Kiara was finished handing him a plate, Daphne butted her way between them, "It's actually MY turn to do the dishes tonight Kiara." Daphne threw a dry rag towards her, "You can put the kids to bed. Up the stairs, last door on the left." Before she was even done ordering Kiara around, her hands were already in the water stroking at Alan's hands under the water's surface, a smile on her face.

Kiara looked totally defeated at this point. Every time she gained an inch, she lost a mile. With a slight nod, she wiped her hands dry and left the rag on the counter. She was afraid to open her mouth for she feared if she did, she'd start crying. She simply walked away, heading up the stairs. The last thing she heard before she was out of ear shot was Daphne, "I am so glad you are home Alan darling. I wish you wouldn't leave again."

As Kiara walked down the hallway, she started to think. Alan wanted to stay here, didn't he? He didn't want the burden of dragging her back home. He had a family. He had a lover. This was where he belonged. He needed to stay here. That was when she decided, she would be his burden no longer. She was leaving tonight after everyone went to sleep. She'd make the trip the rest of the way on her own. Yes, that was what she would do.
 
Alan stayed at the dishes only because he knew they needed to get done and if he left Daphne would also leave. He didnâ??t want to be here if there was anywhere he wanted to be it was beside Kiara right now. Sighing he finished up the dishes smiling at Cassandra and Tomas quickly bidding them good night and disappearing upstairs before Daphne could follow. He would have stopped and said at least good night to Kiara if he wasnâ??t scared of getting caught by Daphne again. He was inside his room and starting to prepare for bed when a knock came at the door his shirt off he walked to the door thinking nothing of it.
 
As he answered the door, Daphne was standing there, a smile on her face. Before he could react, her arms were around her neck, "You forgot your goodnight kiss." A second later, her lips were locked up with his.

Kiara was just exiting the children room, crossing to the one she was to stay in that night with Daphne when she saw them. If her heart had not already been broken, it would break again. Any lingering thoughts she had about staying were gone in that moment. Before they noticed her butting into there lives, she retreated into the room.

That night, after everyone was sleeping, with nothing but the clothing on her back and her cloak over her shoulders, Kiara slipped downstairs, finding some paper and a pen to write a note on...

Thank you for getting me this far, for the hospitality, and of course saving my life. But, you belong here with your family Alan and I won't be the one to separate you from them again. You and Daphne deserve to be happy. Please don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. Again, thank you for all you have done. -Kiara.

By the time anyone found it neatly folded on the kitchen table in the morning, Kiara was already hours gone.
 
Cassandra was the first one up and saw the noteâ?¦moments later everyone was up no matter how deaf they were for twenty miles in all directions they all got up wondering who raised holy hell fire. Alan and Tomas were down in the main room swords in hands moments after the first scream with Daphne not too far behind but enough for both the men to have read the note. Three sets of flaming eyes turned on the blonde standing on the steps looking bewildered as to why she was getting these looks. Finally Cassandra rushed forward and slapped her hard against the face sending her against the wall collapsed against it on the steps. â??Thatâ??s because I know both of these gentlemen wouldnâ??t hit you and you deserved that.â? The note was passed to her as Alan pushed upstairs packing his things quickly and rushing back down stairs to a quick goodbye too Tomas and Cassandra and taking the meal she had made for him before he was out the door and on Kiaraâ??s trail.
 
Kiara had not slept at all the night before so by the time the sun was up, she was cold, tired, and hungry. Perhaps she should have thought more ahead. She had no money, no food, and no idea what direction she was heading in. Road signs were all she had to follow, but she had not seen any that looked familiar to her yet. Was she even in her own land yet? By mid morning, when the roads started to fill with travelers again, she figured it would be a good time to take a little break and rest off the main road. Walking about 20 yards into the woods, she found herself a comfortable patch of clovers to lay in. Rolling her cloak up to act as a pillow, she laid down. Just a small nap to keep herself active as she traveled later in the day into the night again. When she woke, she'd hunt for some mushrooms or berries. Something, anything to eat. She was out within moments of her head hitting the cloak pillow.
 
Alan knelt in the center of the square brushing his hand over the tracks in the packed dirt. The merchants were just barely starting to come out when he was tracking her and so the fresh tracks were easy to spot for anyone knowing what they needed to do. He passed by the same dress shop from yesterday and the woman called out to him. pausing he smiled nodding and taking the finished skirts thanking the woman totally. Taking a moment to package them away he watched the horizon growling softly. â??Red dawn, many things were killed this night.â? He was more worried now with Kiara out alone. He tracked her easily once out of the town and was soon at a fast pace his eyes looking for signs of her leaving the trail. It was late morning before he stopped to have a drink and some of the bread that Cassandra had packed for him. his eyes scanned the sky againâ?¦that brownish tintâ?¦the wild men were on the move that was what had caused the red dawn. He quickly set out again needing to find her now more then ever.
 
Kiara was awakened by a feeling. Like she was being watched. As her eyes opened, she was definitely being watched. Four faces right above her, gazing down with a hunger in there eyes. Her lips opened to scream, but only a hint of sound before one of their dirty hands clamped down over her mouth. Her first thought was Kiel's men of course, but no, these men were different. One look was enough to tell that. Barbarians. Maybe even worse then Kiel's men. They grunted a bit between then, making plans before they seemed to come to some understanding. One ripped a stip of cloth from her skirt and replaced the hand over her mouth with that, tying it tight. Maybe too tight. They produced their own rope to bind her wrists before they started to drag her away. Literally. They had their weapons over there shoulders, so rather that carry here, one of them drug her behind him by her bounds wrists, leaving behind her cloak and many trampled clovers where she had once laid.
 
Alan wasnâ??t too far behind her even though he didnâ??t know that. About noon he came upon the place where she left the path and not long after to where she had been laying. He read what happened there without any problem glaring at the ground he could see the rough boots of the barbarians as well as the fibers of her torn dress though he guessed it wasnâ??t much of a tear because of the small amount of fibers. He quickly gathered her left belongings and started after her finding this path easy to follow with them dragging her.
 
By the time they stopped, Kiara was so sore. Her skirt was torn and muddy from being dragged across the ground like that. There camp was a rugged, roughly put together place. Two tents, a fire, the hides of animals, pieces of... she didn't even want to think about that. She was left near the rest of their booty as they all seemed to be fighting with each other in a language she did not understand. Finally, one of them came towards her and grasped her wrists again, dragging her across the camp to one of the tents. She started to panic as she realized exactly what they had been fighting over.
 
With such a clear trail left Alan was able quickly move through the woods without worrying about losing his way. The captures werenâ??t so lucky. He had caught up to them just as they reached their camp. He waited watching what was happening reaching into his pack and drawing out his bow stringing it quickly. He wanted to see how many he would have to deal with before acting but when one of them started dragging her to a tent he didnâ??t wait. That man was quickly transfixed by a well placed arrow through his neck and before the others knew what had happened a second one took a arrow through the heart. The remaining two took off quickly through the woods leaving their fallen comrades.

Alan was quickly at her side cutting her bonds and removing her gag. â??Are you alright Kiara?â?
 
He was always swooping in at the name moment to save her. She had just been thinking to herself, praying that he would have cared enough to follow. But he was still with Daphne, far away from this place. She closed her eyes and braced herself. But when she opened her eyes again, she was once again face to face with Alan. Saving her once again. The moment her gag was removed, "What are you doing here?!" Her heart was torn now. Had he felt guilty about leaving her alone? Or did he really care about her?
 
He brushed a strand of hair back from her face smiling, â??What do you mean? I would never let you face anything alone I belong by your side. Even if you run from me I will still follow you I will never let you come to harm as long as we both live.â? He smiled the light of the sun right behind his head as he did.
 
Kiara's face was not as full of happiness as his was. Hers was filled with confusion, "Why? You have Daphne to be at your side? I am just a burden taking you away from where you REALLY belong. How could you... how could you just give it up a life with a family to see me to safety?"
 
Alan blinked, â??Daphne?! What are you talking about? She was a girl that I saved along time ago and she couldnâ??t return to her village because they wouldnâ??t take her back and since then she had attached herself to me, it was all I could do to keep her from following me around everywhere. She means nothing to me she just thinks that she loves me and I love her there is nothing really there.â? He sighed slowly helping her up to a sitting position. â??It is not just helping you homeâ?¦there is something more Kiara even if you choose not to see it.â?
 
"See?" she asked, a spark of hope filling her heart at once. All this jealousy she had been feeling towards Daphne and the hurt as well, was she really in love with him? And was he in love with her? "Alan... what do you see in me?"
 
He brushed her hair back from her face cupping her cheek lightly, â??I see the woman that I was told a long time ago that I would meet and would change my life.â? He leaned in slowly his breath playing lightly over her lips, â??I see the woman that despite all she had been through has not once thought of herself.â? His eyes closed as his lips feather light brushed hers, â??and above all that I see the woman that since the moment I saw her has held my heart.â? He lightly kissed her lips not forcing her to stay there just a light pressure.
 
"Alan..." she whispered meekly, caught up in a sort of daze the moment before his lips rubbed against hers. She did not force her lips forward any more, nor did she draw them back. They just stayed there, letting him take the lead. Her head spinning, not knowing what she was feeling or thinking. There was only this moment. This kiss from Alan's sweet lips. She just wanted this moment to be.
 
He kissed her a little deeper his hands rubbing her sides lightly brushing up to bring her arms around his neck as he knelt with her on the ground. It was then that he remembered where they were and pulled back slowly. â??Kiara no matter how much I want to continue this right nowâ?¦I think we should perhaps find some place less bloody to do so.â?
 
She was still in a sort of trance when he pulled back and started to speak to her. Took a moment for the words to set in and register the meaning. "OH!" Kiara looked around and shuttered. For a moment there she forgot the situation she had stumbled into. Nodding, Kiara stood up, and felt a draft. Looking behind her, the back of her skirt was all ripped and torn up from being drug along like a sack. She frowned a little and examined it, trying to find a way to fix it.
 
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