They had not talked for an entire day, Kiara and Ostus that was. Her reasons were that she needed time to herself, time he had interrupted the day before. She'd been trying to come to terms with exactly what she was doing because, despite what Ostus seemed to think, it really wasn't simple. Perhaps he'd see why that was when they reached Berinike. He wouldn't be able to understand how different she acted from how she was expected to act. Of course, in her own home it was accepted even if her mother was always bugging her about it.

In Berinike this would not be the case. She would be expected to act like a princess, a queen even, for that is what she would soon be. There would be no running around by herself. No archery, well maybe archery since they did take much pride in their military, but probably not for her. It was less her station and more her gender, though, that was the problem. She'd be expected to tend affairs and keep house. Any power she had in Astora would belong to her husband. 

That was the worst of it for her. Of course she longed to continue with the freedom to be who she really was, but Kiara was more worried for her people. This would save them from immediate harm, that was true, but would it save them in the long run? When her parents were dead and she was queen... well. Perhaps Ostus did not know that the country would no longer be under her rule, it would be under her husbands.

There was a lot to think about when it came to this entire truce, and so she tried to take the time to think about it and to gain the courage to go through with it head held high. His reasons for keeping quiet were unknown to her. Ever since she'd actually agreed to pay for his horse he'd been giving her strange looks, though she could not figure out what they meant. Was he... guilty? She let out a laugh. No, that couldn't be it.

Suddenly, a presence came much too close to her for comfort and was talking into her ear. "What you laughing about miss? Perhaps you're just excited to meet me?" Kiara could not see the man who belonged to the voice, but she could smell the stench of ale on his breath, and her patience was running thin.

If only she was not pretending to be married, she could just stick her dagger in the man's gut and move on with her life. Unfortunately, she was supposed to be a caring wife. It was enough to make her sick. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm afraid I have a husband waiting for me somewhere around here," she told him, her smile wide. Where on earth had that useless soldier gone, anyway?

The man came even closer to her, something she had thought impossible, his disgusting breath in her face. "Well he's not here, now, is he?" The knife was looking so good right now, but Kiara just knew if she used it Ostus was going to go out of his mind. Not that she cared. Actually, it had been an entire day since the last time she had gotten an entertaining reaction from him. She eyed her left boot where it was hidden, considering.