There was no question this man thought her a joke. Perhaps he was a skilled fighter, but she would at the very least give him a run for his money. Still she wasn't going to play any games. The moment he seemed too amused Shay moved, a hand lifting her skirts a little to not trip and she ran swiftly out of the alley.<br/><br/>Almost to the steps to her family house she ran into Kieran, her eldest brother, he caught her by the shoulders. "What happened," he asked gently as she took a shaky breath and told him as he guided to sit on the steps. His face turned hard and he nodded. "Sit here, I'll go get my sword and Tristan, then you can take me there," he said touching her cheek gently. It helped sooth her nerves as she soaked in his self assurance before he pulled away and hurried around the back of the house where the small courtyard was.<br/><br/>Taking a calming breath once more she stood, shaking out her skirts and slipping her knife back into her sleeve, only sign of her run was gently flushed cheeks now. Brushing her thick hair to laid down her back once more she scanned the street and instantly tensed seeing the shape of the man from the alley. She took another step up but it didn't matter he was too close.<br/><br/>Shayna gave the stranger a hard look as he stopped and looked at her. The moment he smiled she only felt confusion. The bow and his words only served to make it worse. But a glance back at the sound of the door revealed her mother stepping out, no doubt Kieran said something to her she tended the garden this time of day. Faye instantly was tense and worried, she knew who this was, he looked like his father. She moved closer to Shay as he spoke to her, shoulders dropping a little.<br/><br/>"Wait, wait, who are you talking about?! There is no princess here," Shayna snapped looking from this Duncan to her mother. Faye sighed heavily and looked at the young womans searching gaze. "Come inside this is not safe to discuss on the street," she said opening the door.<br/><br/>As she did both tall blonde young men came from around the house, and she looked at her sons who looked from Duncan to her. "Go deal with the trouble, then get things ready," she said and they solemnly nodded and headed off without a word. Shayna looked confused even as her mother gently took her arm to guide her inside and gestured for Duncan to enter as she glanced about the street as he passed her. "The kitchen Shay," she called to the younger woman.<br/><br/>Shay glanced back but lead the way through the house to the back where the kitchen was, the smell of a stew in the works heavy in the air she she reached it. With an easy grace she slid into a chair at the small table set in the corner to overlook the room, the back door open to let a gentle breeze in. Quickly Faye came in and went to a little shelf and reached up for a small box that was well back, one Shay never paid mind to since no one else did. The elder woman turned back and set it on the table near Shay as she stepped back to look at Duncan, then to Shayna once more. "I'm sorry my sweet, we should have told you this when you were old enough to understand, but you were just so happy not knowing," she said sounded almost wounded as she wrung her hands which trembled.<br/><br/>"I-I don't understand," Shay answered looking from one to the other. "What is going on, what you you two talking about," she near demanded to know.