Days passed slowly as Nicole's rage completely froze over with her plan of revenge. Everyone in the castle started to notice the change in the sunshine child of the royal family. Her behavior changed drastically over two days and it didn't escape the eyes of anyone. Everyone put it down to grief though and didn't ask anything. Everyone but Jasper. His keen senses let him get a better insight into what was going on.

"Princess, can we talk?" he asked on the second day as Nicole was getting ready for her fighting lesson.

"What is it, Jasper?" Nicole snapped at him. "Sorry, you just startled me" she quickly apologized.

"We both know that isn't entirely true" Jasper looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Whatever" Nicole kept walking toward her room. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I noticed that you became cold since Kyle's death" Jasper was never the type to beat around the bush. "Is it because of your last interaction?"

"No, it's not." Nicole didn't look Jasper in the eye as they stopped at the door of her room. "What does it matter anyway? I am doing my duty and that is what should be important."

"You need to let your fear and sadness out, Princess. You cannot let anger consume you."

"You know what? I'm gonna be late for class" with that Nicole went into her room to change and end the conversation.

As she got dressed Nicole took deep breaths to keep her anger under control. She had to be calm and collected so as not to scare the horses and not to attract attention. She was bound to lose it sometime in the two weeks if people kept asking questions but she was thankful that it seemed like only Jasper wanted to know what was going on in her head. When she got ready they went out to the field outside the castle where Nicole had her riding lesson.

Most of the time, Amelia made time to watch Nicole when she had her riding lesson. They were really close, especially since their mother's death, and although they were complete opposites, they understood each other. Nicole was always daydreaming. She had the wildest dreams about the future in the kingdom of Relan. She was always somewhere else, except for the times she wandered the forest or rode her horse. Amelia on the other hand was down to Earth, always in place, and calm. She knew her role and what the world required. She wanted to save the people, but not through dreams about dragons.

She stood outside the perimeter once more as Nicole finished. When Nicole saw her, a smile broke out on her face finally soothing her anger a bit. She had the smile on until the wind shifted and a suspicious scent reached her nose. It was a bitter-sour scent. Nicole remembered too well when and where she felt it before. Amelia sent a bitter smile her way upon seeing her worried face.

"So you know," she said. She was the only person in the kingdom who knew her sister's facial expressions at a glance.

"Courtesy of having the senses of an animal," Nicole answered, hugging her sister. She knew what it meant. The last person having this scent was her older brother. A few weeks later, he died. They started walking towards the castle quietly.

"So, how did you figure it out? I mean, for me, it is obvious at this stage, but for everyone else, it shouldn't be." Nicole was confused as their doctors couldn't find the sickness until its second stage when the infected started to develop the symptoms.

"I... I dreamt it," Amelia said. She looked at Nicole who had an unreadable expression.

"What? no snarky remarks on why I didn't say anything?" Amelia tried to be cheerful.

"I was just thinking." Nicole looked into Amelia's eyes, but her gaze fell behind her sister, towards the forest.

"About what?" Amelia knew this mood all too well.

"Does father know?" Nicole's eyes stayed distant as she looked toward the castle. She wasn't telling the full truth. If Amelia died, Nicole knew she would have way less time as she was next in line for the throne. She would definitely have no chance of running away.

"No, I haven't told him yet" Amelia wanted to continue, but Nicole cut her off.

"Not about the virus. About you." She looked deep into Amelia's eyes this time, almost piercing the women's iris to see into her thoughts.

"Where do you think I inherited it from?" Amelia pulled one side of her mouth into a smile. Upon Nicole's questioning look, though, she explained further. "Not him, his mother. He never said anything, but I think he knows." Amelia looked at her hands.

"What are we gonna do now?" Nicole went back to her gazing at the forest. Amelia noticed what her sister likely thought but didn't comment on it.

"Talk to father, first of all. He needs to know. Then..." she didn't finish.

"No, you can't seriously be thinking of doing that." Nicole stopped in her tracks right in front of the castle door.

"I have to." Amelia turned back towards her sister. "That is the best way to spend my last weeks."

"But the people..." Nicole didn't know what really upset her. The fact that her sister was putting people in danger or that she accepted death so easily.

"They will be safe. You know the disease doesn't spread after the first stage" Amelia, on the other hand, seemed to read her thoughts. "And if you think I should be fighting, this is me fighting. Fighting for a better future for our people."

"You are incredible." Nicole struggled to stop her tears. "Even now, you think of others."

"So do you. Just in a different way. Come on." Amelia grabbed Nicole's hand and gently pulled her towards the castle.

They walked up towards the throne room quietly. Both girls were thinking about their concerns. Nicole was worried about her sister, knowing that without dragons, she would not be able to do anything. Amelia, on the other hand, was worried about Nicole. In the line of succession, she was the next, and she would need to go a long distance before she could step into her role. If she ever did get ready.

After talking to their father and making arrangements for Amelia to avoid people for the next week the two sisters went up to Amelia's room. They sat down on her bed and were quiet for a while. Nicole kept looking out the window, her sadness resurfacing, and for the moment drowning her more vengeful thoughts.

"You have to go," Amelia said, startling Nicole.

"Huh?" was all she could reply.

"I know you want to. And you need to heal before you can lead" Amelia's eyes were glowing with her tears. "It might already be too late but I hope it's not"

"But you..."

"I'm going to be fine. You have to go. I can see it in your eyes" Amelia hugged Nicole before sending her away. "I already talked to Jasper so you won't have a problem. Go. Find what you need."

Nicole hugged Amelia one last time before she left to pack up her things. She wasn't about to defy what a seer told her and she knew that if she waited out the two weeks now, she wouldn't have the opportunity to leave at all. Grabbing her backpack and some blankets she snuck out the way she always did when visiting her Mother's grave. With a final glance toward the castle, she ran off into the forest, not intending to return.

A/N:

Sorry about the long skip, I started working and my schedule was a little hectic the past week. I will try to get back on track but I can't promise anything.