Passing the guards by the gate, I smiled brightly. Who knew walking past guards would ever be a novelty? "My Lady," they bowed their heads to me as I walked past them only making me smile brighter.

Today has been a good day so far. Like every other morning I woke to a chill as Jonathan opened the glass doors, I was made to take breakfast - delicious fruits and porridge - in the hall with Jonathan, Prince Dillon and his wife Ashiar. It was my first time talking to Prince Dillon and I found him reminding me of my brother Arthur. It wasn't their appearance, as Arthur was tall and built like an immovable tree and Dillon was of average height and average build, but after a quick conversation I saw that it was his mind that reminded me of my brother. No matter their physical differences, their best weapons were their minds and they held wisdom far beyond their years.

I was on my way to the library when a guard stopped me. He lacked the light armour of shadow knights, instead wearing a full chest plate of black iron with the blue griffin painted in the middle. "My Lady Miss," he bowed. "The King wishes to see you in the throne room."

I nodded my thanks and quickly adjusted my direction headed for the throne room.

A guard standing by the door nodded in my direction and pulled it opened so I didn't have to. I smiled at him and walked into the room seeing Jonathan seated in his chair looking more bored than I had ever seen him. His fingers drummed along the arm of his throne as if itching to pick something up while the crown - made of black iron - rested on the corner of the chair and not on his head. A man stood in front of him talking at the King but I doubted he was listening. As I stepped into the room Jonathan's head lifted slightly as I caught his attention and the man in the middle of the room turned his head to look at the interruption.

My whole being froze.

Someone could have been screaming my name in my ear and I still would have heard nothing but distant murmurs. My heart felt like it had stopped and my stomach felt as if it had taken a punch. I was cold. So cold.

I saw the shock and recognition in his eyes that was quickly followed by confusion.

"Little Miss?" Jonathan stood and started walking towards me. Coming to my side his hand wrapped around the small of my back and he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Thank god what took you so long?"

Pulling back he faced the man.

I swallowed and quickly shook my head praying that Jonathan didn't see me. Please don't, I mouthed to the man.

He nodded, his eyes focused on me before he turned to the king.

"Forgive me Lord Ryenn." Jonathan began. "It appears I'm needed elsewhere." Jonathan grabbed my arm and started dragging me out of the room and my eyes far away from my uncle.

I felt sick.

As soon as the door closed, Jonathan let out a deep sigh. "Oh thank the gods, I don't think I could have sat there a moment longer and pretended to listen."

I was still in shock.

"What took you so long, I sent a guard after you a good while ago."

"Sorry," my voice was weak and my attention wavered. "Who was that?"

I already knew the answer to my own question but I didn't dare let him know that.

He rolled his eyes. "A waist of time."

"Oh?"

His eyes glanced down and he stopped walking. "You've been outside."

I followed his gaze down to find mud colouring the bottom of my hem. "Oh, yes. I kind of got a little carried away walking in and out of the main gate every chance I got."

He chuckled shaking his head at my antics and grabbed my hand again. "I have something to show you."

Hesitantly I let him lead me. "Will I like this?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "That really depends."

We moved to another corridor that I wasn't familiar with and stopped just in front of another door. Jonathan let go of my hand and opened it.

The bed was covered in white furs with a white shawl was draped over the top of the four posted bed, covering the sides and giving one the illusion of privacy. A small cushioned seat sat in front of the window that overlooked the kingdom while another seat sat on the other side of the room in front of the fireplace that was already lit and quickly warming the space.

"What's this?"

"If I wake up to another dress being brought into my room I am going start making you walk around naked." He stepped further into the room and my eyes followed him. "So you get your own room."

I could hardly contain my smile. For weeks I had been tramped, but now, I finally had my own space. A room that was mine, and one of the few places in this castle that I didn't have to worry about who was lingering in the shadows of the walls.

"This is mine?"

He lifted a shoulder as if he didn't care much for the current situation.

"Thank you."

Jonathan left me in my room. I pulled out my necklace and twirled it in my fingers. The bow and arrow shaped locket holding the blue-grey crystal inside sent a pang in my chest as I remembered the night my mother had gifted it to me. Touching this maybe the closest I ever get to seeing her again. No, I pushed the thought far from my mind. I would see my family again, in fact, I would see them right now.

Standing up I tucked the necklace back into my dress so that no one saw it and eagerly ran to the throne room. I noticed my uncle crossing the main pallor as I ran towards the throne room and quickly slowed my pace, approaching him.

Light brown hair and green eyes that were so familiar faced me. He looked so much like my mother it almost pained me to look at him. Uncle Ryenn was my mother's younger brother who had taken his post as Warden of Leeace while Tristan was young and still grasping the concept of King.

He bowed his head ever so slightly, careful not to make it look to formal as he once did when I was a princess. "Little Miss is it?" His voice was steady, even and careful. He knew better than I did that someone was always watching.

I did my best to bow my head at him without ever breaking eye contact. "Lord Ryenn."

"Would you join me for a walk?"

"May I recommend the gardens?" I took his arm and started directing him towards the gardens. It was the only place I knew that could be discreet enough for this conversation, far away from any walls.

Walking into the gardens I took a seat on one of the stone benches and kept my eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Uncle Ryenn took a seat beside me, careful to keep a respectable distance from me in the case we suddenly gained and audience.

"Alliar," he began but I quickly held up my hand and shushed him. Dear gods, just the use of my name would incriminate me.

"Trust me when I say these walls have eyes." I pressed as I scanned the surrounding area.

"It's a pleasure seeing you alive and well Little Miss, as you can imagine, it was quite a surprise." He began again, speaking just under his breath.

I gave him a soft smile.

"We thought you dead."

"In a way, I think I am." It was probably the most honest thing I've said in a while.

He shook his head showing me his confusion. "How did you even get here? So far away and with him?" He was in disbelief.

"Everything was burning. I got Kaya to the tunnels but they saw me and I couldn't follow her. I ran." I started to tell him everything that had happened. "Some peasants dressed me in rags and took me to Lord Mckinley's but that had been set to the torch as well. I was captured by a guard and," I hesitated. He probably didn't need the details. "Jonathan picked me out." My voice was so quiet I could barely hear it. "I didn't tell him my name and he didn't press it, just started calling me Little Miss and moved on."

I watched Uncle Ryenn nod along accordingly his eyes guarded and careful.

"I've lost count of how many times his threatened me or tried to kill me." Now that I think about it, five seemed like a nice clean number. "But now, well I think we've found a common ground."

"I see that you have his favour." My uncle faced me. "And you were right to keep your name from him. If he finds out who you are I doubt he would be kind, he does despise the blood running through your veins and I doubt he would hesitate to spill it."

I nodded, happy to know I had done the right thing but also slightly terrified of what would happen if he did find out, especially now that he has trusted me with so much and given me my own liberties. I know he would be enraged, I knew he would go back on his promise of a quick death and make it hurt.

"Did Kaya and the boys make it out?" I asked eagerly. "Is everyone safe?"

Ryenn gave me a very hesitant nod making my heart sink ever so slightly. "The boys got out quickly enough and Kaya met your mother in the tunnels, your maid went back for you. She didn't make it very far."

I swallowed hard thinking of Jenifer. Sudden guilt overwhelmed me turning my stomach. She died for me.

"Petar the bloody coward refuses to return after the attack and remains in a secret safe house so now Sebastian is acting regent making the people very uneasy. You brothers have both moved back to Leece."

I frowned. Tristan moving back to Leece without our mother and while Sebastian is struggling to hold onto his crown would weaken Sebastian's position and leave the Kingdom open with an unsteady monarchy - a dangerous predicament. I felt scared for Sebastian in that moment. He had lost all guidance and his family while the crown was thrusted upon him, he must be terrified. "Why?"

"Tristan isn't happy with Petar and is distancing himself from him. From this moment on Leece is now its own kingdom again. I came here to try and make peace with the North but I sense Jonathan is hesitant."

I nodded confirming his suspicions. "He called your meeting a waste of time. He doesn't trust anyone lightly and he certainly won't trust us." I smiled in my head at the words us. Gods it was good to think I belonged somewhere again, to have someone to belong too. "What about mother? Is she helping him, Tristan can have the intelligence of pig sometimes."

My uncle shook his head no. "Arthur is hitting him over the head each time he gets too far ahead of himself. Your mother is with Kaya."

I noticed the twitch in his thumb, the shift in his position. He was uncomfortable. This only made me cautious.

"When you were never found Petar was obligated to offer Kaya up as an alternative to Edward Thorn of the East. They were married only days ago and your mother is staying close to her. She is struggling with the change."

It felt as if a bucket of water had been thrown over me, drenching me from head to toe. "She's too young." I spoke through my shock. She was not yet thirteen.

"Your mother was only a little older when she married your father."

I had the feeling he was trying to convince himself as much as me.

"She's my baby sister." I whispered now.

"Al - " he stopped himself. "Miss. You need to calm down. Your sister is safe, your mother is with her, she will be fine. You need to focus on getting yourself safe. Stay in the king's favour."

I nodded agreeing.

"I leave in the morning. I will tell your mother you are alive and well. We'll be discreet." Standing from the stone bench my uncle left me to my thoughts and the cool nip of the spring air.  

***

Please vote and comment.