Lyra's POV 

I stare at the floor, biting at my cuticles while thinking about what just happened. I feel sick as I remember Jed's face only moments ago before he was dragged out by Kaladin. My heart constricts and Sam gently touches my shoulder from behind me. I look up at him briefly, and judging by the expression he makes in seeing me, the pain is plausible on my face.

"Are you alright?" He asks, leaning over to speak softly into my ear. He sounds genuinely concerned and the weight of his touch feels like too much for me to bear alongside of the self-loathing that sits in the pit of my stomach like a boulder.

I slap his hand away. "I'm fine." Anyone within earshot can tell that what I said is a lie, but The Prince especially catches on to my current mood. He doesn't say anything as he resumes his silence, though he doesn't seem as offended as I expected him to be.

Hana kneels down before my chair with a cloth in his hands, shaking his head and making a tsk sound against his teeth. "Look at you, you're all wet." He muses like a caring parent over their child. He brings the rag to my face to start drying it, but I stop him by taking the cloth into my own hands. 

"I can do it myself," I say, words a bit too harsh to be using on Hana, who had done nothing wrong. I pause to take a breath before gaining the composure necessary to apologize. "I am sorry, that was uncalled for." 

Hana sucks in sharply as he pushes himself to his feet, reminding me of the injuries hidden beneath his tunic. "Of course, my lady. Think nothing of it." The smile doesn't leave his face as Hener helps him to the chair closest to mine and stands near to his brother's side.

I hear a shout in the hallway that sounds like Jed and tense in my seat. I can tell that Sam hasn't stopped looking at me, his eyes burning into the back of my head. Kaladin wouldn't really hurt Jed, would he? "Nikeil." I bark to get his attention from where he is peering out of the doorway, giggling in his drunken state as he watches whatever goes on out side.

He turns to me, cheeks flushed and bows, spilling some of his ale onto the floor. Sage trots over to lick it up. "Yes?" Nikeil hiccups, smiling.

"Tell Luke not to hurt him. It wasn't his fault." I order, and watch my drunk Guardsmen wander into the hallway to relay the message, tripping over some invisible stool on his way out and laughing at himself like a maniac.

Sage lifts her head and looks to me, then makes her way through the crowd of men to my side. She nudges my hand and I try to smile as she kisses my knuckles in concern. This draws Hana's attention to my old injury, and he seems to see the scabs for the first time today.

"If I may ask, my lady, what happened to your hand?" He asks, leaning forward in his seat to get a better look. 

I give him one of them while I use the other to dry my face with the rag. "Nothing to concern yourself over." 

Sam sighs and doesn't hesitate in cutting in, saying everything that I had neglected to. He certainly isn't worried about angering or offending me, and I find myself annoyed at him. "When you disappeared, a strange man came to the castle and told Lyra that you and the others had been napped, in a way of mocking her. Then one of her Guardsmen was shot by an unknown assailant atop a nearby building. The Princess then proceeded to beat the strange man unconscious as he laughed at the dead man. He's in the dungeon right now, along with a Duke who attempted -and almost succeeded- in assassinating Lyra."

Hana looks stunned and turns to slowly look around the room. "I-is that why Jensen isn't here? I thought- I thought he may be home with Janine..." When he turns back to me, I see the obvious anguish in his eyes. "So, he is... dead?"

I bite my lip and nod, setting my free hand into my lap. I had been hoping, foolishly hoping, that somehow, Hana wouldn't find out, or that everyone would just forget. Just for tonight. I bite my lip hard at my selfishness. The hand that Hana holds is squeezed as he lowers his head. 

"I saw to telling Janine the news myself. She is to tell me if she needs anything at all, but I have yet to hear from her..." My heart breaks for Hana as he soaks in the news that one of his men, like a brother to him, has been killed. My voice breaks and lowers to a whisper as I fight the lump in my throat. "I still dream about it every night." Even sitting here the memory of Jensen's lifeless body threatens to surface, drowning me in his lifeblood. Was some of that blood on my hands his? Did that retched man feel any remorse as I beat his face in? Did he care at all? I remember the horrible smile on his face and my stomach lurches. Of course he didn't. I don't realize that I'm gripping the edge of my seat until Sam touches my arm, fingers firm against my skin to pull me from my daze. 

Hana doesn't hesitate at all of the company that we have here as he leans over and hugs me. I can tell that it hurts him physically, but he squeezes me tightly and I want so badly to cry into his shoulder. "Oh, Lyra. You shouldn't have had to bear that weight on your own. I am so sorry." Is all he says, and that's all that he needs to say. I know all of the things that he is apologizing for without any added words. 

I press him close until the pain in my throat subsides and then pull away, feeling a bit stronger. I have to at least be as strong as Hana, or else I do not deserve to have him under my command. "You will go to Janine tomorrow and see how she and her son are doing, won't you?" 

Hana nods, eyes misty and chin stiff. "If you command it of me, my lady." His voice is steady as he speaks, and I know that he is being strong for me, even though all he wants to do is cry. But he won't, not in front of me. Not in front of his younger brother and a Prince and all of his men. He will not snivel like a child in front of the woman he is sworn to protect.

I shake my head, frowning a little at the assumption. "No, I do not command it of you, Hana. I know that you would like to pay them your respects in person, so I am telling you to visit them if you wish to. The choice is entirely yours to make." 

 I see the gratefulness swimming in Hana's blue eyes. "Thank you, Lyra. I will go see them tomorrow, as you permit it. Then I will resume training for my position as your Captain."  He promises.

I nod, trying to ignore the tense feeling in my stomach as it tries to resurface. I have to squeeze my eyes shut for a moment to ward off the image of Jensen's fallen body. It's harder to do this time, and I immediately know that I will not sleep well tonight, despite the heaviness weighing on my lids. "And so you shall."

~

I wake up to Sage barking at me. It takes me a moment to realize that there is more than the sound that she makes occupying the space of my chambers, and it takes me a second longer to stop screaming. Sage ceases her vocalizing and crawls from her spot at my feet over to my side, a whimper drawing from her throat.

"My lady! My Lady, are you alright?" Levi asks, a hand outstretched as if he was going to touch me but hesitated. Had I been making such a ruckus that he would try to wake me? Concern is creased into his brow, answering the question that dusted my mind. He and a mixture of my mother's and father's Guardsmen had been switched earlier in the evening before I went to bed, and looking around, I see the expressions of many of them: they look startled.

I am sitting upright in my bed, brow soaked in sweat and my legs are tangled in the covers as if I had been thrashing about in my sleep, fighting off an invisible enemy. I don't have to think hard to remember what I had been dreaming about and crimson blood soon threatens to overtake my mental state again. I put my head in my hands and focus on breathing as Sage kisses me in worry, whining softly.

"My lady, shall I call for a physician?" Levi tries again, unmoving from his spot. His complexion looks nearly grey in the moonlight, and I had forgotten that he'd spoken to me in expectation of a response.

My mouth is dry as I look up, running both hands through my tangled mess of hair. "I am alright, I just need to take a walk..." Even as I say it, I know that I am lying. I am not alright- I've been pretending that the trauma of Jensen's death had long since left me, but I am still just as plagued by it as the night that it happened. I wipe sweat from my face and push my blankets back, untangling myself from their silken hold. This room is a prison cell and I will surely die if I do not escape.

 "The King has not lifted the order to keep you in your chambers, ma'am. I am very sorry." And by the look on his face, Levi is truly regretful. But all I can think about is the invisible chains tightening around my hands and feet.

I my fingers curl into fists, and I feel suddenly like the walls around me are closing steadily inward. My breathing becomes ragged and I feel suddenly light headed. Lance's face comes to mind in my haze as panic seizes me. I need him here. I need someone- before I lose myself. My mouth is a desert as I say, "Send for-", but my sentence is not finished before my chamber doors are opened and I look up, desperately seeking out a savior. The person there is not the man who's presence I was about to request for. I don't object as they cross the room to me in only a few great strides. They crouch in front of me, but I can barely see them. All I can focus on are the walls pressing in and the imaginary chains that strangle me.

"What is going on here? Why did she scream like that?" Though he looks directly at me, Sam addresses Levi, who, I think, has taken a step back.

"I don't know," The older man rushes. "She was sleeping and began to thrash about and started screaming. The dog had to wake her up before she would stop."

Sam turns his attention back to me, but I can't quite look at him. "Lyra, you need to snap out of it. It was only a dream, you're alright."

"S-Sam, there was blood- so much blood and I..." Tears well up in my eyes and I can't stop them from flowing as I recall the nightmare. "I couldn't stop it, I couldn't save him!" I gasp, breath seeming to have left me.

He takes my hand in his and holds them in front of my face so that I have to look at them. He squeezes them tightly and I think that it almost makes my bones ache, but I finally feel it. I feel him now. "Lyra, look." Sam commands me, lacing his finger tightly through mine.

I look. I hadn't realize that I had bee shaking until his touch steadies my hand.

His green eyes are blazing when I finally find them. "I am right here. I swear on my life that you are safe with me. You're alright- stop panicking. I am right here," He looks away briefly to Levi. "Bring me a chair and set it here," The Captain does as he is told without complaint and Sam sits, scooting as close to my bed as he can. "See? I am right here. I won't go anywhere."

My breathing is still quick, but the choppiness has subsided and my heart has steadied. Sam's hand is still curled around mine as I slowly draw my legs back into bed, starting to realize how cold the air is. The Prince uses one hand to pull the covers back around me, just like a child.

"Sam,' My voice is a whisper. "I'm so tired..."

"Then stop talking and close your eyes." His voice is much softer now than it was a moment ago.

I tilt my head to look at him as the last tear rolls down my cheek, and I admit what I've been hiding all along. "I'm afraid."

Sam gives a faint smile, his eyes softening. "Idiot, did you not just hear me tell you that I am right here? You have no reason to be afraid. Not of anything inside of your head, or out. I'm here to fight with you. I am not leaving you alone. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep."

I feel the wight of his words and his hand in mine, allowing the honesty of his words to soak in. He will not leave me. I wipe my cheek, close my eyes, and slowly drift off to sleep.

~

Sam's POV

I had been in the dungeon with Hana until a late hour, allowing him to see the bruised and battered man who I'd mentioned earlier at the party.

When the light of the torch fell upon the heap of a person, shivering in a pile of dirty straw against the cold stone floor, the Captain didn't say anything. Not one word. He simply stood outside of the cell for a very long hour with his lips pressed tightly together. He left before I did, saying that he was going to retire to his chambers.

I, on the other hand, decided to visit Danak and question him a bit more before his execution. He was afraid enough of me by then that I didn't need to use force to get him to answer, so things went much more smoothly than our first encounter. I actually ended up speaking with him a bit about his girlfriend and began to think of actually rescuing her. Our talk lasted for at least two hours, and that is why I was walking down the hallway at such a late hour when I heard the scream. Though I was quite far down the hallway, I knew the general direction of where it came from and made a break for Lyra's room. She is the only female who resides in this corridor, and unless the scream had come from a passing maid, the Princess was in trouble.

My instincts took over and I made a mad dash towards Lyra's chambers. When I got there, the Guardsmen blocked the doorway and took on a defensive stance.

"Let me through." I demanded, eyes blazing as I looked them straight in the eyes, daring them to argue with me.

The both of them looked panicked, as if they themselves had no idea what was going on. Apparently they hadn't found out why Lyra had screamed, which made me angry and more anxious than I already was.

"We cannot allow you access until the Princess is awake. I am sorry, Prince." One stated, glancing nervously behind him.

"This is not the first time that the Princess has called out in her sleep, Your Highness. If the Guards within have not alerted us to any threats inside, then we are not to leave our post." The other said, confidently holding his ground.

I paused to take a long breath, forcing myself to calm before I knocked the men out and let myself inside. "I will suffer whatever consequences the King gives me for entering the Princess' chambers this late at night, but I will not simply stand here after such a noise came from within. Now, please let me through. I will not ask again."

The two shared a look before nodding and stepping aside. "As long as you understand the consequences of your actions, we will not stop you."

I had shoved past them before they even finished their sentence. When I entered the room, Lyra was sitting up in her bed, face unusually pale. As far as I could tell, there was no intruder and she seemed uninjured. A Guardsmen was standing at the end of her bed, eyes wide and looking rather helpless.

After clearing the room for threats, I dropped my hand from the sword at my belt and begun to stride across the room. "What is going on here? Why did she scream like that?" I demanded, and the Guardsmen that I address looks like I may slaughter him if he answered incorrectly. And I might have, had he done something wrong. It took me a moment to see the gold of his sword hilt, signifying him as a Captain of the Guard. He must be the Captain of the Queen, as I am well acquainted with Hana and Claudius.

"I don't know," He rushed, face draining of color. "She was sleeping and began to thrash about and started screaming. The dog had to wake her up before she would stop."The Guard explains, and I decide to believe him.

I turn my attention to Lyra, who now has he feet hanging off of her bed, bare legs exposed in her night gown. Her eyes look very far away, like she can't get a grip on the present. She grips the edge of her bed with white-knuckled hands and her breathing is irregular and choppy. I instantly recognize the sign of a panic attack and kneel down in front of her. "Lyra, you need to snap out of it. It was only a dream, you're alright."My voice is hard enough to grab her attention, and she shifts her eyes  towards me, though she still hasn't quite seen me. She needs to see me, she needs to know that I am here.

Her voice was unsteady when she opened her mouth. "S-Sam, there was blood- so much blood and I..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled the nightmare. As they streamed down her face, I knew that she was in trouble. She would never cry in front of me if she could help it. "I couldn't stop it, I couldn't save him!" She was gasping then, and I knew the panic was working on taking her under.

With a frown, I pried the fingers of one hand from the bed and took it in mine, lacing my fingers around hers. I held them up between us, making her look at them. I squeezed until I knew that it hurt her, until my own hand was crying out for me to stop. "Lyra, look." I commanded, voice strong. What she needed was not to be coddled or handled lightly, the way many of the others did. She needed someone to take control and to tell her that she wasn't alone with her demons. Someday, I may even muster the courage to tell her about my own.

She finally looked and actually saw me sitting before her. She felt me now, and that's what she needed to be drawn out of her panic. Her hand, that had been quaking like a leaf in the wind, finally ceased and responded to my touch.

I look her straight in the eye and say what she should have known all along. "I am right here. I swear on my life that you are safe with me. You're alright- stop panicking. I am right here," I looked away briefly to the Captain, who had been watching like it was some big event. "Bring me a chair and set it here," The Captain rushed to pull a chair from the fireside table and brought it to me. Without taking my hand from Lyra's, I sat and scooted closer to the bed. "See? I am right here. I won't go anywhere." I said to prove it to her.

Her breathing had subsided until it was nearly back to normal and she slowly drew her legs back onto the bed, and I tried to ignore how much of her leg was showing as she did it. I averted my gaze as I leaned down to pull the covers back over her body, more to hide her indecency from the other men than to keep her warm. Lyra must forget that she is a woman, sometimes.

"Sam,' Lyra whispered, gazing at me. "I'm so tired..." I could see the truth of it on her face, but it looked like much more than being simply tired. She seemed to be exhausted from more than just a lack of sleep. The nightmares and flashbacks that she had bee hiding from everyone had finally taken it's toll on her. She is strong, for certain, but everyone has their breaking point.

"Then stop talking and close your eyes." I said, still holding her hand.

She tilted her head as the last tear rolled down her cheek, and I realized that I had never seen her so vulnerable. She had never before allowed me to see her so exposed, and I knew that I would protect her from the devil himself. "I'm afraid."

I gave a faint smile, eyes softening as I felt myself fall for her. "Idiot, did you not just hear me tell you that I am right here? You have no reason to be afraid. Not of anything inside of your head, or out. I'm here to fight with you. I am not leaving you alone. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep."

I could see in her eyes that she finally believed me as she wiped her cheek with a finger and allowed herself to relax. Now she knew that whatever silent battle she was fighting every time she fell asleep, she was not alone in it. As I watched her finally fall back to a peaceful rest, I realized just how lucky I was to be engaged to such an extraordinary person.

"What is your name?" I asked quietly, looking to the Captain I had spoken to earlier.

He looked much more relaxed now that Lyra was sleeping restfully and looked to me. "I am Levi, Your Highness. The Captain of Queen Alandra's Guard."

"You have never stayed a night here with Lyra, have you?"

"I have been ordered to keep watch nearby while she slept, before, sir." He answered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Is that so? Tell me something, Levi."

The Captain straightened. "Anything, Prince."

"Does she often wake screaming?" My gaze stayed intently on the short man while he answered.

"This is the first time that I've seen it with my own eyes, but it is known throughout the Guard of each Royal that the Princess has been having a hard time sleeping since the incident." He answered truthfully.

I said nothing more about it after that, and turned my attention to Sage, who had been watching me since I'd entered the room. She hadn't growled at my touching Lyra, and even wagged her tail a bit when she saw my eyes on her. At least the Chimera trusts me. Sage sighed and curled up close to Lyra, resting her enormous head on the pillow beside her.

"I will be staying here for a while, Levi. Pay no mind to me and continue your duties, please."

Levi looked at me, dark grey eyes reflecting something as he nodded. Was it respect?
Either way, I made a mental note to find out more about this man in the morning, as I rested my head in my free hand and watched Lyra's face, peaceful in sleep.

My heart ached for her, but she is not alone in her anguish. I've had some demons of my own that were troublesome to deal with, but now I felt like I may not have to live with them alone, anymore. I no longer felt the emptiness that was drilled into me since I was a child. Looking at Lyra then, I no longer felt so alone.

~

Author's Note

I've received some amazing fan art from you guys, and I'm so incredibly happy with them. :) Thank all of you so much!

I had someone ask about when I will be revealing Sage's true form, and for anyone else who may be wondering, here is your answer: I will be writing about Sage's true form as a Chimera in the sequel to Runaway Princess. *SPOILER FOR THE NEXT BOOK* The sequel's protagonist will be Lyra and Sam's son (Yes, the cat is out of the bag- the little boy in Sam's vision is their son). Please don't kill the author, Jedra shippers, I swear I still love you! The characters have minds of their owns, I promise. They're like rebellious children who do whatever they want! I just trot along behind them with my laptop and try to keep up.

@Warrior_H is a user who is looking to get their writing out, and I told them that I would give them a shout out in this update! Check them out, if you'd like. I'm sure that it would mean the world to them if you dropped a vote or comment!

Also, I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I like it when you guys call me Senpai :). For those of you who aren't an otaku and have no idea what Senpai means, here's google's definition of it: In Japan, senpai (先輩 ?) is an upperclassman, someone of a higher age, or senior and kōhai (後輩 ?) is a protégé or junior. The mentor system is found at all levels of education, and in sports clubs, businesses, and informal or social organizations.... Yep, so anyone under the age of 18 (because I am 18) can feel free to call me that, but you can call me just about anything (as long as it's respectful).

Oh, I recently graduated high school! The real world is now trying to beckon me out of my blanket fort, but I don't want to go! It's scary out there. O.O (By the way, the boy in my profile picture is my baby brother, so don't be alarmed!)

I really adore you Nuggets!! Thank you so, so much for supporting me, it makes me so incredibly happy to have so many followers and readers that I could cry :') At least I'm popular on the internet! Questions are always welcome and please don't waste away while waiting for the next chapter! TT-TT

Lots of love,

~A.