King Niilo was a large man, obviously bored with everything to do with work. He did not even turn his head as Aune was led into the room.

"It is the girl prisoner, Father." Prince Aonghus called out. "She is here to tell you her story."

"Bring her in." He bellowed in reply, focusing on his wine glass that was being refilled. "Take a seat, would you be so kind. Aongus, leave."

"Very well, father." Prince Aongus replied evenly. "But I shall talk to her after you have had your say." He bent down to Aune's ear. Do not tell him the truth. Any excuse to kill you is good enough for him."

"Go on, go on." King Niilo waved a meaty hand towards the door. The prince left.

"Well? Do you or do you not have a story to tell?" Aune paused, torn between the Prince's advice and her earlier desire to see the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I do. You see, from the very beginning, I was an orphan." Best to leave any parents out of this. "I was adopted by a peasant family, but they died of the plague and their friends took me in." Somewhere she had to get to a higher class, because she was not of peasant blood, and it was obvious in her looks. "I was kidnapped and held for ransom by one of Andras' followers, and he managed to convince me that what Andras was doing was right. I erred, Your Majesty, and I beg forgiveness. It was only when I found out what they were doing, that I rethought my ways. But it was too late. I was forced to work, through blackmail and threatening, I had to do their dirty work. Don't you see, Your Majesty? Can you forgive me?"

Finally King Niilo looked at Aune. "I do not-" He stopped abruptly. "Aphrodisia. I should be the one asking for your forgiveness. Please do not harm me. Take anything you want. My crown, my castle. Please, I beg you, do not harm me." Aune blinked in confusion.

"I am not Aphrodisia. My name is Aune." Wonderful. She had given her real name. "Who is Aphrodisia?"

The king practically fell onto the floor at her feet, weeping and sobbing. "Aphrodisia, how could you not know your own self? What have I done?"

The nearest soldier knelt and bowed his head to Aune. Then another. And another. "Stop!" Auune cried. "I am not Aphrodisia! Please! Someone fetch Prince Aonghus, quickly. Tell him his father is going mad!" One guard leapt up and sprinted off.

King Niilo continued to moan and pound the floor. "Aphrodisia, please. Take anything, anything at all. Whatever you please. But do not harm me, I beg you, do not harm me."

The door to the grand hall was blasted open and Prince Aonghus stormed in. "Father, what is this?"

King Niilo seemed not to hear. "Aphrodisia," He moaned.

Prince Aonghus scrunched up his brow. "Who is he speaking of? Ask him."

Aune, biting her lip, leaned forward. "Tell me more of who I am, Your Majesty."

He sobbed and choked out "Aphrodisia, you were the most gorgeous girl in the world, I could not let you go. But I had to steal you away. We fell in love, but people were suspicious. I stranded- Oh! Please do not make me say it, Aphrodisia!"

"Say it."

He burst into fresh wails and continued. "I left you stranded on an island. I never forgave myself, Aphrodisia. Forgive me, I plead you. I kept our son safe, all these years. Please forgive me."

"His son?" Prince Aonghus reeled as if he had been punched. "Me? Who is this son?"

"I named him Aonghus, Aphrodisia. Our son is well."

Aune froze. Prince Aonghus stared back at her. "Where did... where did my mother come from?" His voice was choked.

"Where did I come from?" Aune asked. King Niilo smote the marble floor. "I stole you away, Aphrodisia. You were a nun, at the temple of Sichern. I took you, and no one knew." Aune's blinked in astonishment.

The Prince stepped forward. "Are you alright?"

Aune shook her head. The Temple of Sichern. Where Constantia was a nun. And her daughter. Aune gasped. Prince Aonghus was Constantia's grandson. "I need to talk to you." Aune forced out.

The Prince only nodded.

. . .

Less than five minutes later, Aune had finished her story, leaving Prince Aonghus stunned. "You knew my... my grandmother?" He shook his head. "Leave me alone, I beg of you. My head may well burst." Aune stood and bowed. But before she could take a step, the door swung open.

"Halt!" Aune froze. "Your highness, your father demands to see you and the prisoner immediately."

Prince Aonghus sighed. "Very well, but be warned, if it is any of that foolishness again, I shall leave and take the prisoner with me."

They were ushered out into the grand hall again. This time, King Niilo seemed to have regained control over himself. "You, wretched beast, are an imposter! Evil!" He spoke directly to Aune. Her lip curled.

"Don't call me that."

"I'll call you however I want. And you, Aonghus, aren't any better. Take him to the prisons. He is no longer my son." He glanced sideways at Aune and gulped. "Call the Blackwolf."

It did not take long before they arrived, fully geared and prepared. Aune realized now how powerful and strong they were. They were fighters, born and bred. Large and powerful, small and strong, the bodies varied, but one thing stayed the same. Their eyes glowed fiercely and alert, ready to attack or flee at the slightest movement.

"Take the criminal away, far away and kill her." King Niilo ordered them.

A tall, lean young man stepped forward. "We don't take orders from anyone, Your Highness."

This was Nor, Aune realized. Now that she could see him in the light, she could see instantly that he was related to Kaye. Kaye was smaller, but with the same proud nose and poise. They both had light hair, and their mouth and thin lips matched.

"I am the King and you WILL obey me!" King Niilo roared.

Nor did not flinch. "No. We won't. We'll take the prisoner, both of them if you will not pay us an appropriate sum, but we will not kill her without reason, yet."

King Niilo was turning purple. "Then LEAVE! We will not pay for your criminals!"

"Very well." This time it was another man, very tall and muscular, with dark skin. "Nor, this is not the time for you to test your bargaining skills." Then turning to King Niilo, he spoke loudly, his voice echoing. "We will take both the prisoners. You are a fool to make enemies with the Blackwolf."

Kaye, in an instant, had grabbed Aune and forced her into the melee of feet pounding. Aune struggled to not fall. The Blackwolf surged ahead faster, faster than Aune knew it was possible to run. Growling, Kaye shoved her forward, where Nor grabbed her and pulled her onward. They were heading down, down into the cellars, passing surprised and scared workers and slaves. Down, down into the lowest parts of the castle. Down, down into the cells. Aune knew it was hopeless. They were going to be cornered.

Suddenly Nor skidded to a stop, sending Aune crashing into him. Guards stood ahead and behind them, blocking them in.

"Give us Andras!" Kaye shouted.

"You are the only fools here." One called back. "Andras has been moved away from this castle the moment he left your sight."

"You're hardly in a place to bargain." Another sneered.

The Blackwolf were so calm, Aune found it terrifying. Their silence was almost inhuman.

Kaye spoke again. "I think you'll find that you're wrong."

Then, without warning, they leapt forward, slashing, spinning, shouting. Aune felt her eyes widen. They slid in and out of the guards, quickly and efficiently. The guards fought back, terrified of the brutal forces they were dealing with. The fighting formed a circle around Aune, and her heart pounded, afraid to be hit by a stray knife or sword.

"Don't kill them!" One of the Blackwolf shouted above the din. "We don't need trouble!"

"What do you mean?" Another yelled back. "This isn't enough trouble for you?"

There were a few chuckles from around them, and now the clash began to slow. Here and there, Aune could see bodies of fallen guards, forced down by blows. There were three still fighting, but when they saw their fallen comrades, they turned and sprinted away, back up the hall where they had come from.

"Let's go, before they send more troops after us. We've got to get moving." Kaye's voice was easy, but there was a commanding tone in it. Her orders were obeyed almost instantaneously. Some other bounty hunter grabbed Aune and pulled her along. They slid quietly, but not without noise, down past rows of cells.

"Ah, Dan! Help me! I'm dying!" The voice issuing out of a cell nearly made Aune jump.

"Who is it?" A short, thin man called back.

"Dan! It's Albert! Help me, please."

A quick murmur ran through the Blackwolf. Then the man who had called King Niilo a fool, shook his head silently. They moved on, Albert continuing to moan after them.

Aune shuddered. She had been down here, but that still did not help the creeps that tingled up and down her spine. Something moved up ahead at the base of a wall.

"It's only a rat." Someone spoke out his voice deep.

"Oh, I hate rats." The short man, Dan, whispered. "Someone kill it, please."

Aune wanted to laugh. It seemed so comical, so out of place. Luckily she wasn't the only one. Nor, right behind her, chuckled. Kaye tried to hold in a laugh, but ended up with a snort that shook all the others and soon everyone was roaring. Everyone except Dan.

"It's not funny. I actually hate them. Their little beady eyes... ugh!" He shuddered. This proclamation only succeeded in making everyone else laugh harder. "Shut your mouths." Dan muttered. "Just keep moving."

Moments later, they came upon a trio of guards standing in front of a cell door. Kaye stepped forward. "I suggest you move, for your own safety."

One, Rubidium, snorted through his armor. "Yeah right, girl. What're you gonna do? Hmm? Wave your pointy stick around?"

Kaye sighed and pulled her sword out of a leather sheath around her waist. The sword was a thin steel blade. Aune knew it was meant for seeking cracks in armor. "Sorry about this."

Before anyone could blink, Kaye was wiping the blood off her blade and onto the first guard's armor. Turning to the other two, she glared at them. "Will you cooperate?"

They both pulled out their swords in response to Kaye's words. Again she sighed. "Really? Well then." She leapt off the ground, slashing with her sword and driving it down through the hairline crack between the second guard's helmet and chest guard. The other guard parried her first swing and stepped back. Kaye laughed grimly. "Again, I'm giving you a chance. Fight now, or leave and survive."

"I... I'm faithful to my King." He stammered, fear showing in his eyes.

Kaye nodded, blade pointed at his chest. "It's a pity you have to give up your own life for such a numbskull of a King." Then she lunged, feinting to the right and slicing in. He barely stopped her swing. She thrust and sliced confidently, while he barely defended himself.

Aune was so caught up in the brief duel, she missed what was going on behind her. The cell had been opened, and the occupant brought out.

The fighting guard turned and backed away swiftly, fear shining in his eyes. Then he turned and ran from Kaye's flashing sword. Aune followed Kaye's gaze to the person in the cell. Prince Aonghus stood there, shaky and pale. Before Aune had fully processed what had just occurred, the Blackwolf swept off down the halls from where they had come. In just a short time, Aune again found herself in the throne room, but unlike last time, it was empty. Again her hands were bound, but not her feet. Kaye pulled her up onto a horse and sat down behind her.

"Right." She muttered. "You're coming with us. Don't try to struggle or escape, if you value your life."