I DIDN'T SEE CALDER anywhere for the rest of the day, and as I went to bed that night I couldn't sleep from so many thoughts running around my head. Eeira assured me not to worry about Gulbrand as she had a firm discussion with him, but that still didn't ease nor appease me. That man was vile and suspicious if you asked me, even if he had saved Calder all those years ago. I knew I couldn't go down to the bottom wing anymore and get myself into that kind of trouble again, but I didn't understand why that place was so forbidden to be. . .

It honestly felt like after the kiss that almost happened Calder was avoiding me. I had hoped just maybe I would've run into him at some point again to apologize or find out why he acted the way he did, or. . .I really didn't know. I just knew laying there in the darkness of the room my chest was tight at the thoughts of how badly I wanted to see his face.

As my eyes finally started to flutter closed I drifted to sleep and entered the dream world again. When Calder kissed my hand this time something different happened. I pulled his head down to my level and crashed my lips onto his before there was a large rumbling sound that broke us apart. But as the rumbling continued, I realized it wasn't just the dream, but actually happening. I tried to wake myself up, but Calder held my hand with fear struck on his features.

"Run," his voice was like a distant echo, before the dream fizzled into darkness.

It must have been the middle of the night when my eyes flung open and I raised up from the bed; indeed hearing the rumbling and commotion outside my chamber. I scrambled from the sheets and ran to the door, coming out into the hallway. Guards and staff were racing past me, not even giving notice that I was there.

"What's going on? Where is everyone going?" I asked them, but it was like no one could hear me.

Where is Calder?

Eeira then approached me with her own worrisome expression, and my stomach clenched.

"You must come with me quickly, Princess," she urged, placing her hand on my shoulder to guide me forward.

"Why? What's going on?" I questioned, stopping her.

She was hesitant with her answer, and each second I waited made me all the more worried.

"Iron knights are attempting to break into the palace. The guards are trying to barricade the openings but we must get you someplace safe, just to be cautious. Please, come with me."

I nodded and proceeded to go with her, but all the while my mind processed her words and pitted into my chest. The guards were holding off the knights and possibly fighting them, and all I could think of was Calder. I knew how menacing those knights were, as did he because we had both been victims to them before. Calder may have been able to fight them off when he saved me, but if something happened right now and he couldn't. . .

I didn't want to think about it. Eeira took me to the medical storage room just as I had been hours before, telling me to stay there. She put something called a glamour over the door that would cause it to be unseen, and left me there. I continued listening in torture to the banging and shouting above me, and paced the floor while trying to keep steady of my breathing.

I knew the knights had come for me, and they weren't going to stop until I was taken or killed. It was my fault that Calder and his men might be hurt or slaughtered while fighting them from getting to me. Just like in my dream it was because of me that my subjects were in the clutches of the frozen queen.

A flurry of snowflakes began to cascade around me, and I tried to make them stop. I covered my hands over my ears and took deep breaths, even searched some of the shelves to see if there was anything that might calm my nerves down.

Suddenly the commotion on the floor above me was silenced, and I froze in my place to listen. Then there was a sound that startled me from outside the door. The handle was being fumbled with like someone or something was trying to break in, and I had nothing to defend myself with no control of my powers. I backed myself up agaisnt the far wall and prepared for what was coming.

The door then swung open and there stood Eeira once more. I let out a breath of relief, running over to her.

"Come Princess, the knights have left," she told me, patting my hand. "It is safe now."

"Did they get inside? Why were they here? Were they after me again?" I questioned with confusion.

"Just come with me and I'll explain," Eeira said, and in agreement I left with her out of the room as my flurries disappeared.

"This had to have been planned. There's no way the iron knights would just come here and try to attack on their own free will," a short man addressed to Eeira and several other high staff . The Clan was there too, and I sat listening to them all standing around me from where I sat.

"They do only what the frozen queen tells them," the man informed. "They never act on anything otherwise."

"Then what was the purpose of all of this?" Eeira questioned, throwing up her hands. "Just to come and cause a scene then simply leaving as if they were never here at all."

"It was a warning," Calder spoke up as he approached. He gave a glance to me still in my nightgown and my hair undone, making me feel sheepish. He brushed away his gaze and continued to the others.

"The frozen queen was reminding the princess that she's out there, waiting for any moment to strike. She never planned for the knights to break in. She just wanted all of us to know they were here."

"She wanted me to know that the iron knights can come in at any time," I concluded, my voice low as I stared off at nothing and let the information sink in. "She wants me to remember that they can kidnap or kill me whenever she commands it."

"No, Eerika. Look at me," Calder addressed, and I followed his order. His face was serious, eyes full of something I couldn't read. "I will not let that happen. I promise you."

"What should we do about this situation, Captain? Should we provide more security to the palace and the princess?" one of the Clan members suggested, and even though all of this had me frightened, the thought of being around a knight like Verick more made me bilious. I pulled my leg up to my chest and propped my chin on my knee.

"That can be our option, yes, but I believe it is also time to start her training. I volunteer to take on both charges," Calder said. I jerked my attention back to him in surprise.

"Calder, you understand what Chamberlain Gulbrand told you. Your captaincy is most important," Eeira mentioned, but Calder snapped back at her.

"I don't care what he said. After the harm he caused yesterday he should have no say in any further matter reguarding Eerika. What is important is protecting her, and I can attain that position better than any of my men. They don't need me to command them. They know their directives."

I sat there in shear awe at Calder's words, especially because of what had nearly happened between us hours ago and how he avoided me after. The Clan agreed to his propositions and I felt both relief and a flutter in my stomach that he was going to be by my side now full time. I trusted Calder and I felt safe with him, among whatever feelings I was starting to have when he was around. I just hoped Gulbrand wouldn't try to reprimand or decomission him for defying his wishes. But the Clan was at an even higher position than Gulbrand was so what could he do?

I glanced around for the bastard but couldn't find him anywhere in the hall, and that grew my suspicion. I was going to question Eeira or one of the staff where he was, but when Calder spoke to me again I lost any train of thought.

"We'll start your lesson in the garden at noon. Try to get your rest, you'll need it. I'll be outside your chamber door until you wake again, so you need not worry. You'll be safe, ok?"

I let out a breath and nodded, trying to give a small smile though inside I felt like screaming. "Thank you."

Calder then turned to walk away and I wanted to stop him to talk about earlier, and find out if it was still going on in his head like it was in mine. But I couldn't bring myself to get the words out of my mouth, and I watched him leave before Eeira grabbed my attention.

"Come dear, let's get you back to bed," she said. I rose from my seat to follow her with my legs now turned into jello.