"There's so much in our way," moaned Lance. Raina shoved another mouthful of food into her mouth and watched as Lance pulled at his hair in frustration. They had decided to rest in the cave for the night in order to come up with a plan, but their situation had only gotten worse. Luna's injury hadn't gotten any better and she now refused to move. If that wasn't enough, Raina had noticed that the wound in Lance's side had become infected. They had to get moving soon or risk the Ladon soldiers hunting them down, and they were also running short on supplies.

"Where's the nearest town?"

Lance frowned at her, sweat dripping down his face. "Exeter, but it's too dangerous. My father has men there, or he used to. There's no way of telling if they're friends or foes now. Also, it's a border town, meaning there will be more soldiers than usual."

"It's a chance we're going to have to take. We need to find a doctor."

"I'm fine," he grunted and forced a smile. "See? I'm great."

"I was worried about Luna not you," said Raina smugly as she put together a small pack of gear.

"You're not going down there by yourself. Even if they are on our side, they don't know who you are."

Raina snorted. "They'll know when I'm done with them."

"You don't even have a sword." Lance forced himself to his feet, gripping onto the rock wall for support. "I'm going with you."

"You can barely walk, and we don't have transportation," Raina persisted. "You're just going to slow me down."

"Slow and steady wins the race."

Raina frowned. "Alright then. Let's go."

Lance met her glare. She had a glint in her eyes, like she was challenging him. He nodded his head and stepped forward, taking his hand off the wall. Lance stood tall and proud, his chin in the air, until a sudden wave of pain shot through his body. His legs shook, and his vision became distorted and spun around him. Raina grabbed him before he toppled over, gently helping him to the ground.

"That's what I thought," scoffed Raina as Lance's clutched his torso, his teeth gritted in pain.

He huffed in defeat. "Exeter isn't a safe place. It's overrun with dangerous people who would do anything for a good buck. Your best bet is to find a woman they call the Malocchio."

"Malocchio," Raina repeated. "Like the evil eye?"

Lance nodded. "That's her. She's an old family friend. If anyone is gonna be willing to help us, it's her. She's very hard to get in contact with. You'll have to take my sword if you want to have any chance of meeting up with her."

Raina took the sword Lance handed her, eyeing its structure. It was heavier and a bit bulkier than the one she was used to, but not so much that it would be impossible to use. She could tell the material used to make it was durable, and red striped adorned a simple hilt. Raina sliced the air with it, and she was surprised to see how swift and silent it cut. Lance smiled at her admiration.

"Malocchio made that herself. She's one of the best blacksmith's in the empire, and my father just happens to be her best customer. She'll recognize it as mine when she sees it."

Raina nodded and pulled the hood over her head. She placed the sword on her belt and draped Lance's cloak around it.

"Hey princess," Lance called out as Raina headed down the opposite side. "Don't do anything stupid."

Raina snorted. "As long as you promise not to jump off any more cliffs."

Lance gave her a small smile. "If you aren't back by morning, then I'm coming after you."

Raina remained rooted the ground. She had a sinking feeling in her gut, and for a second she questioned her better judgement. Lance would be left here defenseless, with no way out. If she didn't come back, what would happen to him? Sure, he was an obnoxious idiot, but even Lance had done her some good. He hadn't been what she expected a Luciano to be, but she still wasn't ready to trust him fully. After all, she had hidden her true self for years. Lance was certainly capable of doing it too. She bit her lip as she met his green eyes. Raina couldn't help but wonder what mysteries she would find in them if she dug just a bit deeper.

Raina smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be back with help."

Lance nodded, his expression like stone, as he watched Raina disappear down the mountainside.

Well, Lance was right about one thing, Exeter was not a safe place. It was also noticeably empty. Raina walked along the narrow, cobblestone pathway that led into the town. The faded stone buildings contrasted the bright blue sky, giving the town a dull and eerie look. All the buildings looked run down and broken, their shutters faded. A single road ran through the town from the mountains, but it seemed like it hadn't been used for a long time. Trash littered the streets, and the few people who were out bustled into each other with angry words and glares.

"Watch it!" Raina jumped out of the way as one man came through on his horse, pushing through the streets and not stopping for anyone who was in his way. There were no soldiers in sight. Raina glanced around nervously before picking up her pace through the narrow road. The hair on the back of her neck rose as she hurried along, ignoring the curious stares of the people passing by.

Raina bit her lip. This was a lot different than she had expected. Back at the Alton Order, she had always read books about places all around the world. She knew of various cultures, governments, architecture, and people, but none of the places she read were like this. She had known there were dangerous places in the world, but it had never occurred to her that places like this might exist. She checked over her shoulder, a chill running down her spine. Ever when she lived in her own kingdom she had never been afraid of taking a wrong turn, but that was when she had her family by her side. Now, she was all alone in an unfamiliar place. Raina took a deep breath, letting her shoulders relax. She had every reason to be afraid. It was just her mind's way of reacting to a new situation.

Raina jumped as she heard a small snapping sound, the straps of her back coming free from around her shoulders. She didn't even have time to react as a young man ran off with her belongings, the knife he used to slash the strings still in his hand.

"Wait!" Raina screamed after him, but the boy had already disappeared down a dark alleyway. Now she was alone in an unfamiliar place with no money. Great.

A worn-out ball rolled to Raina's feet, and she glanced up as a ground of kids approached her for the ball. They all were extremely skinny, and their clothes were in tatters. Raina glanced around, but she couldn't spot any adults who might be their parents. She wasn't sure whether she pitied or envied them. After all, she had had a wonderful childhood, but she never had the freedom these kids had. They could play in the streets all day and go wherever they wanted. Raina had always wondered what it would be like to have someone to share all her secrets with, someone who always had her back. She had always wondered what it would be like to have friends.

"Can I have the ball?" Raina blinked in surprise at the boy's expectant expression.

"I have a question," Raina spoke. "Where can I find Malocchio?"

The boy's eyes widened, and he and the other children bolted in the opposite direction, leaving the ball stranded at Raina's feet. The rest of the people on the street also scattered, giving her frightened and angry looks as they ran inside and lock their doors. Raina looked on in confusion, not quite sure if it was what she had said that had caused such panic.

A hand came on Raina's shoulder, and she spun to face two men. Both loomed over her, their faces covered. They stepped toward her menacingly, prompting Raina to take a few large steps backward.

"Were you the one who asked for Mal?"

Raina hesitated. "Yes?"

Raina's eyes darted between the two of them. She wondered if she could outrun them or if she stood a chance against them in a fight.

The men chuckled. "Don't be afraid. We're your friends." The bigger man clasp a large hand on Raina's shoulder, squeezing it so hard that Raina through it might splinter into a thousand pieces. Well, there goes the option of running.

"We just want to know why you gotta see 'er. And who you're workin' for," the smaller, uglier man said in a deep voice.

Raina froze, suddenly realizing the terrible situation she was in. She could reveal herself and hope these men were friends of Lance's and risk her life, or she could try to fight two men she stood little to no chance against. These were great options.

"Leave the kid alone," said a raspy voice. "She's obviously new 'round here. She doesn't know better."

The men glared over Raina's shoulder at the disembodied voice, and they grumbled before the bigger man released his grip on Raina's shoulder. They nodded their head at the man before heading off in the opposite direction. Raina didn't take her eyes off them until they had finally turned the corner, taking one last glance over their shoulders.

"Are ya tryin' to get yerself killed?" Raina turned to meet an older man with darker skin, only a little bit bigger than herself. He had a mean look on his face, and despite his small appearance, Raina immediately felt intimidated by his scowl. "There's a war goin' on, and it ain't smart to yerself involved. A girl like you should head back to where ya've come from."

"Sir-"

"It's Pierre."

"Um, right. Pierre," Raina corrected. "It's really important I meet with Malo-"

The man shoved his hand over Raina's mouth. "Haven't you learned your lesson? There's been a schism among Luciano's men, so there's a war goin' on. You don' wanna get caught in the middle of it. I won' be around to save ya next time."

"A war?"

Pierre gave Raina a look of confusion. "Aren't you one of those youngsters tryin' to get involved in their thievery? A life of crime isn't all it's cut out to be."

"No," said Raina, the word coming out slowly. She wasn't sure exactly how much information would be safe to give out to a stranger. "Actually, I'm headed from the Order of Alton."

Pierre cocked an eyebrow. "That's impossible. The Order of Alton doesn't exist anymore. They were broken up when the Ladon Empire took over. Whad ya think happened to this place?" Pierre gestured to the crumbling, littered streets and the worn-down houses. "This place used to be a paradise before they left."

Raina gave the man a skeptic glance. She couldn't have imagined this place ever having been a paradise. What was even more surprising to her was that this man thought the Order of Alton hadn't existed for years. Raina stared at the man, searching for anything to convince him otherwise. Pierre sighed and prepared to lecture Raina again when the answer came to her. Well, it didn't really come to her. Matter of fact, it sat inches away on the hilt of Pierre's sword.   

"Wait, you were a Knight of Alton?" Raina blurted in disbelief.

Pierre froze. "How..."

"Just a hunch." Raina pointed to the intricate carvings on his sword, similar to the one's on Antonio's. "I told you. One of the knights from the Order of Alton had a sword with carvings just like those."

Raina yelped as Pierre grabbed her arm and pulled her through the street. His mouth was pressed into a firm line as he dragged Raina down the narrow cobblestone path and shoved her against a wall.

"Listen," he growled. "I don' know who you are or how you know that information, but I can't let you leave."

Raina gritted her teeth at his strength. He was much stronger than he looked, and his sudden strength had thrown her off guard. Raina kicked him in the gut, causing the man to stumbled backwards into the wall. She had some surprises up her sleeve too.

"Please!" she cried out. "I'm telling the truth!"

Pierre however didn't listen and drew his sword, the blade catching the light from the sun and blinding Raina. She blinked and then gasped as Pierre dove toward her, giving her seconds to dodge. Raina threw herself to the side, using the momentum to bring herself back to her feet. Raina reached for her sword, but Pierre had turned in seconds and sliced her hand. Raina yelled in pain and stumbled backwards, her sword clattering as it hit the ground.

Pierre stood over her, his eyes widening. "Oh my..."

He fell to his knees and bowed his head, and Raina stared at him in confusion while blood continued to drip from her hand. Heads were peeking out of their closed shutters at the commotion. Raina's hand reached towards her head, pulling at a hood that wasn't there. Her mouth fell open at the realization of what had just happened.

"Your majesty," Pierre muttered in shock. "If you're here, then..."

"No time to explain!" Raina jumped to her feet and pulled the hood back over her head. "We need to get out of here."

"Of course," Pierre muttered under his breath, attempting to gather his bearings. "There isn't any place to stay in town, but I'll be happy to take you in. We should hurry. Word will get around quick."

Pierre pulled out a small handkerchief and wrapped Raina's injured hand before they hurried through the back alleyways until they reached a small cottage at the edge of town. A small crowd was lined up at the door, their faces brightening as Pierre approached.

"Pierre!" One older woman cried. A few children glanced up, smiles appearing on their faces. Pierre reached his arms out to the people and gave them a friendly nod. Raina stared at the people and noticed how their clothes hung off their bony bodies. There were many mothers holding their children close, their eyes sunken and their skin dirty. Every person held a small bowl in their hand, their skinny fingers clutching them tight.

Raina followed Pierre inside, a wonderful aroma overtaking her senses. A woman stood at a pot, a colorful apron tied around her waist. Her hair had grayed, but her round face was bright and jolly, like that of a child. It lit up as Pierre pecked her on the cheek.

    Pierre gestured to Raina, who was still standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Sara, I would like you to be meet Princess Regina."

    "Actually," Raina cut in, "I don't go back by that name anymore. It's Raina."

    "Oh my." The woman's spoon fell to the ground as she inched towards Raina, her eyes full of disbelief. She cuffed her cold hands around Raina's face, her thumb softly rubbing her cheek. "I can't believe my eyes."

    Sara threw her arms around Raina, nearly choking her. She gently patted the older woman on the back, not quite sure how to react. The woman pulled away, tears glittering in her dark eyes. She looked at Raina from head to toe as if she was trying to convince herself that the princess was standing in front of her.

    "Oh please Sara. You're scarin' the poor girl," chuckled Pierre. "Also, the rice is burnin'."

    "Oh dear." Sara quickly wiped her eyes and stopped the fire.

    "You see Regina," Pierre said, and Raina had to grit her teeth to not correct them again. "We've known you since you were a baby. I know it's been a long time, but Sara was your governess for a long time when you very young. When we heard what happened, we were devastated, but we always had hope that you might up and return home."

    Sara shoved a bowl of rice into her hands. "I know it isn't much, but it's all we have. Please, make yourself at home," she said before hurrying outside with the rest of the rice. Raina wandered across the small room and sat in a large armchair. She sunk into it and struggled to sit back up in a more comfortable position, but found that she was stuck. A patterned rug lay on the ground, the orange and red matching the wall. A coffee table sat just out of reach from where she sat, and a few story books sat on top of its smooth, wooden surface. The room was full of clocks: cuckoo clouds, round clocks, square clocks, colorful clocks, boring clocks. Name it and it was there. A work bench stood in the corner, littered with small carvings and a few variations of knives.

    Raina's stomach growled as the smell of the rice in the bowl drifted to her nose. She had never been starved so many times in such a short period of time. She took a bite, the taste of the cooked vegetables and the rice creating an array of flavor in her mouth.

    "This is delicious!"

    Pierre smiled. "Yeah, Sara here makes the best food in town."

    Raina glanced out the door as Sara filled the people's bowls from her pot. "So, do you guys own a restaurant?"

    Pierre followed Raina's gaze out the door and shook his head. "This is all for free. Everybody eats 'round here. We ain't about to let anyone go hungry."

    "Why don't they leave?"

    Pierre raised his eyebrows. "Whad ya mean?"

    "Like, if everything is so terrible here, why don't they leave?" Raina asked. "Surely they could find somewhere better."

    Pierre shook his head. "Simple, cause they don' have anywhere else to go."

    Raina frowned. Pierre was right, the answer was simple, but Raina still couldn't wrap her head around it. How could someone not have anywhere else to go? There was always another town up the road with new opportunities. There was even a place for her after she had a bounty on her head and had lost the only home she had for her entire life.

    Pierre narrowed his eyes at her. "What I want to ask you," he started, his voice gaining an edge, "is why you're up lookin' for someone like Mal? Antonio must be worried sick."

    Raina felt the world spin around her and felt sick at the sudden mention of Antonio. A feeling of dread fell over as she felt she was living the past few hours all over again. An image of Antonio yelling at her to leave as Drake menacingly paced in the background flashed through her head. Why did she leave? Why didn't she stay and fight by his side? He would have done that for her. That's what knights were supposed to do.

    "Antonio," she choked on the world and paused to take a deep breath. Her eyes filled with tears, and she knew then that she couldn't bring herself to say the words. She opened her mouth again, but instead of speaking, she broke down into tears. Pierre just watched in horror as Raina struggled to choke back her tears, the realization of what happened causing his face to fall.

    He placed a hand on her shoulder and stood in silence for a moment before finally speaking, "Antonio and I were very good friends, you know? He was a good man, and I've never known anyone more skilled with a sword."

    Raina sniffed. "You knew him from the Knights of Alton?"

    Pierre nodded his head. "Those were the good ole days. The two of us and some other guys fightin' crime like some glorified do-gooders. We were just tryin' to have fun, but it became something much more to Antonio. So when the Ladon Empire attacked that night, Antonio was the only one who stayed." Pierre's eyes glazed over. "Not staying there with him will always be my biggest regret. Some men are meant to die peacefully, but God only chooses the best to take on mankind's sufferin'. Antonio was one of 'em."

    Pierre opened a drawer in the coffee table and pulled out a small painting of a large group of people. Raina spotted Pierre and Antonio in the center, their faces red and jolly from a night of excitement. If only Antonio was here now, she might have had a chance to finally lecture him for once. Raina squinted at the picture, another face catching her eye.

    "Is that my father?" Raina pointed at a man next to Antonio with ebony hair and olive eyes.

    Pierre laughed. "I told you I've known you since you were a baby. Your father was a man of justice and mercy. I was proud to know him. My only wish is that you had been able to have more time with him."

    Raina couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off the picture. She wondered why Antonio had never talked about her father with her before. It sort of upset her that she had never known how close they were, but the knowledge made her happy nonetheless. Raina smiled at the thought of the two of them in the afterlife talking about chivalry or the correct way to raise horses. She just had to hope she wouldn't have to listen to those conversations any time soon.

    "Speaking of your father," spoke Pierre. "I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to know you're tryin' to get in touch with someone like Mal."

    Raina's eyes widened as she was suddenly reminded of Lance. "Yes, about that. A friend of mine helped me escape from Ladon soldiers in the mountains, but he got hurt in the process. He has a fever with low supplies, and our horse is injured as well. He is acquainted with Mal and thought she could hook us up with supplies and maybe help us escape to Mirandola."

    Pierre put a hand on his chin. "What part of the mountains did you leave him in?"

    "In a cave just south of the peak."

    "Oh no," Pierre grunted.

    "Oh no? What do you mean oh no?" Raina stood from her chair, meeting Pierre's worried expression.

    "It's just that's Luciano territory. I sure do hope your friend is as close with Mal as he says he is," muttered Pierre.

    "Wait," Raina said. "Can't you help him?"

    Pierre sighed. "I'm not in as good of shape as I used to be and going straight into enemy territory is different than warding off those thieves 'round here. I would give it a try, but I have family and people who rely on me."

    Pierre jolted up as screams erupted from outside, and he bolted out the door, nearly tripping on a chair leg. Raina quickly followed suit and noticed that the crowd of people had scattered to the side, and the ones who had already gotten their food sprinted down the road. A group of large, dark black horses stood outside, their riders looming over the people menacingly. One of the riders stepped down, pulling a silver helmet off her head to reveal fiery red locks of hair that reached her waist. She was fully armored, but it was definitely not any suit of armor Raina was familiar with.

    "Mal," Pierre growled.

    "Pierre," said Mal calmly as she sauntered over to him. "How nice it is to see you again."

    Pierre pushed himself in front of Sara, who stood proudly by his side. "You know you're not welcome here."

    "That was under the conditions we arranged." Mal's gaze drifted past Pierre to Raina. "However, you have something I want." Mal snapped her fingers, and her men grabbed Raina. She struggled, but they had already locked her arms behind her back.

    "What in God's name! Let her go Mal! She's under my protection," Pierre yelled.

    "We agreed that no one guilty for the murder of a member of my people could be under your protection," said Mal as she pulled the sword from Raina's belt. "And how else would she have gotten this?"

    Raina's eyes widened. "Oh no, this is all a big misunderstanding! Lance gave me that sword to prove-"

    "Silence," barked Mal.

    "Mal please," pleaded Pierre. "Do you really think she is capable of such an act? She was just tellin' me that a boy who knew with you was stuck in the mountains, and that she came to get help."

    Mal scoffed. "Do I think she's capable? I've seen much of the blood shed due to the careless whims of the House of Savoia. I have no doubt that she's capable of the same sins as her parents."

    Raina clenched her teeth. "My parents did no such thing!"

    Mal shot her a look of contempt and her lips curled into a vicious snarl. "Your parents deserved everything they got."   

    Raina felt the heat rise to her face. A new energy overtook her as she struggled against her captors. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid look off her face. No one talked about her family like that.

    "If the boy is still in the mountains and alive," started Pierre, "then you have to release the princess."

    Mal frowned before snapping for another one of her men. He jolted forward, bowing to Mal before she whispered something inaudible to him. He nodded his head and rode off on his horse.

    "I'm sending a group to look, but until then, the princess will remain in my guard. If Lance isn't found," she turned his sword over in her hands, "then I'm sending her into the gladiator fights."

    Pierre was ready to argue, but Raina shook her head. "I'll be fine. They'll find Lance, and I'll see you before nightfall."

    Raina's words were confident, but she didn't feel that way. What if something had happened while she was gone? She remembered Lance telling her that he would go after her if she wasn't back by morning. What if he had wandered off before then? She took a deep breath. All she could do was hope that no one else found him before they did.

Hey guys! I just want to start off by saying that I am soooooo sorry about the late update. For those of you who have been following the story, you know that I have been pretty good about keeping up my schedule and it's something I pride myself on. This week was insane, and there was so much going on. I'll do my best to make sure it won't happen in the future, but sometimes things are out of control. All is well now though! Thank you guys for your patience :)

Hope you enjoyed reading! Comment or PM me if you have any questions. If you enjoyed don't forget to vote! Thanks and hope all is well!