Lance's knuckles had turned white from how tight he was holding the reins. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, his mind wandering from thought to thought. His stomach was tied in knots. Raina's face kept flashing through his mind, and guilt had flooded his senses. He could still feel her soft skin on his torso, like ghosts haunting him. After she had helped him, he left her stranded. But she had left his people stranded. They were his priority. If he had just done what he was supposed to in the first place, this might never have happened. His father might die hating him. He was doing the right thing.

He grunted, pain shooting through his body. He let go of the reins, and his horse jolted as she raced over a tree root. Lance hit the ground hard, the breath escaping his lungs. He gasped in surprise, his back feeling the blunt pain of the fall. Lance rubbed his shoulder, grimacing in pain again. His horse continued galloping into the wilderness, either not knowing or caring that her passenger was being left in the dust.

"Hey! Come back!" Lance yelled after her, but she had soon disappeared from view, the sound of her hooves fading into silence. Lance pushed himself to his knees, clutching his side in pain. This was it. He was going to die here in the middle of the forest. He leaned against a tree, looking at the moonlight as if it was the last time he'd see it. Or was it that white light people see before they die? He grunted, blinking away the spots that formed in his vision. Nope, it was just the moon.

The smell of smoke filled his nostrils, causing him to erupt into a fit of coughing. His eyes caught sight of a dagger in a nearby tree, and Lance suddenly realized he had been at the place of the battle earlier that night. A chill ran through his body as he spotted a still figure sprawled on the ground. Lance was frozen, unable to move closer in fear of what he would see. His body shook as he crawled closer, and his face lost all of its color as he stared at the pale and familiar face. Lance released the breath he had been holding in, his heart sinking in his chest. Antonio was dead.

Lance felt hot suddenly, sweat beading on his temple. A wave of nausea ran through his body. Raina was travelling to meet Antonio at the peak of the mountain, but he was never going to show up. And she didn't even know.

Lance felt like Antonio himself was standing in front of him, cursing him from the spirit world. What had he been thinking? He had fought Ladon soldiers before, but his family had always been one step behind him in his fights. He couldn't take on hundreds and hundreds of men by himself. Especially not men who were capable of defeating a knight like Antonio. He had been rash before, but that might not work for him in this battle. He had to go back to Raina.

Lance reached towards Antonio's face and pushed down his eyelids, so it just looked like he was sleeping. If the color hadn't been drained from his face, Lance might have thought he was just taking a nap on the forest floor.

Lance pushed himself to his feet and scanned the area until his eyes landed on the dagger still buried in the tree. He knelt down and dug into the earth with his hands. Luckily for him, the rain had softened the earth considerably, and in no time, Lance had dug a hole big enough for Antonio's body to be put to rest. He wiped the dirt on his pants and carefully placed Antonio in the ground, whispered a prayer under his breath, and the covered him with earth's blanket. He took his own dagger and carved Antonio's name into the tree.

Feeling satisfied with himself, he stepped back to admire his work. It was missing something, but Lance wasn't quite sure what it was. He thought back to his mother's funeral. There were crowds of people dressed in black, a huge ceremony, and lots of delicacies, none of which Lance could provide for Antonio. It was all nothing that his mother or Antonio would ever want at their funerals. He placed his hand on his chin, and a smile quickly spread on his face. Flowers.

Lance scoured the area, looking for a blossom of any sort, but found nothing. He was about to admit defeat when a glimmer caught his eye. A serene pond sat to his right in the forest. His horse drank from the pond, and at at her feet were an assortment of lilies. He uprooted a few from the ground and patted the animal on the back.

"You know," he began and led the horse along, "it would help if you could respond to simple commands." The horse huffed, and Lance pointed his finger at her. "Don't sass me."

Lance planted the lilies on top of where he had buried Antonio. If all else went wrong today, at least Antonio had received a proper burial. He couldn't help but think it was a shame he had ever needed one in the first place.

Lance hopped on his horse, taking one last look at Antonio's grave, and raced back in the direction he'd come. He was going to save his family one way or another, whether it was rushing into battle or forcing a stubborn princess to take back her throne.

Raina struggled against her captor's grip. She kicked and punched, but Drake was stronger, quickly pinning her against the wall. He chuckled, seemingly unimpressed with his victim's skills.

"Where's your boyfriend?" He asked, his hands tightening around her wrists.

Raina glared back at him, still struggling. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She spat at him.

He pushed his palm up against her throat, and Raina found herself unable to breathe.

"I can't believe you were my replacement," he growled. Raina was clawing at his hands, struggling to break his grip, but her fighting spirit was quickly fading as she began to gasp for air.

Drake held her chin in his hand, examining her gaze. She was definitely a member of the Savoia House. She had the pointed, oval face and the dark hair characteristic of her family, but that wasn't the give-away. It was the eyes. He could never forget those eyes, and the light that had escaped from them that day. Hers sparkled just like his did.

Raina struggled out of his grip, biting down on Drake's hand with all the force she could muster. Drake grunted as he quickly pulled his hand away and slapped the girl hard across the face, throwing her to the ground. Drake frowned and watched the princess gasped for breath. She weakly pushed herself to her knees and desperately attempted to crawl towards her sword laying at the other side of the cave. Drake watched her in amusement before kicking her in the side, causing her to collapse again, clutching her side in pain. If he could be completely certain about anything, it was that she was alone. The Luciano boy had left her, which left Drake to conclude that he either was nearby or returning to the kingdom.

He glanced out at the two men clad in black who had filed into the cave, awaiting orders. Drake frowned at the Phantoms. Despite the circumstances, he wasn't happy to be working with criminals. These men had been his enemies since his birth, and continued to be so even after he joined the Ladon Empire. There was no benefit to an alliance with them, and Drake was wary of the swords glinting at their sides. It was only a matter of time before their true colors showed, but for now Drake would do what he had to do for the king. He nodded at Raina, and the brothers went to grab her.

"Just wait until Antonio gets here!" She threatened, her sparkling brown eyes meeting Drake's.

Drake narrowed his eyes. She still hadn't come to that conclusion? She saw the two fighting, and if she made it this far, she must've seen the Order of Alton up in flames. He kept his face stone cold as he threw Antonio's sword in front of her. It clanged the ground, long and heavy. Confusion swept over the young princess's face, and then her eyes widened.

Drake turned away, not wanting to see the light leaves those eyes again. "Antonio's dead."

Raina's mouth dropped open as she watched him leave the cave, rejoining the rest of the Ladon soldiers as they set up camp. The brothers attempted to grab her again, but Raina grabbed the sword and brushed by them, chasing after Drake.

"You're a liar!" The sword dragged behind her, as she was not strong enough to pick it up. Drake watched as she threw it over her shoulder, attempting to thrust it at him. It just came clattering back to the ground, too big of a burden for the princess to carry. Her eyes glistened as she stared at its still form on the cold, forest floor. Her brave facade broke as she fell to her knees, allowing the tears to stream down her face. Antonio couldn't be dead. He was all she had left, and it was all her fault. She deserved to die.

Drake watched as the brothers practically dragged her away. They would travel back to Ladon, where the princess would be executed for the public to see, ending the hopes of the people and any rebellion that was taking place. His one failure would finally be corrected, and he would finally earn the recognition he deserved.

His eyes drifted down to the sword laying on the ground. He had to admit, Antonio's defeat hadn't been as satisfying as he dreamed it would be. Drake felt his face grow hot, but he quickly shook the feeling away.

He picked up the sword, turning it in his palms until something caught his eye. A symbol that resembled a flame of some sort, but it was shaped weird, like there was something else the image was trying to depict. Drake blinked at the familiarity, but he was unable to recall any memory of his father explaining the image to him.

"Is there anything I can do for you, sir?"

Drake's thoughts were interrupted as he gazed at a tall, lean soldier standing across from him. The boy's posture was perfectly straight, his hand resting by his forehead in a salute. He was young, only sixteen or seventeen, but the boy seemed more capable of fighting than some of the most experienced warriors in his troops. The boy had broad shoulders, and a defined face. His hands were calloused from years of using a sword, and the boy's sapphire blue eyes gazed back at him, an innocent charm still gleaming back at Drake. They still showed pride for fighting and killing, for wearing the blood red armor of the Ladon Empire. The kid didn't know what he was getting himself into.

Drake scanned the boy once more. He would have thought he would have been familiar with such a youthful soldier, especially one that showed so much promise for war. Drake knew he felt recognition, but it certainly wasn't from fighting along the young soldier. Drake squinted at the boy's face, but it was partially covered by his helmet, only small strands of dirty blonde hair sticking out of the top. Drake just shook his head. It was probably nothing, and Drake had more important things concerning him at the moment.

Drake lifted up the flap of his tent, his attention back on Antonio's sword. "Make sure the other soldiers know not to disturb me."

The soldier nodded his head and watched Drake disappear into his quarters. He glanced around the camp, taking note of the other soldiers and their positions. One group stood at the far edge, chugging beers and cheering, as drunk men seem to do. Some others had erupted into a brawl. The boy looked at the men with disdain. He couldn't understand their barbaric ways, no matter how hard he tried. For men of such high civilization, they acted like wild beasts with no control over their instincts. A majority of the other soldiers had retired to their quarters. He had suspected Drake would have stayed up, not that the boy was complaining. It would only make his job easier. The only group he had to worry about now were Luciano's former men, two assassins and a group of underlings, who were nothing more than desperate village people. That was how the Luciano family worked: make deals, ensure the other party can't pay back, and use that to your advantage. It was a never ending cycle of poverty and danger, but the boy couldn't help but admire the intelligence of it all.

He strutted towards the tent in the center of the camp, keeping his head high and a confident gleam in his sapphire blue eyes. The group of men look up from their game of cards, eyeing his approach. One of the men, whose eyebrows were heavy and tufted, rose to his feet and loomed over the teenager.

"Whadda ya want?" His voice was deep and rough, and it took the boy a second before he was able to understand him.

"Master Drake has ordered me to watch the princess," he stated confidently.

The man raised his eyebrows. "We didn't receive any such orders."

The boy didn't blink. "Master Drake doesn't associate himself with men of your kind," he spat. "Now stand aside, or your failure to follow orders will be revealed to the king. Maybe then he'll take back his pardon."

The men exchanged glances, obviously still against letting him inside, but they also did not take his threat lightly. They were men with families after all, and it was not loyalty but debt that had put them in this situation in the first place. The man sat down, and the group returned to their game of cards as the boy entered the tent.

The brothers hadn't even noticed the boy's arrival. They were crouched in front of the princess, their hoods were down, revealing their fair features, their hair such a pale blonde it was almost white. The princess's hands were bound, her eyes were sunken and her body limp. The boy's heart fell at her appearance. Never had he seen someone look so utterly defeated, hopeless, and scared. Her eyes pleaded for help as one of the assassins circled her, their eyes hungry.

The young soldier coughed to get their attention, and while the assassins acknowledged his presence, they didn't show any shame for their actions. In fact, it seemed like they got closer to the girl, their mouths drooling like that of rabid animals cornering their prey. It made the boy sick.

"Master Drake has ordered me to take the position of guarding the princess," he announced.

The assassins exchanged knowing looks. "Alright," shrugged the younger one. "Lucan ordered us to guard the princess."

The boy frowned. "Lucan is not in charge here."

The older brother crossed his arms, amused with the young soldier in front of him. "And what are you doing to do kid?" He approached the boy menacingly until they were face to face. "Run home. It's past your bedtime."

The boy gave a small smirk, his eyes admiring the dagger in the assassin's right hand. In one quick motion, he rushed towards the assasin, ducked his strike, and spun behind him.

Raina lifted her head. This new stranger had piqued her curiosity.

The other assassin dove towards the boy, but he dodged the strike and knocked the blade out of the man's hand, kneeing him in the chest while he continued to hurl forward. The boy spun once more, slicing the older assassin's shoulder and then holding the blade to his throat. They took several steps backward, their faces full of terror.

"So you were saying?" His voice was elegant, and Raina observed that he was well-spoken. This soldier wasn't just any ordinary peasant.

The assassins just shook their heads, their mouths opening and closing and unable to produce words. They quickly hurried out of the tent, nearly tripping over each other.

The stranger straightened his clothes. The helmet on his head shielded his face from Raina's view, but she could see strands of dirty blonde hair sticking out of the armor. He collapsed on the ground next to her, and Raina gazed into his deep, sapphire blue eyes. She didn't think it was even possible for eyes to be that blue.

"Are you alright?" His words were comforting, and Raina felt her shoulders relax.

She sniffed, blinking the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine," she said, her voice brittle and shaky. She still felt uneasy, and the logical part of herself told her this stranger wasn't a man to trust. The other half was reaching for a lifeline. Anything. Anyone. She didn't care about what happened to her any more. She wasn't sure if anyone would care if she vanished.

The boy noticed the uncertainty on her face. "Do not worry, I am here here to help you."

The stranger pushed the sleeves on his arm back to right below his shoulders, where a tattoo had been inked into his skin. Raina squinted at the symbol. At first glance it had resembled a flame, but Raina quickly recognized it as the symbol of a lily flower, typically used in royal crests. Before she was able to ponder what it meant any further, he pulled his sleeve back down to cover it.

"I'm a friend."

"Why should that make me trust you? Who are you?" Raina asked.

"I know you must have a lot of questions," the boy started, "but I can't answer all of them until I get you out of here."

He began to hurriedly cut through the bonds using the blade he had won from the assassins. The rope broke, and Raina rubbed her wrists that had become chafed and sore from the rough material. Her shoulders were stiff, and all she wanted to do was collapse into a soft bed and drift off to sleep. Even her nightmares seemed preferable to this new reality. Her stomach growled as she hadn't eaten anything all day.

Her new ally chuckled. "You must be hungry."

"Starving," Raina said, not even having room for shame. She could eat just about anything right now.

The stranger searched his bag until he pulled out a small loaf of bread. "I do not believe this will satisfy your appetite, but it certainly will appease it for some time."

Raina had grabbed the loaf from his hands before he had even finished speaking. Her mouth was watering, and she stuffed it in her mouth. In seconds even the crumbs had disappeared. Raina had eaten five star meals made from the best chefs in the world, but the stale bread right now topped her list for the best food she had ever tasted.

"Thank you," she breathed.

The stranger just nodded his head and peered out of a gap in the flaps of the tent. The brothers had joined Lucan's underlings in the game of cards outside. They were distracted, but that certainly did not mean he could just walk out the front with the princess behind him. They were right at the center of camp, and someone was bound to see them if they just walked out. He glanced at the princess, who obviously was not in right state of mind to do anything too drastic. Her eyes had become sullen and blank, like she was lost in her own thoughts.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump. "Everything's going to be alright. I promise."

Raina offered a weak smile. If only everyone who had said that had kept their promise. She had always thought her parents would be by her side too as they had promised. If Raina knew anything, it was that some promises couldn't be kept no matter how hard one tried.

Sudden yells and screams erupted from outside, causing Raina to jump to her feet.

"What in God's name?" The stranger peeked out of the tent to see a boy with jet black hair fighting three drunk soldiers at once. He seemed uncaring in his movements, like he wasn't scared of the lethal weapons of his opponents. So essentially, he was an idiot.

One of the assassins threw open the flap. "Secure the princess! We're under atta-"

Raina's mouth dropped open as in seconds the assassin met her eyes, the boy's eyes, and then the boy's fist. He collapsed to the ground, but Lucan's other men had already taken notice. The boy sighed. Any chance of a smooth escape had gone out the window. He drew a long sword, eyeing his opponents. There were at least five of them, all who were bigger and stronger. In a simple movement, he brought his sword down on the first man's shoulder, catching the weapon that flew out of his hand. He fought his next two opponents at the same time, finding a weak spot in a matter of seconds and impaling them. The last assassin's eyes widened as recognition suddenly flashed upon his face.

"You..." He nearly tripped over his own two feet before running in the other direction, screaming to the other soldiers.

"Woah." Raina stared at him in awe. She hadn't expected that.

He smiled at her, his smile oozing with charm as he tossed her the underling's sword. "It is my understanding that you can fight?"

She nodded. Raina turned the weapon over in her hands. The blade was heavier than she was used to, but it would have to do for now.

Most of the Ladon soldiers were now out of bed, suiting up into armour and going into battle. Raina's eyes drifted over the source of the commotion where a familiar face elbowed a man in the gut. He met her eyes, giving her a wink before defending himself effortlessly with his sword.

"Lance," she blurted in surprise.

Hey everyone! Sorry for my updates being so late on Sunday (as they always are). This chapter was rough and was a lot longer, but I'm starting to split them more.

Once again thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, votes and comments always help out. I'm always down to read other people's work, just PM me. Actually PM me for anything anytime. I'm always down for awesome conversations with fellow writers and readers.

Also would you guys prefer Friday updates? Fridays and Sundays are equal for me right now, but I might have to adjust when my work starts next week.