Gwen wandered around the castle anxiously. The competitors had been told the results of the second trial would be given over dinner. That gave Gwen a few hours to fill before discovering her fate in the competition.

Some of the boys practiced in the training room, while others went out to the stables to ride. Gwen was too nervous to do either of those things. Walking back to her room after the trial, Jennings had reminded her that just because she lost her fight didn't mean she would be eliminated. She hadn't paid much attention to the other fights after hers; she wasn't able to compare how she did with the others'.

The castle halls were becoming more and more familiar to Gwen; she could recognize certain paintings and tapestries that decorated the walls. Outside the library was a painting Gwen was particularly fond of: it showed a black stallion rearing up on its hind legs with a girl on its back. She looked positively regal; her armor bore the kingdom's crest and her black hair flew out behind her. The sword in her hand shone in the sunlight, ready to strike an enemy at any moment. The sunset behind her shone in bright yellows and deep oranges, adding to the fierceness of the rider.

Queen Genevieve, Othera, a small plaque below the painting read. Gwen marveled at the picture. The Queen in her youth had been beautiful and powerful. She had come from a poor family, like Gwen, and had caught the King's attention in a battle against a group of rebels. From then on, as the story was told throughout the kingdom, the Queen had become a symbol of hope for the kingdom. To the poor, the Queen was a hope that the King's tyranny could end some day.

Unfortunately for the people of Othera, when the King and Queen were married the spark seemed to die out of Queen Genevieve. She became very passive, not fighting for the rights of the poor like she had as a villager. The people's champion had faded away, becoming yet another ruling figure, and someone to carry children for the King.

It was heartbreaking to the kingdom. The weeks of celebration after Genevieve became queen came to an abrupt halt when she publically ordered the execution of a child who was caught sneaking through the Pegasus stables in the night. Their warrior, the Queen, had disappeared the day she announced she was pregnant.

Gwen shook herself out of the daydream. She had heard the story of the Queen many times throughout her childhood. Sometimes it was told as a warning, and sometimes it was told to create hope, that someday Othera would be free.

Gwen began wandering into halls she didn't recognize. As she descended a flight of stairs she could feel the cool air hitting her. Going deeper into the castle she hoped she could catch sight of Xander, and apologize properly to him. Gwen was firm in her belief that she hadn't imagined him during the fight. The thought that she had single handedly lost her trial from a figment of her imagination was too hard for her to comprehend.

The fancy decorating of the halls slowly disappeared, melting into the dark stone that surrounded Gwen. The walls were lined with torches periodically, casting just enough light for Gwen to see where she was going. As she walked deeper into the castle she started to hear animal-like screeches from beyond her.

The walls were dark and cold, making Gwen feel slightly claustrophobic. She rubbed her goosebump covered arms. She didn't know why she didn't turn around and head back to her room, but something in the back of her mind told her to keep going. The screaming continued, the noise twisting through her ears and crawling up her spine.

She kept her eyes wide open, watching carefully for any movement, her arms and legs stiff. She continued down the hall, each step slow and cautious. Her mind raced and her body quivered, heart pounding like a steady drum. Gwen's heart was jumping out of her chest by the time she reached the source of the sound. She stepped into a better-lit room and took in the scene in front of her.

She stood in a huge cavern, walls lined to the roof with large metal cages. In the cages there were all kinds of beasts, Wyverns of all colors and sizes flapped their wings in agitation. Majestic Pegasi tossed their heads angrily and snarling Gryphons clawed at their metal cages.

Gwen twisted around, trying to take it all in. All of the beasts seemed to be in great distress. The moment she tried to approach a cage the Wyvern inside went crazy, the panic in its eyes evident. It threw itself to the back of the cage, getting as far away from her as possible. Gwen could see deep gashes running along the beast's flank. All of the creatures in the room were in awful condition, many looking sickly and beaten. She backed away from the cage, hoping to calm the Wyvern.

"What are you doing in here? You could be killed!" an outraged voice exclaimed from behind Gwen. She whirled around, startled coming face to face with a fuming Xander. His eyes flashed, reflecting the pain and anger of the Wyvern.

"Xander," she breathed, taking in his appearance.

The second she had seen him in the ring she had noticed that he looked bad. The extent of his condition hadn't been clear to Gwen until then. In just a few days he had grown almost unrecognizable. His tattered clothes hung loosely off his skinny body and his eyes looked gaunt. Peaking out from under his ripped shirt were similar gashes to those found on the beasts.

"What happened to you?" she asked, completely forgetting the well put together apology she had planned. She was completely thrown off by his appearance, and the hurt look he was giving her didn't help things.

"You betrayed me, that's what happened," he growled at her.

"I was scared," she said, begging him to understand. How could he be so angry with her? They had only just met and she didn't owe him anything. "Xander you have to understand, I couldn't throw my whole life away for someone I just met." Obviously this was the wrong thing to say, Gwen realized as Xander clenched his fists, visibly shaking.

"Look at this!" he yelled, pulling his shirt over his head. Gwen's eyes widened, her eyes travelling down his scarred body. He spun around, showing her his back. It was entirely covered in oozing cuts. Some had begun to heal, but others looked fresh. Gwen gasped; the guilt she had tried so hard to escape came rushing back.

She walked towards him, laying a gentle hand on his back. Xander flinched, but didn't pull away. Her head was pounding in time with her racing heart and her hand trailed slowly along the small portion of unharmed skin on his back. She pulled his shirt out of his hands and pressed it softly against the deepest wound. He gasped and his body stiffened under her touch.

"Let me help you," she whispered, keeping her voice low in an attempt not to frighten the beasts again. "Please I have to make it up to you." At her words Xander stepped quickly away from her, turning to glare at her once more.

"Make it up to me?" he asked, voice dangerously low. "After you ran those guards beat me within inches of my life. They dragged me back to the castle, where I was thrown in the dungeon without food until they decided what to do with me. Apparently I'm useful with the beasts, because somehow I was put back to work, right back where I started, except this time if I step out of line at all I'll be whipped. You may have saved your own life but you ruined mine."

Gwen's throat felt thick and tears welled up in her eyes, not trusting herself to speak. Gwen fled from the cavern, not looking back this time as she ran away from the angry blonde boy.

Gwen rushed back up to her room, which took her much longer than it had to get to the room. She kept making wrong turns and had to retrace her steps until she found a way back to the main floor of the castle.

Gwen choked back a sob; she had ruined someone's life. Not just anyone either, someone she had met and immediately felt a connection with. Being around Xander felt right, they clicked, until she turned on him. She wanted to be close with him, she wanted to be friends, but she didn't know how that would happen if he hated her guts.

She would make him forgive her if she had to. After the competition was over she would find him and help free him from the King. She would do whatever it took to save him, even if she was the one imprisoned in his place.

Gwen shook her head, shocked at herself. She quit thinking about the crazy plans that could get her killed, realizing she was only this desperate for forgiveness to clear her own conscience. As much as she liked Xander she couldn't throw away her own life for him, that's why she ran from the guards.

Gwen walked to her bed; she hoped to get some rest before finding out if she was still in the competition. Tossing and turning she drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep, mind racing, torn about what to do for Xander.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This story has over a thousand read! That is so incredible thank you so much. I'm so glad people seem to actually like reading this as much as I like writing it. Don't forget to comment and vote!

xoxo Emma