Two weeks had passed with Samantha waking up, doing whatever task given to her, and going back to her room.

She saw Gracie every once in awhile, but they haven't got to hang out like they did the first day. Samantha had come to learn that the bandits' hideout was busy similar to the tasks given to the staff back at the castle.

She sat elbow deep in a large bucket of water, scrubbing clothes. Today her task was to wash clothes and hung them to dry. She did the task without complain. Complaining got her no where, so what was the point of doing it.

As she scrubbed a worn shirt, her thoughts drifted back to her home. By now, she would be helping Mrs. Plum make dinner. She loved to cook. There were something about cutting up vegetables and making a stew that calmed her.

Out the corner of her eyes, she saw him taking a seat at the washing bucket beside of hers. What was he doing here? Why was he here? She watched him picked up an article of clothing and dropped it into the water. He next began to scrub the cloth against the wooden scrubber using his hands.

She watched him unaware that she was watching him. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail most likely to keep it from falling in his face. There was a small scar along his jaw to which she wondered where he had gotten it from. Her gaze travelled to his mouth. Such a perfectly formed lips that called to her. She found herself swallowing hard. At his voice, she was startled out of her staring.

"You really shouldn't stare," he said as he continued to scrub his clothes.

Samantha quickly turned her gaze back to her bucket of water. Hearing him chuckling lightly, she glance back over at him.

"It's ok. Really. I'm use to it." He looked over at her.

Samantha glanced up only to look away quickly. She haven't meant to stare him, but there was something fascinating about him. She never seen someone so attractive.

They went back to working for a few minutes before he broke the silent. "I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm on your side.

Her grip tightened around the piece of cloth in her hand."No you're not. If you were on my side, you'll take me back." Or you've never kidnapped me in the first place.

"Take you back to what exactly?" He turned his gaze on her, watching her.

"My home." She met his gaze head on. For a moment they both stared at one another without saying a word.

Deciding to break eye contract, he went back to washing. "A life where you are forbidden to do certain things?"

"No, my life. My home back at the castle with my father." She dropped the clothe into the water, temporarily forgotten. She couldn't believe what she had heard.

Sure she wasn't allowed to do some things such as venturing out of the kingdom without premission or having a proper relationship with her peers, but home was home. She should be back home. She knew nothing else but home.

Tristan looked up again, meeting her gaze. "Your father sold you. His exact words were: take her far. Do whatever you want with her so long as she isn't here."

"My father would never say that." She rose to her feet, anger coursing through her body. "You kidnapped me!"

Studying her for several minutes, he returned to washing his clothes. "Alright fine, I kidnapped you. What do you want me to say sorry I took you away?"

Samantha glared at him. She didn't want his apology. She didn't need it. She just wanted to go home. But back to what, she wondered. A life with a man who was twice her age? Her gaze dropped to the ground. Glaring at the grass, she clenched her hands into balls.

"Look, Princess, it wasn't my intension to take you, but I had too."

What did that mean? She looked up at him. Then her thoughts shifted to wondering what reason did he have to take her. Nothing. Except he was a bandit looking for money by kidnapping the princess. Yeah, she was sure that was it.

"The past can't be changed, but the future can." He rose taking his wet shirt with him. Wringing the shirt out, looked over at the princess.

"What do you want with me?" she whispered still looking down at the grass.

Tristan turned and took a couple step away from the bucket he was at. "I want you to do what you been doing, nothing difficult."

"And that is?" she asked looking back at him.

"Do what you are told. Act appropriately. And be a princess," he said as if things were that simple.

"In a place like this? How?" How could she be a princess when she was a prisoner? There were no guards to follow her where ever she went. There were no duties she was appointed to do. Last but not least there was no father to ensure she carried out those tasks.

"You'll find that these people are very much similar to the ones you are use to seeing." He started moving forward. His back was to her.

"What if I don't want to see?"

"Then you would have let Gracie, along with your people, down."

Samantha thought about that for a moment. Was the people in the bandit village her people? Her father always said they were a wasteful bunch that needed to be taught a lesson. He never hinted at the fact that they were her people. Then there was Gracie.

"All I'm asking is for you to behave like the princess you are." He stopped walking to look back at her from over his shoulder. "Now excuse me for I have other things to do."

"Such a bandit," she said in disgust.

"Unfortunately yes."