As I ran, I remembered. Philippe was my best friend. We had grown up together. Our fathers were constantly with each other, protecting or expanding our two countries. Our mothers had hopes of marrying us. But one day our fathers had a falling out. His father wanted to invade and already too powerful country, but my father would not risk the safety of his country this time. Furious, he told his wife and son to say their goodbyes.

Philippe's goodbye was heartbreaking. I was eleven, and unknown to him, I had already fallen in love with him. He was thirteen at the time.

It was a cloudy day, almost as if it was fitted for the occasion. Philippe walked into the meadow, where I had been reading. Seeing him, I jumped to my feet and ran to greet him. When I hugged him, he was cold and unyielding.

I stepped back. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing. Why would there be something wrong?" His voice was expressionless.

I frowned at him. "You are acting strange today."

"No I'm not." He stared past me.

This is not my Philippe, I thought. I pulled on his hand. "Come on, let's go do something!" He wouldn't move. I pulled harder. "Philippe! What is wrong with you? Have I done something?"

He looked at me strangely. "You've done nothing. It's me. I don't want you anymore."

"Don't want me anymore?" I repeated. "What do you mean by that?" I was panicking. What was I supposed to do if my best friend didn't want me? Spend time with my brother? I shivered. I wouldn't want to be with him. He would just put mud in my hair. Or worse.

"Exactly what I said. I don't want you anymore. Leave me alone, Cressida. I don't want to see you again!" He started walking back to the palace.

"Wait!" I grabbed his hand.

Turning, he jerked his hand out of mine, his green eyes livid. Never before had I seen him so angry. "Do not touch me Princess. You are nothing more than an irritating child."

I stepped back. Tears started brimming in my eyes. Guilt briefly flickered in his eyes. But it was just that. A flicker. He turned and walked away from me. My heart began to shatter. I was in my chambers for weeks on end, just lying there, staring out my window. Even my brother was worried for me. I never told anyone what he said to me. I just let them think that I was hurt because of his leaving. That was the last time I saw him.

But now he was back. I did not know what to think. Especially when he used my old nickname. I used to melt when he called me "Iddie". Now all I felt was pain. And anger.

Once I neared the guardhouse I slowed. A soldier came out to greet me.

"What news, my lady?" He asked after bowing. He knew I hated the formalities of being a princess, though, I suspected that he did it to irritate me.

"Stop that, Daniel," I said.

"Stop what, my lady?" He asked innocently.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh never mind. Anyway, Nicholas and I caught a highway man about a mile down the road."

"A highwayman?" He seemed alarmed, his blue eyes wide under a brown mop of hair. I nodded. "You left a highwayman with the heir to the throne?" He half shouted this.

"Prince Philippe of Galadoria is with him." I said.

He stared at me for a few seconds. "Oh yes, Prince Philippe. Why didn't you say so in the first place?! Now we have to look out for two future kings!" He yelled for two of his men and rushed into the stables, grabbing three horses, and they took off down the road.

I supposed I should have felt guilty. After all, if anything were to happen to my brother, it would be Daniel's fault for not looking after him close enough.

I was about to go after them when I heard my mother.

"Cressida!" She yelled. "Where have you been? I've been looking high and low for you, girl! Where is Nicholas?" She grabbed my arm and steered me towards the palace. "That boy should be looking after you better. He is your brother—Good God."

I looked up from the cobblestones. I did not understand my mother's abrupt halt. A sudden pain in my arm brought my gaze downward. It was bleeding profusely through the white shirt I had taken from Nicholas this morning. "Wha... I don't understand." I looked up at my mother's face. Her large dark eyes were cast down at the object in her hand. It was a tiny blade, smaller than my own daggers. My mother looked up at me, fear in her eyes.

"Get inside," She demanded calmly. "Now."

So the second chapter is up =) I hope at least some of you reading this like it enough to keep reading! Please review for me. =)