A/N: Hey, bye.

Double Edged Dagger

Chapter Two: Change

Smoke shifted into an offensive stance only to shift back after a moment. She spoke, "Why don't I take Madeline back to her room and you to accompany us there." Her voice sounded different, more elegant and well-bred than rude and low-born, but still as devious. Her body language screamed high-born now, and even her eyes seemed to change. Halt noted it and thought about the proposal. "Yes, now go." Smoke nodded and led Madeline through the forest faster than the rangers could follow. Will cursed and sped up in hopes of catching up, but Halt stopped him. "What?" Will asked, "The crown princess could be in danger and you stopped me?" "She's in no danger. Smoke won't allow it. She's like a loyal dog but better. And did you notice the change in her." Halt said to Will. He nodded, "It was like she was a whole different person. And we still couldn't see her appearance that well." Halt stroked his beard as he thought. As he came to a conclusion, he dismissed Will, "Go back to your wife, she's probably worried sick." Will nodded and left. Halt returned to the castle and eavesdropped on Madeline "I'm worried, Rilla. He followed us out there and didn't follow us here. If he had caught Smoke, then she's dead. And you know that." Madeline's voice drifted to Halt's trained ears. "Don't worry, my mother won't allow it. She would never allow." Rilla replied, and Halt nearly gasped in surprise. It was the same exact voice from earlier. "Rilla Smoke Mainwaring, your mother is dead and you know that. How can you say that?" Madeline gasped. Halt now understood the thief/courtier's name now. But he still didn't understand the personality thing. "Madeline Alexandria Altman, don't you dare tell me she is. I know who she is and why she couldn't raise me. I was born three months after her and my father married, but she wanted to keep me safe, so she gave me up. I can see her more since we're in Redmont, but I only see her once a month. And she gave me her maiden name so as not to seem to suspicious..."Rilla trailed over. Halt couldn't hear her anymore and worried. "Rilla, you aren't serious! You can't be my Aunt and Uncle's daughter. It's-it's-it's impossible!" Madeline exclaimed. Suddenly the door was whipped open and Halt fell in. Halt was brought up by an arm and slammed into the wall. He had a little air, so he could make out Rilla holding him, only there was a deadly glint in her eyes, similar to when she was called Smoke. "Maddie, close the door quickly." Rilla/Smoke ordered and the princess hurried to comply. She sat in a chair once she was done. "You can never tell anyone about what you overheard here. Got it?" Halt decided it was Smoke who was talking. Halt shook his head and the glint left her eyes as Smoke tossed him into the room. "Rilla, who is he going to tell?" Madeline asked her switched again friend. "My mother, Madeline. I think he knows exactly who she is. In addition, he is probably going to reluctantly accuse her of cheating. Which he will be wrong about." Rilla finished and Halt shook his head. "Who are you talking about?" He lied and Rilla glared, "You know exactly who I'm talking about, old man." She walked up to him and placed her hands on her hips. "So don't lie to me. You can never tell him about my mother and me. It would give him the wrong idea. Which is bad. Got it?" She said. "Why?" Halt asked. "Because it's not our place to tell him. It's my mothers'." She told him, which actually made him 'get it'. "Yes, but why doesn't he know in the first place?" Halt asked, his suspicion moving to another topic. "My mum was threatened by a group of bandits secretly. She told me that she burned the letter, which had a drawing of her, pregnant. The moment she had me, she sent me to Castle Araluen with a note saying I was to be a courtier and that my name was Rilla Smoke Mainwaring. No one actually suspected a thing really because she wasn't known there, except for Sir Horace but he never said anything ab-" Rilla stopped abruptly, a shift coming over her. She cocked her head, eyes narrowed in concentration. "Smo-" Madelyn started only to be cut off by a quick hand motion from the younger girl. "There's something going on outside." She said, the rough edge from earlier back. "How do you even-Who is it?" Halt called as someone knocked on the door. "Ranger Halt? You're wanted down in the courtyard." A muffled voice called through the door.

A/N: Hey guys, changed up everything, loving the story and you peoples but hating myself at the same time.

AER