Laurence kept a sharp eye on me for our entire journey back to Chuck's hunting lodge. I looked first uncomfortable to be leaving the place I had called home for so long, then wondrous as the things I was seeing. I smiled inside to see his disappointment at my perfect demeanor.

Chuck questioned me thoroughly about my background, and I answered each question flawlessly. I was born in the city of Grand-ville in a country called Belcampagnia.

"I have never heard of either of those places," he told me, as I'd been sure he would. He asked his more well-educated knights, and even Laurence was forced to agree that he had never known such a place existed.

"I did not expect you had," I reassured him. "It is far away, I am sure; across the sea, at least. After months in the tower, when no one had found me, I began to doubt I was anywhere near my home. I was finally in there long enough to realize that my family wasn't coming. They didn't know where I was. They probably didn't know that where I was even existed."

In an impulsive move, Chuck took my hand in his and squeezed it. His palms were rough and sweaty, and I couldn't help but flinch slightly. He dropped it with a muttered apology and an ugly blush.

"Do you have any idea why you were taken?" Laurence asked in his quiet voice.

I shook my head, the picture of longtime bewilderment. "If my parents knew such a thing was coming, they never told me, and I never even saw whoever or whatever it was that took me."

"Could you have done anything?"

I pursed my lips and furrowed my brow, considering. Could gentle, beautiful, tame Elise have done anything to anger anyone enough to incur this fate? Surely my beauty wasn't enough to prompt such a thing, and I had no special power that I knew of. "I can think of nothing," I answered honestly.

Laurence's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. Chuck, meanwhile, asked me about my parents, my home, my people, my country, my family, and my years in the tower, and I responded happily and in great detail until we arrived at the lodge. I was surprised to notice it was nearly dusk. I couldn't remember time ever passing so quickly.

"Welcome," Chuck said, sweeping his arm grandiosely over the vista. It was one of the larger houses I'd ever seen, but I could tell it wasn't especially impressive. Small, perhaps twenty-five rooms, and covered in ivy over the worn brick. The gate creaked loudly as Thomas and the blond knight whose name I had yet to learn pushed it open. In the courtyard, a young boy grabbed the horses while Laurence helped me down from Chuck's horse.

"I know this isn't as nice as your palace at home, but I hope you can make yourself comfortable for a few days before we begin our trip back to the capital," he continued.

"This is lovely," I assured him. "Much better than my tower."

He smiled not-quite-dazzlingly and turned to the servant. "Prepare a room for Princess Elise. She will be staying with us until we return to the capital."

The servant bowed and vanished, leaving the knights to tend to their own horses. I followed Chuck through the heavy wood door into a small, dark foyer. Tapestries on the walls depicted various hunting scenes, and the stone under our feet was uneven. Still, it was the finest home I'd ever been in.

"I'm afraid we can't offer you much in the way of food. We don't even have tea. I hope you won't mind," Chuck apologized again.

Stop apologizing! I thought angrily, but I kept my expression sweet and said, "I have gone nearly three years without tea. A few days more will make no difference."

He smiled gratefully back at me and led me through a door on the left into a small study. After graciously offering me the most comfortable armchair, he took a seat at my side and studied me intensely.

"May I ask what is on my lord's mind?" I said politely, uncomfortable under his gaze.

He started as if from a trance, then shot me a sheepish grin. "I was only wondering, my lady, how so fair a creature could have lived so near to me for three years without my discovering her."

I could have answered his question quite easily, but he would not have been pleased to hear it. "Perhaps the tower was hidden from view by magic as part of the curse," I speculated instead.

"Why would it wear off after only three years? Wouldn't a witch as evil as the one who imprisoned you want you hidden away forever?" a new voice asked from the doorway.

I groaned internally. Laurence.

"All curses are meant to be broken," I replied, my voice sugary sweet. "I recently passed my eighteenth birthday; perhaps the spell on the tower dissolved then."

"Perhaps."

"Why must you question the girl so, Laur? She's lived in a damned castle for three years! She shouldn't have to deal with constant interrogation on top of it," Chuck said, jumping to his feet. It seemed the red-haired temper was more truth than myth.

"I am only protecting you, my lord."

"Protecting me from what?"

Laurence looked me up and down, as though trying to determine my angle simply from looking at me. I merely looked shocked at the scene transpiring before me.

"Temptresses. Women who seek only your fortune. Perhaps even witches or fairies. One should never take something at its word, particularly not something from this forest."

"I will not have Princess Elise maligned in this manner! You will apologize to her and show her the respect she deserves!" Chuck roared.

My eyes were wide as saucers as Laurence pursed his lips, then bowed before me, his grey gaze never leaving mine. "I apologize if I have offended you, my lady," he said, the picture of politesse.

His eyes told a different story. I know something's off about you, they said, and I intend to find out what.

"I accept your apology, Sir Laurence," I said with a nervous smile. "I understand that you were only doing your duty. Please, if anything about me seems questionable, do not hesitate to ask, and I will explain to the best of my ability. I would not want to spent so much time with His Majesty if one of his closest friends found me untrustworthy."

Two can play at this game, my eyes told him, and his glinted back at the challenge.

"I only hope you will not find my questions too intrusive, then, or too insinuating. I assure you, I mean no insult."

"You're damned right, you don't," Chuck growled as he sat back down in his chair, oblivious to what had just passed between Laurence and me.

Laurence, heeding Chuck's glower and my cool stare, bowed out of the room, leaving us alone again.

"Really, my lord, I don't mind his questions," I said after an awkward silence.

"Chuck," he said wearily.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Call me Chuck. I won't have those nonsense formalities in my own home."

"Then I must ask you to call me Elise."

He looked up at me with a huge smile plastered across his face, and when he reached over and took my hand, I barely even noticed how clammy it was.

Yes, my made-up country is "pretty countryside" in French. And its made-up capital is called "Big Town." I have never claimed to be good at country names.

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