A/N- Hey Spazmatazz53 see how quick I am? It's because I love you. You are officially my favourite reviewer... because you are the only one to review on the last chapter! That's no sad... I mean it, it's not.

:D Happy reading!

This one is a lot longer and it's got more romantic goodness in it for hungry souls to enjoy :D yay bromance! I mean romance! uh... yeah...


Chapter 7 – Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Nikre, being the cheap Knight in Shining Armour he was, hadn't brought any horses with him, which I for one was eternally grateful… Crypt on the other hand…

"Shit!" He cried again as Nikre yanked him over a small rock. "Would you please stop doing that? My feet can't take any more o' this abuse!"

I rolled my eyes, "oh, stop complaining." I growled behind.

"Why don't you stop complaining… you stupid… annoying… bitch…" he muttered disjointedly under his breath. Nikre gave him another hard yank and he stopped insulting me.

"So," I said with a slight sigh. We had been walking for almost a day. "You know back when you were… um… wrestling that bear, why didn't you kill it?"

Nikre sighed but for an entirely different reason to me. "Everything has a right to live, even him," he jerked his thumb behind us at Crypt who snorted in reply, "Animals protect themselves when they are threatened. And that's exactly what that bear was doing."

"But it tried to kill me!" I cried trying to justify my reasons and failing miserably, even to myself.

Nikre gave me a withering look and punched my arm lightly, but it still hurt. And as I rubbed my arm he continued, "And you tried to kill it. It's still a bear, no matter what you might want to think, it couldn't distinguish you from the bandits. You were still a threat."

I tried to cross my arms again but the pain spread and I grunted in anger, "damn it! Okay, okay, I understand. I can't even sulk properly now." I huffed still trying to cross my arms without it hurting. Nikre laughed and even Crypt let something slip, it might have been a scoff though.

"Sorry I wanted you dead, Crypt." I called behind me.

Crypt chuckled behind us, "That's alright, darling, now could you let –"

"Oh, right, so you're on first name basis with the criminal now?" Nikre snapped irritably.

Startled I leaned away from him slightly just as the track we were on turned into what seemed like a very well used stone road. "I thought you'd like that. You were all for keeping everything alive a minute ago! What were you saying about everything 'has a right to live'?"

Nikre scoffed and stepped a little further away from me, "that doesn't mean you apologise. Never apologise to someone who'd just kidnapped you and taken advantage of you."

"Well, I wouldn't say I took advantage of her as such –"

"Well you don't have to be such a bastard about it! So I got my wires crossed somewhere in our conversation! That could've happened to anyone with the way you explain things!" I cried throwing my arms into the air in frustration and causing my injured arm to shoot pain straight to my shoulder and back to my wrist.

"Oh, I see, so how exactly am I bad at explaining things?" He asked feigning interest.

I scoffed again and this time completely ignored the pain in order to cross my arms in anger, "you're really cryptic and annoying!"

"Um… Nikre…"

"Cryptic and annoying?" Nikre said with an incredulous look on his face, "go on then, give me some examples of how utterly cryptic I am."

"Well, I…" I racked my brain for something to say and a smug smile blossomed on Nikre's face. God I was so angry I could hardly think straight.

"Archer, Archer I think –" Crypt began.

"NO!" I bellowed my anger from our argument fuelling my outburst. I spun around and pointed a finger at his chest menacingly. "MY NAME IS TIKKA!"

Nikre stood staring at something behind me and so was Crypt. He kept tugging lightly on the rope as if he was trying to get away. "What are you both looking –?"

I turned and in my shock almost bumped back into Crypt.

"Archer." Ceja said with a nod and a small smile even though she was about 500 yards away from us and we were covered by the shadows of the forest. Raffin looked grim and Kiana looked pale, like she was sick. There were around ten Estill guards standing around the group and they looked poised to attack. I wonder if they think we're a threat.

I jogged over to them leaving Nikre and Crypt in the cover of the trees. "What – what's going on?" I asked nervously. "Where's Flore?"

Raffin rushed forward and took my hands, to my surprise, "Flore's fine. She is back at Thigpen's castle."

"Then what's wrong?" I asked getting an awful sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"It's Juniper," Raffin began looking even grimmer then before, "she's been taken."

I blinked in shock, "taken? Taken where?"

Raffin almost managed a small smile, "no, Tikka, she's been kidnapped. We don't know where she is."

The information settled in my brain and I tried to process why exactly the guards were there and why Ceja looked so smug. Then it made sense. And I stared directly at Ceja as I murmured quietly to Raffin, "they think I did it, don't they?" If anything Ceja's smile widened.

Raffin nodded, "they think you had something to do with it. Ceja… she…" Raffin winced and sighed.

"It's okay; I think I knew that anyway." I said running through things to do next. "Right."

I turned fully intent on finding Nikre and Crypt waiting in the shadows. Oh how bitter disappointment tastes. I sighed in frustration. The bastard had left me to fend off a prison sentence. Great, thanks Nikre.

I sighed in annoyance more at myself than anyone else. We didn't exactly get off to a great start and now he was just proving how dependable he really was. "Okay… um… shall we get going then?"

Raffin winced, "well… there is a bit of a problem with that. You see even though we try to exercise the belief innocent until proven guilty… you still have to be detained."

The Estillian guards approached us and I sighed dramatically. "Great. Kidnapped attacked by a bear and imprisoned in the same day." Raffin's face fell even more and now he looked a little sick. I patted him on the arm just as the guards were reaching for me, "it's alright, Prince Raffin. I'll sort this out. I promise."

Raffin didn't seem to brighten to that idea, "you were my responsibility and I –"

"No." I said firmly as the guards snapped shackles around my wrists, "no. I was never your responsibility. You were my responsibility and I protected you. I call that a result."

Raffin's face morphed into something akin to sad anger, "you shouldn't be so cheery."

"I can be whatever I want to be, Prince Raffin." I said firmly, "And I can do anything. You should now that."

Raffin frowned and I smiled optimistically at him. His eyes said 'what are you planning?' My eyes said 'never you mind.' Even though my heart was screaming at my annoying eyes, 'you don't even have a plan! You're screwed! Don't give Raffin false hope!' My heart replied with, 'too late!'

The guards pushed me forward and away from Raffin. Kiana let out a sob and ran to Raffin for a hug. Ceja watched her sister and the Prince with hate filled eyes and I watched her with curious ones. By the time Ceja realised I was looking at her it was too late. I smiled at her and her face went pale. I glanced back to Raffin and he nodded to me whilst rubbing Kiana's back reassuringly.

So that's your deep dark secret, I thought smirking at Ceja in a way that later on I'd hate myself for, you're in love with Raffin. Almost as if she'd read my mind her face went scarlet with fury and she stomped back toward the citadel walls before us.

Thigpen City was a… bright place. Despite the fact that every single citizen appeared to hate me it could have been quite pleasant. But as it was all the people did was spit at my feet and the children hurled rocks at me, which hurt… a lot. The guards didn't do anything to stop them so I just had to take it. I didn't retaliate even though my body was screaming at me to just yell a few insults but I knew, deep down that when I was released without charge they would apologize and everything would be fine. It had to be. I couldn't spend the rest of my life rotting in prison because of something I didn't do. I just couldn't.

The houses that lined the main street were sandstone, a beige colour and the windows were all bordered with bleached wood. The doors were all painted different colours and most of the paint was now peeling but no one seemed to care. The people were dressed in bland colours; beige, brown, yellow and a muddy orange colour were popular among the locals. Some of the more attractive people I saw wore burgundy or red but they were few and far between. This was the only thing I could do while I was being led up the street to Thigpen's castle; watch the citizens of Estill as they threw verbal abuse at me. The castle was about as bland as the rest of the buildings in the city. Not impressive by all counts and to be perfectly honest this city was loosing its appeal pretty quickly. I guess that's what being a criminal feels like.

The bleached wood double doors of the castle were opened for us and the beige marble flooring shone from the light of a dozen crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of this great hall. In front of us lay a great marble staircase with a red carpet running along its length. The stair case looked like it went on forever. It was far too long and it was such a gentle slope that I thought the castle might not have many floors even though it looked really tall from the outside. There were two very large sections of the hall, beside the two sides of the stair case that held little waiting areas and large statues of a beautiful looking woman and some children kneeling before her. I stopped to admire the closest statue but was roughly pushed to the left immediately. Ceja and Kiana were leading the way into the left section where there was a golden looking door against the beige sandstone wall. We entered what appeared to be the throne room and I had to look around myself and blink in surprise. Normally, like in King Murgon's castle, the throne room would be the centre piece of the castle and would be either, up the ornate staircase or in the very centre farthest part of the castle allowing the subjects to admire the monarch's wealth. This was very strange indeed.

King Thigpen sat on a plain looking golden throne at the very end of the long room. The floor was the same beige marble, the walls the same sandstone and the statues and paintings were the same in here too but what was different were the large windows that lined three of the walls. There ran the whole length of the wall from floor to ceiling and they were approximately a half a meter wide and two meters tall each. There were five of them on the two walls to my right and left and on the far wall, where the King's throne sat, there were two either side of the throne. Each of the windows had the most beautifully intricate embroidery on the golden fabric of the curtains and I almost understood why Flore enjoyed it so much. If the end product was this phenomenal I'd do it too. Around the other parts of the large hall were small sitting rooms with chairs so wide three or four people could fit on one! Many people were there, perhaps they were there to attack me some more or maybe to find out my punishment so they could laugh.

I'd noticed earlier that everyone had gone quiet when we entered the room and my clumpy leather boots clomped loudly against the beautiful marble floors while the others glided silently around me. Ceja and Kiana almost looked like they were floating.

"Ceja," Thigpen called out loudly. "Kiana, you're back!" I brought my attention to Thigpen once again. I almost laughed but I knew that wouldn't be appropriate in this situation. Thigpen was a small man, he was so small I towered over him and I'm not the tallest woman in the world. He was round and portly and his beard was large, brown and curly. He wore red robes, though he wasn't particularly attractive and his brown curly hair fell to his waist. He had a foot stool that he had to step on when he got down from his thrown to approach Ceja and Kiana. Kiana almost picked him up and swung him about when she hugged him and Ceja just simply patted him on the back looking a little uncomfortable.

"My darlings, how was your journey?" he asked in a merry, deep voice. "I trust you're not too tired?"

"King Thigpen," Kiana said, endless patience in her voice, "we arrived this morning. You greeted us, remember?"

Thigpen frowned and his bushy eyes brows pulled over his eyes shrouding them from view, then suddenly they pinged back up his forehead and he smiled brightly at them, "Oh yes, my dear, you are right! How could I have forgotten something so great?" He boomed out a laugh and peeked around Kiana's waist to look at me within my party of guards. "And who, pray tell, is this dark beauty, darlings?"

Surely this funny little, jolly man won't sentence me to prison, will he? But Ceja was quick to remind him, "Thigpen, dear, she's the one who has done away with our sweet Juniper."

"Ceja!" Kiana scolded but it was too late.

Thigpen's face had grown a horrible shade of red in his anger and he scurried toward me with a reprimanding finger wagging in my direction. "You, young lady, have a lot of explaining to do! What have you done with my wife?"

I gave a small noise of surprise, "your wife?" I squeaked.

"You see, Lord King?" Ceja said in triumph, "she says nothing to deny the claim."

"NO!" I yelled, "No! I didn't kidnap Juniper! You have to believe me! I was being kidnapped at the time!"

Ceja laughed cold and bitter, "you really expect us to believe that, Traitor? I knew it from the beginning! All of your plans to destroy the Daylight Festival!"

"What? What are you talking about? What plans?" I cried in dismay.

Ceja smiled wide, "she is such an awful liar. Can you not see, Lord King?"

"That is quite enough, Ceja." Thigpen said with finality. "Please leave us." He called to the rest of the hall. The guards beside me left my sides and withdrew with the rest of the people in the hall including a worried looking Kiana and an angry Ceja.

"Prince Raffin if you would please stay I would be most grateful." The King said just as Raffin started to leave.

The golden door we'd come from slammed shut reverberating throughout the hall and I turned to King Thigpen with a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Er… King," I said awkwardly never having addressed a King I didn't want to get on the bad side of, "I didn't kidnap Juniper. I was sent here to protect her, I know. And I know I wasn't there to protect her when the kidnappers did come but you have to believe me I didn't have anything to do with this."

King Thigpen looked thoughtful for a moment, "Believing you is something I don't have to do at all."

My stomach sank into the floor, "please, L-Lord King, I – I didn't –"

"King Thigpen," Raffin said interrupting me, thank the gods, "I truly believe she didn't do anything. When Kiana, Ceja, Flore and I awoke that morning it was strange. I felt sluggish, like I'd been drugged."

"How do you know that she wasn't the one who drugged you, Prince Raffin?" Thigpen asked his intelligent beady eyes twinkling in thought.

Raffin stuttered slightly, "she wouldn't have. There was no way she could have gotten hold of any Sleeping Draught's or drugs. The time between bringing her to the Middluns and leaving for Estill was short. She doesn't know any one within my father's city or Murgon City. She has no motive and Flore has told you many times now that they've wanted to attend the Daylight Saving Festival since they were young girls." Raffin sighed and clasped Thigpen's large hand with his own, "Lord King, Tikka did not kidnap Juniper."

"Are there any witnesses to this kidnapping?" Thigpen asked crossing his arms across his small chest.

Feeling as though I'd finally been saved I shouted in glee, "yes! Yes there were witnesses! Two! They –" I stopped suddenly. Raffin watched me hopefully and Thigpen regarded me with old, wise eyes. "They –" I felt the panic build in me again. Nikre had run. That was why he wasn't there when I'd turned around. If I told Thigpen that Nikre had saved me word would get to Murgon that Nikre had had me in his grasp and had let me go and then he'd have to explain why. The horrible image of Nikre being hanged filled my vision and I almost retched in disgust. The conversation from yesterday filtered through the fog in my brain, 'can we stop talking about my execution please? I find it a little disconcerting'. Crypt was already going to rot in prison but if Nikre was killed because of some stupid thing I said I would never forgive myself.

"There were no witnesses. My mistake." Raffin stared at me with an open mouth but I sent him a quick 'don't say a word' glare and he turned his confused gaze back to the King.

Thigpen was frowning in thought, "Very well. You make a good argument, Prince Raffin." I sighed in relief and Raffin smiled happily. "However," Thigpen continued and my throat tightened, "Ceja is a trusted friend of my wife and I and I do not believe she would say what she did without good reason." Shit. "Therefore, Tikka Archer, you must earn your freedom. Find my wife; find the bastards who kidnapped her by the Solar Festival and you will be rewarded for your deed but if you fail," he paused with a sigh then straightened his small back and continued, "You will be executed for your crimes against Estill."

"Executed?" Raffin cried, "Lord King there hasn't been an execution in your kingdom since –"

"I know Raffin!" He bellowed. Raffin retreated back a step. "Do you understand these terms, Tikka Archer?"

Slightly in shock but also feeling quite good about myself for protecting Nikre I nodded. "Yes, Lord King." I said formally, finally getting the hang of addressing a royal.

"Prince Raffin," Thigpen snapped, "Show Archer to the guest quarter to the room on the far right hand corner with the window overlooking the lake." Thigpen glanced at my surprised face and sighed, "I don't expect you to find her, Tikka Archer. Enjoy the next few days." Thigpen turned back toward his throne and with a large sad sigh he clapped his hands and people filed back into the hall. Raffin took my arm and in my shock I let him lead me out into the grand entrance hall.

He looked angry, "who were they?" He almost shouted, "You said there were witnesses! Who were they?"

"Not here." I said quietly. Raffin huffed an annoyed sigh and almost ran up the staircase which was a bit of a journey is you ask me.

On every other step of the staircase there was a bleached wooden door against the pale sandstone which explained why the castle looked so big.

At the very top of the stair case were three doors. The door in front of us was golden with an equally golden sun with a topaz stone at its centre placed directly above it. That must be the King and Queen's quarters, I thought as we turned to the door on the left hand side of the surprisingly small corridor. This door was not golden but the same bleached wood that most of the other doors were made out of and there was a small metal dove placed on the wall above the door. This must've been the guest quarters. Raffin led me through the door and I was suddenly faced with a baby blue coloured wall. I blinked slightly then realised that the rest of the corridor led off to the right, in the same direction as the King and Queen's quarters were. There was a large piece of the wall that had no doors, probably because it was the Royal chambers, then the door began about two meters of wall in. Directly to our right as we walked was an enormous wall of windows that let in the light of the setting sun. Sunset already? I thought just as we reached the end of the long corridor. Raffin opened the door to the farthest room on the right and held it for me as I entered. The door closed with a quiet click and I heard Raffin lock the door behind us.

The room was beautiful. The walls were all the same baby blue colour and all the furniture was a lovely slightly worn looking white. A four poster bed with pale blue silk sheets, pillow and drapes sat with the headboard against the right wall, there was a bed side table on both sides and lamps on each. Against the wall in front of us was a wardrobe, a silver and white framed standing mirror and a chest of drawers all of that same worn white wood. In the centre of the room lay a deep royal blue, plush looking rug with those same long chairs with cushions decorating it and a low table in the middle with a vase full of what looked like a mixture of bluebells and wood anemones. On the wall beside the door was a beautiful, wall-sized painting of the Daylight Festival. But the most fantastic part of the room had to be the large panelled glass double doors that lay against the far left hand wall, they were open and the white silk curtains were billowing into the room with the slight summer breeze. The balcony beyond looked to be made of ivory and I itched to go out onto it and see the view the King had spoken of.

"So," Raffin breathed, calmer now than he was in the entrance hall, "who were the witnesses you spoke of?"

I gnawed at my lip in agitation almost completely forgetting about the balcony. "Well, I haven't told you the whole story yet. Of how I was kidnapped, I mean."

Raffin nodded and sat down on one of the long chairs facing the window and I sat down next to him. "Tell me." Raffin said quietly as if talking to a frightened rabbit.

"Well, you know I got kidnapped by a group of bandits claiming they were taking me to my 'master'. I'd managed to convince them to leave you and the others because someone had planted evidence suggesting you were my servants." I smiled at him, "good call, by the way."

Raffin frowned in confusion, "I didn't do that."

My eyes narrowed, "you didn't?"

"No. I didn't." Raffin said in surprise. "Why would anyone do that? We were all sure that no one knew you were with us."

Realisation dawned and I sighed in frustration. "It was Ceja."

"What?"

"Ceja." I repeated trying to calm my agitated breathing. "She leaked the information that I was travelling to Estill. That's how the nobleman who'd wanted me knew where to send his hired thugs. Ceja fed him the information and got rid of anything that would give the rest of you away."

Raffin's face morphed into an expression of complete fury and I had to physically hold him down to stop him from jumping off of the long chair, "Prince Raffin, calm down. You're no good to me like this."

Raffin sighed and breathed deeply for a few seconds before coming back to his senses, "okay, I'm sorry. You're right. You need me calm."

"Right." I said smiling even though I was sure I really didn't need him at all. It's the thought that counts, right?

"Continue." He said placing his hands on his knees.

"Well, we didn't get far before the bear attacked –"

"What? A bear?" Raffin cried.

"Don't interrupt, Prince." I snapped getting impatient to finish this story.

"Right, sorry. It won't happen again."

"Yes, well, the bear attacked and killed two of the bandits. The leader, Crypt, faced the bear and fell as well. I attacked the bear after freeing myself of my bonds and I was wounded," I placed a hand on my healing arm briefly at the memory, "I thought I was dead but the bear never got to me... Nikre came and defeated it." I looked up to see Raffin's reaction to this news.

He looked shocked to start with and then relieved. "So, Tikka," He said with a small smile, "you're lucky to be alive I gather."

"Yes, very lucky. Lucky the nobleman must've boasted about his find and that Murgon heard about it."

Raffin nodded in understanding and leaned back against the chair cushions, "so, Nikre was your witness. That is why you couldn't tell him."

I shook my head, "not just him. The bandit leader, Crypt, survived his injuries and the last time I was with them Nikre was taking him back to Sunder to be tried in Murgon's court."

Raffin nodded thoughtfully again, "do you think there would be a way of getting this Crypt fellow to stand witness to this incident?"

I shrugged and slumped back into the cushions in defeat, "I doubt it. Him and Nikre are probably already in Sunder by now. They left when you came to meet me with the guards."

Raffin sighed and rubbed his eyes, "this is such a mess."

I nodded with a sigh of my own, "I know."

"I'm sorry to have dragged you into all of this, Tikka. If I'd known that this would have happened I would have just escorted you and your sister back to Neen Fortress as soon as possible."

"But you didn't know, so I don't blame you." I said with a small smile, "everything will be fine, Raffin. You'll see. I just have to find Juniper and the people who kidnapped her and then I'm free to leave."

Raffin's expression turned pained, "you forgot the time limit. You only have five days before the Daylight Festival. How will you make it in time?"

I shrugged again but smiled wider. "I don't quite know but if being in the Council has taught me anything it's that there's someone up there watching over me. So be sure to be prepared for the celebrations, Prince Raffin, because I will bring back the Queen of Estill and we will kill the bastards who did this."

Raffin left after some more chatting about their journey. He almost down right refused to be cheery in the face of my impending execution but I played the 'If I'm going to die I want everything to be normal' card and he gave in.

The light was receding rapidly from the room and I lit a few candles to light the twilight some more. The double glass doors were still open and my legs were aching to walk out onto the balcony to see the view. A rustling of the curtains brought my attention to the balcony and I turned away from the door Raffin had just left through and toward the noise.

"They think you kidnapped Juniper of Estill."

I gasped and clutched my heart in surprise. "You scared me half to death Nikre! What are you doing here?"

The silhouette of Nikre shrugged and backed out onto the balcony. "Come look at the view. He's given you a nice room."

I nodded and approached him. "Yes, I know. It's the nicest room I've ever been in."

My clumpy boots clip clopped against the ivory floor as I reached Nikre leaning on the ivory rails of the balcony.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful. The Lake that King Thigpen spoke of was situated off to the right side of the balcony and the sun was setting literally just behind the lake, it was mesmerising. The sun's light was hitting us as we were directly looking out across the lake. I could see the tables and chairs one wanting to have a garden party might use. And to the left side there were lush green tree tops as far as the eye could see. I should like to go hunting in that forest someday, I thought leaning my elbows against the cool ivory.

"Yes, this is very nice indeed." Nikre said as we looked out across the landscape. "What have you done to deserve such a wonderful room, I wonder."

I hesitated, unsure of what his reaction might be. "Well, I have been tasked with finding King Thigpen's wife. I am very important after all."

"Of course," Nikre said not sounding surprised. "And what has the noble King Thigpen given to you as punishment for supposedly kidnapping his wife?"

I purposefully looked away from him to the setting sun, "if I don't get Juniper back I'll be facing a prison sentence. Probably."

Nikre sighed, "you're lying."

I stepped back to look at him, outraged, but perhaps a little too outraged to be believable. "I am not lying!" I cried for the first time looking at Nikre's face. He looked sad, but it was an old sadness, one that only came from experiencing something very upsetting.

"Yes you are." He said his pain clearly visible in his eyes.

I smiled widely, too fake. "Really I'm not! It'll be a prison sentence. A few years maximum until they find Juniper. Thigpen's really nice."

Nikre laughed dark and cold, "just stop it. You're insulting my intelligence." He snapped turning to lean against the rails and look out over the water.

I deflated immediately. "Sorry."

"You could've told Thigpen I was there." He said with a sigh.

"No I couldn't have." I said with finality coming to stand beside him and placed my hands together on the cool stone.

"No, you're right. You just wouldn't, would you? Because your too much of a bloody hero." He snapped turning back toward the doors to my room.

"What are you taking about? I'm not a hero." I said defensively.

He scoffed without turning around to look at me. This irritated me immensely. "No, you're not a hero but you bloody well like to act like one." He crossed his arms.

"I did it because no one can know you're with the Council. That would jeopardise you're position within Sunder." I cried throwing my arms in the air in frustration. Why couldn't he see I did it for him? For his wellbeing? Why was he so blind?

"That is not a reason." He snarled turning around slowly. His mismatched eyes were practically glowing with mad rage and he seemed to be doing everything he could not to lash out.

"Of course it is!" I shouted, "Who would willingly offer someone else's head on a platter to save their own? That's just barbaric!"

"Regardless," he growled, "you should've done. And I'm here to set it right. We are going down to King Thigpen's throne room and I am going to tell him what I saw."

"NO!" I screamed in panic, "No, you can't do that!"

Nikre laughed, "it is not your place to tell me what I can and can't do." He grabbed my arm pulled me toward the doors.

"No, stop! I won't do it!"

"You have no choice!" Nikre snarled pulling me through doors of the room.

In some strange moment of panic stricken madness I spun around and jumped into his arms. He stared into my eyes, which were now level with his, in surprise and his pupils grew large. I punched him in both eyes while he was distracted and he cried out in pain and I dropped to the floor. I ran out onto the balcony and pressed myself into the corner closest to the lake.

"No, I won't. And even if you tell them about it, I'll just deny it." I said crossing my arms firmly and perching myself on the corner of the balcony. There was a dull ache from my upper arm but I ignored it. It was healing fast. Whatever that ointment was, it was really good.

Nikre let out a great roar of frustration and walked quickly up to me. "Just do as I say! All this could be avoided if you just tell Thigpen the truth!"

"No." I said firmly. "No, I refuse to be the reason you're executed."

All Nikre's anger seemed to deflate out of him all at once. "I won't be executed just for proving your innocence." He said gently.

"I know that!" I snapped, "when Murgon finds out you've been helping me escape he'll have you hanged."

Nikre sighed and placed his large hands on either side of the ivory wall I was sitting on, trapping me. He hung his head down and closed his eyes. "There's no knowing that that will happen, Tikka."

I scoffed in frustration, "of course it will happen! He'd ask you why you let me go and then you'd have to explain everything!"

"I could say you escaped and were too fast for me." He murmured, his eyes still hidden from view.

"You know he wouldn't believe that." I said quietly realising I was winning this fight. "I don't think anyone could escape you and I definitely know that I couldn't. He'd get suspicious and then the game's over."

"This isn't a game." He quipped.

"Figure of speech." I snapped back.

He sighed. "I wish you were normal."

"And I wish you were less annoying but we can't have everything."

He let out a surprised laugh and straightened to look at me with a small smile on his face. "No, we can't have everything."

He looked out at the lake behind me and I sighed knowing that my conscience would make me tell him the truth. Why I really didn't tell Thigpen about him. "I didn't say anything because I realised that if you died because of me I would never forgive myself." I said feeling a little spark of pain at the image of his hanging still clear in my mind. Nikre had perked up and I could tell he was listening intently even if he was looking into the distance. "You're my friend, Nikre. I couldn't let you get hurt because of something I said."

I watched Nikre's face for his reaction to my words. To my surprise a warm smile spread across his face and he looked down at me. It was the kind of smile that warmed you inside and made you smile to, which I did. "That's very noble of you." He commented with a bow of his head.

"So, are you still going to talk to Thigpen?" I asked becoming a little worried.

His smile lost some of its warmth, "no. I'll stay and help you find Juniper."

I sighed with relief. "Good. Then we'll both be safe."

Nikre nodded, his smile slipping.

The sun had descended fully behind the cover of the horizon and the twilight was casting its haunted glow upon the balcony where we were.

Nikre looked to the horizon and puffed out his chest with a large sigh. "Right then." He said with a smile. "We should get you sleep if you want to be at your best for hunting down a lost Queen."

I nodded with a smile of my own. "Yes, that sounds good. It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

"Yes, Tikka, and not one I want to repeat." He said turning toward the double glass doors.

"I'll bear that in mind next time I get kidnapped." I said with a chuckle.

We returned to the gorgeous room and I turned and closed the doors to the outside world.

"By the way," Nikre said while he rooted through the wardrobe to my left and as I went to admire the painting to my right. "Did you get my letter?"

"Your letter?" I asked slightly surprised as I gazed at the painting of a beautiful blond woman with bright green eyes.

"Oh, I see." He said hesitantly, "never mind. It was nothing."

"No, tell me. What letter?" I said with a smirking turning to look at him. He pretended to be extremely interested in whatever was in the wardrobe and began throwing clothes out onto the bed.

"It's nothing. Don't worry yourself about it." He mumbled into the wardrobe.

I chuckled, "whatever you say."

After all this talk of letters I felt something strange in my leather belt. Feeling really quite stupid for not finding it sooner I took it from the belt. I flipped it open and noticed that the ruffling of clothes stopped after Nikre heard the crumple of the paper.

I'll come back for you.

N

I almost laughed. Almost. I was hyper aware of the fact that Nikre was barely breathing from the position of the wardrobe so I decided to try and diffuse the situation.

"That was very romantic, Nikre. Well done." I said with a chuckled as I threw the note onto the low table in the circle of the long chairs.

I glanced at Nikre to gauge his reaction and I was very pleased with the effect my words had. I saw a little dusting of pink across his cheekbones before his whole face disappeared from view as he continued to unpack the wardrobe's contents. "It wasn't meant to be." I heard him mutter.

I sauntered over to the bed with all of the clothes on it and stared at Nikre's back disapprovingly, "what in the gods names are you doing?"

Nikre turned around slightly to regard me. The blush was completely gone which almost made me believe I'd only dreamt it had been there. But I knew better, my keen eyes never deceived me. "Searching for some nightclothes. You can't be thinking about sleeping in that." He said gesturing to my dirty, bloody tunic and trousers.

I crossed my arms in defence. "Well, you can't really blame me for how dirty my clothes are! That's all that stupid bear's fault!"

Nikre chuckled, "of course." His gaze raked over my body and I felt strangely naked. "regardless, nightclothes are needed."

"Fine." I snapped rooting through the small pile of white and pale blue clothing he'd piled on the bed. Thinking back to the castle I had to assume that Juniper was the interior decorator of it. The whole of the castle was colour-compatible. Nothing was mismatched or out of place. Perhaps apart from Nikre who seemed to stand out like a sore thumb against the pale, delicate wood, walls and linen. His sun darkened skin and dark, almost black hair made him stand out even without the help of his bright eyes.

"Tikka,"

They really were quite extraordinary eyes. They were so mesmerising in their own way. Honey yellow and a deep scarlet that could have been burgundy.

"Tikka?"

They held so much power behind them. You could tell that just by glancing into them once. They portrayed danger and violence one minute and a vulnerability that could not be matched the next. He was completely unpredictable but his eyes told the story of his life as if it were laid out before me to read.

"Tikka!"

His shout brought me back to the present and I realised with growing dread that I had been staring into his eyes while I was thinking those things.

I could feel my face grow hot as the blood rushed to it making me place my hands over my cheeks and look down in embarrassment.

"Sorry! I didn't realise I was staring!" I said quickly averting my eyes toward the pile of clothes.

Nikre stood there, a little confounded, with a nightdress in one hand and a night shirt in the other.

"That's… alright." He said hesitantly.

Hands still attached firmly to my face I gestured to the nightdress with my elbow. "Is that for me then?"

Nikre snapped back to reality quickly. "Yes." He handed me the dress which meant I had to take my hand away from my face. I was not impressed.

"Why do you have your hands against your cheeks like that?" He asked carefully.

I sighed and took my hands away because the hotness from before had finally left. "No reason."

Nikre frowned a little more but then shrugged and decided it wasn't worth pondering. He took the night shirt and some pale blue linen trousers he'd found and walked out onto the balcony to change.

Meanwhile I was trying to get over that last awful mistake. I'm being really stupid today!

I undressed, threw my dirty clothes onto one of the long chairs and slipped on the silk nightdress. It was absolutely wonderful against my skin, so soft and smooth. I dug around in the bedside table nearest to me and found a hair brush, smooth and untouched. I jumped onto the lovely bed and, cross-legged, began to brush my hair. Facing the balcony doors I was able to have the best view of Nikre's entrance. As per usual he looked like a sculpted golden statue in his white cotton night shirt that hung open. Without realising it my hand had stopping brushing my hair and I was staring. Nikre, being cocky and annoying, was smirking as he closed the double doors and walked toward the bed. He'd obviously found that my staring was actually quite amusing because he wouldn't wipe that irritating smirk off his face.

He stood on the left hand side of the bed and pulled back the covers, his smirk never leaving his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked as I watched him warily.

He scoffed, "going to sleep, do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes, actually!" I cried standing quickly as he sat down on the bed to face me. "You can't sleep in the same bed with me!"

Nikre raised an eyebrow, "and why not? We've both had a tiring day, physically and emotionally. I deserve a warm bed just as much as you."

"But – but –" I spluttered, "It's indecent!"

Nikre blinked several times at me then his smile turned into a splitting grin and an earth shattering laugh pierced the calm of the room. I blushed horribly. He was laughing at me! What a bastard! "Hey! Stop laughing at me!"

He shook his head still laughing as he drew back the covers further, "you really need to stop acting like such a Princess or no one will take you seriously."

Irritated and a little hurt I shoved the brush into the bedside drawer with a little more force than I'd perhaps wanted.

Nikre had stopped laughing and was frowning a little, "I've upset you."

I laughed coldly, "yes, you tend to do that a lot."

I threw myself under the covers after blowing out the candle beside my bed. The room was bathed in the silvery blue glow of the moon.

Silence fell.

I was finally drifting off into a disturbed sleep when I felt the soft, warm pressure of finger tips hesitantly touching my arm. "I'm sorry." Nikre whispered softly behind me. "I didn't mean to upset you like that. You can't help that you are accustomed to more… appropriate living conditions then right now."

Feeling ashamed for being so angry in the first place I rewarded his courage by turning to face him. I could just make out the outline of the left side of his face when the moonlight splashed across his cheekbones. "Apology accepted."

The corner of his lips quirked in a small smile and silence fell once again. This silence was heavy. I remembered the way he'd looked at me earlier on the balcony and decided to venture deeper into his soul than anyone had probably ever gone before. "I'm to be executed if I don't bring back Juniper." I whispered fully expecting him to blow up again. He'd known before now, of course, but the spoken admission might have made him more upset. It didn't.

His smile faded and his eyes narrowed wearily. "I know."

I nodded. Looking down into the covers between us trying to avoid his smouldering eyes which were as close as they'd been when I'd sprung my surprise attack earlier.

"But I won't let you be executed." I looked up into his firm gaze. He radiated a quiet confidence that made me a relax, I believed him. "Not now, not ever."

"You confuse me." I confessed cushioning my head under my hands. "What you say is so unpredictable. I don't know what to make of it."

Nikre smiled knowingly, "I'm a friend. That's all you need to be clear about."

I nodded, "I'm beginning to believe that, Nikre. How strange that we should be in this situation." I smiled a little but my eyes were itching from tiredness.

"Indeed." He breathed with a smile of his own.

Without warning I was assaulted with a wave of uncontrolled fondness. I wasn't prepared for it and almost let it show on my face. Nikre looked so innocent, it was painful. This man had been through so much. He deserved more than my friendship. And so, without thinking, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to the soft skin of his forehead. If Nikre reacted to the touch I didn't notice. His skin was warm under my lips and I felt such an onslaught of affection for him it was hard not to react.

I didn't linger to see his dazed expression when I turned back around to face the wall. I felt more than heard the breath leave him once I was turned over fully. I didn't regret what I had done. Nikre deserved to be shown affection toward him. He was such a good, kind man who had been thrown into such an impossible situation that it was practically impossible to break out of. The kiss was meant to show my affection. I was never good with words so the only possible way I'd be able to communicate such a thing would be through an act of affection, such as a kiss. It just so happened that that was the easiest available thing to do at the time otherwise I'd probably had hugged him or something. I wasn't worried about developing feelings for Nikre. No, that was not a worry. He was a friend, perhaps even a good friend, and I'd never jeopardise that. The kiss had been a show of friendly affection from one friend to another. Of course it had.

As I began to drift off I seemed to imagine hot breath against my neck and gentle fingers running through my hair. It was such a wonderful dream.


BAM! how'd you like that bitches?

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