A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've gotten onto a roll with my other story and ended up putting this one aside for a bit. I'll try to update more often. Please keep the reviews coming. The storytelling section is in italics, and separated from the rest of the story by /\ marks. Hope you enjoy it.

/

Marissa turned to Bianca. "You must allow me to repay you and Zachary in some small measure for your extraordinary kindness. Would the two of you join Scott and me for dinner?"

"Bianca, I'm afraid we must be getting back. Your mother will be wondering where you are."

"You're right, Zachary. She will be. I'm sorry, Marissa. We really should go." Bianca smiled sadly.

"I understand. Would it be possible to see you again?" Marissa asked hopefully.

Her request was met with a bright smile from Bianca. "I would like that very much. I'll be back here tomorrow."

"You will? I look forward to seeing you tomorrow then." Marissa smiled brightly.

/\

"They like each other, don't they, Mimo?" Sparky whispered loudly to Miranda.

The teen chuckled. "Yep, Sparky, they sure do. They like each other a whole lot."

"Kinda like Mama and Mommy, right?"

"Exactly like them."

/\

Scott saw the smile on Marissa's face as she watched Bianca ride off. He was worried that she was losing sight of her mission and its importance. He felt he needed to speak with her and set her straight.

Marissa turned and saw the look her friend was giving her. She shook her head, silently telling him this was not the place for this discussion. "Krystal, would it possible to go to our rooms?"

"Of course. I'm sure you want to freshen up and rest some before dinner. It sounds like you had quite the ordeal on your journey. I'll take you to them now."

The women chatted along the way with Marissa gently pumping her for information on the kingdom. She needed to devise a way to get a message to the king and queen with no one being the wiser. She could not reveal who she was to anyone until she met with them.

After the friends each had a chance to freshen up, Scott went to Marissa's room to talk.

"I have to ask what you think you're doing, Marissa. You seem to have forgotten the purpose of this mission. You seem more interested in Bianca then in why you were sent here."

Marissa snapped. "Don't start with me, Scott. I know exactly why I'm here and what I need to do. Yes, I talked with Bianca. Would you have me ignore her? She saved my life after all. She saved both of our lives or have you forgotten. She has shown us every kindness, and I'm going to return it. I also have not forgotten why I'm here. The fate of this kingdom as well as our own is at stake. I know that. It weighs on me."

"Our kingdom?"

"Yes, our kingdom. Do you really think that wolf attack was an accident? I don't. It's too much of a coincidence. Everything that Bianca told us matches what the emissary that made it through told us. I also had to determine if the king and queen are worthy of our kingdom's assistance. While King Jesse and Queen Angie are friends with them, they won't put their subjects at risk unnecessarily."

"I didn't know. I thought …"

"You thought I forgot about everything the minute I saw Bianca. I haven't. While I will admit that I feel something for her, and I can't even begin to tell you why or what those feelings are, I know why I'm here and what I need to do. Don't ever doubt that."

"I'm sorry. I don't doubt you." Scott couldn't stop himself from voicing his next thought. "It's just that you don't know anything about Bianca. How do you know she wasn't sent here to distract you from your mission? You said you think the attack was no accident. Have you considered then that she could be responsible for it? Doesn't her happening upon us at the precise moment we need her seem too convenient for you? Look at everything else. She knows the innkeeper. She knows the doctor and the blacksmith. She's gone out of her way to help us for no reason at all. Have you taken all of this into account, considered any of this?"

Marissa took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. She didn't want to lose her temper with Scott, but he was testing her patience right now. She knew he was only looking out for her, but he was wrong. She didn't know why, but she just knew he was wrong about Bianca. There was just something in her heart, in her soul that told her that the brunette could be trusted. Marissa knew that Bianca was helping them simply out of the goodness of her heart. She knew it without a doubt. She knew there was more to her than met the eye, but it wasn't anything bad. She also knew that she was looking forward to seeing her again tomorrow, looking forward to spending more time with her and getting to know her. "Enough! I know you're looking out for me, but that's enough. That's not who Bianca is. There is no way she could've set that attack up. You didn't see her immediately after it. I did. She had nothing to do with it. She's helping because that's who she is, the kind of person she is. I'm not going to talk anymore about this. I have something more pressing on my mind than your suspicions about Bianca."

Scott started to protest but decided against it seeing the look in his friend's eyes. He knew he had pushed as far as he dared and decided it was the wiser move to drop the subject for now. "What are you thinking about?"

"I've been thinking of how we can contact the king and queen to request an audience with them without giving ourselves away."

"That will be a trick. Have you come up with anything?"

"Not yet, but I will. For now, let's go to the tavern for dinner. Perhaps some food will help me find an answer."

/

Zachary couldn't help but notice the smile on the face of Princess Bianca, and he was concerned. The princess seemed smitten by the new arrival, and given her past, he thought there was a chance she could let her emotions get the better of her and get hurt or become careless. The kingdom was facing rocky times, and the king and queen would need her level-headedness to help them through this time. He was also concerned by the so-called wolf attack. He was suspicious of it and the redhead. It seemed too coincidental for his liking.

"Princess Bianca, do you really think it's wise to go back to the village tomorrow to see that woman?"

"She has a name, Zachary. Her name is Marissa, and yes, I do."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend. May I speak freely?"

"You always do." Bianca smirked.

"You don't know anything about her. For example, the wolf attack. How do you know it's real? How do you know that it wasn't staged? That it wasn't done to play on your emotions, to gain your confidence?"

"What do you mean by that? Marissa doesn't know who I am."

"How do you know for sure? If she does, then she knows how kind-hearted you are. You're known for that, and it could be used against you. She could take advantage of you, of who you are and your position for her own gains."

"She wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. I saw it in her eyes. That attack wasn't staged. She wasn't acting. Marissa was scared. She wouldn't do anything like that anyway. It's not who she is. Before you ask, I just know it. There's something about her that tells me I can trust her. She's not like the others. I know you mean well and have my best interests at heart and are looking out for me, but you don't need to worry this time. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. There's no reason for you to worry about me, and you also don't have to worry about me being there for my mother. Have I ever let her down before? Have I ever let anyone else down before? I know my role and my duty. Never doubt that." Princess Bianca didn't wait for an answer before she spurred her horse on and took off on a gallop towards home.

Zachary shook his head. Perhaps, he had pushed the princess too hard. She did have good judgment, and he would trust it and her. She was right. She had never let anyone else down, particularly Queen Erica. It was only her own heart that she had a problem guarding. He sighed and took off towards the castle.

/

Queen Erica smiled when she saw her daughter approach. "Bianca, I was worried. You're later than you said you would be."

Bianca smiled and kissed her mother's cheek. "I'm sorry. We ran into some travelers that needed our assistance."

"What happened, Sweetheart? Is everyone alright?"

The princess turned to see the king enter the room and greeted him warmly. "Yes, Jackson, everyone is fine. Sir Zachary and I were riding to the village when we happened upon an injured man. I heard a woman cry for help and went to help her while Zachary helped the man. I was able to catch up with her and help her. They were attacked by a wolf. It knocked the man off of his horse and spooked her's. She lost control and was headed deeper into the forest. I helped her regain control of her horse."

King Jackson smiled proudly. "Well, you are the best rider in the kingdom. She couldn't have asked for anyone better to help."

"Jackson is correct. You are the best. That's very unusual about the wolf. They're not known for attacking so boldly during the day. The couple wasn't hurt though?"

"I think his pride was hurt more than anything, but Marissa was thankfully unharmed."

"Who is Marissa?" Queen Erica asked.

"She's the woman. She's very beautiful, smart, and funny with a smile that equals the light from the sun and a laugh that is more beautiful than any song I've ever heard."

/\

"Excuse me, but who's telling this story?" Marissa asked amused.

"Well, you are, but I had a feeling that you were going to skimp on the description of the counselor. I couldn't let that happen. I'm just exercising a little creative license with her character. On second thought, scratch that. Actually, I'm making it a little more authentic to keep her in line with her namesake." Bianca grinned.

Marissa grinned in returned. "You're impossible sometimes. You know that, don't you?"

"I do but only with you. You wouldn't have me any other way though, would you now?"

Marissa laughed and gave Bianca a quick kiss. "No, I most certainly would not."

"Mommy's right. I like Mama's laugh a lot."

AJ grinned. "We all do, Sparky. Mom's is pretty good too. Don't you think?"

"Uh huh, it sure is!" The youngest family member nodded.

Gabby chuckled as she watched her moms. They were looking at each other all starry eyed again and zoning out. "I tell ya, I'm going to be scarred for life."

Miranda smiled as she observed her moms. She really hoped that she would one day find someone that made her feel the way they made each other feel. She chuckled hearing Gabby's joke and shook her head. Miranda cleared her throat to get the attention of her moms. "Mom's right. You weren't going to give the counselor enough credit. You're going to have to give her the same treatment you're giving the princess. It's only fair, and it sets a good example for Sparky."

"You know I don't like it when you get all logical on me." Marissa scolded playfully having pulled her eyes from the warm chocolate eyes of Bianca.

"That would be your influence on me." Miranda grinned.

Bianca snorted. "You know she's right."

"Mama?"

"Yes, Sweetie?"

"Why doesn't Scott like the princess?"

Marissa smiled at her youngest. "Oh, he likes her. He just doesn't see her the same way that the counselor does. He doesn't see the things that she sees. He is the counselor's friend though, and he's just looking out for her. Zachary's the same way. They just don't want their friends hurt."

Bianca nodded. "The thing to remember, Sweetie, is that the counselor and the princess aren't letting others talk them out of how they feel about each other and what they see in each other. They're listening to them, but they're making up their own minds."

AJ looked down at the four year old. "Mom's right. They trust themselves and their own hearts. The moms always say if you do that, you can't go wrong."

"Are you ready for Ma to get back to the story, Sparky?" Gabby asked.

"Yep, I sure am!"

Marissa smiled and nodded at her youngest. "As you wish."

/\

The queen was slightly taken aback by her daughter's reaction to the mystery woman. She hadn't seen her smile like she was right now for a very long time, if ever. "This Marissa seems to have made quite an impression on you. What of her companion? What of their relationship?"

"They're just friends like Zachary and me."

"I see. Where are they from?"

"They are from Devonshire."

The king and queen looked at each other. Could these travelers hold the key to saving their kingdom?

Queen Erica looked at her daughter. "Did they say why they are here?"

"No, not really. Marissa only said she was here to visit with someone."

"Where are they staying?"

"Marissa's horse threw a shoe so we escorted them to the village. Zachary took her horse to the blacksmith while I took them to the village inn. Krystal had rooms available for them."

"They're staying overnight there?"

"Yes, given the lateness of the hour, Marissa thought it was safer for them to do so. She didn't say how long they planned on staying after tomorrow. I plan on going back in the morning to check on them."

"Does she know who you are?"

"No, she doesn't. I didn't give her my title, and Krystal and the others remained silent on the matter as well."

"Good. I wouldn't want someone to take advantage of you."

"I don't believe Marissa would do that."

"I don't suppose there is anything I could say to dissuade you from going back tomorrow?"

The princess smiled. "No, I'm afraid there isn't. I have to admit that I am intrigued by her. I believe there is more to her than meets the eye, but I also believe her to be a good person."

"Very well, but I would be more comfortable if Zachary accompanied you again. It's for your own safety, Sweetheart."

Bianca sighed. "Fine, he may come with me. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to freshen up before dinner."

The queen nodded. "Of course." She watched as her daughter left the room.

"What do you make of this woman's appearance, my dear?" The king asked.

"I'm not sure. Devonshire is King Jesse and Queen Angie's domain. We have yet to hear anything regarding the emissary we dispatched to them. He may have made it through. If he did, the king and queen would only send their most trusted advisor and would do so discreetly with no fanfare or notice. It would be done for their safety as well as our's."

"Do you think this woman could be their advisor?"

"It's possible. We'll have some people observe her for us."

"There's another reason for your interest in this woman."

"Yes, Bianca seems smitten by her, and I want to make sure my daughter is safe."

/

The Evil Queen raced to her castle to observe the damage she had done to the mysterious travelers from her magic mirror. She smirked in anticipation of what she would see. "Mirror, show me the outsiders."

An image appeared on the mirror of Princess Bianca racing to catch up to the redhead and then rescuing her. "What? How could this happen? How could she do this? I cannot believe this! The princess has interfered yet again with my plans! I don't know who this woman is, but I will take care of her!"

Greenlee observed the Evil Queen from a safe distance as she raged first against the princess and then the counselor. She turned to her friend. "She is up to no good, and will stop at nothing to finish what she started earlier. I fear for Marissa and Princess Bianca. Will you help us, Opal?"

"I will. It's obvious there is a special connection between the princess and the counselor. I see the sparks of true love between them. You know how I feel about that. Plus, I don't like this Evil Queen. She's done all that she could to hurt Queen Erica, and that is something I can't stand. I like Queen Erica a great deal. She's got style and sass, and I like that. I've kept an eye on her over the years, and there's not much I wouldn't do for her. You and your friend Kendall can count me in for whatever help you need."

/\

Miranda snorted. "Opal's a fairy godmother! I love it! I can totally picture her with wings and waving a wand around defending Queen Erica."

AJ joined his sister laughing. "G-ma is her gal pal after all, and there's nothing she wouldn't do for her. I can just picture the smack down she'd give anyone crossing her!"

Gabby grinned. "Oh, that wouldn't be pretty at all. How's the counselor going to get to the king and queen, Ma? I don't want Zachary and Scott to get in their way either. I know the knights mean well, but they really should trust the couple."

"I don't like the Evil Queen. She's scary." Sparky added quietly.

Marissa pulled her youngest between her and Bianca. "You don't need to worry about her, Sweetie. The princess and the counselor are very smart and brave."

"You trust your Mama, don't you?" Bianca asked already knowing the answer.

The young redhead nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh!"

"Well then, don't worry. Do you see that smile on her face?"

"Uh huh."

"That smile means she has something up her sleeve, and I think it's going to be good." Bianca smiled.

"Okay, Mommy."