Thanks for the reviews!

TakerTakeMe – I'm glad you like this, and let me tell you a little secret; no matter what universe my crazy mind creates, Jericho and Steph will always be attracted to one another, whether they know it or not haha

PhoenixO'Neil09 – Steph is definitely taken aback by Shane and Hunter's actions. She'll do the right thing if given the chance…

Takers dark lover – Kurt's fate will be revealed in next chapter, I didn't like the little bastard so I won't have mercy on him lol

DarkZoul – She is a little bitch, but that's just her being her :-) and as for Chris, maybe he couldn't help himself…

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She was being kept in the dark, denied of ever seeing the stars shivering in a distant endless sky while the face of a vast pale moon looked at her from above; denied to bathe in the candescent light of the morning sun, of feeling the growing grass prickling at her feet while a soft fragrant breeze swirled around her.

From within her cell she yearned for those things, she would give away her dowry and her royal claim just to be allowed outside.

But with each passing day she grew more and more convinced that there would not be a way out for her. She was going to rot in that room while her mind shattered in a million pieces.

She didn't even know day from night, or how many days had gone by since that awful first day. It could be a fortnight, but it could also been less than that… she wasn't sure anymore. No matter how long it had been, it sure had felt like a lifetime in purgatory.

Her only link to the outside world was Maryse, and that evil woman was a huge part of her misfortune. More often than not the blonde succeeded in making her already unbearable captivity into pure hell. She spoiled her food pretty often, put out all the lights to leave her surrounded by darkness and she would always rankle her with her hateful remarks. She had grown to hate that Maryse.

On more than one occasion Stephanie had been tempted to use the silver plate hidden under the bed to erase away her sly grin. Sometimes she even dreamt of it, of smashing it against her face when she wasn't excepting it. So far she had refrained from doing so.

Apart from Maryse, Stephanie had been left alone with her thoughts. Her days were long, her nights a torment and the only thing she could do to pass the day was to dwell on her memories, reliving happier times when there was not a worry in her mind.

At night phantoms from her past would haunt her dreams. Kurt was a regular, but he didn't frighten her as much as Shane did. In her dreams, the brother that she loved would become a silent predator, thirsty of blood and gore. She would always wake up from those dreams panting and with tears in her eyes. Those were the worst, but sometimes, if she was lucky she would dream of her mother and the three M's.

Even Jericho visited her dreams.

She heard a noise outside and recognized it as footsteps. They were growing louder somewhere in the corridor until they stopped at her door. Being in solitary for so long had sharpened her senses and when the door opened to reveal a grinning Maryse she wasn't surprised.

"Bonjour!" The woman said in an unaccustomed cheerful tone, she sounded phony. She was carrying a small tray with food in one hand and a bag in the other one. She set the tray down at the foot of the bed and started to take out candles from the bag.

Stephanie looked suspiciously as the Canadian lit the candles while humming some unknown song. The woman kept on with her farce, and Stephanie reassumed brushing her hair. She knew Maryse was up to something and she was sure the blonde would let her know soon enough.

"I have great news… is it Stephanie?" Maryse said in her thick accent while she looked at her with an exaggerated frown. "Anyway, Canada scored a great victory over your stupid Kingdom"

Stephanie eyed the blonde but did not respond, she did however stop brushing her hair.

"Want to know why?" Maryse purred after finishing lighting the whole room with candles.

"Just tell me if you have to and begone" Stephanie rasped with a hint of impatience. Her vocal cords were rusty by lack of use, and her throat ached a little. But she did want to know what the woman had to say, chances were it was a lie but either way…

Maryse laughed a fake laugh and clapped her hands. "The Council got Trish back, as we speak she must be healing in her rooms"

Stephanie glanced at her with distrust. "They negotiated her release?" Stephanie asked in wonder. If that was the case why was she still there? It didn't make any sense.

Maryse rolled her eyes. "Of course they didn't. Our warriors were able to strike a surprise attack into the Kingdom and liberated her. Why do you think your warriors are all over the place killing clueless peasants? They are desperate…"

Stephanie tried to absorb what Maryse had just said. If the Canadians had indeed got Trish back without making an exchange her own fate was sealed. The only thing that had kept her alive was the woman's confinement in the Kingdom. Now they could do anything to her, anything.

"Now we can get rid of you. We can sell into slavery or to a whorehouse, but we might just starve you to death" Maryse walked over to the bed and stood on top of the tray, ruining her dinner/breakfast. "Or we'll just keep you here until you grow old and grey and everyone forgets about the princess that once was"

Stephanie tried to maintain her composure. "You lie. But if what you say is truth then summon one of the members of your Council and make them say it to me…" She didn't want to believe that, it put her safety in jeopardy.

Maryse laughed again. "You forget yourself child; this is not your castle where people do as you command. The high Six are far too busy to come and pay the likes of you a little visit, winning a war is not an easy task. Besides, they are not even here"

Stephanie shrugged. "One of them must be around; you told me yourself that they never went out of the city at once. So go and get one"

Maryse rolled her eyes and said sourly. "Don't try to order me around, I'm not your maid" she wasn't cheerful anymore.

Stephanie favored Maryse with a grin of her own and stood up from the bed. She walked to her until the two were standing eye to eye. "Yes you are"

Stephanie saw as anger took over the woman's features and before she could even react the impudent blonde slapped her across the face.

It had been a first for her, no one had ever dared to strike her in all her life and that the Canadian had done so enraged her. She didn't think it twice before returning the favor. There was nothing to lose, she was already doomed.

"How dare you!" yelped the Canadian holding her cheek. She tried to hit Stephanie again but the princess was able to push her away.

That was when everything went wrong.

Maryse stumbled backwards, her feet tangling with some of the candles she had put earlier, spilling them off their vase. The flames reached the bed quick enough and in no time it caught fire. It happened so fast that neither woman had time to react.

"What have you done?" yelled the Canadian looking around for something to put the fire out.

Stephanie shook her head in denial; she hadn't meant to make a pyre out of the bed. She observed in horror as Maryse took a shirt that that lay on the floor and started to hit the bed with it. The fabric caught fire in her hands and the blonde threw it over to join the already ablaze bed.

Stephanie ran to the washroom and filled a bowl with water. She ran back to the bed and poured it over it, it was no good use as the bowl was too small but she repeated the action anyway. Maryse took notice and copied her, going back and forth with another small bowl. Sometimes they would bump into each other, spilling the water before it reached its destination but overall they were doing pretty good. Two sworn enemies united momentarily to put a fire out.

"What is going on here?"

Over the cracking of the fire Stephanie heard the unknown voice and turned around. It was one of the Canadians, Edge's brother. She poured the water onto the bed as she looked at him stupidly, he strode into the room.

With a curse, he grabbed each woman by an arm and pushed them out of the room. "Get her out of here" He said to no one in particular but Stephanie assumed he was talking to Maryse. "And get Lance's ugly face over here before the whole building burns to the ground"

Once outside the room, Stephanie looked at the blonde woman. This was not the way she imagined her day to go by.

Maryse looked back at her, her eyes wild and her blonde hair darkened with ashes. "You are so screwed little princess" Then she began to laugh wholeheartedly.

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Stephanie found herself in the room with the huge Canadian flag once again. Lance was sitting at the table, a solemn look on his face while Christian paced impatiently around the room. She was standing, her hands bounded in front of her as Lance considered about her fate.

"Look, do whatever you want with her, I'll go back to Trish. I don't want her to be by herself" Christian stopped his pacing and headed to the door.

Lance didn't even move as the other Canadian left. Maryse had been saying the truth, the Canadians had Trish back, and by what she could gather her condition wasn't the best.

"What are you going to do with me?" Stephanie ventured to ask.

"I have a couple of ideas that I want to discuss with the Council. As for now, we'll have to look for other accommodations, as you tried to burn your room"

"You mean my cell" Stephanie said defiantly.

"You sure are more talkative than the first time we meet" He stopped and considered for a moment. "Cell, room… either way it was better than a dungeon"

"I had nothing to do with your woman's confinement, so why don't you just let me go"

"What good that would make us?"

Stephanie shrugged.

"If things go my way, Stephanie, you won't ever leave Canada. I don't like this war, none of us want it. I have half the Council outside our gates battling the advancing troops of the Kingdom while the city fills with refugees. I'll soon have to leave myself and bring Christian with me, tearing him apart from a woman who had been raped and beaten God knows how many times by one of your most trusted warriors, and to top that of I'll have to leave the burden of the city to that same woman"

"We'll battle to the end and I'm confident we are going to win this one, but what would prevent your brother to keep attacking through your father's reign and his own if we turn you over?"

"So I'll get to be your eternal prisoner" Stephanie said in disdain.

"You get to be one of our own. If the Council approves I intend to arrange a marriage for you. It won't be any different than what you father did by promising you to Hunter. Maybe you'll even bear your Royal children here"

Stephanie gasped in shock. "You can't do that, I won't consent that nonsense"

"We'll see about that" Lance said in confidence.

"You are mad" she replied distressed.

As he was about to reply the door busted open and Jericho entered the room, imposing as ever. He was sweaty, battered and didn't seem to be in a good mood. He seemed the very exact picture of a savage, dressed only in his tights and black boots. His blonde hair was loose over his shoulders and a stubble covered his face. His eyes found hers before moving to Lance's in query.

Lance tilted his head; his ever serious expression didn't change. "Didn't expected you so soon"

"We just came for new mounts; we'll leave at first light"

Lance nodded. "Well enough, Christian and I will leave with you as well. But for now I need you to find our guest here shelter for the night, maybe to Natalya's?"

Jericho shook his head. "She's still in the field with Tyson"

"Then take her with you, her room suffered a mishap. It will only be until the morrow"

"A mishap" Jericho repeated looking at her with his unreadable blue eyes.

"She burnt it down" Lance shrugged.

It was an accident she wanted to say but decided to keep her quiet. Who cared about their stupid cell and their stupid building, she didn't want to bear their savage children.

"Is that so…" Jericho mumbled still looking at her. "And what would prevent her from burning my place?"

"She won't, right Stephanie?" Asked Lance.

"I might do just that" Stephanie said raising an eyebrow.

"Then you better keep her tied up and away from candles" Lance said as he stood up.

Jericho snickered humorlessly. "I knew I should have gone straight to my place" He grabbed her by the arm and guided her out the building.

Stephanie had little time to enjoy her suppressed freedom, the walk to Jericho's place was short and she had to follow his fast pace. But as short as it had been it was good to breathe fresh air and see the stars once again; she never thought she would miss the chilly air of the night so much.

Once in his place Jericho kicked the door shut and guided her in. It was dark inside, and she couldn't take the surroundings as she would have like to.

"Let me get this straight" He grunted as he untied her hands in a quick motion, he didn't bother to light the room so only the moonlight entering through the window killed the darkness. "I'm tired, irritated and in no mood for you, so just keep out of my way" He walked into another room and left her standing there.

Not in the mood for her? The man had kidnapped her, dragged her across the country and now he didn't want her to bother him. She was fuming.

She followed him into the room. "You are not in the mood for me?" She snapped. "I'm not in the mood for any of you either and yet I have to suffer you. You've tied me up, drag me around into this stupid country, I even had to endure that wicked woman who wanted to starve me to death and you don't want me to bother you!"

Chris ran a hand though his hair and took a deep breath. He turned around and started to look for clean clothes in one dresser. "You are giving me a headache woman"

She stood there, her mouth a tight line and her nails digging into her palms. She had never been so frustrated in her whole life. When he tried to enter his washroom she grabbed the first thing her hand came into and threw it at him.

His reflexes her good and he managed to duck the flying object. It crashed against the door and fell to the floor with a hollow thud.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He asked turning to her, she could see he was getting angrier by the minute.

"Oh, did that bothered you? Then I'm glad because…"

"Just shut the hell up for the love of God" He grumbled as he moved towards her.

When he was near enough she reached out to him and slapped him hard in the face, taking all her frustration and anger against him. His head rocked the slightest bit to the side and when he faced her again his glare was heated. She didn't care.

"Don't tell me to shut up, nobody tells me to shut up, I'm Stephanie McMahon and no savage will…"

Stephanie was cut off abruptly when Jericho grabbed the back of her head and pushed her to him. He pressed his lips hard into hers and a protest was drowned in her throat.

She tried to pull away, but his hand locked at the back of her head, securing her against his lips. He invaded her hungrily, forcing her lips to part so he could slide his warm tongue in, and as soon as it made contact with hers Stephanie felt the world spinning around her.

While one hand held her head the other found its way to her lower back, pressing her against his body. Her heart was fluttering in her chest and deep in her mind she knew she had to stop him. She pushed at his shoulders, but there was no force in her intents.

The assault when on and she was flustered when she could not stop her own tongue to dance along with his.

He probed her with his tongue, nibbled at her lips and teased her into action while her body molded into his. He was stealing her every breath out of her being and swallowing them as his own.

Her anger was forgotten, she could only concentrate on sensations.

Deep within her legs a pleasant ache was unfolding, making it difficult for her to form a coherent thought. She had to stop it, but she was unable to, she was getting drunk on him.

Not even in her wildest dreams had she imagine a kiss to be like that. Hunter's had failed to tangle her emotions beyond control as they were right now.

She gasped into the kiss and he tore his lips away from her. She almost protested, almost. Her lips were swollen and her breathing labored. She didn't know what had got into her, shame flushed her face.

"This won't do" he said in a husky voice. His eyes were a few shades darker than usual and she had to look away from those eyes. "I'll have to look for another place for you"

He turned away from her and left. The room became frighteningly silent, and soon after she heard the sound of a door being open and then slammed shut. She was left alone once again.

TBC

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Well, it was late when I wrote this but damn, it was about time something happened; I know my Stephanie muse wanted me to write it… lol

About Trish, I couldn't leave her at the Kingdom, poor thing had suffered enough. So as Jericho and Stephanie made their way to Canada the others were getting her back…