"Princess."

A warm hand touched my shoulder and gave me a gentle shake.

"Not yet, Baileywick." I purred, snuggling back into the pull of slumber. My legs were freezing, and I flicked my hand out against the draft blowing into my bedroom. "And close the window while you're here, will you?"

"Get up." He growled. And I tried to roll over, but something hard and coarse pressed against me. I opened my eyes slowly, my face turned in to dark fabric and the crease between an arm and a body. I tilted forward, blushing, causing an ache in my thighs to roll up my sides.

"Ooh, where are we?" I said, licking my dry lips, choosing not to address that I'd been curled up into Stone, wantonly dreaming about being secure at home in bed.

"We're stopping." He said, his voice low and hoarse. I could feel his chest rumbling against my back, and now that I was awake I realized he was sagging against me. I pushed against him with my elbow and sent him a pointed glare over my shoulder.

"Do you mind?" I hissed, adjusting again. My legs hurt terribly and I let out a soft whimper of discomfort as I tried to bend my knees up.

"Please stop moving." He growled, taking the reins and leading the mare to the side of the road. The road. We were on a road.

"When did we leave the forest?" I asked, looking up and down the well made path, then to my left where the tree line was just in sight.

"She can't go any further. We're on foot from here." He said, his breath warm against my neck. As the mare came to a stop he slowly dismounted, stumbling back and almost losing his footing. I snickered, wanting to throw out a taunt about the effects of drinking too much until I saw his face. Dark bags and a scruffy jaw revealed how exhausted he was. He held a hand up to me, and I flicked my fingers at him in dismissal. Looking down at the saddle, I took my time drawing one leg over until I was sitting side saddle. My thighs were twitching, and my back was stiff and tense.

"Can't the horse take us to where we're going?" I whined, scowling when he rubbed his forehead with a sigh.

"Unless you want her to drop dead out from under us, no. Get down."

I went to clutch my shift tightly beneath my knees as I started to slide down.

"Wait!" He cried, stepping forward and catching my waist before I hit the ground. I slid against his chest and grunted from the force.

"Haven't you ever dismounted-"

"I thought you were going to catch me." I hissed, stepping back to right my clothes. He let me go and pushed past me to check the mare. Removing the bridle and saddle, he took the blanket from her back and tossed it to me. Tapping her on her hind quarters she gave a gentle start before meandering off. He flung the saddle and the bridle into a cluster of bushes, and grabbed my hand, pulling me off the road and towards the trees again.

"I don't have any shoes on." I stated, dancing around plants and rocks on my toes. Now on my feet my legs hurt even worse, and I wanted to slump down and refuse to move, but the rising sun made me wary. Examining the last twinkle of the stars above, I could see that we'd drifted even more south. That meant Dunwitty was even farther away than before. Which meant home was out of my reach. It also meant we'd been traveling for some time, and since we were still on the move, the Baron's men must still be after us. I hissed and whimpered as I trekked barefoot. He didn't turn once to address me, and the frustration built up until I was huffing and mumbling behind him. It felt like centuries of walking before we broke through the trees and came upon a dilapidated shack. It was tiny and dark with glass-less windows and a caved in roof, caused by a massive tree that had fallen against its side. It was a wonder the thing was still standing.

"You're joking." I giggled, hysteria beginning to creep into my voice. At the sound he let go of my hand which caused me to stumble and step on a sharp, prickly plant. I gasped and lifted my foot refusing to move as I waved my hands and my lip began to tremble.

"Ow!" I wailed, awkwardly sinking down and holding my foot high, the ache in my thighs doubling. Tears were beginning to well, and I took one shuddering breath before allowing myself to cry. The sobs caused my shoulders to shake, and I refused to touch anything as I sat there and released all my pent up woes. It wasn't fair! I was practically killed, naked in the woods, cold, hungry, and so dirty! And my dress was gone, and-

"Princess." Came a tired response.

"No!" I yelled, flapping my hands even harder, air escaping me. "This is horrible! And it's all your fault!"

"My fault?" He snapped, and the sound made me flinch. He let out a groan as my volume increased. When I heard him stomping back towards me, I opened my eyes and my sobs simmered down into hiccups. He looked dark and angry, standing over me with his hands clenched at his sides.

"I'll get up when I'm ready!" I screeched. He dropped to his knee and reached for me, and I instantly raised my hand and swatted at him. My palms bounced off his shoulder as he grabbed my injured foot and lifted it for inspection. The pain throbbed from my heel and as I jerked my foot away, instant relief came with it. I cradled my knee against my chest, realizing whatever had been in my foot was now pinched between his fingers.

"Better?" He asked calmly, and I sniffed and nodded dumbly. I intended to thank him, but instead just sat there, wishing he'd back up and give me space. I felt silly now. Sitting on the ground and crying. But he didn't let me wallow in pity as he held out a hand and pulled mine away from my knee. He helped me stand before lifting me carefully in his arms. He was silent, and we stumbled through the brush and into that disgustingly tiny shack.

He let my legs drop inside the door, and left me to lean against the rotting wood while he began to kick aside the brush that had crept in from the forest and grown into the space.

I sniffed and muttered, "I suppose I'll sleep over there?"

I pointed to the spot beneath the window, and a shadow of a smile was his response. He continued kicking until a hollow knock permeated the air.

"I would assume her highness would want to sleep in a bed?" He bent and wrapped his hand around something metal buried in the dirt, and as he pulled rusty hinges squeaked from disuse. There in the ground had been a hidden door, and now open, inky darkness is what met us below.

"Ladies first." He said, grinning.

I raised both eyebrows and silently shook my head. He shrugged with a cavalier grin and said, "Suit yourself."

Sitting on the edge of the hole, he left the door open and dropped down into the darkness.

I stood in the quiet, fighting with myself over what could be down there, unable to get past the idea of going underground. Warm light suddenly flooded the hole and I looked over my shoulder towards the forest. Already the sun was higher, and a pale light was touching the trees. Stone was too tired to go on. And I was too scared to go alone. A reasonably sounding voice in my head reminded me that he could still get me out of this mess. Looking towards the light I saw his hand held up, beckoning towards me.

I scowled and stomped towards the hole.

"Don't look up my dress." I warned, swinging my legs in and looking down at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Princess." He assured me with a smile. I scooted forward primly before dropping down next to him, our hands firmly clasped.