The morning of the dual found Rachel sitting in the parlor Prince Blaine's quarters, having breakfast with the Heir Apparent. He had decided upon meeting her for a private meal as opposed to a walk to avoid the prying eyes and keen ears of the servants. He had no doubt of the loyalty of those in service to House Lopez, but he also saw no reason to let their tongue wag.

Besides, the confused look of Baron Hudson and the annoyed expression of Archduchess Lopez at the news that he and Rachel would be eating in private was worth it all on its own.

"Now, m'lady," he spoke as they drew close to the end of their meal. "I have heard all sides of this tale, including your own just moments ago. Let us assume that your family's debts shall be taken care of, no matter the outcome of this duel. What do you want for yourself?" he asked kindly.

Rachel, who despite herself had not been able to get Santana off her mind completely all morning, and had actually been… disappointed, she'd dare call it, at missing out on a good morning kiss (the thought almost made her blush), furrowed her brows at the Prince, biting her lip in thought.

"I… I do not wish to be selfish, Your Highness," she replied carefully.

Blaine smiled, reaching his hand out to take Rachel's and squeezing it softly, as they were friends almost. "Sometimes a bit of selfishness is healthy, m'lady. Now please. Tell your favored outcome."

Nodding slowly, Rachel looked down as she spoke. "I… My preferred outcome, would be that I… that I remain with the Archduchess. And. And were I to truly dream, my sister would join me, and my father would truly be made to give up his drinking ways. He would be somewhere he could heal his heart and his body. Rediscover his passion for healing others, I suppose."

When she looked up, the Prince's eyes were twinkling. "I thought I told you to be selfish, dear," he chuckled.

Rachel shrugged. "You asked me to tell you what would make you happiest. Being with the Archduchess makes me happy for now. And knowing my family was safe will always be the root of my happiness, Your Highness."

Gentle brown eyes settled on her, and she blushed. "I can see why she's so taken with you," he said kindly. "Now, shall I tell you a royal secret?"

"If it please Your Highness."

"When Santana and I were small, our father meant for us to be married. Now, I'm sure you've discovered one of the reasons that plan was…redesigned, shall we say? In any case, she came to live at court for a while. There had been bandit raids and a few kidnapping attempts in the western part of the land, and her parents wanted her kept safe. I was overjoyed. I only had a couple of playmates at the time, and my brother was just a baby. One day, we somehow found our way into the sword ring when the Masters were out. And of course we picked up the wooden swords and began to duel," he said, chuckling at the memory. "Well, I'll say this. It was a good thing we chose the wooden ones, rather than the real ones. She beat me. Soundly. Even at the age of twelve, she knew precisely how to handle a blade. So you needn't worry about the duel," he said gently.

Rachel smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, Your Highness."

Santana was taking out some of her nerves on a poor, defenseless training scarecrow. She swung the sword furiously, trying to take her mind off the fact that her best friend was taking some sort of evil pleasure in keeping her away from her lady.

"I'd go easy, if I were you," a voice said behind her. "You don't want to be too tired for this afternoon."

Santana turned and glared at Finn. "I won't be."

He came and sat on one of the low barrels, watching as she practiced.

"Is there something I can get a servant to help you with?" she asked finally, throwing down the wooden sword.

"What are your intentions with Rachel?" he asked in a low tone.

"My intentions are none of your business, Lord Hudson."

"But they are. You may not like me, but I have no reason to lie to you. I care for Rachel. The circumstance we find ourselves in is regrettable, but I want to do right by her. She's taken with you, I can see that. But who wouldn't be, Archduchess?" He stood and strode over to her. "Right now, she has a husband, and a good future. Would you have her throw that aside for you to use her?"

Santana glared up at the tall man, studying him intently, taking in his posture (bold, but just a bit unsettled) and his features (confident, yet his eyes showed a certain level of anxiousness. She side-stepped his question. "You're nervous." She smirked a little.

Finn glowered at her, huffing. "That does not answer my question." Santana stepped forward, and to his credit, Finn did not step back.

"When was the last time you held actual court, Lord Hudson?" she asked, raising a curious brow.

Face reddening even in the low light of the practice hall, the man let out a slow breath. "I have not. And my reasons are not your concern, Archduchess. Now, answer me."

"I severely outrank you, Baron," shot back the woman, glare sharpening. Finn swallowed thickly, but kept his ground.

"Like it or not, Lady Lopez, this duel concerns my current wife. I will ask, again, what do you intend for her?" His features had become stern, breathing a little harsher as he fought to keep his anger under control, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides, knuckle white. He looked all the likes of an angry bull, decided Santana.

Crossing her arms, she finally responded. "I intend to have her as my own. What exactly that means, I am not sure yet. But I want her, and I wish to keep seeing her smile, knowing that I caused it."

They stood there, well within each others personal space, sizing one another up, for several minutes, before finally, relenting, Finn nodded, stepping back a few paces. "You may use the weapon of our kin, the sword and a shield. I will use mine; an axe and shield. May the High Ones guide your blade." With that he give a small bow of his head, then turned away, leaving the hall swiftly.

Santana shook her head. She truly did not know what to make of the man anymore. Was he a brute? A womanizer? Or simple a confused young man in over his head?

Shaking those thoughts away, she was about to go back to the dummy, when the doors opened once more, and Rachel peaked her head through them. "Um… m'lady? The Prince said I could spend my time before the duel as I pleased." And I wanted to spent it with you were the unsaid words.

Santana nodded and walked over to her. Taking her hand, she smiled and said, "Shall I show you the garden? There's a lovely maze that sits on the hill. You can see the main city from the center."

"I would love that!" Rachel said, eyes lighting up.

"I do hope his Highness behaved himself at breakfast," Santana said, as they walked through the west courtyard. "He's my sovereign and sworn liege and all, but he can be a brat."

Rachel laughed. "He was wonderful. And so…."

"Normal, for royalty?"

"Yes."

"Indeed. Here we are."

The arched entrance to the maze loomed over them. Flowers spelled out a saying in runes.

"What does that mean, m'lady?" Rachel asked as they entered the hedges.

"They are my family's words. House Lopez: We claim and defend."

Rachel nodded, but stayed silent, thinking of all the possible meanings of that phrase.

Santana just smirked and left her to her musings as she guided them through the maze.

"You must have done this maze a hundred times," Rachel said after a while. "You know the way effortlessly."

"Indeed. There are three ways to the center of the maze, and I learned all of them. I was terribly afraid of it as a child, and my father…ah…I suppose the best description would be to say he bribed me to learn it."

"Really?" Rachel said, laughing a bit. "How so?"

"Promised me that he would take me to the sea that Harvest Feast. But I had to learn my way around the maze by myself."

"How old were you?"

"Eight."

"That's terribly young!"

Santana shrugged. "Our house breeds its descendants to be fearless. Overcoming fears is a part of life, little songbird. It's a lesson best learned early."

They came to the center of the maze and Rachel could, indeed, see the whole of Angelion beneath them. It was quite the breathtaking sight.

Santana pulled her into her lap after taking a seat on the stone bench next to the fountain. "Have you ever been there?"

"Once. My father was called to help after the fire that destroyed the theater."

"Yes, I remember that one."

"Mother was still alive then. She kept Sugar at home, but insisted he take me. I was allowed to walk around near the hotel, and he would come back and have dinner with me when he was finished at the hospital. Then Mother fell ill…."

Santana hugged her close and kissed her shoulder.

Rachel leaned back into Santana, relaxing more. She was slowly growing more accustomed to the amount of physical touch the Baroness used, and although it would take some time until she could sit on the woman's lap without blushing, she was not uncomfortable at all.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Rachel collecting herself, and Santana allowing her to do so. "I'm sure you know this, but I received a letter from my sister this morning, before I had breakfast with the Prince."

Santana nodded, but said nothing, and Rachel continued.

"She is worried for me, wants to know if I'll come home…" She bit her lip, letting out a shaky breath. "She misses me. And has been staying at the tavern, courtesy of Noah, these past few days."

Kissing just under Rachel's ear, Santana spoke softly. "When this is over, and I win, because I shall win, I promise to reunite you with your sister."

"Santana you don't-" She was turned suddenly, legs adjusted to fall along one side of the Baroness' lap, and silence with a firm, but gently kiss. The peasant girl's face went bright red, and after a second of freezing she relaxed completely into the kiss, returning it as best she could. When Santana eventually pulled away, Rachel whimpered, eyes still closed, and the noblewoman chuckled.

"First, I missed doing that, and when you ramble or speak in such a way I am overcome with the insurmountable urge to kiss you. More so than usual. Second, there are very few things that I have to do, but ensuring the happiness of what is mine is definitely one of them."

Rachel nodded, then bit her lip, glancing up at Santana through her lashes. "Is that what I will be then? A prize?"

Santana considered her for a moment, then replied softly. "You are not a prize to be won, little songbird. But you are a treasure. And though I desire you as mine, I shan't chain you to this manor if it is not your will. But I would indeed enjoy being able to continue calling you my little songbird, and, when His Highness and Lord Hudson leave, showing you the ways a woman can pleasure another."

Rachel's face had become red again, but she was smiling. She leaned against Santana's shoulder. "Most would cage their canaries to here them sing, m'lady," she replied, not quite teasingly.

"Then I would cage myself alongside you, to better hear your song."

This time Rachel laughed. "You are silver-tongued, Baroness Lopez!" she exclaimed, face flushed and smile bright.

Smirking, Santana leaned in, swiping her tongue over Rachel's ear lobe, making her gasp, and whispered, "I thought I told you, that you had yet to experience my true silver tongue?"