So Monday is here with a new update! (its super early in the morning and I will concider this time of night Monday and not Sunday anymore, just for this once je je) I really hope you will enjoy it!

Darling laid some of the shred fabric on top of her friend, while she was asleep. Then grabbed her sword lashing it to her waist, taking a deep breath to the mist of the morning.

She knelt to find some tracks to follow, but instead she found some very fresh marks.

"What?" she observed them carefully, it was a perfect circle.

"I finally found you"

Darling's hand flew to her sword to unsheathe it, putting the blade against the intruder.

Cerise woke up by the sound of two swords clashing. She jumped to her feet just to find the perfect image of the White Knight battling her counterpart.

"Chase?" Darling dropped her sword allowing the Red Knight to do the same "What are you doing here?"

"I am just as delighted to see you" he vowed mockingly

Darling smiled and vowed as well, then acting against her nature, she hugged him "It's really good to see you"

Chase blushed slightly hugging her as well.

"How did you found us?" Cerise asked.

"Yeah, why aren't you in Wonderland?"

"Because, luckily for you, you have friends that care for you" he returned his sword to its rightful place "Lizzie Hearts worried after yesterday's events, fortunately for the future Queen of Hearts, her best friend can disappear with a smile. Kitty went to Wonderland to find me"

"And you came all the way here?"

"They said you two had gone missing after Daring turned into a beast, they were worried sick, so I came" he looked at Darling "not to the rescue, but to be of any assistance, I believe two knights are better than one"

"Thank you" she said heartedly, right now, she needed that.

Cerise fixed her hood, around the Red Knight she couldn't trust her secret "We were following Daring's trail, do you think you can help?"

"I don't know this routes very well, but and advantage of being a Wonderlandian is to always find the right path" he smiled "and I believe the Hoods know how to stray from the path"

"It will be quite the team"

Chase's chess horse followed behind them with enough supplies for a couple of days.

They were able to have breakfast and keep looking for a couple of hours, but Daring had really made a run for it.

"I had some experience tracking the Bandersnatch but I must admit, Daring is way faster"

"He was scared; he would try to get as far away as possible" Darling said knowingly.

Chase observed the surroundings "Hold on for a sec, please" he stabbed his sword to the ground.

"We can't stop. He can't be much farther away" Cerise said crossing her arms.

"I know, that's why I need a moment" he grabbed some leaves letting them fly away with the wind.

Cerise sighted frustrated "I will keep looking" she walked in a straight line towards the deep dark forest.

"Wait!" he called "It's not that way"

"What?"

"You said his hair was white, right?"

"Yeah"

"So he is probably more of a winter creature" he pointed to the mountains "Rocky caverns are the best for him. Plus, he has run for two days now, he must need water. Let's follow a river"

Cerise had to admit, he was probably right, his plan made much more sense than her own. She had actually lost his scent; she was beginning to worry.

They walked for miles before they found a water body. They were exhausted by that point and the sun was getting down, they needed to camp.

"We are getting close to wolf territory" Cerise warned.

"I…didn't know that" Chase said looking around "Doesn't surprise me, it's the perfect place to colonize"

"Then my brother can't be far, it's the largest water source in the area, he must be near"

"Tomorrow we will choose which way to follow, the flow divides into two"

"Which is more likely?"

"I can't say, sorry"

Cerise sighted.

"It's ok, we will find him" Darling said "It's better if we save our energies"

They collected some wood and started a fire, the nights were colder every time.

They sat around the campfire, little was said. Cerise couldn't stay still for another second, so she just stood up "I am going for more wood" she turned around, even though there was plenty.

Now the two knights were alone.

Darling tried to smile encouragingly "She is just stressed, you are doing a great job tracking him"

"Thanks" he smirked, but looked away "So… everyone at Ever After High was there at the ceremony, huh?"

"Yeah, they all witnessed it" Darling hugged her knees to her chest.

"Guess my invitation got lost in the mail?" he said lightly

Darling looked at him feeling remorse, but it was no accident that he hasn't been there. She rested her chin against her knee.

"I…I didn't want to sign my page. I didn't want anyone to see me give up a part of myself, specially not…you" she whispered "Of all the people, you were the one I couldn't allow to see me like that"

Chase stood silent for a second "I could've supported you"

"I didn't want to be encouraged to do it" she said coldly "You were- are, the only one I can truly be myself with. I mean, you are the Red Knight, fighting you has been the most…" she gazed into his cheering eyes, a playful grin on his lips "fun" she decided "fun, I ever had. I feel free when I wear the armor. I didn't want to give that up just to be a submissive damsel in distress"

"You could never be that" he agreed "And now what?" he gazed into the page "Your destiny is your own?"

"I…think so"

"And what are you going to do with it?"

"I don't yet know, but for now, living the present feels just great"

"I'm glad" he doubtfully wrapped his arm around her shoulders leaning in, to his surprise, she cuddled against his armor resting there.

Cerise walked behind them, deciding not to interrupt the scene. She had heard it all, and though it meant to be on her own for a while, she decided what was the right thing to do…

And the title was a little hint (I love word plays, if you haven't notice in other titles from my chapters) :) Honestly some days I spend more time figuring out a title for the chapter than the climax of the chapter itself, je je... I might have to change those habits, though! Well, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! And as always, the support is incredible! Thanks for the follows and reviews! See you Wednesday!