Soul peered out of the window gloomily with the fresh thought of Maka's lips on his, and gazed into the night as his carriage rocked back and forth, bumping along over the rough ground while the horse's trot clopped along the gravel. His parents remained solemnly silent just as their son did, the mother staring down at her faint pale-grey hands in the candle light, and his father also leaning over to glance morosely out the window on his side. After a while of quiet, Soul finally interrupted. "How did you find me?"

His mother looked up and answered, "We received a letter not long ago addressed to us from the Gorgon Kingdom. It had said that our son would return to us finally, and that we would find him waiting for us at the castle of the Albarns. We rushed over from our town as fast as we could." She offered a faint smile. "But now we're glad you're back, right sweetheart?" She reached out for the hand of her husband, but he drew back in disgust.

"Yes. Now we can resume your strict training in hopes that one day, you will own our family business," his father said coldly.

Soul snorted and leaned back from the window. "I thought I made it clear before. I don't want to be in the family business. I want to decide my own destiny for once."

"Impossible!" His father retorted with constrained anger and clenched his fists. "We are the ones who decide your fate."

He scowled to himself silently as he rested back into the seat, making sure to avoid the fragile and concerned eyes of his mother so he wouldn't remember the light that they once had in them, the life and happiness she used to have before she married him. How he loathed that man who he was forced to call "father," who sat in front of him with his arms crossed sternly against his chest.

"Sweetheart, please be nice," his mother begged quietly. "Shouldn't we just concentrate on the fact that we have been reunited with our son? Shouldn't we be celebrating right now?" Her voice calmed the angry man down, and he settled back down. "I know things might be a bit unhappy right now, but I'm sure you'll understand one day." She reached out her hand and gingerly rested it on his knee. "Your father and I only want the best for our son."

Soul resorted to sulking and staring emptily out the window once again. "Where are we going now?" He grumbled.

"We're returning home in the next town over. It will be a while until we get there," she answered and then she paused. "Tell me, what were you doing in that castle with the princess?"

Soul tensed. "She...she invited me to dine with her."

His father and mom exchange glances. "Why would that be?" He asked.

"None of your business," he sneered.

"I am your father and you must obey my commands!"

"Stop it! Please," she interrupted their rising voices. "Please."

"I was at the castle because I did the princess a favor, okay? She wanted to repay the favor by treating me to a meal," he sighed.

"Tell us, Samuel, where did you live for the time you were away?"

He paused first to gather up his story, then told them all about the night he had snuck away from the house and how he found solace in his little house that he had built himself, brick by brick. How he dropped his name, Samuel, because it was too conventional for a cool guy like him. He remembered how, using only his meager amount of tools, he managed to pull out enough money to buy his own furnace and have his own lifestyle doing the only thing he knew how to do - create things using fire and iron.

But then, there was Maka.

He decided to leave her part out of his story. Not even they deserved to hear the adventures and mishaps that had happened only between themselves. And the last thing he needed from his parents was an hour-long interrogation of what he did with the princess of the Albarn Kingdom. "And that's it," he shrugged under his parents' uneasy gaze.

His father's eyes slit suspiciously at him. "I hope you're planning on working that hard in my house," he sneered. "I guarantee that this is the last time you will run away."

"Oh! You look sooo pretty!" Patty laughed at Maka's disgusted face as she pulled at the white hems of her dress, staring at herself in the mirror with the wedding dress that flowed downward against her knees. She had donned on the new dress as soon as Marie pranced in with it, excitedly waving it up and down as Maka returned from the front entrance that same night.

"I look horrible..." she mumbled, observing the shroud of white that covered everything from her chest to the tips of her toes, its fabric embellished with small sparkles that reflected in the mirror each time she turned. "Why did Papa have to choose this dress?"

"Because!" Liz bent down and smoothed down the ruffles on her legs. "You're gonna get married in only two days now. Hold this!" She shoved a bouquet of white roses in the princess' hand and turned her to face towards the mirror. "You look beautiful." Maka sighed at her friend's sympathetic attempts to make her happy. "C'mon, Maka. Don't frown like that." She opened her eyes and glanced at her crestfallen image in the mirror while Liz put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It'll work out," she said and slowly reached for her tiara, setting it down carefully on her head.

"I'm stuck, Liz," she admitted gloomily. "I don't know what to do anymore. I still have to resolve things with Kid, and our marriage is in two days."

The sisters answered in quiet disappointment. How could they stand to see their best friend being stuck for the rest of her life with someone she didn't love? "Aw, Maka," Patty wandered over to the distraught princess and wrapped her arms around her chest comfortingly. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she murmured gently as Liz did the same. Maka felt her knees cave in and she landed on the floor softly, her voluminous dress cushioning her fall while her friends caressed her.

"Don't do that!" A sudden voice that came from the door interrupted, and Maka stood up immediately. "You'll dirty the new fabric that they just tailored." Kid stood in the doorway, his hands tucked neatly behind his pristine black uniform, and his black hair tainted with his three white stripes combed completely down with not a strand that stuck out.

"K-Kid..." Maka managed out and glanced at her friends. "I've been meaning to talk to you." Liz glanced at her sister and cleared her throat, leading her out of the room.

"I suppose I have the right to be mad. After all, you did ignore your responsibilities and your duty towards your kingdom as well as your duty to me," he finished, striding over to where Maka stood guiltily.

"I understand that I was wrong Kid, and I'm sorry for - "

"However," he interrupted stiffly, his sharp golden eyes shifting downwards. "The more I think about it, the more I understand."

"Understand what?"

"I understand that you don't want to marry me," he finished and Maka remained silent. "Actually, I've understood ever since you first laid your eyes on me. How stupidly blind I have been."

"You say that now...but there's not much we can change..."

"Yes, I admit. There's no escape for either of us. You and I both have known this."

"The only thing that baffles me is how your step-mother could've known where I've been. It's as if she knows everything," Maka uttered.

"Wait...the queen knew about your whereabouts before we found you?" He lowered his tone with suspicion. "Medusa is a magic user. To spy on you without a definite reason and not alert the kingdom is certainly strange..."

"What could she be doing?"

"I have no idea. But I know there is always an ulterior motive to everything she does. Be careful, Maka. She might be planning something sinister," the prince warned.

"How do we know for sure?" Maka leaned towards in with worry.

"We don't. Just keep an eye out for suspicious things." He cleared his throat and straightened his back. "Anyways, Maka." He went over and took her hand. "I hope you understand. This is not an issue of love, but an issue of our duty towards the kingdoms. Whether Medusa is planning or not, or the both of us refuse to marry each other, we have no choice. What must be done must be done." He raised her hand to show the shining silver ring that announced that they were engaged and Maka nodded sadly. "I'll see you in the morning," he said and kissed the back of her hand gently.

"Good night, Kid," she said as she watched him stride away, leaving her alone in the middle of her room with a bitter taste in her mouth.

The king of the Albarns straightened out his maroon cape and smoothed out the wrinkles in his suit while he walked towards the throne room of the Gorgon queen. Now, he decided, after he gathered up all the courage he could, he would barge into her room and declare that he would rather sacrifice a whole kingdom than let his daughter be unhappily married. He was sure the queen herself would not approve and would probably declare war, but he and his stupid decisions were sure that this would be the right thing to do. This would surely win back the love of his daughter. Spirit was sure that he'd fight a million wars if it kept her safe, even though he didn't quite approve of that shady-looking Soul Eater boy.

He was just about to make it to her door, when he heard two voices inside mingling softly. He leaned his ear against the door carefully.

"How do you know it will work out correctly?" Asked a voice, a young voice of a boy's.

"Don't worry, Justin, my dear," crooned Medusa, her sly tone echoing across the walls. "My plan is working just fine. Now that that stupid little blacksmith is out of my hair and the marriage is in two days, I can guarantee that the Albarn and Gorgons will collide. And when they say 'I do,' we will be the new rulers, not that foolish King Spirit."

He chuckled. "Thank you, my queen. I will serve you for as long as I have my magic that you have given unto me. When the prince and princess say their vows..."

"You shall strike. Make sure that you make it a quick and painless death," she commanded.

"Yes, your highness, then I will - " The large double doors swing open, and Spirit was thrown in by a guard.

"Queen Medusa, I have found King Spirit spying on you from outside," the guard, who had snuck up behind him announced.

A mischievous smile creeped on her face as she watched the King stagger up and adjust his crown. "Medusa!" He pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the beloved King Spirit," she laughed, mildly amused at his determination. "You must've heard an awful lot while you were out there."

"Treacherous witch! What are you planning to do to my daughter?!" He demanded angrily.

"As if telling you would matter." She waved a dismissive hand to the guard and the boy, and they back up cautiously behind Spirit. "But I will, just to satisfy you. Ever since the war, the Gorgon kingdom has always been thought to be an ugly place; we use magic, utter our spells, and do things that no mere human such as yourself could understand. But now, we have grown sick of you and your goodie-goodie little kingdom filled with non-magic users who shun us, and we plan to do something about it." The air seemed to heavy as she stood up from her throne, her black royal dress flowing with the sudden breeze around her. "Nake snake, cobra cobra..." Her hands sparked with blue-white electricity that flashed around her whole body. "After tomorrow, both kingdoms will be under one rule - mine!"

Spirit drew back nervously. "Medusa! What do you think you're doing?!" He yelled over the crackle of electricity. "You will only be declaring war against my people! Is this how you will make peace?"

"Peace? Peace is no longer the subject," she cackled. "You have now become an unwanted problem in my plot." The room darkened, more so than before, and the air began to vibrate dangerously as the evil queen chanted louder and louder. Spirit turned to see that the two behind him had fled to the far corner of the room, and now were watching expectantly to see what would happen next.

"You will never get away with this, Medusa!" He roared over her chanting, but she only smirked.

"Nake snake...Cobra cobra..."

The candles all over the room blew out at once, leaving everything pitch-black.

"Medusa!"

The ground started to rumble.

"I'm afraid this is the last time we will be seeing each other. Ever. Goodbye, King Spirit."

A/N: Soooo so sorry for last week's missed update. I am extremely busy this week - I had two school concerts for my orchestra, three tests from my math teacher who was determined to bury his students under a mountain of math homework, a science test, and a history test. Yes, my life is ridiculous at the moment. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyways. Please leave a review of what you think!

SilverBunni712