Sorry this took so long to post, I had a lot going on. Plus, I guess I was getting kinda discouraged with the responses I was getting, or lack thereof. Anyway, here it is. Hope you like it, and please review!

Disclaimer: Hmmm, don't think I've remembered to put one of these up in a while. Oh well. I own nothing.


Lyss stared for a few moments at the carefree-looking lord who had just edged past the man who had saved her just a few hours ago. At least, she hoped it had been just a few hours ago. He had just called the other lord Orien. Orien was the name her mother had told her that her father had been called. But... no, this man couldn't possibly be her father, she thought firmly. I mean, he's a lord. The lords have nothing to do with the people. But sometimes, they might, argued a small voice in her head. You're one of the people, and at the moment you're in the middle of nowhere in a camp with a bunch of lords. Lyss decided to ignore that voice. Maybe Orien was a common name among the lords.

Carefully, she tasted the food that had been given to her by the Lord. It tasted as though spices or a light sauce had been added while it roasted. The pleasant new taste intrigued her. Unlike the lords, the people had neither the money nor the time to spend on luxuries like spices.

"So," said the Lord, sitting beside her. He was silent for a moment, apparently unable to think of anything to say. Then, simply for the sake of saying something, he said, "Is the food okay?"

Lyss blinked. "Um, yes. It's... very good." He nodded.

Suddenly, Orien looked up at the sky and realized that the sun was actually rather low in the sky. He had thought that it was only a little after midday, but obviously he'd lost track of time.

"It's getting late," he said to the girl. Lyss looked up at the sky, and was also surprised to see the level of the sun. How long had she been out?

Reluctantly, thinking that the lord had been hinting that it was probably time for her to get going, Lyss got up and thanked him for the meal.

Orien blinked, surprised. "You're not going off on your own, are you? You may not have noticed, but this forest isn't really a safe place to be on your own. Especially for a young lady like you. I'd really feel better if you remained with us, at least until we get back into the open." Once again, Lyss felt slightly surprised. Lords didn't care about those of the people... or, at least, that was what she had always thought. Apparently, though, this one did.

"I guess I could stay, for a while, if you don't mind..." she said uncertainly. "My lord," she added quickly, realizing she had been forgetting that for a while now. The lord, however, didn't seem to care much about titles. He beamed at her when she agreed to stay.

"Excellent. We'll probably begin heading out of here tomorrow." He gave a small sigh and added, in way of explanation, "I'll need time to go over whatever arrangements those still back at the manor have made for the Trader's Day. An unfortunate thing with being the Earl; everyone always seems to feel you need to babysit them with anything they might do. It would be found scandalous if I were to let them just set it up themselves, even though no one really expects me to find anything that needs fixing." He winked at her.

Okay, Lyss had thought he was surprising her before. Now, she knew, that hadn't been anything. This was shocking. This man... no, this lord... he was the Earl. The Earl, second only to the King, ruling half the Kingdom. She stared at him.

Orien, however, did not seem to notice her shock. Oblivious, he got up and went to say something to one of his men.


Birle and Griffin had been prisoners for two days now, not including the day all those at the inn had been arrested as it had been so late.

They had quickly discovered that she had been right in her assumption that they would truly have no hope of an escape after her sad attempt. Now, as they walked, there was always a guard or two just a few paces away from them, and many more just a bit beyond them. They had been keeping a much closer eye not only on them, but on everyone. Instead of walking in two big clumps as they had before, one in front of the prisoners and one behind, they were now spread out much smaller groups among them.

Birle wondered idly when they were going to be brought before Orien. It would be a very interesting meeting, she knew. At least they were still going to the same place... Oh, she hoped Lyss was okay...


The next morning, Lyss was the first to wake in the little camp. She smiled softly to herself. Figures that lords would be used to being able to sleep in as long as they liked. Not really knowing what to do, she sat up glanced around again. It still felt unreal, being here.

She thought back to that night- it seemed like forever ago, but it really was only the day before yesterday. She thought about how Griffin had admitted his feelings. It didn't bother her as much as it had before, now that she had had time to get used to the idea. She'd always thought of Griffin as her best friend, but nothing more than that. However, now that Griffin had 'bought up' the idea, she realized that she did feel much more comfortable with him than any of the other boys from the village. He wasn't that bad looking, either. Maybe she did like him.

Wait. Now really wasn't the time to be thinking about that. Griffin wasn't here; she would worry about what he had said when she saw him next.

It was that thought that made Lyss finally realize that she had no idea when she would see him, or anyone else for that matter. Here she was, stranded in the forest with a bunch of lords. She didn't know the way back, and she didn't have anywhere to go. Griffin had been the one with the directions, the one who could remember and understand them. What was she supposed to do now? Or rather, what was she supposed to do after she separated from the lords?

Where were the lords going? Well, that was obvious, really. They were going back home, which meant to the capital. She and Griffin had been going to the capital.

Lyss didn't really wish to travel for an extended period with these lords, but she could think of no other option. It was highly unlikely they'd know the way back to her little village, which was known only for its inn- an inn where no real lord ever stayed.

Maybe, she thought desperately, just maybe Griffin had thought along the lines she just had. Maybe he would somehow know that she would be continuing on to the capital. He couldn't know that she had found a ready-made escort, but he might at least realize that it was much easier to get directions to the capital than to their tiny little village. Maybe they could find each other at the Trader's Day. Maybe.

It wasn't much, but as far as she could tell, it was her only hope. Assuming that the... The Earl- she had to get used to that some time. Assuming that the Earl would consent to take her along.

She heard movement to her right, and looked over to see that the Earl had woken up. He smiled when he saw her looking.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully. She smiled uncertainly back at him. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Sure," she answered, noticing for the first time how hungry she was, despite the generous meal she had been given the previous night.

"Well," said the lord going through one of the packs, "we have some bread and cheese here... leftovers from last night... some biscuits... fruit... jerky..."

"Bread and cheese is fine," said Lyss, wondering at all the choices lords seemed to have, even when they claimed to be 'roughing it.' "My Lord," she added, realizing that, once again, she had forgotten it.

He handed her the food, saying as he did so "You don't have to keep calling me 'my Lord,' you know. My name is Orien."

Lyss gulped. Orien... but she couldn't call the Earl (there, see, she was already getting used to it) she couldn't call the Earl 'my lord' if he wanted her to call him by name. "All right...Orien..." He smiled at her again. Well, Orien did seem nice.

"I don't think you've told me your name,"

Lyss looked at him. He was right, she realized. She hadn't told him her name.

"It's Lyss," she said.

Orien smiled over at the girl again. No, not the girl anymore; she was Lyss. "That's a pretty name." They began to eat (Orien had jerky, if anyone cares). Lyss... it really was a pretty name. Actually, it almost sounded familiar, as if he had heard it before. He felt like he should recognize it. He thought hard, and then it came to him. When he had been traveling with Birle, she had told him, at one point, that Lyss had been her mother's name. But there was no way he could be lucky enough for this girl to have any connection to Birle. Maybe Lyss was a common name among the people.

Lyss decided that it was time to ask him about her going with them to the capital. "Um... Orien..."

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering... before you found me, I was trying to get to the capital. For the Trader's Day. I don't really know the way, and I got separated from my friend..."

"Well then, you'll just have to come with us." Lyss was really beginning to think she liked this guy.


Well, I hope you liked it. Sorry not a lot happened, but Lyss needs some time with Orien before she finds out who he is for sure. Next chapter will come if and only if I get at least 3 reviews- sorry, but I don't really want to write this if nobody's reading. Did I mention I'd really like it if you reviewed?