From now on they would be friends and nothing more.

Could she handle it?

She had to.

She let the arrow go.

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It had been a month since Lily had told James that they couldn't be together and James had held her respect and did not push it once in that time.

The attack had gone off without a hitch, as well as five others.

As of today, the day after an attack, the realm of Naralee would be free of Xarks and the expedition would be travelling into Bruina.

Over the course of a month the entire group had gotten to know each other very well, as they were together 24/7.

Nothing was a secret; every body knew everything about every one.

Who was married.

How old they were.

Any kids.

Where they were from.

Favourite food.

Certain mannerisms and habits.

Everything.

They were like brothers… with a certain red head as a sister that fit in well with the boys.

Lily was like their little sister, they picked on her and made sure she didn't screw up, but they also looked out for her and made sure she was alright when the chips were down.

With a group of 40 men looking after you, you can be sure that you'll be ok.

However, it was clear that one man did not think of Lily as a sister. He looked at her with something else, had a different look on his face when he saw her.

James.

A month. An entire month of pretending not to have feelings for her, spending time with her, getting to know her, being "friends" with her, it was driving him crazy.

Not because he didn't like spending time with her, it was because when he was near her, every day he grew more fond of her, to like her more and more.

To LOVE her.

Yes, that's right.

In a course of a month, Prince James of Bruina had fallen for Lily.

Hard.

Flat on his face.

And it hurt.

A lot.

Not being able to be with her, tore him up.

And being so close with him, the rest of the men noticed this.

They liked James, he was a fair and friendly captain to have, and it was in some opinion that he was the best captain they had ever had.

Noticing his pain, they investigated.

And found the source of his agony.

One certain red head.

Lily.

They investigated more, trying to figure out why they were not together.

It was clear that they liked each other.

So why?

They bribed James with taking his sentry duties, doing his chores, looking after Wilfred. But James would not budge.

Until, one night, after the last attack in Naralee, they had a celebration.

Every one got drunk, all except Lily, whom the men would not let her drink, they had past experiences where lily got drunk and let's just say that they did not want to go through that again.

Late at night, James and a few men who were still up were talking and he let it slip, without even realising it.

Some of the men had drunken the alcohol but held it better then some so were only slightly tipsy. So they remembered the entire thing. Word for word.

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'Wait stop, I really need to pee'

'Lily! Is that any way for a princess to speak?!' mocked one of the soldiers in a posh voice.

Pulling a face Lily replied in a whining voice. 'Nooo! I really need to pee! NOW!' she screamed, pulling on Nelly's reigns, slipping off her back and sprinting into the bushes on the right of the road.

The rest of the expedition who were behind Lily stopped when she did with a few grumbles and chuckles at Lily, before sliding off their horses and taking this stop as a chance to also go to the toilet.

Returning from the bushes a few minutes later Lily mounted Nelly while patting the horse's neck in appreciation.

'Lily, that was the third time in a space of two hours that you have gone to the toilet. What the hell!' Dom exclaimed with elaborated hand movements beside her.

'Hey!' Lily defended 'it's not my fault you guys made me drink water instead of alcohol last night, so this is Karma, I hope you like it.'

'Well you do look better then poor Jamsey and co. over there, they look like they had a rough night' Brice announced while pointing to the back of the group where James and 5 other men were. It was true, they looked like crap.

'See Lils, we did you a favour, better peeing uncontrollably then looking like them, eh?' Dom inclined to the men with hangovers.

'Hmm, I suppose, but I'm not saying thankyou' Lily told them.

'Didn't expect you to, you wouldn't be Lily if you did' he said with a smile.

Lily punched his arm playfully.

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'Oh god, my head, shit! What did I do?!' James said opening his eyes before jamming them shut at the brightness outside.

'You were stupid enough to take a drink of that vile stuff Marcus calls alcohol' Lily's voice came, with a hint of smile under her accusations.

Apparently she found his current position funny.

'Hey, this isn't funny, I am in serious pain here' he told her while attempting again to open his eyes this time it worked but it felt like there was sand in them.

'Err, actually from my point of view it is hilarious' he giggled, which made him laugh (not giggle because men don't giggle) too, although it was strained.

'Here' she suddenly announced while shoving a green slime kind of thing under his nose.

'Ugh! What is that?! Get it away!' he yelled, while trying to get away from the green goop.

'It's Melropes Magical Medicine Slime' she told him matter-of factly.

'It's what!?' he exclaimed still trying to get away from the slime still held under his nose by Lily.

'MMMS, it's a hangover cure used in my realm, look' she explained to him and pointed at some of the Naralee warriors who were actually eating the stuff. 'It immediately gets rid of all symptoms of the morning after, like head aches etcetera. All you have to do is be brave enough to eat it.' She told him with a smile.

'E-eat that? You have got to be joking!' he exclaimed while staring at eh slime.

'It's not gonna get any tastier by just staring at it, go on, eat it, or are you scared?' she told him mockingly.

'I am not scared!' and with that he took the entire handful and shoved it down his neck with a sour expression on his face.

'Eww! That stuff tastes like crap!'

'Ok, 1. How do you know what crap tastes like… wait, don't answer that, don't wanna know.' James poked out his slimy tongue at Lily 'And 2. You only had to eat a pinch of it' she said with an evil grin.

'W-wh-WHAT! I ATE THE WHOLE THING FOR NOTHING!?!'

'Well not nothing, your hangovers gone now, isn't it?' Lily told him innocently.

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hey hey, fast update eh? I am proud of myself, all the reviews… ok the four I got… they made me write faster, which isn't hard seeming my chapters are always so small. Lol, sorry bout that, I am lazy, its what I do. :D

Please PLEASE review.

I will virtually high five you if you do.

That's a good deal right?

G.E.A

:P