Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: Sorry it has been so long since my last update. Things got hectic with the holidays and then I got bronchitis. Now that I'm better I'm hoping that I can get back to updating much more frequently than I have been.

Discovery of Feelings

Z glanced over at Sky who was riding a bit further over than normal, he was sitting straight on his horse, which wasn't unusual, but something was different. She didn't quite know why but she genuinely believed that he wanted to help out her and Syd. She had even realized that she respected Sky. He was a good guy, despite all of his annoying aspects.

Her eyes drifted over to the other horse where Bridge sat. They had decided that it would make more sense if Syd and Z were on the same horse and Bridge and Sky were on their own. At first she was really upset, but even she could see the sense in that idea.

And although her sister was in a hurry to get back home Z was sure that it wasn't because Syd wanted to marry whoever she was betrothed to, rather she just wanted to be safe and be with their Father. Of course going back meant that they would have to get married, and Jack was the furthest thing from her mind when she thought of marriage.

Sure Jack was great and the two got along wonderfully, but she only saw him as a brother. The thought of even kissing him made her sick to her stomach; it was just completely wrong. She just didn't think about it like that. She had never even had a crush on him and she knew that he felt the same way.

So it wouldn't be her first choice, or even her second, but she was a bit better off than Syd since Syd wouldn't meet hers until the wedding was upon them. But Syd would try and look at the bright side of things, sure she could be completely grounded in reality but she also could see where the sun was shining. Though odds were Syd wouldn't see the sun with her arranged marriage.

Z glanced at the trees and then around them, even though they had a head start on Juneston they didn't want to risk a run in, it just wasn't safe. Right now they needed to focus on getting back to their Kingdom.

Looking up at the sun she realized they were no longer heading south, rather they were going north, "Sky, what are you doing? Do you realize that we are no longer heading south? We're now heading north?"

"I know where I'm going."

Z raised an eyebrow, "If you say so."

"I do."

"Fine."

Z knew that if they went much further North they would wind up in Jack's kingdom, not that she would mind of course. She hadn't seen Jack in a while, then she remembered what she had been previously thinking and realized that it wouldn't necessarily be a good thing to be in his Kingdom. If Sky didn't stop soon or at least explain Z was going to stop the horse and demand it.

It wasn't long after she had come up with that when Sky held up his hand, "I think we should rest here and then continue onward. Unfortunately we're going to have to be really careful. Those soldiers could catch up at any time."

"Agreed." Z said and the four of them got off their horses. Sky took off to check the area and Bridge began setting up their camp area. It was still light out but soon enough it was going to get dark.

Z was tying up the horses when Syd came over to her, "Do we have to stop? I mean considering that they could catch up to us any time." Syd asked looking first at Z then Bridge.

Z nodded, "Syd, we'll be fine. We're still too far away to just ride straight. But I will get you home."

She smiled, "I know. I'm just worried about all of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Juneston wants me. Alive. He doesn't want any of you. What's to say he won't kill all three of you?"

Z hadn't thought about that, she had been so focused on getting back home that he had slipped her mind, which hadn't been a very smart thing to do. She looked at her younger sister, "We'll make it through. Why don't you go and help Bridge? I've got this."

Syd nodded and went to Bridge while Z continued tying the horses. Sky came back right when she was done. He moved close to her and quietly said, "I think we're okay, but we're closer to a couple of locations that already have been used as a camping area, and it could be by them, so we might have to leave in the night."

"Maybe we should just go and move further ahead."

"I don't know. I think the horses and we need a rest. If we go now that could cause more damage than good."

"I suppose…"

Sky looked over at Bridge and Syd who were currently deep in conversation then back at Z, "What's going on?"

Startled she looked at the older man, "What do you mean?"

"You're worried about something else."

Z was surprised, she knew that quite obviously they had spent time together, but this was him reading her, and correctly, and he seemed concerned. "It's Syd. She's worried that if they do find us, Juneston, then he'll kill us three and she'll be by herself. I told her we'll all make it, but I'm still worried, she does have a point."

"She does. I've been thinking about that too."

"You have?"

"It makes sense. This is the second time they kidnapped her, if he wants to marry her, he wouldn't want other witnesses around."

"Syd wouldn't just lie down and accept that truth."

"I don't think she would either, but you are forgetting a couple of things."

"What?"

"He could threaten her for after they're married, your Father, anyone else he thinks is important to her, and I'm sure he'd know. Also, they could contribute her different story to her swooning, or being unable to handle what she saw."

Z frowned, she hated when they talked like that, "Syd's not like that."

"Considering what I've seen, I agree, but others might not. We will have to be careful, very careful."

"And not get caught." Z looked around the campsite, "And you're sure it's safe?" At the end her eyes flickered to her younger sister and then back to Sky, "I want you to be sure about it."

He nodded, "I am. I can't guarantee what Juneston will plan to do, but I will do all that I can to make sure that we reach your castle safely."

Syd called over to Sky and Z, "We have dinner."

Sky nodded at Z and gestured ahead of him, "After you."

"Thanks."

Z and Sky went and joined Bridge and Syd. As they sat there eating Z began to think about how Sky knew exactly which kingdom they were from even though they hadn't told him. He could be a hunter, but a hunter who knew all the lands this intimately? She shook her head; she knew that she was being ridiculous, just because he knew the land did not make him evil or anything like that. He knew the land, it wasn't a big deal. He was going to be able to get to their Kingdom just fine.

At the thought of getting back to their home she realized that she wouldn't see Sky again. Surprisingly she realized that she wouldn't mind seeing him still, he was a good friend, and she felt comfortable around him, once you got through his exterior.

Z stopped her thoughts and realized that though she had despised the older man when she had first met him she was starting to feel something. She did not need any of that. She would just have to ignore it.

When Z became decided to ignore any feelings involving Sky and focus on getting ready for sleeping, though she wouldn't be asleep first. She was taking first watch, then Syd, then Bridge and finally Sky.

The brunette Princess watched as her sister and Bridge lay down, while Sky sat with his back against a tree trunk. Once they had all closed their eyes Z settled down for her watch.

She was torn with what was going on. She knew that she could very easily just allow Syd to head back to the Castle once they were in sight, and at that point then she could leave. Bridge could go back to his work and Sky…she wasn't sure what he did. Z looked over at the man in question; even though she had spent all this time with him she didn't even know what he did. She had assumed that he was a hunter, and a lot of things fit, but she just hadn't learned it from him.

Looking at him she realized that she liked him…he was a good guy. He just kept everything close to himself. Of course it wasn't like they had been discussing things, but it made her wonder if he would be as open if she asked him. She then remembered her decision to ignore her feelings for him and she shook her head trying to replace her thoughts with others.

She pulled her gaze away from him and looked around the area that they were at, she hadn't heard anything but she wanted to glance around just in case. Her eyes landed on her sister, Z was going to make sure that Syd got home safe and sound. Syd was not going to marry Juneston, if that was the last thing she did she would make sure of it.

When her time was up she went over and woke up Bridge.

"My time already?"

"Yes. You'll be okay?"

He stood up, "Definitely, you get some rest Princess."

A sigh escaped her lips, "Call me—"

"Z, right. Got it."

Z nodded and then went and lay down next to her sister. It didn't take long for sleep to overcome her.

"Z, wake up. Wake up."

Z slowly opened her eyes and was shocked to see Sky close to her, "What? What's going on?" She kept her voice to the level that his was at.

"We need to go."

"Did I oversleep?"

He rolled his eyes and signaled her to follow him. She got up and saw that the sky was still dark, the sun would rise soon though. He stopped when they were by the horses, "We need to leave."

She looked back at the area and saw that Bridge was already putting everything in the bags as quietly as he could. Syd was still sleeping. Then she put together why Sky would be saying they needed to leave and being quiet about it, "Juneston is here."

"I don't know how close. I decided to check our surrounding area just in case and I overheard two soldiers talking. They were Juneston's. They could be scouting ahead, other way this is trouble."

Z looked back to where Syd was sleeping and instead saw Bridge helping her up and begin whispering to her, probably telling her what Sky was explaining to Z. "It was only a couple of soldiers?"

"Yes."

"If they find us they could go back to Juneston."

"If they don't go back to Juneston he'll know something happened."

"Then we better go and not be seen."

Sky nodded, "As fast as possible."

"Here are the bags." Bridge said as he and Syd came up next to Sky and Z. Sky and Z looked back where they had been at and saw that all trace of them was gone. "I got everything."

"Good."

Sky grabbed the bags and put them on as the other three untied the horses and got on. Sky got on his horse and the four of them began moving again, hoping that they wouldn't alert the soldiers of their presence.