By the time they had reached the carriage, Lacey was thoroughly enjoying herself.

As the guards watched her leave, some appeared confused, others impressed while certain ones grumbled under their breaths. She winked at those grumbling even as Gold ushered her out of the prison door. She was unable to help the grin on her face, feeling giddy with relief as they stepped outside.

"Your Excellency," the unfortunate captain of the guards called out after them. Gold paused just short of the drive where the carriage waited for them. "Perhaps you could be convinced to wait for the Sheriff?" Hedburg eyed Lacey in distaste. "As I protested earlier, this is very unorthodox."

"As I stated previously," Gold replied, "I have other matters to attend to than soothing the ruffled feathers of a local Sheriff. Now, if you'll excuse us…"

He started forward down the stairs of the prison, but Lacey hung back. His grip on her arm jerked her forward slightly but she held her ground as she smiled up at Hedburg's twisted features. "Do thank the Sheriff for his hospitality," Lacey said.

Before Hedburg could reply, Gold tugged her away, dragging her down the stairs with a bruising grip. "Hey!" Lacey protested, struggling to keep up with the slight man. "Lay off!"

"If you could keep your attitude in line," Gold grumbled, pulling her forward. "Perhaps I would be inclined to accommodate you."

They arrived at the carriage, Gold's toady from earlier hurrying forward to fling the door open for them. Lacey wrenched her arm free, glaring at Gold who was glancing at the afternoon sun as if gauging the time. The waning light lit his face, and for the first time Lacey was able to get a proper look at him.

He was older than she had previously thought. Lines surrounded his eyes and mouth, but it did not age him more than define him. His eyes were dark brown, speckled with gold in the sunlight and his lashes were longer than any man had a right to. But it was his lips, pursed in a thin but steady line that caught Lacey's attention, the way they curled even in repose that hinted at the personality of her otherwise mysterious rescuer.

He turned, catching her staring and those same lips quirked upwards in an amused smirk. Lacey returned the sardonic look, offering him her hand. After a hesitation, he nodded. Moving forward, he took her hand in his, squeezing it slightly as he helped her up into the carriage.

As Lacey settled into the cushioned seats, Gold joined her, moving to the opposite side of the carriage as his man closed the door behind them and disappeared to the front of the carriage. Lacey leaned out the window as the horses jerked forward, watching the prison roll away behind her as they headed towards freedom.

"When they discover the thief gone, they'll be baying for your blood."

Lacey twisted, finding Gold regarding her in some interest. She shrugged, settling back into the seat as the carriage rocked unevenly across the makeshift roads. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, glancing down at her now filthy fingernails. She buffed them on her dress as he watched her. "Thank you," she added, glancing up at him. "For getting me out of there."

For a second, he looked taken aback. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then tossed his head, turning to look out the window. "It's a short drive to the castle," he shared with her. "I do hope you've learned something from this."

"Sure have," Lacey shot back. "Make friends with people in high places."

He didn't respond, but she saw the ghost of a smile on his face. She turned to look back out her own window, gazing at the mountains glowing in the sunlight. The forest shifted in the wind, and Lacey craned her neck to see how far the forest stretched on before them.

"Like I said, it won't be long," Gold said, noticing her interest. "The jail was built close by in the town market square to alleviate the dungeons."

"Charming," Lacey drawled. "I suppose that makes some kind of twisted sense."

"I suppose," Gold answered vaguely.

"So, tell me," Lacey pressed, scooting forward on the edge of her seat. She was well aware she was filthy, her dress still half unbuttoned from her earlier distraction attempt and her hair matted with who knew what. "If Marian didn't send you, who did?"

"That would be telling," he replied, shooting her a devilish grin. Lacey did not smile back, but she felt invigorated for the first time in felt like forever. Here was a man that was her equal, she could tell by the way in the way he held back, twisting words into empty promises and crafting assumptions as if they were truths.

"I must say I'm disappointed," she admitted. He turned from the window, leaning forward towards her.

"Oh?" he breathed, eyes searching her face.

"Yes," she replied, eyes tracing his features. He was not handsome, more magnetic as if there was a secret current pulling her towards him. Lacey was not entirely sure if it was the head injury, the exhaustion or the uncertainty but she felt herself giving into it, wanting to see where it took her. "I'm disappointed that I did not meet you last night or the one before."

There was danger here, she knew, but it was not the danger like that she had known at the hands of the Sheriff or the selkie or even the kelpie's draw. No, this was something different entirely although it felt alarmingly familiar. He held her gaze, but his face was neutral.

The driver called out a greeting, and from the corner of her eye, the gates of the castle rolled by their windows.

"I'm not one for parties," Gold said as the carriage rattled up to the castle stairs. "Perhaps I may have decided otherwise if I had know my reception would be this warm."

"You don't know the half of it," Lacey told him, her voice pitched low. He quirked an eyebrow at her but before he could respond, they rolled to a halt. He sat back, eyes going to the window as his poor man can hurrying to open the door for them.

"Your Royal Highness," the man panted, holding his gloved hand out for her. Gold sat silent in the corner now, ignoring her. She recognized the game, and let the man help her down. She did not wait for Gold, moving up the stairs to enter the castle. She was unsure of her welcome here, but figured if Gold had brought her here, she would at least be admitted.

A footman swung the door open, eyes averted as Lacey entered, still wearing Cinderella's hand me downs and looking more a scullery maid than a princess. Gold followed behind her, but the sound of someone hurrying towards them made Lacey turn to the east hall.

Marian was briskly making her way towards her, her face scrunched up in irritation. Lacey took a step backwards, hearing Gold chuckle as she brushed against him. "Steady," he whispered to her, his fingers brushing the exposed skin at her wrist.

She shot him a look, but did not move her hand. Marian, eyes fixed on Lacey, opened her mouth to deliver what promised to be a heated diatribe suddenly skidded to a halt before them as she realized who exactly Lacey was with.

"Your Excellency," Marian greeted formally, sinking into a curtsy. Her eyes flickered up at them both in silent question. Lacey shifted slightly away from Gold. "I did not realize you were familiar with Princess Belle?"

"I believe my business is my own," Gold replied easily as Marian straightened. The woman flushed but kept a polite look on her face. Lacey had to hide a smile, knowing Marian was seething on the inside.

Gold also clearly made out Marian's true feelings. He bowed low to Lacey. "I will leave you in the capable hands of the Castellan," he murmured. "Do try and stay out of future trouble, Princess."

"I'll try," Lacey said, grinning down at him. "I'm afraid I can't promise anything."

With a nod to Marian, he left them, disappearing into the west wing as his man followed behind him. The nervous thing shot a look back at Marian who waved him on, eyes narrowed at the ambassador's retreating back. The ambassador was impossible, and entirely full of himself, but he also had a quick wit, intelligent eyes, and, as she know could see, had a rather impressive backside. Lacey, content to watch him walk away, almost fell sideways when Marian rounded on her.

"And you!" Marian exclaimed, swatting her. "What were you thinking?"

"Hey!" Lacey protested, looking around for potential witnesses. "I just learned what happens when people hit royalty, so if you want to keep that hand-"

"Yeah?" Marian asked her, nostrils flaring. "Do you know what they do to people who pretend to be royalty?"

Lacey swallowed but kept her face as neutral as possible. "I don't know what you're insinuating."

"I checked, Belle," Marian told her, scowling.

Before Lacey could reply, a gaggle of nobles entered, chatting and looking at interest at the two plainly dressed ladies standing openly in the hall. They stopped in surprise, taking in Lacey's appearance with horrified giggles.

Marian nodded to them in greeting before linking her arm in Lacey's. She steered her towards the east hall. "There is no such Princess Belle in the Fourth Kingdom or any other kingdom."

"Ow," Lacey complained, wrenching her arm free as they turned the corner. "Okay, fine. I'm not a princess, happy?"

"No," Marian sighed. "Because you're going to have to keep pretending to be one if we're going to get through this."

"Wait, if you're so mad, why allow the ambassador to bail me out?"

Marian shook her head, her hair bouncing about her cheek. "Allow?" she laughed mirthlessly. "I nearly panicked when the guard at the front gate reported he had left the grounds. Then, I find out not only is he at the jail, but he's liberating a woman from the lowest dungeons. A woman seen dancing in these very halls, a princess of the royal blood!"

"I don't understand," Lacey said, following Marian as they headed towards a back stair case. "How did he know I was there?"

"As if I have any idea! He went on his own agenda," Marian concluded. "For all intents and purposes, it appears Ambassador Gold wants you here. Meaning you're going back to being a princess."

"You're scared of him," Lacey realized, pulling up her skirt to follow Marian up the stairs. "He didn't seem all that terrifying to me…"

"He's the Ninth Kingdom's ambassador, Lacey," Marian hissed over her shoulder. "When he showed up unannounced for the ball, I thought the King was going to have a nervous collapse on the spot."

They fell silent as a host of maids appeared on the top of the stairs. They curtsied prettily to the two of them, staring in open interest at Lacey. "Run along," Marian instructed. "Lady Georgina was asking for someone to help with her hair."

Two girls nodded, peeling away to head towards the lady in question. Lacey followed Marian the other way, coming to a door which Marian twisted open to reveal a large four poster bed. "In here," Marian instructed, nudging her inside. Lacey obeyed, entering into the blue and white china-patterned room.

Marian entered behind her, slamming the door shut. "Tell me everything," she demanded, crossing her arms under her ample chest.

"Marian," Lacey sighed, but Marian stomped her foot, and pointed a finger at her, cheeks flushed.

"Don't you dare," she snapped. "Robin is in prison right now because of you. Thomas has been locked in his room all day sulking, and I'm at my wits end trying to keep this place running while the thrice cursed ambassador of the Ninth Kingdom waltzes about our castle, looking into matters he should not be looking into!"

Lacey faltered at this onslaught, trying to figure out where she should begin. "Okay, first of all," she started, "Robin's escaped. He's on his way now to find you if that makes you feel any better. Thomas is going to have to get over himself because Ella has been engaged to the Sheriff of Nottingham and needs our help. As far as Gold, I've never met him before in my life, but he seems harmless enough to me."

Marian snorted. "Yes, Belle, because the Dark One's personal ambassador is the one person a king wants running around when the kingdom is dealing with the aftereffects of a war and the heir to the throne is acting like a child instead of a leader."

Lacey didn't hear anything after the first bit. Her entire body went completely numb, leaving her staring, mouth gaping, as Marian glared at her. The man whose backside she had just been admiring worked for the Imp. Meaning their shared acquaintance was sitting somewhere twiddling his thumbs laughing at this whole fiasco.

When Lacey failed to respond, Marian cocked her head at her. "What's wrong with you?" she asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Lacey smiled grimly, even as her fingers gripped the cotton fabric of her skirt and squeezed. As soon as the situation with Ella was resolved, she was going to find Ambassador Gold and give him a piece of her mind. She had liked him, hell she had thanked him!

Seething, she put on her best interview face, hoping like hell Marian would buy it so she would leave and she could destroy something. "It's nothing," she lied through her gritted teeth. "Just hungry."

"I'll get a maid to bring you something," Marian decided. She was still angry from the deceit, wanting as badly to leave as Lacey wanted her to go. "You'll stay here unless I come for you. I can't have you roaming the halls too."

"You can't trust a liar," Lacey translated for her. "That's fine, but I promise you I want nothing more than to help Ella and Robin right now." Marian looked at her doubtfully. "I promise," Lacey swore. "Well, besides a nap and something to eat."

Marian still didn't look convinced. "I've got to go before someone misses me but I'll be back up as soon as I can."

With that, Marian exited the room, leaving Lacey alone with a lot of questions and a growing desire to wring the neck of the Imp. At this rate, it was unlikely she was going to survive this world for another month, much less the next eight months.

Flinging herself down on the bed, Lacey stared up at the white canopy overhead as her adrenaline ebbed away, leaving her sore and tired, and her head aching. She hadn't thought about it much but if she had kept track of the days, it was March now. Back home, spring was starting instead of the fall creeping into the air here. She wondered what winter would be like in a magical kingdom, if it snowed.

She'd worry about it later, she decided, closing her eyes.

First, she would sleep.

"Marian, for god's sake, slow down!"

Ignoring her, the castellan continued to talk as she hurried around the room, closing the blinds as night started to fall over the land. "If all of that goes well, then Friar Tuck will marry them in the forest. Easy enough to tell the nobles there was an intimate wedding, everyone will be tripping over themselves to say they were there. No one will dare admit they weren't."

Having finished her detailed plan to not only liberate Ella from the Sheriff but also get Robin safely out of the realm, Marian turned her flushed face to Lacey. "Well, don't just sit there!" she exclaimed, waving her from her spot on the settee. "You need to collect Thomas before his father drags him in front of the peers!"

Lacey finished toeing on the heeled satin slipper that Marian had brought up to her. It was dyed purple, matching the rich color of the dress she wore. Lacey plucked at the odd little bows that lined either sides of the full skirt, laid over black brocade. "Are you sure there's nothing else I can wear?" Lacey asked Marian. "It's kind of itchy."

Marian shook her head before coming back over to rearrange the neckline, lingering at the tulle sleeves that hung just off her shoulders. "I'll have you know," she said fiercely. "This was my favorite dress of the Queen's. She only wore it once but I remember how beautiful she looked that night..."

Her voice trailed off, and Lacey sighed. "Fine, if you're going to be maudlin about it, I'll wear it."

"That look is back in style," Marian said defensively. "Stop complaining or I'll go get the pink nightmare I had to wear the past three nights."

"This is fine," Lacey said quickly, picturing the fringed ruffles clearly in her mind. Downstairs, the castle was preparing for the royal decree. The King, as Marian had told her, had been beside himself at his son's headstrong behavior. Apparently, no one had expected Thomas to be defiant enough to go against everyone's expectations. His current behavior was the talk of the entire realm.

"Now," Marian said, stepping back and clapping her hands together. "Any questions?"

"Get Thomas to the Sheriff's, free Ella and then escape into the woods where Thomas will pardon Robin and the Merry Men. After that, Tuck will marry them and we can all come back to the castle and have breakfast."

The usually pleasant-faced Marian scowled. "This isn't a joke," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "It's the very future of our realm."

"You mean, it's your one chance of living happily ever after," Lacey snapped back. Marian looked affronted but Lacey, tired of being talked down to ever since she had arrived, did not back down. "Don't give me that face," she said. "You finally have a chance to get Robin out of the woods and into your bed and you're taking it!" Marian's face flushed pink, eyes wide as she clamped her mouth shut. "Who cares about Ella or Thomas?"

"Stop," Marian said, blinking back angry tears.

Lacey ignored her. "You get this right and you can be married right alongside them!"

"No!" Marian exclaimed. "I have duties. I have responsibilities and I can't throw it all away. Not even for Robin!"

"Bullshit," Lacey exclaimed. "You're scared. God, look at you. It was fun playing scandal but now that shit's hit the fan, you're too afraid to admit it even to yourself!"

Marian took two steps over to her and lifted her hand to smack her. Lacey caught the round wrist neatly. Marian was struggling to hold back tears but Lacey had no more patience for pity.

"This isn't a game," Lacey whispered to her, gripping her wrist tightly. "You don't trust me. Fine. But don't you dare accuse me of playing at this. I am sick and tired of getting sucked into other people's dramas. I would happily walk out of here right now and never see any of you again."

"Then why don't you?" Marian demanded.

"Because," Lacey said, stepping back and dropping Marian's hand. "Ella doesn't deserve the life she's had and she certainly doesn't deserve the life she'll have as wife to that madman. I owe Ella if no one else."

"Fine," Marian seethed, massaging her wrist. "The second they're married, I want you gone."

Lacey collapsed back onto the settee, rubbing her temples as Marian marched to the door. "I'm sorry," she called out with a sigh, stilling Marian's self righteous exit. "Everything's going pear shaped everywhere I turn lately."

"Lies tend to do that," Marian said stiffly.

Lacey lifted her eyes to Marian's. "You want the truth?" Marian did not respond but her hand fell from the door's handle. Lacey nodded, looking back down at her hands. "Fine. I'm not a princess. I'm not even from here. I'm someone who found myself way over my head and I'm by nature too stubborn to admit it."

The room was silent, as Marian regarded her warily. "Who are you?" Marian asked. "Really?"

Lacey hesitated. The warning that names held power still echoed in her head. She didn't know if she believed it but she couldn't dismiss what she didn;t know anymore. She had learned too much to look down on magic and warnings. Still, there couldn't be any harm in giving someone her real name. To just hear one person say it after all this time…

"Belle," she said. The name was growing familiar even on her tongue and she repeated it again as if saying it again would make it true. "Belle Ives."

Marian moved closer to her, settling down primly on the nearby stool. "And where are you from, Belle?"

Lacey laughed. "You're not going to make this easy are you?" Marian shook her head and grinned just for a moment before her face turned stoic again. "Okay, I'm from the Ninth Kingdom."

Marian made an involuntary noise of skepticism but she did not move from the stool. "There's no one in the Ninth Kingdom," she said bluntly but the anger had faded from her voice. "It was destroyed in the Ogre Wars. Only the Dark One actually lives there now."

"You know that how?" Lacey bluffed. She wished she knew more about the lands of the Dark Castle. Bluffing her way through this was going to take finesse. If she alienated Marian any further, she risked losing her chance to help Ella. She doubted the Imp would be willing to assist her, and she would not let Ella owe him anything. Her own debt was large enough already; who could imagine what Ella's rescue would cost?

"Everyone knows that," Marian told her. "The Dark One was drawn to the Great War. The people wanted an end to all the pain and safety was bought with their downfall. It was a warning to all other kingdoms."

Lacey tugged at her ear, trying not to look entirely at a loss. "There's the occasional person that finds their way to his kingdom," she said nonchalantly. "Even the Dark One needs help from time to time."

"So, you're what?" Marian deadpanned. "His maid?"

"I am not his maid!" Lacey protested in shocked outrage. "I work for him. I don't clean up after him!"

Marian, unable to help herself, giggled. It broke the tension and Lacey found herself laughing along as the two of them broke into peals of laughter. The animosity faded away, and by the time they gained their breath, marian was wiping tears from her eyes.

"You are the oddest girl, Belle Ives. You just admitted you're one of the Dark One's toadies. Most people would hang you on the spot, but here you stand, bold as brass and openly admit it while insisting I don't accuse you of being his maid!"

"I'm not one of his toadies," Lacey huffed. "Someone I cared about made a deal with him- it- whatever, to keep me alive and safe for a year. I didn't get a say in the matter."

Marian shifted, her dress rustling around her as her eyes looked her up and down. "Why are you here then?"

Lacey stood, walking over to the day dress she had worn in Ella's home, and took out the handkerchief. Unfolding it, she held out the dreadlock for Marian to see. "I was sent to the Second Kingdom to get the hair of the Blind Witch. Things got ugly. I got out of there, only to wander into this soap opera."

"This what?"

"Never mind," Lacey sighed, slipping the handkerchief into the large pocket of her new gown. "The point is, I didn't know Ambassador Gold prior to this because I'm new to this whole Dark One thing."

"But you work for him?" Marian asked.

Lacey nodded. "Does that make me untrustworthy?"

Marian sighed, standing up. "It at least answers why the ambassador is here," she said. "Probably sent here to look after you."

"Why not just magic me back?" Lacey wondered.

"Obvious isn't?" Marian replied. "I've known you for less than a few days. You're a stubborn thing. I doubt you would have let him."

Blinking, Lacey did not respond as Marian returned to the door. "I'll see you in the forest. Oh, and I almost forgot…"

She dug out something in her pocket, placing it down on a nearby table before she turned and left.

"See you," Lacey called out as the door swung shut behind Marian. But her eyes rested on the golden tiara that Marian had left behind. Even slightly dinged from the other night, Emma's jewels still glowed bright.

"Princess Belle?"

"Your Royal Highness," Lacey said brightly, sinking into a half curtesy. Thomas stood in the doorway, disheveled as he blinked down at her. Thomas's pale cheeks were drained of color, eyes sunken in his head as he shook his head at her. Still, the man had a lean physique, which Lacey took in with a wicked grin. "You know," Lacey suggested. "You might want to do something about putting a shirt on…"

Too confused to care about his state of deshabille, he peered out past her into his bedroom's adjoining sitting area. "How did you even get in here?" he asked in amazement. "These are my Royal Quarters."

"Marian let me in," Lacey answered. "Now, are you going to join me or am I going to have to come in there and help dress you?"

"Are you alone?" Thomas asked, stepping past her to survey the room. She watched as his shoulders slumped, leaning against the doorframe as he stood forlornly in the empty room. Not that it was a bad view. For a tall, lanky man, Thomas had defined muscles and numerous scars. A few were faint pink lines, while others were puckered and angry welts. The War had been over for months now, and yet the country and its prince were still healing.

"That would be why I am here," Lacey told him, coming to join him in the center of the room. "Not that I'm complaining, but wouldn't you be more comfortable with a shirt?"

Nodding absently, he retired back to his room, the door falling shut behind him. Lacey made herself comfortable on the nearest couch, her eyes falling on the curious but familiar item that sat on the table before her. She reached out a finger to gently trace Ella's glass slippers. Marian must have given them to Thomas, but she wondered if they helped his despondence or only increased it. How often had he stared at the slippers the past day, pondering where their owner had disappeared?

After a while, Thomas rejoined her in the parlor having thrown on a linen shirt over his trousers, but it was wrinkled and had a tea stain on the sleeve. He sat down across from her, looking lost. "How are you enjoying your stay, Belle?" he asked, but his tone was flat and his eyes were blank.

"Oh, snap out of it," Lacey sighed. "Aren't you even going to ask about Ella?"

Thomas looked rattled but he quickly composed himself. "She's not come," he said hoarsely. "Which means she doesn't want to."

Lacey let her face fall into her palm with a satisfying smack of flesh. "You idiot," she grumbled. "You didn't even bother going to look for her?"

"Look for her?" Thomas repeated in amazement. "Why would I go look for her? She didn't return to the ball or come to the palace today. As a gentleman, I've accepted her refusal and have retreated from the field to respect her wishes. "

Lacey's mouth was gaping. The self righteous idiot thought Ella didn't love him. He was falling on his own sword to respect what he thought was Ella's wishes. Lacey wasn't sure whether to throttle him or kiss him. "Thomas, that's all very noble but she hasn't shown up," Lacey ground out, "because her stepmother had her locked up in their attic."

"She what?" Thomas asked, looking perplexed.

Lacey groaned. "Goodness, what does Ella see in you?" she mumbled under her breath.

Thomas, leaned forward in apology. "Sorry, what was that? Didn't quite hear it." He gestured to his ears with a grimace. "Bad hearing from cannonfire."

Battle hero, kind heart and a handsome face, not to mention a royal. Slow as he might be, he had only been trying to respect Ella. As crown prince, he could have forced her to marry him; instead he had accepted her wishes and attempted to move on.

Taking a deep breath, Lacey tried again. "Look, Ella's stepmother has arranged her betrothal to the Sheriff of Nottingham."

"Oh," Thomas said. Even as his face fell, his tone remained unerringly polite. "I see. Thank you for letting me know."

Lacey gaped at him. "But she's in love with you, you absolute idiot!"

"She is?" Thomas asked incredulously. "Then why didn't she say so?"

"Seriously?" Lacey exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "What aren't you getting about me coming to see you? She loves you but she's-"

Lacey didn't get a chance to finish. Before she could tell him the plan, the crown prince of the First Kingdom's Southern Realm had grabbed her arms and hauled her off the couch.

"She loves me!" Thomas exclaimed joyously. He began to waltz with Lacey, laughing merrily as he swirled her around the room. Significantly shorter than him, her feet barely grazed the floor. "She loves me!"

"Thomas!" Lacey struggled to yell over his relieved laughter. The spinning was making her dizzy and she clung to his shoulders as the room dissolved around her. A serious head wound and a spinning room did not go well with each other. "Stop or I'll be sick! Put me down!"

"Oh, Belle, thank you! Thank you for telling me!" Thomas laughed, oblivious to her green-tinged face. "Ask me for the moon, ask me for the stars, ask me anything you desire!"

"We need to go rescue Ella!"

"Rescue her?" he asked, abruptly coming to a stop. Lacey's feet whacked into his legs but he didn't seem to feel it. "I don't need to rescue her. I'll send one of my men for her. The Sheriff is a reasonable fellow. Once he realizes she doesn't want to marry him, he'll step aside."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Lacey said, pushing against him until he put her down. "In fact, the only reason he wants Ella is because she's the Baron Tremaine's daughter, and he's going to use the family name to make a bid for power."

"Baron Tremaine?" Thomas interrupted quizzically. "That's impossible. His daughter died years ago during the war."

"No," Lacey said. "She's been forced to play maid to her stepmother and stepsisters. She's been living in the kitchens all this time."

Thomas looked like he had been gut punched. "Oh, Ella," he whispered, grasping the back of the couch for support.

"The Sheriff," Lacey continued, trying to get through to him, "has some kind of scheme to use the Tremaine name to wrestle the kingdom away from you."

"Why?" Thomas asked, looking wounded. "I've never done anything to him."

Lacey resisted the urge to yell. "Because, he wants the kingdom. And you," she waved at him, "have the kingdom." She moved one hand from one side to the other. "See what I'm saying here?"

Realization slowly dawned on the prince's face. "Guards!" he bellowed, moving hastily towards the door.

"Wait!" Lacey exclaimed, snapping her fingers to catch his attention. "Not that I care about my reputation, but I'm not supposed to be in here unchaperoned."

"Oh, yes," Thomas mumbled, reddening slightly. "Well, perhaps it's better to handle this on our own. We'll get horses, Nottingham's residence isn't far, we'll be back before anyone misses us."

Without pausing to change his shirt, Thomas, heir of the Southern Realm of the First Kingdom went charging out to rescue his love. Lacey went to follow him, before her eyes fell back to the glass slippers on the table. Unable to say why, she grabbed them before hurrying after Thomas.

Elsewhere in the castle, Marian found herself standing outside the kitchen with the fretful manservant that had been assigned to keep tabs on their esteemed guest from the Ninth Kingdom.

"He just disappeared, milady!" the man before her cried. "I watched him go into his room when we returned and I stood just outside, like you showed me, but when they brought dinner up, he was gone!"

"Hush," Marian warned him, glancing around them. "I don't need the King to find out again. Are you sure you were in the spot I showed you? The very one?"

The poor man nodded fitfully. "He's got some magic," he whispered. "Just like his master!"

"Don't say such things," Marian scolded him. "You want the entire castle proper to panic? Now, go get something to eat and then rest. I'll send someone to watch for his return."

"Thank you, milady," he sighed, before heading towards the kitchens.

Marian sighed, glancing out the nearest window as the moons began to rise. It was going to be a long night. The guards had reported the prince had been in the stables, and the gossip was he had not been alone when he rode off through the gates. No one had recognized the mysterious lady beside him, but underneath her brown riding cloak, someone had seen the glitter of a tiara nestled in her curls. Already the castle's bored nobles and curious servants had spread the news of the enigmatic princess like wildfire, and it wasn't long before the news would escape the castle.

Now, Marian had the added worry of the Dark One's chosen envoy loose on the castle grounds with the prince gone off into the night. Despite Belle's assurances she could trust her, Marian had doubts of sending her with Thomas. If Belle proved to be as false as her master, Thomas's very life could be on the line. Still, for her plan to succeed, she had to stay here and wait for Robin.

Crossing to the stairs, Marian began to climb upwards, her eyes on the skies outside. Her mind bent on the missing ambassador, yet she couldn't help but think of the odd fake princess. Something in the other woman had drawn Marian to her that first night, something fresh and exotic in the way Belle carried herself, in the way she looked at things around her. It was vastly different from the ambassador's way of looking past things, as if they barely existed.

Arriving at his rooms, Marian entered and began to slowly tidy the already immaculate room. It did not even look as if the man had slept there the night before, nor bathed or eaten in the space. After a moment, Marian settled down by the window, overlooking the forest and waited. If he returned, she would pretend she had been sent up with dinner, which sat cooling by the fireplace. If he did not, she had a perfect view of the forest and would be able to see Robin before he had cleared the glen.

Still, her palms were damp and the back of her neck prickled in the empty room. Looking around, she shivered as she thought of the ambassador. She could only hope if he had any intentions for this evening, they would not conflict with theirs.


Notes:

Whew! Long I know, sorry to go on and on but I had to add the opening scene in and I couldn't make myself move the last bits over to the next chapter so, here we are!

Hope you're all enjoying this final few chapters of Ella and Marian's story! The next chapter is the last from my NaNoWriMo challenge this year so new chapters may be a bit longer coming in the future but thank you all for reading- I'm very excited for the next arc to unfold!