Author's Note: A song called The Greatest Gift (from The Return of the Pink Panther) will be featured at the end of this part. I DON'T OWN THE SONG, OR ANYTHING ELSE. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Part 2
A Place For The Night

Dusk has turned to night.

Carol and Skye kept moving on their journey to the Cyberlisian kingdom in the forest path, but the latter started to feel exhausted from all the walking today.

"We should probably stop somewhere for the night," said the Blue Maiden to the Marvelous Knight, who didn't have her helmet on for the time being (since her helmet was once again on her scabbard).

Carol then said to her, "I suppose you are right. May need to treat my wound soon or else it'll be infected. But we can't stop now. We stopped so many times..."

"But why did you stop?", kindly asked Skye.

The knight didn't say a word for a few silent moments, with only the ambience of the night heard. She turned away and kept on going, though she still had worn her armor since morning.

The princess caught up with her and embraced her arm, refusing to let anything bad to happen, saying, "Please, my noble knight Carol. I'm tired..."

"Tired?! While I'm out standing on guard, all you do is...", snapped Carol, frightening Skye as she was shocked by the sudden outburst.

The female knight suddenly and darkly pulls out her sword in anger!

Skye feared, "Carol! Wh-what are you doing?!"

"DON'T CALL ME CAROL!", the knight furiously yelled, putting her helmet back on.

The princess panicked, "Did I do something wrong!?"

"No, of course not!", raged Carol, shoving the beautiful princess to the ground.

"Carol...please...", the Blue Maiden hoped warily.

The Marvelous Knight warned darkly, "I told you not to call me that!", as she readied her sword.

"Please! Don't do this!", Skye pleaded in a feminine tone, terrified.

But as when Carol was about to strike Skye, the knight stopped what she was going to do.

Carol realized she was acting like a monster at that inevitable moment. She looked at Skye's horrified and afraid expression as she then felt extreme levels of remorse. Her rage had gotten the best of her.

She then loses her grip on her sword, dropping and clanging on the ground.

Carol takes off her helmet, showing tears falling down her face. She turns away, dropping her knight helmet and made a run for it as Skye watched.

The princess then said, grabbing Carol's heavy sword and helmet, "Carol! Wait!", catching up.

The knight eventually ran through the forest in remorse, who eventually starts to slow down, leaned on a nearby tree, and approached a cave, falling on her knees, sobbing.

Skye stopped when she saw her at the entrance of the cave, dropping the knight's sword and helmet as she approached her, concerned.

"You scared me back there. What was it about? What happened?", the princess anxiously asked.

Carol fought through her tears, still sniffling in sadness, "I'm very sorry...it's just that...", facepalming and burying her face with her hands, "What's the use...?"

"What? You can tell me. What's gotten into you?", nicely said Skye.

The knight then told her a story;

"When I was younger...I was the child of my mother and father. My father dedicated himself to become a knight for the Cyberlisian kingdom's army. At first, he was the head of the guards by the king's approval...then one day...the king appointed my father to become his most trustworthy knight. I was extremely proud of my dad...I even dreamt to become a knight like my father. But at some point...the king sent my father and the other soldiers into a battle in the west. It wasn't Linkadia they were up against, but a corrupted kingdom far across the land waging war with the other. But when he said his goodbyes before he left, he said to me, "When you too become a knight one day, Carol, if you're willing to devote yourself to the people you love, always protect them with your life, make the right choices, and you shall be hailed as a greater hero than you actually realize.""

The princess sorrowfully questioned, "What happened to your father afterwards?"

"He went to war...but...he never came back.", Carol said, depressed.

The princess couldn't help but feel more sadder for the knight when she found out her father's fate.

The blonde knight then says, "I waited days for him to return...but on the same day when the king had announced that Cyberlis won the battle...a messenger stopped by and told me...that although Cyberlis won...not all of the soldiers of the Cyberlisian army had made it out...", more tears running down her cheeks.

Skye too was crying tears while listening to Carol's story, emotionally repentant.

"Was there a funeral?", poignantly said Skye.

Carol dispirited said, "There was no funeral.", saying, "But then...I made a promise...to dedicate myself to become a knight for my father and devote my life to protect the weak, poor, and ones who are in danger or in need of help, including protecting the king. And as I grew up, old enough to have the privilege to officially become a knight, the king had finally appointed me to become the king and the prince's newly-renowned most trustworthy knight. Yet...one year ago...my mother died from an illness..."

The princess covered her mouth upsettably, continuing to be saddened for the knight's tragic past.

"...and the king and queen of Cyberlis had been murdered."

The Blue Maiden felt shocked, "But...who would do such a terrible, inhumane thing to the king and queen of Cyberlis?"

"I'm not sure...but I was too late. The prince wasn't aware of this at the time, but when he found out, he cried for his parents' death the entire night. Ever since, the prince now became the ruler of the kingdom...and things had changed.", says the knight.

Skye emotionally gloomed for a moment, sighing. She did not realize that Carol had a tragic past that made her snap at times. Although she fulfilled her dream, she had taken heavy tolls and sacrifices throughout her girlhood, adolescent and later years in the past. She still wanted to devote herself to be a knight for as long as she lives. Graciously, the princess then hoped Carol may have brighter times for the future.

The blue-haired girl put her hand on Carol's armored left shoulder, comforting her.

"Listen. I know you had made the greatest sacrifices in your previous years, but I feel very, very awful for your father. I believe he was a great man...he lived well, he loved you and he protected the kingdom with his life. I'm sure he inspired you to follow in his footsteps to become a knight...but I can tell you one thing. We cannot make the same mistakes, because there are even better fates than what people like your father had. Be proud for what your father achieved. Honor him.", the princess told the blonde knight.

Carol nodded without a word, saying a moment after, "I will, and my mother too. Someday, I will make my parents proud...in my family name of Danvers."

Skye smiled for her, leaning in to embrace the knight from the back.

"Danvers. It's a pretty brave surname. So now...Carol Danvers... Please...protect me.", said the lovely Blue Maiden.

The Marvelous Knight felt this loving embrace by the princess, surprised at first but lets her hug her, saying; "We can stop...if you want. I don't think this cave is the best suitable place to rest for the time being. Beasts might live here."

"Thank you.", gladly said Skye, "Carol."

She turned around to face her, questioned, "Yes?"

"As soon as we find some place to rest...would you mind if we could...sleep together?", blushed the princess.

Carol blushed a deep red, seeing Skye cover her face and nodding no, extremely embarrassed by the request she just said.

"What? Princess!", the knight awkwardly said in a worry.

Skye felt more sheepish as her blush turns redder, "I didn't mean that!", her words echoing in the cave.

Carol suddenly felt immense pain from her armored-covered wound on her left arm, grunting as she fought through the throbbing pain, her groans echoing throughout the cave as well.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?", the Blue Maiden kindly asked, wondering if the knight was okay.

The Marvelous Knight then grunted from her arm pains, "Yes...I'm alright. The wound usually heals, but if I don't treat it soon, it'll get infected."

"Oh no...", worried Skye, "I'll help with that once we settle in for the night."

Carol sighs and smiled, "Come on.", grabbing her helmet and sword, putting them on her empty scabbard; "Let's go find shelter first.", taking Skye's hand and leading the way.

As both the knight Carol Danvers and the princess Skye Zaizen moved along to find shelter for the night, they finally left the forest and entered the plains.

But it started to rain as a thunderstorm was brewing.

They heard thunder at first, before raindrops gradually fall down mildly while the weather started to rain more and more by the coming minutes.

"Uh, Carol?", uneased the Blue Maiden, "It's starting to rain hard. I think a storm is coming..."

The Marvelous Knight awared, "I know! We need to find some shelter before this storm gets worse. Hopefully it isn't too far from here...", not letting go of the princess' hand as they trek through the darkness of the night.

Then, as lightning flashed from the sky, the quick illuminating light then showed a lone abandoned house not too far from them.

"There it is!", Carol said, "Let's go!"

Skye anxiously answered, "O-okay!", the two girls running over to the house as it was about to rain harder and harder.

Once they went in, the room was completely dark. Carol pulled out a small tinderbox, using flint and steel to make a spark and ignited a candle in the house, who lit the house's oil lamps downstairs and upstairs, bringing light into the castle.

"This looks nice.", the blue-haired princess said, caressing her long hair as she attempted to dry it, as both of their apparel were partially soaking wet from the rain outside.

As the Blue Maiden starts taking off her beautiful gown to help dry it, Carol comes downstairs after she finished lighting the lamps, saying, "Yeah, it's pretty quaint-"; before seeing Skye's beautiful physique.

Skye was fit and slim, wearing a cute blue brassiere and undergarments. She took off her pink kitten heels, revealing her delicate feet and blue-painted toenails. Carol stood there, blushing up a storm when seeing her without her dress.

"Wha-what are you doing?", awkwardly stated the Marvelous Knight.

Skye explained, "Oh, I was just letting the dress dry up for a bit because the rain made it wet. Plus, it was really clinging to me due to the rain.", asking as she tilted her head, "So...aren't you going to take off your armor?"

"Well, I basically have to keep it on because I have to get ready for an attack, just in case.", Carol told her nicely.

The princess suggested, "Why not? I mean, you could be a princess like me."

"I don't think being a princess suits me...I was raised to be a knight.", enstated the blonde female knight, "However, since my armor's wet from earlier and I have to treat my wound, I don't see why not.", deciding to remove her armor to settle in as she placed her helmet, sword and scabbard on the table. Carol then thought at that moment, "Wait, what am I doing?", blushing as she then said, "I have to protect you!", cautiously to the beautiful blue-haired girl.

The Blue Maiden calmed, "You can at least take off your armor. Isn't it hot from wearing it?"

"I've worn it since morning, so...okay. May need some help on the wound though.", Carol said, who then starts taking off her armor.

The blonde girl first removed her chest, shoulder and arm armor pieces (including the breastplate, pauldrons, vambraces and gauntlets), revealing to have a thin red-blue-yellow-colored chainmail aketon underneath her silver armor. She then removed her cuisse, poelyn and greave leg armor pieces, revealing leg-length no-toe woollen stockings that reveals her toes. Mostly, she too was slim and fit, but she seemed to have a six-pack set of abs on her abdomen. Her wound was seen on her left arm, having a small gash from the injury from earlier, leaking a bit of blood out of it.

Once she had completely taken off her armor, Carol sets them aside with the helmet, sword and scabbrd, by where the princess' dress is drying up.

Skye said, "You look...", hesitating, "...uncomfortable."

"After all, I'm a Knight. Sometimes I'm not supposed to be comfortable.", Carol said.

The princess hoped, "But...I want you to be."

"Well...I won't mind. You can make me comfortable if you'd like.", the knight said as she sat on the nearby bed, beckoning in a seemingly seductive manner.

The Blue Maiden walks over and sat with her, asking, "Carol?"

"Yes, princess?", the Marvelous Knight replied before the other said;

"Would you...want to marry me?"

Carol answered, "I'm very sorry, but...I can't marry you, princess. I have to take you back to the prince to-", before she felt Skye lean on her cutely, as the knight accidentally shoves her away shyly.

"Marvelous Knight!", Skye commanded, "Listen to me, I'm a princess! You didn't answer my question."

"Would you like to know?"

"Yes. Tell me."

"Well...", Carol sighed, "I do.", the answer in which Skye blushed to. The knight then thought of bringing Skye over to the Cyberlis kingdom as soon as possible, as she stood up and went over to her armor and started putting it back on again except her helmet, putting them aside with the sword and scabbard on her left side. She then grabs Skye's beautiful dress as she said, "Here, princess. Wear your dress and let's get going."

Skye says, "We're going out again? But it's still raining outside! And plus, I want to marry you, my knight in shining armor. Not the prince.", as Carol sighed in embarassment and disappointment.

"Why me?", depressingly asked Carol whilst looking down, "I'm just a knight, taking you back to the prince...who wants to marry you...", before Skye stood up and walks up to her again as she puts the knight's chin up to face her.

The princess compassionately continued, "Because...you're the one who came all this way...to get me. You want to take me back to the prince? Well, I want you. Not him.", making the knight hear this, "I mean, he didn't come all this way to get me!"

"Yeah...", saddened the knight, gloomily; "But I almost killed you earlier out of rage. I regret everything in that moment."

The Blue Maiden said, "But you didn't. You we're just trying to scare me at the time...yet it worked...but I know you'd never actually hurt me.", courageously yet still sounding fey and delicate, "I know you care about me."

"Yeah. And I know you care about me, just the same as I may care about you.", told the Marvelous Knight.

The blue-haired girl agreed, "Of course I do.", as the knight thought to herself;

"Maybe I could give her a chance. Maybe-"

Once again, Carol felt immense pain from her wound within her armor again.

"Can you take your armor back off? I can help you with your wound.", Skye offered.

Carol answers, "But what if it-"

"Please? Just for tonight?", begged the princess beautifully.

The knight replies, "Again, I have no problem with that. I really appreciate you helping me.", taking off her armor again, letting the princess take care of the wound.

After Carol uses her canteen of water to cleanse the wound from bacteria, Skye rips off a small piece of her dress, wraps it around her wound and kisses it with love and compassion.

"Thank you, princess.", gratefully thanked the Marvelous Knight.

The Blue Maiden asked kindy, "Can we actually sleep together this time? We couldn't before..."

"Of course, Skye.", the blonde woman said, finally agreeing, coming over to the bed as she lied down, "You can sleep with me if you'd like.", smiling and chuckling.

That was when Skye started singing a beautiful melody.

Skye: If you just could see yourself the way I do... You would see how wonderful you are...
How can you know what love like yours can truly be... Because when I'm...holding you...you're just holding me...

When you learn what love may bring...from me to you... You don't know the loneliness I feel...
The greatest gift that anyone could give to you...would be for you...to see yourself...the way I do...

While Carol was entranced by the Blue Maiden's beautiful singing, the princess walked close to the bed during the song, and as the song reached its climax, she laid next to Carol, the latter holding her close in a loving embrace.

Soon enough, the both of them slept through the dark stormy night, as their bond grows more and more...

End of Part 2
Part 3 (Final Part) Coming!