The first thing Roman did next morning was to get dressed and walked downstairs. The maids were setting the table for breakfast. Hunter, Corbin and Dolph entered shortly after.

"Roman, go wake up the princess. Her presence is requested for breakfast," Hunter said.
"We should have breakfast outside," Corbin said.
"What a wonderful idea," Hunter said. "Ladies, please serve breakfast outside."

The maids started picking up everything and carrying it outside. Roman looked over at Dolph who mouthed the word "pink" to him and then smirked. Roman had never wanted to kill a man as much as he wanted to kill Dolph in that moment. He didn't show any emotions though. He walked out of the room while hearing Hunter's happy voice behind him.

"This is going to be a great alliance between our nations," Hunter said.
"I agree," Corbin said.

Roman walked up the stairs and knocked on Smilla's door. He was expecting her to call out that he could enter but nothing came. He knocked again, louder this time, but still nothing. He grabbed the door knob and opened the door.

"Princess?" He asked.

Her room felt weird. Cold and quiet. A place where he didn't want to enter but he had to. He nervously stepped inside and saw the pink dress left on the bed, or what was left of it. She had taken a pair of scissors to it. A clear message to Dolph.

"Princess?" He called again.

He already knew she wasn't there but he checked every hiding place in her room before hurrying back downstairs and outside where the three royalties were waiting.

"She's gone!" Roman yelled.
"What do you mean, she's gone?" Hunter asked.
"She's not in her room. I don't think she slept there last night," Roman said.

All three men jumped up from their seats and ran upstairs to check for themselves. When they came down shortly after, Dolph looked anything but happy. He had seen the pink dress. He had gotten the message. He bared his teeth in anger and stared at Roman.

"This is your fault!" Dolph yelled. "You were supposed to protect her!"
"I am not allowed in her room at night," Roman said.

Dolph had no comeback for that. He knew he had to tread carefully. He could not get angry about a man not being allowed in his bride to be's room. It only made sense that Roman hadn't been in there all night to keep an eye on her.

"Needless to say this alliance won't happen unless my son gets married to your daughter," Corbin said.
"He will be," Hunter said. "Roman, find her. Bring her home."

Roman nodded and hurried inside. He got his gear and went to the stables next. He wasn't surprised to find that Smilla's horse was missing. This was going to be an easy job. He saddled up his own horse and rode out to find her. He followed the tracks easily for a while until he found her horse who was eating grass next to the river. He got down from his own horse and inspected the area.

"Guess I'll vanish without my horse one day."

Her words from yesterday rang inside his head. She knew what she had been doing. She had gotten on her horse and made it to here before getting in the water. She knew it would be impossible to track someone in water.

"You actually listened," he chuckled. "I'll still find you though or I'll die trying."

He gently took the rein of her horse and tied it to his own. When he found her, she would need the horse to get back. He got back on his own horse and crossed the river to look for any tracks there. There was none to be found.

"She really listened, boy," he patted his horse. "She followed the river but at one point she got out of it. We'll find her tracks."

He started riding down next to river. He took his time to make sure he didn't miss a track. He had no idea on what side she got out of the river or how far she had made it in the water. It was cold at night but he knew she could be stubborn. His worst fear would be to find her drowned further down. That fear seemed even more real when he found her cloak floating in the river.

"Damn it, Smilla!" He growled to himself. "You better not be dead!"

He brought the cloak with him and continued forward. His heart jumped with joy when he finally found half of a footprint a couple of hours later.

"Damn, you made it this far," he said. "I'm proud of you, Smilla."

He smiled to himself as he got back down from his horse to inspect the footprint. She had tried her hardest to get away from him but he was too good at his job to let anyone get away. Other trackers might have missed it but he sure wasn't. He never missed anything.

"We'll find her, boy," he said.

He grabbed the horse's rein and started moving on foot instead. She had listened to everything he had told her over the past year and she was using everything he had taught her. He was proud of her, and it only made him hurt even more knowing he had to find her and bring her back.

He kept moving all day. He only took small breaks for his horse to rest and for them both to get some food and water so they could continue. In the end she was still on foot and he had a horse. He knew he was gaining in on her. He finally found her as the sun was going down. She was sitting up against a tree, trying to warm herself by hugging her knees. She looked tired and broken.

"I told you I'd always find you," he said.

She raised her eyes and looked at him.

"Go away," she said.
"I can't go back without you, princess," he said.
"I'm not going back," she said.
"Don't make me force you. I don't want to use force on you but you know I have to if you don't come willingly," he said.

She pulled out a knife and he couldn't help but smile. He admired that she had thought ahead enough to bring something along with her to defend herself, but he also knew she would never stand a chance in a battle against him.

"Don't make me fight you," he said.
"I'm not," she said.

He walked towards her but she turned the knife around in her hand so the blade pointed at her chest. That made him stop. Suddenly he felt scared.

"Don't," he said shakingly.
"I'm not going back, Roman. If you won't let me leave, I'll kill myself. I will not marry that man. You can't make me," she said.
"Smilla, please," he pleaded.
"No!" She snarled. "You can't use my name whenever it benefits you somehow. You gotta make your choice, Roman. It's either Smilla or princess. I can't be both to you."

His heart sank in his chest. He knew she was right. He had to make a choice, and he had to make it now. There was no more time left. He slowly walked towards her, scared if his movements were too fast that she would plunge that knife into her chest. He squatted down next to her and looked at her. He could easily grab the knife now but he didn't want to.

"I love you, Smilla," he said.

Tears ran down her face. He slowly moved his hand forward and closed it over her hand that held the knife. She let him move the knife away from her chest. He took it from her and wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry while he kept her warm and comforted her.

"Smilla, Smilla," he whispered. "My Smilla."
"I can't go back," she cried.
"I know," he said.

He leaned out and looked at her. He tried to wipe her tears away with his fingers but new ones just kept falling. She had held on to so much pain for so long that it made sense she finally broke down. He took off his own cloak, sat down next to her and wrapped them both in the fabric.

"I found your cloak in the river. I was so scared you had drowned," he said.
"It was weighing me down when it got wet. I had to leave it behind," she said.
"I assume you ran all night," he said.
"I did," she said. "I'm so tired."
"You would have frozen to death tonight if I hadn't found you," he tightened his arms around her. "Sleep now, Smilla. I won't leave you. I'll keep you warm and safe all night."

She snuggled up against him as much as she could in the position they were sitting in.

"Don't take me back there," she mumbled.
"I won't," he said. "I swear on my life that I won't let anyone take you back there ever again."