A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a bit of a long time since I post the last chapter, stuff happened and all of that. Anyway, here it is, I hope you all like it.

My legs where aching, and my chest was pounding. I was running, as fast as I possibly could. I could hear my uncle calling me, but it was worse than that, he was whispering inside of my head as well. The tears kept spilling from my eyes, and although I wanted to stop to break down and cry my eyes out, I knew that I had to keep on running.

Only moments ago he had my pinned to the ground, holding my wrists tightly, using his magic to push himself into my mind. I fought back as best I could, and my instincts just kicked in, and I kicked him. My action managed to wind him and distract him enough to scramble myself away from him, but he wasn't ready to give up, I could see it in his eyes.

The man came at me with a knife, and it glinted when the light from the moon hit it. I hadn't been quick enough, I had been just a little too slow, and he sliced at my arm. A grin spread across his face, but even through the pain, I pushed myself to move. There was no way that I was going to just stand there, no chance in hell that I was going to let that man win. Arthur had betrayed me and abandoned me, but I knew that the arms of my brothers would welcome me. If only I knew how to get to them.

"Why try to fight it, Isabella?" His smug voice rang through my head. "You know there is no possible way that you could win. Not now, and not ever. What have you got left to live for? The Prince doesn't love you, he never did. He was using you, Isabella, but I offer you a chance for revenge." I knew what he was doing, but I was not going to fall for it.

I would never join him, I would never seek revenge on Arthur for what he had done. Sure, he had hurt me, he had hurt me in one of the worst ways possible, but revenge would never make it better. I had cared about him so much, and in my head I reasoned that he was only doing it to keep his kingdom safe, to protect his people. I couldn't fault him for that.

All I could do was keep on running, keep ignoring the pain in my arm, the burning in my legs. There were more injuries now, more cuts and scratches. I had tripped several times, caught myself on branches and bushes. My clothes were torn, and I looked an utter mess. But I didn't care, I only cared about one thing, escaping my uncle.

My luck was going to run out sooner or later, I just knew it was. I had been dreading what would happen if my uncle ever found me, and now I was wishing that it had simply been death. What he wanted of me was something I would never be able to do, I would never turn my back on my brothers, and that was what he wanted. He promised he wouldn't hurt me if I joined him, if I cooperated. No.

There was no way I could keep on running, I had to stop to catch my breath. My hands rested against the large and rough trunk of an old tree, giving me some support while I took ragged breaths. I had to be careful with my thoughts, which was why I was running around blindly. He was in my head, he could see what I was thinking, he was trying to manipulate me.

I had placed as many mental barriers up as I could, but I knew it wouldn't be enough, I knew they weren't strong enough. It really didn't help that I barely even knew how to put them up in the first place. "You can't run forever." That retched voice echoed once more, reminding me of where I was.

A look of determination finally set on my face. "Well, I've been doing pretty well so far, I'm not ready to give up." I muttered, wondering if he could hear me or not when I spoke aloud. I knew my time was up, time for resting was over, now was the time for moving.

With a heavy sigh, I pushed myself to move again, forcing my legs to carry me as I ran through the dense mound of trees that surrounded me. The sun was rising above me now, the sky turning blood red, like a warning of what was happening, or what was to come. It was my warning, my warning that he was gaining on me, as he suddenly broke through the trees behind me.

"Are you going somewhere, my dear, little, Princess?" He asked me, a disgusting smirk resting on his face. "You can't escape me, you know that. I'm in your head now, I own you."

"Nobody owns me. No you, not my brothers, and not Arthur." I told him with determination in my eyes. "You only think you have a hold over me, but you don't. I'm a lot stronger than you think I am, a lot stronger." I told him, before feeling the magic of the earth thrumming beneath my feet.

That was my opening, that was the world telling me that I could do something, that I could defend myself. I closed my eyes and imagined the trees that were around me. I prayed to them, pleaded with them to help me, to give me some time to escape my uncle, to wrap their tendrils tightly around him and make him the prisoner.

I heard him scoffing. "Already giving up? I thought you had more fight in you than that, Isabella." He was laughing at me, and I felt the flame grow even larger within me. "It's no surprise that Arthur gave you up, I mean, just look at you!" The flame was suddenly engulfing every single part of me, and then I heard a cry.

When I opened my eyes, I saw that the branches of the trees were wrapping themselves around the man, holding him tightly, stopping him from moving. I wanted to pretend that it was nothing, that it didn't surprise me, but it did. The trees had heard me, and they had helped me. "Arthur didn't leave me, he did what was right for his kingdom and its people." I was feeling a little braver now, knowing he was restrained.

"Oh please, you don't really believe that, do you? He acted like he cared about you, but he was so sick of you, he couldn't stand the sight of you. He was stuck with you every single minute of every single day." My uncle spat at me, clearly angry at his current predicament. "If you go back to him, he will just pack you off once more."

I couldn't help but smile at him, hearing the panic seep into his voice a little. "I'm not going back to him. I've learnt that there are very few people in this world that I can trust. I know that if I go back to Camelot, Prince Arthur will just pack me off again, angry at me for even bothering to return. There is no point heading for home, for my brothers, you would find me in an instant." I didn't know where this whole speech was coming from, but it was giving me some courage. "No, there is no where I can go, no one I can trust, except one." He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to tell him. "Myself."

He chuckled softly to himself. "How can you trust yourself when I'm a part of you?" He said gleefully in my head.

My eyes met him, and for a second I could have sworn there was fear behind them. "You are not a part of me. You are an infection, a virus, a disease, and you will be purged." That fear in his eyes struck again, and I couldn't help but smile to myself. It was with that smile on my face that I turned away from him, ready to continue my escape. I felt a little more confident now that he was bound by the trees, it would give me more time, a head start to get away now.

But something stopped me, his voice. "And now you see what you really are, Isabella. You're just like me. We're the same, and you know it." I didn't bother to answer him, because I knew it wasn't true. He would kill us all for the throne, I would die to protect my family and my friends. I would have died to protect Arthur if it came to it.

Once I felt that I was a safely out of his sight, I broke into a run again. My legs had recovered a little, and the blood from the cuts and scrapes had begun to dry. My nightgown was so badly torn and dirty now, it looked like I had been living in the forest for days.

"I won't let him win." I kept muttering to myself every time I felt like giving up, which seemed to be a little too often for my liking. "I am not going to give up." I could still kind of sense him in my head, but he was quiet, it was all silent and still. I didn't care, I just had to focus on where I was going.

The hours past, and I was still stuck in the stupid forest. I didn't even know which one it was, and I had no idea what direction I had been wandering all day. All I knew was that I was completely lost. I knew that it was getting much later in the day, and that soon the darkness would take over again. It made me wonder, did anyone at Camelot miss me? Was Morgana upset about what Arthur had done? Did Uther shout at him for handing me over, or had he been in on it the whole time? There were too many thought reeling around in my head, making me feel dizzy.

"Maybe… maybe I should just sit down for a few minutes." I whispered to myself, only now starting to feel the exhaustion. Okay, that was a lie, I had been feeling it for hours, but now with the hunger taking its toll, I really did feel like sleeping for a week.

I huddled myself up against one of the trees, one that had bushes around its trunk, helping to cover me and hide me a little. There was every chance that my uncle was just waiting for me to fall asleep, but I needed to rest, I couldn't go any further. "Keep me safe, please, keep me safe." My voice came out in barely a whisper as I ran my hand along the rough bark of the tree. I let the darkness take over, finding some relief in it. Some of the worry just washed away, and I could just pretend that everything was different, that I was a kid again, standing in the kitchen with my mother, making Sunday dinner for my brothers and father. My last happy memory of my real life.

I wasn't entirely sure how long I had managed to sleep for, but the sun was back in the sky and I felt surprisingly rested. My eyes scanned the area in a hurry, and there was no sight of my uncle. However, there was something odd about where I found myself. The tree really did seem to be protecting me, a branch actually shading me completely, allowing me to see out through the leaves, but keeping me concealed and warm within the foliage.

A smile stretched across my face, it seemed like I had some friends out there, in the form of trees. "Thanks, I owe you one." I told the tree in a hushed tone, worried there was someone out there and that they would hear me. I was worried my uncle was still out there, and that I would give away my position. "Time for me to go now, he's still after me." It was as if I could feel the trees emotions, and it was reluctant to let me go, as if it was sad. "I really do owe you, you kept me safe, thanks."

Eventually I was on my feet and moving again. My stomach was growling and I was getting the pangs that came with being hungry. I was been away from Camelot for over a day now, taken away and abandoned in the middle of the night, fighting with my uncle till dawn, and then running for my life before spending the night sleeping curled up by a tree. Everything had turned into a real mess, and I wasn't sure I knew how to fix it.

Each step was an exhausting effort, the lack of food was really making things worse for me. My head was spinning, everywhere aching, and I felt like I hadn't slept in weeks. The refreshed feeling I had felt when I first woke was completely gone, and I was scolding myself for not staying a little longer in the little safe haven that had been created for me.

In the end, my body really couldn't take any more. I knew I was just too weak now to make it any further, I didn't even have the energy to crawl to some form of safety. I collapsed onto the dirty ground, finding it difficult to even open my eyes. I hadn't heard him in my head at all, and I wondered if I was too far away from him now, if maybe he had be forced from my head. I didn't have time to contemplate it as I once again let the darkness wash over me. I was weak, and I knew that I was.

This time I had no protection so, even though I was thoroughly exhausted, my senses were in high alert. The first thing that reached my ears was the sound of leaves crunching under heavy footsteps. I tried to force my eyes open, but failed completely. All I could do was listen, and wait, the sound wasn't right next to me so, if I pulled it together, there was a slight chance I could get up and run for it.

Except, as the footsteps became closer, I began to hear voices heading my way as well. "Do you think we will even find her? We have no idea where she has gone." The voice said, very little enthusiasm in his voice.

"We must find her." I recognised that voice, I was sure of it. "The Princess is in grave danger, if she is still with her uncle, he will kill her." Leon! It was Sir Leon, one of my favourite knights from Camelot.

I wished that I had the energy to move, but I still couldn't even open my eyes. But then, did I really want them finding me? Did I want to go back to Camelot when I knew Arthur didn't want me there? He had handed me to my uncle, why would I just walk straight back there?

I didn't have any more time to question myself, as the footsteps entered the small area that I was in. I heard them gasp, before the clanking of chainmail rang through my ears. "Princess Isabella, are you all right? Can you hear me?" Sir Leon called, kneeling down beside where I was sprawled out. I dreaded to think what I looked like to him, I must have been an utter mess. "Princess Isabella?"

As much as I tried, I couldn't move. I could hear him, I could feel his hand brush away the hair that was smothered all over my face, but I couldn't speak, or open my eyes. Every single one of my muscles refused to cooperate, and I could do nothing to tell him I was even alive.

"She looks in a bad way. We need to get her back to Camelot." The other voice, another knight that I had probably met but failed to remember the name of, said softly.

I actually wanted to protest, to tell them not to take me there, to leave me alone, or take me to my brothers. I wished that I could speak and inform them that I was no longer welcome in Camelot and did not want to return there. But I couldn't. I was completely helpless as Sir Leon scooped me up in his arms, holding me gently.

"We need to hurry." I heard him say, before I felt the juttering movement of the man carrying me. He was running now, well he was running as best he could while carrying me.

"Back to Camelot you go. Isn't that a shame." He was back, but maybe he had never really left. "You are mine now, Isabella, there is no way that you can get rid of me. I will always be here, inside your head, telling you what to do."

Maybe I couldn't speak to the knights, but maybe I could tell me uncle just where he could go. "I told you, I belong to no one. Just because I am being forced to return to Camelot, that does not but any means mean that I am planning on staying there. I will find a way to get rid of you, forever." I tried to say it as confidently as I could, but the truth was I was scared.

He was chuckling in my mind now, clearly amused by what I had said. "I'd love to see you try, little Princess. You cannot get rid of me, I am more powerful than you realise. And, when you arrive in Camelot, I will show you just how much control over you I truly have." I didn't like the sound of that, and it made me wonder if he was the reason why I was unable to move.

"Keep on dreaming, traitor." I hissed towards him. "You are nothing but a pathetic coward, and you know it."

That seemed to strike a chord with him, and I could suddenly feel his anger towards me. "No more playing nice. When you arrive in Camelot, it is time to strike. There are so many things you need to do." He told me, before laughing manically.

Eventually, his voice faded, and I was left with the noise of my surroundings. Apparently, we were now on horseback, the sound of their hooves clattering on the hard ground pressed against my skull, making my head throb even more. We must have already made it to Camelot, the dirt track roads would never have made that kind of noise.

And then everything became one great big haze. I heard voices, mostly ones that I recognised, and a woman crying. Morgana, it had to have been Morgana that had been crying. She sounded so terrified, so scared, and I wanted to do nothing more than to comfort her, but I was still paralysed.

I heard a door opening, I felt myself being placed down on something soft, and a cold cloth pressed against my arm, right where my uncle had cut me. It stung, but I couldn't cry out in pain. At least I could still feel, the pain was there, I had most of my senses, I just couldn't speak or see yet.

"She must rest. We do not yet know the ordeal that her uncle put her through." It was Gaius, he was there to take care of me. I expected someone to reply, but I heard no one speaking. I guessed they were just nodding their heads in agreement, whoever they were.

Light footsteps padded across the room, and the door clicked closed. I felt someone take a hold of my hand and grasp it tightly. It wasn't the same one that I usually felt, the one that use to make me feel safe and cared for, this was different. It was still caring, and warm, but this was a woman's hand.

Then there was a sob. Of course, it had to be Morgana. Even now she was getting all emotional and worked up, that was just like her. I wanted to tell her to suck it up, that I was fine and it was all a big fuss over nothing, but I knew I couldn't. Instead, I resigned myself to get a little more sleep. My head wasn't any better, and now that I knew I was away from my uncle, I felt just a little safer.

But there was something that I was worried about, what was Arthur going to say? Did he even know that I was back there? Did he know that his attempt to hand me over and get me out of his life had failed? Did his father even know what he had done in the first place? Maybe that was why I hadn't heard him anywhere, because he was keeping away, or being kept away, from me.

Truthfully, I didn't mind not being anywhere near him. Just thinking of him reminded me of what had happened, of what he had said and done. I knew he cared very little for me now, that it had all been a ruse to gain my trust. I had been played the fool, I had fallen for everything he had told me. If I could have cried myself to sleep, I would have.

It appeared that I did manage to fall asleep, but when I awoke, I certainly felt no better. I was feeling dizzy, and sick, and nothing like myself at all. However, this time, I found I could use my limbs, as well as my voice since I let out a groan.

"Isabella? Isabella, can you hear me?" Of course Morgana was still there, still with worry seeping into her voice.

I groan once more, just to double check. "Morgana…" I heard her let out a sigh of relief.

"You're safe now, Isabella, you're in Camelot." She told me, grasping a vice like hold on my hand. "He can't get you now." I could tell from her tone that she had been crying some more, but I knew that she was relieved that I was there. On the other hand, I wasn't so pleased, I didn't really want to be in Camelot now. "Word has been sent to Arthur, he'll be here soon."

Just hearing his name made my stomach turn. She didn't know, Morgana had no idea that Arthur was the one who had pushed me into the arms of my traitorous uncle. I wasn't sure I would be able to face him, to look at him and ignore what he had done. "Morgana, I don't…" She didn't let me finish getting my words out, the woman was quick to shush me.

"Don't talk, Isabella, you need to rest. I'm just glad that you're safe. I was so scared, Isabella, I thought something terrible had happened to you." I could tell by the way her voice was wavering that she was on the brink of tears once more.

"Something has happened, Morgana, and there is no going back now." I muttered, ignoring the fact that she expected me to just do as I was told. I never do anything that I'm told if I don't want to, and this was going to be no different. "It's over, he's won." I didn't feel as sad or upset as I thought I would saying that, but it still hurt a little inside. I piece of me did died when Arthur handed me over, there was no denying it.

But Morgana didn't seem to understand what I was saying. "Shush, it's all right. Everything is going to be okay now. You're safe here, Isabella, you know that. Just get some more rest." I didn't feel like getting into an argument with her by correcting her, so I simply kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep.

It was difficult for me, especially since I could hear all of the chatter around me whenever someone entered the room. Gwen came by, and Morgana told her just how worried about me she was. Gwen then left, and returned with Gaius, who tried to calm Morgana and settle her. But the most difficult part came when the door burst open, and rushing footsteps flooded my ears. I knew exactly who it was.

"Isabella!" Arthur's voice cried, before I felt his hand take a hold of mine. A shiver went down my spine, how could he be so worried about me when he was the one that decided to get rid of me? "I'm here, Isabella, I'm here now." I suppose his words were meant to be comforting, but they certainly were not, because that was when it all started.

"Look at him, Isabella, he's acting like nothing ever happened. He's only doing it to keep Lady Morgana happy. He doesn't really want you there, he's rather annoyed that you managed to make it back to Camelot." I hadn't heard his voice since the knights from Camelot had found me, and I had hoped that whatever hold he had over me was gone. I was wrong. "The first chance he gets, he is going to get rid of you. Again."

I wasn't going to just lay there and listen to it. "No, he's not. He will not be able to kick me out from Camelot." I replied confidently.

"Oh, and why is that?" There was a hint of amusement as well as curiosity in his tone.

"Because the moment I get the chance, I'm out of here. He's made it clear that I'm not welcome here, so why bother staying?" Although a part of me desperately wished that I could stay, that Arthur would tell me it was all a mistake and that he thoroughly regrets his stupid decision, I knew there was no way I could stay. After what he has done, there is no going back. The one person in the whole universe that I am terrified of, and he handed me to him. No, I was not going to forgive him for that.

A deep chuckle echoed in my head, clearly my uncle had read my thoughts. "If you're not going to forgive him, what are you going to do?" Yes, he was definitely intrigued in what I was going to do, but even I wasn't sure on that yet.

"Leave, I'm just going to leave." Revenge wasn't my style, it never had been, because I knew it would get me nowhere. It wasn't going to change what had happened, and I would never forget what Arthur had done. "It doesn't matter where I go, as long as it's away from you."

"You can never get away from me." He warned me, and not in a very pleasant tone either. "I will always be here, you will never be rid of me, because I control you." And that was when I felt it, he was actually trying to push himself further into my mind, trying to take full control of me. But I would resist him, for as long as I could.

I had fought him off once before, I knew that I could do it again. "Isabella?" Arthur called to me, for some reason there was concern in his voice. I tried to pull my hand away from him, and I let out a groan. I could only focus on one thing at a time. "You're all right, Isabella." The Prince assured me, although I wasn't sure why.

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open and I saw the Prince for myself. There was a mix of emotions bubbling inside of me, and the moment I saw him I wanted to forget everything that had happened. But there was a voice that wouldn't let me, a voice that was taunting me. "He hurt you, Isabella. He abandoned you, he left you with me. He pretended to care about you, he pretended that you mattered when you didn't."

I quickly shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts. I didn't want to listen to him, I didn't want to hear his voice. Instead I looked up and my eyes met those of Arthur. "How could you, Arthur?" I managed to whisper, still trying to fight the voice in my head. "I just… why?" I could feel the tears already starting to build in my eyes, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing them.

"What? Isabella, what are you talking about?" The Prince asked me, the slight hint of confusion etched on his face.

But I wasn't going to fall for it, I had been the fool for long enough already. "I've only ever been a burden to you, haven't I, Arthur? I've brought you nothing but trouble, isn't that right?" I was throwing his own words back in his face. "I was stupid and naïve, you manipulated me. I really believed you, I believed that you actually cared, but you were just biding your time."

I ignored the confused look that was on his face. "Isabella, what on Earth are you talking about? You have never been a burden, why would you even say that?"

"Look at him, Isabella, acting like none of it ever happened. You're too stubborn to see it, just like your mother." It was in that moment that I snapped. Those four little words of his that really managed to get to me, 'just like your mother'.

I wrenched my hand away from Arthur, glaring at him, pure hatred pouring out of my eyes. "Why? Because you woke me up in the middle of the night to dump me with my uncle." I ended up screaming at him, not caring who else was in the room and heard me. "You dragged me from the castle, telling me that we needed to go, that it was too dangerous in Camelot. You told me I was a burden to you, that I wasn't smart or pretty, that I was nothing." I could remember it as clear as day, the way he looked at me, the venom in his voice as he spoke. He had brought my whole world crashing down on me that night.

"Isabella, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." He was looking so innocent, so concerned, but I was not going to fall for it, I was not going to be naïve again. "I've been searching for you for two days, you just seemed to disappear in the middle of the night. I was worried, Isabella."

I couldn't stand his lies any more. "No, I'm not going to listen to you this time. Too many times I fell for your lies, Prince Arthur, but not anymore." Now there was hatred in my voice, so much hatred. "You manipulated me before, but now I know the truth. At least my uncle has the decency to be honest about his intentions. He will admit to wanting the crown, to killing me and my brothers, but you, no. You lie, Prince Arthur, you are a liar."

"Oh, well done, Isabella." My uncle's voice called in my head. "You really told him. Looks like you have grown a backbone since I murdered your parents."

"Shut up." I muttered, actually meaning to say it to my uncle. "Just shut the hell up."

There was a confused look even on Morgana's face now. "Isabella, are you saying that Arthur… that he…" Obviously she didn't want to believe it.

"He woke me up in the middle of the night and told me that we had to go. He told me that he needed to get me out of Camelot, that it was dangerous. He didn't bother to explain any more than that, he just dragged me from the castle and through the forest. He led me to my uncle, handed me over to him." I didn't break eye contact with him, there was no way I was going to back down now. "Prince Arthur left me there, with my uncle, he passed me off to him like I was nothing."

I could see the confusion filling Arthur's eyes even more, it was as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. "None of that happened, Isabella, I don't understand why you think that I would do that to you. You know that I care about you, why would I ever do something like that to you?"

That was the final straw, that was what made me snap completely. How dare he say that he cared about me after everything that had happened. How dare he act as if none of it ever happened. "You liar!" I screamed at him, before lunching at him, clawing at him with my nails, ready to scratch him to bits. I had finally lost it, it had all gotten just too much for me, and I finally snapped. I hated Arthur for what he had done to me, I hated him more than words could say, more than I hated my uncle.

I felt someone try to pull me back, to get me off the Prince, but I was using all my might to claw at him, to hit him, to hate him. But a voice boomed through the room, causing me to freeze in an instant. "What the devil is going on in here?" Uther bellowed. I found that I really couldn't move at all, every single inch of me was frozen. I had attacked the Prince of Camelot in front of the King, now I was in some serious trouble.

"Oh, now you've done it." My uncle whispered to me, his voice full of glee. "I think I'm going to rather enjoy this, this is turning out better than I ever could have imagined. You'll be dead by the morning." It was him, it was all him. He was doing all of this to me, he made me snap, he was feeding things into my head, making me believe things that probably were not true. He was right, I was in serious trouble.

A/N: I have already started on the next chapter, I know where I'm taking it and what I'm planning. I wonder how many of you have an idea of what was going on now, or what has happened as well. Or how about, what will happen next?

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review. You guys are awesome and totally fantastic.

I'm going to keep this one short, I want to get back to writing the next chapter. So, until then...

Pippa.