IMPORTANT Author's Notes: Sorry for the long delay. Fanfiction.net didn't let me in ever since they had that problem before. It was my computer after that I guess. I'm back though and here's the good news........I didn't come back with just one chapter. I came back with everything else. The whole story is complete. The other chapters for "Hidden" have been uploaded including the finale along with a poem. Did I mention that I also included a little summary on my next fanfic which is the SM version of the Titanic (not the movie)? :) I've been evil lately so now I'm making up for it. If you find more errors than usual don't kill me. x_x

Also a lil note: I NEED AN EDITOR. I've been my own editor since before which explains the typos my fanfics have. -_-'' I'm sorry about that but I need an editor who is willing to help me with ideas related to other stories, give me their opinions on any fics I have, and someone who is willing to edit SM chapters. I'm sorry if that sounds like a lot but it's really not that hard. I'm always willing to do something on my part as long as it involves things through the net and no credit cards for now x_x. Wait until I have a job! If you're interested please email me or include a lil note in your reviews. If you're going to post a review then please make sure that your email's included. At the end of the holidays I'll email everyone who offered to be an editor and we'll go on from there. Thank you so much!

Happy Holidays and thanks!

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"Hidden" - Chapter 8 - By: Hell's Huntress - (eve413@hotmail.com)
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Serena stared at him for a long moment, a confused look in her eyes. Everyone else looked at her with the same expression. Alfred stared at her for a moment and grinned. It was a look of victory. She could only stare back at him with a blank expression. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she should protest or surrender. She could only stare in silence.

A long moment of silence followed. All she could hear was her own heart beating rapidly against her heavy chest. It was as if everyone had stopped breathing. Her face turned red. She could feel the beads of sweat pouring down her neck. She could feel her cheeks heating up. For a brief second all she wanted to do was faint and wake up knowing it was all just a dream.

She closed her eyes and sighed. It wasn't a dream. They found out. She would have to face it anyway.

The silence was broken by Henry. He chuckled and shook his head. "Nice one.....you know for a moment there you were actually convincing." He looked at Alfred who returned his gaze with an alarmed expression.

"Convincing? It's the truth!"

"I never knew you had some sense of humor."

"I don't!" He sounded exasperated. "He is a woman! It's in plain sight right in front of you!"

Henry's voice darkened. A grim expression flooded his aging features. His brows knitted together in anger. He was obviously growing impatient and it almost scared Serena. She has never really seen the man look so old and sour. He was always the bright one. "A trick....a trick of some sort. It's all a trick to lighten the mood, right? Tell me I am right." His last statement sounded more like a demand than a plea.

Alfred frowned at him. "It's not a trick. Why won't you admit it? Why must you deny something that's in plain sight when everyone else sees it as well? Evidence is right here!" He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her using it. Serena gasped in pain as her hands shot up to her head.

Henry's eyes widened at the action. The lines on his forehead seemed to grow deeper. "Get out." His voice was low but firm.

"What? What did you say?" Alfred chuckled and pulled her hair again. Her eyes began to water with tears. Serena grabbed his wrist, her nails digging into his flesh. She tried to make him let go yet he only tightened his grip.

"I said get out. Let go of her and leave. You have stayed long enough." The words dripped out like venom through gritted teeth. He clenched his fists at his side as if he was getting ready to hit the man. His voice grew louder while his eyes flamed with hatred.

"Get out? Do you realize that if I leave she's coming with me? I thought you wanted to protect her. She is your little Samuel right? Do you want her to go? Or maybe you have come to face the truth that Samuel's not who you thought she was and now you really want to disown her?"

"Let go of her and leave. You will go without her. She will stay here."

"She will stay so you can take care of her yourself? I'd rather take her back with us.....where she really belongs.....and have the queen deal with her."

Monique flinched upon hearing what he said. "The queen?"

Alfred bit back a growl. He was about to curse himself for giving it away but he grinned instead. "Yes, the queen. Your little Samuel is not only a woman but a princess as well. She is the daughter of royalty. It runs through her veins and I was about to marry her until she came here running to you!" He growled.

"Well I can't blame her for running away!" Monique protested, her voice shaking with fear and anger.
"Why call yourself the man who was going to marry her when you are not worthy. Look at the way you are treating her - "

"Enough! Be silent little girl if you want to keep your tongue."

"If she is the princess like what you said then she will decide whether I should keep it or not." Monique glared him, her eyes red and moist. She stood up straight and did the best she could to keep her voice from shaking.

Serena looked up at her with a tear stained face. There seemed to be a ray of hope in those eyes. It was as if she wanted to smile and say thank you, yet with her head being ripped off her head it was hard to believe she could even say anything, let alone be a princess.

Alfred chuckled and shook his head. "I am an important man. I can decide as well. If you won't hold your tongue to keep it.....if you don't fear loosing it then fear the fate of your family. Say another word and I'll have all of your heads on a platter.

Jacquelin growled. "I am sure her family isn't like you - "

Alfred glared at her. "Be silent little one. Did you not hear what I told your sister?"

"You said that if she didn't stop talking you would kill us all. She stopped talking but you never said that to me so why should I?"

"Then I'm telling you now - "

"I am sure her family doesn't know how cruel you are and if they were to know about what you are doing to their daughter or how you are treating us then they would have your head on a platter!"

"And I am sure that if I were to tell them that you helped her hide for so long they would have your head along with mine!" Alfred roared, causing Jacquelin to hide behind Monique. However, she still kept talking in a low voice. "But we didn't even know she was - "

"Be silent!"

Henry glared at him and grabbed his throat. "If you ever speak to my daughter that way once again I'll - "

"You'll what? Hurt me?" Alfred chuckled, his voice coming out in hoarse croaks. "Then I'll have even more of a reason to make you look terrible. Besides, how will they know if you really did help her hide or not? After all their grief they won't even listen to your story! You'll be dead before you have the chance to protest."

Henry glared at him before slowly releasing him.

Serena bit her bottom lip and scratched Alfred's face. "But I am here to tell them the truth!"

Alfred pulled her hair once again. She almost felt as if her head would be ripped off. "And they won't believe you! It will be too late, princess. Your friends will be dead anyway. Do you think that after running away they won't think you'll do anything to save yourself again - "

His sentence was cut short when Darien's hand shot towards her throat, pushing him backwards against the wall. Alfred's eyes went wide as he felt himself being lifted off the ground.

Darien glared at him with burning hatred in his eyes. "Shut your mouth! They will say nothing if you are dead."

Alfred opened his mouth to say something but gasps for air replaced any words he had. Darien slowly turned his wrist as if he was twisting the man's neck. "You will be dead, she will be alive, and if they are her parents they will believe her. Don't you ever think before you act? What you just did to her might just show a few scars and they will have the proof they need." He chuckled. "If I don't kill you by that time then they will, and I doubt that I won't."

The other men could only stand and watch. It was obvious that they wanted to save one of their own but they have never witnessed Alfred's violence.

Darien looked at them. "Take care of him and save yourselves. Prove to the queen that you have witnessed what this man did and I am sure you will be rewarded." He then dropped Alfred to his feet and stormed out. The men gathered around him. He was alive but still gasping for air. Not one word escaped his throat.

Serena dropped to the floor, her hair matted to her forehead. She looked at Monique who quickly rushed to her side. She wanted to look at Henry yet she couldn't face him.....not yet. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered.

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Author's Notes: Well that was short. It's suppose to be. :) You'll like the next chapter. If you didn't read the Author's Notes up there then please do. Sorry about the typos. Thanks.