OK, I know you hate cliff-hangers- I do too, but here we go, ANOTHER ONE! Yes, I'm mean, I know. But this was a long, eventful chapter, and I didn't want to mix emotion and action too much, so the next one will be almost purely dialogue and emotional scenes. And I'm almost at the end of this fic now- that was fast! Ok, here goes, hope you don't kill me…

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She felt as though nothing could stand in her way. Nothing at all…

Except perhaps hand that was now gripping tightly her slender wrist.

Aletté whirled around and turned her fiery stare to a man about the one height with her, maybe a little taller, about double her age with blonde, almost white hair. His eerie blue eyes were fixed on her intensely. She felt numb, frozen under his cold, unforgiving stare.

"Lady Malycho," His voice echoed with a cold sarcasm. "You're the spitting image of your mother." Aletté didn't know what to say. This man knew who she was. "She was beautiful, Katharina Malycho. She was also loose. But then, so are you as I've heard." He was so certain. How did he know her? How did he know her mother? "I'm surprised I wasn't the one to get her in a fix. She had her time with just about every man around here." He knew her…

No. No he didn't. She was not Aletté Malycho. She was not a Malycho at all. She was not Singaporean, nor Spanish. She was not of noble birth. She was not even Aletté. "Pardonne moi?"

"Don't play silly with me, you little slut." He scowled and wrenched her closer to him by the wrist so that his breath was icing her face with condensation. "I know who you are- I know what you're here for. Your friends were good enough to blab about you- good bait, they are. And that gent you were with-" He snickered. "-well, he got you out of your dress fast enough." Aletté glanced down at her sleeveless slip and blushed slightly. "Ah," The man cooed. "so you do understand me?" He jerked on her wrist, dragging her out of the passage into the hall. "Come on now, don't fuss. We don't want to keep Madeira waiting."

A/N: refer to the prologue- Madeira and Devante were the two people who put the price on Aletté's head- the opposing forces, get it?

Aletté struggled against him, wrenching her wrist free of his hand. She turned on her heel and made to run, but instead crashed right into the hard, unmoving chest of what she assumed to be one of the man's goons. She fell backwards onto the floor, keeping her upper-body from striking the hard marble floor by propping herself up on her elbows. Her body shuddered in pain.

Her captor strode in front of her haughtily. "Devante deMalpien at your service, my lady, and you at mine whether you agree or not. Now come with me, and please, not another outburst. You shame your house even more than your mother did, Lady Malycho." He smiled sardonically and turned away, striding confidently down the hallway.

Aletté was pulled to her feet by two of the goons and very literally dragged down the hall after him. They pushed her into an ornate, white and gilded room where Devante was sprawled heedlessly across a green velvet chaise, while a dark, lithe, enchanting woman with raven hair, true Spanish curves, dark eyes and pale skin stood in the corner pursing her scarlet lips, a piece of important-looking parchment clasped between her claw-like fingers. Devante stood up as Aletté entered, motioning for the woman to come forward.

The woman brought the paper to a desk that lay next to Devante's chaise, drawing out a quill and a vial of black ink from the drawer. She beckoned to Aletté. Aletté hesitated, then took a few timid steps forward, so that she was right in front of the desk.

Devante smiled at the pale, dark-haired woman. "Thank you, Madeira." He turned to Aletté. "Miss Malycho, are you aware of the inheritance that ran under your mother's name?" Aletté nodded confidently, but Devante ignored her affirmation and continued as if she had pleaded for details. "It is much more than just the Countyhouse and the reign over Sierrbo- its is far more elaborate than that." He paused, his pale blue eyes flashing dramatically. "Your bloodline stands to inherit the entire empire. To be queen of Spain- does that surprise you?"

Aletté stood for a moment, stunned. Yes, it surprised her to know it was that large an inheritance. She had suspected her blood could claim the title of countess- but queen? Surely mother would have told her if she stood to inherit queenship! She paused and pasted on a confidant smile. "Not in the least. I've known all along."

"Have you?" Madeira spoke. "Aren't we all so very confidant. Just like her mother, except I never had the pleasure of killing her. So you know what you stand to inherit? Well, in that case, breathe your last." She motioned to one of the goons, who came forward, a carbine clutched in his sweaty hands. "Goodbye, Katharina."

Aletté recognized her mother's name, and realised that Madeira must have known Katharina Malycho in her youth. The carbine was raised to her head, and suddenly Aletté had an idea. "Wait!" She cried. "Wait- cant… cant I just sign an abdication form or something?"

Devante smiled. "Ah, the girl learns!" He took the paper from the desk and waved it under Aletté's nose. "Sign it!"

Aletté took it slowly, and the carbine was lowered from her head. Her eyes scanned it quickly. Seeing nothing to her dislike, (signing away the rights to the throne from herself and her offspring) she picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink, and poised it above the paper. Then a terrible thought occurred to her. They hated my mother- they'll kill me regardless…

No. No, they wont kill me until I sign away the rights of my children.

You don't have any children.

They don't know that.

"I wont." She said flatly.

"What?" Madeira hissed.

"I wont sign it." The carbine clicked from behind her. "Go, ahead- kill me. Good luck finding my son."

Devante and Madeira glanced at each other nervously. "She's lying." Devante whispered confidently. "She has no son."

"His name is Jack Turner." Aletté said loudly. "He's one year old, he likes the sea. He calls me 'Lettie' and loves to go skiffing. He has his daddy's eyes." Would they buy it? Did it matter? How bad could dying be?

Devante snorted. "I had a feeling this would happen. So what now, Katharina?" He called her by her mother's name a lot. Old grudges die hard. "We kill you, and we gain nothing. But we keep you alive and still we gain nothing- well, here's our bargaining chip. Not your life, but your friend's." He motioned with his hand and Will was dragged through the door, bound, gagged, and held back by three men.

Aletté stared. "Will!" She shouted. He looked at her sympathetically but could say nothing through his gag.

"We thought he'd come back for you." Devante continued. "They all did, actually. And every one we have in our keeping. This one seemed of especial interest to you back in the passageway- we though he'd be a nice little motivational tool, don't you think?" Aletté scowled at Devante furiously. "So now what, my lady? You have your choice- sign the form, or watch the your friend here bleed to death at your feet." Aletté could barely speak. "Katharina?" He prompted. "We're waiting."

"Alright." She chocked finally. "I'll sign it."

Madeira smiled. "Not quite as stubborn as Katharina was. Good girl." She handed her the paper and quill. Aletté took the inky pen and scrawled, on the elaborate, interlocking line, the name Aletté Katharina Malycho.

Devante snatched the paper from her and surveyed it scrutinizingly. A smiled crossed his thin, detestable lips and he placed it back on the desk. "You're a fool, Katharina. Just like your mother before you." Aletté fought back the urge to jump up and squeeze life out of his bony little neck. "Now, Katharina, this is goodbye."

The man with the carbine once again clicked it into readiness. Aletté closed her eyes and waited for the shot. She could hear Will struggling to get free from the far end of the room. I have to tell him, she thought. I have to come clean. He has to know I love him. I need him to know. I love him. I love him so much…

She opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly the door creaked again, announcing another entrance. Her eyes flew open. A frail-looking old man with long white hair was slowly hobbling into the room, accompanied by two official-looking sentries, their uniforms shining with newness, decorated with medals of rank and honour. Devante and Madeira stood up straight, looking very self-conscious.

"Ah," Madeira cooed, though anyone with ears could detect the falseness of her greeting. "King Rico, your majesty, welcome to our study." She smiled weakly.

The king looked around sceptically. "Eh, oh, Devante?" He said in a sarcastic voice that seemed much to youthful to be coming from his wrinkled old form. "Why is that man tied up?" He motioned to Will. "And what in the name of God is your man doing with a drawn carbine? And-" He stopped, his gaze fixed on Aletté. A smile spread across his face, mixing with a look of shock and thanksgiving. "Heavenly love! Why, if my eyes do not deceive me, it is the Princess Katharina risen from the dead." He paused. "Something different about you, though…"

Aletté rose and then dropped to one knee before the king. She glanced up at him from her stance so low to the ground. "My King, I am Aletté Malycho, daughter of the late Princess Katharina, and I come to beg the pardon on my bloodline."

He smiled and held out an old, weathered hand to her, drawing her up to her full height. "My dear Lady Malycho, you are most welcome here." A frown furrowed on his brows. "I hope my nephew didn't give you and trouble?"

Aletté smiled graciously. "I think, your majesty, that you had best not allow your nephew around fire arms in future."

Rico laughed a warm, youthful laugh, then turned with a more sombre face to his sentries. Aletté was surprised to see that another eight of them had congregated, now outnumbering Devante and his goons two-to-one. "My loyal men," Rico said. "be good chaps and take my nephew, his wife, and their men to the white tower. You may clear out the Peridio prisoners- cant say I condoned him keeping them detained in the first place, though," he turned to Aletté. "nobody tells me anything these days." Devante, Madeira, and their men were quickly swept from the room by the sentries, Rico calling after them, "See to it that the servants exit is closed off!"

Aletté finally regained her senses and took a glance at Will to be sure he was fine. Two of the remaining four sentries were helping him undo the bonds and gag. She turned back to the king, who looked upon her, beaming like a father who has found his long-lost daughter.

"Katharina," He sighed. "Or- Aletté, was it?" She nodded. "Well, we must prepare a coronation! To think, you'd been growing up to be as beautiful and gracious as your mother, and yet nobody believed me when I said you would return. Nobody! Imagine that!" He laughed.

"Your majesty," Aletté began, "with all due respect, I cannot become Spain's queen."

Rico frowned. "Why ever not?"

She bowed her head a little. "Devante had me sign an abdication document just moments before you came in. My blood is but a peasant's now."

He raised her chin up with one grey old hand and smiled. "You do not think I would discard the daughter of the most beautiful, kind, astounding, intelligent woman this court has ever seen?" Aletté smiled, embarrassed and a little confused. First her mother was a whore, now she was astounding and kind? "You may not be our queen, but you shall be a courtier. You shall live in a private wing of the palace- have your own household. Perhaps you will marry- what a party that would be- do you know, I'm quite fond of parties?" Aletté thought that this must be what a real father is like. "You shall have whatever you desire- tell me, anything?"

Aletté thought for a moment. "I wish for you to release my friends- all of them, save for the lady Elizabeth Turner and her child. Keep them here for the present time. And I wish to speak with Will." She nodded to where he stood watching, then remembering her formalities, "Um, I mean Mr. William Turner. I wish to speak with him now. Alone."

Rico nodded and left the room quietly with his sentries. Will strode over to her questioningly. Aletté braced herself for what she was about to do. This would not be easy. But it was the right thing to do.

She took a deep breath and began…

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Review Replies:

Cecile Li-

Sorry to torture you… again! But just wait- next chapter I PROMISE! Please review, and thanks for reviewing!

blueglass25-

Wow! I got a signed review from you! I feel honoured! Woo-hoo! Eponine has all the best song with beautiful Marius… *giggles* Well, here, I'm updating right now, so that's pretty fast- eh? Glad you (sort of) like the cliff-hanger.

Erin Richards-

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR STORY SOON! IT'S THE BEST THING ON THE SITE! Oh wow, I held down the shift button for that entire time. Could've just stuck the Caps Lock on… oh well, whatever. Yeah, cliff-hangers are very cliff-hang-y. Hehehe. Well, thanks for reviewing, and update soon. And please don't hate me for two cliff-hangers in a row!

PLEASE REVIEW- I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER! (DEARLY NOT QUEERLY)

-SQ