A/N: Hey! I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I enjoyed reading every single one of them. Also, I'm sorry about the short chapters, I'll try to make the next ones bit longer.

::Chapter 15: Cancled::

There was a soft rap on the door.

"C-Come in," my voice croaked.

The door slowly creaked open, and Mandy stepped inside. She stood silent for a few seconds before speaking, staring at me, probably taking in my awkward appearance. I forgot I still had mud and dirt all over my face from right after the funeral. "Why, hello there, sweets. I just dropped by to tell you that most of the guests have left, and if you want, we have plenty left over from dinner."

I nodded. "Thank you, Mandy. I'll be down in a few minutes, I just have to clean up a bit."

Mandy smiled warmly and chuckled. "Alright, I'll go get a plate ready for you. Don't take too long, you don't want your food to get too cold."

I waited till I heard the click of a closing door before I got up and headed out into the hallway, towards the bathroom.

I knocked on the closed door. There was no answer. I reached for the doorknob.

It was locked.

Strange, I thought to myself. I knocked again, this time with more force. Still no answer. "Excuse me, is anyone in here?" I said, knocking a few times more.

I held my ear against the door, waiting for a reply. I could hear water splashing. Maybe they were taking a bath.

I heard coughing, and then, finally, a reply. "J-Just a minute!" a child's voice squeaked.

I recognized this voice. Mayleah??

I waited silently in curiosity until I heard Mayleah empty the water bin a open the door.

Her green eyes caught mine, a widened in surprise. "Y-Your highness!" she said with a curtsey. Her cheeks reddened. "I-I'm sorry for having you kept waiting. . ."

She tried to keep her head bowed down, as if she didn't want me to see her face. I caught a glimpse of her face, though. Her eyes were red and teary. . . as if she had been crying or something.

I shook my head. "N-No. . .it's alright."

She nodded her head once, still staring at the floor.

"Hey. . . are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded quickly, then said nervously, your h-highness, but I've got to be going." She curtseyed a final time before running off.

I stared at her figure from behind as she left, her blonde curls bouncing with every step. She was actually pretty tall for her age, I guess, almost as tall as I was, and rather thin, probably from years of living in poverty.

I stepped in the bathroom, and felt my cheeks redden as I stared at my reflection. I turned on the faucet and quickly rinsed the mud and soot from my face. I dried myself with a towel before heading down the stairs into the kitchen.

Mandy had my plate ready by the time I reached it. "It's about time, sweets," Mandy chuckled, pouring me a glass of water.

I smiled back. "I'm sorry, Mandy. There was a long wait for the bathroom." My smiled faded. "Mayleah. . . I think she was crying or something."

Mandy set the glass down in front of me, and looked up. "Oh? Why do say that?"

"Well," I said, in between bites of diced vegetables, "For one thing, her eyes were all bloodshot when she came out and-" another bite. "-she was splashing water the whole time she was in there. . . like she was trying to drown out the noise of her. . . crying? I don't know." I took a gulp of water.

Mandy sighed. "I'm not surprised. She's been through so much, Amena. She had to leave her mother, you know. Why they didn't bring her along, I don't know." She set a hand on my shoulder. "Don't hold a grudge on her for something she can't control, sweets. It's not her fault she got caught in this mess."

I nodded, digging into my peas. "I guess your right."

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Come on it," Mandy called out.

The door swung open. "Your Highness, I've been looking all over for you!" a wearied looking maid said. "The King wishes to see you."

I pretended to have a sudden interest in the remaining pea on my plate, jabbing at it with the tip of my fork. "I'm busy."

"Why don't you give him a chance, sweets," Mandy said softy.

I sat silently for a few seconds, still poking at the pea, until I finally pierced it. I shoved it in my mouth, and kept the fork lingering in there for a few extra moments. "All right."

The maid led me up to the master bedroom, the one that used to be Mother's. I thanked her as she held open the door for me, closing it behind her. I tried not to show that it bothered me having a. . . a STRANGER occupying the same bed in which Mother had drawn her last breath.

"Hello," he said simply in a surprisingly gentle voice. For a second there I almost forgot I was mad at him.

"Hello," I replied.

I watched as he sighed deeply, running his hand through his unruly brown hair, searching for the right words. "I'm sorry," he stated.

A few silent moments passed.

"You should be."

I saw him raise an eyebrow, causing him to scrunch up his dark forehead. "Oh?"

"I can't believe you would do such a thing," I whispered through clenched teeth.

"Look, Mena, baby, I said I was sorry. Am I forgiven?"

"How can you ask for forgiveness after all you've done?" The last few words turned into sobs.

"Amena, please don't cry. You know I'd never do a thing to hurt you-"

"Well it's a little too late for that, now, huh?"

He sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "Let me speak."

I stood there, trying with all my might to keep the first tear from spilling out.

"I have been informed about the betrothal, and how you feel about it and. . . well, and I decided that the least I could to was call it off."

My eyes opened. "Really?"

He nodded. "Actually, if you don't get married in time, there's always Mayleah we can arrange with the Duke's son."

These were the words I had been waiting to hear since the last ball. The betrothal is cancled. It's been called off! I should be happy. . . I was free!

For some reason I couldn't explain the tears of grief that poured down my cheeks at that very moment, before I ran off towards my room.

A/N: Hey! I was going do to a sequel about Mayleah's story/life but I decided to incorporate it into this one. PLEASE REVIEW!!