I'm glad that ya'll are likeing this! I hope that you will aprove of this next part. Like I told my readers for my other story "A High School Fairytale", school has started up again, so I'm more concerned about getting my homework done than updating, so please be patient. Anyways, on with the story..........

Chapter 4

Taking Action

Back in her rooms, Clair lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. "Natalie? I'm developing a head ache. Would you mind running down and getting me something for it please?"

"Right away milady. I'll be right back up." the girl said as she walked out of the room.

What is it with people treating me like the person I'm supposed to be? Whatever happened to our friendships? First Nick, then Jake, and now Natty! This day has been way too weird for me. I think I'll go take a walk out in the gardens to clear my head. Maybe then I can sort out this business with Rand. What was he thinking? Natalie can just leave whatever she brings up for me on the table so that I can take it later. thought Clair as she got up. Realizing that her dress was badly soiled from her jaunt into the city, she went over to her wardrobe to pull out a dress with divided skirts so that she could go riding later.

Walking around her private garden, she suddenly had the feeling that someone was watching her. Spinning around, she tried to find who it was, but she saw no one. Walking a little farther into the grove of trees, she had the feeling again, so she slowly turned around trying see if anything moved, but again found nothing. Shrugging it off, she walked down to the stables and started saddling up her dappled stallion, Nutmeg.

Soon afterwards, Clair mounted her horse and started off for the river that ran at the edge of the palace grounds leading into the city, when she felt it again; but this time, she also heard the sound of another horse galloping towards her. This is getting ridiculous! she thought to herself as she turned around once again, to see who was coming towards her. To her surprise, it was Nicholas on one of his uncle's stallions. "What are you doing here? What is in the saddle bag?" she asked as he came up beside her and slowed his horse to a walk.

"Well, I did tell you that I would talk to you again about your plan did I not? I have had some time to think about what you have said, and I decided that I don't want someone that I have known for just as long as you, being punished for something so silly. Here, tie this behind your saddle." he said tossing her the bundle. "So, are you ready to go?" Wait, she looks really troubled. Maybe we shouldn't do this. I knew it was a bad plan in the first place! I wonder what is wrong anyways. he thought to himself as she looked at him in shock.

Well, maybe this will work after all. Come to think of it, this is sounding even better! Now that I am the next heir to the throne, father will have to do anything in order to make sure that I am not harmed! I'm a genius! "Okay. Lets do this." she said brightening up. "So, where are you going to take me? I mean, I have never actually been kidnapped before, so I'm not really sure what's going on..."

"Hold your horses!" interrupted Nicholas as she rambled on. "I have never kidnapped anybody either, but from what I have heard of reports on kidnappings from the knights, you'll just have to trust me. And put this cloak on. Okay?"

"But, this isn't really a kidnapping! You not supposed to really kidnap me!"

"Calm down! Just trust me okay? I have a plan, but you have to cooperate in order for it to work out properly."

So Nicholas took her rains from her and started to lead the two horsed towards the brook in the woods. Good grief! Who knew that she would get so worked up about this! It was her plan after all to do this in the first place. I never really noticed that she talked so much when she gets worried. I'll have to do something about that next time, but there are only two ways I know of to shut someone up, and I can't very well hit a princess!

Not many people knew about the brook, and even fewer knew that there was a bridge to cross over it, even though it wasn't that fast, but apparently, the Captain General did, and had put up a post so that no one could cross from either direction.

"Halt!" called one of the guards. "What are you doing on this side of the walls? No one but the royal family and their invited guests may be here. Explain yourselves!"

"Do you not see whom I am ridding with?" retorted Nicholas from his mount. "This is the Princess Clair, and I am Lord Nicholas Dubear. Stand aside or I shall call her father to have you arrested for resisting an order from his daughter!"

"Princess! I am so sorry. I did not recognize you with that cloak on. Please, proceed. Please, forgive me." the guard apologized profusely.

"Not a problem. Just make sure that it doesn't happen again." Clair replied briskly. What is he thinking? Nicholas, you idiot! What have you gotten me into? He is going to tell the Captain General, who will for sure tell my father that I was seen ridding with a young man, let alone a lord! Then father will try and arrange a betrothal, which I am not ready for! "What where you thinking?" she hissed to her friend as they rode away.

"I forgot there they had put up a watch. But it did go pretty smoothly, don't you think?" he replied chuckling.

"Smoothly? He is a guard! He has to report any comings and goings that he sees, meaning that the Captain General will find out, and then my father and..." she tried to go on but suddenly Nicholas leaned over and kissed her. Clair was so shocked that she just sat there enjoying it. After a what seemed like forever, but couldn't have been more than a minute, she leaned away from him and gave him a nice slap across the cheek. "What the hell was that for? You can't do that!" she huffed, trying to catch her breath.

"I can do whatever I damn well please, and I don't think that ladies are supposed to curse. Especially princesses!" Nicholas told her curtly, chuckling at the last. The comment earned him a nice glair from Clair. After that, they rode on in silence.

A little while later, they heard the sound of another horse galloping towards them. They both turned around to find that Clair's older brother Rand was following, calling them to stop. Behind him was Natalie, and behind her were some of the palace guards. "Oh shit." Nicholas said, as he spurred his horse to go faster. "Why didn't you tell me that your brother was home? He would know in a heartbeat that something wasn't right as soon as heard the report from that fool guard."

"I didn't think about it!" Clair practically shouted at him still anger from what he had just done, and grabbing on to Nutmegs main so that she didn't come unseated. Her horse was stronger and faster than Nicholas', meaning that they were not going fast enough to outrun her brother, so Nicholas tossed Clair back her reins and unhooked his feet from the stirrups. Then he jumped onto her horse behind her and spurred it to go even faster. "What are you doing?" Clair wailed in fright. "You could have gotten killed if you hadn't made that jump!"

"Shut up! You need to act like you are actually being kidnapped." he said, letting go of his horses rains, grabbing hers, and wrapping his free arm around her so that he couldn't struggle against him. Being as strong as he was, it was no problem, even though she hadn't moved an inch since he had done so, thinking that he was going to try and kiss her again.

Finally excepting the fact that she had no choice but to trust that he knew what he was doing, Clair relaxed and leaned back against his shoulder.

Seeing that they were outrunning him, Rand decided to pull back his group. He knew that he would never catch up to them at this rate, not with everyone trying to keep up with his horse which was obviously the strongest of them all. "Natalie. Come up here." he commanded.

"Y-yes your highness?" she stammered as she brought her horse up level with his.

"Don't call me that. I have given up my title, which is why we need to find the princess, for she is now the heir to the throne. Tell me, what do know of that young man who kidnapped my sister?" he questioned coarsely.

"You what?" she exclaimed as he glared at her. "Sorry my Lord. I know very little of him. I do know that they were friends when she was a young lass though." she finished.

"What is his name?" he demanded, but all she did was shake her head.

"I'm sorry my Lord, but I do not know who he is." Was all she said.