A/N Well, my loyal fans, I've once again updated before I planned to all because I got so mant reviews. I love reviews and thank you for them. Enjoy the story.

Steph- there are seven chapters left.

Great Merciful Goddess- I hope you like the next storyu as well.

demonicbunny 722- I know you weren't trying to be mean, and I apperciate the advise. I'm glad you like Burdock, I do too. =)

imperfectionist-angel 85- right now.

Mage light- which story?

yamani- I shall make you suffer. =)

Dragon Shadows- thank you for adding me to your favorites. You can rest assured. I will post the rest of this story before I post the next one.

Chapter nineteen: Truth

Novellee took the next few days off and refused to come to the castle. She was tired of wearing dresses, tired of flirting and acting like a little tramp to get information from Carlyle and every other person the king told her to pursue. She was tired of being his dog, jumping to obey at every snap of his fingers.

So she took the day off to spend time in the city. Mid winter was coming up soon and she wanted to get everyone's gifts while she still had time. She gave Bennie the day off and with linked arms they strolled into the market streets, buying whatever her heart wanted.

And she could too. What she spent was pocket change to what she had in the local bank (A/N no idea if they had banks, but where else would she keep all her money?). She had killed enough people to never have to work again. With her fortune, her grandchildren would never have to work again.

Not that she would have any grandchildren. She planned to deed all her items and money to Bennie and Ellie's kids. They deserved it as much as she did.

Combing the streets, they walked in silence. Novellee simply had nothing to say and she knew that Bennie was deep in thought. They had passed three sweet stores and he hadn't stopped to ogle once. He never bought the candy, simply let his mouth water over the thought. She had always wondered what he did with the wages she paid him because he always seemed to be short on coins.

"Novellee," Bennie said, stopping them in the middle of the street. Novellee looked up at him, waiting for him to speak. As he opened his mouth to answer horses came dashing down the crowded street towards them.

Grabbing his arm, she pulled him into an alley. He caught his breath and leaned against the side of the building.

"What were you going to say?" she asked when she too had caught her breath. She didn't like it when nobles were in the market. They were always so reckless. It disgusted her.

"Ellie's pregnant," Bennie rushed out. Novellee watched him for a long second before her lips curved into a wide grin. She gave a merry laugh and pulled him into and embrace.

"Congratulations!" she exclaimed. "You, a father," she laughed again and her eyes seemed to glow with joy. "I'm gonna be an aunt! Well, in a way. Me, can you believe it? And you!"

"Not really. And you're not going to be an aunt," he said. She thought he was joking, but when she looked into his eyes she saw he was serious. He didn't want her to be his kid's aunt.

"Oh, I see. Well, I wish you luck," all the joy died from her eyes. She had thought of Bennie as her brother, but it seemed it was one sided. She hunched her shoulders and turned to leave. Bennie caught her arm and made her face him. He was surprised to see a few tears in her eyes before she blinked them back.

"Lee, you won't be his aunt because you're going to be his Godmother," he said softly. She looked up at him, hope in her eyes, begging him to say it was true. He nodded and she launched herself into a hug.

"This is so great! This is amazing. I'm going to teach her everything I know. And I'll take her with me on kills and she can become my apprentice and she'll make you rich and life a happy life with money!" words flew from her mouth as she linked arms with him again and walked out of the alley into the street. She had been foolish to think that Bennie hadn't wanted her in his kid's life.

"Or, he," Bennie told her. "But I don't think Ellie would go for it. She still thinks you're an apprentice healer. If it's a boy, he's following in my footsteps. If it's a girl, we're going to see she has a good marriage."

"Or she can become a royal adviser like I am! This will be so much fun. I'm going to spoil her rotten. You should name her Bethany!" Novellee said matter-of-factly.

"That's what Ellie said. I have got to get you two together so she'll stop bugging me. She wanted to be the one to tell you, but I wouldn't let her. I want to name him Kane."

Novellee pulled a face as she remembered the night she had meet Alanna, Burdock, and Numair, "No, and it's a girl. I can't wait until we get the nursery up. Ellie and I will have so much fu—"

"You little tramp!" she heard someone say in guttural tones as a hand closed down on her arm and jerked her around so fast, she couldn't react.

"Cameron," Novellee was all smile and cheer on the outside when inside she was quaking. "Long time no see."

$$

Carlyle moseyed down the street followed closely by his escorts and the Tortallan noble who was his guide. Burdock was his name and he wasn't as near as fun to look at as Novellee.

But Novellee was indisposed at the moment and no one knew when she would be up to seeing him again. So he was stuck with Burdock. He sighed as he looked at a merchant selling scarves. Novellee would look beautiful in that gray one.

He was so amazed at how fast he had taken to her. She was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And she had to have royal blood in her. She definitely looked royalty.

Carlyle knew that the previous king had had a taste for the maids and he was guessing that Novellee was one of his bastard children. She must have come to Tortall and claimed that she was royal so she would have a good life. He wouldn't take it from her. But he would soon ask for something in return for keeping her secret.

"So, Burdock," he said, motioning with his hand to have the man come up beside him. Burdock gritted his teeth and obeyed the command. "You and Novellee are close, yes?"

"Yes," he grated out with a fake smile. He did not like the interest that Carlyle had taken in Novellee. It was not good for Burdock. He wanted Novellee for himself. But if she loved Carlyle, he would let her go. Hopefully.

"What do you know about her?" Carlyle asked as he casually examined a wrist bangle. Novellee wore these often. He would get one for her. He selected one and handed coins to the merchant as Burdock told him everything he knew about Novellee, which was pathetically little. Burdock, did not, however, mention Novellee's real occupation or her brother.

"That is all you know?" the young king scoffed.

"Yes."

"That is n—" he stopped as he saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was Novellee! She was feeling better and had come to join him for his day in the market. But as he watched, he saw her walking with another man, laughing and talking, linking arms. That tramp! She was two-timing him! And with a peasant no less. He growled low in his throat.

"That little whore!" he stammered out. Burdock looked taken aback. But then he followed his gaze and he saw that he was talking about Novellee. Anger rose in him dark and possessive. How dare he talk about Novellee like that? But he couldn't do anything because he would get killed for sure.

Carlyle watched in angry silence as another man approached. He grabbed Novellee's arm and swung her around to face him. His earlier anger was replaced by a new anger. How dare that man manhandle his Novellee! With out another thought he went rushing through the crowd to save her.

$$

"What do you want Cameron?" Novellee asked, trying to shrug out of his grasp. But his hands clenched down, hard, and she cried out. That would definitely bruise later.

Cameron shook her roughly, making her head lull back and forth. "How long were you sleeping with him before he got you pregnant!" he demanded, shouting in her face.

"What are you talking about? I'm not sleeping with anyone—" her words were cut off when Cameron backhanded her across the face, leaving an angry red welt.

"Don't lie to me! I heard you talking with this mangy dog about a baby! Is it even his?"

The strike across her face would have knocked her down if Cameron hadn't been holding her, and as it was, her head was reeling. It cleared a fraction when Cameron smacked her again on the other cheek, this time with his fist. "Answer me! Is the child even his? How many people have you slept with?"

Cameron was furious. He had thought she was saving herself for him, wanting him to be her first so it would be special. What a joke. She wasn't a virgin. She was a slut and he wanted to kill her. He loved her and she betrayed him. This was the ultimate offense.

He hated her now, hated her so much, he wanted to kill her. To wrap his hands around her throat and choke away her life would be the sweetest revenge for him.

"No...one," he heard her gasp through her pain. Novellee had known he had muscles, but this was more then muscles. This was steel. He was as strong as an ox and his punches were enough to fell any man.

"Liar!" He screamed and dropped her to the ground, kicking her again and again in her stomach and back, wherever he could get in a lick. "You tramp! You whore! You betrayed me!"

A crowd had gathered by now, people wanting to watch as she was beaten to death. Why weren't they doing anything? She thought drowsily. They just stood and watched. Where was Bennie?

Then she saw Bennie, charging out of the crowd to confront him. Cameron swung and hit him in the jaw, knocking him back into the crowd. Her hope was gone. She had to get out of this herself.

Out of the crowd like an avenging angel, came Burdock, swinging his fists like mad and bellowing at the top of his lungs. He tackled Cameron around the legs, sending him to the ground. Crawling onto his chest, he pinned Cameron's arms to his side as he hit him in the head, over and over, pummeling him to a bloody pulp.

"Stop," she rasped, reaching out to touch him. He turned on her, eyes wild and blazing with fury. She had never seen this side of him and it frightened her. Then his eyes softened and he gathered her gently into his arms, cradling her against his body, rocking her like a child.

Carlyle watched from the crowd and as he watched he saw a look in Novellee's face, a look that told him she was more then just a bastard child. She was a princess. She was the last king's daughter. He knew it as sure as he knew that he was breathing.

How was this possible? Morrison had assured him that every living relative that could claim the throne was dead. He was the only one, the rightful one to take the throne.

Yet here, in a dirty street of Tortall, he looked down on a beaten girl who jeopardized everything that he had ever worked for. Turning his back, he navigated through the crowd. He had to talk to Morrison and tell him what he had discovered. This girl had to die before she ruined everything.

A/N Hope you liked it. Review and tell me what you think. I'll try to update soon. Oh, and the new story is called Break Away. But it isn't posted yet, so don't go looking for it. K?

Nubia