-To Kore Yan: This is a mix of Mitzi-Roald fic and possibly Kel and Neal...not exactly sure

-To PyschoLioness33: Sorry about the grammar errors...hope there are not as many in this chapter...I read it over like fifty times to make sure!

-To everyone: Wow...this is a longer chapter than i've written in a while, and it's not that long so it means the others have been really short...oh well. I think I have almost everything planned out...and just so you know there will be more Neal-Roald jealousy in about four chapters.

-Chapter 12:

Mitzi rushed down the hallway. One of her first princess lessons ringing in her ears: Never let the public see you cry. Mitzi knew that she desperately needed a private place to go.

But the strain was too much and soon large tear drops were sliding down her face even as she ran on. She was trying not to think as her feet moved automatically...all she could think about was not crying. But even as she focused on this her vision became blurry from more tears and she tripped and fell.

Her elbow scraped the ground as she dropped and pain shot up her whole arm. Now Mitzi was unable to control her sobs and she did not try any longer to contain her tears and instead looked up and found herself in the palace garden. Luckily it was deserted and she scrambled up and waded through the blooming flowers and trees until she collapsed at a merrily flowing fountain, letting her tears drop into the fountain water.

-Meanwhile:

Roald, too, was headed towards the garden. He knew it was the one place he could find solitude from people. Solitude from the guards who always followed him, quiet from staff always offering suggestions and opinions when not wanted, and escape from his parents who had just told him this dreadful news.

He walked along a pebbled path, looking fondly at the blooming flowers. He rather liked gardening but kept that a secret. He came to the small clearing where in the middle was a large fountain; he could hear the spilling water...but right at the base of the stone ornament was sprawled a girl, her face buried in her hands and legs tucked underneath her red skirt.

Could it be? He wondered and stepped forward. Sure enough it was Mitzi and her shoulders quaked with sobs...weeping that was so silent he couldn't hear it. He wondered uneasily if he should go get Kel...deciding that this was best he turned around. But the heel of his boots scattered the gravel in the path and the sound caused the princess to jerk her head up and look -surprised- in his direction.

"Damn," the prince thought silently. Too late to go for Kel. He would have to do this by himself.

"Ohh," gasped Mitzi, surprised, and she embarrassedly hid her face.

Roald shuffled his feet uneasily. "Sorry to bother you," he finally said.

"It's no bother," you would never have guessed that Mitzi had been crying by the sound of her voice. But she still didn't look at the prince.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, taking a step forward.

At the sound of his feet coming nearer Mitzi buried her face into her arms, which where perched on the edge of the fountain, as if ashamed. "I'm fine...really."

Her voice disguised her feelings and though Roald wanted to believe that nothing was bothering her...he knew that he couldn't just leave. Why didn't his knight lessons prepare him for something like this?

"Really...there's nothing wrong. I...I..." but Mitzi wasn't able to finish the sentence.

Treating her like a skittish deer he walked over to the other side of the fountain and peered at her between two spouts of water cascading down from the mouths of two gargoyles.

"I guess you heard the news," he said, staring at her reflection in the water, disturbed by all the ripples. He wished he could see more of her face and see what she was really feeling.

"Yes."

"I'm...I'm sorry," he said before he could even think. And he realized that he really was sorry. Sorry that this poor princess, who was far away from her real home, had to try and deal with the idea of both her parents being captured.

At this Mitzi lifted her head slightly...so slightly that he could only see her wet eyelashes above the red sleeves of her dress. He never forgot the look of her amber eyes, brighter than usual because of her tears, looking up at him through wet and hooded lids.

"Thanks," she said. But after that quickly buried her face into her dress once again.

"Is...is there anything I can do?" he asked her, right now all he wanted was for her to lift her head again.

"I don't know." Her voice was muffled and she was shaking again.

Taking the chance Roald silently slid around the circular edge of the fountain so that now he was almost next to her.

"I can't believe this," Mitzi said suddenly. And then it was as if a dam had broken and all the water was pouring out. Suddenly the princess was speaking, fast and her voice was broken by sobs and sniffles.

"My parents..." she continued. "They promised me, before I left for my aunts, and then here...that nothing would happen to them. At the time it was only threats of death. They told me that there would be no war, that my Uncle was never going to get support...and now he has. I...I feel...so betrayed."

"My...my own uncle wants to kill me. I remember when I was so little him staying at the palace for holidays and playing with us. He let us do things my parents never did...he let us stay up late and gave us sweets. But then I remember he came less and less as I grew up...and when he did come he seemed jealous and got into fights with my father."

"And then one day he was banned from the palace. My parents told me I would see him again...that was the first time they lied to me. Now they lied again...they promised me nothing would happen! That they would be safe! That...that...I would be safe." He voice quieted.

Now that she had started talking she couldn't seem to be able to stop.

"And now there's gonna be a war. Oh...I know that Numair and Daine want to be optimistic. But I just know that my Uncle will invade...and now you pages will have to fight. And...and they might be hurt...my friends...because of me. Kel, Merric, Seaver...Neal," she paused and Roald stiffened. "And you might be killed."

"I doubt my father will put me in danger...though I would like to fight. It'd me nice to know all these knight lessons might be useful."

The nearness of his voice surprised her and she looked up. Upon making eye contact with his blue eyes -eyes that seemed luminous in the dark- she started.

"Don't look at me!" she ordered, turning away.

"Why not?"

"Because...because..." sputtered Mitzi irritably. "You shouldn't see your future bride like this...with red eyes and her hair undone!"

"Oh. Would it help if I turned my back?"

"Just while I wash my face." And while Roald turned around the princess splashed the clear fountain water over her face, wiping away the salty tears. Looking at her reflection she put a few strands of hair back into place.

"I bid you good-night," she said after standing up and swishing over to face Roald.

"You must let me escort you back to your room," Roald replied while scrambling up and holding out his arm.

Smugly Mitzi took it and they walked silently out of the garden. Their silence was broken by Mitzi's occasional sniffle or yawn. The royalty said goodbye at Mitzi's rooms and Roald went off, whistling cheerfully. He whistled just like Neal did when he had found a new beauty to fawn over.

-Meanwhile:

Mitzi shut the door to her room. She felt better after her cry.

'I'm glad Roald is such a gentleman," she thought. "And he's kind too. It's too bad that I'm not in love with him."