Prince Alexander (A/N I'm really not sure what his name is, or if King John really had a son and wife, so please don't kill me) paced around his bedchamber. If the kidnapping had gone correctly then the wagon should be shipping her from her home to the palace at just this minute. She wouldn't be here for another hour or so, but that was okay, he could wait. But sometimes waiting wasn't good for the mind, so Alex decided to go for a ride.

Walking out to the Royal Stables, Stefan, the groomsman, jumped down from his loft. He knew better than to try to saddle the Prince's horse when there was no one around to see him do it for himself, but he liked to talk to the kid.

"Why was Robin 'ere?" Everyone knew who Robin was, what his face looked like, everything. But Stefan knew there was a hidden reason for him and the girl to be here.

"It's nothing you should bother with, Stefan." Alex never took his eyes off the saddle.

"And why was that girl with 'im? Does he usually bring his mistresses to conference with da king?"

"It wasn't his mistress, it was his daughter." Alex sounded slightly annoyed. "You know, Stefan, I came out here for a peaceful ride in the woods and I get battered with questions that I don't feel like answering from you of all people!" Stefan took a step back, not because he thought Alex would hit him, but because that Alex was still staring at his saddle. This meant that he was very angry and didn't want to take it out on innocent souls.

Alex galloped through the gates, telling the guards that he was going for a ride. Making his way through the woods, he found a small, deserted section of the Road and followed it.

One hour later

Kiera's POV:

Over the rumble of the wagon's wheels and the soft thump of Archeren's feet next to the wagon, I could hear the distant thunder of hooves on packed dirt. Only one horse, riding smoothly, cantering as if the rider was in a hurry but not that much of one.

Who can it be? We haven't had any interruptions yet, and I've been in this stupid wagon for hours. I was pacing. I was worrying what I would do if I had to ask Robin to get me out of whatever pit I'd fallen into. But the new set of hooves made me set aside these thoughts and focus on what was coming and why.

The wagon stopped, and the driver stepped out, making the wagon shake. I listened carefully to the conversation the driver and the newcomer had.

"Do you have the girl?" the voice was young, male, and slightly familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd heard it before.

"Yeah. She's in the back. Do you have the money?" the slimy voice that I had heard before I was knocked out replied. I heard the jingle of coins and footsteps coming closer. Silently, I dove behind the trunk I'd found my stuff and grabbed two knives, slammed them into my boots, then slung my bow around a shoulder along with my quiver. The door of the wagon slid open as I stood up.

And there stood someone I had never planned on seeing again.

Alex's POV:

I had hoped that the minute she saw me she would beam and jump lightly out of the back of the wagon into my arms. No such luck. She scowled and glared at me. She even made a motion to spit on me. There was a hatred burning in her eyes that made me take an involuntary step back.

"Uh. Come with me, Kiera."

"Why should I?" she was still glaring at me.

"Uh. Because I just bought all rights and privileges to you" this time she really did spit on me.

"I'd rather be suck in this hellhole of a shit box than go anywhere with you," she retorted pleasantly, but the words weren't at all pleasant.

"Please, just get out of the wagon, you can bring all your possessions with you, and get on your horse." She glared at me throughout the entire process of doing this. When I asked her if she needed help getting on her horse she replied, "Touch me and face the dire consequences." Sadly, I took this as an empty-headed threat and grabbed her chin to tell her that I would take no lip. Instantly I had a knee in my groin and cold steel at my throat.

"Say Uncle."

"Wha?"

"Say it!" She presses the knife harder onto my throat.

"Okay, okay! Uncle!"

She pulled back muttering, "Wimp. How could you ever pass for a prince?"

3 hours later

Kiera's POV:

My life has just been ruined. Everything Robin ever taught me I'm now forbidden to use, not that I'll heed that rule. All my plans for myself have been burned to ashes. My life is now hell.

I tried to escape him on the way back to his palace. I bolted for the woods. It didn't work. Even though I'm more experienced in rough terrain, he still found me. I hated him.

And now I hate him even more.

When we arrived at his god-forsaken gold-encrusted guilded cage, he led me to a suite on the second floor. He opened the door and I gasped in disgust. He seemed pleased by my reaction and told me that this would be my home until we married.

I was even more disgusted, but I didn't want to make the poor slaves have to clean up if I spit on him or the floor.

The floor was so shiny I could see my face in the white marble. The drapes were a light pink color, as were the bedclothes. A light pink silken nightgown was laid out on the four-poster bed, and a robe was hanging over the corner of the changing screen. All the frills and lady-ness irked me like nothing he had done yet had.

Later still

The maid Alex has assigned me was showing me dresses, obviously trying to coax a reaction out of me. After an hour of trying to no avail, she whispered, "Well, I rather like this one."

Before my eyes was by far the most me-like dress ever made, except if it was made by me. It was perfect. The actual dress was just a tan slip-like thing, but attached to the neckline were strips of purple and maroon cloth that just fell down the front and back. The strips of cloth just hung down, held on by only twelve stitches at the neck. No cages, no corsets, and just a little stump of a train. I couldn't help it. I smiled.

The maid saw this and was instantly grinning. "I thought you'd like it, mistress. If I were you I would wear it too." For the first time in my life I actually wanted to wear a dress. It was phenomenal!

The maid didn't seem to share my utter shock, and instantly began fussing over what I should do to my hair and ordering up all the needed shades of make-up. She steered me over to the vanity, sat me down on the bench, and started to unbraid my hair.

"Whoa! No, stop! I want my hair to be braided!" I snapped out of my state of shock and panicked. I had never worn my hair in any other style than braided.

"Of course mistre-" I cut her off.

"Please don't call me mistress. Treat me like you would a sister."

"Alright. We'll braid it." She undid my hair entirely and then brushed it thourough. When she was done it shone. Next she pulled it into a high ponytail on the back on my head, leaving a clump of my bangs hanging across my temples. She braided what was hanging out the ponytail and wrapped it around itself. Then she curled the pieces of bangs that she left hanging there. When she was done and I looked in the mirror, I thought: I'm beautiful.