Uhh...please don't hate me.
And to that person who called it a MarySue. Could I just finish the first few chapters? Thanks.

"And just like the movies, we play out our last scene..."
-'Movies' AAF

Alex kept her hand tight to Char's as they made their way through the town. Their hoods were drawn over the faces, causing Alex's vision to be impaired to only a few feet to each side of Teller. She could feel Char's tense body up against hers, and she sought to mimick the courage he embodied. Such strength was often contagious, if one wished it badly enough.

She watched the citizens of Melden as the party made their way past. They were a sad populace, each passing person looking more forlorn and hopeless as the one before them. It reminded Alex of the shoddier parts of London, where life wasn't as easy for some people. Her heart grew heavier at the sight of two young children, a boy and girl, hunched together on the steps of a building. They were dirty and disheveled, their clothes covered in tears and holes from wear, and their shoes ripping at the seams. Alex glanced behind her, and saw Char also looking in their direction. His hood had slipped back, revealing a shadowed amount of his face. She spent another moment examining the dark features of his face as he looked on so solemnly at the scene before them. His eyes, she found, were not the dark grey she had seen in the storybook, but rather a rich chocolate brown. His nose and cheeks were sprinkled with a handful of light freckles, looking a bit out of place on his tan face. She noticed his gaze had turned back to her, and her cheeks reddened as she ducked her head forward. She heard his light chuckle, and she couldn't help but smile herself.

By the time they had reached their final destination, a sketchy place by the name of "Ballastone Inn", a heavy rain had fallen upon Melden. Alex and Prince Char had barely stepped into the front door of the building before lightning cackled behind them. They exchanged a worried glance from under their cloaks.

Looking around the room, which was (as it usually happened at an inn) a tavern, Alex found herself being examined by practically every eye there. She managed to connect with one pair of said eyes, however. Warm green eyes that seemed to glow and shine met her. They were encased, she observed, by one of the fairest, most handsome faces she had ever encountered. He had a strong jaw, and a curved brow. His high cheekbones seemed like they were cut out of stone. He was a boy on the brink of manhood, who happened to be dressed too regally for his own good. He seemed as one who was carelessly attractive, naturally appearing so. His good looks served to make every other man in the room seem a bit brutish and uncivilized. Alex imagined him to be the type of man who would look his best in the midst of a battle, sword swinging and absolutely in his element. His curly brown hair was slicked back with wetness, indicating his arrival was not far before her own. She felt his gaze bearing into her, before she noticed it move to Char. She sensed his uneasiness under the boy's stare and was more than willing to move along when the barmaid came to show the pair to their room.

The moment they were in the door, and as far out of earshot that they would get, Char flipped the hood of his cloak down.

"I can't believe it." He muttered, his features a delicate combination of joy and irritation.

"Can't believe what?" Alex started. She knew the topic was centered on the dark haired boy from the frontroom tavern. "Who was he, Char?"

He looked at her in disbelief.

"You don't recognize him?" He asked obviously. Then the fact that Alex wasn't acquainted with Kyrria or any of these lands resurfaced in his mind. His face shone with realisation.

"That's Farin." He said, "That's my brother."

Alex gasped quickly. Her rescue (as well as Char's, obviously) was standing no more than 30 feet from where she presently sat.

"But...how-...why-..." She began to stutter out the million question that had appeared suddenly in her mind.

"Don't even ask." Char answered wryly. "It's a bit of long story. All I feel I need to tell you is that he came here looking for me, and now it seems, he has succeeded."

"Why would he be looking for you in the first place?" Alex prodded. Char looked at her hesitantly.

"Please tell me?" She asked softly. He sighed exasperatedly before flopping himself down on one of the two cots in the room.

"I ran away." He said quietly.

"You WHAT?" She asked quite loudly before he shushed her hurriedly.

"Stop it!" He scolded, as he moved to sit upright on the bed. "Don't yell like that, you'll only draw attention. And yes, I ran away. You had no idea what my life had been like, so please, Alex, do not judge me so freely. I definitely do not need another reproach, certainly not from you."

His sharp outburst caused Alex to recoil slightly. She stayed silent for a moment. His head was hung low, his hands clasped around the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry." She spoke, her words hushed. He shook his head, in a soothing manner rather than a harsh one.

"No, it is I who should be apologizing. It isn't right for me to lash out at you for something you don't have a part in." He said, muttering.

"So that's why you were in the woods?" She asked curiously. Her thoughts were beginning to organize as the pieces to this very complicated puzzle began to fall in line with each other.

He nodded solemnly. "I was actually returning, I had been on my own nearly 9 weeks. It was time for my reflections to end, and for me to take my rightful place in my kingdom. I was heading back to Frell when I found you." He explained shortly. "They must have sent Farin out to search for me. I never imagined that they would think to go so far away. He was probably just looking for an excuse to escape Mother and Father." He laughed softly. Alex picked up quickly his affection for his younger brother. But she spoke her thoughts quickly.

"What are we going to do now?" She inquired. Char was looking rather pensive, and she concluded that he must be conjuring some type of plan.

"I suppose the only thing to do is let him know that I'm here. I wonder if there is any way to get back out to the tavern..." He thought to himself out loud. He moved to the door, opening it minimally.

"One guard." He said. He looked around the room and found an object to his liking. A large candleholder. He pulled out the unlit candle and held the heavy metal in his right hand.

"Well, now or never I guess."

Before Alex could even blink he was in the hallway silencing the guard with one resounding 'CLONK' over the head. Alex gasped a quiet "Oh my" before Char gave her a successful smile. He bent down over the guard, unlashing the belt that held his sword. Char grinned maniacally. Alex looked on quizzically.

"Bastard had the nerve to take my sword." He explained.

As Char attached the sword to his own hip, a door opening down the hall grasped both of their attentions. It was the leader of the bounty hunters, the hired man. Char grabbed Alex hand before sprinting the other way, towards the stairs, towards Farin their rescuer. Alex could hear the man yelling to the others and quickened her pace. Before she knew it, she was down the stairs and in the front of the inn, only a few feet away from the door. Char however averted his path straight to where he had seen Farin before. The younger brother stood quickly, sword drawn as he embraced his brother as tightly as he could.

"You're alright." Farin breathed out contentedly. The relief on his face was apparent as he drew back to look his older brother over quickly. His stare then turned to Alex, whom he regarded carefully.

"And who might this beauty be?" He asked coyly. His question hung unanswered as a loud clamor sprung from the stairs behind them. The three turned to assess the situation before Char finally spoke.

"I think now would be a good time to leave."

"I concur." Farin said quickly before grabbing Alex's arm and hurrying to the door, Char in their wake.

They found their way to the horses, and Farin threw Alex in front of him on the largest Arabian she had ever seen in her life. The ground seemed miles away from atop the steed and Alex grabbed the horn of the saddle. She felt Farin pull himself up behind her and grab the reins from around her. One arm held them tightly, as the other moved to hold her firmly around the waist. She looked over shoulder, searching for Char. He was there, a few yards behind them on Teller. He had brought his horse to a full gallop and was catching up remarkably.

The pushed their way further along the stretch of road, at a pace that Alex knew would tire the horses quickly. She could already see the horses' coats forming a thin sheen of sweat. She wondered how much further Farin would try to push it.

They rode for another solid 20 minutes before Farin cut quickly to the left. Char seemed to anticipate the move and followed. They cut through heavy brush until a small clearing, big enough to barely fit both horses and their riders, became visible. Farin dismounted, and turned to help Alex down. After the horses were led to water, a small pond a few yards past them, the brothers turned to greet each other properly. They embraced once more, and spoke calmly. Alex stood in the shadows, only a bit behind Char. Farin noticed her soon after.

"Hullo there." He spoke lightly, even his words held a smile. Alex stepped forward, closer to him but closer still to Char's side.

"Hello." She spoke shortly, politely. Farin looked on with interest.

"What would your name be?" He asked sweetly. Alex was taken by his charm, as any girl would be.

"I'm Alex, Alex DuMont." She replied.

"Alex DuMont..." He muttered softly, the smile never leaving his face. "May I ask how you fell into the company of my darling brother?"

"I found her in the woods two days ago." Char spoke his turn. Alex turned to him and smiled.

"You tell the story." She said to him. "I need to sleep." She made her way to the saddlebag on the ground. She found Char's blanket and proceeded to curl up on the soft mossy ground. She heard Char begin their story and listened halfheartedly before she found herself drifting into a sleep filled with horses and danger and two princes, one with a calming reliability that she adored, and the other with enough charm to rot teeth.

Um. Don't expect serious updating. It's 1:18 AM and I have NO idea where this came from.