to my lovely readers: i am so sorry that i have not been updating my stories for a long time. school is a real drag and i have alot of homework. not to mention after school clubs, dance and my orginal fiction that i am writing. please do not expect quick updates from me. i just don't have the time. i will try to update as often as possible though. thank you very much.

on more thing: anoother historical figure is in this fic. she is possibly the coolest woman in history and will be a major character in this story. read and review and in your review, tell me who this awsome historical character is and if you want her to be in this fic!

Chapter Two

Christine woke to a loud pounding on her door. Grumbling, she reached for her robe and, putting it on, exited her bedroom. The knocking became more frantic.

"I'm coming," mumbled as she entered the main room of her chambers. Unlocking her door, Christine opened it to see the terrified, tear streaked face of Meg Giry. What on earth as happened to her?

"Meg, you're back so soon! What has happened? Did something happen to your uncle?" Christine inquired, worried for her friend. She led Meg into the chamber, forcing her to sit on a comfortable chair by the glowing embers of the previous night's fire.

Meg, however, did not want to sit still. "It's Erik!" she cried, brown eyes wild.

"What?" Christine cried. "Tell me Meg, is he alright, where is he? You must tell me!" Her worry for her tutor consumed her normally cool temper, turning her hysterical.

"When Mama and I returned this morning, we found the Great Hall to be in an uproar. The Prince had his guard and loyal knights ambush Erik in there, demanding his arrest," Meg managed to say through her gasps and sobs.

"Arrest! Arrest for what?"

"Treason. Prince John has accused Erik of plotting against him."

Christine felt her entire person go cold. The punishment for treason was death, if he was deemed guilty. This couldn't happen, not to Erik. If John had his way, there would be nothing to stop him from taking over England and oppressing the Saxons.

"Was he arrested."

"I don't know. When Mama and I entered the Great Hall, Erik, his men and a handful of knights loyal to King Richard were fighting John and his men. Mama stayed to try and calm the fighting and told me to find you."

Christine grabbed her sword and hastened out of her room and towards the Great Hall. She could hear Meg running behind her, telling her to stop, that she would get into trouble, that she was still in her nightgown. Christine paid her no heed; all her thoughts were of Erik. He was in danger, Madame Giry was in danger, all of bloody England was in danger. These thoughts drove her to run faster than she had ever run before, reaching the Great Hall in a matter of seconds.

What she found there as she entered through the balcony entrance, made her face pale in horror.

Erik was fighting three knights, his right arm already wounded. Several men from were dead. Erik's men were gradually being picked off one be one. Nadir, the court doctor was bravely fighting a rather disagreeable knight of ill reputation. The loyal knights were fighting with all they had, fierce looks of hatred for John and his men plastered on their faces. And dear Madame Giry, she was in the middle of it all, desperately trying to make all the men see reason, while not getting killed herself. One of the evil knights saw this as defiance of John and ran her through with his sword.

Christine shriek of horror was drowned out by Erik's cry of outrage as he promptly beheaded the knight.

Her shriek did not, however, go unnoticed by Erik. He glanced up at the balcony as after he killed the knight and saw her there, the look of terror on her face breaking his heart. She was too innocent to be seeing this. He saw the sword she held in her hand, but she obviously was too horrified to do anything. Erik could hardly blame her. There was blood and death everywhere, people she had known all her life where suffering in a place she deemed safe.

Erik knew this was a fruitless battle. Hoisting Antoinette upon his shoulder, he called his men toward him and, with one last glance at Christine, fled the Hall with all the knights loyal to the king.

Out side of the castle, he found a score of horses, readied by loyal stable boys. Using little more than half, Erik and his men galloped away, disappearing into Sherwood Forest.

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Christine stood rooted on the balcony in mute horror. Erik was gone. John had won. Erik would most certainly be deemed an outlaw, and then all hell would break loose. And what of Madame Giry? Would she live? Christine thought of Meg. The poor girl would be saddened to hysterics when she heard the fate of her mother.

As the clang of swords disappeared, life became to take hold in Christine's body again. Servants appeared and carted off the wounded to the hospital wing. The dead knights who had fought for John were carted carried out with honor and placed in the "Waiting Hall".

The loyal, honest knights were taken to the kitchens for dog meat.

Christine shuddered at that.

Having seen enough, Christine headed back to her chambers to give Meg the bad news.

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At five o'clock that day, John held a court meeting in the Great Hall, requiring the presence of everyone in the castle. Even the lowly kitchen boys were there. From her seat in the royal balcony box, Christine could see her kitchen boy friend Much. He smiled at her and tipped his head to a weeping Meg, cheering her a bit. They had always fancied each other.

John took a seat at the royal throne, causing an outbreak of shock and outraged whispered protest. Next to Christine, the Queen Mother Eleanor shook with fury and distain for her youngest son.

"My people of Nottingham Palace," John began his smarmy voice gleeful and triumphant. "As many of you know, there was an outbreak of treason in the castle this morning. Sir Erik de Noir is proclaimed guilty of high treason and stripped of his title and regency. He and all those you fought beside him this morning are outlaws, to be captured or killed when spotted. Also, the woman Antoinette Giry who should contempt for the crown and country this morning is also deemed an outlaw."

Beside Christine, Meg let out a huge sob, drawing the attention of everyone. Christine gripped her hand, hoping to comfort her friend. She scanned the Hall, noticing that a good many of the people gathered there were disgusted by John's words. Eleanor and Christine had made sure to spread the true story of the events of the morning, insuring that John's ease into power would be troubled and turbulent.

"Also, Sir Raoul de Changy, who was wrongfully imprisoned by de Noir, is to be given full pardon and is now the second to the Regent, myself."

Christine couldn't believe it! It was to appalling for her to even begin to accept. A criminal given pardon? John practically king! Her free fist clenched in fury, especially when Raoul stood, making himself known. She saw him glance at her, looking as though he owned her. She didn't like that.

The rest of the court went uneventful. Other that a few discreet threats towards those who hated John, there was nothing else of note.

Christine and Meg were ushered to her chambers by the Queen and her guard, who had sensed that Christine was now in danger due to Sir Raoul's release. Queen Eleanor posted two of her guards, Jason and Kily, outside the door. The girls knew these two and were rather fond of them due to the fact that they had always kept the girls secrets when they snuck out at night. But there would be no sneaking tonight. No one in the castle was safe. Christine could feel the fear in the air and, judging by Meg's face, she felt it too.

They girls changed into their nightclothes and both slept in Christine's bed, arms around each other for comfort.

Christine's last thought before falling asleep was that she had not found out what Erik's surprise was for her birthday.

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