Author's Notes: Hi again everyone, i am so sorry for how long it took me to update. a few unforseen circumstances kept me from updating. but i am back now and i have a few chapters stacked up that i will up load in a few days.

thank you to my reviewers:

youknowmenot: I know my spelling and punctuation and such needs work, which is why i am writing and i have taken your advice and read different things to see how they are written, whethere there is any difference or not is another story. thank you for your ideas.

stargate rules: I am glad you like, sorry i took so long.

Gabi Web: I am glad you like. alot of things i write are pretty close to home too in some way. so sometimes writing it difficult.

cokefizz-and-chocolate: please dont hang me by my toes, i promise to update more often now :p

QueenTatooine: I hate it when people just dont kiss and and they dance around it, i am an impatient person so i wanted them to kiss. lol i will try to built suspence next time.

P.P.M: I thought my prince has personality, but ok ill try to give him a little more. I dont feel i rushed the feelings too much, but i do know i rushed them kissing. but your opinion is your own and im glad you took the time to tell me what you think, thank you.

also thanks to: XxXThengo.Cannibal.AliensXxX (Sorry it took me so long), Sarah andCrazy Girl hope i didnt forget anyone.

so on with the story. I dont own anything so lets not sue me.

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"Ohh" Christine exhaled a deep breath "What did you call me?"

"I was right, wasn't it, You Lady Christine Datson"

"I guess there is no point in trying to deny it now" Christine sighed warily as sat down on the ground.

"Why are you a servant then Christine?" Christine noticed how he switched from calling her Chris to Christine

"You sure you want to know?"

"Positive" Derek said as he sat down beside her

Christine took a deep breath,

"Well it happened after my father died, after my mother miscarried. She thought that my father blamed her and didn't love her anymore, she pushed him away. I grew closer to my father and my sister was left with my mother, it was like segregation. After my father died I guess I just shut off, I was so depressed. My mother over the years had gotten jealous over the relationship that my father and I had created, I don't really remember when it happened but it did and my mother faked my death and forbid anyone to call me by my real name"

Christine looked down at the ground, talking about it made it seem so surreal. Christine wondered how she had let it happen. "I think the reason she did it was because she was just jealous, I had the love and attention from my father that she craved, I have never been able to fully understand my mother or why she did this" Christine laughed slightly "I still love her, no matter what, she will always be my mother, I can't change that"

"Christine, why didn't you tell anyone?"

"What could I have done my mother faked my death, there is a tomb stone next to my fathers with my name on it, I don't exist anymore, what can I do, who would believe me" Christine took a deep breath and continued "Plus my mother could hear about it and I could be kicked out of my home, I am lucky to still be there now. If I aggravated Melanie anymore I'm out"

Derek sat silently taking in everything she said; He knew no matter what that he had to help her.

"I want to help you Christine" Derek pulled her over and half in to his lap, putting his arms around her

"There is nothing you can do, no one would believe you"

"Christine you can make them believe"

"Derek just forget about it"

"No" Suddenly he stood up, pulling Christine with him. He tied Phoenix's reins to his saddle mounted and pulled Christine up with him. Christine began struggling

"What are you doing, put me down" She tried to get down again, annoyed with herself for taking her sword off and leaving it tied to her horse.

Derek's arm clamped around her waist tightly, she was easy to hold on to being so slim. Derek nudged his horse in the direction of the palace or his home, listening to Christine telling him to put her down all the way.

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Christine stopped fighting when she found herself in the courtyard of the Palace. Derek dismounted silently and a young boy, a stable hand Christine guessed came forward to collect the horses, Derek lifted Christine down and caught her when she tried to make a run for it.

Derek got her in to the entrance hall, before Christine broke free and made another escape attempt, in the end he had to lift Christine off her feet and swing her over his shoulder to take her inside, with her kicking and screaming all the way.

"Christine you are making a spectacle of yourself" Derek said calmly walking towards the library, where he knew his parents were;

"Derek I don't want to do this, please put me down" She kept struggling, momentarily stopping when a servant walked by giving them a funny look. Derek continued on as if it was normal to carry a girl, who was dressed like a boy thrown over his shoulder. Christine on the other hand blushed terribly.

"I am going to hurt you when you put me down" Christine hissed angrily, Derek Snigged in response.

They entered the library and Derek's parents looked up, his mother Bethany raising a delicate eyebrow. Derek walked further in to the room and shut the door, Christine was suddenly very quiet. Silently Derek put Christine down, and keeping a hold on her hands greeted both his parents.

His mother Bethany was a short and pleasant lady, with blonde hair and brown eyes. She had a regal look to her, as well as a sweet disposition.

His Father Travis was medium in height with black hair, blue eyes and a strong build. He was a fair ruler known through out the country. Not just here in Tarlee.

The Library it's self was a cosy room with a fireplace and red walls covered by wood book shelfs, packed with thousands of books it looked like. Comfortable arm chairs and side tables took up most of the room and a table was off to the side with a good view out the side window.

"Derek we were wondering where you where" His Mother finally spoke

"Mother, father this is Lady Christine Datson, as you can see she is not deceased" Christine curtsied feeling silly in her pants and shirt. Derek didn't seem to be wasting any time Christine thought silently.

"I see" Travis said quietly "How did you come to this conclusion?"

"I figured it out and confronted Christine; she told me all about it"

"I will not deny that she looks a great deal like former Duke, but you can not just take this on face value Derek" Christine finally spoke

"I told you they wouldn't believe me, no one will, just let it go" Christine said sadly

"There is one way to be sure" Derek started "If Christine is who I say she is then the grave located next to her father's will be empty" Derek turned to Christine, he was still holding her hand "Christine explain to them, they will not believe you if you don't try, please" Derek lifted her chin up further and looked deeply in to her eyes caressing her cheek with his thumb then added quietly "Please, for me?"

Christine sighed

"Ok" Derek led Christine over to the table where his parents were sitting and pulled out a chair for her; once she was seated he sat beside her and took her hand in his again, and gave it a comforting squeeze. This did not go unnoticed by his parents.

Christine told them everything, from the start till up to today, she told them about the practice sessions she used to enjoy, her fathers death and becoming a servant.

After she finished The King and Queen sat in silence. Finally Travis spoke

"You do seem to know many things that only a daughter could know about her father and about the Datson family. The only way we can be sure is if we dig up Lady Christine's grave" Christine went rather pale, she hadn't visited her father's grave for that reason, afraid to see her own supposed grave. It gave her the creeps.

"Christine you ok?" Derek asked quietly

"Yes, just a little scared at the thought of looking at my own grave" Christine gave a shaky laugh. "When are you planning to do this?"

"No time like the present" The king interrupted, Rising and getting ready to go

"You mean to go now father, it will be dark in a few hours"

"We will attract less attention to ourselves near night" The King replied sadly, walking over to the wall and pulling on a rope. A few moments later a servant entered and Travis told to prepare the horses, escorts and shovels.

"Let's get going then" The King kissed Bethany on the cheek and Derek followed suit, Christine curtsied and they all left.

Soon they were riding towards the cemetery.

"Digging graves up, this is against the church" Christine said quietly to Derek

"Chris, it will show them that you are, who you are" Derek looked slightly confused "If that makes sense" Christine started to laugh, which turned in to a bit of a cough as they reached the cemetery.

The place had not changed much since the last time she had been there, at her father's funeral. Dismounting from her horse and handing her reins to an escort she walked further in to the cemetery already knowing the way, suddenly she stopped about four meters before her father's grave, and five meters from her own.

Christine abruptly turned and ran in to Derek;

"I can't" Christine was slightly in tears

"Chris"

"I have always wanted to visit my father, but I can't, I just can't"

"Chris, you can, I'm right here with you" Derek kissed her forehead and took her hand, leaving room for no argument he led her forward, stopping at her father's grave. He used his body to block her ruse grave.

Christine looked upon the grave quietly before kneeling before it and talking quietly.

"Father, I have finally come to see you, I have missed you so much. I know you have been watching over me and I know that you have seen what mother has done. With Derek's help I will set it right and I will keep the promise I made to you, I promise"

Christine wiped her tears away and stood up to be embraced by Derek.

Around them the escorts had began the work of digging up the grave. Christine finally set eyes on her grave, her name was there.

"This is very unsettling" Christine admitted, she was still slightly pale watching the men make short work of the grave. They soon reached the coffin, and brought it above ground.

Everyone gathered around as they opened the lid.

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I thought alot about this chapter there was no way to validate what christine was claiming any other way. and i know i cut it off at an annoying time but is she right ;)

again i am sorry it took me so long and i will be updating more often. so dont forget to R&R

Emma Riddle