Key to the Kingdom

by ChloeBlack101

CHAPTER 12 IS FINALLY POSTED! Is Chloe really going to go through with leaving Nero, and Brady, forever? Will Philip win out? Have to read to find out! I know this is a dark fic, but please read and review. Enjoy!

15. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A/N: This chapter marks the point where, after ages upon ages of inactivity on the writing front, I randomly picked up a pen one day and started to write again. When reading this, there may be some continuity problems, etc. Just keep in mind, I wrote this after months of not writing while I was supposed to be listening to lectures on Communication in the Business World and Elasticity and all that good college stuff. So I may have wondered off track a bit. I wasn't too happy with the way this turned out, and will likely do a lot of rewriting while I type it. But, the point is, it's done, it's a new chapter, and it means I might actually finish the story after all. So, forgive me if it's no good, but at least it's an update. Also, a side note... fans of the hit WB television series Angel will recognize a name used in the final scene of this chapter. The use of this character has no significance whatsoever. I'm just running out of names, and wanted to connect a face to a name while I wrote this. I was thinking about using Curtis Reed, just to keep it Days only, but I was but a wee child when Curtis was on the show, so I didn't feel right using a character I can't remember. But then again, not really important, just wanted to point that out. If you're an Angel fan, you'll be able to connect a name to a face. If not, no big. Enjoy.

Chloe ran blindly through the throng of men and women milling about the Market Place, pushing through startled shoppers without realizing or caring that they were even there. All eyes were on her, fleeing in a fit of uncontrollable tears. But she didn't care who saw her, or what they thought of her. All she knew was that she had to get away. She had to get away now, as fast as her legs could possibly carry her.

Two specific groups of people spotted Chloe's retreat and took note of it. The first was Brandon and his mother Faye. They had been on there way to retrieve Nicole from yet another lockup. Though Nicole's fine for her involvement with the Mendez slave drivers had been paid, thanks to Lady Cynthia, Nicole had once again found herself in the jailhouse after getting drunk at a local tavern and fighting with a Royal Guard on leave. It had taken Brandon and Faye a few days to gather up the money they would need to once again release their troublesome family member from jail, though they both wondered if it was best for all if they allowed Nicole to stay in jail where she might learn a lesson about her uncontrollable behavior. Faye and Brandon talked quietly amongst themselves now as they watched Chloe, questioning what would make the poor slave-child-turned-Queen-to-Be flee in such a manner. They wondered whether they should pursue her, but decided against it. Though they had been the ones to set her free once Lord Paul was dead, their presence still might not be appreciated, especially in her current state. So they held back, both saying a silent prayer that everything would turn out alright for the tortured young girl.

The second to note Chloe's departure was Lord Hawk and his "friends" from the local brothel. The three girls with him laughed and jeered at the scene Chloe caused, as they were genuinely cruel with a love for gossip and trouble. Hawk pushed them away at that, chiding their foolish behavior. He began after Chloe without a moment's hesitation, ignoring the loud and crude calls of the enraged brothel girls. Yet fast as he was, he knew he would have trouble keeping up with his best friend's fiancé, even given her disoriented state and heavy bag in tow.

Chloe raced on, unaware of Hawk's pursuit, or of where she was even going. She ran not too somewhere, but away from the pain which she had caused. She could feel the dark sting of what she had done biting at her heels like a rabid hunger-starved animal chasing after its first meal in ages. To take the time to mentally process where she was would mean she would fall prey to that hungry animal. So she let her instincts carry her, having nothing else to rely on. Before she knew it, she was completely out of the village and on a path she would later realize was all too familiar. After all, she had made the journey a thousand times in her mind since Brady had brought her there before he even knew her real name. Before she had time to think about it and force herself to turn away, she was bursting through the opening in the thick bushes surrounding the familiar place. Her feet clanked loudly over the wooden bridge over the small stream as she ran, but her ears didn't register either that sound or the serene sound of the running water. She didn't stop running until she burst through the door to Brady's cabin, without realizing there was even a door to go through. She fell hard onto the floor now, face first, with a loud, painful cry. Not pain from the fall, though the floor was cold and hard. But instead from the pain and anguish of her terrible departure from the man she wanted with all her heart and soul to spend her life with.

Chloe pushed her bag away from her in anguish, remaining on the cold floor to cry tears she thought her body could not possibly still be able to produce. Her sobs came in painful bursts, gasping for breath in between the tears. Her chest and lungs were practically on fire, and she felt she might slip into unconsciousness soon. But she couldn't stop her flood of tears.

"Oh God. What have I done?" Chloe sobbed aloud to herself. She forced herself onto her side, arm outstretched over her hand. She had to calm herself. Had to breathe. Where was she? She lay on that floor for only a few moments, but each moment seemed like a hundred years. When she had a handle on herself, forcing those retched tears to cease, she tried to stand. Her knee hurt, and upon further examination, she would have seen that she'd received a small gash across her knew due to the force of her fall as dark blood was beginning to stain her dress. Her body hurt all over, but she had to stand. She had to see where she was.

"Oh God. Not here. Not here," Chloe moaned quietly when she finally got to her feet and recognized her surroundings. Brady's cabin. How had she wound up here? She didn't deserve to be here! She couldn't possibly be here. Had she run so hard, so fast, she made such a long trip on foot before realizing she had even left the village? "Why? Why here?" Chloe whispered, resisting the tears which threatened to fall once more. This place was so special to Brady, and he had made it special for her. Even when he had not known who she was, he had loved her so much that he shared his most sacred of places with her. Chloe stepped hesitantly further into the living room of the cabin, ignoring the pain in her limbs.

"You built all this?" Arciana asked in awe.

"Yes, I've been working on it off and on since I was a boy. Most of the furniture that's here though, I bought. Not all the rooms are furnished yet, and the ones that are don't have a whole lot. Yet at least," Brady called, lighting the candles in the two rooms on the right and descending the stairs once more. He'd made his way to the left side, where another staircase stood before Arciana spoke again.

"Why did you build it? I mean, you do have an entire castle to live in," Arciana pointed out. Brady quickly lit all the candles in the rooms on the left and made his way back downstairs to stand at her side again before ever answering.

"Well, that's what I'm about to tell you. Come on inside, into the living room." Brady said, reaching out for her hand again and leading her into the living room. He did not, however, offer her a seat, since he would soon be taking her down the hallway. "You see, a long time ago, I had this dream. Well, it was more of a long-term fantasy of mine, of how I wanted my life to be. It was stupid, just a childish fantasy, but I suppose all children have dreams about their future."

"What was your dream?" Arciana asked. Of course all children had dreams. Had she not dreamt and fantasized a million different times that her life would take her far, far away from the horrid life she was living as a slave under Lord Paul? Brady hesitated, suddenly unsure he should continue. What would she think of him after he told her about the one dream that ever meant anything to him? It was childish of him to ever have believed it would one day come true. He shouldn't even be thinking of it now, let alone telling anyone about it! "Brady? Is something the matter?" God above, could she already see right through him, after knowing him such a short time?

"No, no. It's just... it's so stupid. You wouldn't be interested..." Arciana was very confused. Never once had Brady ever tried to push her away. It was she that was always pushing him away. It made no sense that he would shut down now, after all he'd shared with her already.

"Brady..." Arciana started, taking both of his hands in hers. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But I want you to know... you can tell me anything." Brady couldn't help notice her own hesitation to say that to him. She always seemed hesitant to say and do anything that might indicate she wanted to get to know him better, or wanted him to get to know her. Brady smiled broadly at her; though she was hesitant, at least the fact that she did care was a good sign.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But if I bore you to sleep, it's not my fault." Brady stated, causing Arciana to smile as well.

"Like I said before, you are never in any way boring, Brady Black." Brady let go of one of her hands, leading her around the room in a circle as he began to talk.

"Well, you see... I had this dream, for a very long time, long before I can even remember. But it never seemed like it could ever become true, until I found this place," Brady started. "Most children would probably be relishing in being the son of a great King. But not me. I used to picture my entire life just perfectly in my head, and it went just like this. One day, a beautiful day which I would start by watching the sun rise, an old woman would approach the castle with a young boy, exactly the same age as me. That woman would let it be known that I was not the son of John and Isabella Black, but that I had been switched at birth with the boy she'd raised as her own. I know it seems a stretch, but though I loved my family, I could never be happy there. In my dream, my father would oppose at first, but then would finally be persuaded to take the young boy in as his real son, and give me to the old woman to raise. I knew of course my father would never abandon me unless the old woman had used some kind of witchcraft on my father, so I would run away from her the moment we got out of palace. All boys of such a young age believe that they need no one else to take care of them; I was the same. I believed that I could run away to my secret place, where no one would ever find me, and build a home for myself, and the family I wished to have one day." It was then that Brady paused, beginning to lead Arciana down the hallway, now lit by many candles.

"Even then, I knew how I wanted my home to look when it was finished, and knew exactly what each room would be used for. I would begin building on it, knowing that Isabella would still visit me to help even though I was not her true brother. Of course, back then, I believed that a house would be simple to build, and would not take long. I used to imagine, that once I had the house finished, I'd begin to farm. The land, both inside and around the clearing was so fertile, I believed that even I, someone who knew nothing about farming, could be the best farmer around. I wanted a simple life, nothing more. I had it planned, that I would farm the land, keeping some to eat, and selling the rest in the Market Place. Everything I made, I was going to keep back to buy supplies in winter, and new furniture and things of that nature. But I also had other reasons. You see, I really did have my entire life planned, even my romantic life."

"During the first few years, I wanted to keep to my self. Never really getting close to anyone, just waiting for that one person that I would know in an instant was the one I wanted to share my life with. In my dream, I went so far as to picture how it would go exactly. One day, I would be taking my crops to the market to sell. Instead of going my usual way through the back alleys to get to the store I needed to get to, I would go right through the center of the market on my way to sell my crops. It would be there that I would meet her, the woman I was destined to be with all my life. I would just look up at the right moment and catch sight of her, standing in front of a food stand with her basket on her wrist. She would look up then at that moment as well. And the moment we locked eyes, we'd fall instantly in love. We'd know in an instant that we'd spent our whole lives looking for each other. I'd drop the wheel barrow I was using to push my crops and approach her. I'd reach out my hand to her, and she to me, and the moment our hands locked together, we both would finally feel complete." Brady explained, with a passion in his voice unlike anything Arciana had ever heard.

"We'd marry that spring, and move into this house. Our house. I had everything planned out just perfectly. I'd continue to farm the surrounding lands, and she would have a small seamstress shop in the market place. I even planned on how many children we would have," Brady stated, opening the last door on the left. "This would be our first born's room, a boy. He would stay in our room at first of course, until he was old enough to move into his room. We'd name him John, after the only father I'd ever known." All the while Brady was speaking, Arciana was observing the room. It wasn't furnished yet, except for a writing desk. She could also see that there was another door on the right side of the room that no doubt led to a bathroom. Brady left the door open, but turned around to face the left side of the hallway, where there were 3 doors. "After John, we would have twins, both girls," Brady explained, opening the last door on the right. "This would be one of their rooms. The other would be the first room on the right of the hall. They're connected by the room in the middle, a bathroom. Their names would be Isabella, after the only mother and sister I'd ever known, and Blossom."

"Why Blossom?" Arciana asked quietly. She was slowly taking in all his words; she ached inside at the thought that Brady had yet to find that perfect dream of his.

"It reminds me of someone I knew once," Brady answered, leading her back down the hall. He opened both the bathroom door and the other bedroom, the one he always imagined would be Isabella's room, for Arciana to look into. It was just as the last room had been; each bedroom only had a writing desk and a door which led to a bathroom, but the girls' rooms also had another door, which led to closets. "The other room on the left is just a study. Nothing in there at all. Really the only furnished rooms are the living room, dining room, guest bedroom, and my room. I've been too busy working on the plumbing... I honestly have no idea how those inventors of mine managed to fix up the entire castle with running water." Brady stated.

"What are the other rooms?" Arciana asked, taking a look inside the study. Indeed, it was completely bare. Still holding her hand, Brady lead Arciana across the living room to the door on the left side of the front door.

"This is the den," Brady explained, opening the door. Arciana found it to be the only carpeted room in the house, but also, it was the lowest room; there was a single, carpeted step at the entrance. "I want to build a fire place in here sometime, but I suppose that will wait. It never gets all that cold in Nero anyway," Brady stated, leaving the door open and crossing over to the center of the living room. Arciana followed, her eyes moving to the top floor on the left side as Brady pointed to it. "That up there, would have been the playroom, for when the kids get older. The room to the side is a guest bedroom, just in case." Brady stated. "Of course, you saw the dining room, which is connected to the kitchen. And that there is the guest bathroom." Brady said, pointing to a door near the end of the dining room, where it connected with the kitchen.

"Where's your room?" Arciana asked. Brady took her hand again, leading her up the stairs to the right of the door.

"Up here," Brady answered. The balcony they reached was bare, but Arciana could tell it was not where he meant his room to be. There were two doors, one to the left that led to a bathroom, and one right in front of them. Brady led her to that door, opening it to reveal his room. It was the biggest room in the house and fully furnished, and yet remained simple. There was a large bed in the center of the room against the right wall, in-between two windows. There was of course a writing desk and chair, another more comfortable looking leather chair near the window, and a vanity. Again Arciana's heart ached; Brady had placed it there for his dream woman who never came. There was a night stand by the head of the bed, on the far right side. There were also two doors, one near the front of the room on the left side and the other nearer to the middle of the room. Brady continued on, towards the farthest door, and opened it, to reveal a balcony she had not noticed from the outside. A white rail surrounded it, keeping any who wandered onto the balcony safe from falling off. Brady released her hand, and walked out to the edge of the balcony, leaning against the rail to look out at the stars. The moon was full that night, and not a cloud in the sky to disrupt the view. A wooden bench had been placed against the wall, just big enough for two people.

"We would have all grown old here together, continuing our simple life. I'd always pictured my children, raising their own families here, in the safety of their parents clearing. But..." Brady sadly looked down from the heavens to stare at the dark ground, his elbows on the railing and hands clasp out in front of him. "It was not meant to be," Brady finished.

Brady's excited words as he shared the fantasies he had built for himself suddenly came flooding back to her now. He had bared his soul to her, a mere stranger. And she had wished so dearly that she could be as open with him as he was with her, and be the great love that made all those dreams he wished for for so many years come true.

Chloe ran her hand delicately over the hand-carved railing of the stairs as she ascended the stairs to the loft bedroom she had once shared with Brady. She approached the bed, closing her eyes. In her mind's eye, she saw herself clear as day, sitting in the window, bathed in moonlight, sketching Brady as he slept soundly in the bed. She inhaled deeply and could remember the scent of Brady's hair as she crawled back into bed beside him. She opened her eyes once she had reached the window seal. She sat in her previous place, looking at the bed as she had that night, which seemed an eternity ago. But this time, the bed was empty. And there would never be anyone in it again as far as she would be able to see.

Chloe glanced down to the floor, catching sight of a fallen piece of paper. She stood to retrieve it, feeling a twinge of sadness by what she saw. The piece of paper was in fact her drawing. She didn't remember what became of it once she was finished. She probably had laid it down beside the bed, or in the window seal itself, before falling asleep. The wind from the open window probably had blown it off and under the bed. When Brady had made the bed after the second night, he must have caused the slip of parchment to be moved just within sight from the window. It was as perfect as the day she had drawn it. Not a smear nor rip had become of the sketch. Yet it filled her heart with sadness, knowing she'd never see that handsome face again. She'd never again see the kind of true kindness and innocense he displayed as he slept, unaware that he was being watched. And she had only herself to blame for that. Now that it was said and done, now that she had left the Palace, she couldn't remember why it was that she had even come to this terrible moment. She thought it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. Now, the only thought in her mind was that she had been so very wrong.

Chloe pulled back the covers slightly on Brady's side of the bed, tucking the sketch just underneath the covers so it rested in sight over the pillow. One tear streamed down her cheek, splashing the parchment. She shook her head and backed away as quickly as possible, retreating for the stairs. She felt numb as she quickly descended the stairs, needing to flee from the painful memories. Memories that should have been treasured were now cursed, thanks to her own foolish actions. Chloe hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, noticing something she had failed to see before. A full length mirror had been placed on the wall opposite the stairs, allowing her to see herself as she descended the staircase. She approached the mirror, noting her horrid appearance. Her hair was disheveled, her face was red, tear-stained, and dirty. Her eyes were baron and broken, her lips sunk in a deep frown. The gash on her knee, though no longer bleeding, had left a dark stain on her dress that would likely not come out, and she'd torn the material in a few places when she had fallen. Never in her life had she felt and looked so miserable. Even when Lord Paul would beat her, she still had some since of dignity in knowing that she had fought against him and wasn't responsible for her horrid fate. But now she didn't have that. She'd torn apart all that was good and pure in her life, and walked away from the only person who had ever loved her. There was no one to blame but herself now, and that just made her sick inside.

"What have I done?" Chloe whispered, placing her hand on the mirror. The moment she touched the glass, a wave of cold rushed through her. The mirror seemed to literally freeze over, and in this frozen surface, Chloe saw herself placing her wedding ring back into Brady's hand as she said her tearful goodbye. The displayed memory faded to black, and images from her many dreams began to flash wildly in the frozen surface. Bloodstained battles fields. Burning buildings. Destroyed homes. To Chloe's horror, she could hear the screams of the dying, pounding in her ears. The final image was of the two graves from her nightmare. Philip and Brady's graves. Then the ice over the mirror shattered. Chloe screamed, willing her eyes to close to drown out the terror. But they would not obey. She was frozen in fear.

When the ice fragments, which had only been figments of her imagination and could not physically harm her, cleared, she was left standing in front of the normal mirror again, with a normal reflection. But it was not her reflection standing before her. Instead of Chloe's reflection, the full reflection of Queen Isabella Black of Nero stood tall before her, seeming as real as any living person. Except, of course, the former Queen, the mother Brady couldn't truly remember, had not been alive for many, many years. Through she'd only seem a portrait of Isabella, and that had only been once, Chloe knew instantly who she was seeing.

"Chloe." Chloe knew that voice. She had been just an infant when Brady's mother had died, and had therefore obviously never met the woman, but she knew that was the fallen Queen's voice. "Chloe. You must listen. You do not understand. Please, listen. Brady's life depends on it." Isabella's reflection flickered, her voice changing in volume as she spoke, as though she was having trouble remaining in the world of the living, a world she'd left ages ago, so that Chloe could see her. She appeared to stretch her hand out to Chloe. But Chloe recoiled in terror, horrified by what could only be a ghost come to punish her for her sins.

"No!" Chloe screamed, pulling away.

"Please. It does not have to be. You can change it," Isabella pleaded, weaker. It was though she were being drained, drowned out by some malevolent force that wished her not to reach out to the troubled young woman. But whatever message the spirit of Brady's mother was trying to deliver would go unheard. Isabella's reflection faded before she could continue her desperate plea. What replaced the serene image of Brady's mother made Chloe's stomach turn. The disgusting, distorted image of Lord Paul now loomed before her, grinning maliciously at his former slave. He was dressed in warrior's garb, the clothing he died and was buried in, with a gaping hole in the middle of his chest where he had been run through by an enemy blade.

"No you can't," Lord Paul sneered, dark, long-dead blood oozing from his horribly distorted mouth. Chloe could literally smell his putrid breath as the foul words filled her ears like deafening blows to her already shocked brain. "You could never do anything right. You were only good for one thing," Lord Paul stated. He turned his head to the side, which made a loud 'crack' as his bones, brittled and long dead, popped beneath rotted flesh that hung off his bones so unnaturally. "But then, you were never really any good at that either, were you now, little girl?" Paul added with an evil grin. Just as the angelic vision of Isabella had done, the devilish vision of Lord Paul reached out his hand as though to reach out to her. But where Isabella's intent had only been good and pure, this decaying, rotted figure intended only to harm.

"Leave me alone!" Chloe cried, somehow managing to choke down all her old worst fears and turn away from the putrid, painful image. She turned on her heels, beginning to run as fast as she could manage to get away from Lord Paul's grasp from beyond the grave. She didn't care where she turned, as long as it was away from him.

"You can't run!" Lord Paul boomed after her. "You can't stop it! As long as you are breathing, Nero is damned. As long as you live!" Chloe tried to drown out the hateful words as she burst through the kitchen door which lead to the back of the house. But that voice which had haunted her every waking moment for the last 13 years would not go ignored.

In her panic, Chloe could not see the potential dangers which lay ahead of her. As she neared the bank of the small stream as it widened at the base of the small waterfall, the ground become slippery and slightly uneven. One of the larger rocks which happened to be jutting out from the slippery ground caught as slight tear on the bottom of Chloe's unfortunately long dress. Chloe, caught off guard by the sudden abrupt interruption to her retreat, yelled out as she lost her balance and fell forward. She fell head first into the water at the very base of the waterfall where it was deepest. But that water, which was over her head by only just a bit, was still relatively shallow, even at it's deepest. And so it was inevitable that, considering the speed at which she had fallen, Chloe would hit her head on the rocky bottom of the stream.

Blood instantly drew as the sharp edges of the rocks met with Chloe's skull, but despite the pain and the shock of the fall, Chloe remained conscious. The force of the water rushing down on her from the waterfall was just enough to keep Chloe from floating naturally back up to the safety of the surface. But she could easily swim against it and pull herself out the water. If she had the will to do so, at least.

Chloe managed to turn her head so she could see the sky, albeit very unclearly. The blood from her wounds made the water around her muggy, making the sky appear to bleed. This wasn't her intention, but she didn't have the will to fight against the current to save her own life. As long as she was alive, there would always be blood in the sky waiting to rain down upon Nero and destroy everything it touched. As long as she was alive. So perhaps it was best if she allowed fate to take it's course, and do with her what it wanted. She was dead without Brady. And now that she had ruined everything, she could not have him, nor could she ever deserve him. If she had to die then to bring them all peace, why not in the first place she had ever felt true joy and content?

Chloe turned her head again so it faced downward like the rest of her body. Her arms began to float freely out to her sides. She closed her eyes, giving in to destiny and willing herself to the water that would bring her peace at last. The pain in her head began to intensify as her lungs, depleted of life-giving air began to burn within her chest. But still she would not fight. As she began to slip into unconsciousness, she didn't hear the loud splash of someone jumping into the stream after her. The last thing she remembered before she surrendered to the darkness of sleep was the feeling of strong arms around her and the vision of her beloved Brady's face smiling at her from above...

Back at the Palace, Brady was in hysterics. After smashing the glass figure which he once believed to be a miraculous symbol of his mother's love watching over him, Brady went on to smash other things.

"Your Majesty, please!" Harold begged as Brady used his injured hand to smash Chloe's vanity mirror. "You must stop this nonsense! Please! You'll hurt yourself!"

"There is nothing left of me to hurt," Brady growled, taking his rage out upon whatever close. He threw everything off the vanity onto the ground in one swift motion. "She has made sure of that."

"Your Majesty, please listen to reason!"

"Reason walked out that door when she left me!" Brady shouted, picking up the vanity chair and hurling it across the room. It broke into dozens of little pieces just as Shawn, drawn by the commotion Brady was causing, burst into the Royal Chambers.

"What in God's name is going on here?" Shawn demanded. Though Brady had had a few bouts of anger as of late, he was usually a very nonviolent, rational person. Except of course when the time came he had no choice but to protect his home and loves ones. To see him, a very mature beyond his age, prideful, respectable young man, so extremely and immaturely angry and violent was almost unthinkable. And yet, here he was, and he didn't have it in him to care just how insane and ignorant he appeared.

"She is gone, Shawn. You have your wish. She has left me," Brady replied, pausing in his destruction. As reality began to sink it's way into Brady's clouded mind, the sudden violent burst of rage began to give way to mind-numbing remorse. "Oh God... she's left me," Brady said so quietly now that Shawn could just barely hear him. Brady slumped down to the ground now, feeling ever so lost. What was he to do now?

"Who?" Shawn demanded.

"Chloe," Brady responded. His hand came to rest on the engagement ring Chloe had returned to him. He had dropped it during his fit of rage. But now with nothing else to throw, he picked up the engagement ring, bringing it level with his face. "Chloe has left me. She gave this back. Said we can't wed. And then she just... left."

"Dear God," Shawn whispered, taken aback by Brady's declaration of Chloe's sudden departure. "Brady... I don't... know what to... I know how deeply you loved her. I am so sorry."

"Are you?" Brady responded, snapping his head up to glare at Shawn. He placed the ring safely in his pocket, focusing all attention on the man he'd once thought of as his best and most trusted friend. "Are you sure that this is not exactly what you wanted? After all, you were saying just this morning that I've been focusing too exclusively on my marriage to Chloe. Does her departure not serve your purpose just perfectly?"

"Brady, I never wanted this. I didn't want it to be this way! I had no idea that Chloe would leave. She so obviously returned your love. I don't understand it, but I assure you, this was not what I wanted for you. I wanted you to be happy!" Shawn insisted.

"Happy?" Brady repeated, as though the word were so foreign to him he had long since forgot it's true meaning. He forced himself to his feet now, standing tall before Shawn. "Without her in my life, I do not know the meaning of that word. Maybe... maybe I never really did to begin with," Brady responded. And Shawn's heart broke from the pure sadness within Brady just at that moment. "I'm through, Shawn. This is it for me. I am so tired. I thought... I truly believed she could end the loneliness in me. I love her so much, Shawn. I spent my whole life waiting for her! I wanted only to be with her, and never be lonely again. I thought we'd be together forever. I felt... so connected to her. But I was wrong. She is just like all the others," Brady stated brokenly. "No," Brady rethought, shaking his head. "No. She is worse than that. So very much worse. She made the choice... to leave me," Brady added, voice breaking.

His mother had been poisoned when he was just a child, and so it had not been her choice to leave him behind at such a young, vulnerable age. Marlena, his step mother, had died in the fire set for his father, so she too had been given no choice. And Isabella... his sweet, dear baby sister Belle... she too had left him by no choice of her own. Her only crime was that she loved all things too dearly, and she had wanted so badly for peace to be achieved between the two feuding countries. She would still be at his side were the choice hers. Even John had left Brady behind involuntarily, falling prey to enemy hands. Only one person had the ability to break Brady's heart in such a manner. And that person was Chloe Kiriakis. Death, Brady could handle. But for someone of whom he had pledged his heart and soul to just up and abandon him? That was truly unbearable for a man so broken by loss.

"Surely she did not mean it, Your Majesty," Harold timidly suggested, moved practically to tears by Brady's words. "She is just overwhelmed, Sire. She's not used to all this commotion and attention. You must remember, Chloe has had such a hard life as well. To be born into such a hateful family, then to be brought up by the cruelest of slavery and abuse. And now, her own twin brother has shunned her rather then rejoice at her return simply because of the man she could not help but fall in love with. It is all so much. Add in a marriage to the man her family has sworn vengeance upon, and it is just far to much for one single person to take in. She's just scared. Surely, if you went after her..."

"No," Brady interrupted firmly. "No, Harold. Not this time. I ran after her once before and I failed to reach her. The choice may not have been hers then, but it is now. She won't find her way back to me this time. She doesn't want to. If she truly loved me, then she would have known that I couldn't bare her leaving. Not matter what reasons she had... fear, confusion, or something else entirely, it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that Chloe is no longer with me... and she made that choice all on her own." Brady turned now, a certain determination in his suddenly stone-like face.

"Brady, what are you doing? Where are you going?" Shawn questioned. But Brady paid him no attention. He had only one purpose, and it had to be fulfilled right away. He burst through the curtain to the balcony that over-looked the town square where he would gather his people for public announcements. The square was abuzz with activity, what with the royal wedding coming up and all, that would soon be followed by grand celebrations and feasts. Not as many people were present as was normal for announcements since, unless during times of emergency, Harold and the Royal Council arranged public announcements ahead of time to spread the word to all the citizens of Nero. But enough people were present as far as Brady was concerned. His words, he already knew, would spread like wild fire, reaching every single citizen of Nero, and burning them to the core.

"My fellow Neroeans," Brady began in a strong, billowing voice, raising his hands up high to grab the attention of the people down below. "I have an announcement I wish to make."

"It's our King!" Came many excited whispers amongst the crowd.

"He wishes to speak to us! Quiet now so we can hear!" Came yet more comments from the gathering crowd, who obediently stopped what they were doing and turned their full attention to their beloved King. Harold and Shawn came out from the chambers, worried and intense looks upon both of their faces.

"Brady, don't do this," Shawn insisted quietly.

"Please listen to him, Your Majesty!" Harold pleaded. But Brady shook them both off, stepping closer to the edge of the balcony, and further from his friends. He lowered his arms to his side, becoming rigid, almost lifeless. His piercing blue eyes seemed hollow as he stared out at this people. He surveyed them, a whole, huge throng of people he no longer had it in him to care for as he was sworn by his birth right, with cold intensity. And yet he did not see a single one of them. They were like faceless statues to him now. Meaningless and cold.

"My fellow men," Brady began without emotion, "I have a grave situation of which I must inform you." He paused, gasps and hushed concerns starting among the crowd below him. Women clutched tighter to their children's hands, fearing the worse. For their King to approach them in such an abrupt and urgent manner could only mean disaster.

"It is with a heavy heart that I inform you all, my people," Brady continued after a moments pause, "that my bride to be, your future Queen, Chloe Kiriakis... has chosen not to be my bride. She has rejected me, deciding instead to leave me, and the people of Nero, far behind." The crowd grew much louder now, practically booming with outcries. Some citizens grew angry at Chloe's abandonment of them when they had been so welcoming of her, a Kiriakis foreigner. Others grew frightened at what their once future Queen's departure would mean for them. And rightly so. Brady ignored the inquiries from the frightened mob below, continuing in a cold and unfeeling voice. "And as she is gone from my life... so shall I be gone from yours." Brady turned his back on the crowd now, pushing passed a stunned Shawn and Harold to disappear back into his chambers.

And the crowd below went ballistic. Everyone, man, woman, and child alike began to yell, demanding answers that would go unwarranted. Babies began to cry, and fathers and husbands began to shout at the top of their lungs, demanding that their King return to restore order. But Brady did not hear them, and did not care to, as he walked out of his chambers. He ripped the royal seal of Nero from his clothes, throwing it down on the ground before disappearing from Harold and Shawn's sight. Harold, not sure exactly what to do, which was unusual given that he usually handled crises well, stepped forward, raising his hands to call attention on him.

"Everyone, please! You must all remain calm! The Royal Council..."

"To hell with your council!" One particularly outspoken man shouted. "We want our King! Where is he? Show him to us! We want answers only from him!"

"Yeah!" Other citizens began to agree. "Show us our King! We deserve to hear from him! Show him!" The crowd began to join in with the demands, picking up many objects such as food and throwing them up towards the balcony, calling attention to those who had not been close enough to hear Brady's declaration. The Royal Guards, who were usually posted about the castle on the market's side during announcements, but were previously at there normals posts in and around the Palace since no planned activities were due for that particular time, now finally began to file out and take control of the riotous crowd. Shawn and Harold stood helplessly on the balcony, so unsure of what to do. They certainly could not consol the crowd. Harold was merely the King's Royal Advisor, and held no real power or influence with the masses. And Shawn, though an ally, was a foreign King, and not one of their own. Only Brady could console and calm his subjects now, and he hadn't the will or care to do so.

While the riots and violence raged on in the town square, quickly spreading to parts of the city unaware of Chloe's disappearance and Brady's abandonment of his Kingdom, a single figure slipped through the crowd to retrieve his horse. A well respected member of the rebellion, this man had stayed in Nero at Cynthia's request to keep an eye on royal affairs. He knew Cynthia had gone to Mucche to strengthen the rebellion's allies, and weaken its enemies. And he knew that King Philip would pay well for the knowledge that not only was King Brady's rule unstable, but his twin sister had left Nero and was now on her own, or at least he assumed. If he rode fast and hard, he could be in Mucche before Princess Chloe, most likely on foot, had the chance to get too far out of Nero. He mounted his horse and started off, darting hastily and skillfully between the fighting citizens of Nero. And as he galloped off, he could already taste that hefty bounty that awaited him...

An hour later, back in the cabin, Hawk had Chloe in dry clothes, wrapped in a dry blanket, her feet soaking in warm water, and the injuries to her head and knee bandaged. Chloe hadn't spoken a single word since Hawk had pulled her out of the stream and helped her to start breathing again. She sat wordlessly as Hawk had worriedly bandaged her injuries. She didn't even blink when Hawk had stripped her of her soaking wet clothing and dressed her in clothes he had found in her bag, hoping to keep her emotionally and physically shocked body from catching a chill. She hadn't moved an inch since Hawk sat her down in this spot in the living room. And despite his best efforts, Hawk just couldn't take the silence a moment longer.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Hawk demanded finally, much more harshly than he'd previously intended. He was kneeling at Chloe's feet looking up at her, and finally when she heard him speak, she looked down to meet his eyes.

"I wasn't," Chloe responded quietly.

"Well that seemed pretty damn obvious," Hawk said. "But what I meant was... what were you doing fleeing from the Palace like a bat out of hell itself? Most people run toward the luxurious of Palace life, not away. You're running the wrong way, darling. What in the hell are you doing way out here, nearly getting yourself killed?"

"I didn't mean to," Chloe whispered quietly.

"I know you didn't, darling. I know. You don't pack a bag if your plan is to take your own life. I know you didn't do this on purpose. So the real question is... what are you running from that was so terribly frightening, you couldn't save yourself?" His insight and tenderness surprised her. Well, at least, it would have if she were capable of noticing and comprehending the thought. This man before her was so unlike the crude man she'd met in the Market Place who had treated her like a slave and a whore so that Brady could appear the hero. This was a side of Hawk few people knew existed, but of course, she was too shocked, body and soul, to really comprehend that.

"I had to get away. I couldn't marry him, no matter how badly I want to. I couldn't do it. It would ruin everything," Chloe gushed, all in one breath.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down. You're leaving big chunks of detail out of this story, honey. And I'm pretty slow on the draw under normal circumstances. We're talking about Brady, yes?" Hawk asked.

"Yes."

"So if I follow... you're saying you're not going to marry Brady," Hawk stated.

"I can't marry him," Chloe corrected.

"Well why the hell not?" Hawk snapped unintentionally. Chloe flinched slightly at his raised voice, and Hawk cursed his impatience. He forced his features to soften, speaking slower, quieter, and calmer. "Let me rephrase that. I think I see the problem here. This is perfectly normal. I know this may come as a shock, but I have been in a few almost-wedding moments myself. Dodged many an arrow, actually. Granted, I was normally very drunk during the proposal... but my point is... I understand. This is just Wedding Day Jitters, isn't it? Because if that's all it is, there's nothing to worry about. Believe you me, even the best of men get nervous at the thought of committing to just one bed. This feeling of fear you're running from is perfectly normal.

"Nothing about this is normal," Chloe insisted. "It's not about that, Hawk. I want to marry Brady! I want to be his wife, and have his children, and spend the rest of my life at his side. I want that more than anything. His love... it's all I ever dreamed of."

"So what's the bloody problem?" Hawk asked, annoyed and confused. "Brady loves you. Hell, he fell in love with you before he even saw you. He loves you so much, the fact that you are a Kiriakis, his sworn enemy, is completely a non-factor. Your father murdered his baby sister for God's sake, and yet still he wants to marry you. That's love, darling. Plain and simple. And believe me, there is not a single weapon or power in the entire world that is stronger or more powerful than that. And you love him. I've seen the way you look at him. You don't see him as the son of the man who kidnaped you and ruined your life by selling you into slavery. You see him as the man you love and want to spend your life with! So why the hell aren't you there, spending your life with the man of your dreams in the whole beautiful, sappy as hell fairytale?"

"We can't be together," Chloe answered sadly. "It is not meant to be."

"How could you possibly know that?" Hawk responded as patiently as he could manage.

"Because I've been having... visions, I guess you call them," Chloe replied hesitantly.

"Visions? You mean like... dreams?" Hawk questioned.

"Yes."

"Darling, if dreams meant a damn thing, I'd be King of Mucche and married to that nightmare Cynthia," Hawk shuddered, as he had a strong distaste for the thought of ruling any kingdom, least of all Mucche. And he just generally hated "Lady" Cynthia, period. "You wouldn't believe how much ale it took to drown that image out of my head. But it didn't mean anything. As you can see, I have no crown. I am no King, and Cynthia's ugly face is nowhere in sight. Dreams aren't anything to be afraid of. They're just... images in our head we see when we have too much weighing on our minds or when we have had far too much to drink. They're not real."

"But they weren't just dreams," Chloe insisted, unwilling to listen to his words that otherwise would have made complete sense and sound completely logical. "They were real. They started when I was asleep at first. But then, I started to see things when I was awake. The visions were starting to come true, even if only in small, subtle instances. Over-reacting or not, I know these visions are telling me on main thing. If I stay in Nero, I'll hurt the ones I love."

"That's ridiculous!" Hawk exclaimed. "No one can know what the future holds. It's not in writing. Only the past is set in stone. Anything that happens now or in the future is because we make it happen, not because some... force decided it so. Fate and destiny are just words. They don't decide our lives for us."

"You just don't understand," Chloe stated. She stood, dropping the blanket back onto the chair she was setting on. She walked to the back window, leaving a trail of bare footprints behind as she'd not only sloshed water out of the small bucket but her feet were understandably still wet. She looked out at the stream which had nearly claimed her life as she continued to speak. "I can't explain how I know the things I know. I've always felt this... odd connection to the world. I never used to get actual visions, but I often got really strong feelings of ominous events that would later come to pass. Even if the dreams are just dreams... I know the feeling behind them is real. I can't risk it, Hawk. There's too much at stake. If there is any validity to these visions I'm having... then Brady and Philip will die, and it will be my doing."

"Everyone dies, Chloe. You can't prevent or predict that. Only know that eventually, death will come to us all. But unless you take a sword to someone's throat and kill them of your own free will, you are not responsible for that death," Hawk stated firmly, standing now.

"I can't explain how it'll happen, okay!" Chloe exclaimed, whirling abruptly around to face Hawk once more. "I just know that it will happen. And I can't let it. I can't stay here. All I can do is hurt Brady if I stay. I can't do that. I won't."

"And you think that this won't hurt him?" Hawk replied. "Chloe... he has lost every single person in his life that he cares about. You have to know that if you chose to leave him now, then he is going to be hurt by that decision."

"I know," Chloe said sadly. "But not as much as it'll hurt if I stay. What is to come... is so much worse than the pain of me leaving now. I can feel that so strongly, even now. But Brady... he's young. He has his whole life ahead of him. He'll get better in time. It'll be easier. Soon, he'll forget that I was ever even here."

"You obviously don't know Brady very well if you truly believe that," Hawk replied. "You weren't here when his sister died. I was. I saw what it did to him. What it's still doing to him. It nearly killed him, Chloe. That wasn't Isabella's choice. She was murdered. Losing her nearly killed Brady, and that was no one's choice. If you leave, then you chose to break his heart."

"Break his heart... to save his life," Chloe whispered, so quietly Hawk barely heard her speak the words. And her own heart would be broken as well. But it would not save her life. It would damn her for as long as she might have left to live, and likely beyond that. But it was a price she would pay if it meant Brady would get to live. She would give herself up... mind, body, soul... everything that she had left, she would surrender to the Devil himself to spare what remained of Brady's life. "Besides... it doesn't matter now," Chloe said sadly, changing the subject slightly. "The choice has already been made. The damage already done. I can't change it now, even if I wanted to. There's no going back now. I don't have a choice."

"Of course you have a choice!" Hawk exclaimed. "You always have a choice, Chloe. Go back to the Palace. Talk to Brady. Tell him why you ran. Look... I don't know what happened between you two. Words were said... things were done. Terrible things, I'm sure. But it won't matter. Brady loves you. He'll forgive you. Just don't leave. If you leave... then there really may be no going back. I know you don't want that. I'll come with you. I'll help you to face whatever demons you're fighting back. Just please... don't leave Nero."

"I don't deserve to be forgiven," Chloe replied quietly. "I am so sorry, Hawk. I just can't stay. It's not right for me to be here. Nothing good can come of it. It's best for everyone if I go."

"Where will you go? Back to Mucche? Back to a demented brother who disowned you?" Hawk practically spat.

"No. Never," Chloe replied firmly. "I don't know exactly where I'll end up. But no matter where I may go... it will be far from that terrible place. I wouldn't go there, even if I could. I never belonged there, even when I was a child. And I most certainly don't wish to now."

"Doesn't really matter where you go," Hawk began, a very accusatory tone in his voice. "No matter where you go, it only means one thing. That you're not with Brady. I don't understand why you feel you have to do this. I don't even want to try. All I can see is that you are running off with my friend's heart. I wish that I could make you stay," Hawk stated. He shook his head sadly, beginning for the front door. "But if I have to make you stay... then you don't deserve him."

"I never did," Chloe replied, resolved. "Thank you for trying, Hawk. And thank you for saving me. Brady is lucky to have such a loyal friend."

"I thought he was lucky to have you," Hawk replied. "But, I guess when it comes to women, I have the poorest of judgements." He opened the door to walk out, but paused just inside the door frame, turning to face her again with a gentler look of sincerity. "If you should ever change your mind..."

"I'll know where to find you," Chloe finished. "But I won't. I can't now. You'll never know how deeply that pains me. Please... see that he's taken care of. And... see that he forgets me. Though I doubt that is possible. I know I'll never forget him," Chloe stated.

"You're right... it's not possible," Hawk responded with a somber note. "I don't understand it, Chloe. I don't suppose I ever will. But if you're not going to fight for what I know, deep in your heart, you've always wanted... you're not the woman I thought you were." Chloe turned away without responding, unable to look him in the eye any longer. Because he was right. She wasn't strong. She never had been. And, though she wished with every fiber of her being she could be, she wasn't strong enough to fight for Brady.

Chloe stooped to pick up her bag, beginning to carry it upstairs. She would pack it properly there, before starting out on her journey to wherever it was she might end up. Hawk sighed deeply, shaking his head and finally turning again for the last time, closing the door behind him. He would never understand exactly what had just happened. Nor would he ever begin to conceive of the reason why Chloe believed marriage to Brady would bring such hardships. He would give anything to have the kind of love he saw between Brady and Chloe from the very first day in the Market Place after the slavers auction. Though it may seem to outsiders that Lord Hawk enjoyed his wild, carefree, womanizing life, such existence really got very lonely. Sometimes, he rather hated himself for not being able to achieve any better life for himself. He had money. He had hereditary title. He had plenty of land. All he was lacking was will. Hawk hadn't the will to make something out of his life. But his friends... they had that will. Or so he thought. He had thought he had seen something within the couple that would last.

And it was still there. Hawk had seen it in Chloe's eyes as she asked him to see to Brady's care. It would always be there. But for reasons unknown to him, it seemed Hawk would never have the pleasure of showing up drunk at their wedding. Were Hawk a superstitious man who believed in things such as visions and the like, the idea that it was Chloe's reaction to her dreams that would cause their fulfillment might have occurred to him. Had he thought of it, he would have turned right around and set Chloe straight, forcing her to return to the Palace. But he did not believe in visions of the future, and so he did not turn around to plead once more with Chloe not to leave Brady. All Hawk knew was that he had to return to the Palace to survey the damage and seek to undo it as best he could. Great hardships were left to come. That he could sense, without needing to believe in visions or premonitions as, with a heavy heart, he began the long, sad walk back into Nero where he knew only despair awaited him...

"Brady, please," Harold pleaded. "You must come out of there. The city is in chaos!" Another hour since Brady's announcement had passed, and the news of it had spread to every man, woman, and child in and around Nero. Riots were breaking out in the streets and Market Place. Many were storming the Palace, demanding King Brady speak to them and set their fears at ease. Many civilians had already been arrested, and it was taking every guard and soldier within Nero to keep the riots from escalating further. Even many of the guards themselves were joining the riots! And all because of fear, and Brady's refusal to speak to his people.

After the announcement, Brady had locked himself in the room he had given to Chloe upon her arrival to the Palace, when she was still the mysterious slave-woman, Arciana. The entire Royal Council as well as Shawn had since been trying to coax Brady out of hiding. The Council, confused and demanding answers, were least effective, and had since disbanded to return to damage control. Only Shawn and Harold were left now, pounding on the door and calling for Brady to come out or let them in and speak with them.

"Brady, please, open the door. We are very concerned. We only wish to speak to you, face to face," Shawn pleaded, trying the doorknob for the millionth time. With enough force, one or two men most likely could knock the door down if need be. But no one wanted to resort to such extremes, least they alienate Brady even further, if that were even possible. It looked almost as though, however, they would have no other choice.

Just as Shawn and Harold were about to give up on getting Brady to peacefully unlock the door, the loud click of the bolt sounded and the door swung open, nearly toppling Shawn. Brady stood in the doorway, slouching and frowning where he would normally be standing proud.

"Can you not just leave me be?" Brady asked softly, not having the strength to sound angry. He was just broken, a shell of his former self.

"Brady... you can't just ignore this," Shawn said softly, hating himself for having to speak such words that tasted so foul in his mouth. He knew exactly what Brady was feeling. He was hurt and betrayed and crushed. He deserved to be allowed to shut himself away from the world that had turned it's back on him. Be alone to process what had just happened to him. But Brady was not just any other man, though his heart could break as easily and as painfully. As a King, Brady had responsibilities to attend to. And as a King, and a friend, Shawn had to help Brady attend to those responsibilities in any way that he possibly could.

"The people are revolting, Your Majesty," Harold stated. "They are confused and frightened and demanding something be done. Please, Your Majesty. You must do something! The city shall surely fall. The people need you."

"I have no care left in me for them," Brady replied without emotion. He moved back into the room, sitting back down upon the bed that had been Chloe's. It still smelled like hers, allowing Brady some comfort, and yet feeding his loneliness and despair. "I am of no use to them."

"Your Majesty, please. This is not like you. I know you're hurting, but..."

"No," Brady interrupted sharply. "You don't know. You know nothing of it. Even you, Shawn. You haven't the slightest clue what's going on inside my head."

"I have some idea," Shawn replied, though of course he knew grief was different with each person. "We do understand that you are hurting, Brady. Of course you would be. You lost the love of your life."

"I didn't lose her," Brady replied. "She left me. You can't lose something that leaves of its own free will. Chloe is gone, Shawn. She left me. I didn't lost her. She wasn't taken from me. She left me. You can't know what that is like."

"I know that the Brady Black that I know was not a man to just give up!" Shawn retorted. "You've always fought for what you believed in. I have never seen you once give in and take life as its thrown at you. You've hurting and you're alone and I am sorry that I can't do anything to fix that. But you have to get up. You have to fight. Nothing will ever get better if you just roll over and accept this situation. I know that better than anyone! Its alright to grieve, but you can't just abandon the people who depend on you. You're not that kind of man."

"You know I am not a cruel man, Shawn," Brady responded. "I am not proud of what I have done. Or what I will no longer do. But the man you are describing... the man you remember... is dead, Shawn. Dead. And what remains where that man once was... is a poor, soulless wretch who doesn't have the strength or the will left to lead those people. I have lost everything that I care for. As long as I had her, it didn't matter. As long as she was by my side, everything else in the world could betray me and it would be meaningless because I had her. But she's gone now, Shawn. She was... my last hope. Without her... I don't have it in me to lead those people. I didn't ask for their lives to depend on me. I can't be responsible for them anymore. Let them try their hand at ruling themselves. If they tear themselves apart... so be it." Brady laid back down on the bed now, turning his back on his friends.

Harold stepped forward to say something, but Shawn stopped him, shaking his head. There was no reaching Brady. At least not now. Not as he was at this moment. They had to let him have his time to grieve and to process. Shawn drew Harold back with him, both returning to the hall. Shawn shut the door quietly, giving Brady back his privacy. As much as his responsibilities as a King told him to pursue Brady and force him to lead his people, Shawn's responsibility to his friend told him that Brady needed time alone to think and come to terms with what happened. As Shawn and Harold began to walk away, Shawn just prayed that in time, Brady could come to his senses. And he prayed that the city could handle the wait, without splinting apart at the seams...

Later in the day, Chloe, was properly packed and ready for departure. She had taken everything out of her bag to properly fold and organize it. She left a few pairs of shoes and the dress she had stained and torn behind, adding the shoes to the closet of clothes that had once belonged to Brady's mother. While folding and organize her belongings, Chloe had had time to think and process what course of action she would take next.

Obviously, remaining in Nero was not an option. Aside from the pain it would cause her, the pain it would cause Brady would be even greater. And Chloe wouldn't have that. And Mucche was out of the question by all standards. She would sooner have never been rescued from that stream than return there. Philip had made it quite clear she was not welcome in Mucche, although were she to show up without Brady, Chloe imagined he could be persuaded otherwise. But aside from that barrier, Chloe wouldn't return there even if Philip would welcome her with open arms. Philip had proved that nothing had changed in Mucche since her disappearance. The Kiriakis family was still cold and ruthless and they still ruled a cold and ruthless Kingdom. Even raised as harshly as she had been, given every reason to be filled with nothing be hatred and rage, Chloe could never live the selfish, hateful life Mucche would offer her. Much as she desired to be with her bother, her only family, Philip was not the kind of man she could be proud to call 'brother.' Not to mention if she returned to Mucche, and to Philip, word would swiftly get back to Nero that King Brady's former fiancee had returned to Nero's greatest enemy. Chloe wouldn't do that to Brady if her life depended on it.

Rubino wasn't an option either. It was her residence in Rubino that had caused her to be enslaved again in the first place. And though she wouldn't trade her time with Brady for all the world, the thought of returning there just made her uneasy. The memories were just to fresh, too painful, to return to her short-lived home in Rubino. So that severely limited her options.

In the end, Chloe decided the best place for her to go was the Distant Lands. It would be an all new start, something she felt she desperately needed. The only people who traveled to the Distant Lands were merchants and traders, and those men stayed only long enough to conduct their business and move on. So no one would know here there, and her past, painful and morbid, would be left behind in Salem for good. She would travel through the mountains on foot to the ocean shore. She wasn't sure how yet, but Chloe imagined she could barter her way aboard one of the merchant ships that would be carrying goods to trade.

Chloe had absolutely no money with her. What little she'd had before in Rubino had been confiscated by the slavers. And living in Brady's Palace, where all her needs had been provided for her, she had had no need for money. If worse came to worse, Chloe could sell her extra shoes and clothing to get some money. But for the most part, she hoped she could get a job as a seamstress like before once she reached the Distance Lands. Or maybe, given the possibility that the land she was going to might be more culturally advanced, Chloe might be able to do something she enjoyed more. Whatever job she fell into, be it seamstress or artisan, Chloe wasn't too concerned with the 'who will I survive' aspect. She only knew that she would survive, because there was no alternative. However she lived, the point was, she's would be alive, and forced to live in the world. Without love, but at least alive. And more importantly, Brady would be alive, even if Chloe couldn't be with him.

Chloe looked herself over one last time in the mirror, smoothing out a wrinkle in her dress. It amazed her, what all one could truly see in a reflection. Many things might lie, but the mirror was certainly not one. It showed Chloe for the miserable, broken soul she truly was, no matter how much she might wish for a pretty, perfect lie. Whatever became of her now was her own doing. Wrong reasons or right, she had no one to blame but herself.

With a heavy sigh, Chloe picked up her now slightly lighter but still large bag, hoisting it up against her hip. It would be a long and treacherous journey on foot through the mountains. Add that she was carrying such a heavy load, and that she didn't even particularly know the countryside well, and Chloe was no doubt in for one hell of an experience. But she was used to hard labor, and could manage the rough terrain. She'd stay off of roads, unwilling to risk that someone, such as Hawk or Harold, or even Brady himself, might apprehend her. Painful as it was, she knew she could never be found. And she had no intention of being found, by anyone. She might not know how to navigate the areas around Nero and into the treacherous mountains. But if there was one thing Chloe understood, it was how to make sure she was not found.

Chloe descended the stairs, her heavy bag in tow. She opened the front door, paused in the open doorway, and turned to survey the cabin one last time.

"Brady, it's so dark. Do you have any candles..." Before she could finish her question, Brady had closed the door, and taken up 2 pieces of flint. With just 3 strikes, Brady had a wall candle on the left side of the door lit. But that was nothing amazing; what was amazing was, that almost the second the wall candle was lit, every other candle in the living room and dining room lit as well. "Oh! How did you..."

"It's an old trick my father taught me. Funny thing is, I could in no way explain to anyone how it works, I just know how to set it up to work," Brady answered. "The downside is, it only works in a small area, so for the other rooms, I just have to light candles by hand. Stay here. I'll give you the full tour, just wait until I have the house lit," Brady instructed, moving forward into the living room and disappearing down a hallway. Arciana obeyed, staying where she was. She looked around, noticing that the two lit rooms were very large, but sparsely furnished. She imagined that it hadn't been too awful long since the cabin itself had been completely finished, which would explain why little furniture would be present. The house smelled deliciously of pine because the logs which made up the walls were all pinewood trees. The floor was not carpeted, but the smooth wood flooring present gave even more of a rustic, country feel. Brady soon emerged from the hallway, but disappeared into another doorway, to the right of the front door before she could say a word.

"Brady?" Arciana called, just as he reemerged and began to climb up a staircase also on the right side of the house.

"Yes?" Brady called, continuing to make his way up the stairs.

"You built all this?"

"Yes, I've been working on it off and on since I was a boy. Most of the furniture that's here though, I bought. Not all the rooms are furnished yet, and the ones that are don't have a whole lot. Yet at least," Brady called, lighting the candles in the two rooms on the right and descending the stairs once more. He'd made his way to the left side, where another staircase stood before Arciana spoke again.

"Why did you build it? I mean, you do have an entire castle to live in," Arciana pointed out. Brady quickly lit all the candles in the rooms on the left and made his way back downstairs to stand at her side again before ever answering.

"Well, that's what I'm about to tell you. Come on inside, into the living room." Brady said, reaching out for her hand again and leading her into the living room. He did not, however, offer her a seat, since he would soon be taking her down the hallway. "You see, a long time ago, I had this dream. Well, it was more of a long-term fantasy of mine, of how I wanted my life to be. It was stupid, just a childish fantasy, but I suppose all children have dreams about their future."

"What was your dream?" Arciana asked. Of course all children had dreams. Had she not dreamt and fantasized a million different times that her life would take her far, far away from the horrid life she was living as a slave under Lord Paul? Brady hesitated, suddenly unsure he should continue. What would she think of him after he told her about the one dream that ever meant anything to him? It was childish of him to ever have believed it would one day come true. He shouldn't even be thinking of it now, let alone telling anyone about it! "Brady? Is something the matter?" God above, could she already see right through him, after knowing him such a short time?

"No, no. It's just... it's so stupid. You wouldn't be interested..." Arciana was very confused. Never once had Brady ever tried to push her away. It was she that was always pushing him away. It made no sense that he would shut down now, after all he'd shared with her already.

"Brady..." Arciana started, taking both of his hands in hers. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But I want you to know... you can tell me anything." Brady couldn't help notice her own hesitation to say that to him. She always seemed hesitant to say and do anything that might indicate she wanted to get to know him better, or wanted him to get to know her. Brady smiled broadly at her; though she was hesitant, at least the fact that she did care was a good sign.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But if I bore you to sleep, it's not my fault." Brady stated, causing Arciana to smile as well.

The memory washed over Chloe as she stood in the cabin doorframe. As she inhaled, she could remember the exact way the cabin had smelled when Brady had first brought her; sweet, and like a home. One of 1,000 memories Chloe would keep with her always, both cherished and cursed. A tear streamed down her cheek, splashing on the beautiful hardwood floor of the cabin. She hated that it had to be this way. There were no words to describe how passionately she had wanted to be the woman who saved Brady from his lonely fate. The life they would have had would have been so beautiful. But, unfortunately, as fate would have it, Brady was far better off without her.

Chloe turned now to walk out of the door, closing it behind her for what she felt would be the final time. She refused to look back once she started for the entrance to Brady's sacred hideaway. She'd break down if she did. She pressed on, leaving the enclosed sanctuary and starting for the mountain chain that she would cross to seek her freedom. She stayed off the beaten paths, remaining in the shadows of the trees as she walked. By nightfall, she knew she would be well into the mountains if she continued at her steady pace. She could find a place to rest for the night out of the way of any possible prying eyes.

As Chloe reached the base of the mountains, she turned to look behind her for the first time. She surveyed the beautiful landscape that was Nero, taking it in for the last time. As she turned away to continue heading into the mountains, Chloe was saddened that she would have to hold onto that brief memory for dear life. Because it would be the last time she would ever see the beautiful Kingdom of Nero as long as she lived. As that realization washed over her, Chloe's heart broke. Soon the sun would set as she left Nero behind. But the normal setting of the sun would have a different meaning this night. This sunset... would symbolize the conclusion of a chapter of Chloe's life that should not be ending this way. This sunset was brining the end of Chloe's life in Nero, and the beginning of her greatest of all possible fears...

After a long and hard ride, Gavin Park, the lone rider who'd escaped the city of Nero to relay the events unfolding within the Palace to King Philip, finally reached the Mucchean border. He raised the banner of Mucche, as Cynthia had instructed him, and the guards patrolling the city let him pass without resistance. Gavin charged through the city, aiming his tired steed for the Mucchean Palace. Cynthia was outside the Palace Gates, flirting shamelessly with three guards when Gavin approached.

"Gavin! Wonderful! I thought you'd never arrive. You have news?" Cynthia asked, though she knew he would only have left his post if something big had developed.

"Yes, milady," Gavin replied as he dismounted his horse.

"Excellent. Garret, see that Gavin's horse is fed and watered," Cynthia ordered, as though she fancied herself their Queen. Garret bowed and obeyed without question, taking the reins from Gavin to lead the horse to the stables. "Come. I will present you to the King," Cynthia said to Gavin, looping her arm in his. She led him inside the open drawbridge gate and through the Great Hall. They continued into the War Room where Philip was discussing battle tactics with his General, Michael.

"Ah, Cynthia. Lovely to see you this fine morning," Michael greeted, almost hiding his fake cheer. He saw her presence as a valuable asset against his enemy, as she had knowledge none of his men could possibly possess. But beyond that, she was rather a nuisance. He only prayed his tolerance paid off, and ended in Mucche's much deserved triumph over Nero.

"And what a fine morning it is... now," Cynthia replied, turning a coy smile Gavin's way.

"And who, prey tell, is this young gentlemen? He is not one of mine," Philip observed, eyeing Gavin with intense suspicion. He did not like the look of this new young man. He looked the sort of man who would kiss your feet one moment, and stab you in the back the next. And as a rule, Philip distrusted everyone until proven otherwise by extensive trials.

"Your Majesty," Gavin began, removing his riding helmet to show his respect. He bowed his head humbly, continuing his introduction. "I am Gavin Park of Nero. I am a member of the Rebellion against the crumbling rule of Nero by the Black family. I am here at request of Lady Cynthia to inform you of a great shift within the walls of the Neroean Palace."

"Do go on," Philip prompted, his interest successfully grabbed.

"It pertains to your sister, Sire," Gavin responded.

"Chloe?" Philip asked, surprised. "What has happened to my sister? The bounty for any such knowledge is more than one man can even imagine. I suggest you speak swiftly and true."

"She has left Nero, Your Majesty," Gavin replied. "She has broken her engagement to King Brady and left the Palace."

"Chloe broke her engagement to Brady? She finally came to her senses? How wonderful!" Philip exclaimed, clapping his hands in his joy. He'd been in a foul mood ever since Chloe and Brady had left after he rejected their offering of peace. To hear that their plan to make Chloe leave Brady and return to her rightful home was coming along well was grand news indeed. "Oh, how crushed that filthy nuisance Brady must be! If only I could have been there to see it. I am sure the look on his face would have been a memory worth dying for. Well, where is my beloved twin sister? Are you certain she has left Nero? Have you brought her with you?"

"No, Sire. I regrettably have not," Gavin replied. "No one has seen her since she was sighted racing through the Market Place in tears, her bag in tow. One can only assume that she was intent on leaving Nero for good. The news about the Market Place has her fleeing the city for the surrounding forests."

"Perhaps she is on her way here, Your Majesty," Michael interrupted. "On foot, the journey can take quite some time to complete. She may already be on her way here as we speak."

"Perhaps. I would be overjoyed to have her come home of her own will," Philip stated. "But as Lady Cynthia had planned, I rejected her while on Brady's arm. I fear I may have been so harsh that she would feel she could not come here even without him at her side. I can not take the risk of her disappearing again and moving on to a new home. A full scale search must be launched to find her and bring her here. She must be shown that it is my greatest desire to have her here with me, now that she has rightfully disposed of that murderous bastard Brady Black."

"If I may interject, Your Majesty," Gavin began, stepping forward. "Nero is in a weakened, chaotic state. King Brady has announced an abandonment of his crown. The people are revolting. Nero will soon fall into a state of utter turmoil. The city is ripe and ready for invasion. With your vast army, you will have no trouble putting an end to this age old war, wiping the Black family off the face of this earth and claiming victory for Mucche."

"I have no care for conquest!" Philip boomed. "Not when my sister is at stake. I have waited far too long to have her at my side again to let her slip away over something so meaningless as conquest and power. Nero can wait. Let it rot, for all I care, along with my own Kingdom should it get in-between Chloe and I. Michael!" Philip boomed, though Michael was standing right beside him and there was no need to shout his General's name.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Michael responded in a clear, unnecessarily loud voice, placing his helmet on his head to signify he was ready for the orders that he already knew were coming.

"Call your men to order. I want every available man to begin the full-scale search. Leave only enough men behind to see that the Palace is secure. Everyone else is to be sent out to insure that my sister is brought safely home to me. Begin in the mountains between the border of Nero. Instruct your men to stay clear of Nero's borders, however. I don't want them knowing we are searching for Chloe, least they decide to do her harm to spite me. Expand the search as needed into the mountains and plains on the ocean front. Do whatever it takes to find my sister and bring her to me."

"Yes, Sire! As you wish," General Michael replied obediently. He gave a stiff bow before he left the War Room, two lieutenants close behind, to carry out his orders. He was an obedient man, though strong and very willful. But he would carry out these orders, whether he agreed with them or not. After all... Philip would not be of sound mind again until Chloe was returned to him. And no good ever came from allowing a man driven mad to rule as King.

"Cynthia," Philip called, shifting his attention to the slender young woman who had remained uncommonly silent throughout this whole conversation. "See to it that the bounty is secured for this young man. He may collect it... after he joins the search effort. Do you know what my sister looks like, Gavin?" Philip asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I have seen her on many occasions. I would recognize her with ease," Gavin replied.

"Good. Then get yourself a horse. You will ride out alone. Since I assume they see you as one of their own and know nothing of your involvement with Lady Cynthia or myself, or you would never have made it here alive, then you can freely search in and around Nero without drawing attention to yourself. If she is in that area, you will be able to find her and bring her to me. Once she is found, you may return for your bounty."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gavin replied, eyes glimmering with greed. He replaced his riding helmet onto his dark-haired head, intent to take his leave.

"Oh, and Gavin?" Philip began to add as Gavin turned. "If you are the one to find her and bring her to me by dawn, you will receive your bounty threefold. But if you have deceived me in any way, or she is not found... I will reward your bounty to the one who brings me your head," Philip warned.

"She will be found, Sire! I assure it," Gavin swore, although not as convincingly as he would have liked. The penalty of treason was death, but death could be made swifter, or it could be made slow and horrifying. Gavin rather feared now his quest for riches would secure him the later form of death. Gavin quickly took his leave, leaving only Philip and Cynthia in the War Room. Cynthia approached Philip, a rather annoyed look upon her face and a scowl she could not hide, despite her best efforts.

"Your Majesty, forgive my intrusion," Cynthia began, though she didn't care if he wanted her to speak or not. "But don't you think that you are being a bit careless? I know finding your dear twin sister is very important to you..."

"It is of the only importance to me," Philip replied sharply, finally standing from the large rectangular table he had been seated at to approach Cynthia. Cynthia, normally always the one to stand her ground, shrank slightly in her place at the wild, determined look upon Philip's face. "Nero is meaningless to me if I do not have Chloe with me. Conquering Nero, Rubino, Supervisore, and Arcadia combined means nothing to me without her! Family may mean little to you, Lady Cynthia. It may have even meant little to my ancestors. But to me, family is everything. With my mother gone, Chloe is the only family I have left. I won't lose her again. I will give up my Kingdom before I allow that! To hell with all of Salem!"

"I understand, Your Majesty. I do," Cynthia said softly as Philip stopped directly in front of her. She took his arm gently, drawing him near. "I only have your best interests at heart. Vengeance against Nero for its sins has always been your family's ultimate desire. I know how important family is to you. That is why I act as I do. It is well known that your father hated the Black family with a passion. He dreamt only of wiping the whole lot of them off the face of the earth, and gave his life to that cause! But he never had the grand opportunity which you are now granted. Brady and his people are weakened. Vulnerable. Now is the time for Mucche to make its move and strike against its greatest enemy. Your father's dream will finally be fulfilled. And once Nero falls, so will the rest of the Alliance. You can give honor to his memory, and right his wrongful death."

"I see what you are saying, Lady Cynthia. I am not a fool," Philip replied. "But I stand firm in my priorities. Chloe must be brought safely to me before I can make my move on Nero. If she is in Nero, she could be hurt in a strike. And the longer she is out there, wherever she may be, the more likely harm will come to her. I must find her first, Cynthia. I simply must."

"And besides," Philip continued. "Once I find her, I will convince her to rejoin our side. I will make her see that this is where she belongs. Mucche is her home. Her blood. She will stand beside me, I know it. If Brady really has abandoned his crown, then the riots Gavin spoke of will only escalate as time passes, making the city even riper for the taking. When I have my sister at my side, it will make my conquest of Brady, Nero, and the Alliance all the sweeter. She will come to me soon. I just know it."

"I am sure you are right, Your Majesty," Cynthia said with a fake smile as she and Philip began to leave the War Room, arm in arm. She had better. Cynthia thought to herself as she plastered on a fake smile to flash Philip's way. Because I'll be damned if I let all my hard work go up in flames. One way or another... all of Salem will be mine...