It was their fourth day traveling and Kaden was extremely exhausted. She rode on Moonflower while Ambrose and Allan rode on their own mounts. The riding was easy going, but Kaden thought it was boring. There was nothing to talk about and nothing to do. At least they were halfway through the trip.

"I don't much like traveling." Allan said abruptly. "I like staying in one spot."

"Is that why you're still at the palace?" Ambrose said teasingly.

"No, as a matter of fact, I'm not. I'm there until the king puts me somewhere else."

"Hm. I'm sure you are." She said sarcastically. That was the content of their conversation for the day because they were interrupted. Four large, built men jumped in front of the road. They didn't seem like nobles because they were hardly dressed like them and they were attacking for no reason, but they didn't act like commoners: they looked as though they were trained to fight.

Kaden pulled out her bow and arrow, Ambrose pulled out her lance and Allan pulled out his sword. They were all prepared for battle on the road. Although they were outnumbered, they charged.

Ambrose was faced with a tough looking man who had a scar over his right eye. She swung left, punching her pole arm in his shoulder. He jumped, but too late, and swung at her with a dull sword, cutting her in the arm. She pushed down hard on her lance, hitting him in the skull, knocking the guy out.

Kaden pulled the bow back to her ear and shot the man in the leg first, making blood splatter over the ground. He didn't give up, running towards her and pulling her off her saddle. She landed with a thump on the ground, getting up quickly, but not quickly enough. He used his weapon, a dagger, to cut her on the cheek. 'Just another battle mark to make me look tougher.' She thought as she aimed and kicked the short man in the face. She took her opening and loosed her arrow into his neck. He doubled over and lay still.

At the same time as the girls, Allan faced two men. He swung his sword around, hitting one with the flat of it on the head. He dropped, clutching his head preciously. Allan fought the other one with the sword. He was exceptionally good with it - swinging high and low, trying to trip him under his feet, trying to cut his head off. He was too slow at one point, and Allan used his time wisely, cutting his hand off. This man didn't even cry out in pain as his bloody hand fell to the dirt path. He swung angrily and Allan blocked patiently.

"Look out from behind you!" Kaden yelled. He swung in, pushing the sword inside the man's stomach. The man punched him once, twice and then Allan twisted his sword sideways inside of him. The man fell to the ground.

The other man, on the other hand, Kaden fought along with the help of Ambrose. Ambrose whacked the man in the stomach as he swung and got her thigh. She jumped away. Kaden fiddled with an arrow, stupidly. It was stuck in her pack. The man charged on her, cutting her on her side, deeply. She gasped. Then she looked at the man, ready to fight. He was standing, shocked, with a sword stuck right through his chest.

Kaden sighed, pain from her side making her weak and dizzy. She refused to tolerate it, and stood up.

"Is everyone okay?" Allan asked, out of breath. Ambrose nodded although blood dripped from her leg.

"I need a bandage." She said calmly.

"In the pack on Kaden's gelding." Ambrose walked over to get them. Kaden gasped for air, still, getting weaker every moment. 'I am not tired or weak. I'm fine. I am a lake. I calm lake.' She said as she closed her eyes and supported herself with her mount.

"Kaden? Are you okay?" Ambrose said, looking worried. "You look pale."

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as strongly as she could which didn't go too well. Allan came over to stand by her, looking her over for injuries."

"Kaden, you're side!"

"I'll be fine, Allan..." She said as she fainted from blood loss.

"Allan, she's going to be okay." Ambrose said as she bandaged her wound.

"You know it? For sure?" Allan looked more pale than Kaden had.

"For sure. Now, come on. Mount her up." She said as she mounted her horse. "I hate killing people for no apparent reason."

Thayet looked more worried than she had when she was in labour. Now, she paced the hall impatiently in her flowing gown.

The ball had started that night, and she was sure that this 'Kaden' would come. If she was at the palace, she would have come. Unless she was like Raoul, who hated parties. She wasn't there. Not at all. Thayet had searched the room numerous times, and she didn't find who she was looking for. She didn't find the dark haired, blue eyed girl she expected to find. Jon came from a door in the hall. He was dressed very fancy in a burgundy pant and shirt suit with gold trim. He wore many embellishments and jewels on his fingers and neck. He walked calmly to his lovely wife.

"Thayet. You look lovely." His wife was dressed almost with the same elegance. She wore a silk gown, baby blue in color, that had beaded details and white trim. It had a lace bodice that was also beaded. She wore her hair pinned up smoothly and a couple of pearl earbobs with a matching necklace.

"And you as well." She said. She didn't smile; she was too worried. When would she get to see this Kaden? Did she even exist? Would she ever get to meet her? And if she did, it probably wouldn;t be the one she was looking for. She forced herself to cheer up and smile. "Are you ready to go, my sweet?"

"Of course." She smield as sweetly as she could as he led the way to the ballroom. This Kaden probably didn't exist. Why should she worry herself with someone that wasn't even there?

A/N: I was thinking to myself whilst writing this,"I don'tget enough reviews. What am I doing that people aren't reviewing?". Well, the truth is, I don't know. If you have read this story, please, please, review it. I don't care what you have to say: good or bad. I just like your comments! Please review. I am in need of socialism, if that's even a word... :)