A/N Hello my gorgeous readers! How ya'll doing? I know it's been a while! Sorry! But YEY Fin is back, and YEY You all love him as much as me! But not in a romantic way me hopes. Well, you can, but Shaylee can not ok? He is older than her! By a hell of a lot! And no, my principles will not change! I could never ever write that, I would like totally cringe... ewwww. Sorry. Anyway, I began this chapter in English when I really should have been doing my coursework, so I hope it is worth it! You all better love it and review madly and go wowsa she is great, let's give her lots of ice-cream. Sorry... I love ice-cream ok? Ok? Ahem... Yes! But i am giving it up for lent... NOOOOOOOOO! So expect more updates in that 40 day period as I try to distract myself! Hehe! I guess I should let you read the story now ey... ok then, if you wanna!

"Sorry... what did you say?" I asked, still feeling stunned.

Finley paused, obviously thinking of the best way to tell me what had happened. "When I was walking in the woods I found you, you were unconscious and blood was pouring from your chest. Your dress was caked in blood," he paused again, "that's what doesn't make sense, there was so much blood but the wound didn't show any signs of closing."

I tried to take in the information, to imagine what it could mean, but shock had shut down all non-vital parts of my brain.

"Anyway, I pressed moss and herbs to the wound and carried you back here. The herbs seemed to help but the wound still took much longer than normal to close and I had to use magic. That's probably why you've been unconscious for so long -magic tends to use a lot of energy, especially healing rites."

"I don't... I don't understand, you're saying that somebody... stabbed me?"

Fin nodded, "Yes, as far as I can tell. And the weapon, well it must have been made with magic or else magic had been interwoven into its very particles. That's the only way the wound would stay open for so long."

I tried to move around, to get a little more comfortable but the movement caused a sharp pain in my chest. It seemed now that I was aware of my injury it hurt more. Why was it always like that?

My face curved in a grimace but I forced the pain to the back of my mind and moved so my feet were dangling over the side of the bed. I realised then that I wasn't on a bed at all but a wide shelf cut out of the cave wall. I also realised I wasn't wearing Alicia's dress any more, I was now wearing clean trousers and a fresh white shirt.

"Be careful will you," Fin said, "It's only just healed and you need to take care of yourself,"

"Sorry, thank you Fin, you've looked after me well,"

"Of course I have, your sister would kill me if I didn't," he replied with a grin that resembled the old one he wore when I had first met him.

"Do you miss them?"

"I miss a lot of people," he said, sadly, "but especially them, and you of course." He came back to the bed with a bowl of ointment he had been mixing, it was a thick paste and I wondered what it was for. "You need to eat this I'm afraid. It won't taste nice but it will help get your strength back,"

I peered into the bowl at the green paste. I didn't look at all edible. "Tell me what happened then,"

"That is a lot of history, and it will not improve your apatite for this mixture,"

"Please Fin, I need to know sometime, maybe I can help?"

"I doubt that highly. Alright, if you eat that I shall tell you." I nodded and he sat down in a little wooden chair opposite me. He sighed, trying to think where to begin. I picked up the spoon and swallowed a mouthful of the slimy substance. It tasted bad, like rotten eggs and sour milk. It was extremely disgusting. But at least my bargaining powers had gotten something out of it, and I hoped it would help me get better.

"I'm eating this... stuff!"

"Ok, ok Princess Impatient. So... when you left everything was happy... I mean obviously I missed you, but generally the kingdom was happy. Crops grew tall and the goblins were kept at bay by my guards. After a century though a treaty was signed between I and their new leader, stating that they would be able to live in Hadanim, as long as it was peaceful. That's when everything started to go wrong. I don't doubt now that it was the goblins spreading maliciousness, but then... I was unwise... I chose to believe that they had really changed. I suppose I made myself blind because I didn't want to see that I was wrong.

"Anyway, the humans that year suffered a bad harvest, but the faeries' were bountiful, as were the Goblins. Of course the humans said their lands had been robbed of nourishment because there was too many plantings, I think that in fact someone cursed their lands."

"Why would someone do that?" I asked between mouthfuls,

"To ruin the kingdom. They knew what it would lead to,"

"What did it lead to?" I asked quietly.

"Mass burnings. The humans formed mobs that went burning the crops of other species. The the fairies and goblins retaliated, burning property. The only people not effected directlywere those that lived in the Golden City. But of course, loyalty to their families in the country meant that brawls broke out. It was there that the first killings happened, no-one knows even to this day who started it, but a riot broke out on market day and 13 were killed, 6 fairies and 7 humans."

"Surprising that no goblins were killed," I said wryly,

"Actually, the goblins weren't allowed to the Golden market, but I agree, it was probably them... I just can't believe my stupidity, if only I hadn't made that treaty I could of..." He put his head in hands and sighed.

"It's not your fault Fin, you were, you are a great King. You just have to remember that. What happened next?"

"Well, each side came to me partitioning their innocence and the other species' guilt. But even as I tried to look into the evidence more riots happened, eventually I had to evacuate the city. I thought that maybe splitting them up... they might forget... or something. I don't know what I was thinking. But, I sent the fairies to the North and the humans to the South. Unfortunately, this didn't work, it made things worse as people were kicked off their land, angering each group more. Raiding parties ruined the City, leaving it as it is now, Ruins. And then there was the armies... battles happened, many were killed... the pixies being the first on each sides agenda. Farms of mixed marriages were burnt to the ground, it was terrible.

"I tried to stop it, but my guards were mixed and even they began to fight within themselves... nothing I could do would stop the fighting. Even now the species won't mix. It's as if the country has been split into two, I can't believe how I treated this... nightmare. I just..."

"It's alright Fin! I know how hard it must have been, there is nothing else you could have done, you can't re-write the past. What's important is what we do now,"

"What we do?" He said, looking up at me, "What are you going to do Shaylee? How exactly do you propose we end this war that has lasted the better part of three centuries?"

I knew he didn't mean to be rude. I knew he was just upset, that he felt like there was no point any more. So I didn't react as my sister would have, I didn't shout back. It's lucky I am so patient. Most of the time anyway, I thought as I remembered shouting at Cameron.

"Finley of Hadanim," I said sharply, in the voice my mother used when admonishing my sister or I. "I can't believe you have given up, you are obviously not the fairy we thought you were. Now, get up, and take this bowl away from me. Then we shall think of a plan. There is always a way."

My voice was obviously very stern because he immediately got up and took the bowl away, placing it on the table. The he turned and smiled. "Thanks Shaylee, I needed that. I'm glad you're here."

"So, surprisingly, am I." I paused for a minute, "Wait... I came here last time and we stopped the goblin Queen... is this why I came here now? Perhaps I need to save Hadanim again."

"Perhaps..." Finley looked thoughtful, then he grinned, "Although it wasn't just you the last time!"

"Alright alright," I laughed, "I admit I perhaps wasn't the only person to save a whole country."

"But... if we are even to attempt... whatever it is we may attempt, we shall need help, there is no way that only you and I can save Hadanim."

I thought, Ty and Kayla of course would love to be here, on an adventure again, but they had Ryann, and if I was totally honest, I had no idea how they could get here. Who else? "Aha!" I announced, grinning wildly,

"What?" Fin looked eager to hear my revelation,

"I know of a whole family who can help us. Linderen is a fairy, and Rupert is a Prince, and Alicia and Cameron are both Pixies, they must be of some help surely! Except..." I suddenly felt crushed. It was useless. "Cameron won't help... he doesn't like royalty."

"You mentioned it..." Fin looked thoughtful, "But surely any chance we have we must take. And besides, I assume they shall be worried about you, especially Cameron."

"You think it is a good idea then?"

"Of course," he smiled, "We shall leave as soon as possible. We should reach their cottage soon but... how will we find it?"

"I... we shall get there," I answered resolutely, even though I had no idea how. I would have to trust in my sense of direction, what little of it there was anyway.

A/N Hey! Hope you liked the chapter! I know it was short but I thought you'd rather have a quick update now than wait until next week for one that is a page or so longer! Anyhoot, please review!