New Summer Resolution: I will dedicate my summer into updating! …or not. I hope. XDD And I also realized I'm not exactly fulfilling the spoiler summary like I had planned to. The story is taking a road of its own. Eghh..

I basically can't update the whole of July. Stink summer camps! And an educational one, at that…

And I'm sort of speeding through this thing. Hehe. I can't write suspense no matter how hard I try. So only one or two more chapters left, I'm thinking. Hehe. Short story

Thank you for reviewing! XD

As I have previously predicted, he declines my offer of a cracker, having much better food to attend to. I allow my triumphant smile to fall as I eat the cracker that I have just offered. He watches me, amused. When I have eaten my fill, or all that was given to me, I ask, "Say, Sir Frederick, what exactly is your business here?"

He seems to be more loose than I have seen him before. Less guarded now, he replies in a casual manner, "My business is to remain unknown. Not many people are to know of it." A small smile flickers across his face as he continues, "It is of no particular importance to you, anyways."

Though I am still quite curious, I decide that I shall not carry the conversation on further. He starts, "Do you believe that I am evil?"

The question comes so suddenly that it is the last thing I expect. Startled, I reply, "I do not know you enough to judge you."

"But based on what you know about me already," he continues, "what do you think of me?"

I hesitate before I respond. "In truth," I say slowly, "I do not know what to think."

He looks at me strangely. "How is that?"

"Well," I begin, "when I first saw you… indeed, I believed you evil. Who would tease a princess as you have done and throw her into a prison! But then, your attitude changed completely. Now I wonder what is the real purpose of me being in here." I laugh wistfully. "I am confused enough to tell you that."

"I see," he says curtly. I look at him strangely. "You do not tell many lies, do you?"

"Only when I must, but I try my best to avoid being caught in such a situation," I reply frankly.

"Well, you are already caught in it, princess, believe it or not," Frederick replies. "I think you should best understand your surrounding events before you make an action. Not everything is as great as it seems… or, on the other hand, as terrible as it may appear."

I look at him inquiringly, wanting to know more. "Why am I in here?" I ask softly.

He casts a sharp glance at me and says shortly, "For your own good." He leaves, and I remain alone, considering his words. Still, I do not know who he is, or what is his cause. All I know is the name…

…I wake up. Beyond my cell door is Erik, keys in hand. "Hurry, princess," he urges, "I have come to rescue you." He slips a metal key into the keyhole, turning it, his eyes determined. The door unlocks as it creaks open. "Come," he whispers. I hesitate, confused, before following his lead out.

"What is going on?" I whisper to him. He shakes his head as if to tell me it wasn't the right time to speak, so I remain silent. He takes me to the stairway that I have seen Frederick use to leave so often. I find myself once more in Kerth's room. We leave the empty room and to beneath the staircase.

"You know where to go on from here. I must leave now," he tells me.

As he is about to go, I stop him. "Wait," I begin. "Can you please tell me what is going on here?"

He hesitates before replying, "They've captured you, and I've come to rescue you. Your maid, Prodita, told me you were missing when I met her while in town. She was looking for lace." He casts me one last glance before departing. "Good-bye."

I remain beneath the stairway, deeply confused. Who is Frederick? What does he want with me?

…And more importantly, who is Daray?

I ponder while returning to my room. Prodita is there, startled at my abrupt entrance. "My lady!" she cries out. "I did not expect you to be here! You have gone missing for two days now; I have wondered where you were!"

"I was… experiencing great difficulties," I say awkwardly. "Erik has saved me from them."

"Good," Prodita says. "I am glad you have returned." Looking hesitant, she continues, "I must go now, I hope you do not mind."

"No, not at all," I reply, sitting upright on my bed.

I think of all that has happened. Erik has saved me, and I am grateful for him, in his debt. But gratefulness is not all I feel. I feel something else, something as in the lines of… attachment, as if I were drawn to him.

It takes me an hour before I realize that I am starting to appreciate him more than I should, but rather in the sense of love. I chide myself angrily. I have not seen him but twice! Yet he has already saved me and was kind to me. His appearance is handsome and his character social in a noble manner.

He already seems perfect.

I suddenly scold myself for not attending to Mother. She must have been deathly worried of where I have been! I rush to her bedroom, but no one is there. I search in the library, but she is not to be found. Desperately worried, I find one of my sisters and asks her urgently, "Where is Mother?"

"You're back?" Abigail says disapprovingly. "Mother has been worried sick. She has left only yesterday, never to return. Mind you, she has been muttering strange things."

"Mother… is gone?" I choke out. Abigail nods before leaving. I still cannot believe it. Mother, the only other person who seems to notice anything is wrong—has left.

For good.

"It's impossible," I whisper. Tears begin to flow from my eyes. Mother was gone. If I did not even know better, I could decently say that she is dead, but she is too good to be dead. But it would all mean the same to me, for I would never see her again.

Erik finds me a few hours later, noting that I have cried. He asks me what is wrong, and I reply, "Mother has disappeared."

"She's dead?" he says, surprised.

"No," I say, "she has left."

He sympathizes with me. He offers to take me with him back to his home, and I agree. It is much better than the castle that brings me so many terrible memories.

At his humble yet decently large home, he pours me tea and offers me cookies. I accept the tea but decline the treats. As we drink, I say, "What were you doing in town the other day?"

"I was looking for some wine. I had been expecting guests over. Unfortunately, though, I have not been able to find anything good. That is, I suppose, the misfortune of disguising oneself as a peasant. No one expects that you have any change; a flaw of the human being."

I laughingly agree. "It is very true," I say. "It is very treacherous that many would rather assume than to think."

"What about you?"

He speaks so seriously that I am startled. "Me?" I say awkwardly.

"Yes," he replies, looking intently at me. "You."

"I…" I stutter, unsure of what to say. "I cannot judge my own self."

"But you do, anyways, I am sure of it. Everyone has morals, but not everyone keeps to them. Indeed, many stray far from it," he says. "Who do you see yourself as?"

I hesitate before answering. "I see myself as a person who does try to keep to her morals as much as possible."

He nods. "But do you assume rather than think?"

"I should say so," I reply.

A small chuckle escapes his lips. He smiles brightly, and the air immediately lightens. "It is nice to know," he says, "that such an excellent woman will rule over us one day."

I smile back. Glancing at the time, I say, "I should go now. I have been gone from notice long enough as it is." He does not attempt to stop me as I leave, and I am thankful for it, for I have too many thoughts in my mind to be disturbed.

Do I assume rather than think? I fancy myself not, but I consider all that was happening right now. I immediately think of Daray. Though there seems enough to prove him guilty, perhaps not all was as it seemed. Perhaps I did not think far enough.

Instead of walking back towards my room, I walk instead to the place that I had left Daray. Nothing but the dried blood on the grass proves that he was ever here. I look up at the vines. I had followed his directions carefully and completely, but the castle had likely changed over time.

Squinting, I see a line streaking towards other windows, one that is not the same shade as the rest of the castle.

I understand; someone has cut the vine off.

Looking closely, I find that the line stops at the window of my room. Surprised, I dash inside, racing to my room, ignoring all the offended looks I have received for behaving so irrationally. I am relived that Prodita is not here and I immediately go to my bureau. I feel for the back of my mirror, and my hand reaches a key. I take it and immediately head towards my bathroom closet.

The gowns are not there, and neither is the entrance. I walk back towards my bed to think… and I remember.

Only a little over three feet tall, I run to a boy, delighted. "Come with me!" I exclaim, and he obeys, as we run together back to my room. I lead him to the bathroom and shows him the pile of laundry on the floor, pushing it aside.

"Look," I say eagerly, "it's a secret passage!"

He tries to open it but fails. "It's locked," he says, disappointed.

"Maybe we can find the key someday," I suggest happily. "At least we know where it leads to!"

Delighted by the discovery, they search everywhere in the castle for the key, but it was not to be found. Years later, it was also to be forgotten.

Years later, I return to my room from my trip to a neighboring country. I find a maid scurrying out with a pile of gowns. "What is that?" I say.

"You have complained about the gowns that were littered on the floor," the maid replied. "We are taking them away. However, they revealed several broken tiles. The king ordered that they be replaced."

I nod, thinking nothing of it. There were always some damages in the area…

The passageway has been covered up. I had forgotten about the discovery, having been so young. And now, as I remember…

…was this how Daray knew of the secret passageway? Was it him whom I have shown it to?

I hesitate.

Who is he?

I am confused, but I am determined that I resolve all this.

For me.

For Mother.

For the country.

I will end this attempt of overthrowing the king. I will understand what is right.

I search everywhere for Daray. I try my luck at the dungeons; he is not there. I bite my lip. He has likely been taken to a secret, hidden area, as I have been. I bite my lip for never having explored the castle well enough. I had been too practical.

I go through my closet, looking for a simpler outfit to wear. As I go through the dresses, I notice one dress that I have never worn before. It was not my taste, and I strongly dislike it. However, in the bodice, was a clasp that held a gemstone. Though I still do not approve of the style, it was the simplest one there was, and I hurriedly change into it. I am about to close the door of the wardrobe when something catches my eye.

The hanger of the dress had fallen to the floor of the wardrobe, making an awkward noise. I bend down to pick up the hanger when I notice a dent in the wood. I unconsciously finger the gem in the bodice. Suddenly realizing my action, I unclasp the gem from the bodice and place it in the dent.

It fitted.

Turning the gemstone, the entrance was unlocked. I hurriedly clasp the gem back in place, lifting the wooden door. I slide inside, closing the door behind me.

Beneath me is a staircase. I follow the steps and go through a hallway and arrive into an empty room with numerous hallways.

In the middle of it is Prince Daray.

Surprised at finding him so soon, I say to him quickly, "I am sorry that I was unable to help you; the vines have been cut and I have been misled."

He shakes his head. "I have expected something to happen. I have been gone from here far too long."

"About that… I remembered something." I look at him intently. "I remember you. Who are you? I… I recall the slightest image, but I don't know what…"

"You've forgotten, haven't you?" he says, smiling slightly. I nod, however ashamed. He laughs, looking away. "I was put away here in a place that I am not familiar with. Lucky for them, for I know numerous passageways, but this is likely the only prison I do not know of. Only one of these hallways leads to the outside. Two of them leads to death, with walls that close inward on you. The others lead to dead ends or to locked doorways. And they all appear identical."

"You haven't answered my question," I say accusingly. "Who are you?"

He looks at me straight in the eye and says, "Of all people, I thought that you would be the last one to forget, other than Mother. Of all people! And you have forgotten as well."

"I admit it, and I am ashamed of it," I reply. "Will you not tell me who you are?"

He smiles sadly and says after a moment's pause, "I am your brother."

I gasp slightly and shake my head. "It is impossible. Mother always told me there were only nine of us. With you, there will be ten!"

"Then it must mean that one of your current sisters is not your true sister," he replies, a small smile playing at his face.

"Who, then?" I ask.

He examines me closely before answering, wondering how his answer will affect me. At last, he answers.

"Katrina."