Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Meg Cabot, even Mateo cause we just changed the name.

A/N: We changed Hector's name to Mateo because… not telling! It will be explained later in the story, there is a special reason to that…Please review!

Chapter 2

By the time Mateo got home it was 9:00 in the morning. Instead of taking him half an hour to get home it had taken him almost two hours. He was riding his horse as slowly as he could, so that the girl wouldn't get jolted and fall off. He arrived at a set of iron gates that led to his family's mansion and got the guard to open it. He rode up to the front door, slowly and carefully, just as his mother and two of his sisters were leaving the house. They were probably on their way to take a walk.

His sister Mercedes saw him first saw him first; she waved and shouted,' Mateo! You're home early!' As he got closer the in her face faded, when she saw the disheveled girl lying limply across the saddle. Her mother saw this and looked at her son. 'Nombre de Dios, Jesse! What happened? Who is she?' He got off his horse, and answered, 'She just collapsed…I don't know who she is, but I couldn't just leave her there, Mother.' He took her off the horse and walked soothingly into the house, following Amber who had ran into the house to call her father and the rest of the family.

In the great hall Mateo begged his father, 'Father, can she stay here still she gets better? Please, Father? We can't just leave her like this, can we? She obliviously has no where else to go.'

At this, all his sisters started whispering excitedly about having another person to go shopping with and play games with. There father, a man who looked tough on the outside was really quite soft at heart. He finally relented.

Mateo took the girl up stairs in put her in a bed in one of the spare rooms, his whole family following him.

'Get a doctor!' He shouted. Amber, who was the most practical, left to get a doctor.

The doctor came, and went after checking the girl. He told the De Silvas that he didn't know what was wrong with her. She was there but not responding.

Over the next few days, Mateo spent as much time as he could with the unconscious girl. Finally, after a few days had passed, and he despaired that she would ever awaken, something happened.

He had been sitting next to the girl, holding her hand. He did not know why was doing this, but it just felt right. About an hour later, he heard something but it was so faint he almost didn't hear it. The sound was coming from the girl. Her eyes fluttered open. Her beautiful emerald eyes finally had life in them. After about a second of complete silence, the girl shot up in the bed. She looked around and saw Mateo, and asked him, 'what happened? And who the hell are you?'

Mateo, taken aback, answered 'You fainted in the streets, and I brought you here. It's been three days since. My name is Mateo De Silva. But you can call me Jesse.' She didn't answer, but he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes.

'Don't worry; you're safe here from whatever you were running from. We'll take-' Just then, his mother walked in holding a bowl of soup.

Her eyes widened when she saw the girl was awake.

She put the tray down and ran immediately to the girl's side. 'Dear, you're awake, at last! We thought you'd never wake up. What's your name? Where are you from?' The girl who looked a bit dazed, answered, 'How do I know I can trust you?'

'You can't. You'll just have to trust us, because we mean good.' Said Jesse, kindly.

'Well…ok...my name is Susannah. I'm an orphan.' She said bitterly.

'Susannah. What a pretty name,' Said Alyssa. Jesse murmured his agreement under his breath.

'Mother, can I please talk to Susannah alone for a few minutes?' Jesse asked suddenly.

Susannah looking alarmed that he might try and interrogate her, said, 'Uhh...why? That's not really necessary...'She trailed off as Alyssa gave her a small smile and left, taking no heed of her at all.

'Well, what do you have to say, then?' She asked aggressively.

'Well… kind of wanted to get to know you better…you intrigue me.' Said Jesse, rather sheepishly. 'And…well I can't help but think that there is something you're hiding. You and I both know that if I hadn't brought you here you would have been kidnapped.' He finished, looking expectantly at Susannah, as if saying, your turn!

She gave him a long hard look. 'Fine. I don't know why but I think I can trust you.' She said at long last. 'You were right. I am being followed, and I need you're help.' She hesitated. 'What connection do you have with the Queen?'

Jesse puffed up, and said proudly, 'I'm the head of her Secret Police, the Guardians of the Throne, or the Guardians for short.' Susannah's reaction was unexpected. She spluttered and just sat there gaping at him. 'Susannah, are you alright?' He asked, concerned, moving his hand to her. She moved back, choking on her own saliva. (A/N: I do that a lot actually! Its rather annoying!)

'Stay away from me', she managed to gasp out.

Suddenly, the door to the bedroom burst open and all five of his sisters ran in.

'Susannah! You're awake! Mama said you were talking to Jesse!' They piled around her bed and started giggling and gossiping with Susannah.

Amber pushed Jesse out of the room saying, 'Get out of the room, Mateo! Susannah needs to get dressed!' She imperiously shut the door in his face, not allowing him even a glimpse of Susannah.

Susannah didn't even bother protesting, and gave them leave to do whatever they liked.

One hour, much complaining, grumbling and giggling later, Susannah looked in the mirror. She could barely recognize the reflection.

A tall thin girl stood there with her long wavy brown hair in a bun at the base of her head, with gentle strands of hair framing her face. She wore a long flowing gown, with puffy sleeves. It was the color of palest pink. The neckline was such a steep V-line that she blushed at the reflection. The girls had assured her that it was the latest fashions, and winking at her, had said that 'Mateo' wouldn't be able take his eyes of her. The dress had originally belonged to Amber, but being too big for Susannah, had to be adjusted a bit. The whole time while they had been dressing her, she couldn't stop thinking about how Jesse was the head of her most feared enemy.

Finally after a good half an hour of staring at herself in the mirror, the five sisters reappeared and ushered her to the dinning room where Lord Cristiano, Lady Alyssa and Jesse were waiting for them to come down with their guest. All through out dinner Jesse couldn't stop staring at the now beautiful Susannah. Susannah on the other hand would not come close as to even glance at him and if he happened to catch her eye she would quickly look away. She was terrified at the though of being in the house of the leader of the queens police.

Finally after the most delicious dinner that Susannah had ever had, (having 4 servings, because she hadn't eaten a full meal in a very long time) Susannah and the rest of the girls walked up to their rooms to get ready for bed. The two males moved to the sitting room so they could have a spot of whisky (A/n: or whatever it was that the men had after dinner in those days.).

After about three minutes of peace and quiet and deciding what she should do, the three eldest girls burst into Susannah's room asking her all sorts of questions, such as if she liked their brother and if she had a lover. Susannah answered them with a sigh,' Your brother is nice and no I don't have a lover.'

They looked at her excitedly and said a few more words before leaving to go to their own rooms.

'Finally their gone! I thought they'd never leave!' she huffed and started pulling off the bed sheets. Once they were all off she tied them all together and through them all out the window. She climbed down them and set foot on the wet grass. She didn't want to run away but she had too, the secret police had been after her for years. She had broken into so many houses, that by now she was sure that they would recognize her. Well not really now, since she looked like a noble women but before, yes. She couldn't stay in the house of the secret police head and maybe even let herself fall in love with him.

So once she was safely on the ground and out of the window she started to run. She ran and ran for what seemed for ever until she was out of sight of the big mansion.

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