The morning came. Aviva was mopping the floors once again when Madam Core came into the living, "Beth, Kaylee! The men have come to find the girl that the Prince had. She had appeared missing."

Aviva went to work without anything but work. Madam Core smiled finally. She opened the door to three men, "Hello."

"We have come to see your daughters."

"Come on in. Nevermind our servant girl. Oh... Lisa..."

Aviva looked at her mother. She knew something was... She saw the Prince looking right at her behind her step mother.

"Prepare the tea for the men."

Aviva prepared the tea as the men searched the house. The Prince saw her in the kitchen. She ignored him as he whispered, "I know it's you."

"I don't know who you're talking about."

The Prince's eyes shined, but his smile had dropped. Aviva bid to pass as she lay the tray on the table. Madam Core said, "Avi- I mean, oh my... I still call her by my baby girl."

Aviva frowned as her mother corrected, "Lisa, you may go upstairs."

The Prince blocked the stairs. Aviva felt scared. The Prince answered, "i have searched all the houses, but this one. Where is she? You gripped her yesternight. Where is she?"

The mother smiled, "It was... It was Bethie."

"I can compare Elizabeth to the girl I saw. You were going to call her her real name. I know Lisa doesn't fit."

The Prince was getting angry. The two men tried to calm the Prince's fury, but he turned away and faced the girl, "What is your name?"

Aviva feared, "Lisa..."

The Prince stared at her, "No... It's isn't, right."

Madam Core used her cane to move the Prince away from the stairs. Aviva walked up the stairs. He recognized the shoes. They were the same shoes that she wore when he grabbed her skirt to stop her.

"Aviva! Stop!"

Aviva kept walking. Madam Core looked at her. She could feel it. Madam Core said, "Let me have a talk with Lisa. She is very uneas..."

"No. All you're going to do it is move her like you did to me."

The mother said, "Young man. I'm sorry, but I know you are of royalty, but I still have power over my daughters and my servant."

"I know her father."

The mother's eyes widened, "Michael... I mean..."

"Bring her back, N-O-W."

The mother felt over powered. The prince's eyes were furied. The men said, "Uh, yes. Michael was indeed the captian of the Royal Guard. According the the King, if anything happens to his offspring, the accuser could be sentenced to death."

Madam Core cried out, "NO! Please! I have no servant else to hire!"

The Prince kicked the mother's hands off her foot and started upstairs. Lucy started meowing, Aviva locked the door after her and told the cat to be quiet. She put the key on the drawer.

Suddenly the loud knocked began, "Open this door, now!"

Aviva felt horrible. She had to. She took the key and unlocked the door. The Prince pulled in and gripped the girl, "Are you okay?"

"Please, go... I don't-"

"I know me. I know you. Your step mother is going to be taken care of later."

Aviva took heavy breaths. The Prince looked about her bedroom. He saw the castle outside her window, "I see you have only one beautiful thing to look at."

"Yes... I guess so."

The Prince loosed his grip and said, "You're safe now. You're the daughter of a captian of the Royal Guard. You are to be treated with respect, as much as I am."

Aviva looked up, "My father was a captain?"

"I remember when he came by. He wished to have a son so bad, but he would always talk about his sweet little girl," He gripped her cheek a little and smiled, "I knew those two down there weren't too close to him. You have his eyes. I remember them..."

Aviva's eyes shined. She hugged the Prince, "Thank you..."

The Prince held her more into him, "Your welcome. Come on, we still have a ball to keep."

"No... I rather..."

"You will be respecting above everything else. Even by me."

Aviva felt the Prince turning her to the stairs and taking her down them. She didn't want to look at her step mother. The Prince said, "It's okay, she won't hurt you or say anything as long as I'm with you."

Aviva felt his arm shielding her. His hand rested on her arm, while his other hand held her hand firm, giving her security.

The step mother was tied up. Everyone was ready for the Prince's return. Aviva was afraid to look at her step mother, and held on to the Prince. Suddenly, the front door opened, a tall man with a scar on his head looked at the Prince and smiled, "You saved her."

Aviva looked up and saw the man. Madam Core cried out, "Michael?!"

Michael looked to his wife, "I couldn't believe what you had done to my daughter! Thank goodness my soldiers took me away and checked me. I remained at the palace until recovery. When I saw my daughter, being wiped by you to do chores, I envied you. I ran back and told the King. I fought battles, thinking about my daughter."

Aviva ran from the Prince's arms, down the rest of the stairs into her father's arms. She was speechless all the way. Her father hugged his daughter close to his heart, "I'm here. You'll be okay."

The Prince said, "Take those women to the cells. I don't want to see them in my face anymore."

Michael sat on the sofa and sat his daughter in his lap. The girl was crying his shirt, happy that he was alive, but sad that he felt so upset all those years.

The Prince came over to the sofa and said, "All is now well, until you decide the punishment."

The father looked up, "Let them do what they did to her."

The Prince nod once, "Will be done."

Aviva looked up at the Prince as he walked away. She stared at him, thinking now her father was back, she doesn't need him. But he turned and came back, this time, he had a crown on his head, as all princes should wear. She kept her eye on him. Michael loosed his grip on his daughter as she got comfortable. The Prince said, "All is now well. You are safe."

Aviva fingered her father's outlined sewed shirt. She started to cry again and hid her face. Michael wrapped his arms about her again. The Prince said, "It'll be a while. But stay at the castle. This has too many memories."

Michael said, "Let her relax first."

The Prince touched the girl's shaking shoulder, "Miss?"

Aviva looked up, the Prince stared down at her with cold, hard eyes. She started to feel scared, "What?"

"How would you like it if we could get you a pony or a horse to ride around in on the castle grounds? You can be with your father anytime of the day."

Aviva wanted to reject it, but her father was all she wanted. So she nodded and said, "I guess I have to pack."

The Prince stopped her, "No. Our ladies who know much about clothes will shower you will much. Those you have are not worthy to step into the castle. You need gowns and dresses that make you who you are."

Aviva couldn't believe the upgrade. She stood up as her father stood up. The Prince handed out, "Come into the carriage, we'll take you home."

That evening, Aviva was given a special bedroom. The Prince had her eyes covered for extra beauty. He led her safety through everything to the bedroom. Finally, he took the blind off slowly, with her eyes opening to the new room. She rejected it at first, but finding out it was the Prince's own room! She couldn't but the Prince said, "It is all yours if you say one thing..."

Aviva felt flushed, "I can't..."

"You are safe in this castle with your father who loves you and wants your life to be better. You are safe in this castle with me, the Prince. I want to make your life better."

"How can I? I don't even know your name."

"Why not ask?"

Aviva blushed, "I rather respect you..."

"Ask me my name."

Aviva asked, "What's your name?"

"Prince Christopher the First, the son of King William the second and Queen Linda."

Aviva fell in love with the Prince that moment. No step mother to ruin it this time. The Prince fell to one knee and proposed to her right at the foot of his own bedroom. The girl had to say one word, she blushed highly, "I will..."

The Prince smiled, "Ha! Better than yes! I like that," He stood up and slipped the ring unto her finger. She looked at the expensive piece and didn't want it, but the Prince's love made her feel real. She was pulled deeper into his body and felt him kiss her lips.

It wasn't too long. The next morning, Queen Linda found the ring on the girl's hand. While the Prince was at some class outside, she took the girl to the King and displayed the diamond. King William grew happy and took out the princess' crown. Aviva backed from it, but the Queen pushed her closer, saying, "If you love our prince enough not to care about royalty, it will not mind you as much."

The crown rested upon her head. Aviva felt happy. Behind her the huge doors open. There stood a different man with a crown, "Father! I've come home!"

"Well! My eldest Prince indeed!"

Aviva smiled. The Queen sat her on her own throne and said, "Stay here. We'll greet you to him after our greetings."

King William said, "Just yesternight that brother of yours finally stepped out of his shell."

"Finally? Who's the lucky girl?"

King William turned and the older Prince recognized her, "The captain's baby girl. I remember you."

Aviva blushed. The Prince bowed and kissed her hand, "It's okay," When she pulled away, "I won't bite. It's always a custom for Prince's to kiss the Princess' hand. The lucky prince gets the kiss from the fingers."

"What fingers?"

The Prince smiled, "The royal that will marry you will kiss the hand that displays the ring that he gave you. I kiss the right hand."

Aviva pulled her hand back, "So... It's always on the hand?"

The older Prince began to chuckle, "No! As a to-be-bride, he was kiss you on the left hand. When you get married, he can kiss you anywhere."

"Martin? Martin!"

The older Prince turned to see his young brother coming down. He went to greet his brother with a hug. Martin said, "You are very lucky Chris."

"Thanks, bro."

Then, the young Prince came up and indeed kissed her left hand, "You look wonderful this morning."

Aviva blushed, "Thanks..."

Christopher smiled deep into her eyes. He kissed the left hand again and stood up and talked with his brother and his bride-to-be. Aviva stood up to see the princess. She turned to see Aviva and smiled, "You must be Prince Christopher's bride."

She smiled, "You must be Prince Martin's bride."

Both girls chuckled lightly and answered together. They weren't aware that their grooms were watching them from afar admiring the sweetness of both of them.