Thank God for google docs. There would be no way we would've been able to write this without it. Hope you enjoy this chapter. :) And please review, it will make us smile. make it a belated birthday gift for Sarah R here, who turned 17 years old on the 2nd of this month.

Chapter Two

Halfway during the meal, King Jasper rose and cleared his throat. "Attention please," he said, and the hall went quiet. "Lord Henrie?" Brenna and Zephyria's father stood as well, and the girls glanced at each other. "We have an announcement to make."

"So do I, Father," Christophe said. Zephyria let out a little gasp, and Brenna stared. Was he finally going to ask? But... "You go first, sir."

The king eyed his son for a moment, then raised his glass. "Lord Henrie and I have been friends for many, many years," he began. "In this time we have been through several great adventures together, one of which is parenthood."

Lord Henrie took over. "When my eldest daughter was born, we decided it was time to join our bloodlines." He paused. "And so, that is why we announce today the engagement between Prince Christophe and Lady Brenna."

The reaction was immediate. Among the applause, however, Brenna heard something drop. She turned to the noise to see Jesse standing at the head of the table, the remains of a tray at his feet. She was completely numb. This couldn't be happening.

Zephyria, who had been quietly awaiting Christophe's announcement, was now almost in tears. She turned to King Jasper and Lord Henrie and asked, in the most cheerful voice possible, "May I be excused? I am not feeling very well."

"Of course, daughter," Lord Henrie said, his eyes on Brenna and Christophe, who were now staring at each other in horror. Not that he knew it was horror, of course.

Zephyria got up as quickly as possible and left the room. She knew Brenna didn't want to be with Christophe, and she knew Jesse was as hurt by the announcement as the rest of them. What she didn't know was what to do about it.

After Zephyria left, the rest of dinner dragged by. She longed to go after Jesse, who had raced out right after her sister, but it would be too suspicious if she did. So she was forced to sit while the king and her father discussed the wedding. When it finally ended, she left as quickly as she could without drawing attention. In the library, Jesse, Zephyria, and Christophe were already there.

"What are we going to do?" she asked. "I'm sorry Christophe, you're my best friend, but I cannot marry you."

"You know I love you Brenna but not like that. Why can't our parents see that there is someone better for both of us?" Christophe said looking down at his hands as he fiddled with a piece of string on his shirt.

"There's got to be something!" Brenna said, close to tears, as Jesse pulled her close to him. "They can't see it because they're... they think they're doing what's best for us. I should be honored," she quoted with disgust.

Zephyria, who had been silent since her sister came in the room, turned and said "Maybe there is a way we can make Brenna's marriage to Christophe impossible. Then you would both be free to marry whom ever you want...but how?"

"The only way for that is for Brenna to get pregnant," Jesse said, speaking for the first time. "And there's no way I would do that to her."

"What if it's the only chance we have? Are you going to stand back and allow the love of your life to marry someone she doesn't want to be with?" Zephyria was so angry that she began to cry. She couldn't understand why they thought she wasn't good enough to be with Christophe.

"Look," Christophe said, "If Jesse gets Brenna pregnant, your father - and mine - will hang him! It would be going against the crown, seeing as how she's now the prince's fiancee. I know of one other way for us to get out of this, but I am not saying it will be easy to do," Christophe paused waiting for everyone's response.

"Well? What it is?" Jesse asked, clutching Brenna's hand.

"If you choose to take this option I can't guarantee you will be allowed to return to Saratopia while my father is still king," Christophe said, reaching over and pulling Zephyria closer to him.

"If we run away," Brenna said softly.

"It may be the only way to solve our problem. The only question is where to run to. Brenna do you know where Lukas is anymore?" Zephyria tried to sound optimistic but really she felt that their bond may suffer due to this engagement.

"Lukas took Victoria and Issaic to the Americas," Brenna told her sister. "I don't think running away right now is the right thing to do though, Zephyria." She glanced at Jesse and Christophe. "I can't leave Father when he's ill."

"You are right. I don't know what I was thinking. I should probably go check on father anyway. He will think it odd if I am missing and-" Zephyria was cut off.

At that moment, the door to the library opened, and the King entered. "Here's where you three ran off to! With all the excitement we never to hear your announcement Christophe."

Brenna quickly yanked her hand away from Jesse's before the king noticed, and Zephyria slowly pulled away from the prince.

"What did you wish to announce at dinner tonight, Christophe?" The king sounded suspicious.

"And what on earth are the three of you doing in here with a... with a servant?"

Jesse bowed to the king and hurried out of the library, leaving Brenna staring after him, tears forming again in her eyes.

Zephyria acting quickly told the king "He saw I wasn't feeling well and cared for my well being, your highness. He stayed with me so I wouldn't be alone. The prince and my sister just arrived before you did, and he hadn't had a chance to leave."

The King began to speak, but the door flew open. "Your Majesty," one of the guards panted, "We're under attack!"

The King spun around and began barking orders, telling one guard to take the prince to safety, and another to take the girls to where their father was. There were blasts from every direction and people yelling. The girls followed close behind their guide as quickly possible knowing the danger they were faced with.

"Where's Jesse?" Brenna whispered frantically to her sister.

"I am quite positive he knows where to go in case of an invasion. He will be fine," Zephyria tried to reassure her sister although she wasn't sure herself.

The guard took them in their father's room, and stood at the door with two others. "Father, who's attacking us?" Brenna asked him.

"It is the foreigners," he told them. "They have weapons I've never seen before." Was it just Brenna, or was their father's face too pale?

"Father sit down you seem unwell. Brenna will you please help me take father to his chair?" Zephyria said grabbing their father's arm.

Brenna took his other arm, and the two led him to a chair. Once he was seated, she turned to Zephyria. "I'll be right back. I'll tell one of the guards."

"Be careful, they will be hung and so will I if something happens to you." Zephyria said trying to lighten the mood.

"They're just outside the door," she said. "And you won't be hung." She left her sister and opened the door, only to see the bodies laying outside the door, and she let out a scream.