Wow! Cannot believe how long it's taken me to write another chapter, but it's been hectic lately. Thank you especially for all those wonderful reviews, it really is amazing to get those comments and inspires me back to the story. Promise I'll update sooner in future, thanks for sticking with me!

Finally the third dance came to an end, and Lief bowed to his partner, although he noticed the grudging release of his hand. He was tiring of how they fawned over him, and although he liked to delight them with his grin and courteous manners, none of their smiles could equally ensnare him. It had been a slow dance, as Annette wanted to converse, though it wasn't how he was used to opening a festival. The conversation was nice enough, but with his mind on other matters, it had been hard for the girl to engage his attention completely. Especially, as she noticed, when he kept glancing through the crowd for some significant other. But out of all the young ladies who had flocked and vied for his attention, Annette had been an easy choice for her level-headedness and subtle (in comparison to the others) flirtation.

He politely refused to dance the next turns with everyone who asked him, before shaking hands with various nobles and asking them about family members he couldn't put a face to, even if the names stuck. He usually avoided sitting in the modest throne, because for some reason, people were less likely to approach him there. Except, of course, you were a mother who had a keen eye for when something was amiss in her son.

"You quite startled the court there, Lief." She stated softly, looking casually around the room as if she'd commented on the decorations, the guests, or the wine. She settled down gracefully in the throne beside his.

"A little surprise will keep them entertained, no doubt." With a mock-grin he looked over at Sharn, trying to assure her he was fine, "After all, we must keep them on edge, else they'll get bored with the same old gossip! And as we know, boredom breeds unrest."

Assuming a seat on the throne, Lief knew he'd been wishful if he thought the woman beside him would leave it at that, "Someone else seems to be on edge as well. What happened?"

"Nothing." He grumbled, ducking his head with hot embarrasment, shame, and even a flicker of frustration. A raised eyebrow of disbelief from Sharn made him sigh in defeat. "An argument arose between us. And - yes, yes, I know what you're going to say… that it happens often enough- "he added quietly when he saw the look on her face. "But never like this. It feels all wrong and different."

Sharn placed a hand on his shoulder, "Go talk with her, sort things out." When he protested, she held up a maternal hand for silence, "Trust me, you'll be doing us all a favour. When you're at odds with each other, you two make it harder for the rest of us to live, seeing as your tempers are so alike. Go, I will spread the rumour you are very unwell and must return to your chambers for the remainder of the night."

Lief wasn't sure whether it was his own desire to settle the unease between him and Jasmine, or the commanding tone in his mother's voice that compelled him to stand. It took him a little time, however, to try and locate where Jasmine might be. When someone finally told him that she had been seen leaving the garden a little while earlier, he resigned to checking her room. With his hands tucked deep into their pockets, Lief reminisced. When had he started to first like Jasmine? He couldn't remember precisely. Other than that, it was a feeling that had so subtly crept up and encroached upon his emotions, that he hadn't even realised how much he admired her. Whether or not it was love, he wasn't entirely sure. But he did know for certain, that there was a feeling inside of him that wouldn't allow him to regret how he'd acted in the garden.

Somehow, somewhere, there was still some sort of justice in having kissed her.

What made him angry was that Jasmine had returned it, and for the briefest of moments, he had felt a surge of hope before she'd cruelly crushed it. Wandering down the corridor Lief was accustomed with the fact Jasmine had excellent senses, and that she seemed to somehow know the rhythm or pattern of his feet, so that he could never really surprise her. But now, he bounced up the stairs lightly on the balls of his feet, and a mouse could not have hoped to be more silent. Pausing at the door, Lief took a deep breath and tried to prepare himself with phrases of apologies. Lifting a hand, he rapped hard on the door twice. However, Jasmine hadn't shut the door entirely and it swung open easily from the unwitting force he used.

The cloaked figure in the room spun around so quickly and with such a look of guilty incredulity, that Lief immediately knew she hadn't expected him. His eyes darted to the rucksack, her dark attire, and then to the crumpled court clothes scattered unceremoniously on the floor. Frowning, Lief stepped in, motioning his arms wide in mute question.

Jasmine looked to hesitate a moment, before shrugging and turning away. Lief knew that she was a brilliant actor, it had saved them many times before, but with matters as they were, this was unfamiliar territory. "I thought you'd still be down enjoying the company of everyone who has travelled to talk frivolously with their King."

"Then you thought wrong if you assumed I was simply going to leave things as they are." Voice raising as he noted how full the rucksack was. "What's with the pack?"

She didn't turn around, but fiddled around with unseen items, and avoided the second part of the question. "We need to forget it Lief, rather that continuing to bring it up."

"You're packing an awful lot of items." He stated with an accusing air, stubbornly diverting the conversation. For most people, what she was taking wouldn't have been enough for a week, but he was talking in terms of what Jasmine usually carried. Not just the bare essentials had disappeared, but coveted things that had sat on shelves since she first arrived at the palace.

"Your ability to discern hasn't wanned, at least."

"Are you planning to go somewhere?" Lief had to fight down the despair that was growing in the pit of his stomach as he grew used to the idea that Jasmine was perhaps preparing for a trip where he and Barda hadn't even been consulted. He finally reached out and grabbed her wrist, gently guiding her around, "Jasmine, what is all this for?" He tried searching those green eyes, but they were giving nothing away. Jasmine wrenched her arm from his grasp and clutched it too her, as if it'd been burned.

Unwillingly, his frustration flared, "What on earth have I done to become such a monster in your eyes that you would pull away from me? Shy away from the thought of my touch! Have I slighted you so badly you would let this get in the way of our comradeship?"

There was a faint waver in her cold tone that Lief missed, due to his emotions, "I need to leave, Lief, please do not ask me why."

He paced with agitation, throwing his arms up as he purposely kept between her and the door, "Because of what I did?" He demanded, holding his fiery gaze with hers, "You're position is known to me, and you should have faith in me to know that upon my honour, I will never act upon or mention it again!" This wasn't getting him anywhere; she wasn't even looking at him. "Where are you going? You can at least spare me that minor detail, surely?"

"Home."

The word may as well have been a sword plunged between his ribs. "Home?" he whispered, closing the distance between them yet again, "Home! Forgive me for thinking that Barda and I would have at least been somewhat considered in your definition of home! Have we not been your constant companions for the last three years? Would you so easily disregard us?"

Lief noted that he was backing her into a corner, and that he was practically urging her naturally defensive demeanour to bubble to the surface. And defence, he knew, would also entail anger but he couldn't stop himself.

"Don't be so ridiculous Lief, of course you have been, but I'm telling you, and asking you to understand that I cannot stay here."

He threw his hands up, sounding quite desperate "So you keep saying, but yet you do me the injustice of not saying why!"

Jasmine stepped forward so that they were only centimetres away, staring up at him furiously. "You have no idea of injustice Lief, do not pretend to be knowledgable on something you so clearly lack." She was feeling pressured, angered, and their staring contest continued. "I told you from the beginning, I would stay only to help restore! This place is still as much a prison to me as it was at the beginning. I don't belong here, with your stupid customs of balls and festivals and palace authorities! I thought you had learned that a King who ignores the rest of his people is doomed."

Lief ground his teeth at such a fierce attack, "How can you say that? Think, if you can manage, upon what you've just implied!" he thundered. "I have done all in my power to make you feel more settled! I had no idea you relied so heavily on the material aspect of a home."

Now that she was started, it was inevitable that she retorted, "You call this stone prison a home? Hah! You also, have grown to like the material aspect of your palace Lief, you've already started to grow lax in your Kingly comforts. You may travel infrequently to other areas of your Kingdom, but you rarely stay. It's all crown affairs and paperwork! Barda? He and Lindal are already planning their life, their marriage, their future! And you have more fake people desperate for your attention than you have coins. Doom also, is off travelling, and this all happens whilst I watch it fly by, confined and unchanged."

He had had no idea these feelings bad bottled up inside her, much less had he expected her to judge how he ran his Kingdom, "It's called having purpose." He muttered, despite his reasonable side telling him to stop.

"You still judge me! And yet I have given you what you wanted, a reason!" Despite her fervent and angry expression, Lief was convinced there were other things she wasn't saying. How much she so obviously withheld from him hurt, like staring at a stranger. "Now, stand aside and do not make me fight you for passage to the door."

Lief swept to the window as Jasmine caught her breath with surprise, obviously she hadn't expected him to back away so easily. As she, Filli and Kree paused in the doorway, Lief propped his arm against the glass window and rested his head against his hand. "Your freedom is the most important thing to you, and I would have no part in taking that from you." He whispered so quietly, that he wasn't sure he had even said it. He reflected that, perhaps, he should have said it more loudly since there was no way she would have heard it.

And as he listened to the steps echo down the passage, Lief knew she was gone.

Ah, and we arrive at the end of another chapter, hope it wasn't too confusing this time, trying to be a little more clear and concise. Thanks for reading, I adore comments and criticism, as you'll be aware.