Ok… I know I haven't updated in forever… and I have no excuse, sadly, but a broken wrist, which sucks. It is currently in a cast for the next six weeks… So… I'm sorry… :'( Please forgive me… And here's the update… Hope it's good!

/ (*) / Line Break! I missed you! / (*) /

The unchanging forest scenery was making Fang's skin crawl. The dense trees cast ominous shadows on the half –frozen ground. Max had taken up the lead, her russet cape flowing down her shoulders and onto Firestorm's back, giving the illusion that they were one creature. Both of their heads were held high, regal and intimidating.

Fang knew Max wouldn't take the lead without being well-armed, but he still worried. The princesses he was used to dealing with, or even noble's daughters hid in their carriage and complained. Max was different, different to the point where it was disturbing. She carried herself differently; her regal and domineering position commanded respect and interest, whereas others gave them a small measure of grace and delicacy. She spoke differently as well, bold and commanding, instead of quiet and demure.

She was no ordinary princess, but perhaps it was not a bad thing. He whispered this to Blaxton, who seemed to agree, with a sense of humor: snorting and tossing his head, making a deep rumble in his chest akin to chuckling.

Max glanced back at the pair with humor in her eyes despite her quirked eyebrow. Fang touched his heels to Blaxton's side, and he trotted even with Firestorm, letting his mane ripple and his feet come high off the ground.

Max smiled at him, "Well, good morning, Blaxton," she said, "How are you?"

Blaxton snorted at her and shifted his position into one of nonchalance.

Max giggled at him, in her way. She then lifted her eyes to Fang's, all the mirth in her eyes warm and welcoming.

Fang opened his mouth to speak, but before he could…

"Get down!" Max cried.

She threw off her cloak, Firestorm galloping into the trees. She drew her bow and knocked and arrow, faster than the normal man could blink, then loosed it into a towering elm, felling a man from a branch nearly 50 feet straight up.

Standing in her stirrups, she quickly loosed another four arrows, effectively hitting all of her targets.

Men lunged from the underbrush as she was firing, attempting to spook Firestorm and wreak havoc on the group. Max steered Firestorm around with a tap of her heels, drawing her sword and leaping from the saddle.

Firestorm reared and kicked, slamming in several men's heads and crushing their ribs.

Max was just as deadly, swinging her sword with lethal accuracy. The blood splashed around her, her sword glistened with ruby lights as her footsteps became light, fast, and thrice as graceful as before.

Fang watched from Blaxton as she danced around her opponents, quickly and efficiently dispatching them, the look of concentration on her face clean and cold.

Fang snapped out of his daze and cantered to protect the carriage, his onyx sword in hand. He swung at the attackers, all who came into contact with his blade falling at his feet. Lunging and twisting, toying with them in a cruel way, taunting them, lashing out just to pull back, and fairly well destroying all of their faith in themselves.

Fang heard Max cry out, whether in pain or desperation he didn't know. He sliced through his own attackers and rushed to Max.

Firestorm was lunging and kicking, fighting to protect her friend and mistress.

Fang lunged into the fray, clearing out a circle and dispatching all of her assassins.

Max was lying in the middle of a circle of blood and bone, her cloak spread out around her like an angles torn and bloodied wings.

"No, no, no, Max. Max!" Fang whispered, "Don't die, don't die! You can't die! You've already saved me once! Now it's time for me to return the favor."

Fang picked Max up bridal style, with Firestorm following. He mounted Blaxton, and with one hand on the reins, and the other supporting Max, they galloped into the forest.

Fang had no idea as to where they were going, but Blaxton seemed to know the way, with Firestorm close behind.

Soon they came upon a picturesque lake, turquoise, perfectly round, surrounded by trees as old as time. Their boughs spread out, meeting in the middle, creating little shadows that flexed and fluttered in the wind.

The only creature was a pure white swan, with feathers as soft as snowflakes and a graceful, perfectly arched neck. It swam towards them as Fang dismounted, cradling Max to his chest.

"Help us," he pleaded with the swan, "Please."

/ (*) / Hi! Brittany here! Stardust is going to start putting 1D line breaks in, so… Enjoy this little 'Meanwhile…'! / (*) /

"Sire!" The page shouted, "Our assassins have failed!"

A deep voice rumbled, "What? How," He turned, "Could you let them fail?"

The page quaked and fell to his knees, "The p-p-princess was more prepared for an attack than we originally planned, and she and the prince were able to dispatch our warriors, but,"

"SILENCE!" He roared, "I don't want to hear your pitiful excuses!"

"Sire,"

"WHAT? How dare you interrupt me! If this is not important I don't want to hear it!"

"M-M-Maximum was injured with a poison spear."

The owner of the voice grinned maliciously, "Excellent… Perhaps the people will lose their princess after all… We will just have to see that plan through, won't we?"

The page saw just the barest flash of cold, hard blue eyes before he was whisked away into the darkness.