Jayne-

"Was he always so popular with the ladies?" I turned to Helen, as another woman pulled Drake up for a dance at the annual fair of the founding of Dina.

Helen laughed at this, "Oh for heaven's sake no. He was this scrawny thing until he was about fifteen. Then he sprouted up out of nowhere. That's when the village girls starting noticing him." She answered, then winked at me, "He's been enjoying it ever since."

I joined in on her laughing, "I can't imagine him as a scrawny child."

"And yet he was. Mischievous too." She added.

"Now that I can see." I responded.

Drake made his way back to us eventually, leaving a pouting dance partner behind, "What are you two discussing?"

"You." I answered a smirk across my face.

"All good I hope." He replied.

"Sure. We'll go with that." I teased, giving him an even larger smile.

He held his hand out to me, "Care to dance with me, instead of gossiping about me?"

I gestured to the baby I held in my lap, who was close to asleep, despite the loud noises from the party, "Might be a little difficult."

Mary spoke up then, "Oh hush now. Go dance with the boy. I'm about to go home. Why don't I take Lily with me? She's falling asleep anyway."

I looked over at her spot behind us, "Are you sure?"

"Of course! I'm tired, she's tired, and you're obviously not. It seems pretty clear to me. Now give me the child and have a fun night." She rose up and held her arms out for Lily. I brushed a kiss against her head, before passing her up Mary's arms.

I dropped my shawl off my shoulders before taking Drake's hand. Thankfully the village's dancing style mirrored much of the slave's dancing back home and I was able to pick it up quickly. I thought about the stiff court dances I witnessed while serving balls that I never learned. They probably would have been hard for me to pick up, so used to the fast paced, graceful movements that I grew up learning in the fields surrounding the castle. Personally, our dancing seemed so much more fun. It keeps becoming more and more clear that I was only kidding myself to believe I could fit into Lance's world…

"You're a good dancer. Did you dance a lot in Benbourgh?" Drake asked, almost as if he read my thoughts.

I nodded and smiled, "Yes, us slaves of Benbourgh danced quite a bit together, on the rare occasion we had free time to put a small party together."

We danced together, over and over again, as if the songs were one. I frequently caught the other young women of the village shooting daggers at me. I could wager a guess why, considering I had never had problems with them before. They were envious of the attention Drake was devoting to me. If only they knew the truth on how I couldn't be with him, because my heart belonged to another. The irony of the whole situation was not lost on me.

"No more." I said panting after at least an hour, "I need water or possibly just air." I laughed, stepping off of the makeshift dance floor.

He laughed with me, pulling me along by the hand to the well, that was a few houses back behind the celebration. The road was dead, no one was around but us, giving me the much needed cool air.

"Here" he said as he pulled up the bucket from the well I cupped my hands in the water, bringing it to my mouth. I drank my fill, then he did the same, afterwards dropping the bucket back down the well.

I stood there, back against the stone, staring up at the stars.

"You're still smiling." Drake commented, standing close to me, "I'm glad for it. You deserve to have that glow."

I turned my gaze to him, met his warm hazel eyes and before I knew it his head was bending over mine, capturing my mouth with his. Though I suppose capturing may not have been the best way of wording it, he was so gentle. A part of me felt like caving into the kiss, just to feel that intimacy again and that part won out, but only for half a heartbeat.

I pulled back, putting my hands up to his chest gently to comfort, but forcefully enough that he knew not to lean down to kiss me again.

"Drake…I can't give you what it is you want from me." I looked up into his eyes, and saw the sharp pain from my rejection.

"I'm sorry Jayne for pushing you." He answered, though his voice was choked with restraint, "I should have waited longer. I know your heart is yet to be healed."

I looked down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze as I dig the knife in farther, "It won't ever be healed. There's no sense in waiting for me. I cannot be yours."

"Don't say that." He answered passionately, "Someday you'll be free of your pain and I'll be there. I'm willing to wait."

I shook my head at that, "No, Drake, you don't understand…I'll never be free of Lance. What we had…it's not replaceable." And it wasn't. I knew wholly that for me it would always be Lance.

"But he rejected you, Jayne." He answered as if I didn't already know that, as if it would make me love him less. Maybe I should love him less, but I didn't.

I gulped back the tears, "I know. But I love him…"

Drake ran his hands through my curls and kissed my forehead then, "What if I told you I didn't care?" his voice dropping almost to a whisper, "What if I told you I'd marry you anyway? Raise Lily as my own? Give you the home and family you deserve; all the while knowing that it wasn't me that you wanted." He kissed me again, but it was brief, barely touching my lips, "I'd spend the rest of my life making you happy, I swear."

I looked up at shocked. How could he offer me that? I didn't deserve that kind of sacrifice from him, "Oh god…Drake. I could never do that to you. Ever." I answered, raising my voice slightly, though not too much so if anyone was around they'd hear, "You talk of what I deserve but what of what you deserve? You are a fair, kind and strong man; you'll make the best of husbands and fathers. You deserve someone who loves you fully, who doesn't constantly have fleeting thoughts of someone else. Can't you see that?"

He shrugged at this, "I'm sure I'm supposed to see it that way. Helen says so at least." He chuckled at that, stepping back slightly, "She adores you and would love to see us together, but even see realizes you'll always think of your prince." He stepped closer to me again and put his hands on my shoulders, "But I don't care. I can't care, Jayne. I've never felt this way before."

Tears ran down my eyes and this point and I couldn't meet his gaze anymore, "I'm sorry, Drake. I am. But I can't do it, as much for you as for myself." I stepped away then, turned around and walked off. I couldn't continue the conversation anymore, seeing the heartache in his face that I knew all too well.

I was wiping the tears from my eyes, when I bumped into someone's shoulder. "Pardon me. I am sorry." I said, looking towards the middle aged man I had just run into. I had never seen him before in the village.

"It is alright." He spoke with a Benbourgh accent, spiking my interest tenfold, "I see you're a native to my country." He spoke again, similar to my thoughts.

I nodded, trying to give a smile, "Yes, I am." I remembered my manners suddenly and quickly added, "I'm Jayne."

"Jayne…" he said in a tone that sounded almost like it was laced with triumph. I quickly shut down that thought though, determining I was reading too into the stranger, "That's a beautiful name. I'm Harold." He grabbed my hand and kissed it, as if I was a lady of the court. I giggled at the thought.

"What brings you out here?" I asked politely, a small part of me wondering if this man could possibly be a messenger for me. It was a ridiculous wish that went against all facts, but I couldn't help it. Besides the man was certainly of higher class, with his clothing and demeanor.

"Just passing through to Highland's capital city for some business. I heard about this festival and thought to stop by since I was in the area." He answered smoothly, and my heart dropped. Of course he hadn't come for me. Lance had moved on.

"Which part of Benbourgh are you from?" Harold asked suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"The Crowned City." I answered, "And you?"

He smirked slightly in amusement, and I wondered what he could be thinking, "A small village a tad south of the Crowned City. I'm sure you've never heard of it." His voice was touched with superiority and I found I didn't like this man so much.

I nodded, then made my excuses, "Ah. Well if you'll excuse me, I'll be headed home now. I hope your trip to the Capital City is fair."

He grabbed my hand, kissing it again, "Thank you, milady. I'm positive it will be." Then he turned and walked off, and I suspected the same condescending smirk stayed on his face.

Interesting man…

Lance-

As soon as I saw him I grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into my private study, as quickly as I could without drawing too much attention.

"Well?" I asked impatiently as soon as the door was shut, not even bothering to politely offer him a seat, "You're back…have you found her?"

Harold bowed his head slightly, "Yes, Your Highness." Strolling over to grab a brandy from the side table.

"And?!" I demanded forcefully.

He turned back to me smirking, "Your lady friend was banished, not long after you left for war." He took a sip of his brandy and sat down on one of the chairs.

"Banished? What on earth for?" I asked, thousands of fears filling my body. Dear god, where could she have gone? How could she have fended for herself out there? Why didn't my mother prevent this?

Harold shrugged in response to that question, "That's the one question no one really seemed to know, but I found her, so I suspect it doesn't matter much to you."

Relief filled into my body and I was able to take a deep breath in my lungs, "So she's well?"

Harold smirked again and I didn't quite like this particular smile, "That she is, there's no doubt on that account." His teasing tone worried me. What exactly did he mean by that?

"Where is she?" I asked, trying to ignore the amused look on his face.

"She lives now in a village of Highlands called Dina that borders the southwest of our lands." He answered, "With her father from what I gather."

I turned sharply at that, "Her father? Her father abandoned her when she was still a toddler." The fact that anyone could harm Jayne that way angered me to the core. That man didn't deserve to be in her presence.

"I guess he gained her forgiveness." Harold answered with a shrug, and then stood up, "There is one other thing…" he started cautiously.

"What is it?" I demanded when he didn't finish.

"When I went to the village, I saw her dancing quite intimately with a man. Then they took off together." My heart began to grow cold. Please don't go where I think you're going with this. "I followed them of course and hid in the shadows. I saw them kissing in the dark."

My heart stopped completely and before I knew it I turned around and punched the stone wall, cracking small piece off of it. I looked down at the bloody mess that was my hand, but felt none of the pain.

"I believe she has a lover in this town." Harold added unnecessarily.

I was furious; furious at myself, furious at my father, and even furious at my mother for not protecting Jayne better. I tried to muster those feelings of fury and aim them at Jayne for moving on, but how could I? It had been so long…nearly two years. How could I have expected her to wait all this time, especially when she had been banished? She probably had assumed that was it for us, that we'd never see one another again.

"Are they…" I started, but had to stop before tears started forming, "Are they married?"

I turned to look at Harold and he just shook his head, "No, I do not think so."

That thought gave me some hope. I still had a chance with her; still had some time to change her mind about this man and come home with me. I had to see her.

"Give me the directions to this town. I'll go see her next week." Harold nodded in response, "I don't think I have to tell you that this is strictly confidential." I added and I knew my tone was threatening.

"Of course not, Your Highness. I am a professional and I know how to keep things quiet." He answered.

"Don't just keep this quiet, keep it silent." I went around to my desk and pulled a bag of money out, "Here. This is extra so you don't forget that silence."

Harold smiled happily, "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Your Highness."