NO: hey all! Yay, I can finally continue this story. Hehe, have fun readin'

Chapter 2: On the Road

Ditri had practically bolted back to the castle. After meeting Tristan, she decided it would be best to stay away from mingling among the common folk when she got to Auszin. Her bags were packed and neatly stacked next to her door. All her furniture would be sent on later.

That morning, her head pounded, why hadn't Tristan warned her about such repercussions? In any case, her room was practically devoid of anything that was hers, it was sad to look at such a sight. A knock was on her door.

"Ditri dear?" her mother asked. "I would have your father tell you goodbye, but he is still raging about the whole arrangement." Her mother came in; they embraced each other tightly. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mother."

It was all too quick. In less than a half-hour and no farewell party, Ditri was in the carriage to Auszin. Tristan met her at the city gates.

"Hello, milady." He welcomed, obviously in pain. "I am to take you to Auszin. The prince would come here himself, but was called just before he was to come, he sends his regards." Tristan said, pleasant enough.

Ditri gave Tristan a smile. "May I ask your name, sir?" she asked, Ditri wasn't supposed to know this man yet.

"Tristan, I am the prince's valet." He replied.

"Whoah!" the driver yelled. Unconciously, Ditri grabbed her head.

"Stop yelling!" she shouted at the driver.

"Sorry, milady." He responded. Tristan quickly closed his mouth with a snap.

Tristan was riding in carriage with her. "Milady-"

Ditri looked Tristan dead-on. "If I'm going to be in the same carriage with you, Tristan, let's loose the titles, shall we?" She asked frankly.

He looked uncomfortable. "Yes, mi-Ditri."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to sleep." She said. Laying down on the oh-so-comfortable bench-seat, she quickly fell into a deep slumber.

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When he had first met Ditri, she seemed very princess-ie. But when she asked to drop the titles, he knew something was up. Something nagged at him, but what, he had yet to find out.

The prince looked down on him. "Have you retrieved her yet?" the voice asked.

"Yes, my prince. She is asleep." Tristan replied, how the prince could contact him many miles away was a mystery. "She is as the myths said, milord, she is just as beautiful."

"Don't go falling in love with my bride, Tristan." His liege joked. He felt a sigh. "Describe her to me, valet."

"She has the face of an angel. She has the figure of a play-doll. She is slightly tan with red-gold hair that shines in the sunlight. Almond-shaped eyes light up at the slightest mention of helping others. She loves to-"

"Send me a picture of her, Tristan." He shut his eyes and visualized Ditri, he felt a hand grasp the image. "You lied!" Prince Perhin accused.

"What!" Tristan yelled, he hadn't realized he shouted it out loud.

"She is more beautiful than the myths say!"

"Who are you talking to, Tristan?" Ditri asked while rubbing her eyes, it was about noon.

"Ditri-" Tristan started.

"Who?"

"Oh, she asked to drop titles, I have not a clue why. But she is awake, I will contact you later, my lord."

"Oh," Perhin sounded disappointed. "Okay, Tristan."

"No one, Ditri." He lied. "How was you sleep?" Tristan asked politely.

"Great! Thanks for asking, what did you do while I was asleep?" She queried.

"Thinking." He said truthfully. "We will arrive at Auszin's border in a day or two. Guen is that small." He then clamped his mouth. "Oh, sorry…"

She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Tell me about the prince."

"Well, he is a kind man with a care for the people-" he started.

She crossed her hands over her breasts. "You're lying so I like him, Tristan!"

This anger the valet, after all, no matter his reputation, Perhin was a good man. "By the way you say that, Ditri, I think you don't want to marry him."

"I don't. He threatened to invade Guen if I didn't!" She yelled.

"That was not him," The noble/commoner responded quietly. "That was our advisor."

"You speak as if you're one of them." She whispered.

"I'm his valet." Tristan explained. "I-"

"I think you know him better than just valet-prince."

"I grew up with him, if that's what you mean…" He said. "But-"

"What does Perhin look like, Tris?"

He hated the abbreviation, but dealt with it. So, Tristan described the prince, he had dark brown hair with green eyes. He was slightly built with heavily tanned skin.

"There you have it, though you will have to decide for yourself whether you like him or not, Ditri."

"Rurgh!" A yell came across the road. "Rurgh! Rurgh! RURGH!" Tristan pulled a dagger out, away from Ditri's view. Ladies don't like to see tool of war, he thought

"Stay here, my lady." He commanded; he then internally winced. He pushed that skeleton back into its closet. "Stay here, please." He requested. She nodded; he opened the door and leapt out. She jumped out of her seat too watch the battle. Two Furdian (Furde was just east of Guen and south-east of Auszin) men had besieged the carriage.

The coachman was slumped on the seat, bleeding heavily from the arrow in his chest. His eyes were open, gazing openly.

Tristan was fighting two, he jabbed at one; it caught the man's arm and cut it. The other man took a stab at the valet; he dodged out of harm's way, but this put him off balance. The first Furdian swiped at the nimble Tristan. He took the hit on the right side of his chest. He fell to the ground, but he apparently still had some fight left in him. He took one final thrust at the wounded Furdian; he then fell unconscious. He never saw the wounded Furdian crash to the ground.

Ditri hid in the carriage; maybe the Furdian would leave, now that his buddy was down, maybe even dead.

"Ock ufn deqon, Opiasnas," The alive Furdian said sadly. "Ock iond emd og tuion ocken fufian. Uoon, Uoon Unian." He lamented. Ditri still was hiding when he searched the carriage. When the man couldn't find her, he went outside. "Uinen Ditri?" He yelled into the sky "Uinen DITRI!" She was frightened, why did this Furdian want her?

When he was done yelling her name, he started toward the dead or dying Tristan. She could just let this valet die, but then whom could she talk to? The coachman was dead… Perhin might even blame her for Tristan's death!

She picked up a heavy jewel (it was imperfect anyways) and threw it out the window and far and as fast as she could. It made a reasonable commotion; the Furdian looked in that direction, and ran.

Ditri climbed out of the carriage, her slippers catching in the mud. She made her way to Tristan. He was bleeding heavily from the wound. Making a spilt-second decision, she picked up his dagger and cut bandages from the heavy silk her gown was made of. She wrapped the wound as best she could. Tristan opened his eyes.

"Leave me Run, the Furdians-" she put a light finger on his mouth.

"You're fine, Tristan. Let me get you into the woods, we'll walk to the next town and get a new carriage, ok?" But, the man had already slipped back into his hurtful sleep.