"The Arrow is a green leather clad vigilante, been rumoured to have come from The Glades when things in Starling got unbearable" Isabel flipped her hair as she read the screen "as of late he has taken down many mob bosses, stopped countless robberies and saved the Princess and her kingdom" she sat back in her chair and sighed as she looked at Slade "we know all of this already! There has to be something new about him! Something that tells us who he is"

Slade paced his chambers as they went over information on The Arrow who, thanks to some of his men, had told him was back in his kingdom and had put the power back on. Slade didn't care about that now he had other plans but first he wanted to know more about him.
Using the same few minutes of CCTV footage of The Arrow that had been caught, Slade could determine his height and weight yet hardly any of these things gave him much to go on. However something about the Princess caught his eye.

Recently, the Princess had been glued to her tablet checking that the power was still working – he hadn't given any new orders for his men to cut it again – and she would rave about The Arrow to her mother and said that he was the true saviour of Arkham. Slade saw that spark in her eye as she talked about the arrow wielding vigilante and noted the way her voice softened ever so slightly. The Princess gave that look to only one other person – although she tried to hide it – Prince Oliver and the way he handed over his kingdoms power without a second thought. That day she had fallen in love with her fiancé just like she had fallen for The Arrow.

Slade walked over to a set of draws and pulled out a small vial of purple liquid, he handed it to Isabel as he began to think out loud "The Princess has fallen in love with her fiancé"

"Can't you get rid of him like you did with all the others?" she asked as she looked at the vial and smiled at him

"No, this one is different. Prince Oliver is not a love struck idiot like the rest – although I do believe he is in love with Princess Felicity – he looked…odd. Like he was saying one thing but thinking another and he was so calculating all the time" Slade said in an annoyed tone, he reached for a fancy looking glass bottle and filled it with pristine crystal clear cold water from his portable drinking fountain and put a little cork in the top "he is the same height and weight as our green vigilante…" he trailed off as he went over to Isabel and took the vial from her "…I'll be back later tonight"

That afternoon the royal couple were out and about again seeing all the people who were effected most from the gas main explosion at Felicity's request. Their first stop was to the hospital, the Princess walked in and smiled as if she were entering a room full of old friends and went from bed to bed greeting the still injured and shaking hands of the family members with them.
Oliver could only look on in awe at his Princess and how her people loved her so much, they talked with her and laughed with her, the children who were able to get out of bed raced to her and crowded around as she began to tell a story. A fairy tale of a hero who had magic arrows who saved the entire kingdom, Oliver liked her story.

Together and with Diggle following the Prince and Princess they journeyed to the site of the explosion, Felicity clung tight to Oliver as they drew nearer and she was sure he was cutting off circulation to his fingers. Oliver didn't mind at all and told her that they could leave if she wasn't comfortable "No, I'm fine. I want to be here" Felicity said determinedly

"It's good The Arrow saved you" Oliver said inviting her to tell the story, Felicity didn't need any more encouragement to talk about The Arrow and Oliver enjoyed watching the way her eyes lit up. Felicity didn't let go of Oliver's hand as they walked and talked about that night.

They were interrupted by Felicity's phone ringing at them, Felicity looked at the number and saw with a smile that it was her mother "Mother? Oliver and I are just at the Gas Main site"

We're going to have an early dinner tonight darling, I'm not feeling well the Queen replied and requested they come home now and get ready

"Mother, it's only 5:30 are you alright?" Felicity asked in a worried voice but made her way to their car "Oliver and I will be home in less than five minutes, if you're not feeling well the best thing is to drink plenty of water to flush whatever it is out of your body"

The Queen replied that she had been drinking lots of water but hadn't felt any better and simply asked her daughter to come home so they could enjoy a family meal before she retired for the night. Felicity held Oliver's hand tightly again as Diggle drove faster through the streets and came to a stop outside the palace.

The first thing Felicity did was find her mother in the very large sitting room half sitting half lying down on a comfy looking couch, the Queen put on a brave face but Felicity could see that her skin was a little clammy and the slightest bit pale.
At her mother's request Felicity went to her room to dress for the earliest dinner they had ever had.

Diggle followed Oliver to his room and shut the door "We have a problem" he showed the Prince footage of The Arrow as he turned the power back on "the security camera were powered with some sort of independent power supply, they were working the whole time Arkham was without power" Diggle came forward "Slade knew The Arrow was there, he has this footage and could work out that you are The Arrow!"

Oliver thought about this, he knew that Slade was dangerous and wanted him well away from Felicity, the Queen and all of Arkham but if he knew, or had the slightest hint, that he was The Arrow there was no doubt that Slade would use that to turn Arkham against him; even Felicity. Oliver could see that Felicity felt for him as much as he did for her but this secret could ruin them. He did plan to tell her after they were married, maybe after a few more missions together when they were 100% comfortable he would reveal who and what he really was. It wasn't meant to be like this, he wasn't meant to be forced to tell her in the hopes of protecting her in some way.

Oliver rubbed his hands through his hair to think "Diggle, I…if Slade knows I'm The Arrow…" he sighed as he thought of Slade telling Felicity and seeing her shocked, confused and hurt face that he kept this from her; that he was a murderer and a monster.

"Oliver, I know that this isn't ideal but you have to protect the Princess your fiancé from this psycho! I know you didn't want to do it like this but you need to tell her before Slade does!" Diggle said urgently as he watched the Prince change his shirt

"We don't know if Slade will tell Felicity…however that isn't a chance I am willing to take if he actually knows who I am!" Oliver hated having to do this but he took a deep breath as he left his room leaving Diggle as he still wanted to do more investigating on Slade.

Felicity fussed in her large walk-in wardrobe looking for an appropriate dress for dinner and didn't even hear when Oliver knocked on her door until he came half way in and asked her name

"I'm getting changed Oliver, be out in a second!" she began to fuss harder and dismissed every dress she lay her hands on

Oliver thanked his lucky stars that she wouldn't see him when he told her the biggest secret of her life. He closed his eyes and tried to calm the storm of emotions inside of him "Take your time!" he called "there's actually something I wanted to tell you…something I've never told anyone" he could hear Felicity inside her wardrobe pulling something on and smiled when she seemed to be struggling "something very important and that I need you to understand but don't worry I'll explain everything because you probably won't understand, in fact you might hate me after I tell you…"

Felicity came out of her wardrobe wearing a beautiful powder blue dress dotted with little dark blue flowers and with a dark blue belt that pulled it in at her waist and her blonde hair was pulled to the side. Oliver took in her appearance and felt his heart swell I can't believe I'm going to destroy her in just a few moments, in just a few moments I'm going to see her walk away Oliver tried not to think about that little spark in her eye disappear when he told her the truth.

"Felicity…I" Oliver tore his eyes away from her reluctantly "…this is really hard for me to say, I'm afraid that when I tell you you'll see me differently"

"Oliver" Felicity stood in front of Oliver and placed her hand on his cheek tenderly "we're…we're going to be married and there shouldn't be any secrets between us" she smiled so warmly up at him that Oliver felt his heart swell with love yet splinter a little as he thought of what he was going to tell her "so whatever it is you have to hell me, we can work through it together"

Oliver nodded his head and took a deep breath and stepped away trying to gather his thoughts "You're right" he said "we are to be married and there should be no secrets between us and…I've never told anyone this before…apart from Diggle" he turned to look at his wife-to-be and everything about what he was about to say didn't seem so big anymore because he knew that she felt the same way about him and she would be there "Felicity I –"

knock knock knock "Your Highnesses? The Queen has requested your presence for dinner" a maid came in and dropped her gaze when she saw the couple looking so intently at each other

"Yes, one second please" Felicity nodded as the maid left them and turned her trusting eyes to Oliver "…you were saying?"

"Felicity…I" he couldn't do it. Oliver couldn't tell her like this and he dropped his eyes and took her hands in his "I…I love you"

Felicity's eyes welled up with tears as she sighed and hugged him close "I love you too Oliver"

Dinner was a simple and sort of quick affair, Felicity hardly took her eyes off her mother as they all ate. The Queen looked tired and very pale but she kept up the conversation so well that Felicity began to think that all she needed was a good night's rest. However, it was during dessert that Donna began to cough slightly and have trouble talking, she excused herself but Oliver insisted she have the physician look at her.

The three of them abandoned the table and sent Diggle to get the royal physician to meet them in the Queen's chambers.

Felicity looked on as the doctor checked the Queen for anything abnormal and her eyes went wide when the doctor announced that the Queens throat was covered in red painful looking ulcers "What?!" she exclaimed and grabbed hold of Oliver "how did she get them?! Can you get rid of them?"

"Your Highness, I'm not sure how she got them. They're contained at the moment but if they get any bigger they'll block off her air way, I'll give her something for the pain and to sooth the ulcers for tonight before she goes to a hospital tomorrow" Felicity nodded at what the doctor said, assured her mother that everything was going to be alright and left her to sleep for the night.

Oliver escorted Felicity back to her own room, his hand never left hers even when Felicity opened her door and half went inside "She's going to be Okay, right?" she asked

"Yes, she is going to be fine and I'll be here for you until she gets better" Oliver smiled

"And a little more after that I hope" Felicity giggled at her failed attempt at making a joke but Oliver chuckled with her

"I'll be here as long as you want me" Oliver leaned down and kissed her softly

"So, forever then?" Felicity smiled as Oliver leaned back "good night Oliver" she said as she stepped into her room and shut the door

"Good night Felicity" Oliver grinned at the closed door and slowly walked back to his own room, deciding that tomorrow, once and for all, he would tell Felicity the biggest secret of his life.

Felicity felt like a little girl again as she skipped stupidly around her room before plonking down heavily on her bed "I love you Prince Oliver" she said loudly to the room and laughed at herself.
Felicity was so happy, with her cheeks hurting from all the smiling, her stomach in happy knots, that she didn't see that there was another occupant in her room. She didn't see them slowly approach the bed or the weapon in their hand. Felicity sat up to change her out of her dress, then she saw them.

"Your Highness"

The Princess screamed as her attacker sprang at her pinning her to the bed and spraying something in her face "O-O-Oliver...? Oli-v-er?!" Her sight blurred as she was put into a forced slumber by the drug with her last groggy thought of Oliver.

Felicity opened her eyes with a start and screamed when she saw a figure to her left, they quickly covered her mouth and shushed her

"Please Princess, don't scream like that" her captor soothed gently "You'll ruin your beautiful voice"

"Slade!" Felicity lashed her hand out and felt a large sense of accomplishment when it made contact with his face "Why are you doing this?" She hissed

"Hitting me might not be the best cause of action right now, Princess" Slade rubbed his cheek and turned away and reached for a glass bottle "why don't we have a chat and a nice drink of water?"

Oliver was more than anxious when he found out Felicity had been taken, he had searched every inch of her room but found no sign of a struggle.
Diggle and Oliver didn't even have to search for who did this, they knew it was Slade but they didn't know where he had taken Felicity or why.

"Should we tell the Queen?"

"No, not yet. We take care of this on our own" Oliver ordered "be on the coms, I'll go looking for anything in the surrounding area"

Oliver quickly put on his Arrow suit and headed out to find his Princess.

"Please, drink up!" Slade encouraged and gave her a large glass of crystal clear water "with all the talking we're going to do, I think drinking might be a good idea for you"

Felicity put the glass down "Where am I?" She asked angrily

"A holding facility while we...negotiate" Slade ignored her look of pure fire and went on "when I'm done talking, you will drink and become my wife" he took the bottle and had a large gulp "it's really in your best interest, that glass of water there is going to be pretty tasty soon...your mother seemed to think so"

"What did you do to my mother!? I swear when I get out of here The Arrow will come for me and get rid of you permanently!" Felicity threatened

"I knew I had to use something more precious to you as leverage this time so I gave the Queen a little something extra in her water"

"You made her sick! Why?! So I would marry you and then what?" Felicity stood up now, all of her anger giving her the power to face this psycho "I won't! I am marrying OLIVER…" Felicity cried out as Slade's hand harshly struck her in the face silencing her as he stood over her small frame and laughed

"You will marry me because it's the only way you can protect your mother, your stupid fiancé and your whole kingdom" Slade bent down and took her chin in his hand forcing the princess to look at him "you want to protect them don't you? You don't want everyone to end up like your mother"

No Felicity thought cursing at herself when tears filled her eyes when she found that Slade was sort of right. Felicity knew that her biggest weakness was her people; they knew she would do anything to protect them. They would forgive her in time but what about Oliver? She loved him and she was willing to hurt him and herself to keep him safe?

The Arrow rode his bike through the streets, cutting through traffic and speeding through red lights with Diggle guiding him to likely places that Slade might have taken Felicity. He got off his bike and kicked down the door of an abandoned hotel "See anything?" Diggle asked

"I'm only in the lobby" The Arrow raced up the stairs "heading to the first floor now" he snarled as he began kicking down all the doors to every room, his bow at the ready in case he found his target "I'm coming Felicity!"

The princess's hands were shaking as Slade turned from her, poured her a glass of crystal clear water and handed it to her "Now, now" he cooed and brushed her hair back from her face and smiled "I see that the shock of my…proposal has you rattled but it'll be alright, say yes to me and your people will be safe" Slade tilted her face to meet his and their eyes met

"Wh-what will happen to Oliver?" Felicity asked gripped the glass so tight her fingers went white "will he be safe?" even if she was going to break his heart she still wanted to know that he would be safe

"I'll…send him away, my darling" the pet name poured seductively from his lips

Good Felicity let out a relieved breath she didn't know she had been holding, Felicity stared up at Slade not willing to thank him at all but knew that she should "I…umm" if she held her glass any tighter she thought it would break in her hand

"Is that a 'yes' Princess? Are you saying yes to me?" Slade touched her cheek lightly with his finger and smiled when he saw defeat in her eyes

"Yes" her voice was barely above a whisper but Slade heard it and claimed her lips hungrily and wrapped his arms around her

Felicity dropped the glass and it shattered to the floor.

The Arrow's heart leapt in his chest when he heard glass breaking, was Slade hurting her? The Arrow growled as he stood outside the last unopened door, he notched an arrow ready to fly…

Slade kissed Felicity hard and passionately. He had always wondered what kissing her was like and now that she was his he could kiss her whenever he liked!

Felicity wanted to kill herself as Slade's hands travelled over her body, she felt like gagging when his tongue invaded her mouth and tilted her head to the side to gasp her air yet this action only caused Slade's lips to move from hers down her neck.
Felicity tried to cry out for help but her voice cut off as Slade bit at her pulse point making her shudder reluctantly, she tried to use her voice again "A…" Slade tried to silence her, his hands moving down her legs and tracing little circles on her inner thigh "Arr…" his fingers were getting closer and closer to somewhere she never wanted him, Felicity finally found her voice and screamed at the top of her lungs hoping that he was watching and could hear her "ARROW!"

A loud BANG broke them apart and there stood The Arrow he let his arrow fly and smiled when it embedded itself in Slade's shoulder

Slade had to think fast, he knew he couldn't fight The Arrow now so he did the only thing he could do, he roared and jumped out the window, The Arrow raced to the broken window and looked down hoping to see the dead body of Slade but there was nothing.

"I lost Slade but I shot him with an arrow, he won't get far" The Arrow turned now to the Princess who was softly crying and holding a hand to her mouth "are you alright?" Felicity could feel her whole body ran cold as she went into shock and promptly fell to the ground, she was unconscious when The Arrow quickly raced to her side and didn't feel him gently lift her into his arms calling her name over and over begging her to open her eyes.

The Arrow informed Diggle on the situation and quickly formed a plan and ordered him to meet them at the back of Verdant "are you sure that's a good idea?" Diggle asked over the coms

"It's now or never Dig" The Arrow looked down at his princess as he descended the stairs and saw the little pinkish mark on her neck and felt his insides burn.

A/N: As you may have noticed, I have changed the chapter a little to something a little more like what I imagined. I like this better and I'm sorry for no new chapter but this is better than nothing, right?

Let me know what you think!