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The next few weeks were hectic; Gramma and I were nervous wrecks, always afraid that at any second a Royal would knock down the door, taking me back to the City, or having Joseph come barging in again.

Fortunately for us nothing of the likes happened, but Jack was still on edge about the latter.

He had come almost every day, keeping conversations light as air, but I knew that his visits weren't social, more like protection.

I eagerly looked forward to seeing him each day, but yet, I felt so ashamed every time he left…my dream haunted me nightly, and when I saw him I yearned for him to sweep me up into his arms and kiss me like in the dream, but no such thing could happen under the watchful eye of Gramma.

I would always stand on the porch with him for a few moments, and we had a little while together to be alone, but he would never dare to try to steal a kiss. Not because the ever watchful eye of Gramma was watching to make sure we weren't kissing like we weren't doing…but because he was afraid that he would put me in the same position that I was in when he saved me from Joseph who was rumored to have moved.

When he was gone and I was safe in my room, I would lean against the door, closing my eyes, hugging myself, wishing that it was jack holding me and not me.

Oh how I wished he would hold me the way he had that Winter Solstice night, when it felt like the summer sun was full, and the night cold had vanished, bringing instead warm breezes.

I would always open my eyes, facing my bleak bedroom and undress slowly, climbing into bed, already anticipating the dream that would make me wake in the morning, wishing for him all the more.

The sheets seemed cold as I slid into them, gooseflesh erupting over my skin as I shut my eyes, disappearing into my torturous sleep.

I was in the kitchen washing dishes, setting a dish on the counter to dry, when the door burst open, men trouping in, grabbing me from where I stood.

They carried my across the hills to the Palace where they set me in front of Mother and Father who looked me over. "This will have to make due." They said, and once again I was carried away, taken to the ballroom where a room full of people awaited me, all turning to look when I came in.

I was pushed to an Altar, a ring pushed onto my finger, and then those hard lips came onto mine…and suddenly we were in a foreign suite and on a bed, my clothes being torn off by Lord Licorice, my new husband.

His hand touched my chest, and I opened my eyes, jerking awake.

I scrambled off the bed, the sheets tangling around my legs like arms, but I kicked them, falling in a heap on the floor, trying to get up.

The door flew open and light flooded in, the shape of Gramma appearing in the doorway.

"Genny! What's wrong!" she asked, coming down next to me.

I hugged her neck, heaving dry sobs, blabbering incoherent words until all of her rocking and strokes on my hair calmed me enough to stop sobbing.

"What happened, sweet, bad dreams?" she asked, and I shot up, flying to the wardrobe.

"They're coming for me! They'll be here any moment…I just know it!" I cried, pausing before yanking out a dress.

"Genny, what are you going on about?" she asked, putting a hand on my arm, but I shook it off.

"The Royals! They're coming for me! They're going to take me back…and I have to be married to Licorice…and then we have to go back to the suite for official marriages…"

Gramma seized my shoulders as I started shaking like mad, the dress falling from my hands.

"Genny, nothing's going to happen…I promise…they aren't coming for you…"

"Yes they are! I saw it all happen! I was in the kitchen and, and, they just come in and take me back to Mother and Father…and then I get married to Licorice and we had to go to the suite…I don't want to be taken! I don't want to go back!" I sobbed, collapsing into her, my shoulders shaking.

She hugged me close, rocking me back and forth like a little child awoken by a bad dream.

"Genny…I can promise they won't find you. They won't ever get you, I swear." She said, stroking my hair again.

I nodded, my eyes growing heavy. I wanted this moment to last forever, always safe in the one person who loved me's arms, rocked into obliviousness.

I woke gasping, terrified for one blinding moment that my dream had come true, and that I would look over to find Licorice strew out next to me, my last string to innocence and youth severed completely, but it was just the floor next to me.

Same old room…same twin bed…wardrobe…rag rug…oil lamp…everything was the same.

Thank God.

I sank back in bed, my head sunk back into the pillow, my hand over my eyes trying to calm down.

The door opened, and through the slits of my fingers I saw Gramma walk in.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, and I shrugged.

"Honestly, I feel like I've been retching all night…" I said, flopping back.

She put a hand on my forehead, and I saw her lips purse.

"Oh dear…you have a fever…" she fretted, and I sighed happily.

"At least if I'm bedridden they would not dare to search."

Gramma smiled, shutting the door behind her.

-

It took only a day to break the fever, and only one more to be able to get back onto the normal schedule.

Three evenings later Jack was back, sitting with us around the fireplace sharing stories about the day and listening to the click of our needles.

The clock on the wall struck eight and Jack stood, declaring that he should be getting home. I started to rise to walk him to the porch but a sharp rap sounded at the door.

My face blanched and I took a step back.

Jack pulled open the door and men poured into the room, no less than five but no more than ten.

All dressed in the Royal colors with rifles.

"May I help you, gentlemen?" Gramma rose from the armchair, bravely facing them.

"We beg for your forgiveness of arriving so late, but we've had reports that the Most High Crown Princess Lolly was being held here." Their leader said, and I recognized him to be my father's advisor, Davis, one who knew what I looked like regardless of a change of hair color. "And if I'm not mistaken we have found her! Praise God!"

He knelt at my feet and I trembled, but Jack stepped in.

"Sir, I believe you have the wrong girl…this is Geneva Kay." He said, and Davis rose, taller than Jack.

"Geneva, her fourth name…Lolly Frostine Amelia Geneva." He said, and looked back at me.

"Crown Princess, you shall no longer have to reside in this terrible prison; we'll be taking you back to the City…The King and Queen will be pleased to see you again." He said, but I backed away, my knees shaking so much they threatened to buckle under me.

"N-no…you're mistaken!" I said, my voice betraying me by cracking.

"Crown Princess, you've been traumatized by this past year…come, we're taking you back home." He took my arm, and I tried to pull back.

"No! I won't go bac-" I started, and shut my mouth tight, but the damage had already been done.

"See! They're brainwashed you, miss…come along then…" He said, pulling my forward.

I stumbled past Jack, one glance to his face revealed nothing about what he was thinking. His face was as unreadable as stone, and he was stepping back to let the men pass back out.

"I refuse to let you take her! She's no Crown Princess…you cannot do this!" Gramma cried, stopping up the doorway, but the men drew their swords.

"Madame, we advise you let us pass, otherwise we might be tempted to take you to the dungeons." Davis spat viciously, and Jack pulled her gently away.

"Genny…" she cried as I went out the door, and I struggled harder against Davis, but he held tight.

"Miss, the King and Queen will be overjoyed with your return…as will Lord Licorice. He's been worried about his bride." He said, making a stab at trying to brighten my spirits, but that only made the first tears run down my cheeks.

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