Why on Earth do I even have an authors note here? I don't even have anything to say!

Oh well.

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It was the first time I had dreamed about Jack and me in a while, and when I woke I almost half expected to be back in Gramma's house, but after just one moment of being half-awake I knew from smell that I wasn't in the lovely Peanut Brittle house anymore.

The sun had barely started a shadow of the palace in the lawn so I knew it was early, but instead of getting up as usual I lay in bed, my arms wrapped around my knees as I hugged them close to my chest on my side, trying to stopper up the ache in my chest that hurt worse with every passing moment.

Thinking about Jack and I so close, with him kissing me as though nothing had happened made me feel like I was being torn apart by some ravenous animal.

I flopped over onto my stomach and buried my face in the pillow, tangling my legs in the sheets, and flipping my hair off my neck, letting it pool in the color of the bark in the Woods.

I inhaled deeply, trying to bring sanity back to my thoughts that were contorting into rash escape plans.

I tried to remember what I would be doing on this particularly monstrous day…let's see…this morning and afternoon I would be in the Square with well wishers who believed that I had been kidnapped, and then get to be whisked away at sunset to be married to Licorice.

Sounds like ever so much fun.

A few hours later being wished well for the wedding was turning out to be just as fun as I had imagined.

Even wrapped in expensive furs and wool the square was still cold, and the longer I sat still, the more snow drifted down and attached itself to my coats and skirts.

The corset didn't make matters any easier either, let me tell you. It was laced tighter than it had in far too long, and I felt claustrophobic, wishing that I could fan air into my lungs or at least gasp like a fish out of water.

I recognized a few re-haired southerners, and I wished that I could wave cheerily to them as I had before in greeting, by I could only stiffly greet them like I was everyone else.

Mary Fontanel greeted me, curtsying one of her finest, and I gave her a discreet smile, the way I would always meet her.

She matched my smile and said hurriedly, "Happy Birthday, Genny…er…Crown Princess."

I started, in all the pandemonium of the last few days I had forgotten that today was my sixteenth birthday.

What a present…having to be married off to some creep.

More denizens approached me, all murmuring the same things. Something like "Glad you're back safe, Crown Princess" or "best wishes for your life, miss."

The routine was mind numbing, and I couldn't help but let my attention stray to examine my surroundings.

The cold grey stone was covered in the powdery white snow, but the cobblestones in the street were exposed having had workers shovel paths for the people.

The guards around me were wearing their best uniforms of purple and gold while I wore plain silver and gold.

I remembered that a true lady never let her mind wander when dealing with the public and turned my full attention to the next person in front of me.

My stomach jerked and my heart rate picked up, all the while my mouth going dry.

Jack was here…oh thank God! He would think of something to get me out of this hellish place, I just knew he would…

I flashed dimples at him, ignoring all rules of decorum and expected my favorite cocky grin back, but I was sorely disappointed.

"Crown Princess…" he swept a wide bow, one that I had never seen him do before.

My brows furrowed, expecting him to rise and say 'April fool!' or something of the like, but he didn't. He stayed bowed and his next words were so quite I nearly missed them.

"Genny, when I met you I thought you were truly unique, but now that I realized that you were running away from your duty to the Crown, I realized that I have nothing but pity for the poor man who has to marry a girl such as you…one who runs from her duties instead of facing them like any Queen should."

He raised quickly, his eyes meeting mine, and then he turned and left abruptly, his comment still singing in my ears.

I wanted to chase after him, make him understand that I hadn't been running away from serving the Crown…just Licorice…who he pitied for having to wed me.

Oh God I wished I was back to Genny, then I could smack him over the head and chafe him about how if anyone was to be pitied, it should be me, not the evil Licorice.

I sat for the next few hours brooding over what he said…and still was thinking about it while being led in a carriage back to the palace.

Even though it was the middle of winter, the King and Queen and decided to hold the marriage in the same place as my coronation, so that all of the Country could be there to witness the biggest nightmare in my life.

Cecilia and a few other chambermaids were in a flurry fitting the wedding dress on me, the very dress that all of the Queens had been married in, and did my hair and makeup.

I was led to the full length mirror on the wall, and saw only fakeness.

The dress was beautiful, styled very much like the Princess Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden.

I turned slowly in the mirror, my expressionless eyes drinking in every fine crafted detail of the dress, and wondered absentmindedly what would happen if I 'accidentally' tripped and ruined the dress.

But I knew that I wouldn't do anything of the like…I just was too meek.

"Oh miss, you look so much like 'Miranda' by Dicksee!" Cecilia said, smiling brightly.

I nodded glumly, remembering painfully how Jack had remarked that one day.

Cecilia tried keeping up a steady stream of chatter all the way down to the great hall, but my somber expression led her to trail off until the only sounds in the hallway were the chambermaids' shoes from where they walked around the long train as to ward off any unexpected people from stepping on the dress that swished with every step towards impending doom.

I reached the top of the stair where a large crowd of people was…all of whom were servants.

As I paraded through them they parted, solemnly bowing or curtsying.

The wide French doors were opened once again, and a white winter land awaited me outside.

The benches had been stained white, along with the pavilion that I had been crowned at, the snow blanketing the trees, flowers and bushes, the only color besides the denizens clothes was the carpet lain out for me, the color making me thing horribly of blood.

I struggled to breathe as every head in the giant audience turned to me, every eye scrutinizing my dress and face, a few people standing on their bench to see over the sea of the tall.

As I sedately walked by, men bowed and women curtsied, and I tried to seek out familiar faces…but only one out of the two that I wanted to see I found.

Gramma was watching me with a tear in her eye from where she stood second out from the isle and said as I passed, "Forgive me, Genny…you look beautiful."

I wanted to shake her. Couldn't she see that it was completely my fault that I hadn't stood up for myself better? But I only nodded discreetly behind the veil that covered my face, continuing my search for Jack.

As I approached the last bench I was franticly searching for him, my eyes darting wildly, terrified that my last glance of him had been this afternoon.

A trembling hand lifted my skirts to step up as I felt my lungs start to work furiously, trying to hyperventilate.

I stepped in front of Licorice, my eyes still trying to search the crowd even as I kept my head bowed, pretending to listen to the priest.

His words were like physical blows unto me, each syllable reminding me of that fateful night when my guard was dropped and my wits had vanished and I was brought back to this hellish nightmare.

My eyes glanced to where the King and Queen were seated behind the priest in their thrones, smiling with pride and joy.

I wanted to vomit…or run until I was trapped in the Woods again…just to escape this horrible feeling of being compressed.

I felt a sharp jolt as Licorice suddenly spoke "I do."

"Do you, Lolly Frostine Amelia Geneva, take Robert Bailey Licorice to be your lawful wedded husband, whom you will love, cherish and obey for the rest of your days?"

Oh God if only the name he had said wasn't Licorice's, but instead Jacks…

I opened my mouth to utter those horrid words, but as I made my first noise, a scream interrupted me.

Every head turned to the sound of the noise, to see who had dared interrupt the ceremony.

The French doors had been thrown open, and servants were running from the house, many of whom screaming something that sounded horribly like 'fire.'

A few guests had gotten wind of what they were saying, and noticed the fierce orange and yellow flames that were starting to appear in the hallways and shine through the windows, and had started to get up, ready to flee as well.

The King got off his throne, yelling at the priest to pronounce Licorice and I 'man and wife.'

The priest complied, handing each of us the rings, and waited until we had both slipped those vile bands on before saying loudly 'I now pronounce you man and wife!'

The King gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, shaking Licorice's hand quickly, and hurried off to give out instructions.

From inside there was a loud crash, glass breaking, and louder screams, along with the roar of the inferno increasing.

Licorice ran off to help the King, the priest ran off for his life, and the Queen stood before the guests, trying to calm them down.

I was left unnoticed in all the confusion.

A grin flashed over my face as I slipped behind the Queen, joining the guests in their running.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I whipped around, ready to smack the hand off, but I was only Gramma.

"Do you really think it's wise to run off on your wedding day?" she asked, smirking.

I nodded "I don't know about you, but this is the wisest thing I've done in a few days."

She nodded back "Follow me; I know where we can go."

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Yay! Cool escape plan!

Please Review for the bad author who doesn't proof read and only spell checks…

(But just finished watching Moulin Rouge, so I get some bonus points!)