AN: Ahh, attack of the dreaded writers block. Anyway, finally, here's the next chapter! Thank you for the reviews.

Chapter Five

Meeting the Guards Or Walking the Dog

Her father's old dog was pulling at it's lead, as Boa walked sluggishly behind it, holding the end of the lead in a lazy grip. The lead was wrapped around her fingers in such a way that it was turning her hand red, but he didn't care, her mind was on other things. Finnegan might have forgiven her, but she still felt uneasy around him. She had left him on his own in the palace whilst she accompanied her mother and father out on their weekly walk, the one time in the week that neither had any duties to do.

For a while she had been making excuses for joining them, walking along in the muddy wood wasn't something she enjoyed doing, but today she would have agreed to anything that kept her out of the palace, and out of certain people's ways.

"Boa, don't go too far ahead dear," he mother called from behind.

Boa started, she hadn't realised she'd go on ahead so far, and stopped to let them catch her up. As soon as they were near her the dog pulled even harder to make her move again, and Boa sighed and began following behind it once more.

"You don't look happy Boa," he father observed frowning, he clasped his hands his back as he walked and waited for a reply.

"I'm fine thank you," she said trying to smile but not really managing it.

Her father wasn't fooled.

"You're not fine, you haven't been fine all morning, maybe you need something to take your mind off things, I've heard you've been having problems with your charity,…" he ventured carefully.

Boa scowled.

"I can take care of that myself."

"That's not what your father means Boa, of course you are able, it's just that we don't want you worrying too hard over it. Maybe if you take a little break? A party of some kind, you can invite your friends!"

Boa's scowl fell into a look of despair.

"What friends? I don't have any friends, just Christopher and Finnegan? What a riveting party that would be…" Boa said imagining the silence that would be in that room whilst she handed out cakes and wondered what the point of getting up that morning had been.

"Don't be silly, you have lots of friends!" her mother insisted.

Boa didn't like to interrupt again, after all she did need something to take her mind off things, but not for the reasons they thought.

Boa dragged her feet along; if her parents wanted to arrange a party she couldn't be bothered to stop them. She only hoped they wouldn't go making it a big affair, one that people would feel they had to attend for fear of becoming out of favour.

She walked without listening until what they were saying caught her attention and she tried to pick up the thread without them noticing.

"Yes, so I said, well if you feel you must but I really didn't see the point myself, but I suppose it's important to him. After all, when you spend most of your life crossing backwards and forwards you want to know it's safe," her mother said without noticing she had her daughter's attention. "I have to say though, he was very polite today, usually I dare not say anything in case I rile him. No, most pleasant…"

"See my dear, I told you he's not all bad…"

"Yes, but you talk about things he's interested in, I just offer him cups of tea, he must think I'm obsessed with tea."

Boa was sure they were talking about Carrion, but what worried her were the references to the fact that he had gone somewhere and was not in the palace. Panic struck her. She was in her most unattractive clothes, covered in mud and walking a scabby old dog, if he was to see this way she would be mortified. Worse of all she had failed to put on her make-up that morning, too intent on seeing Finnegan and escaping. She had never appeared before Carrion in such a state, and was finding herself dreading his reaction.

"So will he join us later?" her father asked.

Boa gasped, and then coughed to try and disguise it. He was joining them?

"I'm not feeling very well, I think I'll go back," Boa decided pushing the dog lead at her confused mother.

"Boa?"

Boa refused to stop for their questions, dug her hands in her pockets and walked quickly back through the mud, or as quick as she could. On her way she swapped the path she was taking for a less muddy one that took her around the wood rather than through it.

Her action was automatic and it took her closer to the docks than she would have liked, but before she could change her mind and double back she happened upon the person she was desperately trying to avoid. Great she thought, what were the chances?

Boa's eyebrows shot up in exasperation, but she kept her eyes on the floor. She knew she was being rude, she should signal that she acknowledged him, with a nod or a small curtsy, but she was frozen.

"Good morning," he said finally. Boa looked up slowly, taking him in from his boots upwards. She became stuck on his coat buttons. She was sorry she'd made him have to greet her first, but at least he was being polite even if she wasn't.

"Hello," she mumbled not daring to move. "I was on my way home…I'm not feeling well… I should go now…excuse me."

She made a move to go around him, but he stopped her with his hand on her shoulder. This action forced Boa to look up, and she wished she hadn't as she could see pain in Carrion's eyes.

Her heart felt for him instantly, and her face took on a look of concern. Something had happened to make him show her this, but then again did he mean for her to see? Boa didn't know, but she had the horrible feeling that their last meeting hadn't helped matters.

"What's the matter?" she asked standing just out of reach from him, just in case he tried to touch her again.

"Nothing, your father invited me to join him after I had attended some business, so here I am, I am disappointed that you are leaving, but so you always leave when I am near you," he replied in such a steady way that Boa frowned slightly. She couldn't tell from his voice if he was angry, upset, or more than likely, but still unproven, making fun of her.

"That isn't true, I…"Boa paused, apart from the encounter in the library it was true, but she wasn't going to mention anything about that. "I just have things to do…"

"Like sorting out your children's foundation."

This made Boa angry, he had no right to bring that into question, what she did was her own business, she didn't need people looking over her shoulder and criticising.

"Well if you sorted out your own hour I wouldn't have such a problem, do you know they all think you're a insane ruler who never thinks of his people? It's only because of me that they haven't caused you problems, and do you know why? It's because I honestly think you do care, even if you have a stupid way of showing it!" Boa snapped, staring at him coldly and then stomping past.

It was only when she got a few steps away from him that she realised she must have looked like a wild thing, shouting and flailing her arms whilst looking a state. She dug her hands in her coat pocket and hung her head. Carrion wasn't going to come after her and a cold feeling settled in her stomach as she realised she was walking alone. One by one the tears started falling from her eyes.

Why couldn't she ever rid herself of him? Every time she told him what she really thought of him she was instantly hit with guilt for doing it. She supposed some part of her still thought of him as her childhood friend who used to throw bags of flour out of tower windows, and put worms in people's shoes. But those days had long a go disappeared, what they were now Boa didn't understand.

Carrion stood watching her walk away from him, he wasn't a fool, he knew their last meeting was what had created the tension and the anger, but without any explanation he was at a loss as how to react. He couldn't tell if Boa was really avoiding him, or if she really was on her way home. She didn't make sense at the best of times, but he should have known better than to provoke her today, but stupidly he hadn't been thinking.

"Wait!" he called after her, abandoning his direction and taking hers back to the palace. "I said wait."

"I don't want to talk anymore Christopher, I'm not feeling well…" she told him as soon as he'd caught her up. "Just leave me alone."

"You are going to talk to me," he said grabbing her arm roughly. Boa felt herself being yanked sideways and gave a yelp.

Instantly the surrounding trees became chaotic with the sounds of rustling, shouted orders and bodies appearing from almost everywhere. If Boa had screamed before it was nothing to what the soldiers inspired in her.

"To the princess!" they called as they run towards her.

As they came closer, Boa realised they were heading straight for Carrion, although unlike her he didn't seem all too worried.

"No! Go back, go back!" Boa shouted flinging her arms about Carrion's middle as if that would save him from the twenty or more guards running at him.

Burying her head in his chest and closing her eyes on the world, Boa waited to be grabbed and flung out of the way, but the heavy hands never came.

The weak light in the sky illuminated the shining weapons they were brandishing above their heads, and their boots thudded through the mud in squelching sounds.

However before they managed to get anywhere close enough to harm Carrion, noiselessly they were intercepted by a smaller number of silent Midnight bodyguards. Noticing that the noise had stopped, Boa opened an eye and then the other and clung onto to Carrion as if she had forgotten who he was, her body shaking with shock.

Carrion hadn't been all too concerned when the soldiers had emerged from the trees, he had known they were there, they followed the Royal family wherever they went for they safety, just like his own bodyguards followed him. The noise that they had made coming out of the trees had given away their inept skills immediately, Carrion had many personal guards, all or which he had overseen their instruction himself, silence was key. Rushing out into the open was the worse mistake you could make.

Rather than feel thankful that he was alive, his first thoughts were Boa's safety, from now on he'd have his guards watch her as well, he couldn't trust these incompetent soldiers with her life. He moved his arm around her gently before she noticed, and stood with her head pressed firmly against his chest. He doubted she was paying attention, but he knew she would be able to hear his heart beating faster than normal should she listen.

"Call them off" he spoke gently into her ear. Boa shuddered and tilted her head up to look at him.

"Oh my Lord, they were going to kill you!"

"Call them off," he repeated just as gently, and waited for Boa to become master of her fear to follow his instruction.

Tears running down her face again, Boa looked over to the soldiers facing the Midnight guards, each party awaiting orders to strike or walk away. Swallowing hard, Boa caught the eye of one of the men ready to fight for her.

"Please, put down your swords, I am fine," she said not knowing what command she should really be giving, should she thank them? Or did they do something wrong? This had never happened before. "I am fine."

"We will escort the Princess to where ever she is going, please return to your covert mission," one of the Midnight guards said sarcastically.

The man Boa had spoke to looked at her for confirmation, and when Boa nodded he made a small nod and turned around and lead the rest of the soldiers back along the path she had come along before meeting Carrion.

"Happens often does it?" Carrion asked as Boa finally let go of him.

"You grabbed me, what did you expect?" Boa retorted. It was a stupid question, as even Boa hadn't expected anything of the kind to happen, and she knew Carrion knew it too.

"Full of surprises, aren't you."

Boa blushed; she didn't need him to tell her that he was referring to her improper behaviour in the library. Quickly her embarrassment turned to anger, that was his fault then, and it was his fault now; she wasn't going to let him blame things on her and not himself.

"Well don't rush to thank me, I just saved your life after all!" she told him, folding her arms.

Carrion looked as if he was trying not to laugh, but he soon gave up and made Boa feel even smaller.

"Still going home?"

This confused Boa even further.

"You're not mad? You were almost killed, and once again I have been being most rude to you…" she asked frowning.

Carrion said nothing.

"Yes I'm going home…"

Still Carrion said nothing, but finally made a short bow.

"Farewell then," he said before turning his back on her and finally walking to meet her father.

Boa felt like shouting, fine get lost then! But managed to keep her insult under control, she didn't want a repeat of earlier happening all over again. But still something juvenile in her wanted revenge on his abrupt goodbye, so that it wouldn't be him who had had the last word.

Bending down Boa picked up a small pebble, not feeling too ruthless she wiped the mud off first on her coat and then threw it Carrion. The small stone bounced off his shoulder, but hit hard enough to make him feel it. Feeling giddy, Boa waited for him to turn around and look at her. Once she caught his eye, she half screamed, half laughed and began running away from him.

For an exciting moment she thought he might be chasing her, but he wasn't, and slowly she began to allow herself a laugh and slowed to a walk. She had no idea why she had felt such an urge to do something so childish, but nothing would ever make her forget that playful glint in his eye as he had looked her, ready to throw handfuls of mud in her face, totally forgetting who they were and who they were meant to behave.

A/N: Yes! The depressing moments are over; Boa and Carrion are friends again! … Butof course that won't last, but enjoy it whilst it does!

Please review and tell me what you're thinking!