For disclaimer's please see chapter 1

After making it back to Alex's chambers, Olivia made herself comfortable on Alex's bed, knowing how long it could take the blonde to get ready. Alex, for her part, went straight to the closet and began to rifle through the dresses she owned. She pulled a few out, and held them all up against her body and turning to Olivia for a verdict. According to Olivia's reaction, she would then decide which ones she would try on.

Olivia, who had always hated picking clothes for herself, had a great time picking things for Alex. Today, however, something was different. Olivia couldn't help but take in Alex's entire appearance. Not just the dress, but how it draped her form, or clung to different parts of her body. She noticed that her heart beat sped up as she watched Alex strip down to her under garments, or how her breath seemed to hitch when she caught the swell of a breast. Instead of trying to put too much thought into her reactions to her best friend, Olivia just attributed it to the work out she had just gone through. Shaking herself out of her thought, she brought her attention back to the task at hand and gave Alex her opinion.

"I think you should go with the blue one," Olivia told her. "It brings out the color of your eyes."

Blushing at the compliment, Alex busied herself with setting the dress aside and picking out other things she could where for the night. "Good," Alex said. "Now that we have that taken care of we can go choose your ensemble."

At first, Olivia's only response was to shrug. She watched as Alex crossed her arms and gave her a pointed stare that made her feel as though she was in council with the king. "Fine, whatever," Olivia sighed. "But you know that I'm just going to wear whatever you pick out." Olivia stood and made her way out of the room. Alex followed a few paces behind.

"True, but it's so much fun dressing for balls," Alex replied giddily.

"Whatever," Olivia mumbled.

Alex stopped suddenly, causing Olivia to stop also as she could no longer feel her following. "Olivia, why aren't you more excited about this ball?" Alex asked. "I mean picking out a dress and all the eligible suitors waiting to dance with you. And you know that you always have a line of eligible young men mile long at these occasions."

"Alex you know as well as I do that I would be far more comfortable in my tunic for this gathering." Olivia replied. "And as for the suitors, I'm not ready to settle down and become a wife and a mother and mistress of a household."

Alex looked appalled at the suggestion of what her best friend would be wearing. "Olivia, tunics are for knights."

"Yes, and in three months time I will be a knight unless I'm needed before then," Olivia reminded. She knew Alex didn't like to think of Olivia being involved in a battle, but it was something that needed to be discussed every once in a while.

"I don't see why you need to do this, Olivia," Alex sighed.

"Because I'm always hearing about what a great man and a great knight my father was. Maybe this way, I'll feel a little more connected to him," Olivia responded.

"So you're doing this to be closer to a man you've never met?" Alex asked incredulously.

"I don't know. Maybe, but it's not the only reason." Olivia replied.

"What's the other?"

"I need to get out of this castle, further than just the courtyard or the country side immediately surrounding us. I want to see more of the kingdom than what is behind these walls. I want some adventure in my life."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with this castle, or the country side," Alex told her.

"There is when you've lived here your whole life," Olivia said. "Maybe if King Cragen had allowed me to travel more then I wouldn't need to do this. It was hard enough convincing him to let me become a knight. Without that, the only way out of here would be marriage, and you know that the only offer I've had the would be worth considering, was from that toad of a man Langon. I would rather scale the fiery pits of hell than marry that man."

"Well what is so wrong with Lord Langon?" Alex asked, having only heard of the man in passing and never anything horrible.

"Because he only wants to marry me for my money. He knows that when I came of age, I inherited everything that once belonged to my family. Money, a title, and lands I have never seen." Olivia explained. "And he also knows that there is no one else to control them. I think he thinks I'm naïve enough to think that he can do something for my station if I were to accept him. What he doesn't know, is that the king has been teaching me how to take care of a large village, which is apparently the size of Benson Landing, since I was 15. I can take care of my land and the people living on it with far more compassion than he ever could."

Alex was shocked. She had no idea a man could be so callous and attempt to use a lady in such a way. She had been raised to believe that men, especially men of nobility and knights, we supposed to be chivalrous and put a ladies needs above their own. If anyone asked, Alex would deny it, but she often thought that her future husband would be very much like her best friend. Olivia was caring and strong, determined yet logical. Whenever Alex needed assistance, Olivia was there for her. She always felt safe when Olivia and she walked out in the market 

area. Olivia seemed to have this aura about her that made people who seemed to be looking for trouble stay away, even if she wasn't dressed as a knight. It had also seemed that lately, Alex preferred the company of Olivia over any of the young men in the kingdom. When they weren't together, Alex thought about her all the time, wondering what exactly she was doing and whether or not she was safe. She refused to think about what this might mean, though. "Well surely there are others interested?" Alex suggested.

"None that wouldn't bore me to tears and annoy me to death before we were wed," Olivia laughed.

"Well then, we'll just have to have Elliot introduce you to some of his eligible friends," Alex replied. She nodded as though everything was settled. She started walking back down the corridor towards Olivia's chambers. Olivia rolled her eyes and lightly chuckled. There was no stopping Alex when she was determined to do something. She would much rather spend the rest of her life with her best friend. She only wished that it didn't feel so right.