So excited to update the story. (: Thanks to Naivette, Crystal4458, Crescentrax, and Ravlia for the reviews for the last chapter! And remember, readers, if I have the time to pop out chapters, you have time to review. xD

Chapter Twelve: Prison

I spent only a short time in the tunnel before I headed down the path to the outside world. It took me to an exit right by the mall, so I had no problem walking from there and finding a train to take me home. My mind was still whirling from what my dad said. He hid for twelve years just to keep me and my mom, Andrea, safe. He was always watching out for me where he could, though, watching from the shadows to make sure Isabella didn't hurt me. That was extreme dedication and loyalty. I always looked up to my dad, but now I looked up to him more than ever. He was so wise too. While I didn't agree with his opinions about Riku and Gregory, at least he didn't shove them down my throat. He left the decision up to me despite how concerned he was about me.

After exiting the train, I only had to walk ten minutes to the district where my house was. While walking, I realized that it was only mid afternoon and Riku wouldn't be back yet. Well, I'd have to look through Isabella's books after all to figure out how to break the curse on me. Despite what she said when I first encountered her, my father knew nothing about the curse on me. She just wanted me to have a bad view of my dad. Yeah, that was it. What a witch.

Before I dealt with her personally, I'd have to find a way to break the curse. Then I'd be victorious over her. I turned a corner and saw my house within my view, though the sight I saw almost made me stop.

Two people were standing on the porch. And it wasn't just any two people. Riku and my mom. Mom? What was she doing here? I didn't like the way that this looked…

Regardless, my feet carried me to the house where the two stood. Mom looked infuriated while Riku looked disgusted and disappointed. I knew all those feelings were directed at me, but I had no idea what actually happened to cause this. "Er…What's going on here?" Why were they so ticked? And why were they even here right now?

"You tell me," Riku said, arms folded over his chest. "You were supposed to stay in the house all day and search for a way to break the curse."

Yes, yes I was, I realized, momentarily panicking. But I kept my composure and lied despite my hatred of dishonesty. "I needed a walk."

"Were you alone or did you have a companion?"

"Alone," I said tensely, lying again. I couldn't lie again, not to Riku and to my mom. They were both too precious to me. "I think it's time I asked some questions now," I stated. "What're you two doing here?"

"Catching you in your lies," Riku piped while Mom was silent. "We saw you, Steph. We were watching in that abandoned district while you waited for your dad to show up."

Speechless, I didn't bother saying anything else. They…saw him? They were spying on me? I hadn't even noticed.

"How could you?" Andrea finally said in a harsh whisper. "How could you leave me in the dark and not tell me that the love of my life is alive!"

The pure fury in her voice made me take a small step back. "I…" I didn't want you to be disappointed if he wasn't alive. But once I knew, I still didn't tell you. I thought you wouldn't let me search for him, like Riku.

"He's my best friend, for goodness sake!" she cried. "I thought he was gone forever, but now I hear that he's alive. And that you're keeping me away from him!"

The accusations burned. "I didn't do that! He appears and disappears as he pleases; I don't have control over that."

"Did you try talking to him about coming back to me? Did you at least do that for me?"

"I…" No, no I hadn't done that. I hadn't even thought about my mom when I was with my dad. I had too many questions concerning my own past and everything. At least I asked him about the curse; they'd be happy about that, wouldn't they? It didn't matter, because they didn't want to hear it. Nobody wanted to hear my voice after I kept such a secret from my mom.

"So, what did you two talk about today? The weather?" Mom asked tensely, her tone biting. Degrading.

"Don't insult me like that," I whispered tightly. "I wouldn't waste a second with him. I was asking him about the curse that was put on me."

"You didn't ask him about why he reeks of Darkness?" The question came from my mom again. How much had Riku told her?

"I didn't get much of a chance to. He didn't bring it up, and we had plenty of other things to talk about."

"What, like you? Your shattered memories, your grief, your curse? Why is it all about you?"

You…you can't mean that, I thought as tears appeared in my eyes. But her rage was evident enough. She thought I was being selfish with my dad and maybe I was. I hadn't even thought about my mom. What kind of a person was I? I was an absolutely horrid daughter, wasn't I?

This is why Isabella never loved you.

"We can't control when and where he reappears, like you said," Andrea said, turning her back to me. "So we're going back to Cadia. He can find us there if he pleases." She turned to face the boy beside her, who looked conflicted. "Riku," she said, motioning with her hand for him to go to me.

That was what he did. He walked over and gripped my upper arm. As if I'd try to run away now. I had no place to run to. Instead of looking at me with only disgust and disappointment, he had more concern behind his eyes because of the fierce scolding I just received. He gently tugged at my arm and led me away from my house. I knew why he was disgusted and disappointed in me; I lied to him and ran off to my dad despite his warnings that he could be dangerous. I could feel his sad gaze on me as we walked towards where he probably parked the ship, but I didn't make eye contact with him. My gaze remained on the ground even if my tears didn't remain in my eyes. The moisture dripped from my eyes in silence as I reflected on all that my mom threw at me. I was such a selfish beast.

"Why did you have to tattle on me?" I whispered weakly to Riku. I should have had more time to sort this out, then I would have thought of talking to Dad about Mom…Right? I wasn't a complete jerk of a daughter, was I?

"You didn't give me any choice," Riku whispered in response, lightly squeezing my upper arm. "You were being so reckless, not listening to a word I said."

I listened, I thought as I shook my head. But you didn't listen to me. I was willing to face the danger to see him. He was the person I was closest to before everything happened. While my thoughts and emotions swirled, Riku said the words that I never wanted to hear again.

"You'll understand someday."

*…*…*…*…*…*

Grounded. This wasn't the first time that I suffered this punishment. But it was the first time that I ever suffered it to this extent. I literally wasn't allowed out of my bedroom. And anything that could be remotely entertaining was taken out of my room so that all I had was textbooks. My teachers came to me to give me private tutoring. No more horseback riding or archery lessons, only dry boring textbook information to digest. Even Mr. Bottomsworth seemed to have some pity on me. My mother didn't, though. And neither did Riku.

It felt like those two were conspiring against me. Riku was hardly ever in my suite; most of the time, he was in meetings with my mom. Maybe they were trying to find out more about my dad. I kept my promise to him and didn't tell them much about the conversation. No matter how painful it was keeping another secret from them, I had to do it. My dad seemed to be my only ally right now. I wished so badly that he was here right now, but he wasn't. The security around the castle was too tight for him to reach me without anybody noticing.

It was a week since I saw him last and he hadn't come to find me yet. I couldn't believe how completely alone I felt. Riku wasn't on my good side after tattling on me and breaking my trust, and I wasn't on my mom's good side. She yelled at me a few times since that day, calling me selfish, shallow, uncaring…The list went on and on. At one point, Riku did try to console me. He said that it was only her grief speaking. She was feeling so strongly because she had been so close to Terry and believed he was dead, and now that he was alive and not coming to find her, she felt betrayed. But I still had to believe her words. I was a terrible daughter.

Perhaps this was why Isabella didn't love me. I didn't deserve it. I always thought that she was the problem, not me. I hadn't done anything wrong to deserve her wrath. But having two mothers tell me the same messages, I realized maybe I had a problem. Maybe I was a complete screw up and a brat. Maybe I'd never find approval from my parents.

Again, the tears formed in my eyes as I sat at my desk. My history textbook was in front of me, open to the page I had skimmed five hundred times over and still couldn't recall a thing from. The pages were already stained with tears that fell on other days. And they were about to be stained with fresh ones that were falling right now.

A shaky sigh left my lips as I lowered my head. My arms came up on the desk as well and shielded my face from any other eyes in the room. Nobody was there right now, though. The only person who was close by was the guard who was standing outside my bedroom door. It felt like I was in a prison cell more than anything else. If I wasn't mistaken, they even downgraded the quality of the food they brought me so I'd suffer more. This isn't right…I just wanted my best friend back…I wanted to know for certain that I was loved. But now, I know I'm hated. And I know I deserve it.

The soft creaking of the door brought me out of my thoughts, though it didn't make me bring my head out of my arms. It was probably just somebody bringing me my food. They'd leave it on the end table by my bed and then leave without a word.

Instead of that happening though, I heard footsteps coming towards me.

"Asleep, huh?" the voice asked softly. Riku. "I should have guessed. You always sleep when you're depressed. Or stuck reading one of your boring textbooks."

I'm not asleep, I thought without reacting. I didn't want to, since Riku wasn't exactly my friend these days. We weren't really speaking.

"I'm sorry," he continued quietly. "But this is for the best."

No it's not. You don't know what's best for me, I do.

Riku walked past me and into his own bedroom. He shut the door behind him so that I was alone in my room again. I lifted my head out of my arms and nearly screamed in frustration. He had no right to tell me that this was for the best! Because he broke his promise and spoke to my mom before I was ready, our relationship was ruined! I had some fault in that, but so did he. He wasn't taking the heat from this like I was. He tore me apart from both of my parents and now I didn't even have him on my side.

My dad at least had his wish now. I didn't trust Riku.

I pushed myself out of my seat so quickly that it toppled to the ground behind me. I didn't care about the thud it made. Fortunately, I kept my balance and didn't trip over the legs that threatened to knock me down. I was such a klutz. What was I even trying to do here? As long as I was locked in my bedroom, I had no hope of finding my dad. Either he would have to come to me or I'd have to leave. The former was already ruled out as an impossibility, so I only had one choice. I needed to take action.

Because of the thud, Riku peeked his head out of his room in time to see me picking up the chair. "Steph? You okay?"

I nodded without looking over.

"You didn't hit your head?"

I shook my head.

Apparently my silence wasn't enough to get the message across that I didn't want to be bothered. Riku didn't hear a word I said, whether it was verbal or silent. Right now, my silent message should have been loud and clear: Leave me alone; you lost my trust. "Uh," Riku started, stepping into my room and getting closer to me with each step. "You need help with anything?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes," I said. I stepped up to my desk and slammed my history text book shut before I turned my eyes to look at the boy stopped a few feet away. "Do me a favor, Riku. Stop 'helping' me."

His eyes softened. "Steph…I'm just trying to…"

"Trying to keep me away from my dad? Trying to ruin my relationship with my mom? Trying to lose my trust?" I spat. "Congratulations, you've managed to accomplish that all within the span of a few days." Now leave me alone.

"Steph…"

"You know what, Riku? I was alright with you being a little controlling before. It felt great to have somebody I knew I could depend on. But you've taken it too far this time. You broke your promise to me about keeping this secret from my mom, and because of that, I didn't have time to prepare to tell her the truth myself." I held up my hand to Riku when I saw him open his mouth as I continued. "I should have told her from the start. I realize that now. I can't take that back now."

"And I can't take back what I did," Riku stated. "So why do you let yourself off the hook but not me?"

"Because unlike you, I realize I made a mistake. I'd take it back if I could. Would you take back all you said and did if you had the choice?"

He was silent. No, he wouldn't take it back.

"Exactly."

A knock on the door interrupted us before the conversation could carry on any further. That was probably a good thing, since Riku surely didn't want to face my wrath. I didn't want to face it either. It seemed like I was mad almost all the time; it was tearing me apart. Eating me from the inside. Changing me.

To my surprise, Gregory appeared in the doorway. "Your Majesty," he greeted me, nodding faintly. "Riku, the queen desires to see you."

Riku nodded. "Is she in her study?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes." Gregory nodded once again but didn't leave. "Is there something else you need?" Riku asked a bit harshly.

"No," the man said quietly. He wasn't intimidated by Riku or shocked by the hatred burning in his eyes; he was surely used to it by now. But despite Riku's attitude, he respectfully dipped his head to both of us and then took his leave. He softly closed the door behind him and went on his way.

"That was uncalled for," I snapped before I could stop myself, looking at Riku. Why did he have to hate everyone who was associated with the Darkness? Gregory wasn't a bad guy anymore! He wasn't really bad in the first place, only misguided.

"I didn't do anything."

"You were rude."

"Your mother doesn't want you having any visitors."

"Oh please!" I cried, rolling my eyes. "As if this is about her. You're just showing your hatred of him. He's a good guy!"

"Do you remember how he nearly had you killed?"

"Yes, I do! But I also remember how he saved my life. Do you remember that? Hm?"

"I don't have time for this," Riku stated, walking away from me to the door. "I've got a meeting with the queen."

"Don't turn your back on me, Riku." He was being a real jerk lately and I was sick of it. I had to snap him out of this somehow! This wasn't who he really was…

"You turned your back on me when you lied to be with your dad."

Riku exited the room and shut the door behind him. I groaned and turned on my feet, lifting a hand to my forehead in disbelief. I understood he felt betrayed, but he flung the betrayal right back at me! He was justifying his actions because of my mistakes instead of seeing that he was clearly hurting me. And the same went for my mother. What was I supposed to do with those two? Right now, I couldn't see a way to set things right. I couldn't do it.

But maybe Dad could.

Maybe if he told them the truth, that I hadn't had a chance to talk to him about anything because of him hurrying from place to place, they'd forgive me. Maybe they'd figure out why he reeks of Darkness and accept him like I had already done blindly.

He was my only hope right now. I needed to get to him to set things right, but how? Guards everywhere, everyone suffocating me…The idea of betraying Riku and Mom's trust again made me feel sick to my stomach. But this was what I needed to do. It didn't matter to me whether it was right or wrong; it was the closest thing to "right" I'd find right now.

Another knock on the door surprised me. "Yes?" I called, composing myself and standing tall as I looked to the door. This time, it wasn't Gregory who peeked his head in. It was his nephew Nathaniel instead. "Nathaniel?" What was he doing here? How was he even allowed inside with the guard standing outside.

"Princess," he greeted, dipping his head faintly. I shook my head faintly against that, speaking my mind.

"I think we're close enough that you'd call me by my first name, Nathaniel," I said softly.

The comment brought out one of his gorgeous smiles. "Right, sorry about that," he said. He stepped inside the room and softly shut the door behind him. Apparently he was planning on staying for a little while. "I'm sorry if I'm blunt, but we don't have much time here. My uncle can only keep the guard away from your door for so long."

Gregory was doing that? "What's going on?"

"There's a rumor going around the castle about why you're being treated so badly," Nathaniel said, bright green eyes shining underneath his ruffled bangs as he took a few steps closer so he didn't have to raise his voice. "Everyone's saying that you ran off to Twilight Town to elope with some other guy rather than marry a prince."

I could only grunt. That wasn't true at all! I kissed John, but not a single soul knew about that. No way did Riku know. And even if he did know, he wouldn't spin a vicious lie like that to keep people from knowing the truth. "That's not true at all," I practically hissed, turning away in anger. My mother must have done this. She yelled at me for not telling her the truth about Dad and now she was being a hypocrite and not telling anyone else the truth! Unbelievable.

"I figured," Nathaniel confessed. "It doesn't match your character at all."

"I can't believe the lie they're spinning…"

"Steph…" My friend stepped up to me and set a hand on my shoulder, gazing at me intently. "Whatever's going on, I can see it's not just. I want to help set things right, even if I'm not a part of this crisis."

"Do you mind if I ask why?" I inquired softly. It honestly didn't make sense. We weren't that close of friends, so why would he go out on a limb like this to help me?

"Honestly, I have a lot to prove," he explained. "A lot of people give me dirty looks because I was Olaf's son; they're not willing to see that I really do want what's best for Cadia. If I set things right in whatever this is, maybe they'll accept me."

So, it has nothing to do really with me, I realized. Oddly, I was okay with that. "I appreciate your honesty," I said calmly. "But right now, I don't even know how to fix this. The first step would be to get out of this prison."

"And then?"

Then… I need to find my Dad. But could I tell him that? Nobody was supposed to know he was alive, obviously. That was the way that Mom wanted it. But for now, I defied her wishes. Part of it was to spite her, but the other reason was to do the right thing. "Promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

"Promise."

So I told him everything. I told him first how my dad pretended to love Isabella so that he could raise me by the witch's side when there was a coup that he couldn't stop. But when she became suspicious of him, she had him killed off. Only he didn't die; he went into hiding for nearly twelve years. But now he was appearing to me whenever he wanted and not anybody else. Andrea was furious at me for not telling her that her husband was alive, and so she was punishing me. But it wasn't completely my fault; my dad stayed away for a reason.

If I could leave the castle and talk to him, then maybe I could convince him to come back.

"That's…some story," Nathaniel said. "So, do you think your dad's staying away just because of Riku? Or some other reason?"

"I have no idea," I said as I softly shook my head. He was running off so often that I didn't have a chance to ask him why he wasn't sticking around. It was frustrating.

"Well…What do you plan on doing to set things right?"

"All I can think of is convincing my dad to come back here and speak up for himself. And convince my mom that it's not completely my fault things worked out the way they did."

"But first you need to break out of here," Nathaniel concluded. He caught on quickly.

"Exactly."

"Hmph," he hummed. "Well, I'll help in any way I can."

"…Are you sure you want to do that?" I asked hesitantly. "You'd be defying the queen. She could even imprison you for treason…" It was impossible to predict how my mom would react to all this. It wasn't like her to keep me imprisoned in my room, or to treat me so terrible. All of this reminded me of Isabella, and not in a good way. That most likely wasn't possible in the first place; no memories of Isabella were good.

Nathaniel's expression was grave as he nodded to my statement. "I know. But this isn't just. Even monarchs need to be put in their place sometimes. …No matter what happens, I'll see this through."

Those were strong words from a young man that was only one year older than me, nineteen. But I knew that he was sincere. Together, we'd find a way to set things right.

"Okay," I started. "Here's the plan…"