After about a week Skyrin fell into a routine she would eat breakfast with everyone, learn to fight after most of them left for their courts, then act like nothing happened. Usually the court faeries returned soon after they left and they would all talk or go for walks in the woods, but sometimes they didn't and Skyrin would be left alone with Requiem. They would usually just do extra training on those days, but sometimes Requiem had to leave too. When Skyrin was left completely alone, she would practice some of the time, but she spent most of the time reading, or exploring. There was a shelf of books in the front room that Skyrin loved to look through. As she learned more about where she was, she began to feel more comfortable about where she was.

When Skyrin explored, she was always careful not to wander too far. She knew that this world could be dangerous, especially with the prince after her. She would usually go about one hundred yards into the forest with a book. She would read while she listened to the breeze in the tree tops. She was always careful though. She would usually grab a knife from the training area and keep her ears open for anything. She also had to be careful to be back inside before the others came back. She knew that if they found her outside, Discordia would scold her.

And so the routine went, socialize, train, and read. Though one day the routine was broken. Skyrin met Requiem outside for training, but there weren't any weapons laid out. Requiem didn't even have his sword strapped to his belt.

"Training is going to be a little bit different today," said Requiem.

"Are we doing hand to hand combat or something?"

"No. Today we'll be working on escape and avoidance. You'll be going off into the forest and I'll try to catch you. Try not to let me." Skyrin raised her hand. "What is it Skyrin?"

"What classifies as caught?"

"If I get you back to the house, you've been caught. I'll give you a five minute head start. Your time starts now." Skyrin turned on her heel and bolted into the woods. She figured that the best plan of action would be to get as far away from the pursuer as possible. Skyrin continued to run through the forest, feeling tree branches tearing at her hair. Skyrin came to a tall tree above a creek, she'd never been so deep into the forest. Figuring it would be a bad idea to go further, Skyrin jumped up, grabbed a branch, and began to climb. Skyrin continued climbing, and before she knew it she was fifty feet in the air. She was never particularly fond of heights, so she decided to stay where she was.

Skyrin felt safe up in her tree until she heard the pounding of hoof beats below her. She looked down and saw Requiem preparing to climb after her. Considering that it was the end of winter and the trees were barren, Skyrin was not well hidden. It probably would have been a better idea to stay on the ground, but Skyrin was already in a tree and there was nothing that she could do about it. She stood up on her branch and grabbed another branch, preparing to climb down the other side. Requiem continued to climb higher until he was halfway up to her. Skyrin swung around to the other side and began to climb down. Requiem was just below her and could grab her foot if he was able to reach for her, but it was obvious that Requiems strength was on a horse and not in a tree. Skyrin was able to move just out of his reach before he was stable enough to grab for her. Skyrin continued to scramble down the tree until she fell out from about ten feet above the ground. She landed on her left arm and had to get up using only one arm, but she still managed to get up before Requiem got down, and darted off into the woods again. Requiem got down and back on his horse just in time to see Skyrin's auburn hair disappear into the woods. He decided to loop around the other way and find her. He pulled the reigns and sent his horse off into the woods.

Meanwhile, Skyrin was on yet another mad dash. She listened to her feet pounding the cold dirt and felt the chilled air in her strained lungs. Skyrin continued to run until she realized that she was on a path that she recognized. There was a small cave just west of where she was. Skyrin made a left turn and picked up speed. With the cave in sight, Skyrin blindly ran, only to feel a familiar strong arm around her waist. Next thing she knew, she was up on a horse, pressed against a familiar form.

"Who said you could use a horse?"

"No one said that I couldn't," said Requiem as he pulled Skyrin tighter against him. The movement put pressure on Skyrin's hurt arm and she winced. Seeing that she was in pain, Requiem slowed the horse to a trot, and Skyrin saw her opportunity. She elbowed Requiem and loosened his grip around her. Skyrin jumped off the horse and landed awkwardly on the ground. She rolled to the side, pushed herself up, and took off again.

Skyrin's move jump had startled Requiem's horse and given her time to run while it recovered. She knew that she was going to regret elbowing him, but she decided to worry about that later. Her main concern at the time was to find the cave. She continued east until she found it. This time she was able to get in without Requiem intercepting her. She slid into the cave, getting dirt all over the skirt that Discordia had given her on her third day with her new friends. She wondered what it was that they did at the courts. She was woken from her thoughts by the pain in her arm. She had used it to push herself up after jumping off of the horse. It didn't feel broken, but she knew it would hurt for a while. She couldn't help but laugh when she thought of the smirk that she would receive from Requiem if she were to complain about it. Though she did remember how he slowed the horse down when he noticed her pain, but then again that was before she elbowed him in the ribs.

Requiem rubbed his ribs as his horse walked through the forest, he couldn't help but admire Skyrin's nerve. He also couldn't help but remember the beautiful sweep of her long hair as she ran off into the woods. He wondered if she was thinking about him, and indeed she was. Back in the cave Skyrin was beginning to grow cold. She was actually beginning to long for the warmth of Requiem's arm around her waist and his chest against her back. It was beginning to grow dark, and Skyrin knew that she should go back. She emerged from the cave and set off to find Requiem.

Night was beginning to fall and Requiem was worried about Skyrin, the woods could be incredibly dangerous at night. Requiem wondered why he was so worried. Could it be that he cared for Skyrin? He had never truly cared for a girl before, that couldn't be it. It must have just been that she was in his protection, and it was his duty as a knight to keep her safe. He also knew that the others would be enraged if he lost her. They were really beginning to care for the girl. He definitely could see why. She had a strong spirit, something that any fey would admire, the prince must have noticed too. That was when he was struck by an alarming thought. Skyrin was alone, in the woods, at night. The prince wouldn't take her from the house because it was too close to spring territory, it would be too risky, but the woods were not the territory of a particular court, and the fact that it was winter would only increase his power. If the prince or one of his men caught Skyrin in the woods, there was almost no chance of getting her back. Requiem pushed his horse into a gallop. They took off between two trees and towards the cave near the creek.

It was almost pitch black in the forest and Skyrin was scared out of her mind. She kept hearing things and thought that she was seeing eyes. She had heard footsteps behind her for a few minutes and they were gradually growing louder. Skyrin thought about all of the things that she had read about in the books at the house. They could be trolls, or the prince's men, or any other beast with ill intentions. Skyrin had stopped running because of the dark, and was nearly in tears when she heard hoof beats right behind her. She screamed when she felt an arm hoisting her up, but sank into the warmth of a familiar chest and arm.

Skyrin was crying the whole way back to the house as Requiem whispered in her ear to calm her down. If she made too much noise in could attract trolls or goblins or something else that even Requiem didn't want to fight.

Requiem tied his horse to a tree inside of a fence and carried a sobbing Skyrin inside. Everyone was waiting in the front room of the small house. When Requiem walked in with Skyrin crying in his arms, the two were instantly swarmed by a nervous nixie, a worried satyr, a concerned demigoddess of discord, and an angry phooka. ShadowCat took Skyrin from Requiem and carried her to her room where he put her to sleep.

Meanwhile in the front room Requiem was being interrogated.

"Where were you guys?" asked Nessa.

"In the woods," calmly answered Requiem.

"What happened?" asked Discordia.

"She got lost. She was probably being followed by some goblins."

"Why were you two in the woods?" asked ShadowCat who had just returned from Skryin's room.

"She enjoys stealing away into the woods when all of you are gone. She must have gone too far and gotten lost after it got dark." Everyone seemed satisfied by that answer and turned to go to their rooms or back to their courts. Rubiee was the only one to stay.

"Why were you in the woods with her?" Requiem considered just telling Rubiee about Skyrin's lessons, but he knew that Rubiee would like his made up answer better.

"I followed her. I noticed that she was back yet and got worried."

"Requiem, just stay away from her. She trusts you, and we all care about her even if you only pretend to. I won't let her be just another checked off name on your list of pretty girls. She has enough problems even without having caught your eye," said Rubiee before leaving Requiem with his thoughts. Was he really just pretending to care about Skyrin, he had to admit that she was growing on him. For once, Rubiee was wrong about him.