~A/N - I'm finally updating once again! It came across my mind when I was having a movie night with my friends and we actually watched Shrek 2. It inspired me to write some more of this fanfiction. It's almost half way finished! But now let's get back to the story. So what do you think will happen to Harold and Lillian now? Will the King be forgiving or will he be ruthless like Lillian stated earlier? I guess you will have to read and find out :) Enjoy~

Chapter 7: Banishment and Punishment

The King is furious as his steed runs with his knights, following the young couple. The knights were getting farther and farther away from them and it was making him all the more mad. He yelled at the knights to catch up to them or they would be beheaded. The knights quickly heeded to the King's demand and yelled at the horses to go faster, with swords now drawn and faces in pure anger. Then the king smirked, seeing his plan all coming together. Soon, very soon, the princess would be back home in the castle where she belonged. And when she did arrive back, she would soon be married. Married to the last knight that came to the door, the one who came when she was off on her little adventure. The king smirked at the thought.

—

Lillian was holding onto Harold for dear life, afraid to fall off. Harold was gripping on the reins so hard his knuckles turned pure white. They could hear the knights and their horses running after them, but they dare not stop. Harold's eyes were darting from side to side, wondering where they were going to run next. His one and only mission from that point forward was protecting the woman he loved from danger, and the danger was her father. He pulled the reins to the right and Xander ran to the right as fast as he could, without missing a step.

They ran for quite a bit of time, all the while Harold taking turn after turn to try and lose the party. They had passed through the town that the king had burned down, the people still seemed to be in shock. Harold could not look at their faces, afraid that he would want to stop, when he knew he could not. Lillian finally looked behind her to see if she could see the party that was chasing them. She sighed with relief when she didn't see them. She looked up at Harold from her seated position and saw how determined he was to get her out of danger. It made her heart leap with joy. Harold looked back at Lillian and smiled at the look on her face, she seemed so safe. He looked into her beautiful blue eyes and saw the love she had for him. He smiled wider, for once feeling important in his life.

She giggled, "Harold, perhaps you should look forward," her face turned a little redder as he continued to look at her. Harold slowed Xander down to a trot, just for the moment.

He still smiled saying, "I am looking forward Lillian," He kissed her on the forehead then looked her deep in the eyes as Xander kept running forward. "I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you." She blushed again; Harold always had such a way with words. He always knew what to say to make her feel like the most important person in the world.

"Oh Harold… That's a very long time," He nodded, thinking she thought it was a bad thing. Luckily, Lillian caught the look in his eye. "But I wouldn't change that for the world." This time, it was Harold that blushed. She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder while he looked forward again, ready to whip the reins for Xander to run again. But something stopped him.

"Awww… Wasn't that sweet?" Harold heard a voice say to his right. He looked to see someone he wished he hadn't seen. A knight with his sword drawn.

The knight glared at Harold through his helmet as his horse walked slowly over to the couple. The horse breathed deeply and neighed slightly. Harold grabbed the reins tighter and was ready to again run, when the other horse stopped. The knight lifted his sword as a warning for Harold to stay put. He then got off his horse and said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, boy," Harold narrowed his eyes at the term boy. "There is no use in running. The king always gets what the king wants. No matter who is in the way." Silence grew between the three of them as Lillian grabbed Harold's sleeve, as if to warn Harold that the knight was speaking the truth. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, ready to say something to the knight.

But Harold growled and glared at the knight, "I am not afraid of you or your king! Do you know who I am?"

The knight put his sword away, seeing Harold had no weapon, and crossed his arms in a cocky fashion, "Quite frankly... I do not care who you are," Harold clenched his fists tighter around the reins to try and keep his anger in check. The knight noticed and smirked. "And if you say you are not afraid, then why do you run like a frightened little brat?"

He almost lost it, when they heard the sound of horse hooves and people shouting. Lillian gasped and looked behind her. She saw horses running in the distance, and knights with their swords drawn, "Harold." Hearing his name, Harold looked at Lillian than followed her eyes to the people behind them.

The knight chuckled, "I'm going to be honest, I thought it was going to take a little more effort to catch up with the two of you," He uncrossed his arms and drew his sword again. "I guess that even I, can be wrong sometimes." He walked over slowly to the couple, as the others were closing in on them too. When the knight got close enough to Lillian, just as Harold was about to bolt off again, she kicked him square in the face as hard as she could. He fell to the ground bleeding and groaning in pain. Harold looked at her in shock.

"Lillian... Where did you learn to kick so hard?"

She smiled at him, "I had a lot of free time back at home Harold." He smiled back at her, becoming more amazed with her every day. Xander reared up and ran off again, this time forward and much faster.

(A half hour later)

The king could see a white horse running away from them, and he knew that was his daughter's horse. He ordered the knights to split up, ten going to the left, and ten going to the right. He would take the middle, running his horse at full speed. They were not to get away from them again. He smirked as he thought of the look on Lillian's face when she was ordered to marry. She should thank him one day. This knight is an excellent addition to the family. Now all he had to do was get his ungrateful daughter back and things would be on their way.

"Harold," Lillian said. "I don't think we will be able to run much longer."

Harold, concentrating on the road ahead, said, "Lillian, everything will turn out just fine. Just wait and see… I promise that everything will be alright."

"I know Harold but…" She sighed. "You don't know my father the way I do. He will kill you if he gets the chance…"

Lillian saw that her father was behind them, she didn't see anyone else. That made her feel uneasy, she knows her father doesn't give up easy. Harold was concentrating on Xander's running and didn't seem to notice that no one was following them.

Harold too sighed, and slowed Xander down a little bit. He looked at Lillian and couldn't help but smile, "Lillian… love… I am not afraid of your father. I know the stories that you have told me about him and I do not doubt that he will harm me if he gets the chance… But I do not care." He grabbed her hand and kissed her once, "I love you Lillian… I would do anything for you. You must believe that…" He smiled at her. "Anything."

Lillian smiled again as Harold winked at her and turned back to concentrate on where he was going. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, saying "I love you" while she did. They were still holding hands and in dream world…

Suddenly the knights were on either side of Harold. He looked from side to side, shocked that they had caught up so fast. Lillian held on tighter to Harold as the knights closed in on them. They had no choice but to stop when the knights ran out in front of them. They had swords drawn and held their tongues, all while glaring at the pair.

Laughter caught their ears, so they turned toward the noise. Lillian sighed as her father rode gently toward her and Harold, glaring and laughing a horrible laugh. Harold held his teeth together as tight as he could so the words he has been dying to say to the cruel king would not slip. The king stopped his horse two feet away from the couple. He glared at them as he saw their hands were clasping together.

The king said, "Well, well… looks like this little game of cat and mouse is over my daughter. Now…" He snapped his fingers, and two knights got off of their horses and walked closer to Lillian. "… Shall we get going?" The knights tried to grab Lillian's arms, but Harold grabbed a hold of her so they wouldn't be able to.

"No, you can't take her!" He said as he glared back at the king. Lillian smiled at Harold as he stood up for her. For the first time in her life, someone was standing up for her against her father. She was truly in love with him…

The king chuckled, "Don't tell me, you are going to stop me?"

Before Harold could reply, Lillian said, "Father, you cannot take me away like I am some slave!" He glared at her.

"You disobeyed my direct orders, you ran away from home and you ran off with some short peasant! I am treating you like the ungrateful daughter you are!" Lillian took a deep breath and watched as her father became more and more furious with her. His face was turning red from his anger. He was grasping his horse's harness so tight his knuckles were turning white, as if the mere sight of Lillian made his anger rise.

She didn't want to apologize to him, he did not deserve it. As she looked at her father, she didn't know how to feel. She was afraid of what he would do to Harold…

"Father, do not speak of Harold like that. I love him!" Harold's heart stopped for a second than started again when he heard her say that. He looked at her, and she smiled at him, then she looked right back at her father. Harold knew that he was going to be with Lillian, no matter what it took.

The king was flabbergasted, "Love? Love?" He almost exploded. "What does love have to do with anything? You do not know what love is! You are just a… ugh! Lillian you are too stupid to even realize how much trouble you are in. You are going to be severely punished for this little act of yours!" Harold held his tongue respectively toward the king, but in his head he was screaming. He hated the way the king was talking about his own daughter. It was despicable; it was… disgusting. It was making Harold want to yell at him. "Running off with a peasant… How can I even call you my daughter now? Grr… what will the kingdom think now that they have a whore for a princess?"

Harold said, finally not able to take the horrible king's remarks any longer, "How dare you!" The king looked at him with a side look as if he didn't care what he was saying. Harold jumped down from Xander and came inches away from the king, pointing a finger in his face. Some knights were going to protest, but the king put up a hand to stop them. They did as they were told. Lillian gasped to herself, not knowing what Harold would do… not knowing what her father would do. King John looked down at Harold, both literally and metaphorically, and let him speak. "Lillian is the most beautiful woman I have ever met, inside and out! You have no right to speak about her in such a way!" He put his arm down by his side and glared at the king once again, clenching his fists. "She is not a whore, and you will regret it if you call her that again."

Again Harold made her heart skip a beat and Lillian's face turned another shade of red. Looking at Harold starring her father in the face with no fear on his was amazing to her. He was one in a million…

The king looked up at his knights and once again snapped his fingers, not bothering to respond to Harold. The knights jumped off their horses, drawing their swords. Harold and Lillian both looked at them, thinking they were going after Harold. But they once again grabbed Lillian by the arms!

Lillian gasped, "Harold!" They grabbed her off of Xander and forced her onto another horse.

"Lillian!" Harold tried to go and help her, but the king drew his sword and put it right under Harold's chin. Lillian was fighting as hard as she could, but she could not escape the knight's tight hold. He looked at the king, who was smirking.

The king said, "Now, now… let's not do anything stupid," Harold looked at Lillian again. She was glaring at the knights, still trying to escape from them. His heart sank as he was beginning to realize how big of a bind they were in. Lillian was going to be taken away from him… what could he do? "Boy, it is best to let her go. If you don't, there could be some… consequences." A knight held his sword to Lillian's back. Harold held in a gasp and again looked at the king, not being able to stand the frightened look on Lillian's face.

Harold said, "You would harm your own daughter?"

The king laughed, "She is my heir boy, I would not harm her for that reason only. Who would take over the thrown after I am gone? Her lovely sisters are married with children in different castles. It is up to Lillian to the queen… She'll need to learn to behave first," He put the sword closer to Harold's throat. "Which means you will need to disappear."

"Disappear?" Harold glanced at Lillian, to see her looking at him, wondering what her father was saying to him.

"Yes… it seems that she has fallen for you. That would not do at all."

Harold looked back at the king, "Why?" The king rolled his eyes as Harold turned to look at him. "Your majesty… you told Lillian that she would marry any young knight that comes to ask for her hand. I am Prince Harold of Far, Far Away! Allow me to marry your daughter!"

The king laughed, "Ha! You? Prince Harold of Far, Far Away?" He said that loud enough for the knights to hear, and the joined in his laughter. Lillian looked at Harold and saw the hurt in his eyes… she wondered if his parents would laugh at him as well when he told them he was back. The king glared down at Harold once again. "Prince Harold of Far, Far Away is dead. He was killed by a witch! Get your facts straight before you say who you are not."

Harold sighed, "Get your facts straight. I was turned into a frog by a witch. I was 14-years-old. I am Prince Harold!" He looked at Lillian, then right back at the king. "And I want to marry your daughter." Lillian smiled and Harold did too. Harold smiled at the king, who looked shocked at first.

Then the king was angry again, "No. It is too late." Harold's smile fell and the king's grew. Lillian gasped.

"Father… what do you mean it is too late?"

He glared at her, "While you were off doing God's knows what with… Prince Harold here," Harold narrowed his eyes at the king, knowing he was being mocked. "A young knight named Damien came and asked for your hand. You will be wed in three days." Harold's eyes widened. He was supposed to marry Lillian for he loved her… now a knight she has never even met will take her hand instead? That was not right! But… what could Harold do? The king smiled as he saw the defeated look on Harold's face. He was glad that was his reaction, now he thought he would surely give up and never bother him again.

Harold looked at Lillian, who was as shocked and hurt as he was. She looked away from him, not knowing what to say or do. Lillian looked at her father, who was still smiling at what he caused.

"Father," He glared over at her. "You wanted me to get married, and now I found the man that I want to marry, and you do not want me to marry him? I do not understand."

He shook his head, glanced at Harold, then looked back at his daughter, "Lillian, I told you would you were to marry a knight or a prince. Not a peasant!" This time he glared down at Harold, to see him clenching his jaw together to keep his anger in check. "No… especially not a peasant of this stature. I forbid it."

"You cannot forbid true love!" Harold stated matter of factly, fuming with anger. Everything Lillian had said about her father was true. The king, who was also trying to keep his anger in check, lost control.

"Enough!" He looked at Lillian. "You are my daughter, as such, I order you to marry the knight!" Lillian gasped at her father, and tried to say something, but he wouldn't allow her to speak, "Don't you dare speak. I am not only your father, I am your king! What I say goes. And you," He glared at Harold, his sword never leaving his neck. "You are here by banished from Jarithen. If I see you step over the border, I will kill you myself on the spot. Do not have any contact with the princess. Is that understood?"

Harold looked at Lillian. Seeing the look on his face almost killed him. The thought of her with another man… he almost stopped breathing. What was he going to do without her? Lillian looked at him, and let a tear slip down her cheek. She was losing her best friend and the man that she loved all at one time. She didn't know what she was going to do... Her father wouldn't change his mind unless there was something for him to gain. Harold looked back at the king, no longer able to look at Lillian crying… To him, she was the strongest woman on the face of the earth, seeing her cry was breaking his heart.

"I said is that understood?" The king shouted, pressing the sword closer to Harold's neck, almost drawing blood.

He sighed, looking the king straight in the eye as he said, "Yes… I understand." Lillian looked away from the scene, more tears uncontrollably streaming down her face. Harold kept making eye contact with the king, making sure that he saw he wasn't afraid of him.

The king cleared his throat, "Well… now that is taken care of," He snapped his fingers. The knights got back on their horses and started to walk back to the castle. "It is time we make our leave." The king put his sword away. He started to ride with his knights. Lillian tried to get away once again, but the knights would not let her go. The one she was riding with held her down with one arm while holding the reins with the other. The knight smiled to himself, this was all to his advantage after all.

His one true friend in the world was being taken away from him… he couldn't take it! Harold started to run after her, but some knights went in front of him, blocking him from running. He held out a hand to Lillian, not wanting to give up on her. Lillian also tried to reach out to Harold, wishing that her father never found them. Wishing that they could relive the past few weeks all over again… wishing it were just her and Harold once again.

The king turned around one more time and looked at Harold, smiling as he saw Harold's tears, "Remember, I will kill you if I see you again… And something just might happen to Lillian if I do as well." Harold couldn't stop looking at Lillian, wishing that there was some way he could stop the king. But what could he do? The king would not only kill him, but kill Lillian! The king laughed, as he and the rest of the knights rode off down the road. "Goodbye Prince Harold." Lillian glared at her father for talking that way to Harold, he deserved more respect than that… but her father wasn't even worth respect himself and would never give it to anyone. Not even her mother!

She looked back at Harold, and whispered, "I love you Harold." Another tear fell from her eye.

He watch the tear and wished he could stop it… knowing he couldn't. He whispered back, "I love you too Lillian." And he watched as they rode off with his love, his best friend, and his will to live…

~A/N - There ya go! I'm glad I updated! Anyway, R&R please! So now Harold is banished from Jarithen, and Lillian is forced to marry that knight. Will their love prevail? Will Harold somehow think of a way of getting Lillian back? Will Lillian end up marrying the knight? I guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter! (The next two chapters might be really short, just a forwarning). Next is "Chapter 8: He's No Harold" - I'll put two chapters up the next time I update, or I will try to. I promise you won't have to wait that long! Thanks for reading :)~