Oh, hello, there.

Thought I'd update.

I'm basically obsessed with Azazel from the first chapter so...I got into writing things and now I'm tempted not to finish the series with this story, or at least have a spin-off...

Okay, enjoy? If there's anyone still out there. :/

"Do you think it was best to leave the girls in Legayn?" Alfie asked as he, Jerome and Eddie walked through the Withered Woods of Thoth.

Jerome pushed a branch out of his way and let it whip back to Eddie, who stopped it before it could smack him in the face.

"They'll be fine," Eddie answered Alfie after shooting an annoyed look at the back of Jerome's head. "I think we should worry about us. Where are we even going, Jerry?"

"There's meant to be a man that lives in these woods. He's said to be so old that he'll know who this man my parents were so afraid of was, or is."

After a few minutes more of trekking through the forest and mumbled complaints from Eddie, they stopped at the edge of a clearing.

"See, there it is," Jerome announced in relief, motioning to a cottage in the middle of the clearing.

Eddie strode up to stand by Jerome. "No one in their right mind would live here!"

"I think all those years in a palace has made you shallow, my friend." Jerome teased.

"No, he's right, this place is a dump." Alfie cut in, patting Jerome on the shoulder.

"Listen to the stable boy," Eddie chuckled.

Jerome's shoulders slumped a little. "Still, he's gotta be here."

"Maybe he's dead," Eddie shrugged and turned to leave.

"Eddie, we need to know more about this threat."

"If this threat is real and your parents had good reason to be afraid of this man, then we need to be ready for him. We are not ready for a war, Jerome. We need to go back home and not go gallivanting through the forest to find a man that probably doesn't even exist just because you're mad that your parents are dead."

Jerome's jaw tightened. "That's not what this is about."

"So you're not hoping that this hundred year old hermit might be able to tell you how to find the man that killed them?" Eddie snapped.

"I just want to be the king my parents believed I could be."

Eddie's expression softened.

The princes looked over at Alfie simultaneously to make sure he was still with him. The dark-skinned man grinned brightly from underneath a dying tree where he was sitting amongst the twisted roots. "Don't mind me. Please, continue."

Eddie shook his head at himself, carding a hand through his blonde hair. "Sorry, Alfie."

"No, you two are entertaining. Especially to that raven." He said, uncharacteristically serious.

The boys' eyes darted over the branches, in search of the bird Alfie had pointed out. The raven was perched on a thin branch of an oak tree not far from them. Its head twitched curiously, black eyes staring down at them.

"Ravens aren't very common in the Withering Woods," Jerome murmured.

"Oranges aren't very common in Legayn. I eat one every morning." Eddie retorted.

Jerome glared tiredly at Eddie's back before turning his attention back on the raven just as it flapped its wings and flew over their heads toward the cottage in the clearing. It soared across the open space and then landed on the shoulder of a tall man that had been walking out the front door. He scowled at the three men with piercing blue eyes.

"What do you miscreants want?" He snarled.

Jerome was too excited to gloat to Eddie about being right. He stepped forward. "Are you Victor?"

"He told me that I can make all the decisions." Patricia sighed, sitting beside Amber on the sofa in the palace's large sitting room. Poppy and Mara sat across from them in two separate armchairs. "I don't want this kinda responsibility."

Her statement got a laugh out of her friends.

Poppy sat forward a little, casting a curious glance at the strong wooden doors to the room. "Did anyone hear that?"

"What, Poppy?" Amber questioned, pushing a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear.

Poppy's reply was cut off by a crash in the hallway outside the door.

The four girls stood from their seats.

"Gregory?" Mara called, addressing the guard that stood outside the door.

The doors swung open, revealing a man in a black cloak. He gazed at them with cold eyes. "You should really have reinforcements for your reinforcements, my ladies."

"Poppy, come here," Mara whispered, holding a hand out to her sister-in-law. Poppy gripped it quickly, coming to Mara's side.

"Who are you?" Patricia demanded, her eyes flitting to a sword that was a few feet away from her.

"Must I tell you my name to take you prisoner?" The man looked over his shoulder at one of the men that had followed him in. "Take them."

Patricia rushed for the sword on the table and unsheathed as the soldier reached her.

"Don't make this difficult, Patricia."

Patricia glanced at him when he said her name, and her eyes caught movement in the corner of her eye. Another soldier was threatening Amber with a sword at her neck. Patricia swallowed, acknowledging the unspoken ultimatum, slowly lowered her sword. The soldier closest to her kicked the sword away and roughly bond her hands behind her back, while the same was done to the others.

As they were being escorted through the door, Poppy gasped, pulling at her restraints.

"Dante! Look out!"

Dante watched Poppy and her friends disappear behind the doors from across the room and turned to his uncle. "You promised you would not harm Poppy."

Rufus sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How does that saying go? If you want something done right, do it yourself?" He took a threatening step closer to Dante. "You didn't hold up your end of the bargain, boy. I had to do everything myself."

"I got you into Legayn." Dante protested.

"You promised no problems getting into Legayn in exchange for your princess' life. I had to kill several men to get in, it caused me a great deal of stress, which is a problem. Therefore, I will not keep my promise."

Dante stormed away from his uncle angrily, pushing soldiers out of his way roughly as he made his way down the hallway to the staircase that led to the bedchambers.

Nina took Mick's offered hand and stepped up into the brand new carriage. He climbed in after her and sat down directly across from her. When she leaned her head against the edge of the window and closed her green-blue eyes, Mick took the chance to observe her silently.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, hoping not to disturb her if she was resting.

Nina opened her eyes and met his. "I don't know how to repay you for all you've done for me."

"There's no need for you to repay me, Highness. You're my Queen. I knew what I was doing when I became your bodyguard."

Nina's lips pulled into a small smile. "Your oath was that you would protect me, even at the cost of your own life. You've done more than that all these years."

Mick bowed his head respectfully. "Please pardon my correction, My Lady, but my promise was that I would stand by your side until the day I die."

Nina held his gaze, fondness shining in her eyes. "Did you have any idea what you were getting yourself into?"

Mick allowed himself to chuckle. "I'm afraid I did."

Thanks for sticking with this story even though I'm a horrible person! :D xxxx

"I swear, you're the only reason I keep breathing. I swear, you keep on giving me the reason to keep believing. Finally I'm worth it, though I'm not perfect, it still feels right. And I keep on giving, trying to make a difference in my life." -Best Of Me, The Letter Black (from My Love Will Not Let You Down - Inspiration Playlist on Spotify - check it out!)

-Rachel