When she woke for the second time, she felt more refreshed, the dull throbbing feeling in her head subsiding considerably, and the sting of her arm lessening.

It must've been significantly later in the day because when Maggie came in to help her dress she apologized profusely for disturbing her up.

Maggie, getting used to Charlie, looked at her more directly as she spoke while assisting her, and Charlie herself was becoming accustomed to Maggie's tendencies and politeness.

It wasn't that Charlie never ran across polite people while in the castle, but none were overly polite, not like Maggie. She had a loving, motherly nature about her, bringing Priscilla to mind, only Maggie was less comfortable giving Charlie advice…other than to keep her head down and do as she was told. Advice such as that went over Charlie's head and out the window.

Arriving late to breakfast, her stomach cheered upon seeing her plate of food waiting on her as the others' were finishing up theirs.

Connor spoke first this morning, unusual for him, asking after her arm and assessing whether or not she was alright. To which she smiled and nodded her answer.

Bass on the other hand said nothing, nor did he acknowledge her presence, other than shifting his eyes over the bandage.

Painfully tense moments droned on until Bass spoke, "Connor and I are traveling in to the city today to see some of the people, would you like to accompany us?"

Terror flashed over her eyes when she thought about what he was going to do in the city.

He smiled reassuringly, "Jeremy can escort you around the markets while we discuss the matter of a jousting tournament Malgrave will be hosting…if you'd like. I thought you might like to get something while you're there since your parents will be attending the tournament."

At the mention of her parents, her mouth broke out into a full on grin, no longer able to contain her excitement, "I would love to."

Apparently the smile on her face was contagious because Bass' smiled as well, a genuine smile, as did Connor when she looked over him.

Filled with so much excitement, she could hardly sit through the rest of breakfast. She just wanted to rush everything on so that time would pass more quickly and her father would be here, with her. She hoped that Nora would be coming although she suspected she would be.

Her father never traveled anywhere without Nora until she became Charlie's personal guard, then he swapped her for another knight except during times Charlie could spare her.

"When is the tournament?" She finally asked, dialing back her excitement, hoping that it would be sooner rather than later. Though she hadn't been away for long, she desperately missed her family. If she could just see them it would put her mind at ease.

"In ten days time," Connor answered from his place behind her on the horse.

Since the city was not far from Malgrave there was no need for a wagon, although for the first time Charlie would've preferred that to riding sidesaddle in front of Connor. She didn't like being in such an intimate position with him, and she also hated riding sidesaddle. It was proper for ladies yes, but was it comfortable? Most certainly not.

Her body hummed with exhilaration at the news, ten days time would pass quickly as long as she stayed busy and tried not to dwell on it.

Jeremy trailed close behind as she walked around the markets, looking at the fine jewelry and trinkets after Bass and Connor parted ways.

Saying they would be a few hours, gave Charlie plenty of time to meander through the city and get a feel for Kairos.

She only made the journey to Gallia once while living in Longstead, most of the time her father traveled alone, her mother preferring her to reside in the castle. Having very little memory of Gallia, she could attest without a doubt that Kairos was the most beautiful city she had ever beheld, flowers adding a splash of color all around and jovial music flooding the city.

More than a few hours flew by, evident by the slowly descending sun and the different crowd of people infiltrating the city.

"Jeremy?" She called after him, looking all around but not being able to locate his familiar face in the sea of people.

Continuing on, running her hands over the shiny pieces of jewelry at one shop, she wasn't afraid of being alone at all. The opposite was true, she was actually quite glad not to have a shadow and didn't plan on hunting him down.

A strong, calloused hand grabbed her wrist and without thinking about it, she shoved her elbow into the assailant's ribs and reared her head back meeting his nose with a blunt force.

A loud yelp escaped his mouth and blood spouted out his nose, forcing him to let go of her. Thinking it was Jeremy, she turned around to find that it was not Jeremy at all, but the owner of the jewelry.

Collecting himself, he charged at her, which she was quickly able to dodge, causing him to crash into the cart, drawing more unwanted attention to them.

She would've remained in control of the situation had it not been for two other sets of arms restraining her as the owner confronted her again.

"Think you'll steal from my shop eh? We'll show you what thieves get around here."

"Stop, you don't understand, I'm Princess—"

Slapping her with a force so hard, he effectively shut her up for the moment, "yeah sure ye are, everyone's a princess. Ain't that right boys?"

All the while being dragged to the center of the square she was protesting, kicking, and yanking her arms all in vain. There were two men who were much stronger and she had no weapon in a town full of strangers.

They laid her arm out on a wooden bench, dried blood pooling around the feet. She had been in this position earlier only this time it wasn't of her own free will.

The one voice the condemned her to the dungeon before was her savior this time, "I suggest you unhand her at once."

Taking advantage of their shock, she tugged her arm back, whipping around to knock the guy carrying a sword in the face.

By this point everyone had started to bow as Bass pursued them, Connor in tow, "forgive me your majesty we had no idea. I'm so sorry your highness, we thought she was stealing."

"And were you not aware that she was the Princess of Gallia and future Queen of this kingdom?"

With every word, his voice rose in octave, adrenaline visibly pumping through his veins along as his vision became clouded with red.

She knew what was coming next, "it was my fault. I didn't get a chance to tell them who I was."

"A chance you would've got if you hadn't been struck by his filthy hands," he sneered at the trembling man below him at his feet. He felt no sympathy for anyone who laid a hand on someone before allowing them a chance to defend themselves. Above that, three on one wasn't a fair fight, and if anything, he was a fair man.

"Please your majesty, I beg your pardon, it will not happen again," came his pleading, shaky voice.

"You're right it won't happen again," he nodded to Jeremy, whose hand was at the ready on his sword, awaiting the call.

Charlie had never seen Jeremy look so livid, no doubt furious with himself for making the mistake.

Before Bass had a chance to say anything else, Charlie stepped forward and laid a comforting hand on his arm, ignoring the warmth spreading underneath her fingertips.

Choosing to address him privately she implored, "please your highness, punish them in some other way. Please, I don't want anyone to lose their life over me, or any part of themselves for that matter."

With one last lingering look, her eyes bored into his as she leaned into him, "please."

He said nothing, which wasn't a good sign nor a bad sign. Sighing, his body relaxed under her fingers until she was confident she could remove her hand entirely, missing the warmth instantly.

"Get up."

That was all Bass had to say, the man instantly springing to his feet, eyes watering as he bowed his head, "thank you your majesty for your mercy, thank you, thank you."

"It isn't me you should be thanking," he pointed to Charlie, "you should get on your knees and bleed your heart out for her and her act of kindness. It is her you owe your pathetic excuse of a life to."

Taking him literal, the man dropped to his knees, laying his head at Charlie's feet peering up, "thank you for your kindness your highness. Thank you Princess, I ask for your forgiveness."

A sickening sweet smile spread across her face as she bent down so that only he could hear her, "next time you might not be as fortunate, I might not be feeling as generous, so I suggest you think twice before striking a person who is trying to speak. Also keep in mind, I don't need the king to back my play, do we understand one another?"

His eyes widened as he nodded, Charlie herself smiled a self-satisfied smile as she stood up, going to where Bass was arguing with Jeremy.

"How could you let this happen? She's out of the castle for one split second and you manage to lose her?"

"It was my fault, I got pushed around by some people in the throng of the crowd. I waited by the shop Jeremy last left me because I knew he would find me there, and I saw him from the distance making his way towards me before…"

She trailed off letting him finish the rest of the statement for himself. Honestly she had no idea what happened, but that sounded as good of an excuse as any.

Jeremy however knew that wasn't how it happened. He took his eyes off her for one second and she vanished. He had to answer for his mistake, that was his duty as a royal knight, but one severe look from Charlie shut him right up.

There were rare times when Charlie looked deadly enough to kill and mean business. This was one of those times Jeremy could tell, though he still felt uneasy letting her take the fall for it.

Bass didn't notice the exchange of looks between the two of them, closing his eyes, "next time you don't leave my side…our side," his eyes darted open and over to Connor, quickly remembering his presence.

She nodded relieved he wasn't confining her to the safety of the castle after what happened.

If it had been her father, and it would've been highly unlikely he let her go to the city in the first place, she would never be allowed to come back no matter if God himself walked beside her.

"Go back to the shop and pick up whatever it is you were glancing at, it's yours."

She didn't feel right about it, even after she picked up the necklace and admired the beauty of it, but since Bass let her have her way once she wasn't going to push her luck.

Going to discard the necklace in her sack hanging from her belt, Bass intercepted, "turn around, I'll put it on you."

Doing as she was instructed, she turned around, lifting her hair to reveal the creamy, soft skin of her neck to him.

His hands brushed her collarbone as he fastened it and adjusted it to hang low on her neck.

Letting down her hair, she met his eyes in the mirror as he muttered, "there, it looks beautiful," although he was looking directly into her eyes when he said it.

Heat rose to Charlie's cheeks as she quickly turned around and moved to step around him to stand by Connor, grinning down at her, "very nice choice, that looks lovely on you."

"Thank you," she smiled warmly at him as Bass grunted they would be leaving now.

Where there were only enough horses for Connor and Charlie, Bass, Jeremy, and the other knights accompanying them before, there was one more tied up to the post. Her ebony dark colored hair captured the warmth from the sunlight as she glowed.

Noticing the gaze of her eyes, Connor smiled, "we though you'd like your own horse here, her name is Callisto."

Stroking at her soft hair, Charlie grinned, "she's very beautiful," pivoting back to them she nodded, "thank you both."

Mounting the horse before anyone could ask if she needed assistance, she maneuvered so that she was sitting sidesaddle, a look of discomfort etching across her face.

Bass let out a chuckle once he was on his own horse, "you don't have to ride the whole way back sidesaddle Charlotte, not if you'd prefer the other way."

"I thought it wasn't very ladylike?" She teasingly threw his way, a lopsided grin across her face.

Bass' eyes twinkled, "I don't think fighting is too ladylike either."

"Touché," she stood up enough to throw her leg over the side of the horse, finding it to be much more of a comfortable position.