I wish I could say I had slept fitfully, but it would not have been true. When I did drift off, I woke to moans and laughter coming from Roland's room. In fact, it sounded like Roland had not one, but two women in his room.

Groaning, I put my hands over my ears. The blanket and sheet were under me, as well as my nightgown. I slept in my dress and under my cloak. It was comfortable enough. I was in no position to ask for anything more.

After that, other noises throughout the building seemed amplified. I heard mice and the wind and people outside and snoring and kitchen noises. Counting and deep breathing did not seem to help. My face and arms ached, where Roland had hit or grasped me. I should have been grateful that I was not whipped, but perhaps that would have been better than being where I was now. Then again, even if I had gotten the lashes, Roland and I would still have been thrown out.

Everyone thinks I'm his mistress! Groaning again, I wondered how to dispel that rumor. Or if it even could be dispelled. It was true, he had kissed me, and I shivered, not wanting to think about anything, but why didn't he put a stop to what people were saying? He didn't even correct the king!

The only reason I knew the sun was rising was because I heard more noise in the kitchen and I smelled food. Stomach churning, I wished for water to clean with, but still changed into a fresh dress, the plainest I could find in my trunk.

Roland snored next door, and I contemplated sneaking out of my room and getting some breakfast, but finally decided to wait for him to wake, even if it took hours. Facing his wrath was not high on my list, nor did I want anything worse to happen, no matter how much I wanted breakfast.

A knock on the door stirred me from my reverie. "Who is it?"

"My lady, it's Elliot, the guard from last night. If you are hungry, I could walk you down for breakfast."

"How do I know it's you?" I pressed my ear against the door.

"I gave you a silver and two coppers last night."

I figured if the guard was not who he said, I could scream for Roland. Pushing the trunk slightly away, I cracked the door open. It was him, the guard from before. Opening the door enough, I slipped out. "Sir Elliot?"

"Just… Elliot. My only title is guard."

"Why are you here?"

"I will tell you over breakfast. I don't think his Grace will be waking anytime soon."

I nodded and waved for him to go first. When we began to descend the stairs, I grimaced. "These scare me."

"Good thing your room isn't on the top level."

We were the only two in the common room so we sat ourselves at a table. "Thank you, for bringing me down here. I am quite hungry, and I… I was not sure I would even get breakfast."

Elliot smiled. "I'm glad to be of assistance, and while we are alone, I have a message for you." Reaching into his coat he pulled out another envelope, then slid it across the table.

Opening it immediately, I saw two notes inside. The first, again from Johnna. Sofia, I've been told by the servants that you are quite well, and I am extremely pleased. If I can get away, I will call upon you. Yours, Johnna. Rereading it, I wondered if she was trying to say something different, in case the message was intercepted, or found. Did the servants tell her I was well? I did tell them to say so.

The second note was from Cedric and quite long.

Sofia, my love. Do not fear, this message has a spell upon it so only you will be able to read it. The guards told Lady Johnna and I where you are. I am furious and wanted to come immediately but Johnna and Elliot stopped me for fear it would make things worse with Roland. I have paid Elliot to stay as your guard, even though he is in the duke's employ. I believe he is trustworthy enough for that task.

The rumors in the palace are mad. I have tried to squelch them, but I do not think I'll be able to unless I ply everyone in the kingdom with memory-erasing potion. And do not worry, I do not believe them. Duke Roland has asked me to watch Lady Amber until it is time for us to leave. It is only two more days but I fear that is too long. Our plans will still proceed with a little tuning as I've already made the inquiries needed.

I cannot promise I will not come to see you. I told Johnna that. Sofia, stay in your room, and don't go anywhere without Elliot. I love you, and I will see you soon.

Cedric

I did not realize a tear had slipped down my cheek until it landed on the parchment. I folded the notes and put them in my skirt pocket.

"I can take a message back to them."

I cleared my throat. "I need time to think of something to say." Smiling at Elliot, I said, "Perhaps later."

The woman who had a cost for everything came in to the room then. "You'll be wanting breakfast, I take it?" she asked from across the room. We nodded and she went back to the kitchen. A moment later she returned with two reheated bowls of last night's stew and fresh bread. "Waste not, want not."

"Could we have some ale?"

"You got money?"

"I do." Elliot fished out a coin and dropped it in her hand. "That should be enough for two mugs each."

"I'll be back."

We began to eat, and she brought all four mugs of ale at once. Elliot rolled his eyes when the woman turned around, and I could not help but giggle. "Of all the inns in the city…" he did not finish his sentence and glanced over his shoulder to make sure Roland was not around.

"If you could let Johnna know that I received her message and that I'm fine and look forward to traveling with her in a couple days, I would be ever so grateful."

"You don't want to write that down?"

"Uh, no. I don't have anything to write with, and I dare not ask the woman," my head bent toward the kitchen, "how much it would cost for some ink and parchment." Elliot laughed and we continued to dine.

With it just being us in the common room, the noise of Roland descending the steps alerted us to his presence. Elliot rose and bowed. Roland nodded, then grabbed his head. "Ah, thank you, Elliot…for…" he waved his hand toward the table, "this."

"I shall ask for some stew for you," he moved to call after the woman.

"No!" Roland said too sternly. "I mean, no thank you. I can't eat. But an ale would be nice."

Elliot left to find the woman and Roland sat beside me, cradling his head in his hands.

"Are you well?"

"Keep your voice down," he hissed.

I did not think I had spoken too loudly, but then I realized Roland had likely drunk too much the night before. "Cedric has a cure for this," I whispered.

"Cedric is not here, Sofia."

Deciding to not speak to him was my best choice. Elliot returned with an ale and Roland drank it greedily. Roland's presence dampened the mood, as I did not want to ire him any further with my speaking. The three of us were silent until the front door opened and several guards escorting a woman came it.

It was Lady Evelyn, and she covered her nose and mouth against the smell of the place, just as I had when I first entered. I must have gotten used to it. Oh no, do I smell like this place now?

"Roland!" She spied us and came over. Both Roland and Elliot stood to greet her, and I followed suit, but Roland's hand came down on my shoulder, pushing me back into my seat.

"You came to slum around with us, my lady?"

"I would expect this of someone like her," Evelyn's eyes darted to me, "but you Roland? There are better inns in this town."

The innkeeper and the woman came out and Lady Evelyn waved them away. "We require nothing but a moment of this man's time. Please give us privacy." They went back to the kitchen. Evelyn's hands twitched and her guards moved to the other side of the room. Elliot moved to join them. I tried to move, but Roland was still partially leaning on my shoulder.

"What do you want Evelyn?"

"I thought you were going to fix things."

"Well, I thought long and hard about it, and decided it wasn't worth it."

"Why didn't you just let the king punish her?"

"I would have, but he decided to punish me instead."

I swallowed. Roland would have let them beat me? Evelyn smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Perhaps if your little virgin would have realized it was a prince showing her affections she would have left you for a higher status."

"You would like that outcome, wouldn't you?"

"This is not over, Roland."

"It is for now. I likely won't be back here anytime soon."

"He knows where you are."

"Did you tell him?"

The guards talk just as much as the servants." Her eyebrow raised. "Or perhaps your little virgin has been communicating with someone?"

"Stop calling her that." Roland was annoyed. My face burned. I did have a note from Johnna in my pocket, and hopefully a blank looking note from Cedric if his spell worked.

"What do you want me to call her?" She reached out to touch my face which was still bruised. "Is this your handiwork? You haven't lost your touch, have you?"

Roland growled. "Get out, Evelyn."

She laughed. "Trust me, I'm not here for my own entertainment." Glancing between the two of us she laughed again, "or maybe I am." She waved for the guards and grew more serious. "This is the only warning I will give you, Roland, and only because we have been friends for so long." With that, she and her guards left the inn.

"Elliot," Roland barked. "I have some messages for you to take to the palace, but take Sofia to her room first." Elliot nodded, and soon I found myself sitting on my makeshift bed, in a shadowy room once again.

I had no idea how much time had passed but I was guessing it was about an hour before Roland tried to come into my room. The trunk stopped his progress as he pushed the door open. "Sofia!"

Jumping up, I apologized and moved the trunk further. Roland looked around, squinted his eyes when he saw the lamp, and barked, "Get packed. We are leaving."

"Right now? Where are we going?"

"Home. Men will be up in just a moment for your things. Meet me downstairs."

"Is Elliot here?"

"I sent him to the castle." He looked at me with his forehead creased. "Why?"

"I… I just thought I would need an escort downstairs."

"There's no one else here but us." He walked out of my room and I had barely enough time to throw the clothes and cloak I had used for bedding into my trunk when two men came in. I followed them downstairs and waited by Roland as he watched his luggage brought down and loaded into a carriage waiting right outside the door.

"I thought we were waiting for-"

"Sometimes plans change, Sofia." Once the trunks were loaded, Roland held out his arm and we walked to the carriage. He helped me in, and instead of sitting across from me, he sat beside me on the cushioned bench.

"Does Elliot know?"

"What is this with Elliot? Are you sweet on him?" I shook my head. "You better not be." He put his hand on my knee and squeezed painfully.

"Are you ready, sir?" asked the driver out the window.

"Yes." Roland did not even glance at him.

"Will we return the way we came?"

"No. We'll be staying in inns along the way. We might even make better time without having to be entertained each night."

I nodded. His hand was still on my knee and my mouth and throat were dry. Roland stayed awake until we were out of the city completely, but soon enough he was asleep and snoring on my shoulder. Sometime after that, his head was in my lap as he tried to stretch.

As we were facing the back of the carriage I kept checking out the windows to see if anyone was following. I daydreamed about Cedric riding alongside the carriage, and me jumping out and into his arms and then we would run away. But that was just a daydream, and after I woke from a nap, I saw that Roland's head was still in my lap, he was looking up at me with a smile, and my fingers were threaded through Roland's hair.