Lorelai looked up at the in a haze. "Thank...you." She said in a raspy voice. Mechanically she sheathed her sabre and shuffled inside, making sure to wipe the mud from her shoes.

Across the way an old woman with a worn, leather face, watched the girl enter the rat man's house. It seemed she would have to visit the girl a bit later.

Ocgnoton muttered to himself as he searched through the pantry's cupboards in search for tea leaves and managed to find a large bag of them, pouring a few into a cup and scooping water from a bucket in his home. He set it by the fire in hopes of it heating and then turned to his guest. "so my question remains unanswered ma'am, what brings such a pretty woman of your caliber to the den of the rat?" he giggled as he talked as made sure to cover up the noise of his family.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to him, Irenia, or Lorelai and he felt like a monster for causing such harm as he had. He wouldn't hear anything of her trying to stop him. "Don't fight me on this. For once I need to you to follow what I say. You are a queen and Steffan is your husband you know how he is. He is a good man but If he finds out you were willing he will either torture you or kill you simply to comply to his honor and traditions and even if he didn't your reputation would be ruined." He wiped the forming tears from her eyes gently with his thumb but couldn't stop his own from forming. "I'm not afraid of facing my death, but I'm terrified of you facing yours. Promise me Irenia. Promise me you'll do as I say." It was the first time he had ever called her by her name and he hoped it would show her how serious he was. For all he knew he was living on borrowed time and he would use it to try an make things right.

"Oh, I apologize. I am not quite myself." Lorelai says quietly. "I was...running. I lost my energy when I fell at your door. " She looked down at her feet and pressed her lips in a line as she inspected her torn and dirty gown. How unsightly. "Forgive me, I do not mean to intrude." She pushed her hair back in vain.

Ocgnoton felt himself listen intensively, he enjoyed hearing the stories of others and hers was no bore to him. Now taking her tea feeling it burn his hands ever so slightly but taking it for the sake of the woman in front of him. As he walked a small black rat walked towards the girl bit he scooted it back into there whole hoping she'd not see it. As ocgnoton handed her the cup, placing it on a table near her in his homely cottage and twirled away. "oh you are no pest to me, I've grown lonely in the day of my life in this kingdom, and your company is much obliged" he said before laughing a bit and sitting down on the hard stone floor of his home. "but enough about me, It's no secret your a rich young lady, it's dangerous for some one of your status to wander into the slums alone, perhaps you'd be better off heading into the forest before coming her" he said looking up to her, the fire light casting a menacing shadow upon him, his hoe long since put back onto the ground near the door yet the skinning knife on his hip. He smiled wickedly at her as he began to grown fond of her company.

"Heh...perhaps. But I wasn't thinking clearly. I simply wanted to leave where I was. If only for a moment." Lorelai thought back to her last few minutes in the castle and what she had seen. "Thank you." She said as she picked up the tea. She blew some of the heat off the top of it and sipped slowly. It was warm. "If you would be so kind, I would like to finish my tea and then I will be on my way. I've gathered myself enough and as you said, I shouldn't be out too late." Lorelai didn't want to go home but she couldn't stay here.

Ocgnoton nodded ever so slightly but his smile turned to a grim frown as he stood up and muttered to himself. A rat peered out at the woman but stayed in it's hole as to be kind to her, she wasn't used to them yet so he wasn't ready to allow her to see them. "But of course, I hope your troubles clear up like the fog. It's a shame that sure a sweet young lady would fall to trouble of this sort, love problems are always so ravishing to the heart" he said, knowing merely by the gleams in her eye. "you're welcome to stay if you please, my cousins would be so proud to see me with a girl as pretty as you" Ocgnoton finished before bowing and laughing once more. "but alas I shant trap you with me, but please, allow me to walk you to the gates"

Irena gave him a soft glare that had no anger behind it "Yes, isiah i understand" she said and wiped his tears for him as well she sighed and hoped that he would whisk her away and take her far away, knowing it couldn't happen made her feel like a horrible person "If it comes to that.. i will do as you say" she says as her eyes water even more with her words she couldn't stop them from falling.

Lorelai's head shot up at the mention of love problems. She finished her tea and scrambled up. "W-wait, how did you know that? Th-these 'love problems'....I don't understand them." She furrowed her brow, left hand clutching her dress.

"oh, these eyes are like a rats, they size anything and everything up, hehehehehe. I could see it in your eyes, your stance, it's a shame too" he said as he stepped back a bit a small smirk appearing as he noticed the squeaks behind him. "oh but that's no business of such common riffraff as myself" he apologized with true content.

Isaiah gave a small smile. "Thank you my queen." He held her as her tears fell and knowing it would probably be the last time he kissed her savoring her lips so that he would remember them forever, however long that actually meant for him. "Don't cry for me please, I've done far too much to deserve it." he whispered more to himself than to her, before he reluctantly pulled away from her. "I must go my queen, I must find the princess and apologize to her." He walked away from her slowly trying not to look back because he knew if he did he would just hold her again and take her from this castle and from this land, even knowing it was not what he wanted but his heart was telling him to do whatever for her. Before he left the hall he called to her. "Know that I love you, please don't forget that."

He was met by complete chaos when he exited the hall, the guards were running around try to organize search parties for the princess and were damn near falling over themselves in their efforts. "Sir Isaiah the princess has gone missing." Isaiah was already making his way to the gates. "Call them off! I'll find her myself!" The guard was confused by the order but didn't argue thanks to Isaiah's tone. When he was outside he saw Midas by the gates flailing and kicking about wildly as two guards attempted to hold him back. Isaiah walked to the horse and it calmed immediately. "You saw her boy?" The black horse snorted and the two confused guards left to try and make sure none of the other horses had escaped from the stables thanks to the black horse. "I need to find her, please take me to her." He jumped onto Midas' back and Midas took off into the village.

"Like...rats." Lorelai mused as she looked around the room and behind him. It was subtle but there were hints of life in this house other than just the odd man. She heard a slight squeak and furrowed her brow. "Perhaps...it's time I left then. I'd hate to inconvenience you any further." She said, feeling goose bumps crawl up her arms.

"as you wish milady but be weary of the villagers, But assume they shant attack with that... shiny blade of yours" he said clearly amused by the whole mess. "it was a pleasure to meet you, if you ever need a quiet place to stay feel free to come back for some tea" he let out as a sad remark.

Lorelai nodded wearily and left the odd man's home. As she walked home she realized just how tired she was. It was far darker now and she relied solely on the sparse lanterns on the road. The princess tried not to think of what could be lurking in the shadows.

As she walked she felt as though someone was watching her, just beyond her line of site. Nervous she walked faster until she almost tried over someone's foot. Though she sworn the person hadn't been there before she doubted they could have just run up. It was an old leather faced woman. She rubbed her ankle a bit before straightening herself.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." Lorelai said, worried she had hurt the woman. The old lady had black beetle eyes and long greying hair with a toothless smile. She was stout and frumpy with a big hooked nose and drooping cheeks with a hairy mole.

"It's no bother. I'm alright. But what about you? Are you alright." The old woman tilted her head.

"Yes. I am unharmed." Lorelai said, checking to be sure.

"Hehe...silly girl that's not what I meant." The woman walked closer to Lorelai and because she didn't want to be rude, she did not move back like every fiber of her being told her to. "Some troubles you child. Something in your heart."

Why does everyone know more about my heart than me?....

"You feel weak. Alone. Like a burden. You feel as though everyone you know and love is leaving you." The old woman gave Lorelai a crooked smile.

"Y-you're wrong." Lorelai stuttered. In that moment the woman got closer and put a wrinkled, long nailed hand on the princesses cheek and looked into her eyes. Feeling disturbed, Lorelai grabbed the handle of her sabre. It felt oddly cold in her palm.

"Am I dear. Am I really?" At a loss, Lorelai said nothing. "I could give you strength."

"I-I don't need it. I'm fine." Lorelai pulled back from the woman.

"Really? I can give you the strength to have the man you love. Strength to crush any who deny you. Strength to be the royal I know you are." The old woman stared at Lori and the princess felt dizzy. The world started to grow fuzzy at the edges and Lorelai's knees began to buckle. The old woman took the hand that held the sabre. Lorelai saw all of this happening but felt too dizzy to stop it or to even move.

She watched a the woman moved the sabre and used it to cut the princesses palm. Lorelai, in the back of her mind, found it oddly fascinating how bright red her blood was. Her knees gave and she sat in the dirt. The old woman bent over and looked at the princesses dazed face. "My poor...poor daughter. Just what has happened to you? I thought you'd be stronger than this." The woman used her own knife and sliced her palm and held Lorelai's cut hand. Their blood mixing together.

The princess slumped against the woman as she returned the sabre to her palm. The old woman began decaying and turning to ash and Lorelai was slowly left laying in the dirt. As she brought up her hand holding the sabre she found it odd the bleeding had stopped and the blood was gone, not to mention her blade was so tarnished, it almost seemed black. Then the world went dark.

***************************************

As Isiah fled the castle, Lawrence followed him. He didn't care what anyone said, he had a mission. "Isiah!" He called out as he followed the other knight.

Isaiah was a man possessed as He and Midas charged down the road without any regard for anything. Had it been daylight he surely would be trampling people out of the way. His mind was only focused on finding the princess. When he heard his name called he almost crashed. He looked around enthused "Princess!" instead finding himself face to face with Lawrence. "Sir what are you doing here?" He asked but didn't care for the answer because of his desire to find Lorelai.

"I'm looking for Lori. She's my 'niece' after all." Lawrence gave Isiah a reassuring smiled as they charged down the dark path, deeper into the village and farther into the slums.

(find her whenever ya want o3o)

Isaiah tried to give his smile but he was positive it didn't look genuine. He was terrified, what if they didn't find her, what if someone had kidnapped her once they found her alone There were too many what ifs. Midas took the lead now pulling Isaiah along while he was lost in his thoughts The horse went wild underneath as it caught sight of someone laying on the side of the road. Isaiah jumped down and ran over and as he got closer he could definitely tell it was Lorelai. "Princess!" He knelt to her checking her for wounds or marks but finding nothing. "She's not hurt, thank god." He took her into his arms and carried her to Lawrence. "You have to get her back to the castle. It'll be better if she sees you first in case she wakes up."

Lawrence raised a brow as he took the princess. "Why me?" He asked though he didn't pry further as he wanted to get the princess properly checked. Making sure she was on the horse he headed back to the castle with a smile on his face.

It had worked. The Queen shall rise.

***********************

Lorelai awoke in her bed. Her mind was still fuzzy and she couldn't remember much. She furrowed her brow as she struggled to recall her last few hours of consciousness.

An old woman. A rat. No a man, maybe? Before then...what happened? Isiah? Isiah...and Irena....They were...no..

She felt a sharp pain in her chest and gasped, rolling over on her side as she clutched her chest. Panting she looked underneath the clean night gown she was wearing. For a moment she swore she saw something on the skin covering her heart. She shook her head. It must have been nothing. Lorelai reached for her sabre and almost panicked when she did not feel it, however when she looked over at her wardrobe, she saw it leaning there next to the dirty and torn gown she had been wearing. The maids must have cleaned her up.

After Isiah left the queen found her room and closed the door some gaurds came by her room and took the dead one and cleaned it up because the maids refused to clean up death. Irena had put on a flowing night gown and sighed and grabbed a picture of her and steffan it was them on her wedding day it had been one a fantastic artist drew for them, then she picked one up of isiah and hung it up on the wall oppisite of the wedding picture. He had always brung her love and hope. That kiss they shared was wonderous, she had to put it behind her and have steffans child as she promised she would. Irena knelt in front of her bed and prayed "Dear lord, please keep isiah and lri and steffan safe" she nodded and got into the bed feeling a bit lonely, a feeling she knew well these past few months.

He thought he could trust them...but even within his own Castle, betrayal managed to orobe her vile claws.

He left his wife with one of the guards to escort her back to her chambers, while he consoulted his Lords and Ministers, an ill choice as it loved that the soldier was a monster. Luckoly, Isiah proved himself to be ever the dauntless knight and saved the Queen. Truly this man was a boon for his court, so he made a mental note to award him later.

The King openy the doors to his chambers slowly, walking towards the bed as he saw his wife laying on the bed.