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Guard: Your Majesty, are you alright?
A guard approached Aderas on horseback.
Aderas: Don't worry about me! The princesses... I just saw them.... They're heading due north on horseback... They're traveling with two men, both tall, one dark hair and green-eyed, one light brown hair and blue-eyed. I want their names, pictures, and prices on their heads. Ten thousand gold for each.
Guard: Right away, sir!
Aderas: Wait! Round up the troops first. We need to follow them!
Guard: But sir, with that bridge out, it's a day's ride to cross the river. And we can't sail across because the waters are too choppy...
Aderas: Well then you better go get everyone if we want to catch up with those stupid kids!
Guard: Yessir, right away, sir!
And he was off, leaving Aderas to nurse a large bruise stretching from his hindquarters to his back thanks to his fall.

Cal: OK, so let's get this right.
Cal spoke to Lissabelle as they sat next to a small campfire that Cal had built out in the woods. The sun had set and it was beginning to grow terribly cold. All four of the new companions were gathered close to the fire, gathering as much warmth as possible.
Cal: Aderas proposed to you and your father accepted for you. You tried to tell your dad how terrible he was, but he just ignored you. So your mum helped you get out through a system of tunnels, and that's how you got to me?
Lissabelle: Yes... And... I had to lie! I'm so sorry, I hated doing that, but...I mean....I couldn't risk getting caught...
Cal: It's okay... I understand completely. I would have done the same thing.
The princess nodded.
Cal: So... What exactly makes this guy so evil, anyway?
Jessina: He's obnoxious, stupid, power-hungery, and driven by his lust for my sister, which i think is disgusting.
Cal: How do you know about that?
Jessina: His cousin told me.
Lissabelle: You gave him a chance to talk to you?
Jessina: Yes, he's the one that got me outta there!
Lissabelle: Really?
Chase: Heh. I can't believe you were engaged to that guy.
He chuckled as he looked over to the cynical expression on Jessina's face.
Chase: What kind of moron would actually want to propose to you?
Jessina: Well actually, he decided not to. I'm not his type.
Chase: Can't see why not...
He started off with a straight face, but then cracked up in the middle of his silence, giving the tomboyish princess an excuse to smack him on the head.
Cal: So, you're basically going off of his cousin's opinion on his liking for you?
Lissabelle: Not to mention I experienced it....
Jessina: WHAT!? WHAT'D HE DO TO YOU AND WHEN!?!?!?!?!
Lissabelle: The night I ran away.... He... He wrapped his arms around my waist and got really close to me, trying to seduce me... Then he tried to kiss me...
Jessina: HE KISSED YOU!?!?!?!?!
Lissabelle: No, I turned my head... Then he got mad and almost hit me, but then he cooled down just a little and just shoved me to the side...
Cal: Okay. Now you've got me convinced. WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS, TREATING YOU LIKE THAT!?!?!
Jessina: A jackass is what he is...
Chase: Yes. He's a jerk, we get it...
Lissabelle sighed.
Lissabelle: I still feel bad about lying, convincing you that I was some poor orphan that needed a place to stay...
Cal: Well you did need a place to stay. And don't worry about it. Besides...after a while, I began to figure out who you were...
Lissabelle: You....You did? But how? No one's seen us since....
Cal: Since you moved away from Sapphire Lake?
The princess was silent.
Cal: I had a dream last night.... It was like a memory that i had forgotten about. I was eight years old, and I was playing with a little girl who told me that she lived in the Chateau that was down the road from the lake. She had these eyes-hazel eyes. I could never forget them. And...I accidentally cut her arm with my sword...
Lissabelle's eyes had grown wide.
Lissabelle: You.... That was you?
She looked to the scar on her arm and pointed it out to her companion.
Lissabelle: But...but how did you know it was me? I mean, you said you remembered my eyes, but...I mean...
Cal: Yes. I've never seen a pair of eyes like yours. Also, Aderas came to the camp the day we left, showing me your picture.
Lissabelle: HE DID! And...you didn't turn me in...?
Cal: I knew I couldn't trust him.... And after seeing that dream, I knew I couldn't just let you leave again, like you did that day, right after we had just met....
Lissabelle: I remember that. We had just met the day before....before I left...
Cal: Yeah... Part of the dream was seeing you leave... You probably don't remember, but you reached out of the carriage...
Lissabelle: Calling for help? I remember. I didn't wanna leave. Anyone who would have stoped that carriage would have been my savior... I miss it so bad... But it's okay, cuz now I get to go back!
Jessina: Um... Lissabelle... You do realize that we have people after us? Our past home is the first place they'll look...
Lissabelle: So...we can't go back...?
Jessina: Well, our best bet is to get out of the country and head into Adria...
Lissabelle: Well, if we're heading north, then we pass Sapphire Lake! Can't we just stop on the way? Just for a night. It would be the last time I see it...
Jessina sighed.
Jessina: One night won't hurt, I guess...
Lissabelle: Thanks, Jess.
She hugged her sister tightly.
Jessina: But if we get caught after that, I'm blaming you.

Eric paced in his tent, walking in circles around a table with four posters laid on on it: two were pictures of the princesses with "MISSING!" scratched out on the top of them, and the other two were pictures of Cal and Chase with "WANTED: for kidnapping of the princesses" on the top. At the bottom were their names and descriptions, as well as "10,000 GOLD PRIZE FOR RETURN/CAPTURE!"
Eric: That would be 40,000 gold. We'd be bloody RICH.
Brad: But Chase was your childhood friend... You're just going to turn on him, just like that?
Eric: I don't know about you, Brad, but I don't want to continue being a poor little merchant for the rest of my life. I want money. Fame.
Clara: And lots and lots of jewels!
Eric: AND lots and lots of jewels for the most beautiful woman in the world...
He took a break from pacing to kiss his girlfriend softly on the lips.
Brad: But we don't even know which way they've headed...
Anthony: Oh, but I do.
The member of the other branch of the caravan from Sapphire Lake stepped into the tent with a confident smirk on his face.
Eric: Anthony... What do you want?
Anthony: It's not about what I want, it's what you want.
Eric: Cut the crap, Anthony. We know you want in on the money.
Anthony: Okay... How about I tell you where they've headed and you cut me in for one-forth of your little prize?
Eric sighed.
Eric: Deal.
Anthony: Wonderful. They've headed northeast toward Adria. However, we're stuck because the bridge is out and the river can't be crossed without it. They're a day ahead of you.
Eric: Well, then. I do know a shortcut that'll slice the time in half, but we'll still be behind them... We'll just have to start now and ride all night while they're resting.
Clara: All night?! But... But I need my beauty sleep!
Eric: It's alright, beautiful. I'll take the cart along so you can sleep in the back.
Clara: Okay!
She smiled brightly like the dumb blonde she was.
Eric: Well thank you, Anthony for such wonderful information. We'll let you know as soon as we've captured them and claimed the prize...
Anthony: No, no... I don't think so. I'm coming.

The night became darker and the fire blew out as winter began to show its face for the first time of the year. The air was cold, and so were the bodies of the four runaways. Lissabelle was huddled up close to the remaining embers, fast asleep but shivering violently as the wind whipped through her curls and the cold air stung her skin. Cal woke in the middle of the night to see her pale-faced with dry, chapped lips and eyes squeezed tight shut as she huddled for warmth. He stood and walked over to the shaking girl and took off his jacket. The air seemed to pinch his skin as he removed the clothing, and he knew the pain this poor girl must be in. He covered her bare arms with the jacket and lied down back beside her, facing the cold so that another could stay warm.

-PREVIEW!-
Mikona: Puu! I'm here to help Starlite give a preview for her next chapter!
What's this? Looks like the group's reached the next town. But it looks like they really need to be careful... Oh no... I recognize that voice!
Next time, Chapter 13, Wanted!
Mikona can't wait!