Kaizen drummed his fingers on his desk anxiously. He had recently arrived back in his own castle with the help of a magic transportation device to avoid the perilous hike through moors, marshes, and woods. He and his soldiers, servants, and others he'd brought with him were adjusting back to their castle routine, but Kaizen couldn't direct his mind from the dance.

      The girl he had danced with was still hooked in his mind. Was he hooked in hers, wherever she was?

      He scolded his own foolishness. Of course not.

      Kaizen sank back in his chair, his fingers now drumming on the arm of his chair. He knew he probably had better things to be doing. Like trying not to start a war. Or starting one. He hadn't decided yet.

     He pulled a map from his desk drawer, hoping to give his mind something to do instead of thinking of the missing princess. He rested it on the desk, spreading out the scroll so he could examine the map of the four kingdoms. He traced a finger down the border between Tiberia and Irisanna. He had heard the stories of what lied there, and he longed to discover it. The Irisanni knew nothing of what they possessed, keeping away from their eastern border.

      But Tiberia knew. And Kaizen wanted it badly. He rested his chin in his hand, but again Rowan came to his thoughts. He banged his head on the desk with frustration. He didn't want to start a war with her family. Maybe they could come to some sort of agreement...

      But it would have to be soon. Tiberia was struggling to keep up its appearance of obvious wealth and power. They would need that border very soon. And he knew he would have to give the order to take the border himself.

      Kaizen raked a hand through his hair, feeling the tangles snag on his fingers. Since the dance, he'd kept his hair messy and unkempt instead of slicked back like usual. He felt better with it wild, less like he was being forced into a mold that didn't fit him.

     There was a sharp knock on the door, and Kaizen sat up straight in his seat, brushing his hair back as Isaiah barged in. He frowned at his advisor, "I didn't say 'come in' yet."

     "At least I knocked this time," Isaiah responded, "But sir, there's been a riot downtown. Someone tried to steal from a vender, and it started a fight. These are hard times for the people, and they need something to hope for. Something to vent their anger."

      "I don't want to start a war right now," Kaizen said through gritted teeth, his hands on the desk curling into hard fists, "I'm sorry. But war means casualties, and I... I've never ordered anyone to die for me before."

     "You're not," Isaiah slicked a hand over thick black hair, combing down the frizz from his recent encounter with crazed townspeople, "They are willing to fight- and die- for their country. It's what they believe in."

     Kaizen leaned his forehead into a hand as the elbow rested on the desktop, "I know... why did this happen so fast? One mistake, and boom... we're losing our control."

     "I'm sorry, your Highness, but sooner or later, I'm going to have to ask you to make a decision."

      "What would you do?" Kaizen asked suddenly, looking up, "If you were in my place. Would you try to negotiate the border into our possession and risk worsening the situation, or would you go straight into war?"

      There was a long silence, then Isaiah sat down on the edge of the desk with a sigh, "I don't know. But you weren't nearly this hesitant about the war before. If you mind me asking... what's changed?"

      "Nothing, I just—"

      "Please stop lying," Isaiah's eye brow lifted with a disbelieving look, "If I had to guess, I'd say it was the princess. Rowan. You don't want to hurt her or her family."

      "I'm willing to do what I have to for this kingdom," Kaizen said stiffly, "I don't have any responsibility for those who oppose me."

      Isaiah folded his arms across his broad chest, "You sound like your grandfather."

       There was a crash as the items littering Kaizen's desk were swiped to the floor. Isaiah didn't blink as Kaizen fell back into his chair.

       "I know," he growled, letting his fingers dance nervously on the arm of the chair again, "I don't want to." He let out a long sigh, massaging his face with his hands, "I'm sorry. For that." His gaze fell to the pile of possessions on the floor, "I'll give it a week. Send note saying that if we do not attain the border in one week, then Tiberia will wage a war. One that will end in the death of their kingdom."

     "As you wish, sir," Isaiah bowed low, hands clasped behind his back, "And maybe I'll remember to knock again."

     Kaizen gave his advisor a weary smile, "And learn the art of waiting till I say 'come in', okay?"

     Isaiah cracked a tiny grin back, "We'll see."

Back in the forest...

     "Ick, it's all squishy," Aliyah complained as the mossy swamplands squished beneath her bare feet. She pulled the legs of her pants higher up past her knees so they wouldn't get soaked by the foul smelling water.

     Rowan was also disgusted by the green, muddy water filling her shoes and drenching her clothing. She tried to keep her face neutral to avoid mocking comments from Kaden, who strode through the mud and moss as carelessly as if it was stone floors or polished wood.

      "Did you say Maleficent lives in this place?" Aliyah asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust, "It's nasty!"

     "It matches her alright," Rowan muttered under her breath, "Hopefully we can get out of here without meeting her."

     "I'd think you would want to," Kaden spoke up for the first time in awhile, "To see if she could reverse the spell on you."

     Rowan chewed her lip, stepping over a large stick floating in the knee deep mud as she sloshed forward, "My father has sent knights to her often since I was born. She claims nothing will make her fix the curse, if she even could."

      "So you're not even going to try?"

     "Of course not," Rowan snorted as if the thought was ridiculous, but she pulled a strand of hair over her shoulder as she turned away, rubbing it between her fingers as if trying to reassure herself. "Besides... there's no hope anyway."

     "Hey," Kaden stepped in front of her, nearly slipping on the wet algae underfoot, but he blocked her, "Don't say that."

      "Why not? Even my father knows it's true, that's the real reason he banned me from talking about it." As the words left her mouth, she realized it was true. "Look, I've accepted my fate. There's nothing I can do about it. So I'm not going to spend my last few weeks crying over it."

     "There is such thing as last minute," Kaden told her, his voice sounding stiffer than normal, "Don't resign yourself yet."

     "You're blocking my path."

     "Huh? Oh," he stepped aside, allowing her to brush past him. He adjusted the strap on his shoulder from the satchel awkwardly, sensing her looking briefly back at him.

     The filthy water felt slimy against her legs as Rowan pressed on, trying to push away the worry rising in her. She hated when someone brought up her curse. It reminded her she wasn't allowed to enjoy her life like everyone else. She had no time left to waste worrying, she told herself, but couldn't shake the fear that had rooted inside of her.

     Suddenly, the muddy ground beneath her foot fell away, and she felt water close over her head as she fell into a drop off. She couldn't breathe, water covered her head as she thrashed around. She couldn't see anything through the filthy water, and she couldn't tell which way was up, which way would spare her life or which would claim it.

     Then she felt hands close around her arms, and she was pulled through the water. Her head broke the surface and she coughed hard, trying to breathe in the foul air to restore the breath in her aching lungs.

      She was freezing cold now, and she rubbed her eyes to clear the burning water away. She saw Aliyah and Kaden on either side of her, and coughed again, "I-I'm fine," she choked, rubbing her throat with a shaky hand, "I'm fine."

      "We should be on the look out for more of those pit holes," Kaden said, brushing his hands off on his muddy pants, "I'll lead this time. I think Rowan's had enough sudden falls for today."

      Rowan was helped to her feet by Aliyah, her shoulders shaking from the cold water, "I-it's cold," she managed through chattering teeth, wrapping her arms around herself. Her wet clothes increased her weight, making it harder to keep footing on the uneven ground. And the water logged cloth sealed in the cold.

     "Let's keep walking," Kaden pushed past them, "Faster you move the warmer you'll get."

     "Oh..." a voice hissed behind them, and the spun around wildly to see a tall woman standing behind them. Horns curled from the top of her head, her clothing entirely black. She leaned on a gnarled black staff, eyeing them with an amused look.

     "Maleficent," Rowan recognized her instantly, taking an abrupt step backwards. Aliyah's eyes narrowed, and Kaden's hand flew to the hilt of his sword at his waist.

     "It's not often I get visitors," Maleficent drawled, her eyes seeming to laugh at their defensive stances. She could kill them all if she wanted- and they knew it. She rested her staff on the ground in front of her, "But I'm afraid you passed my living quarters."

     "No offense, but that may have been intentional," Rowan hissed through gritted teeth, "No one likes to be cursed, Maleficent."

     "I don't usually curse people though," she feigned hurt, a hand over her heart as she gave them an innocent look. She smiled again at their mistrustful glares, leaning against her staff.

     "Then what made me so different?" Rowan demanded fiercely, and Kaden briefly wondered if he'd have to restrain her from trying to kill the impish fairy.

      "You? You must be the missing princess," Maleficent's pale face contorted with a wicked smile. Her teeth were the color of ivory, but her canines were fangs worthy of a wolf. "You've worked the whole castle into a frenzy. I heard even the Tiberian Lord was anxious about your complete disappearance."

     "Kaizen?" Rowan's brow furrowed, "Why would he- " she broke off, glaring at Maleficent, "How do you know that?"

     "I know a great deal of things," the fairy's voice was almost taunting now, "I know that your countries are closer to war than ever, and that Tiberia is threatening war in one week if the borderlands are not turned over to them. I know that your family is distraught by your disappearance. And I know you hate me for a curse I put on you a long time ago. But why not let bygones be bygones?"

     "Because I'm about to die!" Rowan shouted at her, but Aliyah grabbed her arm quickly as if afraid the princess would attack the dark fairy.

     "Besides, why blame me?" Maleficent drawled, turning away to face the huge tree in front of her, "The prey needs not blame the trap the hunters set."

     "What are you talking about?" Kaden demanded, "No skirting the subject- spill."

     "She shouldn't blame the trap for catching her because it didn't set itself," was the cryptic reply.

     "Are you saying someone made you do it?" Rowan's hands curled into fists, hatred for the fairy burning in her amber eyes like a blazing bonfire.

     "No," she shook her head, raven black hair spilling around her shoulders, "I was paid a substantial amount to curse the daughter of the queen and king. Neither I nor my employer knew there were two of you at the time, or I would've gotten both of you."

     "Who was it?" Rowan demanded, stepping forward, "Please, you have to tell me!"

      "I have no reason not to," Maleficent thought it over, "And I also have no reason to kill you. But I never saw the person's face. They always wore a hood. Couldn't tell gender either," she added before Rowan could open her mouth.

     "Could you reverse the curse?" Kaden asked, stepping up beside Rowan, "The curse you put on her."

     "Not really," the fairy began to walk away, her feet not sinking beneath the mossy water's surface.

      "Hey, wait!" Rowan shouted, but in a column of flames that sprang up in Rowan's face, Maleficent disappeared. She stumbled back, the smoke making her cough. She would've fallen into the cold water again if Kaden had not caught her under her arms and set her upright again.

       She wiped the soot from her face, "I- I'm gonna—"

     "Take it easy," Aliyah told her quickly, "There's nothing you can do about her now. Just leave it."

     "I've always thought I was the victim to one of her demonic pranks," Rowan said breathlessly, leaning against a slimy tree behind her, falling into it, "But it was planned. Someone wanted me dead."

     "We don't know who it was," Aliyah said, "The only person we know who wants you dead is Adeline, right?"

      "Adeline... it can't have been her," Rowan shook her head vigorously, "She didn't even come to the castle until eight or nine years ago. This would be almost eighteen years back."

     "I think we all need a rest," Kaden said after a pause, "Once we get out of here, we stop for the night. Sound good?"

     Rowan rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the dampness of her dirty hair with a sigh, "Yes... could we... build a fire, maybe?" He nodded, and she let out a relieved sigh. She was still cold, "Thank you. I'm exhausted."