I woke up in a sweat, my fingers and hands shaking. I threw off the covers and pushed the palms of my hands into my eyes. I hadn't even changed clothes before I had passed out. And if there were servants to help me change or bring me more food, none of them bothered to disturb me. Looking outside, I found it dark and silent. Everyone was probably asleep.

Why was I constantly living in a nightmare? I remembered that night... but my dream... had made it feel like I was living it for the first time all over again. So much for getting a nice nap in.

A knock on the door made me jump, and I bolted upright. They were here to take me away again! But it was far too soon, it hadn't been a full day yet! But of course, when was the king ever fair in his word.

"Hey, it's me. Cyrus," A head of wavy brown hair poked into the room, followed by a slender, but healthy frame. My body relaxed as he shut the door behind him. He strode over to me, in the graceful way of his, and held me in his arms. "I was so worried you were dead when they found John, but then there was word from our spies that they you were at Siva—I'm just so glad you're safe, Alyce. I've missed you so much."

"I—I am too. How... How did you get in here?" I started, not sure what to say. He looked at me oddly, as if he could tell something was wrong. But I couldn't tell him I hadn't missed him back because I had amnesia and couldn't remember I had ever met him? That I had met new people and might have something with one of them if I ever got out of here?

"I gave the guards outside my fathers door a concoction that will put them to sleep shortly. And the guards patrolling this hall and your door are on a steady cycle. I snuck by them to get here and we can sneak past them again to my fathers door before they return. We have to act fast or you will be imprisoned tomorrow—or if he grants you a mercy—killed." He said hurriedly, and I almost breathed a sigh of relief as he pushed aside my odd behavior towards him and focused on the task at hand. He held out his hand for me to take and I grabbed it, not thinking twice. He pulled me into the hall and down the hallway, quickly as possible before the guards came back from their rounds.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? He is your father, your blood." I said slowly and quietly, wanting to make sure he would not turn back the last second.

"I care more about our people and the well-being of this kingdom... And he loves me, but not more than himself or his enemies. He must be stopped, or I fear all of us will perish." He whispered back, as he stopped at a winding white stone staircase. At the bottom of the stairs, just as Cyrus had said, the guards were out cold, slouched on the floor.

"No one should come down this hall, but I'll stand watch down here and tell you if the guards begin to stir. I... I'm not strong enough to kill him." Cyrus murmured, looking embarrassed at his words.

I nodded, understanding completely. It took time, and he wasn't ready to kill with his own hands yet—and the first person he killed should definitely not be his father. I touched his arm gently, reassuring. With a small smile, I made my way up the steps slowly, afraid my footsteps would echo too loudly.

A wide, oaken door was at the top of the staircase, dark against the stone and inviting. I slowly pushed the door open, and it gave easily, luckily with no sound. I left it partly open to quickly get back through if I had to make a mad dash for it. The room was dark, but I could make out a enormous bear skin rug on the floor and next to it, a four poster bed with blood red drapes—holding what I hoped was a sleeping king.

Sucking in a quiet breath, I took a few steps into the room. The king did not stir, and so I grew closer and closer to the bed until I stood on the opposite side to where he slept. I reached out a hand and gradually slid a pillow from beside him towards me. I continued around the bed slowly as to not wake him, holding the pillow firmly in my hand. Each step felt like eternity, every breath far too loud.

He was sleeping, his breathing shallowed. I was going in without him suspecting. This should go fast, if done correctly. This was a perfect opportunity, I couldn't screw it up. If caught, I would be an enemy of the kingdom and on the run for the rest of my life. On top of that, I didn't want Cyrus, who clearly still cared for me, to have to order for my capture and sentence me to death.

"Marina..." I froze where I stood as he mumbled the name of his late wife in his sleep. I didn't know much about Qleph's Queen. She had ruled by Torryn's side years before I had even been conceived. Stories were the only way I knew about her.

My step mother had said Queen Marina had been a beauty to behold, like a flower that never withered and only kept blossoming. Her very long, light brown hair that fell in waves down her back was usually put up in a fancy design, her dresses vibrant and rich with the most expensive of colors, and her smile was always real and warm. She was the jealousy of all women who saw her, but also the most cherished for her huge heart and kindness. She was many's hope for change in the kingdom, that she would be the start to a better time for many, many generations.

And maybe that could have been so. For a little while, King Torryn had started to change, bettering the kingdom for his wife, and what people said, was the love of his life. I had a hard time believing that anyone could have fallen in love with such a tyrant, but when Queen Marina fell ill before she was to give birth to Cyrus and died in childbirth because of it, King Torryn was saddened. He went back to his old ways, as if nothing had ever happened, never remarrying.

Whether the rumor of them having fallen in love after their arranged marriage would be up to the individual to decide. I was more inclined to believe Cyrus, and other people who knew him, and they all claimed he was just a ruthless man. Even if he wasn't a horrible man at heart and almost changed his ways, it didn't make what he was doing, or what he had done in the past, right.

I lowered the pillow onto his face, pressing it tightly until it covered his mouth and nose. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel remorse. I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath, knowing how many countless lives I was saving, by just taking his. Knowing how many lives I was remembering that he took away, was being repaid.

There was no reaction for the first few seconds, but then he awoke with a start when his brain alerted him that he could no longer breathe. He jolted, his hands coming to his face. He started to blindly throw his hands around, grabbing the pillow and my wrist. Anything he could to get the pillow off his face.

His body began to thrash around more and I knelt on top of him, to keep him pinned, feeling him struggle beneath me. He was gripping my wrist tightly, hurting me, but I didn't dare release the pillow. Slowly, his grip started to relax, and finally went limp. I waited a few more second, and removed the pillow, from his face.

I shut his open eyes and put everything back to normal, the sheets, the pillow, his hands. Once I was done, you couldn't tell I had been there. It looked as if he were still asleep, and in the morning, the servants would find he was indeed asleep, but not in the way they thought.

I retreated from the room, returning down the steps to Cyrus, who was waiting eagerly for me. He looked at me expectedly and I nodded, communicating that the deed was done.

We made it carefully back to my room, hesitant at every corner. I trusted Cyrus to get me back to my room safely. When we reached the last hall we had to go down, Cyrus frantically waved for me to go, and I made a wild dash for it. He quickly turned back, needing to return to his room. I knew he would get there with no problems.

I heard the guards just moments later, and was thankful I had returned to my room in time. I tucked myself into the warm bed, but was unable to get a wink of sleep. So I waited up, thinking only of the two outcomes of what Cyrus and I had just done. I would either die in the following hours, or I could go home to my friends. Oh... how I missed them.

Finally, the sun peaked above the horizon, laminating the room in a golden glow. I watched from the comfort of my bed, anxiety coursing through me. I did not trust my legs to hold my weight if I got up. A short while later, I started to hear people yelling in the halls.

"The king is dead!" I heard someone exclaim, as they passed my door. "Wake the Prince!"

I knew that they would have to immediately put him on the throne as the next ruler, he would no longer be the Prince, but the King—but it wouldn't be entirely official until he was crowned in a ceremony. How great that day would be for everyone!

There was banging on my door, and then a few guards barged through, impatient for a response. The one in charge was angry, and stomped his way over to me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me off the bed. He dragged and pulled me down the halls, not relaxing his grip on my wrist, causing sharp, shooting pains to run down my arm, as I pulled back, trying to break free. I recognized the throne room doors as we approached them, and relaxed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Cyrus stood up immediately, his face angry as the guards stormed through the throne room doors, yanking me along.

"Her!" The guard threw me down to the floor. I caught myself before I fell on my face, pain going through my wrists at the impact. "This could be her trickery!"

"Are you suggesting that she snuck past you last night? Say... wasn't it your duty last night to keep an eye on my father? What were you doing if not your job?" Cyrus's eyebrows raised and he eyed the guard intimidatingly, waiting for an answer.

"S-Sorry, your highness... I was speaking nonsense, forgive me. There was no way she could have snuck by me last night." The guard bowed and then straightened, but kept his eyes on the floor.

"Good, now that we have that out of the way, I would like to talk to our guest privately." Cyrus said, but a couple of the guards faltered, unsure. "That means leave!"

I was astounded at how well he handled himself. At how he could control his fathers loyal guards, how he could fool them. He was able to scare them as much as his father could. Once we were alone, I blurted out what had been on my mind for a while, before I no longer had the chance.

"I need to ask... my mother—"

"Your mother is fine. She is staying with another family." Cyrus explained, and I almost cried in relief. "I would not see her quite yet, people in town still remember you and it might stir all sorts of trouble. I don't want my hand to be forced in any way that would be against you. I will have someone sent to tell her you are okay."

"Thank you, Cyrus... I-I have no words for all you have done for me. I wouldn't be alive without you. This kingdom would not have existed past your father, if not for you."

He didn't respond, only took me in his arms. He seemed to not want to let go, and I held onto him back just as tightly. When he finally pulled away, he slowly went in for a kiss, but he seemed hesitant. I slowly placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

"I knew it," he breathed, almost a sad sigh. "Something has... changed."

"Cyrus... Cyrus, I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Please, don't apologize, my beautiful warrior," he whispered back, pressing a long kiss to my forehead. He straightened back up and smiled at me. I couldn't smile back, I felt too horrible. He squeezed my hand before resuming his spot on the throne. "Goodbye, Alyce. Please stay safe."

"Goodbye, Cyrus. I wish I could see your coronation, you will be a wonderful king." I said sincerely, giving him a long bow.

"Guards!" Cyrus called, and a few moments later the guards tumbled though the door. "Get this woman her horse and see she gets out of here safely!"

"Yes, your highness," The guards almost said in unison with a bow, and they gestured for me to follow them.

They escorted me down the halls and to the gates, gently and quietly. They handed me my horse, which I was glad was well taken care of, and I hopped on her back. I stared up at the castle for a couple long moments, sad to leave Cyrus, but happy to return to my new friends.

Turning my horse around, I started the journey home.