Fannel was looking appeased as the dead man hit the ground. And Alexandra's first thought was - I need to learn that trick!

The second thought was to catch Liam's expression. But there were none - just his dark hair falling into his eyes, like on the very first day they'd met. Without any apparent reason, Alexandra found that much more endearing than anything else.

Then she didn't get time for third thoughts. The rest of the guards just seemed to have realized that their leader was dead. And they didn't seem to have any intention of backing off.

They thrust forward, to prise the aunt off their captivity, perhaps - because their loyalties hadn't switched. The three Idgardians rolled to different sides, Fannel - showing great presence of mind - kicked the Aunt on the shin, because of which she collapsed and was almost trodden upon by the advancing sentries.

And then, utter chaos broke out.

The guards charged left, right and center. It was not at all heroic, but the three of them ran. Aunt Sabel felt around madly - her gag having come out - crying, 'Help me, I can't see!' But no one seemed interested in her anymore - the loyal guards were going more for Liam - which was a good thing, as they only had their spears knocked off.

Alexandra herself wasn't spared. Moira was with Fannel - but she almost liked being back to body-combat. Picking men clean off their feet, just to flip them over; pushing knees into guts and fists into faces. However, they were still greatly outnumbered.

After running around, fighting and escaping the guards for ten minutes, the three bumped into each other-

'Ouch!' Cried Alexandra - she had a thousand ways of slamming her injured head to places.

'Mark, we don't have another choice!' Liam acknowledged, 'Smoke ball.'

Smoke ball? Did things like that even exist? 

Alexandra felt Liam grip her wrist tight. 'What about that woman?' Fannel asked, rather calmly - like stampeding crowds of mad sentries was something he encountered each day.

'I'll handle,' Liam assured. This time, they didn't make the mistake of not believing Liam's "I'll handle". Fannel just nodded, thrust a hand into his pocket and produced a spherical, black ball.

'3... 2... 1...!' He said, and threw it to the ground. It burst into a million shards and billowing smoke rose meters above them. Liam pulled her by the wrist - Alexandra didn't oppose, she just ran along, having no idea to where.

* * *

A lot of time and smoke later, they emerged out into the open. All of them collapsed. Alexandra had no idea where they were - but by the looks of it, it was already dawn. They had left the sentries behind. She had a quick look around: still holding her wrist was Liam. Fannel sat next to her and behind all of them was the still blind-folded aunt. Everyone was panting and coughing, their faces blackened with smoke. Worst of all was Aunt Sabel who looked like she had been trampled upon by rushing elephants, even in her chains.

They sat for five minutes, 'Everyone alright?' Fannel asked.

'I won't stay right for long!' Aunt Sabel cried.

'No one asked you even,' Fannel spat at her. 'Mabel?'

'Good! Gone all black and ugly, but good.'

'You mean, gone blacker and prettier but good?' Liam asked. Alexandra wanted to smack him down, but -

'Not the time to joke!' She exclaimed, as they got up, 'Goodness, and what did you do with that man?!'

'Just what men like him deserve.' He replied, 'Don't tell me you pity him, now. I know you don't.'

'I had to get him!' Alexandra complained. Still she couldn't decided which would have been better: Liam's way was nice - quick and painful. But the fact that she didn't get to kick Mr. Cleft Chin's face...

'So,' Liam noted, 'you getting him and me getting him are two different things?'

And what could Alexandra reply to that, Aunt Sabel seemed to be dying in the corner, with all the love in air that she couldn't possibly digest. Though there were a hundred things she could have said, Alexandra chose to pursed her lips, and look down, because she had turned the reddest shade of red possible. And she realized, subconsciously, that a person who could make you blush when surrounded by trouble (and a mad aunt), was the person you could never stop loving.

'Why do you two always forget that there is a third person here?' Demanded Fannel, then he put an arm around Alexandra - pulling her towards him. 'Brother-sister time,' he declared, 'trespassers - not allowed.'

It was unusual to watch a spy order an emperor, and call him a trespasser in presence of his betrothed. All the more unusual to watch the king obey docilely. But by Alexandra's usual standards - this was a natural.

'Where to, now?' She asked, the maze confused her utterly. She was just following Mark blindly - and needless to say, if the other two jumped into a well - she would jump as well (though she would push Aunt Sabel inside first).

'Where else,' Liam shrugged. 'Beyond this Eastern Gate,' he gestured to the large wooden doors right in front of them, 'to where the real war is going on.'

* * *

As the four of them turned out into the open, the burst of fresh air almost knocked Alexandra out. But the scene before them, was even worse than what she could have imagined.

War. 

The streets were all deserted, and in the huge ground, right behind the Palace moat, a full swing battle had begun. Men yelled and charged. Blood sprouted and watered the grounds. Aunt Sabel cackled - but it sounded distant. Perhaps she was exhilarated by the sounds of pain. Riderless horses galloped across - neighing with fright. Lines of men locked shields as a shower of arrows descended upon them. Broken weapons were scattered on the ground, their blades reflecting the winter sunlight.

'We need to stop this.' Liam muttered.

'That is fine - but how do we show this woma-' Fannel stopped abruptly. 'Where - is - she?!' He demanded, his voice like a person who had climbed a mountain and slipped at the last step, only to land back down onto the ground.

Alexandra and Liam whirled behind.

'I hate our luck!' Alexandra grunted, stamping her foot, and realizing the reason Aunt Sabel's cackle had sounded distant. 'Don't tell me she returned to the palace! Don't tell me we have to go there once more.'

There was thin, powdery green substance behind them; on the floor... almost like a trail. 'Oh no, she didn't.' Fannel assured her, 'The trail.'

This was not what she had expected. The chains were lying futilely on the solid floor. They had done as much, wrangled the whole deal, fought, ran and got their faces all blackened. And when it was the crux of a conclusion, Aunt Sabel had escaped?! They had all been so irresponsible, that three ripped warriors had failed to sufficiently hold a frail, old woman! And of all, Liam - it surprised her. 'Wait a minute, how can she!' Alexandra demanded, finding it out of her understanding.

On the brighter side, having Liam there meant that no questions went unanswered - his understanding was enormous and beyond Alexandra's comprehension. 'I guess,' he said, tilting his head apologetically, 'we both got a little too engrossed in each other. And Mark wanted to make sure we didn't put a single toe out of the line...'

'It is not my fault if I did.' He replied, not sounding impressed at all. 'I have not seen such a shameless couple since Henry and Ashley.'

If he had the ability to call Liam shameless, then Alexandra was sure they would make good brothers. But this was not the best time, the more they talked, the further Aunt Sabel went. 'We are a hundred times better than Henry and Ashley-' she began.

'Who are these Henry and Ash-!' Liam began.

'Two blockheads.' She retorted, 'And we might be bigheads, but we are not blockheads. In any case,' Alexandra continued, not letting them intervene, 'now what do we do?!'

Mark straightened up, the way he did when he had the situation under his toe. 'I told you, the trail.' He said, pointing down.

'The trail?' Alexandra asked, blank, 'you mean - this-' she began, pointing to the green glitter.

'Powdered and colored hay. Easy.' Fannel explained, 'I holed her pockets and filled them with it. Blindfolded as s-' he wasn't able to complete, because Alexandra launched herself at him. 

'Brother, did I ever tell you how absolutely BRILLIANT you are?!' She quipped up.

'As far as I remember... all you called me was an idiot.'

'Leaving out the 200 other explanations and remarks that Mabel can give,' Liam interjected, for once not taking a leisurely tone as he always did, 'the trail leads into the battle - and that... should be where we go, right away.'

* * *

They were well into the battle - where all around them, soldiers warred with wild abandon. Blood for blood. Fannel separated, to where, he didn't say, and it was only the two Royals then.

For a few minutes, it was alright. Maneuvering their way amid the confused crowd of soldiers was easier than escaping a maze. Until, Liam turned to look at her with a stupefied expression, as if he had just realized something was amiss.

'What's wrong?' She asked him, stopping.

'Alexandra, this is a war...'

'I know that!' She replied, if he had stopped to tell her that, she was going to just walk on.

'Then you shouldn't be here!' Liam exclaimed, 'Go back!' He added.

'No way.' She argued stoutly, 'what do you want me to do? Sit and watch?!' After all the efforts, and even the aunt having escaped - how could she not be a part of all this? At least Liam of all people could be trusted to not suggest that. But even as she finished the protest, and took a step forward, Alexandra almost collapsed, her foot twisting as it fell on a discarded shield. 

'Look.' He replied, grasping her arm. 'If not sit and watch, what are you planning to do? You've done enough.'

'Then you have done enough too.' She replied, 'Liam, what are you planning to do?!'

That was the situation. They had no plans - they were all good as dead, and even after so much effort, things were as unsolved as they had always been. All the more helpless, if anything.

But he always had answers.

'If you are me,' Liam said, 'enough is never enough.' And he said it so bitterly, Alexandra felt a wave crash upon her. An assortment of feelings she had never had. That with him, enough really had never been sufficient. And it would never be so. That their society was such, if women were shackled due to lack of expectations, men were crushed with the abundance of it. 

That was that, she would listen to him for six whole years if he listened to her just this once.

'And if you are me, you never miss the action.' Alexandra said, 'I'm fine,' she claimed, 'I'm not dying - that's what I call being fine.' And she had meant it to come out politely, tenderly. But the tone became involuntarily challenging. Nevertheless, he deemed as much argument for a day sufficient.

Behind Liam, another riderless horse galloped by. He grabbed its reins and stroked its neck, mumbling something Alexandra didn't catch. The horse lowered its neck, allowing him to mount.

'So, are you hopping on or getting yourself another one?' He asked, looking down.

Alexandra grinned, 'I'll get one.' She assured and turned her head, looking around for a minute. A black, full grown, handsome horse immediately caught her eye. It seemed familiar...

Alexandra didn't even have to stop it. The horse halted by her at its own free will. She stroked its mane - the way it bent its head... turned its head to the left and didn't seem to be able to focus at one point for long. All seemed familiar.

Come on! Mind groaned, how many black horses have you known?

'It's tired,' Liam noted - making Alexandra frown and snap out of her stupor.

'No, it's Mercury!' She declared, almost jumping in delight as the horse neighed in agreement. She had just remembered, the same eyes - the fidgety demeanor.

'Mercury?'

'The horse I took from Akwanda! This horse is a complete gem!' Alexandra praised, mounting it.

'I'm not going to ask how it came to Ethoris,' Liam muttered.

'Maybe through an Idgardian soldier - but where do we go?!' Alexandra asked, as they rode side by side, Alexandra having to slightly over-exert her skills to manage the over-enthusiastic horse.

'We'll find your great brother.' Liam answered, rolling his eyes. Alexandra wanted to roll her eyes too: on her fate. But she was scared that it would take offence and flip her love life over.

'Okay,' she agreed meanwhile, 'but for one reminder-'

'He's not your brother, yes, got it.' Liam interrupted, sounding exasperated but managing a small smile. Then he looked around some - trying to spot the Dovish king in the crowd of hollering men.

Alexandra felt her thoughts trail off to the first time she had ridden Mercury. And broken her ribs. And threatened one guard. And toppled over with Liam.

Those were better days. All were better days. Until she somehow found herself entangled with all the Dovish and Ethorian mess. Life in Idgard was good. She hadn't thought about it - but supposedly, even if her exile was lifted- she was not going back now.

Don't count your chicks before they hatch. That was supposed to be your lifelong lesson... Mind reminded. Alexandra could only groan. She wasn't counting her chicks. She was only speculating.

'There he is.' Liam muttered, to her side. Alexandra cringed her neck, to have a good look at the man who had spread the mess. 'KING AUSTIN!' He yelled, at such volume that Alexandra covered her ears. Were war cries so loud?

This is nothing - you should have seen this man in the Dovish war. Mind enlightened - as though it somehow had seen Liam in Doveland. Well, when Alexandra herself was a crazy nut, how could her mind be any better.

On the third call, Austin turned. He had been dueling sword to sword with an Ethorian moustached man.

'WHAT IS THE MATTER?!' The Dovish yelled back, like he knew nothing.

They galloped closer, 'You agreed to not start the battle unless you saw us coming empty handed or half a wee-' Liam began.

'I know.' Austin agreed, 'But if now at least, you have her, the Aunt you claim is responsible for all of this, then where is she? And that man leading the Ethorians - to me, he looks nothing like Nicholas. I cannot believe him. Unless Sabel confesses her crimes and is punished for it, I cannot stop the battle.' He explained, rather unhelpfully, with a couple of shrugs that made Alexandra's blood boil. And he didn't even acknowledge her presence.

'Austin, these are my troops. Idgardian troops-' Liam began again, speaking so low that Austin had to frown and bend closer to listen.

'And you gave them to me, so they might listen to you, Sir, but their commander will listen to me. Rather than wasting your time, you should go and find the Aunt.' He advised, galloping off.

Alexandra watched Liam's hands go crimson as he held the reins. No, Austin himself was making things bad. An angry Liam added to that would be downright disastrous. Especially since she didn't even know what he would be like - if angry. If a person was too good, needless to say, their other side would be too bad.

She pushed her horse closer to his, and put a hand to his shoulder. Liam looked up, his warm eyes were cold and calculative.

'I'll find her.' She promised, 'Just buy me some time.'

'How? How will you find one woman in some time?'

'I know her madness. Trust me.' She said, briskly. Alexandra did know what to do. She just needed time, and a bit of luck.

Slowly, Liam nodded. Alexandra looked away, preparing to leave - then she turned back to him, 'Just be the Perfect King you are. Please - no more trouble.'

'Perfect King.' Liam repeated, 'Droll.' He announced.

'I know,' Alexandra gave him a small grin, 'let's just outlive today. And then we can have a glorious future. You definitely need to make me Queen Alexandra.'

He needed to be reminded of it. And he was, because he rode closer.

'You already are.' Liam replied, 'It takes a queen to do what you are going to, Exiled Princess.'

Why did that feel like the last time he called her Exiled Princess?