-Unknown-

The prince had been gone for months now. The castle wasn't the same. It had once been a place where the girl felt excitement as soon as she would walk around a corner, hoping that he would walk past her. There had always been a chance for her to see him...

Now, the castle was just a pile of cold dark stone. It gave her absolutely nothing to be here... She either needed to leave this place to find him, or he needed to come back. There was no other option, no in between. Her body wouldn't know peace before she saw him again.

What infuriated her immensely was that even though her intricate lies about the girl and her "plans" on being rid of the queen, was spreading like wildfire, it didn't fool the most important persons. The king hadn't believed the rumors and lies for a second and neither did his son, according to the king himself. The old man had made sure that the lies hadn't left the city, from what they knew of, promising the gallows for any untrue words being said about that peasant girl. Some listened... some whispered. 

What caused the girl a lot of sorrow was that the prince was truly gone. After the fire, he had returned home to a burnt black shell of what used to be his childhood home. Furthermore, to the girl's huge disappointment, he had left as soon as he had arrived to go and find the filthy peasant girl. 

He had been gone for months now, and almost everyone except for the king, was convinced that the girl the prince intended to marry had tried to murder the queen. If everything went well, she would never be welcomed back, unless it was to the gallows. The king couldn't control minds of his subjects around him no matter how hard he tried, and it showed. The king barely showed up for meals anymore, instead the queen dined alone, which seemed to fit her perfectly.

The girl had been the queen's shadow ever since the fire and eavesdropped on every conversation she had had with her husband. Apparently, the prince had found the girl but they stayed in hiding. The prince was, according to his father, afraid to put the girl in danger and therefore they didn't either tell anyone where they were. This made the girl feel like her whole body was filled with black smoke. She was so angry. Not only had he left her here, he also risked everything for that girl! 

When will that filthy girl just let him go? If he doesn't leave her, he will lose his claim to the throne, if the people demand it that is. He cannot love her so much that he sacrifices the only thing he has ever cared about, can he? The girl wondered as she walked through the dark corridors of the castle. She was on her way to her daily walk to see if the queen had any news on the prince's whereabouts.

Her stomach didn't flutter when she passed the corners anymore, her body knew that he wasn't even close to her and therefore she felt no joy. The only thing that would bring her joy was the news of the girl's death. Preferably a painful one since she had kept the prince from her for so long...

When she arrived at the door to the queen's new, temporary, chamber she heard voices. It was the queen's and the king's coming from inside the chamber. The door stood slightly ajar. The girl leaned her back close to the wall, to the left of the door, and leaned her head closer to the door so she could hear without being caught.

"Has he sent you a letter?" The queen asked, a slight slur to her speech caused by too many glasses of wine. "Or does he want to be a farmer himself now?"

The king sighed.

"He has." He answered shortly.

"Why are you not telling me what he said then?" The queen asked condescendingly.

"It will hardly bring you any joy, so why should I?" the king asked her in return. "No matter what that boy does, it is never enough for you."

"Marrying one of Sirion's daughters would have been enough." The queen hissed. "I wouldn't have asked for anything else had he just done that."

"Get over those dumb girls." The king groaned.

The girl leaned in a little bit more and caught a glimpse of the king pressing the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He was visibly tired of his wife's constant talking about all the girl's that would have been a better match for her son. There was no sight of the queen, she was most likely placed in her chair in front of the fireplace. 

"What did he say? In the letter?"

"They are getting married." The king sighed. "My son is getting married and I cannot even be there to see it with my own eyes because of you and that wretched liar of a girl."

A fire set the girl's body ablaze. How could a man be so stubborn? Practically the whole city believed that the peasant had tried to murder his wife, why didn't he?

"Good luck." The queen hissed under her breath. The sound of wine being poured into a cup reached the girl. The queen was having another round...

"With what?" the King growled.

"With finding another heir." The queen chuckled." A short silence erupted whilst the queen took a sip of her wine. "No one will accept William as king if he marries her. He will not be able to take over the crown, throne or the kingdom if he comes back with her."

There was a long tormenting silence.

"What happened to you?" The king finally said, his voice broken and filled with sorrow.

There came no answer from the queen. Just a chilling silence that even disturbed the girl herself, even though she wasn't a part of what happened in the chamber on the other side of the wall she was pressing herself against.

"I don't understand what happened to the woman I married. You used to be just as happy and glowing with life as our son's betrothed."

No answer. Not a single word.

"When will you ever tell me why you became this way? Do you even know why, or how, you became like this? Cold as ice? Was it something I did? I never took a lover besides you... like many other kings do." 

"I will not thank you for keeping you snake in your trousers, Uldard." The queen scolded him. "Only weak kings seek the embrace and arms of whores." 

"You are unbelievable. I have given you everything!" The king didn't wait for an answer this time. His voice had grown agitated and impatient. "Forget that you have completely turned into a woman I do not know! How can you just sit there and believe the lies that will cause your only child great sorrow and misfortune? Why are you not helping me help him?"

"Leave." The queen finally spoke. Her answer did not surprise the girl. The woman was just as her husband described her; ice cold.

"I will." The king growled. "Do not wait for my return." He continued. "I am leaving to be with my son on his wedding day and I am considering not coming back here. You can have this ruin of a castle for all I care." The last words carried anger but also a heart filled with grief. "I hope you find something to do except to drink wine in your own company."

"So, you do know where he is?" The queen asked. She didn't even address the other things her husband had said. The girl listened intently and her whole body stiffened in anticipation.

"Yes." The king answered shortly.

The girl's body froze. If he knew where the prince was... then she had to leave when he did so she could see her beloved William again.

Finally! I will get to see him again! She sang in her mind and felt her heart fill up with joy.

"I knew you lied to me." She hissed. "You always do."

"Only because you have become one of the vilest women I have ever known." The king said before he walked towards the door.

The girl ran off into the shadows to stay hidden from the king. As he exited the chamber, he slammed the door behind him and then walked off with determined steps. The girl followed him, hiding on the way.

Her heart was dancing, and she almost wanted to run up to the king, but he did not believe the lies she had spread... So, she had to stay in the shadows. She wasn't sure if he knew of her, or even what she looked like, or what she had tried to accomplish in the past...

The old hag, the girl's governess, didn't seem to have told the king about her yet either... It was confusing and very strange. The girl suspected that the old woman had a plan to expose her in some sort of way, and that was also a very important part of her staying hidden as much as she could.

I just have to follow him until he tells someone about his upcoming journey, and destination... Then... I will make sure to beat him to that wedding... She thought. The inner peace she could only know in the presence of her prince was tingling from her spine. Finally she would have him all to himself... She just had to rid herself of that girl once and for all...

-Jade-

"Do you want to leave right after the wedding, or do you need a couple of days?" William asked when they were taking a walk in Jade's father's snow-covered garden. There was no wind today. However, a faint snowfall left her hair and eyelashes sprinkled with small snowflakes.

"I don't know." Jade answered and blinked away some snow from her eyes. "I... I am a bit scared to leave to be honest." She answered and brushed some snow off her cloak.

Sensing her uncertainty William stopped among the rose bushes. He grabbed her gloved hands and held them to his chest.

"I won't stay in hiding anymore Jade. It makes me look weak... and I especially won't stay in hiding if you will make me the honor of becoming my wife..." he continued, his voice became lower as he pulled her closer. Their foreheads met softly, and they breathed each other in. "When you have become my wife, they can't touch you..." he continued.

"I think whomever they are, they can most certainly still touch me even if we're married." Jade whispered nervously.

The servant girl wouldn't blink, that was one thing Jade as sure of. She wasn't sure about the queen's men, but she wasn't keen on the thought of having them on their doorstep.

"I won't let anything happen to you." William promised her quietly and his voice was so grave that she shuddered internally. She met his dark eyes and was convinced that he was speaking the truth.

"The servant?" she whispered quietly. William met her worried gaze.

"Will be killed on sight." He promised her with a grave tone to his voice. "As I said; I won't let anything happen to you."

"I believe you... but-"

"It is just a girl." He interrupted her. "It will not be a problem if she shows herself."

"That is the problem." Jade breathed out. "She remained hidden for so long and no one knew of her, except Liz. Does your father even know of her or know what she looks like?"

"No." William admitted. "I told him about her, and that Liz would tell him everything... but I do not think he has managed to find her yet."

"She's worse than a rat." Jade sighed and couldn't imagine how hard it could be to find a girl in a castle. She wasn't invisible...

"I am sure that Liz is keeping a very close eye on her." William assured her. "Liz would never let anything happen to you, after me that is." He chuckled when she couldn't fight of the smile that uncontrollably spread across her lips.

"Fine, but ... what about you and your claim to the throne?" She whispered with her voice lowered and sighed afterwards. Her fingers grabbed the lines if his coat at his chest. "What if-"

William kissed her suddenly and very hard. She placed her hands over his cheeks in surprise and it felt like a thunder cloud roared inside of her. With all her self-control she ended the kiss, they needed to talk about this matter sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

"I still don't care, Jade..." he growled against her lips. "I just want you... How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Until I don't feel like a burden anymore." Jade answered without smiling at his sweet words.

"You have never been a burden, Jade." William said and his eyes exuded confusion from what she had said. "I found you, remember?" he asked her shortly. "You could, and will, never be a burden."

Jade raised one eyebrow at him, and he gave her an affirmative look. He meant what he had said. There was no doubt in those beautiful eyes of his.

"Keep that in mind when she come for us." Jade warned him. "Not to mention your mother's guards."

William placed his arms around her and hugged her tightly while whispering that no one would ever lay hands on her again. The strong arms felt like the only thing that kept her together right now. Jade wanted to leave, but was too afraid...

At least here no one knows where we are... she thought and closed her eyes.

Later that same day...

Jade and her mother were alone in the kitchen while the men were out. William had gladly offered to go with her father to chop wood for the fireplace, and Loren had offered to join them instantly, leaving her father to grunt something that sounded like an affirmation for them both to come with.

"Do you even know how to chop wood?" Jade had whispered in a silent laughter to William and winked teasingly at him. The delicious face of his had looked at her in a offended but amused manner.

"Do you think so little of me?" he had whispered back and stolen a quick kiss when no one had their eyes on them.

"I think you grew up with people doing everything for you." She answered and bit her lower lip.

"Well, if I can wield a sword, an ax shouldn't be a problem, should it?" William admitted with a playful smile.

This type of smile was new... Jade had never ever seen it before they had come here. It was one of her favorites... after the one he usually had on his lips when she was teasing him to the brink of his sanity, just for fun. She enjoyed the latter more because it was often followed by hot kisses and eager hands.

"Are you still bleeding, Jade?" Her mother asked out of the blue while she was chopping some potatoes for tonight's dinner. 

From the sound of her voice, you could have thought that she had asked about the weather and not something so personal. There was absolutely no shame in her voice at all and Jade laughed very quietly to herself. Somehow, it did not surprise her that her mother would ask a question like this one. 

"What type of question is that?" Jade asked quietly and pulled her fingers through her hair.

"Please, Jade." Her mother scoffed. "I was your age when I had you..." she answered her daughter without looking up from what she was doing. "I know what goes on in that room of yours..."

"Is there something specific you want to ask?" Jade asked even though she didn't want to hear what would come out of her mother's mouth next.

"Just answer my question."

"I still... bleed." Jade answered honestly and suddenly realized what her mother was heading. There was only one thing her question could mean.

Bleeding. Pregnancy and potential children.

Jade was instantly struck by a feeling of panic. She wasn't stupid but this hadn't crossed her mind. Truly. She had mostly concerned herself with the fact that they weren't married and what people would say... not the fact that she could get pregnant. 

 Considering the amount of nights, and days, we have spent together... I will be surprised if I am not with child yet... Jade thought and felt beads of sweat appear in her forehead. Her hands became sweaty as well. 

Jade's mother shot her a smug smirk and a pair of amused eyes as her daughter realized what they were actually talking about.

"We haven't-"

"Don't think me that naive, my love." Her mother laughed and stopped Jade from telling such an obvious lie. "I have seen the way you two look at each other... " she said and smiled while she picked up a new potato to peel when she had finished another one.

Jade stayed quiet, feeling her cheeks turn scarlet red she turned around and started placing out the bowls on the table even though dinner wouldn't be done in hours.

"Your prince isn't as quiet as he thinks when he sneaks into your room every night." Her mother teased.

Oh my God! Jade thought in panic and placed her palms on the table. She couldn't handle that her mother knew about their nights together.

"Just be grateful that your father doesn't know..." chuckled her mother and winked at her daughter.

"You won't tell him, will you?" Jade laughed very nervously while she turned around.

"No, I want the boy to keep his head... but you might want to... reduce those nightly visits a bit." Her mother chuckled.

"It wasn't our intention that-"

"I haven't heard a thing, my child. Which I am very grateful for, but still, if you want the prince to keep his head... then I suggest you take my advice."

Jade's mother turned her head and gave her a warm look. It assured her that her mother would not breathe a word of William's and Jade's sinful nights.

"We are getting married." Jade said.

"I know that." Her mother said quickly. "Are you going to tell me that the sky is blue as well?"

"No, mother listen." Jade sighed and leaned against the dining table. Her mother turned around slowly with her brows furrowed.

Should I tell her now or wait for William and father? She wondered as her mother's eyes were filled with more and more confusion for every passing second.

"I am listening." Her mother said impatiently, clearly waiting for Jade to continue talking. "Well?"

I should jus tell her... She has kept her lips shut about the... I can't even think about it... I am so ashamed! Jade thought.

"William and I are getting married... very soon. Here, in Thornstead." Jade explained.

Her mother's eyes widened in surprise and were quickly filled with joy. 

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I hope you liked this chapter! 

I managed to get some work done on my day off! YAY! 

Love Jenny