The carriage bumped along the rocky dirt road that ran through the forest, bouncing me in my seat. Jack sat next to me, his flesh fingers intertwined with mine. Pompous Princess who was now Pompous Queen sat across from us, patting the empty seat where her father would sit.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jack spoke up suddenly, breaking the silence.

"He wasn't my 'loss', he was my father," she said, her voice unnaturally soft in that moment.

"I'm sorry he died," he corrected himself.

"He didn't die. He was murdered," she shot back.

I snorted.

"Died, murdered. What's the difference? He's still dead either way..." I mumbled, arching my eyebrows briefly.

Pompous Queen shot me glare but said nothing.

"It's just the more I see of everything, the more I realize how hard it all is for you," Jack told her sympathetically.

"Why are you talking?"

"I'm trying to help,"

"Everything you say is wrong. Everything about you is wrong!" she spat angrily.

"Quit being so mean! I shouted at her, "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Shut up, you filthy little peasant!" she bit out venomously.

"Oh, you're just jealous 'cause you know she's better and more beautiful than you!" Jack shot back, defending me.

I smiled over at him, butterflies erupting in my stomach as a scarlet blush tinted my cheeks. Pompous Queen just glared in response at Jack before finally speaking.

"STOP THE CARRIAGE!" she shouted and we immediately came to a stop.

"Wait, why?!" he demanded.

"Leave me to feel sorry for myself!" she said.

"I mean nothing but kindness before you insulted my girlfriend," he retorted and I bit my lip to stop a smile from creeping onto my face at the word 'girlfriend'.

"You missed!" she bit back.

Reluctantly, Jack stepped out of the carriage and slammed the doors behind him. I tried to follow after him but fell back in my seat as the carriage pulled away abruptly.

"Wait!" I called out, scrambling to get up.

"Not another word out of you, girl, or I'll have you thrown in the dungeon." O Pompous One threatened me, her voice venomous.

I bit my tongue so hard, the metallic-taste of blood filled my mouth so as not to bite back a snarky remark. Moving over to look out the window, I saw Jack's form fading in the distance as we rolled away.