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Two pairs of eyes watched as the Royal Carriage made its way along the road below. Twin smiles lit up the faces of the two men as they glanced at each other before turning their horses and headed back to the Castle off in the distance.



"This will be easier than he originally thought." A dark haired man with a scraggly beard said, his toothy smile shining brightly in the early morning light.



"Yeah, apparently Prince Edward decided not to come after all." The other man said. "No other reason can I see in the Carriage not having a royal entourage unless the Prince himself wasn't in it."



"Well, he's not exactly the target anyway, now is he?"



Both men shared a delighted chuckle before pushing their horses faster, their destination coming into view.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~





Buffy sat staring out her window as the countryside slowly passed by. She could feel William's eyes on her and the longer he continued, the more irritated she became.



She glanced over at him and the slow smile that crept up on his face when she made eye contact with him made the still present butterflies in her stomach to take flight again as well as made her anger at his constant staring rise.



"What?" she finally asked, feeling her face heat up as she did.



William smiled big, his head tilting to the side slightly as he looked at her. "Just trying to figure out why you would willingly marry a man you didn't know." He said, grinning bigger as her eyes widened at his bold question.



"That sir, is known of your business." Buffy said, glancing away from him as he stared her directly in the eyes.



"Suppose not." William said still smiling. "I mean, you're pretty enough to get a marriage proposal without all the arrangement, but seeing how you needed one, makes me wonder what's wrong with you."



Buffy's mouth flew open, as did her eyes as she stared at his smirking face. "How dare you." She said loudly. "You do realize to whom you are speaking to?"



"Oh, I'm quiet aware of who you are." William said chuckling. "Spoiled little Princess, heir to the throne, Royal pain in the..."



"You, `page' need to remember your station." Buffy said angrily. Why she even thought this man attractive was beyond her. He was arrogant and his rude behavior was appalling. "Does Prince Edward allow you to speak your mind so freely?"



"I do as I please."



"Well, that will surely change." Buffy said, a smug smile creeping onto her face.



William's smile never faltered. The pink flush of her skin and the way her eyes seemed to darken as she became angry, only intrigued him as to who she `really' was. Why she needed an arranged marriage had truly been his thoughts, but the way she had responded and the quickness of her tongue, let him know that she was much more spirited than she looked.



Buffy turned her head, looking back out her window as William continued to smile at her. She had never had anyone, especially a servant; speak to her with so little respect. She would most definitely see that it never happened again.



"So, tell me Princess, what are you going to do if you make it to Alcala and realize you have nothing in common with Prince Edward?"



"I have no desire to speak with you." Buffy said, glancing over at William before returning her attentions back to the passing scenery.



"Ah, very well then." William said, "I guess it will be alright if you just listened. I mean, most woman can't carry on an intelligent conversation anyway."



Buffy's head snapped around quickly and William fought desperately to keep in the laughter at her stunned expression.



"I suppose not." Buffy said sarcastically, a hint of a smile turning the corners of her mouth up. "Especially seeing how the ignorant men most women have the misfortune in talking to seldom produce anything worth listening to, let alone commenting on it."



Buffy and William both sat staring at each other, small smiles etching both of their faces. Buffy disliked him more with every passing moment as his rude comments still had her disbelieving he would be so bold with her. Never had any of her servants been so disrespectful and she would see that he was punished for his behavior.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~





The small army of twenty men sat at the top of the hill, watching as the large red carriage continued its journey. They all glanced between themselves, the carriage and the man leading them as he sat upon his large black stallion, a look of pure hatred etched on his face.



The gleam in his eye as he turned to them had them all smiling as he signaled for them to advance. They had all been given instructions and they each knew what was expected of them and they each knew that failure in attaining his prize would not be tolerated.



The loud yell of the men rang out across the valley as the hard hoof prints of their horses descended the hill, their target in sight.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Buffy sat quietly, staring out her window as the midday sun played across the hills. It had been hours since William had spoken to her and even though ever word that came out of his mouth seemed to irritate her, the silence was worse.



She sighed loudly, searching out her window for anything to amuse herself with to keep her boredom at bay. The valley had slowly been fading away; bringing the lush greenery of the forest into view as the carriage made its way over the bumpy road.



She squinted her eyes, seeing something moving on the hill before a row of trees blocked her view. She glanced over at William who was staring out the opposite window before turning her attentions back to her own view.



The distant rumbles she heard had her straining hard to see through the trees as she would catch a small glimpse of what looked like men on horses approaching.



"William" she said quietly, not really wanting to talk to him but her curiosity had her forgetting his rude behavior briefly. "Do you see that?" she asked, pointing to the trees to her left.



William turned his head, glancing at her before looking to his right, trying to see what she was pointing at. "See what?" he asked, as the trees blocked his view from anything.



"Men on horses." Buffy said, "Coming from the hill."



William slid over in his seat, trying to get a better view as the sound of hoofs against the ground finally reached him. He caught a brief glimpse of two men before the canvas of the forest engulfed them, obstructing his view completely.



"Probably just travelers." He said, smiling slightly. "This is the only road between Alcala and Calligt.



"Oh." Buffy said, glancing over at him before looking back out her window. "There seemed to be quiet a few of them."



"Really?" William said, glancing back out the window. "How many did you see?"



"Not sure really, ten maybe, may have been more."



William peered back out the window; the sound of the approaching horses coming closer. He could tell by the sound that it was more than a handful and even though this `was' the only road between the two neighboring Kingdoms, a Royal carriage without a proper entourage was to easy of a target for anyone willing to advance on them.



Buffy could see so many emotions cross William's face that she knew in an instant he thought more of the men than just them being travelers. She had briefly thought the same thing, but brushed it away to keep her fear at being attacked away.



She glanced back out her window, seeing one of the horsemen dart between the trees as he approached them. The loud whizzing of an arrow cut through the silence inside the carriage as it passed quickly in front of her face and imbedded into the inside wall of the carriage.



"Get down!" William yelled, jumping across the seat, grabbing Buffy and throwing her to the floor of the carriage.



Buffy thought her heart would slam through her chest as the loud rumbling of horses mixed with the voices of the men came closer. She was pressed against the floor of the carriage, William's weight holding her still as he cautiously raised his head.



"Don't move." William said, glancing down at her before raising himself up.



Buffy could hear the loud dings of arrows hitting the carriage as the driver yelled, the horses speeding up as the carriage bounced down the rough road. She blinked, trying to get her fear down as she watched William stand and lean out the window, yelling something to the driver, but all Buffy could hear was the sound of her heart as it thumped loudly in her chest.



William jumped back quickly as an arrow grazed his arm. He looked behind the carriage seeing the men quickly approaching. There were several men already infront of the carriage and more coming up quickly.



The forest was slowing them down as the trees made it impossible to come along side of the carriage in some places. His mind was working frantically, trying to figure out what to do and keep the Princess safe at the same time. Turning his head, he glanced down at her and he could see the fear in her eyes.



Buffy watched with wide eyes as William studied their surroundings before he turned and walked past her to the other door. She looked up at him, flinching slightly as he leaned back and kicked the door off its hinges.



"Come on Princess." William said as he turned to her and reached down, pulling her from the floor.



"What are you doing?" Buffy asked as William positioned her in front of the now open door.



"We have to jump."



Buffy turned large frightened eyes to him, the concern on his own face worrying her more. "You must be insane." She said, glancing back out the door as the forest whipped by them. "I'm not jumping from a moving carriage."



"You'll jump or you'll stay to see what those men want, your choice." William said, eyeing the men as they approached. "Look Princess, we don't have time to debate this."



"I'm not jumping!" Buffy said loudly as William pushed her closer to the door.



"We've already lost our driver and I don't fancy being wrapped around a tree, now I'll be right behind you, just make sure you roll when you hit the ground."



Buffy's heart was pounding so fast; she was getting dizzy from the adrenaline rush of the attack and the thoughts of having to jump from a fast moving carriage. She grabbed onto the doorframe as William shoved her, trying to get her to jump.



"Look Princess, I know you're scared, but I'd be more scared of what those men will do if they catch you." William said calmly, knowing her fear was what was keeping her from jumping.



Buffy turned to look at him, tears in her eyes. He smiled at her before taking her hand in his and kissing it lightly. "I'll be right behind you." He said softly, "Just remember to roll and stay down once you hit the ground."



Buffy sniffed back the sob she felt coming as she looked at William, his gentle smile helping to calm her fears. She turned back to the door, watching as the forest flew by them. "You won't leave me?" she asked so quietly William barely even heard her.



"No luv, I won't leave you." William said, smiling as Buffy turned to smile at him.



Buffy looked at him, the smile on his face letting her know he wouldn't before she turned back to the door. Taking a deep breath, she looked to see if her path was free from any trees before stepping closer to the door. *God I'm going to die* she thought grimly as she took a deep breath and grabbed both sides of the doorframe.



"Just remember to roll" William said, placing his hand on her back, trying to nudge her out.



Buffy shook her head, signaling that she had heard him all the while her inner voice was screaming that she didn't. She looked out, taking a deep breath before shutting her eyes and lunging forward.



William watched her, his own heart slamming against his rib cage as he saw her roll into the thick brush before he gave the men behind the carriage one last look before he also jumped.



Buffy raised her head, the smell of dirt and grass meeting her as her body screamed in pain at the sudden impact she had made with the ground. Her breath was coming quickly as she heard one of the men yell that `she's on the ground'.



William grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her from the ground before he ran, dragging her along with him.



"Get them!" the leader of the men yelled, "Don't let them get away!"



William had no idea what they wanted with the Princess, but he had heard the men's cries of `her being on the ground' and knew `she' was what they were after.



Buffy ran as fast as she could, William dragging her as they ran through the forest. She heard a crash; the sounds the horses were making sending a chill up her spine as she was suddenly thrown into the thick greenery of the forest floor.



"Don't move." William whispered as he fell half on top of her, his weight holding her down.



Buffy shook her head slightly, looking up at him. They were completely covered in the tall plants that surrounded them and knew they were hidden well.



"Do you see them?" one of the men yelled.



"No"



Buffy gasp lightly as one of the horsemen passed them. William brought his hand up, covering her mouth as he lowered his head, trying to keep from being seen.



"Don't make a sound." William whispered in her ear. "And don't move."



Buffy lay as still as possible, but the shaking her body was doing was completely uncontrollable. She closed her eyes, the sound of her fast beating heart deafening her as William's warm breath tickled her neck.



The men were closer, she could hear the horses and the closer they came the more frightened she became. She didn't know what they wanted, but she was sure whatever it was, it wasn't going to be pleasant.



"I want them found; no one leaves the area until she's in my possession!"



Buffy's eyes snapped open at the man's voice, the familiar sound sending off alarms in her. She knew who he was and her fear multiplied at the prospects of what he would do when he found her.



William clenched his jaw tightly as he also recognized the familiar voice. He also knew that Elizabeth must have also recognized him by the way her hands were now digging into the flesh of his forearms.



He raised his head slightly, looking at her before removing his hand from her mouth. "I want let him take you." He whispered, giving her a tiny smile as tears filled her eyes. "I promise."





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