Cassandra didn't know how to answer. She finally broke down and told him everything. "You don't understand....I'm not as strong as I seem. I'm so sick and tired of it all - pomp and ceremony, no free time, so many messages, tasks, and demands, demands, demands!" she said, hitting the bark of a tree with the hilt of her daggar. "On top of all of this, I'm being ordered to marry a man I don't love! I had no way out, Timothy!" She put her face in her hand. "But please," she said, "Do not, please, do not make me go back there until I am ready...it's suffocating.."

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At her outpouring he jumped off his horse and walking over to her he reached for her to comfort her. "Don't worry, it will be alright." he soothed. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Richard started to move forward but Aisling raised her hand and whispered "Wait." she had recognized Cassandra's voice and wanted to wait until Cassandra came out.

Cassandra looked up at him with moist eyes and said, "Thank you. I'm sorry, but I couldn't <i>take</i> it anymore!" She climbed off of her horse and leaned against a tree, her eyes stinging terribly.

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She looked faint so he came closer to her in case she did faint. He whispered to her looking and feeling very vunerable "Ever since I met you, I have been.. well infatuated with you and I thought you returned my feelings. But when you left without a word, I doubted all of it. I felt I had made a fool of myself. I was very hurt. And now you show up, just like that and I don't care about the hurt anymore, I'm just happy you're here. How are you doing this to me Cassandra?" he looked down at her tenderly.

Cassandra looked up at Timothy, into his tender brown eyes. She had no idea that he was that infatuated with her, that she was such a wild and free spirit that to just be herself was to play with his feelings. "I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know..." she smiled softly, then looked down in embarassment.

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Timothy didn't know what else to say. He stroked her hair and tried to soothe her. He kissed the top of her head then rested his cheek there. Now he knew. He loved this young woman with all his heart and even though she wanted to be away from the life he led, he would love her no matter what. After standing like that for a while he whispered "I don't know how Aisling has kept Father over there for so long. You don't have to come with me... " he choked at the thought then continued "But I would be very pleased if you did." His eyes pleaded with her. He held his breath in anticipation of her answer.

Cassandra looked into his eyes, torn between her freedom and Timothy, as a hawk was between her master and the wild. Finally, she nodded and whispered, "I will. I will come back with you."

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He let out a deep sigh of relief and whispered "Thank you." then added "Come." he grabbed the reins of his horse and hers and led them both to where Aisling was trying to convince her father to wait a minute longer. "Papa, just be pat... Oh Cassandra! Timothy! Thou hast found her!"
"Aye" was Timothy's short reply. Richard eyed his son with a look that said We will have a talk later. Timothy helped Cassandra mount and did so himself.

(I'm going to bed.. goodnight)

Cassandra felt happy that she had sorted out her feelings with Timothy, but also felt like she had been caught, submitted, and was being taken back to a cage. She could amost hear the gates closing and the lock clicking...then an idea struck her. She had had some experience in diplomacy, so knew of how marriage arrangements worked for her class, so if her father heard, it may work....

She looked over at Timothy, then forward. <i>It just might work....</i> she thought. She stroked her mare's neck.

['Night!]

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Darius limbed to his king`s side as he and Phillip returned to familiar hall`s, Darius nodded to his king with a smile as he was happy of the turn of events so that Philip was safe at home. Philip told his father what had happened and Darius had a pondering face for a while.

"I think this Lord Menyar... Is a threat as the Dominion always is and all those serving it, he is arrogant, over confident and he has surely a great interest for power by what my men have told me..."

"You mean your spies..."

Philip retorted.

"Call them what you will your highness, but if there some day is a war then knowing your enemies isn`t bad at all and an always watchful eye will come handy..."

"Like you following me everywhere being concerned for my safety as if I am a small child?"

"Your highness you are a target for assasination and that is why this trial is taking place!"

Darius raised his voice and Philip crossed the line once and for all with his next line of words.

"What would a paranoid fool who can`t even fight these days know about security or war?"

Darius was about to draw his sword if the king hadn`t looked at him with a furious look and that went for Philip too, they both went quiet and Darius put his sword back beginning to limb away from the throne. Darius cursed loudly and pushed a servant our his way, he would show that arrogant boy who knew more about ruling. His childhood was about playing around and being spoiled, but Darius`s life only involved hard work, fighting and blood.

It was time to arrange a small act, he didn`t anymore care if the king had a son or not, but philip needed a lesson he wouldn`t forget ever.

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Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!

Many miles south of the King's lands, five men rode in silence. Their countenances grim and unyielding, the hooves of their giant stallions thundering into the earth like the hammers struck by the gods, they rode north. The cruelty of resolve, the ruthlessness of the Dominion, soared at their backs. It had been a flat-out race from the southlands beyond the sea. They had stopped for neither rest nor food. Their mounts were exhausted, but the steel determination of their riders spurred them on.

A man cloaked and hooded in black led them. He had reported to the Emperor, and this had been the Emperor's response. He only hoped Lord Menyar would be prepared.

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Cassandra dismounted when they arrived at Grenwood and sighed. She would have to face her father, and the government of many lands for the trial...

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[I'll be going on a four-day vacation starting tomorrow, so unless we post like mad can we put off the trial until I return?]

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[Sure.]

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(Acctually I was planning on going back to Gavenshire, but whatever you want..)

[Sure, we'll go to Gavenshire first.]

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