She sighed when he began to talk, setting her chin on her knees as she looked beyond the cliff. Her heart still hammered in her chest, and she still couldn't figure out why. Sighing once more, she nodded her head slowly. Looking at him from the corner of her eye for only a moment, she looked away when he rolled to his side to look at her. I know. She whispered as she spoke of his troops. She didn't know what she wanted right now. She felt rather mixed up right now. Looking at him as he sat up, she registered his words slowly, shaking her head slowly. I didn't. I'm the flippin' princess, I don't get any news flashes that might throw me off. She said gently, her voice no louder then before. She looked up at him then as he stood up, watching him pace like she did the very first time they had met. Clearly he paced when he was getting upset, because before she could fully understand why he was pacing, he was exploding, and he was yelling at her. She was slightly taken aback at his yelling, about ready to run off to go strangle the maids herself. Rolling her eyes, she looked up at him again. Yes Brandon, I did say you were a snotty brat who clearly had anger issues. But you know what? I only did because you are just like me, and at first, that aggravated me. I am a snot, I am a brat, and I have some serious anger issues. So if it makes you feel better, I wasn't just talking about you. She said lightly, slowly stretching out her legs in front of her.

And then he exploded like a cannon, and his words surprised her. He was acting like any soldier out their in the world. Ranting about how everyone didn't care if they died. But him saying she didn't care seemed to hit her much harder then it should have. She was speechless, not sure what to say to him, then she sighed. That's not true Brandon. I wouldn't want you to die out there. And as for my father? He doesn't even care if I die. If he had a choice between my life and Tia's, he would have picked her in half a heartbeat. She said softly, nearly a whisper. And then he suddenly fell open like a book, his pages flipping so fast it almost made it impossible for her to keep up. She sighed, looking up and him and never looking away. He needed to get this out, clearly. She forced a small smile, looking up at his light brown eyes as best as she could. Just don't come back to me insane and drunk, alright? She said, forcing the smile to stay there as she dropped her head to look at her bare arms. He was breaking apart right in front of her eyes, it was so un-natural. She was used to her family telling her to always act like nothing was wrong, even if everything was. She had to act as though she didn't know why her mother had lost her place as queen, and forced to leave the castle grounds. Forced to lie that her sister died of some disease that she got from one of the maids. And the biggest lie? She had to act as though this was the most important position in the world, and that nothing could make her happier.

Yet Brandon was trusting her enough to break right in half, right in front of her. Whether it was trust or not, he was doing what she wished she could do. Break. But she was being held with two swords poking at each of her hips, forcing her to stay tightly together. When he dropped to the ground, she searched his eyes, but only had a moment before his face was buried into her bare shoulder. She listened to him for a moment, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck, tightening his grip and holding his almost at a strangling grip. She listened to him, a small smile on her face as she listened to him. Then he pulled away slightly, and she loosened her grip. She rolled her eyes then, shaking her head again. Brandon. I hate my father too. More then you possibly can. As for murder? If I didn't know I would have been forced to be queen if he died, that old man would have been gone a long time ago. And good move on the old general, he was a real douche. Very perverted and touchy. She said, smiling at him lightly. As he pulled away to lay in the grass, she dropped her arms, crossing them for a moment, almost in a stubborn way, as her thoughts wondered. She suddenly turned to look at him, moved closer to him as she looked at his face. She suddenly dropped her arms and grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. She sighed, looked into his eyes, then took in a deep breath.

Brandon. If you need motivation, at all while your out there., just remember that I will be back here, waiting for you. You know, like one of those corny damsels waiting at the train station for like five days for their soldier to return. That'll be me, but in a much less corny way. She said smiling and laughing gently. She dropped one hand, used the other to brush her fingers across his cheek, then she turned herself all the way around and crossed her arms once more, watching Sarabi as she rolled around in the grass, scratched her back against the bark of a tree. Smiling, I looked back at Brandon once more, then rolled my eyes.

As she struggled to get on Noir, she looked back at him and glared. Oh shut up. She said to him, finally getting up on the horse. Turning around, she watched him get his things, rolling her eyes. It was amazing how many things one kid needed to protect a girl would could protect herself. I mean, honestly, come on now. She had two arms, two legs, knees were pretty good when it came to knocking a guy flat on the ground before you start digging you heel into his spine to make him squeal like a three year old. Grabbing the bow and arrow strap, she slipped it over her head slowly, watching him get up without struggling. Of course. Stupid kid. Huffing out a breath, I listened to him speak again. There was the nickname again. It rang in my ears as he grabbed my arms and wrapped them around his waist. She grabbed her own fingers to keep hold of him, her cheek gently resting against his shoulder, head lowered down, keeping the wind out of my face. Leah's head turned as she looked at the guards. Wasn't this a sight for sore eyes. Lifting my head, I looked behind up to see that Sarabi was trailing lazily behind us. The speed of Noir clearly wasn't as fast as the lioness could go, but she kept her pace almost even with the stallions, her eyes locked on Leah almost the whole time.

See, she didn't need a guard protecting her, she had Sarabi, who watched her like a hawk, much worse then the stupid guys she gets stuck with all the time. She looked at the guard ahead, blocking the bridge. Smooth. Watching, she watched him grab the hilt of his sword, completely pelt the boy guy right in the head. As they ran back, Leah looked behind at the poor kid on the ground. Ah well, one guard down didn't hurt anyone. Only everyone else in the castle if someone decided they wanted to attack while the two were gone. Well, oh well, it really didn't matter to her at the moment, and she wasn't about to bring it up. She was going to be free for the first time since she was about eight years. Setting her forehead against his shoulder, she closed her eyes for a moment before she lifted her head, setting her chin on his shoulder when he began to speak to her. Noir was slowing down, which didn't seem to please Sarabi, but she slowed down with the stallion, looking up at me for a moment before back in front of her. I sighed gently when he spoke, looking ahead as the scenery changed. Everything became greener. Yeah, well Tia was very picky about who she got close to and who she wanted around. Anyone else was completely invisible to her. She said softly, turning her blue eyes to look to the side.

Listening to him talk once more, she smiled gently. Well thanks. But I don't think there is any possible way I could ever match Tia beauty unless I completely modified myself. She said softly, sighing once more. So much pressure to be like her older sister, it didn't feel fair. Listening again, she laughed gently. That is how Tia was. She needed help with everything. If she had her way, people would carry her on a golden bed, everywhere she went. She said, rolling her eyes. She watched his hand drop to land on hers. Feeling the warmth of his hand against her's, sent an odd chill down her spine. Listening to him again, she lifted her eyes back up and snorted, shaking her head. So, your the one Tia always saw running off from her window. She would always call me into her room to show me as you ran off. I was so jealous. If I could have gotten away with it, I would have run away a long time ago. She said, laughing gently, then rolled her eyes. Well, clearly you needed some sense knocked into you. Maybe Noir did you some good. She laughed, letting go of her grip around his waste as he got off and fell. Looking down at him, she raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes once more. Smooth move, there. She said, but she laughed with him. She huffed out a breath as he spoke, letting him grab her waist and pull her down.

Feeling the bow strap lifted off of her, she sighed, rolling her shoulders as she watched him put it on his shoulders. He seemed to talk in slow motion when he spoke again. And she blinked a few quick times. Tomorrow? She said, completely shocked, and she couldn't understand why. Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched him set his things down, lay down in the grass. The world seemed to be spinning a little to fast for her, and when Sarabi pressed her forehead against Leah's leg, she stumbled slightly, rubbing her eyes to force everything to slow down. She really didn't know what to say to him. She had the feeling of abandon, like everyone else in her life. But he would be back, right? Sighing, she slowly walked to where he was, gently sat down in her grass, pulling her knees to her chest. Looking over at him, she blinked her blue eyes. Where are you going? She asked, trying to keep her voice as light and normal as she could, but it didn't seem to work well.

She glared at him for a moment as he apologized, raising an eyebrow. But she plopped down next to him anyway, watching him nod off. She wondered if she shoved her heel in his face and knocked him out, that would be enough sleep for him to actually be able to stay up for five seconds. But she stayed quiet after she spoke to him, not wanting to bother him. She had nothing better to do anyway, why not watch the general sleep? She froze when he finally spoke. lee lee? Her eyes wondered away to look away from him, her arms slowly crossing over her chest. Nobody had ever gotten close enough to her to give her a pet name, or a nickname. It made her heart pound a little harder as she let it soak in. Why did she enjoy a pet name so much. It made her feel.. human for the first time in her life. Looking down for a moment, she finally looked back at him, smiling gently before her eyes fell. So, even if I sat at the edge of you bed, doing this, you still wouldn't be able to sleep? She asked, then her fingers brushed up and down his arm gently a few times before she stopped, huffing out a breath. Fine, I suppose your a hopeless cause when it comes to sleeping babe. She said, smiling at him again before she shook her head, rolling her eyes. That's nice to know, the general is a drunk. She said, laughing full heartily for the first time in a while.

She looked up as he stood up, using the wall to support himself for a moment. She looked up at him, her eyebrows raised once more before she looked at him hand. She was debating whether to be stubborn and get up herself, or actually take his hand. She was used to being helped for everything, and she hated it. But his hand looked almost inviting, and she was about to grab it, her hand was twitching upward when he grabbed her and pulled her. Not like he pulled her up to face, but her body was pulled up awkwardly, and her forehead collided with his collar bone. It almost seemed impossible that that would happen, but it did. Ow. She said lightly. As her eyes opened, they instantly locked on their hands, which Brandon hadn't let go from yet. Her eyes wandered up to Brandon as she looked into his brown eyes, slightly confused as he dropped his own hand. She wasn't confused because he was holding her hand, he was confused because only last week he had said something about never wanting her to touch him. But she cleared her thoughts then, and her smiled returned as shoved him lightly, stepping away from him, just then realize how close she had been standing to him. Alright, Brandy boy, let's get a move on it. She said with a grin and a raise of an eyebrow, then she opened her bedroom door to let Sarabi out, who didn't looked pleased that she had been locked in a room without her.

Leah was ahead of Brandon for a while, watching Sarabi run even further ahead, but she finally let him pass her, and she rolled her eyes as she heard the chaos in the stable before they even got there. And clearly Noir was up to no good, because none of the other horses would cause this much trouble. She watched Brandon for only a moment as he tried to calm the stallion down, but then she slowly walked over to Trik, patting him gently. His blue eyes were darting around and his nostrils were flaring as well, his nerves getting the better of him. When she looked at him, she gave him a completely shocked look as he spoke. He was actually gonna take her out of this hell hole? Looking at Trik, she ran her hands all around his halter, looking up at the bridle that hung on the hook. She didn't like the bridle. That was the one with the metal bar that was shoved in their mouth. It just seemed crueler to her. As Brandon asked her again, she smirked and watched him get Noir out, running out of the stable before he climbed off the horse. Fine with me hun, but Sarabi has to go, if my dad found her and not me, your the culprit. She said with a grin. She patted Trik, kissing his muzzle lightly. She would ride him later. She looked at Brandon was a moment, her head tilted slightly. She was confused. He was smiling, actually letting her touch him, and was taking her out of town. Clearly no sleep had gotten to his head. Running her fingers across Sarabi's back, she slowly walked past Brandon and over to Noir.

No saddle, and no leverage to get up on the horse, she put her hands on her hips for a moment. She could do this. Looking at Noir carefully, she finally huffed out a breath ad looked at Brandon. I hope you enjoy my struggling. She said, then smiled at him lightly. Taking off her heels, she pulled herself up on to Sarabi's back before she slid onto Noir balancing herself by grabbing his mane. Side saddle didn't really suit her at the moment. But, seeing as a dress was her only wardrobe, she pulled herself back against the base of his tail, looking over at Brandon. Noir was probably best with Brandon leading the way. He would just have to deal with Leah holding on to him. She grinned and set her shoes in her lap, crossing her arms gently.

Eh, it was worth a shot to ask you. She said lightly, looking at him before her eyes slowly dropped to her own arms. She looked up at his face for a moment, then she looked away, down at Sarabi to keep herself distracted. She could hear the slight shake in his face as he spoke his age, and she looked up quickly. A sad smile appeared on her face then, slowly letting out a sigh. My sister would have been twenty two. She said softly, her fingers grazing across Sarabi's head before she sighed. She looked up at him, listening to him gently. Letting another sigh pass her lips, she stood up slowly, her hands rubbing up and down her arms as she looked at him. Aww, you would have made a cute little farmers boy. She said, laughing gently. But then she shook her head, turned around and walked down the halls a little ways, stopping at a family portrait. The family was never happy about her in the portrait, she had ruined the whole thing. Most of the family cut her out of it. She was simply the only one giggling during the picture, over something the photographer did to make them smile. Everyone else was mourning the death of Tia.

You had an escape though. And the letters, though they may be lies, aren't letters completely bashing you all the time. The only letters I get from family now how hate letters, stating that I was the one that killed Tia, murder her to take her spot as princess. They don't understand I didn't want this title. Always telling me to be more like Tia, look like her, telling me she was the most beautiful in the family. I know she was beautiful, much more then me, but family saying it, hits the core. She mumbled, her fingers running over the portrait. She looked at Brandon as he spoke, nodding slowly, watching him walk off before she let her hand hit her sides gently. Walking down the hall slowly, she looked at all the pictures of Tia that hung up on the wall. None were of her. Her sister was the most precious in the family, Leah was only around because Tia was gone. If Tia hadn't have been murdered by a man she had an affair with, none of this would have happened. Leah could have been normal, found love the right way. Sighing, she slipped into her room, slowly shutting the door behind her.

---------------

Leah woke up suddenly as she heard the banging of a hand against her door. Sarabi jumped up so fast, and a surprising roar followed. Leah sighed, rubbed her eyes and pulled herself out of the bed, walked to her closet to pull a baby blue dress over her head that went a little past her knees. Slipping on some simple opened toed high heels, she pulled her curled hair around her shoulders, her bang falling in her face. Crossing her arms, she slowly pushed open one of her doors, quickly tripping over Brandon. Dear lord! She said loudly, stumbling but managing to catch herself. She turned around quickly on her heels, looking at Brandon for a moment, hands on her hips. But she could even tell he looked completely out of it, completely exhausted. Why? She wasn't sure at all. Sighing, she slowly plopped down on the ground next to him, stretching her legs out and cross one of the other, her head lightly touching the wall. You know, it was never in the job description to kill yourself staying up all night. If I have too, I can always sit in your room and make sure you go to sleep, before I go to bed. Is that what you want? She teased lightly, looking at him with blue eyes. But they also held concern.

Being the touchy person she was, she was very tempted to grab his hand, just hold it for a second. She started too, her fingers brushing his hand closest to her, but she quickly fought the urge by crossing her arms, sighing gently. Need a wake up call? I can go get some wine from the kitchen, if you need it. She asked softly, looking at him once more, scanning the side of his face, before she slowly looked away, looking down the hall in front of them.

The king eyed Brandon for a very long time, his eyes studying him, his face, his posture. Leah would have been able to tell what he was studying, very quickly understand what her father was staring about. He was looking for that one little hint that he might have interest in her. He finally blinked his eyes and his head fell a little, and his eyes loosened up. Very well general, you must do whatever it takes to protect her. Don't want her to end up like her sister. He said clearing his throat. The king watched him go, then turned away himself. Leah was standing up now, right when Brandon came her way. She didn't shy away from his gaze as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him anyway. She was trying not to laugh at his anger. Anger made her laugh, because she held all power over him, he couldn't hurt her. Physically anyway. Her hand grasped around his wrist, and she smirked. Nope, I don't understand. But you can let go of me now. She said, still looking into his brown eyes, her blue eyes never blinking. His warmth felt odd against her chin, against the palm of her hand. She hadn't felt any warmth from a human being for a while. When he dropped her chin, she released her grip on his wrist at just the same time. Sighing, she dropped her head for a moment, rubbed her eyes. Feeling Sarabi's forehead against her leg, she snapped out of her moment of misery.

Sitting down in the chair closest to her, she looked at Brandon, a "are you completely insane" look on her face the whole time he spoke. Crossing her legs, she smirked. Why don't you just put a collar around my neck and attach a leash? Want me as your prisoner general? Trust me it would be such much better then this place. She mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Then she listened to him, watched as his anger left him very slowly. It was rather entertaining to watch, neither the less. But now her angered boiled, and she stood up slowly, arms still crossed. You don't want to be a caged animal? What about me, huh? I have to have people following me, watching me. At any moment someone could pop out, grab me and cut off my head with a rusty sword. Don't even start with the stupid caged animal crap. You just got here, I've been here for 18 years. She stepped closer to him, nearly in his face, but not even brushing against him. You know how much I would pay to just become normal? I would give anything to be able to step outside without everyone knowing me for what I am being forced to be. I have dreams of how amazing it would be to be one of those girls outside, selling jewelry they made with their mom and sisters. But nope. Instead everywhere I look someone else is trying to murder me. She said, a huff of breath releasing from her chest before she walked away from him, plopping down on the chair once more.

So don't even start with feeling like a caged animal crap. She finished, crossing her legs again. Finally sighing, she could feel the anger leaving her very slowly. I may be a lot of things Brandon, but I am not stupid. I want to be normal, not have my head chopped off if I walk into the city. And I'm not going to argue with you, but I hope you truly know what you are getting yourself into. I am certainly not very princessy, if that hasn't sank into your head yet. She said lightly. Her eyes watched as he paced, listening to his footsteps echoing in the hallways. She snickered, rolling her eyes as he spoke. You and me both. Want to run away? I don't give a crap where you take me, if you'll take me away from this cramped cage. She said softly, half expecting him to not even be paying attention to her. Nobody ever did. Her voice was like the stupid tussling of trees to anyone incharge of watching her. Nobody really talked to her. One of the reasons she was such a brat. When you have no one to talk to, you don't know what to do. Sighing, she looked up at him, releasing her arms. Standing up, she slowly walked to two doors, pulling them open to look at the dark clouds rolling around the sky. Walking out of the balcony, she set her hands on the railing, looking down at the city far away, almost a speck from where she stood. Inhaling, she took in the smell of rain. It had always been one of her favorite smells. But she suddenly Turned around, walking back inside, and slammed the doors roughly behind her. She didn't want to see the world if she couldn't be in it. Clearing her throat, she looked at Brandon. Another issue of talking to a lioness for years? Not much of a conversation starter. How old are you anyway? She said, crossing her arms again as she stood there.