Isabella knocked his sword out of the way but before she dealt the fatal blow she heard a man's voice. She hit the man with the hilt of her sword and watched him crash to the ground.

"Isabella. What's going on? Who are these men?"

Panicking at the sound of her father's tense voice, she turned and saw the scarred man holding a dagger to William's throat. She started to run forward but the scarred man's words stopped her. "One step forward or any sudden movement and he's dead. So what will it be Princess, you put you sword down or you watch you father die. His royal blood will bleed out right here."

*******

Leave it to the Gardians to be no shows to a meeting they asked for. Aiden, bored out of his mind and wanting to escape Myra, who begged her gullible father to let her attend, rode outside the gates of Hartha. Would it be too much to ask for a woman who doesn't swoon at the sight of me?

He had had his share of women despite his resentment of them. Every woman he'd ever been with had been the same. Frilly, gossiping hens with vicious mother's hoping to snatch the country's Head Knight into their bloody paws. He wished for excitement, someone unique and maybe he'd consider putting his guard down. Deep down Aiden wanted love like any other Knight. A girl worth fighting for, he'd rather die than admit it though.

Deep into his thoughts, he rode out farther than he intended. He found a pathway full of trees followed it curiously. Eventually, he came upon a stream where he got down and allowed his horse drink while he studied the area. Peaceful land, untainted by us human beings. He mused.

Aiden relaxed a little closing his eyes briefly but they popped open at the sound of clanking swords and shouting. He tied his horse to a tree and against his better judgement, followed the sound of the cries when it suddenly became eerily quiet.

The scene came into view. He peaked from behind a tree. A carriage kept his presence unknown and also succeeded to block his view of the dead men. He saw a woman in armor but before he could study her, noting the look of panic on her face. Looking past her, he could see a man slowly gaining consciousness and then he heard another voice hidden by the carriage.

"His royal blood will bleed out right here" Aiden inched forward going from tree to tree discretely until he was right behind the carriage. Changing his angle, he could just barely make out a pudgy man holding a hostage; the hostage looked like an older man.

"Don't hurt him please. Have mercy." Aiden saw the woman pleading but he could discern the cold rage simmering underneath.

"Look at the Princess begging for the life of her cowardly father. William you couldn't face the Jarians yourself so you exile us when we took matters into our own hands. Not to mention he was inside of a carriage while you fought. Pathetic." He spat.

Previously Aiden thought that it was just a wealthy couple being held up by savages. After that statement, he realized two things. That was the King of Gardia being held hostage and refugees were the ones who had him.

Isabella forced herself to remain still. I should have retrieved my throwing knives. "I wanted my father out of sight you scum, luckily he was asleep while my men and I disposed of you." She didn't let her father know of the conflict immediately because she hoped the refugees would not realize he was there but she did not say that out loud.

The scarred man tightened his grip on the King and pressed the knife so close that even if the king so much as swallowed wrong he'd be sliced.

William felt nothing but despair, not at the thought of death, but at the look on his beloved daughters face. He read panic, sadness and anger in her eyes. His young one, covered in blood, fought as he slept. He should have been fighting along side her. William looked his daughter in the eyes, his eyes saying,

"Princess I noticed you still have not put your weapon down. I implore you to do so before my hand slips you know..." He trailed off meaningfully.

Isabella's gripped her sword tighter before she released it, for the first time in her life feeling defeated.

Unbeknownst to the Gardians and the refugee, Aiden had grabbed his sword and began to inch his way around the carriage. He depended on his patience and stealth to rescue the King. Never thought I'd ever have to rescue The King of Gardia. Little did Aiden know, the impact of his actions would be monumental. He disliked the Gardians but he loathed the refugees. They went above the throne by senselessly killing innocent people.

Merely a step away from the man, he looked over and saw the Princess' eyes flicker to him before quickly flickering back to the meet the man's eyes. He was surprised at the lack of shock on her face but proceeded to raise the hilt and knock it against the back of the man's head. The man fell and William fell with him before pushing the unconscious body over and breathing a sigh of relief.

Isabella noticed the stranger long before when he first stepped from the trees but at the time she had better things to worry about. She was worried at first when she saw him inching from behind the carriage but something in his eyes reassured her that he was friend not foe.

Aiden while helping the king to his feet, glanced at the woman just as the previously unconscious man he saw before stabbed her from behind. He was impressed when he saw her pull a dagger and slash at the man's face.

Isabella surveyed her men and saw only one man had lost consciousness and was being tended to. She started toward her father relieved and grateful when she felt a sharp pain shoot from her back, instinctually she lashed out behind her satisfied at feeling the contact. Shortly after she felt her world spin and experienced a sensation of falling.

Aiden, abandoning the King, sprinted over to the woman catching her before she could hit the ground. The last thing Isabella saw before she lost consciousness was concerned hazel eyes.

The tall man ran and grabbed a nearby horse holding his face. She had managed to reach her dagger and slash his face from his eye to chin.

Aiden saw torn parchment fall from the man's vest just as the pudgy scarred man rode past almost falling off of his horse holding his head. He decided he would investigate later and looked down at the unconscious woman. The King and his men ran forward, "Bella," William whispered brokenly. With a sudden burst of strength, he took Isabella from the stranger's arms and cradled her to his chest.

Aiden went and grabbed the parchment tucking it into his pants and returned to the Gardians. He pressed a piece of his shirt he ripped to the wound, in order to try to slow the bleeding.

"We need to get her tended to. Come on I'll retrieve my horse. Hartha is a couple of miles away." He paused and studied her strangely serene face.

"We must hurry, that wound could be fatal."