"Daddy." she croaked before passing back out.

Aiden immediately panicked. He looked at James, "What happened?! Go get your mother!" He ordered.

The elderly lady walked in at the moment and glared at the young knight. "What did I tell you about yelling while my son worked."

Aiden, still panicking, hurriedly explained that Isabella woke up then almost immediately lost consciousness again.

William walked in as he explained. "Isabella woke up?!"

"Young man, let's focus on the fact that she actually woke up. That's an accomplishment in itself, that means she's guaranteed to live. Give her a little more time to rest and she'll wake up normally. Now, everyone out, I need to dress her wound." She saw both James and Aiden glance back toward the bed before their exit.

William glanced at Isabella hopefully, "When do you think she'll wake again." he asked.

"Depends on her William." The woman said.

Isabella awakened again two days later. This time she was met the eyes of her father. She cried out in relief and joy. William seeing her conscious did the same. Tears sprung into their eyes.

"I thought I lost you." William whispered into her hair while hugging her gently. "How do you feel?" He asked her, his eyes raking her face.

"I feel drained and sore yet okay. Where are we?"

"We are in Hartha. Turns out we were closer than first presumed. If we hadn't stopped you probably..." William shook his head sadly.

"Something tells me we were sought out. Those men knew who we were and specifically wanted to kill us. If we never stopped we probably would have been attacked on the way home or worse they would have attacked this city."

"Still you should have notified me of those men's presence. Why would you fight without me?" William reprimanded.

"I did not want them to know that you were with me. You not fighting helped me fight with a clearer mind. It wasn't until you were held that I turned my back on that scum, luckily that man.. Wait who was that man? I went to thank him before I was ambushed." Isabella finished.

William smiled at the irony, "Turns out the man is named Aiden." Before Isabella could wonder where she's heard that name from William clarified "Head Knight from Jaria."

Isabella sat shocked. Saved by the enemy. "We have a lot to be thankful for father. Did you show gratitude to Aiden?"

William looked down sheepishly, "Well not exactly. I've been arguing with Charles." He winced for he knew his daughter would lecture him about not thanking the young man. Part of the reason why he didn't show great gratitude was because a part of him suspected the Jarians. Who else knew of our travel to Hartha?

Isabella just stared at her father and shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak but noticed an elderly lady enter.

"Aw I see you've awakened young princess. How are you faring?"

Isabella wondered who the woman was and looked to her father for explanation. William explained everything that happened following her blackout and Isabella immediately felt grateful. "Thank you so very much Milady for all that you've done. My father and I are forever grateful to you."

The woman smiled as James walked in. "I couldn't have done it without my darling son James. He was here when I couldn't be."

Isabella's eyes shot to the young man who warmed at his mother's praise and Isabella's gaze. "Thank you also James. Can't imagine what would've happened if you and your mother had not have taken such good care."

James just bowed, "'Tis not everyday I give up my room for a beautiful unconscious woman in armor." He chuckled at her surprised face.

Isabella not knowing how to reply squirmed and winced. "When will I be able to move without wincing?" She wanted to get up and run a little maybe even practice a few parry and feints.

James smiled, "Whoa there, though the wound wasn't deep, you lost a lot of blood and it's going to take a few days for you to get better. Just relax and in a bit you will be fine."

Isabella agreed to rest. For three days she relaxed and passed the time by reading.

Micah left banished and very very distraught. He lost everything because of his trust for his conniving brother. The selfish part of him blamed his wife for not telling him sooner but it was mostly his naivete that caused his ruin.

While traveling, Micah and the ex Pauper Queen ran into an old ailing man in a village. He looked at their peasant clothes and malnourished bodies and he offered to buy them food and supplies. Micah introduced themselves as travelers who were from nowhere and weren't really going any where.

The man saw kindness in Micah's eyes as well strength and intelligence. The man again and again offered to buy them whatever they wished for and Micah desiring to be humble stated that all he wanted was good health and his wife. In what Micah presumed their final stay in the village, they spent the last of their coins to get the old man some medicine for he had a very bad cough.

The man while at the physician's was so very thankful and it was there that he revealed himself to the young couple. He was the King of a distant land called Jaria.

"What are you reading?" Isabella looked up startled at the voice.