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Back at the palace Nick's Mother was pacing the floor wondering just what to do about her son. In all of his 21 years he had never brought up about wanting to live among them. Not even a hint. She wondered where she had gone wrong. The royal family was not to care for anyone outside of the palace walls, but she knew her son was different.

He had always been curious even as a small child as to why they had what they did and why the village people didn't. Robert, Nick's father walked in to see his wife pacing and placed his hands on her shoulders stopping her.

"Something troubling you my dear?"

She sighed heavily "It's Nickolas..."

"What has the boy done now?"

"He went into town today."

"A marvelous idea must keep on those public appearances if he is to please the towns people." Robert said smiling at his sons enthusiasm

"No Robert. You don't understand, he went dressed as a commoner." She put her hand to her forehead suddenly feeling ill at the word.

"Our Nickolas?"

"Yes Robert, our Nickolas."

"What in god's name would make him do that?"

"I do not know Aaron told me about it after breakfast, I'm worried."

"My dear, Nickolas will be home soon."

"I pray that your right."

Aaron was outside of the throne room overhearing the conversation, he thought that Nick would have seen how awful it was and would come home by now. This wasn't right, any member of the royal family was NOT to be seen with commoners. Aaron thought of this as betrayal.

'Nick should consider himself lucky for what we have' He said to himself walking down a winding hallway. Leslie turned down the same hallway and as she approached him she saw Aaron looking deep in thought.

"Has Nickolas returned?"

"Not yet sister, though I cannot see why."

---

Nick sighed taking in the scent of wildflowers, Deanna had lead him to a garden not far away from the village that had a pretty good view of the palace. The scenery was beautiful but that wasn't what Nick was looking at. He looked over as she twirled a flower in her hand then look at him, or in this case Eric and smile.

"You haven't said a word since we got here, something on your mind?"

"Nope nothing at all." Nick lied leaning back on his hands.

Deanna looked in the direction of the palace and pulled her legs up to her chest resting her chin on her hands sighing.

"I'd love to live there."

"At the palace?"

"Yeah...having all those people wait on you. I bet it's lovely."

"How do you know that?"

"It has to be to be that beautiful."

Nick looked ahead he had to admit it did look pretty from far away, if only she knew what really happened there, how things really were. "Maybe you'll know one day." Nick said to himself not realizing he had said it out loud.

Deanna turned to him and asked "Really...? You think so?"

Nick smiled at her "Anything is possible."

She sighed sitting back like Nick admiring the view, thinking that one day she might know what living at the palace was like.

Nick enjoyed staying with Deanna and Chrissie. He had wondered how long it would take for his Mother to send out a search party to bring him home. That wasn't home to him anymore, it was a prison. He hated it and he never wanted to go back. The girls Mother, Anna had really taken a liking to him. He didn't mind helping out with the daily chores the washing, or the cleaning, seeing as he had never done any of those things. It made him feel normal somehow.

Nick was doing some work outside upon the request of their Mother, and Deanna stood in the doorway admiring him. She didn't really know how or why but she was falling for him. Maybe it was because he was not like her and came from somewhere completely different, or maybe it was the fact that he treated her so nicely. Whatever the reason there was never a day she could not look at him. She had talked to her sister about it only to have her say 'It's too soon'. And her Mother certainly approved of him so what was the problem? She smiled then went back into the house.

Later on that day, Deanna walked outside, holding a wicker basket full of laundry. Upon walking out, she saw Nick on his knees hand-washing the clothes, shirtless. Deanna placed her hand over her chest admiring the sight. "Dear Lord..." she thought. "Why must this man torment me so?" Deanna slowly walked over, placing the basket next to him.

He looked over at her and smiled grabbing a handful of clothes for the wash. "And how are you this fine afternoon?"

"Um..." She just froze, examining him with her blue eyes.

At this point she couldn’t help but to look at him, for he was absolutely beautiful. Deanna had to heed the warning of her sisters saying of 'It’s too soon', but it was so complicated to do. "I...I also brought you some water, Eric..."

Nick took the brown, leather water satchel and drunk out of it, pouring some over his face, letting the rest splash upon his chest. She saw how his chest glistened in the afternoon sun, and she couldn’t turn away. Deanna was startled from her thoughts by hearing her sister calling her.

"Be right there..." She said not taking her eyes off of Nick.

Chrissie walked up behind her and grabbed her arm "I ain't got all day stop ogling over Eric for one second would you?"

"But I wasn't..."

"Uh huh...don't lie Dee. Admit it you like him."

"I do...a little."

"A little? No more like alot, something tells me that he's not who he says he is." Chrissie said glancing out of the door again to see Nick hanging the clothes

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know I just have this feeling that he's running from something."

Over the next few days Jane began to grow worried for her eldest son, he still had yet to return. Aaron walked past the throne room to see his Mother in deep thought. He went in and walked to her.

"Mother is something troubling you?"

"Your brother has yet to return."

"Why don't I go into town and fetch him?"

"Aaron, I don't want to lose another child to the common world...you stay here. I'll send a search party to find him, and bring him back home."

Aaron placed a hand on the queen's shoulder. "Do you REALLY want Nickolas back home? Just tell me that, Mother."

Jane looked down, and looked at her young prince. "Go find him. You have 3 days to retrieve your brother, and to bring him back home. Is that clear?"

Aaron bowed to his mother. "I won't let you down, Mother."

Aaron backed out of the throne room and made his way down the spiral staircase that lead outside. When he got outside he quickly called to the two guards standing at the palace gates. "You two come with me."

"Are you quite sure your highness?"

"Yes I am sure, I will need you to assist me in finding Nickolas."

They went to the stables, each grabbing a horse, and galloped off towards the town.

"Where do you think he could have gone your highness?"

"I do not know Alexander but if I have to turn this town upside down then so be it."

"I don't think that would be necessary, your Highness...His Highness thinks he should do a normal search?" Asked the guard of Latin descent.

"No a normal search would take much longer. We do this my way."

"But, your Highness--"

"If we were to do a normal search as you say that could possibly take days...weeks..."

"It was just a suggestion Your Highness..." He said in a upset tone

"Next time keep it to yourself."

"Fine..." He pulls the reins, and stops

"Why have you stopped?"

"Your highness, there is no need to tear a whole town apart to find your brother...it's not right. I did not become a knight in your court to cause harm."

He pulls up beside him "Then what do you suggest we do oh wise one?"

"Do a normal search Your Majesty. If you ever want to find your brother, at least have some courtesy towards the less-fortunate." Dorough stated, staring at him, waiting for a response.

"Courtesy you say? I do not know the meaning of the word. It is them that have caused my brother to run off."

Alexander galloped behind Dorough, and whispered "Watch your tone to the Prince, Dorough..."

"Listen...I was once like them...beaten down and thrown about like trash...and now, I thought I came to the Cartesan court to do good, not harm."

"You will do as I say or I shall take you to my Mother and let her do as she wishes."

"You may be the Prince...but you're not the King...and you don't rule what I can or cannot do, so don't thou darest go there with me....Your Highness..."

"You dare raise your voice to me? Listen Dorough the only reason my Mother hasn't gotten rid of you is because Nickolas is so fond of you, if it wasn't for him you wouldn't even be here."

"You know what? You know what I think of you? You're nothing but an obnoxious little runt, and the bitch of the litter. I loathe the fact that you're prince."

"Mother will hear of this when I return but, you sir can forgot about EVER returning to the palace."

"Frankly, Aaron...I don't give a damn." Dorough turned his horse around, and whipped the reins, galloping away.

"Are you coming with me or going with him?," Aaron asked looking at Alexander

"Yeah...I'm coming with you, your Grace."

Alexander pats the horse, and goes forward to the direction of town. Aaron follows closely behind cursing under his breath about the day Nickolas had made Dorough a knight.