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Chrissie smiled at the sight in front of her, he loved her sister greatly and not even his parents could break them apart. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked behind her to see Dorough's smiling face.

"We should start on our journey home it will be dark soon." Nickolas agreed and lead Deanna to the carriage that still sat outside of the palace gates.

"Have a safe trip your highness."

"Thank you, Emanuel."

Nickolas said smiling getting in the carriage. They took off towards home.

Jane walked outside just as the carriage was out of sight "Emanuel."

He quickly stood at the sound of the Queen's voice "Yes your majesty?"

"I want you to follow that carriage, find out where he's going, and when you find him arrest the wench that he was with."

He bowed "As you wish my Queen."

And with that Jane walked back towards the palace smiling "I'll get her away from you one way or another."

Emanuel went to the stable and mounted his horse following the very carriage that the Queen spoke of. But the trail it was on was very unfamiliar to him, he had never been outside of the kingdom before. He stayed out of view to look like a knight on patrol. Once the carriage came to a stop he hid behind some trees as the people riding in it got out.

Nickolas got out and extended his hand to help Deanna down. Emanuel dismounted his horse and walked a little bit so he could get a closer look. Dorough stepped out afterwards helping Christallina out as well.

Deanna took a deep breath and sighed "It's so good to be home." Nickolas quickly picked her up and ran with her in his arms into the house as she giggled "Nickolas put me down." He gave her a sexy smirk and ignored her protests, proceeding to carry her in the bedroom and playfully drop her on the bed. She gently tugged on his shirt collar pulling him closer till she locked her lips with his in a passionate kiss. Nickolas had never seen her like this and smiled at her when he broke the kiss.

"What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing I just needed to be with my husband." She said unbuttoning his shirt looking up at him

"No complaints here." He said leaning in to kiss her again as she slid the shirt to the side running her hands up his chest then wound them around his neck.

---

Meanwhile back at the palace, Queen Jane awaited the guard to return with the wench. If she wouldn't leave her son willingly then she just had to force her. There had to be something she wanted or needed for that matter. The King was out with his youngest son when Emanuel returned with Deanna fighting, kicking and screaming the whole way.

"Shut up you wench." He snarled as he dismounted his horse and dragged her along the drawbridge.

Deanna pulled back against his grip trying to get away but with no such luck "Let me go!"

"I will do no such thing." He said continuing to drag her as she protested.

She immediately recognized where he was taking her, she was in her love's palace, but why would would this guard bring her here? Deanna was brought out of her thoughts by a rough tug to her wrist, she winced at the feeling. The next thing she knew she was being propelled through a set of doors falling to the floor.

"Get up." She knew that voice she slowly stood up and looked up at the Queen, Nick's Mother. "Well what are you waiting for?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You are lower than I so you must bow to me wench."

"But Nickolas said..."

"Is Nickolas here? No he isn't so you will bow."

Deanna didn't need further explaining as she bowed before the Queen. As she stood back up she asked "Why have I been brought here?"

"Aren't you a disrepectful one, I need you to stay away from my son."

"But your Majesty..."

"Did I give you permission to speak?"

Deanna looked down at the floor. "You are a disgrace to this family, this kingdom, and you most certainly are not worthy of my son." Deanna continued to keep her head down pretending to not hear the hurtful words she was saying, rubbing her wrist. Jane smiled obviously pleased. "Now I am going to make you a proposition. How much will it take for you to leave my son?"

Deanna looked up at her then knowing that she was free to speak "Your majesty...I care deeply for Nickolas and no amount of money could ever make me leave him."

"Think about it I could give you enough to take care of your family for the rest of their lives. There has to be something you want..." Jane said letting the last part linger waiting for what she had to say.

Deanna didn't need to think about her answer, it was simple. "The only thing I want and need your majesty is Nickolas' love."

Jane sighed, there just was no winning with this girl, she could have anything she wanted and yet she decided to stand by the fact of her loving the young prince.

---

Once Nickolas returned home he was quick on her trail. Chrissie and Dorough had told him that Deanna had been taken. He knew exactly who took her and why, she just would not be happy until she was out of his life.

'I am not going to sit around and let that happen' Nick said to himself as he got on his horse and galloped away to save his beloved.

---

"Well?"

"I...your majesty is very kind but I cannot trade any sum of money for Nickolas' love."

Jane sighed heavily and walked to her tightly gripping her arm "Alright fine...If you will not do as I say than I shall--" she was cut off by the doors being swung open and she looked up to see her eldest son coming towards them.

"Let her go."

"No. Not until you put an end to this charade."

Nick walked to them and grab ahold of Deanna pulling her to him and held her tight "I'm here my love...don't worry..."

"Nickolas get away from her."

"No Mother. I love her can't you see that? She makes me complete as Father makes you, surely you can understand that."

"How dare you compare that wench to me...I am nothing like her."

"How can you treat someone this way? How can you make someone feel so low?" Deanna buried her face into Nick's shirt as Nick kept his hold on her. "I have had enough, you WILL treat her with respect."

"I will do no such thing."

"Then I shall charge you with treason." Nickolas spat to his mother.

"Ha ha! You? Charge me with Treason? Haven't you forgotten? I am the Queen of the Cartesan Empire!"

"That's true. You're the Queen of the Cartesan Empire. That's a bloodline, not a country."

"So, by the eyes of every person outside your ways, and God, you are nothing."

"How DARE you!?"

"You either accept our marriage, or I shall send you away to a rustic, god-forsaken hellhole...it's your choice...Mother." Deanna looks up at him, faintly smiling. Nickolas' gaze towards his own mother was serious. He was not going to rest until his family accepted their love. "What will it be, Mother?"

Jane sighed realizing there was no use in arguing, her son's mind was already made up "Alright...I will go along with this but nobody says I have to accept it."

"That's too bad if you don't. I'm going to love this woman until my dying day...do I make myself clear, Madam?"

Jane stood stunned that her son would call her that, and talk to her in that tone.

Nickolas looked down at his beloved and smiled "Come my love...let us go home."

"But you are home!" Jane screamed

"No. This is not my home. This...all of this is a prison, my true home is with Deanna in our house outside of this horrible place. Until you can accept our love and change your ways I will NOT return here."

And with that said Nickolas gently tugged on Deanna's arm letting her know it was time to go. Jane still could not believe the fight her eldest son was putting up for this woman he claimed to love. She was going to lose him for good if something wasn't done.

"Alright..." Nickolas stopped and turned to his Mother

"What was that?"

"I said..." she sighed looking at Deanna "Alright...I don't want to lose my son."

"And your suddenly ok with this?"

"No but what am I gonna do?"

"Your right Mother there's nothing you can do, no matter what I will always be there to protect her." Nickolas said holding his love close. Jane sat on her throne "Your Father will not be pleased."

"Have I not proven my love for her? Everytime you try to take her away I am there to help her aren't I?"

"Yes but..."

"That should be proof enough that I am devoted to her and her alone. And I want the whole kingdom to know." Nickolas turned to his wife and held her hands looking into her eyes.

"Fine, Nickolas...if you love that...girl as much as you love your riches, your kingdom, and your own family that's fine by me."

Nickolas looked at his Mother, surely there was more to this. "Mother please...you never treated Dorough that way, why is she any different? All she wants is to love Nickolas, and to be loved in return by us, and you're kicking dirt in her face...Your Highness should have more sense than that."

Nick looked around to see who said that and saw his sister Leslie walking into the throne room.

"How dar---" The Queen stopped in mid sentence. She realized that Leslie was right. After all...she too, was a commoner...if it wasn't for the Cartesan Empire taking her in from her poverty ridden home of Ireland, she wouldn't be where she was now.

Jane looked at her hands as they shook in front of her "Wha---what have I become?"

"Nothing to say to that Mother?" Nickolas remarked

"Nickolas..." said Leslie, putting her hand up to him. Nick looked at his sister then back at their Mother who looked very unsure of herself.

The Queen slowly walked down the long throne steps, and walked to the direction of her son and his bride. Deanna clung to Nickolas afraid of what she might do.

"Nickolas...I...I am tragically sorry. I was blinded by the riches...and the glamour...and the beliefs that commoners are horrible people...never realizing...that I was one myself." Nickolas looked at his Mother in disbelief

"You were a commoner? How is that so?"

"Now, I see what you, young lady, hath gone through all your life...and I have long forgotten that I went down the same road long ago." Deanna looked up at Nickolas unsure of what to say to the Queens confession. "When I was growing up in Ireland...my family was very, very poor...My mother and father saw how beautiful I had become...and sent me to France to find easy work there...that's where I met the Daufine (French King to be once the father has died) of France...your father."

"How come you nor Father told us of this?" Nickolas asked

"He asked me to keep it silent...within family...and within the court...because commoners were supposed to be treacherous and thieving people...yet...he took my hand in marriage."

"If he thought that then why did he wed you knowing you were one?"

"Because he loved me."

Nickolas looked at his Mother then asked "So it's alright for Deanna and I to be together right?"

"Yes my son it is."

Nickolas smiled and turned to Deanna who was smiling too.

"Anyone care to explain what is going on here?" King Robert said as he entered the throne room, his question breaking the silence which caused everyone in the room to look at him.

"Robert I have given them my blessing."

"You did what? Why?"

"Just look at them...he cares for her risked his life to rescue her. That's love Robert, and surely you remember what happened all those years ago." Jane said looking into her husbands eyes still seeing the love that was for her.

"I do."

"Then these two deserve OUR blessing."

Just as Jane finished her statement Aaron walked through the doors immediately seeing them which cause them to look up.

"Nick...um...it's good to see you."

"You too Aaron."

"Look about all those things I said...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I acted and I'm sorry for berating your young bride. I can see you love her very much and if your happy then so am I."

Deanna looked at Nickolas obviously shocked at what Prince Aaron had just revealed, everyone in the kingdom knew that the young prince NEVER apologizes for anything he has said or done.

Nick simply smiled at his brother accepting his apology, then Aaron walked out of the room muttering under his breath.