Jasper walked ahead of Zedekiah. He had given up his sword to the angel. Penelope was clutching Angelica’s hand as they followed. Everyone in the halls stopped to stare at the procession, gazes going from the former guard to the previously missing princess. Kenneth seemed to have recovered from his earlier shock and was trying to lure the two princesses back from the “dreadful business”.

“Really, Princess Penelope. You should come to see the healers so they can check that you are okay. Your father will take care of this traitor.”

“He is not a traitor.” Angelica frowned at him.

The party guests backed out of the angel’s way, oddly silent. Angelica’s father was still sitting on his throne, but stood as Jasper approached. The Queen rushed forward, pulling Penelope into a hug. “My darling, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Angelica stepped back awkwardly. Had her mother greeted her like this when she had returned?

“What is the meaning of this?” The King demanded.

“Jasper is a former member of the guard. His main charge was protecting the princess Penelope, but he disappeared along with her.” Harold said.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I protected the princess.” Jasper responded.

“By taking her away from the Palace?”

The guard remained silent.

Angelica wanted to ask Penelope what had happened, but her mother was leading her toward the throne.

“For failing your duty, the penalty is death.”

“No, you can’t. Jasper wouldn’t do that.”

Dusty slipped up next to her. “So I take it you know this guy?”

“I’ve know Jasper for many years. He would never do anything to put Nell in danger.” Angelica said.

“Pardon me, your Majesty.” Dusty said with a smile. “I believe by law, no person may be sentenced and put to death in less than a day’s time.”

“It should not matter in a case such as this.” Angelica’s father stood very still, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at Dusty.

“Well surely you would not want one of your final acts to be breaking the very laws you have upheld for so long.”

“Then I will change that law. There is no need for a day to pass before an execution occurs.”

Dusty frowned. “He’s willing to go that far…” he said under his breath.

Chae came up, and passed a note to Dusty. The young man unfolded it and after reading it, smiled.

“I’m sure that would be a fine change to make, your Majesty, as long as you remember that notice of every new law must be carried to everyone who will be effected by it before it can become official.” Dusty nodded.

Angelica looked at Chae, who pushed his glasses back up on his nose before disappearing back into the crowd.

The King glowered. “Lock him in the dungeon.”

“As Your Majesty wishes.” Zedekiah said, taking hold of Jasper’s arm.

“We’ll sort this out tomorrow.” Dusty said to bewildered Jasper as the former guard was led away.

“Really mother, I just want to rest.” Nell came down the steps, giving a look to Angelica as she passed.

“Alright dear. I’ll come see you before I go to bed.”

“Thank you.”

Angelica slipped out after her sister. The party was of no interest to her anymore. Her sister was waiting just outside the door for her. She held out her hand, and they went to Nell’s room. The Princess locked the door, and looked around with a sigh. “Nothing’s changed.”

“I felt the same way when I got back.”

“That man, the one who protected Jasper…was that the Heir?”

“Yeah, that’s Dusty.”

“He’s the one who brought you back?”

Angelica nodded. “They wanted to do the same to him as they do to Jasper. At least until they found out he was the Heir. Now everyone’s too scared to try to accuse him of anything, even the Choir.”

“Was he the one who kidnapped you?”

“Oh no, of course not.” Angelica smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t believe I had run away.”

“I did very briefly, but as soon as I saw your room, I knew you had not. But father told everyone else that you had just run away. He sent out only a few search parties, saying you would just come back on your own.” Nell took her sister’s hand. “So…will you tell me what did happen?”

“It’s all rather odd.” Angelica said.

Nell just smiled.

“I was kidnapped by a humanoid demon. He took me to a mansion in the mountains and then…well treated me like a guest.”

“A…humanoid demon? What do you mean?”

“He gave me my own room. Never forced me to do anything. Dusty was actually there as his apprentice. I learned magic, and taught Dusty swordplay and dancing.”

“But you were his guest?”

“He even claimed to be protecting me, though he had a spell up to keep me from leaving. Makes it seem like I was a prisoner to me.”

“And Dusty helped you to escape?”

“No, Dusty brought me here, but I’m sure it was Dylan who told him to.”

“Dylan? That is the demon?”

Angelica nodded. Now that she was trying to tell her sister the story of what had happened, it seemed so much more complicated than it had before. The story she would tell to her parents or the Choir was simple. A demon had kidnapped her and Dusty had rescued her.

“What about you, Nell.” She wanted to stop thinking about Dylan, and the weeks spent with him.

“I went looking for you. After it was clear father was going to do nothing more than send out a few search parties. Jasper caught me trying to leave and then made me take him with me.” She chuckled. “It’s a good thing too. He had contacts in Baystep that kept the search parties sent after me from finding us.”

“How were you expecting to find me?”

“I didn’t have a plan.” Nell shrugged with a smile. “I just knew I had to look for you. Jasper’s friends introduced me to something called The Board. It’s this magical board where you can post bills and they get copied all over the country.”

“I’ve heard of it.” Angelica nodded.

“Oh, you have? Then you know about father’s notice.”

“Father’s…notice? What do you mean?”

“There’s really no easy way to tell you this. There was a notice up…for your assassination.”

“Not surprised that someone out there wanted me dead.” Angelica tried to laugh it off, but she was suddenly reminded of her parent’s reactions when she had come back. The accusations she had pushed from her mind. Ones that her parents had said she had misunderstood.

“I’m sorry Angie.”

“But they were so happy to have me back. Mother did my hair and they had meals with me…” Then she remembered how her Mother had responded to Nell being back. “They need an heir…”

“It’s why I didn’t want to come back. I know what they’ve been doing now, but when I heard you were back, I had to come and try to talk to you. I thought we could do it without getting caught…but-”

“So he wasn’t lying to me…”

Nell sat down and hugged her sister to her. “There was no easy way to tell you. He probably kept it from you because it would just be easier for you to not know.”

“And I yelled at him so much…”

“I’m sorry Angie.”

All the times he had simply told her that she was his guest and given her whatever she wanted. He had just been trying to protect her. She had never asked him to and yet he had.