Gunther missed Jane, which confused him greatly given that she was right there, in the carriage rumbling slowly ahead of him. She was within his reach at any given moment; but perhaps that was a part of the problem, given that he could not touch her without being improper.

Touching Jane was something he had taken for granted as part of his daily life until now. Jostling in the yard, helping one another to their feet after a spar, passing the jar of polish back and forth, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder to read from the same page. He had never actually thought about the physicality of their relationship before now. It was simply something that happened each day, like eating and breathing, just another piece of the jigsaw that was Gunther's life.

Until it had been cut off from him in an instant by the cold knife that was the Greenhill Castle travelling party.

Gunther starred irritably at the backs of the three riders in front of him.

Sellswords, he thought in disgust. He had known what they were the moment he first laid eyes on them; scrufffy, undisciplined, their clothing and weapons dirty and uncared for. The kind of men who were loyal only to the highest bidder.

What self-respecting castle employed sellswords in place of knights?

The same castle that sends Lord Fatarse over there as an emissary, I suppose.

The short, greasy nobleman was as repulsive to Gunther as any of his father's less tasteful business associates. The man thought himself a most wonderful host and entertainer; the best of company. Gunther had been studiously avoiding conversation with him as much as good manners would allow, although his veneer of politeness was growing thinner by the day.

"Yet another beautiful day your fair kingdom had bestowed upon us, Sir Gunther!" Said the man himself, riding his horse closer to Gunther's.

"It is," Gunther replied, wiping the scowl off his face. "Although, perhaps a little too warm for you, my lord?"

Lord Frederik was drenched in sweat, his face red above the ruffles of his collar which were yellowing as the days went on, Gunther had noted with distaste.

"Truly, Rocky Mountain Kingdom has a much milder climate," admitted the nobleman. "But I have no doubt the fair weather and sunshine is doing my complexion much benefit!"

"No doubt," nodded Gunther, trying not to smirk as he took in said complexion.

He wanted to tell Jane about his daily chats with Lord Fatarse; he knew for sure he could make her laugh until she snorted. But high born ladies did not snort with laughter, and they did not engage in casual conversation with knights, either. He sighed.

"Is something troubling you, Sir?" Asked Lord Frederik, pulling Gunther from his reverie.

"Oh, no, my lord. I apologise, I was distracted by my thoughts."

"Thoughts of a young lady, perhaps?" Asked Frederik, with a suggestive wriggle of his caterpillar-esque brows.

Gunther chuckled in what he hoped was a non-committal manner, but it did nothing to shake off the curiosity of the repugnant Nobleman.

"Go on, now, a handsome young knight like you must have the maidens lining up! No doubt one has caught your eye, eh? Or is it more than one?" Frederik laughed heartily.

Gunther shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, wishing to be elsewhere. When in his life had the opportunity to court multiple ladies ever presented itself? Or even the opportunity to court one? The only maidens in his life were Pepper, who was quite thoroughly spoken for, the Princess, who was clearly off limits, and Jane, who was . . . Well, he had never thought about her in such a manner.

"Look at the colour in your cheeks! Do not worry, I will not besmirch your knightly honour. I can see you are a one-woman man, good Sir." Said Lord Frederik, still laughing.

"I appreciate your kindness, my Lord," muttered Gunther.

"I will ride on and check on the well-being of our royal passenger," Lord Frederik continued. "And leave you to your thoughts." The caterpillars on his forehead wriggled once more before he rode ahead to catch up with the carriage.

Gunther's shoulders slumped in relief as he watched the older man ride off.

Pig of a man, he thought dourly. A horse's arse perched atop a horse's arse.

Travel ceased mid afternoon each day so that the Princess's large tent could be erected and furnished before the daylight faded. Lord Frederik placed a great deal of emphasis on the Princess's comfort, stopping regularly so she could enjoy the sights along the road (fields, forests and more fields,) making progress slow. Gunther expected they would cross Kippernium's boundary some time the next day, passing into Flowerdale Kingdom. They would take two or three days travelling at this pace to pass through the narrow point of Flowerdale and then arrive finally at Rocky Mountain, several more days from the castle.

Gunther grunted slightly as he pulled another heavy trunk from the wagon that carted all of their gear and carried it into the round canvas tent. There were carpets on the floor, two soft and sumptuous beds, a table with padded chairs for meals, and even a seat for lounging upon. Jane may have made many sacrifices for this mission but her accommodation was not one of them.

Exiting the tent Gunther noticed Lord Frederik's pet Minstrel climbing down from the wagon, where he rode in relative comfort all day, sometimes playing and singing but often sleeping. He wore a long feather in his floppy hat and bells on his shoes. Gunther misliked him.

"I never travel without entertainment," Lord Frederik had said on the first night of their journey. "I find travel can be so dull, although I am sure I will have plenty to divert me with your company and two such beautiful ladies to admire."

They were a party of ten in total, with Lord Frederik and his three sellswords, his minstrel and the two servants who drove the wagon and carriage and tended the horses.

Gunther did not like being so outnumbered, although the only real threat he could see were the sellswords. The serving men were neither young nor very agile, and the minstrel was a foppish youth who spent his evenings singing sappy love ballads and making eyes across the fire at Jane whenever she emerged from the tent. Gunther despised him more with each passing day.

The carriage door opened and Gunther hurried towards it, seeing Lord Frederik heading in the same direction.

Gunther arrived first and had already helped Jane exit when Lord Frederik caught up, slightly out of breath.

"My Lady!" He said loudly, doing well to mask his breathlessness. "How did you travel today?"

"Quite well, my Lord, I thank you," said Jane in clipped tones which were still unsettling to Gunther's ears.

"Good, good," replied Lord Frederik, his eyes already returned to the carriage. "And Your Royal Majesty, lovely Princess, please allow me the honour of assisting you!"

Princess Lavinia accepted his hand and stepped lightly from the carriage, her face lighting up as she took in their camp.

"Oh, what a lovely little spot!" She gushed. "Lady Jane, is it not delightful?"

"Truly charming, Your Majesty," said Jane, sounding eerily like her mother.

"I am thrilled by your approval, Your Majesty," enthused Lord Frederik. "Please allow me to escort you to your tent."

They set off across the grass, with Gunther and Jane following closely behind. Jane's hand rested lightly on Gunther's arm, his skin warming beneath his sleeve at the contact.

The sellswords were practicing as they did each evening, and the two paused briefly to watch.

"Sloppy," Jane murmured lowly.

"Undisciplined," Gunther agreed before they resumed their short walk to the tent.

Gunther lifted the heavy canvas flap to allow entry to Lord Frederik and the Princess, then Jane and finally himself.

"I shall join you for supper this evening if it agreeable to Your Majesty," Lord Frederik was saying.

"Of course," Lavinia said politely, and Gunther raised the flap once again as the Nobleman bowed his way out.

"Ugh," said Lavinia as soon as the flap fell closed. "He is such a dullard!" She flopped dramatically onto the lounge seat. "Can you not join us too, Sir Gunther? That way you can distract us from his agonising conversation."

Gunther's mouth twitched into a smile. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I must keep watch." He turned to Jane. "I will be just outside, as ever."

"I know," said Jane. "Now you had better get out there before they wonder what you are doing in here." She pushed him towards the flap of the tent and he stepped out to find Lord Frederik, the Minstrel and one of the Sellswords watching.

He nodded towards Lord Frederik before beginning to pitch his own small tent next to the entry to the Princess's. He needed to guard the Princess but he also needed to sleep, otherwise he would be entirely useless should she actually need him. He and Jane had made a hasty arrangement where she would wake up and take watch during the early hours of the morning, allowing Gunther to rest. He would stand guard until the rest of the camp went to bed, and then sit watching and waiting in his tent until Jane gave the canvas wall a good thwack from inside the big tent.

Then at last Gunther could climb into his bed and sleep soundly (and, he suspected, snore a little,) until morning.

The Sellswords were practicing again the next evening, and Gunther wondered if the daily display was intended to intimidate him. It had the opposite effect of course, their clear lack of training making their movements messy, although at times a little unpredictable.

"Fine swordsmen, are they not?" Asked Lord Frederik, standing beside him.

"Certainly," lied Gunther.

"They could not compete with a knight such as yourself, I am sure," Lord Frederik continued. "But they will be worth their weight in salt if we are accosted by bandits on the road!"

"Are bandits a common problem in Rocky Mountain Kingdom?" Gunther asked, feigning concern.

"Oh, no not at all! But we cannot be too careful with the Princess, now can we? Besides, We are in Flowerdale at present, Sir Gunther, and who knows what we can expect here, eh?" At which point the Nobleman had the audacity to elbow Gunther in the ribs.

Gunther took a quick, calming breath through his nose. "I am in awe of your preparations for our Princess's comfort and safety, My Lord," he lied again. "But I believe she is waiting for you to join her for dinner?" He prompted.

"Of course, yes!" said Lord Frederik, and Gunther lifted the tent flap for him.

Let Jane deal with him for a while, he thought, settling in for his watch. He continued to analyse the Sellswords' fighting to pass the time.

"We pass into Rocky Mountain today, m'lady," Gunther said softly to Jane as he helped her into the carriage two mornings later.

The Princess bounced on the opposite seat, eager to be off.

Gunther lowered his voice further, pretending Jane's skirt was caught in the carriage door to gain a few moments more with her.

"Be prepared for anything," he warned.

"My bodice is laced loosely," she whispered in his ear, bending down as though to help with her skirt.

Gunther paused his pretend hand motions, looking at her in bewilderment.

"For movement!" She hissed, before sitting up quickly. "Lord Frederik! I apologise for the delay, my skirt got caught."

"No need for apologies, my dear Lady Jane! I trust our noble Sir Gunther has solved your troubles?" Lord Frederik said from atop his belaboured horse.

"He has been most helpful," Jane confirmed.

"Then let us be off!" Commanded Frederik, and Gunther closed the carriage door, his eyes finding Jane's briefly before she was hidden from view and the carriage began moving.

Her bodice is laced loosely, mused Gunther, climbing into the saddle of his horse, colour dusting his cheeks. How . . . Practical.

"She's quite the Lady, eh?" Asked Lord Frederik as Gunther's horse drew up beside his.

"She is," agreed Gunther, still somewhat distracted.

"And a rare beauty, besides," continued the Nobleman.

"Mmm," agreed Gunther, before catching himself. "I mean, I suppose so."

Lord Frederik erupted into laughter. "Too late, Sir Knight! I have found out your secret! The Lady who occupies your thoughts is none other than the Lady riding in my own carriage."

Gunther pinched the bridge of his nose, unsure how to deal with Lord Frederik's clear misunderstanding of the situation. If this rumour spread through the party Jane would kill him.

"I take it you have not confessed your feelings to her?"

"No, my Lord," said Gunther, seeing an escape. "So please, do not tell anyone?"

"Your secret is safe, Sir Gunther," said Lord Frederik, his amusement still clear. "But if you do not make your move soon I think my Minstrel shall beat you to it! He composes a new love song in her honour each day!"

The Nobleman rode off laughing and left Gunther to wallow in humiliation. He glared at the back of the wagon, where he could see the Minstrel plucking at the strings of his lute.

He hated that guy.

They were two days into Rocky Mountain Kingdom, with at least another two ahead before they reached the castle. The bumpy, uphill terrain had slowed their pace even further, so Gunther was far from impressed when Lord Frederik called them all to a halt.

"We must fetch the Princess out here, Sir Gunther," he said, bouncing in his saddle like an excited child. "The view is simply spectacular, it will be her first true glimpse of the Kingdom!"

"Very well," sighed Gunther, noticing that the carriage door had already swung open.

He dismounted quickly to help the Princess climb out. The air was cooler here and she shivered as she stood on the ground.

"If you are too cold . . . ." began Gunther, but she interrupted him quickly.

"Oh, I want to see!" She gasped. "I promise not to linger."

"Very well, Your Majesty," Gunther tried not to sigh. "My Lady," he said to Jane as Lord Frederik stepped forward to take Lavinia's arm. "I am sure you will wish to accompany the Princess and admire the view, too?"

"I can think of nothing more delightful," said Jane, taking his hand.

"I am sure," said Gunther, with a slight smirk.

There was a small opening in the cliff face that allowed a good view over the valleys and hills they had passed through, and the small party of four moved towards it.

The wind gusted loudly as they walked closer to the edge, and Gunther decided it was safe enough to risk another quiet conversation with Jane.

"I do not trust that Minstrel," he told her without preamble.

Jane gave him a sidelong look. "Have you ever liked musicians?"

"I tolerate Jester quite well and that is not the point!" Gunther hissed back. "Just be wary of him, please."

Jane sighed, nodded minutely and then removed her hand, walking quickly over to join Lord Frederik and the Princess.

"What a view, eh, ladies?" Asked Lord Frederik as she joined them.

"It is very nice, my Lord," said Jane politely, while Lavinia clasped her hands, wide-eyed with delight.

"So glad you like it," said Lord Frederik, his voice turning to a sneer. "As you will never see another like it!" He seized the Princess's arm then, a sudden and violent movement, and drew her closer to the edge.

"What are you doing?" Roared Gunther, drawing his sword and stepping towards them, only to be halted by the three Sellswords, whose blades were all pointed at him.

"Calm yourself, Sir Knight!" Mocked Lord Frederik, "Or I might slip and drop your precious Princess." He shook Lavina then and she shrieked in terror. "Just imagine what would happen if she died in Rocky Mountain Kingdom!"

"There would be a war!" Jane gasped.

"You will bring the wrath of a dragon down upon the Castle," warned Gunther.

Lord Frederik turned to him, a deranged grin on his face. "I know!" He laughed. "I even bought an eye witness to make sure of it!"

He pointed his free hand towards the Minstrel, who was peering out of the wagon with a pale face.

"W-what?" Stammered the young bard.

"You will run right back to Kippernium and tell them that Princess Lavinia was murdered in cold blood by her hosts at Greenhill Castle, if you want to live! One of my loyal servants will accompany you and ensure you do, otherwise he will cut your throat and take the message himself, understood?"

The Minstrel swallowed and nodded, staring at the wagon driver who grinned and dragged his finger across his throat.

"Why would you do this?" Asked Jane, trying to edge closer to the Princess.

"For the money," shrugged Lord Frederik. "My benefactors will profit greatly when your two small kingdoms battle each other to exhaustion. And I would stand still if I were you, Lady Jane. You will join your Princess soon enough, although I am sure Sir Gunther will fight valiantly to defend you." He turned towards Gunther then. "By my reckoning a Knight with two swords should be able to take on three hired swords easily," he sneered.

Two swords? Thought Gunther. Of course! Jane's Dragon Sword hung at his back, forgotten in the excitement. He drew it out slowly, glancing at Jane, and then over his shoulder at the hired thugs who were slowly closing in.

"Please! Lord Frederik, allow me just one moment . . . That which I have confided in you, please let me share before my chance is gone forever? It will take only a moment, I swear," he pleaded, hoping against hope . . . .

"Oh, very well," relented Lord Frederik. "It makes no difference to me, you will all be dead in moments."

"Thank you," said Gunther with true gratitude, before turning to Jane. "My Lady Jane, please accept my gift, so ardently given . . . ." He grinned at her then, and a small smile rose on her face in response. "Your sword!"

Gunther tossed the Dragon Sword and it flew straight and true through the air to its home in Jane's hand, and she swung it as she caught it and pointed it at the startled Nobleman's throat.

"My Lord," she said.

It was over quickly, once the Sellswords realised that Lord Frederik wasn't going to be paid so neither were they. They did not hang around to help, either, sheathing their weapons before moving to gather their horses and ride back down the road to Flowerdale.

Gunther watched them go, feeling that if he never saw them again it would be too soon.

"Well done, Sir Gunther," said Jane beside him. "That was some quick thinking."

"Thank you, Lady Jane," Gunther replied with a smirk. "You handle a sword quite well for a noblewoman."

Jane hefted her sword tenderly. "Lady Jane can go jump off a cliff," she said with a snort. "I am Jane Turnkey, Knight Apprentice."

"Good," said Gunther decidedly. "I missed her."

Jane turned to look at him then, startled. "Now there is a thing I never thought to hear you say."

Gunther cleared his throat. "Well, I shall check the prisoners' ropes and then we shall be off," he said, turning away before she could see the colour rising once more in his cheeks.

Jane smiled as she watched him hurry towards the wagon, where Lord Frederik and his two servants were tied up, watched over by a very confused Minstrel.

"I missed you too, Gunther Breech," she admitted quietly. "Come along, Your Majesty,"she said more loudly, guiding the Princess into the carriage. "We shall have quite a story to tell when we arrive at Greenhill Castle!"