Amy was at her wits end.

What was wrong with her? She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat, and all she did was think. Think about Ian. He used to revolve in her thoughts all the time, and because of that Amy was unable to do anything else.

"Gah!" Amy cried out, jumping from her bed. "What is wrong with me?!" She picked up her pillow, and threw it with full force at the wall before her. The impact was so strong on the already ragged-up pillow that it burst to produce a massive amount of white feathers.

Amy pondered. It couldn't be love…or could it?

Anyway, it doesn't matter, Amy thought, getting up to pick her damaged pillow. A prince like Ian…and a peasant like me…it's out of the question.

A knock on the door interrupted Amy's train of thought.

"Yes?" She asked politely, opening the door of her room. There were two soldiers outside, and a déjà vu feeling rushed through the girl. This was way too much like the time the soldiers had come to collect Dan.

But this time they were there for her, not for her brother.

"Miss Amy Cahill? Queen Isabel…awaits you."

"Your majesty, you wanted to see me?" Amy said, as she walked into Isabel's room, accompanied by the two guards.

"Ah, yes." Isabel said, rising up from her seat. Amy noticed that the room was really dark, without a lit candle in sight. Isabel turned to the soldiers. "You two may leave now." The lady turned to face Amy. "This is between me and Amy." Amy winced at Isabel's sharp tone, but she kept quiet.

"So," Isabel said, as soon as the guards were gone. "You are the one my hopeless son has taken a liking to, huh?" She stared hard at Amy, who was beginning to feel very insecure now.

"I-It's not l-like that." Amy stammered, her hands shaking with rapid intensity. "M-master Ian doesn't f-feel anything f-for me. I s-swear."

"Hm. What about you, Amy?" Isabel enquired, folding her arms. Amy gulped.

"What d-do you mean?" Isabel let out a sigh. She then walked over to Amy, and held Amy's face with a hand, her fingers digging into Amy's cheeks.

"I mean, do you have feelings for Ian?" Isabel's tone had changed from deadly calm to just plain deadly. Amy didn't answer the question, and Isabel let go. "Whatever." She said, turning away from the nervous girl. "It doesn't matter. You may feel whatever you want toward Ian, but he shall only marry into the Starling family. And I'll make sure of that." Amy's ears pricked up, and she looked toward Isabel, alarmed.

"My plan to kill you might have failed at first, but not now. I'm going to give you two chances, peasant." Isabel spat at the poor girl. "Leave now, and never come back, or," Isabel pulled out a dagger from her gown. "Or…I kill you. Right now."

"Don't bother." Amy said, clenching her fists. "I'll go. I'll go from here, and I'll never return." Isabel's deadly expression was exchanged with a surprised one.

"I was not expecting you to give up on Ian so fast." Isabel said, flashing a semi-deadly smile.

"Well," Amy said, her head faced toward to the ground. "I guess you were wrong then." Isabel was taken aback at the sudden calmness in the girl's words, but she didn't show her surprise.

"Goodbye, Amy Cahill. This will hopefully be the last time we ever meet again." And with those words, the queen made her way out the door, and left behind the peasant she so greatly despised.

As soon as Amy was sure that Isabel was gone, she slumped to the floor. Amy no longer had anything left. She couldn't go back to Dan…they were all under the impression that she was dead. She couldn't stay in the palace any longer…

In other words, it was over. Her time with Ian was something she would always cherish. Something….she would always treasure.

And with all those thoughts heavily weighing down her mind, she let it break loose. A tear rolled down Amy's cheek, which was soon followed by another one.

And very soon, Amy was sobbing, the force of her tears so great that her whole body shuddered with the pain.

She would never see Ian again.

It was dawn when Amy set out from the palace. She had left behind a note in Falon's room, and was just about to exit through the front gates, when she stopped herself.

I…I just want to see him one more time.

Amy, by now, had memorized all the twists and turns of the whole palace. She hurriedly took a shortcut to Ian's room.

As she outside it, gazing at the massive ebony doors, Amy started crying again.

No, Amy thought, rubbing away her tears fiercely. I want to make my last memory of Ian a happy one. She slowly slid open the doors of his room, and peeked in through the little space.

He was lying in bed, his raven hair all messed up. His eyes were closed, and he looked so…innocent. Amy smiled at the sight of him in such a vulnerable state.

Goodbye, Ian.

And with that, Amy again closed the door of Ian's room. She was satisfied now.

I love you.

Thanks to all the reviewers! I'm going to reply to a guest one now, since I can't reply to them through messages.

Amian Is Awesome: Thank you for the idea, but as you can see after reading this chapter, I already had something up my sleeve. Thanks for the review and suggestion, though. And for the encouraging words.

-Ghost.