Antoinette had little trouble getting up the tree, but now her stomach twisted when she looked down. It hadn't seemed quite so far when she was scaling the branches. She felt her fear rise as her brother's voices faded away, replaced by the chirping of birds and a distant hammering.

"Alynor!" she called, trying to peer into the distance for his dark head. "Tristan!"

"And just how did you get up there?"

Antoinette's fear subsided as she looked down at her father. His hair was starting to gray, but his eyes were bright and sparkled as he peered up at her.

"I climbed," she told him, wishing he could fly up and grab her.

"And why can't you climb down then, my little Netty?" he asked, placing down the basket he was holding.

"I'm scared," she said, moving slightly and feeling the fear come back.

"Jump down. Don't be scared, I'll catch you."

"What if you miss?"

"Just close your eyes and jump," he urged.

His voice alone soothed her. It was the one who told her stories every night, the one she could hear vibrate in her mind when she fell asleep, and the one she heard when clamoring in the kitchen woke her up. She trusted it, and him.

Antoinette shakily crouched, the bark scratching against her palm as she leaned heavily against the tree trunk. She saw her father's outstretched arms and took a deep breath, holding her skirt in the other hand. Her mother would be angry that she got so dirty and even ripped a bit of the hem, but she would worry about that later.

Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and jumped down. Her stomach flew upwards, but she knew it wouldn't be long. The wind hit her skin and for one second, she opened her eyes. Her father was gone. Nothing was to be seen except the dull brown dirt that she was now careening toward...

Screaming, she woke up.

Antoinette was still frazzled from her dream when she rushed to Mrs. Mortimer's house. They didn't have any deliveries today but Mrs. Mortimer wanted to take stock of everything they had and plan the next trip to buy spices. She was probably worried about her, since Antoinette had never been late a day in her life.

She pushed past some children fighting with sticks as swords and had just turned a corner when she ran right into Hannah.

She sighed, then groaned, then tried to move around her, but she wasn't having it. Antoinette tried to focus on something around her, like the constant sound of wood hitting each other, and hoped it would keep her calm.

"Watch where you're going, Snooty," Hannah said, wiping the bottom of her dress off. It was probably dirty anyway, considering the dust that pervaded the town.

Antoinette hadn't seen her since the tripping incident, and she was in no mood to deal with her now. She wasn't one to complain about dirty dresses, that's for sure.

"Just leave it, Hannah," she seethed, barely making contact with her wide gaze.

"I do hope your dress wasn't ruined, although it must have been, if you're wearing this," Hannah said, giving her a once over.

"My dress is being cleaned at the castle," Antoinette said, her voice like steel. "The queen requested it herself."

Hannah sneered, hating to be bested.

"Are you rushing to meet your little knight?" she asked, searching for a nerve to strike.

Antoinette actually paused this time, raising her eyes to meet Hannah's brown ones. They were full of well-aimed malice, and Antoinette's morphed to match them.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you go off into the forest yesterday," Hannah said, her smirk growing. "And then I saw a knight follow you in. Is that where you meet? You can try and persuade him all you want, Antoinette, but nothing is going to change that you're lowborn."

Antoinette's attention focused on the way she said "persuade" and she swear she could feel her body temperature rise. With any luck, she'd become a dragon and be able to spit fire all over, but until then, she was stuck with only heated words.

"I am not trying to do anything with any of the knights," Antoinette said, "If you were a decent person maybe you would understand that there are more reasons to talk to someone besides manipulation," Antoinette's tone was cold, but she tried to keep it even as not to betray the emotions threatening to spill over.

"So if not for status, then what?" Hannah asked, tilting her head to the side. "Love?"

Antoinette's cheeks betrayed her now, stained a nice shade of rose, and she pulled her skirts up to leave.

Hannah laughed coldly, her eyes glittering.

"Tell me you don't love him, Antoinette," Hannah said, giving her a fake look of sympathy. "He is not one for marriage, if any of the tales from the taverns are true..."

"You don't know anything about him!" Antoinette found herself defending, then wondered why she was when she had heard rumors of Gwaine as well. "He has more morals than you, that's for certain."

"I know more than you think," Hannah said, "And you're foolish to think he'll change because of someone like you."

"Well then lucky for me I'm not trying to change him," Antoinette said, making her spine as straight as it could be. "And I'm not speaking of love with someone who wants to marry the butcher's son."

Antoinette had seen Sam move closer to them and almost regretted her choice when he spoke up.

"What's she on about?" Sam asked, scratching his dull head.

Hannah's eyes grew wide as she looked over at him.

"Nothing," Hannah said quickly, her own cheeks reddening.

Antoinette pushed around her for good this time, happy that she got out some of the nervous energy she had, but wishing she had maybe done it more gracefully. Something about Hannah made her forget any manners she'd ever learned...

She tried to shake it from her mind when she walked down the street.

As if he showed up when he was being mentioned, Gwaine suddenly appeared at her side, giving her a wry smile. Had he heard? She felt her heart flutter at the thought, but decided it was impossible...they were in a narrow space and she surely would have seen him.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"Are you following me again?" Antoinette asked, her voice coming out a bit sharper than she intended.

"No," Gwaine said, his smile fading. "I was just in town and I was going to ask you if you talked to Tristan."

Immediately feeling guilty and knowing her attitude had stemmed mostly from Hannah, Antoinette tried to soften her expression.

"Oh no," she said, "I fell asleep before he got home. And then he was gone when I woke up. I don't think he'll tell me anyway..."

"Why not?"

"Tristan and Alynor have a silly notion to protect me," Antoinette explained, slowing her pace.

"Why is that silly?" Gwaine asked. "Some would call it chivalrous."

"I'm in favor or chivalry." Antoinette bit her lip. "But keeping things from me...important things about our life...it just makes me feel worse. They don't know that I just worry more when they try to keep secrets."

"Would you like me to talk to him?" Gwaine asked. "He certainly doesn't care enough about me to spare my feelings," he said with a wink.

Antoinette felt her body lighten like strings were pulling her upward. Surely Tristan would tell a fellow knight his story, and then she could see if she had true cause to worry or not.

"That would be perfect!" Antoinette said, smiling up at him. She was now glad that she defended him, for no matter what his pursuits, he was showing to be honorable in most respects.

And then she paused. Why was he being honorable to her? He certainly wasn't reaping a benefit she could see, unless he...expected something of her. Her body inflamed at the thought, and she was very glad that Gwaine had looked away in thought.

"I should give you something as a token of thanks," Antoinette muttered, stopping as they reached Mrs. Mortimer's house.

"Oh yes? And what will that be?" Gwaine asked, stopping in front of her and giving her a grin that made her heart forget to work.

"Dessert, perhaps?"

"Well that's not normally the way women thank me for something..."

"Gwaine!" Antoinette's eyes grew wide and she crossed her arms. Maybe she was wrong to defend him after all...

"I'm joking!" Gwaine said, laughing at her expression. "Well, not entirely. But mostly it was just to see your face," he said, reaching a hand to touch her red-hot cheek.

Antoinette thought it was impossible to feel such a mix of emotions at once. Heat, embarrassment, anxiety, and excitement flooded her veins. She ducked her head and Gwaine dropped his hand, but his face still held the ghost of a laugh.

"I'm not helping what that horrible girl said about me, am I?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

So he had heard.

Antoinette bit her lip and looked up at him. He looked almost vulnerable, despite joking just a moment before.

"Hannah wouldn't know a good man if he knocked her in the head," Antoinette persisted. "And she certainly doesn't know anything about you. I wouldn't worry what she thinks."

"And what do you think?"

Antoinette's swirl of feelings had dulled to a sort of ache, one that pulled in her chest. She felt her breathing quicken, and hoped that her words wouldn't betray anything her mind wasn't quite sure of yet.

"Antoinette! I was starting to think you...oh hello, who's this?"

Antoinette watched Gwaine shake from his seriousness and turn to Mrs. Mortimer. She'd never been unhappy to see the woman before until now. She tried to calm her nerves and shaking hands because if anyone would see through Antoinette, it would be her.

She vaguely heard Gwaine introducing himself, but she was too busy studying her feet to notice.

"It was nice to meet you, but I have to get to training," Gwaine said, nodding at Mrs. Mortimer before turning to Antoinette. "I'll talk to you soon?"

"Yes," Antoinette said, her body so disconnected from her voice that she was surprised she managed to say anything at all.

"Good. Dessert, I believe, is in my future," he said, nodding at her too before walking back toward the castle.

Mrs. Mortimer was giving her a look when she walked in the door, one that she very pointedly made sure to ignore.

So this faded into oblivion for a while, and then I had four reviews within a few days...if that was a conspiracy to get me to update, it worked! Thank you so much to everyone who reads this!