Raquelle jumped at her mother's voice and she sat up, her hair askew, eyes big and searching for a mother-shaped shadow among the shades and folds of the tent, her heart pounding -- but after a few painful heartbeats it was clear that it was the little mirror in her handbag that was blaring angrily. She sucked in a breath, dove for her handbag, and tore out handkerchiefs and perfumes and dyes before she found the mirror. The princess cleared her throat, patted down her hair, rubbed her eyes, and put on a glowing smile before she turned the mirror -- and her mother's frowning face -- toward her.

"Hello, Mother," she greeted the queen in all respectability. "You're looking particularly gorgeous tonight." It wasn't at all untrue: a scowl had a way of defining the dangerous beauty of Narissa's face. Raquelle did her best to appear innocent and eager to carry out her mother's inevitable command.

---

The Marshal had known this command was coming -- the queen never tolerated surprises, and she never exercised trust. He clenched the mirror in his palm, set his jaw, and decided that he would only make this decision if and when he came to it. Killing Sam was out of the question -- but so was blatant disobedience to the queen.

He pocketed the mirror, laid his hand on his sword, and returned to his post, rigid and stoic. It crossed his mind to simply disregard the warning, but the raven and Raquelle were watching him steadily, judging his worth in the queen's absence. He closed his eyes and let out a breath; the moment -- the [i]very[/i] moment Narissa learned that the Marshal had betrayed her was the moment the kingdom would fall into turmoil.

When he opened his eyes, he realized Sam had gone.

At first, he only walked slowly around the campfire, scanning the ground and the tents. He heard Raquelle's voice, speaking in that way she had only when she spoke to Narissa -- of course, Sam wasn't with her. Maybe she'd gone to relieve herself -- but as time passed and there was still no sign of movement, August's fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword.

Finally, he broke his post and checked the perimeter of the camp, circling wider, peering through the gloom between the trees, quelling a panic that threatened to swell in his throat. He walked faster, primed for a fight. He thought he caught a glimpse of something blue and sparkling -- just before a dwarf leaped in front of him with a blade thrust high to his chest.

"Not so fast, knave!" Alphonse struck a pose, his feathered hat quivering, while the dwarves surrounded the Marshal. "Our dear Sam has only just made her escape from your foul shackles, and you will not pursue her. Lay down your --!" The Marshal yanked his sword out of its sheath, and Alphonse raised his own blade just in time to prevent himself from being beheaded.

The Marshal shoved his foot into Alphonse's chest, sent the dwarf sprawling into the brush, and he spun around to clash swords with Florian and Coralie, who ambushed him like a whirlwind. In a few quick strokes the dwarves were left groaning in the leaves, and the Marshal sprinted through the pitch-dark forest, stumbling over stones and through mud and still water, following the direction where he'd seen that shimmer of blue light. Behind him, he could hear the dwarves giving chase.

There was another blue light -- and another. August tripped and skidded down an incline, hissing in pain, but he stumbled and broke into a run, throwing himself forward with hands against the dark trees.

He'd seen those lights before. A dozen men had disappeared that night.

He broke suddenly into a clearing and skidded to a stop, breathing harsh, his eyes wide and reflecting the blue orbs that floated before him. Gentle music and children's laughter filled his ears, but he chose to ignore it, closed his mind against it ferociously, savagely. Sam was there, and for a moment he was relieved -- until he saw where it was she was standing. His heart stopped.

"[i]Sam![/i]" he called harshly, snarling, and he reached a hand toward her, beckoning her without taking a step closer. Getting caught in this with her would do nothing to help her. "Sam get away from there! Sam! Snap out of it!"