As they sat in the Eriel's barracks, John ate his bowl of fruit and tried not to look at Gwen. He hid his expression when he heard she was a princess and a priestess. He watched the guards standing at attention at the far corners of the room. The soldiers did not look at them, but John noticed their weapons were close at hand. Brett chattered with Johan in the far corner about his tales of being a Lorn aristocrat and a knight.

"John," Gwen communicated in his head by telepathy. "I am sorry. I should have told you. Do not be mad at me."

He did not want to hear any excuses.

Marla said, "Garret since we delivered Gwen to her people we are finish with our mission." She looked at him instead of Garret.

Garret said, "Yes, but we should deliver Gwen to the King. We need to talk about becoming allies."

Marla sulked in her chair. John smiled. He needed to know more about the Eriels and find out about his mother.

Gwen said in his head. "John, I will introduce you to my father. But I need to warn you. He is different."

"What do you mean?"

"He might not want to see me."

"What is wrong? I can sense there is more than you are telling me."

Johan said, "Princess, I have a chariot and an honor guard waiting for you outside."

"Thank you Johan. We shall be leaving now." Gwen stood and walked outside. John was not finished with his food, but he followed her outside. A green and black chariot was in front of the barracks. It had glittery sparkles along the sides and had four large horses attached to it. The driver was dressed in dark green leather armor. He held the door open for Gwen to step inside. She nodded for him.

Johan said, "The chariot is only for the princess."

Gwen ignored him and said, "John you will ride with me."

She stepped inside and nodded to the driver. She seemed different now that she was here. She held her head higher and move more gracefully. The royal cart started to move. John sat across from her, having his back against the front where the driver perched. John stared out the window. His friends was on horseback following them.

"What is all this?" he said. He turned toward her and was surprised to see her crying.

"I had to leave. I needed to find out what is wrong with my dad."

"Are you sure he is different?"

"My dad change ever since my mom died."

"He might be grieving. My dad also change, when my mom died."

"No, he is different. I went to find the dark Mage. I think he was the cause. I went to the kingdom of Lorn to kill him." Tears was streaming from her eyes.

He sat next to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. She stared at him with her golden emerald pupils. He said, "I will be with you. Do not be afraid."

They rode in silence the rest is the afternoon. John held Gwen. She stayed in his arms. From outside, Marla moved closer on her horse and peer inside. He waved to her, but her eyes flared and moved away.

* * *

The cart was comfortable with dark red leather seats. A cool breeze flowed through the windows. He dozed for most of the day. The cart came to a stop. Gwen squirmed out of his embrace. John awoke and stretched his arms. Voices was heard. He saw a wall, and several Eriel soldiers standing outside.

"What are these humans doing here?"

The driver of the cart said, "It is at the request from her majesty, the Princess Gwendolyn."

Voices rose. He was not sure what else was said. John followed Gwen out of the chariot. A group of soldiers eyed his friends with suspicion. When Gwen stepped out, the soldiers stopped arguing with the driver.

She said, "That's enough."

The men kneeled. "Sorry princess."

She raised her hand. The guards stood.

Gwen said, "These are my guests and should be treated with respect. Let us inside."

"Princess, I need to contact the general."

"No, you do not." She turned to the driver. "Go forward." She stepped inside the cart. John was shocked at the exchanged not because they would not let them into the city, but how Gwen acted. He moved next to her. The carriage move forward before he sat. He fell on Gwen. She smiled.

"What just happened?" he said.

"They were being stubborn. They don't know I'm here."

Outside, he heard people cheering. He looked out to windows as on-lookers screamed and craned their necks to scan inside the cart. Gwen waved to them. She looked happy. She named several people and kept on waving. He liked her this way. She was not sullen as before and like the sound of her laughter. The chariot turned up a path with tall buildings. The Eriel people stood on the streets were attired in bright colors of all the shades of the rainbow. It jarred his eyes.

He heard the wheels, and horse's hooves clatter against the smooth cobblestone ground. On the street was glowing light spheres attached to thin long poles. Everything was in a swirled patterned.

An edifice much bigger than his father's castle stood up the road. The castle had walls made of silver blocks, which sparkled in the light. Red roof towers sat on every corner of the keep. The carriage slowed by the guard house. The gate opened with a creak and boom. More cheers came from the soldiers inside.

"Princess, princess" the Eriels chanted.

The carriage moved again with a jerk.

John commented. "Your people really love you."

"Yes." She waved to the soldiers.

"Does anybody else realized the king is different?"

"No."

"You never explained why you think he has changed."

The carriage door opened. The driver placed his hand out to help the princess move out of the cart. John moved next. Two rows of Eriel soldiers stood at attention creating a walkway with led to the main entrance. John looked for his friends, but he could not see them. Gwen grabbed his arm, and they walked into the castle together.

The large circular door opened. Two servants waited for them. "Your highness."

She nodded. As he stepped through the threshold, two guards grabbed him and pulled him away. "Gwen!" He saw her being ushered away by two other guards. He summoned his magic, but a blunt object hit him in his head and he lost consciousness. The last thing he heard before sweet darkness wrap around his eye was laughter.

* * *

"Wake up!"

He opened his eyes. His head pounded with incessant knocking. He touched his head and felt a large lump. He was lying on a cot. He turned and saw steel bars. And through the prison, he saw Marla looking at him in the other jail cell.

He said. "What happened?"

"The Eriel guards arrested us."

"Where's Gwen?"

"I'm not sure."

"Is Garret and Brett here?"

"Yes, we are both here."

John stood on unsteady legs and peered out. Garret and Brett were in the other cells. Garret stood with his arms out of the bars resting his forearms.

Brett sat in the far corner staring back at him. "You better tell them or I will. We are trapped here, and the Eriels do not like humans. Something is happening, and we should find out."

Marla said, "John what did you do?"

"Does it matter now?" Garret said.

He said. "Ok, I want to be honest with both of you."

Garret said, "John?"

"I'm sorry Garret and Marla. This whole mission was all false. I created the documents and forge my Dad's seal."

"Why would you do this?" Garret said.

"I wanted to meet my mom's people. I wanted to know about my heritage."

Marla said, "You also did this because Gwen is pretty."

"Prince Brett," Garret said, "you knew about all this, and you let John take us here. We almost died several times."

John sat because room was spinning.

Marla said, "You should have just asked."

"Would you had agreed. I know what you guys think of me. I always get into trouble."

Garret said, "You are selfish. You do not care about what you do." He moved away and sat in his cot. John wanted to say something else, but he stayed silent. His friends were right. He should have asked them. He looked out his cell. There was no way to escape from here, and had nobody that could can help him of this tough spot. He pounded the wall.

Marla said, "John, I had a feeling you were lying to us. You were not the only one who was lied to. Gwen has a lot to explain."

John lay in his cot and did not say a word.