Don't Test Me

A sharp hiss escaped his lips as her nails broke his skin "That's no way to treat me," he smirked maniacally pulling her closer as his lips pressed against hers, his lips hungry like those of a starved beast. He grabbed her hand before she could slap him, trying to pull away. "I told you, I've always loved you."

"Your repulsive," the ballroom seemed to close in around her, as a faint buzz filled her head almost drowning out the violins entirely.

Meanwhile Hunter and Kylo had managed to sneak past the guards to the dungeons. "Who are you?"

"We're friends of Diana," Hunter explained as Kylo carefully broke the lock on the cell door.

"I don't believe you," said an imposing voice which clearly belonged to someone full of a knowing confidence one forged over many years. Her simple emerald gown tattered along the rims.

"She said to show you this," Hunter added as Kylo unlocked the passage.

"Very well, I suppose Diana will be joining us later, follow me," she skilfully led them through the passage the door sliding shut behind them.

"How do you know these tunnels so well?" Kylo seemed sceptic as he tripped over a cracked rock, Lady Lux' long raven hair tangled at her nape in a loose bun.

"It's a very long story, now hurry they'll notice I'm gone sooner or later. After all they're incompetent not blind."

In the ballroom Diana was still trying to escape the princes grasp when she noticed two familiar faces, even with their mask the rigidness of their backs and uneasy wandering of their eyes as though they were waiting to be attacked at any moment told her exactly who they were.

"You could stay here, leave all that silly nonsense behind and we'll take you back as long as you do what we say that is, you'll be all mine." Blake drooled his hair falling across his eyes as he spun her, Dianas hand clasped her pin pulling it out of her hair in one swift movement, causing it to ripple down her back.

"I will never be yours," and with that she ran the hairpin deep into his side and in that moment his grip loosened and she freed herself taking her hairpin with her she ran towards the two men grabbing their forearms. "Come with me now!"

"DIANA!!! GET BACK HERE!!!" With the roar of commotion they escaped the ballroom not stopping before they were safely in the confines of one of the pitch black tunnels.

"What are you doing here Diana? You were finally free." Lord Lux exclaimed his son trailing close behind.

"You should know by now I'll never be free not as long as they sit atop the throne."

They walked in silence from there, cobwebs threatening to adorn they're hair as rats scurried past their feet, jagged rocks catching on their clothes. The moon hung high when they crossed the fresh hold embracing the fresh air as the reunited family ran in tears to each other. "We have to go."

No time was wasted as they raced through the dense thicket of forests birds fluttering by "Where will we go from here?" Lord Lux asked.

"Nobilis," Dianas reply was blunt and left no room for questioning but it seem'd as though Noah was fully prepared to fight against this plan.

"Are you crazy?" he exclaimed "They're allies to your parents, none of us will be safe there, it's a death trap!"

"The king and queen of Nobilis know the truth about Malum they're just playing along for now," Hunter reassured them "we should ride through the night they'll be hunting us down."

Their words were like a buzz in the back of Dianas mind as the world seemed to spin like a swirling tornado, her fingers were stiff from the whip of the harsh wind as she clung to the rains they were the only thing keeping her from toppling over. The ride seemed never ending as the sun rose like a beacon the castle spires coming into site.

"We're almost there," Kylo beamed as they galloped through the town and up along the winding dirt path, sleek with wet mud. As they galloped into the courtyard a crying Hollie ran out the castle jumping into her family's loving embrace.

"DIANA!! What the hell were you thinking?!" Alex yelled as they dismounted everyone flinched at his tone so full of anger and authority that it cracked like a whip through the air.

"Don't blame her it was all our idea," Hunter cut in looking as guilty as a child under Alex's withering gaze.

"I already know all about your plan, tell me did you even consider what state Diana was in?!"

"She would've gone with or without us! We thought it'd be better for everyone if we went too at least then she wouldn't be on her own surrounded by enemies." Kylo cut in as their voices rose.

"Enough!" Dianas voice was faint but held an over bearing weight "I need no one's protection and I chose to go, they didn't force me to, so you can all stop yelling already, now if you'll excuse me." Everyone watched as she walked past them and down the halls her steps slow.

"Diana!" Alex called as he came running after her.

"If you're here to scold me-"

"No I'm not," a blush crept up his cheeks "and don't even try to say you're alright because that is clearly a lie." He stepped forward brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ears before scooping her up in a single swift gesture.

"Alexander! Put me down right now!"

"Why? so you can stumble along back to your room? I don't think so."

Without a word more of protest Diana curled up in his arms. "Why were you so angry?"

"...I know you're not used to people worrying about you and I know you may hate it but like it or not I worry and care about you and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, I was angry because I was scared that something would happen to you. It seems I was right to be."

A pitiful laugh escaped her lips "You can't care for someone you barely no."

"Can't I?" his voice held a daring challenge "You fear so much yet act so brave, your heart is surrounded by walls and I won't claim to know or understand you but that can't stop me from caring about you."

A soft silence fell between them as she was both to weak and too shocked to respond as he carried her silently towards her room. Yet she could feel the guilt clawing away at her.