FOUND

That Was So Not The Main Focus

Malia did not get a second of sleep in the dark, smelly hole that the King had brought to them. The other men had watched her carefully, some with mean scowls and others with lustful smirks. Luc stayed close, which made her heart happy, but as happy as she was to be near him, she did not like the way everyone looked at her like she was burden, a pathetic girl who could not stand alone and take care of herself. She watches his sleeping face and moves his hair to the side so that she can see his face. A smile appears on her lips and she sighs.

"What are you doing up Princess?" Rask asks her in a thick, sleepy voice.

She holds her index finger to her lips, shushing him. He nods and follows her as she rises from the group and walks to a dimly lit area, away from all of the sleeping men.

"Couldn't sleep?" He rubs his eyes as he looks at me through his straight brown hair.

"No." I tell him. "I do not know how any of you can sleep. We should have left last night."

"That would not have been wise Mal and you know it. You're just restless."

"I know." She whispers.

"How is he?" Rask asks, referring to Luc.

"He is doing as good as one would assume." She tells him. "The loss of his father was rough, but he is doing much better."

"I believe he will be just fine. This will help him to forget all about it."

"Yes, I agree. He needs a distraction." She nods.

"You could always distract him." He winks. She shoves him hard in the chest. He laughs at her deep red cheeks and immediate reaction. "Alright fine, I take it back."

"Thank you."

"But we all know you two have." He tells her. "Tent walls aren't sound proof, Princess."

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaims, her cheeks deepening in color. She starts to giggle, out of embarrassment or awkwardness, and he joins her.

"What's so funny?" Peter asks from the darkness. He approaches the two of them with a straight face.

"Nothing." Malia tells him before Raskanoff has the chance to open his mouth any further and share.

"Why don't you two wake the rest of your crew. Everyone else is up and ready to go, except for your branch of misfits." He says the last part under his breath, convinced that they did not hear him.

"I'll just go wake the rest of the misfits then. We should be ready within five minutes." She curtsies and gives him a fake smile.

He stares at her, appalled by her manners, and watches as she kicks the boots of her sleeping friends. The lot of them are standing ready in front of Peter in four minutes. Malia bows and grins. "At your service Sir." She emphasizes the sir part, while grinning at the bald headed man.

"Smart-ass." He mumbles, shakes his head, and leaves to start walking down the hall. The entire group of men follow closely behind him, two at a time. They reach the front of the castle where King Maurice stands with his beautiful wife. Malia stares at her in awe. Never has she a woman look so regal, graceful, kind-hearted, and powerful in her life. The Queen makes eye contact with her, and Malia watches as Queen Magdalena's mouth drops and her eyes stay latched onto Malia's. Peter stops the troop in front of the royal family. He bows before them. "Your highness."

The Queen stood and stared at the brown eyed girl in disbelief. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Her husband rushed to her side, wrapping his arm around her. "What has happened? Maggie what is wrong my love?"

The Queen made no sound as she sobbed, she only raised her eyes to look at the young girl before her and she smiled through her tears. Malia tilted her head to the side as a tear fell from her eye. She wanted to reach out to the crying Queen and embrace her, but she thought better of it and stayed in line with her men.

"Off with you." King Maurice shouted to Peter, while trying to console his wife. "Bring back my daughter. Do not come back without her."

Peter shakes his head once and hollers to the group. "Let us be off."

A loud war cry erupts as they set off, marching across the bridge and out the gates. Silence is among them for most of the journey. Malia looks ahead of her to see the twins playing a game of rock, paper, scissors while Elijah marches on, looking only in front of him. Declan is explaining something to Luc, that Luc is only pretending to listen to, Raskanoff walks beside her as does Critter. He yawns and moves his neck around.

"A little stiff there buddy?" Rask asks in a teasing tone.

"Declan's stomach is not as comfortable as it looks." He counters. A laugh escapes Malia's lips and hundreds of eyes turn to look at where the beautiful sound came from.

She raises her hands to surrender. "Sorry." She apologizes. "Will not happen again."

A couple of them make small comments, too far away for her to hear, and others chuckle at her sarcasm. She grins at those who laugh, at least someone gets her jokes.

"How much farther until we are in Gralis?" Critter whines.

"Not much further, and if you're a good boy the rest of the way, we might get you a lollipop." Rask taunts.

"Very funny." Critter grumbles.

"So what exactly is going to happen when we get there?" Malia asks. The plan, or lack there of has been bothering her for some time. "Are we just going to waltz in there, ask nicely for the lost princess and when they reject our request, start slashing our way through the kingdom? Where even is the princess? Do we even know what she looks like?"

"Of course not." Rask offers her. "She was taken when she was three, how the hell would we know what she looks like?"

"That was so not the main focus."

"I don't know Mal. And if I am being honest, I don't even think big man up there knows." He replies honestly.

"I do not trust him." Malia shakes her head. She scowls at the back of Peters bald head. "His lack of awareness is going to get us killed."

"What is making my beautiful girl scrunch her face up so much?" Luc asks as he looks back at her. He looks truly concerned, he slows his pace so that Malia, Rask and Critter catch up to him. "Mal what is it?"

"I do not trust him." She nods her head at Peter.

"Me either." He says. He kisses her cheek and grabs her free hand. "All will be okay my love. Don't you worry."

"That is the thing." She looks at her friends, all of them, the guys she has sworn to protect and trusted with her own life. The guys whom she cares for with all her heart. The seven men she could not bear to lose. "I do worry."