"Now listen here, bloodsucker. Ren and I have nothing to do with this. This was all your fault." Said Dan.

"Me? Who's idea was it to chase the deer for our next meal?" Nate retorted.

"Ours obviously." Admitted Ren. "But it wasn't our idea to get deep into the woods." Ren said.

"My idea? I only suggested that we have a small competition on who catches the deer first to know who's a better hunter!"

"See? Bad idea." Dan pointed out.

"How is that a bad idea?"

"Every competition with us will most likely end in a disaster. You, Nate, of all people should know that."

As the three idiots continued to argue I was busy looking at our map trying to figure where we were. Now I know this is unusual of me trying to be helpful, but hey, when you're bored you just do things - even trying to help.

But of course, you guys would be wondering how on earth did we manage to get ourselves lost now, wouldn't you? Of course. I'll keep it short then starting from the day that Ace left me in the mud to find my way back to the castle. Apparently, news travels fast - and when I say news I meant Ren - because as soon as we got home, Ace's whole family was there including his father, King Klaus - pfft! Santa KLAUS pfft!

Yeah...don't tell the king I made fun of his name.

It was a happy reunion. We had a big feast that night with Ace's brothers hugging him like crazy and Ace almost stabbing them with a butter knife - this is so brutal - if Nora wasn't there sitting on his lap with him feeding her - it was really a cute picture. And the day after that we left but not without bringing some fresh new clothes and stocking up on our food and water supply - of course. And after a few miles away from the kingdom of Tordis the twins saw this deer and thought that it would be a great idea if we could try hunting for our own food. Then Nate here suggested that they make it a competition to see who is the better hunter of them all.

Don't get me wrong they are all good hunters. Especially Ace - Yeah I admit he's pretty good looking back at how he teamed up with Ren to kill that giant snake. But when the three of them started arguing on who's a better killer they spooked the deer making it run off. And so we started chasing. It wouldn't have gotten that far if the three weren't busy trying to trip each other off of their horses. Finally, Ace seemed to have had enough that he took his bow and arrow and hit the deer cleanly in between its eyes. A clean kill. And only when the deer was dead that we noticed that we were already in an unfamiliar part of the forest.

"You know what, brother? I say we kill this vampire slowly. Open up a small wound on his stomach and carefully pull out his insides." Dan said without a trace of disgust in his face.

"I agree." Ren said and pulled out a forked. "How does a multiple hole in the stomach sound to make a cut?"

Dan shook his head at Ren. "Bad idea, brother. Very bad indeed." He said and looked at Ren with a sinister smile. "I like it."

"You two badly need help!" Nate declared before he addressed me. "So, Rose. Any luck on finding out where we are?"

"What?" I asked and looked down on the map on my lap. Hey hold on a minute. Where's my map? I looked at Cloud who was standing beside me while I sat on the ground. She was chewing some sort of ancient looking piece of crappy paper and -

F#$%^&*!

SHE'S EATING THE MAP!

I quickly got up and started pulling the end of the map.

"Let go, girl. Let go!! This has like zero calories and 100% germs on it! Let go! Stop! BAD, CLOUD, BAD!!!" The paper tore, making me stumble back and land on my butt with the small piece of crap - I mean paper - from the map.

"Aw sheez!!" I cursed. Cloud started towards me, sniffed my hair, and ate the remains of the map from my hands - greedy horse.

"Um....." Slowly I turned around to find that all the princes were looking at me expectantly. I let out a nervous laugh as I carefully got up and dusted the back of my dress. "Er...No. But I have good news and bad news."

"The horse ate the map?" Ren suggested.

"Yes!" I pointed at him with approval. "That's the bad news."

"Rose!" They all complained, making me cringed.

"Oh shut up! You're all grown men and you still whine! Know some shame people!" I crossed my arms over my chest.

Nate did a face palm. "Can we at least hear the good news then?"

"Good news yes." I nodded. "I may have found an easier and alternative way to find our way back. Plus, it's eco friendly."

"So the map isn't?"

"Dan? Shut up."

"Yeah shut up so we can hear this alternative."

"Thanks, Nate." I said. "As I was saying. There is another way for us to get out of this hell hole that we fell into."

"And that is?"

"Not that. A who." I said and pointed at a certain prince leaning his back against a tree. "PRINCE Ace."

All eyes then turned to Ace, who was now glaring at me for making him the center of attention. "What?"

"Why him?" Ren asked.

"Well....." I said, since I wasn't so sure of myself why I suggested him either. "Can't you make contact with the forest or animals? You know, make some magic and go all Snow White mode and tell them to lead the way?"

As the words left my mouth that's when everyone started to let the idea sink.

"Yeah."

"It could work."

"PRINCE Ace, can you do it?"

Ace was still glaring at me as he said, "Yes, I can."

"You can?" Ren asked in disbelief. "Why didn't you say something?"

Ace suddenly looked bored and looked the other way as if he didn't hear us.

"Don't tell me...you didn't tell us because you find it troublesome and you enjoy seeing us work for it, right?" I guessed and almost immediately I saw him smirk.

I suddenly became interested in a very pointed rock that I wanted to hurl at him.

"Why you little." Before I knew it I was rolling up my sleeves and marching towards Ace. Almost immediately Nate was behind me and holding me back. "One time, Nate. One time! Let me hit him." I whispered.

"You know I can't let you do that, Rose. As much as I want you to, so calm down now and let's find some other ways to solve this."

"Fine." I said and pulled myself away from Nate while still glaring at Ace. "Here's the plan: we find a river and follow it. It usually leads to a town. At least from what I see in movies."

"What are movies?" Dan wondered out loud.

"Alright!" Nate cheered. "On your horses everyone." He said and started to get on his horse.

"You're not the boss of us!" The twins said at the same time.

"I said move it!"

"Yes sir!"

"And how do you suppose you'll find a river?" Ace asked no one in particular but it was enough to make us all freeze in place.

Suddenly all heads were on me. "...GO STRAIGHT AND DON'T LOOK BACK!" I yelled trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Pfft!" I turned and saw Ace trying to hold in his laughter. "Good luck with that. You'll just end up in circles."

His comment infuriated me more. I swear ever since he came back from his deathbed he has become more meaner and a complete and total D-bag. "Well if you are so sure that we'll just go in circles then why don't you stay here and greet us hello when we drop by?" I challenged him.

He shrugged like my threat of leaving him here doesn't faze him at all. "Sounds good to me."

"Urgh!" I clenched my hands together tightly and started to turn away from him and head for Cloud.

"Rose. Hey, idiotic princess! Stop!" Ace suddenly called out in panic but I ignored him. "Hey, don't move. Stop!"

Without turning back I said, "Oh, so now you want to come? Well though luck because you ain't going anywhere with us." I saw a small movement to my left and turned to see furs behind the bushes. Hey wait a second. Isn't that the wolf spirit from the ruins of Gija? The little brown wolf locked eyes with me before it tilted it's head upward into a silent howl.

While I was busy looking at the wolf I was suddenly pulled back by Ace. "Umf! Hey what's the big idea?"

"Watch where you're going!" He snarled at me and looked at the stray arrow at the tree trunk. "Rogues." He said guessing who made the shot.

As soon as he said did we see figures emerging where the arrow had been shot. "I must say I'm quite impressed that you saw that one coming. Now I'm just embarrassed that our welcome gift was found out so easily." Said a large muscular man with an eye patch. He was tall and his body was covered in scars that are very evident since he was basically shirtless.

"We're leaving." Ace said and pushed me rather harshly behind him.

"Leaving so soon? Without a welcome party? Oh come on!" He said and gave us all a once over. He grinned. "Well what do you know?!" He said in a booming voice as he addressed Nate. "Prince Nathaniel Denver! Young prince from the kingdom of Vertez. Last I heard you were in the kingdom of Thalia fighting for a petty throne! And since you're here, I'm guessing the rest of you are princes as well! Ha! Now we really need to throw you guys a party!" He said and his comrades, I counted at least 12, yelled in agreement.

"Hm? Oh what have we here?" Scary eye patch man said when he saw me behind Ace. "A girl? Are you the princess of Thalia?"

"Actually I am just a plebian, who's passing by and eating dirt." My mouth automatically said.