Everything that happened next seemed, in Caroline’s mind, to happen over a rather blurry and painful hour, when it was a simple matter of quick instants.  Her scream echoed louder than ever before across the lands; she would have been unsurprised if someone back in her father’s kingdom had heard it as a distant whisper in the wind.  Bending her foot back against the ground, Caroline rocketed herself forward, diving for the edge with an ironically determined abandon.  Her hand outstretched, her fingers wiggling desperately in the wind, Caroline heard the whole word go silent for a single second save for the terrible sound of her breath catching in her chest.  She felt her brother’s impossibly small form wrap safely into the soft sanctuary of her hand, just as the rocks below slammed into her head and shoulders, painfully, as she landed in the gorge below just as the world snapped back into a normal passage of time.

                Dizzily, Caroline blinked, looking into her nervously sweating hand.  Her brother, looking just over five inches tall, quivered like a mouse in her palm, hugging himself to her thumb, coughing.  But alive.  She breathed a sigh of relief just before shifting her gaze upward to see the same boulder she had thrown out the gorge exit leaning over the edge.  It must have landed much closer to the edge than she had expected.  Peter’s face appeared from the other side, grinning satanically down at her, cackling softly.  Caroline’s head was swimming so much, though, that she couldn’t even find the strength or cognitive power to figure out how to move away.  The shock of hitting the sharp rocks so suddenly, combined with the near loss of her brother’s life, had left her immobilized.  She stared up helplessly at the boulder being tipped closer and closer.

                “You can take your apology, Princess, and bring it right back to wherever it is you… freaks… go when you just can’t carry on any longer.  Have a pleasant journey there…” he said, but was suddenly pulled from view, grunting loudly as he was.  But the boulder was still teetering on the edge.  Caroline, her vision becoming blurrier and blurrier, tried to reason through what was going on, the sharp pain in her head still very much present.  Suddenly though, she found her field of vision filled with the sight of her brother, waving his arms.

                “Come ON, Caroline!  You have to get up!” he yelled, leaning down and tugging upward at the robes directly around her neck as if he could move her.  “Please, please, please get up, Caroline, don’t stay here, the big rock…” he said, pointing.  But she didn’t budge, her mind still returning to normal as the a few pebbles tumbled down the edge like a warning.  “Caroline, get UP!” yelled Phillip authoritatively.  He stepped forward and slapped her cheek as hard as he could.  It was only a minor sensation, but it was enough.

                “Phillip!” cried Caroline, grabbing him up in a gentle fist and stretching her arm out to remove him from harm’s way.  With but an instant left, Caroline rolled off to the side as the boulder landed with a loud smash where her head had been and rolled down into the river.  Bringing him back to her face, Caroline opened her hand up and allowed him to sit in her palm, which was a much easier prospect than yesterday, where he had practically been falling out of her hand.  At this point, he was able to sit quite comfortably, still using her fingers as a back rest.  She stroked her fingers against his shoulder blades, looking him over carefully.  “Phillip, I need you to tell me… does it hurt anywhere?”

                “I’m FINE, Caroline, really… are you okay, though?”

                “Don’t worry about me, just answer me honestly.  Are you hurt?  Do you need help?” she said, softly laying a fingertip on his stomach and shifting it around his torso to feel for injuries.

                “Please, Caroline, I’ll be okay,” he said, gently pushing the massive fingertip off of his body.  “Nothing got me.  You caught me.  Thank you.”

                “No, Phillip.  Thank YOU.”

                “Why?”

                She smiled.  “Don’t you know?  You just saved my life,” she said gently and gratefully.  She pulled him in, and with the utmost care, pressed his face against her plush lips in a soft kiss, tightening her lips ever so slightly against him with suction.  As she pulled back, Phillip stuck out his tongue, feigning disgust, and wiped at his face.

                “Awwww… you’re getting me all messy.”

                She giggled, covering her mouth.  “My apologies, brave sir.  That’s what a princess must do when a knight rescues her.”

                “R-Really?”

                “Of course.  I wouldn’t be doing my duty, neglecting you so!” she said smugly, rocking her hand back and forth to cradle him before pulling her hand back in, playfully.  “But perhaps the first didn’t take quite right…”

                “No!  No!” he laughed, holding out his arms and pushing against her incoming lips with his hands.  She giggled at him, pulling back her face.

                “Well, if you’re quite certain you’ve had your fill, good Sir Phillip, then perhaps it is time we got out of here…” she said, grasping at the side of the cliff for support as she stood up.  As the cliff wasn’t quite as deep here, Caroline was able to leap upward and catch the edge with her arms.  Using one hand and the wrist of the hand grasping Phillip tightly, Caroline was able to drag herself up.  Panting a little from the excitement, she looked curiously in front of her to see Samuel and Peter hanging onto one another’s shoulders, pushing each other, fighting for control.  Breaking contact for a moment, Peter delivered a devastating right hook to Samuel’s temple that sent him reeling.  Using the moment, Peter lunged at him, pinning him to the ground.  Around them now had crowded most of Peter’s men who were cowering in fear still inside the rock formation.  All of them looked up apprehensively at Caroline as she stood up, casting a shadow over all of them, but didn’t retreat.  Only Samuel and Peter didn’t look up or notice her.  Caroline watched with surprise and then fear as Peter began choking Samuel, pinning his limbs down with his thighs.

                “You will BURN in HELL for this betrayal of our people, you filthy, slimy, mangy…” hissed Peter, but before he could finish the sentence, he found himself gripped tightly in the other fist of Caroline.  Cautiously, Caroline placed her brother on her shoulder, who quickly wrapped himself in hair for support, while she studied Peter.  She felt him begin to shake almost immediately.

                “It seems you are not quite as confident when you do not have a child to threaten, sir,” said Caroline, an air of coldness pervading her words.  Even at this sentence, his trembling picked up significantly.

                “Have you anything else to say?  Anything else you… failed to mention, perhaps?” she said, raising her eyebrows.  “Don’t be shy now.  You are among friends here, and I trust your men always share everything with one another.  Don’t you, now?” she said, looking down expectantly at the men.  The soldiers, not wanting to find themselves dangling thirty feet in the air next, all eagerly shouted some variation of affirmation to this question.  “That’s what I thought…” she drawled suspiciously, shifting her grip on Peter.  Instead of holding him in a fist, she pinched her fingers around the back of his rags just below his head, dangling him in the air and allowing his limbs to swing freely in the breeze.  He grabbed upward at them, trying to get a good grip, but found it impossible to escape her clip of muscular flesh.  “Stop struggling with me, Peter, and look at me.”  But he refused.  “Pardon me.  Little man.  Look at me, please, while I am speaking, it is only the polite thing to do when in the presence of a lady.”  He looked up at her, nodding, dropping his hands from her fingers.

                “Yes.”

                “That’s much better.  Now I want you to listen very carefully to me.”

                “W-what is it?”

                “You’re through here.  Your leadership of these people.  You tell me you have no opportunities, but I realize now it’s because you’ve never tried to work with your fellows like you should.  Share your burdens, and you will find solutions.  You have not put this into practice, and for this reason you have driven yourself and your people into the ground.  Let me find out something…” she said, crouching down but still keeping Peter dangled helplessly over the ground.  She made eye contact with another man in rags.  He looked no older than Luke.  “You,” she said, pointing at him.  This of course made him jump back in surprise, but she continued on.  “Please, tell me your name.”

                “J-J-J…” he sputtered, his legs quivering.

                “I won’t hurt you.  Just tell me your name.  I’m going to help you.”

                “J-Jacob…”

                “Thank you.  Tell me, Jacob, has Peter here…” she said, swinging her hand side to side to shake Peter.  “…ever INCLUDED your people in his decision making?  Given them a fair voice?”  Jacob looked ready to speak, but then looked up at Peter, terrified.  Caroline saw this, quickly adding, “He won’t hurt you.  I’ll make sure of it.  You wouldn’t hurt Jacob, would you, Peter?” she asked sweetly.  Peter shook his head vigorously no.  “You see, Jacob?  You are completely safe.”

                “N-No, he doesn’t.”

                “He doesn’t?  Not ever?”

                “Never.”

                “I see…” she said, biting her lip and turning her gaze back to Peter.  “This is why you haven’t been accepted in the kingdom, this is why you didn’t fit in.  Our kingdom is about peace and companionship, about love and equality.  But you show none of these qualities, and yet these men are willing to fight for you.  I see it in someone like Samuel; they don’t wish to help you forever, because they see what they could have if they were willing to stand against YOU,” she said, bringing him so close to her face her hot breath washed over his face, forcing him to close his eyes and cover his face.  Lowering her hand away from her face but still holding Peter at a reasonably dangerous distance above ground by allowing her arm to hang at her side, Caroline looked over the small group of men standing before her as Peter dangled helplessly in her grip, her blond hair whipped dazzlingly over her shoulder in the breeze, shining brightly against the sun behind her.  She gazed kindly at them and smiled.

                “I want all of you to trust me.  Do you still want to follow this man that you have followed so blindly?  This man that has led you to capture a child and nearly kill him for the sake of money?  I know you have families.  Think of your own little ones.  Put yourself there.  You may not be able to do it as simply as I make it sound, but I ask that you at least consider what I mean by all of this.  Follow THIS…” she said, raising her arm back to shoulder height, rippling her fingers over Peter’s rags to shift her grip as she displayed his helpless form.  “…man, or you can follow someone who understands the difficulty of your situation truly and is willing to understand that something new can happen for all of you.  Like your second in command, for instance…” she said, her gaze shifting down toward Samuel, who was lying battered and bloody on the rocky ground.  “And that would be you, wouldn’t it, Samuel?”

                “How did you…” he said questioningly, wiping the blood from his lips.

                “Don’t trouble yourself by thinking on it.  Just know that you have my thanks for what you just did, and you have my acceptance of your apology.  And then tell me: are you ready to lead these people?”

                “I…” mumbled Samuel nervously, returning to his feet.  “I mean…”

                “YES, he is!” roared one man from the lot.  “Samuel could lead us better than Peter ever has.  She’s right, you know.  All of you.  She’s RIGHT!” he called out triumphantly before looking upward at the soft and fair face of the princess.  “I understand, your Highness.  I truly do.”

                “Thank you.  What about the rest of you?  Are you ready to do what you must to protect your families’ futures, or are you going to continue letting this man push you like pawns wherever he wants, acting like puppets at his whims?”  It was silent for only a few more seconds before the group cheered loudly in unison, moving forward to help Samuel to his feet and pat him on his back.  Caroline grinned down at all of them before returning her gaze to Peter.

                “As for you, little one…” she said, squinting a blue eye at him calmly and batting a few eyelashes while holding a cupped palm under his dangling body.  “I sincerely hope that I never again here word of you or your deeds.  But I have a feeling I won’t.  Will I?”

                “N…” he mumbled, getting dizzy.

                “They always taught me to speak clearly and effectively the first time I spoke a word to someone.  I would suggest you try out the same method.”

                “NO,” he groaned, finally defeated, letting his limbs hang loosely without a single other attempt to struggle.

                “I’m glad to hear it,” she said, letting go.  He flopped carelessly downward, landing in her cushiony palm with a soft plop.  Orienting himself frantically, he flattened himself against her hand, fearful of being dropped, actually being forced to hug the plush flesh to ensure he was completely secure as his legs dangled uncomfortably off the end of her fingers.  Caroline laughed.  “You had your people right where you wanted them.  In the palm of your hand.  But now, I hope you know how feels to be in the same position in mine.  And I trust you will never try it again,” she stated, her rosy cheeks lighting up a bit pinker than usual at these words.  “Now leave my sight, please, and never return to it.”  Stooping, Caroline lowered her hand to a position right above the ground, tipping her palm over and allowing the pathetic eight-inch tall form of Peter to flop to the ground.  He didn’t even bother standing up.  “Good-bye, everyone.  Please remember my words to you.  I hope you never forget what you have seen today,” she said, beginning to walk back toward the rock formation to continue her journey towards the Black Mountains.  “And Samuel?”

                “Yes?” he said groggily, rubbing at the back of his head.

                “Thank you again.”

                “It was a pleasure, Princess.”

                With a final nodding bow, Caroline turned to walk away, but turned again at a slight shuffling sound to see each and every man still in a standing position drop to his knees in a respectful bow.  She nodded back to them, giving them permission to stand back up, and they did.  Caroline turned her head to her brother, the lingering fear that Luke was beyond saving still sitting in the back of her mind.  “It is time for us to go, Phillip.”  He smiled and nodded wordlessly as the princess, her little brother once again safely in her possession, marched with newfound confidence towards the ever-closer Black Mountains, leaving the crowd of dumbfounded yet changed men behind.