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Part Three

Carmea opened her eyes, almost blinded by the light that now shone down on her compared to the tree coverage that had shielded her from the sun moments before. She was surprised at the sudden change of scenery, and even more surprised when a head appeared right in front of hers. She let out a strangled yell before she was pulled out, expecting to see those soulless creatures in front of her again. She winced, waiting for them to hurt her, but when nothing happened, she opened her eyes and looked around from where she now sat on the edge of the well.

"What were you doing in there?" A voice asked from beside her, and the girl jumped again before looking at the man in front of her. She almost gasped at his face, already seeing the similarities between the two. His nose was slightly off centre, his eyes a dark blue and his hair starting with a very dark brown, all of which resembled Carmea. He stood tall in front of her, and it was only then when he saw a man smiling down at her from over his shoulder. "Stolas," He scolded, walking around him and kneeling in front of her, Carmea scurrying away, "You're scaring her." The other man, Stolas, snorted with a shake of his shoulder length her before also kneeling in front of her.

"Are you ok?" The friendlier of the two asked, and Carmea tilted her head. "Why?" She responded, and the man in front of her frowned slightly, "Because, we just found you, practically struggling to escape from the golden well. Did you fall in?" He continued, and Carmea nodded. "Yes, I did, but why do you care enough to ask?" Her voice was very posh, as though she had been raised royal, and Stolas definitely knew the tone of voice of someone who thought they were nothing in the world.

"Why shouldn't we care?" He replied, his husband looking towards him before giving a small smile and then turning back to Carmea. She stared at the for a minute, her dark blue eyes cutting right through the pair before she finally graced them with a graceful smile, one of forced ease and elegance. "I am Carmea, Princess of the human lands." At the name, Stolas froze, his partner putting a hand on his knee. He knew exactly what that name meant to him. "Well, Princess, I am Aramis, and this is Stolas, my partner." Carmea blinked slowly as she stared at the two.

"You are allowed same sex couples here?" She asked, and Aramis nodded, "Of course, love is love, no matter who it's with." He replied before standing, Stolas rising stiffly beside him. Aramis held out a hand to the girl, which she hesitantly took. "We'll take you back to the palace and get you cleaned." Stolas told her, his face of cool indifference, making his partner nudge him in the ribs harshly, giving him a look. "Did you say Princess of the human lands?" Aramis asked, her arm on top of his as he guided Carmea towards the palace, Stolas' hand in his other.

"Yes, however I remember a time before that. It was of a nicer land, much like this." She replied, and Aramis nodded, looking over at her. "I noticed your ears are shaped like ours. I thought you were lying to us at first." He replied, and she gave him a confused look, automatically reaching up to touch her ears. "My ears?" She replied, and Stolas nodded back at her. "They're pointed." He stated, and she felt the tips, which were indeed pointed. "But they were round when I last checked. Besides, it's not possible. My mother and father are human." She replied, looking down as she talked about them. "You must have been born here then." Stolas replied, not really bothering to look at her as they made it into the palace, most of the Lords and Ladies stopping and staring at the Princes, who escorted a rather unusually fashioned Princess.

Just as Carmea was about to deny her past further, the doors to the Throne room opened, the King and Queen stepping out, arm in arm. "Stolas, my son." The King greeted before sending a curt nod towards Aramis, who gave him a smile and a nod. "Father. Mother." Stolas greeted, smiling at them before Amaris brought Carmea forwards and Stolas began speaking again, "This is Princess Carmea." His parents also froze at the name as they began to look the bare-footed Princess in front of them. "She's from the human lands, and is human. However, her ears..." The Prince trailed off as Carmea lifted her hair, showing the King and Queen her ears.

The Royal couple shared a look before the Queen extended an arm to Carmea. "Would you come with us, dear? Me and my husband would like to see something." The Queen asked, and despite her fear of the King and Queen from her own lands, Carmea was soothed at the voice, and put her arm in the Queen's. Amaris let go of the Princess' arm, but as he did so, a flash of panic shot through her. "Are you not coming with us?" She asked, looking between the two Princes, but they looked towards the King and Queen, who both nodded.

"Of course. It's simply impolite to block the whole corridor." Aramis smiled, and Carmea nodded back at him with a smile before walking ahead with the Queen, the three men waiting behind. "What are we checking?" Carmea asked the Queen, who smiled somewhat sadly. "My long lost daughter, she was taken when she was only five. She had a birth mark on the back of her neck, right at the base. Her name was Carmea. We wanted to check, and we didn't feel it was appropriate to see whilst we were still in public." She explained, her voice quiet as they walked towards the Royal family's private chamber. "Oh." Was all Carmea could bring herself to say as the Queen held the door open for her.