"So, you have found him?" Gunther questioned with a raised eye brow. He made a gesture to one of his compatriots who dismounted and headed towards their wagon, drawing his sword to check out what, if anything, they possessed.

"Glad that you decided to come back, it makes my job much easier since I no longer have to track you down."

Nell didn't bother answering Gunthir's question as surely his men searching the cart would answer it for her. Instead raised a brow at Gunthir's gloating statement and retorted in a mockly sweet tone. "Well, clearly you need the help seeing as we made it nearly to Gerron and back without you finding us." She left out the part where he'd nearly tripped over them outside Dunshire but it was an affect. She dropped the smile and continued quite coolly. "Now, if you are done gloating, might I request we continue on to the castle. I am eager to have an audience with your Prince."

"You are most fortunate that his highness wishes you unharmed," Gunther returned, his eyes flickering toward Serg as if debating whether or not to do anything to him. He must have forseen Nell creating a scene and envisioning her being injured for he did not act on it. Rather he was interupted by his soldier telling him about the bound man in the back of the wagon.

The soldier searched it, found nothing out of the ordinary and returned with a shake of the head to indicate this.

"Alright, to the castle then," Gunther spoke sternly, glancing that way and spurning his horse into motion. The other soldiers still formed a ring about the wagon as they moved on.

Nell let out a soft sigh of relief when it seemed clear that Gunther wasn't going to hurt Serg. She surely would have done something foolish if he had tried. She could only hope that Serg's luck continue... That both their luck would continue. As the wagon moved onward towards the castle she found a massive amount of dread begin to fill her. She had learned a lot since leaving here a couple of nights ago and it made her concerned that the Sparthian Prince had no intention of keeping his promise to her. Of course, seeing as she ran away he now had a perfect excuse for breaking it... Still, she hoped their present of Wilhelm would abate him. She wasn't so afraid of him raping her anymore but more so that he and his army wouldn't leave. Could the prince really have led his army to war against then for the purpose of revenge alone? It seemed a frivious reason... He could have simply sued them your the right to punish the crinimal Wilhelm and then if her father had denied his suit that might have been an excuse for war but this... She couldn't help but thing that Wilhelm had only been a pawn in Spartha's desire for conquest. They had Geoff and Gerron both under their control now. Would Vek really give them up for a rapist and one spoiled princess?

These thoughts pressed into her head along the trip back to the castle. Sparthian guards stood watch outside it's walls though the gates had been left opened and in little time they made their way into the throne room where Vek was, the crown to the kingdom still upon his head though now he was without the trappings of armor though he still had a sword resting up against the throne to thwart any assassins from Geoff.

"A gift my liege."

Vek rolled his eyes in Gunther's direction, his eyes first falling upon Nell, overlooking Serg's presence for the moment. He stood, grinned, the stood over to her. "Princess ..."

His voice trailed off quiet suddenly when his eyes fell on the bound Wilhelm. "What is this? Ambassador ..." he spoke at last, his voice even but low as he spoke.

Nell couldn't ignore how comfortable Vek looked on his father's throne with the crown of their kingdom on his head. The thought of her father caused her heart to constrict within her chest. Oh, let him still be alive. So much hung in the balance... She would have to be very careful in the next few minutes.

"My gift, Your Highness." Nell stuck in stubbornly before Gunther could answer. She didn't trust that the soldier wouldn't take the credit for both captures if she didn't speak up quickly. "I promised to help you bring the man known as Wilhelm to justice and I have kept my word." She wanted to say that now she only craved to see him keep his but she didn't. Wilhelm had not been captured within the three day time limit so technically keeping his word could be taken to include the forfeit of her body. She did not wish to remind him of this fact.

It had been a good thing that she spoke up and beat Gunther to the punch. He would have taken credit for the capture only to get back at Nell and Serg in whatever way he could. But the truth displayed, Vek walked a little bit closer, eyes exaning Wilhelm.

"Has he been injured?" And without waiting for an answer he back handed Wilhelm with enough force to drop the man, then shot a swift kick into his shoulder to knock the ambassador onto his back. His eyes narrowed as he glared down at the man as if daring him to move, as if daring him to get back up.

His attention was on the rapist before him, indicated by the intensity in his eyes. "Very well, iindeed, princess, it is the finest gift I have received." He kicked the downed man again, who groaned against his make shift gag as he was struck.

"If only I got you something of equal value ..." he kicked Wilhelm again, this time so hard that Nell could hear a cracking sound and Wilhelm moaned, louder than he had before.

Nell frowned slightly at Vek's words. What did he mean "of equal value"? He knew damn well there was only one thing she wanted from him. "I require gifts, Your Highness. My only desire is to end the conflict between our two people. This man is supposedly the only reason you went to war with us. My only hope is that, now that you have the criminal, you will withdraw from my kingdom in peace as you said you would."

"I need no reminding of our arrangement," he was still looking down at Wilhelm contemplating all the nasty things he was planning on doing to him. He slide his gaze cooly towards her. "Were I less than honorable, even with the play of recent events I would be inclined on taking certain liberties ... but I am a man of my word. I only desired this filth."

He looked back to Wilhelm scornfully. "While I must admit I have taken a liking to your nation that was not my aim in coming here. It was only to get at this filth ... this murderer, yes, murderer, even if he did not kill my sister himself there was no doubt that his savagery led to the matter.

"So, the kingdom is yours and your father's for the time being. Now princess, Nell -"

"Nell, Nell," she was shaken awake by the nurse that glanced down at her. "Return to your dorm for the remainder of the day, your spell is a brief one and should pass within the day. Should they return see me, and take these," she handed Nell a small pill container, "take two a day for a week before bed, they'll help you sleep ..."

Nell woke in a haze of confusion and barely registered the nurse's words until she was back out in the hallway outside the infirmary. She stood there for a long moment and tried to remember what she had been doing. She had been in a castle a moment ago, hadn't see? She remembered the vicious look on Prince Vek face as beat Wilhelm... But no, that wasn't real, was it? She had been tired and had gone to the nurse's office to take a nap. That means it had all been a dream. An extremely vivid dream though... She flashed on the memory of Serg thrusting desperately into her from behind. She could still remember the feel of his hands on her body...

Nell brushed with the memory and shook her head. "No way! It was just a dream." It wasn't as though it was the first realistic dream she'd had. It was probably just so much stronger because she was so tired and thus slept heavy. She just need to get more sleep. She glanced down at the pill bottle in her hand uncertainly. "Just take two before bed and they'll help me sleep, huh? I guess every little bit helps..." She headed down the hallway away from the infirmary, determined to take the nurse's advice and take the rest of the day off. She wasn't sure she'd be able to focus on her classes again after all that had just happened. What a weird day...