"Why are you in my bed Fabian?" His green eyes were twinkling in the sunlight, and he laced his arms tighter around my waist.

"You know Ambrosia you and I are technically married on paper. In fact, it has married us for a very long time." I widened my eye's and struggled in his grip, I knew where this was going and I wanted no part of it.

"No Fabian! Get your disgusting hands off!" He chuckled deeply; it was the type of chuckle that helped send waves of heat and ice down your spine to make you feel alive, but I wanted to cringe away from it.

"What's wrong my little tree nymph? You seem to be squirming quite a lot?" I looked him in his eyes; which were slightly glazed over from his current excitement, and I made sure I was staring death into them.

"If you don't peel your fingers from around my waist right now. The only thing that'll be squirming in this room will be you; in pain, hollering out to your ancestors. Wondering why I; your wife, have cut off all your fingers." I looked down briefly before ruefully staring back at him.

"And I mean all eleven of them."

His mouth dropped, and I was smiling from ear to ear. I climbed out of his hold and excused myself. I felt proud of myself so I gave myself a well-deserved pat on the back. 

             By the time I came out the bathroom; what I now called my spa, I was fully bathed and clothed in a simple pair of grey cable knit leggings and a nice cerulean blue cashmere sweater. I looked down to the soft pillow like black slippers on my feet and purred, they were perfect for the cold winter day's like these.

I felt a slight draft in my room and turned toward the balcony to see the door was cracked open...

Hesitantly, I walked to the door before opening it. Amazingly the scenery was exactly as my dream, down to the two coy who swam circles around each other like they were infatuated by the other's tail.

I turned searching for the door that would lead to the tearoom and it was there.

I walked to the room and opened it coming face to face with one of Fabian's cat like grins.

"How did you find me?" I backed up from him stumbling, he grabbed my arm pulling me back to him before I fell.

"Answer the question little nymph? Just what convinced you to stumble into the garden?" I looked down in his grip avoiding eye contact.

"Well... Y-you left the door open, but then I got curious and started exploring..." He was wearing a smug expression but seemed satisfied with my answer.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" My stomach growled and rumbled in between us making the both of us slightly vibrate. I blushed furiously while Fabian roared with laughter before dragging me toward the dining rooms.

Yes, I said rooms.

Fabian sat me down next to him and I extended my greeting's to my mother- and father-in-law as we walked in. Elaine was smiling a happy smile as she watched us.

"Fabian honey don't be too mad with me; because even though I know what you have planned for her today, I have other plans for her."

Plans?

I looked to Fabian who was frowning. It was almost as if he wanted to be upset with his mother but couldn't be. "What do you mean you have plans? You've known about this for weeks mother." Fabian's normal calm and controlled tone was noticeably agitated.

"But I want to get her ready for the ball and we have to go over her hair arrangements and-"

"No! I told you already she is mine for both Christmas eve and Christmas! I let you drag her around all last week and this week; to show off your little project, but now she is mine!" I stared absolutely shocked at Fabians loss of temper. The man was always so cunning and manipulative I never thought he held any other human emotions.

Elaine made a bored frown, unfazed by her son's obvious anger with her.

"How about I don't care. In fact; how about, I am your mother so you have to do what I say? Ha!" Elaine scoffed and cruel and rueful scoff toward her son before continuing her ultimatum.

"How about I am going to just take her and I dare you to say otherwise, you know what." Elaine turned to her husband. "Sweetie you were just talking about some oversea's thingy. You know the one with the royals that needs to be attended to. Did you not?"

Fabians father looked at his wife and nodded. "See Fabian, it looks like your schedule is not so free anymore. In fact, you should be very busy well through Christmas and at least you'll be back in time for new years." Elaine was smiling a cruel smile and Fabian on the other hand looked slightly ticked off.

"How about we let Ambrosia decide whether she wants to be surrounded by pounds of fabric and stuck up people all day? Or if she wants to go with her fiance who plans to take her on a two-day trip to a hidden destination with lots of fun?" I stared at Fabian who was now staring at me his face smug as if he already knew my thoughts.

"Huh! Oh this will be good, have her choose between dealing with me, or my horny son. Choose wisely dear; not that I take you for the gullible type, you wouldn't want a baby bump before your wedding. Trust me when I say you'll want to fit into your dress and not have to worry about swollen feet, or vomiting at the after party. The cause of that certainly wouldn't be because you had one too many celebratory drinks."

I cringed. "Even if I do go with him, we will not be doing anything but having regular fun." Elaine raised an eyebrow.

"You'll be in a mouth lock with him before you even land at your destination."

I don't usually feel challenged but at this moment it felt like if I did choose Elaine I would be running away from Fabian out of fear of feeling something toward him.

Though I know if I chose Fabian I would have to be on guard all Christmas weekend.

I stared at Fabian who's green eye's were twinkling with unknown thoughts.

I looked to Elaine who began taking an interest in her nails, and then I turned to Thomas who was ignoring all of us and sipping his coffee while immersing himself in his phone.

"Fine, I choose Thomas." It was on whim, but it caught everyone by surprise.

"No! you cannot choose Thomas, he is not even in this equation!" Thomas looked up from his coffee mug.

"I don't see why you can't tag along, so sure why not?" Elaine shrieked.

"Thomas!"

He in turn turned to his wife, and stood while still looking down at her. "Excuse me Ambrosia."

Thomas picked up his wife from her seat in one fluent motion wrapping her legs around his waist while he seductively kissed her; she at first was slapping him, but slowly after she tangled her fingers in his hair messing it up from its neat side comb. Probably two full minutes later Thomas abruptly dropped Elaine back in her seat and nodded.

The bottom half of his face was now stained from Elaine's pink lip balm, but he still spoke.

"Well Ambrosia if you're coming with me I'll tell the maids to pack your bags. Unless you want to go shopping when we arrive at the Tokyo branch?" His voice was husky and tired sounding but I nodded.

"I can pack my own things." My voice was small, and I looked to Elaine who was completely silent and eating her breakfast.

Thomas chuckled.

"I'll go tell the maids, and Fabian since you are not so busy anymore you're coming too." My mouth dropped, and I turned to a smirking Fabian.

"Okay, father." Fabian said while standing leaving his empty plate on the table before walking after Thomas out of the dining room.

"You're stupid!" Elaine was pouting. "Him and his father are one and the same. Where do you think he get's his personality from?!"

I didn't know what to say.

"They are like a pack of wolves. One never leaves the other behind. Meaning if one needs help, the other will provide. So you should have known choosing Thomas would be the same as choosing Fabian."

I sighed accepting my defeat. "At least I'll be back in time for new years."

Elaine had a look of scorn, but made no other attempts to convince me to come with her. Instead, she promptly left me in the dining room alone.

            The drive to the airport was the least of my worries. I watched Fabian from the other side of the limo as he snoozed comfortably in his seat. Charlie whistled a soft tune as he drove, and Thomas sat in-between us at the back of the carriage typing away on his phone.

We lost sight of the grandeur of the city long ago and were flying up the highway. I knew we were close because the wall of the sceptor loomed ahead of us and the usually transparent dome above our heads was taking shape. One could easily spot the ripples and currents of the force field as planes and chipped wildlife entered and exited the border.

How I wish I was a bird... But even wishing that is treason.

"Charlie take the underground road. I have some business at sceptor wall Ares." Thomas hadn't even looked up from his devices.

My pulse quickened, but I tried my best not to let my excitement reach my voice. "We are going to the actual sceptor wall?" 

"Only me Ambrosia. I have strict orders from your Grandfather that you're to stay away from the border as much as possible. After all, we wouldn't want what happened to your parents to happen again."

I was furious, my grandfather had no right. The man couldn't even bare to raise me so instead he let me be an orphan. All the while he felt the need to still pull the strings on my livelihood.

"Father I think her grandfather would understand if you told him I was with her." I turned toward Fabian who was now upright and fully aware though I hadn't even heard him stir let alone move.

"If me and all my guardsmen didn't make a difference on my own grandfathers opinion, what makes you think your mere presence can sway him to say otherwise?" I rose my eyebrow challenging his thought before he could answer though it was clear his composition had returned.

"Maybe because some of those fine print qualifications and requirements on our marriage arrangement little nymph. I doubt your grandfather can deny a man he trained and trusted with the legacy of the Vignette throne, let alone his granddaughter nonetheless." I grit my teeth but said nothing more.

"It's only the little things that matter my little tree nymph." I turned my head to glare at him but the sudden lurch of the carriage distracted me.

I looked out the window, and we were in a tunnel. Lights moved past us quickly at alarming rates.

"Relax little nymph, charlie isn't the one in charge of the robotic arm that is latched to the bottom of the hover." Thomas looked from his devices and laughed at that.

"Go easy on your fiance Fabian; at least while I am here, I don't want to be in the middle of your romantic war." 

The car halted, and I abruptly slid in my seat.

I swear to everything the world is saving the vectors from my wrath.

"We have arrived sir." Charlie called from the driver's seat before coming to open our doors, completely oblivious to our conversations.

The door opened next to me and both Fabian and Thomas looked at me. "Ladies first."

I glared brooding in anger, but I stepped out the carriage and thanked Charlie with the smile he loved to see on my face so much.

"Charlie you're the only one who understands me." Charlie turned red before letting out a hearty laugh while we trailed behind the Vector men.

"I try my best lady Vignette."

             All my previous excitement was dead. We have been sitting in a windowless room for 3 hours! I fiddled with my fingers while Fabian and Thomas were doing lord knows what.

I cannot take this anymore.

I stood from my seat at the table meant for boardroom meetings and walked toward the door. I watched as charlie kindly smiled toward me and promptly blocked my path. "Can a lady not use the restroom?"

Charlie raised his brow but opened the door for me and once it was open I ran.

"Ambrosia!"

I was quicker than a mongoose and swifter than a fox and I was on a mission to look off the edge of the world.

No cry, no mercy, no thing would derive me from my mission. Not even sweet old Charlie's cries would make me turn back.

I dashed around corners in and out of rooms and long hallways, till I knew not only I had I lost Charlie but also my path.

My breath was ragged and my heart beat furiously in my chest but victory wasn't mine till I saw off the edge of the world.

I clutched the wall of the man-made hallway made of cement and steel. I peeked both behind me and at all my sides to make sure I wasn't being followed.

The anxiousness almost killing me; the dire need to keep running was eating away at my mind, but I remained still as the blue stag in my dreams.

I looked at the signs in the hallways, looking for what I needed to see.

Corridor. Auditorium. Elevators!

I needed to relax, one wrong move and I'll be shipped back to charlie and away from the edge of the world.

I stepped out from the shadows and down the steel hall.

"You!" I broke out in a cold sweat as a fully uniformed guard yelled out toward me, and I ran faster.

I knew I was the snake invading upon the mongoose den but all I wanted was freedom.

All I wanted was to look over the edge of the world where I was ruler though here I am again cowering in the face of my people. Afraid of an enemy that I didn't even know the true face of. Running away toward a door that only meant one thing... My freedom.

I smacked into the elevator wall smashing the button praying that it would be quicker than the guard on my heels.

Come on!!! Please!

The loud ding of the elevator came with the crashing of the doors opening and I ran in blindly and searched for the buttons and smashed the door close button along with the highest floor it went to with a fierceness. The guard was slinging a slew of curses as the door slammed in his face and I leaped with joy relishing in my victory.

I did it!

"That was impressive indeed little tree nymph. Now I can see why satyrs have such a problem catching you." I stared wide eyed wild haired and sweaty in the presence of my grinning fiance and the sense of dread that washed over me must have shown.

"I am no buzz kill little nymph." I had several questions, but the elevator dinged to life again and the elevator opened and several guards were blocking the way out. "Though they are I am afraid. Stand down, men."

I stared at Fabian and for the first time in my life I felt genuine happiness toward this man. I held my composure as the guards moved out of my way and one by one as the giants moved my view grew.

It is beautiful...

Trees, water and vast beauty stretched out in either direction. You could still see the ruin of the cities from the evacuations but the overwhelming amount of wildlife and greenery drowned out any imperfection man made creation had on the land before it.

"Times up little nymph. Our flight is in a few minutes." 

I stood at the edge of world and pressed my hand into the barrier that separated me from the danger below and quickly drew it back as it easily sunk through it.

Fabian looked at me with raised eyebrows, but I brushed him off.

"What're you waiting for? Lets go Mr. Vector."

Maybe being a bird is too much after all.