She really should have expected this harsh treatment. It had been years since they had last met and he was no longer the man she had remembered. Still, she knew that she couldn't let this deter her. After all, she had left the palace and had evaded all efforts to bring her back. She was no fool. She knew her father and her husband-to-be wanted her back. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to her again and she really didn't want to be alone when that time came. "I am not a simple girl, Cromwell. I have changed and apparently, so have you." She should have known better than to assume he would welcome her with open arms. She had let her feelings for him cloud her judgement and make her do reckless things. "You don't understand about my father. He would never change in the way that he did." Her voice was soft, staring up at him. She was trying her hardest not to give in to her emotions and cry at the harsh reality check delivered to her.<br/><br/>"I refuse to return, Cromwell." She stiffened at the obvious jab, a frown pulling at her lips. "Velatha has not cared for me for a long time. You would know, if you had stayed around, that she had died. She got sick and didn't recover despite our best healer's attempts to cure her." She fell silent, surprised by his admission of why he had ran. "I do not approve of that. That's horrible!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. However, anger spiked at his dismissal.<br/><br/>"You're just going to leave? After all of the time I spent looking for you? You can't even humor me for even a moment?" She frowned at him, stepping back until she turned on her heel, returning to her horse. She jumped up into the saddle, settling there and grabbed the reigns, guiding the horse forward until it was blocking his way. She glared down at him despite the hurt clenching at her heart. It was like being rejected before she could even tell him how she had felt about him. "You're a coward."