"He bled out. No one found him until the guard who chased after you last night returned." One guard said gently.<br/><br/>"You stabbed him and left him for dead." The one who held her added. There was pain in his voice and anger.<br/><br/>Fitz couldn't stop it. He wanted to. He wanted them to let her go, but his father's word overruled his own. There was nothing he could do and she'd be tried, and it would be unfair and then she she'd be executed. Hung in public.<br/><br/>The guard had family and they would be at her hanging. Fitz couldn't stop it. He couldn't protect her. Half the contingent started back toward the castle with their prisoner. The other half stayed with Fitz. He mounted his horse and followed them back to the castle. The general public would never know that he had started to fall for this woman...this traitor.<br/><br/>Fitz shoved the pain back into a corner of his mind and locked it away putting a mask of indifference on his face. Even though he could see Cinderella's fear and had heard the regret in her voice.