Prologue: Once Upon A Time…

oX~Xo

She stared up at the moon, sucking in a panicked breath. It wouldn't be long now; the sun had sunk below the horizon hours ago, and she knew it had to be close to midnight.

Alice absentmindedly fingered the gold woven pattern on her gown as she bit her lip and stared into the darkness. She stood on the back patio overlooking the gardens, and behind that, the meadow where she and Rosalie had played so many years ago. Oh how it felt like so many years ago…

Taking a deep breath, she blew out her candle and quickly made her way down the stone stairs to the gardens. There would be no turning back now. Her breath came out in small puffs of white clouds as she made her way down to the path towards the rose gardens where they always met. She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders as the chilly night air nipped at her skin. Would he be here? Of course, her mind chided her. Jasper would never let her down.

Prince charming would never let her down.

The moon shone brightly that night, allowing her to move quickly through the gravel paths that wove through the neatly trimmed shrubs and endless array of flowers. Normally she would stop and admire the way the flowers seemed to glow in a translucent way in the moonlight; however, tonight she was in a hurry. She knew she was running out of time, and quickly. Alice picked up the hem of her gown, letting her feet move faster. She had to get to him, and soon. His messenger had warned her that he wouldn't have much time, and she was taking no chances with this. Tonight might be their only chance. Winding through the garden, she finally found the old oak with the low hanging branches that they had dubbed 'theirs'. So many times they had met there behind the privacy of the low hanging boughs to share a laugh or steal a kiss.

But none of that mattered now.

Alice slid to a halt on the dewy grass, her slippers sliding a bit in the dampness. Leaning against the tree, she tried her best to catch her breath as she waited for him. Looking around, her eyes strained to see any sign of him in the dim light. They were running out of time.

"Where are you?" she asked into the silent night. Alice knew she wouldn't be able to keep her emotions together long; her bottom lip was already beginning to quiver.

The crickets chirped around her in the still night, oblivious to the inevitable peril that surrounded her. Her breath sped up as she tried to think of ways to diffuse the explosive situation with her hot-headed father, the king. She would do anything to protect Jasper, if that's what it would come to.

Then, like a silent breeze, she felt him. Whirling around, her gown spinning at her feet, she gasped when she saw him. He seemed to appear out of the darkness, his golden hair shining in the muted moonlight.

He swiftly moved up to her, wasting no time to gather his tiny princess in his arms. Jasper held her tightly against his chest, cradling her head under his chin. What he would give to stay like this forever…but that was all a distant dream now. He breathed in her scent, marveling at the way she felt in his arms. How could something so erroneous feel so true?

She couldn't contain her terror any longer. "Jasper, what are we going to do? What's going to happen? When you sent the messenger for me and you didn't come yourself, I knew something was wrong! " she trilled, grasping the front of his shirt in her hands. She gripped the material so hard that her knuckles began to show white.

"Your father," he gasped into her long brown locks. "He's coming! He knows!"

Alice gasped, pulling away to look at him. "What?" She asked, "How could he?"

"That's not important now. What's important is that you know that I love you," he said urgently, shakily picking up her small hands in his. She could feel his warm skin trembling in hers, and her heart began to race as she realized he was as panicked as she was. Jasper never panicked; he was the epitome of calm, cool, collected. Nothing ever rattled her Jasper, but tonight he looked tense and frightened. Her hazel eyes were wide, questioning his words.

"Jasper…"

"You mustn't talk now. I must go. The King and his guards are on their way, but I couldn't leave you without telling you that one last time."

"But-"

"I…I was stupid to try to win a princess. I could lose my life for this or worse; you could be punished…I should have never even tried…"

"Don't say things like that," She insisted, stepping closer to him. She breathed in his masculine scent as she grasped his cheeks in her small hands. "It was all worth it. It will all be worth it, Jasper. This isn't the end."

"No, Alice. He told me to stay away, and I should have listened."

"You're lying," she said firmly, pressing her forehead against his. She raised her hands up to brush his honeyed locks out of his eyes, trying to soothe him. Alice knew that her own trembling hands were probably not making him feel any better, but she had to try. She knew that her father knowing about them was not good for either one of them. His hands fell to her small waist, his fingers gripping her sides as he fought with himself to leave his princess behind.

He sighed in defeat. "You're right – as always. I would do it all over again," he said softly, lowering his lips to press them against hers. Alice felt her body quiver in his arms; yearning for more of the warmth that his mouth and body gave her. The power she willingly gave Jasper over her was irrevocable and earth-moving. She would never be able to have enough of him. She pressed her wanting lips more firmly against his, savoring the taste of him and never wanting to let him go. After a few more moments, he broke their kiss to lean his forehead against hers again.

"I would do it all over for you, Alice….You'll always be my Juliet," he said sadly, holding her chin in his fingers. She looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat.

Suddenly, they could hear the faint sound of horse hooves hitting the gravel road leading up to the front of the castle. Her heart almost beat itself out of her chest as they both whirled around, listening.

"They're coming," he breathed, his eyes wide. "Your father…"

"Jasper, please don't go," she gasped. Tears had formed in her eyes, and Alice unsuccessfully tried to blink them back. They began to stream down her face and she choked as she let them flow without restraint. "You're everything to me," she said in a whisper, her voice cracking.

She watched as Jasper's breath caught in his throat. He swallowed hard, his green eyes shining. "I love you, my Alice," he said resolutely. "Nothing shall ever change that."

oX~Xo

Confused? It's okay, it's just the prologue : )

BIG THANK YOU to mama23keiki for beta-ing and for putting up with my craziness =P

I was in a mood to try something new. This fic is AU and AH, and unlike anything I've done.

There isn't a time or date set for this fic; all you need to know is that it all happened in a fairytale land, far, far away, and a long time ago. It took place in a time of castles, knights, princes, princesses, sword fights, and most importantly, once upon a time.

Banner for the fic is HERE (replace DOT):

http:/i982(DOT)photobucket(DOT)com/albums/ae307/TwilightCakes/Fairytale(DOT)jpg

*AND*

Chapter 1 just might go up this weekend if I get some reviews…*looks around innocently*