PART 1

LIFE

'A love struck Romeo sings a streetsuss serenade

Laying everybody low with a love song that he made

Finds a streetlight steps out of the shade

Says something like you and me babe how about it?

Juliet says hey its Romeo you nearly gimme a heart attack

He's underneath the window she's singing hey la my boyfriends back

You shouldn't come around here singing up to people like that

Anyway what you gonna do about it?

Juliet the dice where loaded from the start

And I bet and you exploded into my heart

And I forget, I forget the movie song

When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong Juliet

Come up on different streets they both where streets of shame

Both dirty both mean yes and the dream was just the same

And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real

How could you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?'

DIRE STRAITS- ROMEO AND JULIET

He stepped into the room, smiling his usual rugged wolfish grin as he quickly searched the room with his eyes, nodding and smiling at the appropriate people as he did so. Upon the opposite side of the room stood Ellise; his admirer.

He moved with a somewhat grace, trying to create his way through the crowd, past all of them; towards her. All around them people stood, engaged in their own conversations oblivious to what was going on in the private life of Ellise. Yet as all of this set in motion like a princess' dream, her stomach churned at the thought of not knowing his name. She had cursed herself a thousand times beforehand for never taking the steps necessary to acquiring it but now it was too late. She cursed herself furiously within her mind. With a murmured 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' to every second person, he stepped deeper into the crowd and closer to her.

Ellise had only ever seen him a few times, and those that she did she felt both enchanted and petrified. He was a lower class than she; a peasant, the type of person she had been taught to look down upon. To her he was most likely pathetic and unbathed. She on the other hand was sophisticated, intelligent and hygienic, more than what he would ever be. She was a high bread society girl, and the daughter of a Lord, no one of his kind deserved her attention.

Yet he still moved towards her though, no matter where she tried to divert her attention. No one around them seemed to notice where he was going, or that she was alone and vulnerable.

Her father, Lord Gerik the second was off talking with one of the numerous people in the kingdom, some one of a high standard that is. He would most likely be up on the balcony, out of sight and out of mind. If anything where to happen to her, anything at all he would be one of the last to hear her hight pitched scream. The last to know of what had happened and the last one to come and see for himself what had happened. It wasn't to say that the Lord didn't care for his only child but due to her being female, her priority to her was slim. Without the ability to carry on the family name it was sometimes forgotten that the Lord had a child.

He continued to advance as Ellise's heart beat climbed and began to race the sound of it drumming throughout her ears. Convinced that these where her final moments cold fear washed over her at the thought that these might be her last few minutes. She began to feel dizzy and light headed, yet kept her balance not wanting to let her guard down.

Finally he stood before her. He was taller than she, at least an entire head taller. That wolfish grin was still slapped on his face; it was something horrific yet gentle. Ellise couldn't decide which one it was. He had brown hair, which was combed back like all the other men's. He looked no different from them. He was dressed like all of the other men, with their dress pants, fine shoes and white shirt all made from exceptional materials. However to distinguish himself from the rest of the guests he wore a thin chain of gold around his neck. It glimmered as the light from the ceiling touched it with uts gentle and yet artificial rays. He was hansom for a peasant, but he would never be able to match up to most of the men she had met in her life time, but the way he grinned at her seemed to be persisting to entitle her to think more of him, as if for her to think that not all peasants are the same. It seemed to be a way to try and win her over, to make her his.

He gave a deep bow of respect and stood himself upright. "My fair lady" he began. His voice was charming. He didn't seem to have a familiar accent yet his voice wasn't bland like some of the others she had grown accustomed to hearing. It was soft and rugged at the same time no where near hard. He held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Some people had now turned to look, wondering who this charming man was. Why was he daring to ask the betrothed Lord Gerik the second's daughter for a dance that would surely end his life?

Ellise felt uncomfortable with the attention of all those other people, each pair of their eyes locked on either her or the man in front of her. She shifted from foot to foot, her weight interchanging between the two of them. The guests in the room looked at her eagerly, awaiting her answer. If she said no they would all think less of her and know what she really thought of peasants, but if she said yes she was practically signing this mans death warrant. It was a life or death situation. Yet he seemed not to care as he looked at her with eyes full of hope and confidence. He held his hand out before her, offering for her to take it. He knew what the price was; she could see it in his eyes just as clear as she could see that wolfish grin on his face.

Shaking, trying to muster together all of her courage, she took his hand in hers, stepping forward and regretting it all. A heavy weight seemed to be weighing her down now. She may as well have killed him herself. If either her fiancé Eric or her father Lord Gerik the second were to see her dance with a complete stranger, they'd have him killed on sight. Idol gossip however would not have him killed.

He led her into the middle of the room, undisturbed by all the murmurs from the people around them. He had a strong grip as he held onto her hand; he did it with care as not to hurt her. His hand slipped around her waist as he held her hand enclosed in his close to his chest. He looked her in the eyes; his strong green into her pale blue.

"My lady" he said. "Why is it that no matter how far I search or how wide I travel that I can never find such a maiden as beautiful as you?"

Ellise felt her face heating up at the sound of his words yet chose not to show any traces of acknowledgment. She hated the thought of public embarrassment. Instead she confronted him and asked him a question. "You chose death over life? Surely enough you should know that any man who dances with me dies shortly after. Did you not know this or did you choose to ignore it?"

The man grinned yet said nothing as they danced along to the music. It was dull and boring compared to more music she had heard before, however the man seemed to be enjoying himself. Was it perhaps the choice of music that made him appear happy or was it her company?

The room was beautiful but somehow rather repetitive to Ellise's everyday life. This building, her family home to be precise, had been built two years before she had been born. Her family had been living here her entire life. Her father Lord Gerik the second, man of sword and wealth had told her as a child that her very own mother had designed most of their mansion. That it had been her love and care that turned it into the mansion it was today. Of course Ellise didn't really care; her mother had died whilst giving birth to her. Ellise had been more than lucky to survive. Her father always said so himself. It was not expected that Lord Gerik would ever marry again. The trauma of the death of his first wife had marked him with both a self fear and a stigma from the community.

"It surprises me my fair lady that you ask of me such a question. Do you not trust my judgement or does curiosity get the better of you?"

"I will not play along with your games easily" she hissed. "I do not have the time or the patience for either you or them"

The man nodded his head. "I see" he said. "And I understand. A lady such as yourself should not have questions thrown at her. My sincerest apologies if I insulted you, as I had no intention in doing so. However I do like to dance with death as I am sure you do to if given the chance."

The music ended and applause broke out from the crowd. Ellise quickly let go of the man and bowed as he did to her. She turned to leave in a hurry not wanting to spend another minute in the presence of his company. There was something about him the puzzled her. She hurried out of the room and into the main hallway. People where still entering; most of them couples linked by their arms. Each one of them was either a lady or a lord. The lords where dressed handsomely while the lady's on the other hand each wore a different and unique dress. Colours and materials seemed to flow through the corridor, no two alike.

The night air was cool, lush and fresh against Ellise's skin as she stepped outside. A small gust of wind went by, sending a slight shiver down her spine. She crossed her arms in spite of it.

Her dress was simple yet elegant. The material was a pale blue resembling the same as her eyes. The dress itself brushed against the earth beneath her, being as long as it was. The dress seemed not to show any signs of dirt on the other hand. Each time she looked down at where it reached the ground she found it to be as clean as when she had first seen it. A bead of expensive pearls sat gracefully around her neck. They had been a gift from her fiancé Eric Gunwin, the next in line to the thrown of Gunwin. He had given them to her shortly after arriving back from one of his long trips to one of the other kingdoms. He had promised her then and there on that day that she would be the only woman that he would ever love. That even if his own life depended on it, he would never be able to love another in the same way that he loved her.

Ellise sighed a deep and heavy sigh just thinking about him. Her heart sank in desperation and unknown circumstances. They had loved each other for what had almost seemed to be an eternity. They had been promised to each other from the very day they had been born, each one acting that way ever since. They were to be married at the end of the year, after 'the hunt' was over. After the marriage she and Eric would take over the kingdom of Gunwin, to rule it as they pleased.

Everyone expected one thing from her though; children. The kingdom expected two children from her. The second child would have no importance what so ever, but was there in case something was to happen to the first born. Eric himself wanted three children from her; a little more than she herself had planned on. Eric's parents King Kiros and Queen Lareina expected five. In accordance to them Ellise's first male child was to take over the kingdom after marriage. Her second child would be a knight, whilst her third was to be a swordsman. Their fourth child would be a blacksmiths apprentice and her last child would be named after her father, inheriting his title and everything he owned. Ellise had always wondered about this though. None of her children where expected to be a female. On the other hand, who had said that she herself had wanted that many children? In her own eyes she found two to be too much pain, three a crowd, four a conjunction and five to be complete and utter madness. No one had ever listened to her before. Not Eric, the kingdom, her friends, not even her own father. One child was all she wished. There was no need to go over board with the amount of children she was to bring into the world. There was not enough love for them in a world full of hatred.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ellise turned around shocked. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest from the fright that coursed throughout her body. Goose bumps seemed to embed her flesh as she attempted to rub them all away.

Beside her now stood the young man from before; the very man that had gambled his life for a chance to dance with her.

"Why do you insist on being seen with me? Does it give you some sort of triumph to be seen with me?"

The man laughed. "You treat me like an old married man out to seek the attention of a pretty maiden" he said. "To be seen with you is nothing, but to be with you…"

Ellise listened, awaiting his to say more. Yet it was almost as if the man was not able to speak any more of what he had already said. As if something was stopping him from speaking what his mind already knew.

"I am sorry Lady Ellise" he said. "But something's cannot be explained"

Ellise seemed to freeze on the spot. He knew her name yet how could that be? She wasn't the social type, and they had never talked to each other before tonight. He could have overheard it, or maybe it was just common knowledge to him. Either way this stranger whom she admired so knew her name.

The man seemed to be able to read her like a book as he gave a short laugh. "Everyone knows your name" he said. "You are Ellise Maddox, daughter of Lord Gerik Maddox the second. You are betrothed to Prince Eric Gunwin, and will find yourself to soon be the next Queen of Gunwin itself." He bowed deeply, making it count more than the others. "Yet something bothers you" he said as he stood himself up straight. "From the day I first saw you I knew that there was something more to you than just a silly title and a pretty face. You seemed simple and angelic, almost as if you did not understand what you where committing yourself to. Your whole life has been planned for you, and yet you have not uttered a word of disapproval. Lady Ellise, we can not have everything in life, but for some things we can try."

His words were sweet and made sense but what did they have to do with her? She felt confused. "I do not understand. What does this all have to do with me?"

The man smiled. "Lady Ellise" he said. "You do not want to lead a normal royal life do you? You do not want to go down in history as just another Queen who sat upon her thrown most of the time and let her husband do all the work. How do I know all of this you ask? My lady, it is as clear to me as the nose on your face. I can see it in your eyes. You yearn for adventure, for freedom and a life of your own. Yet you know that you will never achieve any of these things if you keep quiet and do as you are told. Do you really think that when you are married that your husband King Eric of Gunwin will let you have any of those things?"

Ellise shut her eyes, taking a deep breath as she did so. He was right, all of what he had said was right. It was all true, every word of it. She knew that if she married Eric that she would never be able to go back; never be able to go back to a normal life. She knew that just talking to other men would have them killed personally by Eric if he was to ever hear about it. She knew that going for a walk by herself would surly end up with Eric sending scouts out to retrieve her which had already happened twice before. All of what he had said was true, and not an utter word was wrong.

"I come here to give you one last chance at happiness. I have been watching you for months Lady Ellise, and I have never been so sure of anything in my life. I cannot give you piles of gold and jewels or garments as beautiful as the night sky itself but I can give you my love"

By now Ellise would have stepped back, trying to put some space between her and her companion, yet this time was different, she didn't move at all. She just stood there, in the same position as before. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around at the scenery. It was all lush and green; trees and mountains covered the surrounding area whilst the peasant's houses could be seen off in the distanced. The castle of Gunwin was clear in sight, yet still a little further away from everything else.

"I am sorry if I have upset you my lady, but I felt that those words needed to be spoken. I could not have lived another day without telling you how I feel"

"Well then you should have bitten your tongue"

The man nodded his head. "As you wish my Lady. I shall go now." The man turned around to leave, his footsteps making the gravel beneath his feet crunch.

"Wait!" Ellise called after him. She was shocked to hear her own voice, but even most shocked at herself to know that she had spoken up. "May I ask your name?"

The man turned around to face her. He wasn't smiling anymore, or grinning like as he had been before. He just stood there, looking at her. "Heath Morton, my Lady. Son of Cutler Morton"

"Cutler Morton, the blacksmith?"

Heath nodded. "Yes my lady"

Everyone knew of Cutler Morton, he was the kingdoms best blacksmith. He was well known for his weapons and armour. Even Eric's father King Kiros of Gunwin equipped all of his knights with Cutlers armour and weapons.

Ellise almost said something else but stopped herself before she could utter even a murmur. She had to so many questions to ask him but didn't know how to phrase them. Instead she turned back around to look at the scenery. She listened as Heath walked off, most likely back towards her family manor where the celebrations, her engagement party, continued.