Being royal? Sounds great! To Brandon, it always had. People doing whatever he wanted, with him in charge. For the short while that he was (to his friends anyway) Prince Sky, it was bliss. The glitzy good life, that's what he had. He'd even gotten himself a princess. I know, him! He got the girl. Princess Stella of Solaria. God, how much he had panicked when his secret was out. At least Sky seemed to be in deep water with Bloom as well. Luckily, Stella forgot about her urge for a royal mate, seeing how sweet he is and just how perfect he is (not to blow his own horn or anything). Now, the life of royalty didn't really seem to matter to him. There are some things, life's little mercies, that money just can't buy. As he sat in the cool grass, watching the moon take over the sky for the sun, bathing everything in a silvery light, he thought of Stella. She was, in a way, flawless. Creamy skin, long, thin legs, an even thinner tummy. And that long blonde hair? Wow. She was beautiful, powerful, and an amazing girlfriend. Sure, she could be a bit of a bitch sometimes, but he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine all the time himself.

"Brandon!" A voice called.

He turned, and there she was. She looked like she was walking on air, her feet barely touching the ground as she waltzed towards him. Her hair cascaded out into the night air, her soft, pastel orange mini dress floating elegantly around her knees.

Brandon stood up. "..."

"Speechless?" She teased. "I guess I must look good!"

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come off it. You know I'm gorgeous!"

"Beautiful." Brandon agreed.

Sometimes, that was just the easiest thing to do. After all, love is a mystery, a fine, delicate art. If one thing goes wrong, you have to start all over again, from scratch.

"Something wrong?" Stella's voice sliced through his thoughts.

"Hmmm?"

Stella was lying on the grass, propped up on her elbows. "You seem kinda...distant."

Brandon smiled, settling himself beside her. "Just thinking about you, as always."

She blushed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Yeah? What about me?"

Leaning in closer to him, Brandon saw her bite her lip, smiling flirtatiously. There was no denying it. She was hot.

"You know...um..."

Stella snaked her hand around the back of his neck, and he placed his hand behind her head. She was just a breath away.

"C'mere you." She said, and pulled him towards her.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Brandon didn't argue, just pressed his lips against hers. His eyes slid shut, and he went with the kiss. He forgot about everything else: the past, the future, his entire life. He was living completely in the moment, and what a beautiful moment it was. He lay back onto the ground, Stella going with him. His arms rested on her back, and as she pulled away, lying on top him, pushed up on her hands, Brandon never felt more alive. Her hair slowly slipped over her right shoulder, a blonde pile resting on the floor just next to his head, their noses were nearly touching. She batted her eyelids, eyes aglow. Her long lashes still flickering, Brandon could practically see the sparks flying, hear the electricity sizzling in the air around them. His heart was beating a mile a minute. Stella slowly slid onto the grass, looking skyward.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She whispered.

Following her gaze, Brandon looked down the vast hill into the valley, where Lake Roccaluce lay before them, surrounded by dense pine forests. Then, looking up to the sky with Stella he saw the moon, sailing high and proud through a sea of stars, stars that shimmered and shone. When he looked at Stella, he realised that those were the very same stars that danced in her fiery orange-brown eyes.

"Mmm." He agreed. "But it's nowhere near as beautiful as what I'm looking at."

Stella glanced sideways, saw him staring at her. "Ugh, Brandon, that is just soooo cheesy!" She laughed, shoving him playfully in the arm.

He fell onto his side, laughing with her. Eyebrow raised, she stared back at him.

"You've got a little...um..." She started.

Brandon's hand flew to his face. "What?"

She giggled. "You've got a little something..." She pointed to the corner of her lip. "Right here."

"Stella!" He moaned. "I need to stop buying you lipstick..."

Wiping frantically at his mouth, Stella's giggles grew louder. "Here..." She reached out, wiping his face with her thumb. "There," she said. "All gone."

Brandon felt the tips of his ears go hot. "Thanks." He mumbled.

"To be honest, you looked better with it on. What you need is a makeover." Stella decided.

"Oh yeah?" Brandon asked. "You'll be the one needing a makeover when I'm finished with you!"

"Wha-ahhhh!" Stella screamed.

Brandon had jumped to his feet and grabbed her round the waist.

"Brandon!" She squealed.

He threw her over his shoulder, spinning in circles, their surroundings blurring. Blonde waves swirled behind him, as Stella thumped her hands against his back.

"No...Ahhhh...BRANDON!" She gasped between laughing.

Brandon laughed with her. Finally, he stopped spinning, hauling Stella off him. Although he placed her on her feet, she was so breathless and dizzy, she fell down again. Brandon felt literally sick from laughing so hard, but he couldn't stop.

Just as Stella hit the ground, she wrapped her arms around his knees. "If I go down, you come with me!"

Pulling on him, his knees gave way, and he toppled forward, down on top of her. She pushed him off and over the top of the hill. He rolled down, smelling the grass and the dirt. He heard Stella catapulting after him. She was a fast roller, and collided with him quickly. They became entangled in each other, a mass of limbs tumbling down the hill. Once the ground flattened out, they slowed and came to a halt. Stella had him pinned to the ground. Brandon tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and pulled a twig out of his own. Both of them laughed until their sides split. The pair lay back down. Hands behind his head, Brandon sighed, closing his eyes. Stella pressed her body against his. The hill had taken them to the edge of Lake Roccaluce, and the moon's reflection was clear as crystal in it. Night creatures chirruped in the undergrowth.

"Brandon?" Stella broke the silence.

"Mmm?"

"Nothing's gonna come between us, right?" She sounded worried.

"Not even death." He replied confidently.

"I'll love you...for always." She whispered.

"Always..."