Black Dot

It was late summer. Autumn was creeping over the land, littering the ground with multi-coloured leaves of all shades.

It was the Lief's first year of reign in the land of Deltora, after his father has so gallantly died in the struggle against the Shadowlord.

In the past year he had freed Prisoners of the shadow lord, completed the belt of Deltora, and basically rid the land of evil.

Groaning he turned over to face Jasmine, her dark midnight hair cascaded over her face shielding her pale face from the sun pouring in. He stroked her hair lovingly, in a determined sort of way. He would do it today; he would ask her. The only reason she had agreed to sleep in his bed for one night is that she had 6 pints of ale, she had become so tipsy that Lief seeing his chance had carried her into his bed for the night.

She stirred, soundlessly in her sleep. He lay back on his back twirling a round carved box, containing a life decision.

He might be braking tradition, but he didn't care after months of arguments with his mother, Sharn, he had won. These arguments were loud and never ending for two reasons, each was as stubborn as the other was and the fact that they were talking very fast in Areon; the language of Deltora's first king Adin, it didn't matter that they were over heard.

He rolled over to see if Jasmine had awakened. She had.

"What's dat liefy?" she said still slightly tipsy. He sighed, wishing she had been sane enough. He reached over her and grabbed a small bottle of her bedside table.

"Hey jazz look at this." He said shaking the miniscule bottle in her face. "What did you call me?" she said obviously, not tipsy enough to ignore her pet name. Careful. "Jasmine." He said carefully, tipping the contents down her half-open mouth.

She swallowed it, with a small hic.

He lay her back down. Ten minutes was all he needed.

He got up looked through the window. People were waking. He ran to the door and bolted it. He looked at his watch, a new product from the ships over the silver sea. It was 8am. Shit. He swore under his breath. Barda would be banging on his door any minute with the night watch report.

He stole a glance at Jasmine; she was slowly opening her eyes.

Five more minutes. He willed the potion to work.

He glanced nervously at the wooden door.

"Lief, what the hell? Why am I here? " Lief smiled turning.

He approached her on bended knee, sweeping his jet-black hair out of his face.

"Jasmine will you marry Me?" she looked at him strangely as if to laugh. "But I love you…" he began but jasmine put her forefinger to his lips, and kissed him.

Lief blushed furiously. He put his arm around her and did the same.

"Of course I will." This was not the Jasmine he knew. The Jasmine he knew was fierce and wild, not well like this. He took the ring out of the carved box and slid it onto her slim, slender finger. Light bounced of it. It was two silver dragons curled around each other, holding an emerald between their mouths. Jasmine looked at him lovingly, reaching in for another kiss…

"LIEF!" growled a voice from the other side of the door. "OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR!"

It was Barda. He was pounding furiously on the door. Lief sighed trying to ignore him. He lent in again, but Jasmine pushed him away. "Do not neglect your duties!" she was back to her wild ignorant self. Lief smiled.

Reluctantly he rose and unlatched the door. Barda burst through. "What did I tell you about locking the door Lief." He growled. Then he saw Jasmine. He blushed. Realizing what he'd just walked in on. "Well anyway," he went on trying not to look at jasmine. " Here are the reports, give them to Renesh when you're done." He thrust a pile of papers into Lief's hand, moving quickly towards the door.

When the door had shut again, Lief moved to Jasmine. He was half way across the room when it struck. He clutched his back crying in agony, and then it stopped. "Lief? Are you all right?" She said rushing over to him. He grimaced at her, "yeah fine. Must have slept on it." He mumbled. She helped him up and they went over to the bed.

"Where were we?" he asked, as she removed his nightshirt… Lief cupped his hands to ears as jasmine shrieked. "Lief what happened to your back." Lief swiveled to see a small pulsating ink black smudge on his back. Lief almost laughed, but seeing Jasmine's concerned face he stopped himself. " Jazz, it's only some ink I probably had on me from yesterday." He exclaimed remembering how some guards, Barda among them had tipped ink over him. Telling him to stop stressing. It had worked he had burst out laughing.

"Look if it makes you feel better I'll go wash it off," he said lazily. Maybe he could get that cramp out too and soothe the dull throbbing.