Linda's face burned with embarrassment. She furiously scrubbed a stubborn pot. She had been waiting for the moment when she could finally tell Elliot how she felt. But she had totally blown it today.

Her frustration drew her to tears. She heard the door to the kitchen open and heard his footsteps. She didn't even want to turn around.

"Linda, I have something for you." She heard his gentle voice behind her. She slowly turned and sadly looked up at his eyes. But all she saw was a burst of lovely color and sweet fragrance. A lovely bouquet of roses and Elliot's sweet smile in front of her. She gasped.

"Oh...oh my goodness, Elliot!" Her heart leapt into her throat. "You shouldn't have!" Tears of sadness filled with joy. Elliot's eyes were like pools of affection and sparkled down at her.

"Forgive m.." He felt the air squeezed out of him as her strong arms clamped around his waist.

As the days went by Elliot saw his life and heart changing. He would focus all his energy on the lovely miss Linda. He felt the warmth of love fill the empty corridors of his soul. She had become his new life. He brought her so much happiness and she gave him a new chance at happiness.

One sunny day in particular as they walked hand in hand down the cobble stone streets. Linda laughed at Elliot's charming clumsiness as he gingerly tripped on a loose stone. Elliot blushed and laughed at himself. She was like his medicine, the kind that made you forget about your troubles. The kind that wore off at night when he would lay his head down on his pillow and dreamt of his true love the Princess of Albion. But today the sun was bright and cheerful with Linda by his side.

A bright sparkling object caught Linda's eye.

"Oooo" She was entranced with the small object in her vision. Elliot watched curiously as she approached a vender. She reached out and held the small object in her hand carefully. Elliot peeked over her shoulder. A beautiful gold ring lay in her palm.

She looked up at his eyes. "Isn't it so beautiful?"

Elliot nodded. Her smile made his heart melt.

Linda slipped the ring on her finger and admired it with a pleased look in her eye. She then sighed and slipped it off her finger and thanked the vender. She looked a little sad as she started walking down the street. Elliot's sculpted eyebrows furred as he trotted up next to her.

Her eyes cast down to the street.

"What is it Linda?" His cute concerned look made her smile a bit.

"I thought when I was a child, I would be married to my Prince Charming by now." She scoffed at herself.

The thought of royalty shot like an arrow through Elliot's heart. But forcefully he pushed the emotion down deep down in the most sacred part of his heart.

"Me too." he chuckled. "Well my Princess anyway." he wouldn't ever tell Linda about his love. It was to painful. To secret.

She let out a hearty laugh. "Well that makes two of us, doesn't it! " her eyes sparkled up at him.

A thought crossed Elliot's mind. He would propose to Linda. His new focus was to make her happy and in return she gave him a purpose for living on. He felt the corner of his mouth curl up into a smile.

That evening Linda and Elliot strolled down Bowerstone Bridge. The sun was like a raging fire in the sky. Gold streaked across the sky with hues of pinks and passionate oranges. Elliot felt his nervousness growing, the ring felt like a heavy weight in his pocket. Linda's hand felt warm in his.

"Linda.." His voice a little shakey. He knelt down on one knee.

A wave of shock past over Linda face. Her mouth agape.

"Will you.." He pulled the ring from his pocket offering it to her. He felt his heart sink, it wasn't right. He imagined the beautiful Princess standing in front of him. Her beautiful eyes lovingly looking into his. He felt his heart jump with an eclectic shock and come to life. He saw her, she was there in his mind. Her sweet perfect smile. He felt himself reaching up to her. "Marry me." A whisper of his heart escaped his lips.

Linda's squeal erupted him from his trance. She grabbed the ring from his hand and thrust it on her grubby finger. "OH ITS PERFECT!"

Elliot felt himself trapped. He felt the tears swelling in his beautiful eyes. This is not right his heart told him. He pushed the emotion down. His heart was nothing to him now, it was dead and should be ignored. He forced a smile across his face and embraced Linda.

The night came quickly, Elliot found himself pulling himself away from the congratulating crowd at the orphanage into the safety of his room. He let out a sigh of relief. He collapsed on his cold bed, a dust cloud erupt from it. He let sleep take him quickly.

He felt the gentle wind on his soft flawless skin. He sat up he was surrounded by brilliant color. The grass beneath him felt so cool and delicate. The perfectly sculpted bushes and trees around him shown no flaw. The blue sky loomed over him. Fluffy clouds floated innocently above.

"Hey Elliot where have you been?" a sweet voice sang behind him.

He turned his head curiously and looked into the eyes of the young Princess. He felt the breath be taken out of his chest. His heart blossomed with new life once he saw her smiling face. He felt his world come together in perfect harmony.

"My Princess." He felt his joy overwhelming him. His hand gracefully reached out and he pulled her into his arms.

"Elliot?" she giggled confused.

He embraced her tightly the sweet delicate smell of her hair filled his nose. Her soft hair tickled his cheek. His heart was whole again.

The Princess pulled away gently and looked into his eyes. She was younger than he remembered. She looked around 12.

"Your acting quite odd this morning." her voice sounded like the chime of bells.

Elliot grasped the Princess's hand and brought her firmly against him chest. She let out a surprised grasp. The lace on her dress ruffled around her tiny waist. He was finally back with her. He didn't know how he was there, but all he knew was his heart told him it was right.

He tilted her perfect face up gently. He admired her delicate features and captivating sparkling eyes. He drew close to her velvet pink lips. He could feel her heart beating like a hummingbird in her chest. He pressed his lips against her. He felt his mind explode like fireworks and his whole world froze in eternal bliss.

It was his first kiss.

He pulled away and found himself standing by her side on the side of the sparkling lake. The beautiful scene made him lose his breath. He looked down at her. She was 17 years old. Her beauty captivated him and stole away his heart at once. They gazed together out on the glittering water. The scent of pine fragrance filled the fresh wind.

"Princess.." His voice trailed out of his lips like a whisper.

"Yes, my Love." She leaned her head softly on his strong chest. Her delicate hair danced in the light breeze.

"What if... I asked you to marry me?" he felt his heart overflowing with love.

The Princess slowing looked up into his soft eyes.

He let his heart speak. "My Love, I would be the luckiest man if I could have you by my side." He felt his voice shaking with overwhelming emotion. "I'm...I'm so deeply in love with you."

Her heart melted and she smiled, her eyes filled with love. "Elliot, I love you so much!"

They embraced one another tightly, never letting go. His heart soared with wings. He wanted to burst with happiness and love all at once. He knew the next moment they would be together he'd take her away with him. He wanted to marry her right then and there.

He confirmed in his mind, next time he would see her he would marry her. He didn't care where it was, he would ask her to marry him right then and there. He would be with her and only her. His true love, his beloved Princess.

His eyes shot open. He wasn't with her anymore. He was in this dark terrible room.

Gone again. His heart ached with a new deep wound. He writhed in bed with pain and agony. The heart break erupting deep in his chest.

"Not again." He moaned and felt hot tears of pain squeeze out of his eyes. He cried out. "What must I do to forget you!" He felt so helpless at the mercy of his broken heart.

He wept bitterly against his sheets. Then an unfriendly knock tapped on his door and he heard it crack open. He leaned up to see the worried eyes of Linda.

"Elliot are you ok, I heard you cry out." Her eyes searched him up and down.

He just sat there, too ashamed to look at her.

She entered his room shutting the door behind her and approached him slowly.

Elliot wiped the tears from his eyes. Linda sat down on his bed looking at him intently.

"Elliot" Her voice was so gentle. "I do not know the pain you're experiencing or why. But I want you to know I am here for you."

"It was just a dream." His voice crocked.

Linda wasn't taking it. "Elliot since we are going to get married, were going to have to share everything with each other."

Elliot's eyes reflected blank emotion.

Linda started to untie her blouse and let it slip off her shoulders. "Let me take your pain away." her voice trailed off as she pressed her lips against his. Elliot felt a tear roll down his cheek. His heart shut itself and he let his mind go blank.

That morning Elliot awoke, Linda slept next to him her bare skin rose and fell with her breaths. Linda eyes slowly opened meeting his. She smiled up at him.

"Good morning my Fiance." she cooed.

Elliot did not remember what exactly happened that night. But he felt empty.

"Hey..." He let a pained smile come across his face.

His ears perked when he heard a loud pounding coming from outside his door. Linda was in a scramble to get something decent on.

"Who's that yelling?" She hissed under her breath.

Elliot let his ears pick up the noise. A loud gruff voice echoed through the orphanage and the sound of shattered dishes. Then he heard the children scream.

Like lightning Elliot got dressed and rushed out the door into the halls. Loud men laughed and a scream of a young child cried from around the corner. Elliot felt his heart pounding like a wild stallion in his chest as he rounded the corner. He saw the gruff looking man twice his size holding a child by its arm.

He thrust all his body weight into his punch as it impacted the mans face. The man staggered back and crumpled to the ground blind sighting. The child fell to his feet and ran and hid behind Elliot trembling.

"Now now there if you want to fight we can give you one." A smug voice came from behind him.

Elliot whirled around to find a hefty blow hit his face. After the room stopped spinning he looked up into the pig faced Nigel Ferret.

"Ferret, I thought I smelled a pig!" Elliot exclaimed his fists clenched and teeth ground.

"Now..now.." Ferret smiled wickedly.

"Get out of here Ferret!" Linda yelled threateningly.

"Shut up wench!" Ferret slapped her across the face. He turned to then have Elliot's fist slam him down to the floor.

Elliot felt his arms grabbed by Ferrets thugs. He felt a hefty blow to the head. Sending the room spinning.

Ferret wiped the drip of blood off his cheek sneering at Elliot.

Elliot heard Linda's scream as he felt the hard blows against his stomach. His breath being drawn from him with every thrust.

He was about to black out when he heard Ferret let out a hideous laugh. "TAKE HIM BOYS!"

He felt the darkness over coming his vision. He tried to fight it, but his body couldn't take any more and slipped off into unconsciousness.