If it even matters, I try to post every day. It took me all day to write this; sorry. I have a very strange method; I write a couple of sentences, listen to music, read other stories on here, then when I get another idea, I come back. Usually I get to a point when I don't stop writing, and that took me till 8 PM. I only stop to eat. I hope you enjoy this fun-filled chapter; the object of this chapter is how when people are insecure, they grasp at something that will return them to their native disposition. In this, Prince Codagon is used to being the pampered Prince who everyone is afraid of. In this, Kanani doesn't judge him and actually sort of likes him; so he grasps at baseless threats about her. It was quite fun writing this chapter. (I won't post this much of an author's note in the future. :P)

Chapter 3: Princes are ALWAYS know what they doing!

I have been trained since a child to carry heavy things; dragons don't fly for a while, you know! But I never would have guessed this kind of junk from a cook. I am currently holding seven large brown bags filled to the brim with cooking materials. And to think that Kanani carries these around on average! She must be stronger then me!

That sparked my mind as pathetic in my case. If most people are as strong as Kanani, then they could overthrow us. Even knights have servants who do this crud for them. I have been living in my shell my whole life, apparently.

Faced with these new insecurities, I was irritable to hide my shock and slight fear. Since I had been "Pleasant Cody", she was unprepared to me lashing out. She had been making simple conversation.

"Where are you from?" She asked, politely, yet you could tell she was honestly intrigued.

I had quite rudely proceeded to roll my eyes, and I snapped bitterly at her, "Why, so you can gossip about the mysteriously handsome stranger who came from hundreds of miles away?"

She ignored the gibe to what she was like, and beneath my completely irrational irritation, I was happy of this. She replied curiously, "You live hundreds of miles away."

I took a deep breath, and admitted, "I don't actually know. I don't exactly know where this is. It took three days to get here though," I offered.

She looked at me thoughtfully. "Well, I guess that's a start." I huffed at her obvious un appreciation, and rode ahead a couple of meters. It was about 10 minute later of silence when she called, "Um…Over here," She called. I saw that she had veered off the road. With a start I realized that I remembered this turn, and that I had been foolishly caught up in my strange mood swing to notice. Embarrassed, I rode haughtily over to Kanani, stoutly standing in front.

Foolish girl! She had no right to assume that I didn't know. I was distracted! I counseled my self. Princes always know what they are doing!

When we got back, I was busy un-tacking my nameless horse to notice Kanani watching my awkward efforts. "You're doing it all wrong. You pull this string out first, and you do it from the left side first. You need to pull that string harder—no, you're doing it wrong again! Here, let me show you," She offered. I scowled at her as she smoothly and almost gracefully. It irritated me how I was being expected to know these things. Father was going to get it so bad when I got home with only a bruised ego to show off.

Never before had I ever had to tack a horse. At least I had tried! Could this girl, Kanani, be any more irritating?

When she was done showing off, she beamed at me. "There, see how it's done?" She asked sweetly. Ugh, now that she is done she can be gracious, of course! She is an evil mastermind…I just know it. She is plotting my destruction! Even worse: SHE KNOWS I'M THE PRINCE! She's going to make my Father collect me for ransom! Oh no, I'm in trouble now. I knew this was a horrid—

I realized I still had not answered her and mumbled, "Oh…Yeah, sure."

She glanced at me curiously, but shrugged as if to say, Eh, you don't matter anything to me. "Good!" She seemed to cheer warmly. Note, I said seemed. You never know with these kinds of people.

I glared in response to her seemingly kind words. She was so in on it with Calker.

I hauled all the bags inside in one load, only with my luck I fell down quite a lot. Kanani would simply laugh and help me gather everything on my own. When I had sourly suggested she help, she feigned shock and innocence as she replied, "What will I tell my father if I help such a strong and coordinated boy like you with the groceries?" I had scowled at her and huffed forward, and didn't look into her clear brown eyes again.

I sighed in relief when I could finally drop them all on the floor. I then clapped my hands briskly as I would have in the castle for servants to come. I waited for about ten seconds before I blushed under her stare. No matter the situation, some habits don't die easily.

She stared at me in shock. "What was that?" She demanded, confused.

I looked down. "Nothing."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her roll her eyes. "Well, then wipe your hair out of your eyes so you can see where you have to unload certain things!" She then proceeded to show me where to put everything. I hated how she taught me this as if I were a school boy. I was a Prince! And by Drentath's first dung pile, Princes always know what they are doing!

I then had to follow Kanani around at Cook's order. I was loath to spend time with the traitor who was plotting my death, but as I had soon learned before my departure to this wasteland, things didn't always go the way you wanted; even if you were a prince.

She decided she wanted to go to the lake. I asked bitingly if we would see the view of the lake. Her laughing response was: "Maybe…after you prove yourself." I didn't have to prove myself; I would rule over her someday. Wasn't my title enough? But I had to remind myself that she was ignorant of this. It troubled me a little that my subjects knew nothing about my looks other then I was rumored to be handsome.

With a sudden jolt, I remembered the time I had insulted her about being a gossip; I had said that I was handsome, and she hadn't denied it. I looked at Kanani with a quizzical expression on my chiseled features; she wasn't facing me, so I could openly stare. It was alright to show weakness when your enemy wasn't looking…Or when you think the enemy isn't looking!

I then composed my features and looked away. I could not go soft on the enemy! The enemy would not go soft on me!

Once at the lake, she dismounted, and immediately sat at what I assumed was her usual perch. She proceeded to take off her shoes; with a jolt I realized she wore no stockings; her legs were a bare, bronze tan. I found myself wondering how she had gotten such a tan that matched her skin when her legs should always be covered.

I realized with chagrin that this was no court lady, and that I was not in my beloved but cold and ugly castle.

I sighed and dismounted and tied up the horses, as I assumed she wanted me to do. I stood awkwardly a couple of meters away from her awkwardly, refusing to acknowledge the obvious beauty of the lake.

She then abruptly patted the seat next to her. "Sit here!" She offered/ordered. I sighed, as if irritated, and sat next to her. I was secretly glad that I had a place to sit. My legs felt so weak…

I realized with an ache that this was even more awkward, with us sitting so close together. But she didn't seem to mind, and I would not embarrass myself with being uncomfortable with something that my secret identity should be used to. So I sat and tried to relax my tense posture.

She sighed. "Isn't it beautiful?" She asked.

"It is," I mumbled, and realized with a jolt that Kanani was beautiful too, and my cheeks flushed a little as I caught the double meaning of my words. Kanani looked at me almost discreetly; I wouldn't have caught it if I hadn't been paying attention. My now flaming cheeks made it look as if I had meant it as a compliment to her.

By Drentath's First Pile of Dung, my arch enemy thought I liked her!

She beamed. I didn't dare glance back at her, afraid I would send off any more unintentional body language.

We were silent as I sat stiffly, and her admiring the lake, when she decided to make conversation. "So…Cody, was it?" She began haltingly.

I rolled my eyes. "Fantastic! You actually learned something today!" I noted acidly.

"Do you want to know what else I learned today?" She challenged, on eye brow lifted.

No. "Sure, knock yourself out, kid," I joked, softening up a little bit. This did not soften up her though.

"I learned that you are a boy my age from a very far away place who knows what he is and doesn't deny it, such as being handsome. You have a very large ego, and you don't like it when you are helpless, or don't understand something…and," She paused, tilting her head as she gave me a quizzical stare that contrasted nicely with her fierce expression she had been showcasing a second before. She then continued after clearing her throat, "You don't see to like me."

I wanted to shout: STALKER! And I am a Prince! Prince always, always, always know what they are doing! Instead I glared at her, and sighed. "I don't exactly hate you. I'm just very…" I searched for the right word… "Suspicious of you. And so what if I have a large ego?" I demanded in an injured tone. "And besides, Princes ALWAYS know what they are doing!" I resisted the urge to gasp in horror and cover my mouth as if I had spoken some profanity.

She glanced at me with a mildly amused expression, obviously not taking my comment seriously. I relaxed a bit. "You consider yourself a prince?"

I held myself high. "In the highest regard," I informed her, smirking a little. She laughed; a nice, clear sound that was genuine and true, like so much about her. I shook off this thought quickly. She was going to hold me prisoner, and by Drentath's First Pile of Dung, I could not go soft on her!

She giggled slightly. "Well, I see myself as a simple kitchen girl…In the highest regard, of course," Kanani joked. I laughed at this, quietly and uncertainly. She seemed pleased to have made me laugh.

We were silent for a little, and I actually admired then beauty of the lake. Sure, the floor of it was covered in algae and other yucky green substances that swirled when the water rippled, and it was slightly green up close, but in the distance, the lake looked blue with the white-yellow sun reflecting on its surface, a respectful clearing around it, the pines around the clearing standing tall and majestic, the sky clear and beautiful…

After quite awhile, I realized that I was extremely uncomfortable and that my left leg had fallen asleep. Not only that but my arch nemesis was within six inches of me! I stood awkwardly, and commented, "We'd better get going, Kanani."

She sighed wistfully and got up, not showing the least bit discomfort of standing after sitting in the same position for half an hour straight. Something told me she did this quite often, and usually stayed longer.

"You're right," She agreed, and stretched. Then she stood, and waited. I waited too, not really thinking about what I was waiting for. It wasn't until she said, "Aren't you going to get the horses?" that I realized with a jolt that I had been waiting for some servants to come and do it for me!

I blushed and untied them, fumbling with my crude knots, and as I walked back with Sugar and my Nameless Horse, I mumbled, "I knew that!"

She then laughed warmly and caught my reluctant gaze and said, "Of course. Because Princes always know what they are doing."