As Lief walked around the palace for the next few weeks, he noticed how little he saw Jasmine. He searched endlessly, with little luck. Lief was so determined to find out where Jasmine was, that he started to neglect his other duties. The only times he saw Jasmine now, were at meal times, but even then she only ate for a short time before leaving. Lief, so desperate to find out what was so important to occupy Jasmine's time for so long, decided to follow her. That night, Lief lay in bed, listening out for the sound of Jasmine's door opening. Even though it was unlikely for Jasmine to leave at night, Lief couldn't run any risks, if he were to find out what Jasmine was up to. Finally, very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Lief had heard the sound he had been most anxious to hear. Jasmines door creaked open, and the sound of her light feet were heard down the palace steps. Lief opened his own door and followed her. He followed her out of the palace and deep into the forest until they reached a large clearing. In the clearing was a hooded figure. Jasmine approached the figure, a large smile on her face. The figure lowered its hood and Lief gasped in horror and shock when he saw who it was. Leo, the palace guard.
Lief ran away in shock. He had not expected this. Lief's love for Jasmine burned so strongly, couldn't she feel it too? After they obtained the Pirran Pipe he thought she loved him a bit. He had told her that one day he would marry for love, he looked directly at her as if giving her a hint that he wanted more than anything to marry Jasmine, when the time came. Well Lief had obviously been wrong. Jasmine loved Leo and they would marry and have children. Lief couldn't bear the thought! He knew that without Jasmine, life wasn't worth living.
Live wasn't worth living…. Lief shook his head at the thought and decided to look at what Jasmine and Leo were up to. He hated to spy, but he had to make sure that Leo was worthy of Jasmine's love.
Jasmine stared into Leo's eyes. They were hard to look away from. Leo had truly become a great friend to Jasmine over the past couple of weeks. She needed someone to help take her mind off of Lief. Leo took Jasmine's hand and led her into the forest. They talked and laughed as they always did, it was so easy for the two of them to talk, they got along so well. Suddenly a strange look came over Leo's face.
'Leo, what is the matter?' Jasmine asked worried.
'I…I planned to tell you something.' Leo said slowly.
'Well go on then!' Jasmine said with a small laugh.
'It is harder than I thought.' Leo said, his face falling.
'You can tell me anything!' Jasmine insisted.
'Okay…here it goes, then.'
Lief swung from vine to vine, trying to catch every word that Leo and Jasmine shared. They get on so well, so easily! Lief thought, a pang of jealousy shooting through him. Lief swung from vine to vine, until Leo and Jasmine had stopped moving. The voices of Leo and Jasmine echoed through the forest.
'You can tell me anything!' Jasmine insisted.
'Okay…here it goes, then.' Leo finished, blushing. 'Ever since I met you I felt we had a special connection. And now that I've spent these first few weeks with you, I felt I've really gotten to know you, and…'
'And?' Jasmine asked
'And I love you.'
Lief stared as Leo leant in close to Jasmine. Lief, in such a deep shock, did not feel his hand slip off of the tree he was on.
Jasmine stared in shock as Lief finished his sentence. He's loved me this whole time! Jasmine thought, amazed. Leo's face started to come closer to Jasmine's face, she could see every handsome detail in his face. Jasmine closed her eyes, but before anything happened she heard a large thump. Jasmine's eyes flew open.
'What was that?' Jasmine asked.
'I'm not sure.' Leo said, pulling his sword from its sheath. Jasmine and Leo walked in silence. Finally after twenty minutes Leo stopped.
'What is it?' Jasmine asked.
'A piece of cloth in that tree, see?'
'Er…'
'As a palace guard we are trained to notice every detail! This could be a clue!' Leo insisted.
'What kind of cloth is it?' Jasmine asked curiously. Suddenly, Leo froze. 'What is it, Leo?'
'This can't be…' He muttered.
'What is it?'
'It's…It's cloth from King Lief's cloak!' He said in disbelief. Jasmine froze. Time seemed to stand still.
'I – I don't understand.' Jasmine croaked. 'It's impossible. Are you certain it's his?'
'Only the king could have fabric as fine as this.' Leo said.
'So do you think he was spying on us?' Jasmine asked, not wanting to hear the answer.
'I'm afraid it's possible, unless someone put it there to frame him.' Leo said, furrowing his brow. Jasmine sighed and felt anger surged through her body.
'It's none of his business.' She said through clenched teeth.
'I know, but we will look into this, I promise. But for now…'
'But for now?'
'I want to resume what was about to happen five minutes ago.'