Hidden Love

Author's Note: MY Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

I hope you will continue to follow until the very end! Please enjoy! If you don't like something please tell me so I can make it better!

Sorry it took so long. Severe case of writer's block and a million things happening at school as well.

Also, not happy with this one. Oh, well. At least the good stuff is coming soon!

Chapter 7: Three Magical Days


The sun was setting now on the horizon, and it had been about three hours since Lief had left the castle. He had informed his mother and Barda that he would be gone for three days. No more. No less. And they both had reluctantly agreed to let Lief go on this journey to find Jasmine. Lief and Jasmine were now heading south, to a town that was far away from the castle. Most had thought that Jasmine had been kidnapped and that Lief was going off to rescue her. But it is now clear that Jasmine didn't even need to be found at all.

The reader is now probably wondering what exactly happened between the hours since Lief visited Jasmine's chamber and the time that she went missing from the palace. Well, not to worry, because we haven't forgotten, and we feel that now it is time for the truth to be revealed. That way, there is no more confusion.

Jasmine may have gone missing, but as the reader probably guessed, she was not kidnapped by the enemy or anyone for that matter.

Lief and Jasmine had decided that they had to get away from all this craziness for a while and wait for their parents to cool off. Neither were in the mood for dealing with their parents or awkward silence at the dinner table. It would just be better for everyone if their parents would calm down a little bit. Since the heated conversation with Doom, his daughter's disappearence would most likely affect him more now that she was gone. And as for Shaarn, she would hopefully realize that Lief can handle himself and should be free to marry whoever he wants. But the main reason they were taking this trip was because they both wanted to see each other more. Now that they were a couple, although secretly, they wanted some time without their parents or now a very suspicious Barda breathing down their necks. Jasmine escaped the palace early in the morning, and purposely left Fili and Kree to make it seem like she had been taken, and easily illuded the guards by running across the rooftops of the palace. She ran to the Forests that she was so familiar with and waited for Lief to come for her. Lief would act the part of a worried friend and go out and find her himself. Since he was the king, no one would deny his orders. While they waited for Lief to come back with Jasmine, the two parents would have no choice but to work together to run the kingdom. Knowing Barda, he would do all that he could to keep them from fighting. It was the perfect plan that would only stay in effect for just three days.

They were aware of this, but they were content just to be together.

Lief and Jasmine found a town, a little far from Del, where they could relax and rest for Lief's set time limit before they had to return home. Jasmine had been hiding for a while and she was tired, so she rested against Lief as he rode to the village. It took forever, but they finally made it to the village Lief had found. It was around sunset when they arrived, and things were starting to quiet down. The main thing was to make sure no one recognized Lief. It may have been far, but people know above all else who their king is. Jasmine would have to do all the talking. Lief's face was covered with the hood of his cloak, and the girl against him was covered as well.

Lief looked down and saw Jasmine with her eyes shut leaning against him. He smiled, she must have been mentally and physically exhausted. He pushed on the horse to continue onward, and since everyone was starting to go home, they took no notice to the travelers coming into the town. Lief softly shook his Sleeping Beauty awake.

"Jasmine? Jasmine, wake up. We're here."

"Ughh," she groaned as she woke up. When she looked up she managed a small smile at him, that she managed to forget the frustration at being woken up. "Hi."

"We've arrived, milady."

Jasmine and Lief stopped in front of a little inn and Lief knew that since it was late, no one would really take notice of them being there. Jasmine then remembered that Lief was the king of Deltora, and there really wasn't a person who didn't know him. If this was supposed to be a secret trip, Lief hadn't thought this thing through very well.

"Lief, did it not occur to you that someone here might... Oh, I don't know... Know who you are?" Jasmine angrily whispered. "Did you forget that you're the King of Deltora, or something? Because is something really important..."

Lief interrupted her speech with a brief kiss on her lips that stunned her by its intensity. She may have been stunned, but she didn't fight it back and returned it whole heartedly. When they broke apart, she still had the same look on her face that she had had before.

"That was wonderful, but you still didn't answer my question, Sire," Jasmine said annoyed.

"Jasmine, I admire your faith in me."

He knocked on the door of the inn. The door opened and a small fairly young girl stepped out. She was no older than Jasmine.

"May I help you, sir?" she asked softly.

"Yes. I'd like to speak to the manager," Lief said, his face still being hidden by his cloak.

"Right away." And with that, she closed the door.

Lief smiled at Jasmine, and she returned his smile with a look of utter confusion.

"What is going..." she began, but was cut off by a man opening the door again.

"Your highness, I presume?"

"Yes."

"Come right in. I've sent my daughter to bed. No one is about."

The door opened further by the man and the young couple stepped inside. Lief pulled his coak away from his face and urged Jasmine to do the same.

"It is an honor to see you again, Sire. I wish I could more to repay you for what you did for me back then."

"Just this will be enough," Lief said, smiling. "Jasmine, this is Concord. I saved his inn a few years back from some guards that were attempting to light it on fire."

"Without you Sire, my business would have been ruined! But enough of that horrible past. You said in your message that you needed a favor and that you also had to make sure no one knew you were here?" Concord asked.

"Yes. My companion and I need a place to stay that's private for three days. Somewhere we can't really be seen, and where no one will suspect anything. Do you know of a place?" Lief asked. "I would be willing to pay you anything you wished if we could..."

"No payment needed sire! You did a great favor for me without pay, and I will do one for you as well! Now as for a place...Hmmm... All I can think of is a house I made in the woods back during the time you helped me in case the guards attacked again. It hasn't been touched since then, and still has enough food and water there in case of an emergency. Would that suffice?"

"Yes, sir. That would be more than enough," Jasmine said, interrupting. "But is it really like a house? It has a fireplace and a bed and..."

"Yes, miss. Everything that you need is there. If not, you are more than welcome to come back and see me for anything at all."

Lief smiled at the old man, and Jasmine once again was more confused. She wasn't complaining though about spending three days with Lief in a place where no one would suspect them.

They thanked Lief's friend and made their way towards the cottage in the woods following the directions that they were given. Jasmine was once again tired, so she slept against Lief again as he rode towards the woods. He was excited but also a bit terrified. He was worried that someone might suspect something back home, and that someone might recognize him as the King of Deltora. But he tried his best to put those thoughts from his mind and tried to focus on the fact he was spending three days with the girl he loved. He felt extremely lucky that she felt the exact same way about him and very fortunate. As he rode through the dimly lit woods, he reflected on how much he loved her and how that was all that really mattered. Lief knew that there were many troubles awaiting them back home: feuding parents, class differences, threats, and many secrets to hide.

But for these next three days, Lief was going to make sure that they would forget about all that. All that would matter was that they loved each other and wanted to be together forever. Lief loved her with all of his heart and soul and would die for her.

And as he arrived in front of the cottage of his friend, Lief made it his mission to make sure Jasmine knew that.


THAT'S IT! Please review and tell me what you think! Next chapter anyone! Please?

I know what you're thinking if you've read this far, this story sucks, but it was in my head all night one night so I decided to write it. I am really not loving writing this.

Also, next chapter will be a lemon. A little nervous, as it is my first time writing one. So please be kind.

Kagomehater4ever