I had a great idea for this chapter, and I could've sworn I'd typed it up and posted it, but I guess it was a dream. Good thing I still remember the idea. All stories have to have a heart-racing plot, and none of mine have. This story will be different. So without further ado, welcome the next chapter…

Chapter 6

I was running as fast as my feet could carry me. My heels were gone and I could feel rocks, and sticks tearing into my feet, but I felt no pain, all I could think of was running. Branches scraped at my face and legs, and tore my nightgown to shreds. But I still ran for my life, looking back every now and then at the dark figures on horses yelling, and slowly gaining speed, grabbing for me. Then I tripped, and as one of the figures got off his horse, reached for me, I screamed.

I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily with tears streaming down my face. The blankets on my bed were tangled around me and half of my pillows had fallen on the floor. I began sobbing and chaking. My door slammed open and I saw James in the doorway with about 20 guards behind him. Seeing no one but me in the room relief quickly spread over his face, and he dismissed the guards, and walked into the room closing the door behind him. He was wearing only a thin shirt, open so I could see his perfectly sculpted muscles, and pants. His hair was disheveled and his breathing was ragged, so I could tell he had just woken up, and that he had run. He strode up to my bed and fell onto his knees, grasping my hands in his, and pressing them to his forehead.

"Thank god…" he whispered, it was barely audible, and I had to strain my ear to hear him, even though he was close to me.

He looked up at me and moved one of his hands to cup my cheek. He used his thumb to wipe away my tears.

"You're okay" he continued, getting up and sitting on my bed. Never letting go of my hands, or removing his hand from my cheek. He sighed as he pulled my shaking body onto his lap and held me against his chest. He began stroking my hair. I sat there dumbfounded, as he comforted me. I closed my eyes and laid my head against his chest, and began crying again, but the shaking had finally stopped.

"It was a dream, no, a nightmare." I began slowly, " I was running, I don't know what or whom I was running from, but I knew if I was caught it would be over. I could only expect the worse. They wouldn't kill me, they'd torture me and…

"Shhhh," he shushed me before I could continue, tears were still streaming from my eyes, thoroughly soaking his chest. He didn't seem to mind. I could feel his warm strong hand rub my back softly. His heartbeat rang in my ears like a steady drum, as it lulled me to sleep.

When I woke up I felt a pair of strong arms around me. I looked up into a pair of strikingly blue eyes staring at me. A grin on his face. I blushed as I remembered what happened last night, and roughly pushed him away from me. I jumped off the bed and ran into my bathroom. Slamming the door and locking it. I heard laughter coming from behind the door. I slumped down to the floor trying to hide my blush and calm myself down. I got up and splashed water into my face. The blush still didn't leave my cheeks, instead they became even hotter.

*knock, knock*

"My Lady, it's Louise, I'm here to start your bath. Please open the door"

I sighed as I opened the door and looked around my room, expecting to see James there, doubled over laughing. He wasn't there. Louise proceeded to help me get undressed and helped me into the bathtub. The warm water and smell of roses engulfed me, and I sighed again.

"Em what happened last night? I heard a scream and as I tried to leave my room a guard stopped me and told me to stay inside." Seleste said in a flurry.

"It's okay, I had a nightmare and I must have screamed. Everything's fine."

Seeing how I didn't want to talk about it Seleste stopped talking. We were having tea in the gardens together. After this morning I hadn't seen James, and I was glad. If I couldn't hide the blush just thinking about the incident, who knows what would happen if I saw him.

"Is something wrong?" Seleste asked with sincerity in her eyes.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong, I'm fine." I said, as I quickly banished my thoughts and took a sip of my tea. She looked at me suspiciously, but her face suddenly brightened.

"Prince Donovan is celebrating his 17th birthday, and is throwing a ball. Everyone is invited." She exclaimed.

As her best friend I knew this was the guy she had been crushing on since she was 13, and I didn't have a choice, she would drag me to the ball, whether I wanted to go or not.

"What should I wear? Oh, Em, you will help me pick out a dress right. Oh, I have to figure out how I should wear my hair, up, or down, and my makeup, how much should I put on, and, and ,and."

I laughed. My friend goes crazy when it comes to Donovan.

"I'm serious." She said sternly trying to keep a straight face, until she too burst out laughing.

"Okay, Okay, when's the ball?"

"Ummm, In two nights…"

"WHAT!"

"Really, Emerald, a lady should never raise her voice"

"WHAT!"

Hahahahahaha. Imagine the look on her face. To you it might not seem a big problem, but Price Donovan lives a couple hours away, even though he's the prince of Divian, it's already 4 pm, and it takes a while to get everything ready to travel and go to a ball. Hahahahaha.

Ok, I' not too proud of this chapter, I think it's really crappy, so tell me how you really feel a bout it, or I'm gonna freak out. R and R

-Gemini