A/N: Wow, I updated. Shocking! I hope to keep up with this (I know, I keep saying that, but hey, maybe this time I will) so lets see what you guys think of it and the review to let me know.
Ari slid off of her horse with grace that Jayden did not expect from a blind girl. He moved to her side and took her hand in his own, placing it on his elbow. She turned her head to smile gently in his general direction. He let a little one of his own show back.
"What is this place that you have taken us too?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but in the stillness and silence of the forest around them, he heard it like it was a normal sound.
"I found this place, the other day when we were riding to the place. I was trying to escape my guard for a little while and I came here. It's a small creek." Jayden used his free hand to rub the back of his neck, almost like he was nervous of her response. He pulled away from her.
He didn't know why, but she made him unsure of himself. He wanted to make her smile.
She hummed in appreciation and moved toward where she heard his voice. "Where are you?" She held her one hand wrapped in her horse's mane, and the other she held out in front of her slightly.
He came up to her and lightly touched her wrist with his fingers. "Right here. Would you like to eat? I had the kitchen staff pack us a picnic. I assumed you would like it."
She smiled at him. It was nice to have someone think of you in a way other than work or health. Just, to think of you and your happiness. Ari wasn't used to such treatment, but she liked the way he was around her. She liked to think he cared.
She heard the whoosh of fabric and it being laid on the ground. Then she felt Jay's hand on her wrist again, gently leading her over a few steps and pulling her down next to the body that was connected to the hand.
Settling herself next to him, she felt in front of herself for the basket. When her hand collided with it, she smiled and pulled it towards herself. "So, good sir, what do we have in here?" She reached in and started taking the dishes that were prepared and the food that was in bowls out of the basket and setting it up in front of her, all while listing what he had packed.
Jayden watched Arabella as she pulled out all the food and dishes, and set it before the two of them. For a girl who was blind, she rarely acted it, and he realized that she was very aware of everything around her, even in a new setting.
He liked watching the fluid way she moved and he like to watch her face scrunched in concentration when she didn't know what it was that she had in her hands. He found her very interesting to just watch.
Finally, Ari finished unloading the picnic basket and turned to where she assumed Jay was. He hadn't spoken while she had pulled everything out but she heard him shift once or twice.
"All very good choices of food I imagine. Now, shall we eat?" Ari tried to sound calm but she was pretty sure her voice trembled a bit and it barely came out above a whisper. She couldn't see what his facial expressions were and she didn't know what he was thinking. But she could feel him watching her the entire time she unpacked the basket.
It took Jay a moment to respond to Arabella. She was mesmerizing in her movements. "Yes, lets. I'm sure that you are starved, as I am, and that this food is amazing!"
He moved to take a plate and filled it for Arabella. "Now, what would you like to eat?" She responded and he filled her plate, handing it over to her, then filled his. They sat and chatted about the little things, with a couple of awkward pauses thrown in.
Jayden had never felt so at ease with someone. He always felt like he had to look over his shoulder for someone to sneak up on him, or that people were using him or trying to be his friend because he was the crown prince. But here was a girl, a beautiful girl, who didn't know what he looked like, or who he truly was. She knew he was a prince but she did not treat him dainty or carefully.
It was refreshing. Jayden felt like he could be himself around this girl. She laughed at all his jokes, she offered advice and she had points of view on topics that he would never have thought about.
Ari, on the other hand, was thinking very similar thoughts. She couldn't believe that this prince wanted to spend time with her. She imagined him to be this gorgeous, wonderful man and she didn't want her fairytale to be shattered. He talked to her as an equal, not as a blind girl who couldn't do simple things.
He asked her about philosophy, her ideas on certain topics of reform, what she enjoyed to do. While Ari was not one to talk much, more listen, she enjoyed speaking to Jayden and she enjoyed listening and debating what he said to her. It was relaxing.
Finally, the sun started to sink lower in the sky, and it turned from bright to dusk. Jayden knew that it was time to leave, and yet, he wanted to stay here, wrapped up in this little world with Arabella. Sighing, he lifted his head from Arabella's lap, where she had been contently running her hands through his hair, and sat up.
"The sky is darkening, it is time for us to leave. We still have a little bit of a ride home, and if we want to make it to supper in time, we must leave." Jayden could just hear the despair in his voice and grimaced.
Ari sighed as well and turned her head in the direction she imagined the castle was. It wasn't home, but it was as close to it as she had ever knew. But maybe now, with Jayden there, the castle wouldn't be so bad anymore.
Looking down and nodding, Arabella began to get up. They had packed up the picnic hours ago and had just been sitting on the blanket and talking, laughing. Jayden had laid his head in her lap an hour or two before, and she had been enjoying running her fingers through his hair.
To her, it was as soft as feathers. His hair had a slight curl to it and it would curl around her fingers while she ran them down his scalp. At one point, he fell asleep from the comfortable silence and soothing feeling of her hands in his hair. She had simply run her fingertips over his face, tracing his features and imagining what he looked like.
She knew he was handsome, but she wasn't sure what he truly looked like. And she really wished she did. She wanted to see his reactions play across his face when they spoke. She wanted to see his lips while he talked. She wanted to see his eyes.
Arabella knew it was selfish, after all, she was healthy, but she hated that her parents got her cursed. Because of that, she couldn't see this prince. This prince that was interested in her and wanted to learn about and speak to her. She wanted to see his eyes that she heard the maids whispering about. How she wanted to see his blue eyes. She imagined them to be like the ocean.
The two of them walked to the horses, both in deep thought about the other and the day they had. Ari wistfully wishing she could see him, Jayden wanting to see her again. And both wishing they didn't have to leave this perfect place and moment.
Mounting, they headed back to the castle, ready for the vultures to descend upon them. The court would love that they two young royals went off together early that morning and only were returning right before supper. There would be rumors and conspiracies floating around the castle for days, or until someone else did something to deserve rumors to fly about them.
The two finally made it back to the castle, the foreboding structure looking like it was scraping the sky. Arabella sighed. She didn't want to go and get dressed in a dress she could barely breath, let alone walk, in and deal with her parents.
All she wanted to do was go to her bedroom in the servants quarters, curl up on her bed, and daydream about the day she just had with the prince and not have it ruined. But that was not what was happening.
Jayden helped Arabella down, holding her waist a second longer than truly necessary but not wanting to let her go. He pulled away from her a moment later, but took her hand and put it in his elbow, meaning to lead her to her room.
Jayden did not, however, get to do as such. They hadn't even made it a step when there was a shout from the palace steps. Turning, Jayden saw a boy only about a year or two younger than himself running towards them, dressed in a guard uniform.
He wasn't actually a boy though. Jayden could see the wisdom and age in his face. He couldn't have been older than 19, but it looked like he had seen horrors and experiences that some men never see in a lifetime. It took a moment though, to realize that the boy was running toward them calling for Arabella. Jayden's hand came to cover hers in his elbow, not wanting her to leave him yet.
Turning, he saw that her head was cocked toward the boy's voice with a smile on her face, and she was excited to have him with her. Jayden wasn't sure who this kid was, thinking he could come running up to them when he was guard.
"ARI! Oh thank goodness you are here. You need to come with me know! Before his majesty finds out that you are home. We only have 20 minutes max, and I need to talk to you. Now." The boy was reaching for Arabella's hand, but Jaden didn't like it.
He pulled Arabella behind him and turned to face this kid. He was even in height with Jayden, at 6'4". Both had broad shoulders and toned bodies from years of training. But while Jayden had lighter hair and darker eyes, the boy had dark hair and light eyes.
"Who are you and why do you need the princess before her father knows about her return?" Jayden nearly growled at this boy. He felt Arabella's hand on her arm though, and turned to face her, not taking his eyes off the boy.
"Jayden, it is my brother, Prince Christopher. Our father probably would usher me straight to my room to prepare for dinner and we don't often get to talk because we have such different schedules." Chris snorted and turned away in disgust at that statement, mumbling something under his breath.
Arabella ignored him and continued. "Chris probably just wanted to tell me something that occurred that I should know about before dinner but do not because I was with you. I had a lovely day Jayden. Thank you." At her thanks, she turned to where Chris was and held her hand out to him.
Jayden watched as Chris pulled Arabella along behind him, carefully, but urgently. There was something happening between the two siblings, and he wasn't sure Arabella told him the entire truth to what Chris had meant. Jayden wanted to follow the two and learn what it was, but knew he had to go and get ready for dinner.
Chris pulled Ari into the castle and down twisting hallways, trying to get to the most remote place he could find in the least amount of time. The news from the previous night that his father sprung on him was weighing him down, and Chris needed to tell Ari what he was planning.
"Ari, why didn't you tell the Prince the real reason why we only have 20 minutes? That his majesty does not want us together and would lock you away if he didn't need you right now?" It was bothering Chris how she didn't tell of their father's cruelty.
Ari shrugged and turned away in silence, like she didn't want to think on it. "What did you need Chris? What is the matter?" Her voice came a second later, in quiet anticipation. She knew it was bad news, extremely bad since Chris came running toward her shouting her name.
But nothing prepared her for what he actually said.
A/N: Alrighty, here is the next chapter that should have been finished months ago, but you know, shit happens. I have this problem I suffer where I have this amazing story stuck in my head, want to write it, but dont want to actually write it, but I don't want anyone else to write it because they will mess it up. Anyways, I know that this is another almost filler chapter, but you have to get through the author's little bit of fluff to set the scene. This is preparing you guys for what is to come. It's going to be intense. I promise. It is only starting right now, the tip of the iceberg. So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW because it makes me want to update faster, I swear. I'll try to be good!
Ok, so just...REVIEW! thanks guys :)