A/N: Special credit to pinkscarlet08 for helping me with editing, and for coming up with the title. Also, credit to canaryyellow9 for the cover picture which the story is based on.
The Princess Adventure club had gone on a trip to the kingdom of Hakalo. James, Hugo, Zandar and Desmond had tagged along too. Roland insisted James accompany his sisters, and James invited his prince friends to join him for the trip. The girls had agreed to this, but Amber insisted that the boys keep their distance from them.
A few days had passed on the trip and most of the kids had split up individually, venturing out to explore the jungle area. Amber was currently deep in the jungle, she hoped to camp out at night to try and see the stars. However, her telescope was heavy and she didn't feel like carrying it all the way to a clearing, so she had asked Desmond to follow her with it. He'd only stay until they found a clearing in the jungle, then he'd turn back and do what he felt like doing back at the camp.
Desmond felt happy to help Amber, and he found it sweet that Amber trusted him with her precious telescope. She hadn't let anyone else touch it, and up to this point she had kept it in a case with fabrics and cushions throughout the whole trip to keep it cushioned and safe. But now, he was the only person Amber had allowed to touch it. And not only that, but carry it for her as they looked for a clearing.
Sometime later, they found a clearing, but Amber still wanted some help from Desmond. As they entered the clearing, Amber asked Desmond for a favor, "Desmond, could you help me set my telescope up? I trust that you'll be able to do it correctly without messing anything up," Amber said nicely.
"Sure Amber! I'll help you set it up," Desmond agreed, feeling happy that Amber trusted him to set it up too. They worked together on getting the telescope all set up, and pointed at the correct directions, and after a bit the telescope was ready.
"Thanks Desmond, now I'll be able to see all the stars in the sky!" Amber said excitedly, "Oh, you can head back now, Desmond. I'm gonna look for a place to set up my tent."
As Desmond walked back, he just couldn't help feeling happy that Amber had trusted him with her telescope, and with setting it up correctly. He wondered how many things she actually trusted him with. His thoughts were interrupted however, as he heard a scream. It was the very clearly distinguishable scream of Princess Amber. Desmond rushed over back to where Amber had last been, but he didn't see her there.
"Oh no, oh no, what am I getting myself into?!" Desmond told himself, as he tried hard to feel brave, trying to ignore all the fear he was feeling. With a shaky voice, he called out to Amber. "Amber, where are you!?"
"Desmond, oh please help!" Amber shouted in a terrified tone of voice. Desmond followed her voice, and what he saw terrified him. Behind some thorn bushes there was a huge ditch, and he could see that Amber had fallen in it. Amber looked pretty beat up, dirty, and with rips in her adventurer outfit. The scariest thing however, was a three headed snake creature approaching her.
"Oh Desmond, please help me!" Amber continued to call out. Desmond's heart was pumping fast, he felt all shaky. However, he had realized something: Amber trusted him more than with just her telescope, she trusted him to keep her safe too! He had no idea why though; to him he was the most cowardly prince in all of royal prep. For Amber though, he would have to push away his fears, and be brave.
Shutting out his fear, Desmond quickly stumbled past the thorn bushes and down the ditch himself, losing a shoe, and with only a dried up stick in hand. With his clothes ripped and dirty, his heart pumping fast, and his body being shaky, he placed himself between Amber and the three headed snake. He then swung the dried up stick and struck the snake on one of its heads. He didn't know he had landed the hit though, because he had closed his eyes shut tight.
"Oh Desmond, you saved me!" Amber said very relieved.
"I did?" Desmond responded in shock, as he opened his eyes, noticing the three headed snake was gone, "I guess I did!" Desmond said proudly.
"Desmond, could you maybe help me up..?" Amber asked, "Oh, and once we're back in the clearing, could you get some adults to help me with any scratches, and most importantly, with this horrendously ripped up outfit!?" Amber said, as she looked at her ruined clothes in disgust. To this Desmond softly chuckled inside, as he gave Amber a soft smile and agreed to help.
Desmond helped Amber out of the ditch and headed back to the camp. While he walked back to get some help for Amber, Desmond realized that he had actually done something brave for once, and that Amber was once again trusting him to get the help she needed. Desmond may have felt cowardly, but Amber trusted he'd be brave for her, and this made him feel happy.
The End.