Review Responses

To Lady Lanet: I never really expected that many reviews for this.. but I ask for them anyway lol. Anyway that would be nice of you to do that on your story!!

To Bladegryphon: Whoa! Thank you. Your praise humbles me. ^-^

They stepped off the train that led to the Imperial Palace arm in arm. Alfonso liked the way her arm felt. It was very smooth. Even without looking he could feel every goose bump that cluttered her pale skin. Valuans valued pale skin. Since the clouds blacked out all sun a tan told people that you were a dirty foreigner.

He felt rather proud of himself. Well, after the past ten minutes, especially with her. Getting up the courage to do that to a girl he just met would make any man feel good about themselves.

They sat beside each other on the train. The clackity-clack of the rail was completely throwing off his nerves. This was yet another thing he despised. The rickityness of the rail car always made him think that the damn thing would give way under him. Usually he could keep this little phobia from bothering him by keeping busy with something. On the way to Lower City he had kept himself occupied ordering his men around. This time, on the other hand, there was nothing to keep his mind off of the incessant clinking of the metal. Atalya and himself had fallen into an awkward silence. This seemed to be the one time in his life where he didn't enjoy it. Usually he loved to be in a place where there was nothing but peace and quiet. This time it made him feel lonely. Unconsciously he flicked back his sleek hair and put his arm around Atalya's slender shoulders. He then laid his head back on the hard, yellow seats and proceeded to daydream.

Even though Alfonso thought nothing of it and was unaware of it, Atalya moved closer and snuggled up to him. Her body was warm. It felt nice even though it was sweltering inside the car. He sat still with his eyes closed, marveling at all of her lovely curves. He leaned in closer and put his head on her shoulder as he day dreamed slightly different fantasies than he had been ten seconds before. Alfonso took his hand and began running it through her hair. It was darker and thicker than his own. It was very messy from the previous hike but it was still very beautiful. She didn't say anything, or even seem to mind. In fact, he would say that she was maybe enjoying it. He shut his eyes again and relaxed.

" Your hair is the most beautiful I've seen." He whispered under his breath. " It's as think as a field full of tough grass, yet as soft as the petals of a rose. A white rose, in full bloom. It stands out within a never-ending garden of wilted red flowers." Although many people would not guess it, Alfonso was quite artistic in his words. It was almost poetic. This was the first time in his life where he had found a practical use for his rather unique gift.

He awoke from his little trance. For a moment he felt like he had awoken from a long nap. He couldn't even remember exactly what he said but she was sitting up, looking at him with eyes wide with awe.

" What's wrong? As I said, you're beautiful. You've probably heard other men say things like that to you before." Well the beautiful part was true. He just said the rest to be polite. He knew no other man could come up with something that romantic off the top of their heads. He was perfect.

" No, you are mistaken. No man has ever said anything like that." Atalya whispered while cupping her hand to her collarbone.

" In fact, I have never had relations with men before." That was the biggest lie she had so far. It was correct that no one had said words that spoke of her hair like that. Why should they? Usually her hair was a mess. Today was an exception and a coincidence. Possibly the most awful coincidence she had ever experienced. On the other end, it had its perks. She felt like laughing at the irony of it.

He looked taken aback for a second and had that suspicious look that she had come to know.

" I told you, I spent most of my life on a ship. We never stayed in one place long enough to get to know anyone." She nodded. That came out pretty well.

" I see." He said and crossed his legs to be in a more comfortable position. * " I hope that I didn't startle you by it if you are not used to it."

" Oh! I'm not offended at all. In fact I'm kind of flattered. You're really charming." That was possibly the first entirely true thing she had said since she had met him. It felt wonderful to be completely honest with him. She really did like him and didn't want to deceive him any more than was necessary. She actually felt almost Upper Valuan. Having said something that she didn't have to think about. It made her forget for a moment that he would be only temporary.

Atalya was so entirely delved into her mind that she didn't notice at once that he had pressed his lips to hers and kissed her lightly. She knew at once that he didn't know what he was doing by the lack of confidence that came with it. None the less, he was better than many other boys his age that never had relations with women before. She wasn't exactly sure what to do at first. If she returned it would she make it obvious that she was a Lower Valuan whore? Then again, she didn't want to make him feel embarrassed by pulling away. Before her head had the time to make the decision her body already had. It was almost a reflex now. Despite what many people believed, kissing isn't as gushy as many people believe it to be. To tell the truth, very little of the pleasure of it takes place in the mouth. It's a sort of mental ecstasy that is somewhat of an escape because you forget where you are and the troubles of the world. In fact she didn't realize that she had returned it so passionately until afterward, when she snapped back to reality and realized that she had her tongue in his mouth.

Alfonso was incredibly nervous even in the midst of the kiss. He hoped she didn't notice his trembling hands that were wrapped around her back. He was so afraid that she would pull away but then again why should she? He was from the richest family in Valua other than the royalty. Who would pull away from that? When he finished, he wasn't sure whether he had done it or not. He couldn't remember a thing except that they had just parted lips. He didn't remember what it felt like, if it felt like anything, much less how long it lasted. A second? A minute? More?

" I also hope that didn't offend you either." He said sheepishly.

Atalya didn't say anything. Just giggled. He sounded about half his age. After that she started to look at him differently. Not as a noble, snobbish, Upper Valuan Admiral, but as a boy who seemed to be forced to grow up too fast. He looked so young and innocent, probably naïve in the ways of the world. There was the first similarity she could find between them. They both were almost completely unaware of went on outside their homes.

Suddenly a jot rattled Alfonso's nerves again. That was a small part of the reason he kissed her. He needed to take his mind off of the jittering train. They had pulled up to the Imperial Palaces station. He stretched and took her arm and walked out of the car feeling rather proud of himself.

Atalya was filled with an undying sense of wonder and delight as she gazed up at seemingly infinite structure that stood before her in all its glory. The lights from it made the coloured domes shine with a radiated neon glow. Her heart pounded in her chest as she passed each elaborately decorated streetlight that led to heaven.

Author's notes: Sorry for the not-so-quick update. I had almost no time to work cause I have school and lots of homework, But none the less, this chapter was fun. I pulled it out of my ass at the last minute. That's the thing with me, I make up parts to a story that don't connect to each other at all but then I have to write the connection chapters right by the seat of my pants. Still, I thought I pulled it off pretty well. And a note on the kissing scene. I hate it when people write fanfics with absolutely no knowledge on how kissing actually feels like. I did my best to describe how it actually feels( heh, to me anyway) See! You can learn stuff by reading fanfics! ^_^ Anyway thanks for the reviews and keep informing me if anyone goes out of character.

*_ heh, I couldn't resist. He just seems the type who would do that lol.