DISCLAIMER: It's not mine. Don't sue me. I have no money.

Author's Note: Okay, in my opinion at least, this is where the fun begins. Thank you to those of you who have reviewed-keep it up! Reviews make me happy and inspire me to write. So if you want to hear the second half of this fanfic REVIEW! Otherwise, you will die in misery, never knowing my secrets. (

~~Chapter Nine~~

"I just don't understand," I said as I slid my feet into a silver pair of slippers while tying up a portion of my hair, "Prince Godfrey has visited here the past five summers. Why is it so vital that he returns here every year?"

Mother waited for me to finish fiddling with my hair and handed me a silver necklace to fasten around my neck. "I'm amazed you haven't figured it out yet Rose," she said, withdrawing her hand, "Have you been so unconcerned that you failed to notice that he is only a year older than you, that he is crown prince to a nation that could provide us with economic stability, and that the entire point of his visits here are to see you?"

My eyes narrowed and I withdrew slightly in suspicion, "What do you mean?"

"He is to be your husband. We will announce your engagement to Godfrey on your twenty-first birthday."

I cried out in shock, "What?! Why?!"

"Oh Rose, don't act so melodramatic. There's nothing wrong with Godfrey. He's a fine match. He's handsome-"

"To a female weasel."

"He's rich-"

"We have more money than him."

"He's royalty-"

"And we would be?"

Mother apparently didn't appreciate my sarcasm. Her large, brown eyes flashed and she held up a hand for silence. "You should be pleased."

"Well, I'm not. He's an idiot. He's rude, uncouth, self-centered, and completely despicable." I spat as I faced my mother and used my height to its full advantage. At fifteen I had inherited my father's height and was already taller than my petite mother. I possessed none of her physical traits, her large, exotic eyes, her fine, silky hair, or her delicate facial bones. I was the spitting image of my father. Tall, small blue eyes, thick blonde hair that tended to frizz when let out of its braids, and strong, well defined facial features. I suppose I was pretty, but not necessarily beautiful. It was my mother who was striking.

At that moment, there was a swift rapping on the door and a page peered into the room. "Your Majesty, the Minister of Trade would like to have a word with you." His eyes shifted anxiously about the tense atmosphere.

Mother started for the door, "Of course." She turned back to me as she entered the doorway, "Briar Rose, we will discuss this later," and left.

As soon as the door was shut I threw my hands up into the air and groaned through gritted teeth. I flipped my hair off my shoulders in an impatient flick of my head and stood in silence for a moment, studying the knots in the wooden floors and thinking. Another knock on my door broke my dazed spell and expecting Mother again, I marched over, threw open the door and cried, "What?!" in a rather exasperated tone before I realized who my visitor was. It was Maximus.

"It's just me you know. No reason to shout." He stepped through the doorway, ducking a little as the frame was a slightly too short for him. Maximus' height always amazed me. My father was a large man, but Maximus' stature was much lighter and higher than even his. It seemed almost unnatural, but I chalked this up to being a wizard.

"I'm sorry Maximus. I thought it was-"

"Your mother."

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Your face is transparent my dear. You will never be much good at cards I'm afraid. Your eyes reveal everything." Maximus crossed the room to take a seat in an armchair. "Now, what is the matter? I heard raised voices coming from your room."

The tension returned to my shoulders, "Mother want's me to marry Prince Godfrey."

"Yes, I know. It has been the wish of the high council, and your mother since you were born," Maximus mused as he rubbed his fingers together. He then peered at me from over the tops of his spectacles, "How do you feel about it?"

"How do I feel about it? How do I feel about it?! I detest the idea! He's a horrible person! I hate him! I have no idea how she could even consider such a thing!"

"It was thought best, for the economy and for your safety." Maximus continued to rub the tips of his fingers together.

"For my safety!" I blurted out, "I know that we need their cloth but why can't we just build our own spinning wheels? Are we all cursed or something?" I spat in sarcasm. "And what about my safety! I see no reason that my marrying some pompous imbecile from a nearby kingdom would protect me from anything!"

Maximus did not say anything for a moment and avoided my eyes. Then, "Rose, I do not like this idea any more than you do. I do not think it will solve anything. But for the time being, it is simply best to go along with your mother."

I glared at him in animosity. He rose from his chair.

"Why don't you go talk to Jason about it? I cannot lend him to you for the whole day I fear, I need him to help me mix a potion for a badger who thinks he is a flying squirrel this afternoon, but you can have him for an hour or so."

I opened my mouth to speak, and shut it again as I was nearly choked by the exclamations that rushed to my lips. I threw up my hands in the air and stormed outside.

~~**~~

I arrived in the stables to find Jason distributing fresh hay to the horses. I grabbed a bale and dragged it into the stall. Jason raised his eyebrows.

"What's wrong? I thought you were talking with your mother."

"I was. I left."

Jason glanced at me sideways with a grin, "Ah, more husband hunting huh?"

"No, she's already caught one."

He froze, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that she's practically got the ring. She already has the engagement day set." I pitched more hay, perhaps a little harder than I should have as some of it flew into Jason's hair. He didn't bother to brush it out.

Realization dawned on his face as he said, "So that's why the Prince visits here every summer. You're betrothed to Prince Godfrey."

My shoulders sagged and I leaned against my pitchfork, "Yes. Our engagement will be announced on my twenty-first birthday."

"Why him?"

"I don't know. It has to do with some stupid economic problem Eldron is having."

"But-you don't love him."

I looked away, "Doesn't matter. Mother doesn't care. She keeps saying she's looking out for my 'safety' but I have no idea what she's talking about."

Jason laid down his pitchfork and turned to stand directly in front of me. I crossed my arms and bit my lip to avoid saying anything worse about my mother. I looked away, but was still strangely aware of his concerned gaze. He took my by the shoulders and made me make eye contact with him.

"Isn't there anything you can do? That your father can do? That I can do?"

"No. There's nothing that can be done. She is the Queen. I am only a princess. I am her subject. End of discussion. The word 'daughter' means nothing to her." I stared up into his sparkling hazel eyes.

The thought faintly registering in my head that Jason was genuine. Real in a way that Godfrey never could be. Godfrey was so bland, without any personality. Jason was just the opposite. I knew everything about him. I knew about his intelligence, his sense of humor, his hearty laughter that seemed to come from deep within his soul. His gift with horses, his allergy to shellfish, even his love of snow peas. I knew him inside and out. He was my very best friend.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way." Jason pulled me into a strong, reassuring hug. His presence was so comforting. The tension left my shoulders and I enjoyed the warm feeling of security.

We pulled away and after a moment of silence I began to walk out. Then he called me back, "Oh Rose?"

I turned around, "Yes?"

"I forgot to give you something."

I was confused. "What?"

"THIS!" In one swift move he grabbed a handful of hay and pelted me with it! I grinned, "Oh no you don't!" and threw some back at him. He ducked and laughed, grabbing more hay as we battled, thoroughly destroying all the work we had put into the stall.

"Girl, who taught you how to throw? The horse?"

"Everything I know I learned from you!" Then I hit him square on, "Except that, which's my own talent!"

We kept it up until finally I fell down in the soft fluff. Laughing so hard I thought he would explode Jason fell down beside me. "Your HAIR!" he managed to choke out.

I kept giggling, "You don't look so good yourself!" My sides hurt, but, oh, it felt so good to laugh! After a minute we began to calm down, and Jason reached over to pull the straw out of my hair. There was a period of relaxed silence as we watched the shadows and sunlight play across our bodies and the stallions galloping out in the distance. A warm breeze wafted the sweet smell of hay past our noses and we basked in the golden afternoon.

I sighed contentedly and murmured, "Godfrey doesn't matter. Life is beautiful. He could never destroy that."

Jason turned over to look at me, "You are too good for him." He smiled and his emerald green eyes sparkled again in a way, which always mesmerized me. It was as if there was some light behind them that shown through.or maybe that was just his unblemished heart.

"Rose! Jason!" Maximus slid open the barn door and stepped inside. Jason reached over and placed a hand over my mouth. He held another finger to his lips to shush me and we crept quietly to our feet. We slid to the side of the stall next to the hallway and Jason mouthed to me, "One.two.three!"

We both jumped up and cried out causing Maximus to scream so hard I though the whole barn was going to come crashing down. Jason and I fell down again, helpless against the laughter. "Here we are!" Jason chuckled.

"Yes, and you're enough to give a person a heart attack!" Maximus grinned and shook his head. "Alright then, that's enough. Jason, I need you to return to my tower for tutoring. Rose, you can come and watch us enchant a few woodland creatures if you wish."

Jason and I pulled each other up into standing positions and joined Maximus to return to the castle. As we did, I noticed a faint knowing smile playing upon Maximus' lips.