A/N: Before reading this, you may want to go back and reread some. because now the Prince doesn't know about Katie being a slave and that becomes important in this chapter. Enjoy!

Yay! I finally updated! I went down to being number 51 from having no updates, which, if you've been following along, is strange because before I didn't go below 10. Okay, enough of me, onto the story!

Chapter 8: Love

Katie enjoyed her walks with the Prince. But he kept calling her "Katherine" and she soon begged him to call her Katie - and in return, he asked that she call him Kenny.

Kenny was easy to talk to. When she came up with a new idea for the animals, but Jordie didn't like it, Katie asked Kenny what he thought of it. When a new law was made, they exchanged their opinions. Whenever a ball or party was discussed, they discussed it too.

But one day that all changed. Kenny suddenly wasn't as easy to talk to. he seemed more distant from her, too. Had Janie predicted the future rather than the present?

No, Kenny wasn't in love with her. Of course not.

Katie felt herself growing shy around him. She wanted to hug him, tell him everything. She wanted to distance herself, tell him nothing. It was all too confusing.

"Um, so Katie, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Fine."

That was one of the longest conversations they had.

Katie started loving the little things he did . . .

"Katie, you said you found so much about peasants when your friend Nikki took you out into the streets like you did to me." His head was tilted ever so slightly.

"Yes, I did."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, I don't believe you."

Katie stopped short and looked at him, blue eyes on gray. "Why not?" She noticed the freckles on his nose that had appeared ever since they had started walking outside so much.

"I don't know, I just don't." He started walking again and Katie followed. "So how do you really know?" He had stopped again.

Katie sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Duchess Starina is my stepmother."

"That clears that up. The day when you took me to town, you said Maggie and Timothy were your mother and father's name. and I thought Starina was your mother's name!" He chuckled.

Katie didn't laugh, just shook her head and sighed. "Starina killed my mother. There is no proof of it, but I know she did. She also killed my father, after wedding him. Now she's out to kill me. I think."

Kenny was confused. "Why would she marry your father then kill him? And why does she want to kill you?"

"It was a way to kill him without making it suspicious, since our cook Carita made the meal. And I have no idea why she would want to kill me."

Silence.

"Katie, I need to tell you something."

More silence, this silence much longer and more painful than the earlier.

"Yes?"

"Katie, I think I. I mean, I do. I."

"What is it, Kenny?"

"Katie, I love you."

Silence again. Kenny was panicking.

"I love you too Kenny."

Kenny turned Katie toward himself and kissed her.

Katie was asked to come to dinner tonight with Kenny, the Queen, and the King. She accepted and ran to Janie's room.

"Oh Janie, Janie, Janie! You were right! The Prince loves me!" She twirled around and landed on the bed. "Oh, I'm on cloud nine! Oooh!"

Janie laughed. "I heard the whole thing outside my window!" Janie hurried over and picked Katie up in a hug. "Now, what will you wear to dinner tonight?" She giggled, grabbing Katie's wrist and half dragging her over to the wardrobe.

"No, red is too bright. purple, hmmm, no the King and Queen will be wearing purple. Kenny's favorite color is green but if any other people are to be there, they'll be in green. orange, no, yellow, no. Blue is the only one left, unless you want white or black or gray or brown. Oh look, the blue will bring out your eyes perfectly!" She brought out a stunning gown from the closet. It was aqua blue and had two full skirts, both sparkling and the same color. The overskirt was lifted up here, here, here, here, here, and here with tiny aqua rosettes and the entire gown was glittering. There were no sleeves, but rather a sort of drapery that fell almost halfway down the bodice and slipped off the shoulders. Janie gave it to Katie. "Go try it on!" She gestured to the changing screen.

It fit perfectly. Katie came out from behind the screen and slowly turned before Janie.

"You're stunning. You need accessories though." Janie quickly found a necklace made from small round diamonds with a diamond shaped as a raindrop at the bottom. Raindrop - shaped diamonds were set as earrings and a diamond tiara was set on her head. She even let Katie borrow a sparkling pair of slippers made from diamond.

The palace clock struck quarter until seven and Janie wished Katie luck and Katie left the room, her fingers crossed. She made her way to the dining room and arrived to find the room empty. A servant girl led her to her seat and explained that the King, Queen, and Prince would be announced exactly at seven.

Katie sat nervously, twisting the cloth napkin, hoping she would do everything right. His Highness, the King. Her Grace, the Queen. She had to remember those. Kenny would be easy, he was His Majesty. His Highness, Her Grace.

The clock struck seven.

"HIS MAJESTY, PRINCE KENNETH!" Kenny hurried into the room, blushing, and took his seat across from Katie in the center of the long table.

"HER GRACE, QUEEN LOUISE!" Queen Louise entered the room, nodded to Katie and Kenny, and took her seat at the chair at the end of the table to Katie's left.

"HIS HIGHNESS, KING DEREK!" King Derek walked in, and had the shortest distance to travel, as his place at the table was right in front of him.

"DINNER IS SERVED!" A small gong sounded.

Dinner was silent and boring. Katie had been hoping to talk with Kenny, but she had no such luck. Through salads, meats, cheeses, and desserts, there was no noise but silver on china.

Katie was relieved when dinner was over. She escaped to Janie's room and changed before Janie could return to the room. As she was hanging the aqua gown up in the wardrobe, a knock came from the door.

"Come in!" Katie called, expecting Janie.

It wasn't Janie, but rather Kenny.

"Hi Katie."

"Um, hi Kenny." Katie finished putting the jewelry away in silence.

"Sorry about dinner. I just asked you to dinner so I'd have something to say. I wasn't thinking about how boring it usually was."

"I understand."

Silence. "Katie, I feel we should - "

" - go tell your mother and father of our love? I feel the same." Kenny grinned and they left to search for the King and Queen.

"They'll be in their bedroom," said Kenny as they hurried along.

The door practically burst open for them as they rushed into the room. "Mother, Father, I've something to tell you."

"Oh, Kenny!" The Queen stood, smiling. "We've something to tell you too."

"Kenneth, your father and I have selected a bride for you."

END CHAPTER EIGHT

Hmm, I don't know. Feels kind of short - and - sudden to me. Oh well, you're the reviewers so you tell me!