Oh, wow! You guys are great to say that I don't suck. =) I just wish my AP English teacher thought that way about me, too. Man, I got my first C ever from her and I barely passed her class! (Ugh, not to mention PreAP Physics… but THAT'S another story! Heh.) I actually have five chapters done already (I'm suffering from a little block, but hey, three chapters in a single week isn't bad!), and since I got such great feedback, I'm putting up the next installation now! Enjoy!

Note to SunGold16 and anybody else who's a little lost:

VicTORIa is "Tori," she was turned into a frog by Lady Abbersmith, who wanted her own daughter to marry this prince, who was in love with Tori… Ah… something like that. It gets explained later, in Ch. 5, so stick around, kay?

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Chapter II

Morning came and I led him out of the forest. It had been a long time since I'd last gone to the palace, but the way was branded in my memory. He did not question me when I knew exactly where to lead him, though he had not told me of where he came from. Cristobel and I parted with a thanks and good-bye, and I returned to the falls, never expecting to see the young prince again.

I frowned at the disarray of my little cavern and mentally created a list of things I needed to do. First thing, gather more wood. I never kept much since logs were just too big for me to carry and a touch of magic went a long way with a bit of brush, but I always felt it was smart to have a ready supply just in case.

Finding suitable, dry wood during the winter is difficult. It doesn't necessarily have to be dry when I find it, wood can always get dried by being near a fire, but it makes breaking it apart into manageable pieces a lot easier for me.  Hatchets aren't readily available in miniature size so I'm resigned to ripping pieces of wood that is almost already completely separated from a larger piece. Although these little pieces are considerably smaller than a full sized log, they're still rather hefty for a small frog and it took me the better half of the day.

Before I knew it, night had come and I settled into my cozy little home, feeling the ache of loneliness in my heart.

It wasn't until a few days later that I had another unexpected visit, though this time it wasn't in my cave.

"Tori! Tori!"

I had been lounging on a rock, chilled by the flowing waters and warmed by the sun's beaming rays, remembering a life long past, but was startled to realize the voice calling me in my head sounded different than what I remembered and was surprisingly very real and very close by.

I looked up to see the young prince at the edge of the water, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"What are you doing here, Cristobel?" I called out, edging myself closer to the boy, but still hidden in the sun's glare, "Have you lost your way again?"

He stiffened at this, fists upon his hips in an indignant stance, "I'm NOT lost. I just thought that, well, I might visit you today since I had no lessons and it was boring at the castle."

"So you figured you'd appease your boredom by traveling deep into the forest to bother a little frog?" I was fully in sight now and he squat down to look me eye-to-eye.

"If you'd rather I not…"

Secretly, I was quite pleased. It had been so long since I've had a companion and this young boy seemed willing to look past my frogginess, but I still needed to be careful. After all, a boy is a boy and many boys merely find frogs as part of a fantastic prank on an unsuspecting girl.

"Ah, I had no plans for the day anyway. What were you planning on doing here today?"

"Well, I've been in this forest twice now and have yet to see any of those monsters I was always warned lurked here. Where are they?"

I laughed my froggy laugh and proceeded to enlighten him with the story of Prince William and the harebrained rumors that arose after the incident.

*

Cristobel visited me often, at least once a week, and even more often when his princely duties seemed overwhelming. We talked of many things and I often helped him his studies and lessons, even going as far as teaching him things his tutors never touched upon. He was a most willing student and became adept at everything I taught him from Astronomy to Politics to Philosophy; I even coached him at fencing. Oh, how proud I was when he returned one day to tell me he had bested the Captain of the Royal Guard. Before my very eyes, Tobe grew from a mischievous young boy into a promising young man and my affections for him grew stronger each passing year.

His eyes often questioned me, begging for me to tell him how I had gained my knowledge; how it was I became magic, but I could never tell him. I had to gain my freedom my own way. If I sought the aid of another or told them of the life I once lived, the curse would become finalized and I'd live the rest of eternity as a frog.

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I know, I know, I so could have extended all the teachings and meetings and adventures, but I can't. It's not that I don't want to, I don't know how to without detracting from the story. I get lost easily. So… um, help? If I make the outlines, someone can help fill the rest with color.