Problems...

Marie slowly woke with sun shining on her face.

"Oh... I'm so hungry... Rain... Please come back... soon... Before I starve..." Marie pleaded out loud.

~*~*~Forest~*~*~

Rain woke to feel warm and snug. In someone's arms. She squeaked and slowly turned to come face to face with Domon. Her pounding heart slowly beat until it was to its normal beat. She sighed and looked at Domon. She felt a blush creep onto her face when she noticed how cute the prince looked when asleep.

'what am I thinking?!' Rain thought angrily. 'he's the royal prince and I'm nothing but a servant...'she thought sadly. She sighed loudly, making Domon stir. His hazel eyes danced happily, but were soon closed in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed a brilliant red as he withdrew his arm.

"I'm sorry... You were kind of cold at night, so I thought I could warm you up... and... yeah..." he stammered.

"Oh... Thank you very much..." Rain replied in a quiet voice. she felt all alone without his arm resting around her, protecting her... "well... What should we do now...?" she asked him timidly.

"Well, I'll catch some more fish, since we've got nothing else to eat." Domon replied, getting up and stretching his bruised back. He reached for the long pointed stick he used the other day and got up to fetch more fish.

"I'll go find some more herbs for your bruises." Rain said, wondering off once again to find herbs and some fresh spices. "Sticks..." Rain said in a thoughtful voice. She started to wonder, not noticing for she was picking up branches. Finally, she looked up to see she didn't know where she was, but she heard running water. She followed the sound to see a little spring of water. It looked almost like the lake only that it wasn't as big. She went to the waters edge and put her hand it; it was nice and cool.

"Domon!" She called out. "Domon?" She called out again when no response came. 'Just how far did I go?' Rain thought a bit panicked. "Domon! Please answer me! Domon!" Rain hollered out. Still no reply. "Well... I might as well take a fresh bath... I can't stand being dirty..." Rain thought as she put the herbs, spices, and twigs/sticks down. She shed her clothing quickly and went in the water.

"Wonderful... I'll finally be clean..." Rain thought in bliss while Domon on the other hand...

~*~*~Somewhere not too far away...~*~*~

"No where did you go Marie?" Domon said under his breath. He heard some shouts from here, but they soon disappeared. Worried, he went off to find her. "Just how far did she get?" Domon asked no one in particular annoyed.

He rounded a couple of trees and bushes to see a bundle of sticks and herbs lying on the ground. Domon walked forward silently, his heart racing for Marie's safety. He walked until he was crouching down by the waters edge when he noticed Marie's clothing sitting on a rock. 'But... If Rain's clothing is here... Then... That means...' Domon thought, blushing deep reds and crimson.

"AAIIIYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE! PREVERT!!!" He heard Rain scream at the top of her lungs. Then before Domon knew it, he was running from an ambush of rocks, frogs, clumps of seaweed, along with various other things.

"I'm SORRY!" Domon yelled as he ran off.

"SORRY?!" Rain yelled in fury. "I'll show you sorry!!! You just wait Prince Domon! You pervert!" Rain screamed. She sat back down in the water beet red. "How dare he?!" She said angrily. She again got up and fetched her clothes and dressed. She quickly walked back towards where Domon ran off. 'I'll show him sorry...' Rain thought as she made her way back.

She walked out of the brush to see Domon sitting on a rock with three fish already cooking. He stared at the ground, toying with his hands nervously, his face beet red. It made Rain think of a child before getting scolded at. She put her hands on hips, but could not hide the amused smile on her face. He looked at her shyly.

"I'm... I'm really sorry..." Domon said meekly. He looked at her pleadingly, as if silently asking for forgiveness. All Rain could do was giggle at him.

"Oh alright!" She said giggling helplessly. "I forgive you, I really do." She said, smiling, just he was. He truly did look like a child.

"Prince Domon!" a voice yelled.

"George?!" Domon yelled back in astonishment.

"Domon!!!" The voice shouted, coming out of the bushes. A violet eyed, red haired, accented voice came out.

'So this is Sir George De Sand... The knight Marie loves...' Rain thought, staring openly at him. He turned to her and flashed her a meek smile.

"Miss Marie." He said bowing.

"George! It took you long enough to get here!" Domon said, running up to his friend.

"Yes, I know. And I'm sorry for the delay." George replied, sneaking a peek at Rain.

'Oh! I forgot! George must think I'm the real Marie Louise... No wonder he's been sneaking peeks at me this whole time!' Rain thought blushing a bit. George saw the blush and took it wrong.

'Oh... She must be uncomfortable with me around.. I mean, with all that happened the other day...' he thought sadly.

Domon saw the two turn away and wondered what could be wrong. 'That's odd... Do they already know each other...?' Domon thought. He stared at the two confusedly.

"Umm.... Shall we be heading back?" George piped up.

"Yes, Come. We've been gone for long enough." Domon said, getting his air of royalty all around him once again.

They soon set out on the trip back, which was only about a two hour walk.

Once back, Rain quickly walked back to her room not only for Marie's sake; but her own. The whole time, George kept looking at her oddly, and Domon kept doing the same. 'What's wrong with the two...?' Rain thought confused as she walked into her room to see a half starving Marie Louise.

"You're back!" Marie cried happily. She ran up to Rain and hugged her tightly. "I thought they'd never find you!!!" she pulled away and looked at Rain. "I need food, Please!!!" Marie said in a distressed voice.

"I know, I had sent the maids to bring the food here, and I also told them to bring a lot for I was 'famished'." Rain said giggling. Marie jumped in joy but quickly shut up when someone knocked on the door. Rain decided to hide and let the real Marie take over. Rain ran and hid while Marie opened the door.

"Miss Marie?" the voice said.

"Good day to you George." Marie said. Rain opened the closet door a bit to see Marie staring into George's eyes. Rain suppressed a giggle.

"I'm sorry... About, the other day.... " The red faced George started but was hushed when Marie started to giggle.

"Don't be sorry... Its fine." She said, smiling a big smile.

"But, I mean, I don't know what I was doing and I can understand if you hate me and-" George stuttered and immediately went bone stiff when Marie stood on tip toes and pecked George on the lips. Rain, inside the closet, quickly turned around and flushed. 'I shouldn't be looking! They need time alone...' She thought embarrassed.

"I don't hate you..." Marie said putting her arms around the shocked knight. "Actually, I think its the complete opposite..."

"Miss.... Marie..." George said softly, still in pure shock. Slowly, his mind reacted by putting his arms around her.

"George De Sand... I love you... I don't care if I'm here as a competitor to be the future queen... I didn't want that, I didn't want to even come here... Until I met you... All I want, is to be here with you, and only you. I don't care about the Prince or the title to be Queen..." Marie said, hugging George closer to her.

"Miss Marie, I love you as well, but..." He said dejectedly. "My first duty is the Prince... As much as my heart may want to be with you... I cannot... Unless the Prince does not choose you for his Queen, we can be together... But, if he does..." He couldn't finish. The thought of his childhood friend taking the only person he loved made his heart thrash.

"I don't care..." she murmured softly. George looked down upon the girl in his arms. "I don't care if he chooses me... I will do anything... Anything to be with you... Even if it means being disloyal to him..." She cried to him. She looked up into his violet eyes with her sea green ones.

George bent down a bit, and gave her a kiss, all innocence, but they needed no more than that. They were stopped when a maid knocked on her door.

"Miss Marie Louise? We have brought your lunch. May we come in?" the maid asked.

George instantly flew towards the closet, to Rain's surprise. Rain instantly covered herself in one of Marie's many petticoats and slowed her breathing. She heard George mutter something under his breath.

"I am a fool... Domon... He must like you... Why else would he jump off a bridge and over a waterfall for your sake? Never... I have never see him act like that... And... What is it you feel for him...?" He asked her silently.

"Yes, you may come in." Marie answered the maid. The maid opened the door, and set the table quickly, and left.

"George? You may come out." She said to him. Rain heard him get up and walk out. 'Phew! He didn't notice me...' Rain thought.

"Miss Marie... I must be going. The others must be wondering where I am. I will.... try to be back later.." He said, and before Marie could answer, he fled.

"George..." Marie whispered, forgetting Rain's existence.

"oh Lady Marie..." Rain said with starry eyes. "You and George... Pledging your love to each other! How incredibly sweet!" Rain said to the literally glowing pink Marie Louise.

"Oh- How- No-!!!" Marie stammered. "you can't say anything! Nothing! Rain! Please!!!" Marie pleaded to Rain.

"And who would I tell? Who would believe a servants word?" Rain asked Marie smiling. "Here." Rain said, pulling the little contacts out of her eyes. "These were killing me. I'm surprised they stayed on, along with the wig in the water." she handed the two little green lenses and the blond wig to Marie who took them.

"I can only imagine." Marie said taking the blond wig and began to brush the hair straight again.

"Here, eat." Rain said, remembering of Marie's hunger. "I'll do that." She took the wig from Marie and began to brush it herself.

"Thanks..." Marie said as she sat down and began to eat to her stomachs content.

~*~*~Prince's Palace Room~*~*~

Domon emerged from the hot bath to see George and Chibodee waiting in his room.

"Hey guys." Domon said as he went behind a screen to change back into formal clothes.

"Hey Domon! So! I heard you've got the hots for the Lady Marie! Diving off a bridge then over a waterfall for her sake! How very dashing of you valiant Prince!" Chibodee snickered whilst George cast a fearful face.

"Shut up Chibodee!" Domon hissed when he got out from the curtain, face beet red. George's heart raced.

"Do you, Prince Domon?" George asked, somewhat tensely.

"Well.... I don't know..." Domon said confusedly. "I like Lady Allenby a lot..." George sighed in relief. "But, I also have feeling for Marie Louise as well..." That struck George dead.

"I like Marie, in a different way I like Allenby... Marie is kind, smart, and gentle... I like how she is always so nice and kin... But Allenby is a bit snobbish, but she also likes the outdoors and isn't a small meek little maiden who listens to what people tell her... She marches to the beat of her own drum I guess you can say..."

"But, gals like that are likely to rebel against you and kill you to be the Queen by themselves someday..." Chibodee pointed out. Domon paled quickly.

"Um... Yeah..." George said, staring off into space, picturing Marie's face... 'I'm sorry...' he thought mournfully.
'I'm so sorry... Marie...'

Bwahahahhaha! Finished! Finally....
Sorry for the long wait! I hope you all
like it! Until Next time!

Lina