A/N: Sorry I didn't get this next chapter up sooner, but I was on a trip and had to get ready to go back to school. Then I was having trouble getting my internet back up, so yeah, you get the picture… Sorry.

Chapter 6

Well, knowing that I couldn't get to my brother through any more tricks, Orion and I decided to not bother with any new tricks for the time being. But the war went on any way.

Queen Ella and King Char were into this so deep that they pulled prank after prank. Even those whom they were allied with had to worry about a bucket of soapy water or sometimes even something worse. One night, Orion came into the study for the planning of our last prank with the remnants of a lemon meringue pie on his clothes and face. I couldn't help but laugh because this prank had been performed right under my nose.

The pranks from my brother were beginning to slow down a little, but only a little. When we had been attacked each day, we were now getting a minor prank every other day or maybe a larger one every few days. But still, we were getting hit, though not that hard.

Knowing that something was afoot, I told everyone to be overly cautious because I had seen this tactic before. My brother would make like he was going to surrender, then hit me with a prank worse than any others he had done before. But then, I didn't think about how far he would go.

Things were also happening between Orion and me. We were getting closer, closer than we had been in past summers. I was finding that the separation from my brother and best friend was grating on me and began to open up to Orion. Most nights, instead of planning, we would spend the time talking and sharing things about ourselves.

One night after a really long conversation with Orion, he walked me to the door and was about to let me out when he kissed me. Not on the cheek like a brotherly or friendly kiss, but on the mouth. That really freaked me out and my legs just gave out from beneath me.

"W-what was that for?" I stuttered from my spot on the floor, in front of the door.

Orion sat down next to me and leaned against the door.

"Maybe the same thing that happened to your brother," he said.

"You're in love with me!?" I asked, startled.

"Who couldn't?" he asked me, meeting my eyes. The firelight had made his green eyes glow in a way I had never seen them.

"Has getting hit with that pie finally gotten to you?" I asked, getting a little scared.

Orion smiled a cocky grin and grabbed my hands.

"I am perfectly fine, but if it was really that pie, hit me again," he said with a laugh. Growing serious, he said, "But I really think that you are the girl for me."

"And if your sister married my brother, I would be off limits because I would be family," I pointed out.

"Theirs is just a fickle love," he said rolling his eyes.

"Speaking about love," I said changing the subject, "when will your friend be here with his sister?"

"Their already here so we can pull it off tomorrow night."

"Good."

I rose and opened the door a crack before leaving to check the halls for an intruder. Turning around, I found Orion behind me. He kissed me again, leaving my head reeling. Then, he opened the door and let me out.

I began the walk to the room I had been assigned to when I had arrived. My heart was beating so fast and my mind was spinning in circles. Could it be that I was falling for my friend as he had for me?

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I forgot to be on my guard. I never even saw the shadow that passed over mine or the hands that grabbed my arms. But I did see the sack coming over my head and screamed.