A/N: second chappie! this was the first bit i wrote but i rewrote it cos i didn't like it and i still don't like it really... but hey, who's perfect? anyway, thank you so much to my reviewers :)

Brat is a Rose: thank you so much, it's not fully like the swan princess just based on it but i hope you like the rest of the story

EvenSong: hey i loved Catch Me, great story! thnx for reveiwing and for the advice, i'll try to keep it in mind. i was actually trying to make it less descriptive cos at school i spend was too long describing everything :) i love long names with lots of vowels too..i usually spend ages tryin to think up good ones, but they're nevaany good.

Glaze: thnx for the review, i was trying to start the plot and i love prince, plz update soon

Masked Dragonfly 0926: i kno wat you mean, i thought no-one would reveiw or read it, i'm so glad you like it, thank you so, so much :) idecided to check out one of your stories, New Opportunitiesi rlly like your style!

ok, so thank you so much for reviewing guys, eternally greatful. hope you like this chapter and plz, plz review

Ch.2: The Lord, the Princess and the Kings

The young girl leaned over the cliff face, the wind sending her long, honey brown curls into the air before whipping back around her face again.

"Caden! Get back up here now!" she yelled angrily. "That's not funny Caden; I'm not coming down there to get you."

Down bellow, a dark haired boy lay face down on the rocks while the waves from the sparkling green-blue sea crashed ever closer.

"By the Gods Caden, if you don't come up here now, the sea can take you, cause there is no way I'm coming down there to get you!" The girl yelled, her usually light filled eyes now dark as the slippery, wet rocks below in her fury.

Still, the waves foamed over the rock outcrop, flooding everything and stopping only a foot or so under the rocky ledge on which the young man still lay motionless, as though the girl on the cliff above him was not shouting death threats to him.

"Damn it Caden! I'm gonna kill you," she hissed as the waves crept up, trickling water onto Caden's little platform.

She bunched her legs underneath her and bent low to the ground, then she leapt off the cliff, the wind buffeting against her body and she landed with practised ease on the big, flat rock just above Caden's head. Biting her lip, she slid off onto the platform and knelt down behind him, her back pressing up against the rocky cliff.

"Caden?" her voice softer, unsure. He couldn't actually be hurt this time could he?

They had been mucking around on top of the cliff in a mock fight, she had for once bested him and he fell backwards. But they had always been able to jump down off the cliff safely before…

She reached out and rolled him over so he was on his side facing her.

And Caden burst out laughing.

"You should have seen your face, Amia. Did you actually think I was hurt? I'm flattered," he grinned mockingly up at her, still lying down.

Amia stood up, angrily looking down at him.

"Hoped you were hurt is more like it," she retorted, infuriated that he had got the better of her. "I'll get you back for that, my fathers gonna kill me, we're so late," she groaned, climbing back onto the big rock above where Caden had been lying.

Her clear amber orbs moved out to sea and sparkled, as though catching the sea's glitter in her eyes.

"Caden, don't move," she ordered, her voice serious with an almost concerned edge to it.

"What makes you think-" Caden started sitting up, but his words were drowned out as a wave came racing in, swirling over him, before receding to the ocean, leaving Caden spluttering and drenched.

"Why couldn't I move?" he demanded, standing up now and glaring up into her face.

"Because there was a wave coming and it got you soaked," she laughed from her perch on the rock above him.

Caden reached up suddenly, and grabbed her around the waist. Laughing, he picked her up hand held her, shrieking, to him while he waded out to meet the next wave as it came in, splashing up around them and bubbling over past them. Soaking wet, she clung to him, her eyes tight shut as the wave poured around them.

When the wave rushed back to sea, they were left standing in a waist high rock pool.

"Not funny Caden," she said, smiling despite her words as he set her down laughing, one arm still around her.

She pushed him away and splashed water at him, before climbing out of the rock pool and up the cliff face.

Caden wiped the water away from his eyes and climbed after her, her bubbling laugh filling the air, over the music of the sea.

They were at the top of the cliff in seconds, and tore off, one after the other across the sloping fields to the castle, their laughter floating on the wind.

Only moments later they burst through a door to one of the kitchens, breathless and still dripping wet.

All the servants and cooks stopped and turned to stare at the bedraggled teenagers.

Amia giggled as Caden pushed her forwards and through a door on their right which led to a flight of stairs. They were off up the stairs before the door even snapped shut.

Seven flights up the stairs they stopped and cracked up in fits of laughter.

"They're still not used to us," Amia gasped, leaning against the wall.

"At least Latifa wasn't there," Caden said, opening a door that was actually the opening of a secret passage from the Hall of Portraits. "That time she caught us stealing food from the kitchens, she chased me around the entire castle, I spent 3 hours hiding from her."

"At least you didn't have to deal with y father," Amia said, stepping out past Caden into the Hall of Portraits. "My father is worse than three of her," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Amia!"

She froze at the sound of the deep rumbling voice behind her, and, turning around, she saw the king of Burada striding towards her down the Hall of Portraits, followed by a tall, dark young man she didn't recognise.

"Dad!" she said brightly, smiling charmingly and hoping he hadn't just heard her, while Caden sniggered behind her back.

The king stopped in front of his daughter and Caden, and turned to the young man who stopped next to him.

"This is King Andronicus of the North Isles," he introduced the young king. "And this is my daughter, Princess Kamianita," He continued.

Amia looked up into the young king's face, his strong features. The way he looked at her through his dark, black diamond eyes made her suddenly conscious of her still damp dress clinging to the every curve of her body and the seaweed entwined in her hair and hanging off her shoulder.

She dropped her gaze and curtsied low, studying the carpet while her lilting voice rang out, "Your Highness, charmed."

Andronicus took her hand and pulled her upright. He stepped in closer and brought her fingers to his lips.

"Please, Princess. Andronicus," and smiling, he brushed his lips over the back of her hand.

She studied his face, her own a mask devoid of emotion. He was dark with strong, angular features and very attractive, especially when he smiled. She noticed how warm his soft lips were against her skin.

Whether her father noticed the tension between them or not, he continued the introductions, turning to Caden.

"This is Caden, son of the High Sorcerer Comino and Baroness Elainke," Caden stepped forward and bowed, some seaweed dropping onto the carpet.

Amia giggled and Caden smiled sheepishly. King Andronicus laughed, stepping forward to shake Caden's hand.

"I hear you are a skilled fighter," he said.

Caden grinned, "One of the best."

"We'll see," Andronicus said smirking. "We could practise sometime together." He suggested.

"Of course, I would be honoured to teach you a few things," Caden said mockingly in practised 'court talk,' and bowing once again.

The older king stepped forward. "The feast is starting," he stated. "I suggest you two change into something dry and seaweed free, you will be pardoned for your inevitable lateness," he informed them, a twinkle in his old, cocoa eyes, much like the one that always lit Amia's big, round orbs.

"Thank you King Raymond," Caden said bowing. "King Andronicus, Princess Kamianita," he winked at Amia before taking his leave.

Amia's gaze turned once more to Andronicus. His dark eyes lingered on her softly curling, seaweed ridden hair, and her exotic, olive skinned face. Completely oblivious to it, she looked like a Goddess of the sea, despite her bare feet and waterlogged appearance.

"I will see you at the feast," she said smoothly and with a small smile she turned and ran to her royal bedchambers, two more floors up.

When she arrived, there was already a bath waiting and a dress laid out on the bed. She smiled, and motioned a maid forward to come help her.

A/N: so, this chapter was really just to introduce the characters, and lay out the foundations of their relationships. if you liked it great, if you didn't, good for you just review and tell me. how bad would it be if you had a story and no one reviewed at all? LOL i think thats funny, not in an insulting way, but funny hehe