Yay! I got reviews! I'm so happy :) Thank you very much Elen Silver for reviewing and Lulai too. I love Anna too, she's such a nice person HI MAGGIE! I can still yell louder than you! I've decided to write another chapter for you, since you were all so nice and reviewed. Here you go...

Anna smiled as she watched Callista disappear into the crowd. She turned her attention back to the stall where her family, the queen and the prince were still standing. The prince seemed very bored as his mother looked over more of Callista's cloths. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she examined a roll of pink silk. "I must buy this cloth" she said, "it's such a lovely colour and it's woven so finely. It will be perfect to wear to the ball." Anna watched her take the cloth to a surprised Maia. Maia caught Anna's eye and winked, then turned back to the queen who insisted on paying a gold coin for the cloth. Anna looked towards her mother who perked up when the queen said 'the ball'. "A ball?" Adrianna asked, trying not to sound too eager.
"Yes," the said absently, watching Maia carefully wrap up the silk "Yes, the ball, next week. The one for in honour of Eric's birthday " the queen added. Mary emitted something that sounded like a squeak at the mention of the prince and a ball in the same sentence. Anna turned around to see the queen whispering something in Prince Eric's ear. She handed him a fancy envelope and pointed in Mary's direction. The prince looked outraged. "I most certainly will not!" he said to his mother and turned to one of the younger knights in the royal guard behind them. After several moments of hushed talking, the knight nodded his head and dismounted. He gave the prince a sympathetic clap on the shoulder and handed him the reins of the horse. The prince mounted the horse and galloped off, out of the city gates.
Eric raced out the city gates and slowed the horse to a trot following the trail. First this pointless outing, and now a birthday ball mother's planned. I can't believe she's doing this to me! I hate having to be polite to all those chattering ladies who have nothing better to do than gossip about each other and describe the contents of their wardrobes he thought to himself. Eric took the invitation out of the pocket of his cloak and stared moodily down at it. And there's no way I can get out of it now. If she's got invitations then it means everyone's been told. Damn! I hope it's not going to be like last night's 'get together' for my homecoming. It was a supper that lasted two hours after midnight. I think they all got the hint when my father started snoring in the middle of a toast. Actually, I'm still tired. I don't think I got to sleep until the fourth hour after midnight when the last guests left. Eric glanced at the invitation again and scowled. His eyelids drooped and Eric fell into a doze, dreaming about chirping birds in dresses.
Callista wandered through the market. For the first time in eight years, she felt as if she were truly free. No orders or commands, no one to serve except herself. She sighed, if only it could be like this every day she thought. It was the part of the day when everyone went inside to escape the heat of the noon sun. Callista decided that after she had bought some things from Anna's list, she would buy her midmeal and find a nice tree outside the city walls to eat it under. She strolled out of the gates and soon spotted a nice large oak tree she could sit under. Placing her basket and goods on the ground, she sat down and laid her back against the trunk of the tree. She closed her eyes for a moment, just to enjoy the pleasantness of the day. A large shadow fell over her, and she opened her eyes to see a strange horse-like figure in front of her. She could not see what it was, as it had its back to the sun and was in shadow, so Callista stood and positioned herself beside it. The figure was actually a horse, but the distortion of its figure was a young man who had fallen asleep on its back. Callista marvelled at how the horse had kept the young man from falling of his back. The horse snorted and fidgeted a little, as though telling Callista to get the man off his back. Callista reached into her basket and brought out an apple for the horse. The horse trotted under the tree to eat the apple and Callista turned her attention to the man on its back. The man moved his head and Callista was surprised to see that it was Prince Eric. She shook him gently and speaking into the horse's mane and he moaned " Can't princely duties wait another hour?"
Amused, Callista replied " not if you don't want me to push you off that horse"
"What horse?" the prince said stupidly.
"The one your using as a bed"I don't sleep on a horse" he retorted and as though climbing out of a bed, he lifted his leg over to the other side of his horse and promptly fell off. "Ouch" he groaned, "That hurt, a lot" Callista walked around to the other side of the horse and bit her lip to restrain her laughter. The prince got up slowly, rubbing his head. "Finally awake your highness?" Callista said. Eric scowled at her and Callista blinked innocently.
Eric got up, rubbing his head. He had just woken up and fallen off his horse and was quite mortified as there was a maiden standing in front of him, she was now laughing. "Finally awake your highness?" she asked. Embarrassed that she had witnessed his fall, he scowled at her. Eric couldn't see her face properly, as she had the sun behind her, casting her face into shadow. He must have looked particularly injured because she stopped laughing. "Are you alright your highness?" she inquired handing back the reins of the horse. Eric climbed back on his horse. Now he could see the girl properly. She had startlingly green eyes and her hair was a dark reddish-brown colour, like mahogany. Several strands of hair had fought free of their tie and were softly curling around her face. Her full lips curved upwards in a natural smile and long lashes were blinking at him in concern. Her clothes were those of a richer peasant, thought there was something about the way she held herself that told Eric she was not a peasant. Eric realised she still waiting for his answer. " Uh, apart from being quite embarrassed, yes I'm fine thank you." Eric answered, blushing ever so slightly. His horse neighed, impatient to leave. "You must want to get back to the palace," she said politely. "Good day, your highness" she curtsied and the horse decided it wanted to leave so they left the girl and headed back to the palace.

Have a nice Easter everybody! And don't forget to review!
Nicole