Her head was leaned against a cold, wooden fence, out in the practice courts, except this time, she wasn't active in the deserted yard. She was waiting. She didn't know what for, just waiting.

She got up, impatiently pacing on the frozen ground. The winter was getting even more dull, and there was nothing for her to do. She felt helpless. She was here for a reason, but that reason had drifted apart like sand on a windy beach.

The beach. She had loved the beach when she was little. The waves that crashed on the shore od Blue Harbour, the strange creatures she saw swimming in it, the beach glass and shells she had collected and kept in a box in her room. Right at this moment, all Kaden wanted was ro curl up in her room with a good book and the sound of the waves nearby. She wanted to be hugged and cuddled. She wanted her parents-

Wait, her parents were the result of this mess. They were why she was on a cold field in the middle of winter alone instead of curled up in her warm bed. They were the problem. She had to let them go. If they were what had gotten her into this mess, they could get her out.

"Kaden," A warm figure bumped into her as she turned around, half unconcious of what she was doing and half numb. "My love, where are you going in a hurry?" Eadulf pulled her into a warm embrace that made her regret those cold, isolated thoughts, the angry ones that came up from time to time. She cuddled into his warm mass and before she knew it, warm tears trickled down her face. Eadulf didn't seem to notice, but he put his arm around her waist and brought her inside.

Sitting on the bed in a warm room and a cup of cocoa later, she was rosy cheeked and smiling, after her lovers coddling and teasing. She laughed as he tried to tickle her very sensitive ribs.

"Stop it, Eadulf!" She cried between laugher. Suddenly, the look on his face changed from fun to serious, but something in his eyes of mystery was different. All of the emotion was of love and desire, not pain and sorrow or grief. He bent down and kissed her lips softly, passion spilling through his kiss. They came up for air briefly, and kissed more passionately this time, deeper than Kaden had ever kissed. He leaned in over her, almost on top of her, forcing her to lay down on the bed.

He started to lift her shirt off of her small body, and she didn't protest. Instead, she started to unbuckle his belt. She kissed him deeper, and he pressed his tongue up against her lips, demanding entrance. She admitted him, and he explored her mouth with his tongue.

They were interupted by a knock at the door. Eadulf didn't get up, but he pressed himself harder against her. She stopped kissing him reluctantly, and sat up.

"Aren't you going to get that?" She asked him. He just shook his head and leaned down for another kiss. She moved away and got up from the bed, tried to straighten herself out a bit and then looked at him, bewildered and looking like a lost puppy. "Don't look like that. If you're not going to get it, than I will." She turned around while another knock sounded at the door.

"Wait!" Eadulf almost whispered and grabbed her arm. She spun around to see that same weird look on his face.

"What? Why don't you want me to get the door?"

"It's probably not important, sweet, come back to bed..."

"It's probably a letter or something for you, and I'm going to get it." She tried to tug away from him, but he held a firm grip.

"No, it's probably something for you, and it's not that important, so can you please? I don't want to end this, I was just beginning to enjoy myself."

"I intend to get it, whatever it may be." The knock was louder this time, and probably the last time this messenger would try. "Oh, and don't worry, we're not finished yet." She used all of her strength to pull away and was successful, with a very upset man on the bed. When she answered the door, no one was there, and she looked around for anyone who might've been there. "Wait! Sir, are you still there?"

Slowly, but surely, and man came back with a blush on his face and smiled apologetically.

"My lady, I'm sorry for interupting you." He said with a smirk on his face. She blushed slightly, and fumbled for an excuse.

"No, I'm sorry. You weren't interupting anything, I was just freshening up, and I didn't hear you very well."

"Yes, my lady." He stood there kind of awkwardly, and then she looked at him with a strange look of surprise on her face.

"So, what is the message, sir? Or is there one? Did you just come to stare at my beauty?" She said jokingly. Here at the palace, she learned that she could be snotty for a while, and still be found funny and charming.

"Oh, ah, yes, my lady, and, um, no." He said as he blushed crimson and fumbled with his fingers. "I mean," He cleared his throat. "you're to follow me to the upper levels, I am to show you to the kings office. He wishes to speak to you, alone." She turned and noticed that Eadulf stood behind her, looking upset that she had broken her promise.

"I didn't expect this, Eadulf. Don't blame me."

"You promised." He looked at her with sad puppy eyes.

"Can you hold on one second, please, sir?" She said to the still-blushing messenger, and closed the door. "Eadulf, don't worry, we will get another chance to do this. I have to go visit the King, though, for whatever reason..." She was stopped from saying anything more as the kiss she was caught up in went deeper. She pulled away abruptly.

"I love you, Kaden."

"Goodbye, Eadulf." She said and swept into the halls where a patiently waiting messenger turned and blushed yet again.

"Follow me, my lady." She did just that, following him up stairwells, through rooms, and down hallways. He only stopped when they had reached the door to the Kings study/office. The whole way she had wondered why he had summoned her, but she couldn't put a finger on it. "Here you are." He said and sped off down the hallway.

"Wait, did the King say why?" But he was gone and didn't hear her. She breathed in a deep breath and stepped up to open the door. It creaked a sigh and she was inside.

A/N: Well, another cliff hanger, huh? I think they're fun. They're awesome. Have fun. Oh, and the next chapter hopefully won't be so late. What? It wasn't my fault I was banned from the computer for a week! Well, maybe it was... anyways, R&R as always! And don't beat me up! Hahahahha.