Me: Happy dance! Happy dance! I'm loved!

VampGirl: (backs away) Oh dear satan…

CJ: I like this side of her. (is hiding a video camera)

Me: I am loved by my dearest reviewers! Have chocolate!

VampGirl: Don't you damn authors usually give out cookies?

CJ: Chocolate make girls more hyper.

Me: I tell you Fred, my singing alien demi-muse, sing the song that inspired me to write this fic!

Fred: Dear my love, haven't you wanted to be with me
And dear my love, haven't you longed to be free
I can't keep pretending that I don't even know you
And at sweet night, you are my own
Take my hand
We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name
I have dreamt of a place for you and I
No one knows who we are there
All I want is to give my life only to you
I've dreamt so long I cannot dream anymore
Let's run away, I'll take you there
We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the mornings light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where no one needs a reason
Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you
Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you now

(Evanescence-Anywhere)

Reviewer Responses:

Adriane-The-Warrior: I know…I had that issue with Kara and Adraine, but Adriane had to be a princess cause of the plot. Kara is a noble so yeah…If Adriane was a servant then it wouldn't be bad for her to love a commoner because she would be one herself.

Warrior-wolf: I have no life…

Disclaimer: Yeah so I own none of the characters in this story but the plot is mine and you can't have it you SOBs.

Saying of the Day: Everytime you…ahem…play with yourself, God kills a kitten. So please save the kittens.


Kara and Emily simply stared at their princess with a look of confusion. Adriane was sprawled on her bed, her dark eyes closed, remembering the events of the past half hour or so. The thing that flashed through her mind most was Zach and his smile. Her insides gave a guilty squirm when she remembered who would be coming for her in just a few weeks. She sighed and stood, quickly stripping off the clothes she was wearing and put a nightgown on instead.

Adriane bid Kara and Emily goodbye and sank into her four poster bed, the red velvet curtains drawn around her. She stared up at her celing, a small smile on her lips. Rolling over, she fell asleep to dream about golden haired knights on white horses.


A knock sounded on the door, waking the sleeping princess. Adriane groaned and sat up, only to growl when her curtains were shoved back. The light burned into her eyes and she cursed under her breath.

"Up Adriane. You must get dressed quickly. There is a guest that is here to see you." Queen Willow said in a breathless, excited voice.

Adriane gave a nod and accepted the dress that was thrust at her. She faintly remembered later that her nightgown was pulled off and her dress was on and her hair, face and jewelry was taken care of frenzied maids. She studied her reflection for a moment and her eyebrows shot up. She was wearing a crimson,silk gown. The bodice fit like a glove a had a low front cut, showing a bit of cleavage. The gown was sleeveless but a gold armband was around her arm. A gold dragon bracelet wound up her wrist and lower arm. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and a strand of black hair framed each side of her face. She had never seen herself look so beautiful.

"You look lovely, darling. We must hurry." Queen Willow said, taking Adriane's wrist and gently pulling her to the throne room, to the princess's surprise. Normally guests were shown to a courtyard. With a feeling of dread knowing at her stomach, she realized who this special guest was.

When thw two guards opened the large doors to the throne room, Adriane's reaction was one of shock. Her father was chatting with a young man of around twenty or so. The man had wavy black hair that brushed his broad shoulders. His skin had a light tan. He was tall, a head taller than Adriane. He wore plain gray breeches but a vibrant blue tunic with a white shirt underneath. He smile when he saw his future bride. He swept into a bow, kissing Adriane hand.

"It is the mercy of the gods to will such a beautiful woman as my betrothed. I cannot wait for the day I can call you my bride, Princess Adriane." Prince Joseph said, his eyes locking onto Adriane's dark ones. She gave a small smile.

"Oh come now, Joseph. You two are betrothed. There is no need to use titles." King Luc laughed. He put a hand on the prince's and his daughter's shoulders. He gave them both warm small smiles. Adriane gave the tiniest hint of a grin. Joseph offer her his arm and she took it, bowing her head politely. How she longed to be free again.


Adriane snuck out again that night. She wore a light tan tunic over a pale green shirt. Her breeches were brown and she was barefoot. As soon as she was out of the castle walls, her constant twitch turn around stopped. She had been jumpy but now her nerves were relaxed and she was utterly calm, a silly grin on her face. True, if she was caught, she would have a one way ticket to Joseph's palace and she would have a ball and chain for life, but the princess was not afraid.

Adriane's dark eyes scanned the thinning crowd for Zach. She needed only to see a flash of golden hair to know where he was and with a happy smile on her tan face, she took off towards his direction.

Zach's POV

Zach leaned against a stand that proudly displayed animal skins for sale. He smiled as one of his friends cracked a joke, even though his thoughts were elsewhere. His brain betrayed him with the images he had tried to set aside. He saw Nakoda's tall, slender frame, her medium tanned face lit up with a smile, her dark eye dancing in laughter. He sighed and turned his azure eyes to the dying crowd. Only few townsmen and traders still roamed at this time of night, hoping to make a bargain with the marchants.

Zach's heart began beating painfully in his chest. There she was. Nakoda. Her ebony hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of her neck. Her black eyes were searching. He hoped they looked for him. Her beautiful face turned to look directly at him. She smiled and he couldn't help but smile back. She was getting closer and his throat was getting drier by the moment. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might leap from his chest. Then she was there and all eyes were on him…and her.

"Hello."

"Hello." That was lame!

"How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How are you?" I'm repeating her! How can I be so bad at talking to women?

"I'm great."

"That's good." I must be setting a record for the most lame things said in one conversation.

"Are you going to introduce us, Zachie boy?" a rather cocky one of Zach's friends asked. He was looking at Nakoda with a rather rude look.

"Nakoda, my friends. Friends, Nakoda." Zach said in a rush. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"I'd love to." Nakoda said, with a smile that hid that nervous look in her dark eyes. She waited a moment for her to stand beside her, then began strolling away.

"How is life treating you, Zach?" Nakoda asked.

"Pretty good. My parents are merchants of that stand we were just standing by and furs are a rather saught after good so, my family is doing well." That had to be the worst thing I've said yet.

"I'm happy for you." Nakoda had a genuine smile on her lip. Oh god, Zach thought, Her lips are just so… I mean they are…shut up inner thoughts. A part of him had to hold back from leaning down right then and there and kissing her.

"How are things with you?"

Nakoda grimaced. "My father is pushing this man I have just met at me. He wants me to marry him and form and alliance, but I want to choose who I wed. I want to love him before I even think of marrying a man."

Zach gave her a look of sympathy and gave her a one arm hug around her slender shoulders. He dropped his arm when he felt her tense.

"My da says as long as I marry rich then I'm set. I'm still trying to figure if he was joking or not." Zach sighed, shaking his head. That was a really stupid thing to say.

But Nakoda was laughing, not in a way that made fun of him, but with him. She was laughing because she felt that he needed a little cheering-At least that was what he hoped.

Adriane's POV

Adriane felt so calm and relaxed around Zach. She hated how she couldn't think of a witty thing to say to him. She hoped he was going through the same thing. She smiled and looked up into the sky where the stars twinked in a greeting and the moon lit the streets. Her gaze sunk a little lower and she realized with dread that the castle walls were in sight. If one of the sentries caught her, she was really starting to dread the consequences.

"Umm…I really have to go. I've been having such a good time and if my father finds my bed empty my skin will be hanging off a tree." Adriane said in a hurry. Zach gave her a understanding smile and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes.

Her heart was quickening to a feverish pitch. She sucked in a shaky breath as she realized their faces were mere inches apart. She could feel his breath hitting her lips and she shivered, not from the cold but from the feeling that were coursing through her body at that moment. His lips were pressed against hers. It was a gentle kiss and did not demand anything. She kissed him back as hard as she dared. She had only known him for two days and yet look at her, at the mercy of his hands.

Zach slowly pulled away and his eyes looked deep into her. Adriane stared back, feeling so many emotions at once. She longed to stay with him, but as a princess, she was not allowed to even know commoners personally. They just had to be another face in the crowd.

But Zach's face would never go away. It pained her to lie to him, not tell him who she was, but she had no choice.

"I have to go." Adriane said in a voice that was not hers. It was high pitched and shaky. She herself was trembling from head to toe. Zach nodded, a definite hint of sadness in those blue eyes of his. His hands were still on her shoulders and his body was so close, she could feel the heat radiating from him. He slowly let her go. With a last smile, she turned and ran.

Zach again

He watched her go. She was scared he knew. But something was starting to plague him. She always went in the direction of the palace instead of the forest. He followed her, quickly and silently. He watched as she slipped through a back servant's gate, her eyes searching the darkness with fright in them.

Zach saw how bad she was shaking, her body giving violent jerks. He stopped himself from running and throwing his arms around her. He still felt her soft lips against his. Why he had done that, he did not know.

She pushed through the gate and he, hastily, hurried forward. He stopped when he heard her sobs.

"How can you be doing this, Adriane? How can you lie to him? You are betrothed to the damn prince. You'll be shipped away in a few months and you'll never see this place, or him, again."

Zach stumbled backwards, surprise eating away at him. His heart seemed to have stopped, but he hardly noticed. Nakoda, the sweet girl of the fores who rescued him and he had just kissed moments before, was Adriane, princess of the land.


Me: I know that is a cliffy but I am tired and I don't want to write more. And I get more reviews after cliffies so :P

Review me!

I'm always open to suggestions people!