A/N I would like to thank Riha-Jas and Sayian Knight for their wonderful reviews, and somekindasuperstar for proofreading. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

"Jasmine, look at that!" Alice exclaimed, nudging me and pointing in the direction of some jewellery. We were walking through the streets of Del, a week after the Christmas party, looking at all the little stores. Alice wanted to look at pretty accessories, Rachel wanted to look at weapons and Tara wanted to buy some food. Me? I wanted to go home. There is only so much time I can spend browsing through stalls without getting snappish. There are so many people in the market of Del, with everyone talking at once and little children running to and fro, can you blame me for getting irritated?

"That looks like a good sword, does it not, Jasmine?" Rachel asked, looking terribly excited. I nodded my head curtly, without even looking at the item in question. Because my father is a blacksmith, Rachel has realised that I have an extensive knowledge of weapons, so she constantly badgers me about them. If I get married, I am never going to have children. I cannot stand people pestering me, so I think I would make a very difficult mother.

"I am hungry." Tara whined.

"Stop complaining, we already know." I snapped. Well, looks like I reached my breaking point. Tara looked at me with sad hazel eyes, obviously hurt by my flare of anger.

"Jasmine, be nice." Alice said reproachfully. They all know I have a bad temper; even Rachel's temper is not as fierce as mine. But then again, I live with my father, Jarred, and he is not exactly known for patience. My mother, Anna, is the calm one in our household.

I sighed. "Fine. There is a food stall over there." I began stalking in the direction of the aforementioned stall, and my friends followed in my wake. They are all very nice people, but they are also quite soft, though Rachel is more like me than the other two. I can be a bit rough with them at times, but who can scold me for that, when I sometimes feel like I am babysitting them?

I halted abruptly as I saw my nemesis, Lief. He was sitting with his back to me, talking to his friends. I will never comprehend how they can put up with him for long periods of time, but then again, I do not like any of them either. They are well suited to one another, in my opinion; every one of them is arrogant and shockingly annoying.

Alice noticed Lief after me, quickly patting down her brown hair to try and make herself more presentable in case he turned around. That is another difference between my friends and I. They are completely obsessed with boys. I have nothing against males, I even have a few male friends, but I am not interested in marriage or any of the things that come before that and after. It still astounds me how my friends think they are madly in love with Lief. It is an infatuation, nothing more. As I have told them before, though they would not listen, I pity the woman who ends up marrying him.

Tara and Rachel noticed him too. I shot them a warning glance, making it clear that I did not want to talk to the prince, and they complied with my wishes, walking to the food stall. I sometimes wish my friends would stand up to me and give me a challenge. I love fights, but they are too gentle to try and argue with me.

I saw a bag of oats and an idea popped into my head. I bought it from the confused merchant selling it, grinning deviously. My friends turned to face me just as I scrambled up a tree that had thick branches right over the boys' heads. I have always been good at climbing, even though it is not a very lady-like activity, as my mother put it, but I do it anyway.

I quietly crept along the branch until I was right above Lief. He was still talking to his companions, so he was oblivious to me being right above him. Without further ado, I tipped the bag of oats right onto the prince's head. Yes, I do realise that it was a very foolish and childish thing to do, but I have never been good at resisting temptation. I am an impulsive person, I act before I think.

Lief went rigid as the small flaky particles landed in his hair and on his clothes. His friends stared in complete shock for a moment, before they all burst out laughing. The prince's head snapped up and his eyes narrowed as he saw me. I nearly laughed as well. He was covered in oats from head to toe, I noted triumphantly.

"Oh, your Majesty, I am so sorry. It was an accident." I said. He knew I was lying, but could do nothing about it. How could he prove that I had done it deliberately?

"One of these days…" he trailed of menacingly, still glaring at me.

"Majesty, I said it was an accident, why should you seek revenge?" I asked, pretending to be innocent. I know the fact that I am in a tree, right above his head holding an empty bag of oats, is a very obvious indication that my actions were intentional, but he cannot do anything about it, much to his displeasure.

"You know, my Lady, that it is dangerous to play with fire. You will have to watch your back." Lief growled, getting off the walk and stalking away. His still guffawing friends followed after him, clutching their sides.

"That was a mean trick, Jasmine." Rachel snapped, after I had gotten down and rejoined my friends.

"The prince is a mean person, and anyway, he deserved it. It is not like I have done any lasting damage, either. He can just dust himself off and then he will be back to his useless old self. Trust me, it could have been a lot worse." I replied.

"I still do not think you should have done that. He is a prince!" said Rachel.

"All the more reason for him to be brought down. He is too conceited." I said, secretly happy of my victory, even if it would only last a while. "I am going to go home now." I continued. "I will see you soon?"

"Yes, of course. Goodbye." Tara said cheerfully. My friends waved and walked off in their own directions. I smiled and began walking home. My mother has just gotten back from Tora; she was sent there because she was ill, and she is much better now.

I strode down the streets of Del until I finally reached my home, the forge. The house itself is not very large, but it is comfortable and a nice place to live, overall. I opened the gate and walked up the path to the door, knocking and waiting for it to open.

"Hello, sweetheart." Mother said as she allowed me to enter. I was ushered into the living room, wondering what was going on, and I sat down in one of the most comfortable chairs.

"Jasmine." My father said gravely. "There is something that you need to do."