Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's Note: Okay, I'm unsure on how exactly the title goes with it, but..here it is.

The Morning After

Tori woke up earlier than she normally did. She sat up and saw that she was still in the dress she wore yesterday. She quickly changed into the pants and shirt and took off to the stables. When she got in there she noticed that there were two additional stalls with horses—they had to be Blake and Hunters. She looked around and upon seeing no one walked over to them. She studied them before reaching out and gently stroking them. They were beautiful horses. She bit her lip and looked back to the castle. No one was in sight. She opened the stall to one of the horses and saddled him up. This horse stood a bit taller than hers but she got on him and took off.

She felt free as she rode across the field higher off the ground. She rode to her hill and got off letting him drink from the stream nearby. She knew she couldn't be to long because someone might notice. She got back on and rode him back to the stables. The blonde quickly got everything back the way she had it and then pet the horse one more time before murmuring, "This is between us." The young woman headed back inside and to her room where she saw Kelly waiting.

"It's about time you got back. The castle is starting to wake."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I had to sit and be perfect yesterday, and today, I wanted freedom." Kelly started helping Tori get in her dress for the day. It was light red with white lace on the sleeves. "By the way, where were you last night? I didn't come back that late and you weren't here."

Kelly smiled softly as she heard Tori's voice become a little less firm. "I had gone out for a bit and was tired when I got back. I meant to be here when you came back, but I didn't wake up until this morning. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize really."

"Thanks. There you're all done. Let me dress your hair so you look respectable."

Tori looked down at the dress, "This is going to be hot to wear in the sun."

"But remember it was a gift from Prince Shane for your betrothal."

"I'm wearing a dress to celebrate having to be with Blake?" Tori called out in shock as her hands went to her hips.

Kelly laughed, "I suppose you could say that. Look, it looks good on you. Don't worry it's not like anyone else is going to know. So speaking of Blake, how was yesterday?"

"Absolutely horrible. I don't know why he's called a Prince."

"He was rude to you?"

"Not exactly." Tori's eyes found the floor quite easily which Kelly knew as a sign for exaggerating the truth.

"Did you try speaking with you?" There was no response from Tori as Kelly began brushing her hair, "Alright I take it that the time wasn't badly spent and you actually enjoyed it."

"Maybe." A soft voice replied.

Kelly nodded and decided not to push further.

Blake woke up early. After he and Tori had parted ways he went to Hunters' room and found him pacing the room. After a brief run down of the day's events he had gone to bed and fallen asleep right away pushing thoughts of Tori out of his mind. He didn't know what to make of her. He was supposed to marry the girl and yet, she was, such a princess. She had to have things her way or else. He got dressed and was about to head over to Hunter's room when his door opened to show Hunter.

"Hi."

"Hunter."

"It's about time you're up. Been waiting for a couple hours."

"Did I really sleep that long?"

Hunter shrugged, "You obviously needed it. Are you hungry?"

"Yes. Let's go get something to eat." As the two brothers headed down to one of the dining rooms Blake began speaking again, "So, how long are we staying here?"

"I think another week."

"That's what I thought you'd say." He sighed and looked at the tapestries and paintings that hung on the wall.

"What's that for?"

"I just want to go home."

"I know, I know. Don't worry only seven more days."

"That's a long time bro."

"A long time where you don't have to be with Tori every hour."

Blake's lips slowly curled up into a smile, "Right. Doesn't sound like such a long week after all."

Blake and Hunter made it to breakfast where they ate alone. Afterwards they took their horses out and rode far from the castle, but still staying in its borders. They slowed their horses to let them rest and have a drink from a stream. Blake looked farther west past where he knew this kingdom ended. "Hey bro, look over there." Hunter looked towards the west and saw an immensely dark sky. "Is that weird or what?"

"I've never seen that before."

"What's over there anyways?"

"I don't know. Never heard anything about that place."

"Huh."

Hunter turned back and saw Blake's horse who was still drinking. "Hey, did you guys ride yesterday?"

"No. Why?"

"Because Lightning appears very thirsty."

Blake tore his eyes away from the darkened sky and went over to his horse, "You know when we were riding he did seem a bit tired. Not completely, but that he'd been ridden."

"You don't think they're taking our horses and using them do you?"

"I don't think so. They have a stable full of horses, they don't need ours."

"I suppose." Hunter looked back the way they came. "It's getting dark, we should head back."

"Alright. But first how about we check out that sky over there."

"Why?"

"It seems interesting."

Blake started over there but was startled to a stop when Hunter yelled "NO." He turned to see his usually steady brother appear white in the face. He went over and put his hand on his shoulder. "Hunter, Hunter what's wrong?"

Hunter shook his head after a few more minutes of silence and then looked at Blake again, "Nothing. Let's go."

Not wanting to see his brother like that again, the two brothers took off back to the castle.

Hunter and Blake parted ways at their bedrooms with Hunter muttering something about changing but shutting the door before Blake could say anything ending any conversation before it even started. Blake decided to head around the castle a little just to see more of what it was like. He found that the corridors really weren't that much different except for all of the artwork that hung from the wall in tapestries and paintings. As he turned a corner he saw Tori leaving a room and walking off in another direction. He pursed his lips wondering if he should follow her or not. He was tempted to but a second later Cam walked out and followed the way Tori went. He wondered how Tori came to be in Cam's family. He could tell they weren't blood related but at the same time he knew they were brother and sister. Cam had to be King Kanoi's son, but Tori…he shook his head and headed off back the way he went.

As he turned down the hall way to his room he ran into a girl who he grabbed to make sure she wouldn't fall. "Are you okay?"

As she looked up a bit before curtseying to him he saw the same red-haired girl from the first day they got there. "I beg your pardon."

"Hey, no big deal, it was my fault. Are you okay?"

She looked up, "I'm fine, thank you."

As she started to head off Blake touched her shoulder, "You came into the throne room the first day my brother and I were here."

She smiled, "Yes, I was."

"What's your name?"

"Kelly."

"Nice to meet you Kelly."

"Nice to meet you too."

Blake smiled at her and headed down the hallway, when he looked back she was gone. He noticed that he was getting hungry and went to his brothers' room to see if he wanted anything to eat. Inside his brother was pacing. "Hunter."

He turned, "There you are."

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You weren't in your room. I looked by the dining rooms, and all over, I just got back."

"Bro, I'm fine, I was in the castle nothing could have happened to me."

Hunter's shoulders relaxed a bit, "You're right. Sorry."

Blake smiled at him, "So you hungry?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

Tori quietly made her way to one of the smaller dining rooms. It was close to dinner and she didn't want to deal with Blake tonight. Her Father and Cam had told her that she should try and eat with him tonight, but that didn't mean she was going to try too hard. She got in and a servant found out what she wanted and took off. She didn't have to wait too long until Kelly ended up coming in with the tray of food. "Kelly, what are you doing?"

"I found out this was for you, so I decided to come." Kelly set the tray down and sat across from Tori. "So how was the talk with your Father?"

"Cam was there?"

Kelly raised an eyebrow as the two started eating. "Why was Cam there?"

"He had noticed that Blake and I didn't go and sit together after dinner. He wanted to ensure that our Father knew."

"So what'd he say?"
"I should try to eat dinner with Blake tonight."

Kelly looked up from her food, "So, you couldn't find him?"

"Well, I didn't look too hard. I just didn't want to worry about dealing with him."

The red-haired woman nodded and the two ate in silence before she spoke up, "So I ran into someone today."

"Who?"
"Prince Blake."

Tori's head snapped up, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He was really nice."

"Nice? How can you say he's nice?"

"Come on Tori. Why don't you really like him?"

Tori shrugged her shoulders, "I have my reasons."

With a sigh Kelly went back to eating while Tori just moved her food around her plate.