Guys, I am SOOOOOOOO sorry if you were confused. Like I have said before I am VERY new to FF and this is my first story. So please bear with me. Anyways, this is the next chapter of The Swan Princess. I am really liking writing this story. I just hope y'all like reading it just as much.

PS: Special thanks to my girl TheBlueCrystalRose that without whom this story would not exist.

Disclaimer: I don't own LWD nor The Swan Princess

2. Chapter 1

Over the short time they have known each other Derek and Casey seemed to only agree on one thing: their hate for each other. But did they, really?

When the day came for King Dennis and Princess Casey to leave, Casey and Derek were both quite sad and they couldn't understand why. Casey didn't want anything more than to leave and Derek felt the same way.

Derek and Casey, with their parents, stood in front of the castle. They were waiting for the carriage to arrive.

Both Casey and Derek were growing quite impatient as they were waiting.

Well, I've been stuck with that self-absorbed jerk, Derek for three months now. All we EVER did is fight. I hate to say it but it was fun at times... Just not the kind of fun I want. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me or ever could. I am all alone here. I know no one and I have no friends. Why is my father doing this to me? I wish I'd never have to come back here again. But I know that's not going to happen. UGH!!!!!!!! I HATE it. I know Derek does too it's the only thing we agree on. I am so glad I'm finally going home.

As she finished her thought she looked at Derek when a feeling of dread came over her. She didn't understand why though.
Derek treated her horribly and she wanted nothing more than to leave but she couldn't help feeling like she was really going to miss him.
What Casey didn't know was at the same time Derek was having very similar feelings to her own.

Well, it's been three months and she FINALLY leaving! She wouldn't leave me alone all summer! I mean, I know she was new here and all but can't she

make some OTHER friends? All I know is that I just want her to go away. I'm counting down the seconds until she leaves, and so is she. It's the only thing she and I agree on, really. I can't wait until she leaves and I can have my life back.

As he thought this a voice popped into his head that said, "You know you're gonna miss her." At that, a ping of emotion in his stomach that he couldn't explain happened. He turned to look at her but she wasn't there.

"Come on Casey it's time to leave. Tell Prince Derek goodbye." King Dennis ordered her daughter.

She turned to look at Derek and instead of saying goodbye with meaning, like she wanted to, she instead said, "Goodbye Prince Derek." There was more spite in those three words than had ever come from her before.

When she said them she felt bad but not bad enough to apologize.

She would never know how much her tone of voice had hurt Derek.

"Bye Princess Perfect," When he said this, his mother gave him a very dirty look and he corrected himself. "Goodbye Princess Casey; hope to see you next summer."

He said sickly sweet while gritting his teeth. He didn't like the fact that deep down he actually meant it.

Well, after they said their goodbyes, Casey and her father claimed into their carriage and road back to their kingdom.

Casey sat there both happy and sad. She wanted to be home so badly and as far away from Derek as possible, but she also wanted nothing more than to see

him again. She didn't know why. She didn't know if she would ever know why.

As Derek stood by his mother watching the carriage leave he felt a sinking feeling.

Why does she have to leave? He thought briefly but push it aside as his mother guided him back inside the castle.

Over the course of the years, Casey and Derek's hate for each other grew, as well as their love, though neither would admit it.

Derek was growing up and so was Casey. You could tell just by looking at her. She has long light brown hair but instead of letting it fall free, she had it pooled back in beautiful purple ribbon.

And she was going through a little bit of an awkward stage. And the last thing she wanted was to deal with more Derek.

Long before Casey turned sixteen, their parents agreed that their plan would work much quicker if they also sent Casey in the winter; by herself. This was when she was thirteen and Derek was fourteen.

When her father told her that she would be spending the Christmas season with Queen Abby and Prince Derek from now on and that he would not be going, she was a bit more than upset.

"Father why? You already make me waste my summer with that jerk and now Christmas, too? I won't go!"

Needless to say Casey did go and, unlike before when she spent most of her time trying to hangout with Derek, she spent most of her time in her room; reading.

This bothered Derek to no end. He liked it when she would follow him around and the fights that would come from it. But with her in her room all the time... They never fought.

He and his friend Ralph where in Derek's playing checkers. Derek didn't seem to be paying much attention to the game and was still winning, like always.

"So... Has she come out of her room yet?" Ralph asked, hoping to catch off guard. It worked.

"No only for dinner. Wait a minute, WHAT? I wasn't..."

Ralph just laughed continued with there game.

No matter what Derek did he couldn't get Casey out of his mind.

Well, it's been a few years and Casey was now fifteen and was rapidly changing. Derek couldn't help but noticed that she had finally grown... assets.

Needless to say, as awkward as she was, she really was becoming a beautiful young lady. Nobody could help but notice that.

The more time she spent at Derek's castle, the more time they started spending together. It all started on a rainy summer day when Ralph was away and Derek had no one to hangout with.

Casey was in the game room reading a new novel, when Derek walked in.

"Hey." Derek said to Casey as he sat down with a deck of cards. Casey just looked up and nodded.

He hated playing by himself, but he had no other choice.

While playing, Derek sighed quite loudly. He wasn't intentionally getting Casey's attention but he did anyway.

"What?" She said annoyed with him, as usual.

"Nothing. You know, not everything is about you." Derek snorted with a smirk.

"Yes, that maybe true but I'm the only other person in here and it would stand to reason that you were trying to get my attention." Casey retorted with a smirk not unlike his own.

His smirk fell and he glared at her for the shear fact that he knew she was right. But that was not going to stop him from denying it.

"Oh, please. You think everything revolves around you. Well, news flash, princess, not everything is about you. Not everything I do is to mess with you." And with that he slouched down in his chair and stared at his cards.

Casey kind of felt bad about the whole thing so she stood up, walked over to him and picked up the card.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Derek demanded as he stared up at her.

"I'm playing cards with you. Do you have a problem with that?"

He bit his tongue, literally, and let her continue.

They went on to play about 10 games of speed, which she won all of.

He didn't understand how she was beating him. No one ever beat him. But one thing that he would never admit to anyone he kind of liked the fact that she was a challenge.

Casey was absolutely loving kicking Derek's butt at cards. She knew he was good so beating him was a huge confidence boost.

This became a usual thing. They did this every afternoon. And it frustrated him to no end. He had no idea how she kept winning. He had to beat her. It was his goal in life.

The end of another summer came and he still hadn't beat her. As she left she felt just like before when she was little. She knew she was going to miss him. Now she was actually looking forward to Christmas now.

And Derek was feeling the exact same way. He couldn't wait to see her at Christmas but knew that he had to act like he was totally dreading it. Thankfully he was a good actor.

Finally, it was Princess Casey's sixteenth birthday. The time where they would decide whether or not to get married.


Well, that was chapter 1. I hoped you liked it. PLEASE review, it means the WORLD to me.