Hi there here is the next chapter...Hope you like it..tell me what you think...BTW I do not own bakugan battle brawlers

[ impt A/N One more thing.. The name of Shun's sword is still not changed yet...So my choices are Enraiha and Kaze... Kaze is Japanese for wind and I think it is a bit obvious. Enraiha, however is a cool name and all but it is a fire sword...Let's open a vote shall we?...So readers if you don't mind please include your choice along with your review and if you have any other suggestion add them as well... Thankyou ]

FORBIDDEN DESIRE

crystal-mist

Chapter- 8

Alice, you will never realize

*Darkas*

It was a Saturday, and Alice was getting ready to sneak away again when "Milady, His highness would like to see you immediately." said a maid. Alice was concerned; she made her way to the main room where Ace would normally be.

"Good morning Your Majesty." she greeted, she was getting uneasy. For some strange reason the look on Ace's face was only making her more and more uneasy.

"Good day to you...Going somewhere are we?" he asked eyeing her, his face appeared nonchalant. He had his face rested on his hand in a relaxed manner. When no reply came he nodded. "Take a seat please Alice." he said gesturing to an enormous chair. She obeyed, she didn't know how but she knew that she had been found out.

"How long did you think that you could keep this up Alice?" he asked, smiling a little. His voice was controlled, it wasn't like he was the king telling off the extremely irresponsible priestess, but it was like a close childhood friend to another.

"So how did you know?" she questioned him, not looking at him and concentrating on her hands in her lap.

"I have my methods." he said standing up and walking over to her. "So, you thought that I wouldn't notice the fact that the priestess sneaks out of the palace every Saturday…...I let it go for a while. But today, curiosity got the better of me." He was near her chair now.

She looked up at him. "I go... to the neutral kingdom." She replied quietly.

"The Neutral Kingdom?" he exclaimed. "Does Joe-"

"No he doesn't, neither does Mira." She answered cutting him off.

"You've been sneaking into their kingdom without their permission? Wow Alice, Do you realize that could really get you into a lot of trouble?" he asked, his voice was full of concern.

"I know, but I couldn't help it Ace."

"I understand that you don't enjoy being shut up in the castle like this. But, if that was the case then you could have told me. You know that I would have arranged something for you. I really want you to be happy, and if your happiness demands that you want to get out of the castle once in a while, then I really am okay with it. You really didn't have to sneak out, and endanger your life like that." He said looking at her. A single look into his eyes and you could tell that he really cared for her. "Or maybe you don't trust me Is that it?" he finished, his voice going into a barely audible whisper.

Hearing this Alice was distressed. She stood up from the chair in an instant. "Ace, how can you even say that? Don't you ever say that." she half-shouted as a single tear rolled down her pale cheek.

He was a bit taken aback at her sudden outburst. His eyes were wide with surprise.

"I am sorry, I should've controlled myself...Sorry your majesty." she apologized.

"No, it's okay." He said shaking himself free of the shock. "But still, you should have consulted me, or at least told me."

"I know I know…..But the reason is that there is something that you will not approve of." she said, looking nervous. Yes, she had decided to tell Ace the truth. She didn't feel that it was right to hide the truth from her only childhood friend.

"What is it? Can you tell me?" his voice didn't sound like an order, more like he was pleading.

"Of course. Ace, I think…..I don't know how you will react…..But, I feel that I must tell you….Ace, I…I am in Love." She said looking directly at the floor. She heard a little noise as Ace approached her and lifted her chin, so that she was looking directly at him. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said, I am in love…" His eyes widened and his heart went cold as he heard what Alice said.

"With…whom?" he questioned quietly. Alice still avoided his gaze; she was concentrating on the wall to her right.

"With…" now she looked directly into Ace's eyes. He could see the intense emotions in her eyes, and it really amazed him that she was so serious about this. He had never before seen her look this way. "With the wind prince." She completed taking a deep breathe.

"What do you mean the wind prince?" Ace half-shouted at her. But he soon composed himself. "I am sorry…Do you mean Shun or Seichiro?"

"Shun." She replied sheepishly, closing her eyes and waiting for his reaction. She had expected him to shout at her and totally be angry. But instead a long and uncomfortable silence stretched on. His eyes were focused on Alice's face.

"And, how does he feel? Does he feel the same way?"

Alice looked at him, and her face turned unexpectedly serene. "Yes, yes he does."

"I see, but Alice do you think that he will fell the same after knowing that you are the priestess of Darkas?"

"He already knows."

"Yet he feels the same way? How strange. You do know that Ventus and Darkas are not the best of friends don't you?"

"Yes, I do…..But I am positive that he feels the same way too." She answered, her eyes still locked in his.

"And he comes every Saturday too?" she nodded; it was hard for her to read Ace's face.

"Hm….Then what are you waiting for? Get going…He'll be waiting." Said Ace, breaking out into a sudden smile. Alice's eyes widened in utter surprise.

"You mean-"

"Yes, Get going now…..If you love him so much then I won't stop you…Just be careful though, alright?"

She nodded "Oh thank you Ace, thank you very much." She said as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He slowly put his arms around her as well, but soon let go. Something about it just didn't seem right.

Alice muttered another thank you to Ace before taking off. He smiled a half-hearted smile as he saw her enthusiasm and the true extent of her feelings.

*Neutral Kingdom*

Alice finally reached the clearing. She saw Shun resting with his eyes closed under a tree.

"You asleep?" she questioned softly. He opened his topaz eyes and smiled.

"No, not at all." He replied as he stood up.

"I am sorry that I am late." And Alice explained everything that happened. Shun was very surprised that Ace did not protest and supported Alice. But, he was happy nonetheless. He smiled at her and her heart lept a beat or two.

*Darkas*

The king, Ace was standing on the balcony. He was leaning over the railing, deep in thought.He gazed at the garden where he and Alice used to play together as kids and sighed deeply. Now she was going to drift apart from him and he knew it. His face was all melancholic. "Alice, for your sake I sincerely hope that he will not break your heart." he muttered as if he were really talking face to face with her. He then closed his eyes and took yet another deep breathe. He looked at the beautiful blue sky.

"Oh Alice, you will never know. You will never know how much I truly love you."

Me- FInally chapter 8 done... Tell me how many of you saw that one coming?

Seichiro-I definitely didn't.

Me -thought so...Anyways all of you..Please read and review Thankyou..