Chapter 7

Knallia was at a loss for words. Why was Evan crying? Why would he think he wasn't worthy? She replayed all the things that he had said this morning in her head. "What happened to your ankle?" she looked down but couldn't tell anything was wrong with his boots on. She remembered the comment about picking a prince as well, but that could wait.

Evan looked up with her, blushing. "I may have fallen off a wall."

Knallia giggled in spite of herself. She tried not to since she knew it hurt, but it seemed so silly.

"And what wall might that have been?" she said through the giggles.

Even just pointed at the wall of the preserve that was closest to the castle.

"You climbed the wall of the preserve?"

"Yes, princess," Evan said in an ashamed whisper, hanging his head.

"And why would you want to do that?" she asked softly.

Evan sighed, "They don't normally invite thieves into the royal hunting preserves," he said softly. "Or royal balls for that matter."

Knallia's breath caught in her throat, that made no sense! "You're not a thief! I saw you return Oncya's ring!"

"All right, I'm not good at being a thief. I couldn't go through with anything. Everyone was too nice," he said while laying back on the grass.

Knallia started giggling, this situation was so absurd. Turning around, she lay back on the grass next to Evan, her head on his arm. "I should probably be upset," she said through the giggles. "But I still would have chosen you," she admitted.

"You can't be serious. Why would you choose a thief over the princes?" Evan said in shock.

"Because I don't care if I marry a prince. I just wanted to marry someone I love. I think I would have chosen you as soon as I met your eyes the first time, nobody had ever looked at me like that and it felt so good." Her face felt like it was on fire, she was blushing so hard, but she was trying to convince Evan that he was worth it so she kept telling the truth.

They lay in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other's company, not sure what to say. "You're wrong, by the way, you're an exceptional thief." Knallia said, rolling up onto an elbow and looking down at Evan. "You stole my heart." She leaned down and softly pressed her lips to his.

Aven looked up at Knallia and couldn't take her eyes off her. She couldn't believe all that she was hearing, and she was desperately trying not to cry in happiness. Then their lips met, and she melted. The night before she had been in a daze from a simple kiss on the cheek, but this was an entirely new kind of experience. The hazel eyes that stunned her every time she saw them were now closed and she closed hers as well. It wasn't a long kiss, but Knallia's lips were so soft that Aven didn't want it to ever end.

But it did.

Knallia pulled back, smiling. "That was my first kiss," she said beaming, with a look of wonder on her face as she touched Aven's cheek with her hand while studying her.

"Mine too," Aven admitted breathlessly. "Can.... Can you do that again?"

The princesses' eyes lit up and she leaned down once more in another wonderful kiss, though still too short. "There will be more later," she promised. "But I want to get you to the castle to meet my parents."

Aven just nodded, not understanding anything but the more later part. Knallia stood quickly, and Aven tried to follow before falling back at the pain in her ankle, groaning as she sat again.

"Oh, your ankle!" Knallia gasped. "Stay here! I'll go get another horse, so you don't have to walk!" She turned and ran off towards the gate.

Aven lay back and stared up at the sky, her chest was full to bursting and she just wanted to yell out how happy she was. She was young, she had never been in love, had just had her first kiss, and her emotions were whirling around. She was so happy!

Until it dawned on her that while she had admitted to being a thief, she had never told Knallia that she was a girl. Her happiness plummeted. When she heard leaves crunching behind her, she turned and got on her knees to beg for forgiveness. But when she looked up, she recoiled in horror.

Prince Martin, the son of King Lobbark stood before her, his sword over his head. Aven was about to scream when he lowered the sword and looked closer. "I know you!" the prince growled with a laugh, then kicked her in the side of the head.

Aven dimly felt her hands and feet being bound, and then being picked up, and lifted onto a horse. Then they were galloping away as everything went black.

Knallia was a little out of breath when she reached the stables but was able to get a second horse when she told the stableboy that her friend needed a ride as well. She was on her way back to the preserve when she realized how thirsty she was. Evidently eating muffins with no water under the morning sun and then kissing the person you're going to marry could make you very thirsty!

There was a tavern near the preserve, and Knallia went inside to see what she could get for refreshments while on the way back to the preserve. She was able to talk the barkeep into a pitcher of water and a pair of cups that she would drop off on her way back. Not that it took much cajoling for them to give the princess what she would want! She trying to decide how to get on the new horse she had retrieved from the stables while carrying the pitcher when another horse thundered down the road, causing her horse to rear up and bolt back towards the stable. She fell backwards, spilling the pitcher of water all over herself in the commotion. She turned to yell at the rider, but was shocked to see a slim, black clad body draped over the horse behind the familiar figure of Prince Martin.

He was kidnapping Evan!

Frantically, she raced into the preserve and jumped on Marmalade, then raced down the road in the direction he had gone, but it was no use, they were well out of sight. With tears in her eyes, she urged the horse into a gallop back to the castle. Her parents would have to help rescue Evan!