Aris walked through the palace, crouching. There was hardly any guard inside the palace. Almost everyone was at the king's court for the farewell party of the troublesome trio that had come to the palace. Aris was glad that they were leaving.

At the same time, she was not. Her feelings were all messed up as she thought about it, creeping towards the king's chamber. She pushed the feelings to the back of her mind. A soldier was not supposed to feel things like that. They would make her weak, and she had not gotten to her position by being weak.

Her hand was on the tilt of her sword as she prepared to turn the corner, wondering what could be waiting for her there. She had received a message from a little boy that the princess could be in danger, that there were men who wanted to have knowledge of her forcefully, men who were part of the royal family.

Having realized that the princess was no longer at the court, she realized it could be true. She knew she would have no mercy on anyone trying to mess with the princess under her guard.

As she turned the corner with her sword out of her sheath, she was met with a lone figure with a familiar face staring back at her.

"Buckle," she cursed, realizing what could have happened. The little bastard.

"Aris," Buckle said. His eyes were so earnest that they almost drew him in. But she pulled hers away.

"Where is the princess?" she asked.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"I don't know," Buckle replied.

"Who…did you…did you send any message to me?"

"I wanted to see you alone, Aris. I can no longer keep it to myself."

"Maybe you should. Where is the princess?"

"The princess is fine," Buckle said. "I did not want to come here, but now that I am here, in this palace, and I have seen your face, I do not want to leave. I want you, Aris. I am in love with you."

"You have to stop."

"I cannot stop! This feeling; it grips me and makes of me as it wills. I want you and I cannot help myself."

"No."

"I love you."

"Don't say it!"

"I love you!"

Aris turned and raced down the hallway. She was fast, and Buckle had not expected the proud woman warrior to run from his proposal. Aris knew the feeling that Buckle spoke about so well. It had started as an irritation, finding herself thinking about the knight's servant dancing about in front of her.

His gimmicks were annoying, but she had grown fond of them, so much that she looked forward to it. Before Buckle came, she was just another soldier, another instrument in the king's army. After he looked at her, she felt a reawakening, a thought that she could be two things at once: a warrior and a woman, then she realized she was too good to be true. She was supposed to be one or the other, and she had given up being a woman long ago. She ran through the palace doors, disappearing from sight.

Buckle slid to his knees, weakened by her rejection. The look in her eyes still stayed with him. They were wide and confused, then firm. She did not want him. In his mind, the image of her running away kept replaying again and again.

"Of things we never could be," Buckle said, sadness dripping from his voice. "Of a time and a chance, of another life where you would be proud to call me yours, oh sweet Aris, fair maiden. I cannot be the mountain to compliment your strength."

The words kept coming, but Buckle knew he had to leave the hallway and return to the court before people would find him here dying of cupid's painful, piercing arrow.