~Dream~

I woke up back in Leo's room I thought to myself I know I left and I know that went back to my room. What am I doing here. "Victoria come back over here we haven't finished our goodnight ritual." I walked back over to Leo even though I tried to resist but the urge was there and stronger than ever. Leo met me in the middle of the room spun me around and then brought me in for that electrifying kiss. I felt a warm sensation a need or want for more. He grew more intense by the second I couldn't stop. He picked me up and spun me around the room as if it were only him and I. He brought me down gentle and kissed my neck first softly then more intense until he reached my lips once again......

~end of dream~

I woke up the next morning with a pillow to my mouth. I then realized how much I really loved Leo but I turned that thought away because I knew it was impossible. I knew a commoner with no heritage at all was nothing. Most of all I knew he had lied to me and for that my heart was hurt and it needed time to heal. So to start my healing process I went to the one place I knew would never make me mad or hurt me. I went to the stables.

When I arrived at the barn I hobbled right over to shadow. I pulled him out of his stall and pulled my self atop his back and galloped out of the castle without a care in the world.

The world faded into shadows all I focused on was shadow and the land in front of us.
After about an hour of riding around I came to a stream. The water flowed so crystal clear and the grass was so lush all around it. I slid off of shadows back being mindful of my ankle and I walked over to the edge of the shore and sat down enjoying the water and the peacefulness all around me. Here there were no worries no cares about anything all it was was me being one with the stream and going forward with my life and not backwards.

I stayed near the stream for several hours. I walked back and forth along the stream and I even decided that I was going to go to the little falls and get wet. As I walked closer to the little falls I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of joy because here and now I was me I wasn't anyone else just me.

I hopped over several rocks and made my way over to the falls leaving my shoes on the bank.

I sat down on a rock that was right next to the falls and let all the stray water droplets fall on me and embrace me. After about 5 minutes I got brave enough and I jumped into falls and let the water from the falls part around me and saturate me. I ran around in the water and embraced my inner kid because as a kid you have no care in the world and that is what I wanted to feel right now. No pain, No hurt, and No cares.

After about an hour of playing in the stream and falls and running barefoot through the grass I headed back to the castle stables. When I arrived back at the stables I groomed shadow and stuck him back in his stall. Still sipping wet,I turned to walk back to the castle, and was met with a silver platter, a butler, and a metallic embroidered card. " Miss Reynolds your are cordially Invited to attend this year's Irish gala. Everything you need to know is in this invitation." I took the invitation and thanked the gentleman for the invitation.

I walked back towards the castle and up into my room. I opened the beautiful invitation and inside it read " You are hereby cordially invited to attend this year's Irish gala. We would greatly appreciate it if you could join us. Please bring your best ball gown and this invitation to attend the grandest event this castle has held."

I couldn't help but throw the invitation aside and do my happy dance. I stopped in my tracks when I realized that I didn't have a dress to wear so I had to hurry up and go buy one. I called up one of my maids and asked her where the closet dress stores where and she said that they were scattered here and there and that the best thing to do was look online for a dress and find out what store it was in and then send for it. So I did exactly that. I grabbed my laptop and immediately started scrolling through websites and online catalogs. I spent hours on end searching until finally I found the one I wanted.

The dress was elegant fancy and totally princess material weather or not Leo would apologize for lying to me. The dress was a brilliant royal blue with a beaded and fitted bodice that was fit for a princess of any stature. The dress had a sweet heart neckline that was fitted closely to the wearers body to make it feel like the dress was apart of them. The skirt of the was a ballroom style with beautiful royal blue tulle ruffles the fell to the floor and practically made you look like you were floating. The dress itself screamed royal and I knew that between now and the ball which was about a month which would land us right around the first of December. So I was limited in the time I had to hopefully get Leo back and to maybe apologize for overreacting I mean what girl wouldn't want to have a prince as their boyfriend/friend/husband.

               -list of things to do before the ball-

1) get Leo to ask me out

2) get my dress ordered ASAP

3) Pick out shoes and other accessories to match

4) learn to dance at a royal ball

5) learn how to eat properly at a ball

6) pick back up my British accent (which I was slowly loosing)

7) try to act lady-like in between now and then (so I don't embarrass myself)

________________________________

So I officially have 20 days until the ball and my dress has not come in yet and I haven't picked out my shoes or my hairstyle yet. But the first thing on my checklist was to get Leo to ask me to the ball and the only way to do that was send an anonymous note and accidentally run into him in the stables.

I called for a maid and sent her along with a letter to deliver to the prince himself. I gave violet the maid specific instructions not to tell Leo who sent the note but that the lady wished to remain anonymous.

The note read - Dear Leo,
I hope that I shall see you today perhaps in the stables or by the falls.

- Anonymous

With that I sent the maid running to deliver the message and I put on my favorite outfit which consisted of a cute riding shirt, riding pants, and my English boots

I walked down to the lobby out the doors and to the stable to grab shadow. As I neared the stable I saw shadow sticking his head out of the stall to greet me. " Hello pretty boy! How are you today?! Are you ready to go for another ride? I know I haven't ridden you in a while but I will make up for that today." Shadows only response to all of my questions was a nicker and a bobbing head which I returned with a laugh and a carrot for the guy.

I pulled his halter off of the stall door and slipped it over his head and as I pulled him out of the stall I ran into a tall figure. I turned around and was greeted by a polite smile which belonged to Leo. I turned back towards shadow and felt a blush riding to my cheeks.

"Victoria?"

I turned back towards Leo and replied yes.

"I am so sorry about the other day I never meant to lie to you I just wanted to make sure that you were genuine about your feelings and now I know you were and I am so sorry please forgive me."

I looked into Leo's eyes and said "I am sorry. I love you I really do." Leo embraced me and brought me in for a kiss. At first it was light sweet tender then he just got more intense until I ended up with a feeling that I had never felt before. It was a feeling of euphoria or maybe it was just my adrenaline that made me feel really light headed because by this time the room was spinning and Leo had a horrified yet caring look on his face.

I momentarily felt suspended in midair and then I was freezing cold and thats when I knew something wrong. I barely heard Leo say "My love hang in there don't leave me." It was like I was underwater and he was above water and yelling at me.

~ unknown hours later ~

I woke up with Leo next to me. I was in an unfamiliar room and was laying in what must have been the most comfortable bed I had ever been on. I reached over to the edge of the bed where Leo was sitting next to me in a chair fast asleep. He looked so cute when he was asleep. His hair was a little bit of a mess but it was cute because it was naturally him there wasn't any shine of hair products or gel, it was just him all natural and adorable. I put my hand in his and he woke up. "Victoria?!" I smiled at him. "Your finally awake. I was so worried about you. You had a bit of a fever..... And you had me so worried. I was afraid that maybe I might....." He trailed off and I couldn't help but wonder what would make him do that then I realized that I was a little paler than I remembered and thats when it hit me I could have died.

I sat up against the head board of the bed and scooted over and invited Leo to sit next to me. He was kind of sheepish at first but finally he got up on the bed and I layed my head against his chest and he craddled me in his arms. I felt safe, warm and most of all I felt loved. After a few moments of silence Leo broke the silence by saying " Victoria would you do me the honor of coming to the gala with me?" I looked up into his handsome eyes and replied I would love to come with you Leo!

"Victoria?" Yeah Leo... "While you were asleep I talked to the desk clerk downstairs and he showed me your room and I think it is unacceptable for anyone who is involved with a prince of England to be in such a room even though I know that it is not that bad of a room for you but I want only the best for the possible future miss princess of England.

"So I got you a new room!!!" Leo walked me out of his room and down the hall. When Leo opened the door it reavled a large luxurious bathroom with 2 bedrooms and a living room area with a beautiful view of the grounds and that wasn't even the best part. The best part was it was right next door to Leo's room!!!!