We only had a couple of days left till the gala and thanks to Leo I now had shoes and jewelry for the gala and a date!!! Everything was coming together perfectly!!! I was so excited because I knew that the night of the gala would be spectacular.

But then it hit me I still didn't know how to dance at a gala. So I ran down the hallway and frantically knocked on Leo's door. The door opened a crack and a pair of eyes looked out and then the door was thrown wide open and I was up and off my feet in Leo's loving arms. I didn't want to break the moment but I needed to learn to dance ASAP otherwise I would embaresse him and myself in front of a bunch of people.

Leo ummm I have a slight problem... "Whats that my love?" Leo I dont know how to dance. Leo looked at me for a moment and then said "well that is a shame but luckily you have me as both an awesome boy friend and dance instructor." Oh Leo will you really teach me?! "Yes my love I will."

With that Leo escorted me to an empty ball room on the first floor of the castle. The floor was wooden there were chandlers and best of all I was alone with Leo. Leo walked over to one side of the room and I followed. He grabbed a CD off of a shelf stuck it into the boom box and pressed play. The music that came next was elegant and wonderful. 

It took me about an hour to actually fully get the dance. 

We continued to learn dances and it went on for about 2 hours and finally I went over to the boom box grabbed a CD from the shelf and put it into the boom box..... And what came next was totally unexpected. Pop music with a hint of rock blared threw the boom box speakers and Leo just looked at me stunned. I told him that since he taught me ball room dancing I was gonna teach him how to have fun

(play the video above to see how the dance practices might have gone. This is an excerpt from a princess for christmas... I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!)

~Day of the Gala ~

OK so it was the day of the gala and everything around the castle was bustling with preparations for the gala tonight. There were maids and butlers running all over the ground floor. They looked like a bunch of ants preparing for an oncoming storm but I didn't have much time to watch the ants prepare the rest of the castle because a whole team of maids surrounded me and carted me off to my room to start getting me ready for tonight which let me tell you I was ready for like not just excited about it ready but ready as in ready to kiss the prince!!!!

Yeah I know thats pretty bad but its true I am ready for my prince to sweep me off my feet and take me down the isle but I know that is a little fast but when you are as sure as I am that he has your heart 110% then there are no doubts and defiantly no patience.... a couple of months ago I would have told you that I don't do boys because they are lowly sons of guns and will do nothing but break your heart but now Leo has taken my heart and my point of view on the issue has changed. Who knew a girl could change in a couple of months?

As I sat in front of my vanity on a chair with maids hovering over me fixing my hair up I couldn't  help but worry about tonight. What if something went wrong? What if I embarrassed leo? What if I screwed up while eating or dancing or...... The list in my mind just kept going on and on and I couldn't stop it! I stood up quickly scaring my maids grabbed my shoes and ran out the door. Tears began to stream down my face leaving a trail on my face. "Miss Reynolds please come back!!" they screamed " COME BACK PLEASE!!" but I just kept running. I ran down the stairs not caring what I looked like or who saw. All I knew was that I was a commoner and I didn't want to embarrass leo. I just couldn't handle it. I ran out the door practically running over the doorman. "Miss Reynolds are you okay?" I didn't reply to the gentleman I just kept running where my feet led me. I was practically flying until my feet slowed me down by shadow's stall. I grabbed him not caring about tack or halters. I just wanted to run get away before something bad happened. I climbed on top of Shadows back and kicked him. He ran out of the barn at a surprisingly quick pace. As we came out of the entrance to the barn a crew of butlers and maids were running towards me with Leo leading the front of the pack. He caught a quick glimpse of me and yelled "VICTORIA?! MY LOVE!!! PLEASE COME BACK!! WAIT VICTORIA PLEASE! I CAN HELP YOU DARLING!!! I LOVE YOU VICTORIA PLEASE DON'T GO!!!" but I couldn't stop I couldn't so I kicked shadow into an even faster pace. I felt the wind cold against my damp cheeks. As I watched ashford castle disappear into the distance My vision got blurrier because a new set of tears came down relentlessly not caring what people might think or what I thought they just came so I let them.

I kept riding not knowing where I was going or what I was going to do but I had a feeling that inside me that with the help of shadow he would take me where i needed to go even though I had no clue where to go but I knew shadow knew where to take me so I let him. I didn't complain when he took a sharp turn or when he randomly jumped over obstacles because ultimately we arrived in a secluded area. There were trees all around and a shallow Brook that bubbled. It was a beautiful sight. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I hopped off of shadows back threw off my shoes and let the lush grass envelope my feet.

 I walked over to the edge of the stream and put my legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs. Never in my life had I felt so so depressed. I wanted to be with Leo but I knew I didnt belong I was a commoner with no title or money. I was poor and the only way I made it here was because of a rich friend.

I layed my head in between my legs. It began to rain and it got colder as the sun went behind the clouds. The first bits of rain came down soft. I lifted my face to the sky and the rain poured. After about 5 minutes my hair was soaked and my clothes were dripping wet and just when I thought things couldn't get worse the wind picked up bringing a strong cold breeze. I shivered in the wind and walked towards shadow to take cover beneath the trees hoping that they would provide some protection. 

____________________________________________

Leo pov

VICTORIA!!! VICTORIA!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!

I kicked thunder into a faster pace as it began to pour down rain. It was about noon and it was starting to look like midnight because on the horizon was a terrible storm. I knew I had to find Victoria. I stumbled upon a secluded area something I knew Victoria would love. There was a Brook but it was turning into a fast and curious river as it came out of it banks and rushed past me heading who knows where. I yelled again VICTORIA!! Where are you?!! Again I got no answer. Then I heard a nicker and it wasn't from Thunder. I clash of lightning lit up the sky and I saw shadow laying around a figure curled up on the ground sopping wet and shivering. 

I ran over to the figure and I knew it was Victoria. My heart broke at the sight of her cold and shivering. I thought to my self what in Ireland's name was she thinking and what possessed her to do such a thing? I leaned down over Victoria and picked her up. Shadow stood up trying to protect me and Victoria from the terrible winds and rain that was beating down on us. I set Victoria on top of thunder and mounted up behind her. I leaned down and whispered to Victoria to hold on. Her eyes fluttered open for a minute and a slight smile spread across her face and then she leaned closer against me.

I kicked thunder into a run and raced against the rain and wind to get Victoria back to the castle in hopes that she would recover in time to go to the ball but most importantly to wake up from her frigid slumber.

As thunder ran towards the castle with Victoria and I aboard another frigid breeze blew in from the north with another line of dark threatening clouds. I knew from the looks of those clouds that something bad was about to rain hell down on the beautiful Ashford castle and all of its residents.

The castle began to near with each beating of thunder and shadows hooves. The lightning began to strike more frequently and the wind was blowing harder and colder.

Finally we arrived at ashford castles doors. I hopped off of thunders back grabbed Victoria off his back and craddled her in my arms. A stable boy quickly came and took care of both shadow and thunder. 

I ran with Victoria towards the castle doors. I flung the doors open with my one free arm. Everyone froze looking at Victoria and I. Thier mouths were agape and there was a collective gasp floating around the room but I didn't have time to reassure them that everything was okay so I just ran up the stairs towards Victoria's room. I again flung that door open and ran into the bedroom. I layed Victoria on the bed. I scoured her room looking for her clothes but could find nothing. I ran next door to my room pulling my smallest shirt and a pair of fluffy pajama pants that I had bought for Victoria. I ran back into her room. I began to pull off her shirt and realized that she wasn't married to me yet but I couldn't stop I couldn't let her suffer through those chilled clothes. 

Within a few minutes Victoria was in dry clothes and tucked underneath the blankets. I walked over to the fireplace placed a couple of logs in and started the gas underneath. I paced back and forth in Victoria's room running my hand threw my hair hoping against everything that Victoria would soon awaken.

I decided that pacing the room was useless so I went and sat on the couch near the fireplace.

About 30 minutes later I heard Victoria shouting LEO!!! I turned around and walked over to the bed. Leo!!! Victoria screamed with such enthusiasm. She wrapped her hands around me. "Leo I am so sorry!!! I never meant for this to happen." I shushed Victoria and asked her  why she ran. She replied " I ran because I am a commoner and your thr prince of England. I didn't wamt to embarrass you because I couldn't live with that because I LOVE YOU!!!"

Oh my love I don't care what people think about us because I love you too!!! I brought Victoria in for a kiss when she pulled away and gasped. " We are going to be late for the gala!!!" 

With that Victoria hopped out of bed and ran me out of the room. I walked back to my room and was swept away by all of my butlers.