The waves lapped hypnotically against the sandy shore. The blue water slowly darkened as the sun descended behind the horizon. The remnants of the sun sent lady fingers of yellows, oranges, and pinks across the water and the sky before total darkness.

The beach was untouched my man's destructive hands. It was pristine and delicate as it was in the beginning, all except for an abandoned castle atop a near by cliff.

The soft lapping of water continued in its constant rhythm when a disturbance over took the stable atmosphere. A man was walking out of the water and onto the sand. His silvery blond hair fell in front of his eyes like moon beams, and despite the darkness, in the moonlight, his eyes seemed to glow an iridescent blue-green.

His footfalls were soft, and he appeared unsteady on his legs. After he was completely out of the water he kneeled down on the sand to regain his strength. He didn't at all look weak though. His body was filled with long lean muscles that were excentuated with the moonlight reflecting off the water droplets over the extent of his naked flesh.

He looked up after a few moments seeming to have regained all sense of balance and awareness. The transition was never easy for him.

Ready to take on whatever the land was to throw at him he closed his eyes and concentrated. A silver membrane seemed to form a bubble around his body and when it faded he was standing in full dress; boots, leggings, tunic, cloak and everything else a human man needed to be proper in society. All he was missing was a horse.

He turned his eyes to the ocean, and as if by will a white stallion appeared from the waves and trotted beside him obediently. He was ready.

Ava was pushed into her room by a gaggle of ladies. Immediately after the door was shut she was sat down in a chair and the women each began a job. One of them was Ava's mother's senior lady. She looked down at Ava with a smile painted upon her chubby face. She was always around, ever since Ava was a baby, and so she knew her well. She was a kind lady with a scratchy voice and a big heart.

"It's not that big of a deal," Ava protested as another woman began to comb out her hair and other rummaged through her closet of dresses.

"But Ava, this is your day! You get to have a whole ball dedicated to you and true love!" Lady Jessa made a pretend swoon and smiled. She was Ava's own lady and best friend. They grew up together similar in age, but different in rank. "I wish I could have a ball where every prince wanted to take my hand in marriage!" she giggled.

Ava knew the only reason a man would want to marry her on the spot was for her dowry. Castle LeeWood needed a male to rule it, and an heir for the future. Any man would jump at such an opportunity. LeeWood was a rich land with much potential if maintained. Most royals were able to see that. Ava wanted real love, a love for her, not her castle. She wanted to explain this to Jessa, but she knew it was hopeless. Jessa had a big imagination. All Ava could imagine is her, barefoot and locked in her chambers, seven months pregnant with a child conceived of something other then love. Jessa may have had a big imagination, but Ava had big dreams that she didn't want soiled.

After one lady laid out her dress they all gathered around her hair. Her long brown locks were braided and tied into loops around her head. Finally they finished and tied on the golden ribbon around the braid that fell down along her neck and back.

Ava simply nodded when the ladies asked if she was excited. It was much easier then trying to explain why she didn't wish to meet any of these men.

Finally she was standing up in her undergown having her sage dress pulled on and laced up. It had short sleeves that hung off of Ava's shoulders to show off her flawless skin, and a slight pouf to her skirt to excentuate her womanly curves, after all, she was seventeen, at prime age.

"Ava, you look beautiful!" exclaimed Jessa, clapping her hands over her mouth. Ava did a quick turn to satisfy the ladies and they all nodded.

"Any man would be an idiot to not fall for you," said the senior lady in waiting as she slid on the finishing touch, Ava's Tiara. "Go on out there and make a future for yourself."

Ava stepped into the great hall. It was a flourish of colors and swishing skirts. She felt momentarily dizzy, but recovered. She would simply have to grin and bare the experience and hope that she could actually stand one of the men for more then five minutes.

Not yet five minutes into her time at the ball she was approached by several men. She could see them trying, and she could see the want for her castle, not her, in their eyes.

"Pleased to meet you," she would drone, "I am fine, and yourself?" she had to stomach several responses such as "You are as fair as a lilly" and other trash like that. Oh how hard a man would try and how pathetically he would beg when the bone was dangling by his snout.

"May I have this dance?" came a voice from behind her. Ava wanted to yell and deny, but instead she politely nodded and took the man's hand. He wasn't that ugly, fair build with fine blond hair. 'Maybe' she thought to herself. He pulled her just a bit too close as they began the dance and he twirled her across the dance floor. "I am prince Harold of the Eastern Province, princess, and I do so hope you choose me," his breath was putrid with the acrid smell of ale. This prince obviously had too much to drink. She wouldn't have that in a man, not at all.

"Of course, how stupid of me to not have noticed."

"I don't blame you, some people just don't know of our greatness," he smiled.

Already she was sick of him, a drinking problem and he was vain. "Excuse me," she said as she broke from his grasp. She took a deep breath, it was as if she were in a choke hold with that man.

"Excuse me?" Ava turned around, a bit annoyed.

"What! I mean, yes?" she composed herself. Standing behind her was a man who looked old enough to be her grandfather with white thinning hair and skin that seemed to be peeling off of his body, nonetheless he was dressed in regal clothing.

"I am Prince Earl, may I have this dance?"

'You have to be kidding me?!' Ava thought to herself. "Yes, I suppose you can," she bit her tongue for that one. Why? There was no way she could marry a prince who looked as if he would die after their first joining, if he could even get that far.

"You are a fair flower, Princess Ava," he said looking at her.

'As if I haven't heard that one before,' she grimaced and gave a weak smile.

The night went as such, prince after prince. Every time she found one she could tolerate he did something that absolutely set her off. You'd think she could stand at least one prince in the whole of the continent. She'd have better luck marrying a fish. Would she ever find love?

Ava was standing by a table with wine on it. She quickly took a sip and decided to make her getaway. It was now or never. With a quick glance over her shoulder she made it to the court yard entrance. the cool air hit her like a bullet, but she welcomed it and broke into a blind run to get as far from the great hall as she could. She soon made it past the castle walls with little trouble and tossed off her wretched tiara. If only she could do the same with her title. Perhaps then she would find true love.

Ava held back a shocked scream when she ran into something solid. She heard it grunt and looked up into the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen. They were almost iridescent, shining in all shades of blue and green. "Pardon me, sir, I hardly meant to run into you!" she apologized fervently.

"Eh, it's quite all right milady. I think I'll survive," he flashed a grin at her.

Ava had no idea who this man was, but in the instant she ran into him she felt something, and the moment her eyes looked into his, she lit on fire. "What's your name?" she asked quickly as he was turning around, in a desperate attempt to stop him.

He stopped and looked at her, "I only believe in fair trades milady, you would have to tell me yours first."

"Ava," she said simply, not mentioning she was a princess. Chances were he knew, then again, perhaps not.

"Pleased to meet you Ava, I am Cale," he grinned and took her hand to kiss the back of it gently.

She was surprised, he made no comment of "Are you the princess Ava?" perhaps he genuinely didn't know. Maybe he was an outsider, though he certainty was dressed as a noble. But then why was he walking the streets at night. Something was fishy about the whole situation, but the kiss he had planted on her hand burned through her flesh and incinterated all doubt. Where had he come from?

"Well, if you'd excuse me Cale, I have to make a get away as fast I can."

"Where too?" he lifted an eye brow.

"Anywhere as long as I am away from that castle," she pointed.

"Would you allow me to escort you somewhere secluded? It's dangerous for a lady out on her own."

'Especially in a dress like this' she thought to herself. Normally she would have declined this man, but she was so desperate to get away and so entranced by him that she went with him in a heart beat. "Yes, let's go!"

The man whistled and a white horse came up from around a patch of trees. He placed his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the bareback of his horse. He then jumped on and placed an arm around her while he clicked for his horse to take off.

The whole of the situation was mind boggling to Ava. She had just jumped on a horse with a stranger who could actually be an assassin. How stupid was she? But when she looked back into his eyes those worries were washed away, as if with a passing wave. It was an exhilarating adventure, and she was right on top of it!

The horse rode into the inside of the forest. It was dark, but she didn't mind it all that much. Finally though, the horse stopped in a clearing. The sound of flowing water over rocks was strong and relaxing, along with the peaceful chirps of night birds. Cale jumped off of the horse and gently pulled her down to the ground. "I doubt they'll find you here. You can relax for a while."

"Thank you so much," she said with a sigh, looking around. They were by a spring. Rocks lined the entire area and the water flowed out into a small stream. The whole thing was about twenty feet wide and it looked very deep. She made her way to the edge and sat on a rock. She hiked her skirts up and dangled her feet in the water.

Cale walked over silently and sat by her. "Would you mind telling me why you were running?"

If he didn't know she was a princess she wasn't going to enlighten him. Knowing such a fact always turned relationships and friendships around and upside-down. "I got into a fight with someone," she paused, "one of the other noblemen got fresh and he threatened to kill me if I didn't go to bed with him," what a horrible lie, she thought to herself, but she saw him nod and knew that it worked.

"You have to go back though, don't you? You'll be missed, I am sure."

She shook her head, "I suppose, but right now I don't care. This place is so peaceful, I wouldn't want to be any place else then here."

He noded again, "and does it bother you that I am here?" he looked at her with those iridescent orbs and she was forced to avert her eyes.

"Of course not. You helped me for no reason, it would be horrible to shun you away."

"I just saw a damsel that needed rescuing."

With that comment she stood up and untied the lacing on her dress. Cale looked at her puzzled and muttered a "what are you doing?"

"Swimming, what does it look like?" she grinned at him and let the dress fall from her shoulders and down to her feet. She kicked it out of the way and jumped into the water in nothing but her undergown. She stayed down for a while before coming up to the surface to take a deep breath of air. "This is absolutely wonderful," she said a bit loudly, treading water in the middle of the spring.

"Do you mind if I join you?" his voice was a bit forced. He was attracted to this mystery woman, and the fact that she had just jumped into a spring without a thought excited him. She was a woman of spontaneous action. He would never get bored with her.

"This spring doesn't have my name on it," she grinned, "you can do whatever you like."

With that he shed off his cloak, and pulled off his tunic, leaving himself bare chested in only his leggings. He bent down to remove his boots and then dived into the water with such a grace. Ava thought he even looked like a dolphin. His muscles were long and lean, like that of a swimmer, not a swordsman or a stable hand. This man was unlike any she had ever met. Now if only one of the princes at the ball were like this man was now.

He stayed under for a lot longer then Ava had and she was a bit worried until she heard him break the surface of that water a few feet behind her. She turned around and smiled at him. He did look handsome in the moonlight with his long blond bangs partly covering his eyes, oh those eyes.

"Are you all right Milady?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Huh?" she shook her head, "of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"You were staring at me," he let out a genuine laugh, a liquid smooth laugh that gave Ava goosebumps.

They swam together for a while, exchanging a few words here and there but mainly enjoying each other's company. She didn't learn much about him, though she wanted to, badly. She yearned to know everything about this man who walked into her life, or more like she ran into his head first.

"Milady, it's late," he said laying down on the rock staring at the sky. She was sitting next to him, watching him rather then the sky. He wanted to look at her but was afraid he would stare too long. He had already glimpsed her nipples stressing through the wet fabric of her undergown and was afraid his hungry eyes would linger too long. This woman, whoever she was, made him feel different. He lusted for her, he wanted to run his hands over every inch of her body and make her his, forever. He wanted to challenge her and go on adventures with her. He knew she was someone he would never get bored of, and yet, he only knew her a few hours. But it wasn't only her body he wanted, he wanted her soul too. He wanted to know what she liked, what she disliked, everything. This woman was the fuel to his fire if ever there was one.

"It is, I only wish time would move a bit slower, you know?" she looked up at the fading moon now, able to see the first few splashes of morning color on the horizon.

"I know Milady, I know."

"Say!" she looked at him excited. "We have to meet again, here maybe?"

He propped himself up on his elbows and Ava could see the muscles in his abs ripple under his naked flesh. "I would love that Ava, more then you know."

"Then it's settled. As soon as the sun has faded we meet here at these springs, tomorrow!" she was excited. She was escaping the castle again tomorrow to meet with a strange man whose title she doesn't even know. If her mother ever found out she would be hysterical. Ava would just have to make sure that never happens.

"Shall we go then?" he extended a hand for her to take. "Though perhaps you should get dressed again, I doubt the villagers would take lightly to seeing a woman riding in her under gown."

She looked down at herself and blushed slightly. "I suppose you are right," with that she pulled her dress on but did not lace it up. It was far too troublesome without the help of her ladies. Plus, those in the castle would be asleep and she could probably slip in unknown and no one would know of her nightly escapade.

With the help of Cale she was lifted onto the horse and together they rode back into the kingdom.

Before she dismounted in front of the back entrance of the castle she turned around to stare into his eyes. "Until tomorrow," she whispered, and planted a butterfly kiss upon his lips.

"Until tomorrow, Ava," and he watched her walk away before turning his horse around to ride in the oposite direction.