A/N: Please don't hunt me down and kill me. Don't ask me why I'm posting this, as I'm working on ABCP like mad, but still getting inspiration for other stories (this one being one of them.) I know I should be concentrating on ABCP, and trust me, I've been chewing on Chapter 31 for at least a month. It's just not coming out the way I want...although the parts I worked on today show promise.

As for this little sample, I'm curious as to what you guys think. It's just a teaser from another story I'm cooking up... It really is a rough draft of somewhere in the middle of it but...hey, thought I should give you something. Anyhow, feel free to tell me what you think - if in fact I should work on this story too :) It's really short as it is (672 words to be exact), but also angsty for those who like ANGST!

Anywho, here it is.

As soon as our lips parted, the beautiful sorcerer retreated, with his hands wrapped around my forearms having pushed me as he put more space between us. Our eyes were locked, and I watched his neutral expression shift into a smug smirk. I realized then that I had been a bit too passionate with what should have been but a formal solution to his riddle.

"It really is a shame," he finally spoke, quite remorsefully, with a twitch of his beautiful brow and he took another step away from me. For some reason something twisted in my chest at that.

The princess and I remained silent, waiting for the other shoe to fall. How valid was my solution? What exactly did he mean by that?

"I am impressed, but regretfully," he smiled distantly, switching his solemn but smug view from me to the princess, "even though that was the answer to the riddle itself, I cannot accept it as the solution."

It felt like the expected shoe had whipped through the air to punch me in the guts before landing.

"What?" The princess and I simultaneously gasped.

The being turned around and began to walk away, and whatever had twisted near my heart before, now stung. Why did that feel like rejection?

Soon after feeling my face flush with embarrassment, it then soon drained of colour - I hoped that it wouldn't affect my balance: The last thing I wanted was to pathetically lose consciousness at his feet.

Now I realized, that whatever it was that had writhed in my chest felt recognizably like a blade twisting far too close to my heart. What was wrong with me? This was an evil being! I wretchedly realized that I was torn between wanting to be his prisoner and wishing I would never see him again.

'But," The being turned to face us contemplatively, eyeing us individually before continuing, "I will be merciful. It is not your fault that as a human, you failed solve the riddle," he glanced at me then, and I felt my mouth open indignantly, "I hope you don't feel too disappointed - in any case I have decided to release the both of you." His words addressed us both, but his eyes were on me now, as if to catch my reaction. There was something akin to 'how do you like that, you puny human?' in his gaze. Even after that kiss, I was just another contender. Hadn't he said that if I had failed to solve his riddle I too would be his prisoner? And why did a part of me wish it had been so?

I shielded my eyes by looking away; it was the only way to numb the writhing. What was wrong with me? How could simple humiliation hurt so much?

The princess jumped up in joy, clapping her dainty hands and shrieking with emotion I couldn't share. Even though he had oviously provided good news, I felt far from elated. In fact I felt like had been dumped.

With every step he took away from me, I watched his cloaked shape draw farther away, and through a dark archway without a single glance back towards us. Or towards me.

Why didn't he just vanish? It's as though he knew it would be difficult for me to watch him...but I was flattering myself if I believed he cared at all.

The daydreaming part of my brain projected a scenerio in which I ran after him, and grabbed him from behind to kiss him again, only to have the affection returned. Good God! Was I...in love? It was a ridiculous notion. In any case, I knew that it was either cowardice or merely common sense that held me where I stood, soon allowing the princess to pull me in the opposite direction.