Young Writers Society

"Ah Catrin!" He sighed, dramatically. "You have ruined my new suit! I can only imagine what my dear mother would say to me now."

"You're a failure?" Catrin asked, smiling a little.

"Oh very funny," replied Alex, sitting up. Catrin was still giggling a little which caused him to smile. Her laugh was unexpected in a very pleasant way.

"I thought so. I'm quite clever aren't I?" She boasted, mock proud.

"But of course! I hear you Rhomanus' are known for your cleverness. Not between we Terrwyn's as you well know," said Alex standing.

He extended his hand and helped Catrin to her feet. His stomach felt like the butterflies were having a pillow fight. She was very close to him now and her arm brushed his, raising goosebumps. He pulled his gaze from hers. What was going on with him tonight?

**Haha butterflies having a pillow fight? I like that!**

Catrin smiled brightly and bounded over to the garden, grinning back at Alexander who had his hands shoved in his pockets nonchalantly as he strolled towards Catrin slowly. "You're taking forever Prince Alexander," she teased, hurrying over to him.

"Oh yes, forgive me Princess Catrin." He mock bowed, rolling his eyes playfully when he came up.

"Just come on, I want to show you something!" She smiled brightly, grabbing his arm and running back over to the garden. She opened a door that led into a decorated shed and pulled the light on, the room around her illuminating. "Wait here," she smiled, looking around the room. "Ah, here he is!" She exclaimed after a moment, grabbing a medium sized vase with a makeshift lid off the top shelf, bringing it down before walking back out to Alexander.

"What in the world is that?" Alexander asked rather cautiously, unable to see what was in the vase.

"Are you really scared of spiders?" She grinned coyly.

Alexander's eyebrows flew to hairline.

"Please don't tell me you really have spiders in there," he replied.

Catrin grinned. "Why? Scared?"

"Me? Psh, nothing scares me. Let's just not test that," he swallowed.

"You are scared of them!" She laughed. Alex stuck out his tounge. It was a childish act but he had also been afraid of spiders since he was a kid.

**Sorry. As i said before, totally brain dead! xP**

"Hmm, I was really wanting to show you one of the largest spiders found in the Rhomantus kingdom. Delivers quite a nasty and deadly bite if not handled correctly. Such a bad attitude too." Catrin sighed, smiling up at Alexander innocently, taking a single step closer. Alexander took a single step backwards. "Are you sure you don't want to see him?" She was just bluffing of course. As big as a tomboy Catrin was she wasn't stupid enough to actually hold onto a Rhomantus Walking Spider. They were quite nasty and did deliver a lethal bite.

"How about, you put the poor thing back in its little shed and we continue this walk?" Catrin sighed, shaking her head.

Before they knew it Catrin was chasing Alexander around the garden, an empty vase in hand.

"Listen Catrin," Alex called, terrified yet laughing. "Unless you want to see me scream like a girl you'll get that thing away."

She held the vase containing the spider up to me tauntingly. Alex let out an exasperated cry and took off again, Catrin's musical laugh filling the air.

"Would you really scream like a girl?" She asked, teasing me. Alex nodded.

"Not just that, I would cry. You see, spiders terrify me. If you ever decided to murder me a simple garden spider held in front of my nose would do the trick."

"I'll keep that in mind," she grinned. Alex suddenly stood up.

"Keep still Catrin," he said, seriously. She froze, eyes wide. Alex grinned and swiped the vase from her hand, putting it on the table behind him.

"No more spider now," he taunted. She put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tounge. Alex cocked an eyebrow.

"Now really, princess, was that necessary?" He asked, swooping down and picking her up and over his shoulder.

"Alexander!" She screamed, pounding on his back. She was surprisingly light. She trhashed and he lost his balance, both of them falling on the plants.

"Ow," she whimpered.

"Catrin?" Alexander asked, shocked, sitting up abruptly.

"Gotcha," she whispered, pushing him over and into the small little pond.

He looked down from his sopping clothes and to Catrin who was now roaring with laughter.

"Either I pull you in or you give me a hug. Either way, you are going to get wet too," Alexander responded. He knew his mother, not to mention Catrin's mther would be furious. Still, he was actually having fun.

Catrin scrunched up her face and crossed her arms, turning her back to Alexander. "I don't want to hug you," she spat, only teasing. She heard Alexander shrug and she gasped, falling into the pond after only a like tug on her gown. When she sat up she looked over at Alexander, her eyes widening in mock fear.

"What? Something on my face?" He asked, feeling around. Catrin shook her head, regaining her composure before reaching to the top of Alexander's head slowly and wrapping her hand around something. He moved a little and Catrin gasped.

"Stop moving, it could bite me, or you." She said softly, pulling the frog out of his hair. Who said he had to know it was a frog? "I think the Brazilian Dancing Spider found you." Catrin breathed, tossing the little black frog in the air. It looked like a spider from a little ways away.

Catrin watched it as if came down from the air, landing right on Alexander's shoulder.

*short, so sorry!*

**No problem**

Alexander's eyes widened and he hit his shoulder trying to brush the spider off. His face had drained of all color and hos pulse was racing. Funny how much damage a spider can do.

The frog leaped off his shoulder and he sank down a little. He turned on Catrin and grabbed her wrists.

"I want an apology," he told her.

"An apology?" She asked, trying to hold in her laughter. "For what? Did the little frog scare you?"

"Scare me?" He gased, pretending to be horified. "Please, I eat frogs for breakfast."

Catrin scrunched up her nose. "I really hope not."

Even dripping wet Catrin was still beautiful. Alex couldn't help it. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

It only lasted a second because he soon realized what he had done. Alexander scrambled away from her, mortified.

"I-I'm sorry Catrin. Maybe...well, we should be going back to the castle," he whispered. He looked away from her. What had he done?

[[We need some drama and excitment ^_^]]

Catrin stood stock still for a few moments, eyes wide. She glanced up slowly as Alexander, who was just as shocked at what he had done. Without thinking at all she stood up and walked over to him, her slim fingers wrapping around the lapels of his suit as she pulled him towards her, standing on her toes and pressing her lips to his. She had to get even in some way. Once a blush had adorned Catrin's features she let go of Alexander's suit, clearing her throat and smoothing her soaked dress.

"Yes, we should be um," she swallowed, "getting back." She started towards the castle, and eventually took her heels off, walking across the floor barefoot. When they started walking through the room their parents were in, their mothers gasped.

"Catrin!"

"Alexander!"

"We're fine," Catrin clarified with a sigh. "We're fine. We just fell in a pond." She smiled softly at her mother, then Alexander's.

"Alright then. Catrin, take Alexander up to his room." Catrin nodded, groaning mentally while Alexander's mother talked with him in a shushed voice.

"Alexander!" She yelled, trying to be quiet. "What is going on with you?"

"What do mean?" He asked, amused.

"You come back drenched! I demand you clean up. What did that Rhomantus girl do?" She asked, her , pale lips getting even thinner.

"Oh yeah, it must have been her fault," he replied, annoyied.

"Let's not argue now, son," she said coldly. "Go up to your room, clean up and we'll talk tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm sure we will," he sighed.

"Yes, not 'yeah,'" his mother called. "I won't tolerate that slang."

Alexander laughed a little and followed Catrin. He hoped things wouldn't be awkward between them. He couldn't help but glance at her from the corner eyes. She had really surprised him when she had kissed him too.

"So, princess, if you set a spider on me tonight, I'll know who did it," he grinned at her.

Catrin couldn't help but laugh lightly. After all, the kiss had just been... well a kiss apparently. Call Catrin cliche, but she felt sparks, and hated it. "Spiders," she corrected with a grin as she stopped in front of his room, which was oh so conveniently placed across the hall from her own room. "Goodnight Alexander," she smiled softly, pushing her wet curls behind her ear.

*ah, I'm braid ded!*

"Night, Princess," he smiled. "It feels a little weird telling you to your face."

"Yeah," she replied, looking at the ground. It was most definitely awkward. Alexander wasn't going to kiss her anymore until...that day. He felt his stomach drop and he didn't know whether it was because he actually cared for Catrin or because he was really going to marry her.

Alexander nodded her way and swept into his room.

**Me too!**

*Is it just me, or have we completely forgotten about them being dragons?*

Catrin sighed and dropped onto her bed, soon remembering she was wet. She let out a scream into her pillow and stood up, glaring at Astor whose feathers were puffed out and smoothed as he looked into the mirror in Catrin's dresser. Catrin smirked and walked over to him, running her finger against the feathers on his head, giving him a mohawk. Astor screeched angrily and flew into the air, landing on the high post of Catrin's bed. She stuck her tongue out at him and walked over to her dresser.

"You are one odd bird, you know that." Catrin smiled and shook her head.

"Says the one talking to said bird." A deep voice chuckled. Catrin grinned and looked behind her, eyes locking with her brothers. She glared after realizing it was him.

"What you think I was your little serving boyfriend?" Catrin growled lowly, her eyes flashing a dangerous red.

"You better shut up! Tybalt is nothing but a friend, and he's my best one at that!" Catrin growled.

"Ah, I forgot, you aren't to be around your... friends anymore." Catrin let out a loud laugh, her hair falling out of his hold in ringlets.

"Says who?"

"Me"

"You have no right to tell me what to do. You may be my older brother and I may have looked up to you once, but you have no place to tell me what to do." She let out a growl, glowering at her brother.

"Why is that Catrin? Why is it that you'll listen to all these peasants, and the second I tell you to do something you go all I'm-better-than-you on me?!" Catrin was before her brother in seconds.

"I have never told you that I was better than you. I'm just stating that you have no right to order me considering the fact that you aren't the one getting married! I am eighteen and the heir to the Fire Rhomantus throne and I am marrying a guy, who I've only just met and the heir to the Water Terrwyn throne. Do you have any, any idea how unnerving this is?!" She shouted loudly, not caring who heard her. "Water and fire do not make a match. Water quenches fire! Water is fire's greatest enemy. With water near fire is nothing but something to be put out! Do you understand?"

"You think they'll put you out?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I'm going to go through with this and the day... the very day I am crowned I'm going to be tossed aside like a piece of trash! It's common sense! Why do you think that cousin Henricks didn't marry Princess Heather? Because, he was fire and she was water! It's this reason that we're always married to an earth kingdom. Because earth has no affect on us! Fire is always put out by water! Even... even the most wild ones, like myself. Even we are put out by water." She sunk to the ground, holding her head. All the thinking and anger she'd built up was starting to hurt.

**It's not just you! ^^ Glad to see this hasn't died!**

Alexander sank to his bed. It had been...an interesting evening. He had kissed Catrin and she had kissed him back. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. He was sure that Catrin couldn't like him. Impossible. She was everything he was looking for ina guy and he was defenitely not her prince charming.

He put his head in his hands. He couldn't do this to Catrin. She was beautiful and had a full and spectacular life ahead of her. He wasn't about to let her go through the marriage. Not now...

He grabbed a peice of parchment and started to write. Just like they used to.

Catrin,

I'm sorry to say this will be the last you will hear from me. I hope you will continue to lead a happy life. You have touched my own. I've grown fond of you, you see. Fancy that. Never thought I'd actually start to like a Rhomantus!

I just can't do this anymore. I refuse to ruin your life. We both know I'm not your prince charming. I know you'll find someone who cares about you. It's impossible not to like you!

I'm leaving tonight. I'm taking my horse and I will live the life of a peasant. I don't see this as a bad thing. A good thing actually. Plus it'll allow me to do the one thing I was forbidden to do. I'm going to explore the world!

I hope to hear from you sometimes, though.

Goodbye, Princess, I will truely miss you,
Alexander

He sealed the letter and held it close to him. He was about to say goodbye to everything. His entire life. Catrin would be happy though. Maybe she would be able to be with one of her peasant freinds. They would treat her right.

Alexander packed the necessities and slipped the note under Catrin's door. She probably wouldn't see it until morning.

He grabbed his horse from out side and took one last look at the castle before heading out.

"Goodbye, Catrin," he sighed.

**I was thinking that when he left the castle could be attack and Catrin could mail him or something. If you don't like this, I'll change it. (: Just wanted to add to the plot a little.

**That sounds better then my idea hah! Sorry for my belated reply, I couldn't think!**

Catrin sighed as she slipped deeper into the water in her bath. It felt could to finally calm down and relax. She washed her hair thoroughly, dipping her head underwater for a few short seconds. When she came back up a scream sounded from afar. She lept out of the bathtub, where she'd been for the passed hour, and grabbed her towel hurrying out of the bathroom. She quickly pulled on a pair of trousers, glancing at a fluffed out Astor, who held a letter in his beak. She took it, reading it quickly. She gasped, rather unlike her, and all her rage from before came back. He'd left her?! Before they married he left! To do the one thing she yearned to do her whole life no less! Another scream sounded, bringing her from her daze. Astor flew down to her shoulder and she gathered herself some necessities before hurrying down the stairs, her father running the way she'd come.

"Catrin! This way! Hurry! King Henrie sent his army to destroy us!" King Henrie. The King Of Darkness. In other words, the foulest, most ruthless man known around the world. The scary part? He was only Catrin and Alexander's age.

"Father! I'm going to help you!" She yelled angrily as her father shoved her down into the kitchen storage, Astor squawking in despise of the cold, clammy area.

"Catrin, dear, for me." She stared into her father's pleading eyes, causing her bottom lip to quiver.

"Yessir."

"That a girl." Catrin nodded once, despite her feelings, and watched as her father shut the doors.

Hours later and after much annoyance due to the belated retrieval of her Catrin finally let out a groan, running up the stairs and shoving at the doors, only to feel them budge barely. Confused by this, Catrin shoved again and again until finally, the doors swung open, flinging debris here and there. She looked much like a gold fish as she stared at the place where her castle once stood.

An hour later Catrin was walking through the town, her hands running across the burnt buildings. Her face was covered with soot and tears. Tears for not only her lost loved ones, but for all the towns people that were gone. Catrin sighed. There was only one person that she could contact now, if he was alive. She took out her paper and started writing.

Alexander,

This may come as a shock to you, as it did to me, but the kingdom's gone. King Henrie swung by and... decided to destroy everything in his path. I must see if there are any survivors. Thank you so much for leaving, you were so very kind.

Hope this note finds you well,
Catrin Rhomantus

She tied it to Astor's leg, kissing him on the forehead for safe travels before sending him off. As he flew away, she walked away from the rubble that was once her kingdom.

Alexander was nearly asleep in his saddle when a very annoying hawk started to peck him on his shoulder. It was Astor! Catrin! His heart leapt and sank at the same time.

He read the letter and got off of his horse, sinking to the ground. Thier kingdom! Gone! Catrin was okay but what of his mother? His father? The villagers? His kingdom?

Catrin,

Sweet of me? I wasn't there when this happened! I'm coming back imediately. I'm going to help you! Don't you see what this means? This is war! I have to check on my kingdom as well.

Catrin...are my parents alive? You didn't specify...you just said you had to check for survivors. Please tell me our parents aren't...dead. My cousin was here with me as well...she's can't be dead, can she?

Please reply as quickly as possible. I'll be there in a few hours time. I need to know what's going on. I'm desperate for imformation. I'm sorry I ran out on you in a time like this. I'm so stupid!

I'm coming as fast as I can,
Alexander