Young Writers Society

~Princess Shadow~

Finally, finally I was in his arms. I hated dancing with family, because I had so much family to dance with! But I was better now that I was back with him, and I felt like we were both safe. We didn't do much dancing, but we were talking. Just talking about everything really. There was a few "I love you"s here and there, but, unfortunately, I didn't get to kiss him. I knew there would be plenty of questions as to why I was dancing with this strange man most of the time already, and I didn't need any questions to why I was kissing him.

I rested my head on his chest as the music slowed, and I kissed the bottom of his neck, sighing. This wasn't the perfect moment, though it was close. I couldn't help but wonder what would happen next, but it was best to let that go and focus on now.

Love the time you have, I thought as we swayed rather slow to the music. I was getting tired of this, and I wanted so badly to just press my lips against his, but I held myself together, but it didn't last long. I stopped, pulling Marroe with me as I walked to a corner of the room where I was sure no one would see us.

"I love you," I whispered, though by now he should have known this. He smiled, but I was sure he didn't want to kiss me now, with all these people around, but I didn't care to much. I pulled myself into him, kissing him the way I would if we were alone. He didn't do the same, and he didn't pull me closer, but I felt my back touch the wall, and his hand touch my face. When I realised that was as good as it was going to get, I pulled away, putting my head against his chest and listening to his heart beat.

MARROE

I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry and I didn't have the slightest idea as to why. Was it normal for men to want to suddenly break down for no reason? I had always thought of that as sort of a girl thing; certainly nothing a heartless, disgusting, very male theif would do. Then again, cross off the first two parts of that list. If I could love like this, I wasn't heartless or disgusting. Was I?

Well, Shadow saw me differently and that's all that really mattered to me at the moment. I wanted to kiss her, be alone with her, but I couldn't do that here. It would start some sort of scandal rumour, and, well, she officially had enough to worry about when it came to scandal. But this was good, too. Her head on my chest sent this strange warmth through my entire body, and I loved the feeling.

Footsteps made me look up. I know there were probably thousands of sets of feet in the room at the moment, but this one was right there. Sure enough, that pig-man was back. My body tense and I stepped further into the corner, Shadow looking up.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

I eyed the man for a second before answering. He was getting food from a table that wasn't that far off. We were half-shielded by a chair and a few potted plants, but I didn't want him to see us. "I didn't like the way he was staring at you before," I murmered. And I didn't. Any man that was intent on staring at Shadow's body was automatically hated by yours truly.

KING TORRAN

We had finally arrived in the city. Finally arrived where we could go sleep until I had to get up and speak of a blasted alliance. Garrett's party should be happening right around now. The party I was missing because of that very alliance. Blasted alliance.

My stomach was twisting into a guilty knot for the hundredth time since setting foot onto that carriage.

Adola linked her arm through mine and gave me a reassuring, he'll come to understand look. I was still highly doubting that, but what could I do?

Nothing.

I was stuck here, not allowed to go back home until I had fixed something with this king.

~Princess Shadow~

I couldn't help but smile. Was this really over some guy looking at me? It was the same guy he had pushed out of his way before, I realized, looking over at him.

"Marroe," I said, looking at him. "Not that I don't enjoy this, but he's a guy, I'm the princess. Not every guy is going to divert their eyes because I'm in love, and beside, no one but our little group knows about us. Just..." Get over it were the words I wanted to use, but that would be rather mean. Deal with it maybe. Grow up? I smiled wider, at loss for words.

I kissed his throat like before, blushing. I wondered if he had noticed before how my blush didn't stop at my collarbone. That was quite embarrassing to think about, and my blush deepened. He was the only person who made me blush. Yes, I was a little shy at times, but I didn't blush.

>Sorry it's short, once again, I have lost my first post!!<

MARROE

I kissed her forehead gently. I wasn't being overprotective... he was a creep. "It's not just the fact that he was looking at you. It was more the way he was looking at you. Where he was looking." I stared at him out of the corner of my eye. He would see us standing here any moment... and then he'd probably ask questions and then ask to dance with Shadow. Not. Happening.

I sighed quietly. "There's a difference between when people eye a girl, and when they stare lustfully. I of all people should know that." I had seen a lot of men stare at women the way pig-head had stared at Shadow, and I could only guess what his thoughts were.

I refused to think that I had ever looked at anybody like that. Usually I was more of less interested in what was on the girl than the girl herself. But I suppose that I can't say I'm completely inoccent in that aspect, though the more I thought about it, the more ashamed I felt.

I kept watching the man out of the corner of my eye, hoping we would go unheard and unseen.

Raven
I leaned my head against the dungeon wall and closed my eyes still happy as a lark.

Keiko

I stood on tiptoe and kissed Hunter's cheek before whispering, "Be right back, Hunt," and moving over to the corner where I could just barely see Shadow, entangled with Marroe. Blushing, I tapped her shoulder.

"Um, Shadow?" I wasn't sure if I had earned the right to call her by her first name yet, but I was feeling daring.

"Yes, Keiko?"

I stared down at the floor for a few seconds before speaking. "Um, from one girl of hair dye to another, how long does this powder junk last?"

She laughed lightly. I wished I had her laugh, just for a spilt second. "It'll wash out fine whenever you want it out. But..." She thought for a second. "I think it would look great with black streaks. Just saying."

I gripped her shoulders, the skirt of my dress swirling a bit. "Shadow. You are a genius. I have been wanting to do that for months."

She laughed again. "Then I'll see to it that it gets done." I smiled and thanked her before walking back to Hunter, not wanting to bother Shadow anymore. Slipping under Hunter's arm, I yawned a little.

"Remind me to sleep in tomorrow."

"Can do," Hunter said with a chuckle, handing me a goblet filled with a bright red liquid. I eyed it suspiciously. "Don't worry, non-alcoholic. I checked." I let out my breath and took a sip, leaning into Hunter.

"And now we wait?" he asked, rubbing circles on my thumb.

"And now we wait."

Garrett~

Garrett smiled as they all worked on Raven, and finally, she was able to stand again. Stand, twirl, dance. Everything. Garrett chuckled and the maid spun he and Jaykob around as they began to fit Naela and Raven for their dresses. Garrett, personally, couldn't wait.

&Grrrr alll I got):*

~Princess Shadow~

I laughed as Keiko waked away. I didn't know what she was thinking, but it was clear she got nervous talking to me. That made me think for a moment. Was she scared that I would have her head for saying my name? Did I really look that mean? I turned back to Marroe, taking his hand. I was getting tied of waiting in this corner for that man to leave, it was clear he wouldn't. I wanted to just walk up to him, and see what he wanted, apologize for earlier. That would be the right thing to do, though Maroe would never let me live that down. I lifted the him of my dress as I walked, not wanting to trip and fall.

Marroe was pulling my hand when I started heading towards the man, trying to keep me from going near him. He spun me around to look at him.

"What are you doing?!" he whispered. I stood still for a moment, thinking about that. What was I doing?

"Apologizing," I said finally. That was good enough. It didn't really matter what I was doing, did it? Not to him anyway. I shook the thought away, thinking how selfish I was being. It did matter to him, because he loved me. I sighed, looking over my shoulder.

"What are you apologizing for? You didn't do anything," he said, touching my face lightly. He was right. I hadn't done anything, he had.

"Then you apologize," I said, not caring to whisper. He looked at me, then over my shoulder, frowning and pulling me behind him. The guy had seen us, and he was heading this way, eyes on me. I hadn't known what Marroe was talking about before, the way he was looking at me, but I knew now what he meant. His eyes weren't on my face like they should have been. His eyes were on my body, my figure, and they were following my shape, over an over. I could only imagine the things he was thinking.

"Excuse me," he said, reaching out a hand to grab me. I shied away from it, not wanting him to lay a finger on me. I put a had on Marroe to keep him from lunging at the man--or pig in his words.

"You touch me, and I'll have every guard here surrounding you," I said, voice strict for once. I didn't like being rude, but being the princess called for that a times, and now was one of those times. He smiled, pulling his hand back. I let go of Marroe, hoping he would punch him or something, and walked away. He followed behind me, not hitting the man like I hoped. I had to get out of here,the room was too crowded.

I pulled him out of the room, and outside into the garden. I always seemed to end up here with him, didn't I? I'd spent a whole day with him here when I first met him, and now, I was spending another moment with him here, in my garden full of memories. I pulled him to the ground with me, and laid my head on his chest as we sat there, looking at the moon, backs against the castle wall. This was perfect. I had him, here with me, no annoying monkey, no wolf that growled at everything. Just us two, here together. Perfect.

SHANAELA MARZ

I turned to Raven, who seemed to excited to sit still. She had this bizarre grin on her face...it was probably almost as big as mine. Maybe. Mine was pretty big at the moment...

My head was spinning in quick, tight circles. The maid was clucking her tongue, buzzing around some piece of fabric on my back. I could hear her scissors cut through something that fell loose and hit the ground with a quiet thump.

"No clue what that was hangin' on the back there for," the maid muttered, moving to my right. "Could you lift your arm dear?" she asked cheerfully.

I did so, and she made a quick adjustment to the sleeve before stepping back and taking a good hard look at me. She clucked her tongue one more. "What about your hair? We've got to do something with it..." she sighed, moving quickly to my back and throwing it around in her hands. "We'll leave this till after we're done with your friend's dress, yes?"

I looked over at Raven pleadingly. She knew I hated my hair done. Tell her I like it down. I mouthed.

Raven smiled knowingly and nodded. "She prefers it to be down." The maid arhed an eyebrow but nodded nonetheless.

"This one's decent then," she called, giving me a gentle push.

MARROE

I wrapped my arms around Shadow, holding her tightly. I rested my lips on her head, letting them linger. Pink hair tickled my mouth, and I smiled slightly to myself. Pink-haired princesses, mute theives, turquoise-haired kids, princes and the rest of the gang... Odd bunch we were.

My smile grew and I took my lips off of Shadow's head, tilting her chin up to me. "I love you Shadow," I whispered, pulling her into another kiss.

Sarla...a land where royalty fell in love with criminals behind their parents' backs. I don't think I've ever loved a place more.

KING TORRAN

I sighed, once again stroking Glug's ears in a guilty absense. Garrett's party would be on now, and I was missing it. Again. But maybe Adola was right, perhaps I should have stopped berating myself with guilt. Garrett was still young, he would come to realization some day... Right?

But until then he would hate me, and I would deserve it.

I sighed again, and Adola gave my shoulder a firm squeeze. I smiled at her and drew back the curtains hanging on the carriage windows, thrilled to see the city on the horizon.

~Princess Shadow~

My life was complete, all I needed was right here with me. I wasn't sure how I'd tell my father, or if I even would. I feared what my father would say about it, what my mother would say. I had even feared what Garrett would say, but after his words earlier, I realised I didn't need to worry. I just hoped my father wouldn't be upset about it, there was no need to be upset.

So a princess falling in love with a thief/occasional assassin was perfectly fine, nothing to get worked up about. I ignored the urge to just scream it out to the world that I was in love with Marroe. A wedding? I haven't ever thought about it before and now I was thinking about it ever since Garrett had mentioned it before.

I forgot about all my thoughts for a moment, and melted into Marroe's kiss. I pulled back a little and whispered "I love you too." Smiling, I pressed my lips to his again. I pulled myself closer to him, pulling myself onto his lap. Any moment someone could walk into the garden and see us, then we would be dad for sure. But that didn't matter to me at that moment. Nothing but Marroe mattered at that moment.

Clare

We twirled around on the dance floor, whispering our conversation so only we could hear. I don't think half the ballroom needed to know what had happened to the princess' cousin, or that she had reappeared after all these years.
"So how did you end up forgetting everything anyway?" He whispered, as we spun gracefully. I sighed and looked away from him.
"It's a long story." I whispered back, still not looking back up to him. He chuckled softly.
"I think, we have time." He whispered in a know-it-all voice.
"I don't know what happened really. I remember falling down stairs, and waking up. He was leaning over the bed, I had no clue how I had gotten there. First thing I asked was 'Who am I?' and from there the lies started."
"He's disgusting." Dameon snorted, a little to loudly for my liking.
"Agreed. But please, all we need is for everyone to realise I'm back, you are forgetting, I'm still a criminal."

Hunter

I smiled down at Keiko's hair. "Twitch, come on. It's gonna raaaiiin..." I dragged out the last word, and she looked up at me with shining eyes. She linked her arm with mine.

"Lead the way, love."

My heart jumped at the word, and beaming, I lead her to the curtained door about ten steps away. "Think you can pick it?" I said in a low voice.

"Blast, yeah," she replied, almost scoffing. She pulled a hairpin out, loosing a braid, and slipped it into the lock, twisting until there was an almost inaudible click.

"And we're free," she whispered, her lips brushing my ear. Shaking off the shivers and glancing over my shoulder, I lead her out onto the terrace.

"Would you look at that," she mumbled, lifting a finger to the sky. There was no sign of the moon save one patch of dark clouds lit a pearly yellow- the rest of the sky was thick and swirled with purplish clouds. A clap of thunder rang, and Keiko closed her eyes, a beautiful smile on her lips.

I turned Keiko towards me, holding her arms. I brushed a wavy lock off her face and ran a finger down the braid freed from its pin- which was now clipped around a ribbon in Keik's corset.

I inched closer, tilting my head down so my nose was brushing hers. Just as the clouds tore open and water poured out by the thousands and millions of gallons, I tilted just an inch forward for the third kiss I'd shared with her. I laced my hands through her hair and I felt her hands knitting together at the base of my neck. As I pulled away, I couldn't help but laugh. I pulled my hands so Keiko could see.

They were covered in black dye.

I cupped her face, chuckles fading. "There you are, love." I whispered, running my hand through her hair, restored to its original color. Keiko leaned into me, turning her ear to my chest, her arms laced around my head. I laid my cheek on the top of her head.

And under sheets of gray rain, thunder and lightning surrounding us, we rocked back and forth, heartbeats in sync.

MARROE

I pulled away from the kiss slowly, looking to the sky and grinning. "It's raining," I murmered. Rain and gardens would always bring back some of my most beloved memories.

Shadow smiled. "So it is."

I laughed and kissed her forehead. "And what do we do in the rain?" I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her up.

She giggled. "Dance?"

I nodded, grin broadening. I placed a hand around her waist and took her hand in my other. Just like before, twirling around in the garden while it rained. Only this time was better, because of the thunder and lightning. So much more dramatic.

****sorry, short****

This isn't going to die is it?

absolutely not.
*Pokes Chups*