Jasper awoke. It was much darker than when he had fallen asleep, so he assumed they had over slept. It didn't really matter though; they didn't have a schedule to go by. He decided to let the girls sleep, but he himself got up. After stretching and yawning, he meandered over to Morning. "Hey hey, bud, how we doing?" Morning snorted and tossed his head. Jasper rubbed his nose. "There's a good boy. He gave the chestnut a carrot from the saddlebag as breakfast. He then packed his blankets and roused the girls. "Morning sleeping beauties. Well, its actually like 7:00p.m., but its temporary, I mean –"

"Shhh." Arianna said, putting a finger over Jaspers lips to cease the jumbled flow of words. She giggled. "We understand the meaning behind your rant. Don't we, Winter?" There was no response. Arianna removed her finger from Jaspers lips and together they looked over at Winter. It was then that they noticed she was still asleep. "Ah, Win!" Arianna grumbled.

Jasper looked on, a becoming grin on his face as he watched Arianna crawl on her hands and knees towards her sister.

"Winter Jenna Blossom, wake up this instant or were leaving without you!" Winter did turn over at this, but she didn't open her eyes, and she defiantly didn't wake up. "Ok, bye" Arianna stood up and dusted herself off. She frowned when she saw the state her dress was in. The seamstress was going to kill her. Oh well. She shrugged and folded her blanket, nice and neatly, just like she was taught at the castle. She suddenly felt homesick, and was tempted to hop on Morning right now and take off: but she decided to continue her plan first.

She walked over to Jasper and handed her blanket to his outstretched arms. She grinned and stated talking. "Alright, it appears were ready. What do you think, Jassie boy? Shall we be on our way?" Jasper frowned a moment, looking over at Winter. But then he figured it out, and his grin lit up the night. Or the clouds just moved away from the moon. Whatever...

"Yes my dear, we should really be heading out now. I do believe we have everything." Arianna, who was standing on the ground, and not on Morning, flicked his reins and started walking, making it sound like they were really leaving. This roused Winter. "Wait, wait, Ari, Jasper, I'm coming you nincompoops, getcha butts over here or I am going to tell daddy." Said the grouchy princess. Arianna and Jasper burst into laughter, and even Morning seemed to join in, shaking his head and snorting. Winter gave them a death glare, and then crumpled up her blanket and threw it a t Jasper. "There, that's what you get for laughing at me you hooligans. You will both regret waking me. Greatly regret it." Arianna laughed, not noticing the expression on Winters face. "Wow Winter, looks like you are going to be spending most of your time with Mrs. Beetlebub. Your language is getting horrid!" But then she saw that Winter was near tears, and she remembered the last time Winter had been roused too early.

That was the time she regretted asking her dad to adopt her. And the same time she wanted to throw her out the window. Thanks goodness it was locked.

Arianna stopped laughing and led Winter over to Morning. She sensed Winter spirit was an angry one. "I'm sorry Winter. It's just that, I didn't know any other way of getting you to wake up. Please forgive me?" "Yeah yeah sure fine, whatever, just lets go." She jumped on Morning, a bit harshly, and kept her back straight and eyes forward.

Arianna helped Jasper untangle from the blanket. "Uh, not to get personal," Jasper whispered in Arianna's ear. "But is Winter ok? I've never seen her this upset!" Arianna wisely refrained from reminding Jasper of the look on Winter's face when she saw Mega knocked out. It wasn't a pleasant one to remember. "Yeah, she'll be fine. She's just a bit grumpy, that's all. She'll get over it."Jasper shrugged. "Ok."

By some unspoken agreement, Arianna hopped on Morning, and Jasper stayed on the ground, leading Morning. He led Morning for several hours in the dark, then he and Arianna switched. But Jasper, being a gentleman, only let Arianna walk for a half an hour before he hoped off Morning. Arianna looked at him, surprised. "Jasper, what on earth are you doing? We haven't arrived yet." Jasper just smiled and attempted to take the reins from her. "It's ok Arianna. I'll walk now." Arianna raised her eyebrow. "No, I'm fine. You should get back on there now, or –"

Jasper suddenly took a large step forward, and suddenly their foreheads where only millimeters apart. "Or what?" he murmured, his breath caressing her lips. A moonbeam caught his eye, causing it to twinkle in the most marvelous way. Arianna realized this was what it was like to be speechless. She couldn't have spoken had the earth itself tried to make her.

Jasper looked at her eyes, and wondered why he hadn't done this before. He felt her quick breathing on his chin, and he could almost hear her heart beat. Then suddenly, it was like she was a magnet, drawing him closer. He couldn't resist it, so he went with it, not reluctantly. Their foreheads touched, and then their noses brushed, and then –

Morning snorted. It startled Winter awake, and she started falling off. Out of the corner of her eye, Arianna saw this and rushed forward, just in the nick of time, catching her sister before she fell to the ground.

Winter gasped. She was alive?! She must thank her hero! She hopped out of the arms holding her, and then heard, "Ohhhh, ohhh, ow ow ow, ok, yup, that hurts, owww!" "Arianna!" Jasper and Winter yelled at the same time. She had her eyes closed and a grimace on her face, holding her ankle. Winter quickly slid her arms under Arianna's, holding her up. Jasper knelt down and gently lifted her injured foot in his hands. She stifled a scream. "Oh, please Jasper, if there is any bone in your body that does not hate me, please let my foot go, and don't ever touch it again please." By now, she was panting like a dog, and it was taking unimaginable strength to not burst into tears.

Jasper gave her a sad smile, but didn't let go of her foot. "Arianna, what happened exactly? And how does your foot feet?" Arianna had tears falling at a rapid pace down her face but she wasn't crying. She hated crying, and the way it made her feel like a new born baby. She was determined not to cry in front of the prince.

"Jassie, I don't know, but I think I twisted it when we br... when I went to help Winter, and it feels awful." Arianna blushed madly and the pain almost went away when she thought of that moment. They had almost kissed! And yet... no, she must never do that again. The king would punish her greatly if she kissed before marriage.

Jasper was a bit puzzled when she didn't say 'broke apart'. But then, maybe she didn't want Winter to hear. Well, that's fine. But now he grinned at Arianna. "I guess I'll have to walk now. sigh Well, lets get you patched up and you can have my spot on Morning." Grumbled Jasper, pretending he didn't want to walk. The glare sent his way could have melted the sun. He was pretty sure he smelt smoke.

Chuckling to himself, he wrapped Arianna's foot with some rags he had in the saddlebag, and then they were off. A few hours later, he could hear slight snores from the lumps on Morning. He smiled. He was now quit tired from walking, but he wouldn't dare wake either of them up now.

After a few more hours, as the sun was coming up, Jasper crossed over a hill and stopped, for there lay Armarlda.

Ok, forgive me, i couldn't write at first because i had no ideas, then i was banned form using the computer because i forgot to do many somethings, and i just got to typing it and posting it now, so i hope you enjoy:)

SkyBrid