Letting off their horses to the servants, Shinja and Silver went to their separate rooms once back at the palace by nightfall. Dinner time had come and passed, as she had come to know from her sisters who were off to their rooms.

It was quite saddening because she had looked forward to that time so she could tell her sisters all about her date with Silver. Dinner time was one of her favorite moments. Family. Maybe another time. She thought.

While in her room, Shinja's mind kept going back to the wonderful moments they had in the Secret Garden. The more she thought about them, the more she felt the urge to go see Silver in his room.

There was just one more secret to reveal to him. After that she was done, there would be no more games. Tonight, would be the time to let him know of it. She did not want any secrets between the two of them. Not anymore.

Leaving her room had been one of those tough decisions that she always made after lots of thinking—the kind that almost led one into changing their mind. After much of it, she made up her mind and stomped to Silver's room.

"Come petal rain or dancing heat, I am doing this." Tonight. She was now standing outside his door.

~*~

Shinka still by the door felt eyes on her. "I have to get away from here."

Gathering her gown in her hands, she made a dash for her chambers.

"Someone is watching me."

~*~

"Look at her! Something is definitely the matter. Don't you think we should find out? I could follow her." The man standing too close for comfort whispered right behind her as she was squinting through the dark alley trying to make out the expression on the princess' face.

No use! Wish I could get closer. She is gone now. The fool behind her was uttering nonsense. She needed to put him in his place.

"No, you dimwit. We cannot follow her. If we do, we may get caught. I do not want to sabotage our plan. I have waited so long for this."

"I will be stealthy like a snake. No one will know. I swear. I think she might let it slip to her sisters. I heard the youngest is back with that lover prince of hers. She may tell them tonight. I'll eavesdrop. They won't even know I am there."

"You will do no such thing!"

"I don't understand you right now. I thought you'd want to know this so bad. I was there. I saw the king's urgency. Whatever he told her may serve our plan Jen."

"I said NO!" She whisper-shouted. "We are to leave this place. You are never to bring this issue up again. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. Now leave me be. Go to your quarters. I'll meet you there."

"Yes, ma'am." Bolton spoke as he dwindled away into the deeper dark of the corridor mumbling incoherent words all the way.

Shinka had not for one moment noticed that the two of them were right there when she left her father's presence. Nothing had come to mind, much less their shadows let alone their whispers.

~*~

Shinja standing before him right now was unbelievable. It took him a little while to notice that he was not having a vision. He had been thinking about her a moment ago and now she stood before him. Unbelievable. Had his mind conjured her up? Maybe she had been thinking about him too. Occupied by his thoughts, Silver panicked because...

Suddenly she turned to leave. What?

"Where are you going? You just got here."

"I cannot do this. I am sorry. I will take my leave now." She muttered. Huh! Not again.

"Oh no you don't get to run away this time. Come here and sit with me. I was thinking about you. I missed you." He caught her hand just in time before she left and turned her to himself. A silent thud thumped where their chests touched.

She pulled her eyes away from his neck and tilted her head to stare into his gray ocean. Wrong move. Just like that she was caught up in their magic. Drawing her in. Snap out of it! She made a move to put some distance between them. I have a mission. No. Distractions. Stepping out of his hold, Shinja led away to the bed.

As she sat on the bed, Silver sat beside her. He moved closer. Closer. Inch by inch until they were cheek and jaw again. She was at the edge of the bed. Skittish. Reason was the only thing that kept her from plopping off the bed. Otherwise, that did not seem like a terrible idea.

The fall of night made everything quiet except for the clash of metal and chattering of the knights keeping the night watch. She let her head fall on his chest and the same fleeting fire sparks ran down her spine. Each time that she was close to him this happened.

Regretting her course of action immediately, she decided to pull back as reflex, as she lifted her head, he kissed her full on the lips. A piercing clash was heard.

"You slapped me."

"Yes." It was more of a statement than a question regardless she answered.

"What was that for?"

Both of them looked into each other's eyes surprised by the action. Shinja seemed more shaken by it which astounded Silver even more. Then she started blubbering.

"Silver this has to stop. I cannot take it anymore be... becau... because..." Now, he was confused.

"Because of what Shinja? What is it that makes you slap me all the time? Each time we are getting somewhere you do this. You pull away. You run. You do anything but stay. Why Shinja? Why are you doing this to me? Can't you see you're hurting me?" He interrupted, agitation and pain sounding in his voice.

"I have something to tell you. Okay? An-and... I cannot think straight with you so close. You muddle up my senses. The slap was to wake me up sorry it hurt." She twiddled her fingers. It was then that the prince smiled.

"Oh, so that was it all along? You should have said something princess." All this while he thought that maybe—he stopped midway of his thought when he noticed something. The princess was getting nervous. Again. He tried to wad away her fears and nerves by rubbing her shoulders.

"No, no, no," she shook her head horizontally trying to clear her thoughts that were healing up in piles of confusion because of such proximity, "Do not do that either. Please. It is not helping."

"Okay." Silver bunched his hands in his laps. He looked...hopeless, torn... "Tell me princess. I'll do anything. I promise to listen. As long as you do not run away this time." He added as an afterthought.

"I do not know how to start. How do I even say this? Promise me that you will not be ashamed of me."

"I promise. Now tell me. Please." He sounded pained; his voice strained with all the emotions whirling in his mind.

"I am..." she hesitated, "Good birds help me, how do I say this?" She stood up suddenly and paced back and forth between his mirror and the bed post.

"The normal way, just say it the normal way princess." He did not want to sound impatient but with everything going on she needed to say whatever it was. His heart was tearing in the middle. Say it already. He thought as he saw her pace. He hoped that she would not dash out all of a sudden.

"Well... um... I am..."

"Yes, go on."

Out with it already. Put the poor boy out of his misery. I'm trying. Well, try harder! The debate with her brain began yet again.

"I am a virgin Silver. There I said it." Shrugging, she put her hands over her face in defeat. Defeat. Shyness. Same difference. That was not so hard now, was it? Shut up brain!

"Oh!"

"Oh? That is all you are going to say about it? Oh? Do you know how hard it was for me to tell you that? And all you are going to say is 'oh'. Wow."

"Calm down Shinja!"

"You must be laughing at me within. I can imagine."

"No, no, no. Shinja, listen to me."

"Oh my birds! Look the shame I brought upon myself. I should get..."

"Princess!" he spoke louder this time to get her attention.

"Yes?" she looked at him then, done with the frantic pacing. "Yes, milord."

"We'll get to the fact that you just called me 'milord' later. Right now, I need you to focus. I want you to understand something very vital. Okay?"

"Okay."

"That is nothing to be ashamed of, princess. I am proud of you. I cannot wait to make you mine."

"What?! You mean you are not ashamed of me being so?" she still could not get herself to say the word 'virgin'.

"Yes, my princess. I am not ashamed of you one bit. Actually, I love you even more for keeping yourself for me. I am lucky to be your first. The only man you'll ever love—even that way. I honor you and this gift very much so that I will wait till our wedding night to make you mine.

Such a gift should be presented on a special day; our wedding night. You should have told me earlier. I would not have peppered you with all those kisses from before. I am a gentleman. Goodness! You must have thought the worst of me." He slapped his head.

"Oh, no. It's not like that. I didn't think any less of you except for that one time in the corridor. I was really scared. Bu-but I-uh-I...I do not mind the kisses." They were standing face to face. She looked into his eyes hopefully. "I like the kisses very very much." She continued quite timidly like a little girl asking her mother for more candy.

Silver laughed and gave her what she hoped for to wipe the helpless puppy look off her face. In a haze of emotions, he pulled away and sighed contentedly when their foreheads joined. Lifting his eyelids seemed like a strenuous task. He gazed down into her eyes and reluctantly pulled away from her. Shinja's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, love! Don't worry that pretty head of yours. I'm only but a man. I am also one of my word. You make this so hard." She did not quite follow what he meant not until he added. "Now get out of here before I change my mind about what I said concerning waiting till the wedding, you little temptress."

Oh, so, that's why. She internally giggled. Silver saw how much she was enjoying his predicament. So, before guiding her delicate form outside his room, he turned her and kissed her thoroughly. He did not give her time to recover before pushing her out and shut his bedroom door.

"Now we are even. Something to ponder on." He smirked at the closed door.

What was that? Her mind started. I don't know. Well, I do. I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonight. Phew! I know right? That boy...he is one godd... Shut up brain. I need my wits with me. But, that's where you are wrong princess. We left them in the prince's room. Ugh! You and me both, honey.

She facepalmed herself and rushed to her room.

~*~

A/N: See y'all next time...