• **Editors Note: Yay! Second chapter (hopefully) is a success! Read On!**

    Doom's face contorted with rage at the sight of Jasmine's hand in Lief's. "What is going on here? I do not approve of this! Let go of my daughter this instant!" he yelled. "Doom! Calm down, they're just holding hands. Besides, they are only kids." Boomed Barda, trying to protect the two young lovers. Lief and Jasmine stood motionless and silent in alarm. Finally Jasmine mustered up the courage to say, "Father! I love him, and he loves me. You cannot change that. Another thing that you cannot change is that I love you as well. You do know that nobody could ever replace you, right?" she said in a shaking but confident voice. Doom's facial expression softened a little, but he was still furious at Lief. "And you! Why are you touching my daughter without my consent! That is unacceptable!" "I am sorry sir, but as Jasmine said earlier, I love her as well. Maybe we could learn to share her love do you not agree?" he replied. Doom, realizing that he had no choice, gave up and said, "I'll go along with your little 'sharing plan'. You two may continue to see each other romantically," he looked to Lief and added, "but you are not to take it too far, do you hear me?" Lief nodded and Doom, sensing his point was understood, walked away.

    "Whew! I thought for sure that Doom was going to rip you to shreds, Lief!" exclaimed Barda. "Yes, I am very glad he did not hurt you." Said Jasmine happily. "Well, I am going to leave you two alone, I am late to train the guards. " said Barda gruffly. Watching him walk away, Lief spoke, "Wow Jasmine, I thought that your father would forbid us to see each other and deny you the right to leave his sight!" he said, relieved that it was not so. Smiling, Jasmine led him to the gardens and up her favorite tree, the one that Endon shot the golden arrow into. While they climbed, Jasmine's mind wandered to the time that she had first met Lief. "Do you remember the first time we met?" asked Lief, as if reading her mind. As she sat down on a thick branch she said, "How could I not? I also seem to remember a very silly little boy who walked straight onto the Wenn Del path, got himself and his companion stunned by the Wenn, and almost eaten by the Wennbar." Said Jasmine, reminiscing in old memories. Lief feigned hurt feelings and said, "Oh. Well I remember a wild thief girl who almost took this very cloak." He touched the thick fabric that hung over his shoulders. Jasmine punched his arm playfully, pushing him off the branch, her falling with him. Laughing when they hit the ground, Lief and Jasmine tumbled across the garden, finally stopping behind a bush. With Jasmine on top of him still giggling, he pulled the leaves and twigs gently out of her hair. He leaned in and kissed her, her stunned eyes widening and slowly closing. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" asked Lief. Jasmine blushed and answered, "You always know exactly what to say. " "King Lief? King Lief! Where are you?" called a guard. Surprised, Lief stood up and said, "Yes? I am here, now what is the matter?" The guard said slowly, "Queen Sharn wishes to speak with you," eyeing Jasmine he said, "alone." Shrugging he glanced at her, "Go." she mouthed, and giving her an apologetic look, he followed the guard.

    "Where is she? " asked Lief, trying to hurry up so he could get back to Jasmine. Seeing her disappointed face when he left hurt him as much as a stab in the stomach. Seeing his face, the guard said, "She is in the kitchens, waiting for you, King Lief." He bowed and stalked off down the great front hall and out to the front gates. Sprinting to the kitchens, he found his mother sitting with a teacup in her hands, obviously waiting to have the midday tea with him. "So Lief, as you may know, your eighteenth birthday is coming soon. In that time, you must choose a bride from which will come your heir. I am hoping that you have begun to think about this matter," she said giving him a stern look that only she could give, "and I think that Jasmine would make an excellent candidate." Lief blinked away the surprise and sighed with relief. He hadn't known that the news of the encounter with Doom and Barda could travel so quickly around the castle. "Yes mother, I do intend on asking Jasmine to marry me. When the time comes of course. Although I do not think that she is ready to become a queen, seeing as she enjoys freedom. Being my wife would restrict her terribly and I would hate to see her miserable all for me." He said thoughtfully. Sharn raised her eyebrows, to think that two short years ago this young king was a street boy in Del breaking curfew and toying with the guards, could be so thoughtful towards the woman he loved. She took a sip of her now lukewarm tea and asked, "And how, my son, do you intend on asking her for her hand? Are you sure that Doom will approve after his feelings towards seeing you and Jasmine upstairs?" Lief, who was not used to being asked so many questions stuttered, " I-I ought to ask her soon, b-but it is still t-too early for such things. A-as for Doom, well, I just do not know what to do about him." After talking about his future for a while, a now satisfied Sharn allowed Lief to take his leave.

    As he made his way back into the gardens, Lief ran straight into Jasmine as he was deep I his thoughts. "Oh Jasmine, I am sorry I did not see you there. I did not cause you harm, right?" Jasmine looked at him and said, "Yes it is ok, but are you alright? You don't seem like yourself." Managing a smile Lief nodded. "It is nothing for you to worry about Jasmine. I was just thinking about the future is all." Jasmine instantly knew what he was talking about. "A wife huh? Don't you think that it's a bit too early to be thinking about those things?" she asked with a tone that Lief could not figure out what it meant. "That's what I told mother! She will not listen!" said Lief quickly. When he said that, Jasmine's fears and her expression softened, then she relaxed a little. With a stern voice she said, "Lief, promise me that you won't marry before you feel that you're ready." Lief looked into her eyes, "Jasmine, I promise you that I won't marry until I'm ready. I swear on my life and our love." he said earnestly. Jasmine, satisfied, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and went back into the palace to think about what she would do if Lief found a bride, and what she'd do to ease the pain. "I certainly wouldn't be his first choice. I mean, among all the well brought up women in Del, I am the least ready for the throne. Maybe it'd be best for Lief if I left the palace..."