The huntress ran hurriedly into the shadows under the moonlight in the country Andrexa, fearful the king might have seen her with the prince again. After all, he was engaged to another woman. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear someone behind her.
    “Kyra.”
    Kyra turned around stealthily, her long, black hair never leaving her shoulders. As she turned, she grabbed her bow from her shoulder and an arrow from her quiver in an easy, practiced motion.
Once her arrow was fitted to her bow, Kyra spun around so fast that her hair slapped her face like a damp towel. Her arrow was pointed directly at the prince’s head.
“Your not really going to use your birthday present against me are you? Huntress.” The prince teased.
“Tanor, did your father see me in the castle again?”
    “It’s all right, Kyra. You left just before he came. You could be dead for all he knows.” Tanor coaxed as he gingerly kissed her small, beautiful lips. “Really, Kyra, you’re safe.”
    “Tanor, it’s not safe to go against the ki- your father. Your getting married next spring, besides the fact that he banished you from seeing me.”
“Kyra, I know it’s a risk, but I can’t stop seeing you. You should be walking down the isle, not Heather.” Tanor tenderly brushed his fingers through her hair as he looked into her stunning blue-gray eyes.
Kyra sighed, “I don’t want to be punished again, Tanor. Don’t you remember what happened last time he saw us together? He would find me in the town and whip me every day for a month. My father also beat me when he found out what I was doing that night. I still have scars to prove it. Not to mention that was before you were engaged.” Kyra replied coolly.
“Kyra, it was torture on me, too. I tried to stop my father from punishing you for my mistake. Only when I got in his way, he locked me in my room for those days. I was a peasant in the dungeon.”
“I’m sorry, Tanor, but I have to go. It’s getting late and father will beat like a rug me if I’m late for supper. Correction: late to make supper.” Kyra tried to laugh, but Tanor knew she was trying to hide her fear of Joey.
“I love you Kyra. I always will. You’re my everything.”
“I love you too Tanor. Throughout my whole life, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”Tanor put his arms around Kyra as she rested her head on the prince’s heavily muscled chest. After many long minutes, Kyra regrettably pulled back. Before she could leave though, Tanor cupped her small, delicate head in his hands and gently kissed her one last time for the night.
“I’ll see you in the meadow tomorrow, Tanor.” Kyra said as she waved goodbye.
“Not the meadow. I have to see Heather there tomorrow. How about the forest?”
“Even better. I’ll bring lunch.”
“Perfect. Your perfect. Everything about you is perfect.”
So they both went their separate ways. Tanor to the castle, and Kyra to the market for an excuse to be late going home.

The whole time Tanor was walking home, he remembered the first time he saw Kyra.
He was in the market when he was 12. His father was telling him something, but Tanor didn’t hear him. He was looking at a peasant girl who would be able to pull off angel easily. Her body wasn’t completely matured, but she had a beautiful smile and the most amazing hair. Her laugh filled the market even after she stopped. The girl who appeared to be about Tanor’s age had stooped down to pick up a loaf of bread that she dropped. When she got back up, their eyes met and Tanor knew he was in love.
    In that moment when he was just a 12 year old boy and even now as an 18 year old man, his heart felt like it would jump out of his chest every time he thought about or looked at Kyra. That was how it would be till he died.
    The gate to his castle opened, and Tanor headed to his room to relax and think about Kyra.


    Kyra quickly walked up the steps to her two roomed house and walked through the door.
    Forcefully Joey’s voice boomed through the tiny home, “Kyra, why are you late?”
    “Sorry father, I had to get potatoes for supper and apples for your pie.”    
    “Kylie and Jordon are both hungry!”
    “Kylie’s 10! She can cook on her own! Jordon is 14! I’m not much older than he is! You never take in to consideration that Kendra might be hungry also! She, on the other hand, is only 3! Why is it that you never think about Kendra or me? We’re always the short end of the stick! Kylie and Jordon are both nobles, and God forbid if Jonathan is distressed! All Hell freezes over! If anything happens to Jonathan, it’s murder! I’m so tired of you acting like your King George and I’m his right hand servant Martha!”
    “You’ve been with Prince Tan-”
    “I’m making dinner and going to bed. Your pie will be done when your finished cooking it. Okay, Father?”
    “Yes, dear Martha. Make my dinner!”
    Kyra cooked dinner, as she was cooking she thought about Tanor. How his curved lips made the perfect smiles. The way his dark brown hair blew in the wind. What she felt like when he held her. How their hearts beat as one. The way his dark blue eyes lit up any day. Most of all though, how Tanor would love her until he died.
    Kendra came over, “Kya?”
    “Yes, Kendra?” Kyra smiled.
    “What awe yow tinking abowt?”
    Kyra whispered, “Prince Tanor. Don’t tell anybody, okay?”
    Kendra nodded, “Owkay.”
    “Dinner’s done. Up you go.” Kyra picked up Kendra, and put her in her high-chair.
Kendra giggled when Kyra tickled her belly, “Top it sissy! Top!”
    “Okay, okay. I’ll stop.”
    “Everyone, wash your hands and eat!!”
    In four minutes, everyone was dished up and eating. The next 30 minutes went by and Kyra was already done washing the dishes. Kyra picked Kendra up and took her to bed. She watched Kendra sleep for a few minutes while everyone else went to sleep. Humming softly to herself and to Kendra to give her good dreams.
    She went to Kylie's bed and pulled her covers up to her neck and took her slippers off her. She refused to go near Jonathan's bed, but Jordan was another story. She looked at her baby brother's peaceful face and wished that she could be him. He had life easy, and it would feel natural to be set in his life.
After everyone was dreaming, Kyra walked into her father’s room.
Joey looked up from his book, “What would my young Martha like now?”
Kyra turned around and fell on her father’s bed like she used to when she was just a young girl. “Forgiveness would be nice for one thing. Forgiveness of my foolishness from tonight.”
“Forgiveness is given, what else?”
“To ask three serious questions.”
“Okay, ask them and I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.”
“One, why did Aunt Maya and Uncle Mason take Mina from me for so long? Two, how did you meet momma? Three, what will you do when I leave?”
“One, that is a very delicate matter and I don’t want to talk about your cousin Mina. Two, I don’t want to talk about your mother. Three, that’s not any of your business. Besides, you can’t leave the house till I say you can, and that’s not going to be any time soon. Now, off to bed. Shoo.”
With a wave of Joey’s hand, Kyra headed off to bed.

        Tanor couldn’t sleep, he was disturbed by an outside force.
    “Hi honey!” a strawberry blond with pigtails wearing all hot pink and sky blue eyes hollered happily staring down at Tanor.
    “Heather,” Tanor grumbled, “don’t you have somewhere else to be besides by my bed or anywhere in my castle for that matter?”
    “Is that anyway to treat your fiance?” Heather asked childishly, “Scoot over, I want in.”
    “No”
    “What?”
    “I said no. what part do you not understand, the “N” or the “O”?”
    “B . . . b . . . but your castles cold.” Heather complained pretending to shiver.
    “That’s not my problem. Go home if you want to complain.”
    “Fine! I’ll just tell your father to call off . . . no I won’t. Bye Tanor. Tomorrow in the meadow. Be there this time, won’t ya.” With that Heather was off skipping and jumping through the hallways at midnight like a little girl.
    “And people wonder why I don’t want to marry her.” Tanor moaned. He finally fell asleep floating into a dream.


        Tanor and Kyra ran from a gigantic snake trying to eat them for breakfast. Tanor hollered for Kyra to keep running, but she didn’t. He turned around to fight the beast. Tanor quickly grabbed his sword and ducked and dodged the snake’s attacks while also creating some of his own.
    He lunged and buried his sword in the snake’s neck. He turned around to go to Kyra, but he turned just in time to see Kyra turn into Heather. She stood there, clapping and bouncing up and down childishly holding a sign and screaming, “Go Tanor, Go!!!” her pigtails jumping with her.

    
    Tanor jerked awake breathing heavily. “Only a dream. It was only a dream.”
“What was onwy a dweam big bwuvuw”? Carry, Tanor’s 3 year old sister asked.
Tanor grinned, thinking about something to say,” I just had a dream that you and the twins got eaten by a gigantic snake!”
“Why didn’t you save us Tanor?” Jenny-one of the twins-asked from Tanor’s door.
“Yeah Tanor, that’s so unbrotherly of you.” Penny-the other twin-chimed in.
“I was getting to that part. After you three got chopped up into a million pieces, I died too, from a broken heart.”
“No you didn’t Mr. Oh So Clever, you had another dream about Kyra.”
“No I didn’t. Why are you three in my room anyway?”
“We heard you scream Kyra! Kyra! All the way from the dining hall. Luckily, father didn’t have breakfast with us. He had some business on planet Noxide, the queen is getting tired of the king of Contradority. (Andrexa was the peace-making planet of the galaxy.) We could still get you into trouble though.” Penny bribed mischievously.
Tanor sighed, “What do you want now?”
The twins thought for a second, “We want a horse,” they spoke forcefully, as if they ruled him.
“You both have a horse.” Tanor spoke matter-of-factly. “Besides, you both have money.”
“We already spent our money for the week on a carriage.” Jenny told him.
“Besides, this is a special horse. Completely black with gray and white spots.” Penny added.
Tanor cocked his head, “You tell dad, I take your horse.” He warned.
    “Deal!”
    “Penny, Jenny, do you get Peppow.”
    They squealed gleefully and said, “Yes! We get Pepper!” together.
    Tanor gave Penny and Jenny the money for the “special” horse when he remembered his unwanted date in the meadow. He walked to the gates and then to Heather glumly.