Finally back with another chapter! I wasn't too happy with the ending, but I didn't want to drag it out. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really helped me keep going! Hope you guys like it and like always I sadly do not own. Happy reading!

The forest was peaceful and bright as Princess Felicia rode her faithful stallion down an unfamiliar trail. She always loved riding through the forest when she had the time, but she found it harder and harder to get away. Her father was constantly having her do lessons on how to be a proper lady and future queen. It caused him much grief that she would rather ride or practice swordplay. Because her mother had died when she was very small, her father had taken to bringing her along on most of his trips, and thus she was surrounded by soldiers who would watch her while the king went about his business. Felicia smiled as she remembered the dueling tournament she entered last year in disguise. She fought her hardest and all those years of training paid off, as she won! She had thought that her father would be happy that he had such a strong daughter to take over the kingdom. Oh, how wrong she was. He was so mad, he screamed and ranted for hours afterward. They even had to call the doctor because they were afraid that he was going to have a stroke. She felt bad about stressing him out more, as if running a kingdom wasn't hard enough.

In punishment for her little stunt, she was sent to boarding school. There she learned how to act like the queen she would soon be. After all, in only a few short years, she would marry Prince Aland and they would be the rulers. Felicia found herself thinking more and more about her betrothed. What did he look like? Did he have the same interests as her? There was so much she wanted to know, but no one knew where the fairies hid him all those years ago. She had spent many days with Queen Leah talking about what we thought he had grown up to be like. It was almost like a game between them, which parts did they guess right and wrong.

Samson, her black and white stallion, nickered and tossed his head. Felicia gently patted his neck knowing that he was getting impatient to get back to the palace. "Just a little farther. It's been so long and I want to know where this trail goes."

Samson snorts to voice his discontent, but keeps going for his rider. They travel farther into the forest and they decide to rest in a nice clearing. Felicia dismounts and goes to get the bread and cheese she had packed in Samson's saddle bag. He contents himself with the sweet grass as she settles down to eat. Looking around she notices some bushes that are full of berries. Grinning she sets out to pick some to have with her snack. She's so busy picking the juicy berries that she fails to notice the large tracks that surround the bushes, until she hears a low growl right behind her.

Turning around, she unsheathes her sword. Her eyes widen as she beholds a monstrous bear, its pelt raised in aggression. His lips are pulled back to show sharp teeth that could easily rip her to shreds. Raising her sword, she prepares for the attack. The bear stands on its hind legs and roars, just as she was about to lunge, she heard someone yell. Out of the bushes beside her a young man leaped out. He immediately stood in front of her, but instead of facing the bear, he was facing her!

"Stop!" He said with a glare. All she could do was gap at him. Did he really just tell her to stop defending herself from what was obviously a very ticked off giant bear?! Well she certainly wasn't gonna sit by and be mauled to death. Raising her sword higher she spoke her mind, "Are you crazy?! Or do you just have a death wish?"

The boy didn't stand down, he stood up straighter and said, "I'm not the one with a death wish. You're the one who comes barging into his territory and threatens him with a sword when all he's done is tell you to go away."

Felicia just stares at him. She didn't know what to say to him. He had valid points but the one thing she couldn't understand is the fact that the bear hasn't tried to attack him! It almost looks calmer now that he was between them. She stares at the bear and it snorts and paws the ground in agitation. She turns back to the boy to see him still glaring at her. Slowly, she lowers her sword but keeps it out just in case. She wasn't going to let her guard down till she got some answers from this guy.

Briar slowly lets out the breath he didn't realize he was holding when the girl finally lowers her weapon. He's never seen a sword in person before, only in the picture books he read as a child. He knew that it was the knights and princes who had them, not the ladies. He could feel Bernie behind him, still on edge, but calming little by little. The girl is looking at him intently and it's starting to unnerve him. He reaches behind and pets Bernie's soft fur, it always seemed to calm them both.

"Um, what do you think you're doing?"

Briar turns to look at the girl. She had a tight grip on the sword and was staring at him in shock. He was confused. It wasn't that unusual for people to pet bears. Is it?

"I'm petting him. Isn't it obvious?"

Her eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared into her hair. Backing up, she went to her horse who had been standing in the trees away from Bernie. She started to pet him and then went to her bags. Briar had no idea what she was doing but he didn't want to find out. Silently, he and Bernie took off into the bushes down the trail that led to the house. He would get to Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, they would know what to do.

As he was running, he heard the girl call out to him and the sound of her horse galloping toward him. Glancing behind, he saw her gaining ground and fast. He put on a burst of speed, jumping over rocks and logs, darting in-between the trees, trying to lose her. He burst through the trees and into a clearing, but before he could make it to the other side, he was stopped by the girl and her horse and he knew he was trapped.

Panting, he stood there as she dismounted and came towards him. As she drew closer he noticed how pretty she was. The clothes and the dirt from travel hid that and he could only imagine how she'd look actually dressed as a girl. Suddenly, their faces were very close and he took a step back. "Why did you run?" She asked.

Briar swallowed and said that she had made him and Bernie nervous. She looked at him shook her head, stating that he was the weirdest boy she'd ever met. After that it turned into an argument, which ended with them both on the ground laughing after grappling with each other. Smiling, Felicia holds out her hand. "I'm Felicia, by the way."

Grinning back, he shakes her hand firmly but gently and says, "Briar. Pleased to meet you."