Chapter 6 The Two Best Friends

• Ariana's POV
• "That's not of your business," I snapped and attempted to snatch the letter once again. It tore in half.
• "Well, in that case, let's see what your father has to say about this," Preston said. He moved pass me and my heart stopped in my chest for a moment.
• "Preston, you don't have to go to my father about this."
• "Too late. I refuse to be second place to your secret lover."
• Preston matched away and I hurried after him. He eventually found my father in his study and gave him the half torn letter he was still holding onto.
• "What's this?" my father asked, "And where's the other half of it?"
• Preston snatched it from my hand and handed it to my father. He pieced the two pages together and his eyes scanned the entire letter ablazed.
• "A letter to her lover," Preston clarified.
• "He's not my lover, he's my friend," I defended.
• "That's how you express yourself to all of your friends then? In this letter, you're telling him that you misses him and that you wish he was here to comfort you and to make everything better because it seems like the world is currently against you and has you are cornered. You don't know what to do to escape it all and you can only think about being in his arms," Preston summarized and my father looked at me like he wished he would have murder me. He tore the letter into smaller pieces then tossed it into the fireplace behind him.
• "Are you out of your mind. Ariana?" he asked me.
• "For writing my best friend?" I questioned.
• "For falling for such a swine eating commoner!" Father goared.
• "He's my bes tfriend and we've been friends since childhood. Mom was also best of friends with his mom."
• "Don't you dare mention your mother to me again. And you're not to pen another letter to Joshua. Matter of fact, you're no longer his friend and don't think I've forgotten the laws he broke. It's only a matter of time until Victor has him and his mother in the courtyard."
• "Why can't you just let me make my own choices and stop treating me like a child?"
• "You're not capable of making your own choices nor are you capable of running my kingdom. I'm tired of looking at your face. Get out."
• ______
• I didn't hestitate to leave because I wasn't fond of my father's face either. I went back into my bedroom and stayed confined there for several days until Sue-Allen came and freshened me up.
• "Heard you've been in your room for the past three days, is everything all right with you, my Princess?" she asked as she palced my fragrance on my neck.
• "I will be."
• "You've been a dear friend. I feel like I can trust you and I hope I've made it comfortable for you to trust me too. I also wish to be your friend."
• I smiled sweetly at her reflection in the mirror as she started on my hair-do next.
• "Let's so something fun," I said. We shared a giggle.
• "What can we do for fun around here?" Sue-Allen asked.
• "Not here. We're to leave the castle."
• "And go where?"
• "It's a surprise. Are you in?"
• "But of course."
• ______
• A few minutes later, we were crawling through the secret passage to make our exit into the meadows. The tall grass hid our small figures and we ran through them like a couple of kids until we got to a stream. On a nearby tree, a couple of vines hung low and we grabbed one each and swung to the other side. We ran along a narrow path until we reached a clearing with one massive weeping tree left in the middle. Its leaves hung low to the ground. Sue-Allen and I parted them and climbed up to the branch Joshua was waiting on.
• "Hello there, stranger," I greeted him.
• "Hello, Princess," he greeted back.
• "Allow me to introduce my First lady. This is Sue-Allen," I said.
• "Hello," she greeted him.
• "Hi there."
• "Sue-Allen, this is my best frien, Joshua."
• "It's nice to meet you, Joshua."
• "Likewise."
• "So, when did you get in?" I asked Joshua.
• "Last night. I'm only here for a day or two."
• "Smart. Father is still out for blood. He claims you've broken the law and you and your mother are still to be punished for such."
• "What law did you break?" Sue-Allen asked him.
• "The law of Swines," I answered instead.
• We sighed in unison and I looked at Joshua's wounds.
• "You've been to the healing spring?" I asked him.
• "It was the first place I went this morning," he answered.
• "Healing Spring?" Sue-Allen asked.
• "Yes. It's a spring Joshua and I believe it to have healing capabilities. Come, let's show it to you. It's not that far of walk."
• Togther, the three of us went into the direction of the spring and Sue-Allen's eyes lit up when she saw it.
• "It's like magical," she said. The slowly moving water sparkled and the roses all around dropped of their petals and added a romantic feeling and appearance.
• "Can we get in?" Sue-Allen asked.
• "If that's your wish," I answered.
• We undressed to our under garments and got into the stream. We splashed and swam around. Joshua climbed a nearby rock then jumped in with a much greater splash. We laughed and had a great time without paying attention to the sun in the sky.
• "You guys, it's getting late," Joshua said and watched the shadows of the trees and the position of the sun in the sky now.
• "You're right. We should be heading back," Sue-Allen said.
• "I agree," I said next and we stood up and begin the journey back. Joshua stopped when we came to the meadow, then he pulled me into his arms for an embrace I very much welcomed.
• "You take care of yourself now, okay?" he said.
• "You don't have to worry about me."
• "Trust me. I do. You live under the same roof with the man everyone dreads," he responded.
• "Ah. But he wouldn't hurt his own daughter," I convinced myself. Joshua looked into my eyes, and for a moment, the day felt like it have stopped. We inched closer. There was something drawing us in to each other and the beats of my heart increased on cue and I asked myself if he was feeling the same way. He inched closer until we were chest to chest. His arms circled my waist and his head leaned closer to my face. My head tilted upwards to his and then it happened. We kissed. For the very first time, we were kissing and my mind was excited for more.
• We pulled apart and he smiled so sweetly.
• "I'll be thinking about you."
• "I'll be doing the same about you," I said back. He waved us off and Sue-Allen and I disappeared into the meadows.
• My head still felt light.
• "You two do make a cute couple," Sue-Allen said once we were back in my bedroom.
• "Yes, but my father would never hear of it. He even went ahead to find me a husband."
• "That brute," Sue-Allen said and her words caught me completely by surprise.
• "I don't even want to think about father and his ways. Today was a great day. Finally, we did something we've always wanted to do. I cannot believe he kissed me oh so sweetly." I stood up and spung myself around in delight and I spung myself right into Sue-Allen.
• She caught me into her arms. Our faces toghther but inches apart. It seemed to be happening again, that feeling where the day would feel like it has stopped.
• My heart raced and a heat captivated me as I looked into her eyes. Our lips met.