For a moment, a split silent second, Amethyst felt a glimmer of hope. She believed she could maybe get away from her stalker alive. Maybe if she got to the watch tower by the sea, she would be safe. And perhaps, perhaps by chance, if dawn ever came, the princess would be able to go home, and her parents would be waiting for her; smiling, laughing. They wouldn't be...

She could bring herself to think the word, let alone to speak it. A jinx in itself. The King and Queen were fine, the healers would be able to get all the dark magic out of their veins, they could be saved. But deep in the cell of her heart, Amethyst knew it wasn't possible. Somehow, there was that voice that told her the rein of the King and Queen was done, and the princesses were orphans.

As she tried to take a breath of air, a hand clasped itself onto her mouth. Gasping for breath she struggled to see behind her, for the fear of not knowing who or what was behind the tree. But the hand seemed human, or at least mortal. 'Twas strong and firm, yet gentle and light. And three simple words blown onto her neck. "I've got you." How could so many elementary utterances make Amethyst feel so... helpless?

The wandering hand grazed her stomach ever so lightly, and the princess's ragged breathing hitched. It felt pleasant, making her feel warm and dizzy. Intoxicated like the little wine she would drink at the celebrations and festivals... If this was another time and place, Amethyst would long to stay, and feel the sweet sensations he made her feel. Never in her fourteen years had she ever known something as wonderful as what he made her feel right then.

A moment of bliss, her mind slowly falling away along with her struggling. He was telling her she was beautiful. Amethyst knew it was a 'he', intuition played a card in that. Beautiful... Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful. Was she really beautiful? Never had the princess thought of herself like that. Pretty, sometimes... cute... perhaps... Beautiful... maybe now.

A scream from far away brought Amethyst back to the world where dreams died. She wretched herself away from his grasp, turning to face him. "Who are you?" Was the hoarse whisper that came from her mouth. What else could she say, in the end?