Her blue eyes showed a bit of concern as he spoke. "But what about your health?" She asked him. But when he looked at the opening of the cave and started shouting that she was over here made her worry. "What are you doing, Jasper?" Mariki held onto his shirt as she grew worried it might be their assailants.

The guards heard Jasper's yelling and started to hike over in that direction. It was a bit slick from the rain and there were plenty of trees around which meant watching for roots. There footsteps and yells would be come louder as the storm started to pass.

Jasper smiled down at her, "dont worry, I have survived through worse and I am still alive. But thanks for caring." he said softly and kissed her head again. He loved that she worried about him, it made him feel important. "and I am making sure that they can find us. I doubt that our assailants would still be out there looking for us." he said and could hear the yelling more clearly now. "and by the sounds of it that would be the guards." he said as he held her close.

Mariki nodded at his words and closed her eyes. But they did not stay closed for long as she heard the guards yells and footsteps grow louder. "You're right. It's the guards." She said as she sat up from his arms. It probably would be bad if the guards found them so close together.

The guards soon saw the opening of the cave and ran up to it. "Princess, are you alright?" They asked her as they looked at her.

The princess stood up and nodded. "I'm fine. But he's injured." She said looking at Jasper and helping him up. "We'll take care of him princess. Your mother is waiting for you at the castle." They told her as they separated her from Jasper.

Jasper watched her as he listened to the sounds of the guards coming. Yet when she heard them she pulled away from him. He had liked being that close to her and knowing that she was going to be safe. But he knew it was for the best, expecially when the guards finally got to them. Letting her help him up, he looked at the guards, "watch her and the shadows carefully, whoever is after her is very sneaky." he said as they separated them and then started to take them back. Keeping a eye out, he made sure that nothing would sneak up on them.

She looked back at Jasper as they put her on a horse in front of Dominic. Mariki scowled and turned her head away from Dominic as she just looked ahead. The guards had Jasper walk and they stayed close to him. They were treating him as if he were the attacker and not the hero. "You're not to speak to the princess again. Queen's orders. If you are found near the princess again, you'll be exhaled. Understood?" A guard said to him as they walked back to the castle.

Jasper walked along and noticed that they were treating him oddly, like he was at fault. But when he heard the one guards words that made his blood boil. Turning to the guard he glared up at him, " if you think I care about the queen or you, then your wrong. My job is to protect the princess and nothing else. If you try to stop me from doing my job you better not sleep at night." He hissed and continued to glare for a second before turning to walk again. Even though he was half the size of the guard something about the look in his eye told everyone that he could take them down if he had too.

The princess rode back quietly with Dominic and was escorted up to her room. The two guards that lead her to her room stayed outside her room all night. Another pair of guards were at her door in the morning to follow her around the castle. Mariki scowled as the guards followed her around. They kept her from visiting the library and the garden since she was on a schedule set by her mother.

By nightfall, Mariki is really exhausted and irritated because she was worried about Jasper.

There were guards also assigned to watch Jasper to make sure he did not seek out the princess.

Jasper sighed as he walked around with the guards following him around. He felt like a theif again even though he wasn't or at least anymore, but it didn't mean that he didn't think like a thief. Smiling, he started to look around for the best way to get away from his guards. When he saw some shadows coming up, he decided he had enough of his guards and decided to move. As they entered the shadows, Jasper moved quickly. When the guards finally came out of the shadows, they finally noticed that the one they were suppose to follow was gone. Soon word was getting around to watch out for Jasper and that if anyone ever saw him they had to grab him. But Jasper was going to be careful, he wasn't going to be caught as easily as before.

Mariki laid on her bed, trying to fight sleep since her mother had dictated her schedule today. Her eyes closed as she worried about Jasper and gripped the bed sheets. She was worried about his wounds and he was more fun to be with than anyone else in the castle. The princess laid there on her bed as she opened her eyes. More guards had been posted at her door and she doubted that they would listen to her.

Guards were everywhere in the castle looking for jasper and were keeping a eye on the princesses door. No one wanted a thief near her now after the little insidence. But jasper wasn't in the castle right now, he was on the roof. Looking around he guessed which window belonged to the princess and slowly started to scale down to it. His wounds were hurting since he was useing his one arm and he could feel his wound start to bleed but he didn't care, he had to protect her. Getting to the window sill, he peeked in and saw her, " you know you have horrible guards."

Her eyes closed as she laid on her back on the bed. The princess heard the voice of Jasper and sat up before looking over her shoulder. She smiled and ran over to her balcony. "What are you doing? You'll hurt yourself." Mariki said as she looked up at him and smiled.

Jasper smiled as she ran over to him as he slowly climbed off the railing and stood infront of her. "I am already hurt, what is another scrape?" he asked as he looked at her and smiled, "but I came to do as I said, to protect you and I will. Nothing is going to stop me from protecting what I care about the most." he said as he looked at her

She smacked his good arm and looked away from him. Mariki looked back at him though as she heard his words. "Jasper..." Her eyes stayed on him before pressing her body to his. The princess hid her face in his chest as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "Do you mean that?" She asked softly.

Jasper smirked when she smacked him but had to try and not blush himself when she pressed herself close to him. Wrapping his good arm around her, he kissed her head gently. "your the only person to think I am worth something saving and helping. You showed me care when no one else ever have. To me, that makes you the only person I care about and I will protect you with my life." he said as he held her close to him.

Mariki relaxed in his arms as she felt his arm around her. Her eyes closed as she blushed and listened to his words. The princess stayed there with him as she rested her hands on his chest. "I'm glad to hear that, Jasper. Thank you for protecting me so much." She said before placing her hands on his back. There she felt something wet. Mariki looked and saw the blood on her hand. "Jasper, why are you bleeding again?" Her eyes went to him.

Jasper smiled as he held her close and feel her relax against him. All he wanted was to stand there and hold her like this for as long as possible. But when she placed her hand on his back and then saw the blood he sighed. "I think one of the wounds opened up again when I was scaling down the side of the castle to get here. But don't worry, i should be fine." he said as he looked at her and smiled. He didn't want her to worry about him.

Her eyes went to him as she sighed and separated herself from him. "What am I going to do with you? Sit down and take off your shirt." Mariki walked over to her wash basin and washed her hands. She grabbed a towel and her sewing kit before looking at Jasper. "Please, be careful next time." The princess said as she sat down behind him.

Jasper chuckled as he pulled over a chair and pulled off his shirt for her. "I dont know, you could keep me around so you can make sure I dont end up dead." he said as he looked over his shoulder at her, "and I promise to be as careful as I can be." he said and meant it. But with the guards around and him not wanted it would be hard, but he was going to try for her sake.

She sighed and looked at him as he spoke to her. "I might have to. It's the only way I know you won't be taken from my side anymore." Mariki said as she blushed. Her eyes stayed on the wound as she sewed up his wound again. The princess finished bandaging his wound again and rested her head on his uninjured back. Mariki held onto him and stayed where she was.

Jasper smiled when he heard her and was glad he had his back to her so she couldn't see the slight blush he had. "I wont mind that at all." he said softly as she started to sew and bandage him up again. ONce she was done, he felt her arms around him and gently placed his hands over hers, "I may not be a prince, I may not be a guard, I may not be a knight, or even a regular person. But I am your thief and I will always be watching you." he said to her softly.

Mariki closed her eyes and giggled as he spoke to her. She felt his hands covers hers and she smiled at the feeling. "You're my hero, Jasper. And as long as I am with you, I'll be happy." Her hands stayed on his uninjured part of his chest. The princess wanted to stay like this with him.

Jasper smiled as he heard her and held her close to him, "I am no hero, but if you consider me on I am very honored." he said to her softly as he held her close to him. "and all I want is for you to be happy and safe." he whispered to her before kissing her head. He then heard a knock at the door and a rough voice say, "princess, Is everything okay in there?" Hopefully the guard didn't come in, he didn't want to have to jump out her window.

Her eyes closed as she felt really comfortable with him as she was. Mariki opened her eyes wide and looked at the door as she stood up and let go of him. "Everything is fine." She spoke to the door before looking at Jasper and blushing. But wondered how they were going to be able to stay together. "What should we do?"

Jasper frowned when she pulled away from him but looked over at the door. "okay, your mother wanted me to remind you that you are scheduled to go out into the town with escorts in a few minutes, so get ready." He heard the guard say and relaxed when he saw the door didn't move. As he pulled his shirt back on, he smiled at her, "a thief's job is to not be noticed or seen, so you may not see me but I am there." he said as he walked over to her and kissed her head.

She rolled her eyes at the door. "Thank you. I will." Mariki said before looking back at Jasper. Her eyes watched as he put his shirt back on before looking at the ground. The princess looked up at him and nodded. Mariki blushed as he kissed her head before touching his cheek. "Please be safe."