Jasper smiled when he saw that blush on her cheeks when she looked over at him. She looked beautiful with it on her lips. "I do though, if it wasn't for you I would probably trying to still steal for a living." he said as he smiled at her, "and that sounds good." he said as he smiled at her.

Mariki handed him the saddle as she grabbed Autumn's blanket. She tossed the blanket over the brown horse's back and looked at Jasper. "Your welcome." The princess said softly as she kept her eyes on him.

Jasper smiled as he took the saddle and wathced as she placed the blanket over the horses back. Putting the saddle on the horse, he smiled at her, looking deep into her eyes, "so how do you get up onto one of these horses?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

Her cheeks filled with blush as she looked away from him and opened Autumn's door. "You need to jump onto her back." Mariki lead Autumn out of the stall and over to a pair of stairs. "Since it is your first time, you can use these stairs to climb onto her." She smiled at him and looked at him.

Jasper nodded when he heard her and watched as she took her over to the stairs before following her. When he saw the stairs, he nodded, "okay, but I think I can jump onto her." he said as he stood next to Mariki and looked at Autumn, "but I think I will use the stairs for the first time." he said as he gave Mariki a smile before going up the stairs and climbing onto Autumn.

She looked at him while holding Autumn's reins and smiled. "I think that would be wise of you." Mariki said as she watched him use the stairs to climb onto Autumn. Her eyes left him as she walked over to Snow Belle's gate and opened it. The horse walked out on her own but stopped near the stairs so Mariki could get on. The princess smiled at her horse and used the stairs to climb onto her back. "Ready?"

Jasper felt slightly weird as he sat there on the horse but smile over at Mariki. Managing to get the horse to move, he soon was next to her and smiled. "ready, just lead the way." he said as he smiled, his eyes never really leaving hers. He still couldn't' believe that he was able to be with her and protect her. Yet part of him felt like it wasn't enough to just be able to protect her, but for now it was enough.

Mariki looked over at Jasper as she watched him move closer to her. "You look good on her." She giggled as Snow Belle started to walk out of the barn and neighed at Autumn. Her blue eyes left Jasper's as she blushed and held onto Belle's reigns. "I want to show you my secret place."

Jasper smiled when he heard her, straightening his back slightly as Autumn walked with Snow Belle. He watched her turn away from him, seeing a slight bit if red on her cheeks as she did. "what kind of secret place is this?" he asked as he looked at her and smiled as he rode with her, slowly getting use to being on a horse.

Her eyes stayed focused on the path ahead of them. "A secret and special place where I do a lot of my thinking." Mariki said as she smiled and encouraged Belle to pick up speed. She felt the wind in her hair and looked back at Jasper. "Come on, Jasper."

Jasper nodded and wondered where this place was and if other people knew about this place. He then smiled when she bolted ahead of him. nudging Autumn forward, he soon was catching up to her and smiling as he rode with her.

She looked over at him and smiled. "See? You're a natural." Mariki said as she kept Belle at a gallop as they got closer to her secret place. Her eyes went to the path ahead as a lake came into view in the middle of a clearing. The princess came to a stop and lead her horse over to a tree with a low branch. "Isn't it pretty?"

Jasper smiled when he heard her and continued to follow her to the place. Though when he saw the lake, he coudl only stare at this beautiful place. Sliding off of the horse, he slowly brought over Autumn and nodded when he heard her. "this place is amazing, I have never seen another place like it." he said as he looked at her.

Mariki looked at the lake as she started to get down from Belle. But she lost her footing and started to fall off her horse. Her eyes grew wide with fear before she closed them and braced for impact on the ground. The princess hoped that she would not die since it was a common way she heard people died.

Right when Jasper saw her falling he moved in a flash. Catching her right before the ground, he let his body take the blow for her as he held her close. The horses danced around them nervously and he made sure to cover her just incase. But thankfully he only got hit by the horses twice and then they started to calm down. Relaxing, he looked down at Mariki, "are you okay princess?" he asked as he held her close.

Her eyes remained closed as she felt him catch her and then the ground. Mariki heard the horses moving nervously and then Jasper's words as the horses got quiet. "I think so. What about you?" She asked, opening her eyes and looking up at her hero, again.

Jasper smiled slightly, "I could be better, but I will be fine" he said as he looked down at her and was glad that she was safe. He knew he would probably have two or three good hoof prints on him for the next few days but he would live. Slowly sitting up, he found himself with the princess in his lap and still holding her close. Blushing slightly, he smiled, "I am just glad I was able to catch you."

She smiled at him and looked at him as he set her in his lap. "Me, too. Thank you, very much." Elizabeth said looking at him as she blushed, too. Her eyes on him as he held her close to him. The lake was peaceful and it seemed like the world stopped except for them.

Jasper smiled down at her and nodded, "no problem" he said as he saw the blush on her cheeks. She looked cute and part of him wondered what would happen if he were to kiss her. But he knew he couldn't, "are you okay to stand up?" he asked as he found his eyes not leaving hers.

Mariki kept her eyes on him as she blushed harder, looking at him. "I don't know." Her heart racing in her chest as he held her in his arms. It seemed liked her body did not want to move from his arms. She kind of felt weak after the whole incident but that did not explain why she could not move from his arms, did it?

Jasper nodded and looked down at her, "then how about if I carry you to where you want to go." he said as he held her close. Part of him was glad that she didn't know if she could stand, it meant he coudl hold her close a little while longer. Slowly getting up, he held her close to him and smiled down at her, "where would you like to go princess?"

The princess forced herself to look away from Jasper to try and hide the deep blush from her face. Her hand went to her face as she felt how warm her face was. "You don't have to..." She made a soft squeak as he stood with her in his arms and looked around. "Um...closer to the water is fine. I like to soak my feet in the lake." Mariki said softly as she looked at the water.

Jasper nodded and wondered why she had turned away from him. But he carried her over to the water and gently set her down by the edge of the water near the shade of a tree. Sitting down next to her, he suppressed a groan. His body wasn't exactly happy with him after saving her from that fall and the horses. But he would be fine. Smiling at her, he relaxed, "how did you find this place?" he asked as he looked at her.

She looked over at the lake and smiled as the wind blew through her hair. Her eyes went to Jasper as he set her down next to the water. Mariki looked over at Jasper as she watched him sit down next to her. "I was riding one day and I thought I was lost until I found this lake."

Jasper nodded as he listened to her and smiled, "well it was nice that you found this place, I have never been to a place as beautiful as this." he said as he slowly pulled off one of his shoes and stuck his foot into the water. Smiling, he relaxed with her and was glad that he could be here with her.