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Jasper walked around the well, waiting nervously. Would she be able to get out of the palace to see him? He began to have second thoughts. Why would a princess go out of her way to see... him? He was just a soldier from an average family who liked horses. He smoothed back his hair and waited.

Avalon showed up to the well, but she did not see Jasper anywhere. Would he stand her up? She hoped not. She was wearing her handmaiden's cloak, and clothing. No one would know that she was the princess.

Jasper paced by the well faster, frowning in worry. Had she gotten out? "Hello?" He whispered. "My Lady?" He looked around and saw a handmaiden, he tilted his head and nodded to her in greeting.

Avalon removed the hood of her cloak, and smiled at him. She was thrilled that he was here, she was worried he would not be. She walked closer to him, "Hello, Sir Jasper."

"Avalon!" Jasper said happily, but softly. He shook his head and corrected himself. "My lady, I am glad you came." He said and bowed.

"No, no, please call me Avalon...well Ava in public." She assured him it was alright, "I am glad you came, I hoped you would not leave since it took me forever." She was blushing, as she smiled back at him.

Jasper smiled back. "I promised I could come, my l... Ava, so I did. I never go back on a promise to a fair lady."

"Well I am glad to hear that, I fear I would have been heartbroken if you had, Jasper." She looked up at him, her eyes looking deep into his. He had the most beautiful icy blue eye, she could feel herself getting lost in them.

Jasper smiled and bowed to her. "I would not dare break your heart, Ava." He said honestly.

"Really? Why is that?" Ava couldn't help her smile at him, there was just something about him. "You do not have to bow at me so much, I am just Ava right now..."

"Okay." Jasper said, straightening his back. "Because it is against my nature to hurt wonderful ladies like yourself."

"If only my father felt that way...yet he allows his people to suffer without end," Ava frowned, realizing that she spoke out of place, she sighed, "Forgive me, I seem to have no problem speaking freely with you..."

"Do not worry, no one shall hear any of this from my mouth." Jasper promised. "That is why the soldiers and knights are here to help the people."

"I admire you for that, Jasper. I wish that I could do more sometimes...I feel useless." Avalon started pacing, she had actually done a lot for her people. But she never felt like it was enough.

"You are not useless!" Jasper said straight away. "You have healed me and probably healed others." He urged. "You help the Princes keep your father in line, you are not useless. You do a lot for your people."

"I do heal those that I can, that is actually why I was sneaking out in the first place. Well that was before you asked me, then my reason was to meet you. I sneak out from time to time when villagers need healing the most." Avalon beamed at him, she was pleased that her people actually benefited from her help.

Jasper smiled at her. "You are a kind and just princess, Ava." He said. "Do you want to help them together? Only if you want..."

"You would help? I would love your help, Jasper." Avalon rested her hand on his arm, giving him one of her best smiles. "Thank you."

Jasper smiled wide at her and his cheeks went slightly pink when her hand rested on his arm. "My pleasure, I would love to help."

"I see I am not the only one who blushes..." Avalon murmured quietly to herself, pleased that she seemed to have the same affect on him, as he did on her.

"What was that?" Jasper asked softly, tilting his head with a smile. He kept his eyes on hers and his smile fixed on his face.

"I-, I merely stated...that..I was pleased I was not the only one of us who blushed..." Avalon in turned blushed herself, while giving him a bright smile.

Jasper smiled wide, took her hand, and gently kissed it. "Only amazing ladies are able to make me blush, Ava, and I have only blushed once."

Avalon bit her lip, when his kissed her hand, "Is that so? Well then I must be amazing, as you say. I am happy that I was the first one to make you blush, Jasper."

Jasper smiled. "As am I, Ava." He said. "As am I."

"So tell me about yourself, Jasper. I am afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage, you seem to know more about me than I do about you," Ava beamed at him.

Jasper smiled and chuckled. "I grew up with two older brothers, my mother and father and our horses. I am a very big fan of horses." He said. "I had a chestnut mare with a black mane and tail names Tanay."

"I have never ridden before, I have never have never been allowed to. But I too have too older brothers as well. I am pretty good with magic, though I mainly focus on healing magic." Avalon was impressed that he knew how to ride, it was something that she had always wanted to learn.

"I can teach you how to ride, if you wish." Jasper offered. "I can even teach you on Tanay." He smiled at her. "Having magic is amazing."

"Really? You would do that for me? Thank you..." Avalon was actually surprised, not many people offered to do things for her...without something in return anyways.

"Don't worry, I would love to teach you." Jasper smiled at her. "When would you like me to bring Tanay and where?" This would be great, teaching Ava to ride. Horses were his life and past.

"Um, I am not sure...I do not know many places outside the palace. I actually got lost on my way here..." She laughed at herself, "I could try teaching you a healing spell if you would like?"

"How about the countryside and you pick a day?" Jasper suggested. He tilted his head. "Sure, but I am not sure the magic will work with me." He smiled.

"I think I can get away on...Wednesday, is that day suitable for you?" Avalon asked him, before adding, "Well we can always try, I think you will do well." She stepped forward and wiped a bit of dirt from his nose.

Jasper's cheeks went pink again when she touched his nose. "Wednesday is fine, and I will bring a gift for you then, which I was planning to bring if you wanted to ride." He smiled. "So, what do you want me to try?"

"A gift? For me...why?" Avalon heart started racing in her chest, it was an unknown feeling to her. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, Jasper was making her feel and think thing she never had before. She looked up at his face, "We could try with a simple healing spell...it was the first thing I learned, and you never know when you might need to use it..."

"Because you are wonderful." Jasper smiled, his cheeks red. He didn't know how Avalon would take getting the gift that was his and only his to give. "The healing spell sounds good." He said.

"You are wonderful as well. I will try my best to teach it to you," Avalon saw his cheeks and smiled, remembering that she was the only one that had ever made him blush. She raised up on her tip-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Jaspers cheeks went a brighter red and he smiled. Lost for words, his mouth opened and closed for a bit. He gave up on trying to speak and just smiled at her. The colour in his cheeks didn't fade one bit.

Avalon's gaze dropped to the ground, her face just as red as his, "I am sorry, I should not have done that..." she whispered quietly, and turned towards the well.

"No, no." Jasper took her hand. "No regrets, hey?" He leant down and gently kissed her cheek, his eyes closed for the duration of his lips on her skin. "My way of saying thank you. And this." He whistled and the ninny of a young horse sounded.

If it was at all possible, her face burned brighter with the feel of his lips upon her cheek. "No regrets..." She confirmed with a breathless whisper. She looked down at their intertwined hands, a shy smile graced her lips. Avalon's eyes snapped up to the sound of a horse, she glanced over at Jasper with awe.

Jasper smiled wide. "This one's for you." He said and whisteled again. The sound of two sets of hoof beats could be heard coming. "Meet Tanay and her colt Steldor." Two horses ran over to them, one a foal.

"For me...?" Avalon asked shocked, he was not truly giving her a horse...was he? She walked up to Tanay, "Hello beautiful girl..." she cooed her softly, she had never been this close to a horse before.

Jasper smiled wide. "Steldor is all yours. I was tasked with giving him or selling him, since he was Tanay's colt, and I've chosen you." Both of the horses ninnied.

"You cannot just give him to me, I...I cannot believe you would do that...thank you. I am honored..." Avalon walked over to Jasper, and put her arms around him.

((brb))

"Of course I can just give him to you." Jasper smiled and put his arms around her too, since she had done the same. "It is my pleasure." He whispered.

Avalon smiled up at him, and stepped back. If her father or brothers knew where she was, or what she had just done...well it would not be good. But she did not care, not in the slightest.

Jasper smiled back at Avalon, then called Steldor over. The colt trotted to them with his halter on. "All yours." He said.