Jonathan laughed. He couldn’t help it. Yet his face grew more serious as he thought of the question that was burning on his mind.
“Why?”
Nicole stopped laughing.
“Why what?”
“Why on earth didn’t you tell me?”
“About wha-oh. That. I…”
“Obviously you don’t trust me.”
“No! It’s not that, I swear. I just…”
“I get it. You don’t have to explain.”

“No-Jonathan-please!”

“Just-go on. Leave me alone.”

“Jonathan! Let me explain!” Nicole yelled, standing up. Jonathan, slightly taken aback, remained silent. “I’ve never kept it a secret like that. I just…I don’t know. Whenever I tell a boy about me being a princess, they feel…I don’t know why…but not… worthy… to be with me or… or something nuts like that and I didn’t want you to do that! I didn’t want you to feel…intimidated… by who I am, or who my father is!"

“Nicole…I’m sorry. I suppose I haven’t been quite honest either. You see…my parents…they’re…they’re dead. I’m never able to trust people the way I should. When I heard that the princess had changed her name to Nicole…well…I felt as if you couldn't trust me and I couldn’t trust you, and I got angry at myself. Can we start over?” Nicole smiled. Jonathan was unlike any boy she had ever known. He met her halfway. He understood her trouble. And most of all, he didn’t judge her for it.

“Sure.”

“Great. So, you want to do something?”

“Well, seeing as it’s almost nine o’clock, I don’t think much is going on, but we could find something to do.”

“How about…”

“Riding!” Nicole exclaimed. “I’ve got a horse you can borrow. Please?”

Jonathan’s eyes sparkled. “Let’s go.” Quickly and quietly Nicole and Jonathan ran toward the barn and saddled Midnight and Jiffy, the stable horse. Jonathan climbed up onto the peachy-white horse and patiently waited for Nicole to climb on Midnight.

“You know,” puffed Nicole as she lifted the heavy side saddle. “It’s not very…gentlemanly…for you to just…sit there while I…struggle…with…this…thing!” She gave a last heave and put the saddle on Midnight’s back.

Jonathan grinned mischeiviously. “But…it’s…quite…fun.” He teased. Nicole glared at him and climbed into the saddle. “You look lovely, madam.”

“Oh, you shush! Come on, it’s going to be sunup before we go if we don’t get moving.”

“Fair point.” With that the two of them rode out of the castle grounds to the beach that lay next to it. They cantered for a while until Jiffy slowed to a walk. “What’s wrong, boy?” Jonathan asked the aging stable horse. Then he looked up. “Madam, I think your stable horse is faulty.”

“Sir, he only gets faulty when someone faulty rides him!” Nicole shot back. They teased each other until they got to a cave, where they tied their horses and ventured in. “This is…interesting.” Nicole whispered.

“Yeah.” agreed Jonathan. “You just have to watch what’s…ahhhh!” A full-grown bear stumbled out of the darkest part of the cave and bared its teeth at Nicole and Jonathan. Nicole screamed and stumbled back out of the cave and Jonathan followed closely. When Jonathan got to the entrance, he gasped at the sight he saw. Nicole, paralyzed by fear, was facing away from him, and was facing the bear’s snarling, growling, mate, whose eyes were fierce and expression hungry.