I am now…

Rose blushed. Had he been staring at her when he spoke or the falls? The princess wasn't sure. She decided, at least for the moment, to play it safe.

"If you aren't impressed by this, then wait to you see the view from higher up." The princess tucked her hair behind her ear shyly.

The corners of Ethyn's mouth upturned slightly. He held out his hand to be led once more. "Show me."

The command was more of a question, and since the princess was already missing the feel of the man's hand in hers, she simply nodded.

The moment their fingers touched, a spark passed between them. Rose hesitated, pulling back her hand as a tingling sensation passed down her arm.

"Everything alright?" Ethyn either seemed not to have felt the charge or he had ignored it. Or maybe he had...enjoyed it?

"Yes...I just..." Rose forced herself to get over the shock and pressed her palm against the knight's. The warmth of his skin made her thoughts want to flee all over again.

"This way," she managed.

Around the crystal clear pond, the pair edged along the shallow edge until they reached the wall from which the falls emanated. Ethyn had a visible look of confusion. There was nowhere to go.

Rose held his hand tighter as she began to slide her boots off of her feet. "Care for a little swim?"

The knight's face paled. "If that means the removal of any more of your clothing, I would not be a gentleman if I agreed." Already the young man was looking away.

"Relax. While I am very happy to announce that you passed a test I did not even know I was giving, I didn't mean an actual swim. We just have to do a little wading."

Setting her boots to one side, Rose let go of the man's hand and knelt. She reached for his metal shoe and gave a gentle tug on his leg. Somehow this made Ethyn even more uncomfortable than when he thought the lady might shed her outer garments.

The princess was at HIS feet and touching HIS muddy sabaton. Ethyn flinched, and the metal-armored footwear nearly kicked the princess in the knee. "Forgive me!"

"Come on; don't be a baby." Rose seemed to enjoy that she had put the man on the defensive.

"I cannot let you do this! I shall take off them myself if I must." Ethyn took a step back.

"I do think you are able. I have seen how you men move in that armor. You may be formidable but you aren't exactly flexible." The princess was right. There was a reason why knights needed a servant to help them get on an off their armor.

While Ethyn might eventually be able to get off the metal shoe, it would take time and would make him look very awkward.

"Are you ordering me to undress?" Ethyn hoped to disabuse the woman of him needing to take off his shoes at all by embarrassing her as well.

But Rose saw through the tactic. "The ground is slick under the water. You cannot protect me if you are nursing a broken behind. Now hurry before we run out of time. Consider it an order if you must."

Sighing, Ethyn held out his foot. "Fine, but I only do this under intense protest."

Rose giggled and winked at him playfully. "Noted." Disengaging the strap which attached the shoe loosely to the armor above it, Rose removed the sabaton and the cloth wrapping below it, setting them both aside. Then she repeated the action for the other foot.

Placing her hands in the edge of the water, Rose allowed the mud which now caked her fingers to wash away. Ethyn gulped as a smell inevitably reached his nose.

Even though he had bathed just that morning, the heat of his armor had caused his skin to sweat and put off an unpleasant odor.

For her part, Rose had noticed the scent, but had been in court around enough less than pleasant smells that she did not even react.

So when Ethyn plunged his feet into the pool to wash them, the princess was able to innocently comment, "I had no idea that you were so eager!"

"In more ways than one." The man's emerald eyes sparkled as they changed from embarrassed to excited.

Flushing at what he could have meant, Rose glanced away and pressed her hand against the rock wall as she stood. Then she lifted her skirt slightly as she waded into the pool.

It was Ethyn's turn to look away. So when Rose walked a few more steps into the hidden pathway, he did not see her leave. A moment later she heard him gasp.

"Princess!" His voice broke.

With a soft laugh, Rose peeked around the rockface. "I'm right here. Are you afraid I will vanish into thin air?"

"Only every moment since I became your personal knight." Ethyn smirked, but there seemed to be some truth behind his words. Was he just that dutiful or was there more to his worry?

He waded over to her and took the turn onto the rocky path. It was partially submerged for another dozen steps before beginning to lift. The wall disappeared from one side as the path widened, giving them a view of the pond as they ascended.

"How did you even find that entrance?" Ethyn wondered as he glanced behind him.

The princess shrugged. "I have been here often since I was a child. Father would bring me. Together we have explored every bit of this place. It is almost a second...third home to me."

Rose corrected herself. She had not meant to exclude her home with Silver. Though the princess had not been to the falls since she came of marriable age, she still held her memories of the place very fondly.

She secretly hoped to add to those happy memories today. 'One step at a time!' Rose reminded herself.

"Have you ever brought anyone else up here before? Other than the King, I mean." Ethyn's question was unexpected.

"Lady Cait once or twice, but she is a little too prim for this kind of excursion." Rose quickened her pace as they rose ever higher.

But Ethyn only spoke louder. "But no one else? No past love interest?"

"No past love interest." The princess had never had a love interest before.

Even if she had, would she have willingly brought them here? Probably not on their first outing.

"So I am special then? Will this make your future beau jealous?" Ethyn asked playfully.

"I hope not," Rose wasn't sure what to do with his words. Was he trying once again to steer her away from him? "I mean it would make that girl you spoke of jealous too..."

"I hope not," Ethyn answered seriously. "She can be very understanding when she wants to be."

Thinking about the girl Ethyn obviously cared for, Rose suddenly felt on the verge of being sick. 'This was a mistake.'

They were very far from the horses, and the knight was on the verge of openly rejecting her! If the princess continued to press her feelings, they would have a very awkward walk back down.

'I cannot ruin this. I like what we have. I...I' Rose thought about how the man might react if he knew that she tricked him into walking under the Falls of True Love just to see her overlook.

Was he superstitious? Would he suddenly feel some obligation?

Rose couldn't do that to him. It was better to look from this point and then turn around. The overlook could wait until another time.

In the future, Ethyn could take the girl he cared for, and the princess would be free of the guilt that she felt just now.

Coming to a decision, Rose turned suddenly to announce they had arrived.

But because the princess was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she had no idea that the man was so close behind her. The pair collided.

The narrow path was not meant to have them side by side, and Rose's foot slid from the ledge. She gasped, bracing herself for a fall down the cliff face into the pool. At least there was water below, so she likely wouldn't die...except of embarrassment.

However, her fall was interrupted as two strong hands caught her waist and pressed her up against the rock. Suddenly all of Ethyn's body was between her and the edge of the ridge. Two hands landed on either side over her head as the man steadied himself from going over the edge himself.

Ethyn looked up, genuine concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

He was so close to her! Rose smiled, her heart fluttering and her cheeks bright pink.

Was she alright? The answer was clear.

"I am now."