Chapter 3

�Mother?�

The wind whistled wildly through the darkness of rain and thunder. A flash of lightning frightened the young girl as she ducked for cover near a rock. The pouring rain washed the sobs from her face, but she was determined to find her mother.

�Mother!!!� She called out once again, she could not see her mother or anything else for that matter, only the shadows of the trees that wailed as the wind blew through them.

�Ahhh!� the little girl slipped down the side of the hill leading to the waterfall. Her leg scraped up against a rock and began to bleed. Her sobs began again, but she kept walking. She cried out for her mother once again, and yet no answer.

�Noooo!� a loud screamed cut through the rain.

The little girl, frightened at first by the scream thought of running away but she thought it might be her mother, so she ran in the direction of the scream.

�Mother! Mother!� the little girl called out as she ran towards the top of the waterfall. It was there when she saw two shadows on the top of the waterfall. The rain poured down relentlessly. She tried to make out the two figures, but it was too dark, and her eyes were red from the rain. Before she knew it, one of the figures plummeted down the waterfall.

�NOOOOO!!!� the little girl yelled and ran away from the waterfall. She climbed back up the hill but tripped over a fallen tree.

�Ohhh�� she sniffled, and as she looked up, a giant figure bent over her with an evil smile and�

�WAKKKEEE UPPPP!!!!�

�Ahhh!� Janie jumped from her bed, sweat trickling down her forehead. She looked over and saw Salinee with a wooden ladle in her hand and a satisfied look on her face.

�Salinneeee!!!� Janie pouted, �You scared me!!!�

�Good!� Salinee retaliated, �That�s what you get for sleeping in so late. Do you know what time it is my little princess?�

Janie looked at the clock on her dresser and smiled sheepishly, �Umm�way past my time to wake up?� She looked up at Salinee.

�If you don�t get up now I�ll beat you till tomorrow!� Salinee warned as Janie rushed to the bathroom. �I�ll be seeing you downstairs then miss Janie!� Salinee yelled through the door.

�Okay!� Janie yelled back.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she noticed something she never had before. Janie got up closer to the mirror and examined her head.

�A scar?� Janie touched it, �was this always here?� Janie wondered why she never noticed it before. �But where could it come from? Salinee never hit me, even if she says she will, and mother never��

Janie gasped, her dream was coming back to her. �Mother�s death�� Janie crossed her arms and thought about the strange dream she had last night. No matter how she tried to remember the rest of it, she couldn�t.

�If only Salinee hadn�t woken me up�� Janie sighed. She proceeded to get ready, but the dream was still in the back of her head. Why did it all of a sudden come back�after so many years. She had never remembered or dreamt of that moment after her mother died, Janie didn�t know why she started to remember again. Maybe it was an omen, maybe there was something she missed, why she couldn�t remember the incident.

Janie ran down to the kitchen as soon as she could and hurriedly ate her breakfast before heading out to the stables. She had forgotten that she was supposed to take Midnight, the once stubborn stallion out for his morning gallop. Janie raced over to Midnight�s stable but couldn�t find him.

�Jamniem,� Janie spoke to the stablehand, �Where did Midnight go?�

Before Jamniem had a chance to answer, Midnight came up to Janie galloping with the Duke on his back.

�You can go now,� Janie dismissed Jamniem, who went back to his work.

Janie walked up to Midnight and stroked his face, as he nuzzled up against her. She ignored the Duke as she talked to Midnight.

�I�m sorry Midnight, you must have been lonely this morning. But next time, I won�t let anyone take you out except me.� Janie looked up at the Duke disapprovingly.

�I�m sorry to have taken him out without his owner�s permission,� Jessadaporn said as he dismounted, �But it seems that if his owner cared more for him, she would�ve came earlier.� He walked up to Janie and smiled.

�Well, one shouldn�t expect that the owner has forgotten about her �possessions�� Janie mocked him, �besides it�s quite impolite to take someone�s stallion without her permission.� Janie gave him a half-hearted smile as she pulled Midnight away from him and proceeded to mount him.

�Next time, I assume your manners will be better?� Janie yelled and she galloped away with Midnight.

Jessadaporn smiled after her, �Next time�I believe I will find out your name also.� He said as he walked inside the castle.

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�Ah Duke,� Queen Apiradee spoke as she descended down the stairs and saw Jessadaporn walking in. �Where have you been this morning? We were going to call you to breakfast with us but you were already gone.� She greeted him and he bowed to her.

�I�m terribly sorry Majesty, but I was in the stables.�

Queen Apiradee showed a bit of disappointment in her face. �Oh�what were you doing there?� She gave a small smile, she had hoped that he had been in the drawing room with Tookta.

�I was checking out the horses, Majesty,� Jessadaporn sensed the disappointment in her voice, �I�m actually drawn to them since I do that a collection of my own. Maybe someday I could teach Intira to ride one?� He was trying to get her favor back.

Queen Apiradee seemed to be pleased with his answer, �Oh there�s no need to call her Intira, we�re almost family, please call her Tookta instead.�

�Yes Majesty, maybe someday I can teach Tookta to ride one of my horses.�

�I certainly have no objection to that.� She smiled at him, �Come I�ll show you the rest of the castle, by the way where is your sister, Khuntima?�

�Oh I forgot to inform you Majesty, our mother isn�t feeling well so I sent Khuntima home to take care of her.�

�Really, oh I�m terribly sorry.� Queen Apiradee felt another burden lifted off her shoulders. She didn�t dislike Khuntima but she thought it would be harder for Jessadaporn to be closer to Tookta if his sister was around. Which was why she sent a letter to their mother asking for her help, and why Khuntima had to go back so early.

As Queen Apiradee was showing Jessadaporn the castle, he kept thinking about Janie. No one had ever talked back to him before, nor has anyone made his heart beat faster when he was around her. He didn�t know what it was, but something made him want to meet her again, and find out who she was.

�Majesty,� Jessadaporn asked, �How many people are residing in the castle?� He wanted to know if his mystery woman was someone in the castle.

�Well, there is myself, his Majesty and Tookta. Other than that, there are servants and those who take care of the castle. Why do you ask?� Queen Apiradee smiled.

�Oh�nothing majesty. It�s just that it�s such a large castle I wanted to know how many people actually lived in here. It�s nothing at all�� Jessadaporn answered suavely.

�Well then, shall we continue?� She asked Jessadaporn and he reluctantly nodded.

�Well, at least now I know she�s not related to the queen. So it shouldn�t be a problem if I were to seek her out and...� Jessadaporn smiled to himself.

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�That pompous Duke! I�ll show him not to mess with my things.� Janie kicked a piece of wood, almost hitting Oil in the head.

�Pray tell what has made our Lady Janie so angry?� He chuckled as he walked over to her.

Janie let out a huge sigh and sat down on the log. �It�s that Duke, he�s so full of himself it sickens me! To think that he is the man they chose for Tookta! I will not stand for it!� Janie plucked a flower from the ground and twirled it in her fingers. �What do we do now?� She looked up at Oil.

Oil sat down besides her and sighed. �I don�t know, part of me wants to rip his head off, part of me wants to steal Tookta away. I�m so confused right now.�

�You can�t elope, the Queen would send out everyone to track you down. Then it�ll become a big mess.� Janie looked over to him and put her hand on his. �Don�t worry, I�ll find a way to get you two together, that�s a promise.� Janie gave Oil a reassuring smile.

�Thanks Janie,� Oil held her hand, �I trust you, somehow we�ll get through this mess.� He put his hand on her head and messed up her hair.

�Hey!� Janie pulled away, �That�s not funny!� She laughed as she chased him around with a stick, �I�ll teach you Oil!�

�Oh please! Someone help me!� Oil sarcastically yelled as he ran away from Janie.

Janie smiled and laughed as she chased Oil around. It made her feel as if she was a child again and her, Oil and Tookta would chase each other around.

�Come back here!� Janie yelled at Oil who already mounted his horse.

�You have to catch me first slow Janie! We�ll talk later!� He galloped away towards his castle.

�Don�t you worry! I�ll get you back!� Janie yelled after him and smiled. As she turned around she bumped into a large figure.

�Ah!� Janie almost fell but the figure caught her.

�Careful there beautiful,� Jessadaporn smiled at her as he held her close to him. He had been watching her and Oil from a distance.

Janie looked up and saw Jessadaporn�s grimacing face. She pushed him away with all her force. As she was about to walk away, Jessadaporn pulled her back into his embrace.

�Mmm�you smell lovely.� He put his face into her hair. Janie could feel his breath against her neck and it sent shivers down her spine.

Disgusted by his actions, Janie jerked away and slapped his across the face. �You don�t have permission to touch me!� She spoke sternly. �Don�t forget that, and if you do it again, I promise you�ll get more than a slap in the face.�

Janie ran away and mounted Midnight and headed towards the stables.

Jessadaporn grinned as he cupped his cheek, still warm from her slap. �Don�t worry my little Janie, next time I won�t let you get away�� He walked back towards the castle with a satisfied look on his face.

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