Chapter Two,

Amari's POV.

The dance with my father comes to an end after what feels like forever and my eyes scan the crowd. Who was this mystery boy?

"Father, who was the boy stood here moments before our dance?" I ask, inquisitively. My father turns to face me, with a puzzled look. "He was the only one wearing a blue suit?", his face then lights up.

"Ah Amari, that would be Master Henry Briggs" My father announces, my heart seems to elate with happiness. Maybe my luck was finally turning and I was going to marry the person I had fallen for at first sight. My father extends his arm and I wrap my own around it, we begin our walk out into the courtyard. "He comes from a background of wealth, his family have come close to being in line to the throne, more through his grandad of course". We reach the end of the courtyard and stop in front of three young men, two wearing black suits and one wearing a hideously, light blue frilled suit.

"So where is he father? I'm intrigued to finally meet him" My anticipation has become too much to handle, my palms are sweating and I know it wont be long before my hair turns into a frizz bush of mess.

"He's standing right in front of you Amari" My father laughs, "Master Henry Briggs, I present to you Miss Amari Montana Brown-Castillo". The boy now known as Henry turns to face as, he bows to my father, before closing my jaw that seems to have dropped in the process of our introduction.

"Close your mouth dear, that isn't a pretty sight" Henry laughs, speaking in a nasally British accent. This Henry guy was four foot 2, with a pot belly and a balding spot on the top of his blonde head. He was definitely not the man I had seen, definitely wasn't the man whom I had fallen for at first sight, I would remember his beautiful chestnut, slicked back hair and them emerald, green eyes anywhere! He takes out a red box and collapses to the floor, extravagantly. Opening the red box, inside sits a diamond clustered ring. "For you my lady" He beams, revealing his nicotine stained teeth. My heart drops and before I could even reply, Henry places it on my finger.

"Excuse me a minute Master Briggs" I whisper, slightly aggravated. "I need to speak with my father"

"Why of course, but don't be too long. I'd love to get to know my future wife" He laughs once more, spit spraying everywhere. My inner core shivers at the thought of kissing him, let alone being married to him. I hadn't even said yes and he'd already put the ring on. I pull my father out of hearing distance and raise my arms into the air, signalling my annoyance.

"Father that is not the man I saw wearing the blue suit" I moan.

"He is the man, whom me and your mother have chosen for you Amari" My father snaps, "And that is the man you will be marrying!"

"But I-" I begin, but my father quickly interrupts. His face has distorted and the anger, everyone in the country fears, is here. His eye brows furrow as he points his finger and aims it towards me.

"NO!" He shouts, "What I say goes Amari and if you DARE to cross me. You'll be sorry". I can feel the tears begin to well once more as I turn and run towards the cliff top, away from the party.

The weight of the lack of decisions I have feeling incredibly heavy, on top of my father's words spinning around my mind and the thought of being made to marry someone I already despised, and never being able to meet the stranger I saw. The thoughts of would I be made to have his children too? Would I be made to stay with him for the rest of my life?

"AGHHHHH" I scream, through my poor lack of judgement on the cliffs and how devastated I feel, I don't see the thick branch sticking up from the ground. I land with a thud and my forehead connects with the rocks, knocking me out clean.

"Amari! Amari!" A voice calls, waking me from my unplanned slumber. The voice belongs to the handsome man I'd seen earlier.

"How unfair that you know my name but I don't know yours" I smile. His eyes scan my face and he begins to shake his head, before he gives out a small chuckle.

"Your forehead is gushing blood and you're more concerned with knowing my name?" He asks coyly. My hand rushes to the cut on my head, now that I'm aware of it, the pain starts to seep through.

"Ow! Oww!" I cry, my mysterious knight in shining armour scoops me from the floor and I rest my head against his shoulders. The walk back to the castle seems to take forever but a part of me is glad. Even though I have a thudding pain in my head, it's nothing compared to how happy I felt knowing I'd found my guy. Or should I say he'd found me. "Thank you for rescuing me, who knows how long I'd have been there otherwise". I snuggle in closer to my rescuer's chest, he smells of an aftershave I was familiar with but could not name and his heartbeat was perfectly beating away in his chest.

We reach the castle grounds and he places me on my feet. "I would carry you the rest of the way but I fear trouble if I do", my heart sinks once more. I was confused on what he meant, why would he be in trouble for rescuing me? He was my hero. "You're a lady who's about to be married after all"

His eyes meet mine and without speaking a word, he tilts my chin up to his and kisses me, deeply and passionately. It was the best kiss, well the only kiss I had ever had, but still. His lips tasted of peppermint and a hint of vodka, laced his breath. I was so sure that he could feel my heart about to burst from my chest.

Mallory catches sight of us and rushes to my side, "Amari what happened? Your bleeding! Come in here, quickly. Before your father and the other Crypt Gang sees"

"Th- th- the who?" My mysterious rescuer who I had just shared a passionate kiss with, stutters. His face twists into confusion, before looking worried and then of pure fear. "I have to go!" He announces, rushing away before I had the chance to so much as thank him.

Mallory cleans up the blood, placing a few butterfly strips onto my wound. "So" She ponders, "Who was the mystery guy?"

"I couldn't tell you Mal" I sigh, "He never told me his name and the minute he heard about my dad's gang, he ran". I was used to this, as soon as anyone heard the truth on what my family's background is whether that be friends or potential love interests, they run. But yet he seemed so different? He was invited to my father's party, he had been in my father's home, surrounded by his gang and yet had rescued me knowing of my recent proposal.

"If he attended the party, then quite possibly we could track him that way?" Mallory laughs, which I return with a small chuckle.

"Let me sleep on it" I giggle, and she nods. I feel around gently at my wound, with my fingers. The pounding ache from my head was nothing compared to the ache my heart feel. The uncertainty of everything, the misery my life would turn into, would I end up falling for Henry.. I mean eventually I had to right?

Mallory tucks me into bed, leaving a kiss on my forehead. She draws the curtains and my mind begins to wander onto my mystery guy. Why was the news of my father so scary to him that he stuttered and then felt he had to leave immediately? Did I do something wrong? Had my father done something wrong?

My dreams become full of the beautiful, mysterious stranger I had met tonight and our kiss. My heart skipping a beat at the thought. Would I see him again?