-----------------------------------------Jerrold's Confession------------------------------------------

I sighed and straightened my dress. "Your highness."

I couldn't understand the flicker in Jerrold's eyes. What emotion was that? I didn't even know Jerrold could feel emotions! "Daria, please. Call me Jerrold." He smiled tentatively. "It's my name, after all."

"I only call people I like by their names." What a pig!

Jerrold refused to meet my eyes. "Right."

Right? Since when did he let me have my way? He must have something planned. I was saved further pondering by Nora. Not noticing the crowd of people, she had slid down the stairs after me.

He hair was flying every which way, and she was laughing like crazy. One look at her and I couldn't help giggling too. Following my actions, Nora zoomed off the stair rail, knocking over a courtier as well. I noticed with no little amount of amusement that it was the same one I had knocked down. Just as he was getting up-bam! I bent over laughing.

"Lady Eleanor." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Jerrold bowing, he seemed to be struggling not to laugh.

Nora had no such qualms, she was laughing so hard she could barely stand, much less curtsy for Jerrold. Y-your Highness!"

After a while, we finally managed to calm down, though were careful not to look at each other, for fear of bursting out laughing once more. Curtseying, Nora repeated. "Your Highness."

Jerrold was smiling. "The Lady Eleanor, I am pleased to have finally met you."

"Really." Nora's tone was cold, I smiled gratefully at her back; at least she was sticking up for me! Unlike everyone else in the palace, she knew Jerrold for what he really was.

"Daria, could I please talk to you for a minute?" Jerrold inquired. What did he want with me?

"Okay, talk."

Jerrold looked around. "Alone, please?"

I rolled my eyes. Just as I was about to refuse, Nora nudged my side. Glancing pointedly around at the many courtiers, she shook her head ever so slightly. Nora had always acted so demurely around company. So different from who she really was.

I suppose it was better to just go along with what people expected of you once in a while, at least then you never got into trouble. "Very well, Your Highness." I followed Jerrold out the doors into the gardens.

"Daria."

"What?"

"I-I-" Jerrold was looking positively stricken, it would have been funny if it were anybody else.

"What???"

Sighing, Jerrold said. "Look, I'm sorry about the way I acted before, okay? I was just nervous and immature and I acted horribly. I should never have ordered you around like that, and I'm sorry! Forgive me?" He said it all in one breath, looking at me earnestly. It took a while for it all to sink in, and then the anger started.

"You think you can just order me around for two years and then apologize and expect me to forget it? I can't believe you! Pigs will always be pigs, even if they say they're sorry, you'll never change! You're still the same spoiled brat you were for the last two years, and I'm not going to fall for whatever trick you're playing! Just leave me alone, Your Highness!" Storming out of the gardens, I stomped all the way up into my rooms. The audacity! Expecting me to just forget two of the most miserable years of my life! How I hated that man!

I threw myself down on the window seat, looking morosely down at the courtyard. What trick was Jerrold playing? What was he trying to do? I would have to be twice as careful, now that Jerrold had gone to Ayortha and apparently learned new ways to torture a girl. Speaking of the prick, there he goes now! Scurrying across the courtyard.

I stared down at the tiny figure of my betrothed, puzzled. He was looking so depressed, and yet he didn't know I was watching him, why did he still put on such an act? His shoulders drooped, and he walked as if something was bothering him. As if anything could penetrate that thick skull of his! Jerrold was such a puzzle. One minute he was acting as if he was king of the world, and the next, he was being like this. I couldn't understand the boy. Shaking my head of thoughts about Jerrold, I focused on the other figure that had appeared in the courtyard.

It was Nora! She was probably looking for me, I should have told her where I was going. Just as I was about to run down to the courtyard, I noticed Nora stopping to talk with-who else?-Jerrold.

She curtsied, he bowed. Then she seemed to be inquiring about something, probably about my whereabouts. I had gone off with Jerrold the last time she saw me. Jerrold was answering now, I couldn't hear where either of them were saying, and was quickly growing bored. Leaving the window, I decided to go down myself and bring Nora up.

After descending about a million stairs and going down another thousand hallways, I finally managed to reach the courtyard. The palace was a big place, and I had gotten lost the first few days I was here. It wasn't as if Jerrold was much of a help-

I stopped dead in my tracks, remembering. But Jerrold had been a help then, he had been kind, and sweet, and... I had actually like him then! I remembered actually looking forward to spending time with him. So what happened? How did he get from being the nice boy I knew to this cold, cruel, spoiled pig?

I smiled dimly, drawing upon my past memories. It had been so different then, Jerrold had seemed so perfect. He was always so thoughtful as to what I wanted. Why, the first time we had met, when we were out in the fields getting to know each other, he had taken of his own cloak and laid it on the ground so I wouldn't get my dress dirty sitting down! He had caught a horrible cold afterwards and was sick for days, but he said he didn't mind.

And one time, we were sitting by the river in the summer. I had taken off my shoes so I could dangle my feet in the water. I don't know how it happened, but my shoe accidentally fell into the water. The current was too strong, and the slipper was soon washed away. Jerrold had insisted on carrying me the whole way back to the palace, even though it was more than an hour's walk. Of course, we made a great joke about it, but it had been such a sweet gesture...

He was funny, he was kind, he was chivalrous. He knew right from wrong, and would stop at nothing to make a thing right. He was sweet, he was loving, he was perfect.

Or at least he used to be. He definitely wasn't anymore.

So lost in my thoughts was I that I did not notice when I reached the courtyard. I was jerked out of my fancies by the sound of voices. Hastily, I hid behind a nearby pillar, not wanting to walk into anything.

"-this better not be some trick, I'm warning you!" It was Nora, but what was she talking about? "I've agreed to help you, but one wrong move and I'll make sure you never get anywhere near her ever again."

The voice that replied was Jerrold's, sounding incredibly sad. "No, no. Why would I lie about something so important? I know I've been stupid, and believe me; I wanted to change! But it's harder than it seems. What if I show her who I am, and she doesn't like me? I've made such a mess of things, one day's faults adding on to the last, until I've a whole mountain to deal with. I just don't know if I can manage to dig through it."

"Don't worry, I know it'll turn out all right. Look, I'm sorry for not believing you before, I'll help you in any way I can." Nora was sympathizing with Jerrold! She was associating with the enemy!

Silently, I sneaked my way back through the doors I had come through. Then, I re-entered, making sure to make as much noise as possible. "Nora! Why are you talking with him? He's pure evil, I tell you! A spoiled brat! And you're supposed to be my friend!"

Nora simply smiled. "You know Daria, he's really not that bad, if you'd just hear him out, he actually has a pretty good explanation as to why he's been acting the way he did. Granted, it's not a very sensible one, but it seems to be genuine."

"Explanation? What explanation? He's really a pig in disguise?" Crossing my arms, I glared at the pair of them. "Fine, if he has such a wonderful explanation, let's hear it." I turned my glare around and focused on Jerrold.

Jerrold started. "Well... I...." He sighed, "Look, remember that day when we went horseback riding? I tricked you and put you on a horse, and it went off like a shot? You got really really angry and wouldn't listen when I tried to apologize, and I ended up getting mad too. Well, it turns out that when warranted, we both can be pretty stubborn." He tried a weak chuckle, I didn't laugh. "We were mad at each other for weeks, each adding more fuel to the fire. You'd come up to me, and demand that I apologize. And I would have! But I was angry, and hurt, and my pride wouldn't let me, so I made some rude remark and we'd be at each other's throats again.

'It went on like that for months. Both of us were too proud and too stubborn to make the first move, do you remember? And eventually, it just seemed as if things were always that way. I'd be a prick, and you'd retaliate. We forgot what we were really fighting about, and simply fought over every little thing. Then I realized how stupid I was acting. I was always so mad whenever you called me a spoiled brat, but in reality I was acting like one. I wanted to say I was sorry, but by then you already hated me so much, it simply made it harder to own up. I remember, every night, I'd swear to myself that I'd beg your forgiveness the very next day, but I was always too chicken.

'I was so afraid you wouldn't accept me, the real me. I thought it was better just to behave like a prick, because then at least the person you hated wouldn't really be me, but this shallow act of a proud, spoiled, and extremely rude prince. I was foolish, and stupid. I was so terrified that if I told you the truth, and said I was sorry, then you'd shun me and disbelieve me. Sort of like your doing now." Jerrold came forwards, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Daria, I am very, extremely, tremendously, horribly sorry. Please please please forgive me?"

His last sentence trailed upwards, questioning me. I could feel him holding his breath as he looked into my face. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek, and Jerrold took that as consent; his expression cleared and he kissed me on the forehead.

I slapped him. "No! Why should I? You don't even mean it! You don't mean any of it! It's just some elaborate trick, some horrid plot to make me feel sorry for you!" I turned to Nora, who was standing there, stunned. "Don't believe him! Don't you believe a word he says! He's just a big liar. A spoiled brat whose used to getting his way, and he's trying to trick us all into giving it to him! I know him! I've been his... his slave for the last two years! Prince Brat isn't like that!" I rounded on Jerrold. "You! You have no feelings! You're not sorry! You just think it's fun to play with my feelings! I hate you. I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you!" I drew in a deep breath, and then said in a voice even I thought was too cold. "Leave. Me. Alone."

Turning around, I fled the courtyard, ignoring Nora's distressed cries.

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Okay, this time I updated as fast as I could. I went away for the weekend and I couldn't update then, so there! I hope your all happy, I did a pretty fast typing session this time, even if the beginning's a bit strange and the end's a bit dull. But even though, can I have fifty reviews for the next chapter? You know you want to... Here, let me do the math. More reviews=happy author=happiness all around!

Now, thanks to all you wonderful reviewers, who somehow manage to make me deliriously happy even while I'm working my fingers sore.

b2okworm1: Okay, Mommy, I'm updating. Lol, and who says you can't review more than once per story? You can review once per chapter! hint hint

Lioness-Elf: Well, it's not just guys who are stupid, sometimes (thought VERY rarely) us girls are pretty dumb too!

Revi: Okay, I must admit, I came up with the idea for Char's parents out of another story, (I'd put it here but you're not allowed recommending stories in chapters). I was reading it and I just thought 'I want to try writing one of these! This story seems to be missing something (though that is purely in my point of view, it was a WONDEFUL story)' so, yeah. Lol.

iluvdance89: Yeah, that happens to me sometimes too, and it bugs me because I know it must have been a story worth reading, yet I can't remember it!

EllaFreak: I couldn't exactly name her Ella, but Eleanor was such a mouthful... I racked my brains to come up with the name, believe me!

awaiting impatient person: I really really want you to, it would be so cool! Just one piece of advice though, as much as I want to read it, don't write the Paris one yet, it confuses one when you're writing (believe me, I know) and if you don't want the two to be exactly the same, the you have to write in different events and time periods, which gives away some of the story and is even more confusing. Am I confusing you? Lol, I'll just stop now.