His mother had announced more than once that she wished for Jasmine to be the one he picked... She was perfect. She just hoped that the tragedy of seeing the suicide didn't dampen the girl's spirits too much.

            "Hello my dear, yet very odd and truly important friend." Angel said walking into Anton's room with out even knocking. Anton stared at him for a long time.

            "Why are you here Angel?" he asked politely

            "To warn you away from Jasmine." Angel replied. "I met the gypsy girl as well, quiet a sight she is." He smiled at the shocked expression on Anton's face. "You think about things too much, Anton, and it will destroy your judgment."

            "Stop talking like you know everything, Angel, and don't you dare talk to me in riddles!"  Anton said annoyed.

            "Jasmine is anything but sad about the death of that girl. And you will still marry her?"

            "I thought I wasn't supposed to think about it."

            "Don't... look, the first thing that comes to your mind is 'no, of course I won't marry her because she is a seductive, lying bitch'... Right?"

            "All royalty are seductive and lying bitches or sons of bitches, Angel... You got lucky not being born into this life.

            "Damn you," Angel yelled and reached out to strike the still sleepy Anton in the face. Anton, however caught hold of the grasp and pushed the other man back. Though Angel was larger and stronger than Anton, Anton was faster and had been trained far beyond Angel. "Damn you and your foolish ideas!"

            "Do you want my life, Angel!" Anton yelled standing up and pushing Angel. "Then by all means take it! Slay me, slay my family and claim to become the king! No one will stand in your way!"

            "Slay your family?" Angel asked, eyes widening. "You care nothing for your mother?"

            "My mother died when my father did! Her soul left her body when his left his... she cares for nothing anymore... she is nothing anymore! She would welcome your blade and thank you afterwards!"

            Angel stared long and hard at Anton. Anton fell to his knees and cried.

            "Do you know what happened to your father... or anything about him Anton?"

            "Not a damn thing!" Anton hit the ground with his fist and then looked up at Angel. Anger, pain and confusion rested in his eyes.

            "The townsfolk talked about it a lot... he was a great king, one of the best the land had ever known. One day, he just died, he died in his sleep. Your mother, after she woke and found his body tried to kill herself, she tried to slit her wrists."

            Anton stared at him for along time.

            "The doctors were able to stop the bleeding, she screamed at them and told them that she would find away to punish them for saving her. She wished to die."

            "Why are you telling me this?"

            "She was pregnant with you."

            Anton blinked.

            "She said that her soul was gone, Anton, just as you just claimed for her."

            Anton couldn't move, couldn't speak, could barely breath.

            "Listen to me," Angel went on helping his friend to stand. "You have learned from your mother and all she has ever done was walked around the earth as a shell of emptiness. You cannot live that life!"

            "My mother claimed she has no soul, then how, oh one that thinks he has all the answers! How do I have a Soul?"

            "Do you?"

            "I don't know." Anton admitted after a very long time.

            "If you don't have one of your own then you best damn well find one!" Angel yelled.

            "For what reason? And how do you suspect I do that?"

            "Find a woman you care enough about and ask her that she share hers with you!"

            "Who am I supposed to care about?"

            At first Angel thought that Anton was just trying to trap him to where he had no answers, but then he looked into his face and saw that Anton was asking in all seriousness.

            "Listen to your heart, Anton, not to your mother, nor to your annoying, answerless questions. Stop questioning life and live it!"

            "Do you not have a sister, Angel?" Anton asked, the first smile Angel had seen him wear in a long time.

            "None that you would want, my friend... none that you would want."

 ***

            Jasmine felt wickedly evil about killing Estrella... they didn't even give the girl a funeral. What was she thinking! Her mother said that she had the best chance of becoming Anton's wife and as always Jasmine believed her mother. They hid the murder with much ease.

***

            Anton woke the next morning and watched as the ballroom filled with women so beautiful and breath taking. He danced with a few, talking to them little, not finding much of a conversation in them. They were either too shy to speak with him, had little of a brain, or spoke too much for his own tastes.

            "You look truly beautiful, Jasmine." Anton said as he danced with the girl in the pink gown... something about this began to feel odd to him, however, like he had been here before. He decided to wait until he found someone else tonight... if he did not then Jasmine would be the one he would be with.

            "Thank you," she said, tilting her head down only slightly.

            After the dance with Jasmine the prince looked up and saw another woman walking down the stairs. Her gown was of red satin, tight bodice with rubies arranged on it. Her lips matched the gown and her dark hair was down, curls floating around her shoulders.

            "May I have this dance," Anton asked reaching up a hand to her. The girl smiled and bowed her head.

            She took hold of the Prince's hand and they danced together, she danced beautifully.

            "What is your name?" Anton asked as he danced with her.

            The girl smiled slightly. "My name is Star."

            "Star?" the prince nearly laughed out loud. "How ever did you get such a name?"

            "And what name do I call you?"

            "You, my lady, can call me Anton."

            "Anton?" It was the girl's turn to laugh slightly. "Where did you get such a name?"

            "Where are you from? I have never seen you have I?"

            "Not I, sir, not I." She looked around the room. "But I am from a place long forgotten and greatly feared."

            Anton grew intrigued and danced with her again.

            "May I travel with you there?"

            "Are you sure, my lord, you wish to?"

            "Yes." he said it without thinking, he truly wanted to leave with this angel who had the name of a beautiful piece of heaven.

            "Then you shall."

***

            Angel glanced over at the prince, he gasped when he saw the prince dancing with Estrella! She was supposed to be dead!

            How was this happening? He looked at Anton's face and also smiled, for that was the first warm smile he had ever seen grace Anton's face. The smile lit up from Anton's heart and Angel thought that perhaps Estrella had a soul to share.

*~*~*

Anton's body was found the next morning. He fell asleep outside in the gardens and died. No one understood his death though in his hands he clutched a red shawl that no one had ever seen before... no one but Jasmine.