Daylight shone though the crack in the curtains. Its warm gaze spilled across the room, filling it with a touch of heaven. The smell of something delicious was in the air. It smelled of something tender yet strong, a tinge of salt and spices that made her mouth water. Meat. Just the thought of it made her stomach churn with desire. She shifted out of her sheets and onto her feet and shuffled towards the scent. Prince Jay and Blake sat side by side at the dining room table.

"You're up!" Prince Jay exclaimed. "It's already late." Cerra apologized, but sat down with them.

"Is it okay if I... ?" she asked, waving towards the display of food.

"It was prepared just for you," Blake told her. "His Majesty wanted you to be energized before he shows you around, and before your training." Cerra felt a surge of appreciation for Prince Jay. Not only had he treated her like an equal, he had taken account her needs.

"Thank you," she muttered, biting into a chunk of meat. The juices squeezed through the meat and burst into her mouth. The richness of the oil and the individual pangs of the spices lit up her tongue. She couldn't help but murmur how good it was.

"Once you're done, get dressed and meet me at the front," The prince said. Cerra realized with flushed cheeks that she was still wearing the nightgown that had been given to her the night before. She hastily stuffed a few croissants and bagels into a pouch and stumbled to get changed.

The prince was waiting outside, and his attire had changed from a casual button down to a crimson collared shirt and tight fitting black pants. He was standing in front a cherry blossom tree, its crimson petals drifting down like snow. The color seemed to perfectly match his lips, which were parted in focus as he reached his hands out, letting a petal rest in his palm.

Cerra cleared her throat. "Where are we going first?" she asked. Prince Jay turned towards her in surprised.

"We're going to meet Dan first," he said.

"Dan?" Cerra asked, then gasped out loud. "Prince Daniel? The crown prince?" Prince Jay laughed at her surprise.

"Come on," he said. "He's not very patient."

Prince Daniel's living quarters were slightly larger than Prince Jay's, and the decorations were more lavish and stunning. Prince Jay knocked on the wooden door and entered, with Cerra tagging behind him. A slender man sat at the back of the room, on a chair that slightly resembled a throne. It was made of a light colored wood, patterns of flowers and dragons adorning the back and the armrests.

The man lounged in the chair, much like a cat, with his head tilted slightly up. He was closing his eyes, which accented his fluttering eyelashes. He was pale, not sickly pale, but delicate. His blond hair tickled his neck, and drifted lazily, blown by wind from the open windows. When he heard the two come in, his eyes opened revealing deep brown eyes that seemed to bathe Cerra in warmth. He grinned and hopped off of his chair, bowing deeply.

"Pleased to meet you, Cerra," he said. Cerra was dazed with shock. What was this prince doing, bowing to her? She scrambled into a kneeling position.

"Your Majesty," she greeted.

"Oh no, there's no need for such formality," Prince Daniel said, lifting her up to stand. "I heard you were going to be an unofficial bodyguard." Cerra nodded in response. She had no idea what to say in front of the brothers, especially since they didn't treat her like trash.

"She'll be getting a tour around the palace if you want to join us," Prince Jay offered. Prince Daniel grinned.

"I would love to." He said. "Wait for me to get changed." When he left the room, Cerra turned to Prince Jay.

"How come all the windows are open here?" she asked curiously. "Doesn't he get cold?"

The prince laughed. "He rarely gets cold. The wind stops when he wants it to stop, and goes when he wants it to go." He explained simply. Cerra understood what he meant. Prince Daniel had the ability Windstorm, and could create and manipulate wind.

"Okay, let's go," Prince Daniel appeared by the doorway. He slipped on a leather jacket as the door swung open automatically.

"How—" Cerra was about to ask, but cut herself off as a gust of wind blew her hair back. They had collectively agreed that they would go horseback riding near the lake first, in which Cerra had no complaints.

She had tried horseback riding when she was a child and her parents had been financially stable. She remembered the powerful flank beneath her legs, pumping to a rhythm, the scenery flashing, and the feeling that she was the only one in the world.

When they reached the horse stables, she gaped at how majestic and neat the horses were. They each had their own pen, almost as large as Cerra's own room at her house. Groomers rushed around to take care of the horses' every need. "Pick one," Prince Jay gestured at the horses. "Since you'll be a bodyguard, you'll need your own horse."

"Seriously??" Cerra asked, surprised. She was receiving so much from them, she didn't think she'd be able to repay it. A black horse towards the back seemed to draw her in. It wore a long scar down its chest. The name plate on his pen said Oak.

"What happened?" Cerra asked, indicating to the scar. Prince Daniel made a pitiful noise.

"He was cut during a game of pato and doesn't trust any of us to ride him anymore," he explained. "He was one of the best."

"Can I try?" Cerra asked, already moving towards the pen. An arm blocked her in her path.

"You don't know how dangerous it is," he said. "So many people have been seriously hurt and they were professional trainers." Cerra turned towards Oak, who seemed to look at her longingly, the black orbs under its long lashes shimmering with the desire to roam again. Those eyes reminded Cerra of herself. She had once been free, been able to do so much on her own. And that was all taken away.

"At least let me try once," Cerra pleaded. She knew what she would do, even though Oak would not like it.

"Let her try once," Prince Daniel said. "She'll learn her lesson if she doesn't succeed." Cerra grinned appreciatively at the crown prince.

The caretaker carefully mounted Cerra on the horse while she prepared her plan. One wall here, one more there. She knew horses had good peripheral vision, so her walls stood towards the sides. She bent down to whisper in the Oak's.

"Oak, I know you want to run, and cut through the plains like the wind. But right now, bear with me." The horse neighed, in approval or defiance, Cerra didn't know, but she hoped. Oak suddenly lurched forwards, swaying from side to side. Cerra clung to the reigns, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She could feel herself slipping, and created a back to her seat, holding her in place. She sighed in relief as she leaned back.

Meanwhile, the princes stood mesmerized by what they were seeing. Cerra seemed to be enjoying herself, almost falling off of the horse. Prince Daniel was about to rush up, but Jay pulled him back, pointing.

"Do you see that shimmer?" He said. "That's her power." Prince Daniel nodded.

"It's amazing," he said quietly, still staring. "I've never seen anything close to this."

"That's why I took her in," Prince Jay said. "You know how much she'll be able to help." Daniel nodded, his eyes suddenly filled with a type of unexplainable sadness.

"If Mother were here... " He drifted off. Only he and the king really remembered his mother, an honest and fair lady. She was his idol, someone who would never commit a crime. And then... she was accused of murdering Queen Jami's unborn baby. Or should he say "framed". Even though she had confessed to her crimes, Prince Daniel could not... would not believe that his mother would do such a thing. He had relayed his feelings to Jay, and they had the same thought. She had definitely been manipulated.