"I want to show you something." He replied distractedly.

Aiden lead her through the thick forest clearly knowing his way around the confusing foliage.

Isabella felt at a lost but blindly followed him. Over the past few days, both Isabella and Aiden have grown to trust one another despite initial reservations. She sighed.

He looked back and realized how selfish he was being, slowed his pace and grabbed her hand, the first contact they have had since Isabella touched his cheek. He continued to walk making sure to watch his step.

Isabella, blushing slightly at the contact, continued to follow him but became more curious as they went deeper into the forest. "Where--" she started.

Aiden stopped suddenly, "Close your eyes."

Isabella's eyebrow rose. Maybe this is a bad idea. "Close my eyes?" She asked.

"I have something I want to show you, but 'tis a surprise. Will you trust me?" Aiden looked into her eyes feeling slightly vulnerable. In the past few days, her opinion had become important to him and he had began to realize that she mattered to him. The idea scared him... in a good way. He wanted her to trust him.

She studied Aiden for what felt like a lifetime, but in reality it was only thirty seconds. Sighing and running her hand through her mane of hair, she closed her eyes.

He smiled at her closed eyes.

Isabella stood alert in case anything happened and screamed in shock when Aiden suddenly scooped her up. "Whaaa, What are you doing?!"

She tried to get down and was about to open her eyes when he said, "Relax, you cannot walk eyes closed without falling over anything. I am carrying you to our destination. Keep your eyes closed." He playfully ordered, carrying her as if she was as light as a feather.

After a while Isabella relaxed in his hold. His strong arms surrounding her felt right. She almost wanted to doze into a peaceful slumber when she perked up at the sound of water. "Is that--"

"Open your eyes." Aiden interrupted.

Isabella usually would have glared at him for interrupting her again but she was too distracted by the beauty in front of her.

He held on tighter to her and smiled at her shocked face. "This place is called The Fall. I discovered it as a lad, and Eric and I would play here for hours. We made up adventures like in the stories."

Rocks and foliage littered the pass but what took Isabella's breath away was the magnificent waterfall in the very center of the pass. The sun beamed down on it, the bright blue water sparkled and danced in the beams. Tears filled her eyes at the beauty of the nature.

He panicked, "Are you alright?! Does The Fall not meet your fancy? Pray tell me what tis' upsetting you."

She laughed. "'Tis all so beautiful Aiden, I am not upset, just kind of emotional." She laughed again wiping away her tears.

Aiden's heartbeat slowed a bit but he continued to watch her closely for any signs of distress.

Realizing she was still cuddled into his arms, she cleared her throat making a move to get down. Aiden reluctantly let her go and commenced explaining, "The Fall is just as old as the Willow. No one knows of its existence in the Kingdom but the royal family... and I." He added.

Isabella walked to the water and sat near it seeing her reflection perfectly clear. She gasped at how wild her hair looked. Usually she cared not for appearance because she had become accustomed Aiden's presence but suddenly she felt self-conscious. She went to fix her hair when Aiden's hand stopped her, "Don't." He curled a hand around her curls like she often did, "I like your hair down and wild. Though you did," he laughed, "get a few twigs into it."

"Very funny." She playfully glared stepping back. She began to explore the passage as Aiden sat seemingly in deep thought. She climbed the rocks and observed the vines. She saw colorful birds everywhere. She laughed when the flock flew away in an array of colors. At the top of the waterfall she stood and yelled to Aiden, "Hey are you going to sit there all day or will you join me?" He smiled and jogged up the rocks to her. Isabella muffled her laughter when she noticed he slipped a few times on the wet rocks but otherwise she tried to keep a straight face.

When he reached her he smiled and she looked out over the entire fall. "'Tis so beautiful." She said.

"Yea you-- I mean it is beautiful." Aiden said never taking his eyes off of her. Isabella grinned and looked down at the fall. "I want to jump."

"I am not sure 'tis the safest--"

"T'will be fun Aiden. A leap of faith. Have you ever taken one?"

"A what?"

"A leap, to just let go and be free. So much is going on, everything is happening; don't you ever just want to let go and jump? Forget all of your worries and frets?"

Aiden stared at her like she was a nutcase and Isabella just laughed more, "Aiden, my dad may never wake again, I will be Queen soon, and there is a possible war, some things is worth forgetting even if tis' for a second." She finished almost as a pained whisper.

He studied her face for a moment just as she had in the forest. Her heart raced as she looked into his hazel eyes, "Will you trust me?" She held out her hand.

"A leap of faith you say?" He grabbed her hand and something shifted within him. His mind screamed at him to throw his walls back up but a foreign feeling overwhelmed him and he realized, the leap was not something he wanted, it was something he needed.

At that moment, he let his walls down, his guard down and gripped her hand as if she was the gravity keeping him rooted to the earth. For a second. Just this leap. He thought.

The Falls had casted its spell on the two. They went back a couple of feet and ran leaping into the air while holding hands, both screaming. Upon impact with the water, they got separated and the stream pulled them in different directions. Aiden emerged taking a deep breathe of air before pushing his hair out of the way. He looked around for Isabella. He did not see her and instantly panicked.

Suddenly he was pulled under by a feminine set of hands and he twisted out of reach before going to the surface. He wiped his eyes and noticed a grinning Isabella sitting by the riverbank ringing her wet hair out.

"Me thinks that the lady attempted to drown the handsome knight." Aiden mocked glared swimming over to her.

Isabella sat in a trance as she watched his powerful body ripple through the strong current. She blushed when she realized she was staring and hurriedly looked away.

He reached the riverbank slightly winded. "How did you," he panted, "reach the bank so quickly?"

"The current brought me here, it swept me away from your dangerous clutches."

"Nothing can help you escape me." Aiden grinned.

She smiled and realized their light bantering could count as flirting. Isabella suddenly felt nervous around Aiden, never having flirt before she did not know what to say. So she did what she thought was appropriate and splashed him before getting up to run.

"Hey!" Aiden laughed running behind her.

They laughed and chased each other around whenever they neared the water one or the other was splashed. Aiden tiring of the game scooped Isabella into his arms and jumped into the stilling current.

Floating and holding hands in the water, both of them sighed content.

Aiden swam to the shore once more. He helped Isabella out and accidently pulled her close. Their chests met. They paused and stared into each other's eyes. It was almost as if a fire was being lit under them. A simple spark ignited into a raging inferno. Nothing existed but the two of them in the remote world that was The Fall.

He leaned down slowly gauging her reaction, keeping eye contact and just when Isabella closed her eyes and started to lean in the remaining distance, a voice snapped them out of it.

"The King, he has awakened!"