Black To White

By Black Rookie

CHAPTER 1: Black Stars and A White Knight

Her insides felt like fire, and her face was flushed a rather unattractive red. But, her best friend was barely winded, smirking at her in the field of flowers, trying not to look TOO victorious.

"IDOIT! I'm going to be a knight! You should have known better than to race against me!" he laughed a loud, obnoxious laugh. She would have smacked him but she was just so tired.

After a few moments, she finally caught her breath and looked to her friend, whose bloody red eyes were scanning the field.

Then, she noticed the field. It was long, stretching out over the land, not a building in sight except for behind them. Flowers of reds and purples and blues and yellows flowed in the wind, as bright green grass reached up to great them. She gasped, and smiled big and wide. She didn't even notice when he started to stare at her.

Later, after hours of playing and jumping and making many crowns of flowers, they had to go home. The little girl bit her lip, wanting to stay. But, the best friend pulled her up, taking her hand in his, and began walking home. After at least a mile, they weren't even close to the castle. But, the little boy continued on without a sweat, the little girl eventually starting to pant.

Then, in the one of the strangest moments that the little boy has ever experienced happened. The little girl, who was as graceful as a swan, tripped. Over air. AIR. He laughed for what felt like forever, but then noticed that the girl had hurt her ankle. He pursed his lips, and then sighed.

"Come on Elizabeth. Get on my back" The little girl looked up at him with forest green eyes.

"Really Gilbert?"

"It…It's a knights duty to protect his princess…so…yeah" He looked away, summoning up the only reason that he was helping was because she was a princess. But it wasn't.

Elizabeth eventually allowed her friend to pick her up and soon, at nightfall, the arrived at the castle, slipping in with excuses to the guards and smiling secretive smiles. After all, for one day, Gilbert got to forget about being a Knight, and Elizabeth could forget about being a Princess.

A girl of 16 sat on a windowed alcove. Sighing, she turned light pine eyes outside, looking at the training guards. It was a guilty pleasure. Not that she would ever tell anyone that she enjoyed watching her ex-best friend train to be a Knight.

A gown of a dark green adored her attractive figure, reminding her that she was a girl. Again. Her brown waves were like borderline curly and swept back with bright, shining white pearls and a necklace of matching pearls adorned her neck. In truth, even though Elizabeth was a princess, it was of tiny, pretty nation called Hungary. Though, even though Hungary was small, it had plenty of food and gems and wealth and a strong army. Of Knights. Which returns her thoughts to him, snow colored hair shining in the sun.

Though she didn't see his eyes, she knew that they were still that intoxicating red wine color. Beautiful, and dangerous. In truth, Elizabeth hadn't talked Gilbert since she was 13. Though, they still smiled in the halls. Until she was 15. One day, when she realized that the Knights now practiced outside of her room.

Ecstatic, she had gone out on the balcony, and saw him, practicing and talking to his friends. She went to raise her hand and call out to him, but then she saw he was talking to someone. So she walked back inside her room.

She told herself that it was because she would distract him and probably get in trouble with his superiors.

But it was actually probably because he was holding hands with a pretty blond, who had wandered onto the training field, wearing a blush that Elizabeth could see even from her balcony.

Later that night, only a few tears escaped her eyes.

So, now she just watched as he spared and always won, smirking and laughing and even those who lost to him ended up laughing.

Eliza had wondered who that blonde was and figured out that it was a lovely lower noble named Lily Adlofson. And she ended up cursing. Lily was a noble, but marrying a Knight would be ok considering her amount of wealth.

Lily had long, straight hair the color of sunshine that got darker toward the nape of her neck and eyes that were even lighter than Eliza's, and a decent figure. Her skin was a very light color that was as soft as cream and she always wore an attractive red dress.

Eliza told herself that she wasn't looking to break up Gilbert and Lily, but help her friend Vash. Vash was a higher noble, but was in love with Lily. He had pure sunflower colored hair and dark green eyes. Eliza knew he was handsome, but he too was in the military as a General and she though he was just to short for her. But a perfect size for Lily.

Lily. Pretty Lily. Fragile Lily. Gentle Lily. Kind Lily. Perfect Lily. Someone who could be a Princess better than her, and Gilbert would be able to protect and love. Sometimes, in the middle of the night were the moon could no longer see her, she wished on shooting stars that she would be a lower noble. Someone who could still be a friend with Gilbert. Someone who could swap with Lily. Someone who could be able to get the courage to interrupt Knight training just to hold hands with a handsome albino.

But it was just that, wishes.

And nothing more.

At least, that's what she ended up telling herself. Again.

Gilbert looked up as Lily came down the hall. He straightened up, his white clothes and cape fluttering behind him. He was only 18, but still had long willowy grace and was rather skinny despite being able to kick some serious ass. When she noticed him, she skipped up happily to him. His friends all sent him knowing smirks and he suppressed a blush. Men don't blush, especially Knights. She stopped in front of him and smiled a rather adorable smile. He returned it, letting only a small pink dust his cheeks.

"Hello Gilbert!" She said, her hands gripping the sides of her dress in nervousness.

"Lily, it's nice to see you," he mentally cursed. That sounded so…dorky.

But she just smiled wider.

"I'm glad I got to talk to you today Gilbert" She started, a rose-colored blush dancing across her cheeks. "You see, I heard that there was going to be a ball later this week because of the Princess's 17th birthday…" She didn't notice how he flinched slightly.

"And…and I was wondering if-if-if…" She stuttered out. Gilbert shook himself out of his thoughts and smiled at her.

"Would you like me to escort you?" He asked. She blushed 50 more shades of red before nodding.

"Great! I'll pick you up at the 6th hour to take you. That is when it starts, right?" She nodded again, still to embarrass to talk. He smiled, and in a rather fluid motion he scooped up her hand, and pressed his pale lips to her soft knuckles. She gasped and he pulled away, smirking and excusing himself from her presence.

He didn't notice the sunflower haired man in the corner, fists pressed to his side. But, what he did notice was a lovely brunette on the stairs, gapping at him.

Elizabeth… And he stopped for a second or two, a staring contest between his ex-bestie and current reason to die.

Quickly he added a bow and continued down the hall, his smirk gone and a mask of emotionlessness pressed closely to his face.

Lily was flustered and felt like she was on air. It took her a few moments before turning and seeing a very upset looking Vash in the corner, fists white. She cut her gaze from him, walking away quickly. Obviously Vash noticed and followed her. She knew he wouldn't stop, so she changed course to the garden, arriving among the roses and into a secluded bench.

When he arrived, she was sitting on it, smoothing down her dress. He stood awkwardly before swallowing and speaking.

"Lily, I-"

"Vash." She said looking up at him through her light colored lashes. He stopped short, as if knowing what she was going to say. "I've already told you. We can't marry"

"I know, but-"

"No buts. It's not to happen, all because you're a noble. I'm a noble too, but you're high class. If we aren't the same class than we can't be together. You should except that, and move on"

He stood straighter, angry.

"Like you have?" she paused, and stood up, a few inches shorter than Vash.

"Yes" but there was a slight indication of trying to tell herself that too. Vash smirked. Lily knew that she had feelings for Gilbert, but did she herself let go of those feelings for Vash?

"No you haven't" he said, stepping closer. She wanted to back up, but was already pressed to the bench. She took a single second to steel her resolve and stepped closer to him, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yes, I hav-" she was cut of by Vash pressing his lips to hers, letting out every emotion of longing, love, devotion, anger, pain, sadness into it, hands pushing Lily closer to him.

Her hands instinctively wove into his hair, matching his pressure with her own, shocking him. Lily was kissing him back! It was a miracle!

When they parted for air, Lily pressed her cheek to his chest, breathing hard and loving the sound of his heartbeat in her ear.

He kept his hands around her waist, whispering words of love into her other ear. She combed out his locks, blushing and keeping up the lack of space between them

"Lily" he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her head. "I love you. Always have. I swear, I always will" She sighed at this, knowing what she had to do next. She stepped away looking into his eyes of curious pines. She looked so serious, so sad.

"Oh Vash…If only you could hold me forever" she said quietly, but only loud enough for him to hear. Tears welled in her eyes and a few slipped down her cheeks. He put a hand on her cheek, wiping them away.

"I will! I'll always hold you!" he exclaimed, holding her waist more forcefully, but just enough so she kept her hands on his arms to keep looking at him.

But Lily just shook her head, more tears glistening in the afternoon sun.

"No Vash, you can't." her eyes once again met his "but, I want you to know that there will be a part of me that will love you forever." He shook his head, eyes squeezing shut.

"I can! And I want all of you to love me!"

"Vash…"

"No! You will always be my one and only"

"Vash, stop torturing yourself"

"But-"

"What did I say about 'buts'?"

"…I can't say them?" she sighed, hands up tangling from his hair, and instantly he wished she would put them back there.

"Vash" she placed her hands on his cheeks, smiling when he nuzzled into them. "I will always love you, but I want you to know that we can't be together. Find someone else to love, you have a big enough heart to do it" She smiled through her tears again and pressed her lips to his again, gentle and sweet.

Then, she pulled away and stepped away, his hands flexing as if expecting her to step right back into his embrace.

"And…And Vash, I want you to know something" she looked away from him stepping away and toward the exit of the garden.

The wind blew through her hair; hair that Vash had ran his hand through before and longed to do again.

She didn't look at him, but at the ground.

"Gilbert and I…W-we're…we're betrothed!" And the whole world stopped as his heart broke, and more tears raced down her cheeks as she ran away.

He fell to his knees. It had to be a joke, right? Lily, Lily wouldn't-no.

'Oh God!' He wanted to scream 'Why did you do this to her and I?! I love her! I love her! And she's-she's getting…'

"…Married…"

Eliza sat in her bedroom, laying in her bed. Gilbert was marrying Lily. It was true, because Vash had come to her, upset and near tears, telling her about what Lily had told him

She herself became quite sick and excused herself. That's why she was there, staring at the ceiling.

If Gilbert married, would that be it? The official ending of their friendship? Oh lord, how she wished he wouldn't end their relationship. She-She-

Suddenly, and with realization her hands flew to her face, meeting an onslaught of salty water descending from her eyes.

Why was she crying? She should be happy for her friend(?). He was getting married. Would he announce it at the party? Or let the gossip run amuck before doing a announcement later in the month?

And then, Eliza continued to cry, silently as the wind until falling into a dark slumber of black stars and a white Knight, swearing to a little girl in a field of green grass and multicolored flowers to always protect her.

And, as Elizabeth dreamed, she smiled through pain and tears, letting that feeling of protection rush over her, hands twitching as if ready to reach out and grab hold of a white Knight's uniform.