The Will of The Heart

By: Mango4



The grassy hilltop was gone. The long blades of grass that scratched her knees were gone. Now grey branches tore at her hair, her arms, her face. Angry voices accompanying the thud of metal against bark chased her.

Kaoru ran as best she could, pushing the twigs out of her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in the soles of her feet. She was cold. They maids of the palace had barely put on the ceremonial gowns before she had pushed them, and bolted clear of the outdoor bath.

She turned her head over her shoulder to gauge the distance of the soldiers, which she could not see anymore. When she had turned back she realized she came to a clearing. And in the clearing, was figure with red hair. She barely had a glance at him before she whimpered and turned her heel, hoping that it was not too late to escape.

A rough hand grabbed her by the wrist and another pushed her shoulder into the dirt. She landed hard, and the last thing she saw before she went down was her wispy hair a black frame around amber eyes.

She closed her eyes, and expected to be strangled, beaten and tied up again. But the when man pulled a cloak over the two of them, she started to scream. Kaoru had not even opened her mouth before he closed his over hers. He wouldn't budge; she pushed at his shoulders, her hand making fists of the cloth. His hands on her shoulders kept her pinned to the ground.

When the voices and footsteps of her assailants drew close, the man lifted his head only to immediately cover her mouth with his hand. He brought a single finger to his lips, and Kaoru nodded, trying to control her laboured breathing. The lack of expression on his face frightened her.

He pulled the cloak from his head, allowing his profile to be seen, "What is it?"

Kaoru could hear their swords being dropped as the soldiers kneeled, "Forgive us, prince Himura, we were sent to capture a woman who had escaped from the palace. Perhaps you've seen a woman running through here?"

"I haven't so much as heard a twig snap. Now leave, I'm busy."

"As you wish, your highness." The soldiers fumbled with their swords and mumbled as they walked away.

"Just Himura with another maid,"

Himura waited till the trudge of their footsteps were faint before he pulled the cloak and stood up from his straddling position.

He hauled her from the ground by the wrist and stared her in the eyes, "Why were they chasing you?" He questioned.

"I stole food from the kitchen." Kaoru answered simply, meeting his gaze.

He let his eyes run her over and almost smirked, "You certainly don't look like a petty thief."

Kaoru was wearing an almost see-through blue dress of gauzy material, slits in the cloth ran up to her hip and a strip of cloth at the waist held it to her body. The hem of the dress that pooled to her feet was ripped and muddied. A sapphire hung that on a silver chain glittered on her throat.

"I stole this too."

He stared at her for moment before heading off in one direction, and pulling her along.

"Let me go!" She demanded, pulling against him, and clawing at his hand. "Where are you taking me?"

"First," He started slowly, not even looking back at her, "We're going to get you cleaned up and then you're going to tell me who you are."

"I'm no one, I'm nobody, I'm just a servant."

Kaoru suddenly screamed, and fell to the ground. One hand was clasped around her ankle, and she bent over her foot, whimpering softly.

"Stop, stop." She watched him from the corner of her eye as he stooped, "I hurt my ankle, I think I twisted it." She said this as she looked up at him, her face contorted in pain.

"Here, let me take a look at it," Himura said, motioning for her to take her hand off her ankle.

"Okay." And he saw the pain in her face vanish a split second before she punched him squarely in the jaw.

Himura was stunned, and by the time he recovered she had gone from his view. He rubbed his jaw, and sprinted after her.

Kaoru felt an arm encircle her waist from behind, and throw her to the ground. She closed her eyes and the smell of crushed flowers rose from the ground like a dust cloud. He was straddling her again, and had pinned both her wrists to ground beside her head.

"Nice try,"

"I know." She said between breaths.

Himura picked her up and slung her on his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes. She struggled considerably; his hand on her lower back didn't stop her from kneeing him in the chest.

"I'm not making it easy for you!" She declared.

"The same goes for the two of us,"

Kaoru laced her fingers together and jammed her elbow hard against the back of Himura's head. A cry of surprise escaped from his lips, and he pitched forward. Instead of losing his grip, as she had hoped he collapsed on top of her. Kaoru wound back and was going to punch him in the side of the head, when he caught her fist and pinned it to the ground.

"You don't know when to stop, do you?"

"Didn't I say I wasn't going to make it easy?" And she tried to knee him in the stomach, just for good measure.

He hauled her up again, and pulled both her hands behind her back. He pushed her wrists into the small of her back and urged her forward.

Kaoru was still thinking of a way to escape when they came to a small spring.

"Stop," Himura said, and he pushed her into a sitting position.

She stared at him while he tended the cuts on her arms, holding both her wrists in one hand while cupping water and pouring it onto her shoulder with the other.

He had amber eyes, and long straight hair which he kept in a high ponytail. The bones in his face were delicate, feminine almost, but the grip on her wrists was iron.

He was tending to the cut on her calf, when he broke the silence, "You're the priestess aren't you?" When she didn't answer he continued, "The sacrifice."

She didn't answer, and he moved onto a cut on the back of her thigh. He pushed her dress in between her legs, and she leaned on her side for him. He cupped the water and poured it over the cut. Kaoru shivered, from the cold water running over her skin and the sting that the still fresh cut produced. He rubbed the dry blood away with his thumb.

Himura was pouring spring water onto her cheek when Kaoru whispered, "Are you going to kill me?"

The heel of his palm wiped away the red from her milky white complexion, "No," He said softly, not meeting her eyes.

"But I'm yours,"

He stopped, and let go of her wrists.

Settling back on his heels he finally looked at her, "Do you want to be mine?"

"I want to be free," She whispered.

He was silent, and still as stone save for the turn of his head towards the spring. Finally he looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

Himura brought his hand down quickly against the back of her head, and she collapsed instantly, her cerulean eyes rolled into the back of her head as she swooned.

Kaoru went out like a light.





Oh, the stones.

Smut coming in later chapters .

Sorry everyone for abandoning my other fic, but I reeaaaally don't like it anymore. And am considering deleting it...

More will be explained next chapter. Meh.

Review and I'll lub you XD