FORBBIDEN

The King's Ex-Guard

(Disclaimer and A.N. I do not own Ranma ½ or any of it's characters. This is based on the King's Guard (which I also do not own), staring Eric Roberts, only I've changed it. Also Ukyo and Ranma grew up together in Knight Camp to become Knights and are best friends not engaged. Ukyo is not jealous of Akane, and some other characters may be slightly OOC. Enjoy!)

The rough, dirty terrain made it hard for the three sisters to run in their expensive silk kimonos, but they could not stop.

During their journey to King Shinnosuke, an unknown group of bandits attacked. It was the same group that was still persistently following the sisters. Akane, the youngest, noticed the strained look on her oldest sister Kasumi's face as she panted. The middle sister, Nabiki, kept a passive yet annoyed look on her face. Oddly, Akane felt the rush of being alive. She did not want to get captured, yet this was the most excitement that the young princess had from her boring duty.

Accompanying the three princesses was the captain of the King's Guard Ryoga Hibiki, and his 'men'. Mousse and Shampoo the scouts, Ukyo the body guard to Akane and her sisters, and four expendable men (I'm sorry, knights). Included was a Duke of King Shinnosuke from the kingdom of Ryugenzawa, that was suppose to be an escort but ended up being a shivering nuisance (Wow, said that all in one breath).

Akane noticed that her sisters were ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"Men stop, the Princess commands it (corny huh?)." Demanded Akane. Not wanting to get in trouble with the crown, they did just that. Kasumi gave her sister a thankful smile, but leave it to Nabiki to ruin it.

"Do you think it wise sister dear? After all we are being chased by a horde of money grubbing murdering bandits." The middle sister brushed her brown sweaty hair from her face. Akane growled, ignoring the sweat that plastered her own short blue-black hair to the frame of her face. Nabiki smiled in her 'I thought so' look. Kasumi put on her 'let's all make peace' look. Nabiki frowned and glanced at her once beautiful green kimono. The dirt stains would be impossible to get out, and the tears would need a lot of minding. Glancing at her sisters' kimonos, they all had experienced a similar fate. Kasumi's was no longer the vibrant pink it once was, and Akane's blue, well, Nabiki scrunched her face, and there was no hope for Akane's kimono at all.

"Now, now sisters, we must get along. Captain Ryoga will get us to safety….when he finds us." replied Kasumi, as she tossed her long brown hair from her shoulders.

"If he finds us." Nabiki mumbled under her breath. Kasumi pretended not to hear her, as Akane gave another dirty look to the middle sister.

The men who were dragging the wagon full of Princess Akane's dowry for King Shinnosuke enjoyed the break, but got nervous at the sisters facial expressions. Their temper was known throughout the kingdom. Akane would use violence and get physical; Nabiki was known for her blackmail and scheming; whereas Kasumi could belittle a person into nothing just by one of her disappointing glances. Yes, the men would have much to fear if they got involved.

Thankfully, the sisters lost their concentration at the sound of a nearby battle.

Swords clinging together as if they were making some strange type of music came from behind them. Ukyo was running with a passion, dragging Ryoga behind her.

"What do you think you're doing?! RUN!!!" Ukyo did not have to demand twice, for as quickly as she spoke, everyone complied. Under her breath she complained about Ryoga's sense of directions. Ryoga pretended not to hear.

As they ran, they came across a meadow with a run down home in the middle, a perfect place to take a stand. Joining them was Shampoo and Mousse.

"House is empty and safe ahead. Best place to be specially because of slow princesses." A growl exited Akane's lips, Shampoo smiled as she thought *Stupid Princess, you will get yours*. With caution and speed the group entered the house. As the princesses rested with the Duke by their side, the others set up the defenses.

Mean while…..

The group of bandits hid in the comfort of the trees, looking on at the house. The leader of the group smiled a most disturbing smile, as the wind rustled through his short brown hair. A young woman who did not look much different than the man (only shorter, longer hair and different hair and eye color) walked to his side.

"Brother dear, the mercenary has arrived. I must admit he is not bad to look at either." Kuno turned to his younger sister.

"Hold your tongue sister. That man is only here to get some of the money, not worthy of us."

"But brother are we not also after the money?"

"It is true father spent most of our money, but Princess Akane is there also. So we are not only after the money, but also the Princess. Thus our cause is a noble one."

"Speak for yourself brother of mine, I am not after a Princess." Kuno took no notice of Kodachi's words as his attention was drawn to the mercenary.

The young man had long black hair, which he wore in a braided pigtail. His grey-blue piercing eyes showed a man who knew great pain. He wore all black with no armor, unlike Kuno, who was almost totally covered in armor.

"Mercenary, I am your leader Tatawaki Kuno. You will do as I say, and you may get paid. There are two objectives. One get the money, and two, rescue the lovely Princess Akane from her duty of marriage and of ruling which is not suited for a woman as delicate as she." The mercenary stopped listening as his attention drifted to the past at the mention of Akane.

Flashback…

In a midnight garden a beautiful young woman stood by herself. The gentle breeze teased her long blue –black hair and the yellow dress that she wore. She enjoyed the fragrance that the many flowers gave off during the night. He spotted her by chance, but he could not look away. The young captain watched fascinated as the maiden smiled. She bent down to smell a particular flower. Captured by her charms, he had to know who this beauty was. He called out to her, which startled her causing her to trip and fall into a near by pond. Noticing that she could not swim, even in three feet of water, he ran to her aid and helped her out. As he pulled her out, he could not help but look into the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen.

"I'm Akane, who are you?" Her voice was like an angel speaking only to him.

Present…..

"I asked you who you are?" The mercenary snapped out of his flashback.

"Ranma, Ranma Saotome." Kuno nodded his head.

"Not a nobleman's name such as myself. It is fitting for the likes of someone like you….a man who only works for money." Ranma shook his head.

"I mean no disrespect, but aren't we all here for the money, and don't you usually work to get it?"

"Don't mock me, mercenary. I am of noble blood, and am on a crusade to rescue my beloved from marriage. And if there is money there also, well so be it."

"But didn't you just find out not too long ago that she was there?"

Flash back…

Kuno was about to attack full on when he spotted the women, and among them was Akane. He stopped dead in his tracks surprise and joy etched onto his face as he opened up his arms.

"Why Princess Akane Tendo, you have come to marry me and bestow this treasure to me. Oh you must love me indeed." Akane saw Kuno stop to make his speech and she used that as an opening to hit him.

"Get a life Kuno." She and the rest of the group ran ahead escaping the bandits.

Present….

"It was fate which brought us together." Ranma let out a huff of air and left Kuno to his imagination. Ranma went to get a drink from a kettle, his expression unreadable.

Meanwhile….

Akane felt guilty as she and her sisters were lead to a secured area.

"Sisters, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you two were brought into the middle of this whole mess." Kasumi smiled and rested her hand on Akane's shoulder.

"Akane, we would never want to miss your wedding, especially the reason behind it. We would never leave you alone at a time like this."

Nabiki gave Akane a comforting smile.

"Why are you three just standing around? Either join the Duke in his hiding place or help." Ukyo mumbled a little too loudly. Akane let out a huff of air as she moved towards Ukyo to help, her blue kimono already stained and torn from her running. The two women moved some wood to act as a barrier.

Although Akane and Ukyo had some differences, Ukyo did consider Akane her friend and that she would do anything to protect her. Especially after the betrayal of her long time friend and former Captain of the King's Guard, Ranma Saotome. However, that Shampoo made her worry. She wasn't sure if Shampoo was a threat or not to the Princesses.

The Captain of the King's Guard, Ryoga, on the other hand…Ukyo got the impression that he purposefully wanted to get them lost. She caught Ryoga giving Akane several glances when she was not looking. His expression was of either love or disgust that the princess was working. Like so many other people, he misjudged her, not taking her for her true worth as a person. This caused Ukyo to feel sorry for her friend.

"Sir, we have a problem." Everyone stopped his or her work as Ryoga approached the expendable knight who spoke. The knight pointed into the trees where Ryoga spotted him. Ranma Saotome sat by himself drinking some tea.

"Ranma," Ryoga cursed. Akane caught the name and to everyone's dislike went up to the open window and saw the young mercenary. As if he heard his name, he turned and looked in her direction. Though they were at least a mile away, both Ranma and Akane made eye contact.

Flashback….

Ranma returned from his trip to China, Akane did not want to show it, but she was quite glad and relieved. Very soon she would be able to marry the young Captain of the King's Guards, but she wouldn't let on how much she wanted this. After all, Ranma was a jerk, but a jerk that she had fallen in love with. They met in the midnight garden where they first laid eyes on each other. Unknown to either one they were being watched. It took all of her control not to hug him right away, but she could see a sort of sadness in his eyes. A sadness that caused Akane to be fearful about what he would say to her. His smile was half hearted. He refused to make eye contact as he looked at the three foot deep pound.

"Akane, I cannot marry you. Not now, maybe not ever." Akane's hands flew to her mouth. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she would not let them go. "Something happened to me in China. I'm not the only one that it happened to. But since it happened, it would be a dishonor for you to marry me. I'm sorry." She wanted to say she did not care, she wanted to say that she loved him, but no words would form. All she could do was listen to the painful pounding in her chest. Before he could explain, Ryoga stepped out of the shadows, followed by Ukyo and soldiers.

"Traitor. Tell her the truth, that you found someone else, an Amazon. Betraying the crown is a capital offense. You are hereby stripped of your rank. You are under arrest." Ranma had a shocked look on his face as he glanced from Ryoga to his long time friend Ukyo, who refused to make eye contact. Instead Ukyo watched the tears that Akane fought against finally started to flow as she collapsed to her knees. But the thing that bothered Ukyo the most, was that Ranma was not denying the charges. Ranma wanted to tell Akane the whole truth after seeing her pain, but the guards were too many so he ran away, becoming an outlaw, becoming a mercenary.

The next day she was introduced to two Amazons, Mousse and Shampoo, who swore that they would protect her, as a promise to Ranma.

Three weeks later, Akane agreed to marry King Shinnosuke. Ryoga was promoted to Captain of the King's Guard.

Present….

"Curse you, Ranma. Why have you come?" Akane spoke in a whisper and ran to her sisters. Kasumi immediately comforted her. Nabiki could not help but stare angrily at Ranma, who returned a gaze without emotion. His lingering thoughts still on Akane. Her hair, she must have cut it after I left (duh), but I wonder why. It looks good on her; in fact, she looks more beautiful.

Ukyo wasn't sure what to do or how to react, so she continued to work. Her emotions were still unsure about the former Captain, her childhood friend. Shampoo also worked, but had a smile on her face. Mousse looked worried, and Ryoga looked like he was ready to kill. He would too, if he knew that he would not get lost getting to Ranma.

"We can't stay here forever." The Duke finally decided to speak.

"What about King's Shinnosuke? Won't he send men to help us?" A bright red blush came to the Duke's face as he started to twiddle his thumbs not making eye contact with anyone. Nabiki did not enjoy her question being ignored, so she grabbed the man by his collar. "He will come, right?"

"Well, you see the King has a little problem. He tends to forget things."

"Like?"

"Like everything. That is one reason why we wanted Princess Akane to marry him. She is one person that he remembers and the fact that she can remember…" The Duke trailed off not finishing his sentence.

"In other words, he probably forgot that we're coming. Boy what a surprise he'll get if we ever show up." Akane looked depressed, Kasumi noticed right away.

"Akane, what's wrong?" Akane fell into Kasumi's arms as she started to cry.

"Oh, Kasumi. I agreed to marry Shinnosuke because we have a bit of a past and father's kingdom needs it. But to think that he doesn't even remember that I'm coming. What is it with me and men, first Ranma and now, now.."

"There, there little sister. Do not worry everything will be all right. Just wait and see." The company left Akane and Kasumi alone as they continued to strategize.

Meanwhile…

Ranma caught Akane's glance and then Nabiki's. He could not miss the look in Akane's eyes, and though he wanted to deny it, he knew that it was in his eyes also. They still had feelings for each other; he still loved her. He could also not deny the look that Nabiki had given him, she was really ticked, if that were a word to use. The only reason why he decided to join Kuno is because he heard a rumor that Akane was going off to get married. Unfortunately, the rumor was true. The reason, though, he could not understand. She still loved him and yet was marrying another. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she was doing this because Shinnosuke was a King, and was out to get revenge on him. But Ranma knew better.

Akane was the most passionate, caring, respectable, strong willed, gentle, and extremely violent woman who could not cook, that he knew. Akane was not the petty type to use people's emotions or to get revenge in such way. If she had a problem she went straight to the source to confront it, unlike he, who tried the back way and broke two hearts. No, something else was going on, and although he broke their engagement, he still felt possessiveness towards her. He did not want her to be unhappy, and something told him by the way that she looked at him, that she would be unhappy if the marriage was successful.

He needed someone to talk to, to get answers from. Someone who he could trust, and who cared about Akane a great deal. Obviously Ryoga was out, that fang boy always curved everything about Akane. Making her sound better than what she was, and in the process he took away who she was. No, it had to be someone else. Nabiki was out of the question, she just scared him, and Kasumi, well, he couldn't go after Kasumi because she was Kasumi.

The only choice would be Ukyo. Sure she would fight him for a bit, but unlike Ryoga she would see his true feelings and talk to him and would be honest also. After all, she was the one that he went to when he talked about Akane, and she was the one that Akane trusted with her emotions the most out of the lot of them. He just hoped that Ryoga would do that stupid Guard strategy to reduce Kuno's numbers. That's when he will be able to approach her.

Yet, he also had to worry about Kuno. At first his plan was to kill Kuno, and let Akane go on her way. But that was impossible now. Ranma turned back to his tea, thinking of a plan to get rid of opposition and not allowing the princesses to get hurt.

Back at the House…

"Okay men, I have a plan. This is what we will do. We will send four of our best men out one at a time, to split up Kuno's numbers when he sends some to go after them. We will defeat those men and come back." Ryoga sounded so proud of himself, and of his plan that was commonly used by the King's Guards. Ukyo felt like she wanted to cry.

Cocking an eyebrow, Nabiki had to question it. "You are using a move that is well known to the former Captain?"

"Yes, well he never used it, and the Kuno's never heard of it before." responded Ryoga.

"And what do you call this brilliant move, the Fool's Run?"

"Actually I can't remember. However, I know that this move will work."

"Dare I ask who the four are?"

"Me, Ukyo, Shampoo and Mousse."

The sisters wondered if this logic was to leave them in the care of the four expendable men. Thankfully Akane was well trained by both her father, and Ranma on those many night meetings (sorry dates). Ukyo gave Akane a reassuring smile, as she was ready to run.

At the Kuno's Camp…

Ranma watched as Ukyo made the run, while the others gave her cover. Ranma had to smirk at Ryoga's predictability and Kuno's stupidity. Boy, if Kuno had a clue that he would attack the house. Once again he was glad Akane was trained, she could take out most if not all of these men.

He stood up from his position by the fire.

"Kuno, sir. I can take care of one woman, no problem. Please allow me to go."

"I approve, mercenary. As you say, surely one woman is no match for a man." Ranma cringed at Kuno's misgivings on the opposite sex. If only he knew what kind of damage that Ukyo could do. Ranma took off shortly after. Guessing he would intercept Ukyo in a secluded clearing in a few minutes.

T.B.C.

Thank you for reading, this is my first fic. Hope you all like it. I want to thank all the other writers who inspired me.