Princess and the Crow

Prologue
A Simple Choice


"It's a simple choice, Myrrha. You can come with me quietly, and no one gets hurt or has to know that you're a +anima," whispered the man into the girl's ear. "Or you can run. If you do I'll follow, kill your friends, and take you with me anyway. Either way's fine with me. Though I would enjoy a nice chase."

"It's not that easy, Birak…" answered the silver haired girl softly. The man snickered, "Sure it is."

"I… I can't just leave…"

"I'm fine chasing you."

"You don't even like me."

"What's not to like? A beautiful princess with a grave secret that could have her killed!" chuckled Birak. "I get a connection to the royal family of Sailand and a beautiful bride who won't dare oppose me; you get a rich husband that can keep your secret. We both win."

"I meant me," she answered sternly.

"I'm getting bored here, Myrrha."

"Let me think about it…"

"Well, just a heads up; my well-armed men are already posted around your camp. You really shouldn't have left them without a lookout. Oh, yes, but that would mean telling them why you were slipping away, which would mean you'd have to tell them who you really are." He had Myrrha cornered, she couldn't back out now.

"…Fine," she whispered in a quiet voice, she seemed to holding back tears that threatened to pour down her perfect, pale skin.

"Husky!" cried out a far-too familiar voice. Cooro, a small crow +anima, entered the clearing; his black hair littered with leaves and dirt. In an instant four of Birak's men were on him, holding the boy; rendering him helpless. Myrrha leapt forward - with her staff in one hand - to help her captured friend, but was pulled back by the man she had been talking to.

"What a nuisance," he mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for Myrrha to hear him. And then in a stronger and louder voice he ordered the men to kill the crow +anima. Just as the dagger was pulled closer to the boy's neck Myrrha lashed out.

"Cooro!" she cried as she leapt forward, staff catching each of the men's heads in a clean blow. Once free she pulled Cooro into a protective bear hug, the poor boy was shocked by her sudden lash out but was stunned frozen by the hug – something he never though he would see her do.

"Husky, are you alright?" asked her friend, sensing the trembling body of his friend. Small, salty droplets of water fell onto his face; Husky was crying! "Husky what's going on?"

There was no way out. They were circled by dozens of well-armed men. Even as they sat there, Husky knew there were archers aiming arrows at Cooro's back, plus all the men with swords and knives. She knew back at the camp, Nana and Senri were sound asleep, also circled by guards. Birak had told her so, and he had no reason to lie.

He was more than capable of slaughtering all her friends, and he would take her with him either way.

Husky lifted her head and met Cooro's eyes; her own filled with tears, before giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "I'll miss you," she whispered. "You'll never know how much these last few months meant to me."

Before he could respond, she got up and walked over to Birak, her head down and her famous fighting spirit crushed.

"Wise choice, princess," said Birak, setting a heavy hand on her shoulder and directing her towards the roadway and his waiting carriage. Cooro made an attempt to stand up, but was grabbed quickly by three men and forced to his knees.

"HUSKY!" he shouted. "HUSKY!"

Husky didn't look back. But she couldn't stop herself from crying. The pure innocence of the princess was burned into the mind of Cooro as she gave him on last glance before entering the carriage

"HUSKY!"


D e s c r i p t i o n : Story idea. Husky is a girl and a princess of Sailand. She is exposed and leaves with a foreign prince to keep Cooro and the gang safe. The gang finally finds her five years later, but can they save her?

D i s c l a i m e r : I asked Kay Hau if I could use this story line, so all rights go to her. Also I do not own +Anima, if I did it probably wouldn't even be up on the net; I can't think of story this good.