a/n: Hey! Long time no see for my followers. I've been in a big Kingdom Hearts mood lately, and I haven't been able to find a lot of fanfics I was really into so I was determined to write my own. This is my first Kingdom Hearts story and I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to Review. Chapter two will be posted shortly.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor am I giving any indication that I do. I do, however, own this story and the words written down.

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The Princess and the Witch.

By MsWitch

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Chapter 1: The Beginning.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom far, far away from here called Radiant Garden. There lived a fair king named Tidus and together with his wife, Queen Yuna, they banished sin and peace followed in the era they dubbed, "the Calm". While peace reined, and the country experienced a time of health and happiness, the Queen gave birth to twins: two girls named Kairi and Namine. The kingdom rejoiced and embraced the daughters as good luck but luck was not as fortunate as they thought.

A gypsy seer visited their majesties on the twins first birthday and spun a grave prophecy. The gypsy foretold the girls were the twins of legends past: The Princess of Heart, a princess who's love was so great, she befriended everyone she met and who's love for her Kingdom would protect it in it's most dire time of need. The other was the Witch of Memory. She was said to be the most powerful witch in existence. None could challenge her in magic as Death would be her only true enemy. It would be she, and she alone, who would have the power to open Kingdom Hearts and bestow the Keyblade to its rightful master.

The King and Queen were beyond devastated by the prophecy, wishing to keep it secret from prying ears but with a prophecy this important, naturally the word spread like wild fire. Even with the heavy burden of the prophecy looming over their heads and hearts, the girls grew up surrounded by love and kindness. And as they grew, their parents took it upon themselves to teach them all they knew. King Tidus taught Kairi the ropes of running a kingdom and often went with him to the village to meet her people and learn their importance. Queen Yuna who, like her father before her, was one of the most powerful summoners in all the land and sought to teach Namine her spells but the princess was hesitant.

During this time, Maleificent, the cruel Queen of Hollow Bastion, was doing unspeakable things', using her powers for evil instead of good. Word had spread far and wide of her misdoings and people grew fearful of sorcerers and magic users alike. Afraid people might look down on her as well, Namine shied away from magic and tried to follow in her sisters footsteps instead of her mothers.

The sisters knew not true heart ache… until one night.

It was raining, as it does most often when tragedy strikes, the night the King and Queen were murdered. The young princess Kairi was off in another kingdom, visiting a friend, when it happened. Namine awoke from her restless slumber with an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She ran to her parent's room, in seek of comfort, where she found her father, bleeding on the floor and her mother above him trying to heal his wounds. Another man lay dead in the entryway: the room a mess from their struggles.

Her mother bid her to hide, saying it was not safe for her, but Namine was frozen with fear at the sight of her father dying. Queen Yuna called to her again when more villains arrived at the scene. A man stabbed the queen with a spear, silencing her continuous screaming.

No one knew more than that except for a select few and Princess Namine, who spoke not a word to anyone of that night. Knights of the castle rushed in to find the King and Queen both slain, with four cloaked bodies around them. The only survivor was Namine, soaked in blood, who was in the arms of a young boy who clung to her as he looked on helplessly.

The tragic news had spread across the kingdom by dawn and the people wept. Princess Kairi was shipped home in a hurry to find her twin as silent as the grave and as pale as a ghost. The sisters clung to each other in their time of grief as Kairi promised her to never to leave her side again. The promise was quickly broken when it was decided that Namine would leave the kingdom in pursuit of learning magic the day after the funeral.

Their aunt and uncle were to take the throne until the girls were of age. King Mickey was the one to decide the inevitable fact that it was time Namine needed to learn magic. It was also decided that his master, Yen Sid, would accompany the young girl as well as her godfather, Auron, a wise monk and friend of the late King and Queen. They packed a small, unidentifiable caravan to take Namine far away from her friends, family, and kingdom.

And it was here, on the steps of the castle, with a heavy heart, Kairi and Namine gave their farewells.

The young princess' embraced one another in a bone-crushing hug, each clinging for dear life.

"Don't go," Kairi begged, tears falling from her violet eyes, chin quivering. "Don't leave me all alone. Please!" Her tears stained her sisters white dress, under her black cloak.

"You'll never be alone, Kai," Namine sniffled. "You're the Princess of Heart; you'll always be surrounded by people who love you."

"But not you!" Kairi squeezed harder when she felt her sisters grip slacken. "First Papa, then Mama! I can't loose you too!"

"You could never loose me, Kairi! We're twins. You're my other half." Namine was finally able to pry her sister off so she could look in her in the eyes. "If we line up our pieces, yours and mine, they'll always fit together."

The Princess of Heart choked back another sob. "Why can't you learn magic here? Why can't your teachers come to you?"

"Uncle said I must go," Namine frowned. She felt her own chin start to shake a little as she looked up at the castle, her home. She could see her bedroom window staring down at her fondly and she longed to run to it, to lock her door shut, and hide under the covers. But that was not to be her fate, as much as she may have wished it to be.

She pulled away from her sister, and clutched her hands tight within her own, and looked Kairi straight in the eye. "I promise I'll become the best witch ever, even if it means everyone will hate me," Namine swore solemnly. "I'll learn all the magic I can possible learn and more. I won't let what happened to Papa and Mama ever happen to us… to anyone again." Her blue eyes were filled with tears and her voice was thick with sadness, but her resolve was as clear as day. "And you will learn everything you can about being a queen, and help lead our people through this time of heart ache," she added. Kairi could only nod her head in reply. "We'll both work hard."

The Witch of Memory turned her face away from her sister and looked upon the many sad and tear-filled faces of the castle staff and knights that were aligned in front of the castle to see her off. Her eyes bounced from her friend Olette, who was crying into her mother's apron, to her best friend Riku, who was doing his best to look back at her with steadfast determination but his face broke into a painful grimace at her attention. Many familiar faces stared back at her, and the first smile she had smiled since her parents' death lit up her pale face at their concern for her.

"I'll come back," she whispered to Kairi first then addressed her loved ones. "I'll come back." Namine's face was held high and her voice was then full of decision. "And when I return, all will be as it was. We'll all be together again." A few maids burst out into sobs, and the castle knights lifted their chins higher as well.

"This castle and its inhabitants will always welcome you with open arms, dear niece," King Mickey said behind Kairi, holding his wife in his arms.

"Namine." The girls turned round to see Auron atop the seat of the caravan, calling to them. "It's time."

Namine turned back to her sister, and though she tired to hide it, a pang of panic struck her core. Kairi pulled her into another hug and sobbed. Through her tears she said, "Don't ever forget: wherever you go, I'm always with you."

And then, she let her go.

Namine took a few steps back and stared at the image before her. With one last look, she turned on her heel and walked with determined steps to the caravan, where her godfather pulled her up into the seat next to him. Their aunt, now Queen Minnie, placed a hand on Kairi's shoulder to prevent her from following. Auron, rushed the horses forward and it was then that Namine looked back at her sister. As they went, she got farther and farther away from her. When they went around the bend, and the hedges had hidden everyone from sight, Namine could stay quiet no longer.

"Kairi!" She screamed with all her might. The Princess of Heart came rushing around the hedges back into view, looking panicked. "Remember what you said before? I'm always with you too. I'll come back to you... I promise!"

Kairi gave a small laugh at her sister, eyes and nose running. She screamed back.

"I know you will!"

Unable to keep their distance, everyone came rushing after Kairi and the caravan yelling encouraging things to her and reminding her of things she shouldn't forget. Namine was sure they'd continue to follow them if Kairi was not held back by Riku at the castle gates. She waved as much as she could even when they had stopped yelling to her, even when Namine could not make out Kairi or Riku's faces, and even when they were dots on the horizon. It was only when they had entered the forest, her castle out of sight, did she cease her waving and start her crying. Auron allowed her to cry into his side as they made their way.

Little did the twins know it wouldn't be until nine years later that they would meet again.

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A/n: How was that for the first chapter? I would have liked to write in more detail, but as these are not as important as the events about to take place, I really needed to push the story on. Maybe I'll write and post them later as bonus chapters. Please feel free to review.