-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER ONE
A Matter of Opinion
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You must come" she had insisted for above the millionth time that morning. Though, as was to all of her former requests, his countenance had remained most unchanged as he answered in the negative. For awhile since I had become Keeper to the Princess I had noticed that the rumpled boy showed little if no emotion to her most sentimental calls. He seemed almost always indifferent to her where as she was always the most affixed with everything his presence revealed to her fancy. Maybe it was to this, and my softness toward my new charge, that I then decided on nudging the silent child gently and even smiled. There was a look my way from the touch but life seemed to pass in and out of his eyes without a care to catch it for his own. I should have much rather gone away with the Princess to see her surprise quite without the person it was intended for, except the red-headed girl would have none of it. Her last entreaty was made the most heartfelt of all her former words but, on still receiving an almost immobile headshake in return, she took up his dirty hand with a pout and pulled him right up from the floor.

You must understand that my Princess was very young and so she didn't know the hands she touched or the person she smiled to was one of the most vile creatures this earth has yet seen. Quite a sight to top it, too! One of the strangest things I've seen--dirty, but lean. Blank face, but one which was so much overflowing with intellectual understanding that it gave one a horror to look it straight on--all but the Princess, to be sure. She made for herself a playmate right from the start, against the rage from her brother and the mutual abhorrence demonstrated by her people. I must add that although I said she was very much oblivious at the time she took that dirty hand, she still laced her fingers with his on equal ground--held it with more strength, I dare say--after she was made aware of what he was and why he was so far gone from you and I--"

"Don't group us" snapped the visitor

"Oh hush!" the narrator replied, but with a humor that displeased the other "Or I'll tell you no more than this"

"Get on then" he said in a growl after a moment.

"Well, on that day her surprise turned out to be nothing but what we were doing to discover it's meaning. Walking. After a long while we stopped at the edge of the village and she pulled her dirty companion to a stop and pointed to where we had come" Fay shook his blonde hair away from his blue eyes with a smile "That creature stared blankly and, I admit, I did the very same for awhile too because it was only the Princess who could see things for what they really were in their greatest form"

"And what consequence does that characteristic you praise have to my wish?" the visitor said irritably

"No consequence whatsoever should you keep bearing your teeth at me, because you won't hear the end of it. The existence of the tale and it's purpose will be no more to you than what the children had been before this point in time" Fay smiled again "Am I correct?"

This time the visitor, Kurogane, kept his mouth closed. Though from the lowering of his brow and the clenching of his jaw it looked as if he was quite against his own decision to remain silent to the inquiry. It satisfied Fay in both manners and while he smiled over the sight he took a moment to pour another drink for his visitor. The offering was taken without a word or a glance.

"Footprints" Fay said after taking a drink of his own brandy

"I still see no consequence…" trailed Kurogane crossly

"As I say--you do not. Nor did I. She only did and so she pointed out our perfect little steps, particularly that strange creature's own, to the boy and said: "See there! You have history as much as me or Fay-san! Each step you take is a step of person and character!"---Here she took both his hands and drew him up to her face, she was very affectionate to the unruly beast-- "Don't let anyone tell you that you don't exist! Don't listen to those silly fools who think it funny to say you have no name or life! I am holding hands with you and walking in history with you so why are you so very different from me?! Just because your parents haven't a history doesn't mean you should suffer under the same fate!"---I didn't believe it but she kissed him on the cheek and blushed hotly over it for a moments time before asking if he agreed.

As if a body was switched in time or a soul was born from dust, a vibrant light came over the creature's face and he took on the appearance of one so close to a human it was remarkable. Before turning Keeper over the Princess of Clow I heard from a source that she had power to bring life from the voiceless. Well! I was more ready to believe that she had power to give life where there was none to be found after I saw the creature smile!"

"...I still lack to find consequence in your tale" returned Kurogane, out of humor

"You believe in no miracles? Nothing wonderful?"

"Wonderful, but under a different power" he replied

"By which?"

"That which makes you tell me what I desire without going on for above an hour! You talk far too much for a sensible man to bear"

"Believe it or reject it--you aren't the first to say such a thing!" he laughed

"I readily believe it" he said rudely against the laughter "and have faith that I won't be the last to communicate it before your mortal life ends"

"Chilling" Fay resumed his smile and drink "Very well Kuro! I will give that information you seek from me, though I should be depressed after you are gone"

"And I shall be quite the opposite"

"My feeling towards it increases with your retorts---Strange"

"Only so much as the person who feels it so" he growled "Now on with your damned story"

"Yes, yes…Well, after that it is safe enough to say that the boy was almost 'child' in every way of appearance. There was still that stone-coldness of presence that aided in my persistence from attachment or intimacy with him, past that of which suited my Princess' happiness at the time. He laughed and smiled, talked with passion, and acted with desires that any human should own. Though those yearnings of the soul seemed to me centered always on that of his playmate. Sakura-chan, in her own dizzy of undying affections for the boy, took no notice for it but I, who watched them always, caught on to it very nearly from the instant it began. Whatever may have been his goals in life formed in a strange way which connected deeply with the wellbeing and life of Sakura-chan.

Should the girl try to partake in the dangerous conduct that all overly-energetic girls of her age long for, he would be at her side in order to make sure she was safe in doing what fit her desire. As they grew he became less protective and more trusting but it was far worse than having obedience at the beginning and obsession in the course of time. Such a trust was to be understood by me as there was a deeper significance that chained the young lover's souls into one. Effortless faith is only something to have with yourself, Kuro-sama. Without knowledge you trust yourself…inevitably, you do so without exertion or want. Without quite caring or ever actually believing in the possibility of any determining measure of wrong in actions and ideals, one trusts oneself and so was the case for the two children"

Fay placed his glass down to refill with drink, and so Kurogane saw it fit to finally place his empty glass beside the first. Unbeknownst to his guest, the word trust lay bitterly against Fay's tongue and turned his countenance grim for a second as he examined his brandy.

"Where he is, she is" he said at last

Kurogane rose and slammed his empty glass on the table between them with force "That was all I wished to know your opinion on"

And then he was gone, leaving Fay with only a faint smile in remembrance of such enjoyment.

TSUBASA:RC does not belong to me.