DISCLAIMER: All Negima's characters belong to Akamatsu Ken.

The Princess and The Witch

Prologue - Part 1

"Hah... hah..."

Running...

"Hah... hah..."

Running...

"Hah... hah..."

In the middle of the night, a hooded girl was running through the forest, her footsteps broke the silent scenery.
How long had she been running?
One hour? Two hours? Or more than that?
Or had it just been a few minutes?
She couldn't tell.
She didn't have the time to care about that.

Many footsteps were resounding behind her.
They were getting louder.
They were getting nearer.

"I... I can't... any... longer ... but... if they... catch up..."

She had reached her limit.
Yet the footsteps still continued getting nearer.
Just a little more and they would....

Suddenly
She came to a small clearing, and before her eyes appeared a small cottage. It looked like a hunting lodge, but there seemed to be someone inside.

"... In the middle of nowhere like this? ... No! There's no time to think!"

Having no other choice, she ran up to the cottage's door and knocked hastily.

"Some... someone! Please... help me!" - She whispered under her ragged breath, trying to make it as loud as possible without letting the pursuers notice.

"Please... someone..."

Then, there were some small noises and the door cracked open a little. And a girl's face appears behind the small crack.

"What's wrong?"

"I... um... some bad guys are pursuing me... so... if you could... please, let me hide a little."

The lodge's owner frowned. She must have looked really suspicious, knocking people's door in the middle of the night and whispering with ragged breathing. But...

"Um... I'll leave right away after they are gone... so... just a little... please"

With that, the owner sighed.

"Alright, come in." - she said, opening the door and stepped aside - "Get on the bed."

"Eh? Ah.... okay" - the girl stuttered, then crawled under the bed.

"What're you doing? I told you to get ON the bed!"

"But...."
It wasn't that she cared about those stuffs. But that girl had been sleeping on the bed until just now...

"Hurry up! They're coming."

Hearing that, the girl hastily got on the bed without taking off her cloak. She covered herself from head to toe with the blanket.
She couldn't hear anything from the other girl.
There was no sound.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door violently. Then a man's crude voice resounded behind the door.

"Anyone there? Open the door! Or we'll break it!"

The girl curled up, and trembled.
She couldn't help thinking about what would happen if they caught her.

"What if she can't stop them?
Wait! Should she stop them in the first place? It's dangerous!
But if she doesn't stop them...."

Her heartbeat got louder.
It resounded in her ears.
"Stupid heart, don't beat so fast!"
She couldn't hear anything.

Just then, the house fell silent.
It was so quiet.
She couldn't help sneaking a peek outside.

There was no one in the house.
The girl must have driven them out.

And just when she got a little calmer, she felt it.

"It's warm."

She had been lying on this bed just until now.
Her warmth was still there.
A light fragrance was still lingering around.

"It's really warm."

Suddenly, sleepiness attacked her.
She knew she shouldn't in the current situation.
But she couldn't help it.
The running had taken it toll on her.
Her limbs were tired.
Her eyelids felt heavy.
Her mind was drifting away.
And this bed....

On this bed.... she felt safe.
That girl could protect her...
She will protect her...
Surely...

How long had it been since she was able to sleep peacefully like this?