Chapter Two,

Six years had passed since the day that Kouji met Kari. He grew into a tall, strongly-built young man with short black hair. His skin was darker than most people's; not only because he worked out side every day, but his father apparently was a foreigner and was a different race. He had only left the farm once, and that was when his grandfather had a heart attack and he took him in the wagon to the doctor. It was too late though, and he passed away on the way there. When he returned home, all the blame was laid on him for killing his grandfather, so all the family hated him. It had been a year since them, and he still worked out in the fields to repay the family for what he had done.

It didn't sit well with Kouji. He knew that it wasn't his fault, and he was sick of working there his whole life. He was now twenty, and he had grown more independent each year. He dreamed about running away and about the life other people were living outside of his farm. All he had known was working his whole life, and hate... so much hate. No one loved him; no one except the small hope he had that his mother and father loved him.

Kouji lay there in the hay staring up at the barn loft that had grown so familiar to him. He wanted to run away, but where would he go? The world outside was so unknown to him; he might die the first day from some danger that he never knew existed! No, he was going to die from this torture anyway; he knew he was going to get away.

Finally, after twenty years, Kouji stood up from his hay, determined to get away, and climbed down the ladder. He put on his only shirt and buttoned his overalls, then after sneaking some food from the house, he saddled a horse and rode off.

Never in his life had he felt so free. His horse, Candy, ran through the night as if it had never run before. Kouji had raised Candy since birth, and they spent time riding together when the family was away, but this time, they both could run free, as far as they wanted to go.

Kouji and Candy ran through the night and stopped on a hill to watch the sun rise from behind the trees. First light dazzled before them and Kouji's eyes met their first sight of something new. Rolling hills of trees trailed beyond and he saw, off in the long distance, figures of mountains. He knew exactly what they were because their mighty majesty defined themselves. His face beamed and a clear handsome smile streamed across his face. He was really free.

After eating for a bit, Kouji and his horse rode on. It took them all day long to approach a town, but they didn't mind; with every step they took, their eyes beheld something new and beautiful. By the time he rode into the town, night had caught up with them. The town seemed to already have packed up for bedtime, and Kouji searched for a long time before he found a boy dragging a wagon to a small building.

"Excuse me!" he spoke softly. The boy turned around, a little startled and stared at him. "What is your name?" he smiled and got down off his horse. The boy recoiled a bit but then stepped up to Kouji and answered.

"My name is Tommy." he looked Kouji up and down cautiously.

"Tommy," Kouji bowed. "My name is Kouji, can you tell me where there is a safe place to stay for the night?"

Tommy paused with a troubled look on his face and then finally said,

"Aye, follow me!" he took Kouji's hand and led him to the back door of the building. Kouji tied Candy to the back and followed Tommy inside.

It was like a small cottage inside. The house contained only one room. The kitchen was at the back next to the door, a table was near the front next to the front door, a bed on one side, and a stove on the other. This was even smaller than Kouji's house! He felt a little uncomfortable but kept his cool. Tommy took his hand and walked him over to who seemed to be his mother cooking something on top of the wood stove.

"Ma... this is my friend Kouji!" he whispered as he tugged on her apron. She turned around and jumped once seeing a young man in her house.

"Honey!" she felt her cheek. "It isn't wise to invite strangers into the house!"

"But ma..." he took her hand. "I really like him... he's nice. He told me his name."

Him mother looked a bit shocked then looked up at him.

"I am so sorry, Ma'am... I just asked him for a place to stay for the night..." he looked down, ashamed of his dirty self. He knew by the way his family treated him that he was so ugly that no one would want to help him... but he had to give it a shot. "Look, I understand if you want me to leave..." he started to turn around.

"Wait..." she held up her hand. "You can stay for the night if you like..."

Kouji smiled brightly at the hospitality and bowed. "I will repay you in any way possible!"

She smiled back. "Just..." she looked around nervously. "Please, if anyone comes to the door... anyone... then please protect us."

Kouji was puzzled but agreed kindly.

At that, she served a small dinner of Shepherd's pie and let him sleep on the bed with Tommy while she fell asleep in a rocking chair.

Kouji lay awake for a long time. He had dreamed of lying on a soft bed, and there he was! He wondered what everyone is this town were so fearful of. It seemed to be abnormal to tell your name to a stranger. It seemed to mean trust. He rolled over onto his side and watched the door. He gave a quick jolt out of surprise as someone began pounding on it. Everyone else jerked awake and stared at Kouji hopefully.

"Let me in this instant!" a man outside shouted. "Unlock this door!"

Tommy leaped out of bed and jumped into his mother's arms and Kouji slowly stood up.

"I said open this door!" he shouted even louder.

"Go away!" Kouji finally shouted back. He was shaking nervously but stood there still, ready to protect the family. He had protected his farm many times from wild animals and thieves and was ready to take out anyone who came through that door. No one had ever been so kind to him as these people, and he was going to protect them.

"Who is that in there?" the man pounded on the door again harshly. "I demand to know who is in there with my wife!"

"I told you never to come back!" Tommy's mother shouted out at him.

"You open this door!" he kept pounding until he had knocked the door down. Kouji stood there in front of Tommy and his mother, afraid the large man would get the better of him.

Tommy's father walked up to Kouji and growled down at him. "Who the heck are you? Get out of my house."

"N… no…" Kouji stuttered but stood his ground. The man threw up his hand to strike Kouji, and Tommy and his mother hid their eyes, but Kouji swiftly dodged hi s blow and grabbed the broom. Pointing it at the man he whispered, "Get out of this house." The man charged at Kouji again, but without a second wasted, Kouji beat the man with the broom until he ran out of the house. Then, he turned around and smiled at the two hiding in the corner. "He's gone."

They all went to bed after thanking Kouji nearly thousands of times, and the next morning Kouji helped them rebuild the door. He shared two meals with them before he told he had to go. The begged for him to stay, but he refused knowing he still wanted to see more of the world.

"Please come back again!" Tommy's mother stroked his head.

"I will." Kouji smiled. She supplied him with some food in a little pack, and Kouji shortly left on his horse heading down the road.

He had no idea where he was going. But he imagined mountains and streams, and lakes, and oceans before him! He rode for two days straight before he saw any kind of civilization. It was just one long straight rode surrounded by large oak trees. The scenery kept him going without a stop. Near the end of his second day, he realized that poor Candy was tired out of his wits. He hopped off his horse and led it to the side of the road. There was a small stream rolling aside the road, and Kouji and his horse both drank deeply. Night had come so Kouji decided to camp out there. He found a nice warm spot underneath a gigantic weeping willow that was planted there along the stream. It completely covered him and his horse, just like his own little house.

"I like this place!" he smiled to himself and stroked Candy's leg. The moonlight crept through the branches, and the sound of the wind through the trees put him to sleep.

Kouji woke to the sunrise and looked around happily. He got some water, stretched, then looked around to get onto Candy and head out. To his surprise… and horror, Candy was gone!

"Candy!" Kouji screamed out of horror. He had been tired to the tree, and Candy would never leave his side anyway! The rope was still tied to the tree and Kouji saw that Candy must have been cut loose. He was stolen.

Kouji ran around for a bit shouting for him but realized it was no use. He looked down and saw thousands of horse and wagon tracks leading into the woods, off the road. Without a thought, Kouji chased the tracks. He ran as fast as he could for several hours and only stopped for one minute at most to catch his breath or to shove some food in his mouth. Kouji actually ran all day and into the night. After the moon had risen, Kouji could just barely see some lights way ahead of him. Whoever had stolen Candy must have been camping now. He ran until he could see the whole camp. There were several covered wagons and horses all circled around one large bon fire. He stuck up and started searching through the horses until he finally found Candy.

"Candy! Come on, let's go." He whispered and started untying him from the rest of the horses.

"What have we here?" a low dark voice startled him from behind. He turned around quickly to star at a man nearly twice his size. He had long brown hair and looked as if he could tare Kouji in half if he wanted to.

"I… I am…" he stuttered. "I'm taking back what's mine."

"What's yours?" the large man growled and grabbed Kouji by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up off the ground.

"Yes." Kouji coughed through his choking. "Candy is my horse!"

"We'll see about that." the large man dragged Kouji off and toward the fire pit. Kouji was scared out of his wits, as he didn't know that the man was going to do with him. He was dragged into the light and he looked out to see dozens of People sitting around the fire pit. He guessed from what his grandfather had told him that these people were gypsies. They traveled together in groups, and most of them were related, or married into the group. The men went out stealing and plundering riches and goods for their wives and daughters. Mostly what Kouji knew about them was that they were evil.

"I found this trespasser in our horses." The large man held Kouji up in front of who seemed to be the leader.

The leader was wrapped in rather nice looking clothing (which he probably stole) but alot younger-looking that the body guard who had his hands on Kouji.

"Trying to steal our horses?" he leaned over towards him and stared him in the eye.

"No!" Kouji fought off the man's grip then looked the leader in the eye as well. "You stole my horse, Candy!" Kouji shouted.

"Candy?" the man laughed and he was followed by all the rest of the gypsies in laughter. Kouji crossed his arms.

"Well, it looks to me that the horse is ours now." The leader put on a serious face.

"Well… how can I get him back?"

"Do you have anything valuable to trade for him?" the man crossed his arms.

Kouji paused and looked around him at all the faces staring him down and laughing at him. He had never been more embarrassed in his life.

"The only thing of value to me…" Kouji bowed his head. "…is my name."

"Your name?" he laughed again. "Well then, you mean to say the only thing you have to trade for your horse is yourself?"

Kouji looked up at the man determined. "I'll work for you and pay off for my horse!"

"Hmm…" the man thought for a moment. "Done!" he smiled sneakily. "You'll be my slave long enough to work off the horse, then I'll release you."

"…But how long with that be?" Kouji worried.

"I'll decide that." he crossed his arms. "Ben, take this boy and have him cleaned up." He waved to his bodyguard who dragged him off to the bath tent.

"Go on, get clean." He shoved him into the tent. Kouji was actually a bit happy to get a decent bath. After he bathed, he redressed and came out. There was a cloaked gypsy waiting outside for him who led him to a wagon.

"You will sleep in here." She pointed at the wagon and they both climbed in.

"What is that you wear around your neck?" she pointed at the chain Kouji wore. He grasped it with his hand.

"It's nothing!" he leaned back.

The girl un-hooded her face and held out her hand. "Give it to me."

"No!" Kouji gripped it. He stared at the girl in front of him. She had long dark red curls rolling down her shoulders and she was probably the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He quickly looked down realizing he must look so ugly to her. "It's… It's only my name." Kouji showed her. It was a dirty piece of metal with the name, "Kouji Minamoto" engraved on it. She quickly snatched it off of him.

"And you will get it back when your service is over." She frowned. "Now lie down and sleep, you have a long day tomorrow." She then stood up and climbed out of the wagon.

"Goodnight, Minamoto." She shut the curtains on his wagon.

"Wait!" Kouji peeked out. "Please let me wear it!"

"No." she turned around and looked at him. "You told my brother that it was your only thing of value, so that's what we are holding until you pay off for the horse."

Kouji sighed then asked her, "What's your name anyway… You are his sister?"

"My name is Rika." She frowned. "And yes, Yamaki is my brother."

Without another word, she left Kouji to his sleep. He couldn't believe that things had gone so bad! He was now captive by gypsies and was destined to work for who-knows-how-long for this evil Yamaki, who ever he was.

But without wasting much more time, Kouji was tired from so much running and fell asleep before he could prevent himself.