Life in the mainland was harsh. Every kingdom was affected by either war, famine or sickness, sometimes even a combination of all three. Everyone knew this, so every citizen of the Sakura Kingdom thought it was a blessing that their sweet little home was spared of the tragedies of the mainland.

The Sakura Kingdom proudly stood several kilometers off the shore on a small island that barely anyone dared visit. All the kingdoms acknowledged its existence, but no one bothered with the small island. It didn't have any special or rare resources, so it was generally left alone.

What the Sakura Kingdom did have, was a reputation. The few people who were daring enough to visit the island never came back. Rumors spread around the mainland that the Sakura Kingdom was to be feared, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, the island was a small bubble of paradise separated from the horrors of the mainland by a vast sea.

The island was ruled by the Katsukis, a royal family that was loved by every citizen. The King was kind and fair, and the Queen was wise beyond her years. They had two children, Mari, a strong willed woman and youngest general in the army, and Yuuri, their shy heir who was trained in the magical arts.

Yes, the Sakura Kingdom was the perfect place. Anyone who wanted to leave must be crazy, right? "So what does that make me?" Yuuri murmured to the air as he watched the waves reach the shore.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in Yuuri's favorite mix of colors, which meant it was almost time. The time to tell his parents he wanted to leave was drawing near. His stomach lurched, could he do this? Was he brave enough? The easy and most obvious answer was 'no' since his anxiety was rising by the second just by thinking about it.

"I need this. I want this," Yuuri told himself over and over again. He had been repeating this phrase like a prayer, like a spell that would give him strength.

"Yuuri," said a voice behind him.

Yuuri tensed for a moment before recognizing the voice. "Ah, Minako-sensei, I was just thinking." He said, trying to downplay the mixture of emotions that were crashing within.

Minako sighed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you're nervous, but this is a good thing, yes?"

Yuuri frowned. He was trying so hard to conceal his emotions, why could Minako read him so well? "I guess I'm an open book," he said.

His quiet comment made Minako chuckle, "I mean, yes, you're pretty easy to read, but that's not what gave you away." Minako pointed at the sky, and Yuuri looked up. "You always make it rain when you're upset."

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise. Sure enough, droplets of water were hitting the sand, all without a single cloud in the sky. Yuuri wondered how he hadn't noticed before, perhaps because he wasn't wet at all, another perk of magical rain. "I'm sorry," were the first words that came out of his mouth as he waved his hand and the rain stopped.

His teacher looked at him, and with an encouraging smile she said, "You don't need to apologize for what you can do."

A smile tugged at Yuuri's lips. He liked Minako-sensei, she always tried to bring out the best in him. She had been the first to notice Yuuri's aptitude in magic and the first to teach him how to handle his powers.

However, the fact remained that Yuuri was an elemental wizard, and Minako-sensei was a healer, a great one, but a healer nonetheless. There was only so much a healer could teach an elemental before running out of common ground, and a few weeks ago Yuuri had reached the limits of his education with Minako. If he wanted to continue, if he wanted to thrive, he would need to search for new horizons.

Yuuri looked at his teacher, the teacher that had given him so much, "This can wait. I can experiment by myself and-"

A stern look from Minako shut him up, "Experimenting with magic will only lead to one thing, and I'm guessing you know what that is." Yuuri gulped, of course, he knew. It was the first thing every young wizard and witch learned when they started their magical education; you do not experiment with magic.

Guilt gnawed at Yuuri's stomach, "Yes, I know." Even though the words were true, they still tasted like a lie to him. Truth to be told, Yuuri had done a little experimenting on his own. However, he wasn't stupid enough to do it on his own, his good friend Phichit was always by his side whenever he felt like practicing.

Minako seemed to mistake his guilty face for one of anxiety, and who could blame her, really? Yuuri was such a delicate person that most often than not, he succumbed to the pressures of the world. "Come on Yuuri. It's time," she said, giving him one of the warm smiles that always made him feel better.

"Okay," he answered, following his teacher towards the castle.


The trees surrounding the castle were beautiful and grand. The leaves that were still clinging to their Summer colors danced with the wind; some fell, some stayed in place. It was a picture of great beauty. Nobody could guess that inside the castle a heated battle was being fought.

"Absolutely not," said Mari, her fists balling at her sides. "Yuuri is the heir to the entire kingdom, and you want to send him away?"

"He needs this!" Minako said, her voice loud enough to be heard, but not so that it would be deemed disrespectful. "There's nothing I can teach Yuuri anymore. He needs to go out, see the world, and explore the possibilities it holds for him!"

The two women were at each other's throats. Mari was arguing that, as the next heir, Yuuri had a responsibility to his people, and that he needed to stay put. Meanwhile, Minako's argument was that Yuuri needed to go out to explore the world and unleash his magical potential.

Yuuri and his parents watched in silence, neither of them contributing to the argument. Minako and Mari's bickering didn't stop, not even when Phichit came into the room to see what all the fuss was about. "They're still at it?" He asked Yuuri in an undertone.

Yuuri sighed, "Yes, they've been at it for hours," he said, massaging his temples. How long could a person scream? He didn't want to stay and find out, but, as the subject of the women's fight, he needed to show his support.

"Who do you think will win?" Phichit asked with an enthusiasm that told Yuuri that his friend would be placing bets if he could.

"I...I don't know." Yuuri sighed, "I honestly just want it to be over."

The King seemed to be thinking along the same lines because his booming voice suddenly filled the room. "Enough," he said, effectively silencing Mari and Minako. Silence stretched across the chamber, but the King said nothing more. Instead, the Queen rose.

"I think we have heard enough from both sides, thank you." She said, her sweet demeanor was somehow more commanding than the King's voice. "My dear Yuuri?" She asked, and Yuuri stiffened. He was about to be called out, wasn't he? "This whole ordeal is about you, and you've been awfully quiet."

Yuuri looked up at his mother, "I-I thought Minako-sensei was doing a good job?" He meant for it to be a confident statement, but his nerves transformed it into a sort of question, efficiently removing any confidence he had tried to inject into it.

The Queen's soft laugh rang through the room. "Yes, yes, dear. I think she has made some good points." A choking sound came from Mari. It was as if she was going to say something, but thought better of it. The Queen ignored her, "Yuuri, the only thing I really need to know is if you want to go."

The words caught Yuuri by surprise. After everything Mari and Minako had said and all the hours of shouting, his mother just wanted to know his desires? Was that the last piece of the puzzle that his mother needed in order to make his decision?

Minako shot Yuuri a look that clearly said 'Say yes,' and Yuuri gulped. It wasn't like he didn't want to go, he did but being away from home would be painful, not to mention lonely. Still, he felt something inside of him he hadn't felt for a long time, ambition.

Yuuri took a deep breath and squared himself, "I want to go." He said without stuttering, which seemed to surprise everyone in the room. There was probably no one who had ever heard Yuuri been this confident, except perhaps for Phichit.

The Queen looked at Yuuri with the same eyes she used when he did his first spell, appraising but proud. "Then there's no other alternative." She said, clapping her hand together in apparent delight.

At once, Mari addressed her mother, "Mother! It's too dangerous! Yuuri has to stay. He has-"

"Enough, Mari. If Yuuri wants to go, there's no reason not to let him." Maria looked like she had swallowed something bitter, probably because she had just spent a good portion of the morning shouting plenty of reasons why Yuuri shouldn't go. "I will not deny that it will be dangerous," the Queen turned to look at Minako, "Where did you say he will be going?"

Minako was struggling to keep her face even, not doubt she was trying to suppress her victorious grin. "Ah, to the Ice Kingdom with an old friend of mine, Celestino. He is a great Elemental."

"Excellent! Ah, but the Ice Kingdom is awfully far away..." Minako opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the Queen saying, "Yuuri, you should take Phichit with you!"

Similar exclamations of 'what?' came from every person in the room. "Mother!"

"Mari!" The Queen answered with a chuckle, "Wasn't one of your arguments that no one could ensure Yuuri 's safety from that far away? Well, Phichit can do that, can you not?" She turned to look at Phichit with a pleasant smile.

Phichit quickly bowed, "Of course I can, your Majesty," he said with an excited edge to his voice, Phichit was never one to back down from an adventure, after all.

"There you have it!" She exclaimed, getting up from the throne. "Go and pack your bags, Yuuri. You leave in the morning."

The morning? Yuuri wanted to object; it was much too soon. He didn't know how long he was to be in the Ice Kingdom, but he needed time to settle everything here first. Just when he was about to ask his mother for more time, Phichit and Minako grabbed him by the arms, made him bow, and whisked him out of the room.

"No, wait!" Yuuri said, trying desperately to go back, "I need more time!" Minako and Phichit dragged him through the corridors, ignoring his pleas.

"Yes, Yuuri, we know, but time is something we can't afford to ask right now." Minako said through clenched teeth, probably because of the effort of pulling Yuuri.

"She might change her mind anytime now," added Phichit, "And I get to go too! Isn't that exciting?"

Minako and Phichit kept on talking all the way to his room, leaving Yuuri to wonder what he had signed up for.


"Mother, I don't think you understand what you've done," said Mari, rattling the sword at her hip that she took everywhere. "What will the other kingdoms think if we willingly send our prince away?"

"Yuuri will not be traveling as a prince but as a wizard. There's a difference." The Queen's voice was calm and even, but it had no effect on Mari's anger.

"Yuuri has a responsibility to his people! He has to stay!" Angry blotches of red tainted Mari's cheeks. Why couldn't her mother understand? Yuuri needed to study being King. He needed to spend his days getting to know his kingdom, his people, not traveling his time away.

The Queen looked at her, her eyes reflecting the knowledge only age could bring, "Tell me, Mari, what makes a good King?"

"Benevolence, fairness and leadership," she recited the traits like a well-memorized poem.

"Does Yuuri have all that?"

Mari scoffed, "Of course not." Yuuri was loved by everyone in the kingdom, that was no lie. But Yuuri lacked certain traits needed to rule, a spine for example.

"Of course not," the Queen echoed. "Yuuri has the leadership skills of a rock," Mari stifled a laugh, "But have you seen him doing magic?"

"No," said Mari. Truth to be told, Mari didn't get magic. It was just pretty sparkles and flimsy spells. She had no patience to something that couldn't be used in battle.

The Queen looked at her, a knowing glint in her eye, "Then you can't possibly understand," she sighed, "The way his face changes when he does a spell. The way his movements flow when he is controlling water. Powerful, confident." Her words were charged with what can only be described as parental pride, "I believe magic makes Yuuri confident, and I know it is the key to drawing the King out of him."

Mari sighed, hearing her mother talk about Yuuri's magic like that made her realize the lost battle she was fighting. "You better be right."