A/N:First of all, I want to thank everyone who commented on my story (in reviews and in pms). Thank you guys, your support and your kind words mean a lot :)

Then, I want to say I'm sorry it took me so long to update this fiction. I hope the second and the last part of this story will be satisfying.

Alibaba had been wandering for at least one hour before that fateful encounter. While he was walking, he was trying to escape all the negative thoughts of his mind. Apparently, he had no luck on that. Images of injured Aladdin, the fog troupe and Cassim kept flooding in him.

Cassim…at least you found your resolve, he thought of his best friend and childhood companion, what I'm supposed to do? How can I find a solution for the people of my country and also don't betray my father's trust for a second time?

I'm not meant to become a leader. I should never be called Prince. After all I abandoned this position a long time ago.

Suddenly, he noticed some action in a dark alley. It seemed that two men had cornered a girl for Solomon knows what reason. The girl had kneeled in front of them and kept her head down while the men slowly but certainly were getting closer to her.

Alibaba didn't hesitate a minute. He may wasn't worthy enough to become his country's savior but he could at least ease the pain of a poor girl, that much he could do.

There is a reason that Amon chose me, after all! He muttered to himself and sped up.

He was now between the girl and her abusers. He held his flaming sword in front of him and looked angrily at the men who stood in front of him. Both of them took a step backwards.

Alibaba didn't waste any more time with them. He decided that it was more important to check if that poor girl was okay.

"Are you alright, miss?'' he asked her calmly and turned to face her.

The girl lifted up her head. His golden eyes met her ruby ones and the girl nodded positively.

Kougyoku was truly grateful to the man who had appeared to save her. She didn't even want to imagine what would have happened to her without his interference. Now that the man wasn't longer paying attention to her and was working his sword into its case, Kougyoku took a more careful look at him.

Her savior seemed around her age. Could he even be considered a man? He looked more like a boy in his late teens. He was of average height, with a slim yet manly figure and he was surrounded by a blooming freshness.

Kougyoku was trying to figure out his status by looking at him. She didn't find any noticeable traits that could give her that information away, though. He honestly looked just another ordinary person. His ordinary clothes and the clumsiness of his movements dictate that there wasn't anything exceptional about him

Why then I get the feeling that there is something special about him? She wondered.

And why his sword was on fire? He must be a dungeon capturer but then why an ordinary boy would be a king candidate?

A commoner being a king candidate appeared as a bad joke to her. No djiin would accept an ordinary person as their master and no magi would raise a dungeon for such a person; at least not the only magi she knew.

King candidates as their name suggest are potential Kings so where does a common boy fit in? It didn't make any sense! Kougyoku was as confused as she was curious about that boy.

He was now approaching the men who were chasing her earlier. The men took a few steps backwards but the boy didn't seem to mind. As he was standing in front of them he did the least excepting thing. He gave them two silver coins.

"I think this money is enough for you to feed your family. Now, leave and next time don't try to steal from innocent civilians''.

What he was thinking he was doing? Kougyoku felt offended by him. Those two filthy scams had disrespected her and now that clueless boy was rewarding them? She didn't know his reasons but suddenly she didn't care about it. All she cared was unleashing the fury she felt. She moved closer to him in order to give her a piece of her mind.

"Why did you do that?'' She almost screamed not controlling her anger anymore. The boy turned to face her with a surprised look on his face.

The two men were now stepping slowly away from them and going to their destination, wherever that was.

"Is attacking an innocent woman worth rewarding?'' she asked him and put her hands on her waist. The boy continued to stare at her "Just tell me!'' she demanded an answer.

So far she had been mistreated by every single person she met and she had enough of it. First, she was send to marry without anyone asking for her opinion, and while normally she would never blame her family for that, now that her fury had taken over the best of her, she thought they deserved a mention. Then, she hadn't even met her future husband who could be a monster for all she knew. Koubun was treating her like a child all the time, Judal was pulling pranks on her on daily basis, those horrible men wanted to rob her and now that boy was humiliating her by siding with them just after he saved her. She really had enough and that boy would taste her wrath.

"I wasn't rewarding them'' the reply came unexpectedly "I just gave them alms''.

"Alms?'' she asked while she was caught by surprise. Why in the world some vile thieves need help?

"Didn't you notice how skinny they both were? Also their clothes were worn out.''

Truth to be told Kougyoku didn't pay much attention to that. During their attack her mind was occupied with more crucial things, like her survival. "It's sad what poverty can make people do'' he said more to himself than replying to her.

All of her life her knowledge about people living in poverty was limited. Koubun never thought it was important for her to learn about the poor people and she was never curious about it. Granted, she knew that not everyone was living like she and her family did at the palace. After all, she had lived the first years of her life with her mother who was a merely courtesan. Her life back then wasn't as luxurious as the life of a princess but she was always provided with the necessities and had never experienced poverty herself. She had never really thought that people who were starving did exist. The image of poorer people outside of the market she had seen earlier wasn't just an ugly scene anymore. It was a sad cause of actual, real people starving in front her very eyes. How could she have missed their pain?

Embarrassed with herself she lowered her eyes "I didn't know…I never imagined…''

"It's okay'' he reassured her with a calming expression and a warm smile.

Why he was the one to comfort her, even if he barely knew her? Kougyoku felt guilty that she had jump earlier into conclusions about the person who had actually saved her and the fact that now he was the one trying to console her made her feel even worse about herself.

She realized that she hadn't even thanked him for saving her and that made her felt even more ashamed.

"Thank you for saving me earlier''; her cheeks were a deep shade of pink now as she managed to say those words.

"There is nothing to thank me for. I did what everyone else would do in my place'' he reassured her with a humble tone in his voice.

Everyone else who do the same? Kougyoku didn't think so. She hadn't met many kind people in her life and every unlucky encounter had taught her that people were malicious given the chance. That boy was an exception.

"So, where you're heading off?" he casually asked her and make her jump out of anxiety. What she was supposed to tell him? She couldn't just tell him that she was a princess who lost her way. She was supposed to keep her little trip to the city center a secret.

The boy sensed her discomfort "I'm only asking you because the roads aren't safe- as you have already noticed. I mean to accompany you if you don't mind".

"Well, I was going to the palace" Kougyoku tried to make up the most believable story she could manage. In the mention of the palace the young man made a brooding expression Kougyoku couldn't exactly figure out ''I'm a new servant, you see!" she quickly added hoping she sound believable enough.

"Alright, then let's go to the palace" he sighed as he started leading the way.

Alibaba cursed his luck. Of all the places she could be going, the palace was her destination! The only place in the world he wanted to avoid. Still, he couldn't let her alone. Not after what happened earlier. He said he could at least protect a single innocent person and he wouldn't go back on his word.

Since they were stuck together, he started to observe her. Her most recognizable feature was her long flowing pink hair. Alibaba could only imagine how long it must be flowing free. He wondered how it would feel, if he removed her hairpin and caress her hair, but he pushed away these thoughts embarrassed with himself.

The girl continued to walk next to him, in a graceful manner that gave her a noble aura. Despite what she said earlier, Alibaba was convinced she was of noble origin. He had spent long enough time among nobility to recognize when someone was one of them and he had spent almost all his life in poverty to recognize those who hadn't born that unlucky.

She's probably my brothers' guest? He wondered. She must have come from far away because her looks and her manners indicate that she's a foreigner.

Anyone else in his place would call her out for lying to him, but Alibaba was sure he wouldn't do it.

I don't know what she's hiding but she must have her reasons. After all I'm not the one to talk about it, as I've been hiding all my life.

The road had leaded them to the open market now. The girl had a radiant look as she was observing the stands around her. Alibaba couldn't help but smile at her expression.

She really is cute.

"Do you know what is this?" she pointed at a table full of blue flowers.

"That's a local flower. It's called 'Solomon's tear'!" seeing that she had her attention on him he continued "Those flowers have a fresh aroma and they can make delicious spoon sweets"

"I wonder how they taste..." she said more to herself and her glance wandered over the next stand which was filled with small jars containing those sweets.

"Why don't you find out?" Alibaba grabbed her hand and before she could protest he dragged her to the sweets' stand.

"Hello" he said to the middle aged stallholder "we would like to have a jar of sweets and two spoons if it's possible".

"Sure, sure" the stallholder replied with a smile and handed the jar and the spoons to Alibaba "it costs two silver coins" and as Alibaba was giving the cost he added "Have a great day you two lovebirds".

Alibaba froze where he was standing and while he wasn't looking at her he was sure that the girl had a similar reaction from the way she gasping "We are no couple, sir" she managed to say in a high pitched voice, but the stallholder had already return to his work so he didn't hear her.

Besides, she said that in a really low voice, Alibaba noticed.

His eyes locked with hers and she immediately lowered her glance while her cheeks flushed in a reddish cheek color.

For a while they were walking in silence with the only sound to accompany them being that of their spoons clashing as they were eating the sweets. Alibaba was grateful for that, as he could feel his own face getting hotter and hotter.

Kougyoku was glad that the embarrassment was finally over between them. Over the last hour they had talked about everything and nothing. She was glad to discover that he also enjoyed flowers almost as much as she did, and she told him about how much she enjoyed music. Then, she fully listened to him describing what it felt to train with a sword while being careful not to give away that training was part of her everyday routine. They had so much in common that Kougyoku found it incredibly easy talking to him.

I could talk to him for hours, maybe even days, she admitted while she allowed herself to glance at him. Was he always handsome or it was just the light of sunset making him seem more appealing? Kougyoku was afraid to answer those questions on her mind. Instead she gaze the horizon ahead of her. The palace was growing closer and closer with every step she took and she wished she could stop the time for a while since she was enjoying her conversation so much. But alas, all the good things come to an end.

"Wait a minute" the boy told her and without a warning he started to climb in a nearby fence.

Kougyoku was on the verge of freaking out. She had no idea what made him decide to climb in the first place and neither did she care. All she cared about was that the fence was high and that he could easily lost his footing and fall. She wanted to tell him to stop but all she could do was watching him climb higher and higher while she was holding her breath. When he reached on the top he jumped to the other side of the fence.

"What do you think you are doing?" she shouted at him "do you have any idea how dangerous is this?"

"Earlier you said that you liked flowers so I decided to offer you some" he gave her a genuine smile and started to climb back.

Kougyoku was still angry with his actions but after his answer she didn't felt like arguing with him anymore.

He did this for me? she said to herself, When was the last time someone offered me flowers? Has anybody ever offered me flowers?

"Here" he said as he presented the bunch of flowers to her.

She hesitated for a moment and then she grabbed the flowers while she muttered a 'thank you' to him. The fresh flowers in her hands gave her a nice sensation while their sweet aroma filled the air surrounding them. She closed her eyes and tried to save this moment.

"We are almost here" the sound of his voice made her open her eyes "I'm sorry but this is as far as I can go".

So it was finally the time for them to part.

"You see I can't get any closer..."he started to mumble but she stopped him. She didn't want him to apologize. Not after saving her, and then making her forget her problems.

"It's alright. You've done enough for me already. More than enough, actually" that seemed to lighten up his face. "Thank you for everything" she said and gave him a small bow.

Then she turned around and headed to the palace which was so near now that she could see the lights in many of its windows. As she arrived at its gates she wondered if she should glance back once again at her savior, but eventually she decided against it and moved on.

Alibaba was left gazing at the girl as she took each step away from him. Her small figure would soon be lost in the dark as the sun gave its place to the moon. He wondered if she would look back at him. He would like to see her face once again, despite the fact that it would be hard for him to figure out her features in such a weak light. In the end, she never did.

Only when she disappeared inside the palace's gate he realized he hadn't even asked her name. It was too late now, but he decided it didn't mattered much, because that girl, even if she remained nameless, had been able to make him forget all of his problems for a while. For that he was grateful and he was sure that he wouldn't forget about her.

And who knows, maybe one day I shall meet her again...

A/N:I always planned this story to be told in two parts. But as I was writing the second chapter I realised the potential it would have as a long chapter fiction. Perhaps one day I should revisit it and write a sequel. But for the time being I shall focus on some one shot projects.

Please review and let me know what you think :)