Chapter 2: The Heart Of Stone

Disclaimer: Tekken and its characters DON'T belong to me!

Xiao screamed so hard that her voice felt horse immediately; white seemed to flash in her eyes.

Just as her knee smacked against the water and rock, causing her to scream in agony she felt someone grab her hand and hold it tightly.

She looked up and saw his face.

He looked so stone cold as he pulled her up, almost as if he didn't notice he had just saved someone's life!

Her knee felt like it had been put in fire, skin was torn away and blood was gushing out. Her lips felt dry and cracked; and she could taste blood in her mouth.

Eventually she reached the safe point of the river. She tried to get up and walk to the dry banks but her strength failed her, her knee felt wobbly and her breathing was irregular.

"Here…" offered Jin, holding out a strong hand towards Xiao.

"Thanks," mumbled Xiaoyu as she gripped his hand and let him help her up.

She winced slightly but continued to hobble towards the banks of the river.

The banks were sandy and quite steep but Xiaoyu just managed to get up them with Jin's help that is!

Eventually they reached the camp, it was just after dawn and some of the sentries were up getting ready to move camp.

Young officers ran towards prince Jin and addressed him politely.

"Sir…where have you been?"

Jin looked stern and barred his teeth, which made the officer a little nervous, Jin was well known for his anger and abnormal outbursts of fury.

"Collecting this prisoner from the river…trying to escape fool!" he yelled kicking the officer in the chest.

"Sire…we're ready to go!" barked the second in command, saluting neatly.

"Good…check the prisoners chains…make her run behind my horse…tie a leash to her and tie the other end to my horse's saddle!" commanded the prince as he raised his sword and thrust it into its sheath. "Keep her sword with my tent…and don't screw up, or you'll be hanging at midnight in my father's palace!"

Xiao's knee looked even worse then ever, by the ground where she lay curled up was a small puddle of blood, and the skin was covered in mud.

Her breathing was almost silent (a trait she had learn in training). Inside her memories flooded her mind; no peril could harm her!

Flashback (five years of age)

"Come on my little petal…its time for your training!" whispered the old man gently.

Xiao rose up and yawned childishly.

"Where's mum…and dad?" she asked hastily.

"Their just off into town with your auntie," replied grandfather Wang, gently pinching Xiao's cheek.

"Come on petal…don't you want to train…or should I just go off and train some little boy?"

Xiaoyu growled silently.

"Not a chance grandfather…your not getting away that easily!" she teased, jumping from her bed and cart wheeling around Wang.

"Save that energy for practice my little blossom!"

Xiao stood still for a moment and put her cute face on.

"After training can you tell me about the dragons that once lived here?"
"Hmm…well only if you eat all of your vegetables!" replied Wang, thinking Xiao would never do such a thing.
Xiao winced. "I'll eat the carrots, the peas, anything...BUT the broccoli!" she replied as she rushed out of her room in her light pink pyjamas.
Wang sighed, "I goes its better then nothing!" he thought.

(I'm not mad enough to make Xiao eat broccoli…NO WAY!")

End of flashback

Xiao smiled briefly at her memory of her dear teacher and grandfather.

"GET UP!" shouted an officer, holding a sword by her throat.

Xiao's eyes darted upon the middle-aged man; she could feel the sword under her neck.

Carefully she swiped it away and calmly got up, two young fit men grabbed her roughly and forced her out of the tent and towards the great stallion.

Jin stared at Xiaoyu's leg.

"Little cow won't be able to hardly run…she'll be dead before she reaches the palace!" he muttered, patting his stallion's glossy neck.

Xiaoyu had struggled to run and keep up with the speedy stallion, but her worrier training kept her going for miles.

Eventually the whole camp had to stop for the night, and Jin was in a bad mood; for they still had more then half the journey ahead of them.

"Next time you won't be so lucky…Chinese scum!" retorted in as he untied the rope from the saddle and threw it in Xiao's face.

(If you're Chinese yourself and your reading this, don't take it literally!)

"I don't see how I'm lucky!" she mumbled, catching the robe in her right hand and untying it from around her.

"You try to escape…and your dead!" warned Jin as he approached his tent and started to get it up.

Xiao stared at the cold-hearted prince; she would have expected him to wear some finery, like silk clothes Yet he only wore the simple dark green woollen clothes, with a black cloak. He wore exactly what most of the other soldiers wore!
Carefully she tried to take her mind off her captor.
The cold frost bit at her scratched face, and her tangled dull hair waved about in the wind.
She felt so tired and felt like she had never slept for weeks.
All her remaining energy drained away from her and she felt so drowsy, carefully she settled her aching head onto the cold ground.
Her eyes trembled closed.

When Xiao woke up she felt a little warmer then normal, she was beside a small fire and a green blanket had been draped around her.
Her face was much cleaner; her knee's wound had been cleaned up and bandaged.
She looked up and saw prince Jin talking to one of the captains.

"When can we move out then sir?" asked the young captain eagerly.

"As soon as it strikes sunrise, make sure she's put on a horse and at the very front, just beside me…so I can make sure she doesn't escape." Jin stared down at Xiao.

He knew she was listening.
The captain nodded and left the warm fire.

"Thank you," whispered Xiao shyly.

Prince Jin nodded and started to help out the packing away.
"Get ready for the journey," said Jin briefly.

As the army rode out in the beautiful and peaceful day they neared the great palace that belonged to King Kazuya.
Jin and Xiao were riding alongside at the front quite silently, passing no words between themselves until they reached the palace.

Writers End Note:

Ok, sorry I haven't posted the next chapter for a while, but now you'll have to wait a while again, cause I have a little science test I've got to revise for!
But the next chapter will be better...maybe with a clifhanger!