I meant to get this up yesterday but for some reason, it wouldn't upload to the doccument manager...oh well, it's up now.
We went on a nother hack again yesterday and this time it was even worse - we walked the entire time! An hour of walking - just walking - and we didn't even go out on the country roads my old ride did, just walked leisurly around the grounds! I miss a lot of lessons due to my parents always wanting to go to Donegal when we're off from school/work - I swear, they're obsessed! - and so I miss all of the new things they learn and then I'm put on the horses who are either lazy or I am just not physically strong enough to get going. Then, I can't do any of the good things - which are very few anyway - in the lesson and so my teacher decided that I would go to my sister's ride for a 'few weeks' to learn to ride the faster horses. Yeah... Then why am I still there months later and ride the same horse as before? Seriously, why? My sister's lesson do little more than the beginners do - they don't even know what serpentines are, for crying out loud! I've only ridden a 'faster horse' about three times and even in that I've improved in riding them a lot. Before that, the last time I had ridden a forward going horse was my friends horse and when we cantered, I couldn't get him to stop and she eventually had to plant herself in front of him at which he came to an immediate halt, sending me somersautling to the ground and, thankfully, landing on my feet. I always somersault off a horse and land on my backside when I come off - it's like I don't know any other way! Oh, except for that one time when Flo stopped dead before the jump and dumped my onto the planks which, by my luck, I landed on with the part of my lower back that wasn't covered by my backbrace, which was too small...
Oh, and the reasons behind Raimundo's arrest were purposely foggy since he doesn't know yet, but we will find out by the end of the story.
Anyway, please R&R!
Chapter Two
Of Families & Unpleasant Arrivals
"So," Kimiko began as she sat beside Raimundo, backs against the tree, watching the ponies drank from the lake before them, "why does your family live on the outskirts of the Land of Xiaolin? Why not in one of the kingdoms?"
"Well…" He glanced at the girl beside him as she dried off the ends of her hair, watching, fascinated, as she evaporated the remaining water droplets, searching for words. "We used to live in Skymond but when I was about a year old, the Heylin invaded. We've lived in the outskirts ever since." He finished with cool shrug, his eyes belying his words and revealing his true emotions; a sense of pain and loss which made no sense to him, but was the spark that ignited the train of thought in Kimiko's head.
"Oh." She watched as he picked at the shrubbery at the base of the tree trunk. "That makes you a year older than me – eighteen, right?" He nodded and the two fell into silent contemplation, at a loss of what to say to each other.
"You know," Raimundo spoke up after a minute, his head tilted slightly to the side, his tone thoughtful. "The stories of the fall of Skymond used to be my favourite – mum would tell them to me every night, and they used to make me feel so…sad…and seemed to fill me with a sense of purpose. As if, if that happened to any of the other kingdoms, I wouldn't hesitate to help them – not like then."
"That's not fair." Kimiko's eyes narrowed and her voice turned deadly serious. "Clay and Omi would've helped if they could've. Clay was three and Omi was the same age as you – there wasn't anything they could've done."
"Yes, but-"
"The Heylin threatened the people – Seismeccia's warriors and crops and the Tsunami Kingdom's water supplies. You know what that means to them. They had no one to lead them, to bring them together to help Skymond. That's what Clay and Omi have done now that they're old enough and so their kingdoms are better prepared and better protected. That's like saying you expected yourself to defend Skymond."
Raimundo stared at her for a moment, face impassive, before he sighed and turned back to face the horses. "You're right. I just…I dunno, I get so worked up about this and I don't know why…"
"Of course, Pyronia may have been able to help." Kimiko's voice was barely more than a whisper. "If it hadn't been for me."
Raimundo's head snapped round to face her, eyebrows raised incredulously. "Come on, now. I told you – mum would tell me the stories every night; I know what happened. The Pyronians were too worried about ensuring your survival to help out. If they had tried, they wouldn't even have been much help – they would've been distracted and gotten themselves killed."
"I suppose you're right." Kimiko sighed miserably. "But that still doesn't mean that they couldn't have helped if I hadn't been born."
"Your birth is the best thing that has happened to Pyronia."
"You think so?" Kimiko asked timidly, looking up at Raimundo through her hair.
Raimundo stared for a moment, taken aback. He had heard all about Princess Kimiko Tohomiko of Pyronia; about her independent spirit, her fragile health, her fighting skills, only made more impressive by her power over her element, her confidence… He had never imagined he would see her before him, looking so…vulnerable. He didn't think anyone had seen her like this, apart from her father and Keiko.
A reassuring smile spread across his face and he took her hand in his. "I know so." Kimiko's face broke out into a dazzling smile and once again, Raimundo stared until his face morphed into one of confusion.
"What is it?"
"I just…why doesn't your father live with you, in the palace? I mean, if you're the Princess, he must be the King… Isn't he?"
"No, he isn't. The royalty of each of the four kingdoms of the Land of Xiaolin isn't decided by bloodlines. It's…" Kimiko trailed off, searching for words. "There are four people on earth who aren't human. They're the four elements in human form and there's one in each kingdom. Prince Clay from Seismeccia is Earth, Omi, Prince of the Tsunami kingdom, is Water and I'm Fire. Wind was never found, so we assumed they were either very young or not born yet when Skymond was taken over. They have a birthmark, which is how they are normally found, and from early childhood, they have a strong affiliation with their element. Since we're the only monarchs the kingdoms are going to have, when the oldest, Clay, reaches the age of 20, they will stop aging, so Clay will always be 20, Omi will always be 18 and I will always be 17. That way, we can always be there for our country and people – we have heightened senses, speed and strength – and we have the power to give one person the same type of immortality we do. You know, so we won't always be alone, we can give it to out husband or wife."
"You said you have a certain type of immortality?"
"We won't die of old age, as we don't age, but we can be killed in battle or of an illness."
Raimundo nodded slowly, taking it all in. The two sat in silence for a moment before Raimundo found something to say.
"I find the idea of a family as small as yours so…strange!"
"Really?" Kimiko's head tilted to the side, still grinning. "Why, how big is yours?"
"There are ten of us."
"Ten!" Kimiko's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. Raimundo chuckled at her expression.
"Yeah, ten. There's mum, dad, Juan – the oldest at 25, then there's Carlos – 23, then Pedro – 21, the twins Fernando and Ricardo – 20, then me, Maria – the only girl – 14, and then Alejandro – 6."
"Wow." Kimiko blinked rapidly while Raimundo stood and offered Kimiko his hand, an amused grin still stretched across his face.
"We should probably get going."
"You think you can keep up now?" Kimiko teased with a cheeky grin, squealing as Raimundo dropped her hand as she was halfway up from the ground.
"You know what; I don't think I'll help you now." Mock glaring at him, ignoring his smirk, she picked herself off the floor and raced him to the ponies.
They soon came to a small winding trail which was very familiar to Raimundo. "We're almost there." Kimiko nodded and the two pushed their ponies to a faster gait. Upon reaching the top of the hill, they stopped, looking down into a valley, where a large house was nestled amongst a fair amount of garden, perfect for a large family.
"It's beautiful." Kimiko breathed.
"It's home." And they began the descent.
As they neared the bottom of the hill, Raimundo noticed Kimiko's usually pale cheeks drain of the little colour they had. "Kimiko?" She turned to stare at him, seeming to stare through him with clouded eyes. "Are you alright?" She blinked a couple of times and focused on his face.
"I-" She seemed to sway on her pony and Raimundo's concern deepened. "I feel…a little…light headed…" Her eyelids fluttered and Raimundo, acting upon instinct, kicked his pony on, appearing by her side in an instant. And not an instant too late as her eyelids continued to flutter and eyes rolling, she fainted right into his waiting arms.
