FangandIggyRule; Ah, yeah, I've seen a few other stories with them as royalty, but I've never really imagined Paul as royalty. I'm not sure if this is just me, but Dawn seems to have more of a royal aura than Paul. It's probably just me, though xD

Rin916; Er. Sorry about that. xD I promise it won't be another month before an update, considering it's summer. Alright? :)

Kpoplover11; No, I have no idea who you are. ;P pft, of course I know. And thanks, that means a lot to me (: but it's not as good as your story. ;D ... the one that has 23 chapters. -grumbles-

Splitheart1120; HAHAH, I'm not going to let Paul die this early on ;P

Sapphiet; With the help of a magical purple unicorn ;D

Funkypurplefuschia; Er. Sorry about that.

SilverTip37; My, my, you're becoming a regular reviewer, aren't you? ;) HAHAH, thanks, you don't mean that. :O I'm flattered. xD

Starfire1407; -bows down- Yes, my lord. Here is the update. ;D

AND VIRTUAL COOKIES FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED ~

-hands out cookies-


All's Fair in Love and War

Chapter Three

Lurking in the Darkness

I have lived in the darkness all my life

Forced into hiding by the higher forces

My existance was forgotten

Carried away by the blustering winds

My time is now

I venture out

In search of only one thing.

Vengeance.

"What...what is the meaning of this?" Dawn exclaimed, gesturing towards the platform where Paul was crumpled on his knees, wrists suspended by thick ropes. She looked at the man wielding the whip contemptuously, her blue eyes icy. "Father ruled that minors are not to be whipped. Have you failed to uphold even this simple rule?"

"That is correct, Princess." the man took off his mask, revealing a gaunt and darkly handsome face. Dawn recognized him immediately, feeling faint at the realization. He as Elias Greene, village executioner. Near the left of the platform sat a circle of viziers, the earliest form of jurists. Iciness took over every fibre of her being as she put together the scene before her- surely Paul hadn't done something extreme... had he? Elias spoke again, his voice gravelly and rough. His fingers curled around the leather whip in his hands, each of the nine tails moving tauntingly in the wind. "This whip isn't to be used on adolescents, true, unless the youth in question has committed a serious crime. Generally, thieving and poaching from royal land is considered a serious crime."

Dawn felt her mouth dry, her mind whirling in disbelief. Ash looked at her from the crowd with dark, inquisitive eyes. No doubt the boy, like nearly everybody in the crowd, was beginning to question Dawn's reckless and uncharacteristic actions. He did not chastise her actions, but frustratingly did nothing to aid her in her losing battle with Greene. Misty was beside him, nervousness in her features. The orange haired girl offered Dawn a shy smile of encouragement.

"Please, Sire Greene, leave him be. I do not believe theft is dire enough to justify such harsh punishment, though it may be from royal land. Certainly, this is enough of a lesson to prevent something like this in the future from occurring again, wouldn't you agree?" Dawn stammered, desperation in her voice.

Suspicion flickered over Greene's face as the man narrowed his eyes, before dropping the whip to his side and giving Dawn a curt bow.

"As you wish, Princess." he said slowly, gesturing for the viziers to follow him. He gave Paul a contemptuous sneer. "The little snot's gotten his punishment already." He left, as did the crowd in front of the platform. Ash lingered, questions in his hazel eyes, but Misty looked at Dawn worriedly, before dragging the village boy out by the ear. Dawn smiled slightly, but it quickly reversed into a frown when Paul's eyes flickered open.

"Y...you really shouldn't have done that." Paul said through gritted teeth. He adjusted his wrists, wincing as the thick rope rubbed against his raw skin, which Dawn noticed was now an alarming red.

"I couldn't very well stand by and let them lash you to death." Dawn responded tartly. Paul's eyes flashed under his messy purple fringe.

"And what, exactly, Princess, made you think I needed you meddling in my affairs? This is my problem and my problem alone. I was stupid and careless, and this is my mine to deal with." he said coldly. Dawn bit her tongue to stop herself from openly screeching at the boy.

"You were unconscious!" the blunette snapped angrily. "I saved your life back there, and all I get in return is you criticising me for meddling in your affairs? I was only trying to help!"

Paul's face tightened, before he looked at Dawn.

"Okay, I apologise." he said gruffly, slipping out a sheathed pocketknife from his shirt sleeve. Using nimble fingers, he unsheathed the knife to reveal a malicious looking blade. "Cut the ropes, will you?"

It was more of a command than a request, but Dawn didn't respond. She went up to the post where he was bound, and snapped the rope binding his wrists. Angry, raw skin revealed where the rope had chafed his wrists, and as he moved, Dawn saw him grimace slightly.

"But why?" he demanded. "You knew that by intervening, you'd ruin your reputation. No kingdom wants a princess who dotes on villagers."

"I... I don't know. Actually, I think I do know. It was sort of an impulse decision, I suppose. I didn't really think, but I do remember thinking of that time you saved us from that Persian. I wanted to return the favour, I guess. A life for a life." her mouth pursed into a hard line. "Elias Greene's a wicked man. I'm certain he would have whipped you until you could hear the whispers of Heaven's angels. He just does not know the difference between doing his job properly and flat out murder."

"I suppose I do owe you my life than." he grimaced, obviously not used to thanking somebody.

"It was nothing." she smiled, and Paul smirked. She thought back to an earlier comment. "Oh, and Paul? I don't give a Tepig's snot whether or not kingdoms send me any marriage proposals. I've found the person I want to be with, and it's not a prince."

His brow furrowed, the corners of his mouth turning down slightly.

"I do not know what to say, Princess Berlitz." the title startled her; Paul had made sure that his contempt for royalty was clear. His voice adopted a clipped tone that Dawn did not recognize as the faintest trace of jealousy. "Is it that village boy you were with when the Persian attacked?"

"Ash? Dear, no." she laughed. As sweet as the boy was, she could never imagine herself in a relationship with him. "He is in love with Misty. Do you not see the way his eyes light up when he looks as the girl?"

"I apologise, Princess. I do not have a tendency to observe the eyes of other males, you understand." he said sarcastically, and Dawn smiled slightly.

"So then, if it is not that bumbling buffoon, who is the boy that captured Dawn Berlitz's heart?" Paul questioned, a slight hint of amusement and curiosity in his gruff voice. Dawn felt herself observing Paul's face, taking a mental note of his angular jaw and masculine features. She took her time answering, wondering if she should answer truthfully or lie.

"He... he is two years older than me. He is a rebel with roguishly good looks- tanned skin and deep, dark eyes, with unkempt hair that contributes to his attractiveness. He is a bit rough around the edges and intimidating, but I know he has a good heart." she said softly. Something flickered in his dark eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"I must be on my way now." he said, beginning to stand up. He winced, supporting himself on the wooden stake he had been tied to.

"You can't walk back like that. Those bruises and cuts will have you bleeding to death on an alley street." Dawn said sternly, pulling his arm.

"I can manage fine." he answered irately, and Dawn let out a laugh of disbelief. Males, she scoffed.

"Listen to me, you bullheaded mule." Dawn snapped. "Those wounds are practically gushing blood. You are going to bleed to death on the streets. Just let me help you."

"You've helped me enough." he said shortly, but Dawn interrupted.

"And I'm not going to let my efforts go to waste!" she hissed, turning him around so she stared at his face. Well, directly, she was staring at his chest. She couldn't help but notice how tight it was against his well built abs...

Wait, what the hell am I thinking? She mentally reprimanded herself, and looked Paul straight in the face.

"Listen, Shinji. I didn't lose my reputation with my family and allies just so you can die on me!"

Her chest heaved from the effort it took to shout at the teenage boy, her face flushed. To her annoyance, Paul smirked.

"You win, Princess. What next?"

x.x.

"Princess." Genevieve's voice greeted her. There was a smile on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. She walked towards Dawn, her movement elegant and graceful. "You are very late. What was of such dire importance that you had to jump out unceremoniously from the royal carriage?"

"I, er, there was a major commotion in the village square. I was only attempting to determine if the situation could potentially turn violent." Dawn stammered, her porcelain cheeks flushed. Genevieve's mouth pursed into a firm line as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Princess, has Reverend Halli taught you anything? Lying is blasphemous." Genevieve said tartly, her eyes fixed on the girl before her. Dawn opened her mouth to defend herself, but Genevieve cut her off. Her green eyes were distant and clouded as she spoke. "Do not lie, Princess Berlitz. I can tell you are lying before you even speak."

"Why do you believe me to be lying, Genevieve? For all you know, I could very well be speaking the truth." Dawn demanded, and Genevieve let out a mirthless bark of a laugh.

"Princess, there was absolutely no chance for there to be an opportunity for the gathering to turn violent. In the slim chance there would be, our guards and military would have stopped it immediately before it could threaten anyone out of the village square. It was only routine procedure- a trial and potentially a punishment. These sorts of gruesome things draw a large crowd, as you may know. More young women came to this one, although I can assume you know the reason?" The servant spoke matter of factly, her speech not unlike that of a teacher speaking to a child.

"As a matter of fact, I do not. Would you care to enlighten me?" Dawn answered stiffly. Genevieve frowned, her perfectly arched eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"The accused was Paul Shinji, an exile from the Apalachan Kingdom. He was exiled after several counts of illegal poaching on royal grounds. My good friend, Celeste, constantly remarked on his good looks. Tanned skin, dark grey eyes, and a heart of ice. Sound familiar yet, Princess Berlitz?" Genevieve went on, ignoring Dawn's clenched fists. "Apparently, he had wandered from the Apalachan Kingdom to the Berlitz Kingdom, wielding nothing but a bow and arrow. Camping out on the outskirts of Etheral Woods, he lived off of only the animals he killed with his arrows. One day, he was careless and caught by a royal guard. Locked up in the village prisons, news of his capture spread like wildfire, and archer Paul grew to be somewhat of a hero. Many attended his trial, hoping that he got off the hook. After all, they argued, he was only trying to survive. You see, Princess, the entire gathering area was patrolled by guards, as you would have known. Only a buffoon would truly believe there was a chance of a riot."

Dawn gritted her teeth as Genevieve looked at her expectantly. She loved and regarded Genevieve like the sister she never had, praising her intelligence and wittiness, but, as she knew all too well, sisters also had an ability to seriously piss you off.

"Perhaps I was telling a white lie in the beginning, but I had no way of seeing who the figure was. I could not have known him to be Paul Shinji. I only noticed that he looked youthful, not much older than myself, and as I knew that minors weren't to be whipped, I had thought that the viziers had given an unfair ruling and that is my reason for my interference." Dawn said, her lower lip jutting out in an act of stubbornness.

"Princess Berlitz, our viziers have been selected as the most moralistic and forgiving people in the village. It was near impossible that they would have given a child an unfair trial." Genevieve reasoned, her voice gentler before. There was understanding in her green eyes, and not knowing the reason for it bothered Dawn. Genevieve was likely her closest friend and her faithfulness to Dawn as her servant had brought her to know the princess on a personal scale better than anyone outside her immediate family. That Genevieve understood something Dawn did not caused frustration to bubble in the princess's core. However, nothing could have prepared her for Genevieve's next words. "You.. you love him, don't you?"

"W..what gives you that impression?" she demanded, but fear and disbelief clawed at her stomach. Genevieve ignored her, observing the girl's blue eyes thoughtfully.

"Your eyes are distant, as if you are thinking about something else- or, perhaps, someone else. Your voice is a mixture of anxiety, admiration, and passion. He was on your mind during the visit to Prince Shigeru, resulting in the reckless behavior your father was reprimanding you about. You knew of his profession, and you feared the worse when you arrived, prompting your impulsive behaviour. I see it now... you truly are in love."

Dawn swallowed as the realization of her words hit her. It terrified her because she knew that she was falling for him, but Genevieve's words had only brought her to admit it to herself. She didn't deny nor confirm her friend's statement, only staring blankly.

"Hah." Genevieve laughed mirthlessly, her laugh almost darkly sinister. "Love's a fickle thing. It draws affection from people forbidden from being together, their love only hurting them both in the end. Apparently, Love was not satisfied with hurting me... me and Thomas. Love had to go after you, too."

Dawn froze, Genevieve's words stabbing her like an icy dagger. The comparison between herself and Paul and Genevieve and her fiancé terrified her. Genevieve looked apologetic as her ghostly pale face stared at Dawn.

"No, I'm sorry." Genevieve said softly, Dawn's heart breaking at the haunted look in her green eyes. Only the mention of her fiance would induce such a reaction from Genevieve. "What happened to me and Stefan will not happen to you."

"I'm so sorry, Genevieve. I should not be tormenting you like this." Dawn said softly, taking her friend into her arms comfortingly. Genevieve returned her embrace, then pulled away to look at her lifelong friend with those absolutely broken eyes of hers.

"I won' tell a soul, Princess." the eighteen-year-old seemed older than her age as she stared at the floor, heartbreak in her voice. "I... I know what it feels like to be denied the love of your life. You deserve better."

Dawn wanted to cry at the sheer pain in her eyes, feeling so utterly helpless. No words seemed adequate enough to comfort her friend, and she stood there like a fool, mouth open. The servant lifted up the hems of her white gown, retreating to her room. Dawn was stunned, still staring at the door her closest friend had walked through. She bit her lip, wishing she could help her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Genevieve. It was best to have left this memory unearthed..." she whispered to nobody in particular, standing up. She left, too, after whispering more apologies that went unheard.

x.x.

She had tangled, greasy blue tresses and clouded sapphire eyes. Her skin was free of blemishes, but covered in grime and oil. Her body was not as voluptuous as it once was, her body and limbs replacing their sexy curviness for thin, bony limbs. Once upon a time, this woman could have been considered beautiful. With clear, milky skin, high cheekbones, seductively plump lips and an hourglass figure, it was impossible to find a similarly aged man who did not admit to being hopelessly in love with her. But behind her beautiful body and seductively whispered words laid a heart blacked and withered from the grip of evil.

The girl stared at Dawn, hate flaring in her hollowed blue eyes. Her dirt encrusted fingernails dug into her skin as her hands curled into fists. She watched her younger, doted-on little sister live the life she was supposed to live. She had been forgotten, her name erased from existence, her memory carried away by the same winds that caressed Dawn's and tousled her silky blue hair.

She hated it. She did not take well to being forgotten.

What was so great about that pathetic girl, anyway? She wasn't beautiful, flashing her sickeningly endearing smile to all she met. The kingdom was more fucked up than she realized, if they had embraced that bitch for a princess. The girl stayed hidden in the shadows, watching the exchange between Dawn and her pathetically lovesick friend.

What kind of a princess had a petty servant for a friend? The girl scoffed derisively, rolling her eyes. Had she been princess, she would have lopped off the heads of any villager who had attempted to speak with her. Princesses did not associate with such filth. That was not the way.

Her thin, white lips upturned into a smile as the figure listened more closely. It was scandalous, that's what it was. The perfect, beautiful Princess Berlitz- in love with a villager? An exile, at that? She would be disowned faster than she could blink. Poor, useless Dawn, baring her heart and soul out to a mentally deranged individual, in the open? It was as if she was wanting to be overheard. The elder girl straightened her back, feeling more powerful than ever. With just her few words, she had enough power to destroy her little sister. And she had every intention to. After all, that is what she had done to her. And she had to return the favour, didn't she?

The girl walked into the hallway, in full view of the guards. She didn't care that she'd probably be yelled at and locked in her chamber. All she had to do was tip off one of the guards, and she'd be free. Free at last, no longer having to lurk in the shadows like a filthy rat. Her assumption was right- the guards started barking at each other, and one pudgy guard ran up behind her, restraining her. She didn't resist, a darkly sinister smile gracing her features.

She did something she hadn't done in what seemed like an eternity.

She laughed.


Anyone guess who the creeper stalker figure is? ;D And I'm sorry for the overuse of pronouns, I kinda wanted to keep the identity a secret.

Genevieve and fiance Stefan will be more important later on in the story, don't worry. It's not a bunch of filler stuff. ;P

Anyway, I hope you liked it. It was fun writing it, hopefully I'll update later this month. (:

As always, reviewers get a cookie! So review! -holds out box of cookies-

-NaruMayoi