The Twelve-Year War

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Chapter 3

The Ice Silver Crystal

Eleven Years Earlier...

"Once upon a time, centuries and centuries ago, powerful, magical Crystals existed in our world" Natsu said to his seven-year-old daughter, covering her with a light sheet since it was unusually warm for a mid-autumn Duranian night. "These magical Crystals gave immense amount of power to the warriors that wielded them. These-"

"What kind of power?" Natsuki excitedly interrupted as she raised to a sitting position on the bed, only to be gently pushed down by the shoulder again.

"Could the warriors fly?" Her hands went up in the air, expressing herself through movement, "Cut a mountain in half? Swim in a river of fire?" her Emerald eyes widened even more, "Become giants?" she whispered those last two words.

The King's eyebrows raised in amusement by his daughter's imagination, thinking that perhaps this sort of bedtime story wasn't the best choice for the Hime. It seemed like his daughter was far more energetic than before, more awake than before; she actually seemed interested and it didn't seem like she was planning on falling asleep anytime soon.

He usually read her one of the princesses illustrated books once she was tucked in. But tonight, she wanted to hear something different. So, he thought he'd introduce her to the Otomes, the powerful and very beautiful virgin, female warriors. There were so many tales about them it'd take a few lifetimes to tell them all.

"Hmm, perhaps they could..." The King answered with a soft smile, entertaining her ideas. "The tales say that they could jump so high in the air it seemed as if they could fly. That they were so strong that they could cut through rock with just one single punch. That they could move so fast it was as if they could disappear right in front of your eyes" His index finger playfully tapped her small, round nose, whispering, "And that deep inside them, there was powerful... magic"

The little girl's Emerald eyes widened in excitement by that last word. It was one of her favorite words. "What kind of magic?" And she quickly sat up again, but only to be pushed down onto her fluffy pillow again.

"Very powerful magic, Natsuki" The King said. "So powerful it could burn Diamonds, the strongest material known to mankind, in just one second"

Natsuki smiled widely. "Wow... that's really, really, really, really, really powerful" Her kingdom dealt with Diamonds, so even at her early age she knew how long the beautiful, yet rough rock took to be cut.

And Natsu, he hummed in agreement. And then, continued with what he was going to say before Natsuki interrupted him with all the questions.

"These magical Crystals held so much power in them that one warrior alone could not wield it. The Crystal needed to be shared with a very special female, someone you had a very special connection with. It could be family, a friend, a lover... The deeper their connection, the closer they physically were to one another, the stronger the power"

"If I ever find a magical Crystal, I would share it with Shizuru" Natsuki happily chimed in, sitting up straight again, only to be pushed down on the bed yet again. "She's my best friend. She's my very special person"

And the Duranian King smiled, for his daughter was such a sweet, sweet girl. "That's very generous and kind of you, Natsuki" He said, and then lightly chuckled, "Luckily for Shizuru Hime, these Crystals do not exist anymore... I'm not so sure she would appreciate the gesture"

This made Natsuki adorably pout, more so because she didn't understand what he meant by those words.

"Where did the Crystals come from?" She then curiously asked.

"Ah, that, my dear princess, is the greatest mystery of all" His hands gently grabbed onto the corners of the yellow sheet and brought it up to his daughter's chest, covering her again.

"No one knows where they came from, they just magically appeared out of nowhere. But there are many theories" He continued, "Some say they fell out of the sky... and some say, that because of the nature of the bearers, that it was created from the purest of hearts" and when he noticed the puzzled expression on her little face, "A pure little heart like yours, my lady" and then he tickled her waist, making her writhe and laugh, "Your heart will turn into a magical Crystal one day"

And once the tickling and giggling and laughing had subsided, "Stop being silly dad, hearts don't turn into Crystals. That's weird"

No, hearts didn't turn into Crystals.

But there was one thing the King knew for sure. The tales said that not just anyone could have the privilege to use them, that only pure hearts and pure hearts alone could wield the magical, precious stones.

"What happened to the Crystals?" Was the next question.

"You're full of questions today, aren't you, little one?" The King let out with arched brows, "Hmm, let me think..." he gently tapped on his chin, "The tales say that the warriors came together one day and decided to destroy them so that no one else could use them ever again" was the simple, yet not-so-simple answer.

"You see, once you are a beholder of a Crystal, it stays with you and your pair until one of you passes away" He added, "And when one of you pass way, both your bodies disappear into thin air, and the Crystal would mold into one again, so that the next pair could possess its power... The warriors, the Otomes, wanted to stop this cycle, and the Kingdoms agreed with them, after some time, of course" Yes, many disagreements broke out because of this decision, and then a terrible war followed. Not all the leaders agreed with losing this power they thought was a gift sent from the gods. "So, once the beholders passed, the Crystals were destroyed, one by one, until there was none"

Natsuki's eyebrows furrowed, "But why would they want to destroy it?"

"Because, my dearest Hime, many sacrifices and risks came with bearing this power... being a beholder of a Crystal, being an Otome, was both, a blessing and a curse"

The puzzled expression on his daughter's face demanded details, not knowing the meaning of these words.

But the details where too gruesome for someone her age, someone so young, so instead...

"What have I always told you, Natsuki?" He softly asked, "Wherever there is good..."

"There is also bad" The child obediently answered.

"Good" He softly smiled at her. "Wherever there is a great hero..."

"There is also a great evil"

"Right" And added, "Wherever there is light..."

"There is also dark"

"Exactly" He leaned forward and kissed his daughter on the forehead, "When you're older, you'll understand these words" he said to her, "But enough of fairytales and myths for tonight, it's time for this curious princess to go to bed"

"But you haven't even started the story yet" The child complaint, small pout in place.

"I will tell you one of the many tales tomorrow night, I promise..." He lovingly smiled at her, "Now, off to bed, Natsuki" and he kissed his daughter and forehead once again.

Present Time

"Nnn..." Natsuki slowly blinked, awakening from her peaceful slumber. She had been reading one of the books Shizuru had brought her as a gift and had dozed off about an hour ago without noticing.

"Of all the things to dream about..." She sleepily mumbled, a hand gently rubbing her eyes as she raised to a sitting position on the fluffy bed. By the softness of the light beaming through the large windows, she could tell it was a little past six, that the sun was about to set.

"Is it not dinner time yet?" She thought it was strange that no one had bothered to come get her.

Unless they had sent the readhead. She always took her time and never bothered waking her when she was asleep. 'She's a strange girl'

In the morning, after she had said goodbye to Shizuru, after they had parted at the entrance of the castle, she went ahead and took a long, relaxing, and much needed bath. She didn't bother dressing right after, she had stayed in her silky robe after she had towel dried.

Why?

Because she wanted to try on the clothes the brunette had given her. She had brought her so many gifts from her travels that she didn't know where or how to begin.

She looked at the exotic hairpins first, admired their fine and delicate artisanship before putting them away.

She also tried on all the clothing, except for the beautiful kimono, the kimono would have to wait. It seemed very difficult to put together since there were a few different parts. So, she was going to ask Shizuru to help her with it on the day of her birthday since the Kiyohemian Hime was the expert.

She thought that perhaps she would visit Shizuru early that week, stay in Kiyohime for a few days and leave a few days after her celebration. That way, they could spend some alone time together at her vacation home by the border and catch up.

She was hoping to talk to her when they met tomorrow night about this unspoken relationship of theirs.

Well, actually, scratch that.

As of today, it was no longer unspoken. As of today, their feelings were out in the open. And let's add to that, that they almost kissed! Had it not been for that knock on the door, she would've felt Shizuru's lips on hers.

'Curse that knock!' Natsuki thought.

She was hoping to talk to Shizuru, wanted to get a sense of what Shizuru wanted to do. If she wanted to keep things quiet for a little while so that they could have some privacy, or if it was okay to let their family and friends know. Whatever Shizuru decided to do was fine with her.

'I can't believe this is happening' She couldn't help and happily think as she fell back on the bed, a faint blush heating up her cheeks.

She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come. Couldn't wait to see Shizuru again. She had only seen her for a little while, less than an hour; and yes, she knew this because she had counted the minutes she was with her.

And now, she was happily counting down the hours until she could see her again. It was hard for her to keep her emotions at bay.

She wished she could've accompanied Shizuru to Kiyohime today, but she didn't like to show up at the Kiyohemian castle unannounced.

She knew she was welcomed there anytime. She got along great with Shizuru's parents, she loved them, they were like a second family to her since she knew them since she was a little girl. She had spent so much time with them, so many summer and winter holidays in their castle. But since the Kiyohemian King had just returned from a long and exhausting trip, plus all the arrangements that the Queen probably had to make for Shizuru's upcoming celebration, she thought it was best not to. It was a busy time and she didn't want to impose.

She was also a little nervous about what their reaction would be once they found out that she had feelings for their daughter. She wondered if they would be okay with this, if they would treat her differently because of it. But she knew them well, they were good, kindhearted people. She knew that if she told them she was serious about their daughter, that she would try her best to make her happy, that they would be okay with them courting, that they would have their blessing in this new relationship.

Now, her own father was a different story. She wasn't so sure how he would react anymore, if he'd be okay with her courting Shizuru. It seems like he knew something or suspected something about them, for he had been acting strange since Shizuru arrived this morning.

When she had regained consciousness in the arena, she noticed the strange look he was giving her and Shizuru, all the way up until she left the castle.

Why was he doing this? She wasn't sure, he'd never done that before.

And during lunch, she noticed that he seemed unusually quiet and pensive, as if something was bothering him. And he kept looking at her, was if he wanted to ask her something but couldn't form the questions, couldn't form the right words.

After she had finished eating lunch, as she excused herself to leave the table, feeling a little uneasy by the strange stares, he had asked her if they could talk after supper. He had asked her to meet him in his study.

He was acting strange, Natsuki thought, very strange. And she didn't know what to make of it. She didn't know if she wanted to meet with him at all. To have this talk.

"Alright" Natsuki slowly left the bed, sighing in defeat, "Let's get this over with" she noticed it was a little past six, so Shizuru had a few more hours left on her journey home, perhaps five more hours, depending on how many rest stops she took on her way there.

She left her bedroom and walked down the long, quiet, poorly lit hallway. It seemed like the servants hadn't lit the candles yet to illuminate the halls.

Then, when she reached the end, when she reached the brick wall, she took a left and went down the smooth, cemented stairs.

Her father's study was facing the rear of the castle, so all she could see outside the windows was large trees, green grass, and then the big wall, the big wall that lead to that once enchanted forest.

'Was it ever enchanted at all?' She thought.

She stopped for a moment to contemplate the view. Her dream, the talks about the Crystals in her dream, brought up the memory of that day ten years ago. The day she and Shizuru had gone into the forest.

"I think all those bedtime stories my father told me must've made me hallucinate" She thought aloud. "Children have such imaginative minds"

And then, her Emerald eyes left their stare of the forest, and the blunette kept on walking the unusually dark halls.

But when she reached her father's study, she couldn't get close to the door. Two royal guards were standing there, guards she'd never seen before, and she knew them all, she was friendly with them all.

"Good evening, gentleman" One of the guards said to her, not letting her pass, blocking the way. "The King is preoccupied at the moment and asked not to be disturbed"

It seemed like this man wasn't from Duran, he didn't know who she was. He didn't know that she was the princess, the future heiress of Duran.

Natsuki thought it was probably because her hair was tied, and because of her current state of dress, because she was wearing the latest fashion from Zipang as Shizuru had said earlier today. This impostor of a guard probably thought she was a man. A very feminine young man.

"Please return a little later"

And she slowly nodded, agreeing, discreetly eyeing them both from head to toe, noticing they were heavily armed. And then, she calmly, quietly took her leave.

She knew this castle inside out, there were other ways of getting into that study.

Secret passageways.

She was going to get into that study one way or the other. She was going to see her father one way or the other. No one could stop her. Of that, she was certain.

Once she had reached the end, once she was out of sight, 'What the hell is going on? Who were those guys?' She thought and quickly headed for the stairs, headed for the room below her father's study. She could get to him from there.

She quickly yet quietly moved one of the fancy looking couches to the side once in the room. And then, she got on her knees, hands feeling the edges of the wall behind the couch. She was feeling for something specific, searching for two small bumps.

Once she had found the bumps, she pushed them at the same time. And instantly, that part of the wall opened slightly, so, she had to push it the rest of the way.

She quickly crawled through it, crawled through the small square. And then, once at the other side, she closed it and quietly, cautiously walked up the secret stairs.

About a minute later, when she had reached her destination, she peaked through a small hole, looked around before she opened the secret door. She was making sure the coast was clear.

'Dad!' And her eyes widened when she found her father. He was sitting not too far away, tied to a chair, and there was blood on his face. Someone had dared lay a hand on the King.

"Who has it?"

Natsuki then heard,

"Who is the bearer of the remaining Crystal?"

And Emerald eyes searched for the rough, manly voice. The voice that echoed, that didn't sound human at all.

"I don't know what you're talking about" The King weakly answered.

"Do not play coy with me, King Kruger"

The strange voice then said,

"I know the Ice Silver Crystal is near… I can sense it. Someone in this castle is the bearer"

'Ice Silver Crystal?' Natsuki thought with furrowed brows, her heart pounding, Emerald eyes still desperately searching for the owner of the voice.

'Where are you? Why can't I see you?' She couldn't find him at all. And she couldn't go in there in the blind, it would be very unwise, she could get caught. Once she found him, once she knew where this person was standing, if he was armed, then she could try and make a move.

"I already told you, I don't know what you're talking about" King Kruger repeated, swallowing when the Dark Lord got nearer.

"I know you have a young daughter, we're searching for her now"

And the King swallowed yet again, but stood his ground. "I don't know anything about these Crystals that you're looking for. Please leave my Kingdom at once, take all the jewels and gold you desire. I wont persecute, please leave us be" He said firmly. "My daughter knows nothing about this. She's not who you're looking for... leave her out of this"

"My great, Dark Lord…"

Natsuki then heard.

She recognized the voice, it was the guard who had talked to her a little earlier. The one who had prevented her from coming into the study.

'I don't understand. Had I seen wrong?' But for some reason, he didn't look the same as before, his complexion seemed darker, his face had changed.

"The princess is nowhere to be found. She's not in the castle, and she hasn't been spotted in town"

Emerald eyes then went to her father. He seemed to physically relax when hearing this.

"I want that Crystal… I will not rest until it's in my possession"

The strange voice then calmly said.

"I have been living in the shadows for centuries, waiting for two pure hearts to find it. And I am patient, I can wait a little longer to be reunited with it"

'W-What... what is that?!' And then, Natsuki gasped when she saw it, when she saw who or what the voice belonged to.

She quickly covered her mouth and took an involuntary step backwards, frightened, her hand accidentally hitting one of the torches close by and making it fall on the ground. The sudden sound echoing in the silence.

'Is this sorcery?' She couldn't believe her Emerald eyes. It was surreal.

'Natsuki?' King Kruger heard the sound. It was very faint, but he had heard it. 'The passageway' He knew exactly where his daughter was and why she couldn't be found.

And everyone in the room heard the noise as well. All heads were turning around, looking up, going for the wall behind them.

"Please leave this Kingdom!" But Natsu quickly tried to cover the sound, to distract these intruders, "We don't know anything about these Crystals!" he shouted, all eyes on him once again.

All eyes except for the shadowed silhouette.

Did shadows have eyes?

And Natsuki, she slowly headed for the wall again, walked towards the hole. And when she peaked, her Emerald eyes fell on light blue ones. Light blue ones that were staring straight at her. Eyes that were telling her to run. Eyes that were pleading her to leave this place immediately. To not even think about going in that room.

"You've done well, King Kruger, keeping the bearers apart" The shadow spoke again.

"W-What... What do you mean?" And Natsu swallowed, eyes on the shadow again. Somewhat knowing what this man, this monster, this thing or whatever this was, meant by those words. For usually, the bearers of a Crystal never parted, they usually remained close by. They were most powerful, their abilities more noticeable when together, when they weren't apart.

But the King didn't know the Crystals still existed, or that his daughter had one of them in her possession, not until today. He couldn't take the credit for what this thing was saying.

"You're coming with me" The man in the shadows said, "I will not waste time looking for her. You will be the bait that will draw her out"

And then, one of the guards, hit the King hard on his head with the back of his sword, making him lose consciousness.

'No, dad...' And Natsuki, her hands, they trembled in anger, they turned into fists.

She thought that perhaps it was best to show herself, to surrender so that they could leave her father alone. It seemed like it is her who they wanted.

She was about to kneel, about to open the secret door and make her presence known.

She had no idea what was going on, what all this was, or what these people wanted with her. She didn't know if this was a nightmare, if she was still dreaming, or what. This scenario, whatever it was that was happening at the moment, these talks of magical Crystals, didn't seem real to her at all.

"Kiyohime"

The rough voice then said, and this made Natsuki halt in place. She didn't even blink, her heart pounding fast.

"The other bearer of the Crystal is in the Kiyohimean castle"

And Natsuki swallowed. And her face, it had turned pale white, as if all the blood had been drained from her head.

"Perhaps it is time we pay a visit to the wonderful, prosperous Kingdom of Kiyohime… It's been centuries since I've been there"

And a few seconds later, in the blink of an eye, the shadow, the guards, and her father, were gone.

"No..." Natsuki whispered, wide eyed, for it was like a magic trick, they had disappeared right in front of her eyes. "Shizuru" They had vanished. They were gone.

~ 0 ~


Thanks for Reading!

And thanks so much for the Reviews/ PMs/ Comments!

I am truly humbled with the positive reviews I'm getting on this story :) Thank You!

I stopped there, because I have to think a little more how I want to handle what's coming next. I am finding myself in a delicate situation with Shizuru.

Also, to the Guest Reviewer, I know Angst isn't included in the list of Genres. I normally add it once I'm at that point :)

And no Shizuru in this chapter :( But we'll see her on the next one!

Let me know what you guys think!

"For the love of ShizNat"