Another revised chapter! Even though I am going to put many of my revised chapters in at the same time, (so you guys wouldn't know how fast I'm writing this) but I've already revised the prologue and two chapters in about two days and for me that's a huge bound. With the speed I'm going I'll be done the first fourteen chapters in less than two weeks, wouldn't that be great? Anyway, I hope you enjoy another revised chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, so no suing, I need that money for my trip to New York City. I do own my created characters and the concept, so you can't sue me for them.
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The Heartless Soldier
Chapter 3: Etiquette Training and Alone with Kai
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Katie was standing in front of Voltaire in the throne room, waiting. She found it extremely annoying that she was forced to stand there as he read over some documents. Clenching her fists and squaring her jaw, Katie stayed silent. Though she had agreed, by force, to learn to blend into the high class to protect this king's grandson, any wrong move could get her killed or worse, Millie. After going through a few more pages Voltaire finally acknowledged her. "You have made six etiquette teachers beg to quit or be disposed of, just to not deal with teaching you."
Katie forced herself to not smile. Oh, Katie had tried to get along with those teachers, she tried even harder to learn etiquette, but she was a fighter, a tomboy, she would need more than six snobby ladies to teach her to become a lady. Especially when the etiquette room had the best view of the training grounds where the soldiers and warriors trained on. It was just plain cruel, forcing her to learn this dribble while hearing and seeing duels and practices being held.
Voltaire stared for a few moments, judging to see if she wished for forgiveness. He had read each report Max, Kai's personal advisor and the brightest youth when it came to the affairs of a kingdom, had wrote. Each said that the girl in front of him had tried, but due to old-fashioned teachings and the training grounds being so near, the girl would be unable to concentrate properly to learn etiquette. It wasn't like he could get another girl ready in time; he had already begun sending the girls who hadn't taken the examination yet back to their respected villages. Also, he knew she would be the best bodyguard of any other girl part of the examination, given her background. Sorting the documents into how they had been given to him, Voltaire said, "I shouldn't have expected anything less from someone from the Warrior Lands." Katie stiffened immediately. Voltaire chuckled slightly; he had caught the girl by surprise.
"Yes, I know where you are from. How you come to be here is truly a puzzle, but no matter. These reports Max gave to me have been quite useful; it shows to me that you are trying, meaning you don't want anything to happen to that neko-jin of yours. Is she doing well?" Katie nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. Voltaire was purposely flaunting her weakness in front of her face. "Oh, good. Max has also written me a proposal, one that I think even you can come to like. Max, and one of the head servants who has been helping you recently, Hilary is her name, have offered to teach you etiquette in the place of your choosing as long as it is inside the castle's borders. Fair deal I would have to say, just as long as you learn." Voltaire finished by giving Katie a long stern look. He wanted her to succeed, teaching her etiquette may tame that fiery spirit and temper, he has heard so much about, of hers. At the very least, if this girl made close bonds with people under his rule then he may have the leverage to trap her into becoming part of his kingdom, and in turn becoming his property. Having someone like her may be the trump card Voltaire needs to keep all his power.
Katie nodded again, not trusting herself to talk; she was still angered at Voltaire as well as happy that Max had made that proposal. Max was the kindest, sweetest and most helpful boy in the entire castle. It was very surprising that he was so young, he was only a month or two older than Kai's cousin, and he wasn't even a man yet. (A/N: if you guys want the ages and birthdays of the characters, just ask. They are most likely different than in the anime). A knock came to the door of the throne room, Voltaire said, "you may leave, and tell whoever is at the door to come in."
Not saying a word, Katie turned around, and left the throne room. She told the woman, who had a tray in her hands, most likely breakfast for the king, that she could enter. The woman stared at Katie for a few seconds before she entered the door Katie left in. Katie self-consciously brought her hand to her hair. It had been almost a month and a half since Katie had passed the examination, and her hair was growing back. Now almost shoulder length, her auburn hair had begun to curl, something Katie hated, the reason she kept it so short. Forbidden to cut her it, it had become a bad habit of hers to touch her hair, maybe to rip it out, whenever she was feeling or thinking negatively.
Walking through the corridors, Katie felt more eyes on her. She looked down at her plain green dress; did it look that weird on her? If Katie was looking at the people gawking at her instead of her dress she would've realized that the stares people were giving her were of awe. People couldn't help but stare, she just had that kind of beauty that everyone wanted and gaped at. Quickening her strides as she turned a corner, as she reached the only place she felt safe: her room. Katie opened her door, entered, and then shut the door as quickly as could, as if people were chasing her. Leaning against the door, Katie let a sigh of relief, relaxing. Crossing the room, Katie plopped down, face first, onto the bed, her hands going to the back of her dress. Small, agile fingers beat her own, untying the strands that held the dress up. Bringing her head up, Katie was met with large brown cat eyes, a small nose, and a toothy smile, the fangs greatly showing.
Returning the smile, Katie got up, allowing Millie to pull the sleeves of her dress off her arms. Standing up completely the dress fell down, nothing keeping it up. Stepping out of the pile of cloth, Katie went to the clothes folded neatly on a chair and put them on. Sighing in happiness, now in a plain green shirt and brown khakis, Katie turned around to see Millie folding the dress nicely. Katie marvelled at how Millie looked; her hair had been shortened and was tied into two buns, ribbons hanging from each of them, and she was wearing a pretty dark blue dress that hid her tail, she looked like a regular neko-jin.
Katie had been clever, and the first day of her 'training' Katie had convinced the guard that was 'taking care' of Millie to hand her over to her. He was young and innocent so Katie only had to allow him to kiss her passionately to convince him. Boy had they been foolish, condition one had been fulfilled right under their noses. And thanks to two very obliging people, it was going to stay that way.
After Millie had placed the now folded dress onto the chair Katie's clothes she was wearing now were, Katie swooped her up into her arms swinging Millie playfully around. Millie giggled in delight happy to just be out of the dungeon and still with Katie. "Katie, stop! I'm getting dizzy!" Millie said, still giggling, not being serious. Katie was laughing with her. "Oh you want me ta stop?" Katie said, dropping her and Millie onto the bed. Millie nodded exuberantly, her smile growing.
"Oh, Ah'll stop." Katie said, a large happy grin on her face. Millie's giggles turned into squeals as Katie begun to tickle her. Between her squeals and cries to stop, Millie was retaliating with her own tickles. By the time Hilary had entered the room, Katie and Millie were rolling all over the bed screaming, laughing and tickling like mad men, or women in their case.
Hilary waited a minute or two to see if they would calm themselves down, but when they were still rolling around insanely, Hilary sighed shaking her head ruefully. Taking a deep breath of air, Hilary yelled as loud as she could. "STOP RIGHT NOW!" Freezing in mid tickle, Katie and Millie looked over to where the voice came from. Hilary stood there, her brown eyes staring at them with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, her eyebrows quirked towards them and her straight mouth was twitching; she was trying not to smile at them. She was wearing her regular black dress that was mandatory for all the female servants to wear, and on the chest of the dress was a red phoenix soaring upwards with a black sword and a white sword crossed behind it. This was the crest of the kingdom, a sign she was a head servant and an important person in the castle.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Hilary blew a strand of brown hair that had escaped her tight bun. "Look at you! I had spent valued time fixing Millie's hair into buns and now they're ruined!" Katie and Millie looked at each other. It was true; Millie's buns were ruined. Hair had escaped everywhere, there was more hair out of the buns than in, and one of her ribbons was hanging by only a hair, while the other one had fallen off completely. "And you!" Hilary pointed viciously at Katie. If Hilary didn't look so funny ranting and raving, Katie may have shirked back in fear, may have. "Just because your hair can never get disorganized should you allow my hard work to be destroyed. And why aren't you wearing that dress I picked out?" Hilary took a deep breath; she hadn't been breathing during her rant. That brief moment allowed Hilary to calm down. "You need to get used to wearing dresses. You're supposed to be part of the high class, you can't look the part if you are uncomfortable in dresses and wear men's clothing. All right?"
Katie smiled softly. "All rahght Hilary, you win. Ah'll try harder ta get used ta wearing the dresses." Hilary smiled faintly in return, clasping her hands together. "So who wants to go first?" Millie immediately raised her arm, waving it excitedly. As Millie was getting off the bed, Katie whispered so only her sensitive ears could hear, "Suck up." In response, Millie stuck her tongue out at her. Before Millie was completely out of reach, Katie rumpled her hair more.
Hilary had to hold her laughter as it threatened to escape. Watching Katie regretfully take off her 'manly' clothes through the mirror on the vanity while she brushed Millie's beautifully soft violet hair, Hilary wondered how these two completely different people could act so naturally around each other. If they didn't look so different from each other, Hilary would have believed they were sisters, they sure acted like it. On some days Hilary had to leave their room to stop herself from laughing, it was very unladylike to laugh so openly, especially if someone, like herself, who was looked down and up upon. What would those jealous older and younger women underneath her do to her if they ever caught her acting anything but extremely proper and serious for even a second? Oh Hilary knew the answer to the question quite well, every second they tried to find ways to take her place.
Now finished with fixing Millie's buns, ribbons and all, Hilary turned her attention to Katie. Katie had been all right with getting that green dress back on no problem, but she was having a little trouble with tying the dress up in the back. Walking up to her, Hilary's hands took the place of Katie's, tying the dress up tightly. "I have it, no need to try. These dresses were made for the high class and they don't even put them on, on their own, let alone tie them up." Millie, the wonderful dear she was, was already folding the clothes Katie had been wearing.
Katie looked down at her dress in disgust. "That seems lahke a waste. Whah have someone else do anything for you when you can do it yourself?" Hilary led Katie to the vanity and picked up a brush as Katie sat down. Hilary pondered the question as she brushed Katie's lovely, curly auburn hair. Inside she was slightly jealous of those two's wonderful hair, Hilary had been born with thick, plain brown hair that always got in the way unless it was in a boring old bun. With their hair, they could have so many styles done to them with ease. Thinking back to Katie's question, Hilary responded, "They can't help it, it was just how they were born into and raised. Like how you were born with beautiful hair and I wasn't." By the time Hilary finished explaining, Millie was now on Katie's lap and Katie was scratching behind her ear causing Millie to purr; she really was just like a cat. Hilary wondered if Rei would purr like Millie if someone scratched him behind the ear. Of course she would never do that, too unladylike and he already had someone.
"Oh Hil', Ah would rather have your hair. People stare at me too much already. Besahdes, Ah thahnk your hair is so much nicer than mahne, so no frets, 'kay?" Katie said keeping her head straight, allowing Hilary to tie her hair into a half bun causing her curls to fall down nicely. Hilary smiled ever so slightly, something only a very few people could bring out. Changing the subject, Katie asked a little excited, "Is it true that mah etiquette training is now with you and Max?"
"Of course, though I can only be with you for short periods at a time. I do have other duties." Hilary said walking towards the door. Katie followed with Millie holding onto her hand. Strolling through the corridors Hilary added, "You don't need to worry about where you're training, Max has already found a lovely spot. And it is no where near the training grounds." There was more staring now. Hilary couldn't help but think that they must've looked strange: a head servant with a beauty and a neko-jin. With her around, no one would bother them, especially with neko-jins being discriminated. Other than Rei, who had earned the respect as the most skilled warrior in Prince Kai's group, neko-jins were always treated badly and met with hate and fear. Luckily neko-jins in this kingdom were rare, other than Rei and Millie, Hilary had only ever seen one other neko-jin and he was so ancient that he no longer had his whole mind with him. Though the horrid stories of neko-jins, which Rei had already proven were untrue, gave neko-jins a bad reputation through-out the kingdom.
After going down a floor, Hilary went to the opposite side of the castle Katie would normally go for etiquette training. Katie had never gone this way before, and was met with the wonderful smells and loud voices of the kitchen. It reminded her of home and Katie looked down at Millie, and from the look on her face Millie felt the same way; they were both home sick. Even after five years, Katie and Millie still missed the place they called home, and couldn't wait to get back there.
Even with all the windows and the door open, the heat in the kitchen was immense. Katie and Millie wanted to stop, to see the cooks hard at work making sure no one starved, but Hilary wouldn't allow it. Passing a few more rooms, they reached an old, cracked door that was slightly ajar. On the way Katie had noticed that the walls had been becoming more and more damaged, as if the walls were getting older the farther they went. Upon entering the room, Katie knew exactly why Max had chosen this room. Compared to the dark corridors they just came from, this room was so lit up that it hurt the eyes. The reason that it was so lit up, even though it was had no windows, was because the walls were so old and decrepit that ivy had managed to grow through the walls causing huge gaps to form.
Even though well into autumn the room was well heated. Today was a day when the sun shone warmly, and with no coldness or wind to stop it. It was also due to the fireplace, which was still in tack, burning brightly to one side of the room. Sitting in an old, but comfy cushioned chair beside the fire, his body lit ablaze with glows of red and orange, was Max.
Turning towards them, Max smiled, brightening his face no light could ever do. Bright blue eyes sparkled underneath short messy blonde hair, and his freckles splashed across his small nose, made him look younger than he really was. Standing up to meet them, his form left the light of the fire. No longer covered with that light, Max's suit was now many shades of blue. The only thing that wasn't blue was the kingdom's crest on his blazer, a marking he was also an important person in the castle. This outfit symbolized that Max had just left from a meeting with The King's Advisor, for Max never wore anything extravagant unless he was with the higher classes of the kingdom. The young women in front of him couldn't help but be in amazement at the sight of him.
Oblivious to his own attractiveness in that outfit, Max got right down to business. "If you three don't mind sitting down," Max started gesturing to three other comfortable chairs around the fire. "We'll begin." His kind voice was able to bring them back to allow them to sit down. As Max followed suit, he begun to look through the documents the ladies that had tried to teach Katie had left for him. "It says here that you're and I quote 'so graceful that it could be deadly'." That earned a snort from Katie, a giggle from Millie, and a small smile from Hilary. Max himself couldn't help at smile at the comment as well; everyone in this room knew what Katie was here for. "You have great posture when you want to, so I don't need to help you with that. All you have to do is remember to hold your posture all the time." Katie grimaced at the suggestion, which went by unnoticed as Max continued to read through the documents. Hilary sympathized, as a head servant in the castle she would always have to keep a perfect posture as well as a perfect composure. "Your table manners are mandible, but whose isn't? We'll just give you a few lessons on those, just to be safe. Let's see… other than that we only need to work on teaching you the types of dances and work on your accent. No offence, but where you are supposed to be from, they do not have accents like that." Max finished, looking back up at the three of them.
"What is mah cover story anyway?" Katie asked, cracking her knuckles.
"You'll have to stop doing that as well," Hilary pointed out, causing Katie to stop. Millie giggled at her and Katie lightly punched her in return. Hilary apologized for their behaviour, though Max didn't really mind, he thought it was rather refreshing. It reminded him of the time before he became Prince Kai's advisor and had to live in the castle. Though it has been six years since he became Kai's advisor, he still missed the mundane life of the middle classed.
Even if Max didn't mind, Hilary would always be very formal around him, even though they have known each other for so long. Of course Hilary was very formal around everyone, except for sometimes with Katie and Millie. There was only one person though who she could be completely herself with and that was her childhood friend, the battle hungry, very loud Tyson. It is surprising that someone as proper and ruling as her could be so close with someone as rambunctious and as free-willed as him. Though they do fight constantly, more often than not.
Max, reading the cover story he had been given, explained, "You are the daughter of a high ranking man who owned a great amount of property. Your father, though a little eccentric, was on good terms with the king, and you and Prince Kai used to play together whenever your father would visit the king. So you and Prince Kai are childhood friends that haven't seen each other in at least over half a decade. This will allow you to stay near Prince Kai to 'catch up', and in turn be near Prince Zeo. The property your father owned was a prospering town, in the most eastern part of King Voltaire's kingdom, that will be recently destroyed through war, but the war will not affect any other town, village, city, or castle. Your father sadly died in the battle, and because your father was on such good terms with the king, you will be staying in the castle until your town can be re-built. You are an only child because your mother has been dead for many years, and your father would not take up another woman. Your mother comes from the west, which explains your exotic appearance. Because you are the only heir, you are supposed to be strong-willed and very intelligent, which you already are, so no worries. You'll need to act like the grieving daughter, as you have lost your only family and your whole town. Prince Kai has also been a possible suitor of yours since you became a woman last spring. Though that's not exactly an important detail, but it is necessary to know."
"Ah see," Katie said, taking everything in. She only asked one question, which might have astonished someone else, but not Max. For Max knew how quick-minded Katie was, and would be able to adjust to any situation. Also, Max knew he didn't need to give all the details to Katie, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "And when will mah 'town' be destroyed by war?"
"I believe whenever you are finished your etiquette training. Though you are actually quite ahead of when it was supposed to happen. We were planning on having your town destroyed in about four months, a week or two after Prince Kai's eighteenth birthday. From what you only need left, I'd say we'll change it to about a month and a half before Prince Kai's birthday, just before winter sets in so it would be probable for war to have taken place. But it also needs to be early enough so no one would raise suspicion about any connection with Prince Zeo's birthday. This will give you time to grow your hair out, as well as train physically and not be seen by anyone for so long that they'll forget that you've been in the castle for longer than what the story is." Max replied, thinking it over.
"Does that mean Katie and I won't be able to leave our room as much?" Millie asked. "Does that mean etiquette training will take place in our room?" Max smiled to himself; Millie was as quick-minded as Katie was, though she had less of an edge Max notice Katie had, even if she tried to hide it. It was like Katie, though a kind person, had lost her innocence way too early, and Millie was able to keep her innocence even after all she has seen.
"No, as long as if you start covering yourselves up. I don't think it will be a problem, but after you learn the routines of all the dances, then we'll hold the rest of your etiquette training in your room, just to be safe. After the dance routines, Katie just needs to hide her accent and you'll be ready." Max said, talking mostly to Millie. He found it amazing that the way she held herself caused everyone around her to treat her with respect and more than an equal.
"That won't be a problem," Katie said, getting everyone's attention.
"What do you mean by that?" Hilary asked what was on everyone's mind.
"I mean by that, is that I can easily hide my accent, all you had to was ask," Katie said, her accent completely hidden. It was like she never had one to begin one, it was that convincing. Everyone stared at her in surprise and a little shock. Except for Millie, she had always known that Katie could hide her accent.
"Amazing!" Max said astounded. He had never met anyone who had so many remarkable, if not dangerous, talents. "How long have you been able to hide your accent so well?"
Katie shrugged. "Um… since Ah was… seven? Is that rahght?" Katie asked Millie, her accent back in full force, as if she was asking when she learned the most mundane thing ever. Millie thought for a few seconds, one finger touching her chin as she thought. Millie then nodded saying, "that sounds about right." "Then Ah was seven." Katie finished, looking at Max and Hilary, satisfied.
Max was still naïve about some things, so he never knew about the truth of the examination. All he had known about it was the vague ideas, with the King needing many girls for a certain task. He never knew the pain and suffering, and the countless deaths of the examination, and the whole castle intended to keep it that way. Max's young exuberance was refreshing to everyone, including King Voltaire, so no one would ever want to burden him with these truths, at least until Max became the head advisor of the whole kingdom, serving at Prince Kai's side.
So, Max knew that Katie and Millie had been part of this, but not what they had to go through, and neither one had the heart to tell him, coming to the castle only about a year after he did. He, and Hilary had as well, had assumed that they had met at the castle. If Katie had come to the castle when she was eleven, but Millie had known her when Katie was seven, then that meant they knew each other from before, in their homelands. But Millie did not have an accent, so where had they met? And with being on such good terms, how could their dialects be so different? Just as Max was about to ask the questions he had been pondering, a knock to the opened door caught his attention.
At the door was an old man, who though well past his prime, held himself proudly. His thin, light grey hair, which could be mistaken for white from afar, had begun to bald in some places, causing his hair to spike out in strange angles. It looked like had tried to manage the hair; there were matted pieces here and there. He was thin, but even under the flimsy, fading clothing you could see that this body was strong and muscular, it had been a body of a great warrior. The most prominent feature on him was a very large red scar near the left temple. Millie and Katie both thought it was strange that his line of sight was slightly angled away from them as if he could not see. Taking one step into the room and out of the darkened corridor, the two got their answer. With the light upon him, his eyes could be clearly seen, and his pupils and irises in them were clouded over, meaning only one thing: he was blind.
"What can we do for you Gregory?" Hilary asked, a little surprised. No one was supposed to know about this place, of course, Hilary surmised, Gregory may have been alive when this part of the castle had still been used. As soon as Hilary spoke, Gregory's head instantly moved to where her voice had come from. He had to have amazing hearing to be able to pinpoint exactly where the voice came from and move his head so that he looked exactly at them. "Well, Lady Hilary, you are desperately needed in the wine cellar." Gregory started his voice kind and very polite. "It's you-know-who."
As soon as those words left his mouth, Hilary was up in a flash. She bowed and apologized respectively to Katie, Millie, and Max, rushing to leave and handle to the situation. She gave a rushed thank you to Gregory, who bowed his head in return, as she exited the room, quickening her pace as she went. They all knew 'you-know who' was, and how bad he was when it came to liquor. Looking back to where Hilary's voiced had been, Gregory added. "Sir Max, you are also needed. The King has some more urgent affairs you need to go over with him and his advisor. Don't worry about the two young ladies with you, I can escort them back to their room." Katie and Millie were even more surprised; he must have extraordinarily keen hearing to be able to hear three sets of breathing, and tell the gender of them. Especially when Katie and Millie had taught themselves to breathe in sync with someone else, like Max, in the room in case they were hiding, or something of the sort.
Getting up, Max nodded to Katie and Millie, saying, "don't worry Gregory knows his way around the castle better than anyone. He'll get you back to your room in no problem. Excuse me." Max then turned around leaving the room, after in patted Gregory on the back in thanks. Gregory smiled to Max, then directed that smiled towards Katie and Millie. Millie got up, and when she noticed Katie hadn't followed suit, she asked, "you not coming?"
Katie shook her head. "Nah, go on ahead of me." She didn't even try to hide her accent. If people knew her for her accent more often than her appearance, then she could pull being the high class off better and much easier. Millie nodded, she figured out easily that Katie wanted some time alone. Soon, Katie would have to hide all that who she is, and she wanted some time to just be herself. It was reasonable, so Millie accepted the arm Gregory held out, allowing him to lead her out the door.
After passing a few closed doors, Millie, who felt rude not introducing herself, said, "I'm Millie." Gregory looked down at her, smiling, as they continued to walk slowly. It wasn't like either one needed to walk slowly, but it just felt more comfortable to walk at this pace. It was the pace of someone who admired life, even though one of them was just a child and the other was blind. "I'm Gregory, but you already knew that." Gregory laughed at his own little joke, and Millie couldn't help but join him. He was the kind of person whose smile and laugh not only brightened up his whole face, but also the whole room. His smile was exactly like Max's, beautiful and warm, though it looked so different from his.
When they had finished laughing, Gregory asked, "the abnormal grinding of your teeth, do you have fangs?" Millie nodded, then remembering he was blind said, "yes." "Ah, a neko-jin." Gregory donned on, rubbing the stubble on his chin. It was, funnily, the only thing that held his true hair colour: black. Millie looked up at him, slightly surprised but, when thinking it over, wasn't really. He seemed like he knew more now that he was blind than he ever could when he could see. It was like his body; though the muscles had faded, Millie knew he could take down a man twice his size easily, it was just how he held himself. "You know, a neko-jin was the reason why I'm blind." He started. Gregory was no longer looking at Millie now; he was looking straight ahead.
Millie's slightly confused face turned into one of fear. Inside, Millie wanted to flee. Did that mean he hated all neko-jins? He was old enough to have been part of the only war in which neko-jins had been apart of. As if answering her fears, Gregory took the hand of the arm that was linked with one of his arms, and patted it lightly as a comfort. Millie let him continue, it seemed he wanted her to hear the rest of his tale. "I guess you could say it was my own fault really. You see, there was this beautiful neko-jin woman, and well, I was young, and I just couldn't take my eyes away from her. Especially when she noticed me and looked back, it was love at first sight I just knew it. Though the last thing I ever did see was her surprised and scared face as the side of a sword was shoved into my head." Millie was a little confused, why was he telling her this?
"When I woke up everything was dark. It seemed that the wound I suffered caused me to become blind. Though, for some reason, that same wound also enhanced my hearing. My hearing had even surpassed to the keen hearing of the neko-jins! But do you know who had the ones who had saved me after I was injured?" Gregory paused, and Millie shook her head, as for him to continue. She completely forgot he was blind, too interested in his story. That was all right though, Gregory's hearing could hear the movement, so he continued. "It had been the neko-jins. My own people had abandoned me, thinking I would never be able to survive with a wound to the head. I forgave them, how could they have known? As I was saying, the neko-jins took me in, and with the advanced healing they had learned from the Warriors' healed me to the best of their ability. I lived and was forever grateful."
"But what about that woman?" Millie asked, sad that his story was over so quickly. Gregory stopped, and Millie had to as well. He smiled at her and Millie couldn't help but think that it was a sad one, underneath all its warmth. "That, is for another day. For here is your room." He said, gesturing to a door. Millie viewed the surroundings, he was right, they were at the room she and Katie shared. Opening the door, Millie turned back to him. "When can I hear about the neko-jin woman?"
Bowing like a true gentleman, Gregory replied, "in time, Lady Millie, in time." He then left her at her door; off to wander the castle wherever he was needed. Millie shut the door, smiling, she was glad she made a new friend, especially one that reminded her so much of her grandfather. She lied down on the bed, curling up into a ball as her tail emerged, wrapping itself around one of her legs. Sleep engulfed her as she quietly waited for Katie to return.
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As soon as Millie and Gregory left, shutting the door with them, Katie got up. As she stretched her legs and arms, Katie flicked off her annoying shoes, them landing near the fireplace and those comfy old chairs. She also undid the ties that held her hair, allowing the strands of curls to bounce down, before they landed softly on her shoulders. She then flung the ties in the general direction of her shoes, not caring where they landed. Taking a deep breath, Katie finally allowed herself a reprieve, to relax. Letting out a sweet giggle that would've put Millie to shame, Katie begun to dance. Not the dull routines of the high class, but she just moved, swaying and twirling to song her family would play during times when all were together. Nothing reached her as lived through her memories.
Many hours past before Katie began to return to the world. The sun was setting, and with the warmth of the sun dying, and the embers of the fire holding no warmth of their own, the cold set in. This is when she realized there was someone else in the room. This person hadn't come in through the door; no, he or she had come through one of the gaps in the walls, letting the shadows hide them. If it were someone harmless they would have already announced themselves. As if nothing was amiss, Katie continued to dance, moving one of her legs to grab a sharp piece of stone off the floor with her toes and with one fluid spin hurled the rumble at that someone.
Facing where she had thrown the rumble, Katie waited for them to emerge from the shadows. Without missing a beat, out came Prince Kai, his right arm bleeding steadily from a fairly large scratch on his bicep. She knew she was rusty on that move, but Katie knew Kai had to have dodged it, even if a little, to have survived without something worse. He had to be a fairly decent warrior to have dodged it. Katie kept that information stored in her mind, if it was ever needed. Bowing over dramatically, ignoring his wound, Katie said, "Hello, Prince Kah."
When she was finished her bow, Kai stared at her for a few seconds before saying, "men bow, women curtsey." Katie's faced turned hot with embarrassment, she was supposed to know that. Either choosing to ignore her embarrassment, or just not caring, Kai asked, "what were you doing before you attacked me?" Katie's lip moved upwards into a small snarl; she really wanted to hit him. She wondered if Kai knew that they were supposed to be 'childhood friends'.
"Dancing."
Kai stared at her some more in silence. His gaze was clouded, almost unseeing. Katie wondered if the blood loss was the reason why he looked so muddled and dazed. Katie let out a great sigh, her shoulders falling. Motioning with her hand to follow, Katie said, "come here." Kai did follow her silently, as she walked back towards the fireplace and the chairs. Stopping, Katie turned to face him, commanding him, in a kind tone, to sit down. Kai obeyed once more, silently sitting down on the ground, leaning against the front of one of the chairs.
As Katie placed another two logs onto the dwindling fire, and begun to stoke the embers to rekindle them, she started to ponder. Even from the short meeting she had with Kai almost two months ago, Katie, who could read people exceptionally well, knew that while Kai was a very quiet person, he was always alert. He also seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't take orders so easily. The wound could be a factor with his lack of vigilance, but not for his lacking of a backbone. There had to be something else.
With the fire now burning brightly, Katie returned to Kai. Sitting down in front of him, her dress acting as a cushion for her knees, Katie said, "Ah need to dress the wound, take off your shirt." Kai looked at her, some of his attentiveness back. He considered this for a few seconds, but Kai must've sensed the concern from Katie, for he begun to unbutton his shirt. After he was done unbuttoning his shirt, Katie had to help him slowly take off the sleeves, for Kai wasn't the only one who had noticed he couldn't move his arm without a lot of pain. Positioning himself so she could have a better view of the arm, Katie examined the wound.
The scratch was large, but it was only a scratch. Though bleeding steadily, the wound wasn't deep enough to cause serious damage. Ripping a hand's length of material from the bottom of her dress, Katie spat on the piece of cloth. Using enough force while still being gentle, Katie rubbed off the dried blood on Kai's arm. Satisfied, Katie quickly ripped off the rest of the material at the bottom of her dress, so her dress was equal length again, and securely bounded Kai's wound. "There." Katie said, proud of the job she did. Kai looked at his arm; he had to admit it was nice work.
After staring at him for a few seconds, Katie gently brought her fingers underneath his chin, bringing up his head so that he was facing her. Kai's eyes no longer held that cloudy look, but they almost seemed... sad. "Kah," Katie started softly, tilting her head to the side, taking her fingers away from his chin. "What is the matter? Ah may not know you well, but Ah can still tell that there is something wrong."
Though still looking at her, Kai's eyes clouded over, as if he were somewhere else. Looking slightly away from Katie, Kai said, "My mother is… gravely ill." Knowing how it is when you think you could lose someone you care about, Katie could only say, "Ahm sorry." Kai shrugged in return, as if he didn't care, but Katie could tell his mother being ill was deeply troubling him. Katie looked down, not knowing what to do. Closing her eyes, Katie thought back to how her mother would help her father forget his pain. Opening her eyes, Katie looked at Kai. Not sure if this would work, Katie shyly brought her arms around Kai's neck before gently kissing him.
Kai didn't miss a beat.
Letting him have complete control, Katie found herself being flushed against Kai's body. Even with only the strength of his one arm, Katie had no room to move. Katie could feel Kai's fingers gripping into her back as he pushed them even closer. She shivered as a wave of pleasure went through her. Her body ached, and she could feel Kai's body throbbing as well. Even with only their upper bodies touching, and they were only kissing closed mouth, it was intense. It was passionate. It was…
Over.
Just as quickly as it began, it ended just a fast. Kai threw off Katie, before he picked up his shirt and left through one of the gaps in the wall. Katie did not care; she just got up, brushing the dirt off her knees and where the dress had been covering them. As she was putting her awful shoes back on, Katie couldn't help but put her hand to her lips. They were sore and bruised, from having something pushed against them with too much force. Katie smiled, she knew she had helped him, even if he wasn't going to admit it. Katie left the room and retraced the path Hilary had taken them this morning. She only stopped once; to steal some freshly baked bread from the kitchen and an apple.
In no time at all, she was back in her room. Smiling at the sight of Millie peacefully sleeping, Katie only took off her shoes and laid down beside her. She fell asleep almost as quickly as Millie did when she had returned to their room.
It came to as a surprise to Katie when she found pieces of her dress tied neatly in a bow around one small red rose at her door the morning after.
To be continued…
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I'm done another chapter! In the beginning of this chapter I said that I was writing this very fast, but sadly I did hit some writer's block, so this took longer than I had hope to finish. Hope you enjoyed this, and I had so much trouble with ending it, so I know the last few paragraphs of this chapter suck, please forgive, I couldn't find any other way to finish it. I do like the last sentence of the chapter, so oh much.
Angel of the Fallen Stars
