James and I have ordered Len and Rin costumes. He's turning fourteen, and I, apparently, look fourteen. I'm shorter than him, too. We're gonna look awesome!

On a side note, I just realised that at the end of the last chapter, I said that Gakupo reminds me of Kanda from "-Man." I tried to fix it, but it kept changing! D... Gray... Man! -Man! Damn it!


Story of Evil

Chapter IV

Crossing the Stars-Crossing the Daughter

"Do you have to go?" Rin whined.

"But you told me to go," Len chuckled as he pulled on his coat. "Anyone else would get the wrong kind of cake, remember?" Rin kicked and flailed about with a prolonged whine. "Do you want me to go or not?"

"I want you to go."

Len chuckled and shook his head. He went to leave but felt a small hand grab his sleeve. He looked back down at the bright-eyed smile his twin was giving him. "What is it?"

"Len," she said, "you're my favourite person. I love you."

"Is there something else you want me to do?"

Rin tittered coyly and bounded about the room. Len couldn't help smiling at her. "Will you send word to Kaito? I know what needs to be said, but I don't know how to put it in words."

"I'll write the letter, and you can sign it."

Rin squealed excitedly and kissed Len on the cheek. "Thank you!" she chimed. Len had never seen her like this. It was a good change. He quickly scrawled down the proposition he knew Rin was offering and let her sign the bottom of the page.

"I'll tell one of the servants to send it," said Rin, holding the letter dearly.

Len took it from her. "He never left the continent." Rin's surprise was evident on her face. "He's been staying nearby for the last few weeks. Apprehensive to return home just yet, I suppose." Rin smiled and bit her lip. It couldn't be denied that she really was a child getting her first crush.

Len left her and headed off for the neighbouring kingdom to procure supplies for the princess' sweet tooth. He rode the way in solitude with only one thought in his mind. There was only ever one thought in his mind, to protect and serve the Daughter of Evil. This was about to change.

Len was distracted by a cat running past for only a second. He only looked at it too make sure it didn't run out in front of him. It was for this reason that he almost didn't see the plain and nearly invisible girl that did. He cursed loudly and pulled back. His horse reared up on its hind legs and bucked him off impatiently.

"Haku!" called another girl. She came running to the white-hared girl sitting in the middle of the road. "Haku, how many times have I told you to watch where you're going?"

Len's horse had already run off on its own. He leaped to his feet to try and chase it down, but he ended up on the ground again. "Damn it!"

"Are you okay?" the bubbly girl fretted. She helped Len sit up, and he locked eyes with her. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen! Her long pigtails were like silk and shimmered in the sunlight. Her lively eyes sparkled like gemstones. She looked so breath-taking it was almost dreamlike and yet as real as the pain in Len's bruises.

"I'm fine," Len winced.

"I'm so sorry," Haku breathed. "This is all my fault."

"Oh, stop it," the beautiful girl scolded. "It's all my fault. I can't do anything right. You're a little selfish, aren't you?" Haku giggled just a little.

Len pulled himself up a little more carefully this time. "You're hurt," Haku warned.

"This is nothing," Len grunted. "I'd be fine if my DAMN HORSE DIDN'T RUN OFF!" He didn't expect the horse to feel guilty and come back or even hear his words, but yelling made him feel a little better.

"What's your name, kiddo?" the turqouise-haired girl laughed. It was strange to have someone ask him that. Everyone around the palace knew who he was, and they certainly didn't call him kiddo.

"Len."

"I'm Miku, and this is Haku. Maybe we can help. Where do you need to go?"

Coincidentally, he needed to go to the city where the pair of friends lived and was thus accompanied for the journey. It was quite astonishing to be treated so casually and familiarly like this. These girls didn't know who he was, what authority he had, or what he was capable of. They just saw him as a fourteen-year-old boy.

Miku was especially kind. She was energetic and cheerful. It was obvious that she was the driving force of the two. Haku was the kind of girl who wouldn't stand out much by herself, but Miku was stunning in every aspect.

"Take a picture," she teased. "It'll last longer." Len hadn't even realised that he was staring and looked the other way. His face flushed red, and that only added to his embarrassment. Miku laughed and cooed endearingly as she put her arm around him.

Len could feel his heart pounding. He didn't like this, but he felt somewhat disappointed when she let go.

As they were about to go their separate ways, Miku took Len's hands in hers and grinned from ear to ear. "Why don't you come back to the manor for morning tea?" she invited. "I'm sure the mistress won't mind."

Len really couldn't. He had already lost a lot of time and didn't want to make Rin cross. He needed to get to the bakery, find where Prince Kaito was staying, and find a means of transportation back over the border and to the palace. "S-sure." WHY DID YOU SAY THAT! WE DON'T NEED TO BE SNACKING WITH PEASANTS! "Thanks." IDIOT!

"Well, we're friends now," Miku giggled girlishly.

Miku and Haku worked as servants in an elegant manor. They went in through the side door to the kitchen. No one else was there.

"Well," said Haku, "the mistress really won't mind of she's not even around."

Miku hugged her friend tightly. "Haku made a joke! I'm so proud!"

"Miku?" came a voice. Len recognised it, and his stomach churned. Something was wrong. That voice shouldn't be referring to this peasant so calmly. Miku shouldn't have reacted so pleased to hear it. This shouldn't have happened. Kaito shouldn't have come into this room. Miku shouldn't have embraced him. They shouldn't have been like this.

Gakupo noticed Len standing there. The right-hand men of royalty locked eyes, both concerned, and neither knowing what to say. This didn't bode well.

"A pleasure to see you again," Gakupo greeted stiffly, only to get the prince's attention. Kaito's reaction was delayed, but he was equally stunned now that his attention was off his precious Miku and on Len. Len bowed politely and expressionlessly.

"Good," Miku piped. "You already know each other."

It was the most awkward situation Len had ever been in in his entire life. In his pocket was a letter from his sister with a proposal of a union of kingdoms through marriage. The addressee of that letter was sitting across the table, next to another woman. Surely it was implied that Kaito and Rin were being set up! It had not been spoken, but they all knew the plan! How on earth had Kaito managed to summon the courage to court this lovely... pretty... sweet... Len shook his head. Pondering things such as this would get him nowhere. He had to think of a way to fix things before Rin found out

As he was about to leave, Len debated giving the letter to Kaito. What would happen if he did? What would happen if he didn't?

"Come again sometime, won't you?" Miku invited. Len felt his heart flutter again.

"Y-yeah..." She had given him an out—a way to postpone. He would be back, but he would toss and turn about what to do until he did.

Len bought the cakes, as was his reason for being here, and took a carriage back across the border. From there he had to take another carriage to the palace.

"What took you so bloody long?" Rin shrieked. "What makes you think you can keep me waiting?"

"I was looking for the prince," Len lied. He almost threw up once the words were out of his mouth. He hated lying to Rin. "I found out where he's staying, but he wasn't in. I figured it was getting late enough, so I'll head back again tomorrow."

"Well, I guess that's okay. It's already three o'clock. It's time for a snack."

"I have your cake here."

Len didn't sleep that night. His mind was too active. He wanted to be angry with Kaito for running off with another woman so quickly after visiting Rin, but, for some reason, he couldn't blame him. Even he couldn't stop thinking about Miku. He couldn't bring himself to hate Kaito. He had to at least give him a chance.

Len went back again the next day. Kaito was still there and still expressed his affections to Miku. On the surface, it was a friendly visit. Maybe a part of it was, but Len's goal was set and he achieved it. He gave Kaito the letter. Kaito seemed to know its contents without even reading it, but he didn't say anything.

"I'll return for your response," Len informed, and he did just that. He came back for tea with Miku for two more days before he got any real reply. In that time, if you were to ask him, he would confess to falling in love with Miku just as Kaito had.

It had been five days since Len first met Miku when he saw it.

"I'm just a peasant," Miku blushed. "We shouldn't-"

"Don't you dare say it," said Kaito. He was already so close to Miku's face, but he moved in closer. They gazed into each other's eyes as they locked lips. He snaked his arms around her waste, and she coiled her around her neck in a passionate embrace.

Len felt his face grow hot and hid around the corner again. He had finally seen it. It was confirmed. There was no going back. Kaito didn't care for Rin, and Miku couldn't care for Len. This is the way it was. No amount of waiting would change it.

"They don't know you're here yet," said Gakupo. Len flinched at his sudden appearance. "I would like to request they don't know you were ever here." He handed Len a letter. "His Highness has prepared his answer to the princess."

Rin's reaction was exactly how Len had anticipated. He watched her excited expression drop as she read on. Her skinny fingers trembled as she gripped the letter so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She didn't say anything, but by the end, she was back to her old self again. She held her nose up in indignation and calmly tore the letter from top to bottom.

"He met a woman in that kingdom." Len didn't say anything. "He doesn't say who she is." Len remained silent. Rin leaned her head in her hand and smiled cruelly. "I want you to stir trouble in that country."

Len hadn't been thinking. He panicked. He had just been doing what he had always done—what Rin asked of him.

"Kaito's?" he guessed.

"Hers."

Something inside him broke, but he had lived without it before. He had lost something he didn't have go begin with. He would survive. All he needed was all he had ever known. All he needed was to protect his sister.

He bowed low with glassy eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty."


There is nothing cuter to me than a boy with a crush.

There is nothing scarier to me than a boy in love.