Author's Note

Well I think this has been one of my quicker updates,

I won't be updating for about another 2 weeks or so,

I'm going on vacation ^_^

I'll write when I get back I promise!

~Jade

Setsuna's POV

Well, I can't exactly say it was the smartest thing that I've ever done. The sword was nothing like my own blade, which was pretty much lost to me. I don't think I'll ever get it back now.

Our blades locked together, I thought I would be a little more taken back by his strength, but honestly he seems just about as strong as Asuna was when we practiced, and he is nothing like the man that I had fought in the forest. I could tell for a fact that he was trying his hardest to knock me back, but we both know that it was useless. I wasn't even at my best yet, quite frankly I still wanted to pass out… but the sword was my calling. It seemed so natural in my hands.

I looked him in the eyes but his eyes were locked down on the blades, he tried shifting his weight over to his right to try and off balance me. It was my advantage. I twisted my blade back and forced his blade off of mine. He staggered backwards and I stepped forward, putting the tip of my blade towards his neck again.

"So we've come back to this huh? Only this time daddy isn't here to save you and we're engaged. The irony, your fiancé has a sword to your neck" I paused laughing slightly, he looked shocked. I closed my eyes, knowing very well he could take this chance to push me back and get the advantage, but it didn't seem like he knew how to. "I honestly thought with all these weapons you would be a little better at this." I looked into his eyes once more and I saw a loathing aspect to him. I knocked him to the ground using the hilt of my blade and my foot. I looked down at him.

"You think you're so great huh? So high a mighty, not everybody has a demon for a father, not everyone spends there time training like you!" He yelled, obviously annoyed. I lowered my blade to the ground and then re-sheathed it.

"So you think you've got it figured out, that I've been training all my life? Well think about this… My father forbids me from leaving the castle except for a few hours I'm allowed out with my best friend. A friend that you and your family stole from me! And I have no idea of knowing whether or not she is ok! I fought with my friends to finally learn something!" I paused, feeling very anxious and nervous. "To my kingdom, I am a burden, they all want me dead… and a few have tried, and I was forced away, locked in my castle while the knights fought for a princess they would all rather be dead, but it was either them or me." I looked away from him, turning my back slightly to the window. "I hated myself for years, and I thought that I could never defend to myself because I was never allowed to learn, my father would never allow it." I turned back to him. "So I began to sneak away with Asuna, and we gathered people to learn and grow together, and after a few months of training, your stupid kingdom showed up and took me away, took my best friend and I'm not even sure what became of the rest of them." I looked down at the floor and laid my hand on the hilt of the blade. "So if you're so sure of yourself and so sure of what I am, and what I've done then please get a reality check." I walked towards him and offered him my hand. "Come on, get up, let's have another go ok?" I said to him.

He hesitated for a second then took my hand, I lifted him off the ground and he looked me in the eyes. "I'm sorry…" He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I had no idea." He genuinely sounded sorry. I turned away from him and walked a few paces away, turning and going to face him, unsheathing my sword.

"Well, you never bothered to ask, no one ever does." I said shrugging lightly, falling into stance once more. He looked at me, and watched me as I walked away. He walked forward and pushed my sword tip away, pulling me up from my stance and wrapping his arms around me. There was a long pause, and it seemed like neither one of us really was going to move. I slowly started to move to hug him back, his scent filling my nostrils once more. My body started to relax.

It was weird, he made me feel somewhat ok about not being wanted by my own kingdom, about not being wanted by a lot of people, he seemed to make my past go away and be replaced with a little fun, he really did seem sweet and he did want to try this whole dating thing, instead of just forcing me into a relationship, so… he wasn't a complete asshole. I backed away slightly, gripping my blade a little tighter.

"Please… once more? I'll go easy on you I promise." I said with a slight playful tone to it. I really wanted to spar, despite the fact that I really wanted to just be wrapped up in his arms. Wait… no… don't think like that.

"Fine… once more." He said stepping back from me and falling into stance, I followed his lead. I wasn't quite sure what it meant to be going easy on someone, but I guess it just means… don't try to kill them.

He jumped first this time, launching forward. I sidestepped him and made a launch for his feet. He jumped over my blade and landed on it, knocking the blade from my hand. I rolled away from him just as he slashed down on where my body would have been.

"So this whole going easy thing just applies from me to you huh? That's great!" I said with a smile as he ran towards me. I dove between his legs and grabbed my sword, slashing back behind me.

I heard a shriek as my blade made contact and created a thin mark on his leg, a tiny drop of blood falling from his pants. I panted, now slightly out of breath as I got to my feet and feel again into stance, he looked at me with a pained expression.

"I'm sorry." I breathed out slowly, trying to catch on my hindered breath. He smiled at me and waited for another attack opening, but I was in no hurry to give him one. I defend every possible area and planned the rest of my moves, and if all went well… wait… I promised I wouldn't try to kill him this time… shit…

He launched again and this time I was a little more prepared for his strike. I defended against his first strike and the second, he backed up a little and aimed a strike at my feet this time, now the smart thing to do would be to jump on his blade like he did to me, but I am much lighter than he is and he could probably just fling me. I moved back and staggered a little. I lashed out.

He whipped the blade out of my hand and sent it flying out of my hand. I could have made the move to grab my blade if his next move didn't take me completely by surprise. He charged at me, and I had no time to move out of the way, he dropped his sword, picked me up by my waist and hit me against the wall. The air was knocked out of me completely, and my vision slightly blurry. I took deep breaths to try and steady myself, looking down at him and feeling completely flustered with myself. I reached out and wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs now wrapped around his waist. I smiled lightly.

"Can you… can you put me down…?" I said my face now slightly pink as I looked away from him. He took me off the wall and slowly lowered me to the ground, keeping his hands on my waist as I put my feet on the ground and kept my arms around his neck. He smiled at me, and suddenly I found myself smiling back at him. I leaned up on my tippy toes and he leaned down, we were about an inch away from each other, I closed my eyes slightly and then of course… the door slammed open.

I jumped back in surprise and fell, landing straight on my ass with a hard thud. I looked towards the door with a pained expression on my face, in the doorway stood a man with a completely black outfit on, with a long sword strapped to his side. I examined him a little longer. He was about 5'10 with sleeked back dark blue hair. He had a scar running from down his cheek to just below his jaw and his eyes… I knew those eyes anywhere.

I got to my feet with a start. "You!" I screamed out, walking towards him in a fury, picking up my sword from the ground and aiming it at you. "I swear to go I will fucking kill you!" I screamed. Kellin came up behind me and grabbed my arms.

"Setsuna…" He whispered lightly into my ear. I shuddered lightly and went to put my sword down but then the man had to speak.

"Well, it seems that you actually survived my hit, you actually weren't left to die in that cell." He shrugged, "You would've been better off, actually he would've been better off." He said pointing to Kellin, his grip tighten a little. I tore him off of me and moved forward towards the man and went to slap him across the face. I forgot how fast he actually was because within seconds his hand had captured mine and he flipped me over and onto my back.

Instantly there was a sicken crack coming from my back and Kellin rushed forward to push the man away from me. "Get out, Isaac." He said simply. The man shrugged and walked away, Kellin leaned over my body trying to comfort me. "Setsuna… it'll be ok, I promise, and what can I do for you?" He said in a panic. I looked him in the eyes and tried to reassure him that I would be fine.

I started to get to my feet and start to walk towards the door. As I walked outside Isaac was standing next to my bedroom door. I turned around and look at Kellin. "I'll be fine ok? Just give me a few minutes and then we can go walk to dinner or something ok?" He looked at me, extremely nervous looking, but he eventually nodded letting me go towards my bedroom to confront this Isaac.

I walked towards him and he looked at me, completely unfazed by my ability to walk around after that giant hit to the ground.

"I know what you are." He stated simply, closing his eyes and keeping his head down. "And don't even try to tell me that you're not a hanyo, a half-blood" He paused, opening his eyes to look at me. I tried to keep a calm exterior but I knew that it wasn't going to work for too long. "Don't worry princess. I won't tell anyone about your dirty little secret." He said walking away from me. "I left you a little present on your bed. Be thankful I was able to smuggle it out for you, but after reading the inscription on it… You can have it." He said continuing down the hallway and down the stairs.

I stared at him as he walked away from me. I felt very anxious to walk into my room. What kind of present could he mean? I walked forward and placed my hand on the doorknob, turning it lightly. As I walked in my door I could hear my heartbeat pick up a little. I looked around, and on my bed was a long glass box.

I walked forward slowly at first and then with a little speed. I opened the box and picked up my present.

"My sword…" I whispered lightly, grasping the perfectly balanced blade, perfect for any type of fighting style. I clutched it to my chest as a slow tear rolled down my cheek; it was the last thing that I had that reminded me of home.

I placed the sword back in its box and lifted the case off my bed to place it on my dresser. Why would he give it back to me…? I thought about what he said, he wasn't going to tell anyone and my secret… something I had only shared with Asuna, my wings… how on earth did he know? Sure, everyone knew that my father was a demon, but I was also a secret. No one outside my kingdom was allowed to know about me.

I walked back to bed and sat down, looking towards the floor. What if everyone here was to find out about me? Would they send me away when they find out the only thing that I can bring is havoc and pain to everyone around… if the king wants me to marry his son, I don't think he realizes that I could bring down his kingdom by just unleashing my wings.

There was a knock on the door. Kellin stood there, look nervous.

"I'm sorry…" He said lightly "I don't mean to intrude, I know you said you'd come back, but I got worried and I don't want you to be alone right now." He said looking away from me "I'm sorry I should just go." He said as he turned, but I reached my hand out for him.

"Please don't leave." I said, suddenly feeling like a little child that need protection again, he walked forward and grabbed my hand gently, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss lightly. He looked at me.

"Come on, dinner time." He said as I intertwined my fingers with his, gesturing towards the door. I got up from my bed and walked towards the door. I closed it behind me, silently promising myself that I would spend more time with my sword later.

Kellin and I walked down to the dining hall hand in hand. As we reached the door way I let go of him, he looked at me, slightly concerned but nodded in understanding. He opened the door for me and I walked inside, taking the same seat that I did on my first night here, Kellin next to me and Konoka across from me.

"Welcome back." Konoka said with a devilish smirk. I didn't quite understand it until the sickening emotion came over me. This was where I was before I got thrown into the dungeon. I started to stand up as Kellin reached for my arm.

"It's ok" he said lightly, "No one will take you away this time… I promise…" He patted his sword, which was still strapped to his side. "I'll make sure no one touches you." He whispered.

Konoka sneered from across the table. "How cute, trying to be her knight in shining armor. Hasn't that routine gotten old for you yet brother? Haven't you realized by now that it doesn't work?" She said undermining Kellins words; I looked at her and our eyes met. Another tingly feeling started in my toes, making a sensation of warmth spread around me.

I found myself staring at her, and she stared back at me as if it was nothing, smiling too. There was something there, something that I wasn't quite sure I wanted to feel. I pushed my feeling away and look down into my lap. Kellin seemed completely unaware to what just passed between his sister and I, or if he did he didn't seem to care enough to say anything.

Now I can't exactly say why, but part of me wanted to just go sit and talk to Konoka, she seemed so much nicer and I really don't know what it is about her but… I shook of the thoughts.

The doors from the back of the dining room exploded open and all the knights and servants around us bowed, Kellin and Konoka stood up and I followed suit.

There was about a minute of silence before anything else happened, but then in strode the queen, wearing a black evening gown, and then the King, he came in slower than the queen, taking his time to get to the table. No one sat until he had arrived and made a gesture for everyone to be seated.

He looked around the table with an evil expression on his face, his cold eyes seeming to freeze everything around him. He opened his mouth to speak.

"So… the wedding is to be held next Friday."