Chapter 9

Learning to live.

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Two weeks had already passed since I last moved in here, in the first week; it was a day-wrecker seeing him so early in the morning. We would have our routine by bickering each other until breakfast was over, there we both will go our separate ways, him to Ruka while me to… somewhere.

It was boring.

I would go borrow a horse from Koko, the stable boy slash soldier; he's nice, better than that prince; I remember him from the 'bathroom incident', and he remembered me as it is. Damn, humiliating as it's been, he just told me that it was just a funny little accident. Little my ass, I wanted to snap, but held myself. Anyway, let's talk about horses, horses are cute, they're sophisticated and majestic looking, but, they really are. I saw one of them that caught my eye, but he was inside a bigger stable, Koko said I shouldn't go in and it would disturb its sleep. I can't help fantasying of how smooth its mane would be, it looked silken. I miss my horse too; Nonoko said we could visit Feral sometime around next week. Father banned me going home, or until a month has passed. In another two weeks, I'll see you, Feral. I love him very much; they had named him feral, which means wild. I got him as a present from Father. Feral was much wild as he can be when I first saw him, the stable men had trouble taming the poor thing. But, I guess it trusted me, at first I didn't know he was Feral, I saw him tied to a tree. I gave him an apple I picked up from a tree somewhere near the manor; he took it, I patted its nose as he nuzzled my hand back. A man then from the stable came, panicked when he saw me riding the 'wild thing', as they call him. I chuckled, recalling the memory of him being frantic running around, saying things to himself like, 'what will Sir do to me when he founds Milady riding that wild thing!' and so on.

I stopped dead tracks as I hear some moaning, man, where am I? I got lost in my thoughts again. My vision then cleared as I saw two people…

I gaped.

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"Natsume?" Ruka began

"Hn?" I didn't bother looking as my gaze was to the horizon before us

"Are you serious?" he asked after sometime

"Serious in what?" I asked back as I feel the air around him was showing uncertainty

"Ugh, A-, err, I mean," he cleared his throat at the moment, "with Anrui, being your fiancée and everything,"

I snapped my head quickly to him and realized I was glaring like mad when he smiled hesitantly, "Wh.." my voice trailed of when I comprehended I was like gonna kill him, but being him, he knew I won't do anything too harsh; any men by now would have ran. "What do you mean?" I say slowly after clearing my throat

He smiled a little before continuing, "This is the longest engagement you had Natsume; most ended in a day or two, your longest engagement in the past was six days, it didn't even past a week, and I believe you hadn't use the tactic at her," he says

"She knew, before I can even put it an act, and she hates the engagement as I do,"

Alarmed, Ruka spat, "She knew you were playing homosexual?" his eyes were size of a platter

"Somehow, she heard some lady's talking in Mother's ball," I shook my head, "and it won't do any good, she, she laughed like an animal!" I say, can't even think for a proper adjective to describe her

"So you'll bear that she'll be your wife in the mere future?" he asked

"No," I responded, somewhat too quickly "I rather marry you than her,"

Ruka laughed, seeing something humorous I couldn't see, "You always say that," he grinned, "but I know it's true, I am more desirable," he winked jokingly

I made a puking face, "You? Of course, you are," playing along

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I hid behind a corner as I hear the woman say "There's someone there," I can even hear my heartbeat as the man approached; I saw then Koko passing by, as if in a daze, I sprinted to him and said my whispered hello as he smiled back

"Aikan-san," he says and saw someone behind me

"Hello Koko, Anrui-Hakushaku," I hear a voice; pivoting around, it was the blonde soldier I remember in one of the past dinners I had here

"Hello, ugh," what's his name?

"General Iinchou," Koko says behind me; girl from before then came out of Iinchou's back, "Milady," he added, somehow his voice became more firmed

"Hakushaku-san," she says, surprised etched on her face; gaining composure, she curtsied, "I haven't introduced myself, I'm Sumire Shouda, Natsume's cousin,"

"Yes," I curtsied back, "I'm Aikan Anrui," smiling she smiled back

"I know, you've been popular in the palace," I felt my cheeks flush a bit at the unexpected comment

"I'm flattered, Shouda-san, but I'm not so sure, I have a few countable friends around here, and I'm not sure if you could even count Nat- I mean, his highness a friend of mine," the last part was barely inaudible

She chuckled as Koko interrupted, "Aikan-chan, I've readied your horse for a ride, I was just looking for you,"

The look on his face was unreadable, stern and composed, which is far from his happy-go-lucky expression and that goofy grin; I decided to play along, wanting to leave the suffocating air around here, "Ah, yes, I forgot about that, well, excuse me then, Shouda-san, Captain-san, I better go," I curtsied as Koko bowed, then we went away

When we were out of earshot, "You saved me, Koko-kun!" I breathed as I looked at his dazed stated, "Koko, any problem?"

"Oh," he just snapped out of it and smiled a little at me, "no, none at all, just sleepy,"

"You sure, because you promised a ride for me," I smirked, teasing him is fun

"Oh, that," he chuckled forcefully as I held myself not to push any button, "come'n then, Aikan-chan," his goofy grin returned, "I would rest after we come back,"

"No, you rest, I usually sneak out of my manor a lot, so I know how to handle a horse, sometimes, I even clean my horse's, ugh, waste; it's horrible," he laughed heartily then

"Never thought I'd know another girl not afraid getting her hands dirty," he grinned

"Well you do now, and I'm afraid you should keep that information as a secret," I say as I climbed up the horse

"Of course, of course" he smiled, getting another stallion

"No, you look a jumble, rest or take a nap, Koko, I'll be fine riding alone here, and this place is scouted every once in a while, right?" I pouted

"You're a handful, Aikan Anrui," he returned the horse on its place and came back

"I hear them say," I responded

Laughing, "You have the most unexpected personality I know," he says

"Well, that's a Sakura for you!" I grinned and set off

Well, that slipped, I hit my forehead; I just hoped he didn't notice.

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Looking below from the window in the hall, Sumire was sat beside me. She was looking downward. I don't see anything special in particular other than the blue and clear sky. But downward? I pondered as I saw Natsume's fiancée and Koko, one of my troops and my right hand; also my best friend.

I looked at the beauty next to me, her face, as usual, was glowing, but her expression was unreadable. I frowned. What's bothering her? Her kissable lip that was always moist is now a simple straight line. Her eyes, I couldn't see, but I know she's feeling dull, if that is even an expression.

"Are you all right, Su-chan?" I asked after sometime, maybe she's sleepy? Or she just dazed of, after all, her expression was dull, that could be an explanation

"Huh? Oh, what?" she let out a yawn as I smiled at her when she met my eyes

"Are you sleepy?" I asked again

"I guess," she shrugged, "I didn't get much sleep last night,"

"Alright, alright, no game tonight!" I raised both my hands in surrender as she chuckled, the old glow flowing on her face again

"I'm sorry," she apologized with a small smile

Still smiling, "No, it's fine," I embraced her shoulder and let her rest on me, "after all, I can't have you get some kind of sickness, your health's number priority,"

"Thank you," she let out a last yawn as she quickly fell asleep on me. Maybe my body will numb later or so, but it's worth it, all for her. I looked at her sleeping face, she's a beauty; but it all would have been perfect if she doesn't have her frown on her features. I wonder if she's having a nightmare.

"I love you," I whispered lightly, "And I'm never gonna let you go,"

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I galloped after sometime, going nowhere in particular. I halted as I ventured in the forest; Koko said it's just a small forest and if I just keep going on one direction I can get out easily.

And he was right, though I felt I wasn't even half in, I got out. I went on the hill; as I was near the tip and saw two men in horses. Maybe it's the scouts, soldiers, from the palace. My paced got slower every second as my eyes adjusted on the light; the sun was now setting, so it's pretty bright.

I saw one of them hold the others hands, as I got nearer, the clearer the voices were. I felt I know those voices

"Will you marry me?" one asked, holding the others hand, who also went down his horse, or I think it's a he.

"What'd you think?" the other answered, their faces got closer to each second. And as my eye sight was adjusted to the brightness, I let out a gasp and a curse that I didn't mean to say out loud; it was the one of the curses your mother would have punished you dearly; that even a guard will get scared just hearing it from a girl….

"HOLY SHIT!" my eyes went saucer as they both looked at me…

What a shocker…

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Well, I hope you all like it. It was hard making my imagination into words, especially when you're BAD at English. I hope it was clear as I wanted it to be, and sometimes the scenes are hard to make.

This took a lot of time, you see, and exams after exams just ended. I even revised this a lot of times, trying to get the scenes perfect as possible. I know it isn't, but please bear with it; and help me improve! That'll be an honor. :D.

So, it still take me sometime to make the next chapter because, it's SUMMER VACATION! And I'm going to Hong Kong, I don't know how long, but I'll make the next chapter as soon as I can!

And for those who haven't guessed who's POV said "I love you…. And I'll never gonna let you go," well, it's no other than Yuu Tobita/Iinchou.

Anyway, please review, as I've mentioned before, criticisms are welcomed.

Thank You to EVERYONE!

-ROCKERFAITH