A/N: Okay everyone I am back and finally able to post. I hope that everyone likes this chapter and I hope that it answers a few questions for you.
XXXX
Kimberly said her good byes one more time before slipping out the side door of the orphanage. She had needed some space to think about what Zordon had told her so she decided to visit the children. They could always brighten her day. Shifting her hood higher, she thought about what Zordon and Jason had said to her yesterday. Sighing she knew that Jason was right in the fact that she was afraid. Zordon had given her the courage to make her decision on her own. He didn't pressure her and tell her which prince was better for her.
Looking up, she saw a faint outline of a bird above her. It looked like the drawing that Zordon had hanging in his chamber. It had a white glow around it that reminded her of Tommy yesterday morning. She had never seen a glow quite like that. A smile formed as she connected the dots. She had gotten her sign or at least she hoped it was her sign.
XXXX
Zordon sighed as he straightened away from the willow tree. He was out gathering the bark from the tree. The bark was known to have healing powers with head injuries. He liked having some on hand in case something went wrong. You just never knew when medicine was needed.
Wiping his forehead, he slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder and head back to the palace. He heard a bird above. Looking up, he saw the falcon again. It was circling like it was protecting something or someone. It had a white glow around it like the crane had a pink one around it. Kim's future was here but since he was in the forest to the west of the palace, he couldn't see the man.
Looking back at the falcon, he realized that it was over the area close to the orphanage. The only reason it would be circling there was Kimberly. The falcon was getting closer to her by protecting her from harm. He couldn't see Kim's crane though. He bet that the crane was circling Kim's future husband. Protecting and calling out to him just as his falcon did to Kim. He would have to keep an eye out for the crane.
Smiling he continued on to the palace with a little heart. Kim's future was close if only she would just follow it to her happiness.
XXXX
"Are you alright?" A voice called out as Alex opened his eyes. He couldn't see clearly and didn't really know how long he had been out. "Hello? Are you alright?" The voice called out again.
"I'm not sure." He croaked as he blinked and tried to focus again. The only thing that he could really see was the light and that wasn't very clear.
"I'm coming down, hold still." The voice called again as he groaned. He couldn't move if he wanted too. Everything hurt including his nose. He heard a rustling in the leaves close to him and tried to focus his eyes again but everything was still blurry.
"Who are you?" He asked as he felt a hand to his chest. It was not a man's hand. It was just too small for that so it had to be the one calling out to him.
"I'm Kelsey and my friend who is coming down on your other side is Lucas. We saw you lying down here. I thought that you were dead at first but then I saw you move. Do you know what happened?" She asked as she felt for any breaks or bumps while Lucas looked around for anything to make a litter with. He knew that they couldn't carry this man up the hill in his present condition even though Kelsey would try. It had been her idea to get closer to the body and he was thankful. This man needed their help.
"No, I don't remember what happened only that I ache." He said as she brushed his hair to the side. She had soft hands, he could tell. They matched her voice.
"I don't see any breaks but you have a nasty bump on your head and several cuts. We need to get you back to the palace. My friend, Dana is a healer there. She will be able to her you more than we can." She said as Lucas found what he needed.
"Thank you." He said as his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out again.
"I thought that might happen." Lucas muttered as he fashioned the branches together with some spare leather that had held Kelsey's hair back. It was a good thing that she used leather otherwise this wouldn't work too well.
"I'll go get the horses then help you get him on there." She said as he nodded. She climbed back up the hill and took a breath. How would they ever get this man to Dana in time? The bump worried her. Grabbing the reins, she led the horses down the hill slowly and helped Lucas tied the litter to her saddle. It didn't seem like a good mode of transportation but it was one that had been used for centuries. Two long branches made up the sides while a shorter one went across the top to make a rectangle shape. Tied between the branches was some burlap that Lucas had found near the man. It was fortunate that he had found that because burlap was the best thing to use to hold the person up so that they didn't drag the ground. After it was tied to her saddle, she looked at Lucas. This was the hard part.
"Okay now you slide it as I roll him." Lucas instructed as Kelsey did it. They finally got him on it without too much trouble. It was probably for the best that the man was still passed out because the journey was long and she wanted to get him there fast.
"He is not looking good; we better get him back now." She said as he nodded.
"You think that Dana can help him?" Lucas asked as Kelsey climbed into her saddle. His horse was still at the top of the hill.
"If anyone can help him, it would be Dana. She is truly a miracle worker." She said easing her horse up the hill then waiting for Lucas to saddle up.
"If you say so." He muttered as he climbed on his horse's back and gave him rein. It would be pushing it to go somewhat fast but he knew that Kelsey would do what she could to get that man to Dana as fast as she could.
XXXX
"You know Kimberly is a better shot than you are." Jason said coming up behind Tommy. He had watched Tommy shoot a few arrows before walking over to him. Most of Tommy's arrows were on the ground and not on the target.
"I know but I'm better with a sword." Tommy muttered as he shot his last arrow. This one flew to the right of the target and landed in the grass.
"You need to keep you shoulder tucked in." Jason pointed out before helping Tommy gather up the arrows. "Kim is actually good with a sword too but you are probably better since she has to use a lighter one." He said handed Tommy five arrows.
"Is there anything that Kim can't do? I mean I'm okay with her warrior side but I'm just wondering what is in store for my future. Will she stab me while I sleep if I do something wrong?" He asked as Jason laughed.
"Probably but I doubt it since she would like to torture you more." He said as Tommy laughed. "But as for what she can't do, not sure. I mean Trini still surprises me with what she knows after being married a while. Women are sneaky." He stated.
"Maybe but I don't really see Kim being sneaky as much as keep her cards close to her chest. You know I still don't know if she likes me or if I'm a way to keep her from marrying Prince Mesogogg." He said slinging the quiver and bow over his shoulder and heading back to the palace.
Jason looked at the palace then back to Prince Tommy. He could see the frustration that the prince kept hidden while around anyone else and knew that he wanted to marry Kimberly. It wasn't about Kimberly's crown, land, or the fact that she was beautiful; Crown Prince Thomas of Phadoes liked maybe even loved Princess Kimberly. "I agree Kim does play her cards close but then she has had learned to do that, I mean she is the princess. Everyone wants something from her for the most part." He explained as Tommy nodded.
"So if everyone wants something from the princess, what do you want? I mean you are the Captain of the Guard." Tommy said as Jason sighed. Everyone assumed that he was friends with Kimberly to be the Captain. It was incorrect because some days he didn't want to be the Captain.
"I just wanted to be her friend that's all. The only thing I have ever wanted from Kimberly was her blessing to marry her best friend." He said in serious tones.
"I assume that she gave it to you." Tommy commented.
"After a week of torture, yes she gave me her blessings." He said as Adam, Rocky, Zack, and Billy walked over to them.
"Blessings for what?" Rocky asked.
"Marrying Trini." Jason replied as they continued into the palace.
"Bet you wish you could take that back." Rocky said with a laugh. "But really Trini made you ask for Kim's blessings?" He asked.
"Yea, why?" Jason asked wondering why Rocky phrased it that way.
"Because Aisha made me ask Kim too." He stated.
"Yea Tanya did too." Adam piped in.
"Kat did too." Billy said.
"Same with Angela." Zack stated.
"So do I need to ask all the girls for their blessings?" Tommy asked with a smile. He lost that smile when all the guys nodded. "Are you serious?" He asked as they nodded again.
"Good news is that the girls like you so hopefully they won't torture you for long." Jason said slapping his shoulder as the guys laughed.
"What's so funny?" Trini asked as the guys stepped into the garden.
XXXX
"There are reports that some villagers have found that guard." Elsa whispered to Rito.
"You know that it creeps me out when you do that." Rito replied turning to face her.
"I know but did you hear me?" She asked through her teeth. She hated having to deal with him. He was not on the same level as she was and it was insult that she even had to talk to him.
"I heard you but I thought that you had looked for him after the attack." He said as her hands made fists at her side.
"I did but apparently he was well hidden. I should have killed him but this is better for the Prince." She said with some restraint. The guard should have been dead. She had run his own sword through him or at least she had thought she did.
"How will this help? If the Princess finds out that it was one of his guards that led the attack then she will get angry at him." He pointed as she rolled her eyes. He was clueless sometimes.
"She won't find out." She growled. "It will help him; if he brings the guard home then he will be her hero." She stated relaxing her hands and body. He was an idiot but it would get her nowhere if she hit him at the moment. "And she is a Princess who needs a hero." She muttered.
"Oh I get it, it will look like he found the man for her and is the good guy." He said.
"Yes it would. Anyway the man is badly injured so he won't know who found him. I have Scorpina tracking them to dispose of the villagers and bring the man to Mesogogg for him to bring through the gates to the Princess. The plan is simple and all I want you to do is stay out of sight." She said looking at him.
"Okay I think I can handle that but are you sure that you don't need me to do anything?" He asked.
"I am very sure; just stay out of the way and out of sight." She said before walking away. She didn't stick around for him to ask more questions because she had to join Scorpina in tracking those villagers. They had to be stopped before they got close enough for the Princess to learn that the guard was still alive.
XXXX
Kimberly finally made it back to the palace. She had been gone longer than she had planned but that was okay. She wanted time to think about her decision. As she stood outside the gates, a smile spread across her face. There had been so many times that she had stood there without really seeing the gates. They had been made to keep her in and others out. She was like them in that regard. She had stayed hidden and not let anyone but that was about to change. It had to change as long as she had the courage to do it.
She spotted Hayley and made her way over to her. There were a few questions that she wanted to know about Tommy and the only one to know those answers was Hayley.
XXXX
"Stop." Kendrix said as Maya pulled her horse up.
"What's wrong?" She asked looking back at Kendrix and the man.
"He's burning up. We need to get his fever down or he will die." She said grabbing the edge of her skirt. She began tearing it as Maya handed her the canteen. "Thanks." She said pouring the water over the piece of cloth.
"We should be able to reach the healer in the morning but we have to get moving." Maya stated as Kendrix nodded. She handed the canteen back as she placed the wet cloth over the man's eyes and forehead.
"Okay we can go, he needs the healer fast." She said as Maya nodded and got back on her horse. She flicked the reins and got the horse moving again. She flicked the reins again to urge the horse faster. They could spare no time.
Kendrix sighed and watched his chest move up and down very slowly. It seemed like his breath was getting shorter and shorter. He was also paler than when they had found him. She prayed that they made it in time. He could not die on them when they were so close.
XXXX
Kelsey looked around and saw that they were close to Dana's cottage now. They should be there in about another hour. Lucas had set a fast pace but for once she was thankful. The guard was barely breathing. She had loosen his belt and pulled his shirt away from his body so that the wind would help keep him cool.
It was a good thing that she had seen a shirtless man before because the sight of this man's chest had taken her breath away. He was muscular which she knew had to come from all his training for the guard. She didn't think that there was an ounce of fat on him. Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts to the side and concentrated on keeping him alive until they got to Dana's. Those thoughts did stray too far though as she struggled to keep her cool.
"We're close." Lucas called out.
"I know, I recognized the area." She called back without looking away from the guard. It was a good thing too because he started shaking violently. Reaching for her button on her cape, she undid it and swung it around to cover the guard. It was small but at least she had his arms covered along with that chest of his. She managed to ease his shirt down under her cape to get him extra warmth. "Come on, I know that you can fight so fight this." She whispered lying down beside him. She could share her body heat with him.
"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.
"He is cold so I am sharing my body heat with him." She replied.
"We have got to get him to Dana fast then. Hold on." He called out as he urged the horses faster. He had known that it was a risk to move the guard but it would have taken longer to get a healer to him.
XXXX
"Kimberly, where have you been?" Hayley asked as Kimberly walked toward her.
"Oh the orphanage, I want to ask you a few questions." She said as Hayley nodded.
"About my brother, I assume." She stated as Kim nodded. "Okay so what do you want to know?" She asked as Kim looped her arm around Hayley's and led her to a path close to them. The path would take them around the palace away from anyone who could listen in on their conversation.
"What was your father like?" She asked.
"My father? I thought you had questions about Tommy." Hayley said stopping to the look at the Princess. No one had ever asked her about her father before. He had died long ago and most of what she knew were stories that the servants and her mother told her.
"I do want to know about your brother but I know that Jason's father shaped him into the man that he is today and I assume that it would be the same with Tommy." She explained as Hayley nodded and continued walking.
"Well he was a good man, ruled alongside my mother until his death. I remember him being strong and quiet. He didn't talk a lot but when he did others listened. It was like he was always watching and only stepped in when there was no other way." She stated.
"He sounds like your brother." Kim commented as Hayley smiled.
"Mother says that Tommy is the very image of our father, not just in looks but in mannerisms and actions. My brother is a man of action when called upon but he will also hang back and access the situation." She said.
Kim sat down on a nearby bench before asking her next question. "What do the maids think about your brother?"
"What?" Hayley asked sitting down next to her.
"The maids, what do they think about your brother?" She asked again.
"I'm not sure what that has to do with anything but I know that they think he's cute. I mean they like him as a ruler and I guess as a man." She said shifting toward Kimberly.
"If they think he's cute then they like the man but I'm not sure that cute is the best word to describe your brother. Its too tame." Kim stated as Hayley nodded.
"I agree but why do you ask?" She asked.
"The maids hate Mesogogg. I mean he is handsome not as much as your brother but I mean he is a catch and they don't like him. They say that he is mean and asks more of them than is required." Kim whispered as Hayley's eyes widened.
Hayley took a deep breath before speaking. "I see."
"I do have one more question and its going to sound weird." Kim confirmed as Hayley laughed.
"Kimberly, all of your questions have sounded weird but go ahead. I can't wait to hear it." She said as Kim nodded.
"Well I know that your brother is attached to Saba." She stated.
"Attached? I think more obsessed is a better word but go on." Hayley said cutting in.
"Okay well if Saba broke his leg, what would he do?" She asked looking intently at Hayley.
"I would think that he would try to save him but if he couldn't he would do everything to ease Saba's pain. Tommy doesn't like to see anything or anyone in pain." She said quietly. "Does this help?" She asked as Kim looked away from her.
Kim sighed before looking back at Hayley. "Yes it does and thanks Hayley." She said standing up.
"Can I ask you a question now?" Hayley asked standing up.
"Of course." Kim said as she turned back to the palace.
"Do you love my brother?" She asked as Kim paused.
"Princess Hayley, Princess Kimberly, what are you two doing out here?" Mesogogg asked as he walked toward them.
"Getting a breath of fresh air, what brings you out here?" Kim asked sort of thankful for the interruption. She didn't want to admit to anyone that she might be in love with Tommy unless it was Tommy. He deserved to know first.
"I thought I might take a stroll around the property, would you mind joining me?" He asked looking at Kimberly. Hayley forced herself to smile slightly. He was a Prince and did deserve her attention even though she really didn't like him.
"We would love too but I did promise Princess Hayley a tour of the palace before lunch." Kimberly said with a smile. Hayley held her smile at Kim's lie.
"Oh I understand, promises must come first Princess. I will see you at lunch then." He said before bowing and walking away. Kim knew that his statement about promises must come first referred to their marriage contract.
"He gives me the creeps." Hayley said quietly as Kim nodded.
"Come on we better get back before he realizes that I lied to him." Kim said grabbing Hayley's hand and rushing back to the palace thru the back gate. Kim was the first through the gate but she was also the one to bump into Tommy first.
"Oh." She stated before back up. Tommy grabbed her upper arms to help steady her as Hayley bumped into her.
"Maybe you two need to slow down." He said laughing at them.
"Sorry, Tommy." Kim said looking up at him.
"Yea we're sorry but I need to get something from my room so please excuse me, Princess Kimberly." Hayley said as Kim nodded. Hayley took off so that Kim and her brother could have some alone time.
XXXX
"You know you let him off easy. Kim would have tortured him for at least a day." Jason stated a few minutes after Tommy left. He was still a little shocked that the girls gave their blessings freely. They placed no demands on him whatsoever.
"Okay the man has enough problems with actually getting Kim to agree to marry him so I thought that he deserved our support." Trini explained as the girls all nodded.
"Kim did not have that same theory." Rocky stated as all the guys nodded.
"Quit whining, Kim didn't kill you." Aisha said.
"So when do you think he will ask Kim?" Adam asked turning the topic.
"Hopefully soon because Prince Mesogogg is acting sneaky about something and really I don't want him to even think that Kim will marry him." Tanya commented.
"I'm with Tanya on Prince Mesogogg." Kat agreed.
"Speaking of Prince Mesogogg, has anyone seen him today?" Billy asked.
"Yea for a few seconds, why?" Trini asked wondering where Billy was going with this.
"Just wondering, I mean for someone that wants to marry Kimberly, he doesn't spend that much time with her." He pointed out causing everyone to think about that. If Prince Mesogogg really wanted to marry Kimberly then he would want to spend every moment with her and would try to discredit Prince Tommy in Kim's eyes. He wasn't doing any of that as far as they could tell.
XXXX
"Are you alright?" Tommy asked looking down at Kimberly.
"Uh, yea I'm fine. I was the one to run into you." She pointed out.
"You were but I was in the way of the gate. I shouldn't have stood there for so long." He said releasing his hold on her arms.
Kim tried not to frown over losing his touch but it was hard. How could she be at a loss over his touch was beyond her. She really didn't know him all that well but thinking about it, it was like she had known him forever. "Were you heading somewhere?" She asked him.
"No, I was just looking for you." He said smiling.
"Well you found me." She said with a smile.
"More like you found me." He chuckled.
Laughing, Kim reached for his hand and led him back into the palace. "I want to show you something." She said.
"Should I be scared?" He asked with a laugh.
"You scared of little ole me? I think not." She said lacing her fingers through his.
Tommy looked down at their hands and smiled. They were a perfect fit. They finally stopped and he watched as Kimberly opened a door to their left. He walked in with Kim at her side. "Whoa, this is a huge library." He said looking around.
Kim let go of his hand so that she could grab a book from a nearby shelf. "I want you understand my reasoning for not marrying any other Prince before now." She said before handing him the book.
"The Falcon and the Crane." He read out loud.
"Zordon read me this book before bedtime each night when I was little. I love it." She said leaning into his shoulder to look at the book cover.
"You know my country's standard is a White Falcon." He said looking at her to his right.
"Falcon?" She asked as he nodded. He turned fully to her and saw her eyes darken.
"Yes a falcon." He replied as he leaned down to brush her lips with his. He only meant it was a simple kiss but she had other plans. As he was pulling back, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He dropped the book while his arms circled her waist to pull her in close. The kiss lasted longer than either had planned and only ended when Tommy heard the knob rattle on the door.
"We have to stop." He breathed as he pulled back and looked down at her.
"I am sorry, that was out of line." Kim said unwinding her arms from his neck. She turned a deep shade of red as one of the servants opened the door.
"Oh I am sorry, Princess Kimberly." The servant said as she quickly shut the door leaving them alone once again.
"Kimberly." Tommy said taking her hand in his.
"I need to go but please read the book." She said pulling back her hand and taking off. He watched her leave and just had to smile. She was running from him but at least he was a good hunter. She couldn't run too far in the palace. He scooped down to pick up the book and had to smile. He didn't tell her that he loved the story as well. There was just something about the falcon and crane vowing to find their way back to each other that he liked.
Walking over to the windows he saw Kim walking across the courtyard at a slower pace than when she left him. Looking closer, he saw a bird circling low. It looked like a crane but what was odd was that the crane had a pink outline around it. Cranes were not pink and they did not circle people as far as he knew. Suddenly another bird joined the crane and this one he knew just by the cry.
It was a falcon.
XXXX
Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know and the next chapter should be out soon.