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Swim
Chapter Thirteen
Moon Kitty 2005
August 1st, 2006
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Ichigo ran down the halls toward the servant's chambers, her skirts clenched in her fists as her strawberry eyes scanned the hallways for the familiar golden ones. I don't want to do this... why the hell do I have to be a princess?
As the hallway got increasingly darker and darker, Ichigo reached to the wall and slid a torch from the wall hanging and held it in front of her as her eyes gradually got used to the dimness.
As she turned the corner however, she ran headlong into a servant with silver hair and cold ice blue eyes. She shivered as he looked at her.
"Pardon me, Your Highness. Was there something you needed?"
His voice is cold, too... "Yes. Do you know a servant by the name of Kishu?"
The man seemed taken aback as he stared at the girl, rising to his feet and offering a hand to lift her to hers as well. "He's my brother. Did you need him for something?"
His brother? "I needed to talk to him, actually, so if you could tell him to meet me in my chambers after he's finished with whatever he's doing, that would be greatly appreciated."
The man bowed slightly and turned, walking away from her with a slight sound of affirmation.
Kishu... Ichigo thought as she walked away, her shoulders hunched with depression. I don't want to do this to you. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me.
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She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, staring at her reflection. Kishu would be there any minute. She could feel it. It was almost like a bond they shared. They could each feel where the other was. At first, Ichigo had thought it to be a bond between friends. But with each nightly visit, she realized it was a bond between much more.
How the hell am I supposed to break that bond? I'm getting depressed with just the mere thought of not talking to him anymore. How the hell am I supposed to survive without him? I can't... I can't do it, but I have to. I have no choice.
A knock sounded slightly on her door and she jumped, turning slightly in her chair to stare at the door, her hand shaking slightly. "Come in," she called, knowing it was him.
He pushed open the door and closed it softly behind him, staring into her eyes. "Something's wrong. I already know it. I knew about halfway down the hallway." He walked over to her, taking her hand in his and leading her over to the bed to sit. "What is it?"
She bit her lower lip and pulled her hand from his grasp, glancing down at her lap as tears gathered in her eyes. "We can't meet anymore. In fact, I think it's a good idea that we not even talk anymore. We can't even see each other."
There was dead silence for a few moments, then-
"I can't meet you anymore?"
She shook her head. "I don't think it's best."
More silence, and then Kishu sighed. "I knew something like this was going to happen. But I'm not going to stop meeting you. I've become closer to you in the two weeks we've known each other to even my own family. I'm sorry, but I can't."
She stared at him, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Kishu, you don't understand. If they found out that you were even up here for a social call, you could be punished severely for your actions. You're being stupid!"
"You're the one who's being stupid!" he yelled back. "I don't care if I get in trouble! I don't want to stop meeting you!"
She rose to her feet and yelled back, her mind running rampant, "Why not!"
"Because I love you!"
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Authoress Notes
Okay, one chapter done. On to the next one. Tell me what you thought. Next chapter is the confrontation between Ryou and Retasu.