Hi everyone! What's up?

Thanks a lot of Cutetyhil and guest for reviewing the previous chapters. This chapter will be the last chapter about the childhood of our characters. From the next chapter, their adulthood will begin.

So...ready? Enjoy! :D

"Ugh! The tiara is so heavy!"

Scrunching her little nose, the eight-year old put off the headpiece and kept it on her dressing table. In the hall-room when the ceremony had been going on, she couldn't have protested because she had known it that it was the rule of the fort. Royal women of China had to makeover and dress-up as magnificently as they could. Silk, georgette, chiffon, gold, diamond, pearls and other gemstones were usually used by them almost in all types of festivals-be those weddings, birthdays, venerations, coronations, royal duels, arrivals of royal guests and everything. But the little redhead didn't like wearing them at all.

She loved to adorn herself with the jewelries made of flowers. Wearing puffy-sleeved cotton top and swirling flowery skirt, she used to wrap garlands made of anonymous tiny flowers around her wrists, arms, waist, neck and forehead. Dressing up as a flower-girl, she used to chase butterflies and birds. Sometimes, a few pigeons sat on her shoulders. She used to feed them. Such a carefree girl she was!

"My body is itching!" She started undoing the buttons of her qi-pao, "This dress is very weighty. I wasn't able to walk properly wearing this."

Once she put off the dress, she sighed in relief. Wearing her usual top and skirt, she smiled a bright smile, seeing her reflection in the mirror of her dressing table in front of which she was standing.

"Salima! My child!"

The redhead almost lifted the wooden comb from the table. Hearing the familiar womanish voice, she kept it again on the table. Turning back, she brightly welcomed the familiar person, "Mother!"

"You've already changed?" Keeping the metallic tray on the side-table, the head queen entered the room, "Isn't my princess liking to wear that gorgeous outfit anymore?"

"Nope," She pouted, "The princess likes wearing her favorite cloths more."

"Does she?" Taking the glass of milk from the tray, Shaina held it in front of the puckered face of her beloved daughter, "She also likes drinking milk at night before sleeping, doesn't she?"

"No, she doesn't," The redhead didn't change her facial expression, "It's stinky!"

"No my child, it's not stinky," The queen caressed her head, "It's called moon milk. I've prepared it with the juice of blueberries, honey, crushed cashew nuts, almonds and the essence of vanilla flowers. Just smell it!"

Furrowing her nose and eyebrows, the girl took the glass and smelt. Within a second, her face lit up as smiles rose in the corners of her lips.

"That's awesome!" She cheered, "Mother, I love it! Can I drink it?"

"Why not, my girl?" Smile appeared all over the face of the Regina too, "I've brought it here so that you may drink it."

"Thank you so much, mother," She showed her flashy teeth as she had a sip from the glass.

"My girl," Shaina took the wooden comb and started dressing the hair of the princess, "Remember, milk is an ideal drink. If you have it regularly, your bones will be so strong that nobody will be able to break them. Milk prevents cavities. Your skin will glow like the moon in a moonlit night. You'll have a good sleep at night. So, drink milk regularly."

"Mother," Gulping, Salima asked, "Do you know what happened to the little boy who came in my birthday party?"

"I don't know, my girl," While braiding, Shaina answered, "He just….came there like a ray of light and vanished like the whirlwind."

"He didn't do the right thing," The princess took another sip, "He should have waited for me."

"Don't be sad, my dear," Shaina kept tying the hair of her daughter, "If Almighty wants, you'll meet him again. By the way, are you done with your milk?"

"Wait, mother," The little girl drank the rest of the healthy beverage inside the glass. Handing the glass to her mother, she said with a smile, "I'm done, mother."

"Good girl!" Taking the glass, Shaina kissed on the temple of her daughter, "Now gurgle with warm water and wash your hands, face and feet before sleeping. Don't forget to change your cloths."

"Okay, mother," Like an obedient girl, Salima nodded.

"Good night, my child." The queen wished her.

"Good night, mother." Salima replied in a cheerful way.

Giving her a smile and closing the door of the room, Shaina left. Keeping the tray and the glass in kitchen, she entered her room.

No, again he was absent today. He didn't come to her once again. Again, he kept having fun with another courtier.

Before their marriage, he had loved her. Whenever she had come to her, he had felt like getting the flavor of nectar. She'd been a gem to him.

Flashback:

"Impossible it is, Zagart!" Shaina snapped, "I can never cheat my mistress and her family for power."

"No honey, not for power," He cupped her face firmly, "You won't cheat them for power. Rather, you'll fight against them for love. For the sake of our love."

"Zagart, you love me a lot, don't you?" With tearful eyes, she asked.

"Of course, my angel," The infamous robber fiercely kissed on her lips, "I love you. Your smile, your eyes, your own style of speaking, your serene face, your snake-like hair and….everything of you."

"But….I'm a simple servant….." Tears flowed down on her cheeks.

"For the king and his family members, you may be the servant," Two hands of him encompassed her slender uncovered stomach and back, "For me, you're the empress of heaven. You're my goddess, you're my life, my….everything…."

Zagart tucked his face amidst her buttery hair, having the fragrance of it. Being deeply emotional, Shaina also threw her arms and embraced him firmly, leaning closer to his bare chest and hearing his heartbeats.

Flash forward:

Shattering into pieces, she knelt down on the floor. Tears brimmed down from her eyes and washed her cheeks. Gradually, her eyes became bloodshot. Her heart ached heavily. Her cheeks turned cerise.

'I'm sorry, my queen….' She snuffled, 'I was supposed to be your most faithful maid. But I cheated you. I was in…involved in the plan of killing your husband. But you never mistreated me. You took care of me…as….as if I'd been your own sister. But what? What did I do? I snatched your happiness from you for the sake of my own happiness. My hands didn't tremble a bit. My conscience didn't ask me anything. How? How did I become so cruel at that time? Forgive me, my lady…neither I'm worthy to be a loyal servant, nor am I suitable for being a successful queen…..'

Weeping, she lay down on the stony floor, gritting her fists. Everyone in the palace was scared of her. They lowered their head when she walked away. In the courtroom, she sat beside the king wearing elegant attires and jewelries. The crown on her head was designed like the sun. Her face manifested what real grandeur should be. But nobody, nobody in the world knew another side of her. That side belonged to only her. She didn't want to show anyone this side.

Never in her life.

"Your Majesty?"

In the gigantic hall-room, the king was sitting on his throne, encompassed by all the ministers and guards. A messenger was there. In front of the emperor, he was bowing.

"What happened?" Zagart asked.

"A guy named Tao Cheng has come here to meet you," He replied, "Do you want to meet him?"

"Tao Cheng?" The sly king frowned, "Messenger, can you tell me how he looks?"

"He looks quite old," The messenger answered, "But when I met him, his eyes were sparkling. He seems intelligent and experienced."

"Oh really?" Zagart leered, "Okay, send him in."

"Sure, Your Majesty," Bowing once again, the messenger left.

Within a few seconds, a bald man entered the hall-room. His eyebrows were gray. He was wearing a long, dark green pinyin over a pair of black baggy trousers. A lime-colored broad belt swathed his waist. From his left shoulder, a long jute bag was hanging down. His right hand was holding a large-sized thick notebook. Its papers were yellow and dense.

Though he was old, at that period, he looked bold.

"Good morning, your Majesty," The person bowed, "May Almighty be in your favor."

"Uh!" Raising his hand, the king ordered the visitor to stop. Then he demanded, "Leave these words. Zagart himself composes the verses of his destiny. Now tell me why you've come here. What's your motive?"

"Your Majesty," The old man raised his eyes, "Pardon me but I want to discuss something important with you."

"Ow, a discussion?" Zagart chuckled, "About what? Do you want to invite me in the wedding ceremony of your daughter?"

"No, not that," Tao shook his head, "Actually, it's not an unknown fact that Boris Balkov tried to capture the royal sacred beast of America. Draciel, the black turtle, was about to be snatched from the rulers of America. It can also be heard that a minion of Boris Balkov tried to steal Dragoon, the royal sacred beast of Japan too but he failed. Dranzer, the signature sacred spirit of Russia, cannot be found by them. So, I think that their gazes will be on our Drigger soon."

While Tao was delivering his speech, Zagart didn't seem to pay any heed to his words. Not caring, he was chewing cashew nuts.

"If Drigger is snatched once," The old man started again, "We'll be weak. We'll be vulnerable. Many countries will attack us. Our existence will be at stake. So, you should think about the safety of our Drigger. I've a plan to guard it."

Finishing, Tao was about to pop out some papers from his bag. Then again, the evil emperor stood up and moved towards him. Taking those papers from his hand, Zagart flung them. Almost flying, those poor ancient documents ended up smattering here and there, on the marble-covered ground of the courtroom.

"Huh?" Tao's eyes became dilated. His jaw dropped. He seemed confused. Helplessly, he stared at the papers on the ground. Though those papers didn't have life, Tao was able to hear their painful screams of getting rejected. They were silently weeping. If they had had life, they would surely have said, "Master, why did you bring us here? For getting us humiliated in this way?"

"Your Majesty?!" Tao objected decently, "Why….why did you do this? Did….didn't you like my plan? Have I told you something wrong?"

"A criminal you're, you old fool!" Zagart shoved the respected teacher towards the ground, "You? You're teaching me how to protect my property? The one who's the mighty ruler of the whole China? Besides, you're keeping badmouthing one of my bosom friends? Don't you know that Boris Balkov helped a lot improve China's socio-economic sectors? Since you're a teacher, I'm letting you go. If any other person were in your shoes, he wouldn't listen to my words here. His wife would be a widow and his children would be orphans!"

In humiliation, Tao's face got reddened. Tears wanted to cascade down from his eyes but he somehow hold them back. It was being difficult for him as his orbs were getting bloodshot. Clenching his teeth, he lowered his gazes. Looking at the marble-covered, stony and unbreakable floor of the room, he kept cursing the fate of China.

"Why are you waiting here, old hag?" The roar of the ex-robber echoed, "Haven't you been satisfied? Do you want mortification again?"

"Shut up, Zagart!"

Now, the whole hall became quiet. Even Zagart's facial expression also changed. Ministers were looking at one another's face. Zagart's eyes wanted to come out from their sockets.

Never had anyone chided him in this way. Never.

"You proud, yet useless king!" Tao's voice shuddered, "You kept torturing your subjects and snatching their wealth from them mercilessly. Yet, I kept quiet. But today, insulting a teacher, you've crossed all the limits of bad deeds! You yourself have forced me to activate my plans!"

Gathering all the scattered papers from the floor and putting them into his bag again, he put off his shoes. Keeping them in front of the throne, he expanded his right arm and announced, "I, Tao Cheng, a chancellor, vow that I'll show light to mother China. I promise…..I'll finish the whole clan of the former king of this kingdom."

Zagart rolled his eyes when everybody gasped. Save caring, Tao continued, "I won't keep a single man of this clan alive. And….I'll put on my shoes again when this vow of me will be fulfilled!"

With his bare feet, the greatest master of China stepped forward. Neither anybody could utter a single word, nor could they do anything that would stop Tao.

"Haven't you been satisfied? Do you want mortification again?"

"You? You're teaching me how to protect my property?"

"You're criticizing one of my bosom friends?"

"Ahhh!"

In severe throbbing pain, the chancellor pressed his head. Those arrow-like words were recurrently piercing his heart. He couldn't accept the fact that Boris Balkov and Zagart were friends. According to Zagart, Boris had helped him. But Tao knew clearly that Boris had done it only to get access to Drigger easily.

"Moooo…!"

The pain inside his head vanished as he turned back. In front of him, a wild bison was rubbing its left hoof against the grassy ground. It was shaking his head. In the deep forest, it was looking like death itself in his dark color.

The rays of sunshine were barely entering in the woods, penetrating the bushes and ruffled leaves. There was nobody with him at that time. Moreover, he was armless.

The wild beast was rushing towards him at a great speed, crying once again. Tao gulped. He couldn't understand what to do.

"Hiya!"

Out of the blue, an eight-year old young boy landed on the back of the beast, almost flying. Sitting, he firmly captured the horns of the bison.

"Leave and go to a safe corner," He yelled.

Nodding, Tao left the place and hid behind a bush, not forgetting to peep at the beast which had almost killed him.

"Mooo!"

Roaring once again, the herbivorous, yet deadly four-footed animal started racing, almost shattering the whole jungle into pieces. As its hooves smote mother earth ruthlessly, sandstorm appeared and concealed the whole environment. Nonetheless, perfectly maintaining his balance, the toddler kept sitting sternly on its back and grasping its horns. Seeing a tree, he lowered his head and almost lay down. The beast didn't care and kept running. As a result, its head collided against the tree.

That chance might not come again.

Putting out a rope, the young boy wrapped it around the neck of the injured animal. Jumping from its back and landing on the ground, he encompassed another edge of the rope around the tree and knotted it.

"Come out, Sir," He voiced, "This knot has been very tight. The bison will never be able to tear it."

Behind the bushes, Tao stepped forward. Walking, he stood before the tree. He looked at the face of the boy. Shocked, he recognized him quickly.

He was the same boy who had dared talk to the king staring at his eyes in the birthday ceremony of the princess.

"Are you alright, Sir?" The boy worriedly asked.

"No, I'm fine," Tao shook his head, "My son, who're you? What's your name?"

"I'm Ray," He replied.

"Only Ray?"

"Yes," The boy heaved a sigh, "My father doesn't allow me to use his surname."

"What?" Tao frowned, "But why?"

"I don't know, Sir," Ray responded, "He just….hates me."

Tears rolled down from the eyes of the raven-haired neko-jin. He softly wiped it. Sniffing, he continued, "My father drove me out because I failed to provide enough money."

"What?" Tao exclaimed, "But you're a child still."

"Yes, but our family is very poor," Ray nodded, "My mom has to work as a house-maid in rich families. I work as a day-laborer."

"Your father?"

"I don't know," He wiped his tears again, "He only beats me and my mom."

"Son…" The chancellor whispered, "Do you know how to read and write?"

Hearing him, Ray's face beamed up. Sniffing and brightly smiling, he jiggled hurriedly, "Yes, Sir. I've a friend. Her name is Mariah. She and her brother are teaching me. You know, they've said that I'm very brilliant because I'm good in Mathematics. I wish….I could study in learning centers like them."

"Will you go with me if I give you a chance to study in my learning center?" Keeping a hand on his shoulder, Tao asked.

Hearing the chancellor, the aurum orbs the neko-jin got widened. He couldn't believe her own ears. His jaw dropped. Gulping, he asked, "Are you speaking the truth, Sir? Will you surely let me study?"

"Master Tao never tells a lie, Ray," Tao affirmed, "If you go with me, I'll surely let to study in my learning center. Besides, I'll teach you a lot of skills of wars and self-defense. Are you going with me?"

"Of course!" Ray leaped, "I'm coming with you."

'Zagart, I've found the real proprietor of Drigger,' The chancellor smirked, 'No matter what happens, I'll make this boy defeat you, own the throne of China and possess the power of the white tiger.

At any cost!'

"Can you see the wooden bird on that branch, prince Gordo?" The instructor asked.

"Yes," While holding the bow with the arrow, the shonen-haired prince replied affirmatively.

"Then, launch the arrow so that it can pierce the eye of the bird."

Nodding, the prince was about to shoot it. But before him, another arrow dashed across the boards and stands, ending up probing the eye of the targeted toy.

"Huh?" Confused, Gordo looked back along with his trainer. There stood a particular redhead in the outfit of a kunoichi. One of her hands was holding a small-sized bow. She was smirking as if a funny incident had taken place there.

"Princess Salima!" The mentor frowned, "How did you….do that?"

"I did it because I gazed only at the eye of the bird," She straightly replied.

"Wow!"

Hearing the bold manly pitch, everybody looked back.

"So, my princess wants to learn operating weapons, doesn't she?" Zagart patted her back, "Mr. Bing, with my sons, teach my daughter too."

"No, father!" Salima remonstrated gently.

"No? But why, my child?" Zagart wrinkled his eyebrows, "Why don't you want to learn martial arts and operating weapons? You can be good at them!"

"I haven't said that I don't want to learn them, father," Salima explained, "But…I want you to be my teacher. I want to learn those things only from you."

Hearing, the king's face became ecstatic. His mouth got opened a bit in joy.

"My daughter…do you want that I teach you everything?"

"Yes, father," She nodded cheerfully.

"Then….it's final!" The emperor blurted, "Salima, the princess of China is going to learn her first lessons tomorrow! Like my sons, I'll make my daughter skilled too. If I unfortunately get defeated in any war, she will take my place and free my throne.

She'll be the pride of China!"

"What's our soul?" Alexandrov asked, while strolling around the gargantuan banyan tree.

There was pin-drop silence everywhere. Nobody knew the answer. They were just looking at one another's face and gesturing, inaudibly manifesting their inability.

"Water." Suddenly, a voice rose.

"Huh?" Everyone looked back. There stood a dual-haired eight-year old boy. He was known to everybody as Kai Hiwatari, the prince of Russia.

"And our body?" The teacher cocked an eyebrow.

"Pitcher."

"Explain!"

"Water is called life," He narrated, "Soul is also life, life is also soul. If our body didn't have soul, we would be lifeless. Therefore, in order to contain water, we need pitcher. Otherwise, it would stream away. So, for holding our souls, we need bodies."

"Well done, my son," The principal approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Surely you're the best student of my learning center. One day, you'll be a great king."

In satisfaction, the boy lowered his head as everybody clapped.

He was preparing himself for fulfilling the dreams of his late grandfather. He knew that he would be the king of Russia someday but he also kept trying to give his best efforts since his childhood so that he could give the best to his future subjects.

His fate might be predestined. Someone had only started his journey in this field.

"In order to be a great king," The chancellor delivered, "You need to be knowledgeable. You've to be skilled both in scriptures and weapons."

"I've understood, Master Tao," The neko-jin nodded.

"On the first day, we'll start with archery," Tao handed him a semicircular object and a bunch of arrows, "You must know these things, mustn't you?"

"Yes," Ray agreed, "This is called bow and they are arrows."

"Great," The bald guy spoke, "In order to be skilled in archery, at first you need to have the seeing power of eagles. Since you seem a neko-jin, you have already had this advantage."

"What's a neko-jin, Master?" The raven-haired boy wanted to know.

"A neko-jin is a human being who has the features of felines…in short, he or she shares several traits with cats, tigers and lions. Just like shining orbs, extraordinary ears, nose and eyes….."

'But my parents don't seem neko-jins,' The little boy pondered, 'Why has Master Tao thought me to be one of them?'

"What're you thinking, boy?" Tao queried, "What's disturbing you?"

"Nothing, Master Tao," Ray shook his head, "Tell me what you were telling."

"Sure," Tao started again, "You've to keep his eyes sharp at the bull's eye. You've to understand the flow and the direction of the airstream too. Since arrows are light, their directions can be influenced by the air. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Now, I'll teach you how to operate them," The teacher handed him the bow.

Firmly grasping the arch, the boy clenched his teeth. He still couldn't believe that he was going to fulfill his dreams.

The dreams of to be educated and to serve the kingdom.

To remove all the sorrows of the people of mother China.

To be the ideal son of his mothers.

Okay then...how was it? :P

Do read and review. Since I'm going for the camp of Girl Guides' association tomorrow, I've updated it soon. There may be (or must be XD) a lot of grammatical and spelling errors. Pardon them and wait for watching the characters as adults :P

Misty ^_^