Hi everyone! Welcome to the magical universe of "Kingdom" once again!

Thanks to TwilightUniverse018, Scarlet witch of Terra, Rock the road, LadyPeach7 and Ezebella for reviewing.

Justafan: Yes, now I've got it. Kai's being OOC means I just removed his dark and somewhat devilish traits and made him a righteous character. But don't worry, this story will represent the reason behind Kai's nature in original beyblade series. Read this chapter, eventually you'll get it.

TLP: Yes, Dranzer is with Hilary but Hilary doesn't know that she has Drazner with her. Even Kai doesn't know where Dranzer has gone. But he'll start getting to know about her gradually. Don't worry. About Daichi...ah well...okay, it's a question to dear readers: Do you want Daichi to appear in this fic?

Anyways, thank you thank you so much for reading and reviewing the chapters. I'm so glad that you all are enjoying it. Here's the next one!

In front of the drawn-off silk curtains bound by the pearl-made brackets, two metal lusters were inclosing several crystal oil lamps whose tiny flashes were illuminating the narrow marble lane of the castle. The alley was blurred, yet well-furnished. Broad bronze columns embellished with ancient artworks of tigers, lions and bears were guarding the secret zone. Between each two pillars, there were mid-heighted tubs containing bonsais. Their leaves were keen, sharp enough to bleed one's fingers easily. Creepers found their own ways towards the ground from the pots. Across the ornate, yet enigmatic track, a raven-haired guy was being towed by a couple of guards wearing Zhongshan suits in the color of boulders. Mayhap, their hearts were like the shades of their costumes. The stains on the body of the captive were turning darker bit by bit. His lips were puffed-up and a straight-line of dried blood went across his chin, yet the militants didn't care. They were sweating to get the rebel closer to the prison because the hostage's body was as hard as bricks. Their fingers were encompassing his biceps firmly. That hurt.

The half-conscious guy pushed one of the soldiers towards a pillar and landed on his back. Getting angry, the guard turned back and punched at his abdomen. The blow was hard, shoving him down on the ground. His back mercilessly hit the agate floor, he got a bit dozed off after that.

"Bastard!" The guardsman snapped. Getting his approval, all the soldiers surrounded the criminal and dragged him by his arms and legs. His body was skidding against the hard surface but the caretakers didn't bother a bit about that. They made their path towards the oldest prison of the castle where their ruler had ordered them to put him.

Lugging him like an untamed horse, they dropped his body on the dark floor of the prison. Attached to its walls, tapers were burning, making the aura of the dungeon dreadful. He landed before one of the oldest captives of the castle. She was tucking her head amid her knees and wrapping her arms around them as usual, propping her waist against a pillar from which iron shackles were clutching her ankles. Beside her, there was an earthen pitcher with a goblet.

"Thud!"

She raised her head hearing the sound of collapsing, yet kept her eyes closed. The soldiers were grinning, gawking at the tortured young man.

"Rot here until the date of your departure for the hell is announced!" A combatant barked, leaving both the convicts in the obscurity of the man-made hell. As the last soldier left the darkness of the netherworld, for the first time on that day, he moaned in pain. Salty tears seeped down on his bruised cheeks, enhancing the throbbing sting.

"Mother!"

Her eyes got opened in awe. Seeing the young guy lying down in front of her, her jaw dropped. Cuts and scrapes were embracing his tanned body. His swollen muscles were expressing how hurt they were. Cold sweat oozed on the cairn floorings, making it duskier. His tears teleported to her eyes, her heart bled seeing him. How old could he be? 19? 20? Her son had also been born before 19 or 20 years, hadn't he?

The old lady couldn't take away her gazes from his appearance. His dark, long, smooth hair flowed on his kneepits. His eyes were shrunken in inflammation. He was wheezing for dear air. Seeing him, flames rose inside her brain.

Flashback:

Huffing and puffing, she entered into a deep woodland. Inside it, someone had made a striking orchard. Diverse breeds of flower greeneries and lianas were there. Not hesitating once, she went under a wood-rose bush. From the corset, she popped out a brush with black color on its top. It hadn't dried yet. Simply, she drew a sign of Taijitu on his soft wrist. Putting off a chain with a ying-yang locket, she made him wear it.

"My son…. please pardon me…." She whispered, kissing on his cheek that quietened the baby, "But you've to stay alone here. I... I…can't take you with me…. it'll be dangerous for you…. don't worry, since it's a garden, somebody will surely take you and nurture you like their own son. If I love my son wholeheartedly, if I do care for him, then surely we'll meet again."

Tears blocked her eyes. She clutched her mouth so that nobody could hear her. The silent agony made her heart ache. Exhaling deeply, she left the garden, keeping the elfin being behind.

Flash forward:

She approached him with slow and heavy footsteps. She didn't know why she was getting attracted to the young lad. An awkward affection rose in her heart after a long period of abhorrence and sorrows. Kneeling down beside him, she stroked his head gently.

He closed his eyes in comfort. That touch... ah! Heavens knew after how many years he got the honeyed stroke of those magical fingers on his craving skin. All the pains took leave from his body, releasing it from the throbbing sensations. His wheezing stopped as he took a sharp intake of breath. The air of the prison was polluted indeed but he didn't mind. His lungs could easily filter the pureness from the contaminated substance. As raindrops of comfort trickled on his surface, it sucked the blessings thirstily. How long had he been deprived of that interaction of affection? Since twelve years? Or since the eternity?

"Water..." He mumbled.

The lady smiled tiredly, understanding that her touches hadn't been enough to eradicate the aridity inside his throat. Going to the pitcher, she poured some water into the goblet. Turning back, she placed his head on her lap. Raising his head, she gently discharged the liquid of life into his mouth. He guzzled the fluid wholeheartedly. The drought travelling inside his body calmed down with those droplets. Then, bit by bit he opened his eyes. As he saw the familiar figure in front of him, his orbs went dilated. He couldn't believe his eyes. Yet, he didn't feel bad. The unexpected bewilderment wasn't annoying at all for him.

Flashback:

He had to stop his thoughts because he saw a few soldiers marching towards the market. Quickly, he hid himself beneath a curtain. After some moments, he could see a woman being dragged in the market by the troopers. Seeing them, all the people left a place for them. Positioning the captive in that place and being surrounded by the folks of market place, one of them grabbed her hair.

"Ouch!" She quivered in pain.

"She's a rebel!" Another soldier claimed, "She is the ex-empress of this kingdom. In the eyes of our authorities, she tried to kill our former king and his family. She was kept in utmost honor but she couldn't express the gratitude towards the hospitality and kindness of our king. So, this is her punishment!"

Most of the people in the crowd knew that it wasn't true at all. Rather, Queen Riza had been imprisoned since the demise of her husband. How would she conspire against emperor Zagart? But who had the heart of protesting against the soldiers at that moment? After all, they all were the puppets of their ruler.

Bringing some pebbles, the guards started throwing them at Riza. She tried to stand up but the shackles that chained her feet were held by another strong military member having a well-toned body. Hiding her face beneath her palms and helplessly lying on the surface of mother earth, she kept tolerating all the tortures that were being inflicted on her.

"Stop!"

Having heard a childish yet bold voice, everyone gasped and looked at its owner. There was standing a toddler boy, almost eight, having golden-colored orbs glimmering in determination and repulsion. His long and thick ebony hair was tied in a ponytail. He was pouting in anger. As the soldiers stopped throwing pebbles at Riza, he didn't hesitate for a moment to approach her. Hardly had he reached her when he got thwarted by a few soldiers and their naked swords.

"Don't dare touch her, boy!" One of them threatened, "She's a criminal and a criminal must be punished in this way."

"No, please don't torture her!" He cried, "I don't know whether she has done anything wrong or not. But please, don't raise your hands or weapons on her. Torturing women physically is a great sin. Don't enrich your sins anymore!"

He felt his voice almost broken. He recalled those incidents of his mother being beaten by his father. Often his so-called father had raised his dirty hands on his wife. Whenever she had become late a bit while serving foods, she had got beaten. Whenever she had complained about the scarcity of money, her hair had mercilessly been grasped and pulled. At every time of questioning her husband regarding the well-being of her child, two or three stains of fingers had started clinging to her cheeks. He gazed at the eyes of the captive. Her eyes were sprinkling with tears. They were silently protesting against her being accused of crimes and treason. Almost discreetly, they were speaking, "No! I'm not a criminal! It's unfair!"

However, hearing his words, the torturers began to laugh hysterically, showing the absence of hearts in their chests.

"Oh, look!" One of them mocked, "A little teacher has arrived among us. Let's learn something from him."

"Let's learn how to react on being beaten…." Another giggled.

"Or how to cry when toys get broken…..." A third one couldn't resist his temptation of sprinkling powdered pepper in wounds.

"Just shut up!"

Interrupted, the tormentors gasped and looked at one another. Then, identifying the actual source of the sudden threat, they stared below. Their captive had already stood up. The queenly attitude inside her rose up from its slumber. Thoughts of repelling were showering flames from her flamboyant eyes.

"If you want to beat me," She proclaimed, "You can do that. I won't protest against any action of you. But please…...don't drag common people among us. When his Majesty will get to know it, I don't think he will be satisfied."

Reaching the little boy keeping herself in the reach of the soldiers, she patted his head. In respect, the boy bent his head down. That filled her heart with an anonymous affection for the unknown child.

'Had he been nurtured by me,' Riza whispered, 'He would have looked like this child. I don't know who he is, but I also don't know why I am feeling that I share a special bond with this child….'

"Boy," She cleared her throat, "You've tried to save me from being tortured. Thank you so much. But kindly let the royal guards perform their duties. If our king knows that his guards are being irresponsible, he'll punish them. Do you want to get anyone punished like me?"

"No!" Furiously, the boy shook his head.

"Then, leave the place, my son!" The ex-queen of the kingdom pleaded, "You shouldn't be here at this moment. This is my order. If you break my order, I'll be hurt."

"I won't hurt you, my lady." Bowing his head, the boy swiftly left the place in order to get out of the market. Getting out of the area of the market, he sat under a shady tree. He couldn't control his tears. Looking at ground, he began sobbing.

Flash forward:

A smile rose in the corners of his lips. Seeing the sudden brightness all over his wounded face, the female prisoner felt curious. She asked, "Why're you smiling?"

"Remembered my mother," He snickered glumly, "Whenever my father thrashed me, she used to make me drink water in this way."

A blob of tears percolated on her dry cheeks. Her heart whimpered in torment. Automatically, one of her palms went to his forehead. He closed his eyes in comfort. His brain was getting cooled. Like the toxic vapors, all the worries and sufferings of him were disappearing from his body and mind.

"Then consider me as your own mother, son," Riza spoke, almost like singing a lullaby, "But may I ask you a question if you don't mind?"

Ray didn't answer, just smilingly nodded, making the prisoner understand that he wouldn't mind at all.

"Why did they do these things to you?" Concern could clearly be noticed in the tangerine orbs of the gloomy mother, "What did you do?"

"Nothing..." He slightly groaned, stammering, "Just...just broke the pride of the emperor."

'Broke the pride?' Riza's agitated and malicious heart got filled with joy and peace hearing the nameless young man. Unknowingly, her fingers softly brushed through his raven hair, 'God knows which mother gave birth to such a valiant son...who nourished him? I wanna bow before her...'

"My son, in order to buy a bar of gold, you have to pay a hefty price," The raven lady stated, "Sometimes, you have to suffer for something good."

"I know..." He murmured after closing his eyes in coziness. The female prisoner started gently tapping on his shoulders just like lulling her own child. She had never been able to enjoy that happiness. Her fate had never let her do that. But she didn't complain, she didn't grudge. She started savoring the taste of milk from water. At least, it appeased her thirst.

It was enough for her at that moment.

"Can you imagine how badly my heart is weeping?" The chubby woman took a piece of steamed sponge cake, lazily prostrating on the soft divan, "How badly the poor guy was beaten! Can you ever think how much hurt he was?"

"Are you feeling really very bad, Biyu?" The redhead grimaced as a maid put off her earrings, "He should have been beaten more!"

"Hey! What do you want?" The crown princess stood up from her position, "To suck his life out of his body?"

"Of course!" Salima's face moved towards her sister-in-law, "He is still alive because father has been kind to him. If I were there, I would literally chop his head into pieces. What else could I do to a cheater by the way? How did he dare come to our palace disguising as prince Yamashita? Either he's a coward, or is he an enemy."

"Uh oh...I wasn't talking about him, Sal," Biyu objected, "I was talking about your brother. Have you seen his condition once?"

The stoic expression on the face of the redhead mellowed a bit as she sighed, not wanting to recall the humiliation in the assembly hall of her own groom-choosing ceremony. Guiltily, she gazed down.

'Pardon me, brother Gordo...' She mentally apologized, 'I'm sorry, father. Just for me... you all had to bear the insult from an outsider.'

"But there's one thing that I cannot help admitting, Salima," The chubby woman's face beamed up, "He wasn't ordinary. Something special was there in his attitude. He was looking like a prince, not like a criminal. And his battling skills? He defeated the best swordsman of China and won the groom-choosing contest! It means you both should get married, got it?"

The sadness of the redhead didn't waste a single moment to turn into pure wrath. Her cheeks turned bloodshot, so did her eyes. Turning to her sister-in-law, she stood up.

"What the hell are you saying, Biyu?" She seethed, "Should I get married to that criminal? Cannot you remember how he insulted my father and brothers? After all these things, should I capture his ring finger into the wedding ring? I would rather slit his veins than do that!"

"Huh, let it be, my sweet sister-in-law!" The fat lady mocked, "Anger doesn't take much time to turn into love. Just see your brother and me once. Staying together, love automatically springs from hearts."

"Enough, Biyu!" Salima bellowed like a tigress, not able to bear the taunts anymore, "Don't compare that moron with my brother. It'll be better if you don't compare anyone else with Gordo."

Shushing the environment, she got back to her dressing table. Untucking the flowers from her braid, she commented, "I'll never get married in this life! Never!"

"Is someone here?!"

The imprisoned lady screamed, rushing towards the grids of the dungeon. Hearing her, a guard approached the place.

"What happened?" He frowned, "Haven't you got your dinner yet?"

"Leave me," Riza pointed at the fallen guy on the ground, "Just see him! Just look what the hell you all have done with him. He's no more!"

Puckering his eyebrows, the soldier unlocked the gate of the chamber, then went inside. On the stony floor of the cell, the raven-haired neko-jin was lying. Neither his fingers were moving, nor were his eyelids trembling a bit. Raven bangs got almost attached to his sweat-drenched forehead. Lips turned pale, his skin did that too. Hurrying to him, the combatant knelt down beside him and placed two fingers in front of his nostrils. No, no air touched his fingers. He wasn't breathing at all.

"What the hell!" The soldier gulped, shivering a bit, "He's really dead! His Majesty will take my life today. Shit! What do I do now?"

He didn't have to think much about that. As he turned back, behind him, the so-called demised guy stood up. Wasting no moment, he threw one of his arms around his neck. Keeping no distance between the throat and the hand, he pulled him closer. Binding him completely with his own hands, he strangled him. The guard tried to free himself but all his attempts went in vain. He shuddered, not being able to breathe properly. The raven-haired Chinese didn't let him go, strengthening the joint more.

"Thanks to my honorable teacher," He popped out a dagger, showing the stifled guy, "And thanks to your foolishness too when you punched me while dragging me to this place."

The soldier's jaw dropped. The weapon was familiar to him, to his utter horror.

"The one who cannot take care of his weapons isn't worthy of carrying them." The imprisoned guy didn't bother a bit to press the scalpel on the throat of the guard and draw it toughly, slashing the vocal cord of the careless caretaker. Then, he freed him for the first as well as for the last time. The worries of the trooper left him, he did the same thing with the world.

Not waiting for a while, the raven-haired neko-jin put on the outfits of the dead soldier. Taking the helmet, he put it on his head so that no one could recognize him.

Approaching the female prisoner, he spoke, "Let's go, my lady. I'll take you with me."

"Of course I'll go from here," Riza smiled, "But not today. My son will come here to take me."

"My lady, today you've helped me like a mother," Ray held her hands, "Won't you give me an opportunity to perform my responsibilities as a son? Come with me."

He knelt down in front of her in order to unlock the cuffs that were seizing her feet. She moved back, much to his astonishment.

"I will not flee from here, son," She smiled, "None but the cowards do that. My son will free me with utter dignity."

"We don't have much time with us, my lady," Ray tried for the last time.

"And I'm waiting for that time, my son," Riza's head was upstretched like a queen, "You leave the place. It doesn't deserve you."

"Alright," Sadly, the neko-jin bowed, "If it's your wish, then let it be. But don't worry, my lady. One day, surely your son will come here. He'll end your pains, mark my words. Bless me, my lady."

"Be victorious, my son." Riza patted his head, "Another advice. To rescue from imprisonment, someday, if you have to choose between a widow and a married woman whose husband is alive, choose the latter."

"Why?" Ray raised an eyebrow.

"Because a married woman is the dignity of her husband," Riza explained, "A widow can easily bear the pain of being locked but a married woman cannot do it. So, you'll help her husband rescue his wife, no matter what happens."

"Your advice will be remembered forever, my lady."

Bowing once again, the neko-jin left the place, leaving the prisoner behind. She stood there awestruck. Smirking, she breathed deeply, releasing all her impatience and tiredness. For the first time in her life, she had been able to shower affection on someone. Maybe he wasn't her son, so what? He'd behaved with her like behaving with his own mother. For that day, for once, she felt contented.

"My son..." She whispered, "Be like him, wherever you are."

In the gigantic cabana, there was an oval-sized inlet. From its bluish-green tepid water, bubbles were emerging. Beside it, maids were placing cosmetics, liquid soap, ubtans, turmeric and sandalwood pastes in golden and silver bowls, pots, jugs and kettles. Some were tossing the petals of roses into the large bathtub. Some were effusing different kinds of perfumes into it. Inside it, two royal ladies were enjoying their bath as some maids were pouring milk on their milky skin.

The elder lady looked at the servants. Then she spoke, "Privacy."

Bowing, the maids left the place. Then, she approached her daughter. Taking a pot filled with sandalwood paste, she applied some of it on her skin.

"My girl," She started, "For the first time, someone didn't accept his defeat in front of your father. Indeed, he was a hero."

"Heroes don't enter any house stealthily," The younger one screwed her nose, "Nor do they cheat people."

"Why do you think that?" Shaina asked, "Why are you feeling that he has cheated us? Maybe he is..."

"Mother, he has insulted my father," Salima didn't let her mother complete her sentence, "My father did that thing what was right. That scoundrel deserved that!"

"Because you think it, Salima!" Her mother squeezed her shoulders, "Your cunning father showed you what you wanted to see. How more, my daughter, how more? How long will you be blind to your father and his tamed people? Even in your next life?"

"Mother," She washed the paste off from her arms, "If I want to be a great warrior like father, I can remain blind even in my next life. Besides, why do you think that my father will force me to believe something wrong?"

"Because he did the same thing to me before several years," The queen got up from the tub.

"Enough, mother," Salima reluctantly spoke, following her mother, "You know far well that I won't listen to you if you say anything against my father. For me, he'll forever be the best father in the world."

"You're right, my girl," Shaina snickered, changing the cloths, "In your eyes, your father is the best of all fathers. But there's a truth which you don't know. And it is..."

Her words got cut off as a female guard entered the bathhouse, almost in the speed of stormy wind. Bowing somehow, she uttered, "Your Highness, there's a problem. The criminal has escaped from the prison!"

Both the ladies widened their eyes. Their mouths remained open as they exchanged stares with each other in fear. However, the younger one seemed braver.

"Huh!" She tied the belt around her gown, "Where will he go from the strong grasps of father? If father catches him once, he'll surely push the criminal towards the jaws of death. Fun it will be!"

"Fun it will be, won't it?"

Seeing the shadow of a masculine figure on the floor due to the miniscule flames of the aromatic wax-lights, the princess turned behind along with the maids and the queen. There stood the raven-haired neko-jin in the attire of a soldier. He could easily be identified because of his glimmering cat-like pupils peeping through the empty space of his helmet. One of his hands was seizing a javelin. He was threatening the courage of the princess with his eyes.

"Aaaa!"

The metal trays and plates fell from the hands of the maids. Pastes and flower petals scattered and spilled here and there, creating a fragrant mess. In fear, they stepped back and hid behind the curtains and dress-changing partitions. The princess felt shocked but she didn't show any sign of panic. She gawked at the intruder as if she'd seen any ghost.

"How dare you?!" The redhead rushed to him and removed the helmet from his head. Dropping it, she was about to clutch his collars but she failed as the trespasser heaved him towards a prop, grasping her mouth with his rock-like grips. She could feel the weight of those palms on her lips. She put her hands on his ones in order to remove his grips from her mouth but failed. Her ebony eyes met his amber pools and she kept trying together with failing. Her clasps became stronger as her keen teeth sank into his arm, literally piercing his skin and making it bleed a bit. The raven-haired neko-jin removed his hand from her lips but only for a sole moment. In the next tick, he again seized her neck, this time, with a blood-smeared dagger placed on her throat.

The redhead's heart almost stopped seeing the stiletto. She gasped, her orbs broadened.

"Only for you, I got imprisoned, princess," The intruder whispered into her left ear, causing her to convulse, "Now you'll be the reason of my freedom."

"Leave her!" The queen was about to rush towards her daughter but the raven turned to her, keeping her daughter inside his arm, "No, Your Majesty, don't step forward. If you do that, this dagger also step inside her throat. Step back!"

Confused, the empress stepped back only for the life of her dear daughter. He was about to drag the redhead out of the room but before it, the Chinese emperor arrived there with a couple of soldiers and his sons. Seeing his daughter strangled in the hands of a criminal, fury rushed through his arteries. His blood boiled, leaving its reflection in his eyes.

"You've invited your own death!" Zagart blurted, "Leave my daughter, otherwise, I'll get you buried!"

"If you want to come here and give me the invitation letter of death, I'll not go there alone, Zagart!" Ray counter-attacked, "Do you have enough courage to bear the casket of your beloved daughter? Do you? If the answer is no, then retreat!"

The guards were about to jump on the fugitive but they couldn't as the emperor spread his arms in front of them, ordering them, "Retreat!"

"If I can safely leave the place, your daughter will also be safe, Zagart!" Ray warned, "But if anyone tries to be cunning..."

"Leave her!" Zagart's eyes almost got brimmed with tears, he was on the verge of joining his hands, "Don't kill her..."

"... And I want a stallion!" The neko-jin demanded.

"You'll get that behind the castle!" One of the cool-headed ministers answered.

"Thanks!" Ray sarcastically spoke, dragging the princess mercilessly on the ground. Penetrating the tiny crowd, he went towards the stable. Untying a sturdy black-colored steed, the neko-jin lifted the princess up and placed her on its back. Mounting it, he again grappled the shoulders of the redhead along with the knife. With another hand, he pulled the rein. Getting the hint, the beast neighed and started running, leaving a group of royal people dumbfounded on the floor of the balconies and the staircase in front of the doorway of the castle. Seeing the intruder, the soldiers surrounded him with their spears. Not being nervous a bit, proudly, the neko-jin announced, "Let the main gate be opened! Otherwise, the princess will be murdered!"

The guards exchanged stares, not able to understand what was actually happening there. Turning his head towards the king, the raven-haired Chinese inquired, "Your Majesty, won't you let your guest leave in a nice way?"

"Open the gate immediately!"

The question of the neko-jin worked well. Rushing towards the entrance, the guards let the intruder leave. Smirking, he again pulled the harness of the mount. As a result, for the second time, it whinnied. Its hooves smit the ground, sand splashed. Then, it disappeared, getting its blackness mixed with the darkness outside, leaving all the armed people armless, making the most verbose folk speechless.

Stopping in front of the seashore, the horse stopped. Though it was a beach, it was looking like a desert under the bright, circular moon. Sand was blowing with the silent gull, easily reminding one about the powdered bars of silver. The whisperings of the airstream could easily be heard. No trees could be seen except a leafless one. It was standing there alone, thirstily gawking at the rhapsodizing asteroid. Secretly, it was sighing, thinking that it would have to spend the rest of its life alone. Then again, one of its branches quivered as someone dismounted a steed. Following him, a feminine figure collapsed on the beach. Clasping her wrists, the raven-haired neko-jin lugged her towards the tree. Pulling out a bundle of ropes, he fastened her to it. Taking a piece of black cloth, he covered her eyes. She tried to protest but failed to his immense strength.

Once he left her, she panted, activating her lungs. Then, ripping the current of the air, she questioned, screeching, "What do you want from me?"

"Relax, princess..."

The redhead gulped, noticing the unusual calmness of the tone. As her lungs got gladdened once, she stopped wheezing, waiting for the reply.

"Princess, I don't want to hurt or harm you, believe me," The bold voice continued, "You're safe here. After a while, the soldiers will come here for you following the marks of the hooves of the stallion. I'm going now."

"But...why did you come to my palace in this way?"

Salima heard a short chuckle after asking the question. Then, the neko-jin replied, "Why were you following me when I was roaming in your castle?"

"Because it's my responsibility as a princess to try my best to keep my family and my residence safe," Salima courageously retorted, "I felt unsecured when you were wandering in the palace."

"And it's my responsibility as a warrior to keep my kingdom safe," The raven-haired Chinese countered, "Be it from an outsider or an insider. Princess, if fate permits, we'll meet each other again. Till then...goodbye."

"Wait!"

Salima yelled but quite late it was. The neko-jin had already disappeared. She kept standing there, her back leaned against the tree. The horse neighed, fluttering its tail. After a short period, a group of soldiers came there. When the redhead heard the voice of her father, her heart leaped up with joy. She called, "Father!"

"Salima!" The crude emperor dashed towards his daughter. Unfastening her body and eyes, he embraced her. Waterworks rolled down on his face, for the first time in his life, he sobbed.

"Don't cry, father," Salima wrapped her arms around his body, "I'm alright. How couldn't I be? After all, I'm your daughter. I'm your disciple. Who could harm me?"

"Yes, I know, my child..." Zagart wiped his tears, "Now let's return to the palace. You need to rest."

"Sure, father, let's go." The scarlet-haired princess nodded. Before leaving the place, she looked back once, remembering the words of the intruder. Not able to unearth the meaning of those sentences, she heaved a sigh, trailing the troop silently.

"Have you got it what I wanted?" The bald man asked his pupil, crossing his arms on his chest, "Or...did your mission totally go in vain?"

"Not at all, Master Tao," The neko-jin shook his head, handing two scrolls to the great master, "Here are they. One of the documents is the map of the castle and another is the map of the way to the residence of Boris Balkov."

"Nice," Tao commented, "About the first one, don't be sure. You got caught, remember? Zagart may change the rooms and lanes of his castle."

"Don't worry, Master," Ray grinned, "Today, I've learnt a lesson."

"Which lesson?"

"Sometimes, we should be straightforward," He replied, "Being stealthy doesn't always work. At least, the princess of China says so."

"Ray..." The great master put a hand on his shoulder, "Are you feeling attracted to her?"

"Not at all, Master," The neko-jin negated though his face went completely crimson, "But sometimes, we can also learn from our enemies, cannot we?"

"Yes, we can," Tao chuckled, "But sometimes...I feel bad for the princess."

"Why?"

"Once upon a time, I was analyzing her horoscopes," The principal answered, "It was saying that when she was born, her father got her inhaled the smokes of illuminative Driger."

"What?"

"Yes," Tao nodded, "As a result, she'll always be in the world of illumination. She'll follow what her guardians will order. She'll consider the goal of her guardians or mentors as her goal. Be it this life or the next lives."

"But..."

"Her senses can be revived..." The great master looked down, "The scriptures say that a certain guy will rescue her again and again. He'll make her understand the true meaning of justice and light. He'll teach her how to become a real and worthy warrior."

"Hmmm..."

The neko-jin closed his eyes, drowning in the ocean of his thoughts.

'Who's the guy? Who'll be there for her and her incarnations?'

Really? Who'll be there for her? :P

So riddle-like chapter it has been, hasn't it? Seriously, why did Riza give that piece of advice to Ray? Will it help Ray in future? Where? In which situation? Can you guess?

Do read and review. Pardon the grammatical and the spelling errors. Take care :D

-Misty ^_^