The two became a commen seen pair, Teddy always 'dogging' Prince Ran's
heels. The dog seemed to calm down, and the boy seemed to perk up whenever
they were together, as if by an unspoken agreement. Ran often spoke his
thoughts to the dog, if only for a sounding bored.
When the prince was in one of his talkitive moods, he often liked to sit in his privet corner of the library. This particular time, he wanted to vent.
"I cant belive that my parents want me to get married to that girl! Shes even younger then my sister…." He complianed, sinking down in his favorite chair, with Teddy listening attentivly. He continued. "Sure, she's nice and all, but…Sakura's so, so…" he pushed a long pale hand through his bright hair to make up for a loss of words. Teddy nudged his hand in a guesture of silent support. Ran sighed, relaxing slightly as he ruffled the dogs fuzzy topknot. "At least you understand… I think. Too bad you cant tell me what I should do. If only you were human so we could really talk…" he didn't notice the dog back down, as if stung by the words. "Well, at least you listen…" Ran was not to know how close his words came to a nerve of truth until later.
That night there was a terrible storm. Crashes of thunder, bursts of lightening, the wind wailing like a giant bagpipe. The works! You know, one of those storms. Ran sat oon his bed, reading by candle light. He didn't mind storms, in fact, he was rather fond of them. Of course, he would never tell anyone that. After a particualry loud crash rang out, he was brought back to reality but a mad scratching at his door. Couriously, he stood, strod over to the door, and openend it. Only to have to jump back in order not to be knocked over. Teddy was but a brown streak that blazed in and dove under Ran's bed. The prince chuckled softly as he shut the door. "I see you don't like loud storms very much, do you." His statement was answerd only by another loud thunder crack and a whimper from under the bed. He sighed and slid his lanky form under the covers. Blowing out the candle he said good night to the frightend dog and settled in to sleep.
Later that night, the storm settled down to just heavy rain and wind. Ran was awoken by a soft bump and a muffled curse. Causiously, he opend his violet eyes to slits and saw a whitish shape move over to sit by the window. Opening up his eyes a bit more, the shape resolved itself to the figure of a boy, perhaps a few years younger then himself. He had brown, shaggy hair and was wearing a cream coloured pesent shirt and dark brown pants. There was something about this boy that told Ran that he was harmless. Besides, Teddy would have barked had soemthing been wrong, but never the less, he drew his trusty katana closer as he kept watch on the stranger.
The dawn's first light approched and the boy had not made a move against the prince, though sometimes he would look over and sigh, his long locks hanging over his eyes. When the first streams of light threatened over the horizan, the boy sighed deeply and stood. He walked over to Ran's bed and sat down by the foot board on the floor. Ran kept watching to see if he moved again. Time passed, and his watching was interupted by the feeling of Teddy nudging his hand, signaling that it was time to get up. He rolled over and sat up, looking over the edge of the bed discreetly. He saw hide nor hair of the boy.
Ran saw the stranger many nights after that, and always he watched him with out letting it be known that he was still awake. But in the mornings, the only living thing he would find in the room was Teddy. Something was not right, not right at all.
Now, though Ran's family ruled fairly and peacefully, like all rulers, they had enimes. People jealous of their power and prestege. The formost rival family in particular was the Takatori's. A ruthless clan that would stop at nothing to gain what they thought as their rightfull place on the throne. It had taken time, but they finaly got enough soldiers to win a frontal attack, and so, that's what they did. Nothing like the direct rout ne?
Well, those Takatori's presented a terrible military coup upon the palace one day after Aya-chan left. (I forgot to mention, she went off to get married, but that's beside the point!) Ran's family's soldiers found themselves overwhelmed by sheer numbers and soon Ran was fighting beside them for his life. It all looked like then end when he was cut down, looking up at a soldier, ready to take his life. Just when he thought it was the end. A dark streak lept over him and attached it self to the soldiers throat. It was Teddy, showing a new side to the fun cuddly friendly dog. He was using his sheer size and his teeth to an advantage as he tore through anyone that thought to go near Ran and hurt him. Very, very protective.
However, even that could not win the battle, and Ran was forced to flee if he wanted to survive. Taking Teddy with him, he ran into the deep, dark surrounding forest. The red head mutterd a muffled curse as he ran, for he had been hurt by a sword slash across the abdomen and it hurt. To make things worse, it started to rain, a cold, dreary, oppressive down pour that sapped heat and stole what ever spirit the two weary beings had left. It was raining so thickly, that the prince couldn't see past the end of his nose. Teddy growled softly and gently clamped his teeth down on Ran's arm, dragging him into a dry cave. He sighed and flopped down greatfully, his eyes closing involentarily. They snapped open again when he felt something cold and wet touch the wound. Ran struggled to see what was going on. Teddy was nosing where the blood was flowing.
"What the hell are you—" Ran started angrily, making to push the dog away, when he stopped. The cut was already half-way closed, healing rapidly where the dog touched. When the line of pain was compleaatly erased, Teddy curled up around the prince, offering the boy the warmth still trapped in his thick furry coat. Laying his head down on the dogs fuzzy stomache, Ran quickly fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
It was around midnight when Ran became aware of his surroundings again. He yawned and sat up, putting his hand down for support, and was greated to the feeling of cotton instead of fur. He turned his icey violet gaze down to see what it was. There was the boy he'd seen, curled up where the dog had been when he went to sleep. Now, Ran was a smart boy, who could put two and two together, but he hadnt really had any proof before. It was time to act upon his suspisions. Quickly, he straightedn the boy out and pinned him down. Then he took out a small flash from his pocket. The prince didn't drink much, but sometimes there was just no other way to relax. He poured some of the contents down the boy's throat, pulling it away when brown eyes snapped open as their owner coughed and sputterd from the brandy. The marble skinned boy gazed down at his 'prisoner'
"Nice to see you're awake…Teddy." He said.
When the prince was in one of his talkitive moods, he often liked to sit in his privet corner of the library. This particular time, he wanted to vent.
"I cant belive that my parents want me to get married to that girl! Shes even younger then my sister…." He complianed, sinking down in his favorite chair, with Teddy listening attentivly. He continued. "Sure, she's nice and all, but…Sakura's so, so…" he pushed a long pale hand through his bright hair to make up for a loss of words. Teddy nudged his hand in a guesture of silent support. Ran sighed, relaxing slightly as he ruffled the dogs fuzzy topknot. "At least you understand… I think. Too bad you cant tell me what I should do. If only you were human so we could really talk…" he didn't notice the dog back down, as if stung by the words. "Well, at least you listen…" Ran was not to know how close his words came to a nerve of truth until later.
That night there was a terrible storm. Crashes of thunder, bursts of lightening, the wind wailing like a giant bagpipe. The works! You know, one of those storms. Ran sat oon his bed, reading by candle light. He didn't mind storms, in fact, he was rather fond of them. Of course, he would never tell anyone that. After a particualry loud crash rang out, he was brought back to reality but a mad scratching at his door. Couriously, he stood, strod over to the door, and openend it. Only to have to jump back in order not to be knocked over. Teddy was but a brown streak that blazed in and dove under Ran's bed. The prince chuckled softly as he shut the door. "I see you don't like loud storms very much, do you." His statement was answerd only by another loud thunder crack and a whimper from under the bed. He sighed and slid his lanky form under the covers. Blowing out the candle he said good night to the frightend dog and settled in to sleep.
Later that night, the storm settled down to just heavy rain and wind. Ran was awoken by a soft bump and a muffled curse. Causiously, he opend his violet eyes to slits and saw a whitish shape move over to sit by the window. Opening up his eyes a bit more, the shape resolved itself to the figure of a boy, perhaps a few years younger then himself. He had brown, shaggy hair and was wearing a cream coloured pesent shirt and dark brown pants. There was something about this boy that told Ran that he was harmless. Besides, Teddy would have barked had soemthing been wrong, but never the less, he drew his trusty katana closer as he kept watch on the stranger.
The dawn's first light approched and the boy had not made a move against the prince, though sometimes he would look over and sigh, his long locks hanging over his eyes. When the first streams of light threatened over the horizan, the boy sighed deeply and stood. He walked over to Ran's bed and sat down by the foot board on the floor. Ran kept watching to see if he moved again. Time passed, and his watching was interupted by the feeling of Teddy nudging his hand, signaling that it was time to get up. He rolled over and sat up, looking over the edge of the bed discreetly. He saw hide nor hair of the boy.
Ran saw the stranger many nights after that, and always he watched him with out letting it be known that he was still awake. But in the mornings, the only living thing he would find in the room was Teddy. Something was not right, not right at all.
Now, though Ran's family ruled fairly and peacefully, like all rulers, they had enimes. People jealous of their power and prestege. The formost rival family in particular was the Takatori's. A ruthless clan that would stop at nothing to gain what they thought as their rightfull place on the throne. It had taken time, but they finaly got enough soldiers to win a frontal attack, and so, that's what they did. Nothing like the direct rout ne?
Well, those Takatori's presented a terrible military coup upon the palace one day after Aya-chan left. (I forgot to mention, she went off to get married, but that's beside the point!) Ran's family's soldiers found themselves overwhelmed by sheer numbers and soon Ran was fighting beside them for his life. It all looked like then end when he was cut down, looking up at a soldier, ready to take his life. Just when he thought it was the end. A dark streak lept over him and attached it self to the soldiers throat. It was Teddy, showing a new side to the fun cuddly friendly dog. He was using his sheer size and his teeth to an advantage as he tore through anyone that thought to go near Ran and hurt him. Very, very protective.
However, even that could not win the battle, and Ran was forced to flee if he wanted to survive. Taking Teddy with him, he ran into the deep, dark surrounding forest. The red head mutterd a muffled curse as he ran, for he had been hurt by a sword slash across the abdomen and it hurt. To make things worse, it started to rain, a cold, dreary, oppressive down pour that sapped heat and stole what ever spirit the two weary beings had left. It was raining so thickly, that the prince couldn't see past the end of his nose. Teddy growled softly and gently clamped his teeth down on Ran's arm, dragging him into a dry cave. He sighed and flopped down greatfully, his eyes closing involentarily. They snapped open again when he felt something cold and wet touch the wound. Ran struggled to see what was going on. Teddy was nosing where the blood was flowing.
"What the hell are you—" Ran started angrily, making to push the dog away, when he stopped. The cut was already half-way closed, healing rapidly where the dog touched. When the line of pain was compleaatly erased, Teddy curled up around the prince, offering the boy the warmth still trapped in his thick furry coat. Laying his head down on the dogs fuzzy stomache, Ran quickly fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
It was around midnight when Ran became aware of his surroundings again. He yawned and sat up, putting his hand down for support, and was greated to the feeling of cotton instead of fur. He turned his icey violet gaze down to see what it was. There was the boy he'd seen, curled up where the dog had been when he went to sleep. Now, Ran was a smart boy, who could put two and two together, but he hadnt really had any proof before. It was time to act upon his suspisions. Quickly, he straightedn the boy out and pinned him down. Then he took out a small flash from his pocket. The prince didn't drink much, but sometimes there was just no other way to relax. He poured some of the contents down the boy's throat, pulling it away when brown eyes snapped open as their owner coughed and sputterd from the brandy. The marble skinned boy gazed down at his 'prisoner'
"Nice to see you're awake…Teddy." He said.