Zento
By Kawaii Kitty
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Those people who do would not spend their time reading MY crappy fanfiction, especially if they needed ideas. We clear on this? Good.
Please Review!!!! I need reviews!!!!!!!
Chapter Four
Makino Hime
The soldier known only to Takato, Lee, and Terrier as Yamaki showed them to an elegant room with a few comfortable looking beds on the floor. The room was painted with deep shades of red and trimmed with gold like the rest of the palace. There was a changing curtain at the back of the room next to a sliding door, which lead to a bathroom. Lee took in the scent and sighed happily, smelling the sweet scent of wild flowers and fruit fragrances.
Yamaki addressed them, his eyes on the small monster still. "You may stay here for the night, and address the Lady as you leave the palace tomorrow. I am certain that you both have quite a trip ahead of you."
The two smiled at him and bowed as he closed the door, then whooped excitedly and sat down on the beds on the floor. Takato stretched and lay back. "Man does this feel good! Warm room, comfy beds, and a nice hot bath! Royalty life is the best life!"
Lee nodded and kicked off his sandals, lying back as well. "Yeah. I will admit that this is rather nice. I think I'm going to take a bath in a few minutes."
Terrier leaned next to him and sniffed, then turned away with his paws over his nose. "Yeah, because you really, really need one." Lee shot an annoyed look at him. "Well, it's true! You stink."
Lee chuckled and stood up, walking to the bathroom, untying his belt as he walked. "Yeah, yeah, shut up. I'm going." He tossed the red silk belt behind him and slid the door open, walking inside. He parted his street kimono and tossed it on the floor behind him. He walked up to the large wooden bath and trailed his hand along it, marveling at the smoothness of the wood. He noticed a small piece of wood sticking out on the inside of the bath and pulled on it. The small wood piece dislodged a whole loose board, much to his confusion.
Assuming he had broken a part of the tub, he quickly scrambled to put the board in place, but stopped as very warm water poured out of the hole where the board had been, catching him by surprise and burning his fingers slightly. He dropped the board in the tub and chuckled.
"Well, that's one way of doing it, I suppose." He smiled softly and walked around the tub until he found a set of stairs that would allow him to enter the tub. He dropped his remaining articles of clothing and stepped into the filling tub, sitting down and sighing heavily as the water calmed his nerves. When the water reached his chest, he picked up the board and forced it back into the hole from whence it came, leaning back in the warmth and thinking to himself.
He remembered the way his father looked at him the night before he left his home. He could not stop staring at him with those pitiful grayish eyes. When he would ask him what was the matter, he simply said, "Nothing, just keep your sword and your friends close by always."
The moment played in his mind every night, every time he closed his silvery eyes. His little sister, Shaochung seemed to be the one who would miss him the most. As he left his home the next morning to begin his quest, he heard a small noise from behind him.
He turned about to see the image of his baby sister hobbling along in a fast walk as the early morning sun hit her small body. Great pity overcame Lee as he watched his sister's pain as she attempted to run to him.
"Jianliang! Jianliang! Don't leave us!" She cried over and over. He sniffled softly and set his sack down, walking to her and picking her up. The young child sniffled and sobbed into her brother's chest, gripping at his kimono. "I don't want you to go…"
He rubbed the back of the young child and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Shaochung. I have to go… Mother wants me to visit her in Japan, I have to fulfill her every wish." He set the child down and knelt next to her. "You have to understand, this is tradition, and we don't want to break a tradition, especially if it's one that Mama's family practiced. Do you understand?"
She sniffled and nodded, wiping her eyes with her robes. Lee smiled at her and picked her up, carrying her back to their home.
Lee sniffled and wiped a tear away from his face, then looked at his hand as water dripped off the tips of his fingers. Upon setting his hand back in the water, he realized that the water had grown surprisingly cooler and he began to wonder just how long he had been in the tub. The sound of the opening and closing of the sliding door behind him startled him some, making him fully aware of where he was.
Lee stretched and prepared to get out. "Sorry, Takato. I'll get out in just a second." What he heard next was not at all what he would have expected in the least.
The sound behind him was a slight giggle.
His whole body tensed up as he heard the noise, curious as to who was behind him, but not wanting to turn and find who was there. Curiosity got the better of the teen as his head slowly turned back as far as it would allow him. He gave a surprised yelp and involuntarily turned about in the tub, forcing himself against the wall farthest from the form that was now in front of him.
"M-M-Makino Hime!!" his voice managed to squeak at her. She smiled at him gently and rose on of her bare arms to her bun, pulling out the sticks in her hair, letting her fire orange hair fall around her face. She stood before him, completely naked from head to toe. She walked to the tub and up the small flight of stairs and into the water, sitting where Lee had been not more than a minute before.
Lee's face turned a deep shade of crimson as he struggled to keep his eyes off her, much less her chest. She giggled again and looked at him with her seductive violet eyes. "Is there something the matter, young traveler?"
Lee looked at her young face, embarrassment quite apparent on his face, and most likely in the lower regions of his body. He quickly folded his legs and shook his head. "No… you just…startled me…"
She smiled at him, speaking after a moment's silence. "Your story intrigued me. The way you told it made it seem like a faerie tale."
He sat up as straight as he could make himself. "Um… er… thank you."
To Lee's dismay, she lay back as he had, relaxing in the water and resting her arms along the rim of the tub in a very unladylike manner. He blushed even deeper as her full bosom came into his line of eyesight. "Your story had my mother practically breaking down into tears. It's kind of funny, really." She looked at him and noticed where his attention was focused, then laughed, clasping her hands on her breasts.
"Does my chest charm you?" she asked him, edging closer to him. He swallowed hard and attempted to back up fruitlessly.
His voice came in a series of high-pitched squeaks, contributing to his previous nervousness. "Um… I suppose you could say that…"
She smiled and edged closer to him still, making Lee's face turn a new shade of red with each centimeter she took behind her. The traveler sat up as straight as his spine would allow and swallowed hard, now feeling beyond nervous.
The princess looked at him sadly and sunk into the water, looking away in an ashamed manner. "Oh, I get it. You don't like me, do you…?"
Lee looked at her in a concerned manner. "What!? What are you talking about!? I think you're beautiful!"
She looked back up at him. "You may think that, but do you mean it? I mean… do you like men?"
Lee gave a yelp and splashed a little in surprise. "WHAT!? What the hell gave you that idea!"
"Well, I don't know. If you didn't like me, then maybe you liked men…"
Lee sighed and looked down at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I do like you… It's just… I'm not used to seeing women in full-fledged nudity before. I was just… nervous, I suppose."
She smiled up at him. "Well, that's always a relief to know. Now what do you say we get out of here? You're starting to get all wrinkly."
Lee looked at his hands, and sure enough, the tips of his fingers had started to prune. He chuckled a little bit, and then raised himself from the water as Makino Hime stepped out. His eyes set on every detail of her skin and admiring the muscular arms and legs of her body. He too stepped out of the tub and walked to his clothes. He knelt down behind the tub, out of Makino Hime's sight and quickly dressed himself. When he stood and looked over to her, he noticed she was putting on a kimono for bed. He smiled to himself and walked over to her, helping her slip the kimono's sleek fabric up her arms.
He smiled at her. "These things seem awful heavy. Why do you wear them?"
He blushed and looked back at him. "Well, I have to. I am royalty after all."
Lee folded the kimono over her chest, blushing softly as his hands grazed her breasts. "That most certainly is true. But you are royalty, don't you ever get to go out?"
She snickered. "Go out? Alone, you mean? Ha! That's a good one. I'll have to remember to keep that one."
"No, I'm serious. You mean, you never get to go anywhere alone?" She shook her head. "That's sad… so you mean those walks you take at night…"
"Yep. Guards are with me. It's a real pain." She sighed and picked up a light gold colored silk belt and handed it to Lee. "Could you put this on for me?"
"Sure thing." He said as he strung it around her waist. "You know, I would think that you would have a husband already."
She looked back at him as he began tying the belt. "And why is that?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. Your age and your looks, I suppose. Why wouldn't you have a husband already?"
She giggled. "All of the men around here are afraid of me."
Lee looked up, surprised. "Seriously? Wow… you must have beat up a lot of people to earn that title."
She nodded and turned around to face him. "Indeed I have. You ever hear of the Moon Fighter?"
Lee nodded. "I have. Takato told me. We almost had a run-in with him on the way up here." He stopped a moment to think, then looked at her with amazement. "You mean… You…Beat him!?"
Makino hadn't looked too surprised as she nodded nonchalantly. "Of course. Why are you so impressed? He was a weakling compared to my skills. After all, I am a princess."
Lee looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's just that I've never heard of a woman fighting before, and I'm quite shocked, let me assure you, Makino- hime."
She giggled softly, gazing at him with her violet eyes. "Look, you're a guest here, and I really see no need for formalities. You can simply call me Ruki, if I may call you by your name."
Lee blushed slightly from embarrassment. "W-well, Ruki, my Family name is Lee, but you're welcome to call me Jianliang, or Jenrya if you so desire."
She giggled again. "I think I like Jenrya, you don't seem like a 'Jianliang'. It's too long."
He slipped on his sandals and looked at her. "Well, Ruki… I'm sure it's late, and I've got quite a ways to go… perhaps I should retire…" He turned to the door, placing his hand gently on the wood of the frame.
A small hand touched the top of his softly. He looked at it curiously, then at Ruki, to whom it belonged. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment before Ruki spoke. "Please… walk with me… I cannot sleep…"
Lee looked at her curiously and then nodded, ready to oblige. He nodded to her and began to follow her as she head for a door to the outside in the back of the room. She lifted her heavy sleeves and touched the door gently with her hand, pushing it aside with great ease. Behind the door was a beautiful area with trees and flowers and species of bird he had never even dreamed of. The moonlight above lit the miniature paradise like high noon. A bridge extended over a fairly large Koi pond, which had several dozen golden and white fish swimming around within its water. The grass looked healthy and springy, good enough to play in as he had the grass at home when he was younger. He was half tempted to take a flying leap and roll around in the grass, had he not looked at Ruki, who was walking along the strip of soft wood that ran alongside the back of the palace. He hurried his feet to catch up with her.
"Something's been troubling me lately…" the young princess said finally.
Lee looked at her curiously. "What is it?"
Ruki looked down at the ground, obviously disturbed. "Well, my mother has been arranging a marriage for me with a prince from another nearby city."
Lee shrugged. "I don't see why that's so bad." Lee really had no problem with arranged marriages. Back home, he himself had been in one, but the girl whom he was supposed to marry was raped and beheaded by thieves who robbed her home.
"Well," she started, "It's just that this guy is the only one who's ever beaten me in combat. I really don't like him. I don't even know his name."
Lee nodded. "Well, that's never good… Is he a good guy?"
She shrugged, unsure really of what she remembered of him. "I don't know… I…guess so."
Lee smiled at the princess. "Then it's worth it. If he loves you and is a nice person, then I really don't see why it should matter."
"Well, that's not all." Ruki continued. "I have gotten word from messengers sent from his city that he is quite the playboy… and I'm not at all sure how to change him from that. The poems he sends me are beautiful…but I'm not even sure if he is the one who wrote them. The brushstrokes seem too feminine…"
"Then maybe he had someone else write it. Not all royalty likes to do everything for themselves." Lee said gently, so as not to wake the other tenants of the palace. "With you as an exception, of course."
Ruki gave him a gentle smile and stepped out onto the grass. "Thank you Jenrya. I really appreciate it."
He gave her one of his charming smiles in return, stepping on the grass as well. "No problem. It was my pleasure."
He smiled at the grass under his sandals and kneeled down and ran his fingers through the blades. He closed his eyes and smiled as the warm air slowly raced across his skin and calmed him. He then opened his eyes again and looked up at Ruki.
"You're really fortunate, you know that?" he said politely to her.
She blinked at him. "Fortunate? For what?"
"You're a princess and you get to live in a beautiful palace with actual grass! You have practically everything anyone would ever want!"
"Except maybe love…" she said almost indistinctly, the aura around her changing to a feeling of light blue.
Lee's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry… It'll come, I just know it. When you least expect it."
Ruki nodded and turned her gaze to the white moon above. "I hope so, Jenrya. I don't trust you to be wrong…"
Both the princess and the traveler stood under the pale light and comfort of the moon above, doing nothing but staring at the white sparkle of the stars in the sky as they gather around their mother moon. Not a word was shared until they both agreed it was time to retire. Lee wandered half- blindly to his room, barely able to see his hand in front of his face.
He was awoken by a stiff kick in the stomach. He coughed loudly for a moment and looked up in shock at the boy who was standing there, in a full uniform of armor, his brown eyes glaring down at him.
"I knew I shouldn't have been dumb enough to trust you, foreigner…" the boy said.
Doubled over, Lee coughed again, speaking in a raspy, out-of-breath voice. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" he said loudly, pointing to the space in Lee's bed next to him. "I'm not as stupid as I look."
Lee turned around to see what the guard Takato had conversed with the previous night had been talking about. What he found made his heart leap to his throat.
A/N: Another chapter successfully completed! Sorry for the huge length, but I felt it had to be done. Anyway, it's late, and I'm kinda tired, so I'll see you all on another fic or back here next time, okay? Oyasumi!
By Kawaii Kitty
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Those people who do would not spend their time reading MY crappy fanfiction, especially if they needed ideas. We clear on this? Good.
Please Review!!!! I need reviews!!!!!!!
Chapter Four
Makino Hime
The soldier known only to Takato, Lee, and Terrier as Yamaki showed them to an elegant room with a few comfortable looking beds on the floor. The room was painted with deep shades of red and trimmed with gold like the rest of the palace. There was a changing curtain at the back of the room next to a sliding door, which lead to a bathroom. Lee took in the scent and sighed happily, smelling the sweet scent of wild flowers and fruit fragrances.
Yamaki addressed them, his eyes on the small monster still. "You may stay here for the night, and address the Lady as you leave the palace tomorrow. I am certain that you both have quite a trip ahead of you."
The two smiled at him and bowed as he closed the door, then whooped excitedly and sat down on the beds on the floor. Takato stretched and lay back. "Man does this feel good! Warm room, comfy beds, and a nice hot bath! Royalty life is the best life!"
Lee nodded and kicked off his sandals, lying back as well. "Yeah. I will admit that this is rather nice. I think I'm going to take a bath in a few minutes."
Terrier leaned next to him and sniffed, then turned away with his paws over his nose. "Yeah, because you really, really need one." Lee shot an annoyed look at him. "Well, it's true! You stink."
Lee chuckled and stood up, walking to the bathroom, untying his belt as he walked. "Yeah, yeah, shut up. I'm going." He tossed the red silk belt behind him and slid the door open, walking inside. He parted his street kimono and tossed it on the floor behind him. He walked up to the large wooden bath and trailed his hand along it, marveling at the smoothness of the wood. He noticed a small piece of wood sticking out on the inside of the bath and pulled on it. The small wood piece dislodged a whole loose board, much to his confusion.
Assuming he had broken a part of the tub, he quickly scrambled to put the board in place, but stopped as very warm water poured out of the hole where the board had been, catching him by surprise and burning his fingers slightly. He dropped the board in the tub and chuckled.
"Well, that's one way of doing it, I suppose." He smiled softly and walked around the tub until he found a set of stairs that would allow him to enter the tub. He dropped his remaining articles of clothing and stepped into the filling tub, sitting down and sighing heavily as the water calmed his nerves. When the water reached his chest, he picked up the board and forced it back into the hole from whence it came, leaning back in the warmth and thinking to himself.
He remembered the way his father looked at him the night before he left his home. He could not stop staring at him with those pitiful grayish eyes. When he would ask him what was the matter, he simply said, "Nothing, just keep your sword and your friends close by always."
The moment played in his mind every night, every time he closed his silvery eyes. His little sister, Shaochung seemed to be the one who would miss him the most. As he left his home the next morning to begin his quest, he heard a small noise from behind him.
He turned about to see the image of his baby sister hobbling along in a fast walk as the early morning sun hit her small body. Great pity overcame Lee as he watched his sister's pain as she attempted to run to him.
"Jianliang! Jianliang! Don't leave us!" She cried over and over. He sniffled softly and set his sack down, walking to her and picking her up. The young child sniffled and sobbed into her brother's chest, gripping at his kimono. "I don't want you to go…"
He rubbed the back of the young child and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Shaochung. I have to go… Mother wants me to visit her in Japan, I have to fulfill her every wish." He set the child down and knelt next to her. "You have to understand, this is tradition, and we don't want to break a tradition, especially if it's one that Mama's family practiced. Do you understand?"
She sniffled and nodded, wiping her eyes with her robes. Lee smiled at her and picked her up, carrying her back to their home.
Lee sniffled and wiped a tear away from his face, then looked at his hand as water dripped off the tips of his fingers. Upon setting his hand back in the water, he realized that the water had grown surprisingly cooler and he began to wonder just how long he had been in the tub. The sound of the opening and closing of the sliding door behind him startled him some, making him fully aware of where he was.
Lee stretched and prepared to get out. "Sorry, Takato. I'll get out in just a second." What he heard next was not at all what he would have expected in the least.
The sound behind him was a slight giggle.
His whole body tensed up as he heard the noise, curious as to who was behind him, but not wanting to turn and find who was there. Curiosity got the better of the teen as his head slowly turned back as far as it would allow him. He gave a surprised yelp and involuntarily turned about in the tub, forcing himself against the wall farthest from the form that was now in front of him.
"M-M-Makino Hime!!" his voice managed to squeak at her. She smiled at him gently and rose on of her bare arms to her bun, pulling out the sticks in her hair, letting her fire orange hair fall around her face. She stood before him, completely naked from head to toe. She walked to the tub and up the small flight of stairs and into the water, sitting where Lee had been not more than a minute before.
Lee's face turned a deep shade of crimson as he struggled to keep his eyes off her, much less her chest. She giggled again and looked at him with her seductive violet eyes. "Is there something the matter, young traveler?"
Lee looked at her young face, embarrassment quite apparent on his face, and most likely in the lower regions of his body. He quickly folded his legs and shook his head. "No… you just…startled me…"
She smiled at him, speaking after a moment's silence. "Your story intrigued me. The way you told it made it seem like a faerie tale."
He sat up as straight as he could make himself. "Um… er… thank you."
To Lee's dismay, she lay back as he had, relaxing in the water and resting her arms along the rim of the tub in a very unladylike manner. He blushed even deeper as her full bosom came into his line of eyesight. "Your story had my mother practically breaking down into tears. It's kind of funny, really." She looked at him and noticed where his attention was focused, then laughed, clasping her hands on her breasts.
"Does my chest charm you?" she asked him, edging closer to him. He swallowed hard and attempted to back up fruitlessly.
His voice came in a series of high-pitched squeaks, contributing to his previous nervousness. "Um… I suppose you could say that…"
She smiled and edged closer to him still, making Lee's face turn a new shade of red with each centimeter she took behind her. The traveler sat up as straight as his spine would allow and swallowed hard, now feeling beyond nervous.
The princess looked at him sadly and sunk into the water, looking away in an ashamed manner. "Oh, I get it. You don't like me, do you…?"
Lee looked at her in a concerned manner. "What!? What are you talking about!? I think you're beautiful!"
She looked back up at him. "You may think that, but do you mean it? I mean… do you like men?"
Lee gave a yelp and splashed a little in surprise. "WHAT!? What the hell gave you that idea!"
"Well, I don't know. If you didn't like me, then maybe you liked men…"
Lee sighed and looked down at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I do like you… It's just… I'm not used to seeing women in full-fledged nudity before. I was just… nervous, I suppose."
She smiled up at him. "Well, that's always a relief to know. Now what do you say we get out of here? You're starting to get all wrinkly."
Lee looked at his hands, and sure enough, the tips of his fingers had started to prune. He chuckled a little bit, and then raised himself from the water as Makino Hime stepped out. His eyes set on every detail of her skin and admiring the muscular arms and legs of her body. He too stepped out of the tub and walked to his clothes. He knelt down behind the tub, out of Makino Hime's sight and quickly dressed himself. When he stood and looked over to her, he noticed she was putting on a kimono for bed. He smiled to himself and walked over to her, helping her slip the kimono's sleek fabric up her arms.
He smiled at her. "These things seem awful heavy. Why do you wear them?"
He blushed and looked back at him. "Well, I have to. I am royalty after all."
Lee folded the kimono over her chest, blushing softly as his hands grazed her breasts. "That most certainly is true. But you are royalty, don't you ever get to go out?"
She snickered. "Go out? Alone, you mean? Ha! That's a good one. I'll have to remember to keep that one."
"No, I'm serious. You mean, you never get to go anywhere alone?" She shook her head. "That's sad… so you mean those walks you take at night…"
"Yep. Guards are with me. It's a real pain." She sighed and picked up a light gold colored silk belt and handed it to Lee. "Could you put this on for me?"
"Sure thing." He said as he strung it around her waist. "You know, I would think that you would have a husband already."
She looked back at him as he began tying the belt. "And why is that?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. Your age and your looks, I suppose. Why wouldn't you have a husband already?"
She giggled. "All of the men around here are afraid of me."
Lee looked up, surprised. "Seriously? Wow… you must have beat up a lot of people to earn that title."
She nodded and turned around to face him. "Indeed I have. You ever hear of the Moon Fighter?"
Lee nodded. "I have. Takato told me. We almost had a run-in with him on the way up here." He stopped a moment to think, then looked at her with amazement. "You mean… You…Beat him!?"
Makino hadn't looked too surprised as she nodded nonchalantly. "Of course. Why are you so impressed? He was a weakling compared to my skills. After all, I am a princess."
Lee looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's just that I've never heard of a woman fighting before, and I'm quite shocked, let me assure you, Makino- hime."
She giggled softly, gazing at him with her violet eyes. "Look, you're a guest here, and I really see no need for formalities. You can simply call me Ruki, if I may call you by your name."
Lee blushed slightly from embarrassment. "W-well, Ruki, my Family name is Lee, but you're welcome to call me Jianliang, or Jenrya if you so desire."
She giggled again. "I think I like Jenrya, you don't seem like a 'Jianliang'. It's too long."
He slipped on his sandals and looked at her. "Well, Ruki… I'm sure it's late, and I've got quite a ways to go… perhaps I should retire…" He turned to the door, placing his hand gently on the wood of the frame.
A small hand touched the top of his softly. He looked at it curiously, then at Ruki, to whom it belonged. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment before Ruki spoke. "Please… walk with me… I cannot sleep…"
Lee looked at her curiously and then nodded, ready to oblige. He nodded to her and began to follow her as she head for a door to the outside in the back of the room. She lifted her heavy sleeves and touched the door gently with her hand, pushing it aside with great ease. Behind the door was a beautiful area with trees and flowers and species of bird he had never even dreamed of. The moonlight above lit the miniature paradise like high noon. A bridge extended over a fairly large Koi pond, which had several dozen golden and white fish swimming around within its water. The grass looked healthy and springy, good enough to play in as he had the grass at home when he was younger. He was half tempted to take a flying leap and roll around in the grass, had he not looked at Ruki, who was walking along the strip of soft wood that ran alongside the back of the palace. He hurried his feet to catch up with her.
"Something's been troubling me lately…" the young princess said finally.
Lee looked at her curiously. "What is it?"
Ruki looked down at the ground, obviously disturbed. "Well, my mother has been arranging a marriage for me with a prince from another nearby city."
Lee shrugged. "I don't see why that's so bad." Lee really had no problem with arranged marriages. Back home, he himself had been in one, but the girl whom he was supposed to marry was raped and beheaded by thieves who robbed her home.
"Well," she started, "It's just that this guy is the only one who's ever beaten me in combat. I really don't like him. I don't even know his name."
Lee nodded. "Well, that's never good… Is he a good guy?"
She shrugged, unsure really of what she remembered of him. "I don't know… I…guess so."
Lee smiled at the princess. "Then it's worth it. If he loves you and is a nice person, then I really don't see why it should matter."
"Well, that's not all." Ruki continued. "I have gotten word from messengers sent from his city that he is quite the playboy… and I'm not at all sure how to change him from that. The poems he sends me are beautiful…but I'm not even sure if he is the one who wrote them. The brushstrokes seem too feminine…"
"Then maybe he had someone else write it. Not all royalty likes to do everything for themselves." Lee said gently, so as not to wake the other tenants of the palace. "With you as an exception, of course."
Ruki gave him a gentle smile and stepped out onto the grass. "Thank you Jenrya. I really appreciate it."
He gave her one of his charming smiles in return, stepping on the grass as well. "No problem. It was my pleasure."
He smiled at the grass under his sandals and kneeled down and ran his fingers through the blades. He closed his eyes and smiled as the warm air slowly raced across his skin and calmed him. He then opened his eyes again and looked up at Ruki.
"You're really fortunate, you know that?" he said politely to her.
She blinked at him. "Fortunate? For what?"
"You're a princess and you get to live in a beautiful palace with actual grass! You have practically everything anyone would ever want!"
"Except maybe love…" she said almost indistinctly, the aura around her changing to a feeling of light blue.
Lee's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry… It'll come, I just know it. When you least expect it."
Ruki nodded and turned her gaze to the white moon above. "I hope so, Jenrya. I don't trust you to be wrong…"
Both the princess and the traveler stood under the pale light and comfort of the moon above, doing nothing but staring at the white sparkle of the stars in the sky as they gather around their mother moon. Not a word was shared until they both agreed it was time to retire. Lee wandered half- blindly to his room, barely able to see his hand in front of his face.
He was awoken by a stiff kick in the stomach. He coughed loudly for a moment and looked up in shock at the boy who was standing there, in a full uniform of armor, his brown eyes glaring down at him.
"I knew I shouldn't have been dumb enough to trust you, foreigner…" the boy said.
Doubled over, Lee coughed again, speaking in a raspy, out-of-breath voice. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" he said loudly, pointing to the space in Lee's bed next to him. "I'm not as stupid as I look."
Lee turned around to see what the guard Takato had conversed with the previous night had been talking about. What he found made his heart leap to his throat.
A/N: Another chapter successfully completed! Sorry for the huge length, but I felt it had to be done. Anyway, it's late, and I'm kinda tired, so I'll see you all on another fic or back here next time, okay? Oyasumi!