A/N: please people, refrain from strangling me until I finish this chapter, I know it had been centuries, and I really am sorry! but I'm back, and I don't think it's gonna be a good idea to kill me at the end of this chapter either… *evil grin*

"Woah! What happened to him?"

"Is he all right?"

Asked the approaching girls. In other circumstances Fuu wouldn't have accepted help from anyone, but this was a special occasion, and it wasn't like they had a choice, besides they didn't seem like bad people, on the contrary… what kind of people would offer help to somebody they don't even know.

"I'll be ok… Help Fuu." said Ferio pointing towards the approaching horses

"Yikes! There are a lot…" said the red head.

"Hi um, Fuu right?… My name is Umi… and that is Hikaru…" said the one with long blue hair. The red head waved enthusiastically.

"Um, hello, ano… thank you so much for your help." She said to them.

"Who is he?" asked Hikaru

"Call me Ferio… a pleasure…" he winced

"Introductions and thank you's come later… we have a teeny problem as you both already know, you can also explain later. Hikaru you'll go up front with me. Fuu, stand guard right here. Hikaru and I can take them but they are on horses making it harder. So you will stay behind since you have a weapon of long distance reach." Instructed Umi

Fuu nodded "But what am I going to do? I couldn't kill them."

"You don't have to kill them to knock them off!" smiled Hikaru

"She's right, all you have to do is aim for their shoulders, they have armor there and if something with enough force hits them, their balance would be thrown off and that's where we come in… understood?" asked Umi

Everyone nodded. "What about me?" asked Ferio

"What about you? You're seriously hurt and you would do better staying out of our way," said Umi not taking her eyes off the approaching horsemen

"She's right Ferio! You would worry Fuu and we wouldn't be able to give all we've got. Now go because time is running out!" pressured Hikaru

"But…" he said looking to Fuu

"I'll be fine. And they're right. Now go… please…" she said seeing the worry in his eyes

He hesitated a bit and turned back to Fuu, giving her a quick deep kiss, then turned and went over to Momo.

"Aw!! Aren't they kawaii?" she heard Umi say from behind. She blushed at the comment.

"I won't be far away…" he told her. She nodded and he was off.

"All right, Fuu stay positioned here and don't let any soldier pass that line of trees on horse, that's where we will be. Good luck." Said Umi sprinting off

Hikaru was right behind her. Fuu drew in a deep breath and took out her first arrow. Taking a step back, she positioned her bow, the first soldier she could see clearly was by surprise not the general. It didn't matter. Aim carefully, a wrong twitch from her fingers and the arrow could end up in his neck. Her breathing quickened and her hands sweat. She loosened her fingers.

A direct hit, the arrow flew at the soldier and bounced off his armor, denting it a bit, as Umi and Hikaru had told her, his legs flew up in the air and he grabbed the reins quickly, too late, the horse shocked from the sound and speed of the arrow reared it legs and sent him to the ground, running off. Hikaru was there to greet him, she was amazingly fast and the soldier was down.

With a bit more confidence she drew her second arrow. Aimed again, and fired. Another soldier on the ground, good she thought to herself positioning the third arrow.

~~~*°*~~~

It did take the general quite by surprise that two young girls rushed up, swords in hand. But what surprised him more was the fact that his men on horse were being reduced considerably, most of them were on foot now, only about seven on horse and looking a bit insecure.

He cursed his pathetic heap of men but thought that there was something strange being pulled off. Sure enough squinting at the distance he could make out the shape of yet another person. A mere girl as well, it was a disgrace. He pulled his horse to the left just as an arrow bounced off the shoulder of a soldier behind him.

Rage bubbled inside him realising the truth. It was her! He crept into the line of trees and silently made his way towards Fuu. Rushing past the other two girls hidden by the thick trees. He was shocked to see half his men laying on the ground around them. Peasant people! Outrageous!

~~~*°*~~~

Ferio still on Momo leaned against a nearby tree and caught a glimpse of the battle. He was sure he could not be seen and was still cursing himself for not staying to help. His breathing was a bit quick and his eyesight was not all it always was, but he could still…

'Maybe they were right…' he said wincing from time to time. But still semiconscious he smiled with pride seeing Fuu take out one arrow after another. She looked so determined. And was doing a splendid job. Now only three soldiers were on horse.

He sighed with relief seeing how well Umi and Hikaru handled the soldiers, they were probably better than him. Everything would be all right. Three young girls were winning against twenty soldiers on horse. It was amazing.

A gleam of silver through the trees caught his eye and he looked up. Squinting to clear his sight he saw it was moving away from the battle, very fast towards Fuu. He didn't know what it was but had a good feeling it was not going to help her. The trees cleared for a second and he caught a better glimpse.

His fists clenched, it was him. Leaning back on Momo he ordered him forward. 'That bastard wouldn't hesitate to hurt her' he thought heading in Fuu's direction.

Sure enough reaching the spot he jumped out from the trees behind Fuu.

"Fuu!" he screamed.

She barely had time to turn around when she felt a stiff arm around her waist. As fast as he had come into the small clearing he was gone again.

"Fuu!" he yelled out again Momo breaking into a run behind the general. 

The battle ended quickly, the last blow given by Hikaru a powerful strike to a big soldier with the side of her wide sword. The girls looked pleased with each other, then they heard Ferio's call. Umi and Hikaru turned their heads as the horses sped by them.

"He's got her! The big guy has got Fuu!" yelled Hikaru

"And that idiot is going after them! He'll probably pass out before we get there!"

"Lets take the horses!" squealed Hikaru

"Where are you going without me?" asked a voice behind a tree

Both turned quickly. Umi gave out a huge sigh of relief and Hikaru smiled from ear to ear.

~~~~*°*~~~~

Fuu squirmed and wriggled in the big man's grasp, but the more she fought the harder he held on. She was actually beginning to feel light headed. She had never been this scared in her life. Why did Ferio have to be following? If he'd've stayed put, it really didn't matter that they were taking her back, at least… She had saved him, and told him…

She felt a jolt of pain as the horse turned and stopped abruptly. She looked around, they had reached a clearing. Ferio's clearing. She could see the small house at a distance. She turned back to the forest hearing the sound of approaching hooves.

She looked up to see her raptor, to her utter surprise he was smiling, a horrible malicious smile, and looking to Ferio. She gasped as he approached. With great difficulty he managed to get of his horse. But strangely the only thing that gave away his pain was the way he moved. Fuu had never seen his face this determined before. The thought scared her. He was in no state to fight.

"Let her go." he said in a voice of stone

"Draw your sword." said the general pointing to the left. Sure enough, Ferio's huge sword was encrusted in the dirt a few feet away from him.

"No Ferio!" called Fuu

He didn't even turn to look at his sword "I said let her go."

"I will once you draw your sword. I want a fair fight with you."

This fight was going to be anything but fair. He had armor an was in perfect state, while Ferio had already lost a lot of blood, it had been a while since the wound started bleeding again.

"You coward." Fuu hissed

"Either you fight, or you let her die."

Fuu felt cold steel against her throat and warm liquid flow down her neck. Ferio's eyes seemed to burn.

"Ferio don't!"   

This time he didn't listen to her, but made his way over to the sword and pulled it out of the ground. Fuu noticed his breathing was a little faster than it should be.

"No!" she called out again to him

He got into position. The general chuckled. He wouldn't be able to fight and hold her up at the same time, once he'd get of his horse, she would make a run for it with Ferio. The general slid one leg to the side, gliding off, Fuu was ready to kick.

She let out an ear splitting scream that could probably be heard through out the forest. He had cracked her ankle. He jumped off the horse and purposely stepped on her whole foot, pulling her body upwards, cracking the bone.

He threw her to the ground "No offence girl, but we can't have you helping him out, that wouldn't be fa---"

Fuu clutched her ankle, tears streaming down her face and looked up. Where the general had once been was now Ferio, panting with the blunt end of his sword to the side. The general lay sprawled several feet away.

"Ferio…" she managed to whimper

He looked down at her with nothing but worry in his eyes. Fuu gasped barely seeing him move his sword to the side. The general was up again and had barely missed him. Ferio staggered back a few feet, still panting.

"No stop!" she yelled

Making no sound the general flung the sword out of Ferio's hands. She gasped as it landed a few inches away from her. Ferio was disarmed, weak, and could barely see strait. He felt nothing in his hands or feet. But Fuu, she had to get away. He looked at the looming figure over him. His sword was down. Ferio felt what might have been a kick in the stomach. He heard Fuu gasp.

"You really are pathetic. I warned you did I not? Never to mess with me?" he held his head up high, and then turned around. "You're stronger than I thought… girl. Just look at you…" Ferio turned to see Fuu, she was up on one foot, leaning against his sword, her other ankle in a wrong angle. 'Bastard.' Ferio thought remembering Fuu's scream. But he was right, she really was strong, tears still made their way out but she stood there, looking determined. A smile appeared on his face. He wished he could touch her one last time. She was so close.

"you're in for a treat you are… you get to watch your love die, right before your eyes. Is this the boy you fell in love with? Weak and pitiful?" The general had turned to look at Ferio again, a strange smile lingered in his face. Eyes burning with revenge. The muscles in Ferio's body loosened as he saw the sword overhead. Fuu would probably be sad, but she would find love again. He shut his eyes, at least she had been his for a while.

"Agggrrrr! Little bitch!"

Looking at the scene above him, he could hardly believe it. Fuu! No what was she doing?! Somehow she had managed to make her way to where he was, he could see the strain in her fresh tears. A dagger was inserted into the man's back. He couldn't reach it, and was bellowing in pain trying to get it. With a hard movement probably intentional he elbowed her frail body. She fell back, coughing.

"Fuu!"

"I don't care who you are! I'll just say he killed you!" the general raised his sword.

Without thinking or knowing he could still move, Ferio got to his feet and rushed over to a frightened looking Fuu, taking her in his arms and shielding her.

What happened in the next few seconds he couldn't remember very well. He remembered feeling Fuu tremble under him, how her hair slightly tickled his nose, a scream that seemed far away, the sound of metal against human flesh, and Fuu's hot tears fall on his cheek.

"FERIO!!" 

A/N: aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!! What have I done?!?!?!? OMG!!!! OK CHILL OUT PEOPLE! This is still not the end! I never said it was…. And what I do from here is up to YOU! That's right! YOU!!! Tell me what you want, a very sad, tragic but pretty ending, or….. a not so sad, tragic or teary ending? Or both… It's up to you!! But watch out! I may surprise you!!! ^^ (forget not that I am a very evil person!)