AN: WWAAAHHH NO REVIEWS ;-; Should I maybe take this off?? Please review
me and tell me what you think, cause if nobody reviews then there's really
no point…~sniffle~ As usual, I don't own anything except Rose and the plot.
" I'm going to go after her…maybe get more information." He finally found his voice again, and headed outside.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Stupid! Why did you tell them that…" Rose sat on a stone bench and looked up at the sky, fighting tears. Baka, baka, baka! She sighed. Well, too late to do anything about it now. Of course, she hadn't made it very clear about a certain fact…she shivered slightly as a memory floated to the surface of her mind, and quickly shoved it away. She heard footsteps and quickly resumed her mask of complete un-interest.
" Miss Rose?" She chafed at the name. And the speaker. She turned and looked into chocolate brown eyes.
" My name is Rose. No miss, no ms, no Princess, no nothing. Got it?" She went to stand, but stopped as he sat beside her. What was going on? He looked at her, eyes dull.
" Are you really Hitomi's daughter?" Rose winced inwardly at the pain in his voice.
" Well…I wasn't completely honest, but yes. I am her daughter." She looked at him.
" Really?" Again, the hopelessness. She sighed.
" I don't want to bring it up. And if it makes you feel any better, she never fell in love." Standing, she started to walk away before a hand caught her wrist. What now?
" But if she never…" Rose rolled her eyes. She couldn't tell him…not yet.
" You figure it out. I don't know why I'm here but I want to go home as soon as possible. So lets just do what we have to do and get it over with." She glared at him.
" And get me out of this dress." Her eyes narrowed as he burst out laughing.
" Well, you sure SOUND like Hitomi." With that, he headed back into the ballroom or whatever that place was. 'Well, that went well,' she thought wryly to herself. No harm, no foul. Except for one fact.
" Where's my duffel bag and where am I going to sleep?" She mused out loud, and then followed Van. Things were definitely going to get interesting.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Van watched as Rose left the ballroom after the party. Hitomi…he shook his head. That girl made no sense.
" Well…I wasn't completely honest, but yes. I am her daughter." Her words played over in his mind. Not completely honest…what did she mean by that?
" Rrrrr…" Shaking his head again, he headed to his room. He'd figure it out in the morning. Walking by her guest room, he paused when he heard singing. Well, humming actually. He smiled slightly. She wasn't that bad. Yawning, he continued on his journey to his room, changed and flopped onto his bed.
" In the morning…" he mumbled, eyes drooping closed.
" Lord Van, wake up!!!" Van's eyes opened to a furry face peering intently into his.
"YAAAHH!!!" He yelped, falling out of bed.
" Merle, what was that about?" She giggled, watching as he struggled to get up, still sleep-dazed.
" Oh nothing. I just thought that you might want to know that Rose is single-handedly causing havoc and major bruising of the ego's in the training yard." With that, she hopped off of his bed and ran out of the room. He blinked, taking a moment until the information sank into his tired mind.
" She WHAT?!?!?" Changing quickly into his standard red shirt and beige pants, he rushed to the training area.
" That girl just got here and already she's causing trouble. She MUST be Hitomi's daughter." He chuckled. A burst of mocking laughter led him to the training yard.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A burst of laughter belted from the crowd gathered around her. She watched, expressionless, as she waited for an answer.
" But you're a girl. Girl's don't swordfight." A man in armor regarded her, an eyebrow raised. She shrugged.
" Then you have nothing to lose by fighting me, do you?" She allowed a small smirk. From what she had seen this would be little more than a regular fencing match. Her bait had worked.
" Fine. If I win, I get bragging rights. You win, you get bragging rights and you have to take lessons from me." She shrugged, pulling out her sword. Her duffel bag lay on the sidelines, a small triumph of last night. She had arrived at her guest room without hope for her loss of possessions, and then nearly sang when she saw her bag lying on the well- made bed. She had settled for humming instead.
" Done." She looked around, noticing the crowd had come considerably closer. She got into her ready position, hearing bets shouted across the room. All in favor of the guard, of course. These men were going to lose a lot of money today. Focusing her eyes on her opponent, she was given only a second's notice before he rushed at her, sword drawn. Side-stepping him, she tapped him on the shoulder with the flat of her sword as he stumbled by.
" Whoops. Too slow." She struck, but he pivoted and blocked her.
" Woman, where did you learn to fight?" He lunged, and she blocked. His technique was severely lacking in style and skill.
" Doesn't matter does it? Aw, so close." She mocked him, circling and stepping lightly on her feet. Somebody ran into the arena, catching her attention. What was Van doing here? She got tossed to the ground, jeers erupting from the crowd.
" Heheheh you see girl? Never let your attention shift when you're in a battle." She smirked. Time to improvise. Swinging her legs around, she tripped the man up, and then stood.
" Take your own advice." With that, she pointed the tip of her sword to his throat.
" Dead." She smirked again. A shocked silence fell over the other men in the training area. Sliding her sword into its sheath and picking up her duffel bag, she walked up to Van.
" Your Majesty. I think you need to train your soldiers more vigorously. Either that or have a woman teach them." With that, she walked down the hallway, grinning inwardly. That outta keep those jerks in shock for a couple of days. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned, hands on hips.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Yes?" He looked at her, still recovering from the shock of seeing her single-handedly kicking that soldiers butt.
" How did you…" He struggled, and she laughed humorlessly.
" How did I beat one of your men? Simple. He lacked skill and technique, was blundering, and he underestimated his enemy," she stated bluntly, with a look that asked him why he was talking with her. He seemed to be getting a lot of those from her. If she was Hitomi's daughter, how come she was so emotionless?
" Well, I guess I'm going to have to work on that." He paused only for a moment before continuing on.
" Rose, I'd like to talk to you." She raised an eyebrow.
" About?" He sighed.
" About why you're here. We aren't on the brink of a war, there's no problems anywhere…I just don't know. And I assume you want to go home, right?" A pause. He could feel his eyebrows pull into a puzzled expression. It was then he realized that she was walking away.
" Wait! Where are you going?" She turned to him, an unknown emotion flickering in her eyes.
" I assumed we were done talking. You stopped and went off into dream- world."
" You never answered my question," he shot back at her, annoyed.
" And what question would that be?" Emotionless again.
" Don't you want to go home?" She shrugged.
" I suppose so." She didn't want to go back to Hitomi? But…she was her daughter! Apparently, she noticed his surprise and continued.
" Look, no matter how much I want to go home right now I can't. Because obviously I have some crucial role to fulfill, so I might as well do it without complaint. Got a problem with that?" He shook his head.
" But I don't know what you're here for!" She snorted at him. Didn't Hitomi teach her any manners?
" Hitomi didn't know what she was here for, did she? Or are you telling me that she WILLINGLY went to a strange world and plunge herself into battle?" Throughout the whole thing her voice was low. That sent a chill down his spine. Emotionless…just like Folken was. He mentally shook his head. Nobody could be worse than Folken. He looked around, wanting to say something, and realized that she was gone. He cursed, and then stormed off in the other direction.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Rose let out a growl of frustration once she was out of hearing range. That jerk…couldn't he see how badly she wanted to go home? On the other hand, she reflected, she really didn't give him much of a chance. She sighed, turning the corner and bumping into something furry.
" Heeeeyyyy why don't you watch where you're going!" The cat girl glared at her, then the glare softened. Rose chafed.
" Sorry, didn't know it was you Rose. Did you finish in the training room?" Rose shrugged.
" I suppose so. I thought the soldiers would have had more skill though. I'm sorry, I forgot your name…I always had trouble with yours." The cat girl looked surprised.
" It's Merle. And where would you have heard my name before? Oh I forgot…Hitomi must have told you the story, huh?" Rose nodded. Merle's face brightened.
" So then we can skip introductions and go have fun! Lets go shopping, what do you say?" Rose stared blankly at her.
" Shopping?" I hate shopping, Rose thought glumly to herself. Merle must have picked up on her tone of voice.
" Well, you DO need new clothes. I wouldn't want to wear the same outfit day after day. But I suppose you need time to adjust. Find me if you change your mind." With that, she was off. Rose stared angrily after her. Why did everybody think she needed time to 'adjust'?? Disgusted, she wandered around the castle, exploring. About half an hour later, she realized that she was lost.
" This is just great," she grumbled, looking up and down a corridor. She could have sworn she saw that portrait about twenty minutes ago….
" Anything I can help you with Miss Rose?" She jumped, a voice startling her out of her thoughts. Recognizing the voice, she turned around and groaned.
" I knew I'd be seeing you soon." The knight looked taken back. Sighing, she continued.
" Just what I need…and overly-shampooed hair boy coming to spout poetic crap." Allen blinked.
" In a bad mood this morning?" She shrugged.
" Not really, but I know a lot about you. Too much, actually." Allen just stared at her, puzzlement saturated in his face.
" Never mind. Look, I'm lost. Can you take me to see king," she stressed it in a monotone voice, "Van?" Allen hesitated, and then nodded.
" Of course. That is, if I may ask questions along the way." She shrugged again, and they started walking. Allen cleared his throat.
" So, I've heard a lot about you from the soldiers." He grinned and chuckled lightly. Figures.
" Oh really?"
" Yes, I just came from the training room, they say you fight very well for a girl." Rose snorted. They better think that.
" Yeah well I kicked one guys butt pretty easily. It's pathetic really. Whoever teaches them has to work harder." Allen looked at her, slight amusement flickering across his face.
" I teach them." She looked at him, pretending to be unfazed, while inside she was wincing.
" Then take my advice. Work them harder." He chuckled.
" You're most definitely Hitomi's daughter, Miss Rose." Anger blazed quietly inside her. Why are they always comparing her to mother?
" Alright. First of all, stop putting 'Miss' in front of my name. Second, would everybody STOP comparing me to mother??" Another chuckle. She clenched her hand into a fist in frustration.
" Look. You wanted to ask questions, so ask." Allen sighed.
" Why are you here, are you really Hitomi's daughter, how did you learn to fight and do you get visions." Allen slowed down slightly.
" Don't know, sort of, dojo in Tokyo, and no, not currently. How's that for answers?" She skipped lightly over the second question and prayed he wouldn't notice. Luck, however, was not on her side that day.
" How can you be 'sort of' somebody's daughter?" Allen stopped at a pair of large oak doors.
" Like I told his highness," she replied, voice dripping poison, " that's for me to know and him to find out." He took the hint. She figured it was time for her to ask a question.
" Before I go, does Chid know?" Allen's eyes widened slightly.
" W…what do you mean?" She rolled her eyes.
" Allen, my mother told me EVERYTHING, so don't play dumb. Does he know?" Allen sighed.
" No." She nodded.
" Alright. Don't worry, my lips are sealed." He quirked an eyebrow at her and she waved it off.
" Well, this is his study. He's usually in here." Allen opened the door and looked inside. She yawned, looking around. Maybe shopping WAS better than being cooped up in a stone castle…
" Rose, back already?" Van's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Why does everybody keep doing that? She shrugged, leaning against the doorframe.
" Yeah, I guess." Van looked between her and Allen.
" So…what are you here for?" She frowned inwardly. She had forgotten why she came.
" Just thought that I'd take a tour of Fanelia. Can I borrow a horse?" Allen stared curiously at her.
" You were wandering around the castle just to ask THAT?" She glared at him. Van chuckled.
" Well, at least you're not completely rude." She bristled at that one. However, deciding she had a better chance of getting away for the day if she was nice to him, she brushed the insult off and snorted.
" So can I?" He shrugged.
" I don't see why not. Of course, guards will escort you…" She cut him off.
" Hold on a second. I don't intend to walk around surrounded by guys that even I can beat up easily. I'm going by myself." Allen laughed.
" She DOES have a point there, Van." He humphed, then nodded.
" Fine." She pushed herself off of the doorframe and headed down the hallway, praying that it was the direction she wanted to go.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Do you think she'll be ok by herself?" I looked at Allen, who had taken Rose's place and was now leaning against my door. He smiled.
" Well, she DID beat the guard fairly easily, but I don't know. The guard fought fairly. Gangs don' t tend to do that." I sighed, looking out the window.
" She's Hitomi's daughter, we should be protecting her." Allen came in and sat down.
" I'm not too sure about that Van. Something's not right with her. First of all, she doesn't look a THING like Hitomi, and she doesn't act like her either. Besides, I asked her about it and she said she was 'sort of' her daughter. But if you're worried about her why don't you take the day off and follow her at a distance?" I smiled.
" Thanks Allen. I'll try figuring out what she meant by the 'sort of' later. She's an enigma, I'll give her that." I stood up, heading to the door.
" Yes," Allen agreed, "She's also rude, stand-offish and a tomboy. There's more to her than we're aware of, I think." I sighed.
" Well, I'll see you later Allen. Thanks for the advice." Allen remained sitting, and nodded.
I quickly followed Rose to the stables, and then hid as she set up a horse. Don't tell me she knows how to ride as well, I groaned inwardly to myself. This could make things a little more difficult. As soon as she led the horse out of the stable, I took Lightning out of his stall and led him out of the stable, glancing at what horse Rose took. Doing a double take, I panicked. She took HER? I sighed.
" Lighting my boy, I think we found more than we can deal with." As if in agreement, Lightning snorted, tossing his head. I got on, and rode after Rose.
An hour later, I was bored out of my mind. She had walked her horse through the market place, taking her time and looking at different stalls and booths. She never stopped at the jewelry booths however, preferring displays of daggers, music, books and male clothes. I blew a strand of hair out of my face in annoyance, hiding myself in the shadows of a store when she looked around. She looked faintly mad about something, but the emotion was well hidden under a mask of boredom. She glanced at a group of nobles who were whispering and giggling towards her direction, no doubt about her clothes. I hadn't taken the time to look, but now I realized that there was a lot to whisper about. She was wearing tight pants made of a faded blue canvas material and a baggy t-shirt that had weird writing on it. Her hair, as always, was pulled up in that strange style of hers. My mind flashed back to the ball, where she was wearing a dress. The comparison seemed almost impossible, like they were two different people. I started, looking around, noticing that we were out of the city now, but I was still hidden. Lightning nipped my shoulder lightly, as if reprimanding me to stay focused. Rose had gotten on her horse, which the stable boys affectionately called Demon Rider. Apparently the mare wasn't the calmest of the bunch. I bit the inside of my lip as I followed Rose's actions, getting back on Lightning. Just don't do anything stupid, I prayed feverently. She glanced around her, and then kicked her heels into Demon Rider, making her gallop.
" Ah gods," I groaned, nudging Lighting to follow her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Let's see how well he can keep up with me now," I muttered under my breath, riding with the horse. The name Demon Rider had attracted me, and so far she was nothing I couldn't handle. I inhaled deeply, smelling the field and the wind as it rushed past me in a blur. It was nice here, no noise of cars, people, no stink of gas or civilization. I heard hoof beats far behind me, but I brushed it off. It was just Van, after all. Hearing a whinny, a plan came into my mind. Taking a deep breath, I clutched the reins in mock fear and screamed, while discreetly nudging Demon Rider into a faster gallop, heading towards the forest. This was going to be fun. I heard my name being called out frantically, but ignored it, screaming again. What a rush! We were in the forest now, dodging trees and bushes, moving as one. Log! Demon Rider jumped, and soared through the air before landing, jarring me slightly. I let out a scream again, this time of pure exaltation. Right, left, dodge, right! Trees blurred into non-existence as I let Demon Rider run. The sound of running water trickled faintly in my ears, and I steered Demon Rider towards the sound. She'd need a drink after all of this.
"C'mon girl, lets give them a run for their money." I whispered in her ear, nudging her to go even faster, then risked a glance full of fake fright to see if Van was following me. He was nearly right behind me.
When I got close enough to see the source of the water, I was slightly relieved that it was just a narrow stream, small enough so that Demon Rider wouldn't halt suddenly and throw me forward. I slowly reined her in as we approached the stream, and then braced myself as she decided to jump the stream. I pulled tighter on the reigns, raising myself slightly as she landed, then turned her around, forcing her to stop. She pranced on the spot, snorting anxiously as I watched Van's horse leap over the water. I turned Demon Rider to face him, careful to show no emotion.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" So, you followed me?" I winced visibly. Uh-oh.
" Um, no. I was just…going for a ride when I saw your horse run off…" I petered out, shrinking under her raised eyebrow.
" Which explains why you were following me in the market? And out of the palace in the first place? That makes perfect sense," she said sarcastically, Demon Rider prancing underneath her, biting at her bit. I tried unsuccessfully to hide my blush.
" Alright then, I did follow you. But how did you know?" Lightning snorted, as if he was mocking me. I mentally sighed. Everybody was against me these days..
" I heard you. Plus, all the prissy nobles were whispering about you following me. That's bound to cause a couple rumors for you, you realize." Her voice deadpanned, and she lost all traces of emotion on her face. I shrugged.
" I thought they were whispering about you, actually." Barely a flicker of surprise.
" They were. But you were the predominate subject of discussion." She reached down and petted Demon Rider's neck, and suspicion started to dawn on me.
" She never got away from you, did she?" She chuckled.
" No." I felt my eyes narrow.
" Then why did you scream?" I had a feeling I already knew the answer, however.
" Because then I could prove to you that I knew you were following me…and that I knew how to take care of myself. Besides, it was fun." She straightened.
" Now if you'll excuse me, your highness, I'm going back to the castle." She slapped the reigns lightly against Demon Riders sides and walked off, leaving me feeling like an idiot. I sighed, nudging Lightning forward. Rose 1, Me zip.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" I'm going to go after her…maybe get more information." He finally found his voice again, and headed outside.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Stupid! Why did you tell them that…" Rose sat on a stone bench and looked up at the sky, fighting tears. Baka, baka, baka! She sighed. Well, too late to do anything about it now. Of course, she hadn't made it very clear about a certain fact…she shivered slightly as a memory floated to the surface of her mind, and quickly shoved it away. She heard footsteps and quickly resumed her mask of complete un-interest.
" Miss Rose?" She chafed at the name. And the speaker. She turned and looked into chocolate brown eyes.
" My name is Rose. No miss, no ms, no Princess, no nothing. Got it?" She went to stand, but stopped as he sat beside her. What was going on? He looked at her, eyes dull.
" Are you really Hitomi's daughter?" Rose winced inwardly at the pain in his voice.
" Well…I wasn't completely honest, but yes. I am her daughter." She looked at him.
" Really?" Again, the hopelessness. She sighed.
" I don't want to bring it up. And if it makes you feel any better, she never fell in love." Standing, she started to walk away before a hand caught her wrist. What now?
" But if she never…" Rose rolled her eyes. She couldn't tell him…not yet.
" You figure it out. I don't know why I'm here but I want to go home as soon as possible. So lets just do what we have to do and get it over with." She glared at him.
" And get me out of this dress." Her eyes narrowed as he burst out laughing.
" Well, you sure SOUND like Hitomi." With that, he headed back into the ballroom or whatever that place was. 'Well, that went well,' she thought wryly to herself. No harm, no foul. Except for one fact.
" Where's my duffel bag and where am I going to sleep?" She mused out loud, and then followed Van. Things were definitely going to get interesting.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Van watched as Rose left the ballroom after the party. Hitomi…he shook his head. That girl made no sense.
" Well…I wasn't completely honest, but yes. I am her daughter." Her words played over in his mind. Not completely honest…what did she mean by that?
" Rrrrr…" Shaking his head again, he headed to his room. He'd figure it out in the morning. Walking by her guest room, he paused when he heard singing. Well, humming actually. He smiled slightly. She wasn't that bad. Yawning, he continued on his journey to his room, changed and flopped onto his bed.
" In the morning…" he mumbled, eyes drooping closed.
" Lord Van, wake up!!!" Van's eyes opened to a furry face peering intently into his.
"YAAAHH!!!" He yelped, falling out of bed.
" Merle, what was that about?" She giggled, watching as he struggled to get up, still sleep-dazed.
" Oh nothing. I just thought that you might want to know that Rose is single-handedly causing havoc and major bruising of the ego's in the training yard." With that, she hopped off of his bed and ran out of the room. He blinked, taking a moment until the information sank into his tired mind.
" She WHAT?!?!?" Changing quickly into his standard red shirt and beige pants, he rushed to the training area.
" That girl just got here and already she's causing trouble. She MUST be Hitomi's daughter." He chuckled. A burst of mocking laughter led him to the training yard.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A burst of laughter belted from the crowd gathered around her. She watched, expressionless, as she waited for an answer.
" But you're a girl. Girl's don't swordfight." A man in armor regarded her, an eyebrow raised. She shrugged.
" Then you have nothing to lose by fighting me, do you?" She allowed a small smirk. From what she had seen this would be little more than a regular fencing match. Her bait had worked.
" Fine. If I win, I get bragging rights. You win, you get bragging rights and you have to take lessons from me." She shrugged, pulling out her sword. Her duffel bag lay on the sidelines, a small triumph of last night. She had arrived at her guest room without hope for her loss of possessions, and then nearly sang when she saw her bag lying on the well- made bed. She had settled for humming instead.
" Done." She looked around, noticing the crowd had come considerably closer. She got into her ready position, hearing bets shouted across the room. All in favor of the guard, of course. These men were going to lose a lot of money today. Focusing her eyes on her opponent, she was given only a second's notice before he rushed at her, sword drawn. Side-stepping him, she tapped him on the shoulder with the flat of her sword as he stumbled by.
" Whoops. Too slow." She struck, but he pivoted and blocked her.
" Woman, where did you learn to fight?" He lunged, and she blocked. His technique was severely lacking in style and skill.
" Doesn't matter does it? Aw, so close." She mocked him, circling and stepping lightly on her feet. Somebody ran into the arena, catching her attention. What was Van doing here? She got tossed to the ground, jeers erupting from the crowd.
" Heheheh you see girl? Never let your attention shift when you're in a battle." She smirked. Time to improvise. Swinging her legs around, she tripped the man up, and then stood.
" Take your own advice." With that, she pointed the tip of her sword to his throat.
" Dead." She smirked again. A shocked silence fell over the other men in the training area. Sliding her sword into its sheath and picking up her duffel bag, she walked up to Van.
" Your Majesty. I think you need to train your soldiers more vigorously. Either that or have a woman teach them." With that, she walked down the hallway, grinning inwardly. That outta keep those jerks in shock for a couple of days. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned, hands on hips.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Yes?" He looked at her, still recovering from the shock of seeing her single-handedly kicking that soldiers butt.
" How did you…" He struggled, and she laughed humorlessly.
" How did I beat one of your men? Simple. He lacked skill and technique, was blundering, and he underestimated his enemy," she stated bluntly, with a look that asked him why he was talking with her. He seemed to be getting a lot of those from her. If she was Hitomi's daughter, how come she was so emotionless?
" Well, I guess I'm going to have to work on that." He paused only for a moment before continuing on.
" Rose, I'd like to talk to you." She raised an eyebrow.
" About?" He sighed.
" About why you're here. We aren't on the brink of a war, there's no problems anywhere…I just don't know. And I assume you want to go home, right?" A pause. He could feel his eyebrows pull into a puzzled expression. It was then he realized that she was walking away.
" Wait! Where are you going?" She turned to him, an unknown emotion flickering in her eyes.
" I assumed we were done talking. You stopped and went off into dream- world."
" You never answered my question," he shot back at her, annoyed.
" And what question would that be?" Emotionless again.
" Don't you want to go home?" She shrugged.
" I suppose so." She didn't want to go back to Hitomi? But…she was her daughter! Apparently, she noticed his surprise and continued.
" Look, no matter how much I want to go home right now I can't. Because obviously I have some crucial role to fulfill, so I might as well do it without complaint. Got a problem with that?" He shook his head.
" But I don't know what you're here for!" She snorted at him. Didn't Hitomi teach her any manners?
" Hitomi didn't know what she was here for, did she? Or are you telling me that she WILLINGLY went to a strange world and plunge herself into battle?" Throughout the whole thing her voice was low. That sent a chill down his spine. Emotionless…just like Folken was. He mentally shook his head. Nobody could be worse than Folken. He looked around, wanting to say something, and realized that she was gone. He cursed, and then stormed off in the other direction.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Rose let out a growl of frustration once she was out of hearing range. That jerk…couldn't he see how badly she wanted to go home? On the other hand, she reflected, she really didn't give him much of a chance. She sighed, turning the corner and bumping into something furry.
" Heeeeyyyy why don't you watch where you're going!" The cat girl glared at her, then the glare softened. Rose chafed.
" Sorry, didn't know it was you Rose. Did you finish in the training room?" Rose shrugged.
" I suppose so. I thought the soldiers would have had more skill though. I'm sorry, I forgot your name…I always had trouble with yours." The cat girl looked surprised.
" It's Merle. And where would you have heard my name before? Oh I forgot…Hitomi must have told you the story, huh?" Rose nodded. Merle's face brightened.
" So then we can skip introductions and go have fun! Lets go shopping, what do you say?" Rose stared blankly at her.
" Shopping?" I hate shopping, Rose thought glumly to herself. Merle must have picked up on her tone of voice.
" Well, you DO need new clothes. I wouldn't want to wear the same outfit day after day. But I suppose you need time to adjust. Find me if you change your mind." With that, she was off. Rose stared angrily after her. Why did everybody think she needed time to 'adjust'?? Disgusted, she wandered around the castle, exploring. About half an hour later, she realized that she was lost.
" This is just great," she grumbled, looking up and down a corridor. She could have sworn she saw that portrait about twenty minutes ago….
" Anything I can help you with Miss Rose?" She jumped, a voice startling her out of her thoughts. Recognizing the voice, she turned around and groaned.
" I knew I'd be seeing you soon." The knight looked taken back. Sighing, she continued.
" Just what I need…and overly-shampooed hair boy coming to spout poetic crap." Allen blinked.
" In a bad mood this morning?" She shrugged.
" Not really, but I know a lot about you. Too much, actually." Allen just stared at her, puzzlement saturated in his face.
" Never mind. Look, I'm lost. Can you take me to see king," she stressed it in a monotone voice, "Van?" Allen hesitated, and then nodded.
" Of course. That is, if I may ask questions along the way." She shrugged again, and they started walking. Allen cleared his throat.
" So, I've heard a lot about you from the soldiers." He grinned and chuckled lightly. Figures.
" Oh really?"
" Yes, I just came from the training room, they say you fight very well for a girl." Rose snorted. They better think that.
" Yeah well I kicked one guys butt pretty easily. It's pathetic really. Whoever teaches them has to work harder." Allen looked at her, slight amusement flickering across his face.
" I teach them." She looked at him, pretending to be unfazed, while inside she was wincing.
" Then take my advice. Work them harder." He chuckled.
" You're most definitely Hitomi's daughter, Miss Rose." Anger blazed quietly inside her. Why are they always comparing her to mother?
" Alright. First of all, stop putting 'Miss' in front of my name. Second, would everybody STOP comparing me to mother??" Another chuckle. She clenched her hand into a fist in frustration.
" Look. You wanted to ask questions, so ask." Allen sighed.
" Why are you here, are you really Hitomi's daughter, how did you learn to fight and do you get visions." Allen slowed down slightly.
" Don't know, sort of, dojo in Tokyo, and no, not currently. How's that for answers?" She skipped lightly over the second question and prayed he wouldn't notice. Luck, however, was not on her side that day.
" How can you be 'sort of' somebody's daughter?" Allen stopped at a pair of large oak doors.
" Like I told his highness," she replied, voice dripping poison, " that's for me to know and him to find out." He took the hint. She figured it was time for her to ask a question.
" Before I go, does Chid know?" Allen's eyes widened slightly.
" W…what do you mean?" She rolled her eyes.
" Allen, my mother told me EVERYTHING, so don't play dumb. Does he know?" Allen sighed.
" No." She nodded.
" Alright. Don't worry, my lips are sealed." He quirked an eyebrow at her and she waved it off.
" Well, this is his study. He's usually in here." Allen opened the door and looked inside. She yawned, looking around. Maybe shopping WAS better than being cooped up in a stone castle…
" Rose, back already?" Van's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Why does everybody keep doing that? She shrugged, leaning against the doorframe.
" Yeah, I guess." Van looked between her and Allen.
" So…what are you here for?" She frowned inwardly. She had forgotten why she came.
" Just thought that I'd take a tour of Fanelia. Can I borrow a horse?" Allen stared curiously at her.
" You were wandering around the castle just to ask THAT?" She glared at him. Van chuckled.
" Well, at least you're not completely rude." She bristled at that one. However, deciding she had a better chance of getting away for the day if she was nice to him, she brushed the insult off and snorted.
" So can I?" He shrugged.
" I don't see why not. Of course, guards will escort you…" She cut him off.
" Hold on a second. I don't intend to walk around surrounded by guys that even I can beat up easily. I'm going by myself." Allen laughed.
" She DOES have a point there, Van." He humphed, then nodded.
" Fine." She pushed herself off of the doorframe and headed down the hallway, praying that it was the direction she wanted to go.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Do you think she'll be ok by herself?" I looked at Allen, who had taken Rose's place and was now leaning against my door. He smiled.
" Well, she DID beat the guard fairly easily, but I don't know. The guard fought fairly. Gangs don' t tend to do that." I sighed, looking out the window.
" She's Hitomi's daughter, we should be protecting her." Allen came in and sat down.
" I'm not too sure about that Van. Something's not right with her. First of all, she doesn't look a THING like Hitomi, and she doesn't act like her either. Besides, I asked her about it and she said she was 'sort of' her daughter. But if you're worried about her why don't you take the day off and follow her at a distance?" I smiled.
" Thanks Allen. I'll try figuring out what she meant by the 'sort of' later. She's an enigma, I'll give her that." I stood up, heading to the door.
" Yes," Allen agreed, "She's also rude, stand-offish and a tomboy. There's more to her than we're aware of, I think." I sighed.
" Well, I'll see you later Allen. Thanks for the advice." Allen remained sitting, and nodded.
I quickly followed Rose to the stables, and then hid as she set up a horse. Don't tell me she knows how to ride as well, I groaned inwardly to myself. This could make things a little more difficult. As soon as she led the horse out of the stable, I took Lightning out of his stall and led him out of the stable, glancing at what horse Rose took. Doing a double take, I panicked. She took HER? I sighed.
" Lighting my boy, I think we found more than we can deal with." As if in agreement, Lightning snorted, tossing his head. I got on, and rode after Rose.
An hour later, I was bored out of my mind. She had walked her horse through the market place, taking her time and looking at different stalls and booths. She never stopped at the jewelry booths however, preferring displays of daggers, music, books and male clothes. I blew a strand of hair out of my face in annoyance, hiding myself in the shadows of a store when she looked around. She looked faintly mad about something, but the emotion was well hidden under a mask of boredom. She glanced at a group of nobles who were whispering and giggling towards her direction, no doubt about her clothes. I hadn't taken the time to look, but now I realized that there was a lot to whisper about. She was wearing tight pants made of a faded blue canvas material and a baggy t-shirt that had weird writing on it. Her hair, as always, was pulled up in that strange style of hers. My mind flashed back to the ball, where she was wearing a dress. The comparison seemed almost impossible, like they were two different people. I started, looking around, noticing that we were out of the city now, but I was still hidden. Lightning nipped my shoulder lightly, as if reprimanding me to stay focused. Rose had gotten on her horse, which the stable boys affectionately called Demon Rider. Apparently the mare wasn't the calmest of the bunch. I bit the inside of my lip as I followed Rose's actions, getting back on Lightning. Just don't do anything stupid, I prayed feverently. She glanced around her, and then kicked her heels into Demon Rider, making her gallop.
" Ah gods," I groaned, nudging Lighting to follow her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" Let's see how well he can keep up with me now," I muttered under my breath, riding with the horse. The name Demon Rider had attracted me, and so far she was nothing I couldn't handle. I inhaled deeply, smelling the field and the wind as it rushed past me in a blur. It was nice here, no noise of cars, people, no stink of gas or civilization. I heard hoof beats far behind me, but I brushed it off. It was just Van, after all. Hearing a whinny, a plan came into my mind. Taking a deep breath, I clutched the reins in mock fear and screamed, while discreetly nudging Demon Rider into a faster gallop, heading towards the forest. This was going to be fun. I heard my name being called out frantically, but ignored it, screaming again. What a rush! We were in the forest now, dodging trees and bushes, moving as one. Log! Demon Rider jumped, and soared through the air before landing, jarring me slightly. I let out a scream again, this time of pure exaltation. Right, left, dodge, right! Trees blurred into non-existence as I let Demon Rider run. The sound of running water trickled faintly in my ears, and I steered Demon Rider towards the sound. She'd need a drink after all of this.
"C'mon girl, lets give them a run for their money." I whispered in her ear, nudging her to go even faster, then risked a glance full of fake fright to see if Van was following me. He was nearly right behind me.
When I got close enough to see the source of the water, I was slightly relieved that it was just a narrow stream, small enough so that Demon Rider wouldn't halt suddenly and throw me forward. I slowly reined her in as we approached the stream, and then braced myself as she decided to jump the stream. I pulled tighter on the reigns, raising myself slightly as she landed, then turned her around, forcing her to stop. She pranced on the spot, snorting anxiously as I watched Van's horse leap over the water. I turned Demon Rider to face him, careful to show no emotion.
* * * * * * * * * * *
" So, you followed me?" I winced visibly. Uh-oh.
" Um, no. I was just…going for a ride when I saw your horse run off…" I petered out, shrinking under her raised eyebrow.
" Which explains why you were following me in the market? And out of the palace in the first place? That makes perfect sense," she said sarcastically, Demon Rider prancing underneath her, biting at her bit. I tried unsuccessfully to hide my blush.
" Alright then, I did follow you. But how did you know?" Lightning snorted, as if he was mocking me. I mentally sighed. Everybody was against me these days..
" I heard you. Plus, all the prissy nobles were whispering about you following me. That's bound to cause a couple rumors for you, you realize." Her voice deadpanned, and she lost all traces of emotion on her face. I shrugged.
" I thought they were whispering about you, actually." Barely a flicker of surprise.
" They were. But you were the predominate subject of discussion." She reached down and petted Demon Rider's neck, and suspicion started to dawn on me.
" She never got away from you, did she?" She chuckled.
" No." I felt my eyes narrow.
" Then why did you scream?" I had a feeling I already knew the answer, however.
" Because then I could prove to you that I knew you were following me…and that I knew how to take care of myself. Besides, it was fun." She straightened.
" Now if you'll excuse me, your highness, I'm going back to the castle." She slapped the reigns lightly against Demon Riders sides and walked off, leaving me feeling like an idiot. I sighed, nudging Lightning forward. Rose 1, Me zip.
* * * * * * * * * * *