Chapter 2

Horiko walked several miles before coming upon a small lake. He decided to take the time to bathe, since he missed his opportunity in Nod. He stripped down and jumped in. He let the water relax his muscles and found himself gazing at his own reflection. His uncommon blonde hair was cut just beneath his ears and his violet colored eyes often took the color of a midnight sky when he feel into deep thought. His eyes were just like what he remembered his father's eyes looking like.

Kami, he missed his father. Why did he have to leave?

Horiko pulled himself away from painful thoughts and turned to exit the lake. Just as he got to the bank, he heard horses coming. He cursed and lounged back into the water just as the horses came into sight. He hid himself behind some driftwood and watched the horses, and the wagon they were pulling, come to a stop. He mentally cursed himself for his rotten luck.

Two people leapt down from the wagon and approached the water. One was a largely built man of graying hair. He wore a dark purple cloak and plain merchant's clothes. He looked pretty dangerous. The second was a young girl with powder blue hair. She dressed in a skimpy manner (the outfit screamed 'dancer' and was the same color as her hair) and was of a rather pale skin tone.

The man with the cloak seemed to test the water and began to fill up some water jugs. The girl sat down on a rock and let down her hair. She ran her fingers through it as she waited. He could just hear he soft voice:

"Hurry up, Tousan. I want to bathe," she said, tugging gently on a ribbon the hung from the back of her costume.

Horiko nearly drowned himself in shock as the ribbon became undone and the skirt fell. He quickly turned his head and perked his ear.

"I'll just be a moment longer, Meru," the deep baritone of the older man spoke, "Then I'll be out of your way."

Horiko looked left and right in panic. How was he going to get out of the lake without them seeing him? His clothes sat behind a bush about five feet behind the girl. There was no way he could retrieve them. But the girl would be in the lake in a minute, and the last thing he needed was her finding him naked and screaming for her father, who would come running and beat his relatively smaller form in a fine dust.

He heard a splash, and he spoke a brief prayer to Suzaku before diving under and swimming to the other side of the lake. If only he could get past her . . ..

Keeping one eye on her and the other on the shore, he swam carefully around her and closer to his clothes. When he reached the bank, he quietly made his way into the bushes and quickly clothed. Catastrophe adverted; he slowly stood and made sure he made plenty of noise as he exited the bushes.

A pair bright ice blue eyes snapped in his direction and a pink blush spread across pale cheeks. The girl dove beneath the water in her panic. He turned his head to the sound of a thud and saw the girl's father exit the wagon and gaze at him with a gaze only a father could project.

"How lone have you been there?" Inquired the man, his eyes blazed with contained fury.

Horiko pondered whether to tell the truth and decided that it would be best for all involved if he lied right through his teeth. "Oh, I just arrived. I'm Chang Horiko from the town of Nod. "

The man seemed to accept that as the lightening his eyes seemed to dissipate, "I'm Chulin Shun'u, and that's my daughter Meru."

Horiko gazed over to see the now fully clothed water sprite still blushing profusely.

"It's an honor to meet you both," Horiko said, bowing to them with what little grace he had, "Traveling, I assume?"

"Working," Shun'u muttered, turning back to his wagon, "I'm a merchant. I'm taking a shipment of rice to Briddidon."

Horiko nearly fainted at his twist in luck, "Briddidon?"

Meru smiled at him, "Yes, Tousan always takes food to Briddidon. He's one of the few Konan merchants who still conduct business in Kutou. Isn't he brave?"

Horiko couldn't stop himself from grinning at her, "Yes, they don't like us much over there."

Meru seemed to feel a lot more comfortable with him now and the questions flowed from her, "And where are you headed, Horiko-san?"

Horiko decided that the best way to get the ride he was hoping for was to go through Meru, "Briddidon."

"Really? Whatever for?"

Horiko looked around as if he could spot people waiting to intercept his words before he leaned forward and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

Meru nodded, clearly interested. Horiko smiled at her, "I'm breaking in."

Meru gave a start, "I never heard of someone breaking IN to a prison before."

"I'm rescuing a friend of mine. The Druin kidnapped her."

"She?"

Horiko almost faltered. He shouldn't have said 'she'. "She's the granddaughter of my guardian. I owe it to him to save her."

"She's just a friend?" Meru said, her eyes pleading with him to agree.

Horiko almost sighed, "Yes, she's just a friend. I haven't even seen her in two years."

Meru seemed to take this new information with the up most joy and gave him a wink, "Maybe me and Tousan can help you."

Horiko smiled as big as he could, which was easy for this time it was genuine, "Could you?"

"We could, and we will!" Meru exclaimed, before winking at him again, "Tousan never says no to me."