A/N: I must warn you, this is quite a long chapter. But considering it's summer, I'm sure you'll have the time to read it ; ) Cuz I know I had the time to write it, which is pretty sad actually. Well, there are plenty of unknown things you'll find out in this chapter, I think atleast. Well I know one for sure atleast. Umm . you will meet Celena in this chapter, and a new whore! Whaddya know! Well, please do me a BIG favor and review if you reda this, even if you don't get through it all, it'd be great if you read it, cuz I do need your opinions if I should keep this story going or not. I'll probably keep it going either way, but still, review cuz I have a lot more time on my hands now to be writing if you want anything else written. I have til' school starts up again, so it's all up to you! Or else I could go and play my game "chrono cross" which if you've played it, it's one loooooooong game, and I'm still on disc one ; ) so review pplz, I NEED them. Cuz you know, Reviews ARE ALWAYS WELCOME EVEN IF THEY'RE FLAMES!!! ~Neon

Chapter 2: The Blind Man

Van awoke with a start, unsure of where he was. He looked around at his surroundings, and it turned that he was not in his king-sized bed back in Fannellia. In fact, he was in the very opposite. He lay in a very small bed with sheets and pillows everywhere. The sheets of course, along with the bed alone were quite unsanitary for they were white sheets turned brown over . hopefully the past few years.

The young King sat up, his shirt off he hardly even noticed. As he looked around, he saw an old wooden dresser with a broken mirror just above it. Seven years bad luck, he thought to himself.

Clothes were everywhere, and nothing in the room seemed clean. Van started to search for his shirt, but he couldn't find it. So, of course he had no choice but to get on his hands and knees and search like some sort of an animal. As he crawled around, the door opened quickly revealing a young girl, obviously one of the many whores who lived in the district.

"Can I help ya, lad?" she asked, her Irish accent clear.

"Uh . I'm looking for a red shirt . you don't mind helping me find it do you?"

"Course not!"

Knowing Van, he was too focused on finding his shirt to even look at the girl. Before he knew it, the girl was also on her hands and knees right infront of him, with a most devious smile. Van jumped up, in completely shock.

"Wait a second! Where am I?" he asked.

"Why darlin', you still in the café. Where'd ya think u were?"

Van ran his hands through his hair; appalled of what he just learnt. He knew he had done something horribly wrong and he could do nothing about it, let alone remember it. The girl only laughed at him.

"Aye, I had a wonderful time last night."

"Do you know whom you're talking to?!"

"Of course, a young lad who was a virgin up until-"

"Don't even say it!"

".Last night."

Van fell on the floor. He was in even more shock then he was before, even if it weren't possible, it was possible now. The young girl laughed even harder and crawled over to Van, as he sat as though his whole life was passing before him.

"Don't worry lad, it ain't nothing big. I mean . you know what I mean . you ain't got nothing to worry about. Your time was gonna come anyways."

"This could ruin my whole life!"

"No it can't!"

"What if you become pregnant?"

"It ain't 'appened before, ain't gonna 'appen now."

"How are you so sure?"

"Aye, I can't have children."

Van looked at her curiously. It wasn't everyday he met a woman who couldn't have children. She looked at him, a little sadly, but her deviousness was still in her eyes. She stood up, brushing the dirt off her dress with her hands.

"What do you mean you can't have children?"

"Well, the doc said that it just ain't gonna work. Maybe 'cause you know, I might be overloaded? I dunno, but I am one busy girl. I ain't sitting in the corner of the bar every night drinkin' a beer all alone if you know what I mean."

"Uh . completely."

At one point, it looked as though the girl was sad, possibly upset by the talk of not being able to bare children. For most women, yes it is quite a horrible situation, but they usually end up adopting or not having children at all. However, this girl didn't seem too upset about the entire situation, so it was obvious why she was a whore in a way. Well . they earned quite a bit of money, and if one didn't have to worry about pregnancies, why not? Right?

"What if you have some sort of a disease?"

"I ain't got no disease! Now get out! Here's your damn shirt, I guess yer on the house, I ain't want no payment from a lousy boy like yerself!" she shouted.

Van quickly threw on his shirt and bolted out of the room. He ran down the hallway in hopes of finding some stairs. Instead, he bumped right into that blonde hair boy again.

"Watch where you're going! Couldn't you see that I was right there!?" yelled Van.

"I'm sorry sir, actually no I couldn't see you there." he replied.

"What do you mean you couldn't see me here- . oh, you're."

"Blind . I know, it sucks, but I'm glad you understand me now. I'm very sorry for your confusion. Can I help you at all?"

"Umm . how do you get out of this place?"

"Oh I know you! You were with Maria last night, weren't you?"

Van immediately froze. So that was her name, he thought to himself. Van knew that last night would ruin his life, no matter what happened in the end. First of all, the girl could still end up pregnant for all he knew, or she carried some sort of a disease. Second of all, if a blind man could tell it was he, how on Gaea was he supposed to hide from those who could see?

"Yeah . I was with uh . Maria, why?"

"Well I would have thought that you could have done better for a man with such wealth as yours, that's all."

"Well sorry boy, but I'm trying to forget about everything that happened last night, thank you very much. Now can you tell me how to get out of this place?"

"I do have a name you know, it's Adrian."

"Well Adrian, how do you get out of this place?"

"You go down the hall and to your left you'll find some stairs, it leads to downstairs -of course- and I'm sure you can find your way to the door. I know a blind man couldn't help you all that much, but that's just what I know."

Van stared at Adrian, he was unreal. He wasn't begging for sympathy, in fact he was pretty much telling Van what he would have said anyways, or maybe even Dryden. It was as though he knew what was going on in his head.

"Thank you Adrian, for your help. You're last name is West, right? Do you know a man by the name of-"

"Sir Lucas West? I knew I'd seen you before, but I had no idea you were blind," Dryden walked up to the two in the hallway, scaring Van for his sudden appearance.

"Uh . no I don't know any nobles besides that Allen man. I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else!" Adrian shouted.

Van didn't know what buttons Dryden had just pushed, but he knew that Adrian wanted to speak nothing of it. Quickly, the boy left, walking down the hallway and opening a door to most likely his room. Dryden smirked, and turned to Van.

"Well, I see you've encountered the boy, eh?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"He's the son of Sir Lucas West, the ruler of Termina. Quite a large city, I must say. Actually it's a very beautiful city, you must go there sometime, to visit or something. "

"Well, when he gave his name to Allen, I could tell that something was up by Allen's reaction. But I would never have guessed Adrian was the son of Sir Lucas West. I mean, doesn't that make him a-"

"Prince yes, and his father has a warrant out on him to find him. He will give five thousand gold pieces to whomever can find him and bring him back alive."

"Too bad I never met him before I paid off my debt to you Dryden, that money could have paid off my debt to you, rather then reaching into my own pocket." joked Van.

"Well, I wouldn't underestimate Adrian, I heard he could be quite dangerous. Apparently very good with a sword, but I doubt it considering he IS blind."

Van laughed as he and Dryden followed Adrian's directions to leave the place. The only thing that was on Van's mind was why Adrian would leave Termina, especially if he was of royal blood. Why wouldn't someone want to rule an entire city and not have to worry about money, food or if they can afford clothing to keep him or her warm? He figured that Adrian needed his priorities set straight.

_______________________________________________________________________

"Where have you three been?!"

Celena ran up to Van, Allen and Dryden as they met up with her and Millerna. The boys hadn't come back the night before, so they were afraid something bad had happened to them.

"We were just out."

"And you forgot to come home?" Millerna asked Allen suspiciously.

"Well . we did get a little side-tracked." laughed Dryden, scratching the back of his head.

"Side-tracked? . Oh no, you didn't?!" Celena knew very well where Dryden took Van and Allen.

Van went red, for he knew that no one could hide anything from Allen's little sister, Celena. She was smart, though some refused to think so for a woman.

Celena had a very dark past, that all of Gaea knew about. Though she tried to forget about it by drowning herself in books and paper work for her brother's manor. Though, throughout the years, Celena became quite the lawyer on her brother's behalf, she could even put Dryden Fassa in his place when it came to the law.

"Dryden, you shouldn't have taken Van to one of those places! He isn't ready for any of that, let alone he can't even handle seeing a woman in a skirt!" argued Celena.

"Oh, I think he's gotten beyond the skirt problem." snickered Dryden.

Celena was puzzled at first, but then it hit her. Van was no longer a virgin, then again, she knew he wouldn't do this all willingly.

"You were drunk, weren't you?" she asked Van.

"."

Celena shook her head; he had answered her question without even saying a word. She wasn't impressed by their behavior, she felt that they were better then that at the least.

"Alright, which one did you go to?"

"City Love Café." replied Van.

"What was her name?"

"Maria, I think."

"Hmm."

Dryden couldn't help but laugh at all of this. He knew Celena would go down to that place and most likely talk to this Maria woman to prevent anything explosive from happening. As far as Celena knew, Maria had no idea Van was King of Fannellia; but then again . anyone could have been there that night, ending in a horrible situation. So, it was the best thing for Celena to do . talk to this Maria woman and find out exactly what happened that night.

"Van, I want you to stay in the Austurian Palace for today, don't go anywhere. If you do, I'll have to kick your ass," threatened Celena.

Van smiled, he knew Celena was only joking, but she could fight, she still had a little of Dilandau in her when it came to fighting. But, he understood very well what Maria could do. If she did some how get pregnant, this could ruin Van's reputation as King of Fannellia, let alone, there would be an heir to the throne that was most definitely an accident. Van was only seventeen, and the last thing he needed was to be told he has a child.

________________________________________________________________________

Adrian sat down on his bed, his green eyes looking off into the distant, which usually frightened people, but he felt that he shouldn't hide his eyes under glasses for it would look most suspicious.

"So . you're wanted? I would have never guessed."

Adrian smiled, he knew someone was in his room, though he wasn't too sure of whom it was. Of course, it was his 'favorite' stalker, Sharon. He could only smiled for he knew she would try blackmailing him, most likely. Just another one of her pathetic attempts to get him in bed with her.

"Wanted his hardly the right word for it." Adrian answered.

"Five thousand gold pieces? Maybe I should turn you in?" she threatened.

"You wouldn't, you don't have the guts."

"What makes you think that? I have plenty of guts; I am your 'stalker' aren't I? I follow you around, take your things in order to get you to come to me. I have plenty of guts, my boy."

Adrian's smile faded away into a frown. He could tell she was very serious about this, for Sharon never spoke to him like that before. He had known her for a year, and since he never could see the woman, he studied her voice, the way she lied, laughed and yelled. He studied the way she acted, more or less, so he could tell that this was no joke to her. Five thousand gold pieces is a lot of money, especially for a concubine.

He stood up, walking over to her, he could sense she was by the window, and his senses were correct.

"Please don't turn me in. Sharon, this is the only favor I am asking of you. Do not tell anyone about this and I beg of you not to turn me in, it isn't worth it, trust me," pleaded Adrian.

"Wow, looks like I've actually got the blind writer cornered. I would have never guessed this day would come. so tell me, Adrian West, what will you do for me to keep my mouth shut?" it was almost as though he could see the smirk play on her lips.

"I don't know."

"Ha! You know very well what I've been wanting from you for a very long time! Don't bullshit me on this deal, Adrian!"

"NO!"

Sharon walked closer to Adrian, she ran her hand down his face, but he snapped his head to the side, avoiding her contact. However, this time, she wasn't so gentle. She grabbed his face with both of her hands.

"Listen, it doesn't take a whole lot to get to Termina! I can get a ride on the next boat to the island, request a meeting with your father and tell him everything. Or, you can take the easy way out and give me what I want. You're a very beautiful boy, Adrian, and I wish you could see yourself sometimes, but that's why I want you. I'm the highest paid whore in this house for a reason, Adrian! I do this for a living, and I'll tell you one thing, you're not the first person I've ever blackmailed before. I know very well what I'm doing, but this time, instead of money, I just want you. You're a beautiful boy, and I can understand why everyone wants to be with you. And I'm going to get you, whether you like it or not. You can't run from me, Adrian, blind or not."

"Let me go." he spoke through his clenched teeth.

"You're weak, you are not strong. Me, holding you by your face proves it. "

"It doesn't matter if I'm strong or not, I just want you to let me go!"

"Awe, you feelin' uncomfortable?"

Adrian grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from his face. He was not happy; he hated how she treated him. Like he was just some sort of a target that she just kept missing, up until now that is.

"Leave, now."

"How are you going to make me?"

"LEAVE!" yelled Adrian.

Sharon smiled, she knew she had won, for she was going to get what she wanted out of Adrian, whether he resisted or not. She was going to have her way with him, there was no doubt about it.

"I'll leave, but I'll give you twenty-four hours to think about it. I'll be back around this time tomorrow, and I really hope you will have made your decision by then, but I'll leave you with this for now."

Sharon grabbed Adrian once again and kissed him. He tried to fight but he couldn't, because, for a whore, she was freakishly strong. Finally, she let him go and he could hear her demon-like laugh as she left his room. Adrian couldn't help but feel a tear slide down his left cheek. His life could be over for all he knew, all because of that one, damnable woman.