Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys- I'm back- it's the weekend and I'm taking a much needed break from reality! Translation- Watching anime all weekend long and drowning my sorrows with sugar!

24hr anime-athon/b-day party for a friend! I luv being an otaku! Fan girl forever!

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Matt saw the girl walking away and instantly tackled her to the ground.

"Sire! She's trying to escape!" He yelled as he fought with her. Sora kicked and began to scream.

Tai ran to them both trying to break up the fight that was going on.

Sora swiftly kicked Matt in the one place that would instantly immobilize any male. (A/N: ^_^ sorry guys- but it works) He doubled over in pain as she stood.

"I have no place to escape to!" She cried looking at Taichi. "I might be some prize to you- but don't I at least have the dignity to go to the bathroom by myself?" Tears came once again in floods, but this time they came out of desperation.

Tai didn't know what to say to her. He restrained his furious friend as he opened his mouth, "We're sorry… we thought you'd run." He said. "Matt that's enough- I won't let you hurt her. She was only protecting herself."

"You weren't the one to get kicked!" Matt snarled at the girl with vicious eyes.

"Do I have to ask permission to do everything now like a common prisoner? You hold my hands tied- if I did run you would kill my father and our city… I have no choice but to allow myself to be treated without any rights or dignities. Now may I be allowed to excuse myself?"

"Yes, but don't go too far- there's wild animals all around these fields." Tai instructed her feeling a bit shameful and saddened. She was right. They had been treating her like luggage and a slave… not as a person. She hated him for sure now. He had hoped she would open up to him; allow her to be a friend at least…

Sora returned to the camp to find a fire going and some food being handed out.

Tai set a blanket out and motioned for her to sit on it. However she did not. Instead she ignored him and went over by the horses.

"Looks like you're having troubles with your future bride there friend." Matt said as he sat down next to Tai and offered him some wine. "Are you sure you don't want me to teach her some obedience?" Matt smirked. This comment angered Tai. Standing up he glared at his friend.

"She's your future queen! You will treat her with as much respect as you to my father and me! You will be nothing but polite and helping towards her from now on! Do I make myself clear?"

Matt was caught off guard by Tai's reaction and quickly responded with a 'Yes sir.'

Tai stood and walked away from the fire and towards where Sora and the horses were. He didn't know what to say to her. If it were up to him- he would have never forced her to leave her life behind, but it wasn't his choice… he was being forced just as much as she was.

Of course he was attracted to her, like no other woman before. The moment he saw her stand up for the injured… he had fallen in love with that spirit. He didn't want them to be enemies… his mind was going a mile a minute thinking about her as he stared at her. Suddenly her voice broke him out of his daydream.

"I didn't run away." She said coldly. He cringed at the tone of her voice. They way she talked to her father was drastically different, how he longed to hear that tone when she talked to him. It was not full of love now, but anger and pain.

"I know…" He quickly replied.

"Then what do you want?" She asked as she petted the horses back. Tai could see her nature was a tender one at the way she treated the animals. But with him she was like a stone- cold and unyielding.

"What do I want? Well to be your friend for one… and to see if you were hungry…" He spoke meekly. 'What is this girl doing to me?' He wondered. Never before had he felt butterflies in his stomach, or weak in the knees. He almost felt… shy around her. 'Could this be what love is like?' He mused.

"I'm fine." She said looking down on the ground.

"But you should eat something… we'll be leaving pretty soon and I don't know when we'll next stop. The palace… is a good days journey yet."

"The palace?" She asked. "W… what is it like there?" Her voice sounded scared and timid.

"What's it like? Well, it's big and there are gardens in the courtyard… I've lived there all my life… I can't really explain it…" Tai tried to describe it to her. Sora went back to petting the horse in thoughtful silence.

"If it means anything… I'll do what ever I can to make you comfortable and happy there." He added, but got no response from her. Ta wanted to be angry; here he was being nothing but nice and she was practically ignoring him. But then he remembered her situation. She had been forced to come- she had no choice but to leave her home. Tai couldn't be mad at her.

"Taichi, let's get going. We should be heading out soon so we can get into safer territory. You never know about these open fields and raiders." Matt said as he came up to the two.

"Yeah. Let's go then." Tai replied as he looked at the girl… no the woman who he was to spend the rest of his life with. Sighing he decided to just leave her be for now- he definitely wasn't going to get anywhere now.

In less than ten minutes they were all gathering their gear.

Once more they set off. Sora was held in front of her intended. The longer they rode, the more tired she seemed to get. The more she thought about it- she hadn't had any good sleep since the attacks started. Just small naps which chaos and the pain of others always interrupted.

Tai noticed her muscles starting to relax. And before long she was sleeping with her body resting against him. It felt nice to have her leaning on him. This was the closest they had ever been and Tai could smell her hair. Oddly it smelled of wild flora. Trying to hide a smile Tai wrapped his arms around her sleeping form. Placing a tender kiss to her head they continued on their journey.

After several hours of nonstop riding the men decided to call it a day and make camp. Handing a still sleeping Sora off to a guard, Tai dismounted.

"Your highness, are you injured?" Another guard asked as Tai began to unsaddle his horse.

"No- why?" Tai replied as he looked at the man with a questioning look. His eyes were directed towards his shirt.

"It's not from him." Came the guard that held Sora. "She's bleeding."

"WHAT?!?!" Tai nearly screamed as he ran to her side. Sure enough the entire side of her shirt was bloody. "Set her down, carefully." Tai commanded. "Excuse me, but.." He said as he began to unbutton her top to look at her wounds.

Her chest was bound and covered, but when he got her arm out of the sleeve he noticed the color in her arm changed. Unlike her skin being a healthy cream color- her shoulder and side were different shades of black and blue. As Tai carefully removed her blood soaked bandages she let out a moan. Her eyes opened as she looked around with a blank expression. They closed abruptly and she groaned, pleading for him to leave her alone.

"Stop… it hurts…" She cried as she tried to roll away from him.

Placing his hand on her head, he felt the heat. She had a dangerous fever.

"Get some water! And some fresh bandages!" Tai yelled at the guards who were just standing there.

"In… in my bag… the powder…" Sora mumbled as she opened and closed her eyes.

"What?" "Powder for… wound…bag." She continued.

"Check her bag." Tai motioned for them t give it to him. He dug through the bag and found fresh bandages and the powder she was talking about. Appling it to the large wounds Sora groaned and passed out.

Tai put the bandages over her still bleeding injuries.

"I'm getting her back to the palace now! She needs to see the healer!" Tai said as he quickly buttoned her shirt and wrapped her in a blanket. Mounting his horse, a guard handed him Sora and Tai took off with Matt at his side.

Pushing his horse to its max he prayed she would be alight. Why hadn't he noticed sooner? He had promised he would look after her and now she had a serious injury and a fever. He only hoped they would make it to the palace in time.

Hearing her muffled whimpers of pain, he pushed his trusty steed faster.

As dawn peaked on the horizon both riders and horses were tired but there was hope. Just in sight were the city gates and beyond them- that palace and help.

'Please be alright,' he chanted as they closed in on their destination.

A/N: WOW! Over 300,000 words archived for Kate! Talk about prolific! But hey! I can't help it- I have to write out these story ideas otherwise I go crazy!