Note: I do not own the Ronins but I do want Ryo, *stares at picture and drools* Why can't real guys be that hot? Or why can't I meet Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom *sighs* if only. Actually a teacher in my school has met and spent the day with Johnny Depp at his mother's home in Lexington…they did dounuts in her yard and made her mad. *laughs* Why can I see them doing that? Oh sorry! On with the story! Enjoy! –Alkvingiel
The Lonely Prince
Chapter 1
"Your highness? Your highness! Pay attention!" The Prince's tutor scolded him. The Prince snapped out of his daydream and back to the blackboard in front of himself. "Prince Ryo if you do not pay attention to what I'm trying to teach you, you will not make a good king like your father," Master Toei insisted.
"I'm sorry Master Toei, but how can I pay attention when it is such a beautiful day out? Could we save this lesson for a rainy day and do our science or nature lesson today?" Prince Ryo asked looking out the window again. Master Toei's shoulders shagged but he smiled at his Prince.
"I agree. It is a beautiful day and perfect for studying outside. Get your books and we will go to the garden," Master Toei told him picking up his nature stuff. Prince Ryo picked up his books and followed Master Toei to the garden. High walls prevented anyone from seeing in or out but they were covered with beautiful red and white roses. Ryo chose a spot next to the pond and looked in at all the fish swimming. Master Toei set up his nature stuff and sat beside his Prince. "Now Prince, what were we studying the last time we came out here?" Master Toei asked to see if he remembered.
"The origins of roses and other flowers," Ryo replied pulling a white and red rose off the closest vine.
"Right. You know, The Ancient Germanic tribes thought of roses as symbols. If blood-red roses flowered on the grave markers of the dead, it meant that the persons soul has transcended death and gone on to live again," Master Toei told him.
"Why not white?" Ryo questioned.
"Well in other tribes white roses meant the same thing, or also they may have been a different kind of flowers all together. But the main thing is the color not the flower. Blue represents truth, protection and peace; White is purity, truth and sincerity; another is Yellow which means intellect, imagination, power of the mind and creativity. There are many others but those are some main colors," Master Toei explained. This lesson went on for two hours then Master Toei was done and started to go back inside.
"Master Toei, would you please send word to my father that if he needs me I shall either be in the garden or maze?" Ryo asked.
"Of course my Prince. Just be careful," Master Toei answered as he walked in the castle. Ryo was so happy he was finally alone but also very sad. He'd never really had any true friends only other princes and princesses, all stuck up and could care less about what happened outside their castles. But Ryo was different; he wanted to be free. Ryo climbed the great oak tree that stood in the garden and looked out. The tree was tall enough that if you climbed far enough up you could see over the walls and the village just past it. He loved to climb up there and watch all the people. The children ran up and down laughing, the adults traded and did business.
"How I wish that just once I could be in your shoes," Ryo thought. He stayed in the tree watching them until Master Toei came to get him for supper. The next day he did not have any lessons so he went to the tree with his drawing pad and pencil. How Ryo loved to just sit and draw, Master Toei told him that he was really good but his father did not think drawing had a real future for the future king. Suddenly something caught his eye as he turned the page to start a new drawing. There was a place in the roses and vines that was sunk in. This peaked his curiosity and he climbed out of the tree with his pad and pencil. Ryo walked over to the place in the vines and slowly pushed them aside. There behind the vines was a hole just big enough for him to squeeze through; this was it! His freedom! Looking back and seeing no one he smiled and climbed through the hole to his freedom. It was a good thing he had forgotten to put his cape on that morning or everyone would have been bowing and he hated that. He looked around for hours just watching the people. Then he saw it, a beautiful creek and grove of trees just on the outside of the village so he found a small place to sit against a building and started drawing. He was almost done when someone jerked him up.
"What are you doing here boy?" A deep voice questioned.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything… I just wanted to draw the place over there," Ryo answered trying to pull away.
"Did I say you could draw here?" The voice asked.
"No…" Ryo said and almost added, "I do not need it because I am the Prince." But then he remembered he didn't have anything on him to prove it.
"Then you'd better pray you live through this," The voice told him as the guy drew back his fist. Just as he was about to hit Ryo a hand flew in front of Ryo's face blocking the punch and threw the guy's hand away.
"Lay off Takeo, can't you see he's new in town and didn't know that this was your turf?" Another voice asked. Takeo let go of Ryo's neck and turned to the new guy. Ryo glanced at the guy who'd stopped the punch. He was just about his height with blonde hair and violet eyes. His hair came down and covered one of his eyes but it didn't hide the anger that they had in them.
"Well Sage, if he's new then he has to learn somehow doesn't he?" Takeo asked with a smile.
"Yeah but not the way you want to show it. Come on kid, I'll show you around," Sage told him as he turned away from Takeo. Ryo stood there for a minute and then ran after Sage. Takeo just stood there and cursed under his breath then stalked off with his buddies following.
"Thank you! You saved my life back there!" Ryo thanked him. Sage laughed at this.
"Saved your life! Ha! You might have been hurt but Takeo couldn't kill anyone. So what's your name?" Sage questioned as they walked.
"Oh no! If I tell him my name he will know who I am! Ryo is not really that popular of a name," Ryo thought. "It is Rekka," Ryo replied. He was not lying because Rekka was his first name but the only one who called him by it was his mother when he did something wrong.
"Fine Rekka, it's nice to meet you. I'm Sage Date; I make sure those who call some places their turf stay in line. Like I did back there for you. Follow me and I'll introduce you to some people you'd like to know if you ever need anymore help. Believe me there are worse people than that Takeo in this city," Sage explained leading Ryo through the crowds to a not bad but run down house. "I live with three friends but since I like you, they'll like you," Sage told him before opening the door. Ryo nodded and followed Sage inside. Three guys were wrestling on the floor when Sage and Ryo walked in. They stopped and looked up at Sage, and stood when Ryo appeared slowly behind him. "Hey guys this is Rekka. He's new in town so be nice," Sage said sitting on the couch.
"Hey! We're always nice!" The pudgy guy with blue hair snapped back.
"Hello Rekka it's nice to meet you," The smallest guy greeted him holding out his hand.
"Hi there Rekka. I'm Rowen Hashiba; this is Cye Mouri and Kento Rei Fuan. If you're a friend of Sage's then you're a friend of ours. Which means you can come here anytime you want," The other blue haired guy told him.
"Hello," Ryo replied shyly. Then he just stood there holding his drawing pad in one hand. Everyone else sat down watching him. Then the one called Kento noticed his drawing pad and grabbed it out of his hand. "Hey!" Ryo yelled trying to get it back.
"What's this?" Kento asked flipping through the pages.
"It's my drawing pad, their not that good…please…" Ryo begged trying to get it back; but Kento just smiled and kept dodging his hands.
"Kento! I told you to be nice. Now say you're sorry," Sage scolded taking the pad away from him.
"Aww…Sage I was just having a little fun," Kento said. Sage turned a few pages of the pad and looked up at Ryo.
"Your wrong Rekka. These are really good. Are you some sort of artist?" Sage questioned.
"No I just like to draw. I like to capture the beauty of things," Ryo answered. The two other guys Cye and Rowen got up to see the drawings. And nodded agreeing with Sage.
"Have a seat Rekka. It's not like you're a piece of meat on display. Tell us about you. Where do you come from? How old are you? And all that other stuff?" Cye questioned.
"Well…um… I don't really live that far away and I'm 17 almost 18," Ryo replied.
"How far have you gotten in school?" Rowen asked.
"I'm trying to work on my first year in collage," Ryo said quietly and Rowen's eyes got wide. Sage looked up.
"Wow, your family must be rich!" Sage gasped.
"Not really…I renounced my father's fortune to find myself out in the world," Ryo told them. They all just gaped at him and he blushed.
"Why…why would you do such a thing?" Kento asked. Ryo just shook his head but didn't look at them.
"Both Rowen and I have completed high school, Cye has the 11th grade and Kento the 10th," Sage said. Ryo nodded then he looked out the window and gasped when he saw where the sun was.
"Oh! I have to go! I have to get home!" Ryo gushed hurrying toward the door.
"Wait! You can stay with us if you want!" Kento called.
"Thanks! But I can't! See ya!" Ryo yelled running out the door. He forgot all about his drawing pad. Making sure no one was following he headed to the hole in the wall. Ryo looked back to make sure no one was watching one more time then slid through the hole. Ryo sighed relief when no one was in the garden to see him.
"Your highness? Where are you?" Master Toei asked coming out of the maze.
"Right here. I was in the tree the whole time," Prince Ryo replied with a smile.
"That's funny because I already called up there but you didn't reply," Master Toei said looking at his Prince. Ryo's smile just got bigger.
"Can you not take a joke?" Prince Ryo asked. Master Toei smiled.
"Yes and I guess that can be expected from a teenager. But I have been looking for you. Your mother the Queen wishes to see you," Master Toei told him. Prince Ryo nodded and followed Master Toei to his room.
"I shall be out in a minute. I need to change, I smell like tree," Prince Ryo explained disappearing into his room. Master Toei waited outside his door until he came back out. Now he wore tight tan pants and a lose red shirt with his cape attached to the shirt at the shoulders. "Where does my mother wish to see me?" Prince Ryo asked.
"In her quarters my Prince," Master Toei replied walking him there and then bowed leaving Ryo to talk with his mother. The guard smiled and bowed at Ryo then turned to knock on the Queen's door.
"Enter," Came her reply. The guard bowed after opening the door then stood straight.
"My Lady, Prince Ryo has come as you wished," The guard said and then bowed again. He moved aside letting Ryo walk in.
"Leave us," The Queen commanded. The guard bowed yet again and closed the door behind himself.
"You wanted to see me mother?" Prince Ryo questioned bowing to show respect.
"Yes my son. Please sit, we must talk," The Queen replied sitting.
"Oh man, this does not sound good," Prince Ryo thought sitting across from her.
"My son…soon you will be turning 18, at that age your father and I were already married for 2 years and I was with you. Our laws state that if you have not chosen a bride by your 20th birthday you will either give up the throne or we will chose a bride for you. Tonight we will host a party in your honor. Hopefully you will find a bride then," The Queen explained.
"I doubt it mother. I know all the princesses that will be coming and none of them interest me," Prince Ryo answered.
"And why is that Ryo? They all are very beautiful and rich. They all bring something great to us. Your father and I just want you to be happy," The Queen insisted.
"I won't be happy in a forced marriage mother. I want to be in love. The kind of love that you are just desperate for, a kind that once you have it you can't stay away from it. I don't want to marry if I'm not in love," Prince Ryo told her. The Queen stayed quiet then. "I shall attend the party tonight, but I doubt that I will chose a bride." Prince Ryo finished and he left the room. Just as he'd predicted the Prince didn't meet any princesses that interested him at one point he thought that he'd fall asleep dancing on his feet. Then the next day after his lessons with Master Toei were finished the Prince disappeared again. After looking for an hour Ryo finally found the house where Sage had brought him. He knocked and Kento opened the door.
"Hey Rekka! Guy you don't have to knock here. You're a friend and always welcome," Kento told him as he pulled Ryo in.
"He said I was a friend?" Ryo wondered with a smile and a flutter of hope in his heart.
"Rekka, we didn't know if you'd be back. And didn't know where to find you, you left your drawing pad," Sage said with a smile. Cye was the only one to notice how sad his eyes looked.
"Hey Rekka? Is anything the matter?" Cye questioned putting a hand on his shoulder.
"No everything is fine. Why do you ask?" Ryo asked.
"No reason," Cye replied. If Rekka didn't say anything right off then he didn't want to talk about it. Ryo sat on the couch with his drawing pad in his lap, he started flipping through the pages then he looked up at the guys.
"Would you mind if I drew your portraits?" Ryo questioned. They looked at each other then back at him.
"Uh…sure if that's what you want. But you can find better looking people than us to draw. Then people might actually pay money for your drawings," Cye told him but Ryo just shook his head.
"I don't need any money right now and will only sell them if worse comes to worse. Come on follow me, I discovered a perfect spot," Ryo explained as he stood and walked out the door. Sage, Cye, Kento and Rowen each looked at each other then followed Ryo. They slowed down as they came near the castle. Ryo looked over his shoulder and saw that they had stopped and were watching him. "What is it?" Ryo asked.
"Where are you taking us? We can't go into the castle," Rowen declared pointing. Ryo looked to where he was pointing and then started laughing.
"I'm not leading you into the castle. Just around to a small creek outside the castle grounds. I've talked to the Prince often when I go there to draw," Ryo told them as he turned and started walking again. This time they ran to catch up with him.
"Did you say the Prince?!" Cye questioned.
"I thought he couldn't come outside the castle. I heard the King and Queen keep him locked away," Kento said amazed.
"Well he's a teenager just like us. So what makes you think he doesn't know every single way out of the castle?" Ryo questioned. They stayed quiet the rest of the way to the creek and stopped suddenly at it's beauty. "The Prince is very kind and let me borrow these for my drawings," Ryo told them pointing to some swords and capes. The guys admired them in amazement as Ryo found a spot to sit.
"Are we to wear these?" Rowen asked looking at the dark blue cape.
"Of course. Now would you like me to start with individuals or group portraits?" Ryo said with a smile as they each put a cape on. Sage chose the green one, Cye the light blue, Rowen the dark blue and Kento the orange.
"Um…individuals," They agreed. Ryo nodded a told them to pose with the swords whichever way they wanted. He was good and it only took him 30 minutes from each of them to get what he needed. Then after he had what he needed the individuals he asked them to get together for the group. This one was a bit harder and took an hour. For the rest of the day while he working on the portraits they guys hung out around him. Then when the sun was about to set Ryo stood and stretched.
"Well I guess we should be heading home," Sage told them.
"Please! I'm hungry!" Kento whined. They all laughed.
"What about the capes and swords?" Cye asked.
"Keep them. I'll get them back if the Prince wishes so. I'll try to come tomorrow but if I don't show don't worry. By then I'll have your pictures done. Say ya later," Ryo said waving and took off behind the castle. He stopped when he was out of sight to wait so he could go back through the hole in the wall.
"Don't you ever wonder where he goes? Do think we should follow just to make sure he has a home?" He heard Rowen ask.
"No, if he doesn't think we need to be there then I don't either. Rekka seems very trust worthy. Maybe he's protecting us, maybe not. But who knows?" Sage questioned leading them back to the house. Ryo watched them disappear and dropped his head.
"Someday guys. Someday," Ryo thought as he climbed through the hole in the wall.
"Your father will be very angry when he finds out this is where you've been going my Prince," A voice said from beside him. Ryo practically spun on his heels to see who had seen him. It was Master Toei; he was leaning up against the wall right beside where the hole was.
"Master Toei! How did you? You won't tell will you? Please? This is my first taste of freedom and your just going to take it away?" Prince Ryo questioned in a pleading voice.
"Of course! If I went on and let you go out everyday then something happened… if the King found out that I knew! He would have my head!" Master Toei exclaimed. Painful and angry tears filled his Prince's eyes. "Please! My Prince… you must under…" But he didn't get to finish.
"All my life I have been trapped behind these walls, all alone. Now that I've seen outside these walls and made true friends… You want to take it all away! And I thought of you as my friend!" Prince Ryo whispered firecely and then ran into the maze. Master Toei stood there feeling as he'd just betrayed his Prince and his only…friend. With his head down he walked into the castle. Master Toei looked down the hallway to the room where the king was at this very moment.
"Oh man…I'm gonna get killed for this," Master Toei thought with a sigh as he passed the room up. Prince Ryo was not at supper that night and when the Queen asked Master Toei about it he answered, "The Prince is not feeling well tonight and declined supper majesty. Not to worry through I am checking on him every hour," Master Toei replied. She nodded in approval. After supper Master Toei went to Prince Ryo's room and knocked. There was no answer. "My Prince may I come in?" Master Toei asked. Still no answer so he opened the door and went in fearing that his Prince might have done something horrible. But there was no sign of anything amiss except for one thing. Prince Ryo wasn't there. Only a single candle was burning on his desk, five pictures lay neatly on the desk, all of which were completed. Four of them were pictures of four young men; they all wore a cape, each a different color and a sword in some pose. The fifth however caught his eye the most. It was of the four young men still wearing their capes and holding the swords but in this one they were all smiling and… his Prince was in the middle. Prince Ryo was holding up a sword high into the air, light shined down on all of them. He wore a smile that Master Toei had rarely seen. "This is not good! He may sneak out during the day but at night more dangerous things are out there. I must find him!" Master Toei thought. Just as he was leaving the room, the drawings tucked away in his shirt, however someone grabbed him.
"Master Toei, the King wishes to see you now," A guard told him. Master Toei was dragged all the way to the throne room where the King and Queen awaited him.
"You wished to see me majesties?" Master Toei questioned bowing.
"Why have you not told us of our sons escapes from the castle?" The Queen asked.
"I…uh…I just found out myself this afternoon when he was coming back in through a hole in the garden wall. Tonight I went to his room and he isn't there. I was just going to look for him when the guard told me that you wished to see me majesties," Master Toei told her.
"Well thanks to someone in the kitchens who saw him leave not long ago we already have a search party out looking for him. Master Toei we expected you to protect and keep our son from knowing of the world outside the walls we built to protect him but you have failed us. We will sleep on it and decide your fate in the morning," The Queen explained. Master Toei gulped but bowed and left the room. He walked back to his Prince's room to wait worrying the whole time if he was safe. Meanwhile outside the castle Ryo ran through the streets trying to find the safe house. But everything looked so different in the dark. He stopped and looked around, he knew that his parents knew he was gone by now and already had a search party out looking for him, he didn't have much time. Just then someone came out of the darkness and grabbed him around the neck.
TBC…
Well was it any good? I hope so cause there's more to come! - Alkvingiel