A/N: It's really hard to believe that I've only been a part of the FanFiction.Net community for a while but I'm already on my sixth story, (fourth Conan fic). The praises I've received for ""Always"" had probably gone to my head, that's why I didn't put too much work into ""Memories"" and ""The Summer Without You"" and even cancelled my Kogoro/Eri fic, ""The Romance of Light and Shadow." However, now I'm back on track, I believe this story will turn out just as good, if not better, than ""Always"" so give it a chance and review, will ya? Thanks, and now...
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KudoEdogawa presents...

""Knighthood: The Spirit of the Knight""
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== I ==

It is the thirtieth time that the yellowed autumn leaves have fallen since the day that our kingdom was saved. I shall, however, retrace the story just a bit before that date, back when our hero was still fresh and green, young, inexperienced, and innocent...

Kudo Yusaku was the top leading general in the aforementioned kingdom, he and his family moved into the capital, into the castle, in order to be the king's personal bodyguard and right-hand man. Yusaku has a seven-year old son named Shinichi. To the boy, his father is the best man on earth ever, and he swore to himself that he'd become a knight himself when he grows up.

The king has a daughter the same age as Shinichi--Princess Ran. Being a princess, Ran was naturally forbidden to leave the castle ground on her own. Having never left the protections of the castle walls, Ran have no friend of her same age. The closest thing she has to a friend were the birds in the royal garden and her own guard--Hattori, a nineteen-year old knight who, despite his age, was quite talented. Now at last there is child of the same age, the over hyperactive Ran was in jubilation.

"Take me to see him, Hattori!!" The young princess demanded.

"Please, little lady, but you must be attending your art class right now," the young knight repeated for the eighth time.

"I don't care! I want you to take me to see him, and that's an order!" Ran commanded.

"And I say you can't see him now and must go to your class, and that, is a direct order, miss!" A voice roared. It was the king. The king kindly knelt down in front of his daughter and wiped away the single teardrop that was about to fall. "Now, Ran, tonight we'll have dinner with the boy and his family, you can see him then, alright?" The king asked kindly.

"Oh, fine..." the princess pouted and walked away.

The king stood back, "Keep an eye on her," he said to Hattori, patted his shoulder and walked away.

"Yes, my lord," Hattori said to the exiting king.

As soon as the words left his mouth, there were sounds of windows being broken. Hattori ran down the carpeted hall and bumped into a castle maid, who informed him that the princess has escaped. Hattori scratched his head, found the broken window, and leapt out of it...

...near the broken window, a large, sky-blue vase sat silently, well, not so silently seeing how now giggles are echoing out of the vase. A pair of large, brown eyes peeked out of the vase and scanned the empty hallway. Ran carefully removed herself from the vase and giggled at her triumph. The little girl walked silently out of the castle, into the vast royal garden. This was her first time without any guards on her watch, she was free. She wandered around on her own, chasing after pigeons and dancing with the colorful butterflies. The little princess traveled freely across the endless field of green until she reached the entrance of a forest.

"Wow," she gasped. She had known that there was a 'forest' somewhere in the garden, but she never knew that a 'forest' is so big and amazing, it's just so intriguing. She feels as if the entwined branches and the yellowing leaves are calling out to her, reaching for her. Ran made one single step into the forest, and like magic, the blessings of nature swooped all over her, it was an unbelievable feeling, she was one with nature. She wandered deeper into the forest, holding the hem of her pink dress, careful not to trod on it. A certain branch covered by leaves was in her path, unaware of this, the young princess stepped on the rounded branch and fell, her dress now covered with dirt. She rubbed her legs and resumed walking, her head tilted to see the endless layers of the towering trees. Another branch and a short cliff. The princess fell off the short ledge and her dress was ripped.

"Ooh, daddy just gave me this yesterday!" She muttered to herself. The sun is slowing sinking, Ran walked slowly on the dirty ground until she collapsed. She could hear people shouting in the distance, guards must be searching for her by now, and she must've gotten Hattori in trouble. Tears slid down her pale and tired face, the mind and heart of this seven-year old collapsed with the body as Ran wailed loudly, somewhere high above the trees, a flock of birds fluttered out of their nests.

The sobs of the little girl traveled slowly in the forest, until at last, awakening a certain somebody. Ran heard a yawn somewhere above her and paused crying. She looked up; a boy of her age was sitting on an unusually large branch, stretching, somehow not noticing that Ran was just below him.

"Hello?" Ran shouted up the tree.

"Wha-?!" Startled, the boy lost his balance and fell off the tree. "Ouch..." he said while messaging his butt. "What's the deal? First you woke me up with your bawling and now you made me fall off this stupid tree."

Ran did not speak, she was eyeing the boy with great interest. He was dressed like a peasant; his shirt and pants are ripped and dirt, his hair untidy and he was barefooted.

The boy looked up at the darkened sky. "Oh no, father's going to be furious with me if I'm late to the King's dinner." The boy groaned. "I better get going, see you." He made a movement to leave, but was stopped by the young princess.

"Wait up!" She paused. "Um..., can you lead me out of here? I'm kinda lost..."

"A troublemaker, aren't you?" The boy said and rolled his eyes. But nevertheless, he reached and grabbed the girl's hand. It was such a warm feeling to the little girl and she stared at the boy with admiration as he lead them out of the forest as if he had lived there all along. When they finally got out of the forest, the boy let go of her hand. "All right, I really have to get going, you can find your way into the castle from here, can't you? Catch you later." He waved and left.

~*~

"Please, little mistress. Do not run off like that again." Hattori stood outside Ran's bedroom, where maids are busy preparing her for the dinner. Hattori messaged his chest painfully; he had been punished.

Ran remained silent. She was too busy trying to remember how different it was to be around a child of her same age. After what seemed like hours Ran was shaken awake from her thoughts, the maids have left and Hattori was leading her to the royal dining hall. Hattori stopped in front of a pair of particularly large doors and knocked. The guards within the hall opened the door and Hattori stepped aside to admit Ran's entrance. The queen stood up gracefully and led the princess to her seat.

"Now, dear," she said, "just stay put, our guest should be here any minute."

But Ran couldn't stay put, she wanted to see that boy now! Impatient, Ran started playing the laces on her pearly-white dress, after what seemed like eternity, the guards announced, "The Kudos have arrived."

Ran looked up, three sophisticated-dressed people were entering the large, red doors. Mr. Kudo looked very well-mannered indeed, and you can tell just by looking at him that he's very powerful, he gives you a "Wow" kind of feeling. Mrs. Kudo hugged with the queen as old friends would. Mrs. Kudo looked pretty much like the queen--young, beautiful, and graceful. Ran moved on to the small figure tailing his parents...It was the boy from this afternoon!! Only, he looked so much different...he was clean, and you can tell that he came from a wealthy, nice, and debonair family. The boy caught her eyes and bowed, Ran giggled and jumped off of her stool and grabbed the boy by the hand.

"Come on, let's play!! My dolls are eager to meet you!!" Ran shouted happily. The boy flinched at the word 'dolls.'

"Now, children," the King said, "you may play after the dinner."

"Yes, father..." Ran said and walked back to her seat.

~*~

A cheery atmosphere filled the air as the meal continued, the King and Yusaku were discussing future plans for Yusaku's job.

"You know, the people of the kingdom really likes you, you've saved various provinces under you fine orders and supervisions. You're a celebrity." The King said.

"Without Your Majesty's kind conduct, I would be nothing." Yusaku replied.

"Bah, don't say such thing! Here," the King picked up his goblet. "A toast to your successions as chief general-in-command!"

Yusaku picked up his own goblet, clanged it, and they drank.

On the other side of the dining table, Queen Eri and Mrs. Kudo were discussing the design of Ran's dress. No one had noticed that two children have fallen fast asleep until the young princess fell off her chair and Hattori was ordered to send the kids back to their rooms.

The kids walked sleepily. "Your name..." the princess said softly, "you haven't told me your name..."

They entered the boy's room and Hattori tucked the kid in. "Shinichi." He said simply and fell back asleep.

"Shinichi," Ran repeated before being led back to her own room.

~*~

Shinichi opened his eyes slowly. There were sounds outside the room, not sounds of people waking up and preparing the castle, but sounds of panic, of terror. Shinichi looked out the window, it was still dark, but there were red glares from below. A loud scream came from the room above him, he recognized it as his mother's. Putting on his coat, Shinichi dashed out of the room to see panicked maids running here and there. He searched for the stairs but came instead to a crystal door encrusted with sapphires. Three knights in black kicked the door open and out traveled Ran's terrified screams. There were footsteps coming down from the stairs to the right, Hattori came down and slashed his sword at the offenders. More screams. Shinichi looked behind him; the hall was on fire. A second knight came along and led Ran away from the chaos. In midst of the fighting, Hattori noticed Shinichi's presence.

"Run!!" He roared as he countered the enemies.

Shinichi ran up the stairs, it was a terrible mess. Blood smeared on the walls and dead bodies everywhere. A further up ahead--the body of a woman.

"Mother!!" Shinichi cried and ran for his mom. It was too late. She died.

Tears streamed down Shinichi's eyes, for the first time in his life, he felt the cruelty of the world. After all, he was only seven years old. He could hear grunts and swords clanging in a nearby room. The torches have fallen on the ground and the flames were engulfing the tapestries and carpet. In the inner corner of the room, Kudo Yusaku fought against the murderer of his wife.

"Daddy!!" Shinichi cried.

Yusaku looked up, "Shinichi, get out of here!!"

"Daddy, watch out!!" The enemy has seized the chance of Yusaku's distraction. The enemy's blood-stained sword pierced fiercely into the general's chest. And, in a disgusting movement, the attacker slashed the sword while the blade was still in his body. Blood scattered everywhere.

Shinichi's young mind crumbled.

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A note on the characters:: When people read that Ran was the princess, they probably thought that Kogoro and Eri would be the king and the queen. But I didn't think that Kogoro had the posture and power to be a king. That's why the king of the story was always referred to "the King" and never "Kogoro."

Some of you might be mad at the death of Yukiko and Yusaku, but seriously, they play a small role in this story: the shadows in Shinichi's heart. I won't say anymore incase I spoil the upcoming chapters.

Yes...I have Hattori the guard. I couldn't think of an original name and wasn't too keen on using "Kageoni," so yeah. Will there be a Kazuha? Maybe.

Well, how was it? Please review!!