Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi and anyone she decides
to sell the rights to.
A/N: I should not be starting a new fic but I am, I am finishing my old fic "Don't Leave Me" but it is under major construction so the new chapter probably won't be out for another month. This is an AU set in medieval times. I suppose this is sort of a prologue, it's an introduction of sorts. If you want to email me you can at tiney_panda@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading!
***
It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.
-- Jean Nidetch
***
She pulled the hood of her jacket far over her face again, wishing it would stop falling to her shoulders. She kept walking, one hand in front of her shielding her eyes from the pelting rain. She never faltered, blindly walking on, not stopping until her task was complete.
The trees bellowed and called to her in the dark, hidden night. Things she couldn't see could be out there, clearly in front or behind her, and the rain was masking them. She realized this but walked on, she had to remember her purpose; the result of her actions now would have a phenomenal effect on her future. She wiped the water off her face only now realizing the wetness was tears and the rain beating down against her had not yet drenched her face; the hood was still up.
She smiled, "Thank you dear cloak, you're about all I'll have after this." She turned back to what was ahead of her and stood in awe. She had many times come to this wall, this fortress of stone, but never in the pouring, cold night. It stood monstrous and impossible to climb, and suddenly a cloud of doubt shadowed her mind.
"If I stay, I am condemning myself," she mused, "but if I go, I may as well throw myself at the thieves, and ogres, and dwarves out there," she again mused, pointing over the wall.
Suddenly, a slim falcon came swooping down, "Akane! What are you doing out at such a night? Things can still be dangerous, even from inside the mansion walls!"
She rolled her eyes and turned to it, "Listen Garon, I think I can take care of myself. Besides, if someone, or something, is cunning enough to over come this," she stared up at the enormous block in front of her, "terrorizing chunk of stone than they deserve to eat, pillage, or kill me in which ever deadly art they choose," she laughed.
"Little princess, that is not a funny remark! Now, accompany me back to the house immediately! Your father would be disturbed to hear about this, and very ashamed," Garon said with disgust, "you are a princess to be and always will be a princess to be, nothing more and nothing less until you become queen. Believe me, you can do a lot worse than extremely rich and powerful, you should be thankful for all you have! The fact that you have the most money in the country, aside from the royal family, is astounding! Why, just the fact that you survived-"
"-the assault on the carriage. Yes, let's keep bringing up my dead father! You were so kind when he was alive, what has happened to you? I am my own person and my father would be proud what I have become! I am no one else but myself, a will-be princess perhaps, but still a person," she stared him down and fierily continued, "I shall become what I choose to become! Whether that is a thief, a prisoner, or an ogre, you have no say in the matter!"
"Do not make me zap you back; you know I hate doing that," he pleaded, "it really is quite annoying! Listen, you are a wonderful person and one day you will fulfill your life's purpose, but running away is not part of your future," He stared at her, perched on a near by tree branch, steadying himself, "one day you must accept this is your only choice. You are very lucky the royal family will accept you. Why if it weren't for your father's ties to the King . . . you are going to have a wonderful, exciting life," at this, her face perked up, "as a princess," he finished. Her face began to return to a steady frown, he smirked, "you've got your father's frown, and his strong will. I fear they will do more bad then good."
She looked up to him questionably, "So, I am doomed to a listless, dull life, and I look like a man?" He started to chuckle and stared into her eyes.
"Those are beautiful eyes you have, you know," he remarked.
"These," she motioned toward her eyes, "are black burdens."
"Try thinking of them as more of a gift than a curse," he told her, warily.
"A "gift" you say! Do you not remember I am the only born of my family that has no such thing? Unless you have forgotten my lovely fairy godmother's so- called "gift", I am able "to see what is unseen and learn by the sword, to fight for what's right and never want to get bored." Just because Hentia was a rhyme-loving hippy, and not much of one at that, and didn't like to acknowledge "the man", it does not mean that I deserve to have to speak my mind all of the time, and search for adventures, big and small! Some woman's rights activist she is! Married to a man who is always in Glowen on "business trips"! Nabiki can make money by just standing by the door of a company and Kasumi can win the heart of any man she meets with her kind, courteous smile. I am the odd one out, the unlucky child that everyone secretly wonders about, musing how I was so fortunate to have such a respectable family." She was in tears half way through her speech and they did not cease until far after. She fell to the ground in sobs and curled up into a ball, holding herself closely. Garon looked on quite worried, knowing things the girl would soon know he felt compassion and flew down beside her.
"You are a very special girl. I suppose you are worth a bit of an annoyance," he reluctantly remarked, smiling. She wiped her eyes and sniffled, her face brightening a bit.
"Thank you Garon," she whispered, closing her eyes as everything began to mesh and her surroundings began to disappear.
***
"WHAT?"
"Now my dear, little to-be princess, youngest of three, you must remember your two sisters are going to be married off as well, hopefully to other great men, but we still need to secure other things, and marriage will make you a fine girl. Please do not get angry," the man in front of her proposed hopefully, waiting for the barrage of screaming he knew would come next.
"So I am to be married with no heed to what I want? What," she yelled furiously, "did you expect me to do? Run around dancing with ponies and picking flowers for my wedding bouquet?"
"Well, I sort of hoped," he began but was cut off.
"How can you decide what is right for me? You are my uncle; can you even make these decisions? What is he?" She asked, turning redder than a radish.
The man's confusion was obviously displayed on his face, "I don't understand my dear."
"What is he," she asked with disgust in her voice.
"He is human of course," he responded, dumbfounded, "what else would he be?"
"No," she explained through gritted teeth, "what is he? A noble man, baron, or duke? Is he a tradesman, perhaps even a prince?" Every title she produced she said with utter disgust, especially the final one.
"Well, a prince actually," he told her nervously, noticing one of her hands balled in a fist and the other stretched out, something materializing, "but he's quite well admired, perhaps you've heard him, Prince-"
She interrupted him as a broad handled sword began to materialize in her hands and she grinned widely.
"You shouldn't tell me what to do, you know this is the only perk of my gift," she warned happily.
He scoffed at her, "Oh Akane, don't be silly."
She smirked. The handle became solid, and then the hilt around her waist, she fell lower to the ground and as the whole sword became solid, she felt the blade pull her to the floor. She fell fast and swiftly, not being able to carry the blade.
The man with her burst out laughing, patted her on the top of the head, and walked out of the room as he told her sweetly, "You are so cute. The man who gets you is one lucky gentleman! I just hope you are woman enough for the boy you are to be with."
"Yeah," she remarked, catching her breath from trying to lift the heavy blade, "well maybe he's not man enough for me!"
He swiftly turned around and chuckled, "Oh believe me, this prince is enough of a man for himself and many others," he went on, proud to be even talking about the prince, "he is so very great and gallant, a true man among men!"
She rolled her eyes lazily, "you know, there is such thing as too much of a good thing."
***
"Hey! Get yer hands outta there," The young man with broad shoulders yelled over one shoulder. He was slightly tanned, with black hair and amazing blue eye. A hat that now lay beside the sofa in front of him had muffled his hair, pulled back into a pigtail. On the sofa sat another young man, darker in composure with a sly look across his face.
"What's wrong? Missing your fan club?" The sitting man taunted.
The prince stopped, brushed off the tailor as he finished measuring his inseam and turned to the other man, "Oh ya, well at least I've got a fan club! Don't see maidens runnin' around shoutin' things other than, "Oh look! It's good Prince Hibiki! What a fine personality that boy has! Did you know he is so important to his country he stays in a completely different one with a different Prince unless he gets lost or falls into a pigpen? I wonder if he knows where amazing, powerful, interesting, and handsome Prince Saotome is. That Saotome, what a catch! Who would've believed, a man with brains and brawn! Why if I had a bunch of flowers and a golden cow I-," the Prince was cut off by a sudden jab to the chin.
"Hey! You'll ruin my third best feature, my chin. Well, as is stated in the Saotome Sunrise, run and owned by my fans," Ranma bragged as he walked over to a table and opened the top drawer, revealing a large stack of papers. Ranma removed a few; grinning, and stuffed them in Prince Hibiki's face, "care for one?"
Prince Hibiki tossed them away angrily, "You are so inane, Saotome!"
Ranma stopped him, holding a finger up in front of his lips, "That's Prince Saotome and now we shall change the subject."
"But," Ryoga began, fists starting to form into balls. Ranma noticed and jumped back, tripping over a couch and landing on his face, "y'know, I suddenly feel better for some reason," Ryoga laughed.
Ranma got up groggily and ran to Ryoga's side, whispering with one arm over Ryoga's shoulder, "So are we all ready for tonight? Have you got yer stuff? Mine's all under my bed, almost didn't fit everything in one suitcase."
Ryoga looked on, one eyebrow raised in disbelief, "A whole suitcase? Ranma, we are not going on a carriage tour of the country, we're running away. Do you hear me? Running away! As in running in the steal of the night . . . away from here. You'll be walking at a snail's pace, lugging that thing behind you! You're not taking it."
Ranma fiercely countered, "I can carry it just fine! Its no skin off yer back if I have to carry more!"
"It is if you're slow," Ryoga explained cooly, folding his arms over his chest.
"Well I don't care," Ranma muttered, walking out of the room in a huff, "we leave at midnight, be here."
***
Akane wiped away the tears that still cluttered her eyes, "Stupid jerk! If my father were alive, he would never stand for this! If I could just turn back ti-," Akane was stopped by the sound of voices coming from the foyer.
"King Tendo didn't," the voice said, finishing the sentence Akane only heard the tail end of.
"Yeah, I saw it me self! He moved a bit, kinda flickered like a fly's wings, he did. He just disappeared fer a second and then came right back!" The voice that muttered this to the other sounded quite dumb and fumbled every word.
"So if he flickered like ya said he did, what does that mean," the man asked skeptically, sighing loudly, but sounding a bit more intrigued.
"Well I dunno," the second man fumbled, "unless it weren't really him."
"Wasn't, you nit," the first man corrected.
"Exactly, it wasn't him. Wow Edward, we finally agreed on somethin'," the man told 'Edward' happily.
"No you idiot, I meant to say the right thing you should have said," there was a pause and it sounded like the man just gave up explaining, "oh forget it! Now, let's say your stupid, impossible idea was true," the other man nodded, "well if it was, and he wasn't, real that is, then where was the real King? And how did he disappear under our watchful eye?"
The second man grew weary of the questioning but suddenly remembered something, "I heard a rumor, it's said that the King had a powerful enemy from Naslow and that he was so evil he could use the dark arts and even," the man stopped and bent closer to his friend. Akane had to strain her ears to hear, pushing her self against the closed door, "stop time. Therefore, they could have switched 'em. You gotta think though, if they were smart enough to stop time, ya don't wanna be spillin' their tea, if ya know what I mean!"
The other man laughed in agreement and nodded a few times, "Why not a beer for yer fine story tellin'?"
The man's tone changed from jolly to nervous, "ya really can't tell people Edward, you mustn't. For I know what I told ya was true, see a very good source told me."
Edward stared into his friend's frightened eyes, "And who, of great reliability, told ya this?"
"You're not gonna believe it, but it was-," Just as the man was about to utter the name the door gave and Akane fell flat on her face, out of her room and into the foyer.
They stared at her and she quickly got up and brushed herself off, nervously she stared to the men who were in shock that someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation, "Good evening gentlemen," she said and quickly scuttled out.
As she ran into the front hall of her house she fell into her uncle and he pulled her upright, facing him.
He smiled, "My dear child, I have great news!"
She cut him off, "So do I!"
He smiled again, "Akane, you will be meeting your prince tomorrow." That stopped Akane's interruptions, she was shell-shocked.
"Tomorrow? Why so soon? Shouldn't we have a," Akane had to think up something fast, "cooling off period," she tried meekly, but kept strongly to her idea, "after the proposal don't you think he should be able to have a little entertainment before he has to settle down?"
"Akane! Why, the prince doesn't even know yet, it is a surprise made by his father and I, isn't that wonderful?" He asked. She sighed, her eyes tearing up again.
"But father, he might be alive!"
Her uncle sighed heavily, "Akane, I have under gone a lot with you and the rest of this family, but I do not want you speaking of your father. He died a good man and you must never say things of importance just to get a rise from me or any other person, do you hear me?" He asked sternly, frowning deeply.
Akane started crying, "It is not a lie, I heard some guards," Akane began, but was interrupted again.
"ENOUGH! I am sick of this, I try so hard and you lie to me, bring the dead in as cards in your game, I never want to hear this from you again," his face turned red as he stormed out of the room.
Akane fell to the floor in tears. She stayed like that for quite a while until one of the newer maids came up to her, "Miss, are you all right?"
"No, does it look like it? Are my sisters home? Nabiki, Kasumi," Akane began to call, sniffling in between syllables. The maid stooped down and patted Akane on the back.
"I'm sorry Miss but they're not here at the moment. They've gone to town and decided to stay the night at a friend's house due to the weather."
Akane creased her forehead in confusion, "The weather?"
The maid nodded sweetly, "Yes Miss Akane, it's pouring out. Not a soul deserves to be out in this weather!"
Akane nodded, smiled to the sweet maid and got up with her help. She slowly walked up the stairs, not speaking, only walking.
"Miss, do you need help?" The maid asked dutifully, with obvious concern.
"No," Akane muttered with a smile, "I'll be just fine on my own thanks."
The maid looked on confused, "No Miss, I was talking about the statue in front of you," she smiled sweetly.
"What?" Akane asked too late, falling into the suit of armor smack in front of her, "Well, this is a great start," she muttered angrily as she fell down the stairs.
A/N: So, how was it? What do you think will happen next? If it seems a bit dark, it will get lighter, but not too light. I think fairytales should be somewhat sad, the real ones always are! If you have any suggestions just tell me! Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon!
A/N: I should not be starting a new fic but I am, I am finishing my old fic "Don't Leave Me" but it is under major construction so the new chapter probably won't be out for another month. This is an AU set in medieval times. I suppose this is sort of a prologue, it's an introduction of sorts. If you want to email me you can at tiney_panda@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading!
***
It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.
-- Jean Nidetch
***
She pulled the hood of her jacket far over her face again, wishing it would stop falling to her shoulders. She kept walking, one hand in front of her shielding her eyes from the pelting rain. She never faltered, blindly walking on, not stopping until her task was complete.
The trees bellowed and called to her in the dark, hidden night. Things she couldn't see could be out there, clearly in front or behind her, and the rain was masking them. She realized this but walked on, she had to remember her purpose; the result of her actions now would have a phenomenal effect on her future. She wiped the water off her face only now realizing the wetness was tears and the rain beating down against her had not yet drenched her face; the hood was still up.
She smiled, "Thank you dear cloak, you're about all I'll have after this." She turned back to what was ahead of her and stood in awe. She had many times come to this wall, this fortress of stone, but never in the pouring, cold night. It stood monstrous and impossible to climb, and suddenly a cloud of doubt shadowed her mind.
"If I stay, I am condemning myself," she mused, "but if I go, I may as well throw myself at the thieves, and ogres, and dwarves out there," she again mused, pointing over the wall.
Suddenly, a slim falcon came swooping down, "Akane! What are you doing out at such a night? Things can still be dangerous, even from inside the mansion walls!"
She rolled her eyes and turned to it, "Listen Garon, I think I can take care of myself. Besides, if someone, or something, is cunning enough to over come this," she stared up at the enormous block in front of her, "terrorizing chunk of stone than they deserve to eat, pillage, or kill me in which ever deadly art they choose," she laughed.
"Little princess, that is not a funny remark! Now, accompany me back to the house immediately! Your father would be disturbed to hear about this, and very ashamed," Garon said with disgust, "you are a princess to be and always will be a princess to be, nothing more and nothing less until you become queen. Believe me, you can do a lot worse than extremely rich and powerful, you should be thankful for all you have! The fact that you have the most money in the country, aside from the royal family, is astounding! Why, just the fact that you survived-"
"-the assault on the carriage. Yes, let's keep bringing up my dead father! You were so kind when he was alive, what has happened to you? I am my own person and my father would be proud what I have become! I am no one else but myself, a will-be princess perhaps, but still a person," she stared him down and fierily continued, "I shall become what I choose to become! Whether that is a thief, a prisoner, or an ogre, you have no say in the matter!"
"Do not make me zap you back; you know I hate doing that," he pleaded, "it really is quite annoying! Listen, you are a wonderful person and one day you will fulfill your life's purpose, but running away is not part of your future," He stared at her, perched on a near by tree branch, steadying himself, "one day you must accept this is your only choice. You are very lucky the royal family will accept you. Why if it weren't for your father's ties to the King . . . you are going to have a wonderful, exciting life," at this, her face perked up, "as a princess," he finished. Her face began to return to a steady frown, he smirked, "you've got your father's frown, and his strong will. I fear they will do more bad then good."
She looked up to him questionably, "So, I am doomed to a listless, dull life, and I look like a man?" He started to chuckle and stared into her eyes.
"Those are beautiful eyes you have, you know," he remarked.
"These," she motioned toward her eyes, "are black burdens."
"Try thinking of them as more of a gift than a curse," he told her, warily.
"A "gift" you say! Do you not remember I am the only born of my family that has no such thing? Unless you have forgotten my lovely fairy godmother's so- called "gift", I am able "to see what is unseen and learn by the sword, to fight for what's right and never want to get bored." Just because Hentia was a rhyme-loving hippy, and not much of one at that, and didn't like to acknowledge "the man", it does not mean that I deserve to have to speak my mind all of the time, and search for adventures, big and small! Some woman's rights activist she is! Married to a man who is always in Glowen on "business trips"! Nabiki can make money by just standing by the door of a company and Kasumi can win the heart of any man she meets with her kind, courteous smile. I am the odd one out, the unlucky child that everyone secretly wonders about, musing how I was so fortunate to have such a respectable family." She was in tears half way through her speech and they did not cease until far after. She fell to the ground in sobs and curled up into a ball, holding herself closely. Garon looked on quite worried, knowing things the girl would soon know he felt compassion and flew down beside her.
"You are a very special girl. I suppose you are worth a bit of an annoyance," he reluctantly remarked, smiling. She wiped her eyes and sniffled, her face brightening a bit.
"Thank you Garon," she whispered, closing her eyes as everything began to mesh and her surroundings began to disappear.
***
"WHAT?"
"Now my dear, little to-be princess, youngest of three, you must remember your two sisters are going to be married off as well, hopefully to other great men, but we still need to secure other things, and marriage will make you a fine girl. Please do not get angry," the man in front of her proposed hopefully, waiting for the barrage of screaming he knew would come next.
"So I am to be married with no heed to what I want? What," she yelled furiously, "did you expect me to do? Run around dancing with ponies and picking flowers for my wedding bouquet?"
"Well, I sort of hoped," he began but was cut off.
"How can you decide what is right for me? You are my uncle; can you even make these decisions? What is he?" She asked, turning redder than a radish.
The man's confusion was obviously displayed on his face, "I don't understand my dear."
"What is he," she asked with disgust in her voice.
"He is human of course," he responded, dumbfounded, "what else would he be?"
"No," she explained through gritted teeth, "what is he? A noble man, baron, or duke? Is he a tradesman, perhaps even a prince?" Every title she produced she said with utter disgust, especially the final one.
"Well, a prince actually," he told her nervously, noticing one of her hands balled in a fist and the other stretched out, something materializing, "but he's quite well admired, perhaps you've heard him, Prince-"
She interrupted him as a broad handled sword began to materialize in her hands and she grinned widely.
"You shouldn't tell me what to do, you know this is the only perk of my gift," she warned happily.
He scoffed at her, "Oh Akane, don't be silly."
She smirked. The handle became solid, and then the hilt around her waist, she fell lower to the ground and as the whole sword became solid, she felt the blade pull her to the floor. She fell fast and swiftly, not being able to carry the blade.
The man with her burst out laughing, patted her on the top of the head, and walked out of the room as he told her sweetly, "You are so cute. The man who gets you is one lucky gentleman! I just hope you are woman enough for the boy you are to be with."
"Yeah," she remarked, catching her breath from trying to lift the heavy blade, "well maybe he's not man enough for me!"
He swiftly turned around and chuckled, "Oh believe me, this prince is enough of a man for himself and many others," he went on, proud to be even talking about the prince, "he is so very great and gallant, a true man among men!"
She rolled her eyes lazily, "you know, there is such thing as too much of a good thing."
***
"Hey! Get yer hands outta there," The young man with broad shoulders yelled over one shoulder. He was slightly tanned, with black hair and amazing blue eye. A hat that now lay beside the sofa in front of him had muffled his hair, pulled back into a pigtail. On the sofa sat another young man, darker in composure with a sly look across his face.
"What's wrong? Missing your fan club?" The sitting man taunted.
The prince stopped, brushed off the tailor as he finished measuring his inseam and turned to the other man, "Oh ya, well at least I've got a fan club! Don't see maidens runnin' around shoutin' things other than, "Oh look! It's good Prince Hibiki! What a fine personality that boy has! Did you know he is so important to his country he stays in a completely different one with a different Prince unless he gets lost or falls into a pigpen? I wonder if he knows where amazing, powerful, interesting, and handsome Prince Saotome is. That Saotome, what a catch! Who would've believed, a man with brains and brawn! Why if I had a bunch of flowers and a golden cow I-," the Prince was cut off by a sudden jab to the chin.
"Hey! You'll ruin my third best feature, my chin. Well, as is stated in the Saotome Sunrise, run and owned by my fans," Ranma bragged as he walked over to a table and opened the top drawer, revealing a large stack of papers. Ranma removed a few; grinning, and stuffed them in Prince Hibiki's face, "care for one?"
Prince Hibiki tossed them away angrily, "You are so inane, Saotome!"
Ranma stopped him, holding a finger up in front of his lips, "That's Prince Saotome and now we shall change the subject."
"But," Ryoga began, fists starting to form into balls. Ranma noticed and jumped back, tripping over a couch and landing on his face, "y'know, I suddenly feel better for some reason," Ryoga laughed.
Ranma got up groggily and ran to Ryoga's side, whispering with one arm over Ryoga's shoulder, "So are we all ready for tonight? Have you got yer stuff? Mine's all under my bed, almost didn't fit everything in one suitcase."
Ryoga looked on, one eyebrow raised in disbelief, "A whole suitcase? Ranma, we are not going on a carriage tour of the country, we're running away. Do you hear me? Running away! As in running in the steal of the night . . . away from here. You'll be walking at a snail's pace, lugging that thing behind you! You're not taking it."
Ranma fiercely countered, "I can carry it just fine! Its no skin off yer back if I have to carry more!"
"It is if you're slow," Ryoga explained cooly, folding his arms over his chest.
"Well I don't care," Ranma muttered, walking out of the room in a huff, "we leave at midnight, be here."
***
Akane wiped away the tears that still cluttered her eyes, "Stupid jerk! If my father were alive, he would never stand for this! If I could just turn back ti-," Akane was stopped by the sound of voices coming from the foyer.
"King Tendo didn't," the voice said, finishing the sentence Akane only heard the tail end of.
"Yeah, I saw it me self! He moved a bit, kinda flickered like a fly's wings, he did. He just disappeared fer a second and then came right back!" The voice that muttered this to the other sounded quite dumb and fumbled every word.
"So if he flickered like ya said he did, what does that mean," the man asked skeptically, sighing loudly, but sounding a bit more intrigued.
"Well I dunno," the second man fumbled, "unless it weren't really him."
"Wasn't, you nit," the first man corrected.
"Exactly, it wasn't him. Wow Edward, we finally agreed on somethin'," the man told 'Edward' happily.
"No you idiot, I meant to say the right thing you should have said," there was a pause and it sounded like the man just gave up explaining, "oh forget it! Now, let's say your stupid, impossible idea was true," the other man nodded, "well if it was, and he wasn't, real that is, then where was the real King? And how did he disappear under our watchful eye?"
The second man grew weary of the questioning but suddenly remembered something, "I heard a rumor, it's said that the King had a powerful enemy from Naslow and that he was so evil he could use the dark arts and even," the man stopped and bent closer to his friend. Akane had to strain her ears to hear, pushing her self against the closed door, "stop time. Therefore, they could have switched 'em. You gotta think though, if they were smart enough to stop time, ya don't wanna be spillin' their tea, if ya know what I mean!"
The other man laughed in agreement and nodded a few times, "Why not a beer for yer fine story tellin'?"
The man's tone changed from jolly to nervous, "ya really can't tell people Edward, you mustn't. For I know what I told ya was true, see a very good source told me."
Edward stared into his friend's frightened eyes, "And who, of great reliability, told ya this?"
"You're not gonna believe it, but it was-," Just as the man was about to utter the name the door gave and Akane fell flat on her face, out of her room and into the foyer.
They stared at her and she quickly got up and brushed herself off, nervously she stared to the men who were in shock that someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation, "Good evening gentlemen," she said and quickly scuttled out.
As she ran into the front hall of her house she fell into her uncle and he pulled her upright, facing him.
He smiled, "My dear child, I have great news!"
She cut him off, "So do I!"
He smiled again, "Akane, you will be meeting your prince tomorrow." That stopped Akane's interruptions, she was shell-shocked.
"Tomorrow? Why so soon? Shouldn't we have a," Akane had to think up something fast, "cooling off period," she tried meekly, but kept strongly to her idea, "after the proposal don't you think he should be able to have a little entertainment before he has to settle down?"
"Akane! Why, the prince doesn't even know yet, it is a surprise made by his father and I, isn't that wonderful?" He asked. She sighed, her eyes tearing up again.
"But father, he might be alive!"
Her uncle sighed heavily, "Akane, I have under gone a lot with you and the rest of this family, but I do not want you speaking of your father. He died a good man and you must never say things of importance just to get a rise from me or any other person, do you hear me?" He asked sternly, frowning deeply.
Akane started crying, "It is not a lie, I heard some guards," Akane began, but was interrupted again.
"ENOUGH! I am sick of this, I try so hard and you lie to me, bring the dead in as cards in your game, I never want to hear this from you again," his face turned red as he stormed out of the room.
Akane fell to the floor in tears. She stayed like that for quite a while until one of the newer maids came up to her, "Miss, are you all right?"
"No, does it look like it? Are my sisters home? Nabiki, Kasumi," Akane began to call, sniffling in between syllables. The maid stooped down and patted Akane on the back.
"I'm sorry Miss but they're not here at the moment. They've gone to town and decided to stay the night at a friend's house due to the weather."
Akane creased her forehead in confusion, "The weather?"
The maid nodded sweetly, "Yes Miss Akane, it's pouring out. Not a soul deserves to be out in this weather!"
Akane nodded, smiled to the sweet maid and got up with her help. She slowly walked up the stairs, not speaking, only walking.
"Miss, do you need help?" The maid asked dutifully, with obvious concern.
"No," Akane muttered with a smile, "I'll be just fine on my own thanks."
The maid looked on confused, "No Miss, I was talking about the statue in front of you," she smiled sweetly.
"What?" Akane asked too late, falling into the suit of armor smack in front of her, "Well, this is a great start," she muttered angrily as she fell down the stairs.
A/N: So, how was it? What do you think will happen next? If it seems a bit dark, it will get lighter, but not too light. I think fairytales should be somewhat sad, the real ones always are! If you have any suggestions just tell me! Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon!