Author's Note: Let's see, I just finished one of my fics, so go check it out… I'm currently working on three fics so go check out the other two. Gr… I got so many ideas for other fics that it's driving me insane! Argh! There's a vampire fic I want to write and an assassin fic I want to write and a fantasy fic I want to write!! Argh! So many fics and so little time…

Summary: Kenshin is a lonely prince who has been kidnapped… Kaoru is a thief that saves his life, is a relationship between royalty and criminals possible? Can Kaoru be what Kenshin was waiting for…?

Disclaimer: I wish I could own Rurouni Kenshin, but I guess some wishes just don't come true… *bows head and prays*

A Thief's Dream

Chapter Nine: How did you…?

Why should I care?

Because you weren't there,

When I was scared…

"You know what?"

"What?"

"You never told me your name…"

"Why should I?"

"Hey, I'm the prince! I have the right to know!" Kaoru just looked at him and continued walking.

"There must be a cave here… Wait… I remember going down this path…" Kaoru looked up at the trees and frowned. "Or maybe, we're going in circles…?"

Kenshin looked up at the trees with Kaoru and sighed. "Maybe we are."

Kaoru's gaze snapped up to look at Kenshin. "You know, this is the first time we actually agreed on something."

"You're right… It's kind of creepy…"

Kaoru just laughed and walked past two identical trees. They were in the forest, so all the trees looked the same. Kenshin grabbed Kaoru's hand and pulled her the opposite way.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"We've been through those trees so many times that it's making me dizzy! Let's try a different route."

"I know where I'm going!"

"Yeah, right."

"See you agree with me."

Kenshin just gave Kaoru a sarcastic look and continued pulling her through the forest.

"I heard running water when we passed here…" Kenshin paused and looked around. He pointed towards a cluttered mess of shrubs and bushes. He let Kaoru's hand fall from his grasp and walked towards the shrubbery. He pushed them away and poked his head through, and sure enough there was a river.

"Now, do you still want to walk the way we were headed?"

"Shut up!" Kaoru shoved Kenshin out of the way and walked towards the river. "Maybe if we follow it downstream we'll find a village…" Kaoru kneeled by the river and cupped the water into her hands. She brought the water closer to her and splashed it over her face. "Ah, that feels good!" Kaoru wiped the water off with the sleeve of her tunic.

"What do you think my father will do when he finds out we're missing?"

Kaoru shrugged, "Maybe disown you for allowing yourself to be kidnapped by slimy bandits…"

"Hey, it was your fault we were captured."

"Denial isn't a pretty thing…"

"I'm not in denial!"

"Says he who was captured…"

"I already said- ARGH!" Without any hesitation, Kenshin gathered Kaoru in his arms and dropped her into the shallow water.

Kaoru just sat in the water with her mouth open as if she was unable to believe what was happening, then she glared at Kenshin.

Kaoru got up and shook a little causing water the sprinkle everywhere. Kaoru took her long hair and wrung some water out of it. Then she wiped it behind her back and within an instant she tackled Kenshin to the ground. Kaoru let her damp clothes soak Kenshin's. She looked down at him with her fist in the air ready to beat him when she noticed something. He was laughing… a real laugh. Kaoru felt something in her chest lurch as she stared at him. He wasn't angry or annoyed, for once he seemed happy.

Kaoru felt a sudden heat rise to her cheeks and she finally noticed that she was blushing… uh oh…

Kaoru's heart beat against her chest. He was so handsome.

Kenshin stopped laughing and looked up at Kaoru.

"You still haven't answered one of my questions; Aren't you lonely sometimes?"

"I haven't answered it because I don't need to." Kaoru looked away at Kenshin's sudden seriousness. It was a big clue that he was sometimes lonely, but he didn't want to admit that…. Especially to her.

"Why don't you want to answer? Is it because you know the answer and hate it or you just don't know?"

"I just don't have to tell every little detail of my life to you! You're a servant, after all!" Kaoru averted her gaze. That's all she was to him?

Oh well, it doesn't matter. I don't really love him anyway.

Even though she told herself this, Kaoru felt a growing pain within her.

"Oh well, you big ass, we got to get going before it becomes dark." Kenshin frowned at the sudden change of events. At first she seemed to want to kill him, then she became serious, and now she was back to her careless mood again. Kaoru was such a free spirit that Kenshin felt sorry for whoever comes to love her because they may never be able to keep up. Kaoru got off Kenshin and walked off.

"The nerve of her! She won't even offer a hand to royalty?!" Kenshin got up and dusted himself off, obviously taking his time.

"Come on! Hurry up! I don't want to be out when it becomes dark!"

"Why not? Afraid that an ogre will get you? You shouldn't worry about things like monsters because one look from you will frighten them off in an instant."

Kaoru just stuck her tongue out, but couldn't resist the urge to grin at Kenshin's teasing. "It's just that if we don't get anywhere before it becomes dark I know that you will start whining like a pony… just like always."

Kaoru stopped suddenly, which caused Kenshin to bump right into her and that sent them rolling down at steep hill. Kaoru screamed as she found herself rolling down at a death defying speed. Kaoru gasped and panted when they finally reached the bottom. She looked around for Kenshin and found him gasping as he laid on the ground with grass in his mouth.

"You knuckle head of a prince! Your really lucky that we didn't die!"

"Then we should be celebrating instead of weeping." Kenshin struck a 'dramatic' pose. "We were in the snares of death, but our unbelievable luck has saved us!" Kenshin winked at Kaoru as he said this, his word dripping with sarcasm.

Kaoru rolled her eyes at Kenshin's 'philosophy' about life, but he was right. They should be happy they didn't die.

"And why are you so mad? You're the one who stopped suddenly. The least you could do was hold out your hand or something to signal that to the people behind you."

"If you were paying any attention then this wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe I should make a sign for you and it will say: Caution, I stop at random moments."

"I stopped for a reason and that was so we wouldn't fall because of that damn slope."

"Tsk, tsk. A proper woman wouldn't curse, especially in front of the prince." Kenshin waved a finger in front of Kaoru's face.

Kaoru's face started to turn red because of her growing anger. The 'Prince' really knew how to make her so mad that all she could hope for is a moment to throw him off a cliff. Kaoru looked at the waving finger and suddenly, CHOMP. Yes, Kaoru took the liberty to bite Kenshin.

"Y-you bit me!" Kenshin looked down at his red finger.

"Don't worry about it. That hurt me as much as it hurt you."

"How is that possible?"

Kaoru gave him a look that clearly said it should be obvious. "I'm just glad I wasn't poisoned or anything."

"What are you talking about?"

"About you, obviously." Kaoru winked and start walking. The two walked in silence. The only sounds heard were the leaves crumbling under their feet.

Suddenly, Kaoru broke the silence. "Kaoru."

"What?"

"My name, it's Kaoru."

"Oh… Kaoru…" Kenshin tested her name and found that it sounded kind of funny.

"What's so funny?"

"Your name! It sounds kind of funny! Kaoru!" Kaoru frowned.

"It's only funny if you say it like that! You sound like a whale! Say it slowly and calmy… Kao-ru." Kenshin just cracked up laughing again. "Like Kenshin doesn't sound funny."

TO BE CONTINUED…

Okay, sorry for the short chapter and the long update. I was just kind of busy lately and haven't really had time to update this story. AH! Oh well, I went to the Rodeo and kind of had fun. We didn't really stay that long, but we did get to ride a lot of rides and play a lot of games. I was practicing basket ball lately and I hope to get really good at it too even though I'm really short. Oh well… We're going to San Antonio tomorrow even though I really wanted to go with my friends to Astro World. Oh well… I'm saying that too much… I really like spending time with my family so I guess it doesn't really matter.

My sister just got me obsessed with a band called Simple Plan. I just LOVE their music!! AHH!!! I'm listening to the song Perfect right now. Oh well, my favorite song is Numb by Likin Park. Moving on… tell me if you liked this chappy or if it should be redone. I'm not very fond of it anyway so it doesn't really matter. Again, flames are welcome just tell me why it's bad though. That's my only request because I just got a flame for my other story called King's Box that said my fic was shit but didn't say why. Oh well, that fic WAS corny so I guess that's why. It was my first fic though, you've got to understand.

Ne way, REVIEW PLEASE!!

Thanks again for reading.