NOTE: Ah, so you finally convinced me to update. Thanks for the comments, they're really helpful. I'm sorry because I neglected this story for some time. Honestly, I don't know when I'll finish this. I find this a really good story! It's all in my head, but I can't vent it out!!

Chapter 9: Death Separates Us

Fuuko's boyish instincts kicked in when she heard what those voices said. Sure, the thought of her fantasizing about our beloved gentleman is great, but now this!? Of course, they would suspect something romantic is stirring between the two. However, suspecting Tokiya as gay? She hadn't realized what a big step her disguising could take.

She now caused a bad reputation for the prince.

'Oh no, I gotta fix this!'

"The prince is not gay!" she barged in panting.

The women gasped, so they've been heard. They averted Fuuko's piercing gaze and pretended nothing was amiss.

"I heard everything…don't pretend." She gritted her teeth.

One brave cook dared to speak.

"Well, why are you getting so worked up?"

"Because I KNOW he's not…gay!" Fuuko stomped her right leg and whined. The women gave a soft laugh and whispered among themselves.

"How can you prove that eh?" one suddenly asked.

Due to numerous thoughts whirling around her head, Fuuko couldn't come up with a decent answer.

"HOW COULD HE BE GAY WHEN I'M A WOMAN!" she gasped and covered her Fuuko.

'Stupid mouth! Oh no…'

"I mean…I didn't…you see…it's just…what" her hands were flying everywhere with ecstatic movements and she found herself stuttering.

The women gasped in amazement. The truth is out even to these cooks and maids. This was really bad.

"Come here" the eldest looking woman said. Fuuko's sweat could almost be compared to any waterfall in Divell. She was red as hell and cursing herself, but she did obey.

The woman tilted Fuuko's chin and without hesitation felt her chest. Fuuko screamed and backed away from the woman.

"PERVERT!! Stay away!"

The woman turned to her company and whispered, "Yup, I felt it." Then another wave of gasp filled the room.

"Don't be too surprised, dear, we won't tell." They simultaneously winked at Fuuko.

Fuuko couldn't believe her ears. All this time she wasn't really pretending?

'How come Tokiya never noticed it? Well, that stupid naïve prince couldn't even identify a tree from a uh…whatever brown object!'

"Wha—what do you mean?"

"Your movements, and besides do you think wearing thick and baggy clothes could cover everything? Look at yourself, you're very beautiful. Compared to us, your skin is very fair and glowing. Your hair," the eldest smoothed her ruffled hair, "is bloody silky plus your face…"

The woman smiled, "Your face is not fit for a man. Whatever you do, it just can't."

For the second time today her mouth was dropped on the floor. No one in his or her right mind has ever called Fuuko beautiful. Plus, she's got to admit that it was very flattering. It's probably because of her tomboyish acts that the people she grew up with never noticed her femininity.

"Wait! You mean…so…you knew?" she shook her head in disbelief.

One maid stepped forward and patted her back.

"Dear, of course we didn't, but we suspected! The prince will never fall for a man; it was just a hasty presumption." she threw her head back and waved her flabby arm.

"But—you do not notice it?" one interrupted. Fuuko shook her head.

"The what?"

"The stares and the unexpected uplifting of prince Tokiya!" they all said.

She was totally lost. Fuuko felt like puking or fainting but instead seated herself on a stool.

"You want to hear the story?" the eldest woman asked.

"Prince Tokiya was born with a weak condition. Many thought he wouldn't reach the age of adolescence, and will end the line of Mikagami but miraculously he did. The will to live on was there, but the loneliness was far greater. His father couldn't do anything about it and so is his mother. Before he was cold to us and rarely speaks until well, until he met you."

"Oh but," Fuuko flushed, "how did he manage to…you know?"

"No one knew how he managed to live. Before several doctors had tried to cure him, yet he wouldn't permit it. He said curing him was useless because he'll die soon. It wasn't until 7 years ago when everything changed. No one knew the reason, but some say it was because of someone."

"The prince was 10 yrs. old when his family had a picnic outside the castle. I was with him for I prepared their picnic lunch. I remember seeing him running away from where everyone was and chasing a rabbit. I ignored him and fixed lunch, since the prince was slowly fading away.

He returned with renewed spirit. He said he wanted to live until he could marry. The king and queen were very glad and instantly hired physicians everywhere to help Tokiya's condition improve. However, the day prince Tokiya returned from chasing the rabbit I noticed that the Ophiuchus was gone from his neck."

"The Ophichuchu? What's that?" Fuuko asked.

"The Ophiuchus is the family crest. A symbol that you are a MIkagami that is represented by a blue gem and in the center, once raised to meet the moons rays, a pair of snake eyes. It was a replica of the legendary Ice Snake's eyes, who once heaved great terror in the kingdom. It was made by the Mikagami's' ancestors. It is important that it is passed down to every ruler, and of course Tokiya is the latest holder of it."

"If you receive it from the prince then that means he wants you as his bride."

"Hold on! If he gave that Ophiuchus thing to a girl (which is probably me, hehe) then why is Francine here?" Fuuko asked with extreme intrest.

"You have a point. If I remember correctly, the king arranged that marriage. He asked his son to whom he gave that pendant, and being unsure who it was, pointed Francine. That was when a ball was being held and Francine was a guest. Poor prince, I still remember his uneasy expression when he was asked. Anyway, as I was saying before you asked when I asked Tokiya where the Ophiuchus was he said he gave it to a girl he met. I'm the only one who knows of this and, well now you all know."

She imagined the Ophiuchus and recalled the pendant she was wearing. The remembered seeing two circles when she examined it one faithful night. Fuuko suddenly stood up and took off her pendant.

"Does it look like this?" she showed everyone the blue gem she had received before.

"Oh my!" one hand grabbed it, "this is…this…this can't be!"

They all felt silent and shot Fuuko a glare.

"Where did you get this?" one violently asked.

Fuuko could feel beads of sweat rolling down her spine and forehead.

"Well, someone gave it to me from my childhood…I CAN'T REMEMBER OKAY!" However, the truth was she perfectly remembered who gave it to her. It was Tokiya.

As days passed and the winter season started to unfold, Francine grew restless of gaining Tokiya's love. She would try and find every possible way into separating Fuuko and Tokiya together. Trotting furiously to her room, she banged the gold plated door and rested herself onto a chair. Her face was scrunched into a scowl and her brows met.

"Think, think! I have to make a plan in order to fully capture Tokiya. If I can't get him, I'll have to do it by force." She gave a sly smile and hurried off.

Fuuko had been busy inside the palace that she had been shun from outside news. While walking home one snowy evening, she noticed that the alley where her little home is was awfully dark. The lamp posts were not lit and there was an eerie silence. She grew suspicious of this and darted towards her parents.

"Hmph!" someone grabbed her and covered her mouth.

"Shhh!" she was dragged by this enormous man at an even darker alley. There two more silhouettes appeared. Finally she was released and before she could even utter a word…

"Fuuko!" Yanagi hugged her so tight that air was difficult to accumulate.

"Ya-nnaa-giii," the poor girl struggled for air.

She was soon released once again from Yanagi's death grip.

"So why the sudden jump?" Fuuko asked.

"Uhm…nothing! We just miss you…" Recca averted Fuuko's eyes. Something was wrong in this picture.

"Yeah..err…we miss you!" Domon waved a peace sign hoping to be forgiven from what he did before.

"Uh-I don't know if I should—BAM!

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Continuous gun shots were heard as women screamed in horror. A coach wagon drove pass the awestricken friends and in that wagon were men with guns. No one was in pursuit of these gangsters at all. Fuuko remembered her house and ran to check on her parents.

"NOOO!!!" She screamed in terror at the hanged bodies of her foster parents. Blood was everywhere and the room was in a total mess. They were ransacked by those men.

This was too much. She can't afford to lose them. The three soon arrived, Yanagi yelped, Recca consoled her, and Domon threw a punch at the wooden door. Everything was in a blur, Fuuko struggled on her feet crying at the foot of her mother's dead body.

Everything faded…

Fuuko woke up lying on a bed. The sun was up as its rays illuminated the room. She groaned and stared at the ceiling. Slowly tears started to fall, tears that were not meant to flow, tears that for years were kept. She sobbed, closed her eyes, but flashed of scenes that happened last night came rushing mad.

She bolted upright and staggered to her feet. Just then the door opened and in came Yanagi.

Fuuko managed to give an incomprehensible word and hugged Yanagi.

"Shhh…it's okay, I'm here." The brown haired maiden consoled her friend, uttering words of comfort to appease Fuuko.

The two were seated near the docks, not saying a word to each other. Yanagi knew Fuuko needed time and space. She let herself walk with Fuuko, just in case she tries killing herself next.

"What did I do to deserve…" Fuuko whispered and Yanagi gave her a soft smile.

"I mean, it's already bad with me being adopted…when is…" she placed her hands on her face and looked up again, "this nightmare going to end."

It was no use, before Yanagi could say anything tears were once flowing. Fuuko stood up and ran as fast as she could away from Yanagi.

She was running, running where? Who knows, as long as she runs no one could get to her. She would not see nor feel sadness, fear, and hatred. The moment she woke up, she went straight to the harbor. She was hungry but she refused to listen to her growling stomach. As she ran, dizziness was growing inside her. She clutched her head. Where is she? Branches snapped and leaves rustled. She was inside the forest, but she didn't care and continued to run. Finally, she spotted the glistening waters of the lake. She knelt and continued to cry.

"Lei?" a voice behind her echoed and she hastily looked up.

To her surprise, it was none other than Tokiya. He must've gone hunting, but why is he alone? He noticed that Fuuko was crying and he sat beside her and was about to touch her when…

"STAY AWAY!" she got up, still wiping her eyes.

"I beg your…" Tokiya followed her and tried coming closer.

"I SAID STAY AWAY—YOU gulp YOU…" she gulped again, fully recovering herself from crying. "Ever since I met you, you, what is it about you?!"

Tokiya stood transfixed; he couldn't understand what was happening. By this situation, it was slowly being clear to him that his deduction was becoming reality.

"Of course" Fuuko gave a snort "your royalty! Damn it! No get away from me!" Tokiya tried to move closer again.

"I…this is the end, Mikagami Tokiya of the Royal Family…good-bye…" Fuuko walked away leaving a very bewildered Tokiya.

A/N: Finish! Hope you liked it…got so many things to do to even update! :D Thanks to all that reviewed, much appreciated.