Disclaimer: All characters mentioned belong in the animé series Weiss Kreuz. The plot is taken from the book Scarlet Moon by Debbie Viguié. Please don't sue me…?

Warning: Okay, now here's where you roll your eyes and say "Finally!" A visit from the one you most wanted to see… with Ken… wonder who he is? I'm a good girl! I actually waited for my beta to finish beta-ing this before updating this fic. Thanks Skyyler-sama!

I feel so bangag (crazy, maudlin, foolish… Get my drift?) right now. Next week is our Finals week and I should be studying but alas, I am on the net. Oh well. Oh, btw, (for those concerned) this'll be my last update for a while. After next week, we're going to our province for a family reunion. I didn't want to go, at first, even though it's mandatory. Our province is, shall we say, too rural for my tastes. The beaches are lovely, seafood is scrumptious, but net connections are scarce (and if my 'rents see me on the comp, they'd freak) and I don't wanna be tanner than I already am (okay, I want to be fairer, so what?). Okay, enough ranting. No one reads the author's rants anyway, so it's ok for me to type spoilers. A few men will enter Ken's life… One to harass him (not that way!) and one would… intrigue him.

Scarlet Moon

By Ninetails

Chapter 3

Ken mopped the sweat from his brow and marveled at how much hotter the forge seemed than usual. The air in the shop felt superheated and he was having a hard time catching his breath. He removed the blacksmith's vest he wore, the one designed to hold several of his tools with small leather hooks and pockets. He wiped his fairly muscular torso, but he was still heated.

"I'm heading over to the parson's place," his father grumbled.

He glanced up with a sunny smile for his father.

"I thought having my own shop, a place where I could work and people could come to me, meant that I wouldn't have to go out so often."

"What needs to be done?" Ken asked.

"One of the large candlesticks is bent and wax is dripping onto the altar, apparently."

"I could go if you like," he offered.

"No," Reiji said, not even stopping to think about it. "You stay here. Simon should be by to pick up those blades a little later. Make sure he pays."

"I will," he promised.

Ken watched him leave with a trace of envy. His father hated leaving the shop to perform his job elsewhere, but he could use a change. His father would never let him go, though. He was just concerned about his son's image. He may be the son of an accused witch, but it seemed that all the prejudice was received by his son, Ken. Having him out working in the public eye would just make it worse.

He turned back to what he was doing. Now that Kase was home, he might begin to help out in the shop as soon as he felt stronger.

After working for nearly an hour, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see a tall, burly man enter the shop.

"Good afternoon, Simon," he said.

Simon, a tanner by trade, grunted in reply. "Your father here?" he demanded.

"No, but your new blades are ready," Ken said, nodding towards one of the worktables.

The older man crossed the room and picked one up, examining its edge by running it lightly along his thumb. Even from a couple of feet away he could see the thin line of blood that appeared with the blade's passing. It gave him a good feeling to see the sharpness of his blades and to know that his work had paid off.

"They'll skin a deer twice as fast as your old ones," he asserted, moving toward him.

The tanner tucked the two blades into the back of his belt before sucking the blood from his skin. "I'll take them because I need them, but I won't pay for such shoddy work."

"Shoddy work!" Ken exclaimed, cut to the quick. "I assure you both my father and I worked on them, and they are the finest blades in these parts."

"I figure someone of your stature would think so," he grunted, giving him a withering glare. "Tell your father that when he can make better blades I'll pay for them," he said, starting toward the door.

"You'll pay for these now," Ken told him, moving between him and the door.

"Out of my way, boy, before I hurt you."

The younger man balled his hands into fists at his side and braced himself. He might be afraid of wolves and woods, but common men didn't frighten him. "I know you, Simon, and I won't be the one getting hurt."

"Run home to your father, boy. Or maybe to your devil of a grandmother. Make her turn me into a frog and let the whole village expose her true heart!"

"You swine!" he shouted. He lunged forward and hit him, hearing a crunch as his fist connected with his nose.

Simon staggered back with an oath, his hands flying to his face. Then with a roar he lunged toward the smaller man. Ken sidestepped and boxed his ear as he lumbered past. The tanner turned, one of the skinning knives in his hand, and was about to come at him again when another man strode into the building and stepped between them.

"Sir, you will pay this young man what he is due and leave this place." The stranger was tall and very well dressed.

"And who might you be?" Simon asked with a bloodstained sneer.

"Ran, Earl of Fujimiya."

Simon paled and took three quick steps backward. "I'm sorry, milord," he muttered, dropping his eyes. He then dug into a pouch at his belt and placed three coins on a barrel before turning and stumbling out of the shop. Ken snatched up the coins and contemplated throwing them at his retreating back, but he took a deep breath and clutched them tightly in his fist instead.

"Did he hurt you?" the earl asked after a moment.

"No," he spat. "And if you hadn't interfered I might have knocked some sense into him. Now I'm just going to have to deal with him later."

The tall man grunted, giving him a suddenly chilly glare before replying, "Next time, I will just stand back and watch him stab you."

Ken could've sworn that a hint of glee entered the man's icy eyes but he wasn't sure, himself giving the man a heated glare of his own. They stood still for a few moments as Ken tried to force his body to relax and his heart to slow. He found it hard to do so under such intense scrutiny.

He braced himself and looked at his unexpected guest closely. He was tall; Ken knew he was tall for a boy his age, but the man before him didn't look any older than him and he himself only came up to his nose. The carmine locks framing his face almost touched his shoulders. His skin was pale, with the look of one who spent too much time indoors; his skin gleamed with the unmistakable sheen of silk. Ken wondered if it was as soft as it looked, and he almost reached out to find out, but managed to catch himself. Then he looked into the man's eyes and his heart skipped a beat. Ran had the most mesmerizing violet eyes he had ever seen; they were the only violet eyes he had ever seen on a man. There was something magnetic and exotic about them, and he felt as though he was drowning in their depths.

He forced himself to break the contact as he realized that his heart was still racing but for an entirely different reason. Perhaps it was that realization that startled him into remembering his manners. He started to bow deeply, now very aware of the fact that his chest was naked, and under the intense scrutiny of those amethyst eyes. He wanted to cover himself with the thickest winter clothes he owns; and yet he wanted that stare all for himself. This thought caused a profuse blush to spread on his tan cheeks. When he stood back up, Ken thought he saw something almost… predatory in the other's gaze. "I'm sorry, milord, you caught me at an inopportune moment. I did not mean to offend you."

"Don't do that," the taller man said softly, eyes still intent on his blushing face.

"What?" Ken asked, startled and still out of sorts with the other's intense look.

"Don't remember that you are a blacksmith and I am an earl."

Ken found himself smiling despite himself, overcoming his first impulse to gape. "You'll have to forgive me; I often have a different view of life than others."

The earl gave him an inscrutable look, his aura of mystery calling out to Ken, wishing he could unravel the enigma that was Ran. They continued to stare at each other, before Ken avoided his gaze, the blush that was slowly leaving his face going back full force.

He excused himself for a moment, hastily donning his shirt, fearing to be… devoured, for some reason. He went back to the earl, noticing the slight twitch in the other's eye at the sudden appearance of a shirt. He suddenly felt that his shirt should be on fire, but he shrugged the feeling off as worry over this strange man's appearance.

"What is it you came for, Ran?" Ken asked, daring to use his name and knowing how many would be shocked to hear him do so.

The other man smirked. "My horse threw a shoe not twenty paces from your door."

"Well then, that is fortunate for both of us," he answered.

"Yes, it would seem so."

"Fetch your horse and put him in that stall," Ken said, pointing.

Ran raised delicate eyebrow, before bowing low and disappearing outside. Ken didn't even have a moment to collect himself before the taller man reappeared, leading a magnificent black stallion.

"Beautiful," Ken murmured almost involuntarily.

"Are you referring to me or the horse?" Ran asked with another smirk on his rosy, velvety (to Ken, at least) lips.

Ken blushed, fighting the insane urge to test the softness of those smirking lips. "My, aren't we arrogant. I was, of course, referring to the animal."

"Then, you were talking about me," the earl said, his good humor gone in an instant and his eyes glinting with a harder light.

The younger man's breath caught in his throat as he stared at him. In that moment, it was easy to see him as an animal- a wild, dangerous creature that would consume him if he only let him.

Then the grim look was gone and the superior smirk was again in its place. He led the horse into the stall and secured it. Ken brushed past him and entered the stall.

"Which shoe?"

"Left foreleg."

"Easy, boy," Ken crooned as he slid his hand down the horse's silken leg.

When he reached his hoof, he lifted it for him without a fuss. "You have lovely manners," he told him.

"He learned them from me," Ran offered, a slight teasing in his tone.

"You sure it wasn't the other way around?"

The smirk grew into a not-quite-smile, his face subtly changing, becoming even more… appealing. Ken stared at him, feeling quite a few stirrings somewhere in him. Trying to shake off those weird sensations, he studied the horse's hoof.

"You treat all your customers this way?" Ran asked with an imperceptible hardening in his tone.

"No, you're special," Ken said, the words coming out inadvertently, causing him to blush once again.

"And here I asked for no special treatment," he teased.

After a moment of silence, Ken let go of the horse's hoof and straightened. "Hand me one of those files on that table, please. His hoof needs to be shaved a little before I can put on a new shoe."

Ran complied, an almost stunned look on his features as he actually obeyed. Ken slid his hand down the horse's leg again, and this time he picked his hoof up before the young man even asked. Holding it steady between his knees, he filed the edge down. As he leaned slightly into the great beast's shoulder, he nickered softly.

"He likes you," Ran said, his tone deadpan.

"The feeling is quite mutual. He's a wonderful animal."

He returned the file to Ran. "Can you get me one of the shoes hanging from the first nail on the wall, closest to me? I also need a hammer and some nails from the table below it."

The earl grabbed the things he needed and handed him the hammer, the shoe, and one of the nails. He stood close at hand with the rest.

Ken fitted the shoe onto the stallion and drove the first nail into the hoof easily. Ran placed the next one into his outstretched hand, brushing his fingers with his own. His skin warmed at the contact, but he tried not to think about it.

Ken finished quickly and patted the horse on the shoulder. "Thank you for your assistance," he told Ran as he let himself out of the stall.

"The pleasure was mine," Ran said with a small grin. "What do I owe you?"

Ken shrugged. "Let's call it even. After all, you did save me from having to kill the tanner."

The smile disappeared, and the steel returned to his gaze. "His miserable blood should not stain your hands."

The blacksmith did not know what to say, so he just stood, staring mutely into his eyes. Suddenly Ran bent closer, and for one heart-stopping moment he thought he was going to… kiss him. Instead he whispered low and fierce, "Thank you."

"For what?" he breathed.

Ran smiled grimly and shook his head before moving to the stall and leading his horse out. He left the shop without a word or a backward glance. Ken walked to the door and watched as he mounted his horse and rode off. Puzzled and feeling slightly dazed, he turned back inside and saw a small pouch sitting on the table next to the file he had used on the horse's hoof.

He picked it up and gasped when he saw that it was filled with coins. "Thank you," he whispered.


Ran's head was spinning as he galloped his horse toward the castle. The boy had seemed so familiar to him; something about him had called to him, but he didn't know what it was. He hadn't even found out his name, though his face would forever haunt his dreams. For a moment he had been able to forget the darkness in his life and he had felt truly free.

Freedom was not his, though, no matter how much he yearned for it. Mine is a life already destined, the course of my future plotted, thanks to the actions of my ancestors and this legacy they left me. He cursed his fate as he spurred his mount on.

Minutes later the hooves of his steed clattered on the stones in the castle courtyard. He slid from the stallion's back and tossed the reins to a waiting servant.

He strode into the main hall of the castle, his boots causing hollow echoes to sound throughout the corridors, until he reached the great wall, where a portrait of each marquis of Fujimiya hung. His father's was at the end, and next to it was a space where Ran's would one day hang when his father was dead and he, himself was marquis.

He glared at the wall. Four centuries of Fujimiyas all stared at him, their eyes accusing him as they always did. "I have done nothing to deserve this," he hissed.

He looked at each portrait in turn, beginning with the first- Ran, his namesake. All of them had the same pale skin, the same high cheekbones, the same flame hair. There was one thing that not all of them shared, however. The first six Fujimiyas did not have it, but all the rest did. All the rest had a darkness to them, a hungry, predatory look in their eyes. Ran knew that look; he had seen it in his own eyes when staring into pools of water.

The eyes mocked him, and he hated them for that. He turned back to the first portrait with those eyes and stood before it for a long time, unmoving. Finally, in a voice hoarse with rage, he asked, "Why?"

The portrait, as always, refused to answer.


As Ken sat down to dinner with his father and Kase, he placed the coins from his day's work upon the table. His father took one look at the large amount and raised his eyebrow.

"Something happen today at the shop?" he asked.

"Yes," Ken answered, helping himself to a chicken leg. "Simon the tanner didn't want to pay for his skinning knives. He claimed the work was shoddy."

His father turned three shades of red before he finally spit out, "That was some of the best work we've ever done!"

"I know," his son answered around a mouthful of chicken.

"What did you do?"

"I hit him a couple of times before he got his guard up."

"Ken, what have I told you about fighting?"

"I know, Father, but I was safe. He didn't touch me. It turned out he didn't even have a chance to try. Lord Ran came by and ended the fight. Simon paid and left as fast as he could."

His father's face went from red to white faster than he would have dreamed possible. "The marquis's son caught you fighting?"

"Yes, Father," he said, dropping his eyes to his plate.

"Did he say anything?"

Ken was in trouble and he knew it. His father had always warned him about how to behave in front of nobility, when and if he ever met any. He had also told him repeatedly that if any strangers dropped by the forge while he was alone, he was to tell them he was only tasked to clean the shop, and that he should go home to get Reiji. The younger man took a drink of water, debating what next to say.

"Ran had heard Simon and me arguing about our work, so it was no use pretending not to be a blacksmith too. He had come by to have one of the shoes replaced on his stallion. I did the job and told him there would be no charge since he had helped me with Simon. He left this bag of coins anyway."

He sat silent, watching his father as the older man stared off into space. "Lord Ran has a bad reputation, but it's for being a mysterious and dangerous man. If he were going to make any trouble for us regarding you and your unholy temper (Ken's jaw dropped in disbelief), it would have come already."

"I met men in Acre who knew him. They had no kind words," Kase said quietly. "He's dangerous. You should try to stay away from him, or not to even talk to him, Ken. You may not be so lucky next time."

"Yes, if you see him again, try to be polite but stay away from him, lest you say something to incite his wrath," his father instructed.

Ken nodded but didn't say a word. They ate the rest of the meal in silence, and Ken was relieved when it was time to retire for the night.

He lay down, but sleep was a long time coming. When the darkness finally did claim him, he dreamt of Ran and the way his eyes shone when he smiled.


Ran couldn't sleep. He prowled the castle, thinking. He stopped again in front of the great wall and stared at the portrait of his father. At last he turned from it, weary.

His father was off again, fighting in Jerusalem. He had come and gone often throughout the last nine years, and he had always left Ran home to watch the castle and guard the lands and titles. It had been a great burden his father had placed upon him, but it was nothing compared to the burden that they all shared. It was the dark secret carried by the men of the family that drove his father to return again and again to Jerusalem. Does he seek revenge or redemption? Ran wondered.

He didn't know; he and his father barely spoke even when they were both in the same room. We keep to ourselves, even when among our own kind.

He turned and continued pacing, his stride long and loose, his hands swinging easily at his sides. His eyes probed the darkness, seeing everything, even though he didn't need to see in the dark to move around this castle. He knew the layout so well he could walk it with his eyes closed.

At last he moved outside, the walls of the castle no longer able to cage him. Under the stars he breathed in deeply, sucking the night air into his lungs. He threw back his head and stared up at the sky. The moon was a crescent in the darkness and he stared at it, hating it and yet unable to ignore its beauty.

He paced slowly toward the stables, approaching them from downwind. The horses began to move restlessly, and he could smell their fear. Unable to smell him and know that it was Ran who approached, they were anxious, sensing only that a predator was near.

By the time he walked inside, they were whinnying in fear and kicking the walls. He stood for a moment, watching them, before he called out gently. The horses instantly quieted upon hearing their master's voice. He walked down the center aisle, meeting each of their eyes in turn.

He exited the stables and continued on to a pasture beyond. The stallion the boy in the village had shoed trotted up to the fence and thrust his nose into Ran's hand.

"You don't belong inside, penned up like the other horses, do you?" Ran asked quietly, rubbing the velvety nose. "Neither do I. That's why we get along so well, you and I."

Ran sighed and leaned against the fence. "So, what did you think of the boy?"

The horse bobbed his head up and down, making Ran smile gently. "I liked him too. I've never met a man quite like him. You know, I believe he could have killed that tanner." His smile faded as a shadow crossed his mind. "I am happy that he did not have to, though. No one should have to live with that kind of pain."

The stallion lipped at Ran's collar, and he twisted his hand in the horse's mane. "So, Shadow, what am I going to do about him?"

Shadow had nothing to say about the matter, and Ran sighed. In his mind's eye, he could still see the clear beautiful brown eyes of the man as he smiled at him. "If I am anything of a man, I will leave him to his troubles alone."

The stallion made a chuffing noise that sounded like laughter. "Thanks," Ran said sarcastically. "At least I always know where you stand." He pushed away from the fence, giving the horse one final pat. "Both of us should get some sleep if we can."

He walked slowly back inside the castle, his heart weary. The boy was better off without his interfering in his life. He was the kind of trouble he didn't need. Knowing that didn't make him feel any better, though, and didn't make it any easier for him to ignore the feeling that the boy was someone he could really care for.

TBC


Author's Notes:

Now kids, don't play with knives, okay (unless you're Farfie… or Trowa. Or is it Catherine?), especially if you're squeamish (why would you even hold a knife if you're squeamish with blood anyway!… I know I'm not making sense). It's not really nice to have scar tissue. Btw, I have this thing with blood-sucking, ne? And I still say that it works to bring blood back into your circulation but really, it's… ack.

As I'm typing this (Feb.4, 2005), we studied about Blood Pressure in my AnaPhysio lab class. My left arm still hurts from the numerous times my BP was measured (which isn't proper procedure, I know, but we had WAAY too much fun). Ouch. At least my fingers aren't pricked anymore. It's a hassle to type otherwise.

(sobs) So sorry for making Ran waaaaaaay too OOC here. I mean, come on, him actually acknowledging a lowly blacksmith? Of course, if said blacksmith has Kenken's Amazing Pecs, who could blame him, ne? (snicker)

"Isn't Ken too… stupid not to make the connection?" you might ask. Apparently, yes, he is. Hehe, just kidding. It's kind of a stretch you know, associating Ran with the wolf. And I apologize once again for overstretching things here. I mean come on, the setting of this fic is supposed to be somewhere in the west, in medieval times. Where the heck could anyone find a "Fujimiya" in the land? Oh well. Forgive me?


Replies to Reviews (Chapter 2): To my dear, beloved Reviewers, I'd kowtow before you right now if it were possible. Thank you so much for your support, and you aren't mean to me at all. That's the primary reason why I never ask for reviews (mean remarks and… stuff. But you give them anyway, and such wonderful reviews they are! You all motivate me to continue this… (mumble mumble) fic and I promise to meet your standards… okay, enough nonsense, on with the replies!

RosefaerietaleRedWhew, I hope I got your name right… again. It's okay that you didn't get it the first time. Really. I'm actually glad that you took the time to contemplate on that matter. 'Nyways, yeah, it's sad about Youji. Oh well. You liked Grandma Manx! (snicker) Nyahahaha! Arigatou! I wasn't sure how that'd go over you guys. Thanks for being the first reviewer!

lilly pad(gives innocent face) Nothing suspicious is happening… really! (hides under… table) Okay, okay, you got me! I won't tell though… you hafta wait just like everybody else, Nyahaha! How does Ran become a noble? He's the Duke's son. Is he the wolf? I dunno. Really. Thanks for the review!

Chitoshiya no Tohma … You don't like Yotan! Why! Waaaah! Meanie! … Nyahaha! Just kidding! Hmmm… better put that into account. What Ken needs…? Wow. I recall writing my first lemon. It was in 2000 (yup, I was 14!) and it makes me shudder (in revulsion) just thinking about it. I think it was a KenxOmi… Eek! (sorry to the kXo lovers out there). Here's another update. Darn it, I'm really slow, ne? Thanks!

HeatherRWai! You reviewed me… again! Waii! I could die happy right now… of course… if it wasn't for my exams next week… Err.. 'Nyways, the woods are lovely, dark and deep. That's all I can say about them. Kase is nice, I want him to be nice. But you might change your mind in the further chappies (oops, was that a spoiler!). Ran? Naked! Perish the thought! (snicker) Ehehehe… you know who that man is, there's never a doubt… I mean, who else would have striking features like that? Thanks for being patient. I share the same sentiment. I mean, fics I follow haven't been updated since 2002! Talk about slow… you are free to speculate more. Nyahaha! Thanks for the review!

The Invisible FanThe Brothers Grimm's fairytales are … grim… Ehehehe, gomen for the bad pun. They're ok though, but I love Andersen's stories more. Err… this fic is an adaptation of The Little Red Riding Hood. Kinda farfetched, ne? So sorry for the slow update. I promise that I'm gonna update as soon as I get back from our reunion. Thanks for reviewing!

beautiful-aloneIdea? What idea! Is it good! Is it bad! Waaah! Did I make you commit hara-kiri! I'M A BAD PERSON! … Ehehehe… just kidding. I need the humor in my life right now. 'Nyways, thanks so much for the review.

Ru-chanReally! Sure? (snicker) Yeah… maybe. Argh! I hate making Kase a good guy! But it was absolutely necessary for the plot. Oh well.. Wai! I SO envy Kenken right now! Seeing a naked Ran (drool)… Waaah, it was that obvious, ne? Oh well. Thanks SO much for reviewing! (prances around shouting "Ru-chan reviewed me! OH MY GAAAH!" until someone knocks some sense into her a.k.a. her brother bashes her with a pillow)

My goal in life is to master the Techniques for Solving Cognitive Moral Dilemmas for our Philo of Man finals next week Go me!