Wasn't that last chapter depressing? Sorry, I'm a sad case... anyway; I switched the rating to PG 13 some more people will read! YAY!...meh...ah on with the show!

Disclaimer- Man I hate these things now...they suck...yes I said it...they SUCK! WRARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!...

I don't own Beyblades...yes they made me say it...the voices just wouldn't stop...

Kai's P.O.V

I lay awake that night. I had brought Mariah to my tent and she lay, sleeping, beside me. This whole thing was screwed up. Tala had gone missing, Rei's spirit inhabited my body, and new emotions were becoming clear in my mind. Unwanted emotions. How would I tell Mariah that Rei was gone? That she had no one left? I lay and gazed at the top of the tent as she tossed and turned beside me. I turned on my side and pulled her to my chest. She stopped tossing and lay still in my arms.

'She's your responsibility now.'

Those words didn't want to leave my mind. Rei had first said them to me, now Boris. The fact that Rei wasn't speaking to me wasn't sitting well either. I knew I originally wanted him gone... but I wanted to know what happened. How he died and why Mariah doesn't know he's dead. I laid and pondered these thoughts until morning. About an hour after the sun rose, the trumpets played, signaling we had one hour to pack and be ready to leave. Mariah jumped at the sound and peeked out of the tent. She had slept fully clothed. I also got out of the bed, and slipped my shirt back on. I never slept with my shirt on, it bothered me, but I kept everything else on, including my sword. I ran my hand through my blue hair as I walked to the door (Actually a curtain-ish thing). Her hair was perfect. There was not a spec of dirt to be seen. Amazing how women did that. I took her hand and led her out of the tent. She seemed too afraid to do it on her own. She kept close as we made our way through the crowds. I could tell she wasn't used to being in big crowds of men.

"Your horse, sir." someone handed me the reigns to my horse. I nodded in thanks, even though I had no idea who that was. I didn't like spending time with the other soldiers.

"Another horse..." she muttered. Why was she afraid of horses? I mounted and waited for her to join me.

"Come on..." I held out my hand.

"No."

"Mariah!"

"No!"

"...please?..."

"No!"

"Having trouble Kai?" Boris rode up beside me, his face mocking my every move.

"Not at all..." I picked Mariah up forcefully and placed her infront of me on the horse. Boris needed to see that I had no emotions towards her. She seemed agitated at this move, but she understood.

"Hmph...Just keep her on a short leash Kai. She's a trouble maker." he shot her a dirty look. She may have shot one back because Boris looked angry and left.

"I don't like horses..." she muttered.

We had been riding for awhile. I was sure the town was close by now. I didn't know why, but I was worried about Tala. It wasn't like him to go ahead of everyone else, and without Mariah, his prize. Maybe it was because of what Boris had done earlier. Pride was all that guy had. Pride was all any of us had.

"Are you alright?...Cold? Hungry?" it was unusual of me to be asking such things. I wasn't used to caring for a girl before. She shook her head, no. Maybe she was still mad about earlier? I leaned in closer to her, and she leaned into me.

"Something's wrong..."

"Nothing...don't worry I'm not a baby that needs to be constantly looked after. I've survived by myself before and I can now." I felt like she had hit me. "I'm sorry...it's just...last night bugged me." she was talking about the kiss. I hadn't stopped apologizing for it all night, but I don't think it was the fact that I had done it.

Mariah's P.O.V

It wouldn't leave my head. The sure bliss of kissing him. My lips tingled at the thought of a repeat of last night. I knew I ached for him, and sitting very close to him on a horse wasn't helping either. How could I be thinking this when Rei was alive?...Was he alive? YES! Of course he was. How could I doubt it? Oh god the elders were going to kill me now!

Time flew by...and I didn't remember half the trip. I fell asleep about an hour in, and didn't wake up. It was so comfortable, being with Kai...I didn't feel alone. I couldn't give up on Rei though...I loved Rei to much...I bore...no. I didn't bear his child, that never happened. I didn't want it to have ever happened.

"Mariah...Mariah wake up." My eyes fluttered open, taking in the scene before me. We weren't on a horse...or even outside.

"Kai?..." I mumbled. I was laying in a bed, covered in warm blankets, Kai hovering over me. "Where...are we?"

"Were in the city...you...are you feeling alright? You've been out for three days!" he turned around, getting a wet cloth from a bowl of water. He was hiding his face from me. The room was very grand. "Kai...are we...in a palace?" He came back to my side, placing the cloth on my forehead. It was soothing...but it was even more comforting when Kai sat next to me, pushing a strand of hair from my face.

"Yes...I rode ahead of the others. It will be about a day before they arrive. Until then...I have things to attend to myself, but I'm not leaving your side."

"Why?" We sat in silence. Kai seemed so cold on the outside, but he rescued me more than once...their was...just something about him that made me feel happy. I carefully sat up and wrapped my arms around the strong shoulders, nuzzling my face into his neck so I could envelope his smell. "Never mind." I whispered. He stayed still, unsure of what to do. "I'm actually feeling a lot better...having you here. May I come with you?"

He hesitated a moment before answering. It may have been because of the position I had put him in. "No. I can't have you come. This won't be any place for a woman to go." he stood and I let go, sinking back into the bed.

"Alright..." I muttered as he turned his back on me.

"I'll...be back." he left, leaving me to the cold lonely room. I sighed and got up. Kai hadn't undressed me, and I wasn't sure if it was because he was a gentleman or thought I wasn't worthy. I shivered as the door opened, a man entered, obviously unaware that I was occupying this room. He was dressed like a soldier would.

"Master Kai? Oh I'm sorry mam'n...is-" he stood, green hair tied in a braid behind his back. We starred at each other. "M...Mariah!"

"Zio?" I blinked a couple times as he strode toward me, smiling.

"You're alive! You survived! But...how?" I accepted his embrace, then pulled away at the thought of surviving.

"It's a long story Zio..."

"You're...Kai's bed maiden!"

"NO!" he looked around, obviously skeptical. "NO!" I repeated it, trying to convince him.

"Sure..." he backed away from me and sighed. "Do you know where he went?" It was obvious what he was trying to do, avoid me. Did he think I was a slut!

"No." I was angry with Zio now. He mumbled something to himself and left. I sat in the corner of the room, and waited for Kai to return.

Kai's POV

I didn't return until late. I had thought it over, and decided I had done the wrong thing. Pushing Mariah away was not what I needed to do. It was lonely without her, and even more painful than I had first anticipated. Why was this happening? I couldn't fall in love...I was too strong. Too deep...and even more cold. I cringed at the way I had been treating her. Gentle...

"Kai!" I turned around, looking at Boris.

"You're here faster than I expected..." I muttered, walking up to him. All he was doing was sending me on a wile goose chase, and he knew it.

"The meeting with the King will be early...6 sharp."

"Boris...where is Tala?"

"He's not here?" is voice was mocking me.

"No. He's not."

"Oh well...poor Tala, I wonder where he could have gotten off too..." he turned, and walked away. I glared at him, then turned around myself and walked to my room. It was obvious...Boris had done something to Tala...I entered my room, furious as all hell. Once the door was shut, I took my anger out on the nearby desk, sending it to the floor, contents scattered across the rug.

"Kai?..." her voice was quiet, she didn't want to agonize me further. I ripped off my shirt and threw my sword on the floor, growling. It was not only Boris who had caused my temper. My connection in this town decided not to show up, I got mobbed by mothers trying to marry off their daughters, and a rumor had been spread about Mariah. Who the hell knew she was my bedmaiden? WAIT! Mariah WASN'T my bed maiden! She was purely...purely...what was she to me? A...prize?

"Kai?" she repeated my name, standing up and carefully walking towards me. Yes...that's all she was. A bed maiden. Once she was close enough I grabbed her roughly by the wrist, yanking her to my chest and looking down upon her. She looked up, her eyes full of confusion. This morning I had rejected her...and now I wanted her. Too bad...If I had to deal with these raw emotions, so did she. I pressed my lips against hers, forcing my tongue into her mouth, making her melt. I pulled away, picked her up and threw her on the bed, following quickly and pinning her down. I forced my mouth upon hers again, tightly gripping her wrists in one hand while the other tore at the fabric separating her flesh from my touch. I lifted my head up, catching my breath while she gasped for air.

"Kai...Kai what are you doing!"

"Shut up." I let her hands go so that I could slip her dress off, but she hesitated and folded her arms across her chest, not allowing me to pull the dress off.

"Stop Kai!" she yelled. I pressed my lips to hers again as she struggled against my body. Anger, frustration, confusion and chaos ripped at my mind forcing me to rip her arms apart, and tear off the dress.

"Kai! Get a hold of yourself!" he was back...why now of all times did he chose to be back!

"Shut up!" I yelled out loud. Mariah was whimpering as she lay, naked in front of me.

"Kai! Stop this you're losing it! You're hurting her!" I couldn't even control myself...I had sunk my teeth into her neck. She didn't scream though, instead, she quietly wept as my ravaging tongue licked the steady stream of blood from the wound. Rei was screaming in my head and I ignored him, smirking.

"Kai..." I stopped as her shaking body quietly uttered those three words, "I love you."

Rei stopped screaming, becoming quiet as well as Mariah, them both waiting for my reaction. I looked into her teary eyes, regaining my sense of self, cringing at what I had done...what she had said in spite of it all. She placed a shaking hand on my cheek and, as if she had read my mind, she said it again to assure me, "I love you, Kai."

I could almost feel Rei twinge. Hearing your love say they loved someone else...I could tell it was ripping him apart.

I stopped myself...stopped the pain that created the monster that hurt her. I didn't want to hurt her...I wanted to love her. I laid my head against her bare chest, letting the unfamiliar tears flow from my grey eyes. A horror I never wanted to happen...almost a sin to my very being. Crying...

She cuddled me, brushing my hair every so often with soft fingers and gentle hands. The tears wouldn't stop...like my body ached to get them all out. I cried the rest of the night, for reasons uncountable. Rei had gone again, and all that was left was me and Mariah...we were together. I would be able to protect her...to do what Rei was unable to do...protect her from people like me.

Mariah's P.O.V

He fell asleep before I did; laying on my chest as if my body was the one thing that stopped him from taking this all out on himself. My mind still argued with my heart, saying...no accusing me of not believing Rei was alive, when all I wanted was to hold...to comfort Kai. I barely knew him...or what he had gone through. I would find out in time...but this wasn't it.

The next morning was somewhat different than any other morning I had ever had before that. I awoke to little kisses placed along my neck, and looked down at the little boy who had created them, a cry for my attention. I don't know why now I had seen him as a little boy, but I was soon to find out he was very much a man.

"Are you feeling better?" I smiled, running my hand through his hair. Rei's was longer.

"Yes. I-"

"Let me guess...have things to do?" he nodded. It was predicable, but that was the life of Kai. The having things to do part. So, he got ready for his day. Cleaning up and getting dressed. I remained in bed, but when he left, I decided to get ready myself, get ready to spy. That's what I was good at. So once I was ready, I entered the halls, walking around and noting my way back. Kai said there was a meeting today...or once everyone got to the castle at least. Speaking of the castle...it was familiar. I ignored the thought and proceeded to where I thought was the throne room.

Kai's P.O.V

I knelt in front of the King as Boris stood in front of us. Only important people were present in the room, besides the maids that is. The King...I believe his name was Fitzgerald or Archibald or something off like that. Anyway, he was about to begin talking when Tala rushed in, quick strides ed him to my side and he took up the position I was currently in... Knelt down with his head bowed.

"Nice of you to join us..." I muttered. He ignored me, giving and evil glare to the floor in front of him. Boris made a smart ass comment toward him and I missed it. After he apologized to the King, he began.

"I regret to inform you that you have caught our city at a time of mourning. Proper preparations had not been made for your arrival and I apologize greatly."

"No need your highness, for we come with great news." Boris had news? How come I had not been informed!

"Yes, you have mentioned this before Boris...but before we get into discussions of the war, I must inform you of our losses." Boris growled. He hated being put second. Too bad you old coot.

"Yes..." he muttered.

"My brothers' village has been brutally slaughtered."

We all looked up. The King was solemn-faced, but continued.

"You know of the village Boris. The one my nephew was about to reign over...after my brothers accident. Everyone has been killed, including him. Nothing left...houses burned, the castle looted..." my stomach was turning, my heart gripped in pain. "It's all gone..."

"Pity..." Boris resumed his smirk. I looked at Tala, and Tala looked at me. We both knew what was going on.

"Rei...never had a chance..."

No. No this wasn't happening. The village...the massacre...everything. We had done it. I had commanded the troops on Boris' order...to destroy the village and everyone in it. It was my fault Rei was dead...I had killed him with my own hands. I could see in Tala's eyes that he, too, was realizing what we had done. Boris had made us all traitors to the crown...and if one of us ratted, we were all doomed to die. The room had gone a deafening silent...until a table fell over and a vase smashed on the floor that is.

Mariah's P.O.V

I had been supporting myself on a table...the shock was too much. He was dead...Rei WAS dead! NO!

I was on the ground, laying for all to see, pieces of vase shattered around me. I was crying. I couldn't help but cry. My love was gone...forever. I wouldn't be able to hold him...or comfort him. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

"NO!" I wailed as Boris picked me up, glaring into my watery eyes. I shut them tightly.

"I beg your pardon, your highness...we have a little maid who can't behave herself at all."

"Deal with her now Boris."

"Of course...Tala!" Tala hesitated, still looking at Kai, then stood and briskly bowed to the King, walking over to us he took me gently from Boris and took me out of the throne room. Tala...gentle? It was odd for sure but I had no time to care.

"No! Rei! Rei!" I cried, struggling against him.

"Shut up..." he muttered, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. "It's...alright..."

"No it isn't alright! He's dead! He's DEAD!" my throat hurt from yelling, but I continued to do so.

"Stop!"

"REIIIIII!" I screamed.