Author's Note: Hello there! Yup, I'm starting another story! Just to warn you, I'm an irregular updater. That means I update when time permits, or when I have no homework! I'll be a better updater when summer break rolls around. Kya...Anyways, I will still update my other story. I just felt that I should give this one priority. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy this story!

Disclaimer: I believe it's quite obvious that I don't own Kingdom Hearts or the characters therein. Probably all KH fans know that Square-Enix and Disney are the sole owners of this particular franchise. That all said, on with the fic!

Tell Me a Tale

Prologue: Once Upon a Time

By Risako

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.

...Helen Keller

xXxXx

"Okay! I'm ready! Can you tell me a story now?"

"Of course. What kind would you like to hear?"

"The one I hear you talking about with the grown-ups. The one about the prince with the key!"

"Oh. That one. Well, that's not really a story."

"Pleeease? I wanna hear it."

"Well, I'll try...Once upon a time, there was a handsome young prince who lived in a castle."

"Handsome, mom? How do you know that?"

"I don't. I'm making it up. Anyways, he was the prince of a great kingdom. However, there was a war going on. And he wanted to stop it."

"That is so cliché, mom."

"I suppose it is."

"Well, go on please."

"An evil infected the world. Not just any evil, but a kind of darkness. First the bloodshed of war, now this. So the prince had to go on a journey. A...handful of people joined him, and they set off to save the world. And...that's about all I know."

"What! That can't be the end!"

"It isn't. I just...don't know the rest."

"But-"

"Goodnight, hon."

There was an odd feeling hanging in the castle. Maybe it was because the king was completely stressed out. Maybe it was because the prince was being awfully quiet. Or perhaps it was because the soldier that had delivered that 'urgent' letter looked half dead. Nonetheless, this feeling would forever change the world of a carefree, young boy.

"Sora, if you're ever in trouble, just look up to the sky for help."

That was what the last letter said. The queen had sent news of her travels. She had been making good progress, nearly reaching her destination.

"The stars are up there, watching over you. So have faith in the sky."

Last time the deliverer was happy and healthy. This time, he was so battered, it took all his strength just to reach the castle gate. Hopefully...maybe...he was just tired.

"Have faith in destiny, Sora. The world lives upon faith."

He didn't understand what his mom was talking about. He was only seven years old.

Finally, his steps came to a halt. The towering doors of his father's quarters loomed above him. So this was where his feet led him. He really wanted to go in, but then again, he was scared to. But he needed to find out what that new letter said.

After quietly tapping a few times on the door, but receiving no answer, he creaked it open just a notch. What he saw didn't seem out of the ordinary. The king was at his desk, hunching over a crinkled piece of paper.

The prince took a deep breath, then inched into the room. "Dad...Is that a letter from mom?"

The king did nothing. He didn't even lift his head to acknowledge his son's presence.

The boy's wild chestnut hair bobbed up and down as he walked over to the king. "You can tell me. I'm grown up enough." He was tempted to just snatch the letter away or just peek over his father's shoulder, but he promised his mom. He'd be a good boy until she returned. But the letter seemed to signal off a voice in his head. If she returns...If...if...

"I'm sorry, Sora..." came the hoarse voice of the king.

The prince blinked a few times. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong."

"This letter...was from the knight protecting your mother. He sent one of his men to deliver this letter."

Something got caught in the prince's throat. How annoying...Why couldn't he swallow? And he didn't feel too good anymore...Not that he felt good to begin with...

"According to the soldier, the knight was...killed soon after he handed him the letter."

"But---what about mom?" the prince managed to choke out. That's weird...The room was starting to look fuzzy...Maybe he wasn't hearing right.

"That's what this note was talking about. Remember--in the last letter?--she said she was really close. She said she was nearly there. Oh, I shouldn't have let her chase after such nonsense. Such, such nonsense. She really believed there was a Kingdom Hearts."

A sob escaped the king's lips. The prince raised his head to look into his father's face. He'd never seen his dad cry. Why was he crying? His mother was coming back, wasn't she? She promised...

The king placed a shaky hand on the prince's shoulder. "The knight...he wrote that he was terribly sorry. He said he had failed. He failed to protect the queen. I'm sorry, Sora. She isn't coming back."

The boy took a step back, shoving off his father's arm. He tried to avert his eyes to something, anything, besides his father.

"That can't be right. She promised." Finally, he locked eyes with the king, searching frantically for some sign of a joke. "Right dad? She promised. The knight was lying. Right?"

But the king didn't meet his gaze. He was staring at the ground with such a solemn look.

Sora couldn't take anymore. He dashed out of the room, ignoring his father's calls. Everything else was just a blur. How he got to the courtyard without being caught didn't even cross his mind. He didn't even know where he was going or even cared. Somehow, he found himself at the foot of one of the ugliest trees in the garden.

The prince's breathing became strained, bursting in short gasps. The queen was gone...His mother...Forever...All for a stupid dream to find a place that only existed in fairy tales.

xXxXx

"Boy! Get over here!"

The mentioned boy groaned as he slowly rose up. Why didn't he hide like his father told him to? Stupid. Maybe he was just a fool.

"I said get over here!"

And I wish you'd just shut up.

"Boy!"

Riku sighed, trudging towards the guard. Even though he was foolish, the king was just plain idiotic to attack one of his own towns. Accusing them of treason was just an excuse to sell the people as slaves. He didn't think the king would be that desperate, selling his own people to neighboring kingdoms. But then again, if the king didn't sell any slaves, then the kingdom would have no money at all. The war had run their supplies dry, as well as their former wealth. Also, selling slaves provided minimal peace with at least a few countries. Nonetheless, Riku believed that was a new all-time low for the 'almighty, wonderful and merciful king'. So much for the respect he had for him.

"All of you, line up against the wall!" the slave master barked.

All the boys, even the one with silver hair, did as they were told. That was all they could do, what with all the soldiers carelessly waving daggers in their faces. The prospective buyers, meanwhile, swarmed through the gate, snatching up the strongest and healthiest boys before anyone else.

Riku kept his head lowered. What was the point? If someone bought him, he'd probably just run away later. Or maybe he could just sneak out now while everyone was busy with the other boys. Hopefully. Hope was really running dry nowadays.

A dark shadow hovered over him, causing him to jerk his head up. What he saw was the tallest man he had ever seen. It would be hard to ignore this man. He looked to be a fierce warrior who trained countless days. But that wasn't the odd thing about him. This man kind of like...himself.

"I'll take this one. I believe he'll make a good mercenary," he said, with what Riku believed to be a sneer on his face.

Wait a minute...Riku gulped. "Mercenary?"

xXxXx

Traveling on a well-worn dirt road was not that uncommon...unless you were a little seven-year-old girl traveling by yourself.

Kairi had, just a month before, left her burning village. Some would wonder why she still remained cheerful. But Kairi had her reasons. One, she was alive. If her brother hadn't saved her, she would be dead. Two, she had a promise to look forward to. Her mother, papa, and brother each promised to meet up in the nearest town. They would be separated, yes, but they would eventually meet up again.

But the next town was a long way to go. Plus, she wasn't even sure which town was the closest. Maybe, if she went through all of them, she'd eventually find somebody she knew.

But Kairi was just a little girl. She didn't want to be alone, or face the disappointment of finding nobody she knew in every town she crossed. She didn't ask to have her village destroyed, or her friends and family taken away. She didn't want it to show, but deep down inside, she strongly believed her life, which used to be so wonderful, turned out to be very awful. It was never fair. Life slapped her in the face at the worst possible moment. And yet...she still had faith that it would turn out better. She had to have faith, or else she would just give up. She wouldn't have the will to think of anything else except her misfortune. That was why she was setting off by herself. She'd find her own way, support herself with little or no help at all, and find her family. This way, there was always some hope.

However, walking from town to town was making her quite tired. She was too tired to even get the map from her backpack. Above, the sun shone with merciless rays. Sweat dripped non-stop down her forehead, forcing her to constantly wipe it and slow down.

"Shade would be good right about now," she muttered, attempting to block the sun with her small hand. Too bad all the trees in the area were burned down. War is such a fickle thing. It strikes when you least expect it. And, to a young girl like her, it seemed absolutely pointless.

Kairi sighed and let her arms flop to her sides. What was the point of blocking the sun? It would make her arms tired, which would probably mess up her journey even more.

She lifted her head, then allowed her feet to stop. Up ahead was a fork in the road. "Which one? Which one? Hmm..." she pondered out loud. She pulled off her hat, deciding that if it flopped upside-down, she'd go left. If it landed right-side-up, then right she'd go.

Perhaps this moment was her turning point. Maybe her success in life depended on which way she went. It all depended on if fate decided to be kind.

Author's Note: Welp, I suppose I'll leave you guys there. For once, I've put my homework aside. Maybe I should do that more often...Ah...Can't risk it. Anyways, I hope you'll stay with me for the next installment! Chappie 1, here I go! Hope to see you soon!

Risako