AngelCatGirl: Hello everybody! I'm so happy a lot of people are viewing this story! Hehehe, I hope you're all enjoying this even if it's way out of character. Just so you know, Zelos is going to appear in the next chapter but he and Sheena won't talk face-to-face until chapter four. Sorry. Well, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own ToS, Hawksong, or any Naruto related names and such. Yeah. :)

When I was a child, I never really was interested in politics. The only time my interest was sparked was when a visiting representative from the samurai race came to our kingdom. He was the son of the shogun who controlled more power than our kingdom ever could and they were the only reason we were able to keep our heads above the water when fighting the nobles. The boy was only a few years older than I was and at that time I was too young to know that he wasn't here like all the other children were. He was here on business with my mother. I remember her being nervous about our visitor but I never paid much attention to it. I was just a child after all, with no responsibilities and no understanding of war or pain. So I was not afraid of him. I was actually very fond of that memory…it would be the last remnants of the childhood I had before I was thrust into the world of death…

"Chief, may I have a word?" asked one of my tutors. She had gone out into the hall with my mother to talk privately. "Have you seen Orochi?"

"Orochi? He's missing? Oh my…his father was killed in the battlefield today. We haven't had the chance to retrieve the bodies. I think he must have gone in search of him." my mother replied.

Despite their attempts at discreetness I still heard every word they said. I understood that my friend Orochi was upset and that he had ran to the fields; but, I wasn't old enough to understand that nobles were still crawling around outside where my friend had fled to. I stood up and prepared to sneak out before my tutor or my mother returned. I would find my friend and bring him back before anyone knew it. The samurai boy tried to stop me from leaving but I shook off his reasoning and left anyway.

My first breath of death hit me like a brick wall. Of course I knew of the war…but I've never seen it up close. I found Orochi a while later, kneeling next to his fallen father. I appeared next to him but before I could utter a single comforting word we were both ambushed by nobles. Orochi pushed me behind him while he single-handedly fought off the nobles…and received a life threatening wound in my place. Someone attacked me from behind, but when I fought back, I found myself fighting against something as harmless as a silk blanket.

It was all a dream. One of the many endless dreams I have every night of the bloodshed. On that particular day, Orochi saved my life while I was knocked out. That day was when he changed and grew up faster than any of the other children…including myself. I wasn't too far behind him because after this incident, my mother and father were taken from me. Ever since then, we've been training with the Shinobi attack squad, Anbu for short, honing our skills and developing all the necessary abilities for survival. It's survival of the fittest after all…and I will not allow myself to become the prey.

Despite knowing I was asleep, I couldn't wake up from my nightmares. Such lucid dreams are my curse. I will probably always live with them. I walked the battlegrounds in my mind, relived every sight I have seen over my childhood, and envelop myself in the sweet, delusional feel of my memories.

I walked from my dream of Orochi to one of my arranged husband, the man who was promised to be my protector when we were merely infants. Batoushi had frightened me as a little girl. His cold and strong exterior was enough to make me want to shrink away in those first few moments I had met him face-to-face. In spite of that, I eventually learned to understand him and then love him…all in time to lose him like I had so many others. I pushed those phantom memories away and found myself facing the sapphire eyes of none other than Zelos Wilder, the man whose people were responsible for all the grief I held deep inside my body. My breath halted in my lungs when I saw that flaming red hair; I felt my throat constrict as I tried desperately to get away…to scream—

"Sheena, are you alright?"

I opened my eyes to find Orochi scanning the room for the cause my distress. He looked somewhat disheveled and showed signs of someone quickly aroused from their sleep. He wasn't actually supposed to be on duty till this afternoon, but I am grateful he is the one who heard me scream.

I took a deep breath and replied, "Yes." I wasn't too happy with the trembling in my voice so I frowned and said nothing more.

"Was it a dream?" he asked. He knew I had frequent nightmares and he was the only one I trusted to confide them to. I nodded in response and got up hastily. I knew something important must be going on if it requires the captain of the shinobi ninjas. Sensing I knew what was going on, he cleared his throat. "Your grandfather wants you to meet him downstairs once you are presentable enough." he said, turning to leave.

I grabbed his arm. My grandfather does not summon me for anything trivial. "What's going on, Orochi? Why has our Chief called me?"

I could see the hesitation clearly on his face as he ran a hand through his hair. "I think it would be best if you came down and see for yourself." He left to give me time to change.

I changed as quickly as I could and met him in the hall; from there five more guards joined our descent and made me wonder what on Earth could cause quite a commotion to have nearly all our ninja's on the edge. "What, did Zelos Wilder himself come visit us?" I asked trying to lighten Orochi's mood. He muttered something under his breath but didn't bother to join my humor. Seeing his dark mood made me question him further. "Is my grandfather alright?"

"He's safe." Orochi answered, but he didn't sound too certain. "You just need to see it for yourself."

My escorts followed me until I reached the ground level of the Temple. My grandfather was there standing with his back to us, facing the visitor with a civil gaze. From my position, I could not make out her face clearly but even from a distance I recognized that flaming red hair and matching crystal attached to the base of her neck. Not until I took my place next to my grandfather did her icy blue gaze turn to meet my purple one. That brief contact froze the blood in my veins and caused me to look away quickly with a shudder twisting up my spine.

"Sheena, this is Seles Wilder, younger sister to Zelos. She's here in peace." my grandfather told me, gesturing to the girl in front of us. He knew that introductions were unnecessary but still needed for royalty; all a part of protocol. He would not disgrace us by being rude to her. "And this is my granddaughter Sheena Fujibayashi, soon-to-be heir of our throne."

Seles nodded her head in my direction. Even that slight movement made me flinch inwardly. Though she was completely surrounded by guards she was still a dangerous person to be dealing with. There were just some things you can't do to disarm a Cruxis Angel. Zelos' ancestors passed down abilities to all their descendants, the ability to fly on transparent golden wings and being graced with a speed that almost matched a ninja's. No ninja had ever lived after seeing the glowing yellow wings of death. It was just that quick.

"We want peace." Seles stated. "We are tired of all the bloodshed and killing."

One of our guards snorted in disbelief; I didn't see who it was but my grandfather sent a chilling glance their way, warning whoever it was to keep quiet. Seles heard it and raised her voice in anger, "You are not the only one who has suffered during the war! I have lost my father, a sister, and two brothers…one of which was killed a few days ago! My brother and mother are the only things I have left. My mother is a good woman, but she is only a Wilder in name, my people will not follow her. My people need their Chosen. Zelos is the last true heir to our kingdom. I do not wish to lose another brother…" she said, whispering the last part.

"I can sympathize with your position. Mizuho has also suffered great loses of the Fujibayashi family and Sheena is the last remaining heir. I do not wish for this war to go on as much as you do…but I hope you can forgive me if I don't completely trust you. There have been too many betrayals on both sides for that. Is there something you propose we do? Some way your people are willing to make peace with ours?" Chief Igaguri asked, giving off the calm exterior of a leader and someone who was willing to listen to what she had to say.

"I came here without any weapons, with the hope that someone might listen to reason. Zelos would have come but my mother convinced him otherwise. She argued that you would rather put a knife in his back than listen to anything he had to say. Do you know how he replied? He said, 'Let them. Then maybe someone would be satisfied that they've won this war, and then maybe it'll end.' He honestly wants peace and we are willing to do anything to have it."

I barely managed to bite back a comment I am sure would have caused her to explode. Zelos Wilder was practically the Chosen with his father dead. It was hard for me to imagine the leader of the nobles saying anything remotely tolerable, much less bluntly self-sacrificing.

"And what exactly is Zelos proposing we do?" my grandfather asked.

"Form a truce." Seles answered instantly. "Zelos, my mother, and I would like to meet with you, your heir, and whomever you think is necessary."

"Where would a meeting like this take place? Surely not on your lands or ours." he said frowning.

"No, we plan to have this meeting in Derris Kharlan. Our war has not plagued their lands and they will not allow us to take our feuds there. But they will however, offer the advice they can and see if they can help us with our affairs." Seles said promptly.

My grandfather looked to me, "Sheena?"

I was about to object but remembering the blood and Helios Wilder's death made me stop. I remembered the battlefields, the reek and wail of war, the people I lost—my promised husband, my mother, my father, sisters, and my own brother who hadn't been any older than the enemy he had taken into death with him. I spoke softly, the emotions welling up inside of me made my composure delicate, "I do not completely trust them, grandpa, but if there's a chance that they are honest about peace, that Zelos Wilder is honest about peace, then I think we should take it. I would do anything to stop this war."

Igaguri nodded. "Orochi, your thoughts?"

The leader of the Anbu unit paused as he looked at Seles, "I don't like it, but Derris Kharlan is neutral territory. Even a noble who dare tries to ambush us there would be quickly apprehended by the swordsmen and executed."

"Very well." Chief Igaguri motioned for the guards to let Seles stand up from her sitting position. "Tell the Chosen that we will meet him in Derris Kharlan."

Seles smiled genuinely, "Thank you, Saitou." she said informally enough to make everyone in the room flinch. "My brother wanted me to inform you that it is your decision to pick the date for our meeting. Whatever you chose, we will be there."

I watched my grandfather converse with Orochi one more time before he confidently spoke again, "We shall meet in two weeks. It'll take us that long to make the necessary preparations for our people." I smiled at his choice. If the nobles left the instant Seles made it back, then they would have a chance to make the deadline. Doing this insures that they would not have enough time to plan a surprise attack or ambush us on the way there.

Seles smiled sweetly and curtsied, showing nothing of the annoyance she probably felt at our choice. "Thank you again, Saitou, Sheena. My prayers go with you both until then."

ACG: So what did you think? I apologize if the beginning was a bit confusing but it is the way they portrayed that scene in the book and I though it was just so cool. Hehehe, well on to the reviews!

SharinganNinja: Hey Niki! I'm so glad you're reading this! You'll still have to wait while I type up the rest. You know how the book ends so you already have your preview. :P Of course, I'm changing a few things around as well...

Linkite: Thank you for taking the time to read and review my story! I'm glad you enjoyed it:)

Cute But Psycho: Oooo, thank you so much for adding this to your favorite's list! It means a lot to me:D

Winged Dancer: Hehehe, I'm glad you stopped by! I agree that most AU fics are high school related, I suppose the authors just wanted a way to connect to the characters. Yay! You noticed my fill in characters! I'm so happy! And don't worry, you got your wish with Seles. Hehe, the character Zelos is in Hawksong actually has a sister as well so I thought it would be fitting to have her there. Thanks for the support! XD

Torrid: Thanks for reviewing:)

Sheena Fujibayashi: Thanks soooo much for adding this to your favorites! I hope you continue reading:)

Thanks everyone!