A/N: Well, after some, really enthusiastic reviews shudders I've decided to get around to updating. I do apologize for the delay, I have been super busy this summer. Between goalkeeping camp, to school soccer camp, to tournaments and work I've had little time to work on this. Plus I'm stuck in a good old writer's block. grumbles
Ulrich sighed miserably, his breath fogging the oval window. Outside was a beautiful day. He should have been out there hunting, or riding, or something! But no, he was being punished as if he were a little child.
A knock on his door caused him to groan and put a hand on his head. "Come in!" he shouted.
Aelita opened the door quietly and knelt down beside him. "Prince Ulrich? You seem troubled. Shall I help relieve you of your stress?" She smiled and began to rub his shoulders.
"Princess Aelita! I thought better of you."
"And so you should! I plan to leave here as pure as I was when I arrived."
Ulrich blushed a little but Aelita didn't notice. "You don't love me." She stated simply.
"A-Aelita?"
"It's ok, I don't love you. But in royal marriages that rarely matters. However, I cannot say I wasn't hurt by your betrayal!" She frowned, "I have too much honor and pride to stand being cheated on! Do you think I do not have a lover too? But I put my duty first! You complain about being treated like a child but that is exactly what you are!"
Ulrich stood up and turned on her. "Don't talk to me about duty! That's all my life has been about since the moment I was born! I can't stand it! I've finally found something that I want…and yet I can't have her."
Aelita placed a timid hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. Humans and Elves, we aren't so different." She smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to leave. "Oh and don't forget what I said kid." She winked and closed the doors.
Ulrich slammed his fist down on the window sill. "It's just not fair!" He fumed silently to himself. And then his eyes fell on a figure walking on the grounds outside of his window. He felt his anger leave him as a sad smile found it's way to his lips.
Yumi loved the feel of grass on her bare feet. She rarely wore shoes but her home in the forest wasn't as soft as this. She laughed softly as a butterfly fluttered around her feet. Odd smiled as he watched from near by. Oh he loved her. Why couldn't she see that? But then, Yumi was always ignorant when it came to Odd. She just saw him as she wanted to, like a brother, like a friend.
Odd sighed and glanced up at the castle, he wanted to go home. To get away from this place, it really was the best thing for Yumi. She couldn't fit in here. His eyes landed on the top window of the tower and Odd frowned. There was Ulrich, just the site of him made Odd burn with jealousy. What had he done to earn Yumi's love?
Well it was nothing to worry about. Soon Ulrich would be married, and Yumi and Odd would leave for the island. Maybe then, after Ulrich was out of the way, he would tell his love exactly how he felt…maybe…
A child cried out, a mother screamed, and the fire burned on. The rain poured, the thunder crashed and still the fire burned on. Terror and confusion reflected in their eyes. Tongues licked lips and feet marched forward. The sky cried, the gods stomped and still the fire burned on.
Yumi woke with a start. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she breathed heavily. "A nightmare, that's all it was." She muttered to herself as she hugged her knees to her chest.
Tomorrow, it was tomorrow. Tomorrow Ulrich would belong to Aelita and Yumi would never see him again. She clenched her fists and cried.
A knock on the door woke Yumi early that morning. She rose and opened the door. A maid walked in carrying a beautiful silk dress. It was red in color, Yumi hated to wear red. But she slipped into it without complaint, and even aloud the maid to brush and style her hair.
Ulrich stared at his reflection in the mirror. He tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. He sighed and wished for the umpteenth time that this wasn't happening. Not now, not ever, not like this.
She couldn't help but smile when she saw Aelita, dressed beautifully in a lavender gown with small white flowers in her pink hair. Yumi winked at the Princess as she walked by and received a bow in return. Odd reached over and touched Yumi's hand. She grasped it in her own.
Ulrich tried to keep his eyes on Aelita but he kept glancing at Yumi. She looked gorgeous, she always did, but she seemed to be avoiding his gaze. It bothered him that she felt ashamed to make eye contact. The words of the priest drifted heavily around the silent room but they never reached his ears. Only when Aelita pressed her soft lips against his did he realize what was happening. He let his eyes fall on Yumi one more time, her eyes were blurred by tears but her smile firm. She nodded and he felt his heart break as he wrapped his arms around the wrong girl.
A/N: ok, I know that was short but jeez you guys were persistent reviewers so I figured I'd better give you something. I think I'm going to have a vote, I've seen other authors do it. What would you prefer: longer chapters at least once a month or shorter chapters at least once ever two weeks.
And I'm not going to do this thanks thing very often, just takes up space really but I wanted to let you all know how much I really appreciate you reading and reviewing my story. I never really planned to take Perfect Race all that seriously, it was more of something to do. I expected that, like all my other stories, I would get one or two reviews and that be it. So thanks guys! I love you all.
Arika-of-the-Demons I updated see! I am flattered that you like my fic that much, that might be one of the nicest reviews I've ever received.
Hawke fairy Me too!
Silver Dollar I did!
Rurouni Kaoru Kenshin's Love Nice username. And don't read this if you don't want a spoiler but Odd ain't gonna get anybody. I'm always cruel to my favorite characters.
violett witch Think I should? How though?
Chinxy You'll see!
Sanity-Stealing-Lawn-Gnome I love these guys. Michiko you rock my world! Yes I do need you to look over my shoulder and bug me and tell me what to do. P.S. EVERYONE READ THEIR STORIES!
Joanna Yeah I discovered it at Michiko's house, she made me watch ever friggin episode. Now it's the theme song is like encoded into my brain.
Kay Short but sweet.
Clawsm Wow, I'm glad you like it.
Angelic Death Love the face.
Yumi165 I'm trying!
SoujiroFanatic Thankyou! I love fantasy and spend a little too much time day dreaming about fantasy stuff so I really enjoy writing about elves.
Possesed Angel I shall!
Dante The Poet Yeah, sorry bout an grammatical errors I've made. I'm not too good in that area. Grammatical is a pretty long word too.
audi katia Yay a rose! Thankyou! Um, does she really seem shallow?
Phew that took a while. Keep the reviews coming guys!
Ulrich sighed miserably, his breath fogging the oval window. Outside was a beautiful day. He should have been out there hunting, or riding, or something! But no, he was being punished as if he were a little child.
A knock on his door caused him to groan and put a hand on his head. "Come in!" he shouted.
Aelita opened the door quietly and knelt down beside him. "Prince Ulrich? You seem troubled. Shall I help relieve you of your stress?" She smiled and began to rub his shoulders.
"Princess Aelita! I thought better of you."
"And so you should! I plan to leave here as pure as I was when I arrived."
Ulrich blushed a little but Aelita didn't notice. "You don't love me." She stated simply.
"A-Aelita?"
"It's ok, I don't love you. But in royal marriages that rarely matters. However, I cannot say I wasn't hurt by your betrayal!" She frowned, "I have too much honor and pride to stand being cheated on! Do you think I do not have a lover too? But I put my duty first! You complain about being treated like a child but that is exactly what you are!"
Ulrich stood up and turned on her. "Don't talk to me about duty! That's all my life has been about since the moment I was born! I can't stand it! I've finally found something that I want…and yet I can't have her."
Aelita placed a timid hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. Humans and Elves, we aren't so different." She smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to leave. "Oh and don't forget what I said kid." She winked and closed the doors.
Ulrich slammed his fist down on the window sill. "It's just not fair!" He fumed silently to himself. And then his eyes fell on a figure walking on the grounds outside of his window. He felt his anger leave him as a sad smile found it's way to his lips.
Yumi loved the feel of grass on her bare feet. She rarely wore shoes but her home in the forest wasn't as soft as this. She laughed softly as a butterfly fluttered around her feet. Odd smiled as he watched from near by. Oh he loved her. Why couldn't she see that? But then, Yumi was always ignorant when it came to Odd. She just saw him as she wanted to, like a brother, like a friend.
Odd sighed and glanced up at the castle, he wanted to go home. To get away from this place, it really was the best thing for Yumi. She couldn't fit in here. His eyes landed on the top window of the tower and Odd frowned. There was Ulrich, just the site of him made Odd burn with jealousy. What had he done to earn Yumi's love?
Well it was nothing to worry about. Soon Ulrich would be married, and Yumi and Odd would leave for the island. Maybe then, after Ulrich was out of the way, he would tell his love exactly how he felt…maybe…
A child cried out, a mother screamed, and the fire burned on. The rain poured, the thunder crashed and still the fire burned on. Terror and confusion reflected in their eyes. Tongues licked lips and feet marched forward. The sky cried, the gods stomped and still the fire burned on.
Yumi woke with a start. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she breathed heavily. "A nightmare, that's all it was." She muttered to herself as she hugged her knees to her chest.
Tomorrow, it was tomorrow. Tomorrow Ulrich would belong to Aelita and Yumi would never see him again. She clenched her fists and cried.
A knock on the door woke Yumi early that morning. She rose and opened the door. A maid walked in carrying a beautiful silk dress. It was red in color, Yumi hated to wear red. But she slipped into it without complaint, and even aloud the maid to brush and style her hair.
Ulrich stared at his reflection in the mirror. He tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. He sighed and wished for the umpteenth time that this wasn't happening. Not now, not ever, not like this.
She couldn't help but smile when she saw Aelita, dressed beautifully in a lavender gown with small white flowers in her pink hair. Yumi winked at the Princess as she walked by and received a bow in return. Odd reached over and touched Yumi's hand. She grasped it in her own.
Ulrich tried to keep his eyes on Aelita but he kept glancing at Yumi. She looked gorgeous, she always did, but she seemed to be avoiding his gaze. It bothered him that she felt ashamed to make eye contact. The words of the priest drifted heavily around the silent room but they never reached his ears. Only when Aelita pressed her soft lips against his did he realize what was happening. He let his eyes fall on Yumi one more time, her eyes were blurred by tears but her smile firm. She nodded and he felt his heart break as he wrapped his arms around the wrong girl.
A/N: ok, I know that was short but jeez you guys were persistent reviewers so I figured I'd better give you something. I think I'm going to have a vote, I've seen other authors do it. What would you prefer: longer chapters at least once a month or shorter chapters at least once ever two weeks.
And I'm not going to do this thanks thing very often, just takes up space really but I wanted to let you all know how much I really appreciate you reading and reviewing my story. I never really planned to take Perfect Race all that seriously, it was more of something to do. I expected that, like all my other stories, I would get one or two reviews and that be it. So thanks guys! I love you all.
Arika-of-the-Demons I updated see! I am flattered that you like my fic that much, that might be one of the nicest reviews I've ever received.
Hawke fairy Me too!
Silver Dollar I did!
Rurouni Kaoru Kenshin's Love Nice username. And don't read this if you don't want a spoiler but Odd ain't gonna get anybody. I'm always cruel to my favorite characters.
violett witch Think I should? How though?
Chinxy You'll see!
Sanity-Stealing-Lawn-Gnome I love these guys. Michiko you rock my world! Yes I do need you to look over my shoulder and bug me and tell me what to do. P.S. EVERYONE READ THEIR STORIES!
Joanna Yeah I discovered it at Michiko's house, she made me watch ever friggin episode. Now it's the theme song is like encoded into my brain.
Kay Short but sweet.
Clawsm Wow, I'm glad you like it.
Angelic Death Love the face.
Yumi165 I'm trying!
SoujiroFanatic Thankyou! I love fantasy and spend a little too much time day dreaming about fantasy stuff so I really enjoy writing about elves.
Possesed Angel I shall!
Dante The Poet Yeah, sorry bout an grammatical errors I've made. I'm not too good in that area. Grammatical is a pretty long word too.
audi katia Yay a rose! Thankyou! Um, does she really seem shallow?
Phew that took a while. Keep the reviews coming guys!