To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 5

Ten years ago...

Kyou stood as he looked at the vanity his mother had made specially for him, the white enamel a soothing ruby around the edges. It must have cost her more than a fortune or even a close call with a few people. His mother had died a short time before his father had gone away. However, he didn't know how to run the kingdom like his mother and father had done together. In his hands held a picture of his supposedly to be fiance from the Seno Kingdom. All he knew was that there was something about her that he had to see for himself. He smiled a moment before going outside the door, what was going on there? The castle had begun shaking for no apparent reason, and he had no idea why. "Kazuki! What's going on!"

"Your majesty, there has been a destruction of the center tower! Your lotis tutor was supposed to go there for a meeting, and has not returned since." The blonde nodded to the black haired royal in front of him.

"Where is Eric when we need him the most? Find him quickly and make sure to hasten your search!" The servant nodded before running towards the destruction of the central tower. The young king ran through to the lotis tutoring room to find an answer. Inside it he tugged open what books he could find and read a bit on each. The castle's shaking continued still as he tried to find a solution to the problem. He returned to the hall after finding no solution, completely missing any signs that had been in front of his eyes. He returned to find a still shaken Kazuki in front of his door.

"Eric left the castle, and there is no sign of a way to save the castle! Please get out of here quick your majesty!" The blonde's face began to fall as his eyes began to shut. It was then Kyou saw the death arrow in his private servant's back. Kyou grasped the picture of his betrothed before feeling the rubble of the castle began to overtake his room. The hallway began to collapse as he felt someone pull him away from the rubble. However, his conciousness had been hit with a few pieces of stray rubble and could barely see his savior.

The lotis garden (present day)...

"Why did you only grab my picture? You could have taken anything else except my picture. There's no point having a picture that will have no value to you in the future." Her hands quickly tugged at the bench she had been laying against him on. He pulled her back down and placed an arm of comfort around her waist.

"It did, I met you and found you more than just a fiance."

"What do you mean? It's just a picture..."

"It's a picture of a woman I'm in -" Alice's face changed to shock as she tried to wriggle away from him, she had to get her head together and get these feelings straight. How could he have been so blunt right as she was confused of her own feelings? She stood wobbily as she tried to move her body through the garden. However, her energy still had yet to return to her, so she began to fall once again as Kyou padded her fall and helped her sit on the bench once again.

"I have yet to figure out my own feelings myself, and you confuse me more..."

"I know, and I have yet to figure out my own emotions Alice, I cannot tell if this is more than friendship."

"I see...could you help me to my room?" They both smiled as Kyou gook his prior position and nodded to her in response. He let her move her legs more as he felt she could handle the pressure of moving her legs. When they had arrived, Kyou kept himself to look away as she changed into her night wear. She pulled up the covers before letting him look over at her once again. He smiled before placing a hand to her revealed hand. Her face still looked as if worried about someone else.

"What's wrong?"

"Has anything happened to Mayura? I've already figured out my parents won't be coming home anymore. I had already figured it out without Scipio telling me. The maram could have also killed my sister..."

"Nothing has happened in Norway. Your sister and her husband are well guarded by other lotis thieves. Her husband was saved from Norway, there's no one better to protect her."

"I see, Kyou, would you...sleep with me tonight? I know it's stupid and you can always say no."

"Well, give me a moment, someone's knocking at the door."

"Okay." Her eyes took a moment to relax before allowing him to open the door. He met Scipio's face at the door, and he closed the door behind him as he waited for what Scipio was to say.

"Alice will be starting her field test in a few weeks, begin testing her with a simulation."