Disclaimer: Big surprise here, I still don't own Furuba, but I will soon be the proud owner of a one of a kind Furuba button created by yours truly. Yeah!

A/N- This chapter is dedicated to my beta Knux Girl. Without her, you guys wouldn't be getting a story...well you would but it would be filled with mistakes and be really horrible to read. Everyone give big hugs to Knux Girl!

Chapter 4: First Impressions


Eight hours. Eight hours of friendly banter. Eight hours of insightful conversations. Eight hours of sleeping (and drooling) on eachothers shoulders. Eight hours of becoming closer than ever. The Yuki and Tohru that exited the airplane were not the same who boarded it.

Maybe it was because they were alone. Maybe it was because they were all eachother had. Or maybe, it was because they had finally admitted to themselves their true feelings, even if they still they refused to tell eachother.

"What do we do next?" Yuki asked looking around at the bustling airport.

"I don't know..." Tohru replied uncertainly, "I was told I would be met here..."

"Excuse me Miss Honda?" A deep male voice asked politely behind her. She whirled around quicly in surprise along with a suspicous Yuki.

"You!" Tohru stated surprised.

"Do you know him?" Yuki asked somewhat jealous, okay, a lot jealous. The strange man was handsome and had an intelligent look in his guarded eyes. He held himself with a dangerous grace and betrayed nothing with facial expressions. If the roof were to fall in Yuki doubted if the man would even blink.

"No, but I saw him watching me in the airport." The man twitiched at that and Yuki couldn't help but smile he had most likely been trying to hide his pressence from her. But why?

Yuki stepped protectively in front of the girl. "What do you want?" He demanded in as dangerous a voice as he could muster.

The man in the leather jacket bowed formally his hand over his heart. "It would be my honour if you would join me at the Twilight Palace of Mayuko under the invitation of his Royal Highness the King." He said the phrase as if it were rehearsed many times and then hastily added, "And your friend as well, of course." He offered his arm to her and Tohru didn't know what else to do but accept it. Yuki followed them walking stiffly. He didn't like this guy.

The man led them to a black car and opened the door for Tohru, she slid to the far side and Yuki followed. The man shut the door and sat in the passenger seat himself.

"Who are you?" Tohru asked tentatively breaking the awkward silence.

"I am Prince General of Mayuko's Home Guard. First defence of the royal family. My life is your, princess."

Tohru flushed, "Oh no, I don't want your life. People's lives should belong to themselves." That last comment was in a venoment whisper that was barely overheard by Yuki.

"But..." the Prince General seemed uncertain, "My life is your's... I am your body guard, in a sense. I am sworn to protect the crown's successor no matter what, even if I must give my own life, princess."

An uncomfortable silenced reigned, thoughts flittered in and out of Tohru's head as they rode. There wasn't much to do but think. The windows were so tinted and the night was so dark that you could not see outside, and neither Yuki or the Prince General, who's name she still did not know, seemed incline to carry on a conversation.

So, Tohru thought about Yuki and how much more comfortable she was around him now, and the wonderful time they had shared during the flight. She thought of Shigure, Kyo and the rest of the Sohma's and wondered what they were doing. But everytime she found herself thinking about the new man. She studied him out of the corner of her eye.

He was young, she realized, younger than she had thought at first glance. Probably only five years older than herself. He was rather handsome, but not as handsome as Yuki of course. He had deep brown hair and clear blue eyes, high cheek bones and a proud, clean shaven face.

He looked at her and their eyes met, she flushed (again) and quickly dropped her eyes. The butterflies in her stomach were a clear warning signal; this man was going to be trouble.

"We're here," the man said. Tohru looked up as her door was opened by a man in a suit. Though the man was quite distinguished it was not he that caught her attention but the building that stood behind him.

It was majestic building made of white marble with gold trimming all the edges. The roof was made out of a dark onyx-like material that reflected the stars small light giving it the effect of a night sky itself. Beautiful trees with delicate flowers closed into tight buds for the night still released their fragrances in the air. Tohru was so in awe she didn't see the tuxed man's arm until he cleared his throat, loudly, for the third time.

"Oh sorry," she gratefully accepted his arm and he led her up the smooth white steps as Tohru tried to look everywhere at once. Inside was even more magnificant. Red and gold seemed to be the theme, all the heavy velvet curtain were crimson with gold tasseling and the carpet was a deep red with gold embroidery. Exquisite statues lined the walls as did tapestries depicting various scenes. Tohru found her eyes drawn to the pictures on the walls

They had were the royal family from the pass 200 years. Everywhere she looked she saw little pieces of herself, there was a woman with her hair, that man there had her ears, and there those were her eyes! Her family. Her blood. Was this where she belonged? They stopped at a pair of huge mahogany doors. Two footman stood to the side wearing the colours red and gold (big surprise), they each bowed to her and then swung open the door.

She was momentarily blinded by the light but soon adjusted. The room was enormous and was just as elegant as the rest of the palace, if not more so. At the far end of the room sat someone she had been waiting to see for a very long time.

Did she belong here? Well there was only one way to find out. Bravely she took her first step into the room, then another, and then another. Before she knew it she was at the far end of the window-filled room.

She was in awe of the regal looking man in front of her. Although he was old he carried himself with a grace that reminded her of her mother. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Yuki and the man who's name she still did not know (I really need to learn his name, she thought), bow gracefully so she pulled a somewhat wobbly curtsy.

The man stood up and for the first time Tohru noticed there were tears in his eyes. Faster then she would have thought possible the man, her grand father, dashed down the stares and fiercely hugged her. She found she was crying and hugging him back. "Welcome home," he whispered brokenly in her ear.

And finally she knew it was true. She did belong.

A/N Well there it is. Hope you guys liked it.

MegTao