A/N: Ahhh Once again thanks to dementedchris for editing and previewing this chapter (I never realized how often I like to switch tenses.... ¬.¬) thanks for your troubles :)

Also thank you to the people who reviewed :) Noa, this chapter will tell u where Aoshi is hehehe....

AH this is a really short chapter.. but I've said everything I needed to for this part.. so... eh.. the next one will be longer!! promise! ^_^

Chapter Two

The afternoon sun was hot and dry despite the cool spring breeze. Aoshi wiped the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his white tunic, trimmed with green and black stripes. The King had sent him to watch the southern border in case the Tuniwian army decided to go around the south with a surprise attack. There had been no activity here in the three winter months he'd been posted here but he could see why they had to stay.

He was born to a poor peasant family within the capital and had joined the army after his father's death, at a mere 12 years of age, in hopes of earning some money to help support his mother and three younger siblings. Immediately, his potential was recognized. He mastered sword skills with amazing speed and precision, able to mimic any move after seeing it only once. His courage on the battlefield was well known and he quickly rose in the ranks and became the commander of the elite squadron, the scorpions at only twenty-one years of age. The soldiers were skeptical at first with someone so young in charge but he soon earned the respect and loyalty of his men. No one dared disobey his orders but they also knew that they were free to voice their own opinions if they had other thoughts. After four years in command, only the newer soldiers would sometimes suggest other wise when Aoshi gave orders, since the older more experienced ones have long since learned to trust his decisions.

Aoshi often found his mind wondering at this time of day to a certain blue-eyed young lady with long raven hair. He often berated himself for thinking of her. She had appeared one day with the other girls who were usually able to bribe the gatekeepers into letting them into the barracks to watch the soldiers train. Her sapphire eyes and the innocence she freely displayed immediately caught his attention. It helped that those eyes were staring right at him and did not leave their target for the duration of their practice. When he had a few minutes to rest she didn't hesitate to run over and talk to him in such a carefree and excited manner that he often wondered where she was able to store all of that energy she displayed so liberally. After their first meeting, she had come every day at around the same time in the late afternoon, and had gotten in to the habit of bring him a cup of green tea every time.

Tea was rare, and thus expensive. It would have had to come from across the seas from other lands, as the plant could not grow in the dry climate prevalent in Seralon. Even though she wore clothing of simple white linen, Aoshi could see by the quality of the heavy fabric, that she was from a fairly wealthy family.

While he had barely spoken two words together to her, she didn't seem the least bit discouraged and would still go on and on about all sorts of topics until he would again have to go back to his training. She referred to him as "Aoshi-sama" as do all of those men under his command. She gave her name as Misao, one that's all too common, especially after the birth of the princess Misao. Aside from her name, he knew next to nothing about her, not even her age. However, her untroubled manners, gave away the simplicity of youth, and also the appearance of proper breeding.

That was the difference between her and the other girls who used to come and gape at him on sunny afternoons. His handsome features complimented by a head of shiny jet-black hair and a pair of mysterious ice blue eyes always half hidden under his long bangs, never failed to attract the attention of the young ladies wherever he went. However, after a while, they would become discouraged by his removed manners and his emotionless façade, but he found it interesting how this particular girl would relentlessly seek to be in his company day after day. He even thought that her presence was vaguely familiar, but unable to place her in his memories, he dismissed the notion all together.

It had become a daily routine for him and continued through nearly a season while he trained the new recruits. Back then, he had often thought of her appearance to be bothersome although it provided a welcome change from the hectic of his daily activities. It wasn't until he left that he realized just how much it meant to him that she, a girl of a respectable family and a bright unclouded future, would give him her attention so devotedly. In the few months he spent at the borders, he often thought of her in the bleak and uneventful days when he took watch or scouted the countryside, though he would never admit it to anyone. He couldn't help but wonder whether she would still be there when he returned.

"Aoshi-sama!" one of his solders approached the watch point. "A messenger just came with news from the King."

Aoshi took the scroll sealed with the royal emblem. "Take over," he commanded as he retreated back towards the privacy of his tent. ::I sure hope we've got some good news.::

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Alright. thanks for reading!. please review and tell me how u like it :)

AHhh sigh.. I have all these weird stories stuck in my head!!! but I cant seem to find the right words to let other people see what I see... sigh sigh....sorrie if I get disoriented in my writing.!