Warning: AU, Fantasy, PG-13, Ran/Ken. :D
Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss.
First Born: Sacred Flame
Chapter 16: Battle For the Flame
Being dead wasn't quite as he had expected it to be. He could still feel things like his fingers and toes which he thought was rather odd since he wasn't supposed to have those anymore. He couldn't feel the floor under his feet though, and Ran's weight wasn't against his back. It was that realization that made him open his eyes, which he hadn't known were closed.
Ran was gone. The room was gone. There was nothing but color. Swirling orange, red and gold. Flashes of white and blue. And the heat. Hotter than the chamber had been.
The roaring had become a wail. Loss, fear, anger. The emotions spun around him with the colors. They made him dizzy and he shut his eyes again in an attempt to feel the source of the anguish rather than see it, but it was everywhere. All around him.
Ken opened his eyes again and was surprised to find a small child huddled up before him. The little form was curled up so tight it was impossible to determine its gender or even to see what it looked like, but he could see that it wore no clothes and it was the source of the wailing.
Without hesitation he scooped the tiny bundle into his arms and pressed it to his chest and shoulder. Rubbed its golden-red hair and back, rocking it gently. After a time the small body stopped shivering and the child sniffed loudly.
"Feel better?" Ken asked softly.
The little one pulled back and looked up at him with wide eyes that glowed with a brilliant orange light. Tiny flames fell from the corners and ran down its round cheeks.
The Sacred Flame, Ken realized. But what really surprised him was that he wasn't surprised at all. It almost felt natural to him to be standing in a field of colors holding a child that was in actuality a magical fire.
He almost laughed.
"What's the matter?" he asked instead.
"My mama is gone. Someone took her," the child answered, more tiny flames leaking from burning eyes. "I need my mama. She's supposed to tell me what to do."
Ken frowned. It didn't matter that the child was a fire made of magic and its mother a nun who had created it. The idea that anyone would separate a mother and child struck at his core and filled him with a terrible anger. As his insides began to burn he felt a familiar weight settle against his back. Two arms wound around his shoulders and Ran's cheek pressed against his own.
"Who is this?" Ran asked, voice sounding heavy, like he'd been sleeping.
"I think it's the fire," Ken said. "It says they took its mother."
The little child looked up at them, its eyes wide and frightened.
"They're trying to talk to me," it whispered, voice quivering with fear. "They want me to do things. Bad things. I want my mama. I'm only supposed to listen to her."
One of Ran's arms released Ken and reached forward to cup the child's tiny chin. He wiped away fiery tears with his thumb.
"Do not listen to them," he said calmly but sternly. "Do as I do."
Ken blinked in wonder as his lover began to sing softly. A song Ken had heard Omi sing many times to the Palace children, but in Ran's gentle, smooth baritone it sounded like a sad, simple lullaby. The little child's eyes widened more as it listened attentively, appearing almost mesmerized. In moments it had the tune and then the words, joining in the song eagerly. Ken could feel Ran smile against his cheek.
"That's very good," the Lord praised. "Now focus on the song. Use the words to build a wall between you and what they tell you."
The little brow wrinkled in concentration and Ken realized Ran was teaching it to shield itself as Aya had taught him. The technique was simpler, but no less effective.
"What about mama?" the little one asked almost shyly after a few moments of practice.
Ken grinned.
"Don't you worry about her," he said with a wink. "That's why we're here. We'll find your mama 'n bring her back to you."
The child blinked up at them before beaming a wide, toothless grin. The anger and fear fled the air, replaced by a determined calm, and the next thing they knew the colors were gone and they found themselves back in the chamber, standing before the dias at its center. The tall flame burning upon it appeared almost cheerful.
Ken sighed. He turned his head and pressed his forehead against Ran's temple, nuzzling the Lord's cheek with his nose.
"Are you okay?" he asked, giving Ran a magical once over just in case.
"I'm fine. What happened?"
"Surprise attack. I didn't have time to counter it," Ken said. He turned back to study the quietly burning Flame before them. "Why aren't we dead? I thought it burned whoever came in here?"
"I have some ideas, but now isn't the time to discuss them," Ran said digging into Ken's shoulder with his chin. "Right now we have work to do."
"You're right," Ken stated, straightening up as Ran released him. "Let's go get its mama."
XXXXXXXXXX
Farfarello had been gone too long.
At least that was Schuldig's opinion. He impatiently tapped his foot on the floor as he waited, meanwhile Crawford glared at him from behind the desk. His deep blue seer's robes looking black in the light from the candle. Nagi remained unmoving by the door. He showed no interest in either of them or the situation, but simply stood waiting and watching the circle Farfarello had drawn on the floor.
"He should be back by now," the telepath stated, returning Crawford's glare with one of his own.
The seer looked like he was about to reply when his eyes suddenly darted to Nagi. Schuldig turned to find their youngest teammate still standing by the door but with a curious expression of interest on his face.
"Nagi?" Crawford said.
"The powerful one is a healer," the boy answered. "He's in the sacred chamber. Farfarello's hounds did their work."
"Then the Flame has them," Crawford said with a satisfied nod.
Nagi hesitated before nodding in confirmation.
"Yes," he said.
Schuldig wondered if he'd heard a note of disappointment in the boy's voice or whether he'd imagined it. He turned his attention to the part of his mind he'd set to working on winning the Flame's trust. It was a fascinating task to say the least. Never before had he run across a source of natural magic that could think and act on its own. It interested him. He'd heard that the Seats of Engumi worked that way as well, but of course he'd never had the opportunity to find out, and he doubted he'd survive the attempt if he ever made it. Somethings weren't to be trifled with.
He focused in on the tiny, angry voice of the Flame and his own repeated litany of coercion and wondered if he'd be able to feel the interlopers die.
Schuldig thought he could understand Nagi's disappointment, if indeed the kid felt any. They hadn't bothered to find out who those two men were. He regretted his own hasty actions in the tunnels. If he hadn't revealed his gift to the red-head he may have been able to learn something. Like what their plans were, who sent them, or who it was that had entered the cloister through the back tower. It'd been foolish to tip his hand, but who would've guessed that the man had been a telepath as well? What were the odds?
The small connection he'd established with the Flame winked out and Schuldig sprang to his feet in alarm.
"What is it?" Crawford demanded.
"The Flame. I've lost touch with the Flame."
"What!" the seer cried also rising to his feet.
"It's the healer," Nagi answered from the doorway. "He's alive. His friend as well." His blank expression fixed itself on Crawford, "They're headed out of the chamber."
"How? How is that possible?" their leader demanded. "Schu, find Farfarello. Now."
XXXXXXXXXX
Omi couldn't believe their luck and he was waiting anxiously for the moment it would run out. Gripping the crossbow, he continued to follow Yohji and the nun, Chiho.
As the Prince had expected, she knew back passages and secret staircases which had taken them from the highest level of bed cells down through the cloister toward the Temple undetected. She was not, however, what either of them expected and didn't match the sweet and retiring young woman described by the Mother Superior. Whatever it was she had been through had changed her into a determined and single minded woman of purpose. Her one thought was of the Flame, and her goal to reach it and begin the rituals of renewal.
They'd hardly been able to keep up with her. Finally she'd paused just inside a door in a tiny hallway and peeked out onto what looked like a wide outer corridor. Large windows let in moonlight, but there didn't appear to be any lanterns lit.
"We're almost there," she said breathlessly, nearly quivering in excitement. "This is the only way into the sacred chamber."
"Or it was," Yohji muttered.
"Whatever those scoundrels have done shall be undone," Chiho stated defiantly before turning to peek back out into the corridor. "It looks safe enough."
"How much further is it?" Omi asked nervously.
"Not far. Just a little way down this corridor to the right is a set of doors. They lead to the Temple stairs," she said smiling back at him. "Then it's just through the chamber doors. I'm sorry, but you mustn't enter with me," she said turning sober. "Only those sworn to the Flame may enter safely."
"We shall see you to the doors and not beyond," Yohji smiled. "Have no fear, my Lady. We have no desire to be flash fried."
Chiho returned his smile and turned to eye the corridor again. She carefully eased the door open and checked up and down the length of it. Even in her excitement she was wise to the danger they were still in. Cautiously she slipped into the hall and waited for Yohji and Omi to join her.
They hurried quietly in the direction she indicated, keeping their eyes and ears open. When they neared the doors she silently pointed them out and Yohji carefully opened one to peek inside. A wide landing greeted his sight. He opened the door and ushered them inside. Off of the far edge of the landing a long stone staircase with no railings descended into a short hall with two open doors at the end of it. The whole area was illuminated from a light within the chamber below and filled with the sound of a cheerily burning fire. And headed in their direction, a few steps up from the bottom of the staircase, were Ken and Ran.
"Ran!" Yohji cried.
"Yohji," the red-head responded, causing Ken to pause just ahead of him and look up.
Chiho started down with barely a glance around and Yohji and Omi followed her. Ken and Ran started upward again. They were almost to the center of the stairs when the beasts appeared, black and murderous, both above and below them. Yohji reacted instantly, drawing up his magic into a protective shield.
At the same moment a circle appeared one step below Chiho. Suddenly the blood wizard was among them. One hand shot out and caught the young nun around the neck before she could utter a sound, the other raised and the beasts attacked the Prince's shield.
Yohji grit his teeth and held on. He didn't even blink when a crossbow bolt suddenly whistled by from behind him. The blood wizard turned aside, but not quick enough. The bolt pierced upward through his cheek, exiting through his left eye. A torrent of blood splashed onto Chiho's white robes. A scream of pain and anger rent the air, and he flung out uselessly with his hands against further assault. Chiho was ripped from the staircase and cast over the side like a child's doll.
Ran didn't even think, he just reacted. One hand slammed onto Ken's back and the other reached for the nun. Drawing on his lover's power he caught her in an invisible grip and held her.
"Ken, don't move," he gasped.
The former servant stood stalk still on the step above him, glaring up at the blood wizard. His claws were extended and ready for blood, but a second later the man had vanished again. He left nothing but a circle behind him, and the snarling, maddened beasts who sought their death.
"Hold on, Ran," Yohji called down.
The Prince inhaled deeply and with a little effort altered his shield into a defensive attack. Blue lines of energy flew through the ranks of the monsters like strands of fine wire and decimated them. The remains faded away like puffs of smoke in a stiff breeze.
"It should be safe enough now, Ran. Good catch," Yohji sighed, leaning heavily on his knees. He glanced back at Omi. "Nice shot."
The seer nodded, looking slightly green.
Ken continued to stand still as Ran gently lowered Chiho to the floor of the hall. The instant he released her she bolted for the sacred chamber. The light from within brightened as she disappeared inside and a surge of hot air shot up the staircase, ruffling the mens' hair.
"We can't let 'em get away," Ken growled as Ran released him.
"I agree," Omi nodded. "The villagers will be launching their attack on the front gates. They won't stand a chance."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Far's..." Schuldig began but Crawford interrupted him.
"Never mind," the seer said straightening his robes. He'd been, Schuldig realized, staring off into space just seconds before. "Gentlemen, this venture's a bust. The nun will reach the Flame and complete the ritual. We have to leave. Now."
"You've seen this?" Schuldig demanded.
"And more," Crawford stated. "We must get to the courtyard. Farfarello will be there and he will need us."
Schuldig and Nagi knew better than to argue. They fell into step behind Crawford who strode past them out the door, and led them through the infirmary and out into the great hall. From there it was a straight shot down a wide set of steps to the grand entrance and the courtyard beyond.
A few of Farfarello's hounds milled about in the hall whimpering. As frightening as they normally were they worried the teammates even more with their distracted, confused behavior.
As they exited the Temple a circle appeared in the dust of the courtyard before them. A blink of the eye later Farfarello was at its center. With a strangled cry he dropped to his knees, clutching at the left side of his head with both hands. Schuldig was at his side instantly.
"Far, stop it! Let go!" he commanded grasping hold of the blood wizard's hands and pulling them away from his shattered face and ruined eye.
"Get him on his feet," Crawford said coldly as he and Nagi came along-side them.
"Brad..."
"I said get him up," the seer repeated harshly, and Schuldig was quick to comply, hoisting Farfarello to his feet and holding him there. Crawford pulled a knife from within his robes and grabbed the blood wizard's right hand just as a mob of angry men burst through the gates. They were armed and advancing quickly.
"A distraction please, Nagi," Crawford said slicing the knife across the palm of Farfarello's hand. He used the blood that fell to create a circle on the ground. "Chant," the seer commanded the blood wizard as the dust in the courtyard rose up and swirled around them.
The villagers fell back and the four teammates stepped into the center of the circle.
The men from the First House emerged into what looked like a dust storm. Ken could sense the source and countered the sweeping winds, blanketing the air and forcing the dust to settle. Four men stood before them in the center of a circular stain on the ground. One was the wizard. He was mumbling to himself as the flamboyantly dressed telepath supported him. The tallest of the four, a stern looking man wearing long dark robes, didn't even acknowledge them, but continued to watch the villagers gathered by the gates. The fourth member of the group was a slight young man, little more than a boy, who turned dull, nearly dead eyes on Ken.
Suddenly the beasts were back, standing between the two groups of men and the villagers. They launched themselves forward, meeting the nightmarish creatures halfway. Ken and Yohji tore into them with their magic and claws. Ran cut them down with his sword as Omi fired bolt after bolt at them from a crouched position on the steps. The men from the village joined the fight, hacking away with axes, scythes, pitchforks and whatever tool had come to hand.
In the midst of the battle the intruders disappeared. They were found to be gone as the last of the wolves was dispatched. As the group stood and surveyed the yard, panting and quieting their nerves, a brilliant, orange ring of energy blew past them. It obliterated the circle left in the dust and continued as far as the gate where it faded, but an echoing sphere of energy enveloped the Temple. When it dissipated the air tasted cleaner and the night looked more clear. The stars suddenly shown brightly above them and everyone in the courtyard felt their spirits lighten and their muscles relaxed in relief.
XXXXXXXXXX
"I can not give thanks enough for your very timely arrival and all your assistance," the Mother Superior said the next morning.
They were gathered in a shady corner of the balcony off the hospice office. It overlooked the forest and the cheery songs of birds reached their ears, adding to the calm and comfortable feeling.
They all sat around a small table upon which was set five clay mugs and an old, dented kettle containing tea. Yohji sat to the Mother Superior's right with Omi beside him, while Ran sat on her left and an infinitesimal bit farther away sat Ken. The former servant still felt uneasy around the nun, all the nuns, and hadn't been keen on returning to the Temple that morning. The Prince however was insistent that he accompany them, and so he sat, silently sipping tea while the others talked. Every so often Ran would press their legs together under the table.
"My Lady, we did nothing more than our duty," Yohji said, smiling easily. "In fact, if those scoundrels hadn't shown up to cause trouble we'd have had nothing to do."
The Mother glanced quickly at Ken before meeting the Prince's eyes and smiling.
"Well, under the circumstances we were more than pleased by your arrival," she said. "Especially to one who wasn't expecting you at all."
"Surely you didn't think my father would fail to honor the vow made by our forebears?" Yohji asked, surprised.
"No, no," she shook her head. "Not your father...the circumstances. Five hundred years ago the renewal did not occur, and since that time there have been changes in the laws of your land. Changes that made the circumstances needed for renewal seem impossible."
"Well, the Seat of the Thirteenth House had its own agenda apparently," Yohji chuckled, glancing at Ken who frowned back at him.
"Thankfully, yes, it would appear so," the Mother agreed. "But of course, we had no way of knowing."
She glanced around at her guests and sighed the sigh of someone who'd had a great weight lifted from their shoulders.
"It was when I assumed the title of Mother Superior at the passing of my predecessor that I learned that the time for renewal was to occur in my lifetime," she said, her eyes taking on the far away look of someone remembering times past. "She told me on her deathbed that the time would come. That I was to watch for the Vessel and pray. Pray to all the Gods for a miracle. It seems they were listening."
Her eyes drifted to Ken again and she smiled softly at him, seemingly unaware of his discomfort.
"I knew Chiho was the Vessel as soon as I saw her. Her calling was so strong, so true, despite her lack of potential. And I understood what she was going through the last few weeks as the Flame began to truly fail. I didn't have the heart to tell her what my predecessor had told me, and what I myself secretly believed...that there would be no renewal. That the vow was broken and our dear Flame would burn itself out, leaving us in darkness and grief. That I would live to see the end of our order, that I had lived through the further decline of our powers with the impossible hope of renewal...I thought at times it would break me," she said, her smile fading for a moment as she studied her hands and collected herself. "When Chiho came into the sacred chamber filled with light...I felt my greatest joy. Followed closely by my greatest fear. For a moment, when I came from the chamber and saw what was happening to my sisters, I thought the renewal had come too late. I was almost relieved to learn we were actually under attack. But if those men had succeeded, gentlemen, our grief wouldn't have been any less than if the renewal had never happened."
"But...what exactly is the Sacred Flame? What is its purpose?" Omi asked, setting down his teacup and leaning forward. "What is it exactly that is forecast should the Flame fail to be renewed?"
"Well, as to the last, the scriptures aren't entirely clear on the matter," the Mother replied with a slight chuckle. "A return to a time of darkness. An undoing of peaceful ties. The re-emergence of a powerful and ancient evil kept in check by the fulfilment of the vow."
"The vow?" Omi mumbled. "That was mentioned in several histories, and the report made by the professors. What is it?"
"Ha-ha-ha!" the Mother laughed. "If you'd been born a woman I'd ask you to join our scholars."
Omi blushed.
"The vow was made by the first of the sons to settle the land below, what is now your kingdom. When the thirteen clans were called by the Seat magics, invited as it were, to settle the land and tame their hearts. The magic sought to put an end to an evil that had been free since the dawn of time. Free to roam the land and drink of their essences, increasing its own dark power and depleting their own. But the joining of clans to Seats wasn't enough. The evil proved too strong. They knew it could not be destroyed, only contained. But to do that another alliance had to be made," she said and met each set of eyes. "The Fourteenth Seat. The one that remained aloof. The one isolated in these mountains."
Three jaws dropped and Ken took a disinterested sip of his tea.
"The Fourteenth Seat?" Yohji and Omi asked, astounded.
Ran could only shake his head.
The Mother Superior nodded.
"Indeed. It did not join its siblings in calling a clan to it. It didn't need a clan, for it already had us. The Sisterhood was already here, had been here for years upon years. The sons of the clans came to the sisters seeking a way to contain the evil, and together they found it. By adding their power to the Fourteenth Seat it became strong enough to lock away the darkness, and keep it locked away," she explained. "But the Seat had to be altered to achieve this goal, and a new kind of magic had to be created to feed it. The Fourteenth Seat made a sacrifice to accomplish its siblings' plan. Its life would have limit, and in its weakening so the evil would rise. And so the vow was made. A promise. Once every five hundred years, as the Fourteenth Seat fails, a son of one of the Seats, one not meant to rule, would combine his power with another to create the fuel to renew the Flame. A sister, an empty vessel, devoid of potential herself, would stand ready to receive it. The Flame, the symbol of the Fourteenth Seat's sacrifice and gift, would be renewed. And so it was."
"Until Marrik of the Second House," Omi said sadly. "He died in an accident before he could renew the Flame."
"And his twin sister ran mad. Destroying herself and nearly destroying her Seat," Yohji added. "That incident was the reason behind the ban on twins. I'll have to recommend that father alter that law to allow for their birth every five hundred years or so."
"We would greatly appreciate that," the Mother smiled.
"But why wasn't any of this history kept on record in any of the Great Houses?" Omi asked, more than a little frustrated.
"Things for us have changed very little over the centuries," the Mother said. "The same can not be said for down below."
"Our history has had its moments of turbulence," Ran agreed quietly.
"Sibling rivalries," the Mother smiled. "Those things did not concern us, so long as the Flame was renewed and the evil contained."
"But even so...," Omi began.
"Histories maybe altered in the retelling," the Mother said gently. "Changed to fit the current trends or political climate. All we have are our sacred writings which we painstakingly copy to preserve, and the Flame, as it grows, will remember its own purpose and remind us if we forget. And although I shall be making a detailed report on all that's happened these last few days, in general our current circumstances are less important to us than our past."
"If that is true then why didn't our professors return with all this information twelve years ago?" Omi demanded.
"Professors? Oh, you mean those addle headed men the King sent up here? I wouldn't let them within spitting distance of our library," the Mother stated gruffly. "A bunch of know it alls, the lot of them. They wanted free reign to test the Flame. Wanted to poke it with sticks and recreate it in their little black cauldrons. A fat lot of good they did. They actually suggested that it was fed from some magical spring of gas under the mountain and all we need do is clean the chimney as it were! Imagine! All I wanted was some hint from the King that there might be hope, some small word that he knew what was needed. Those idiots were my answer. After that I lost all hope."
Omi wasn't sure what to say to that, but Yohji started laughing. The Mother Superior turned her soft gaze on Ken again and smiled.
"But I needn't have worried," she said. "To you two we owe the greatest debt. You have saved us all, everyone, from a dark and terrible fate. Thank you."
"We didn't do anything," Ken stated flatly, setting down his teacup with a startlingly loud clatter.
Ran frowned at him.
"Excuse me," the former servant muttered. He rose from his seat and left the balcony. He had hardly left their sight before Ran was up and after him.
"What's bothering Ken?" Omi asked, looking at the Prince.
He shrugged.
"It must be very difficult," the Mother said, "to learn so much about yourself from strangers. He's very powerful, isn't he?"
Yohji nodded. "Very."
"I expect he'd have to be, to renew a Flame one thousand years old," she said thoughtfully. "He's only the second one to visit us, you know. I expect the others never knew about their purpose. Yes, it must be a hard thing indeed."
XXXXXXXXXX
Ran finally caught up to Ken as he was passing through the gates. Apparently the former servant had decided to leave and wasn't about to wait for his companions, or the coach.
"Ken, where are you going?" Ran called, but he didn't receive an answer. "Ken, wait! Ken!"
When he got close enough he caught his lover's arm and pulled him to a stop.
"What's wrong with you?" Ran demanded, anger giving way to concern when the brunet refused to meet his eyes.
"Nothing. I want to go," Ken said, looking hard at the ground.
"Why?" Ran asked, but Ken wouldn't answer. "We can't leave yet. Omi wants to view the histories, if the Mother will let him, and we told Chiho that we'd visit the Flame again."
"I don't want to. It has nothing to do with me," Ken said.
"You know that's not true, we...," before Ran could finish Ken pulled from his grip and began marching down the road again. "Ken!" Once again Ran caught up to him and halted his progress. He placed his hands on Ken's shoulders and stood directly in his path. "What is it? Tell me," Ran said almost urgently.
"We can't have anything to do with that Flame," Ken said, staring at the ground between them.
"Why not?"
"Because if we did then this...all this...then me...then we...that's the only reason for everything," the former servant said, his voice dripping with misery. When he finally faced Ran silent tears were coursing down his cheeks from sorrow filled red eyes. Ken, who had only ever cried in grief over his parents and Tris, was crying. "It means you never chose me. You didn't choose anything. We had to or..."
Ran shook his head in denial.
"You said it yourself. You have no control when it comes to me," Ken said. "All of this, you and me, my whole life, my very existence...just to keep a vow."
"That's not true," Ran said.
"It is true!" Ken cried.
"No."
"We didn't get burned by that fire," Ken shouted as Ran released him and turned away. "Isn't that what you were going to tell me last night! And the connection to that child, we both felt it, right!"
"Even so, no one, no one, tells me what I feel in my heart," Ran shouted back.
"It made you feel..."
"NO!"
They stood in the road and faced each other. Ken still had tears running down his face, Ran scowled darkly.
"I know how I feel," the Lord stated quietly. "If it was all about the Flame then how come I still feel it? The Flame is renewed, the scoundrels have fled, the evil's contained...and I still love you."
Ken blinked at him.
"I love you," he repeated, and caught Ken when he fell on him. "I choose to love you, and I'm not going to stop."
"P-p-promise," Ken cried into his shoulder.
"I swear it," Ran said holding him tight. "I swear it."
Ken snuffled against his shoulder for a few minutes while Ran silently held him.
"Are you sure?" he asked suddenly.
"Yes."
"You mean it?"
Ran fought a small smile and pulled Ken's head up so he could look into his eyes. They were still leaking tears, but there was a hint of humor in them as well beside the light of acceptance. The red-headed Lord felt himself weaken in relief. He'd almost lost him. Almost.
"I mean it," Ran said, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. Ken smiled. "Your nose is running. Would you like my hanker...?"
Ken snorted back into his throat, turned his head, and spat. Ran blinked then scowled in distaste. He released him and stepped back when Ken leaned in for a kiss.
"Not until you brush your teeth and rinse your mouth out," Ran stated.
"What?" Ken asked. "I want a kiss."
"You'll have to wait," Ran said turning and starting to walk back toward the Temple.
"But you just said you loved me," Ken cried, giving chase.
"And I do."
"No one's said that to me since my parent's died," Ken whined.
"They wouldn't kiss you either after such a display," Ran said, continuing up the road and back through the gates.
"Awe, come on, Ran," Ken begged, hot on his heels. "Please?"
"Nope." He was certain a moment later that Ken could hear his smile.
"Do you think these nuns'll have a toothbrush I cn' borrow?"
Fini
