Nana didn't speak all day as she cleaned the house. She would occasionally stop and sigh then start working again. Artemis was busy with many young girls seeking their fortunes being told. One caught Nana's attention.

"Um, Madam Artemis, am I destined to kiss a man with silver hair?"

"Dear, I think you're a bit young to worry about living long." Nana chuckled and felt her heart sink at the same time, but why? She knew the girl was talking about Husky, but why would she care? It's not like Husky was courting her or anything. It was not her concern. Every time she questioned herself on that, the event from last night came to mind. Husky had almost kissed her. To be fair she did owe him one, for stealing possibly his first kiss (though it wouldn't surprise her if it hadn't). Why would he want to kiss her? Ordinary, plain, farmer's daughter Nana; why would a Prince-charming, divine, femininely lovely Husky want her?

Ever since she was young people always told her she was pretty. But she was pretty for a farmer's daughter. She was blond and green eyed; her skin was fairly pale for some one of her birth. Because of this treatment she always thought herself beautiful. But then she met Husky. Although she herself was pretty, Husky was beautiful. Husky, who had a face Nana believed could only belong to gods; was truly beautiful. Skin whiter than snow, full pink petal lips, clear blue dramatic eyes, and dark thick lashes. Nana assumed that his parents must have been beautiful as well. Comparing herself to him would be comparing a ragdoll to a porcelain one. When they met, well, when she assaulted him, her first thought was that he was really pretty.

"Nana, are you alright?" Artemis.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright, you're not talking at all." She shrugged.

"You're leaving tonight aren't you?" nana nodded.

"It's kinda sad, having you leave." There was a pause.

"Nana, did something happen with you and husky?"

"No! Why do ask? "

"You're acting nervous." The silence was enough for her.

"Look you and you're friend have done so much for me by being company." She handed Nana a small ack.

"This is your pay, go and buy what you need."

"I can't accept this."

"Think of it as a mother's thanks. Your friend, he was close to his mother and so were you, I can tell." Nana walked to their room and pulled on her bag, while simultaneously shouldering Husky's. Artemis watched.

"by the way, Artemis, I thought you would like to know. Husky and I are both plus anima in fact the three people waiting for us are as well." Artemis stared.

"I'm a bat, Husky's a fish, our friends are a bear, crow and a rabbit." Artemis smiled.

"Thank you Nana, my daughter Pippa was a lizard." Nana smiled back at her and left the household exhilarated. As she left a door opened. A young girl with dark skin and hair walked out.

"Mother, why can't I join their herd?"

"Pippa, you will find you own herd, but it will be shortly after I die. Those two, they have a quite a future laid out for them. They figure it out on their own." Pippa pouted.

"I still wish to go with them."

"You will have your own herd."

Nana ran into the town market where Husky was standing at a used clothing vendor.

"Nana, thank god. I'm no good at picking out girl clothes." He paused. "And this vendor keeps staring at me." Nana sighed, where would he be without her?

"My friend is a boy and we are looking for clothes for a fifteen year old girl." Nana proceeded to look through the clothes offered. Nana eventually picked out some clothing, bundled up for the trip. Nana looked around Husky had vanished. Nana walked around the jewelry vendors expecting to see Husky. She a tap on her shoulder and she jumped. She spun around and Husky was standing there.

"Jeez, jumpy much?" He grumbled.

"You scared me!"

"You need to calm down; we're in a market place, not a slum. I've been to slums and this is a paradise compared to that."

"Well, a pretty girl like me would be coveted by many." She said swooning.

"It's only a matter of time before my prince snatches me up." She giggled. Husky gave a dark look.

"That's something only a naive and stupid girl would think of. Everyone who's lived in the capital knows that the Prince is a selfish and self-centered jerk." He snarled. Nana blinked.

"Really? You lived in the capital?"

"You knew that. The Prince hates plus anima, all slum orphans know that." Nana looked sad, her dreams slightly crushed. Husky looked at her and the ground, switching between them until he pulled something out of his pocket.

"I was waiting for your birthday, but, I think you would like it now."

"My birthday?"

"Yeah, it's in a few weeks isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah." He handed her a package. Nana opened it to find a green ribbon.

"I tried to find a silk one, but I had to settle for satin." Nana was speechless.

"It matches my eyes!" She squeaked tying it in her hair. Husky watched then smirked.

"Ribbons always did suit you."

"I can't accept this!" He actually laughed.

"My mother always used to say women deserve at least one indulgence, no matter what their wealth."

"Thank you Husky, it's beautiful." She went so far as to kiss his cheek. He blushed and got all flustered. The vendor who had been listening leaned over.

"You lived in Astar slums?" Husky nodded.

"I heard that they've been shipping Sailand princesses to the slums, rumor is they've been kidnapping them out of the harem itself." Husky's face dropped.

"Seriously, whoever it is must be pretty bold to kidnap straight from the harem itself." He said recovering.

"I heard they're looking for a certain princess, one with special powers. Supposedly they stole her twin with identical powers but she got away."

"So they're trying again."

"I'm just saying, someone with a face like yours might have a case of mistaken identity."

"Thanks." He walked away.

"Come on, Nana"

"Uh, coming." The pair walked through the woods in silence.

"Hey Nana."

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about going to Astar?"

"Eh? I thought we shouldn't be there right now."

'Well, all the talk about Astar reminded me of a friend of mine, I haven't seen in a while. If fact I haven't seen her since I was kidnapped to become a servant."

"Eh?"

"Her name is Duchess, or the name she's using is Duchess. She took me in when I first arrived in Astar when I was young. Knowing her she probably stormed the manor looking for me. That would be like her, calm and collected until someone dear to her is taken away."

"But what he said…."

"Nana, Duchess was like a second mother, I was kindred to her, she was like me; someone who had to change her name and stay hidden for her own protection."

"I see, and you want to tell her you're alright?"

"Yeah, if you don't want to come I'll go by myself." Nana whapped him upside the head.

"Stupid! As if I'll ever let you go off on your own! You could be captured!"

"I'm not going to force you or the others to come but, I'm going." Nana saw the determination in his eyes.

"We'll talk about it when we get back." Husky blinked.

"Fair enough."

Princess: I really didn't want to end it here, but it was getting really long. I think that the next chapter is going to be good. I'm thinking of writing a horror story for anima, let me know what you think.