Hey everyone! Sorry this is so late! I've been a little busy, with school and all my other stories and everything.

Here it is! Chapter 24! Only one more chapter to go! Are you all excited? I sure hope so, the sequel will be coming out soon, It's already about halfway done, and I can't wait to post it along with a few of my other stories.

Don't forget to read and review!

Anime Wildfire

The leader of the boys weaved his way through the crowd, looking for the prince and Kari.

He spotted them near the middle of the dance floor, Kari was standing next to Lee while he talked to one of the noblemen, but the boy could see the prince's eyes flicker at Kari ever few minutes, making sure she was ok.

The boy grinned, now all he had to do was wait for the signal before he moved in on the plan.

The boy saw one of the girls rush over to Kari and say something to her ergently, Kari nodded to the girl before taking off, and the boy saw the girl who had just talked to Kari give him a nod.

The boy left the party just as a toast was made to Lee.

The boy snuck quietly into the garden, he could hear Kari calling gently into the bushes. (the girls told Kari an animal was injured in the garden, and since we all know Kari, she went right away to help it.

The boy glanced around a bush and saw Kari looking under a bush, her hair framing around her face.

The boy felt himself blushing and mentally smacked himself,

Get her first, then blush later, he thought to himself. Carefully he snuck behind Kari and clamped a hand around her mouth.

Kari felt a hand clamp around her mouth and she tried to scream, but it was blocked off.

"no one can hear you." A voice hissed in her ear. "what do you want?" Kari managed to say. Her attacker grinned.

"it's not about what I want, it's about what the other girls want, they're all jealous of you Kari, you've managed to steal their precious prince's heart away from them. And they're mad at you because of it." The voice said, the boy dragged Kari out of the shadows, a big mistake, since it allowed Kari to get a good look at her attacker.

it's that idiot I dance with earlier. Kari thought as she struggled, I thought I told him to hit the road.

Kari continued to struggle as he began dragging her towards the back of the garden. (Kari was in the very southern part of the garden)

"you had better let me go, cause if I scream, and Lee sees you, you're gonna wish you had never heard my name!" Kari snapped, trying to break her arms from his grasp.

"oh, I don't think he'll be coming for you anytime soon." The boy hissed in her ear, he glanced to his right as they passed the door to the castle, and Kari caught a glimps of Lee talking to one of the girls that are jealous of her.

Kari's heart sank, maybe Lee wasn't going to come for her after all.

The boy grinned, her struggling was becoming weaker, she was giving up.

"excuse me, you highness?" Lee turned around and saw one of the girls that had been staring at him earlier.

"yes? Can I help you?" He asked, the girl blushed and twisted a piece of her hair around her finger.

"I was just looking for your friend Kari, have you seen her?" she asked. Lee blinked and looked around.

"come to think of it, I haven't." Lee said, glancing around again, one of the girls saw him looking and rushed over.

"your highness! I'm sorry, your friend Kari told me she wanted to get some fresh air in the garden, she said she'd be back in a minute and asked me to tell you that." Lied the girl.

"oh, thanks then." Lee said, "maybe I should go after her…" he said, the girl's eyes widened in panic.

"no! wait! I mean, um, would you like to dance with me?" she said, biting her lip and glancing at the door.

Lee was about to reply, but suddenly thought he saw a flash of blue. Quickly he pushed past the guests and made his way for the door, as he got closer, her thought he could hear Kari, and someone else.

"-o let go!"

"-m warning y-"

"Kari!" Lee raced through the door. His eyes widened at the sigh of Kari struggling against the boy.

"Let her go!" he snarled, instantly becoming a protective monster. He lunged at the boy.

The boy pulled Kari in front of him, using her as a human shield. Lee immediately jumped back.

"coward, using her as shield. Come and fight me!" Lee snarled, the boy just grinned and slowly began inching backwards, dragging Kari with him.

Kari was still struggling, her eyes wide with fear.

"LET HER GO!" Lee shouted again, his hands balled up in fists at not being able to do anything.

"I won't, I've liked her for a long time, so I suggest you forget about her highness, because you're never going to see her again." The boy snapped back.

Near the door, someone was listening, it was the same girl that had asked Lee to dance, and she just couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand to listen to him suffer like this.

The girl quickly slipped past the guests and made her way to the weaponry, there, she grabbed a sword and a bow and raced back to garden.

She carefully hid behind the door and carefully took aim at the boy.

SNAP! Lee wheeled around in time to see the girl's arrow shoot out and pin the boy to the wall by the sleeve. Kari fell from his grasp and ran over behind Lee.

"got ya." She said, she picked up the sword.

"Prince Lee! Here!" she cried as she tossed the sword to him, Lee grinned and caught it in the air.

The boy against the wall snarled and ripped the arrow out of his sleeve.

"Annie, I always knew you were a traitor, you're too soft." He snarled as he pulled his own sword out.

Lee raised an arm in front of Kari. "Kari, stay back. I don't want you to get hurt." He said, Kari nodded and stepped back with Annie, who had an arrow pointing at the boy.

Lee moved forward and faced the boy, his sword gripped tightly in his hand, his muscles ready for action.

Suddenly the boy charged at Lee and swiped at him, Lee ducked and kicked the boy in the back, the boy quickly recovered and rolled to the side as Lee's sword grazed the ground where he had been two seconds ago.

Lee quickly ducked and rolled as the boy tried to stab him, and quickly jumped up.

He ducked two seconds later, however, as an arrow flew by and almost hit him.

"will you please watch where you're aiming that thing?!" Lee said, as he ducked to avoid being punched and delivered one of his own.

"sorry!" Annie said as she strung another arrow. But this time the arrow flew over the garden wall, Kari, standing next to Annie, shook her head.

Lee's speed was an advantage in the fight, as the other boy was a little older and a little heavier as well. (not heavier as in fatter, heavier as in his body is built bigger.)

The boy slashed wildly at Lee, he appearently had no idea how to use a sword. Lee dodged each one easily, and made a small cut on the boy's cheek.

This maddened the boy even more, and he charged at Lee in a blind rage, punching at him without even aiming.

Lee dodged it and easily kicked the boy to the ground, grinning. He knew the boy would be easy to beat now, as he was losing confidence.

But the boy wasn't done yet.

He quickly jerked his foot around, sending Lee crashing down onto his back. The boy jumped on Lee, and tried to strangle him. Lee managed to pull the boy's away and tried to knee the boy in the back.

The boy took no notice of it as he and Lee struggled in the dirt for several minutes.

Finally Lee managed to shove the boy off him and jump to his feet. Lee and the boy circled, both were panting and were starting to get worn out.

The boy suddenly rushed at Lee, catching him by surprise as he slamed Lee against the wall and started choking him.

"after I kill you, I'll take that little girlfriend of your for myself." He said, Lee growled and tried to break free, but the boy was suddenly struck from behind. Lee looked up and saw Kari standing there, dusting her hands off.

Lee moved away from the wall and shiethed his sword before glancing down at the unconcious boy lying on the ground.

"well, I can at least say this has been one interesting birthday." Lee said, wiping the sweat off his forehead, he turned and saw Kari standing next to him.

"are you ok Kari?" Lee asked, he was answered by Kari throwing her arms around his chest and hugging him.

"Lee! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're ok!" Kari said, burying her face in his chest. Lee grinned and hugged her back,

"I'm just glad you're safe Kari." He said, Kari smiled and gently kissed him on the cheek before he, Kari and Annie headed back to the party.

How was it? Was it good? Bad? I need to know! Let me know in reviews! Wahoo! I can't believe I have over 40 reviews! It's like a dream come true...

See you next chapter! Anime Wildfire