Although it was the middle of night, Hao still opened the door to his mother's cabinet, without even knocking. He knew she wasn't sleeping, because just like him, his mother was night-lover, never liking to waste precious time of darkness. Keiko was sitting in her high-back rested chair, fingers folded in front of her and her mind deep into something…her eyes closed. As Hao suddenly barged in, she showed no signs of surprise, but only opened her black eyes and looked to her son.

"A little late for visits, is it not, Hao" she asked, but the man ignored the question and walked to the desk, leaning onto it.

"Where had she gone? Tell me!" demanded Hao. Keiko's eyes flashed with smirk and this annoyed Hao even more "you know perfectly well whom I'm talking about, mother"

"Yes, I do" Keiko nodded "and I don't agree" Hao quickly leaned back and folded arms on his chest, his eyes burning with anger.

"Well then, I think you might want to know that I don't care whether you agree or not" he said harshly: through we hours all respect for his mother was long gone "I just want to know, that's I need" Keiko looked to her son's burning eyes for a while, as if judging him.

"If I tell you, you will go after Anna Kyouyama, wouldn't you?" she asked. Hao raised his eyebrow.

"Yes, I will and you will be in no power to stop me" Keiko sighed heavily and showed on the map, which was still lying on her desk:

"She's gone to Osorezan, her family's mansion" the woman stood up "but your father will never let you go there. Remember, you marriage has been arranged and…"

"And now the wedding's off" Hao cut her "and that's my final decision" Keiko's eyes widened.

"You can't do that!" she shouted "only few days left and…"

"And what?" Hao snapped at her "if there's the person I'm to marry, then it's Anna Kyouyama. You can banish me into exile if you like, kill me or do anything worse, but I will not forswear my love to her!"

"Think what you say, Hao!" Keiko shot to him "if you are crazy enough just to love her secretly, then just don't do foolishness which can cost you too much!"

"I'm not doing anything foolish! I'm only fighting for my own happiness and if you don't like it" Hao turned around, ready to leave, but stopped in the door way "then it's the last time you see me here or see me at all" and he shut the door after himself. Keiko collapsed to the chair, covering her face into her palms. Take good care of him, Anna. He's going to need you now more than ever.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hao quickly ran to his room, collected few things, took warm cloak and his sword, some money and quickly headed to the stables. There, he met Yoh.

"What are you doing here?" Hao asked, saddling his horse at the same time.

"Eee, unsaddling my horse?" he used his puppy-eye treatment and innocence. Yoh would always do that when he didn't want people to know the truth. However, he saw that this time it won't work.

"As if I'm going to believe that" Hao rolled eyes, attaching some saddlebags to his horse "no matter. Now listen: I'm going away and don't think I'm coming back. I was thinking about long lines of goodbyes, but that's just not my style" Yoh blinked twice to his brother.

"Leaving? Where?" suddenly it hit him "don't tell me that you're going after Anna" Hao whirled around on heel and rammed his brother with angry look.

"What was that?" he asked angrily. Yoh slapped himself in his mind "you mean you knew it all along?" Yoh sighed heavily and answered:

"Not everything" he said the truth "but I was the first one to know about her parents and all. Promised to keep it secret" Hao clattered his teeth, looking angrily to his brother.

"And what about her parents? All I know is that they left her mansion somewhere in Osorezan and, figures, nice family savings. Turns out she's royal, right?"

"Right" Yoh nodded "you just missed the part where her mother was hunted for sorcery" Hao's eyes widened.

"Hunt of Darkness" he said silently "that's when they died, right? That's why she was so secretive" Hao slapped himself into forehead, seemingly intuitively, his eyes now looking into nothingness "now I see. She didn't want me to know, because she thought I'd turn away from her" Hao looked back to Yoh "you were there when she left, weren't you?" Yoh nodded.

"Yes, I helped her. Organized carriages, drivers and horses" Hao nodded.

"Good. At least she will be safe"

"But if you want to catch up with her" Yoh showed to the outside, where the eastern side was already turning grey "you better hurry, because those horses are damn fast" Hao smiled to Yoh and jumped on his black steed.

"Thank you, little brother" he smirked "I'll contact with you as soon as possible" Hao looked to the gate of stables "you're the only person who didn't resent me for leaving. Tomorrow's going to be a bomb" Yoh nodded.

"Have a safe journey" Hao nodded and urged his horse, galloping into distance to meet his fate…

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was already two months that Anna spent on the road and finally, she was getting to her new home. The journey itself was long and uncomfortable, but Anna didn't complain: she wasn't the type of person, who wouldn't adapt for the situation. Her last moments on carriage were through a small town, which was settled in mountain's bottom…the very mountain, on which her mansion stood. It was already the middle of fall and the days were rainy, wet and cold. Anna watched the villagers through her window, seeing their surprised faces and hearing their murmurs. The blonde indeed had foreseen this, since she was the new person here and by the looks of old houses, these people weren't used to the new things.

The driver took Anna by narrow mountain road, up and up, until the blonde could see the surrounding fields in great distance. And finally, she arrived. It was big house, more reminding of labyrinth, which was built on flat, large mountain's pitch, surrounded by large garden, which obviously was flourishing green in summertime. But now the trees were leafless, flowers didn't bloom, only cold stone path met her. But not only it: an old woman walked that path, wrapped herself into fur shawl. Honoka was the first name that slipped into Anna's mind. The old woman had black hair, which already had few grey strands, folded into high bun, her brownish skin already had some wrinkles on it, but her black kimono and dignified stand forced to respect her. The elder woman stopped in front of Anna and looked to her eyes for a while. Anna answered her look, seeing that Honoka was now judging her, making sure that she's really a Kyouyama. And after a while, Honoka bowed to Anna.

"Welcome home, my lady" she said, her voice trembling from joy a bit.

"My name is Anna, Honoka" the blonde answered "I'd like it to stay this way" the elder woman raised her head to the blonde, showing her now watery eyes.

"You're really your mother's child" she said "you resemble her so much"

"Tell me something before we go inside" Anna said and showed the picture, which she took from archives "is this her?" Honoka looked to the picture and answered almost instantly.

"Yes, Anna, that's her. Aomori Kyouyama" the blonde nodded and the picture slid into her pocket. Then she showed to the drivers "these men need to be paid for journey and my things must be carried inside" Honoka nodded and said:

"This will be done. Now let's go" Honoka led Anna into the mansion, giving orders to servants on the way. The elder woman showed Anna around the house, telling all kinds of stories about her parents, ancestors, showing drawings of them. Finally, Honoka led Anna to one corridor, which ended with wooden swing-door. They stopped in front of them.

"What's behind?" Anna asked, touching the wood gently with her palm.

"Behind is you parents' bedroom, child" Honoka answered "there's also all your mother's things: books, scrolls, magical things. You must've heard about her past. Keiko-sama mentioned that she told you" Anna nodded, but didn't say a word, so Honoka continued "this room is different from the rest, meaning it's not traditional Japanese room. But I won't destroy the surprise" Honoka pushed the wooden door and the sight behind it made Anna gasp. It was a large room, all made from what seemed to be black marble, it's corners were lined with gold, all shelves with books and scrolls were made of same marble, furniture were made of dark wood, carpets were the most beautiful Anna ever seen. And when she lifted her head up, she saw a crystal chandelier, illuminating the entire room.

"This was the place where your parents liked to spend the evenings the most. I can still remember them sitting in front of fireplace…" Honoka showed to the huge marble fireplace, lined with cold and white fur carpet in front of it "there" Honoka showed to the walk-through, covered with light, black and gold curtains "is the bedroom of your parents and there" she showed to other smaller wooden door "the bathroom. This room was designed especially for Kyouyama family ages ago and it still stayed the same" Honoka watched the surprised face of Anna and smiled with understanding "I'll leave you alone now. Got to take care of your things" and she left, leaving Anna face to gace with her past.

The blonde walked into bedroom and again gasped from surprise: there, on a platform, stood a two-sided bad with baldachin and black and gold curtains. The room itself was made from same marble and gold, also with fireplace; dressing-table in the corner, wardrobe of marble…a wardrobe… Anna opened the door of the wardrobe and found something she has been expecting: mother and father's clothes, not worn out, as if left here few days ago. The blonde peered through them, seeing how nicely her father was dressing…so sophisticated, like a really royal person. And what astonished Anna more is her mother's clothes: there hung the most beautiful kimonos she had ever seen, most of them red…just like hers. Anna took one of them, a long red kimono with needlework that represented fires on endings of feet and sleeves, rising till chest. The blonde nodded to herself, as if trying to encouraging herself to do something. She took off her simple red kimono and put on her mother's, long wide sleeves hanging down, long ending of it dragging after her. Anna looked into the mirror and let her hair loose….then looked into the picture of her mother: now they were the same. Anna looked to Aomori for a while and then back to the reflection of herself. They were the same…like twins.

"Never had I seen such a beauty before" a voice sounded behind Anna…a voice she knew too well. The blonde whirled around and saw…

"Hao?" she said in weak voice "what are you..?" the man walked closer to her and touched her cheek.

"I came after you" he answered "I couldn't say goodbye, Anna, I couldn't" to Anna he looked sad and tired.

"So you didn't marry?" she asked, fearing the answer.

"No. I just couldn't" he sighed heavily "now an entire caste is against me" he looked into her eyes "but I don't care, Anna"

"I can see that" she removed some strands of his chocolate hair from his face, feeling how wet they were "but you've just committed suicide, Hao" Anna almost laughed to this "what should I do with you now"

"I must say he's very persistent young man, Anna" Honoka said, standing at the entrance to the bedroom and smiling lightly "I didn't know how to get rid of him at the door" Hao smirked to Honoka and bowed to her.

"My sorry, lady, but I really had to talk to your mistress" he said.

"So I see" Honoka walked closer to the couple and overlooked them both "now, what are your plans for this young man, Anna" the blonde looked to Hao and smiled sweetly.

"I think I'll let him stay" she said "after all, he went a long way to here" Honoka laughed and asked:

"And for how long?" Anna shrugged shoulders.

"Don't know. A lifetime, maybe" Hao smiled wider to her and kissed Anna gently. Now he was happiest man ever.

"I think I'll leave you two young folks alone" Honoka smirked "but don't forget that dinner's at eight in dining room" the couple laughed to her, not retreating from each other.

"Than you, Honoka" Anna said before the elder woman left "for everything" Honoka nodded and gone out of the room. Hao immediately took advantage of situation and kissed Anna passionately.

"All those hours…in road weren't…in vain, you know" he said, not stopping kissing her. Anna answered the same.

"I believe so. Listen, Hao, if you ran away, that doesn't mean this is over and out"

"I know" Hao rammed his forehead into hers "but now I don't care. I'll worry about that when the real time comes" Anna laughed slightly.

"And in a mean time…what?" Hao showed her to wait for a second and dived into his pocket, looking for something. He finally found what he was looking for: a white gold ring, with pearl, surrounded by small brilliants.

"Bought this in sea village" he put it on Anna's finger "thought that with it you may except to be my wife. Not that I already didn't ask" Anna looked to him and kissed him.

"And as if I didn't already agree" she smirked. Hao smiled wider and hugged her tightly.

"I saw the portrait of your mother on the way" he said, still holding her tightly "now you look so much like her"

"Look at it this way" Anna said "Honoka said that my father came to my mother just like this: suddenly, unexpected and asked her to marry him. Look how history repeats itself"

"But only the good part" Hao kissed her forehead "because I won't let anyone hurt you while I'm alive"…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But he didn't know how wrong he was…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tao Ren was ridding on his big white steed through fields, rain pouring down his cloak. He found out an entire story of what happened to Anna and Hao and now, he was not letting someone like Asakura to take something that belongs to him…Anna's love. How on earth an Asakura clan could possibly allow something like this to happen? That's a worse stain ever. But that's their problem and he, Ren, had another and it's name was Asakura Hao…