Part A

CHAPTER TWO

I regret not saying goodbye the most because I found even though you may survive I won't.

(*)

"You are going to get yourself killed if you keep wandering off." I scolded Lee Shouku. Earlier he moseyed himself off the guarded premises to laze around while we prepared lunch. Again. I worry endlessly that he will be attacked by dungeon creatures while away from the group. Shouku is not a fighting type. At all. He would rather sleep his life away than join the army like his father had always wanted.

His father is the reason we're here in the first place. Actually Lee Shouku is the reason I'm here. Lee Shoukin, Shouku's father, is a captain within the Kou army. He so very badly wants his only son to follow in his footsteps and rise in the ranks as he had done. Shouku wants absolutely none of that. But being the ever persistent father Lee Shoukin would not give up on his son. He held a strong belief that if Shouku were to accompany the army in the dungeon (or anywhere really) he would change his views.

Lee Shouku decided that if he had to suffer, so did all his friends. I was the only unlucky candidate who was actually considered to accompany the army into the dungeon (because fried rice is apparently nutritious and easy to make). And they did consider me and now I am here. Suffering. Alongside my supposed friend Lee Shouku.

"Shouku!" I grabbed his ear. "Listen to me!"

He swatted my hand away and turned over. Mumbling something about nagging and annoying bitches. I kicked him. Shouku didn't even flinch. I huffed and turned as if I was going to walk away.

"At least move closer to camp." I insisted. Where I know you'll be safe, was wordlessly implied. Even though I can't see it, I'm sure he was looking at my back. And he kept on gazing at it as I made my way back to camp and was out of his sight.

I got back to my post of peeling potatoes for stew. I took out my favorite knife and peeled and peeled and peeled until I was almost done. By the time I looked up again Shouku was at the edge of my field of vision. The head chef could also see him now but he never said anything to Shouku. Shouku would always use his father's rank as an excuse to be lazy at work. His father's rank has also gotten me out of work as well. Not to mention free booze stolen from the Palace storage room. Lee Shoukin is a doting father to his useless son and I believe he wouldn't mind us using him if he were to ever find out.

"SHOUKU! GET YOUR LAZY ASS BACK TO WORK!" A deep voice bellowed. A few laughs and snickers were heard around camp. Scratch my last thought. Please never let Lee Shoukin know we used his name in vain.

(*)

Ri Seishuu thankfully did not pick me to go with his squadron through the third passageway. The foreboding feeling of that route made my stomach turn and the other man he was going with, Lord Gaku Kin, frightened me. Much more so than Ri Seishuu. His anger and cruelty can be quelled with food but Gaku Kin's malice seems much more for sport. It cannot be calmed by anything, only fueled.

Luckily I am not part of Prince Kouha's army. He may be a prince of the Kou Empire but he is a little too odd for my liking. His army is going down the first passageway. The army, like Prince Kouha, is full of oddities too. The trio of witches is especially odd. You should not be asking for someone to hurt you. No matter how much you revere that person. But I guess it is best not to judge.

Unfortunately for me I am stuck in this dungeon until it is conquered but to my downward spiraling luck, I am thankfully in Prince Kouen's group. We are heading for the second passageway where I am also getting a foreboding feeling. Maybe it is the fact that our slowly reducing army is splitting up.

Shouku and I stood side by side observing the people around us. His half-lidded eyes lazily swept from left to right. Watching as everybody was gathering their things, readjusting their armor and saying temporary goodbyes. My own eyes captured a trio of friends finishing off an interesting handshake. They bumped fists, high fived and wiggled their fingers in the air.

Ah, how cute. We should have something like that too.

My eyes met Shouku's indifferent stare.

"No." I didn't even open my mouth yet. I frowned, sending Shouku a look that basically told him to fuck himself.

"You're an idiot." He had the audacity to laugh and place one of his large hands on my head to ruffle my hair. I pushed away his hand before he made my hair look worse than it already was. Helmet hair sucked. I tried to pat down the many cowlicks and comb through the tangled mess on my head. I glowered at Lee Shouku as he chuckled at my failing attempts. I kicked him on the shin and again got no reaction.

Angrily I shoved my helmet onto my head and picked up what little belongings I brought with me. I stomped my way over to where Prince Kouen's group was to meet while Shouku slowly made his way over to the Gorgon's group with his ever so lazy gait. After a while everyone was situated into their respective groups and Prince Kouen made a speech. More or less telling us (better yet telling the other group leaders) to meet back at this point in three days if there is no end to the tunnel. If they are forced to turn around and regroup at this point they will wait four days to see if any of the others make it back. After that point my mind started wandering. I glanced over at Shouku and he had a look of distain in his eyes. He looked bored and miserable over there.

A call for all of us to march on forward was made. I readjusted my helmet and moved my wok to a more comfortable position on my shoulder and started walking. My stormy gray eyes caught Shouku's brilliant green orbs before we each went into our respective passageways. I smiled at him and he gave a goofy grin, stretching from ear to ear. We never even said goodbye but that was okay with us because goodbyes mean we might never see each other again. We will definitely see each other again. I'm sure of it.

(*)

Almost a full day in the second passageway and life was grand. Whatever dungeon creature came our way was destroyed by Prince Kouen. He is such an amazing person. Prince Kouen has the strength, wisdom, and charisma to lead the Kou Empire as the next Emperor. It makes me wonder why anyone would not want to follow him.

Dinner was prepared smoothly, even with only a third of the army chefs to cook. Maybe it was the fact the head chef was helping out instead of barking orders like he usually did. Everybody is a bit more solemn while eating. Even though Prince Kouen is an amazing person his presence is intimidating. I couldn't help but feel small and helpless when my eyes met his cold red ones while I was pouring stew into his bowl. I almost had to take a step back and a nervous smile made its way onto my lips. Prince Kouen is cool but scary at the same time.

Before I could even get a bite of my meal everything fell into disarray. It all happened in a flash. The walls start to crumble and the floor slightly shakes. The debris sends clouds of dust everywhere. It's hard to see and I choke on dust particles. The floor shakes some more and I fall from lack of stability. My head feels congested and with unsteady eyes, scanned the premises for the creature attacking us. Parts of the ceiling start to drop, crushing a few soldiers. Their blood splatters out from under the stone like a squashed orange. Some hits other soldiers' clothes and faces.

A second round of explosions goes off and I realize that we are not under attack from a dungeon monster. A few pieces of stone and shrapnel embedded themselves into my arms and torso. A larger piece struck me on my shoulder causing a tingle of numbness to run through my arm. It hurt. Oh god it hurt. I didn't even bother to look knowing if I did I might pass out. I didn't even have the time even if I wanted too. The ceiling caved in and I narrowly missed being splattered like a crushed watermelon. I forced myself to rise and scurried to the left. I dived under a formation of rubble that created a small shelter from the raining stone. My head spun, my ears rung, and it hurt.

As quick as it begun the chaos died down. The dust was settling and only dirt fell from the remnants of what used to be a ceiling. Soldiers were strewn across the ground, dead or dying. A man with no legs, a man with no arms, and a man made up of nothing but innards were in my immediate vision. Puddles of blood formed and my eyes wouldn't leave the scenery. The searing pain in my shoulder combined with my labored breathes made me feel sick. My stomach churned and a smile crept up onto my face. Damn I one lucky son of a bitch. I was about to laugh but someone beat me to it.

It was cruel and condescending, cold and pointless. Not the mad laugh of someone who had just survived a life or death situation. It was just mad, like a typical evil villain's laugh in fairytales. I froze and cowered in my little makeshift haven.

"I have you right where I want you prince Kouen." A familiar voiced boomed and went on and on and on. The normally loud and stern voice lost some of its volume due to the lack of echo the long and narrow hall of stone provided. I felt my face scrunch in confusion. That voice sounded too familiar for my liking. I took a few deep breathes and gathered enough courage to peek over the top of my cover.

There was an odd site in front of me. I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn't looking at a mirage. On the ground covered in debris and a rather large piece of ceiling was Prince Kouen. Just out of reach was the blade I often see him carrying around, unsheathed and looking as deadly as ever. But the oddest thing before my eyes was a smug looking Head Chef, gloating about this and that.

He sneered down at the empirical prince and continued on ranting, a rather classic villainous thing to do. Prince Kouen didn't look all too amused. In fact I would say he even looked bored with the speech. The head chef was so into it too. Soon he slowly raised the saber he was holding above his head and everything slowed.

Something over came me as our future emperor was about to get slaughtered right in front of me. The man who has made the Kou Empire a peaceful place and made sure the country prospered. A kindly prince who persuaded the empirical court to let strays like me work in the palace. I was provided a job and home. A home where I met Lee Shouku's lazy ass and where Shuya found a dream all his own. Where a sullen Jade took refuge and a shattered Lia was put back together. The prince who gave his citizens a beautiful life was about to die and I couldn't do anything.

I clenched my teeth and cast my gaze away ashamed. There was nothing, absolutely nothing I could do to help Prince Kouen.

I wanted to cry as I felt my heart try to break free of my rib cage. I grabbed a sword on my scramble out of my little safe haven. It was way heavier than I thought and took all my might to keep the thing from dragging on the ground. It didn't matter the Head Chef heard me coming anyway and slightly turned his head around.

I swung with all the strength I could muster up and hit him on the top of the head. I felt the vibrations from metal hitting metal go through my arms while the Head Chef stumbled forward a bit. I saw an enraged look in his eyes as he was now turning to fully face me.

I think I used it wrong. He wasn't dying on the floor in a bloody mess like I saw many of the dungeon creatures do after getting hit by a sword. This was not going as planned. I was confused, frazzled, and mainly scared for my life. Why did I even go through with this?

I dropped my weapon and gave a weak smile. I felt as though it was a manic grin the way my cheeks were stretching. My breath shortened to the point where I had trouble breathing as I watched the Head Chef about to kill me.

All of a sudden the tip of a sword was directly in front of me. Crimson trickled down to the tip. I looked past the sword at the Head Chef who was gargling blood. A look of fear and shock mixed into his face as his eyes started rolling to the back of his head. Past him was Prince Kouen holding the hilt of his sword. He swung his arm to the side and the sword easily cut through the flesh of the Head Chef's neck. I felt a bit of warm liquid on my face, the body in front of me collapsed, and suddenly Kouen looked like he grew a few feet. I did not dare look down at the corpse and instead held the Prince's gaze from my seat on the stone floor.

Soon his sword was pointed at my throat and I was finally able to laugh at my cruel luck before I swore death overtook me.

(*)

A/N: I think someone needs to explain how armor works to the heroine.

Don't worry guys I actually adore Kouha! I actually like all three of the Kou princes. I find their brotherlyness adorably funny.

WHY WAS THE ENDING OF THIS CHAPTER SO HARD TO WRITE! Yeah this chapter is complete and utter crap. Halfway through I decided I did not like the first person point of view because I can't convey everything I want to about our heroine through this style. But as you can see I was too lazy to change it. I might later. Probably won't but get read for a point of view change in the next chapters. So sorry about that. I normally really hate it when authors do it and here I am doing it to you orz I also like I'm inconsistent with my writing style throughout the chapter. AND I have no clue how to write Kouen! You people are probably are like why the fuck did you even start writing this thing if you have no clue how you're going to write the love interest!?

Again I'm really sorry!

To those who reviewed. You people are ridiculous! I didn't expect any reviews at all so it was really surprising reading the positive reviews. So I feel bad about posting this with such a weird ending but I felt bad about not posting it sooner.