Hello...here is the continuation! Hmm...hope you like it and please review!!! Smileys...
I sit on one of the comfortable couches, bringing my feet up on it. It's pink and fluffy with gold trims on the side.
My father, Sultan Narumi is talking to an official from the kingdom to the far east called Peruguie. I can't pronounce it either.
I sigh. I know what all of this is about. It's another marriage dinner of some sorts. Father has been arranging them for me once a month since I was sixteen. This one is the 22nd.
"So...when will Prince Tsubasa be able to come? We have to make the preparations for this dinner celebration."I hear my father say.
"I believe he will be coming next week." The other man says. His voice is gruff and almost monstrous. I want to look out to see this man's face. Does he have a face as terrible as his voice? I giggle at this thought.
The giggles subside as I ponder over my predicament. I am never to love anyone truly am I? I have given up on telling myself that I would someday learn how to learn to love. I have always been a stubborn girl.
I don't want to meet this Prince Tsubasa. I don't want my father to make these stupid arrangements. I don't want to be married to someone I don't love!
I sigh and stand up. I move towards the terrace and start bathing in the sun. Natsume is still asleep on the railings.
I move over to him and move my hand over his smooth shiny black fur. He purrs at my touch, a low and vibrating tone.
My thoughts wander yet again to the blonde tan man being chased by the guards. Is he alright?
Natsume's eyes open slowly; his irises are deep red almost like blood. His irises are normally closer to a russet color. This color change only means that tonight is a full moon. He stretches lazily on the railings, his tongue showing in a wide-mouthed yawn. He comes near me and moves to rub against my shoulder.
I shove him away playfully and he paws at me. He shoves my face with his paw, forcing it to turn left. I grimace and then stare blankly. It's an area directly opposite the market place. I can see from here a lake and palm trees. But I stare at a figure walking beside the trees and something white hopping on the ground. The figure is a man with a slight build and tan skin. He has blonde hair.
My eyes grow wide and my lips stretch into a smile. It's the man who was running on the rooftops from earlier on. I watch him for awhile as he heads towards the shade of the palm trees.
Natsume growls in my ear softly. I turn to look at him. "Are you up for a little adventure?" I ask him. He leaps off the railings in response.
Father is still in the other room with the man from Peruguie. Natsume and I slowly creep out of the castle. We stop and hide a few times to keep away from the palace guards.
It's time to be a little rebellious. Okay, so father doesn't have to know that I sneaked out of the palace. I want to see and talk to that blonde man so badly. I don't know why. Maybe it isn't about the blonde man. Maybe, I just want to get out of the palace.
I don't want to hear my father arranging another one of the silly marriage deals. Yes, they are deals. Picking out a husband for me is a deal, as a princess, my husband will have dibs on the throne when father, well, when father dies, I suppose.
Natsume and I walk towards the lake surrounded with palm trees. It is quite a long walk. The sun is high in the sky. My panther is panting beside me, his tongue lolling out and his steps slow and unsteady.
"I'm sorry Natsume. We should have brought water."
He looks at me quite accusingly. I try to smile, but I too feel the heat of the sun getting on my nerves. This is new to me. The sun has never once irritated me, but now I fear that dehydration might not be far off, as exaggerated as that may seem.
I heave a sigh of relief as I see the palm trees not so far off. Natsume seems to have quickened his pace as well.
We reach the palm trees but I hold Natsume back. I don't know if I can even trust this man. He is a fugitive after all. Why, oh why did I ever come out here? He might kidnap me!
I hide behind one of the palm trees. Natsume stays close by, his body tensing up. I put a finger to my lips and signal him to hush. He seems to have the idea and I see him going into stealth mode.
His feet pad on the ground silently as if stalking a prey, when I realize that he is. He's spotted the white thing. It's the same white thing that was on the blonde man's shoulder. It seems to be a rabbit.
I smack him on the nose, giving him a glare that said, don't you dare. The rabbit was nibbling on grass that was spread sparingly on the desert floor.
I turn to peek at the other side of the palm tree. The man was in the lake, swimming about. He comes to the edge and splashes water on his rabbit, which thumps his foot on the ground. The man laughs out loud, and a smile plasters itself on my own lips. He doesn't seem like a bad man.
Then he gets up and walks out of the lake. I shriek and hide behind the palm tree, closing my eyes. He's freaking naked! I can't believe that I'm going to say this but...I saw it! You know...his manhood.
There is a rustle of clothes. Natsume looks at me curiously. I hush him even if he hasn't made a sound. Has this man seen me? Oh no...Please no. I don't want to be kidnapped!
"I'm fully dressed now miss, you can come out." He says.
I move to peek again, shutting my eyes just in case. From behind the palm tree I open my eyes slowly. He's right, he is fully dressed. He's only in a vest though and I can see a well toned stomach and chest. I blush slightly. I've seen this man in his entirety, even just for a second. Oh Mikan! What a naughty, naughty thought!
"It's fine. I won't bite."
I ponder this. No, you won't and I'm sure that if I get in trouble that Natsume would be the one to bite.
Confident that I had the upper hand, I step out of my hiding place. He gasps. I'm taken slightly aback. What is the gasp for?
"Umm...hi." I say tentatively. She stares at me for a moment. I stare back, still wondering what brings the princess to such a place as this.
I remember that she is royalty and bow. "Your highness." I say stiffly.
A black cat walks out from behind her. A large black cat, that is. It looks at me and growls a little. Its red eyes look menacing and only add to its whole predator appearance.
Usa-chan runs quickly to my side and lifts its paw up my ankle, begging me to carry it. I can see fear etched in his rabbit eyes. I pick him up.
The princess smacks the cat. It hisses slightly at her but backs off.
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt you...and...and I'm not a peeping tom either!" She says defensively.
I blush at the thought. The princess has seen me. Oh damn it! Why am I thinking like a sixteen year old girl! (A/N I'm not saying that sixteen year old girls think like this! Heck, I'm a sixteen year old girl...haha...I...umm. I uhh, do not think like this.)
"So...umm. What are you doing here?" I ask her.
She seems reluctant to answer. Her eyes dart from side to side and she does something weird with her fingers, pressing her two index fingers together and making them intertwine at times.
"I...I was taking my cat for a walk, isn't that right, Natsume?"
She turns to her cat that has strayed from her side and is currently at the lake lapping up water. She seems frantic to have lost the cat from her side. She still thinks that I'm going to hurt her, I suppose.
Natsume, you idiot cat! Now I'm sure he's going to hurt me!
I look frantically from side to side. If I run to my left, it'll bring me to the market place. He can't follow me there. The guards must still be searching for him.
He moves and my muscles tense. But he doesn't do anything to me. He goes underneath another palm tree and sits down in its shade.
Natsume comes back to my side. I look at him angrily. The look on his face seems to say, what did I do? I want to kick him.
I turn back to the man. He called me highness, which means he probably knows who I am already.
"What's...um...what's your name?" I ask.
He looks at me from his palm tree. His face is smooth and boyish and handsome. And I saw him. Stop it Mikan!
"Ruuka. My name is Ruuka."
Ruuka. I like it. It kind of has a nice ring to it. I can't stop myself from smiling. I know his name. And he isn't a bad guy.
Gaining some confidence, I move towards him. He looks at me inquisitively.
"M...mind if I ... if I sit beside you?" I ask.
"Not at all." He smiles and my cheeks blush. I feel like a twelve year old who has been smitten by an actor. Aww, come on girl! You barely know this guy.
I sit a fair distance away from him. Natsume seems to have forgotten me and is sunbathing on a farther patch of sand.
"Why are you walking your cat so far away from the palace?" He asks.
"I uhh...we...lost track of time."
"I see. Didn't the heat bother you?"
"Umm...no. I love the sun!"
He stays silent for awhile and I peek at him to see if he has fallen asleep. His blue eyes are open and alert. He catches me staring at him.
"What is it?" He asks.
"Uh...ahaha...nothing."
I can't believe I'm sitting under a palm tree blabbering on to a stranger.
Sorry if its kind of cut off...but I'll continue this so no worries! and please review! please! I love you guys who review...hahaha...Smileys.