Hey all! yes I've updated ONE story! More updates shall come... but first i must edit the crap writing i have...!! oh noes! please stick with me i would greatly appreciate it. R&R please! much love and thanks

Kaoru ran to the castle's stables. "Falada!" She cried. On queue a beautiful snow white stallion came to her.

"Princess what is wrong?"' He seemed to ask Kaoru.

"Oh Falada!" Kaoru cried harder and told him the whole story.

After listening, Falada, seemed to try to reassure his princess that it would be alright.

Kaoru wrapped her arms around him, "You will come with me right?"

Falada gently nudged Kaoru with his nose that seemed as he was saying it was an affirmative.

--

A week later, Kaoru was lavishly dressed up in riches for a ceremony with the entire Kasshin kingdom attending, bidding farewell to their Princess Kaoru.

As the ceremony was carried out, Kaoru gave her mother icy cool glances. The princess felt great satisfaction as her mother froze when the glares were received.

The last of the ceremony, the queen Mitsuko and the princess Kaoru exchange a final parting, came to. The queen and the princess stood in front of all their people. Then, Queen Mitsuko, hesitantly held out her arms into an embrace towards Kaoru. As her mother embraced her, Kaoru made no movements to the action. The queen gazed sadly into her daughter's blank, beautiful, sapphire eyes. Mitsuko choked back a sob as she gazed into eyes that contained betrayal and hate. "Forgive me Kaoru, please forgive your weak mother," her mother pleaded quietly.

"You shall have none of that forgiveness, ever, my lady," Kaoru spoke icily.

The queen pressed her lips together tightly. She sighed sadly and reached in her pocket and took out her favorite handkerchief. Unfolding the piece of cloth the queen plucked her finger with a pin. Three drops of her blood was soaked into the handkerchief, her mother smiled a sad smile, "so I'll always be with you," she explained as she handed Kaoru the handkerchief.

Kaoru accepted the handkerchief and said nothing.

Her mother gave her another sad smile, "There are many chests filled with gifts for the Hiten Royal family. And many fine gowns and jewelry for you in the chests as well…" she paused, "I'll write to you…." She began.

"Yes I'll write to you too," Kaoru sighed and walked to her horse, Falada. The princess affectionately stroked the stallion before saddling up and commanding her horse to commence onwards as soldiers who were accompanying her followed. Then casting a sorrowful final glance at her mother, brother, and her sister, her people, she commanded her horse to start trotting. Goodbye, goodbye home, goodbye stable, goodbye to her other precious horses, her reading room, her life, her family, and her happiness, she was starting her journey to a whole new life as her tears of sorrow slid down her lovely face. Kaoru wiped them away quickly. A true princess or queen must never cry in public, her mother's voice rang in her head...

It had been two weeks and some days since they have started there journey. Kaoru stared off into the blue sky and watched as a flock of geese flew in the sky. I wish I was free to fly anywhere as well… she thought to herself. "We should be able to make it in about a day or two," Kaoru smiled at Sanouske, the captain of the guards and one of her father's most trusted men and her most trusted childhood friend. Sano was rather incredibly tall, with brown chocolate eyes, and dark maple brown colored hair that strangely resembled a chicken's head. He always wore a red bandanna and a white trench with the mark evil on the back.

"Jouchan oughtta watch out for the wolves. In these parts there are many pretty hungry for a morsel. Even hungry enough to eat you, my lady Kaoru," Sano joked.

Kaoru smiled. It was rather lovely that Sano was on this trip, his presence brightened up the mood greatly. She joked back with, "Rooster head the wolves are going to come after you partly because they're hungry for some chicken!"

"Che! I can really say, missy, that I'm glad I'm not going to be hitched with you," the chicken head sneered.

Kaoru glared playfully, "Well, captain, I must say this is why you don't have a single girl waiting for you at home. You have the ill manners of a pig!"

Sano's eyes widened as the insult was delivered, "Why you!? If I wasn't guarding you, you'd be thrown over a cliff right at this second, Lady Kaoru! A lady shouldn't be speaking so foully as you."

"Milady, please don't speak with trash material. You have us ladies to accompany you on this dreadful trip," Tomoe's dramatic voice rang out from behind Kaoru. Sano's eyes narrowed at the sound of Tomoe's voice.

Kaoru turned around and glanced at Tomoe riding on a brown mare and another lady rider, riding alongside with Tomoe on a brown mare tittering rather loudly on the comment made about Sano. Of course she was glad to have Tomoe traveling along, but the comment about Sano caused her eyes to narrow, "Tomoe, Sano is head captain of the guards who guards us all. If we were attacked, and that comment you made about him was remembered, I'm sure you would be in a bit of a startling situation." Sano and Tomoe had never gotten along; even if they ever did, it was like with pigs flying and chickens thinking. Kaoru stared at the lady rider at Tomoe's side. Strange, Kaoru thought, she didn't remember seeing that woman before.

"Of course, your Highness, Captain Sanouske, I'll be sure to watch my tongue. I do apologize about my oh so true comment," Tomoe curtly spoke her so called attempt to apologize to the man she hated most in the world. His eyes narrowing more than ever, Sano then flashed Tomoe a rude gesture behind Kaoru. Tomoe's eyes widened greatly but recovered rather quickly. She turned to the lady riding alongside with her, "This is Suzuna, and she is my cousin on my mother's side. She has been traveling with us for quite some time and I am deeply sorry for not introducing the two of you."

Suzuna smiled stiffly, still looking at Sano with a filled with mortification, "I would curtsy but we are on horses, Milady. Yes, I was deeply saddened not to be introduced to you before, until now. It's a pleasure to be finally speaking to the much loved crowned princess of Kasshin." She looked as if she was a tad shorter than Kaoru, with long red curls that flowed freely where the wind carried them, shallow cheekbones, and a rather unathletic body.

"It is lovely to meet you on this journey; I do certainly hope we all share a pleasant journey, although I wished you would've been introduced to me sooner," Kaoru replied and smiled at the gesture she knew Sano must've made behind her and decided to let it go. After all, Tomoe did indeed deserve it…

After dark settled in, and worthless chatter with the princess the two other ladies in the party was spoken, the group made camp. The tents were assembled, the princess's first as usual. When the tents were all set the soldiers began resting and socializing amongst the group. Kaoru, then grew restless of waiting for Sano as he went off to take care of something unknown to her, left her personal tent and walked along the stream that flowed near. As the princess gazed upon her soldiers, she noticed a few were looking at her with awful sneers and glances, some even dared pointing at her rudely then whispered words to another. Kaoru examined the men with curious eyes sapphire blue eyes; she stopped, realizing many of the men she had never before seen in her life until the start of the journey. She peered around for familiar faces, finding only a few. Kaoru sighed and shook her head. The long journey was beginning to wear her down. The princess went back to walking along the stream; its direction slowly flowed away from the camp. The trickle of the stream was peaceful and gave her time to think to herself.

A rustle was then heard in the bushes. The princess froze in her spot and stared at the bush that seemed to move but a second ago when that rustle was heard. Then a growl of a beast was heard. Kaoru panicked. She didn't have a weapon to defend herself and the growl truly sounded menacing. Curse her for leaving her small defense dagger in her tent!

Suddenly, with great speed, a wolf pounced out, baring its sharp fangs. Kaoru jumped back and let out a blood curling scream. She turned and ran for the camp grounds. The distance to the camp wasn't too far off, but it was far enough for the wolf to attack the princess unnoticed by the soldiers unless she screamed. Her eyes scanned the camp looking for the men to come and rescue their princess.

The men didn't respond to her cry for help. Instead they continued their tasks as if her scream never was heard. Maybe I didn't scream loud enough, Kaoru thought and screamed again. This time she saw only about ten men, out of what she vaguely remembered as fifty total men in the group, rush towards her as she ran as quickly as she could to the camp.

The terrified princess glanced back as she saw the wolf was gaining on her quickly, her eyes filled with full panic now. She needed to distract the wolf until the men were close enough, but had no weapon. That beast could tear her apart on the spot if she were to fight it with her bare hands. Kaoru scanned the ground for a weapon, a stick, a rock, anything! Then she spotted a thick stick ahead. With great speed she swooped over to the location of the stick and reached out for the thick stick. Grasping the stick, Kaoru turned and struck the wolf with her weapon. The wolf hardly flinched but stopped in its tracks. The men were now at her side. One man struck the wolf with a club, not killing the beast just yet. The beast then retreated off, knowing it was outnumbered and could not win, towards a nearby forest and vanished in it.

Kaoru sighed with relief. She was safe now.

"Are you alright Kaoru?!" Sano, one of the men who came to rescue her, asked worriedly.

She left like she was about to faint, but smiled a trembling smile, "Yes fine, thank you guys so much for coming in time."

Sano escorted the shaking princess back towards camp, the other nine soldiers following his lead.

As they walked, Kaoru began to ponder why the men didn't respond when she first cried out for help. Then when she cried out for help a second time only ten men bothered to come to her rescue out of fifty. The other forty didn't even seem to bother to glance up to help her. Finally reaching back to camp Kaoru walked back into her tent alone. Sano and his other nine men were off talking to the forty men about protecting the princess.

The princess shivered. It was getting a bit chilly… Kaoru reached for the soft tent's flap that allowed her to enter into her tent. She froze. She felt the sensation of fear, ripples of trembles in her chest. Someone or something was in her tent. Out of curiosity she peered into the inside of the tent. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

There was a lantern that lit up the tent. There was not one person but two people in her tent. Tomoe and Suzuna, the girl she just happened to meet today, were in the tent fondling around and going through her chests. The princess felt blood rush to her head. How dare they look through their princess's private belongings, much less enter in the tent without permission? Tomoe and her companion should've known much better! She wanted to screech out. Never had the princess felt so invaded.

As the princess's feelings were clashing, Tomoe lifted up the dress that was meant for her princess to wear on the day they arrived to Hiten. What a pretty thing, she sighed out loud, while Suzuna glanced at the jewelry.

Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. She calmly lifted the flap. The two ladies froze and stared at Kaoru. "Tomoe and Suzuna, what in the world are you doing going through my belongings?" The princess inquired out loud.

Suzuna opened her mouth as if to say something but no words came out. Tomoe glared at the princess and rushed out of the tent, pushing the princess aside with Suzuna following at Tomoe's side.

The princess stood there still, letting her shock soak in. What in the world is happening today? She wanted to scream out at the top of her lungs. Kaoru just wanted to go back home more than anything… To lie in the comforts of her warm bed, eat the delicious meals served by one of the best cooks in the land, talk to Yutaro and Tsubame about current events… She closed her eyes dreaming about the home she missed so.

Kaoru inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled an exercise from sword fighting. She continued to dream about how perfect it would be if only she was home… Until she heard a shout of pain, snapping her out of her dream world that would never be again. The princess rushed to where her men were all gathered.

Sano was brutally bashing his own men, the men who didn't even bother to save their princess when she had asked for assistance earlier. Kaoru gasped horrified at the sight, why are you doing this Sano, and to your own men? She questioned.

The Caption, the first of the men to catch sight of his princess and rushed over from the brawl and ushered her away from the fight. He covered Kaoru's mouth and whispered in her ear, "Kaoru run to Falada. Now and do not say a word."

The princess was confused and numb. What in the world was happening? She looked at her caption with questions in her eyes. "Sano wh-" Kaoru was interrupted as Sano pushed her in the direction Falada was located.

"We have traitors, now hurry, Kaoru, saddle up your horse. And get the hell out of here! Go to Hiten and-" the caption twisted around and punched the man square in the jaw. Then he glanced at his princess and smiled, "My duty is to protect you, my princess, my soon to be queen," he picked up Kaoru and placed her roughly on Falada. "We're out numbered and soon they will know you've left your tent. Jouchan, I'm going to distract the traitors while you get the hell out of here." Then he quickly placed a dagger and sword in each of her hand. "For protection if needed…" he added.

Kaoru's eye's widened, she felt faint once again. Everything was like a daze. What in the world was happening? But one thing was for sure, she couldn't leave her childhood friend, Sano, "No Sanouske, please don't leave me," she choked back a sob.

"Sorry, missy, but it's too late. Fuck shit, they've noticed!" Sano cursed. "Don't stop the damn horse, Kaoru..." Then with a smile he commanded the horse to gallop off.

Kaoru, shocked and numb, stared blankly behind her as the horse galloped away from the camp site, unable to utter a word friend. She cast one last glimpse at her dear friend, beating more than ten traitors, to protect her, risking his life, for her, Kaoru Kamiya. The princess gasped as her dear friend, was finally struck down, dead, and then screamed his name as if that would bring him back to life. The eyes of the traitors looked up, noticing the princess running off, they shouted to eachother to catch the runaway.

Fear in her soul she commanded her faithful stallion to run on… Tears of sorrow clouded her vision. Sano had wanted her to live on… And so she will, for the man who gave his life for her.

A true princess must never cry for the soldier that laid down his life for her, instead live on proudly for that soldier, who had saved her life, the voice of her mother rang in her head once again. "Should a princess cry for the dear loved one who laid his life down for her, mother?" the girl whispered riding on.

To be continued...

April 10th, 2008

YAY!! A chapter update. enjoy... and please review! Been way to busy lately... hopefully this story quenches your thirst just a bit?? well for those people who still know i exist... and read this story...

with love,

serph