Chapter: 3

Haru opened her eyes. It was almost dawn. She could feel she had been sleeping for a long time even though she was sitting on a floor made of stone. She realised that a pair of strong warm arms was wrapped tightly around her. She gave out a quite gasp. He really hadn't let her go. She blushed just by the thought that Baron had been with her all night. She used the opportunity to snuggle closer to the warm chest. The fabric of his suit was very comfy and she felt how her eyes again began to close.

*****

"DAD! DAD! I'm right here. Please come home… Mommy and I want to have you home now." The little girl yelled from the bottom of her lungs to not let her voice get drowned by the thunder. The man stopped, thinking that he had heard his daughter. And this was exactly the case. He looked at her a little shocked to find her there alone on the sidewalk. But smiled to her, knowing that they would come home and drink hot chocolate.

A strong light came.

*****

"Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" Haru shouted in her dreams. Baron had of course woken up from the disturbance and had talked calmly into her ears, saying that everything was going to be alright and that no one would leave her.

Haru could feel somebody had taken her up into the arms, carried her, and laid her on the bed.

"Don't leave me…" Haru almost whispered. She almost couldn't see but she could see Baron's face – well – cat-face.

"I won't" he answered and Haru fell into a deep calm sleep afterwards.

*****

Haru woke up smelling a delightful scent. She put on the dress that was on her bed especially for her, and opened the door a little. Looked to both sides and went to the right following the scent. It was the scent of tea.

She opened a door and found herself in the kitchen.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump high and shrieked.

"Excuse me miss." A white beautiful feline asked, "May I help you?"

Haru sighed a little and answered, "Oh, yes…uhm… where can I find something to eat, I feel rather hungry?" Haru's stomach growled in agreement.

The white cat smiled, "Let me find something for you to eat. After all you are the soon bride-to-be."

She walked through the doors into the kitchen and started preparing a breakfast, leaving Haru speechless and dumbfounded.

"What?" Haru's eyes confused. She had never heard of such a thing. Surely Baron would have told her if that was the case. Hoping it was a joke.

"How come you haven't heard of it? Surely Baron must have told you. After all he did get the assignment to get you from the human world to here." The white car continued preparing the meal while still talking.

"Prince Lune is a very admirable cat. He is handsome and a good ruler. His father, the king, chose you as a soon-to-be wife. Since Baron and Lune is best friends, Baron offered him his help." Done with making Haru her meal she put it on a plate on a table.

The dumbfounded girl went over to sit on the chair to eat, knowing that with none food and this information soon would make her faint.

She ate up quietly and went off to her room, still in a daze. While looking into space someone accidentally dumped into her. Baron, She thought at first but noticing his black fur she said to her self that it wasn't him.

"I terribly sorry" the black cat said apologizing with a bow. She noticed an orange cat standing behind him expressionless.

The black cat took Haru's hand and kissed it. Haru blushing, the black cat introduced himself.

"My name is Lune. And your escort from yesterday was my advisor and best friend, Baron."

"I'm very sorry for not meeting you earlier but I was in meetings all yesterday. I heard from Yuki that she may have slipped out that you were going to marry me. I can't let you go back to your world quite yet with all those troubles there had been trying to get you here."

"I can't marry you." Haru yelled out hysterically.

"Why?"

The meadows flowers told you, you belonged here," he answered.

"No, I don't!" Haru almost screamed, but suddenly stopped, her head spinning way too fast. "I don't want to get married," she almost whispered.

"Baron, would you care to leave us alone for a moment," Lune asked. Baron bowed in agreement in left through a black door.

Lune offered Haru his arm, so that she could put her arm through it. She hesitated at first but she but past out soon if she didn't get to hold something.

Lune smiled and they started walking. He followed her to her room and opened a door where there was a beautiful yellow dress.

"Please wear this for tonight." Lune whispered in her ear.

"I'm telling you, I'm not going to marry you." Haru's eyes had anger in them but Lune ignored it.

He whispered again in her ear, "I'm sorry, but it seems that you're not allowed to choose whether you are or are not getting married to me."

He let her go and smiled at the dumbfounded girl, walked out and closed the door.

Tears dropped down her cheeks.

"You are such a cry baby," a voice said behind her. She turned around shocked and saw the white cat that had made her a meal earlier, and who Lune had called Yuki. "Every girl wants to marry the prince and you're just standing there and crying at all possible times." Yuki's voice was feminine but very cold and filled with jealousy.

"And not only are you going to get married but is also flirting with his advisor and best friend." Haru was scared of those too blue eyes which shone with anger and hatred towards her.

"I'm not…" Haru said with a trembling voice but Yuki interrupted her.

"Don't you worry, I will not allow you to marry the prince," she said with a sharp voice, jumped out the window and disappeared into the sunlight.

Haru, again dumbfounded, stood there with tears in her eyes with great fear in her heart. Was it really like Yuki said? Did she really 'flirt' with Baron? No, she didn't… all she needed was just some comfort because no one had ever given her that.

She lied down on her bed and let the time fly by.

*****

The clock struck 6 o'clock and Haru was glad that her boredom was over but a terrible evening was on the steps.

Putting on the yellow dress, she examined herself in the mirror. She couldn't recognize what was in the mirror. A brown cat with her hair and eyes was standing there with a tail, cat ears and fur.

A knock came from the door and she opened it, surprised to see Baron standing there in a black suit, matching boots and a blue cape. And then she realised he had a silver mask around his eyes.

He bowed and said, "You look beautiful, Miss Haru. All you need now is your mask. After all it is a masquerade." He smiled and Haru felt her heart skip just a few beats. She blushed but told him she didn't have a mask to wear.

He turned her around and she felt how his hands put a mask on her face, tying it on the back of her head. When he had done that he turned her around. "Perfect." he said with a smile on his face.

They stood there not saying anything for what seemed to have been hours but only was a few seconds.

Baron turned his head towards the staircase. "The Prince is waiting for you down in the hall. I am just supposed to follow you down there."

Haru could have sworn that she saw a little blush on Barons cheeks. She smiled a warm smile and put her hand through his offered arms.

Continues .. LOL