Declaimer: I don't own the Ayashi no Ceres. Yuu Watase-sensei does.

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A/N: I also want to thank my friend who re-edits the chapter two. Sorry for the late updating. There are 3 reasons why I update so late and why I repost of my chapter two. First, my pc was broken last year and I have to wait for few months to buy a new one. Now that I have a new one I can continue this story. Second, I'm so busy at school and I have no time to write the chapter 3 but I'm already writing it and please wait for s little bit more. I'm kind busy this days. Third, the reason why I re-post the chapter two is…. A secret!!! Just wait for the chapter 3!!

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Chapter 2: Meeting Her Romeo?

Aya went to the palace garden to look for the trespasser. As she was walking along the bridge, the moon's reflection was on the water. She stopped and looked down at it for a moment.

Meanwhile, Somewhere in the Palace Garden

A guy with non-dyed red hair and a pair of emerald green eyes was standing behind a pine tree, secretly watching Aya.

"She's beautiful…" the guy said under his breath, amazed at the ethereal beauty of the girl.

Aya chanced to look at the pine tree and saw an outline if a person standing behind it, hiding among the shadows. She approached the tree cautiously.

Seeing Aya approaching, the guy crouched low and hid himself on the bushes.

When she reached it, she looked around but saw no one. She then turned to go back to the palace and into her room.

Once she was gone, the guy stood up and looked towards the direction of Aya's room. Sighing, he left the palace garden and went back to his castle.

::Aya's Room::

Aya reached her room and lay down on her bed, thinking of a lot of things.

Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling and a tear fell down her cheeks, a second before she fell asleep.

The Next Day

Aya awoke. Sitting up, she paused for a moment and sighed. Standing, she went to the bathroom and took a bath. After 30 minutes she went out the bathroom and changed into one of her dresses. She then went downstairs to meet her parents and her brother for breakfast at the great hall.

"Ohayo."

"Ohayo, Aya," both her parents and her older twin brother said, replying to her greeting.

She sat down and started eating her breakfast. The family ate in silence and Aya felt uneasy. The silence was deafening.

Aya was about to take another spoonful of the soup when her father spoke up.

"Aya, Yuhi will be coming here this afternoon," her father informed her.

She dropped the spoon with a clang, splashing soup over the rim of her bowl, and looked at her father.

"He wants to have a tea with you this afternoon," he added between bites of the viand.

"Oh…" Aya said looking down to her food.

"Is there's something wrong my dear?" her mother asked.

"Betsuni, Oká-san," she said shaking her head and resumed eating.

They ate for one hour and after that, proceeded with their daily routine. For Aya, it consists of going to the palace garden and reading her favorite book.

Afternoon

Yuhi was given the red carpet treatment when he arrived at the palace.

"Where's Aya?" he asked, looking around.

"At the palace garden, doing what she does best, reading her favorite book," Aki replied.

"Oh… I see. I'll go and see her." Yuhi said with a smile. Bowing respectfully to the king and queen, he proceeded to the garden.

Palace Garden

The prince was right, Yuhi thought. Aya was sitting under the pine tree reading her favorite book. He came up behind her and grabbed the book from her hand.

"Hey!" she yelled in outrage.

"Still reading this book??" Yuhi asked her, holding the book away from her.

"Give it back, I haven't finished reading it yet," she said, reaching for her book.

Yuhi bent down until his face was inches from hers. "Say, why don't you take a break for a moment? Over a cup of tea?" he asked her smilingly.

"N-no. I'm fine. Thank you for the offer, Yuhi," Aya said pushing Yuhi gently away from her. Taking the book from him, she stood up, shaking dirt from her skirt. "I appreciate it but I don't feel like joining you for tea," she added seriously.

Yuhi sighed and stood up, looking down at her. "Ok, I won't force you if you don't want to. I guess I'll just go and have some tea with your brother and your parents," he said and walked back to the palace.

As soon as Yuhi was gone, Aya sighed in relief. She sat back under the pine tree and resumed reading her book.

Evening, Grand Hall

Aya's father invited Yuhi to stay for dinner. They talked about Aya and Yuhi's engagement while eating. Disliking the conversation, Aya put down her spoon and wiped her mouth with the napkin.

"I'm done eating Otó-san, Oká-san," she informed her parents, standing up. "I'm going to my room now."

Her father nodded his permission.

"Oyasumi, Otó-san, Oká-san, Oní-chan and Yuhi," she said, giving a respectful bow.

"Oyasumi," responded her parents.

"Oyasumi, Imouto." Aki said.

"Oyasumi, Hime!" Yuhi said with a smile. Aya glared at him for a moment, turned around and climbed the stairs to her room.

When Aya was gone, Aki informed the King, the Queen and the Prince that he was also done eating and went upstairs to his room. Yuki bade his farewell 30 minutes later and informed the king and queen that he shall return the next week.

::Aya's room::

Aya heard Yuhi's carriage leave. She leaned her back against the headboard and closed her eyes in deep thought. Making up her mind, she stood up, grabbed her robe on and went out the room.

Hallway

Aya looked around to see if anybody's still awake, finishing his/her job. Seeing no one, she sighed in relief and thanked God that everyone has retired to their rooms.

With her engagement pressing down on her, it came as to no surprise that she couldn't sleep. Some fresh air at the palace garden might calm her troubled thoughts. She walked down the hallway until she reached the backdoor that led to the palace garden.

Way to Palace Garden

Aya looked around for the patrol-guards and felt relieved that she met none as she headed to the garden.

Palace Garden

She watched the reflection of the moon on the water as she stood by the bridge. Smiling, she let the wind play with her hair.

Having just arrived, he quickly hid behind a tree when he saw the silhouette of someone coming towards his direction. Much to his surprise, it was her. His emerald green eyes followed the princess's every move.

Aya walked towards the pine tree. When she reached it, she looked up. She remembered when she was small; she once climbed this very tree. Aki tried to stop her but she was already on the top. Her father, having seen her, ordered her to come down. Taken by surprise, she fell and landed on her father's ready arms. Her grandfather, the former king had approached them. Her father apologized to her grandfather about his daughter's actions. The old king told her father that she's a TOMBOY. Then, he started telling Aki and Aya how important the pine tree was to their family. It was an heirloom, handed down from generation to generation, and that one shouldn't climb it nor fall from it.

Aya smiled at the memory. She sat under the tree and hugged her knees. Sighing, she stared at the flowing river. Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her from the shadows.

"When will I find the person who I can be with?" she asked herself, gazing unseeingly at the river.

The owner of the emerald green eyes heard her. He told to himself that he'd do anything within his power just to be with her forever. He had fallen in love with her the very moment he caught a glimpse of her the previous night.

However, there is this problem. A humongous one. He's a vampire. She's human and a vampire slayer at that. He knew that it would be impossible for him to win her heart. He took a step back.

Aya heard some noise from the bushes and stood up.

"W-who's there?" she asked nervously.

He hesitated. He could not make up his mind. Will he reveal himself or not? He looked at her and saw her fear. He paused for a moment to think. Coming to a decision, he moved forward and appeared from the shadows. The light of the moon fell on him and Aya saw him. She looked with utterly dumbfounded at what she saw.

The person before her was tall, undoubtedly. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder. His emerald green eyes looked straight into her own blue ones and she felt as though he was looking straight into her soul. He had high cheekbones and a face that looked to be sculpted by the great Michelangelo at his most inspired moment.

It took sometime for her to find her voice. When she did, it came out on a croak. "W-who are you??" she asked uneasily.

He didn't hear her. He was busy drinking in the beauty that stood before him. Her hyacinth hair, her classic face, her brilliant sapphire eyes that bespoke of innocence and, at that moment, filled with trepidation as she looked at him. He couldn't blame her. A mysterious stranger in your own garden? Who wouldn't be confused and worried? At least she didn't yell and alert the palace guards.

"Who are YOU?" she asked him again, wondering if he was as deaf as he was handsome. Maybe she should try sign language.

His gaze fell to her lips. Those pink, luscious lips that begged to be kissed. He heard her voice. She had a nice and beautiful voice worthy of a goddess'.

He thought he heard her ask his name and her expression told him that she's fast deciding whether or not to yell.

"M-My name is Toya. I'm a prince from a far away palace," he said a bit haltingly, hastening to placate her. "May I know what your name is, beautiful lady?" he asked her politely, bowing down low before her.

"I'm Aya. I'm the princess of this palace," she replied softly, relieved that he wasn't deaf and dumb as she'd first thought.

"Nice to meet you, Aya-hime," he said as he reached for her hand and kissed the back of it.

"I-It's nice to meet you too, Toya-ouji-sama," she whispered, blushing lightly.

Toya gazed into her eyes and silence enveloped the two.

"So, why are you here in the middle of the night?" he asked, breaking the stillness.

"Well I can't sleep so I thought some fresh air would help," she replied.

"Oh… I see."

"You, what are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Well, I was walking and passed by here, so I thought to look around," he lied.

"Oh… I see."

A light suddenly shone from one of the palace windows. Aya stood up. "I have to go now," she said nervously, glancing at the lighted window. Turning to him, she added, "You should go, too."

Toya nodded. "I hope we can see each other again," he said with a smile.

"I hope so too," she replied, smiling back. "For the mean time, I have to go." She gave a quick bow and ran all the way back to the palace.

Toya returned to the shadows and followed Aya's progress with eyes that missed nothing. Smiling to himself, he flew back to his palace.

::Aya's Room::

Aya reached her room without bumping into one of the palace folks and sighed in relief. She walked to the window and gazed into the palace garden, smiling.

"Toya," she said under her breath. "He is so… mysterious." She felt exhaustion tugging at her and yawned. Lying on her back, she said to the ceiling, "We'll meet again, Toya… soon. At last I finally found him. I found my Romeo."

This night held great improvement. Aya fell asleep with a smile on her face.