CHAPTER 4

After the small incident Shazara had avoided Hakuei at all cost, not even telling Hakuyuu or Hakuren why. Shazara seemed afraid of the harmless female Haku. Instead Shazara spent almost all her time with Hakuryuu. She cooed his name and played with him a lot too. Hakuryuu had said Shaara as his first words and clung to Shazara too.

Hakuren and Shazara became great friends. He had taken her to the market and horseback riding. He told her a lot of funny stories about the pranks he did to the advisors.

Shazara missed Koumei dearly but apparently she wasn't allowed to meet him. She had to give him the bracelet some other time then.

Three months passed and Hakuyuu and Shazara had their engagement ball. It was decided that they would marry the moment Shazara became 16 which, Shazara calculated, was 2 years from now. A lot of Hakutoku's advisors were against the marriage and Shazara had heard that the empress was also against it but the emperor had made up his mind.

That night Shazara had stopped by the first prince's room and knocked on his door.

"Who is it?" called from the inside.

"It is Shazara, Yuu," she answered.

The door opened to reveal the first prince in his night clothes.

"Please come on in," he invited to which Shazara accepted.

They both sat at the the couch in front of each other.

"So to what reason have you come here for?" Hakuyuu knew what the young leader wanted but he decided to ask anyway. He didn't want to let her go so soon.

"Yuu, I want to see the world," she said.

The prince sighed but still smiled. He stood up to head to his own room. Shazara worried immediately, thinking that she had hurt the prince's feelings so she hurriedly followed him.

"I just want to see the world with my own eyes. I want to meet all the different people but you will still be my husband of course," she started blabbering and continued on, "I want to know about their different interest so then maybe I can start my own business to help the Kou Empire when you are the one sitting on throne an-," she abruptly stopped when Hakuyuu had finally turned around to look at her. He had his gentle smile but there was a hint of sadness.

"Hakuyuu," she started to speak again but Hakuyuu only took her hand and left something on her palm.

It was a flower made of fine royal purple cloth with an amethyst gem in the middle. There were four long red strings with golden bells which jingled when the beautiful pin was placed on her hand.

"It is a kanzashi," the prince said as the girl looked up at him in question.

"Let's say it is a charm for your safety until you return to my side," the prince smiled.

Shazara's eyes watered as her shoulders that felt heavy became light. She hugged the prince tightly as she thanked him. That night they slept in the same bed and enjoyed each other's warmth and company. Unknown to the prince, Shazara left a necklace of with one piece of amethyst rock around his neck and a hankie wrapped up on his finger.

Shazara and Veiron, her trusted guard and half brother, had left Kou three days later and her first destination was Reim empire. She had the kanzashi pinned her hair up tightly. She also kept her treasured kusanagi that once belonged her father on her back. She kept her daggers inside her royal blue haori sleeves. She wore a royal purple colored chima with butterfly patterns that was shortened up to her knee for travelling and battle reasons and a coal tinted baji.

She had a rucksack with quite a bit of gold, a spare pair of black shoes, food, another haori that was light green, a bright magenta chima that had flower patterns and finally the underdress white chima. She had water in the bamboo bottle just in case.

When they reached the borders of the Kou Empire, Veiron and Shazara parted ways. Veiron headed back to Ryuushaku to carry out Shazara's orders and Shazara headed to Balbadd and from Balbadd, she would go to Reim immediately. She could explore Balbadd later when she went back to Kou. Right now she was interested in Reim Empire. When she reached Balbadd, Shazara was amazed by the amount of the so many different looking people. Some had brown hair others had blond or black! Their skin was tanned or sun kissed! Eyes of honey color or emerald; even many others! Their features were so different from those of Kou's (Ryuushaku had identical features of Kou's except for the eyes), but that was it. Shazara could feel the normality of it. Actually, Shazara could feel the same was to Hakuyuu. She knew that Hakuyuu wasn't the really a rare race. She could feel the normality from him but she still loved him regardless. She had vowed to go back to him after all.

She finger tipped her kanzashi that jingled as she walked or as air started to dance around the bells. She was surprised to see amethyst rocks inside the bells when she examined her present the next day she had received it.

"Everyone on board! We are leaving to Reim!" Shazara heard and quickly boarded the boat.

She noticed few cages and saw people in it. There were adults and children but one child caught her eyes. He had red hair and eyes and also a piercing on the lower lip. She could easily tell he was young but also different. Shazara had to talk to him but being in a cage meant one thing. Something she had learned when she was studying around economics.

"Slave," she whispered. She was disgusted with such a method of gathering money. Her instructor had told her that it was better not to get near them unless she wanted to buy them.

So Shazara settled with staring at the boy to study him. The boy seemed to have felt her stare even behind her mask because he had tensed and immediately looked at her.

They stared at each other for who knows how long but Shazara would eat from her rucksack and threw few peached at the boy for him to eat since the traders didn't seem to give him enough. A week passed like that and during that one week Shazara could gather that the boy would be sold by a woman so Shazara couldn't buy him and free him later. Soon they were almost going to reach land and the slave traders were busy and not near the cages. Shazara took the opportunity and got close to the boy's cage.

"Name?" Shazara whispered.

The boy kept quiet before speaking in hushed voice, "... Masrur."

Shazara smiled and took an apple and a baked potato from her rucksack for the child.

She pushed the food to the child's hand and patted his head.

"Children should eat so they can grow big and strong."

Like that Shazara, turned to leave but something grabbed onto her chima. Shazara look back to see the boy had grabbed her dress and looked at her with his wide red eyes.

They didn't say a thing, only stared at each other. Shazara wasn't sure if the boy only grabbed her to keep him company or for her to help him so she decided to wait.

"... Name," he whispered.

"What?" Shazara asked trying to confirm if she had heard right. She knelt down again facing him.

"... Your name," he repeated.

Shazara smiled and ran her fingers in his hair fondly. Masrur seemed to like the attention he was given as he closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

"Masrur," she called out.

The young fanalis attention was back to her immediately. Shazara's hand left his hair and held his hand instead.

"If we meet again, then I will tell you my name," Shazara said and stood and slowly took steps back while looking at Masrur. Masrur extended his hand to Shazara but Shazara only smiled and continued on, "the world is small after all and if we are meant to see each other again, then I am sure fate will guide our paths together again."

Shazara had decided that if the boy was still in slavery THEN she would fight for him and free him but for now she would trust the boy would be free from slavery with his own power. Just like that, Shazara left the boat the moment they reached land.

The first thing Shazara had done when she reached land was walk through the markets. There were a lot of fruits, vegetables and stuff she had never seen but they were no food and clothes that she could only see in her territory. She could open a restaurant here or sell the food her people caught and grew or even the clothing her her people made but that would only endanger her people so she would have to make friends. Friends who would not or even think about betraying her but such friends were hard to create, after all, all humans were greedy in a way like her; she was greedy for knowledge and experience.

So in order to start a shop she needed to get friends she could trust and a permit to be able to run a company. So first she needed to have friends but how would she make one? She had not interact anyone outside from her territory except for Masrur and Hakuyuu, Koumei, Hakuren and Hakuryuu but they didn't count. For now she would stay in an inn and think tomorrow.

It was 4 days and Shazara still didn't know how to make friends so Shazara decided to visit the Great Rift and plan during her travel there. She walked around trying to think of a way to make friends. Should she say hi and blabber whatever or should she say hi and ask if they want to be friends? She wasn't sure and she was getting nervous thinking about it. She should have asked Koumei how to make friends. He would definitely have answers.

Shazara kept thinking deep in thought that she didn't notice a red haired boy running straight towards her quickly knocking her off.

Being an acrobatic was quite a luck or she would have fallen instead of using her right hand to push the ground making her light body go to air doing a flip before landing again in foot. The teenage watched in amazement. The redhead was awed at how fast the girl moved. He was sure the girl would have fallen so he had tried to grab her hand before she fell but he had someone to protect in his arm who was covered in a mantle and the girl had rescued herself.

Shazara steadied herself before looking at the man who almost knocked her down. He had the same feature of Masrur but he looked older, much older than Shazara. Then her eyes travelled down at the person in his arms.

The redhead was suddenly reminded of his goal and was about to run again but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his calf making him kneel.

Ah... he was caught.

He heard the slave traders yelled, "HE IS DOWN HURRY!" as he looked at the arrow that had pierced his calf.

The fanalis tightened his hold on the person in his arms. They were screwed for sure.

"Name," he heard from his left.

He quickly turned his head to look at the girl he had almost knocked off his way. Her clothing and mask was something he has never seen during his 15 years of life.

"Name," she repeated. The fanalis wouldn't normally get asked what his name was. All of his masters had called him by insults or slave though, even if they asked he wouldn't tell them; but, something about the girl was telling him that he could trust her.

But unfortunately, "I have no name." he said.

"But I could tell you the kid's name! He is Días! Please help him!"

The unnamed redhead started to push the child to the girl's arm feeling like she would really help him but felt completely lost when the girl had turned away. He felt his world crumble. In the end he still couldn't save Días from slavery.

The traders finally caught up and grabbed the fanalis by his hair and drag him back to his cage.

"Wait," the traders stopped to look at the masked girl who had chosen to speak up.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped manhandling that man," she said as she walked up to the traders.

The traders snorted and let go of the fanalis who looked curiously at the girl.

"Da thing gat nathin to da with ya," the trader said.

The girl shook her head in disagreement.

"You are wrong," she said and then pointed at the fanalis with the boy in his arms and continued, "You see, he is my friend."

Everyone near looked at the girl as if she was stupid before the traders started to laugh.

"Sorrs miss! Da thing is gon for auction tomorrow!" the trader said about to turn and bring the fanalis back to his cage if it wasn't for a huge sack being thrown in his hands.

"Is that enough?"

The trader looked at the masked girl curiously before opening the sack. When he saw the content inside, he thought his eyes would pop out of the sockets. It was enough to buy at least 20 people. He dumbly nodded while wondering who the girl was.

"I want the shackles off," she ordered, "both of them."

The trader quickly took the shackles off the fanalis and the boy in his arms before he left.

The fanalis was dumbfounded by the whole situation until he realized the girl was already walking away. He quickly stood and followed after her with difficulties but still caught up with her. The girl had short legs so it wasn't that hard.

"Hiaski" she said suddenly.

"Huh?" the redhead responded dumbly.

"It means treasure in my territory," she said with a smile, "A good name for you."

The fanalis not knowing how to respond kept quiet and followed the girl. She had bought him and the little boy in his arms but he felt warm. He did not hate the girl for buying them but he could never be so sure. He had to be careful but will a girl who gave him a name to be called upon be really cruel? The girl had given a name with a meaning. Having a name, and identity somehow made him feel more of a human and a squeeze in the heart. Días soon woke up and noticed the lack of bars. His space was widened. He looked at the fanalis in question.

"Brother, what happened?" the little boy asked as he pushed the mantle away and reveals his shoulder length red hair.

"Días, we were bought," said the fanalis.

The boy, Días, stared at his brother in disbelief before he turned to look for his new master. He looked for a fat man with greedy looking eyes who wore expensive clothes with lots of gold bracelets and jade but he only saw a coal haired girl with foreign clothes but seemed kind of expensive and a hair piece with golden bells attached.

He looked back at his brother in question but his brother only smiled. Maybe their new master was a kind person. Días jumped of his brother's arm and walked beside his new master.

"M-May I ask for you name?" Días asked nervously.

"Días!" his brother yelped. Slaves weren't allowed to talk unless ordered. He hopes his brother wouldn't get hit but knew that the girl would never hurt them and felt ashamed for even hoping for her not to hurt his brother.

"Shazara is my name," she said.

The boys looked at her and waited for her to strike but since it didn't happen Días took courage to ask another question.

"Then what about your age?"

Hiaski was starting to sweat. Días was really crossing the line even though Hiaski knew the girl didn't seem to really mind.

"I turned 14 just few weeks ago," Shazara replied. Días started to smile. Now that he knew his new master wouldn't hurt him he started to ask all sort of questions to Shazara and Hiaski had started to scold the younger boy but Días could careless because his curiosity won over.

Apparently, Días was a half fanalis and Hiaski's half brother. Hiaski didn't have a name because he was taken away from his mother the moment he was born and raised without one. His mother was locked in a room where only the master had access to. Years had passed and his mother passed away after giving birth to Días. The master didn't want the responsibility of caring for a child any longer and sold him away together with Hiaski since Hiaski wasn't obeying orders no matter what. They had ended in Reim to be looked at by a woman by the name Maader Umm Mariadel and maybe even bought.

Soon night came and they were out of Reim and in desert. From there Shazara stopped walking and both fanalis stopped too. They watched curiously and questioningly at their master. Why had she suddenly stopped?

"You two are free to go," she said as she handed the map to Hiaski.

The fanalis were stratled. They were free?

"You are free to choose your life now," was all Shazara said before she start to walk where she thought was the Great Rift.

Hiaski looked at the map to his younger brother and back to the girl who was suppose to be his master leaving.

He was free. His brother was free. This was what he wanted the most but now that he was free he felt lost. Now what? Where would he go? He and his brother would still be in danger of being caught again. They had no place to be or go. They would be looked at as slaves even if they were free. Hiaski looked down at the map and he kept repeating questions in his head. Días seemed to have the same thoughts and they both reacted at the same time. They ran for the young girl and blocked her way. They dropped onto their knees and slammed their head onto the sand.

"PLEASE TAKE US WITH YOU!" they yelled in union. They had no place to go. They would be caught again and be treated less than a human. People like Shazara was very rare to meet. She had protected them from being bought by greedy people, had given the no name fanalis a name and even given them freedom. She was someone they wouldn't let go. She also had this aura where it was easy for them to feel like she was family. She was basically their savior too!

"Are you sure?" Shazara asked uncertain. She was feeling quite troubled. She didn't expect them follow her after she had given the trader money but they did. Días asked all sorts of questions which reminded her of the children back at Ryuushaku. Shazara had already thought of them as family but she had to remind them. They were free to go and had no need to follow her. They obviously were thinking she was the master and Shazara didn't like that.

"Y-You said we are free to choose!" Días stuttered and Hiaski cut right in.

"We choose to follow you every step you take!"

They still had their head in the sand and Shazara crouch down to look at both red head. She admired the red locks and smiled.

"Then from now on you two are my," she said and both finally finished the sentence with their thought slaves, but that wasn't it.

"Family," she said.

Both fanalis snapped their eyes open in shock. They slowly picked up their heads without fear and looked at Shazara to see her smiling. She slowly snaked her fingers in both redheads to dust the sand away.

"Good thing it was sand and not something solid," she sighed in relief to see that the fanalis weren't hurt.

The fanalis felt a rush of mixed emotion. Happiness, excitement and relief. Días' eyes started to water and cry as Hiaski tried to hold it back. They felt a huge weight was taken off their shoulders. They knew the girl would protect them no matter what and they...

Would do the same for her...