Aneko: -huff huff- OKAY! I DID IT! The next chapter is UP!!

What? What do you mean Kiru is in two places at once? Ha! That's impossible. No one can do that. How…silly… –shifty eyes-

Disclaimer: Me no own Princess Tutu…

Chapter 8—Savior

The Puppetmaster stared into the crystal at the picture of Ahiru crying. A sadistic smile crossed her face.

"Perfect, my pet. As long as I hold his like in my hands, you shall do as I want."

As the early morning noise filled the air, Ahiru dressed, tiptoeing out of her room. She had no place in mind, but her feet carried her, and soon she found herself in front of the door to the library.

Why am I here? Ahiru asked herself, but she opened the door anyways. She went in, letting her fingers fall to run along the spines of the books which were in neat rows along the shelves. Reaching the middle, she saw who she hoped she would see.

"Reuben-san?"

"He-llo, Hime-sama! It is nice to see you in here again. To what do I owe this honor?"

He had his easel again, but this time, he held a paintbrush and palette of rainbow colors.

"Nothing really. I just needed to come someplace quiet…"

There was a gentle smile on Reuben's face, and for some reason, Ahiru was soothed by it.

"How was the ball?" Reuben asked conversationally.

"Oh…it was alright I guess."

"Lively company I imagine."

"Yes…"

"You know, I met a young lad the other day. He seemed to know you. An acquaintance of yours?"

Ahiru's breath grew heavy in her throat.

"Yes, he's…a very good friend, but…I don't think I'll ever see him again…"

The paintbrush clacked as Reuben put it and the palette down on the easel, giving his full attention.

"Why?"

"Because," she didn't like how much her voice was shaking. She thought she had had that under control, "I…pushed him away…I couldn't tell him why, but it was to protect him…and…I know that and yet…and yet, why does it hurt so much?"

Ahiru wiped at her wet eyes, attempting and failing to smile.

"Strange…I can't seem to stop crying…"

Reuben placed a hand softly on her head, his eyes sorrowful.

"Sometimes, there are easy choices. And sometimes, no matter what you choose there is a painful consequence. But what you always have to remember is that there will always be a choice that leads you in the right direction."

"Ahiru-chan, I noticed you seem in even lower spirits than before. Whatever can be the matter?"

Ahiru stared guiltily into her lap at the Queen's question.

They were currently seated in a parlor, breakfast set on a small tea table between the,. Hana held a piece of sewing in her lap, but her hands had paused in their busy work as she looked at Ahiru.

Ahiru opened her mouth to speak, but realized that she truly didn't know what to say. How could she say it? 'Yeah, I'm not really your daughter, I was just kidnapped and made to believe I was. Then I was told I couldn't come home or talk to the person who is closer to me than anyone else.' That'd go over really well.

Why, then, had she been able to tell Reuben? He was even more of a stranger than Hana…and yet…

"Ahiru-chan?

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Ahiru turned red as she realized she had zoned out without giving an answer.

Hana laughed lightly. "It's quite alright."

"Yes, I'm…fine," Ahiru said with some effort, though she didn't start crying. She was even able to give a little smile, before concentration on the tea in front of her, trying to avoid Hana's eyes. She had been doing that a lot now, she noticed.

Hana regarded Ahiru with a penetration look, as though searching. Her next words made Ahiru raise her head to look at her in confusion.

"Be careful with the things you say. Sometimes, you'll end up believing them yourself."

Ahiru sat on a dock which overlooked the lake, her reflection half hidden by a veil of lily pads. Her skirt was gathered and tucked under her legs so it wouldn't get wet, making her look like an upside down mushroom.

"My dear, what are you doing out here?"

Ahiru turned. By now, she was used to King Oran's loud voice, so it didn't surprise her anymore.

"Oh…just sitting and thinking I guess…"

"Oh?"

To her surprise, he sat beside her, crossing his legs in a very unkingly manner.

"What about?"

"Well…a lot of stuff," Ahiru said evasively.

"…Ahiru."

Ahiru looked at him. It was the first time he had ever used her name instead of "My dear" or "My dear daughter."

"Is there really nothing I can do that will make you happy? I know that you don't remember me as your father, yet I still wish that I could do something to help you."

Ahiru was sick with deception. She wanted right then to just open her mouth and tell everything to him. He and the Queen were too gentle, to kind, to deceive.

But when Ahiru opened her mouth to speak, the words wouldn't come. She was too afraid to hurt them. Reuben's words echoed in her mind.

"Sometimes, there are easy choices. And sometimes, no matter what you choose there is a painful consequence."

Ahiru decided that while she didn't want to tell everything, she could, to some degree, tell him some truth.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to figure something out right now. It's hard, and right now, it kind of hurts. It isn't something that you could do anything about, but…I think I'm going to be able to get through it. Thank you so much."

Oran smiled gently.

"Alright. You'll get by, I'm sure. You're a good girl. Never hesitate to ask. Remember that."

"I will."

Ahiru sat backwards on a chair, her head resting on her arms, which were crossed and resting on the chair back. It was a very unladylike position, but no one wa around to see besides Reuben, and she was comfortable around him.

She had gravitated to the library gain. Ahiru felt without really knowing why, that Reuben knew about everything, yet it was an unspoken rule—a taboo—between them that they didn't talk about it. Ahiru was staring out the windows.

"Reuben-san?"

"Hmm?" Reuben did not look up from his work.

"Have you ever had to deceive someone?"

"How so?"

"Like, have you ever not told them the truth because you're afraid to hurt them, or protect them?"

"Many times. There are some things that people are better off not knowing."

"I see…"

"Hime-sama! Hime-sama!"

Ahiru turned as Kiru ran into the room.

"Oh?" Reuben looked curiously at Kiru. "Is this a friend of yours?"

"Yes. This is Kiru-chan."

"Hime-sama, do you want to go out today?" Kiru asked, eyes sparkling.

"Huh?"

"Come on, I'll show you around the city!" The young boy tugged eagerly on her hands.

Reuben smiled.

"Whatever you do, remember that there are people who care for you and support you, Ahiru."

"Are you sure this is okay, Kiru-chan?"

"Of course!"

"Then why am I wearing a cloak with a hood?"

"If people saw you, they'd get so excited that they'd storm you. And if we bring a guard, then I wouldn't get to take you around," Kiru said, pouting.

Ahiru couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay. Lead the way."

Kiru brightened up immediately, and led the way down the road.

The city was a lively metropolis, thriving on the open stalls lining the streets. Motherly housewives inspected food laid out for sale, men talked over business matters, and children laughed and played in the streets. It was a happy, carefree picture.

Kiru took Ahiru around to almost every stall, from food to jewelry to pottery. They were greeted with a friendly smile and greeting each time.

"Welcome!" One said cheerfully as Ahiru walked up. He was selling fruit.

"Hello! Wow, look at all of these!" Ahiru bent over to examine a stand of shiny, ruby-red apples.

"Just picked those today, Miss, fresh this morning."

"They look so good. Everyone here is so nice."

"You not from around here?"

Ahiru paused for a heartbeat, before shaking her head.

"No, but if I didn't love home so much already, I would want to live here."

"Well, as they say, nothing beats home. Would you like an apple?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ahiru said politely, "I don't have any money with my right now."

"That's alright. Go ahead and have one."

"Really?!"

"Of course."

"Thank you!"

Ahiru chose one and pulled it from its place with the others.

"Thanks again," Ahiru called, turning to leave.

"Don't mention it. Have a good day!"

Ahiru walked back to merge with the crowd, Kiru by her side. She bit into the fruit, and the flesh was soft and sweet in her mouth. She had never tasted an apple this good before.

She was about to take another bite when she felt it. A burning pressure, as though someone was staring at her. Ahiru looked around the crowd uneasily, but the sea of people revealed nothing to her.

"Him-sama? What is it?" Kiru tugged at Ahiru's cloak a bit.

"Kiru-chan, let's go back," Ahiru said, hugging herself. The feeling was very eerie.

"Okay!" Kiru said, not questioning her request, "Follow me!"

Shortly, they had left behind the noise of the crowds and entered an abandoned, narrow street. The feeling intensified, and Ahiru found herself increasing her pace. Such was her hurry that she did not see where she was going, and crashed into someone, falling backwards.

"Well, well," a dark voice said, "what have we here?"

Fakir sat on the windowsill of his room, looking at the streets below him. Kiru had somehow gotten him a room at an inn to stay in for the time being.

"Knight-sama!"

Kiru burst through the door, alerting Fakir as the boy stumbled over himself in his haste. Fakir rose quickly.

"What is it?"

"It's Hime-sama," the boy said, gasping for breath, "she-!"

In an instant Fakir had snatched up his sword.

"Show me."

Ahiru backed up slowly. She didn't like this person. Something about him just felt wrong. He stared at her with dark, cruel eyes that glinted with some maniacal light.

"And where do you think you're going?" A hard grip on her arm halted her retreat.

Ahiru craned her head around to see another man blocking off the way she had come and holding the grip on her arm.

"You're right, Damak. A young girl like this'd fetch a fair price at market. Don't know how good she'd be as a slave though."

Slave?! Ahiru thought in horror.

"It doesn't matter whether she's good or not. We just have to sell her."

"Let go of her!" In a blue streaked blur, Kiru barreled into the man holding Ahiru. They both fell to the ground, but the man called Damak grabbed Kiru by his collar.

"You little brat" Damak growled, throwing him like a piece of so much trash. Ahiru watched in horror as Kiru flew through the air, hitting the alley wall with a loud thud, then sliding senseless to the ground.

"Kiru!"

"This way!" Kiru called, flying down a side alley. His tone had increased in urgency, and Fakir sped up some more, keeping right on the little bird's tail.

Both of the men were now advancing on Ahiru.

"It won't be so bad—if you're a good girl, maybe we can arrange a good master for you."

Damak's fingers brushed her arm and Ahiru jerked back, her hood falling back as she ran into the alley wall. She heard the men draw a breath.

"Hey, isn't she-?!"

"She's the Princess." Damak spit the word princess like it was a hot coal. He looked at her with what felt like hatred, before a cruel smile lit his features.

"No…I have a better idea."

"What?"

"If she's Princess, all we have to do is hold her ransom—the King and Queen would give anything to have their precious daughter back."

The other smiled. "Oh, I like it."

They were coming closer again. They were reaching out to capture her, and they would get her in only a few moments. Ahiru held herself tightly, shutting her eyes as she dreaded their touch.

It didn't come.

Ahiru, realizing it was silent, opened her eyes, and could only stare.

He stood there, with his back to her, but Ahiru didn't need to see his face to know it was him. His sword was out, pointed so closely to Damak that the point rested on his throat.

"Don't touch her." His voice was cold steel, and would make any smart person back down immediately.

Damak happened to be a fairly intelligent individual. He slowly out his hands in the air, palms forward, to show he was unarmed.

"Kej, we're leaving."

"What?" The other slave trader deflated at the prospect of a lost opportunity, "But, what about-"

"Trust me," Damak said, cutting his partner off, "there are many targets much easier than this."

Damak began walking backwards, Kej following his lead. As soon as they were out of range of the sword, they turned and beat a hasty retreat around the next corner.

Ahiru was staring after them when he turned around. Her eyes darted to the ground.

"Don't worry," he said gently, "they're gone."

He took another step forward. Ahiru flinched and the footsteps stopped.

"You don't have to look at me; but I just want you to know, I'm watching over you…you should be getting back now."

It took all Ahiru's strength to stand up and walk right past him. Once she turned a corner, she ran.

Aneko: Odd place to end, but there it is. I just need you to hang on a little longer. It may take a while for the next chappie, just to let you know. Umm…if you don't know who "he" is, then…there's a problem…