A/N: Hello to the world of fanficiton! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, if any of you were wondering where in the world I disappeared to...well actually, I didn't go anywhere. I just had this huge project that I totally procrastinated on, and let me tell you, procrastination is nota good thing; it causes tons of stress, makes you disappear from fanfiction for a few months, and makes 100 emails from fanfiction/fictionpress magically appear in your inbox--or maybe that's just me... But luckily, a few of them are reviews, and review replies, and things like that; but still, I'm EXTREMELY behind of reading... heh heh...

So anyways... Does that mean my over-stressful, giant project is over? No, no it is not. It will finally be over and done with tomorrow after presentation night. So, what am I doing here today? Well, today's my birthday and I decided to give everyone a little present, though it's not my best... (and if anyone asks why, it's plainly because I feel like it). So, without further ado, I present to you... Well, no. Not yet. I still have to thank my R&R'ers (if that's how people would say it...)

I'd like to thank FreelancerSealBoy, Arbella Scott, GYS, Aquatic-Idealist, jojobevco, and NewPaladin(who's review I don't think I have yet replied to...) Wow... that's more than normal... But really, thanks you guys; it's you who really keep me going :) Hmm... but now I wonder who's gonna find this fic, somehow remember that they've read it before, and then click on the little link thing, to read and (hopefully) review... ah well...

Well, I congratulate you if you actually read all that, but maybe I should just stop now...

Chapter Five

A Broken Oath

She impatiently paced back and forth, waiting for that click of the doorknob to sound, and watching for the curly-haired sage to step out.

Anxiety and worry; these two parallel emotions were all she felt, and they continued to build up within her with every passing second and each pacing step. She couldn't help herself; she just needed to have the answers to every one of these worrisome question that passed through her mind. And so, she sought out these answers herself.

"I know you are the one who murdered His Majesty; I saw you raise your sword with that murderous intent."

The queen hastily pulled her ear away from the door. What was once anxiety had now become desperate disbelief. She couldn't, no, she wouldn't; she would never believe that her husband had been murdered. No matter the probability, she just wouldn't believe it; even if there were a mere one percent chance, she would believe in that one rather than the ninety-nine. She just couldn't imagine that the king of the country, the man whom she loved, had fallen in this war. She couldn't.

As she was lost in her thoughts, Bastian had stepped out, displaying a somber look across his features. He opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. It wasn't very often when Bastian was at a loss for words–perhaps it was never; however, she had not the time or will to marvel at this miracle.

"Wh-what happened?" she asked him, hoping her beliefs were right over the words she heard.

"...Ki...K-king Ramon..." he began, taking a pause to search for those simple words which would give the queen her final answer. "King Ramon... is dead."

• • • • •

He walked across the battlefield as if he were taking a stroll through the royal gardens, taking his time in smelling and observing the flowers. As more and more Crimean soldiers fell at his feet, the diabolical grin on his face continued to grow only wider. He seemed to be very pleased with himself whenever he took down another opposing soldier with a simple stroke of his sword.

His army was winning, and this appealed to him very much.

"Don't let a single Crimean escape with his life; I order you to kill or capture every last one of them!"

Soldiers clad in black saluted their king as he walked by and gave out orders. Some simply nodded their heads in affirmation, while many more gave him a strong "yes sir!"

"Your Majesty, what are we to do with our prisoner, Prince Renning?" questioned one of his commanders.

"Oh, him? Have him bound and overseen until we gain full control of the palace."

"Yes sir!" he replied, quickly running off to carry out the king's orders.

"Now..." King Ashnard began. "I wonder if that girl has completed her task yet..."

• • • • •

She continued to pant as she continued running. One could say they had run a marathon, escaping then turning back; however, she–both she and her knight–were much relieved to finally see the castle slowly getting closer.

"Geoffrey," Elincia called from behind.

At hearing her call, he instantly stopped and turned around, and ran back to her. "What is it princess?" he thoughtfully asked. "Are you tired? If so, we may take a break if you wish."

A small smile showed itself on the princess's face. It was very much in his nature to be chivalrous and deeply care for her, but sometimes, she felt as though he were just and empty shell of the knight who had sworn to protect her all those years ago. However, she would always crack a smile when she could hear that his words were truly from his heart.

She shook her head as to shake off her drifting thoughts. "No, let us continue on; we have no time to waste."

"Are you certain princess? It is much better to take a rest no than to over-exert yourself."

"Yes Geoffrey, I am cer–"

"Elincia, look out!"

Within an instant, Geoffrey had swiftly pushed the princess aside, causing himself to receive the blow by the Daein soldier to his arm in her place. He kneeled down on the ground, clutching his wound as he reached to pull out his lance.

"Geoffrey!' Elincia exclaimed when she had finally realized what was happening. She quickly pulled out her heal staff and ran towards him.

"You know, war is no place for healers, Princess Crimea." The man in black garments showed a smirk upon his face as he began charging his sword at the princess.

"Elincia, run!" the general exclaimed, quickly moving his lance to knock the weapon out of his hand.

The Daein soldier stood still and turned his head toward the azure haired lance wielder. "You are quite the pest general. Why must you make my job even harder?"

"It is my duty to protect her, even if it costs my life," he replied, looking his opponent straight in the eye with a stern expression in his own.

"So, are you saying that I must kill you if I wish to go after her?"

"That is correct."

Elincia stood aside as she watch and listened. It was terrifying, as the man standing before her could attack her–or Geoffrey–at any given moment; but at the same time. she was just wishing that she could object aloud to what Geoffrey was saying, yet when she tried to speak up, no words came out; it was as if she had lost her voice.

"It doesn't seem like it will be very difficult to kill you."

Suddenly, five more Daein soldiers stepped out from seemingly nowhere, and held their weapons out in front, ready to attack at any moment.

"How long have they been here?" the Crimean knight bitterly questioned.

"The entire time."

Without another single word being said, the pack of Daein soldiers began their charge with all their various weapons pointing straight at the Crimean nobles who stood trapped between them. There was no way Geoffrey could hold off all six of them, all the while trying to protect Princess Elincia, and he knew that; but his first and topmost priority was to keep the princess out of harm's way, even if it cost him his life. He was prepared to do just that; he was ready to die at any given moment, just as long as Elincia made it out alive.

"Princess," he began, quickly deflecting an arrow that was flying in their direction, "princess, I want you to escape back to the castle, and once there, I want you to find someone–be it Bastian or Lord Renning–who will protect you."

"But what about you?" she instantly replied.

Geoffrey thrust his lance at an oncoming axe-wielder, causing the man to fall back onto the ground. "I'll be fine. Please do not worry about me; just get yourself to the castle safely."

"But..." she began, trying to find some sort of contradicting question that could convince him to let her stay with him, "but... but what about our promise!?"

He was silent. He knew she would disappointed as he was in himself. He promised her–no, he vowed; yet still, to him, Elincia's life was more important. "...I'm sorry, but that is one promise I cannot keep," he replied, pushing her out of the circle of chaos and taking on the Daein soldiers on his own.

"...Geoffrey, you can be so selfish at times..." the princess mumbled to herself as she began to run off, not getting far before she stopped herself and turned her view back around. "Only if you vow..." she began to herself. "Only if you vow to me that you will live through this war, and that we will meet up again when it is all over!"

He voice was strong. It was no longer the timid voice of a princess, but the strong one of a true ruler.

"Yes. I swear on my knighthood to live through this war, and to return to you once it is all over and fought." Restraining each attacking soldier was becoming more and more difficult as each one was trying to get by and attack the princess. "Now, quickly escape!" he exclaimed. "The fate of our country depends on it!"

• • • • •

The azure haired swordsmaster languidly strolled down the barren halls of the upper portion of the castle, paying no mind to the vile world around her, and caring not if an opposing soldier were to come up from behind and pierce her through the heart. It was as if all time was a blur. Every event, encounter and happening that led up to this had seemed to pass by in an instant; but now, time seemed to have stopped, the clock ceasing its constant tick.

'Why...' she thought to herself. 'Why do I feel this way...? What is it that I'm feeling?'

The undecipherable emotion: the combination of remorse, anxiety and fear; these three emotions were all that she could feel. Her feet in her boots, her hands in her gloves, these were nothing. It was as if her body had lost all sensation and had gone numb.

She tried to trick herself into thinking that this sign–the loss of feeling with the unidentifiable emotion–was a sign of becoming stronger, stronger in all the wrong ways.

She thought she was slowly going to turn into the evil King Daein: cold, heartless, and traitorous. She already had everyone convinced of the third of the three, and was slowly growing into the image of the other two.

This is what she thought when she was fantasizing in her mind; but in reality, none of this was true, at least for the time being.

• • • • •

'I swear on my knighthood to live through this war, and to return to you once it is all over and fought.!'

His words continued to echo in Elincia's head as she sprinted towards Castle Crimea. Yet through she could play back this seemingly endless recording as many a times as she wished, she still wasn't truly convinced. She was scared, scared that Geoffrey would not be able to keep his promise, and scared that he wouldn't return to her alive.

She stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. "Goddess Ashera," she quietly yet desperately prayed, "...please...please watch over Geoffrey and protect him, because without him, I..." she paused for a second to close her eyes before continuing, "...I don't know what I would do..."

A/N: Well, if you read that, thanks for reading, and if you didn't... well, thanks for giving me a hit, I guess... Okay, well leave a review and I'll be happy but no one's forcing you. Since I already said more than enough, I'll leave it at this. Now to update my profile...

-Nami-san625