Black Knight Chapter 2

I still own nothing!

-X-

Hei crept through the silence of the night. The soldiers had gone, and the lights on most of the huts were out, yet a few remained on. Mrs. Jo's light was off, but that didn't stop Hei from entering the house. The woman was on the bed that Hei was on before. She turned to look at him and her smile just couldn't contain her happiness.

"You're alive!" She ran to hug him, and he let her. "I'm so glad, I thought that you'd be dead. How'd you escape?"

"The princess."

"The princess; she's the sweetest thing I've seen in all my years of living here. If she didn't come when she did… speaking of which why did you come back here?"

"No reason."

"You missed me didn't you?" Jo looked at Hei, the smirk on her face turning serious. "you shouldn't have come. You saw what they almost did to you."

"What was that about? I have a feeling you're not telling me something." Mrs. Jo turned around and took a seat.

"Remember before you left earlier today, I wouldn't tell you where you were?" Hei nodded. "The king here is a bad king. Not once has he ever come here to check on his people. He's lazy and inconsiderate… if it weren't for his daughter all would be lost on us, our hope and what not."

"Then I guess I have a new mission."

"What kind of mission is that?" asked the old lady. Hei looked at her but said nothing, causing her to smile as well.

"I can't tell you the details."

"Well whatever it is, I'm up for it. I hope it has something to do with the king!" Hei gave a small smile that revealed nothing, "I've wanted to get back at this king for the longest, and I think you are the one to do it. But first, we need to get you into the village legally… and I think I have just the way."

The next day Hei snuck out of Mrs. Jo's house and went around to the front of the gate. There were guards posted at the front and when Hei came up, they stopped him.

"Halt, who goes there?"

"My name is Li," he said timidly. Hei's hair had changed from jet black to brown with just a bit of blonde highlight in them. His black bulletproof trench coat was now replaced with a simple white shirt left open, stained with black soot in various spots, and finally long blue jeans. "I heard there was work here."

"Hey Quentin," we have a new worker, and he seems strong." The soldier that had walked Hei over to the king's advisor pushed Hei to him. "Find him a job will ya."

"Okay, so what are you good at? Any particular skills?"

"I don't really think I can do anything that well." Hei watched Quentin's face. He was trying to figure out if what Hei said was in fact true. Princess Misaki had walked into the hall, going for the other side of the room. She said her hello's as usual to every individual she passed, until she reached Hei. The way Misaki was looking at Hei made him think she had recognized him, and that she was going to blow his cover, but he played it off with a shy smile, and she walked away looking disappointed. "How are you at fighting?"

"I don't like to fight sir…"

"Good, that's exactly what we need."

Hei scowled as the men ushered him to the princess's room. He hadn't wanted to be this close to her, but he would make it work. Princess Misaki was sitting in front of her bookshelf, myriad of books about her desk, when they entered. "What can I do for you guys?" She looked up at Quentin.

"I'm terribly sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your father wanted you to have an escort, so that he may know before hand exactly what crazy things you plan to do so that he may adjust accordingly." Misaki stared at the advisor, but smiled looking away.

"Well, then if he thinks that'll stop anything, then he has another thing coming. Which one of you is my escort?"

"He is," said Quentin, "and starting today, he will be living with the soldiers."

"What? I have never seen this man before in my life. What makes you think you can trust him?"

"This is exactly why we are having him live in the barracks, and as for you," he said to Hei, "you seem like the type to run before conflicts ensue." Misaki stared at Hei, looking at the six-pack that was open to the public.

"Does that look like someone who hates to fight?"

"I thought about that myself, but are there not strong fellas in the village as well? Do they not choose to avoid confrontation, but only use their strength in order to defend?"

"Well that's true…"

"Okay then, with that settled, Li, this is Princess Misaki, and Princess, this is Li, officially your new escort."

Hei followed after one of the soldiers that was told to show him around. The king's palace was really grandiose, with magnificent chandeliers hanging from the highly adorned ceilings. Hei wondered how a kingdom with so much extra cash in its arsenal had such poor people.

The soldier's tour ended at the barracks, Hei's temporary place of residence. Hei walked to the end of the row. There was an empty bed he assumed was for him courtesy of the soldier guide before. Hei hadn't sat down for a second when Keigo walked up to him. "Who do we have here?"

"My name… is… is Li." Hei spoke, stuttering for emphasis. Keigo looked at Hei with an anger that was unrivaled. Before he knew it, there was a fist coming into his face. He couldn't dodge it, but he didn't show that it hurt. Righting himself in front of the other man, he stood at attention.

"You reminded me of someone… and that's a dangerous thing."

The barracks were filled with the both the sounds of light and heavy snoring when Hei awoke. He wanted to let Jo know that he was alright. He snuck out of the small window in the bathroom. The barracks were located behind the palace, but in order to get to Mrs. Jo's, he had to get to the front. He snuck through the bushes, reaching the side of the palace when, looking up, he saw something either climbing up to the princess's room, or coming out. Hei went to investigate.

Princess Misaki had wanted to go to the village for a while now, but she had never found any time to go there. Every morning she'd have studies, or some problem to deal with… something kept her from seeing her people and she didn't like that. Tonight she had decided that she would see them, see if she could help them with anything.

Misaki walked over to her window, after changing into slightly less looking expensive clothes, and brought down a rope of sheets. These sheets had been hiding here since she was young, since her mother, the queen, had died. She climbed over the window and started climbing down the rope.

The rope hit the bushes like always, and when the princess jumped down, she was surprised to see none other than her own personal escort at the bottom. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing?"

"I don't have to tell you? You just follow me around, but that's it." Misaki started walking, and since she was going his direction, Hei followed too. "Why are you out here anyways? I thought you'd be asleep?"

"No, I wanted to get some fresh air. Staying in a small bunker with twenty men can do that to you you know." Misaki laughed. "Now where may I ask, are you going? I want to at least know in case you're not back by the morning."

"I'm going to see if I can help any of the villagers out… they've suffered worse since…" Misaki looked back at Hei after stopping herself from saying anything further. "I'm sorry, but," she looked at him. They were standing at the edge of the palace's stables, a small lantern's light surrounding them. "you look familiar… like someone I've met before."

"No, my mom sent me here for work, but that's it. I just got here yesterday…"

"Really? That's around the time I first met that one man too," she said mostly to herself. "But no matter, if you're going to the village as well, I guess I should get you there."

Princess Misaki walked into the stable and went over to a medium sized horse. It was a black horse, with a white mane and tail. It nuzzled the woman after she gave him an apple from a barrel. "This here is Gohan, named so because he loves eating his dinner. He's my way to the village." The horse was led outside and there Misaki mounted it. She held her hand out to her escort. "You might as well ride with me."

Hei grabbed her hand and mounted the steed. Gohan rode gracefully in Misaki's hands, as if he was comfortable with her handling him. They walked to the gate. "This is where this gets fun; hang on!" yelled Misaki.

Hei wrapped his arms around the woman's waist, locking his hands in front of her. His hands laid on her stomach, but even though there was clothes in-between them, it felt as if it was just skin contact. Misaki took in a breath and brought her attention to her trusty steed.

Hei looked ahead of him and saw that there were a few guards positioned in front of the gate, highly unaware of them. Gohan was positioned straight ahead. "Get ready Gohan." Misaki stroked the horse's mane and he neighed softly, already knowing the ritual. Gohan started off with a slow run, first gaining speed. The two riding bareback felt every step as he thundered into a higher speed. Finally the guards spotted them, trying to get the gates closed before the beast was able to escape. They stepped in front of the raging beast, expecting it to stop, but it never did.

Gohan ran faster, wind stinging their eyes as he leapt forward, right over the gates, keeping his momentum as he ran toward the village. Misaki was laughing loud and free. "Great job Gohan." He slowed his pace, galloping in step as he regained his breath. "So where to escort?"

"I'll get off here." Hei jumped off the still moving horse. Hei jumped to his feet, and laughed inwardly at Misaki's unconscious pout. "I'll be back by the morning too." She smiled and rode away. Hei snuck through the back like he had when he left the other morning back to Mrs. Jo.

"Hello there dear… how's everything?" The old lady was at her stove, preparing a box lunch. "I just knew you'd be back and I knew you'd be hungry."

"I got in."

"That's great to hear, but you can't come back here. You'll draw too much attention to yourself…" There was a knock on the door and they both went silent. "Who's that?"

"I can guess," said Hei walking to the door. On the other side of it held the very princess he had just left a few minutes ago, smiling broad, but really surprised to find Hei there.

"Li what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Are we going through this again?"

Mrs. Jo smiled at the princess. "It's nice to see you princess; I appreciate what you've done for me." Misaki stepped inside of the small abode, looking around.

"No thank you Mrs…"

"Jo, Mrs. Jo's the name."

"Yes. I wanted to make sure you were alright after the attack. I'm sorry about the soldiers…"

"It's no problem. As long as things get resolved. Now since it's so late, why don't the both of you stay here a while?"

"I'd love to," said the princess, "the castle was becoming awful boring." Mrs. Jo left Hei and Misaki alone as she walked to the stove to set out some food.

Mrs. Jo set the tea cups in front of her guests and then the bowl of soup and bread. It was nothing spectacular. There were still pieces of leaf floating in the bottom of the chipped china, and the wooden spoons had grown old and were cracking.

"Mrs. Jo, you don't need to feed us, I'm sure its hard enough with how this kingdom is anyway."

"Don't worry about that. I am an old lady; I know a few tricks or two about using what I have to make a living." The old woman sat down next to Misaki and elbowed her softly, getting her attention as she watched Hei sit in the seat across from them. "Now, that man, who had me in his grasps…" she paused and looked at Hei, "what did you think of him?" Misaki, who was in the process of drinking her drink, spit it out into the table, apologizing. "You couldn't take your eyes off him!"

"Now Mrs. Jo, that is… I couldn't take my eyes off… I was making sure he wouldn't run!" Misaki finished.

"I don't know about you, but Li kind of resembles him don't you think…" Now was Hei's turn to spit out his tea, minus the apology. He glared at Mrs. Jo; Misaki was busy cleaning the mess she had made earlier.

"No, I don't think so, when I first saw Li in the castle, I thought it was him too, but I guess it was my eyes playing tricks on me."

"So you think about the man huh?" smiled a mischievous Jo.

"Of course not, I'm a princess, soon to be the head of my father's throne."

"And sooner than later I hope… I can't take another one of…" Mrs. Jo bit her tongue as the frown appeared on Misaki's face. "I'm sorry…"

"No, if I could do something about it, I would, but you know how the lineal thing goes; the best I can do is sneak into the village and help that way. One day this place'll change, but until that day, please hang on."

"Don't you have to get married before that happens?"

"Uh…"

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Um…"

"What about Li?" Misaki looked to Li. His face was emotionless, but for some reason she could feel hate radiating off of him. "He's single… and he's absolutely handsome, and can protect you…"

It took a while for the girl to answer. She was looking at Li, gazing into those dark deep eyes, thinking something. "I get it, but no thanks. I'll be off to bed then. Thank you Mrs. Jo, good night Li."

"You and her will be great together," whispered Mrs. Jo as Hei too left her alone.

-X-