Hey everyone! I am back with a fresh new chapter and I hope it is to your liking. *fingers crossed*

I want to thank all who reviewed and I am touched that everyone is liking this story. Don't worry I have no intention of dropping it but I may not be able to update as frequently as earlier…so please bear with me.

"..." talking

'...' thinking

Disclaimer: I do not own KWMS.

'Why?' his mind screamed.

'Why is she doing me such a favor?'

Deep emerald eyes stared at the extravagant chandelier that hung from the ceiling as he lay still on the warm bed where he had found himself securely tucked in, as he recalled the voices that had woken him up from his peaceful slumber not too long ago.

"I demand an explanation right this moment young lady!" a masculine voice echoed through the room.

Takumi's eyes shot open as he tried to contemplate at his current situation.

"Father, I…" Misaki stuttered, as her mind raced to come up with a plausible excuse.

He remembered that voice! It was that of the strange lady who had saved his life and…and had enslaved him.

'Enslavement…' he sighed.

But his trail of thought was broken as the male continued.

"How did this…this man end up in your room and that too in your bed!"

Takumi winced at the loudness of the voice as he tried to focus his blurry vision. With much effort, he found himself looking at the back of a figure draped in royal clothes. The figure seemed to tower over the troubled female as he emanated an aura of sheer rage.

"Father, please keep it down… you will wake him up." Misaki tried. "He is badly injured."

"Know your place you Misaki!" he roared. "It is your father you are talking to."

All this screaming was really taking a toll on Takumi as each note felt like a hammer on his head. He squeezed his eyes shut to subdue the headache but to no avail.

"It was a request father."

"Hn! So who is he?"

"He is m-my slave!" Misaki blurted out.

Silence stretched after her small declaration as Takumi prepared himself for the ensuing-

"WHAT!?"

The next few minutes was spent as Misaki explained how she bought him from the marketplace in bidding but she had cleverly skipped the part where he was accused with murder and was almost whipped to death.

'Skipping details now, are we?' Takumi smiled to himself. 'Now Princess, how are you going to explain my injury?'

As if immediately reading his mind, King Ayuzawa queried,

"How did he get the injuries?"

Takumi's breath hitched in his throat as he anxiously waited for her reply.

"H-he fell off the chariot and hurt his back." Misaki croaked.

'…Huh!?'

Takumi almost smacked his forehead at her incompetence in lying had he not been playing unconscious.

"Interesting."

'He actually fell for it!'

"It is fine with me as long as you have yourself a slave to flaunt to others. I am not risking our social status before the other kings and nobles at any cost. I will be more delighted if you take another soon like your sister." The king said as he made his way towards the door.

Misaki released the breath she was holding back unknowingly.

"And Misaki?"

"Y-Yes father?"

"I would prefer to be informed beforehand from next time."

"Hai!"

Misaki plopped down on the floor as she tried to calm her throbbing heart.

"Phew!"

"You have really outdone yourself this time Misaki." A voice piped in through the door.

"Honoka!" Misaki gasped. "You scared the living daylights out of me. Try not to sneak up on me from next time."

Honoka chuckled as she carefully shut the door behind her.

"You surely excel in lying." She teased.

"Oh give me a break, Honoka." Misaki groaned.

Honoka giggled as she checked Takumi's temperature.

"How is he now?"

"He is faring well."

'Indeed I am.' Takumi scoffed. 'Try saying that with a splitting head ache.'

"Thank the Lord." Misaki sighed.

"Misaki may I ask you a question that has been bothering me for a while now?"

"Ask away!"

"I thought you were against this tradition. So why did you buy him?"

"Indeed I am strictly against this custom. It's preposterous…mindless…inhumane!" Misaki bit out the words.

"Then why?"

This got Takumi's attention as he too was pondering for a reasonable explanation.

'Yes why princess?'

"To save a life Honoka."

"Misaki?"

"I knew father would force me to buy someone at some point of time. And then I saw him out there, getting beaten up. I do not know why but his eyes…they showed no fear, begged no mercy for his life. I…I just know he didn't commit the crime which he is being accused of. My mind screamed his innocence and I knew I had to save him. If sacrificing my values can save an innocent…a life then so be it."

Misaki concluded and rested her hand on his forehead.

'Such warm and soothing touch.' Takumi moaned.

"Don't worry Usui…" Misaki smiled. "I will set you free."

Takumi's heart skipped a beat as he recalled her revealment and gentle touch.

"All those years of pain, all those years of humiliation…are they really coming to an end?" he thought out loud.

"Why does your voice come to me as rays of sunshine…as rays of hope illuminating my barren lands of despair?"

"Why…why do I want to believe you when I know disappointment is what awaits me?"

So what do you think? Please leave a review if you have read the chapter as:

reviews= me happy= new chapter= you happy! XD

Until next time…