It seemed like her nightmares were worse this night. Her whole body trembled and shook with terror. She couldn't even wake up and escape the dream until she toppled off her bed. Finally awake, Tohru sat on the floor oblivious to the pain she felt from the fall and started to cry because of her nightmare instead of her injuries. Tears slipped off of her face and dripped onto the floor leaving a dark and large stain on the wooden floor. Just one night, one night without Akito visiting her in her sleep was all she needed, but Akito wouldn't leave her alone. He would kiss her and touch to the point when she couldn't even consider herself a virgin some nights. They were just dreams; she knew she couldn't lose her virginity from a nightmare, but they were too realistic for her to handle.
"Mom! Help me!" Tohru wept.
Akito was on her mind almost as much as Yuki was nowadays. She had only met Akito that one time, but her aunt and uncle brought him and her engagement up every single day. They had everything planned from their wedding date to names for their future children. Tohru hated her engagement to Akito. It made her feel so helpless and small. She knew she had told herself she was going to try and get out of this marriage, but it turned out to be harder than she had expected. She couldn't even bring the topic up; she was too scared, and every time the king and queen brought Akito up, she couldn't find her voice. Tohru whimpered to herself as she climbed back onto her bed. She tried wiping away her tears, but they continued to flow endlessly and more strongly. Little did she know, she was also crying very loudly.
"Onee-chan?"
Tohru looked up through her watery eyes at the orange haired girl standing in front of her with a frown across her face. Blinking a couple of times from shock, Tohru stared at her sister in disbelief. She hadn't even heard Kisa enter. Why was Kisa in here at this time of night? She wiped furiously at her eyes trying to erase all signs that showed she had been crying from her face. She hated making people worry over her, and by the look of Kisa's face, she was extremely concerned.
"Kisa!" Tohru exclaimed through her sniffles and sobs.
"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Kisa asked worriedly.
Tohru forced a smile on her face as she replied, "I'm fine! Nothing's wrong!"
Kisa didn't look like she believed a word Tohru had just said. A frown spread across her face, and her lips began to quiver, tears begging to escape from her eyes. Seeing her big sister in pain made Kisa's heart hurt. She felt like a bad sister right now. She should have noticed something; she should have known Tohru was sad, but she didn't know a thing until tonight. Still, she had no idea why Tohru was crying or even how many nights Tohru woke up crying. Tohru seemed like her normal cheerful self in the morning so Kisa hadn't suspected a thing, and now she felt guilty about that.
"Onee-chan! Don't cry anymore!" she cried.
Tohru was startled by Kisa's cries. Kisa stood there with tears trickling out of her eyes. She buried her face into her hands as Tohru had done earlier to hide her tears. Tohru smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around the tiny girl. Kisa eventually stopped crying, but she had grown very sleepy in the process. She had been sleepy when she entered Tohru's room, but now she couldn't even keep her eyes open anymore. Her eyes would shut for a moment then snap open and then slowly close again. Tohru noticed this and scooted over in her bed allowing Kisa to climb onto her bed. Kisa willingly dropped down beside Tohru and was instantly asleep. Tohru beamed, wrapping her arms around Kisa before joining her in her sleep.
The next morning Haru was in search for Kisa. He had waited in the parlor for his little sister for over an hour, but she never showed up. The two of them met down there every other morning to discuss Tohru and her mysterious outings in privacy. They didn't want anyone to learn of what they were talking about so they always met up early in the morning before any servants started their work. In all of their meetings, they never really were able to conclude, with proof, what Tohru really did when she snuck out, but they both knew it most likely had to do with Tohru's want to see someone named Yuki. That Yuki, they hoped was the same Yuki, prince of Kaze, she had been previously engaged to several months ago.
"Where could she be…?" Haru muttered to himself after checking her room for the tenth time that morning.
He had circled around in and out the whole castle. Haru had checked the parlor twenty times in case she went there late, the servants' chamber three times, and he had even walked through the dungeons twice. Most of the places he had been were pretty unreasonable, but Kisa was still nowhere to be found. The only place he hadn't checked was Tohru's room. Haru glanced down the hall at the door to Tohru's room and walked over there. He paused outside of her room trying to decide whether he wanted to enter or not.
Haru had a difficult time trying to make up his mind. He originally hadn't looked in there because he thought it was unlikely for Kisa, or even Tohru, to be in there. There was still a chance that Kisa was inside, but if Tohru wasn't in her room, he wasn't sure how he'd react to that. Haru didn't like it when secrets were kept from him, and he couldn't stand her secrecy; he needed to know what she was up to. He would be fine with her sneaking off to see Yuki as long as she told him where she was going. He was her brother, and she couldn't trust him? That thought made him angry. It wasn't like he would blurt out her secret to anyone. Haru took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before struggling to think clearly.
Haru pondered for a moment longer before deciding to check. There was no harm in checking for Kisa as long as Tohru was in there, but if Tohru wasn't in there, Haru wasn't sure if he could restrain himself from confronting Tohru about her outings any longer. Choosing to take his chances, he knocked quietly at first, partially not wanting to go in, but when nobody answered, he knocked again more loudly. Still, there was no response. At this point he naturally assumed Tohru was 'out' and Kisa was still missing.
"Great…"
He was about to leave, but he figured that since he was here already, he might as well make sure that Kisa wasn't in there. Haru took another deep breath and opened the door hesitantly. He felt uncomfortable entering a girl's room without permission by himself, but he had no other option. Tediously, he took a step into the dark room and squinted his eyes in attempt to help his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Like the first time he had gone into Tohru's room when she was out, all the curtains were drawn shut. As he neared the bed, he made out the figures of his two sleeping sisters. Kisa was sleeping soundly against Tohru who had her arms around the small girl. Both wore smiles on their faces. Haru let out a sigh of relief and smiled before he exited the room and shut the door satisfactorily.
Kisa stirred and woke up from the noise Haru made when he left the room. Her eyes popped open instantly beginning to scan the room over. This wasn't her room, and from the darkness, she was unable to recognize this place as Tohru's room. She knew she was still in the palace at least by the familiar patterns on the ceiling and walls, but that didn't help her identify her location. The castle was huge and had tons of rooms that probably had walls and ceilings that were identical to this one.
"Where am I?" She breathed tiredly.
She flipped over and came face-to-face with Tohru. Kisa almost shrieked before she remembered the events of last night. She let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. At least she knew where she was now, but she had a new worry to fuss over: the cause of Tohru's tears. She didn't know what to do at the moment. She was supposed to be talking to Haru about Tohru right now, and she knew Haru was probably waiting for her or looking for her, but she didn't want to leave Tohru just yet. The little girl frowned slightly; troubled by the harsh tears Tohru had shed last night. What could be troubling Tohru so much?
"I wonder why Onee-chan was crying…" she mumbled aloud.
As far as she knew, nothing seemed to be wrong. The king and queen haven't been exceptionally mean to them. Not a single thing stuck out to her as a possibility to be the reason Tohru was crying unless it was Yuki's fault. Tohru went out alone so there was no way Kisa could be sure that this Yuki was really her old fiancée. The Yuki Tohru was seeing could be evil and forcing her to go see him, but if that was the case, she didn't think Tohru could be genuinely happy in the mornings. Kisa had figured out one thing; something about the night bugged Tohru. As she thought about this, Tohru moved closer to her and hugged her more tightly in her sleep almost as if she was trying to comfort her. Tohru giggled, still dreaming about something. This was the longest she had slept for days. Kisa smiled glad to hear Tohru laugh instead of weep.
"I hope you're dreaming about him… You don't know how much I want to tell you about him, but if I do, Hakufu and Oubasan would be mad… For now, I just hope you two will grow to love each other as much or even more than you loved each other before." Kisa whispered silently.
Kisa looked at her peaceful looking sister and added, "Please forgive me for choosing my own safety over your love…"
Tohru's face scrunched up as she yawned and sat up. She stretched her arms toward the ceiling before letting them drop back down to her sides. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a couple of times to get her eyes used to the dark room. She turned to face Kisa with a grin across her face. Tohru knew Kisa had said something to her, but she wasn't sure what she had said. She had been more focused on the dream she just had. Instead of Akito visiting her in her dreams, Yuki had, like the numerous times he had before she was aware of her engagement. In this dream, she and Yuki had been driving to a chapel to get wed. They had been laughing, happy, and purely in love, but her dream ended before they ever arrived. She had lay on her bed in a state of half sleep struggling to rejoin her dream, but she was unable to go back, and Kisa's voice had made her wake up completely.
"What did you say?" Tohru asked.
"Nothing!" Kisa cried with a startled blush.
The younger of the two faced her feet not wanting Tohru to catch her lying. Tohru was oblivious as usual; she was too lost in her dream world to even notice Kisa's red face or her shaking body. For her entire life, Tohru had believed that dreams had a hidden meaning behind them, and right now, she hoped she had been correct. She really hoped that dream had been more of a premonition than a dream so she could know that someday she would be Yuki's wife. She could imagine them together, ten or twenty years from now, in a brightly colored room with several children. There was no use picturing it in her mind she decided as she let out the breath of bliss she had been holding in.
"… Well then, how about we go get breakfast?" Tohru suggested cheerfully.
Kisa beamed and slid out of bed with a quick nod. Both of them were glad to have the topic change. Kisa didn't want Tohru to find out that she had just mentioned the forbidden past, and Tohru was happy that Kisa didn't question her about the dorky, joyful look on her face. Tohru followed Kisa down to the dining hall. They laughed as they entered talking about random subjects. Upon entering, they found they wouldn't be eating breakfast alone as they usually did. Immediately, they froze and hushed when they saw their aunt and uncle seated at the table.
"Good morning girls," greeted their kind sounding yet sinister voices.
"Good morning!" they choked out.
They stood close to the wall as if they wanted to run out of there. Their hunger was cast aside when they saw the cold eyes of the king and queen. This meal would obviously be filled with 'proper manners' meaning if they don't want to be yelled at, they would have to sit up straighter than straight, fold their hands across their laps when they weren't eating, keep their elbows off the table, take extremely small, lady-like bites, and not speak unless spoken to, not exactly what they considered a fun meal. Tohru also knew the conversation wouldn't be much better seeing as her aunt and uncle were only interested in talking about Akito which meant Kisa would soon learn about Tohru's engagement, something Tohru didn't want anyone to learn about.
"Don't just stand there, sit down!" ordered Hakufu in a cold tone.
"Y-yes!" they both responded quickly as they took their seats next to each other nervously.
The double doors swung open, and a grumpy looking maid entered with two dishes of food in her hands. Not many people honestly liked the king and queen, at most two or three people, and this maid wasn't part of that minority. She forced a cheery attitude as she set the plates in front of the king and queen. When she saw Tohru and Kisa there, she scurried off to get more dishes. Feelings towards the princesses and prince were a bit more varied; about half of the people liked them, and the other half were jealous to the point of hatred. This maid didn't show a like or a dislike towards Kisa or Tohru. She was back in less than a minute with two more plates. Tohru and Kisa thanked her, and after the king and queen dismissed the maid, she left without uttering a word.
The four of them ate their breakfasts silently. Nobody spoke; the only sound was the scratch of their forks against the glass of the plates. The awkwardness in the air would be obvious to any observer. Tohru and Kisa shifted in their seats not really liking the silence, but it was better than listening to their aunt scold their every move. Either way, they preferred to eat alone. Tohru had another reason to be grateful for the silence; she didn't want them to mention Akito. She hadn't even touched her meal yet out of anxiety.
"A-hem..." coughed Hakufu clearly disliking the silence.
"Tohru, aren't you glad to be starting to see your future husband in a few months? He called last night to inform us that he will be going through with the marriage," Oubasan informed the brunette with a cruel grin.
"Y-yes…" Tohru barely whispered.
Tohru didn't like the subject she chose to start the conversation with. She tensed up uneasily, and Kisa peered up at her with confusion. This was the first time she heard anything about a marriage. Tohru looked away from Kisa, clearly not wanting to discuss the engagement and her true feelings towards it in front of the king and queen. Tohru's body began to shake uncontrollably with dread. She couldn't even hold her fork properly anymore, and it slipped out of her fingers and landed on the floor. Kisa bent down and picked it up for her, but Tohru didn't acknowledge her hand with her fork.
"Oh! I almost forgot to ask you, but which name do you prefer for your first born male, Akio, Akira, or Aoi?" Oubasan asked.
Tohru fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. She didn't meet either of their gazes. Her eyes were focused on the untouched food on her plate. All of those names reminded her of that evil man so she didn't like any of those names. She didn't dare speak her mind, but she couldn't think of a response to her question, and the queen wasn't known for her patience. Tohru clenched her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut as her brain scrambled around for a suitable answer. Why didn't her brain ever work when she needed it too? Luckily for her, Haru barged in before they pressed her for a reply.
"I think Yuki would be the best choice," Haru suggested with a wry grin.
Tohru glanced up at him relaxing slightly. As long as Haru was here, he would protect her from their aunt and uncle. Kisa peered up at Haru blankly still unaware of what was going on exactly. So far, she figured out that Tohru was supposedly engaged to some man, Tohru wasn't happy about it, and her aunt was. The king and queen glared at Haru with flames burning in their icy eyes. Tohru looked up at the two of them with fear in her eyes. She didn't know why they were so angry. Sure, Haru came in and jumped into a conversation he wasn't invited into, but he always did that, and they were never this angry. Did it have something to do with what he said? Some thing to do with Yuki…
"What did you say?" they barked in unison.
"I was just stating my opinion. No need to get worked up. It's just my thought that Yuki would suit her better," Haru answered nonchalantly.
"Well we don't want your opinion," snapped Oubasan.
"Anyways, we're speaking of her child's name, so don't you dare try to switch the topic to suitors," Hakufu ordered.
Everyone ignored Tohru's confused look. She turned to everyone for an explanation, but even Kisa didn't meet her gaze. What did Haru mean by that? Tohru swallowed anxiously wondering if her brother had found out about Yuki. At least, by what he had said so far, he didn't seem to hate Yuki, but Haru didn't even know Yuki as far as she knew. So of course Haru couldn't detest Yuki, someone he didn't know. Well, she couldn't hate someone she never met; she wasn't so sure about Haru. The king and queen seemed to hold resentment against someone named Yuki though, which meant, her fantasy about being Yuki's wife would be impossible if they hated her Yuki.
"I wasn't talking about suitors; I was talking about her baby's name. But why are we discussing her child's name? She's not even married. Isn't it a bit too soon to be talking about that? It would make more sense to be talking about who her husband will be," Haru added calmly as he took his seat across from Tohru and Kisa.
"We already picked her husband," Oubasan responded.
"But, did you ask her how she felt about it?" Haru asked.
"Her feelings don't matter. What's been decided will remain that way because we only want what's best for Tohru," Hakufu told him.
Their conversation was getting heated. Both Tohru and Kisa didn't dare to join in and add more fuel to the fire. The two girls clamped their hands together to comfort one another. Kisa didn't want Tohru to get worked up over this man, and Tohru knew Kisa was afraid of the king and queen. Kisa had given up on returning the fork to Tohru; it was dirty anyways. She just wanted to keep Tohru's mind off of the engagement. Now, she was pretty sure she knew the cause for Tohru's tears. Tohru had been crying because she didn't want to get married to this man.
"Oh, so let me get this straight. Akito, the prince of that puny castle with no money and no-name country is the best choice?"
"Yes, he is the best choice; no one else would do…"
"Really? Not even… How about that wealthy prince of Kaze? I heard he's still single and pretty handsome. What was his name again…? Ah that's right, it was Yu-"
"DON'T bring him into this conversation!!" Oubasan interrupted him furiously.
Kisa and Tohru were taken aback by her loud outburst. This was the first time they had seen her react so quickly. Tohru could have sworn Haru was going to say Yuki's name, but that was impossible. Yuki wasn't a prince, was he? There was no way Yuki could be a prince and not tell her about it. If he was actually a prince, did that mean they could get married after all? She subconsciously kicked herself as a punishment for not paying attention to the rest of the description of the prince Haru was describing. If she had known the country the prince was from, she could have asked around or done some research to find out exactly who the prince was! Haru didn't add on to the description much to Tohru's dismay, but he didn't seem to be backing down either. Though he kept his cool, he was extremely angry on the inside.
"And why not? Is there a specific reason why you don't like him? I just think he would benefit us more than the prince of some unknown country. That's what you want right, more money?" Haru pointed out, his irritation with them starting to grow.
"We have our reasons…"
"And what are those?" Haru questioned.
"That's none of your business," Hakufu growled in a low angry voice.
"So if you don't want to tell me, shall I guess? Does he know something you don't want people to find out? Afraid that if he remembers, your reputation will drop?"
Their aunt stood up; her hand flew to Haru's cheeks connecting with his face in the form of a painful slap. Tohru and Kisa jumped up and flinched from the sound now holding onto each other in a tight embrace. The queen was too angry at Haru to even comment on their immature clinging. Haru cringed before he raised his eyebrows at her waiting for her to explain her actions at the least. He lifted his hand to cover his quickly reddening cheek. No one made a sound, not even the king who was supposed to be more powerful than the queen.
"Shut up!!!" she shrieked.
She withdrew her hand and sat back down like nothing had happened. Picking up her fork, she went back to eating her breakfast without another word. Everyone else in the room kept silent except for Haru. Both Haru and his aunt were very stubborn, and because of this, there was no telling when the argument would end. Neither of them liked to lose a fight either. This argument could last hours or even days, but until it was over, none of them could leave the room.
"I was right, wasn't I?" Haru laughed lightly.
Tohru and Kisa gazed at Haru fretfully. First, they were concerned about his cheek, but they were also worried about what was going to happen to him if he kept arguing. Their brother could be locked up in the dungeon for a day again if he didn't end the argument and apologize soon. The king and queen remained quiet, most likely to come up with some sort of punishment. To Tohru and Kisa, silence was better than having the fighting continue, but Haru didn't seem to believe the same. Haru grunted and stood up.
"C'mon, Tohru, Kisa, let's get outta here," Haru spoke to them loud enough for people outside of the room to hear.
Haru turned around and walked towards the exit. Tohru and Kisa stood up with a bow. Neither of them was sure who they wanted to obey at the moment, their aunt or Haru. Both Haru and the queen were scary when they got angry, and the two of them were furious at the moment, but the two sisters agreed to go with Haru though since he was their brother and friend. The queen never liked them anyways; they'd rather keep on Haru's good side.
"Haru, you know if you tell her anything, you won't be around long enough to see the next sun rise," warned Hakufu as he took a sip of his wine.
"Is that a threat?" Haru chuckled.
He knew exactly what would happen to him if he told Tohru about her past relationship with Yuki. First off, he'd be locked in the dungeon for god knows how long, and right beside him would be Tohru. That was the reason he didn't want to tell her; he didn't want his sister to suffer because of something he did. He wouldn't mind staying down in the dungeon; he was sent down there so many times that he practically considered it his second room, but Tohru was another story. She was scared of dark places and insects; she wouldn't survive a day in there. Haru left the room slamming the doors shut after Kisa and Tohru were safely through. He didn't say anything to them but continued walking. Kisa and Tohru exchanged a glance before they followed Haru to his room.
"Close the door," he muttered as he dropped down onto his bed.
Kisa nodded and closed the huge wood doors gently. The three of them were silent for a few minutes before speaking. Each one of them had a lot on their mind along with various questions. Haru wanted to know more about Tohru's engagement, Tohru was concerned about Haru and was curious about what the king had said back there, and Kisa had both of their concerns on her mind. They both tried to figure out what was safe to ask and what wasn't. Tohru didn't seem to be ready to talk about her engagement, so it looked like Haru and Kisa would have to do some snooping to learn about that. Haru's injured cheek looked like the better topic to start with.
"Are you okay Nii-san?" Tohru asked in a worried voice.
Haru sat up on his bed looking at them both directly and smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Kisa asked noticing his cheek was turning black and blue.
"Yeah, I'm positive." Haru reassured them.
"You shouldn't argue with Hakufu and Oubasan!" Tohru scolded him lightly now that she was sure that he was alright.
"So do you really want to marry Akito?"
Tohru opened her mouth to respond, but there was nothing she wanted to say in response to that. Marrying Akito was the last thing she wanted to do, but she didn't want to let her brother and sister know that. Her engagement was her problem. She didn't want Haru or Kisa to suffer on her behalf. Tohru could solve this problem on her own without the help of anyone, or at least, she hoped she could. Also, it was rather embarrassing to talk about an engagement she didn't want to be a part of. Besides, if they asked her why she didn't want to marry Akito, she'd have no reasons she could tell them. She couldn't tell them she thought Akito was evil or that she couldn't marry Akito because she loved Yuki. Both of those were her secrets.
"No, but…"
"I was just defending you so you wouldn't have to," Haru explained.
Tohru blushed slightly embarrassed. She was never good at sticking up at herself. She sacrificed too many of her wants and her needs just to satisfy and please the ones around her. Haru just hoped Tohru wouldn't marry this guy just to keep her aunt happy. He couldn't let her do that, especially since he wanted her to be with Yuki. He had made them a promise when they were engaged previously. He had vowed to never let anyone try to separate them, and Yuki had also made a promise. Yuki had told him he'd take care of Tohru forever. Haru wasn't going to let him go back on that swear.
"But I don't want to get hurt…" Tohru whispered sadly.
"I'd rather get hurt now than see you miserable for the rest of your life," Haru replied seriously.
Haru walked over to her and placed his hand over her head patting it gently. Tohru peered up at him with her chocolate orbs and smiled. She didn't seem to mind being treated like a dog. What he had said really made her feel better about this engagement to Akito. It made her feel less alone in her fight against her aunt and uncle. Maybe with Haru on her side, she had a greater chance of getting out of it. She needed whatever help she could get if she wanted to marry someone she loved.
"So don't be upset because this is my choice," Haru told her.
Tohru beamed happily. She wasn't upset; she was grateful to have such a caring and supporting brother and sister. Even if she had to marry Akito, it wouldn't be that bad because she knew she'd still have Haru and Kisa, and even if she couldn't see Yuki anymore, she still had his image burned into her head and countless memories. She'd be with him forever. If she wasn't at his side physically, her soul, heart, and mind would never leave him. Tohru had given those to him, and she couldn't take them back, and she didn't want to. She wanted him to keep those three things and cherish them preferably. Hopefully what she felt for him wasn't just unrequited love.
"How about we do something together, just the three of us? We haven't hung out together in a while," Haru suggested with a grin.
"What are we going to do?" Kisa asked excitedly.
"Anything, just can we please leave this place?" Tohru pleaded softly.
"Alright then, I'll surprise you both. Let's go," Haru said as he opened the door.
They all peeked down the halls, making sure it was empty before they slipped out and headed towards the main exit. When they got there, they found guards standing in front of the double doors, blocking their way out. There were only three of them, but all of them were holding weapons of various kinds. Why was it turning out to be so difficult just to go out and spend time together? Family bonding was still a good thing, wasn't it? Was one family outing too much to ask for? It wasn't like they were asking their aunt and uncle to come along as well. All they wanted was a day together without guards surrounding them and without the stares of everyone around them. Just a simple ordinary day that everyone else took for granted was all they wanted.
"Move aside," Haru commanded as he went up to a guard.
"Please forgive me, but your majesty ordered everyone to remain in the castle," The guard responded meekly.
"Huh, is that so? Then please forgive me for this," Haru mumbled as he pulled back his fist and knocked out the guard.
"Haru-nii!!!" Kisa and Tohru squealed shocked by his actions.
"Let's go. Nobody is going to stand in our way," Haru told them determinedly.
There were two reasons he wanted to go outside so desperately. First off, he wanted to spend time with his sisters, and the second one wasn't so honorable; he wanted to get on the king's and queen's nerves as much as he could. He was angry at them, and they deserved it. After their parents died, they had no freedom whatsoever, and he for one was sick of it. Haru would have protested in a more violent manner, but Tohru wouldn't have approved. He kicked opened the bolted doors and held them open for Tohru and Kisa. Before they walked away, he turned around and faced the guards.
"Just try and stop us, and I'll kill you," Haru threatened.
The guards backed away allowing them to leave the palace peacefully. Their eyes showed how frightened they were of Haru at the moment. Haru flashed them a cruel smirk and walked out of the palace at a brisk pace to the gates with Tohru and Kisa scurrying behind him. Guards stood there as well, but Haru took care of them. Brutally, he shoved them aside and opened the gates quickly, and the three of them were safely off the castle grounds. Kisa and Tohru watched with dumbstruck faces as Haru chained the gate doors together and locked them securely from the outside. He tugged on the thick chains and nodded as he stood up.
"What's that for?" Kisa asked pointing to the lock.
"Obviously they'll try to chase us, so this way they can't," Haru answered holding up the key.
He slipped it into his pocket and started down the path ignoring the guards who attempted to break out. The gates rattled noisily from the force, but of course, gates protecting a palace wouldn't break so easily. It'd take them a while and a lot of effort to break through. Tohru and Kisa took one last look at the castle before darting after Haru. If they lost sight of Haru, they could easily get lost in the large forest, though Tohru was more familiar with the woods from her meetings with Yuki, but then again, he had always been there to lead her around.
"Where are we going?" Kisa asked in a small voice.
"You two said anywhere, so we'll go to the place we weren't allowed to go to for so long," Haru responded.
"To town?" Tohru guessed.
Haru didn't answer. They kept on going deeper into the forest. Tohru bit her lip nervously praying that they wouldn't find out about Yuki. He could show up at town and confront her, and then her secret would be revealed to Haru and Kisa. She couldn't blame him if he did that though. He probably was unaware that she hadn't told anyone about him. So if the two of them got in trouble, it'd be her fault. In the distance, they could already hear the noise and rustling of the town. It had always been a lively and cheerful place, but it seemed exceptionally noisy today, or maybe she was just too focused on Yuki the times she went out with him to pay attention to the commotion, but one couldn't blame her for giving her full attention to such a gorgeous guy.
"Onee-chan! You were right!" Kisa smiled as they emerged out of the forest.
Her anxiety grew when she heard Kisa. She forced a smile across her face for Kisa's sake. If she acted nervous, then they would definitely suspect her of something. Tohru fidgeted and began muttering phrases to herself to make herself calm down. They worked a little bit, but she got too absorbed in relaxing herself that she didn't notice the odd looks she was receiving from Haru, Kisa, and nearby townspeople. She looked like a maniac talking to herself. Luckily, she was talking too softly for anyone to understand what she was saying. When she became aware of all the eyes glued on her, Tohru gaped and immediately shut her mouth. She looked back at Haru and Kisa and smiled, feebly pretending that nothing unusual had just happened.
"Why did you bring us here?" Tohru asked Haru.
"I thought it would be fun… I guess you two really are too old for this…"
"Oh no! That's not what I meant!"
"Good because we're gonna hang out here," Haru interrupted Tohru.
Luckily not many people noticed who they were. Without their usual crowns, jewelry, glamorous clothing, and body guards, they blended in with the townspeople perfectly. Uneasily, Tohru looked around the crowds. So far, there were no signs of Yuki. She let out a sigh of relief. There wasn't any chance of Haru and Kisa finding out about Yuki if he wasn't here. Tohru picked up her pace to catch up with the two of them. How did she wind up behind them when she was just ahead of them?
Out of her eyeshot though, Yuki stood there arguing with Ayame and Kyo. They had begun to gather the attention of surrounding townspeople. Kyo's eyes held burning flames in them as he raised his fist into the air, clenching his fingers together tightly. Yuki stood two feet away from him with his arms folded across his chest. Unlike Kyo, Yuki was much better at keeping his cool. Any observer couldn't even tell that on the inside he was just as furious as Kyo was. Ayame stood between them, fanning his hands out between the two making a lame attempt to stop the fight that would soon break out in a matter of seconds. What caused the conflict? One could blame Ayame for forcing the two of them to go to town with him, but in reality, there wasn't really a reason. Yuki and Kyo fought every time they say each other. The reasoning behind the hatred was long forgotten.
"What was that you girly man?!" demanded Kyo angrily.
"I said you are stupid," Yuki repeated slowly.
"You want to fight now?" yelled Kyo jumping to his fighting stance.
"Well aren't you fond of embarrassing yourself," Yuki retorted.
A crowd started to form around them. Practically every person out at the moment had abandoned what they were previously doing to watch, everyone except for Tohru, Haru, and Kisa. Shops were left unattended, a few car doors still carelessly wide open, several grocery bags strewn across the ground, phones were ringing in stores, but no one answered, and in the distance, Tohru could even hear the cries of a baby who had been left alone in a house. There were many reasons for the great interest in this fight. Men wanted to see an actual fight break out, women were fawning over the striking looks of the three of them, and a few realized they were in the presence of royalty. Yuki and Kyo remained ignorant to the stares and continued to argue.
"You're the one who ran away from our last fight," shouted Kyo.
"Now, now… For the sake of this dearest city, please refrain from taking your anger out at this moment!" Ayame told them as he placed one hand on each of their shoulders.
"Who are you to lecture us?"
Even though Ayame was trying to make Yuki and Kyo end the quarrel, all he seemed to be doing was making the two of them angrier. There was one thing Yuki and Kyo could agree on, and that was how annoying Ayame is. Too bad Ayame was unaware of that small fact. The vein on Kyo's forehead could be seen bulging out of fury. By now, even Yuki's hands were gripped in tight fists. At this point, neither Yuki nor Kyo had much self-control left. Both of them were muttering different ways to murder the older male.
"What's going on over there?" Kisa asked pointing to where all the townspeople were gathered.
"It looks like a fight…" Haru responded observing the scene and listening to the chants bellowed out for a fight.
"A fight?"
"Yeah, let's check it out… This could be entertaining," Haru replied as he walked over there.
Tohru, Kisa, and Haru tried to squeeze through the crowd with no success. No one budged. Even the girls seemed unusually interested in cheering on this fight; they were secretly hoping that either Kyo or Yuki would be seriously injured so they could tend to them. Villagers were now stomping their feet and yelling with excitement. Their rooting consisted mostly of wordless shouts and hoots since most of them had no idea what Yuki and Kyo's names were. Tohru, Haru, and Kisa gave up on being able to see the fight after Tohru was shoved out of the way for the second time.
"I am the truly gifted soul who has been brought here to share my knowledge with the lesser beings such as yourselves," Ayame said flattering himself.
"No… You're the biggest idiot here!" snapped Yuki and Kyo in unison as they both punched the older man in the jaw.
Ayame was sent soaring towards Haru, Tohru, and Kisa. The people around them quickly moved aside before any of them got injured. Haru noticed this and pulled his two sisters to safety amongst the crowds. The long haired man landed with a loud smack, a poof of dust rising around him. At least, Tohru could see now. She poked her head out from behind Haru and glanced at what got the crowd so riled up. Her eyes widened with shock. There stood her Yuki raking his fingers through his silver locks with a frustrated expression on his face. Tohru was at a loss for words. Her worry about him actually showing up here had just been made into a reality. He was standing less than five feet away from her. He was so close that she could hear him curse. Never before had she heard him use such fowl language. It scared her a bit. She didn't know what to do or even say.
Yuki and Kyo shook their heads muttering, "Idiot…"
Yuki felt like someone was watching him intently. He turned around and tilted his head to the side with confusion. This simple gesture made a few ladies swoon and knock over about a third of the crowd. Yuki rolled his eyes but found himself smiling faintly. He wasn't that mad anymore now that Ayame was gone. His eyes quickly finished scanning the crowd that was left standing. He met the surprised gaze of Tohru. Yuki just stared back at her, giving no sign that he knew her since he noticed Haru and Kisa beside her. He looked away from her after a second or two switching his eye contact from Tohru's brown orbs to Kyo's orange ones.
"Let's go…" Yuki mumbled to Kyo.
"We're not through with our fight yet!" roared Kyo.
Yuki shook his head ignoring Kyo. He turned around shoving his way out of the town square. He muttered something about getting a headache to no one in particular as he rubbed his temples. By the second, he was getting farther and farther away from Tohru's outstretched hand. He had chosen to go in the direction completely opposite to where she stood so they wouldn't meet. It was tacit agreement between them that their relationship was to be kept secret, but it seemed that only he understood it. Tohru hadn't looked away from him for a second. A part of her wanted him to stay, talk to her, hold her, and kiss her, but the side of her that was thinking rationally was grateful that he hadn't approached her.
"Hey! What about him?" Kyo called gesturing towards the unconscious Ayame.
"Just leave him alone; he's not a baby anymore. He can find his way home on his own," Yuki answered without even bothering to look back.
There was no doubt that he was her Yuki. This was a side of him she hadn't seen before. This attitude wasn't like Yuki at all. If it wasn't for that silver hair of his, she would have denied that it was him. She had seriously doubted it was him, but he looked at her the same way her Yuki did. He looked at her with complete adoration in his eyes. Everything about him seemed the same which made it hard to think it wasn't him, but his voice seemed so cold and sharp, unlike the sweet tone he uses when he speaks with her. Tohru wanted to run and catch up with him, but she knew that Haru and Kisa would find out about their relationship if she did that. All she could do was watch him disappear into the crowd. She blinked a couple of times and shook her head when she finally noticed the little hand waving in front of her face.
"Huh?"
"Are you okay Onee-chan?" Kisa asked as she stopped flapping her hand around.
"Yes…"
"What were you looking at?" Kisa added as she looked in the direction Tohru was facing.
"Nothing," Tohru replied with a smile.
All Kisa saw was Kyo leaving the scene and the crowd dispatching. Haru, on the other hand, had seen everything. Within the minute or two that Haru had been watching Yuki, he could see that Yuki clearly didn't remember anything from the past like Tohru. He could tell because Yuki didn't dare go over to Tohru since he and Kisa were considered strangers and a potential threat to Yuki and Tohru's relationship in Yuki's mind. Still, it had been difficult for him to believe Yuki didn't remember anything since Yuki still looked at Tohru with the same love filled eyes as before. Haru could have sworn that Yuki remembered everything just from those eyes, but he knew better than that.
Ayame's body stirred. Slowly he awakened from his pained unconscious state. He looked around slightly confused by his surroundings. His eyes drooped slightly; his vision was blurry, and he was seeing two or three of everything around him. He had never been hit so harshly and by two people to double the impact. Ayame dizzily sat up and massaged his throbbing forehead. His eyes revealed his bewilderment. He looked around the crowds for his dearly beloved brother, but he didn't see Yuki at all. Seeing Ayame conscious again, Haru decided he wanted to speak with Ayame about Yuki.
"I'm gonna go help him," Haru told Kisa and Tohru rapidly before he ran over to Ayame.
Kisa nodded watching Haru run off. Tohru blinked at her brother not sure what to say. Haru had just gone off to go help the man that Yuki and the orange haired boy punched. She was worried all over again. That man could know about her and Yuki, what was she going to do? She was about to go over to Haru to make sure he didn't find out anything about her and Yuki, but someone grabbed her. Tohru felt someone's hand cover her mouth, firm enough so she couldn't scream loudly but gently so she wasn't hurt at all. His other hand wrapped around her waist swiftly dragging her off somewhere. He was surprisingly quick; nobody noticed him come and go with her. Under all the commotion, Kisa didn't hear Tohru's muffled scream. By the time Kisa noticed her disappearance, Tohru was no longer in sight.
"Onee-chan?" Kisa called looking to her left and right, but Tohru was nowhere to be found.
Tohru felt him stop and release her deep in the forest. The only thing she saw in front of her was trees. She swallowed nervously, afraid to turn around. What if the guy was a crazy assassin who wants her dead? What if this person was a poor peasant who wanted revenge because she was living in a beautiful palace when they were starving in the streets? She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before she had a heart attack. Her heart slowed down, but she was still too scared to turn around. She could feel how close he was to her back by the heat radiating off of his body, and his warm breath that tickled her neck.
"I've kidnapped you, princess…" she heard a familiar voice whisper into her ear.
She spun around wildly with her fists raised in case this person was going to attack her. Her kidnapper caught her wrists before she could inflict any damage upon him and brought her face to his kissing her lightly. A startled Tohru pulled back and came face to face with his handsome kind face. He smiled at her, and she felt at ease. Her worries vanished and all she could think about was her Yuki. Maybe it was the warmth of his hands, maybe it was how perfectly his arm fit around her waist, or maybe it was the way he dragged her, but somehow she knew exactly who her captor was even before he spoke. She knew it was him in the back of her mind yet she was caught completely off guard. She took a step back out of shock before grinning.
"Yuki!" she cried as she threw her arms around his neck.
"I'm sorry if I scared you… And I'm sorry for not greeting you earlier. Can you forgive me?"
He looked down at her warmly with a sweet smile. This was the Yuki she knew, the respectful, caring, loving man whom she loved with her entire heart, body, mind, and soul. She nodded still not believing what had happened back at the town square. There weren't any traces of the anger and frustration his face held earlier. Tohru couldn't help but place both of her hands over his cheeks to make sure he was real. She patted his face all over and couldn't believe that this smiling man was the same one who had punched the long haired man up into the sky a few minutes ago. Tohru cocked her head to the side unable to figure this problem out. She remained oblivious to the fact that Yuki had been watching her the whole time. Yuki laughed at her bewildered face.
Her brows furrowed as she asked, "What's so funny?"
"Your face… It looks like you've seen a ghost or something," Yuki choked out between laughs.
She stared at him still a bit confused. He wasn't making any sense. Subconsciously, she placed her own hands over her face worried about her appearance now that he brought up her face. Was there something on her face? He didn't say anything which only made her fret even more. Her hands slid over her face, but she felt nothing unusual. Maybe he realized she really wasn't that pretty or something like that. Tohru frowned and her mouth opened slightly. Yuki smiled and stopped laughing only to pull her hands away from her face. Still beaming, he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I bet you weren't expecting that…" Yuki whispered with a grin.
"No… I didn't expect to see you punching someone," she replied sounding a bit disappointed in him for hurting someone.
"Well, it's my brother's fault for being such a moron," Yuki groaned thinking about Ayame.
He released her and took a step away from her. Yuki kicked a nearby pebble imagining it to be Ayame. Ayame never really thought about the wants and needs of anyone other than himself, but Yuki was a bit grateful that he had made him come to town. If Ayame hadn't, then Yuki wouldn't have gotten to see Tohru today. Tohru followed after him eager to learn more about his family. He never really spoke about his family like she did when she rambled about Haru and Kisa.
"Oh! So that was your brother!" Tohru exclaimed.
"Yep, that was my brother, the idiot."
"I'm so glad to learn something new about you! It's nice to know that you can actually get angry!" Tohru smiled as she clasped her hands together.
"Me? Of course I get mad, but I don't think you can. I'd like to see you yell and hit someone at least once in my life," Yuki chuckled, "You don't look like you'd be able to swat a fly away who was bothering you."
"O-of course I could!" Tohru exclaimed lifting her fist into the air to show him her determination.
He laughed not believing her one bit. Tohru wasn't the violent yelling type, and he didn't think she ever would be. She was too sweet, caring, and even angelic to be able to do those things. To him, a fly was an annoying pest that should be gotten rid of, so was Kyo for that matter, but to Tohru, a fly was another living thing that should be respected. At least that's how he thought she was. Ironically, a fly flew by and hovered by Tohru's face, and she was unable to even lift her hand to chase the insect away. Even when it landed on her nose, she couldn't bring herself to shake her head to make the small creature buzz off. Having his point proven already, Yuki raised his hand to her face, and the fly flew away. Tohru looked down embarrassedly. She had tried, but she didn't want to scare the fly or hurt it.
"You're so cute," Yuki murmured caressing her cheek.
---
"Hey," Haru greeted the long haired man.
Haru knelt down beside Ayame and helped him back to his feet with a quick jerk. Ayame stared at Haru for a minute before his vision cleared enough for him to recognize who was standing in front of him. Instantly, Ayame threw his arms around Haru out of pure excitement. The last time Ayame had seen Haru was a couple of weeks after Yuki and Tohru were in the accident. They had only spoken about formal matters regarding what to do with the couple then, and it had been months ago. Ayame pulled away with a smile; it was nice to see someone who didn't kick him when he embraced them.
"Haa-san! How have you been?" Ayame responded with a large grin.
"I'm alright, it's been a while."
"Why yes, it has," Ayame agreed.
Ayame dusted the dirt and other unidentified specks off of his fancy clothing and began to re-braid his long silver strands. He stared at Haru as he finished his braiding by tying a bow at the end of his long hair. Haru cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. There was really only one thing they spoke about anymore, and that was the relationship between Yuki and Tohru. Haru was especially curious to know if Ayame could confirm his suspicions about Yuki and Tohru's current relationship that was supposedly nonexistent.
"Did you know about… them?" Haru asked calmly.
"Yes… He knows about…" Ayame started vaguely.
"Does he remember?" Haru questioned starting to get excited.
"No, we told him… He's confused now…" Ayame answered.
Haru's face dropped slight disappointed to hear that. At least he hadn't been wrong in assuming Yuki and Tohru were back together. If Ayame had said Yuki wasn't seeing Tohru, Haru would have had a heart attack out of worry. Still, the relationship showed Haru how trusting and naïve Tohru was. She was basically visiting a stranger every time she went to see Yuki. It hurt him to know that she trusted Yuki, someone she had never met before in her mind, and she didn't trust him and Kisa enough to tell them about Yuki. Sure, he was her lover, but they were her siblings.
"She doesn't even know about it," Haru added.
A faint smile spread across Ayame's face. Just because Tohru was unaware of the past didn't mean there was absolutely no chance for Yuki and Tohru to remember. There was still hope. Actually, it was more likely for Yuki and Tohru to remember everything than for the palaces of Kaze and Daichi to reconcile. If both happened, they would be the happiest brothers around, and Yuki and Tohru would be able to see each other without sneaking out.
"At least they're with each other now…"
"You think so?"
Ayame nodded pointing to Kisa who was running towards Haru. Tohru wasn't with the little girl. She stopped breathlessly in front of them. Kisa couldn't locate Tohru anywhere. The townspeople had all returned to their previous places making it harder to continue her search for Tohru. Nonetheless, she had looked across town for Tohru stopping only when she reached the edge of the forest. Tohru was nowhere in sight so she came for Haru's help. He was taller than her and could actually see over the heads of people.
"Onee-chan is gone!" she squeaked.
Haru nodded calmly and placed his arm around her shoulder. Kisa peered up at him, her confusion evident in her eyes. She didn't understand how he could be so placid when Tohru was missing. Tohru could have been kidnapped for all they knew, but knowing Tohru, she probably would have gone along willingly. She stared at him for a minute before she noticed Ayame standing there beside them. She smiled and bowed respectfully to Ayame.
"Ayame Oji-san!"
---
Yuki sat down against a thick tree beside Tohru. He gripped her hand firmly but gently in his own. She rested her head on his shoulder comfortably. Something about him made her feel at ease even though she knew she shouldn't be with him or at least she should be alert. Many people were looking for her after all. Guards wanted to bring her back home, and Haru and Kisa were probably wondering where she was as well. Either of the two could catch her with Yuki and report the relationship to the king and queen, but she couldn't worry about that when she was so close to Yuki. He made her feel reassured and safe. She just wanted to stay here with him and talk to him.
"What were you doing here today?" Tohru asked looking at him forever.
"I was forced to come here with my brother and cousin Kyo. Were you out with your family?" Yuki replied.
"Yes…" Tohru answered.
Yuki looked over at her apologetically, "I'm sorry for taking you away from them. I wanted to see you. I was acting selfish. I'm sorry about that. You can go back to them if you want…"
Tohru's eyes widened and she waved her hands frantically in front of her. She didn't want him to think she preferred to spend time with her family over him. He was as important, if not more important, to her as her family was. She wanted him to know that she cherished their time together, even though she could never bring herself to admit that to him. He glanced at her and gave her a quizzical look not understanding the meaning of her arm gesture. She lowered her arms and simpered timidly.
"No, it's no problem! I wanted to see you too!" Tohru reassured him.
Yuki smiled at her and took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips. He gingerly planted a kiss on top of her hand. She felt her cheeks burn up as she shyly withdrew her hand. He grinned at her reaction as he grabbed her thin wrists and pulled her closer to him until she was practically on top of him. She was kneeling on either side of his upper legs. Tohru blushed at him not used to such a position. She started to pull away, but he was stronger than her, and he didn't want her to withdraw. Yuki brought her nearer to him and gently kissed her soft pink lips. Tohru relaxed after a second and kissed him back slowly.
He released her wrists and slipped one arm around her frail waist. Yuki tangled his other hand in her long dark locks. She leaned towards him placing her arms around his neck. Her lips parted letting the kiss get more passionate. They broke apart, both of their faces burning red. He let go of her waist and pulled up his hand, pushing her hair out of her face. She sat upright blushing furiously. Tohru brought her hands to her head and fixed her disheveled hair.
"Should we go back before anyone misses us?"
Tohru began to nod but quickly replaced it with a shake of her head in refusal. Yuki raised his eye brows at her questioningly. She lowered her face and avoided his eyes timidly before she resettled herself on top of his legs, wrapped her arms around his waist, and embraced him. Yuki was a bit dumbstruck, but he didn't complain. He'd welcome her hugs any day. He locked his arms around her back and nestled his head on top of hers, messing up the hair she had just redone, but she didn't mind; she was practically asking for it when she latched herself to him in such a position.
"Just a few minutes longer…" Tohru breathed.
Yuki happily obliged with her request. He held her until she pulled away a few minutes later. She peered up at him shyly. He leaned forward cupping her chin in his hand and giving her another quick kiss before he stood up. Extending his hand out to her, he pulled her up to her feet. He kept his fingers wrapped around her hand even after she was standing. Wordlessly, he led her back to town. They had actually been closer to town than she had originally thought. Suddenly, he released her hand, and she didn't feel as safe anymore. He stopped walking which made her nearly bump into his back. She peered at his back questioningly.
Yuki turned around and faced her, "You go first. I'll wait here so no one will notice us together."
"Okay…" she replied nervously.
Yuki smiled taking her hand in his and giving it a comforting squeeze muttering soothingly to her, "Don't worry. I'll be watching you. Nothing bad will happen. Just go straight for a little bit, and you'll arrive at the back of town. You can tell your family you lost them in the crowds."
Tohru nodded thanking him and telling him goodbye before kissing him on the cheek. Yuki watched her leave silently not saying anymore. He wanted to stop her and hold her for another hour or two, and he was hardly able to restrain himself from tackling her. They hadn't even been together for an hour yet, that wasn't enough time for him. It was hard for him to let her go without attacking her with another embrace and kiss, but he knew she didn't come here to see him; she came to be with her family, and he had already taken her away from them for a while. He bit his lip to hold himself back and followed her to make sure no one tried to attack her. She didn't want to leave yet either. Today was supposed to be a day she spent with Haru and Kisa, but she couldn't help but want to spend it with Yuki.
She took a deep breath and stepped into the sunlight. There were no more trees to provide shade and protection. Tohru glanced around anxiously. The back of town wasn't a place she was familiar with. She glanced back at the forest and saw Yuki flash her a smile. Feeling a bit better, Tohru took another step forward and past an old cranky looking old man who was sitting on a porch with a pipe in his hand.
"What are you doing out here?" the old man asked her.
"I got lost…" Tohru whispered.
Yuki took a step forward still remaining behind the nearest tree. He held his breath hoping the man wouldn't ask Tohru any more questions or bother her. She was a terrible liar; the old man would see through her fibs sooner or later if he didn't already doubt her words. Yuki didn't really like that old man from his appearance. First off, elderly man didn't look friendly, and Yuki could catch a hint of desire gleaming in his half open eyes. Being the possessive lover he was, Yuki didn't want that man, or any other man, looking at Tohru like that. Tohru, on the other hand, was oblivious to the man's lust. Regardless, she was uneasy around him because he looked rather scary.
"Why would a young lady like you be out all alone?"
"I wasn't alone… I just got separated in the crowds…" Tohru answered as she stared down at her feet.
She wanted Yuki to come out and save her so she wouldn't have to talk to this man anymore. He was starting to look at her kind of funnily. Tohru took a step away from him, but the old man stood up and walked over to her dropping his pipe in the process. He continued over to her until he was less than a foot away. He stuck his face towards her and examined her face with a satisfied smile. Tohru backed away from him, but tripped over a root and fell on her bottom. The man made no move to help her to her feet. Instead, he seemed to be eyeing the edge of her underwear that was peeking out from her raised skirt. Tohru noticed where his eyes were glued and immediately fixed her skirt and stood up. His face darkened when she did that, but he quickly recovered.
"Well then, why don't you spend some time with me?" he asked with a smirk.
Yuki clenched his first tightly wanting to beat the man up. It angered him enough when the man eyed Tohru with those hungry eyes, it made him furious when he stared at Tohru's underwear, but now Yuki was ready to kill the guy for asking her that. He took a step forward, but his brain disagreed with his actions and yanked his leg back. If he went out to take her away from the pervert, he'd have to knock the man out or he might recognize his unique silver hair. He hoped Tohru wasn't dense enough to go along with him. Yuki could see the terror in Tohru's eyes. He wanted to save her, but he knew he shouldn't risk it, but Tohru was worth the chance. Yuki stood there arguing with himself unable to make a decision. Luckily for him, Haru showed up before Tohru could even respond.
"Are you trying to hit on my little sister old man?" Haru demanded, fury showing in his eyes.
"No I wasn't!" the man squealed immediately recognizing Haru as the prince of Daichi.
"Good because I wouldn't want to hurt you or anything…"
"Haru-nii!" Tohru exclaimed.
She ran over to her older brother, subconsciously holding down the back of her short skirt so the lecher couldn't catch another peak of her underwear. Haru slung his arm around her shoulders and shot the old man a glare. He stared at Tohru for a minute to see if the pervert had hurt her, but she simply smiled back at him which showed that she was alright. Haru patted her shoulder before looking around the area for where Yuki was hiding. He knew that Yuki wouldn't abandon Tohru like that, but he couldn't find any traces of the silver haired teenager. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug and looked down at Tohru again.
"Where were you?" Haru asked her in a stern voice though he was basically laughing inside. He knew exactly where she had been; he just wanted to hear her excuse.
"I got separated from Kisa in the crowds… Where is she?" Tohru repeated her story.
Haru nodded, pretending to believe her excuse, "Kisa is waiting at town square. Let's get back before she starts looking for us."
Tohru smiled and looked back at the forest to let Yuki know she was alright now. She knew he was probably extremely worried about her. Her eyes caught a glimpse of his smile before she saw a flash of silver rush past through the trees. Tohru beamed even though she knew he wasn't looking at her anymore. He was out of her sight before she could get a hint of where he was going. She continued to follow Haru closely concluding that Yuki must have been in a hurry. Her brows knitted together with worry; she hoped she didn't waste too much of his time. They arrived back in town before she could ponder over this too much.
"Onee-chan! Where were you?! You disappeared!" Kisa cried when she saw Haru come back with Tohru behind him.
:Kisa! I'm sorry for worrying you both! I got lost in the crowds…"
Tohru hugged Kisa dearly. Kisa held Tohru tightly like she was clinging on for life. They had been separated for less than an hour and yet here they were latched together. Even though Haru had told Kisa that Tohru was probably with Yuki, Kisa was still concerned about Tohru. Kisa wept worriedly grasping Tohru's dress in her hands. Tohru stroked her back easing her tears whispering soothing words to her in a comforting voice. Slowly Kisa relaxed and her tears stopped. Tohru helped Kisa wipe the tears off of her face with a smile. Kisa rubbed her eyes and returned the smile.
"So much for our night out…" Haru muttered.
"What do you mean? What are you looking at?" Tohru asked.
Tohru looked at him curiously with a teary eyed Kisa. She didn't understand what he meant by that. Did he mean she ruined their day together because she left to be with Yuki? Haru didn't answer; instead he continued to gaze down the road. She opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could, she got the answer to her questions with a simple gesture. Haru lifted his head slightly pointing down the road. Tohru and Kisa looked down the road. They gasped slightly when they saw what he was referring to. At first they didn't see anything unusual, but it was hard to miss. A large cluster of guards was storming their way at an incredible pace.
"Must be Oubasan and Hakufu's orders…" Haru pointed out noting the swords the guards held.
Kisa clung to Tohru, her grip rapidly increasing out of fear. Weapons scared her; they were sharp and pointy things that could cut her. Kisa buried her frightened face into Tohru's arms. Tohru bit her lip nervously as she patted Kisa's back. She had to stay strong for Kisa. If she broke down and cried because she was scared, what would Kisa do? Tohru shut her eyes and prayed that none of them would get hurt. She also prayed that Yuki wouldn't see her in this pathetic state. She couldn't believe herself, thinking about Yuki's impression of her when Kisa was nearly crying and bladed edges were pointed at her.
"Don't worry… They won't hurt us…" Tohru comforted the little girl even though she was shaking inside.
"Please forgive us your highnesses! It's the king's order to bring you all back immediately," the first guard told them as they arrived.
All of them held their sharp swords at their necks. Haru calmly raised his arms in surrender, "We'll go back willingly. Just lower your weapons before you hurt anyone."
A crowd as large as the one that had been gathered from Yuki and Kyo's fight had started to form around Tohru, Haru, and Kisa and began to whisper about them. A group of three surrounded by guards holding swords would gather attention without a doubt. What really startled them was the realization of who those three people were. It took a few close observers to notice that they weren't just any ordinary people. Haru's original white hair and Kisa's light orange hair helped identify them too. Their mutterings were loud enough for Tohru, Haru, and Kisa to hear.
"Did they catch some
run-away criminals?"
"Maybe… But wait! Isn't that the
royal family of Daichi?"
"Why are they here?"
"Have they been around us all day?"
The rumors and gossip streamed around the villagers. People who were just passing by even stopped to look. Everyone gathered around like they did when Yuki and Kyo were fighting, everyone but Yuki, who was anxious to get back home, was around the guards. Of course, Yuki would have stopped if he knew Tohru was one of the reasons they were all gathered there, but he didn't see her. He just naturally assumed they were all there to watch another fight or something like that. Ayame spotted the brunette and her siblings though and felt obligated to notify Yuki who was continuing down the road away from the crowd.
"Hey! Yuki! Wait!"
"What? You should be glad I came back and found you, you don't even know you own way home, do you? I can't believe you're still alive," the silver haired teen walked on ignoring the requests of his brother.
"But is that not Tohru-kun?" Ayame asked his hand gesturing toward the brunette and two others surrounded by guards.
Yuki glanced over his shoulder half believing his brother. He stopped dead in his tracks; that was the woman he was with just several minutes ago. His eyes blinked a couple of times almost expecting her to vanish, but she didn't. She stood there, her face covered with fear. He reacted instantly, dodging everyone in his path as he ran over to where she was. Carefully, yet quickly, he shoved his way past the thick crowd until he was standing in the front. Ayame struggled to get through like Yuki had done, but he only managed to reach the middle of the crowd.
Finally the guards lowered their swords.
"I guess I won't need this anymore…" Haru half laughed as he chucked the key to the ground.
He shrugged as he leisurely started for the castle. Tohru looked back into the crowd for the first time noticing Yuki there. She stared into his concerned, anger filled eyes. Trying to let him know she was fine and there was no need for him to get mad, she smiled at him. His eyes softened a bit, and he gave her a weak smile in return. He really felt worthless at the moment. He didn't save her from the guy who wanted to rape her, and he could take her away from the guards who were scaring her. Yuki would give anything he had to snatch her back and hurt all of those guards, who were causing her so much fear, but he was outnumbered by weapon carrying guards and people were watching which meant his relationship with Tohru would be revealed.
"Move along princess," A guard barked to her gently giving her a nudge.
Tohru nodded and continued down the path but not before looking back over her shoulder at Yuki. She mouthed the words 'thank you' to him and then hurried back home before another guard pushed her. Yuki stood there in the crowd watching her, Kisa, and Haru walk away being easily urged along by the guards. He was unable to believe that she had just thanked him. He hadn't done anything beneficial for her. There was no reason to thank him and yet she did. All he had done was let her be in danger, and she thanked him for it. He partially doubted that he had deciphered her message correctly, but she was the kind of girl who would thank him for no reason. She really was something else.
"What do you think they did?"
"Run away?"
"From what? They have EVERYTHING anyone of us would die for!"
"Yeah, I wish I were them! I mean I would be a better princess!"
"Definitely! You're a lot prettier than Tohru. I bet you would have every prince lined up for you!"
They said her name with disgust as they laughed some more. Yuki glanced over at the four girls standing together. He couldn't believe they were saying that about his Tohru, his beautiful, sweet, perfect Tohru. Who did they think they were? Tohru deserved better treatment than that. Not because she was royalty but because of her good natured personality. They had no reason to say those things. Tohru most likely never did anything to them, and here they were, making fun of her. This angered Yuki more than anything before. Before he fully understood what he was doing he stormed over to the corner they were standing in. His mouth opened and he was yelling at them disregarding his brain's plea for him to stop shouting.
"Shut up! What do you know?! Do you have any idea what it's like? Have you ever been royalty? Have you ever experienced the damn pain and hurt? You have no fucking choices! So shut up already. You don't know anything at all!" Yuki snapped angrily at them.
"You think you know what it's like better than us?" questioned one of the girls sticking her nose up at him.
"Yeah, I know a lot better than you, but if you do become a princess, count one less prince lined up for you," Yuki told them calmly.
He gave them an angry death glare before he turned around and left. Yuki stormed down the road before he hurt those girls. He had never hit a girl before, and he didn't want to. Ayame stared at Yuki wide eyed. He had only heard the end of what Yuki was saying to those girls, but he could guess what happened by how angry Yuki looked. Tohru was the only thing Yuki would get that furious over. Ayame took one look at the girls and shook his head disapprovingly.
"Yuki dearest! Wait for your brother to be beside you before you run off in the streets!" sang Ayame as he ran after the teenager.
"Yuki…"
"We were talking like that to the prince…"
The girls fell over from shock and utter disappointment. It was their once in a life time chance to talk to Yuki. They had been blessed by his presence, and all they had done was yell at him. That should have been the least of their worries. Considering how mad Yuki was, it'd be no surprise if they wound up locked in the dungeons for the rest of their lives. The girls broke down and laughed at their pitiful selves wondering why they hadn't recognized him. Not only was he absolutely stunning but he also had silver hair. Some fan club they were.
"Yuki, you shouldn't blow up like that in the middle of town," Ayame told Yuki as he tried his best to keep up with his swift pace.
"And why not? Those girls were acting so arrogant and superior. They were looking down on Tohru. What did you expect me to do, stand around and listen?" Yuki replied in a harsh tone.
Yuki continued down the path very quickly, a bit slower than a jog. He wanted to get out of town as soon as he could. He wanted to lock himself in his room and call Tohru to make sure she was alright. He wanted to hear her sweet tone. He wanted her to know that she wasn't anything like those girls' description of her even if she hadn't heard them. He wanted to spoil her with the compliments she deserved. He needed to get to the palace faster. Yuki wished they had driven here now, but Ayame had to insist on walking. Ayame was going as fast as he could to keep up, but he still trailed several feet behind.
"But if you keep letting them find out that you're the prince, then they'll become more familiar with your appearance and seeing Tohru-kun will get more difficult especially if she isn't aware of your status," reasoned Ayame.
Yuki froze. He knew this was true, but something just ticked him off when people talked about her like that. Whatever happened to his usual calm and collected personality? Something about Tohru had changed him drastically. Every time he saw her he could feel something inside of him twist and turn into something new. Whether this was for the better or the worse, he wasn't sure yet. She made him feel inferior, like he needed to improve himself just to be able to see her. She was the kind of girl that was like a goddess, something he never felt he could compare to, yet he'd never let her get away. He could feel his feelings slowly turn into some sort of obsession, but he didn't care. He loved her. He had only known her for a few months if you didn't count their past, and he loved her already. Maybe it had been their past that drew him to her, but it was pure love that kept him drawn.
---
Haru, Tohru, and Kisa stood in front of their aunt and uncle with their heads hanging low. The queen's harsh voice continued to strike down crushing their walls down into broken shards and cutting into the depths of their hearts until they were numb with pain. She made a hobby of it, lecturing them until she ripped all the joy they had left out over the littlest things. After a while, the names, the teasing, and her anger just dug under their skin. It just stung more each time. She had yelled at them numerous times, but the word choice she had was something hard to get used to, especially for Tohru and Kisa who were on the verge of tears.
"Morons… Idiots… Stupidity… Shame… Disgrace!"
She was talking so quickly that they could only catch bits and pieces of her harsh words, but even that was enough to strike them down. Kisa felt down enough as it was. Her lip looked like it was ready to burst from all the pressure from her teeth digging into it. It was the only thing she could do to prevent the tears from spilling out. Tohru wanted to comfort the small girl so badly, but she held back to save them from even more scolding. Haru rolled his eyes. At this point, he had more than enough of this, and he was about to snap.
"Don't you think it's about time you shut up?" Haru barked his eyes flashing with fury.
"WHAT did YOU say?" Oubasan snapped.
"What we did wasn't that bad. You lock us up in the palace; can you blame us for wanting to have a little freedom?" Haru asked.
"Who are YOU to question ME?"
"In case you've forgotten, in less than two years I'll be king. If you don't change anything by then, then I will. It's up to you," Haru replied.
"Get out! Get out of my sight NOW!" Oubasan ordered.
"Gladly," Haru smirked before he left.
Tohru and Kisa looked at each other for an answer, but neither of them knew what to do. Kisa glanced at the door quickly then back at Tohru who nodded. They both bowed at their aunt who grunted and rolled her eyes. The king waved his hand slightly dismissing the two of them. Both Tohru and Kisa practically ran out of the room. They still weren't completely sure what had happened back there, but they knew on thing, they had to find Haru before he tore down the palace.
