A/N: Alright! The new chapter is finally up. Hope you'll like it! XD


Chapter 7 – Surprise

"Are you absolutely sure?" Muta asked incredulously. It was two o'clock in the morning and Muta had finally woken up.

"Yes, Muta, we have her hair as proof," Toto said, gesturing to the still sleeping girl. Baron nodded in agreement.

"Have you ever thought that she is just a girl the witch uses as a messenger? Didn't she tell us that the witch contacted her when she passed out? Didn't she say that we have already found one half?" Muta looked at them and Baron and Toto looked at each other.

"I guess," Baron began. "But how is it that her hair is completely red?" Toto asked, trying to convince Muta.

"The witch's presence in her is obviously the reason," Muta answered with a serious facial expression. "Chicky said that we'll find the answers if we go south. So let's go south."

Baron looked at the sleeping girl and nodded over to Muta. "Alright, we'll travel south. I think you're right, Muta," he said and before Toto could interrupt Baron turned to him, "Maybe she is just a messenger the witch has sent to us to help us find the other half. I mean, just because she is same age as me, in our world, doesn't mean she is the other part. There must be tons of girls who are the same age as her on Earth."

Toto looked at the girl and then sighed, "Perhaps you're right." And then they nodded to each other as an agreement to go south.

ooOOoo

Haru was running. She ran as fast as she could; through forests, lakes, rivers, villages, until she came to a stop. She was in front of a stone staircase. She slowly took one step at a time and finally reached the top. All in front of her was pitch black but she wasn't scared. She walked into the darkness with a slow pace and saw a man walking towards her. "I've finally found you," he said. The man had black hair and eyes like she's never seen before; as red as flesh blood and Haru could even smell the scent of blood around her; metallic, salty and the air was so thick that she could practically taste it. "I shall soon bring you to me, don't worry," he said caressing her cheek. Why didn't she run? Why did she stand there emotionless? She knew it was wrong for her to stand there but she couldn't move. "I shall keep my father's promise, Haru, don't you worry."

His deep voice sounded kind but she could feel a shiver running down her spine. He leaned towards her and planted a kiss on her lips. She stood completely still, not moving her head or her hands; she just stood there lifeless. "I shall make you mine, Haru. Never forget that."

With that he disappeared and Haru felt how her lips burned but not in a nice way; like acid was piercing her lips.

She woke up with a small gasp and looked up at the clock above the door. It was five in the morning. She stood up too quickly and she got a strong head rush. She looked around and saw Muta snoring on the other red couch, Toto sleeping in an armchair beside the couch and Baron was sleeping on her couch with a book in his hand. She read the title out loud, "Alderra's History." She shrugged. She stretched her body and then her stomach growled in complaint. I think I'll make some breakfast for all of them, Haru thought on her way to the kitchen, if they like eggs. She wasn't used to cooking at home but one thing she was sure of; she made the best eggs. She found the eggs (but not in a fridge) and started to make fried eggs. When she was done she sat down at the table in the kitchen and began to eat her breakfast.

"Home," she said out loud (to herself of course). She sighed and took another bite of her food. She had completely forgotten about Hiromi and the rest of her class… and her aunt. I wonder what she'll say when she found out I'm gone, she thought sadly. Not only had her aunt lost her sister and her brother-in-law, now she had also lost Haru.

She finished her breakfast and went over by the window. She caught a short glimpse of a mountain landscape but it faded into mist. The sun was up but no light could get through the mist. She sighed and walked back into the living room. No one had changed their sleeping positions. She sat beside Baron and carefully took the book out of his hands. She was curious about what he had been reading. She looked at an illustration of a woman being burned on a stake. Surprise was painted on her face; that was the woman (or witch) she had seen in her vision when she had passed out. She then moved her eyes from the picture to read to text on the page though Haru wouldn't call it a normal text; it was a rather long poem (obviously old) but with no rhymes.

Through all the realms no love had been

That had tied two realms to one.

A woman had found a love

Her soul was bound to thee.

Light of stars were burning in blue

The moon shone above on them.

A night was all they needed to know

Their bond was a bond made of more than blood.

Their love was love

Their love was danger

Their love should have lasted.

The man could not stay

Or else he would die.

The maiden could not follow

Or else she would die.

A promise was made beneath the moon

A promise of return

Mellow flowers had to bloom

And the moon would have to be blue.

Haru remembered the story Hiromi had told at their cottage. She took a deep breath a kept reading.

She could not wait and went to him

She found a garden of peace.

She looked for him but could not find

Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Huh," Haru whispered to herself, "so she came for him." When she read the next part she recognized what Baron, Toto and Muta had told her.

A danger came

She saw with grief

As death visited peasants.

She found a source

Her powers grew

A ring would hold her power.

She met the danger face to face

Her love had been right

Her death did come

The flames drew from her life.

Haru held her breath with excitement and kept reading.

Through flames and pain

She found her love

But it was decided it was too late.

Her death broke his mind

Her death shattered his soul

Her death killed his body

But her death created life.

Haru stopped reading. This was what happened, Haru thought, this tells the past. She continued reading the last part but an unknown feeling went through her while she read.

A kiss was all they needed

A kiss that should have been in the past

A kiss would conquer death.

A kiss is all they need

A kiss should make the present

A kiss will make them see.

A kiss is all the wanted

A kiss should make the future

A kiss will bound them for eternity.

A wrong kiss will destroy it all.

Haru looked away from the book and closed it. She hadn't had this feeling before but she knew what it was. It was jealousy. Why couldn't she be the one Baron was supposed to be with. Not only had she found out that she wasn't his soul mate but that she would never be able to be with Baron – even though she had only met him not so long ago. A wrong kiss will destroy it all. That sentence ran through her mind and a wave of sadness came over her. She rose from the couch and put the book on Baron's desk. She took a deep breath and walked down the hall to her room. She wouldn't cry. She had promised herself that. But of course tears ran down her cheeks as the small traitors they were. The opened her door hard and stopped in her tracks. A man was sitting on her bed; waiting.

"Who are you?" Haru asked with a hoarse voice.

His eyes looked at hers and she gave out a gasp. He was the man from her 'dream'. His read eyes penetrated hers as if he was studying her soul.

"You know who I am," he said and smiled. "I told you I would come for you."

If it wasn't for the adrenaline pumping through her blood she would have kept standing without moving her body as the man rose from her bed and walked towards her; slowly and seductively. But she didn't. She slammed the door closed and ran down the hall back to the living room. She heard her door open and footsteps following her quickly.

She reached the living room and she ran straight to Baron and shook him awake.

"Baron, please wake up." Her voice broke as the man stepped into the living room. Baron's eyes flew open at the sight of the man and he jumped quickly to his feet turning his back to Haru in a protective way.

"Who are you?" Baron yelled at the man. Haru noticed that the man was only wearing black. Black pants, shirt boot – he even had a cape and black gloves.

The mysterious man only chuckled.

"I am Prince Lartius. And I have come for Haru as promised."

He looked at Baron when he said his name but for the other part the looked at Haru. Haru remembered the name from one of Shakespeare's plays Coriolanus which her aunt had made her read when she was younger. Haru then scolded herself in her thought for thinking about something as insignificant as a play.

Muta and Toto had already woken up and stood defensively in front of Haru.

"What promise?" Baron asked with a loud voice, still shielding Haru.

"My father had made a promise with Haru's parents," Lartius answered calmly but then huffed. "which apparently meant nothing to your parent, Haru." He looked at her judgingly and piercingly but then his stare softened into "smirking" (which was the best word for Haru to explain it in).

"But now that they're not here, let's keep the promise, shall we?"

It was a question but the tone told Haru that he didn't want an answer. Lartius disappeared for a moment. Haru gasped in shock when she could feel his touch on her shoulder. Baron heard this and quickly turned around. He was about to get a hold of Haru but they quickly disappeared too and then stood where Lartius had been before.

"And not only am I gonna have a beautiful wife," he said and started to laugh too loudly. "I am also going to get one of the witch's famous halves – all in one!" He laughed hard and Haru stood frozen, looking up at him, shocked that he thought that she was one of the halves.

"Then you're out if luck," Haru managed to say, "Because I'm not one of the halves."

He then laughed even harder. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" He looked around at the clueless faced of Muta, Toto and Baron.

"Ha! Let me show you, shall I?" He took Haru by her waist so she couldn't get away and looked at the others. "You've probably read the 'poem' about the witch, haven't you?" The question made them look surprised but Baron only nodded and Lartius smiled wickedly. "The last sentence says and I quote 'A wrong kiss will destroy it all'. If that is true and I kiss Haru, you," he pointed at Baron with his free hand, "one of the halves, should be able to feel it both in your heart and soul."

Baron looked at Haru and then at Lartius. He nodded just enough for Lartius to notice and continue on.

"With that I shall prove to you that my dear Haru is one of the halves." He emphasized the word my too much in Haru's opinion and it scared her to death. As well as the next thing he did.

He turned her around to face him and leaned in to her. "This is the second kiss we have, but now it is a real kiss," he whispered only to her. Then his lips crushed against hers and she could feel them like acid as she had done in her nightmare. He opened her mouth a little and moved around his tongue in her mouth. Her tears fell heavily on her cheeks and she started to push him away, kick him, and scratch him or whatever she could do to get him to stop. Her first kiss which was supposed to be romantic and tender not! with an evil person and feel like acid was penetrating her skin.

Then she heard a cry of pain which she knew only could be from Baron. Then she also had to scream. Her head was burning, her chest was heavy and pounding painfully and the worst thing was that it seemed like a part of her had been ripped out of her body. Her scream surprised Lartius and he let her go, shocked. She fell to her knees, still crying in pain as well as Baron. She noticed that he had also fallen down on the floor with Muta and Toto trying to help him with whatever they could. Her tears were still falling and she looked at Baron still in a horrible pain as their eyes met and locked. His green eyes looked into her chocolate brown eyes. She saw how pain, surprise, shock and horror were painted in his eyes and probably also in hers. The pain subsided slowly for the both of them and the lay down on the floor still looking at each other, gasping for air. She heard Muta and Toto whispering "it's all over" to each other but she only focused on Baron. But their moment ended abruptly when Lartius' deep acid voice spoke.

"I think I proved my point. But I did not think it would affect Haru as well," he said and then looked at Baron. "As your bond is now broken I shall tell my father that he shouldn't worry about it any longer and marry Haru."

As he said the words more tears fled from Haru's eyes and on the floor. Lartius bowed to take Haru into his arms but quickly jerked away as if it had burned him terribly. He took his glove off and Haru looked at his hand which had a 3rd degree burn. His red eyes looked at her and he said angrily, "If I can't take you now I shall make you come to me." His anger subsided to a smirk on his lips.

"If you want to see your dear aunt you better get to the castle soon. I wanted it to be a surprise but I guess you have to know now. I shall wait for you, my love." With that said, mist twirled around him and he disappeared.


A/N: I know it's a little cliché "if you want to see xxx again ... bla bla bla..." but I couldn't think of a better thing for him to say... hope it's okay.

*Update*: My computer broke down completely and I had to reinstall Windows XP on my laptop... ALL my files were deleted incl. the office pack (word, excel etc.) :( .. And on monday I'm going on vaccation to Sweden and can first upload next week... I will try to find a way to upload the next chapter but it would probably take a while... hope it's okay! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer holidays ;D