Misaki stood there staring for what felt like an eternity and at the same time a few seconds. Her hand twitched, wanting to go for the knife she had yet to draw, but she couldn't move. The fire from the camps warmed her body quickly as her black clothes absorbed the heat, and she felt her face begin to flush, but she still couldn't move. She could count herself lucky that her dark clothes hid her from the pirate's view in the smoke, then there was a cold hand that wrapped around her arm and tugged her back into the safety of the underbrush, her brother's worried voice asking her questions she couldn't comprehend.

"MISAKI!" Shoichiro demanded in a soft whisper, lightly smacking her cheeks to get her attention.

The scar on her left shoulder was searing at the mere vicinity of the man who caused it.

"Misaki," Shoichiro repeated, his tone serious and demanding. She immediately focused on him, doing her best to stay grounded and not get caught up in her emotions.

"They're talking," Shoichiro whispered and made room for her to crawl to the edge of the bush to look with him.

Misaki slowly crawled forward and looked out at the completely at ease blonde pirate and his little grunt with the green hair. That particular grunt had really rubbed her the wrong way, and he didn't seem to think much of women.

"So we burned down the camp, now what?" Shoichiro whispered, expertly reading the two's lips.

"Now we wait until the royals show up to clock the damage."

"The won't bring the princess with them."

"Of course not, that's why we hop in with the soldiers and go back to the castle in disguise."

"And how do you figure we can get uniforms? Plus the other guards will catch on."

"We'll be taking out all of them except for the two head honchos who the king talks directly with, they don't care about those under their command."

"Did you actually think all of this through or did it just fall into place?"

"Don't you wish you knew Tora."

The two turned and walked off, leaving the ashes of the once majestic training grounds an ugly wasteland. Misaki pushed herself off the ground, thoroughly over her initial shock.

"Well," she said with a slight smirk, enjoying the way Shoichiro gulped. "Lets beat them to the castle and convince the princess that she's in danger." Misaki turned on her heel and started walking, enjoying the way the world suddenly seemed ten time lighter.

She wanted to get home, see her little sister, slaughter a few pirates who took everything form her, and move on with her life that was no longer bogged down by formalities and parties. Shoichiro's mother had been right, only people who had their wills ironed out to the workings of politics talked, walked, and acted like that.

She didn't care anymore, and it was freeing.

"MISAKI, please stop smirking like that, its making my insides turn to ice!" Shoichiro called behind her.

XxXxx

So, I didn't update in forever and I wrote out a quick chapter, sorry :( . I got a review demanding more and I had to do it, I'm going to set an alarm on my phone so I can always remember to update the two stories I'm alternating between once a week each.

I read the last chapter over again and felt like shooting myself. to me it looked like crap without description and plot. I'm super sorry and I may have been moping because of it. I also spelled her name mesaki in the last chapter, stupid brain, and that disheartened me. I'm not going to fix it, not because it's too much work but, because no one noticed or felt the need to comment about it so it didn't bother anyone.

Reviews = support, support=more chapters, but please send reminders.