Hey you guys! Sorry for the late update…again. Seriously I have an issue -_-'' Thx for sticking with me all this time :) Without more interruptions, let's get to business.

Disclaimer:I,sadly,own nothing.

Charmed
Chapter12:Confessions and goodbyes.

Shun rushed through the hallways of the palace, pushing anyone and everything that stood in his way. Dan was running after him but was unable to keep up with the angry Shun. Dan knew this day wasn't going to end well.

Shun reached the gate of the throne room. The guards tried to stop him from entering as the King requested staying alone in his room. Shun pushed them away and then pushed the doors open and entered the room.

The king looked at the entrance, where Shun's figure appeared. He stood up from the throne and walked in Shun's direction as he motioned the guards to leave. They did as told and closed the gate behind them.

Shun kept that stance and glare as his father stood not too far away from his place. The two shared glares. Shun was the first to speak up.

"What's the big idea making Alicia my next target?" He asked. Anger was apparent in his voice. His father looked down, let a sigh out then looked up once more.

"So you knew," His father said in a low deep voice.

The room fell silent for a while. But, that silence was to live short as the two continued their discussion.

"Why did you do that? Instead of telling me she was alive?" Shun said. Hurt surfaced this time to appear vividly in his voice. He just couldn't believe that his own father was ready to let him murder his fiancée, and that he was planning to keep this hidden from him.

"There are many things you don't know about this girl," Eric spoke, seriously, staring at his furious son right in the eyes. Shun looked at him, as if questioning for more. "She behold the very reason of the universe's destruction,"

Shun raised an eye-brow at his father, not really convinced by his words. "You must know that I refuse to complete this mission and I will protect her from everyone you send after her," he said calmly and turned his back to leave the room, but his father's voice stopped him in place.

"You don't know what you are doing! I tried to help her, years ago and look where that had leaded us! I lost…both of her parents, my friends, to save her. That solved nothing, it only made the matters worse for the kingdom," His father said, his voice got lower as he reached the very end of his sentence.

Shun sensed his father's pain of losing his friends years ago when the wizards invaded the palace in the search of Alicia. He knew his father had the burden of ruling the kingdom, something his father never wanted to do as he wasn't fully aware of the matter. He was the commanding general of the army of Valdolit. Shun felt his father regret doing so, ordering him to kill Alicia that is, but he didn't feel he was willing to let go of the idea. It enraged Shun that his father who was supposed to protect his family was now trying to hurt it. Alicia wasn't that source of destruction; how could a girl like her be, one that only wanted her people to live happily?

Shun didn't turn around and continued walking to the gate.

"Shun! Do not make the same mistake I did,"

The words stopped him and made him turn around.
"Lenar dofenary kanelot wosame liro,"* Shun simply said.

"I am your father, listen to me! You are the prince of this kingdom and it's your duty to protect it!" his father argued.

"If killing people was my purpose of being a prince then I don't want this position. I am no longer a prince of this country nor will I ever be your son as long as you walk in this path," Shun said and opened the door to get out of the room. His father stood in his place, shocked by his son's behavior.

"You can't do this! I forbid you from leaving the country," Eric said.

"You can't command me now. You wish to stop me? I would like to see you try," Shun said coldly and left the room.

The king called the guards in and ordered them to stop Shun from leaving, no matter what it coasts.

…

"Are you nuts? Do you realize what you have done? What are you planning to do now?" Dan said, overreacting from Shun's point of view. Shun saw what he did as an ordinary thing anyone in his position would do.

"I would go back to Earth and take Alicia with me to wherever I am going next," Shun said it coolly, as if it was nothing. Dan's right eye twitched in disbelieve as he gazed at the close-eyed Shun who was walking normally towards the exit of the palace.

"Will you please show any sign of caring! Now the whole kingdom would be looking for us, how are you planning to run away?" Dan said.

"I don't know, but I will leave even if I have to fight everyone here," Shun said as he and Dan exited the palace only to be faced by many soldiers holding their spears in their hands.

Dan and Shun quickly got armed as the two was surrounded by them.

"By orders of the king, we command you to return to your base," one of them spoke. Shun and Dan made no sign they were going to follow the order.

"Then I am afraid we would have to fight you, sires," They said and a battle began.

Dan and Shun were avoiding hits at times, and directing blows at others. His father ordered a very skilled group of knights to stop them, but they were not about to give up easily.

"Now what?" Whispered Dan into Shun's ears.

"How about you ask your fairy for help?" Shun suggested and Dan nodded.

As Dan was about to summon Nigity, a feminine voice stopped the two fighting parties in a firm way.

"Stop this battle, it is an order," Kia said as she neared the group of men. Shun and Dan looked at her as she approached. The soldiers bowed in respect.

"Sir, the king-" one of the knights began but was soon cut off by Kia.

"I know what the king had ordered, but I have a few questions to ask and then I shall decide what to do," She said and the knights went silent.

For some reason, Shun was rather curious to know what she wanted to say, so he signaled Dan to not call Nigity.

"What do you want Kia?" He asked.

"Shun…The path you chose is a ruff one. You don't know how many people will try to stand in your way," she said, hurt in her voice.

"I know," he replied.

"Are you willing to take it with the consequences that follow…for love?" she asked.

"Yes,"

"No matter how many people stood in your way? No matter how many times they tried to tell you she wasn't worth it? Will you still take it?" she said as some tears appeared in her eyes. Shun got a bit suspicious of this, yet he nodded once more.

"Do you love her to the point where you will sacrifice your life for her?" she asked as a weak smile appeared on her face.

"Yes," he said almost instantly. She smiled.

"You will face many things as you try to rescue her, not from the people around her but from herself as well. Most people shall abandon you as they see you are wrong, many will try to stop you, is this really what you want?" She asked once more and again Shun nodded.

"Yes,"…"You look…as if you know how it feels," Shun stated. Kia had a small smile; it wasn't one of happiness but the kind of smile that would appear on your face as you mourn over an old memory…one full of hurt…

"Because I do…more than you could ever think of," she answered as her answer added more confusion to Shun's thoughts. "Many shall explain itself Shun. Now go, quickly before she is given to Verona," Dan and Shun looked at her as if she had grown two heads, was she really letting them go? Moreover, to save a girl who is Shun's love? Did not she like him?

"But sir-" one of the soldiers started but Kia hushed him.

"It's my order and I will take the consequences," she said and turned to Dan and Shun, who looked really confused. "I don't like you Shun, I only said so to test your love for Alicia. I am most happy you really love her," That didn't help clear the confusion in their heads. "I said I would explain later, now go right now!" she said in a commanding tone.

Dan whistled loudly. A few moments later, Liria was elevating above them; the two jumped to her back as the dragon took off, causing a huge blow of wind to almost make the people below her fly. They thanked Kia and Liria soon disappeared in the middle of the sky.

Shun,Dan…becareful.Kia thought as she gazed at the sky, right the way Liria disappeared into.

It was eleven at night in Japan. Runo, Julie and Miono were rushing in the attic, getting their stuff ready for the delivery in an hour's time. They were not going to let anything stand in their way of completing their first mission successfully. They took many potions with them just in case they needed to freeze or evaporate a Voldon…just in case.

Alice was downstairs in Runo's room. She was sitting on the bed with a sad expression on her face. The day she was to go to Zora finally came…she wasn't expecting it to be this soon, but fate, once more, chose to mess with her plans a bit.

She stood up and entered the bathroom. Runo had suggested she takes a bath to refresh herself and Alice accepted her offer.

Alice looked at the bath filled with hot steaming water. She had opened the tap earlier. She took off her clothes and closed the tap and slowly slipped into the bathtub. She sat there and in her mind, thoughts of her harsh past and hurtful present.

She was about to lose everything in her life…it was hard to believe it was her own well.

The warm water ran over her skin each time she moved…how different it was from the harsh cold events she faced and was to face.

Iwonderifhewilleverforgiveme...Alice thought as a single tear ran down her cheek, she quickly wiped it away. Thatdoesn'tmatterrightnow…heshallsoonforgetaboutyou.
She had wanted to spend time with her friends, even if they don't know who she was. She had cherished every moment she spent talking to them, they didn't know that she missed them and wished to see them all the time, and specially her beloved one…Shun.

Whenever she was to stay alone, she was bound to think about him. Her thought would uncontrollably drift to him. It hurt her so much though; it was because she wished for him to forget her…

She shook her head again, as more thoughts were fighting in head. She didn't want to think now. She had made up her mind a long time ago. She had to let go of loving him…she must.

…

Alice got out of the tub. She took a towel and wrapped it around herself. Water was dripping from her as she left the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her hair was still dripping and her locks were covering up her sad face. She sighed, raised her hand and said some words, casting a spell. Her hair was dried and fell over her shoulders into perfect orange locks. The towel covering her body was replaced by a dark purple gown, which had slashed sleeves. The sleeves were transparent as her fair arm showed through the slashes. Her feet two were engulfed by two slippers, purple in color, but they were a lighter shade of purple.

She sat down on her bed, staring at the ground…her appearance may have changed, but her feelings of hurt and despair didn't choose to leave her heart.

"So down aren't we?" A voice spoke from her behind. Alice jumped off the bed and turned around as a surprised expression crossed her face.

"Who…who is there?" she asked. The voice's owner stepped away from the shadow of the corner of the room. His face became clear as he stood near the window, lit up by the moon's light.

"S-Shun?" she asked, not believing her shadows didn't sense his presence. Maybe she was just too occupied in her thoughts than to pay attention to her surroundings. "What are you doing here?" she completed after recovering from the shock, "I shall be leaving soo-" she was cut off by Shun.

"I know who you are," he stated, his voice dripping with seriousness.

"What do you mean by that?" Alice asked, stuttering a bit. Of course she knew what he meant but didn't want to believe.

"You are Alicia…I know it, you know it, so why don't you just admit it?" He said answering her question.

"I thought we ended this discussion. I am not her," Alice said, firmly. Shun raised an eye-brow at her as he remembered their conversation this afternoon.

"If that so, then, how did you know her name?" He asked looking into her eyes.

His looks…they were so serious and they intimidated Alice a bit. She tried her best to avoid his stares but she couldn't move her gaze away from his.

"S-She is the princess!" she said rather defensively, "Everyone knows her name!" she continued. After realizing what she had said, she regretted every word…

"No one does, except for the royal family and some of their friends. There's no way you could have known unless you were her as I don't remember any maid or lady of the palace who resembled Alicia," Shun said as he waited for the redhead's response.

Alice had her head down. She wasn't able to say anything.

"My father told me it was you. He told me I was ordered to murder you! Stop lying and tell me the truth!" he said in a demanding tone.

Alice still had her head down as she spoke.
"I…I guessed and it was a lucky guess. I may look like her but I am not Alicia, maybe your father was just mistaken, maybe he thought I was her too," she said, not willing to reveal herself. In her head, his cold threats echoed, she wasn't to say who she was. She wasn't going to lose her friends.

Shun looked at her figure standing before him in disbelieve. Did she actually think he would believe that? Did he look that naïve to her? And why was she so determined to hide the truth? Did she forget about him all this years? Did she wish to be with someone else?

To Alice's surprise, she heard no reply from Shun. she knew he wasn't to believe the silly lie she came up with.

Her train of thoughts was cut short as she felt two arms being wrapped around her waist. She didn't need to think a lot to know to whom those arms belonged to. Shun hugged her closer, he didn't know why he did so, but his body moved on its own and he didn't mind that.

"Just for how much more are you willing to make me suffer?" he said. Each word held so much hurt in it.

For a few seconds…the room fell silent.

Shun's words cut daggers into Alice's heart. But, she couldn't more like she shouldn't break down. She was about to pull away from him but that was when she felt a wet spot on her face. She looked up, slightly, and was met by Shun's face. Tears were falling slowly from his eyes. At the sight, Alice froze.

Alice gaped a bit with shock as she stared at Shun. Never in her life did she see Shun crying. But now he was and it was because of her. She couldn't believe what she had done. He had truly missed her as much as she had missed him. At that moment all sense left her, all fear of being exposed as Alicia, all the threats…she didn't care as she began to speak.

"Idiot," she said in a faint voice as she gripped tightly on Shun's shirt.

Shun wiped his tears away and looked at the red headed girl in his arms. Wondering if he had truly heard her call him an 'idiot' or if his ears were just playing tricks on him. "What did you call me?" he asked, hoping she had spoken to him for real.

"Idiot," she said in a higher tone as her tears fell freely from her eyes and were now wetting Shun's shirt. "Didn't you think I missed you? Didn't you think that I wanted to see you? Of course I did!" she continued. His grip tightened on her.

"Then…then why? Why did not you come and see me?" he asked.

Alice released herself from his grip as it was getting uncomfortable and turned her back to Shun. The said guy only stood there and waited for her response.

"After I was saved from the fire, when herescued me, I was happy I was alive," She paused for a second before continuing. "But after the things I had learnt, I wished I had died!" she said. Before Shun could ask her why, she continued.

"You don't know what I could do, the amount of power I behold. It's not mine and soon enough I would lose control of it," She answered his unspoken question. She wasn't giving him direct answers but was giving him a hint of the truth, he felt.

"Shun, that's why you were ordered to kill me and I want you to, just…not now," she said, puzzling Shun further more. "No matter what, this is a destiny I can't escape," she took a deep breath before completing her speech. "I know you don't understand many of this, but soon enough you will,"

"I don't care about this! No one, not even you could convince me of murdering you! Forget about all this and come with me, we will go somewhere else, somewhere no one will ever find us in!" He said. Alice looked at him with a sad look. One wishing this could come true, one knowing that it could never happen though.

"You can hardly escape your destiny; you always used to say that,"

"No, this is different," He said.

"No, you just want it to be different. I-" she was cut off again by him.

"I don't care, just come with me, we will go away and-" this time it was her turn to interrupt him.

"No matter where we go, he will still find me," she said, sadly.

"Then tell me who he is!" Shun said in a serious and high tone. Alice kept her gaze away from his. She didn't want him to see the look of hurt and fear she held in her eyes, she couldn't…

"I…I can't," she spoke in a low tone and before giving Shun any chance to say something else, she continued. "I am not destined to tell you anything more, I am not allowed. I have done a terrible mistake just by revealing my identity to you," she said as she hugged herself as she regained her common sense.

Just at the thought at the threats she received…she couldn't believe she had spoken, she didn't believe she told him it was her. She trembled with fear that her friends might get hurt because of this. She nearly jumped as she felt arms being wrapped around her trembling figure. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Shun.

"Why do you keep your distance? Why are you not allowing me to help you? Why do you want to stay away from me?" He asked.

Alice kept silent.

"Had you forgotten about me? Don't you love me anymore?" He asked again.

The room stayed silent for a few more seconds and Shun had lost hope Alice was to answer until she spoke…

"Idiot," she said. "I am here because I love you, if I had forgotten about you, I will not be standing here before you. I had asked him for a few days to see Dan, Runo, Julie and you, " before Shun could say anything she continued. "But, that love you and I feel is not real…"

"What do you mean b-" she cut him off.

"It's not you who loves me, it is the bond created between the two of us, it makes you love me…it's the reason for all our love, not us," she said as tears slowly slid down her cheek.

Shun stood speechless in his place as his mind refused to believe her words. To him, it was just another way of Alice's to make him forget all about her and move on which was never going to happen.

"I refuse to believe," he said in a steady, low tone. He looked at her, his eyes serious.

She knew how he felt. She refused to believe at the beginning but then she came to understand. If the bond was never created then maybe she and Shun wouldn't have been together. She knew Shun was forced to love her and forced to protect her all the time.

"It's the truth," she, plainly, said.

"It's not! I want to help you! Alicia I-" She cut him short.

"No! Alicia is gone! Now, I am only Alice. A girl you shall soon forget about, a girl who is to be your pray," Alice said.

"No one in this world can make me kill you or forget about you! I love you," he said.

"Then let me go! For I let you go…a long time ago," she said. "And your true self will show only when the bond between us is broken…when I die,"

Shun opened his mouth to say something but was soon silenced by Alice.

"Please say no more, accept your fate as I accepted mine. Don't make this any harder and just go…please," a sob left her mouth as she reached the end of her statement.

For a few seconds Shun remained in his place, his hair covering is eyes, hiding his facial expressions. He turned around and started walking towards the window he used to enter the room. He saw no use in trying to change her mind. He though made up his mind and wasn't going to let her go just like this.

Without speaking another word, Shun exited the room through the window…The room went silent afterwards except from Alice's tears which started to fall down her fair cheeks.

That was it guys :) I am sure you wanna kill me now XD lol. But I love twists :D lol. What do you think will happen next? I don't think you will ever know XD hehe :P me is EVIL. The chapter was supposed to be much much longer, but me figured you might get bored XD hehe.

Tell me how it was guys and remember to R&R :) see ya next chapter!

*: Shun said "The desire of helping an innocent person is not a mistake"