1 - Of the Royally Challenged

Saeko and Tsuno are Royalty of rival Kingdoms sick of their rule indicted lives. When the two have a chance encounter, how will they react to one another with what they've been taught? -Oneshot-

 -Chapter 1-
-Of the Royally Challenged-

XXX

 

Swords clashed, sending the sound of ringing metal throughout the training grounds. The year was well into spring, everything rather bright, colorful, and lively around the kingdom grounds. Spring would be ending soon though, only about two weeks of it left. The season would soon fall into the dreaded hot of summer, possibly causing droughts and harsh times. The summer season wouldn't effect the inhabitants of the Fire Kingdom however, not much anyways. The society thrived for the warmth, knowing it all their lives. They lived off of it and dreaded winter. When winter came it meant to be more cautious of provisions for the snowy season was like a drought for the fire people.

 

Panting filled the air of the Fire Kingdom's training grounds and another attack was blocked, the defense weakened slightly. Crimson hair and a similar colored cape to match danced in the wind to avoid its opponent. Twin furred ears pricked at the clashing weapons again, and ash hued canine head lifting up to watch from its relaxed position. Your stance is faltering, Saeko. A calmed, male voice informed.

 

"Wha--" A feminine voice began to ask but was cut off, sword being knocked from her hands and thrown a few feet away. The connection of the blades caused the girl to fall back, the point of a sword meeting her throat.

 

"That was worse than last time. You need to watch your stance and pay attention to your enemy!" An older man growled at the girl, sheathing his blade. The crimson haired girl, Saeko, held back a growl rumbling in her throat, biting her lip.

 

"Yes." She muttered in reply then stood up, avoiding eye contact with the man who seemed to be eighteen years of age.

 

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mess you up. The same calm voice as before rang out in her head. She glanced over to the wolf on the sidelines, giving him a small smile.

 

'It's alright, Damon. You didn't mean to. My stance was off.' She replied graciously then was forced back into the world of words by the eighteen year old.

 

"Are you even listening to me??" He growled and Saeko stared at him, her face becoming impassive and emotionless. She hated him. The only reason she had been forced to train with him was because he had impressed her parents with a few sword tricks, nothing special. "Why do you have to be the Princess? You're impossible to train!" He complained, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. In truth she asked herself the same thing. She didn't want to be a Princess, of all things. She'd rather be a commoner or even a peasant! Anything but this rule indicted and controlled life. Sighing heavily, she turned from him, walking over to the ash colored wolf and kneeling beside him.

 

Don't think that way, Saeko. You should be proud to be part of the Royal Family. He insisted.

 

'Yes, I know. I am I suppose...I just wish Mother and Father would loosen the chain a bit.'

 

"Saeko!" She flinched from the snap and glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes set in a glare. "Your parents are going to be waiting for you so go to them quickly." He demanded then turned, disappearing into the kingdom without another word. Saeko sighed again. Time to go face Mommy and Daddy.

...

Saeko entered the kingdom palace a few minutes after Mr. Negative had, Damon following alongside her. 'But really, Damon, the guy's an a**.' She muttered to him through their thoughts. She heard his chuckling through her mind, a smile peeking onto her face.

 

Indeed. But he is very skillful and you teacher for now. You'll have to deal with it. Saeko groaned aloud.

 

'Great, now my own Guardian is siding with my parents.' A rough sounding chuckle rumbled in the wolf's throat and he looked up at her with a wolfish grin. Me? Of course not. He said mockingly.

 

"You little traitor!" She replied with a laugh, reaching her hand out to grab him. He swiftly moved out of the way, Saeko nearly losing her balance. He chuckled and she growled, a smile plastered on her face regardless. She chased after him and he automatically ran from her, down the hall until Damon came to an abrupt stop, his head bowed in a respectful position. Saeko skidded to halt, looking confused for a moment before looking up to meet her mother's harsh gaze directed at her. "Oh, Mother..."

 

"What is the meaning of this foolishness?" She asked venomously. Saeko resisted her cringe and averted her gaze to the ground.

 

"I was...coming to see you and Father like Julian had told me and--"

 

"Nevermind. I don't have time to listen to petty excuses. Come along now. Your father wishes to speak with you."

 

"Yes, Mother..." She muttered in barely a whisper, following after her mother down the hall. Her gaze stayed coasted to the ground, her eyes saddened a bit at her mother's attitude towards her. 'She's always like this, Damon. Always cold.'

 

It's alright. She's just busy being Queen and all that jazz. A small smile worked its way to her face at the wolf's choice of words and she glanced to him. They finally reached her mother and father's 'throne room', a long pathway of crimson carpet leading to two golden chairs side by side with ruby decor. One of the chairs were already preoccupied by a man who seemed to be in his late forties, her mother soon filling the chair adjacent to his. Saeko followed and bowed respectively, Damon bowing his head as well. She then met the gaze of her father.

 

"Saeko." He greeted. "Julian says your training isn't going as well as we had planned." He began, Saeko clenching her hands into fists automatically.

 

"Yes...I'm not doing as well as I had thought I would lately." She replied emotionlessly, almost roboticaly.

 

"And why is this? If I do not start getting better results of your training Damon will be separated from you at that time until dinner." Saeko's eyes widened and she snapped her head up to her father.

 

"What?!"

 

"Do not speak to me in that tone!" He snapped back and she flinched. Her teeth grinded together and she held her tongue.

 

"That is unfair and you know it, Father. Damon has done nothing wrong and he shouldn't be punished." She growled.

 

"He's not being punished, you are!" He spat back. "If you don't straighten up your attitude you'll never see him unless absolutely necessary! Do I make myself clear?" Saeko was silent a moment.

 

"Yes." She hissed through clenched teeth.

 

"Dismissed." He muttered quietly and she turned her back instantly, stalking out of the room with her head held up in defiance, Damon following along.

...

Angry tears stung at her eyes but she didn't dare let them fall as she marched down the hall, making certain turns with Damon following her brisk pace silently. Crying was a form of weakness. She'd been taught that. So she refused to let it happen no matter how much she felt the need. Her pride was built up far too high anyways. Her parents...her parents, her parents! They were impossible and unfair! How could they threaten to take Damon away? He was her Guardian! She needed him as he needed her.

 

She could hear violins being softly played in their perfect melodies from somewhere in the palace. The music soothed her a bit, calming her down some. Damon seemed to notice this slight change in mood. I'm sorry it came to that, Saeko.

 

"Now don't you go apologizing for something that wasn't your fault." She replied instantly aloud. She looked to him for a brief moment, as if eye contact would make him agree, then looked back ahead, keeping her quickened pace.

 

If you say so, I suppose. But I should be silent when you're training. That's time for you to learn without my assistance--

 

"Stop, please stop. Just...don't talk about it anymore. It's not your fault and that's the end of it. I'm just...not trying hard enough." She declared and her pace slowed to a walk. Damon's ears lowered slightly as he looked up at her but didn't speak again for a few moments. Saeko lead them through the palace, to giant double doors towering above her by about fifty feet. Two guards spotted the pair's approach and opened them for her and Damon, the two walking through to the outside. She could hear the violin music becoming faint but wished it could follow her.

 

Are we going out to the forest again?

 

'Yup.' She answered simply. The two were used to exploring the forest, traveling through the wooded area of the Kingdom's territory. Going was both a sense of release and freedom. In the forest she couldn't see the castle or the Kingdom, she couldn't see the walls that kept her and her people locked inside. Only trees and the nature involved in the area. She knew Damon loved it as well so it lightened both of their moods. As her Guardian, he could feel her emotions as any Guardian can.

 

From what she'd been taught few Guardians still existed. There were other animal spirits, as they're called, but their species mainly revolve around domesticated animals such as cats and dogs or small birds, even snakes. But not major apex predators such as wolves or large cats or birds of prey. These animal spirits were born only when a person of great importance was born, and the animal is assigned to them as their Guardian. Being their Guardian there is a connection between them and the human they were born to at the time they meet, linking the two's emotions and pain. Only the Guardians can feel the effects of this though.

 

They are able to feel their human's emotions and physical pain. Also, if their human is killed, then they are as well but not vice versa. A human will live if his or her Guardian is killed. But it is a painful thing, a sense of loss with them forever. The humans the Guardians are born too are usually nobility or part of a long lived prophecy, or so it is thought. Some think it is completely random.

 

Soon enough the two exited the Royal part of the Kingdom, coming into the city that surrounded it. Saeko lifted the hood to her cloak, wanting to stay a bit unnoticed to the commoners for now. Even though she knew her cloak would probably stand out because of the fine material it was made from and not to mention the Royal Family's symbol at the bottom corner of it. It was small, but instantly recognizable. Damon would also give her away; every citizen of the Kingdom knew her Guardian was an ash colored wolf with three orange markings under his left eye. She kept to the shadows, moving quickly with Damon on her heels, he not wanting to be bothered much either. They'd both been deprived of their forest sanctuary for quite a while now and were nearly desperate for the escape.

 

With relief they made it to the gates without difficulty and the guards let them pass, closing the gates behind them. The forest was directly outside, only a few yards away. Once they hit forest soil they went deeper and deeper until the Kingdom was all but forgotten. Saeko smiled and turned, walking backwards to look down at Damon.

 

"I'm so happy this forest exists." She said with exaggerated relief. Damon chuckled.

 

You say that every time. He replied, earning a smirk from Saeko as she spun on her heel, strolling casually past the trees.

 

"When the moon fell in love with the sun~ All was golden in the sky, all was golden when the day met the night..." She sang casually. "When the sun found the moon, she was drinking tea in a garden under the green umbrella trees in the middle of summer~ When the moon found the sun, he looked like he was barely hanging on, but her eyes saved his life in the middle of summer~"

 

Damon chuckled again, shaking his head slightly. And you always sing that. Saeko laughed a bit then hummed the rest of the song while they walked. A few minutes later and the two came to a small river they knew all too well. Saeko kneeled down infront of it, Damon sitting beside her. She looked at the water for a moment, looking at hers and Damon's reflection. We look like Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf. He muttered and Saeko laughed.

 

"You're too soft to be The Big Bad Wolf, you're like a puppy." She said jokingly, and his eyes narrowed playfully at her.

 

Fine, we can switch roles then. This time Saeko's eyes narrowed. She splashed him slightly then stood up, looking in the direction they were headed.

 

"Let's go further today." She said thoughtfully.

 

Further? Damon asked, shaking the water from his fur. Further is Water territory. We're forbidden to go there.

 

"Nooo....we're forbidden to be seen there." She replied with a sly smirk. Damon sighed heavily.

 

One day you're going to get us both killed. You're lucky this sounds interesting. BUT if someone figures out we were there we're dead, either by your parents or some Water soldier. He grumbled.

 

"Yea, yea, I know. Now let's go!!!" She stated and ran off ahead of him, he following after, quickly grasping her pace. They slowed down after a few minutes, having cut into the Hydro Kingdom's territory without knowing how deep. The forest had slightly changed but not by much. Saeko looked around curiously while Damon followed alongside her, keeping an eye out and being cautious seeing as Saeko wasn't going to just yet.

...

Tsuno awoke to the sun shining through his window. He slowly leaned up, yawned, stretched, his usual morning routine. He looked around his room and smiled at the sight of Timber, his Guardian, sleeping. Timber was large, even for his species, a lion, his shoulder reaching Tsuno's. Tsuno quietly crept out of his bed over toward the feline. He gave a silent snicker, leaned in closer, and then....

 

"WAKEY WAKEY!" He screamed into Timber's ear. The lion jumped from his sleeping position eight feet into the air out of fright, sticking up in shock. The prince fell onto his back, laughing. The lion, however, wasn't too happy.

 

Good lord, boy, wont you ever learn to stop doing things like that? You'll be a king soon, so you'll need to shape up! He lectured. Tsuno rested his head on hand and moved his hands in a 'blah-blah' way. He stood up and stared at Timber.

 

"You forget who has the...the whip." He boasted in a joking way. He always used that joke to get the overgrown feline to stop lecturing, of course he'd never hurt him. How could he do that to his friend?

 

The prince turned and walked out of the room. He went through the pure white halls, smiling at the colorfully stained glass windows. The castle he lived in was all marble, something he liked. Another feature he liked about the castle was that it was in the middle of a lake. A lake surrounded by lush forest. He entered the clothing chamber. There, he found a group of butlers waiting to dress him. They started toward him, but Tsuno put up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not a kid anymore, I can dress myself." He watched as they dispersed away from him. He sighed and headed behind the curtain and changed into his regular outfit, a white tunic with a deep sea blue vest over it and pants.

 

He soon exited from the room fully dressed in his usual royal attire, joined by Timber, and together, they headed into the dining hall.

...

Tsuno walked into the dining room, well, hall--it was kinda too big to be a room--and took his place at the long table that made it seem like a family dinner was impossible. It kinda was, since his parents always had special officials over from other kingdoms. And it still amazed him at how many kingdoms there were. Like last week, his parents invited the king and queen of the Mango Kingdom. Who builds a kingdom and names it after a mango?

 

He looked over at Timber, who sat down beside him, and smiled. He was a person who was always a happy person, but he knew when to be serious, like in battle, which rarely happened.

 

He looked over to his father, who was still eating, then to his mother, who was staring out the window. He stood up and headed for the exit when his father stopped him.

 

"Where are you going? You have training today."

 

"Um, that's kinda where I was going."

 

"Is that so? Then carry on."

 

"Yes your majesty." He bowed and exited. Timber joined him again.

 

Are you really going to train? Or are you just going for a walk? The lion asked suspiciously. Tsuno knew that if he went for a walk, Timber would tell his father, resulting in Timber getting taken away for a certain amount of time.

 

"No, it's the real deal this time." He said, giving a convincing smile. And with that, he left the castle. Once they reached the outside world they had to take a boat to reach the city on the outer part of the kingdom. They stepped out of the boat after the short ride to opposite land. The moment both feet were planted firmly on the ground, the prince stretched and shook out his muscles. "You know, if you weren't so big, this wouldn't happen." He semi-complained to the feline. Timber just gave a small snort, and turned around.

 

You want on? He blankly asked. Tsuno smiled again, and hopped on. Ever since he was a child, Tsuno always rode on Timber's back, and lucky for him, the lion was still kickin' to carry a seventeen year old.

 

As they entered the forest, Tsuno jumped off the lion's back and ran ahead, eager to get to his secret training spot. It was the best spot he found when he did practice. He spotted the clearing that led to the area, and entered it.

 

Upon entering, he held out his hands and his weapon, a chain whip, faded from air into his hands. He had gotten really good with it, but was still a beginner. He'd acquired numerous scars from where sliced himself on the back by accident. Slowly, he started to swipe the air with it, carefully avoiding self injury. His eyes darted over to Timber who had came in the clearing.

 

A sound--one so low that if it weren't for Timer's ears flicking slightly, he would've missed it--caused him to swing his weapon to his side, abruptly cutting off his practice. Timber was still, head inclined to the direction the noise had come from. A crack, the crunching of a stick. A mis-step from the intruder.

 

Normally, no one from the Hydro Kingdom would be out in these woods, especially since they were so close to Pyro territory. Tsuno's eyes narrowed slightly. An intruder meant an enemy, a Pyro Kingdom spy or something. His chain-like weapon instantly whipped to life, magically sending a sharp wave of water in the direction of the intruders.

Author's Note

Ok, this is very random. My friend and I came up with this off of an idea from the top of our heads. He wrote Tsuno's part. This is older and I don't know if I'm going to continue it or not thanks to lack of plot. But enjoy. =]