Kyoto trudged out of the woods, and wasn't a pretty sight for sore eyes.

After his treacherous run through the woods, there hadn't been any place to stop. Trees had loomed over him, dark shadows that had dotted his body. Whenever he heard a twig snap, or the trees creak, he'd leap out of his skin in fear. Ultimately, he had decided that the safest place that he could go were the villages.

And..he still wasn't sure where to go.

He held his hand to his brow, looking in the distance as he saw several fires dot the barren land. If he'd remember right, those were the king's armies, preparing for another attack against the land's enemies. That included the occasional dragon, squads of giants and ogres, and there's always the slim chance of a mysterious god arising...but besides from that, thing's were fine.

...Actually, they weren't. Despite the fact that he was the heir to the kingdom, his own father had decided that he should leave..and by that meant that soldiers were set upon him with orders to kill. The only thing that could've made this prince seem like a prince was actually..nothing.

His fortune was left back at the palace, and that place was swarming with guards, dogs, and not to mention the king himself. If he went back. Things would not go very well for him.

His looks. Yeah, the only thing that was fixing his face was a proper bath, and all of his maids preening over and fussing over different ways to fix his face. But that wasn't going to happen for a long...LONG time.

"Who are you.." someone growled and Kyoto turned around, his eyes landing on a girl about thirteen eyeing him suspiciously.

Well, at least he looked better than..that. She seemed to be one of those village girls he'd gotten a glimpse of once from his castle. A bit shabby, but then again, all her clothing was covered in ashes or singed. At times, I could see bits of skin, but even that was a mixture of burns.

Though she was pretty..those startling blue eyes...and her tawny hair (though slightly uneven) billowed down her shoulders in a long mane. She crossed her hands and glared at Kyoto, who quickly shook his head.

"Well?" she spat out, glaring at Kyoto. "I want a name from you Mister!"

"Alright, alright!" Kyoto said quickly, his hands raised in submission. "I'll say my name!"

"WELL?" the teenager growled, pinning Kyoto against a tree. That. He didn't expect.

"I'm Kyoto, the prince of Layur!" Kyoto said quickly. "Don't hurt me!"

"I'll be the judge of that." the girl muttered and loosened her grip. "Sorry 'bout this...'Prince'."

Kyoto only had a moment before he felt the girl punch him in the shoulder immediately letting out a high-pitched shriek.

"OWW!" Kyoto shouted, rubbing his shoulder gingerly. "Oww..oww oww! This wouldn't happen if I was back at the palace!"

"Hmm..I've heard guys scream, and they're normally really low pitched. " the girl murmured, looking at Kyoto apologetically. "But you're the first I've heard scream so high-pitched...definitely royalty."

"Hey!" Kyoto said indignantly, wearing a wounded expression on his face. "No need to injure my shoulder AND my pride! What, do you stalk royals?"

The girl barked a dry laugh. "HA! No, that's my brother." And the girl got extremely close to Kyoto, who turned pale. "He's seen you sleep.."

Kyoto looked mortified.

"HAHAHA, just kidding!" the girl said, grinning as Kyoto's face turned into a flustered tomato. "Guess royalty can change color too."

"Why, you-"

"Heh, but anyways." the girl said, sticking her hand out. "The name's Clarity."

"Well, I already said my name, but it's Kyoto." Kyoto said, shaking Clarity's hand delicately. "You look like you've been through a fire."

Clarity stiffened. "Well..the rest of family got killed in that same fire so.."

Clarity trailed off, not completing her sentence, but Kyoto understood clearly.

"Is it too early for a hug?" Kyoto asked, looking at Clarity sympathetically.

Clarity looked at Kyoto, her eyes bleary and red. Didn't seem like she'd gotten lots of sleep since that fire. No one would..not if they had lost their whole family.

"I-I don't, I'm-" Clarity wrapped her arms around Kyoto in a hug, crying softly.

Kyoto looked at Clarity in surprise, she'd seemed to give up the tough-kid act and go with well..the sad-kid-who'd-lost-their-family act. He turned the slightest bit red as he hugged Clarity back, who'd continued her crying.

~~~~~

"Hmm..at least the two of them are together.." a man murmered, stroking his chin with a sly grin. "All the easier to finish the two of them off."

The man sighed, setting down his pack. The dog that the man owned nipped the man's hand, who smiled. He quickly fished a bone out of his pack and handed it to the dog, who'd continued the addition of teeth marks on the bone.

"Where is it..where is it." the man muttered, his searching hands curling onto the weapon he was thinking of.

He pulled out a long piece of silver wood, the ends tied with a connecting piece of string. Without a moment of hesitation, he snapped the wood in two, and the wood grew..longer? Before long, the man fashioned the wood into what seemed to be a silver bow.

"Hopefully, I'll be on target." the man said before smacking himself. "What am I saying..Of coure I'll hit my target! ...Right Bowie?"

The only response gotten from the dog was content growling.

The man sighed. "What am I going to do with you Bowie.."

Was it his imagination or did the dog just growl louder?

"Alright, alright." the man grumbled, pulling a golden arrow out of his pack. "One more shot and we'll be set for life."

The dog tilted its head as though it were thinking, Can you really hit the two of them with just ONE arrow?

"Yes." the man snorted. "Of course I can, what could possibly go wrong?"

The dog whined and covered its head with his paws.

The man glared at the dog but muttered a curse instead and aimed at the two teenagers hugging each other.

"Lights out." the man said coldly, and with that.....

He.

Let.

Go.

~~~~

Dramatic emphasis there, but obviously a cliffhanger. See y'all next chapter!