AN: Warning, there is violence in this chapter! 

Sang's POV:

Once I put down my violin I stood from the windowsill and walked over to my bed where I had left its box.

Putting it back inside I stared at it for a few moments, the emotions I had been keeping locked inside my heart were now free, shifting along the air like the notes I had created a few moments before and I felt lighter than I had in a long time.

I left my room and went for a walk in the grounds, passing through doors and windows distractedly, my mind automatically mapping the whole place while I thought about the revelations of the day before.

Wil was the heir to the Academy's clan.

I wonder what he had been doing, working as a driver for the Sorensons.

Was there treachery afoot?

And what was I going to do about it?

These questions haunted me as I kept walking, not really seeing where I went until my face made contact with a hard chest.

"Gasp!"

"Omph!"

Arms came around my waist and held me upright, stopping me from falling to the floor in a heap.

The chest in front of me was covered in a bright orange cloth that formed a kimono and accompanied by the cinnamon and cocoa scent tickling my nose I knew instantly who it was that I had walked into.

"Now, I know you are falling for my sexy and stylish self, Trouble, but do not worry, I'll always catch you." Said the playful voice of Gabriel-san.

I looked up at him and he shot me a wink along with a smirk.

I couldn't help smiling too. His smile and bright blue eyes were contagious.

"Hello to you too, Meanie."

I took a step back, regrettably getting out of his arms and that's when I saw Victor-san.

He smiled kindly at me, "Hello there, princess."

I blushed and smiled at him, too, "Hi Victor-san."

"So, Sang-chan, are you busy right now?" Gabriel-san asked me.

I shook my head, I was actually feeling a little bored right now.

They looked at each other before turning to me again, identical, diabolical smiles on their faces.

"So we are going shopping!" They said in unison.

My eyes widened at that. Shopping! I never had gone shopping before.

Usually my clothes were just delivered to my room by some other servant. Besides, it was not like I was paid for doing my job.

I knew other servants received a salary for their hard work, but for some reason I never got nothing. I didn't complain because I had everything I needed, but still...

Gabriel taking hold of my hand and pulling me after him distracted me from my depressing thoughts.

We walked quickly through the corridors until we reached the front gates to the house.

Victor walked ahead of us and talked quietly to the samurai posted there for a couple of minutes before he signaled for us to follow him.

We left the clan house and the boys pulled me to walk between them down a winding road with cherry trees on either side of the street.

The trees were in blossom and I couldn't stop myself from gaping at the beautiful sigh in front of me.

I wished my clan's territory looked so pretty.

I was so distracted by all the flowers that I didn't notice I had one hand in each of the boys until we left the cherry tree street and walked into a busy marked street.

I blushed a little but didn't let them go. With as busy as this place was and as small as I was I could get easily lost in the crowds.

At least, that is what I told myself.

Looking around myself I saw chaos, there were little stores and booths everywhere, vendors screaming at the top of their lungs about their goods and sales, mothers walking with toddlers, men conversing together while drinking sake, children running from side to side and even dogs barking and chasing after a few cats. The scents were so varied and strong that I couldn't separate and classify them.

It was complete craziness, so different of my own clan, and I loved it.

The people here looked happy and free, not like the scared and docile people from the Sorenson clan.

I squeezed the boys' hands and gave a little squeal, making them laugh.

They walked me through all the stores, stopping with me to point something out or make a joke.

We didn't buy anything as I didn't have any money and I told them I couldn't possibly accept a gift from them, but they seemed to pause and stare really hard whenever I found something that I liked or wished for.

We were passing a Takoyaki booth when my stomach grumbled in protest of my lack of breakfast.

They both insisted on at least feeding me so we sat down for a little to enjoy some good food.

We were heading back to the clan's house through a less crowded street when a group of hooligans walked over to us.

"Hey! You there! The fagots!" Came the rough shout.

Victor-san and Gabriel-san stopped in their tracks, their jaws ticking.

I tensed, feeling my heart speed up. Looking at the approaching group I saw that we were grossly outnumbered with three against ten.

In less than a minute we were surrounded and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

These men were fast.

Victor-san took position at my back and Gabriel-san stood in front of me, the two men trying to keep me out of reach, but I knew they would need my help if we were to get out of this situation alive.

I just hoped they didn't hate me after they saw what I could do.

Pulling a knife out of the hidden pocket in my kimono I didn't wait for the hooligans to attack, jumping at the closest one instead.

In two steps I was in front of him and before he could react to my presence I had slashed his throat open, his blood dripping down and drenching my arm.

Gabriel had shouted for me when I got out from behind him, but now all I could hear were the sounds of him and Victor tearing away at our assailants.

I turned to the next one, seeing that he was already coming at me with a short sword, I crouched down and raised my knife, blocking his sword as I pulled another knife from my sash and cut at his inner thighs, severing arteries.

I knew those cuts would kill him as surely as the one I had given the other man.

Two down, eight left.

Turning around while standing up I saw Gabriel' block a sword with a kunai and Victor thrown a shuriken star at his attacker, who fell to the ground immediately. He must have used poison.

Three down.

I ran at the next attacker who was aiming for Gabriel's back, stabbing him in back and slashing at his throat when he fell to his knees before me.

Turning, I stood back to back with the boys and we slashed away, dropping, kicking, punching and killing all who dared to attack us.

For me it felt like an eternity, but couldn't have lasted more than a few minutes before there were ten bodies on the ground.

I was drenched in blood but none of it was mine.

With dread running up my spine I turned to face the boys, expecting to see horror in their expression, disgust, maybe even hate.

Instead they were both watching me in concern.

"For fuck's sake, Trouble, tell me that none of that blood is yours." Gabriel said, tucking his kunai back in his kimono.

I blinked at him and was about to answer when Victor stepped closer to me, his eyes frantic. "Are you okay, Princess." He asked.

"I am fine, guys. I don't think any of them got to me." I told them but they still seemed worried.

Each of them grabbed one of my hands and we walked quickly back to the house and sneaked inside through a side entrance.

Victor and Gabriel led me to the infirmary.

Entering the infirmary I came face to face with Sean-san, who looked at me with a startled look on his face before becoming horrified.

Sean quickly crossed the room to stand right in front of me, studying my bloodied appearance, his eyes frantic. "Take off your clothes, Pookie." He ordered.

My eyes widened, my cheeks flushed and before I could stop myself my hand flew at his face.

I slapped him.

He gapped at me, my mouth falling open as well.

Gabriel burst out in laugher while Victor looked on with wide eyes, pulling us both out of our trance and I sputtered an "I'm sorry!" at the same time he shouted "Not like that!".

"I'd say she is just fine if she has the strength to slap the shit out of you, Doc!" Gabriel crowed, still laughing hysterically.

Sean huffed and took my hand in his, pulling me along behind him. "We better get you cleaned up so I can check you properly, Pookie."

He turned his head back, winking at me, "And besides, I don't want an audience when I remove those clothes from you for the first time."

I blushed and Gabriel snorted as he took my other hand. Victor just narrowed his eyes at Sean.

As I started to clean myself with a damp cloth Sean grabbed another cloth and started to help me, his hand sweeping over my arm with the cloth before he dipped it in the water bucket and wrung it to go back to my arm.

By the time we were done there were four buckets of blood red water in the infirmary and Sean was finally satisfied that I wasn't hurt.

Thankfully he didn't disrobe me.

I didn't know how I would explain to him the scars at my back.

Gabriel left to get us clean clothes and came back clean and carrying two sets of clothing. A pink kimono and another white one.

I merely stared.

Wil had given me many new clothes, but there had been no pink kimonos among them.

There had been one, however, that I had seen today which I really liked.

When did they buy it?

I asked them that and they shared a look and a smile before directing innocent smiles at me, with wide eyes and all.

I snorted at them but took the offered kimono.

I walked behind the folding screen to change clothes. The new kimono was made of fine silk and the fabric hugged my body almost sensuously, displaying my curves. The sash along my waist was of the narrow sort, informal, and made my waist look thinner, accentuating my curves.

It was a very elegant piece, without any pattern or embroidery to adorn it.

Looking in the mirror I didn't think it needed anything else. The piece was really beautiful.

I left my hair down instead of clipping it and got out from behind the screen.

The boys' eyes widened when they saw me and then huge smiles broke across their faces.

Sean whistled and I blushed as his gaze ran up and down my body, the heat in his eyes making my skin burn.

"Just beautiful, Pumpkin." He said.

Gabriel nodded his head, smiling. "Yeah, you've got a killer body there Trouble."

In more ways than one, I thought wryly.

Victor smiled at me, his fire eyes burning a pat over my body, "Very beautiful, Princess."

I ducked my head a little, it wasn't me who was beautiful; it was the kimono.

Victor stepped up to me and raised my chin with his fingers, making me raise my eyes meet his eyes, the fire in them burning me to my soul.

"Just say "thank you", Princess." He murmured.

"Thank you, guys." I said, giving them my warmest smile.

The just smiled back at me.

......

Wil's POV:

Once one of my father's most prized ninjas was inside my room I signaled for him to close the door and check for listeners.

I couldn't risk anyone hearing what I was about to reveal to him.

Luke went around the room, checking the walls and ceiling before nodding to me that we were alone.

I walked to my room's window and stared out at the gardens as I began my explanation, "I do love her, but not the way you are thinking."

My back was to him but with my trained ear I could hear him sighing in what I thought to be relief.

I smirked to myself. The way those boys had stared at Sang during dinner last night hadn't slipped my notice.

Not a lot slipped my notice these days.

Poor Owen couldn't say the same. The man was blinded by loyalty. I hoped he would open his eyes and help me when the time came. He and his team were the best at what they did, and I could really use their help.

If they could be trusted.

"And how is it that you came to love a servant from another clan?" asked the dog.

Dog was a term that had been given derisively to address the orphans which my father had taken from the streets and made into his personal force.

But those boys, now men, had taken the term and accepted it with pride, naming themselves the academy's dogs. Loyal guardians and vicious in the protection of their master. I couldn't help but respect them for their strength and resourcefulness, for the family they had managed to create for themselves.

"I practically grew up with her." I said before turning to face him.

He was frowning at the ground, a clearly puzzled expression on his face.

"I don't understand. She is a plant in the Sorenson household?"

I smirked at him, "No," I said. "I am the plant."

His eyes widened at that and his jaw dropped. "W...what?" He sputtered at me.

"You heard me." I told him, "I've been working as a driver for the Sorensons since I was ten years old."

The dog frowned at me, "But why?" he asked, clearly confused.

The reasons for why were simple and still complex. Could I tell him? Did I dare to?

It could cost me my life.

But not telling could cost Sang' hers. And I did love her.

"Because of my father's madness and thirsty for bloodshed." I finally admitted.

His eyes sharpened and narrowed at me. Here we go, now he either believes what I am about to tell him and starts to help me, or he slices my throat open for treason...