The Prince's Letters

The officer took another step closer, drawing both Kazu's sword and Atsu's gun in his direction. That same harmonious smile was plastered on his face, painfully unfitting for the situation. "Aww, don't do that. How about you two just come with me peacefully?" His smile faltered for a second, revealing a look that made Kazu instinctively drop into a guarded stance. Then it was back in full force, "Don't make me take out my weapon, please. I like to avoid violence."

"Why should we go with you?" Atsushi's voice was calm, even and genuinely curious.

At that, the Captain chuckled, shrugging his shoulders and lifting his hands apologetically. "I'm under orders. Even I don't know what you two have done to merit our attention, but it must be something quite serious."

Kazu tightened his grip on his sword. "We did nothing. You have no right to force us anywhere."

"Ah, unfortunately, that's where you're wrong. The IF doesn't follow your traditional rules. We're governed by Gods." He lifted a finger, pointing it to the sky up above him.

Atsushi courteously followed the direction of the man's finger, but scratched his chin musingly. He cleared his throat, "Under whose orders, exactly?"

The IF had twelve squads in all, the top five made up of only the best of the best. From the third onwards, the General had full command. But it was the first two squadrons, nicknamed the Grievers, who carried the most honor on their shoulders, for they listened only to the Royal Family themselves. The Blessed nobles, descendents of the gods themselves. Their lives were considered to be worth more than the country itself and thus, they needed to be protected by only the strongest people in the country.

He was probing now; the Captain seemed to sense it too. His irritating smile grew a little wider and he shook his head, clucking his tongue. "Now you're getting a little too nosy for your own good, blond hair. That's enough talk, don't you think? Now just stay silent and let me do my job." As he spoke, he tugged on his gloves in a business-like manner and then drew a glimmering silver sword from its sheath on his waist, holding it loosely, with its tip floating above the ground.

Kazu lifted his sword in response, but it was an act of desperation. By pointing to the sky, the man was saying that he took his orders from the Royal Family. Both Kazuhiko and Atsushi caught the implication. They stood no chance. Not against this man.

"Try if you want, but if you lay a finger on the girl, I'll kill you," Kazu growled. "She has nothing to do with us."

His act of bravado didn't seem to register with the officer. For a moment, the black-haired man was absolutely still, not responding to Kazu's threat. A clatter rang out behind them, from the soldiers who had been blocking their escape. Atsushi brandished his gun as he turned, pushing the girl between he and his friend.

"K-Kazu!" For the first time, the blonde seemed to be at a loss for words.

Kazu almost turned to look, simply from the astonishment at Atsushi's unusual shock. But he forced himself to concentrate, not going to take his eyes off the captain. And then, with an almost magnetic attraction, his eyes were drawn to the man's dripping sword.

'Dripping?' He looked more closely and his eyes widened in shock. Blood. 'When…? He's too fast…' The thought crossed his mind and despair soon followed. Kazu couldn't help but glance down at his own body, already imagining a gaping hole in his stomach and a blooming red flower on his chest.

"I didn't hit you, if that's what you're thinking." The man sheathed his sword, leaving his opponent bewildered.

"Kazu!" Atsushi repeated, and grabbed the brown-haired man's shoulder, spinning him around to see just what had been so startling. Kazu had the same reaction Atsushi had had.

The soldiers that had been standing for just a moment had collapsed. From beneath the pile of bodies, a pool of red was already beginning to leak, trickling towards the trio's feet.

"Wh-what…?" Kazu stammered and whirled back to face the man. "You killed your own-?"

"Sacrifices have to be made, Kazuhiko-kun. It is unfortunate though, some of those men were young." For the first time, the man wore a grave face and he glanced somberly at the mass of dead soldiers. The disappearance of his fox-like smile had a sober effect on the three. Even Atsushi couldn't seem to think of something to say, his brow furrowed in deep though. "Well," the Captain said finally, "I should explain a bit, shouldn't I?"

He doffed his hat and made a bow. "My name is Yoichi Yuuta, Captain of the Third Squadron and known affectionately as the Griever."

"The Third Squadron? But you said you have orders from the Royal Family." Atsushi stepped up, his gun pointed steadily at the man's chest.

Yuuta settled his hat back on his hair, fixing slender black eyes on the man. "I did not lie to you, Atsushi-kun. I am Captain of the Third Squad, but I have received an imperial order - I am Shu." His second introduction, more unexpected than the first, carried an inexplicable weight. Kazu pitched forward, leaning heavily on his sword. The girl fared no better, falling onto her knees and gasping for breath. Only Atsushi seemed to be relatively unaffected, though another furrow had appeared on his brow.

He swallowed visibly, "You give us your name so freely?"

"Do you trust me now?"

"Do I have a choice?" Atsu managed a smile, but his seemed somewhat strained. All he got was a smile in return and the Captain walked closer. Before Kazu could protest, the man hoisted him up by his collar.

"Stand up, Kazuhiko-kun. We have a long way to go yet." Still lacking his breath, Kazu could only glare at the man, but his resentment went ignored. Yuuta crouched down beside the girl, who looked up at him weakly, sweat trickling down her face. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, before resting a hand on her head. "I'm sorry I gave you my name. It's unfortunate you have to bear that."

"You…take me…too," she forced out stubbornly in between breaths. She seemed determined not to take no for an answer, though her breath was still coming hard. She tried to stand, but before she even made it, she tipped over into Yuuta's arms.

He laughed. "I was told to only bring the two, but I'm sure she'll make an exception for you. Yes, you're coming too." Stooping, he lifted her up as if she weighed nothing, one arm under her knees, the other supporting her shoulders. Uttering no complaints, the girl wrapped an arm around his neck and Yuuta turned to the two. "Let's go then. When we get there you can rest."

He waited not a second more, walking swiftly past the pile of dead as if they weren't even there. Atsushi hurried to keep up, "You can't leave them there!"

Yuuta didn't even turn around, his voice slipping back into its untroubled lilt. "They'll be taken care of and given proper ceremony, Atsushi-kun. Kazuhiko-kun, keep up. I only have one pair of arms and they're occupied right now. By the way, what's your name?"

The girl blinked, pointing at herself for a moment to confirm. When Yuuta gave her an encouraging nod, she rattled off an introduction as if it were rehearsed. "Seventeen years old. My birthday is March fourteenth and I like writing. Call me Yuria." She grinned, seeming to have her energy back.

"Yuria?" The girl shifted in Yuuta's arms to glance over his shoulder.

"Yes?"

Atsushi seemed startled to have been called out. "Ah, no. Nothing. My name is Harukaze Atsushi. Twenty-five years old."

The red-head nodded, "Atsu-san, got it." Atsushi jumped at that, but no one seemed to notice. Yuria inclined her head at the other man stalking sullenly beside Atsu.

Called up, Kazu sighed. "Kirigakure Kazuhiko."

Yuria giggled. "That's an impressive name. Hidden mist, huh?"

Atsu chuckled, "I came up with the name myself. But that's a handful. Just call him Kazu."

The girl shook her head. "'Kazu' is what you call him. Hmmm…let's see…How about Kiri-chan? Gakkun? Ah, I've got it." Kazu frowned, not liking the cutesy direction this was taking.

"I hereby dub thee Gacchan."