Japan

Aimee laid in her bed, curled around her soft black cat, Aroura. Aroura was fast asleep, letting out a gentle, almost gorwl-like purr with each breath she let out. Aimee wasn't even under the covers, nor was she asleep. She haden't slept at all. Instead she thought of her mother, thought of how stange this new life was, and wondered Why her mother never spoke of him. That only made it more. . . uncomfortable when a strange man came out of nowhere saying 'i'm the grandfather you never knew existed!' With a little sigh, she sat up looked around the room. She soaked in the new envoirnment as she absently combed her hair with her fingers. Mostly just to occupy herself until someone came up to see her, she changed in clothes that she had brought from her old home. With a forlorn smile, she closed her eyes as the smell of home wrapped around her.

A tiny squeek of surprise escaped her as Aroura lept off the bed and perched herself on Aimee's shoudler. A look of affection crossed her face as she looked at the small cat. Aroura had been the runt, so her mother had abandoned her. Aimee raised her, although she never got very big. Aroura grew very protective of Aimee, and hardly let anyone get clsoe to her. With a smile, Aimee stroked the cat's silky black fur as she rubbed her head against Aim's hand softly.

The door creaked quietly as Raku slipped into the room, bare-foot and silent in his movements. He could see her there in the dim light, curled up on her bed with her back turned to the door. Saigome Aimee. Hime-sama. The girl who had become, in a single night, the hope of this family, and the dream of Raku's life. He had seen the Master bring her in the night before, and marveled all at once at her incredible beauty and undeniable sadness. The girl had looked like the world was falling down around her.

Raku recognized that feeling, understood it. He had felt it before.

Shaking his head rapidly, he turned his mind from those thoughts. It would do him no good to relive the pain of that night now. If he thought about it, the knife would split his side again, and he would frighten Aimee with his screaming. He couldn't have that, when the Master had so kindly asked him to protect her.
He knelt beside her bed, watching her for a moment. And then he spoke, calling her attention to him for the first time.

"Hime-sama," he whispered to her, bowing her head slightly to her. "You can not hide in here forever."








(Hime-sama means princess, if you didn't know...)

A tiny little squeek escaped Aimee as she jumped in surprise, causing both of them to fall flat against the bed to again. "You scared me!" Aimee let a sweet sounding, bell-like giggle escape her as she sat on her knees and turned to Raku shyly. He called her Hime-sama, just as anyone else who had spoken to her. She was much to shy to correct any of them, but it did confuse her. Aroura perched herself back on Aimee's shoulder and gave Raku a throaty, menicing hiss. "Aroura, le laisser seul." She told her cat gently. She only spoke to her in French so she wouldn't be influenced by anyone else. Unless, of corse, they knew French."Don't worry about her." Aimee told Raku in the same calming, gentle tone. "She's just very protective." She said with a soft smile that made her little cresent moon scar tilt upwards a little.

"I wish I could hide in here. I don't know that world out there." Aimee told him in a slightly worried tone, glancing at the door as if someone was going to jump in at any moment. Everything about Aimee seemed so feeble and breakable. LIke if just the slightest about of pressure was put on her, she might shatter.

Raku gave Aimee an eternally gentle smile. The sort of smile that, like all of his expression, did not translate in the slightest to his brilliant blue eyes. He reached up, brushing a strand of her bed-mussed hair away from her face. His fingers ghosted across her scar as he did so. He was a servant to her, not restricted by the normal guidelines agreed upon by men and women. Rules did not affect him because no matter what he did, it wouldn't matter. He could shower affection on her, treat her as a goddess. He could even fall in love with her.

But she was the Princess, and he was her subordinate. Love between the two of them, at least if it were revealed, was the same as his own suicide.

"It can be difficult to understand," Raku agreed quietly, letting his hand fall to hers, squeezing it gently. This girl had known her for a few hours at most, but it didn't matter to him. He had watched her grow up, known her for years. She was his Princess. "But I promise you that they are all just men, in the end. Everyone here is human, and only wants to protect you."

Aimee gave a bright smile. Without thinking, she threw her arms around him tightly. Aurora gave another hiss seeming angry. Aimee found Raku surprisingly comforting. She had rejected any comfort that had been offered to her, but she was tired of ignoring it. He could be helpful, having grown up in this strange world that she had been thrust into. A light blush colored her cheeks as she pulled away. "I"m sorry, I got carried away."
She glanced away embarrassed as Aurora perched herself on Aimee's lap and seemed to glare at Raku. It was clear there would be no more getting close to her until Aurora was satisfied that Raku wouldn't hurt her Aimee.

Raku's gentle smile was still in place. He seemed perfectly calm, not the slightest hint that he might have been surprised by the girl's sudden assault. Even his eyes were still the same. Dead calm, unresponsive. There was no feeling there at all, like some dark abyss swirled behind them. Thoughtless, sightless, something that couldn't care less...

The eyes of a monster.

"It's alright, Hime-sama," he whispered, inclining his head slightly, as though bowing. "I am here to protect you. You may hug me whenever you wish."

And then he rose, with all the grace of a practiced killer; or, as was more likely Aimee's experience, a dancer.
"Are you hungry, Hime-sama?" he asked softly, swinging his tawny hair back over his shoulder. He looked at her as though concerned, questioning, but still nothing translated into his eyes. He held his hand out to her, posture quiet. "The cooks will have prepared something for you, if you like."

(Sorry, a bit short...)

Aimee tilted her head to the side, a cute curious look on her face. "Why do you need to protect me?" She asked softly. Their eyes couldnt be more different. Aimee's eyes held such sweet innocence, whike Raku's showed nothing. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. She allowed her hand to linger in his as Aroura perched herself on Aimee's shoulder. She wasnt as naive as her owner. She felt something was weong with this boy.

I could go for some nice breakfast. Are you hungry, too Raku-kun?" She asked with a bright smile. A little part of herself warned her that she was talking too much. She liked this boy, and didn't want to make him uncomfortable. He was very kind, and she coulsn't help but notice he was very handsome. His eyes didn't seem to affect him, she felt at ease next to him. She seemed like she could never find the bas in people- nobody had ever burned her. But she lied to herself in saying that. Her scars were no accident. Sshe just pretended it never happened.

Raku looked down at Aimee, considering her in silence. She was a very... innocent girl. There was simply no other way to describe his Master's daughter. She acted like no one had ever hurt her in her life, but Raku's eyes were experienced. They had seen many things more than a boy his age should have seen. They had seen scars like hers before. Many, many times. And not all of those scars were physical.

He turned away from her, dead eyes fixed on the path ahead as he held onto her hand, guiding her to the door and away down the hall.
"No," he whispered in response to her question. "I am not hungry."

It wasn't a lie. It was never a lie. Raku was never hungry. Many people had observed that he seemed oblivious to such human plagues as hunger, thirst, exhaustion. Indeed, he seemed inhuman. He would work, he would fight, until he dropped, fell unconscious for simple lack of caring. It had happened many times: he had come back from a mission and collapsed in the middle of his report because he had not thought to stop and eat or drink or sleep for several days. He didn't take care of himself. He didn't have to. His only duty was to serve this family.

He led Aimee down the hall and around the corner to the kitchen. The cook looked up as he answered, and began rapidly bowing, seeming to forget the soup he had been seasoning.
"Raku-sama!" he cried. "It is a pleasure!"

"Of course," Raku replied in an emotionless voice, gentle smile vanishing completely, leaving his face as empty as his eyes. "Hime-same is hungry."

"I have something right here!" the cook cried, and vanished around a corner of shelves to fetch the rice-cakes he had made for Aimee.

Aimee's sweet smile didn't falter. She allowed Raku to tug her along, and she brushed her long blonde hair down with her free hand. She wore only a thin strapless dress that stopped just above her knees, and knee-high socks. The ground felt cold through the thin fabric that covered her feet.

She gave a bright smile to the cook, and glaced over to Raku as she heard his voice change and his gentle smile fade. Aimee brushed this off, not thinking of it. "So do we have anything important to do today, Raku-kun?" She asked him softly, looking around at the strange place that sh had to get used to.

"No," Raku answered quietly. "Nothing in particular."
The cook came back out with the rice-cakes, but Raku didn't even acknowledge his presence, apart from the little awareness it took to hold his hand out for the place of food. The cook bowed rapidly to the distant man and vanished as quickly as he had come. He did not return.

"Perhaps it might be best if we went to visit the school, Hime-sama?" Raku suggested, holding the plate out to her. "You will need to resume your education soon, after all."

Aimee nodded to the cook in thanks and took the plate of food. Taking a little bite, she nodded. Quickly she finished her food and stood up, giving Raku a bright smile. She was already changed, but she still needed to brugh her hair/teeth, and find some shoes. "I'll be right back." She said gently before betting up and going to her room, Auroura close behind her.

Alone in her room, she took her time running a brush through her long blonde hair before she was satisfied with her hair falling in gentle waves. Aimee moved a little faster putting on her shoes and brushing her teeth. She left her room and stood on her toes, not seeing Raku.