I'm so sorry for the extremely late update! Gomenasai! -bows- anyway...

Disclaimer: We don't own Seshomaru or any of the other characters we threw in here.

Recap:

Aelita looked at Ulrich "why did you just leave her?"

"Because Yanda has her" he smiled

Aelita looked confused "who?"

"My older sister, and we'll see her soon. Now come on"

Chapter 6:

Back in the forest, they were running towards some horses. "Who are you?" Yumi asked running alongside the woman. The woman had long flowing brown hair and a voice like that of warm nectar. She answered "I'm Yanda, Ulrich's older sister. And you must be Yumi" Yumi nodded and smiled. "You don't seem surprised that I know your name." Yanda said as they reached the horses "I am but, I guessed it had something to do with that hawk on your arm." Yanda nodded and wrote a small message placing it in a capsule on the hawk's leg. "Go to the castle and give that to Lord Seshy, He'll know what to do" The hawk flew off and Yanda looked at Yumi "ready to meat up with my brother and your friends?". Yumi nodded "yeah... I am..." she got onto one of the horses.

William continued to follow the other four.

The two females rode off at a fast pace and caught up to the others ten minutes later. "What kept you Yanda?"

"Traffic, what do you think. and after two years that's all you have to say to me?" They smiled at eachother as they got closer to their goal. "Aelita, Jeremie, Odd. This is my older sister Yanda." Yumi rode up next to Ulrich smiling "did you guys lose him?". Odd looked back. "Did you stay on your horse back there?" he said as he pointed to a black rider that was slowly gaining on them. Yumi glared at Odd "that wasn't my fault... now let's kick it in gear and shake this guy off our tails huh?". They sped onward and soon caught sight of the castle. "I sent Hermies ahead to Seshomaru so he should be waiting for us." Yanda spoke, as she rode on Yumi's other side. "I hope so Yanda, for all our sakes." Aelita was looking back as William got closer. Yumi looked back "jeez that guy is fast... what the hell is his horse on? Some kind of steroid?"

"You can ask him later"

"Odd, less yakking more riding" Ulrich said

"Forget it... I don't even want to deal with him..." Yumi shuddered and kicked her horse to make it go faster.

They rode in passed several guards that looked battle ready. Ulrich nodded to them as they past and led on towards the main castle gate. Yumi stayed close to Ulrich. Aelita rode alongside Jeremie and Odd tried to keep next to Yanda.

"So Yanda, you look an awful lot like Ulrich."

"That is because he is my younger twin"

Aelita looked back "looked like the beginnings of love don't you think Jeremie?" Odd turned bright red and looked away not saying anything more. Ulrich looked back "Odd don't even think about thinking about it." He turned before he could see Yanda flash odd a smile

Yumi laughed and the horse she was on trotted in an almost elegant fashion. Odd rolled his eyes and smiled back. Soon, they made it to the gate and a tall long white haired young man waited for them. As they rode up and got off, Yanda ran towards the man and gave him a hug. "He's back brother, Ulrich is finally home." Odd sighed "so we finally made it eh?" Yumi flashed a smile over at Ulrich. Ulrich looked up at the castle with a sad look in his eye, as Jeremie and Aelita bowed before the king. Odd tried to follow suit but failed as usual. Seshomaru walked over to Ulrich and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's been too long Ulrich, but I see that you have followed in fathers teachings." He smiled, as he looked Ulrich up and down then looked at the companions. "And which one of you is Lady Yumi, who has finally tamed the mustang's heart."

Yumi stood and curtsied before him "I am lady Yumi" she said bowing her head. He laughed "do not bow before me. No, it is I that should bow." and so he did and kissed Yumi's hand. Ulrich watched and started to laugh. "Do you have to keep up the act when you're outside the castle Seshy?" Ulrich walked up to him and hugged him. "And you're right it has been too long." Yumi watched the two. Odd stood and ended up tripping and falling into a puddle "aw great... that's just perfect..." Jeremie and Aelita giggled a bit.

Yanda helped Odd out of the puddle, as Ulrich stood beside Yumi "Yumi, my brother and king of Endo, Seshomaru. And Seshy, as you put it, this is the tamer of the mustang's heart, Yumi. And with us is Aelita, Yumi's bodyguard and friend, Jeremie, a Lyoko scholar, and last but not least..." Ulrich looked at Odd and Yanda and just shook his head and smiled, saying that its your funeral "Odd the Incorrigible."
"Since Ulrich has to take me down a few notches," he playfully punched his brothers arm "its nice to meet you. All of you. Now let go inside and get better acquainted." They all went into the palace and got comfortable.

Meanwhile William was making his way past the guards after announcing he was the prince of Carthage. The guards all bowed and let him pass but sent a bird ahead to announce his coming. Yumi sat down and laid her hands in her lap looking down at them in thought.

"So Ulrich, tell me, where have you been since you left two years ago. Ill I get is the random message from Hermies, and they are to short to know all that you've done." Seshy looked at him with a smile as the servants brought in food and drinks. When the last of them left, Ulrich told his story. Odd looked on in amazement. Jeremie was scribbling up a storm as Ulrich told of his travels over the lands, how he came upon a sword smith that gave him his blade, how he worked in a few villages to eat, from farming to fighting off some would-be bandits after a chest of gold. When he came to the part of coming to Lyoko, he held Yumi's hand and explained how they met, their argument which Aelita exclaimed "Yumi!", the fight with the bandits, the glen where they met up with Aelita, Jeremie, and Odd. Also, what happened in the cave, and so on. "And here I am now." Ulrich ended with a sigh. He picked up his drink and took in a few gulps.

Yumi was again lost in thought and she looked down showing almost no emotion at all. She soon stood and bowed "I'm going to get some air" she said with a smile and walked out of the palace taking a seat by one of the pillars. "He's gone through so much..." she thought, "and here I thought I had a hard life" As Yumi sat there, thinking of all that Ulrich has done a hand clamped over her mouth and a mans voice whispered malevolently into her ear. "So this is where you have been hiding my pet. Tsk, tsk, and look at you. when we get married, ill make sure you don't set foot outside the castle." William laughed.

Yumi tried screaming and made sure she made it high pitched enough to echo throughout the stone walls. She kicked and screamed as loud and hard as she could and managed to get William's hand away from her mouth long enough to scream "Ulrich Help!" then she was bound once more and she continued fighting trying to break loose. Tears streamed down her face. Aelita jumped up "that sounded like Yumi" she said looking toward the open door, "something must have happened"

As Ulrich and Aelita ran for the door, they heard a voice saying, "Now that wasn't a proper thing to do my dear, but when we get to Carthage, I'll make sure to fix that." Ulrich saw William pick Yumi up and placed her on the back of his Black horse and ride off in the blink of an eye. "YUMI!" was all that he could say as he tried to run after them, but he was too late, they were gone. "No, not again. I can't lose another person I love again." Ulrich cried as his knees hit the ground and he sat back, tears falling freely from his face.

Aelita ran to him "SNAP OUT OF IT! GET ON A HORSE AND GO AFTER HER YOU IDIOT!" she slapped him across the back of his head.

Ulrich was at a loss, he didn't know where he was or who the person was that was slapping him. He didn't even feel the pain. As Aelita looked into his eyes, she saw that he was gone. "Yumi needs you! Don't you dare let her be taken away! If you LOVE her, then GO AFTER HER!" she slapped him full across the face "Snap out of it!" A spark of life could be seen in the depth of Ulrich's eyes as he heard the name. "Yu...mi.." Life was slowly coming back to him as the others ran towards them. "Yu..mi" he looked around and got up. "Yumi." He looked at his brother and Seshomaru whistled. Five horses showed up as Ulrich said "I need a horse and a guide. I can't let her be taken away from me." Anger flashed in his eyes as he looked at the others.

Aelita smiled "I'm coming with you" Jeremie nodded and so did Odd "she's as important to us as she is to you." Odd said, "besides... I've been dying to use these" he brought out a quiver of arrows and an ivory bow. Aelita pulled a dagger and stuck it on her boot. Jeremie smiled and patted the sword that was strapped to his back. "Even if we have to fight... we're with ya the entire way good buddy" Odd said with a smile.

"Thanks guys, but why are their five horses?" he asked just as Yanda climbed up on one of them. "Oh no you don't, your not coming with us Yanda."

"I listened to you the last time you left, but not this time. Besides, do you know anyone better than me who knows these lands?" Ulrich couldn't speak. "I thought not, now get on your horse and lets go save your love." Odd elbowed Jeremie "A woman after my own heart." Jeremie rolled his eyes "Let's get going before he gets too far ahead... Carthage is a two day journey" Aelita nodded, "This is a nonstop trip. Thank goodness the moon will be full. We want to catch up to him and I know he's going to try and make camp. This is when we have to get him or else who knows what might happen to Yumi" she shuddered at the thought. I'm skilled in more than just knives. I'll try and distract him if worst comes to worst"

"Ulrich!" Seshomaru walked towards him, holding a polished sheath that contained "Is that fathers sword?" Ulrich looked at what he held and picked it up. He pulled the blade and tested the balance. "Father would be proud of you today, and he left that I'm my care so that I may give it to you 'when the time was right,' and that time, is now." Ulrich sheathed the blade and hugged his brother, then jumped on his horse. "So no more good-byes?" Odd looked around and scampered to his horse since the others raced after Ulrich. "Aw man, why am I always in the back?" As Odd caught up to the others, Jeremie looked at him "Have more rabbit meat then asked why you're always in the back." He kicked his horse as they hurried after Yumi and William. At the head of the group, Ulrich looked at Yanda. "What is Williams castle like?"

"Dark and frightening. The dark lord, Xana, lives there... I really don't want to mess with him" she shuddered "the same Xana who killed father in the war"

Ulrich griped his father's sword as Aelita asked "Why is Xana so strong?" She looked from Yanda to Ulrich but it was Jeremie who spoke. "He is a dark and evil king, with powers beyond our understanding. Some say that he can't be killed because he is already dead, others say that he made a pact with a demon. All I know is that if we ever see him, run." There was a squeaky sound as Odd shuddered letting out a small but loud fart as he did so. "Sounds scary"

Jeremie rolled his eyes "here we go again"

Ulrich kicked his horse and rode hard. his only thought was to reach Yumi and get her back. 'I should have never let her out of my sight. I'm such a fool.' He thought as the anger within him grew. Yanda slowed a little and rode alongside Odd.

Meanwhile the sky began to darken as clouds rolled in covering the sunset. William stopped and tied a rope to the one on Yumi's wrist throwing the other end over a tree branch. He tied it tightly around the tree "that'll keep you from going anywhere" Yumi spat at William and got slapped for it, "I will teach you some manners my dear" he said before making a fire and sitting down cleaning his sword. As William prepared his sword, Ulrich kept riding on. He searched for the tell tale sign that someone had stopped and camped for the night.
Thunder rolled in the distance signaling that a storm was brewing and nearing. Yumi hung her head and hoped that her love would save her. Aelita clutched the reins to her horse and clenched her teeth "it's going to rain soon... I can smell it in the air"

"Keep looking for a light, I want to catch that bastard tonight." Ulrich kept scanning the fields in front of him. Jeremie and Odd gave Aelita a worried look, as the kept pushing forward. A gust of wind Blew hard against their faces as the first drops of rain stun against their skin, like a bee sting.

Yumi shivered as the rain hit her. William had set up a tent but left her outside. She made a mental note to castrate him. 'Ulrich... I need you' she thought hoping that somehow telepathically her love would hear her and come running.
She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something less cold and warmer. She immediately thought of Ulrich's embrace and a tear escaped her eye.

Ulrich felt a pull on his heart, as if it was leading him somewhere. he tried to ignore it and kept scanning, only to have it come back stronger. "Yumi." He thought as he stopped his horse and closed his eyes. As Ulrich felt where his heart was pulling him to, the others gathered around him. Odd was about to say something before Yanda held up her hand to keep him silent. To bad his colon had other ideas. Ulrich opened his eyes and turned his horse. "This way" Aelita turned her horse around and went in the direction Ulrich had pointed. Odd and the others did the same. They rode hard and soon, they saw a small campfire. They got off the horses and crept the rest of the way. Before they left the horses, Jeremie took Odd off to the side and handed him some dried meat. "What's this?"

"Just eat it ok, and hurry up about it, the sun will be coming up soon."

Odd wolfed it down without even tasting what it was.

Yumi shivered more rattling the leaves on the branch above her. She had fallen asleep but was still freezing cold. William snored loudly in his warm cozy tent.
Ulrich crawled over to Yumi and shook her while keeping a finger on her lips. "shhh...don't speak to loudly Yumi." he whispered as he cut the bonds on her hands. He hugged her tightly when she stood up and their lips met. Tears filled Yumi's eyes and she wrapped her arms around him kissing him passionately. She thought she was dreaming for a moment but she was so cold. She pulled out of the kiss and whispered in a shaky voice "I thought I'd never see you again..." she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm never going to let you go again." He held her close feeling her shiver in their embrace.

Odd gasped for a second "oh boy... not now" he whispered. As the others turned to look at him or to shush him, a fireball exploded from behind Odd and caught Williams' tent on fire.

"Whoops..." Odd said

William ran out of the tent "What the hell!?" Yumi clutched onto Ulrich for dear life. William stumbled slightly from the stench and as the others watched, one of his eyebrows was half burned off. He looked at Yumi and Ulrich and pulled his blade. "This time, I won't take pity on you Lady Yumi." He snarled as he walked closer towards them. Odd pulled an arrow from his back "don't touch her!" he cried as he notched it to the bow and pulled back. Jeremie and Ulrich both pulled out swords and stood with Yumi behind them. William just laughed. "You think you can touch me with that toy?" Odd pulled the arrow back more "you forget about me!" Aelita pulled her dagger.

"A woman?! what can you do to me?" William laughed even harder. Ulrich stepped forward, his anger finally boiling over. "Say that again and ill have your head."

"All women are weak" William said smirking, "you want a fight? I'll give you a fight boy!" Ulrich was about to engage as a knife flew past his ear and hit William in the thy, only an inch from his genitals William cried out in pain and removed the knife. He glared "Who threw that!? You're dead!" Yumi stepped up beside Ulrich with a second knife. Ulrich looked at her "You need more practice." Yumi nodded "I was trying not to hit you love" she said and got ready to throw the second knife. He smiled then looked back at William. "Are you making a deathwish? I will teach you some manners. You will be an obedient queen!" He charged at her with his sword held high,

Odd shot his arrow and missed. "Damn!"

Aelita threw her knife hitting his side just under her target "damn" she said.
Ulrich intercepted the charge and nearly broke his arm. He cried out in rage, the beast inside wanting blood as he struck at William, only to have his strike deflected by Williams's parry. Yumi threw her knife hitting William in the other thigh "damn what is with my aim..." Aelita sighed and pulled Yumi back to the sidelines "This is Ulrich's fight..." Jeremie pulled his katana "Ulrich catch!" he threw it to Ulrich so he would have two swords to defend himself with.

"Thanks Jer." Ulrich nodded and twirled both blades. "Triangulate." he split into three and attacked William on all sides. As he sliced, William perried and attacked, causing one of the clones to disappear. Yumi saw something sticking out of the pack on Williams' horse and pulled it out "a fan?" she opened it and found it formed a disk. There was another one that she pulled out. She smirked and threw one of them. It flew and sliced William across his back and flew back to her. She jumped and caught it "now that's cool" William cried out in rage and swung his sword around killing another clone.

As William stuck the last clone, Ulrich saw an opening and attacked. He jumped and slashed with both blades and landed a few yards away. He sheathed one of the swords as William fell to the ground. As Ulrich turned, a cloud of smoke covered Williams's body. "Yumi will be mine" were the last words that where spoken before William disappeared. Yumi hooked the fans to her belt and walked over to Ulrich "are you alright" she gestured to his arm. Ulrich didn't say anything and as Yumi looked at him, he fell to the ground.

A/N I know its getting really good hehe… here I am with a smug grin on my face thinking this will turn out to be the best damn story (pardon my French) that I have ever written. And I will take this time to say that DOGDAY AFTERNOON is finally being worked on along with MIXUP. How great is that? Anywho… Reviews make this author happy and eager to post more of a story (if you catch my drift)

-is dragged away by anime_wizzard- no… I haven't finished my ultimatum –pulled through an imaginary door- nooooooo!

anime_wizzard: sorry about her… she's had too much caffeine

me: he's right… well let me know what you think… of the story… not me… hehe…

(Again as I had said at the beginning of the chapter... I'm so sorry! I had a bit of a spell of writer's block and also was unable to write with anime_wizzard for a long time... we had a bit of a fallout... anyway. I hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for chapter 7... its almost done :) I promise this time)