Hello, I'm Ina-Hina and I have a problem with updating stories. A terrible problem.

I'm so so so so so sorry my very few followers. I've been caught up with role playing and have been writing through that and you know how school is. It eats you alive. This is actually written for school so a big shout out to my English teacher. Ahahahahahaha–I'm going to pay for that one aren't I? Read and Review please! If you're wondering where my usual antics have gone, let me reiterate, written for school, not for home.

The breeze was a peaceful as usual, it carried the nostalgic scent of flowers along with it, causing the former king to sigh. The wind used to carry feelings of kindness and compassion behind it, it's warm embrace always welcomed. Now people ran from it for the wind was now a messenger of the Shadow Lord, a denizen of chaos. He felt it push against him, warning him to turn back, away from this hellhole. Oh course he didn't listen, he coudln't, for he did not have the right to do so. A long time ago... A very long time ago, he walked these streets with his head held high and his back straight. Now he was forced to shrink and bow down to those who should've been his inferiors. Once upon a time he donned robes embroidered with silver and lined with gold, only the finest jewels would satisfy him. The fairytale has ended with him begging on the streets for rocks to wash his tattered clothes with. He used to rule the world but now he was the lowest of the low, a street rat...And yet all he could do was sigh. "Death is easy but life... Life is the true challenge and I have failed in both of those tasks... But I must not allow them to suffer as I have done, not allow them to pay for my mistakes." His eyes opened, showing a clear crystal blue, full of determination and resolve.

He'd lost... Lief still couldn't believe all that had happened in the past few hours. They'd suffered a betrayal from one of their own and had fallen in the face of the overwhelming numbers. No unity, no bonds or comradeship could have saved them, he knew that now. Life wasn't a fairytale and he wasn't Prince Charming. He'd wanted peace so badly, he'd wanted the fight to be over but now... Now he just wanted to sleep and never wake up. As he contemplated whether to run and just leave the duties to someone else more suitable for the job, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Usually, he'd accept the comfort a helping hand brought but this was just not the time. He snarled, slapping the unknown person away only to find his mother looking at him with wide eyes.

"Mother..." He stepped towards her, only for the former queen to stumble back, fear entering her hazel eyes. "I-I..." Lief tried to plaster a smile on his face like he had done for everyone else who had tried to coax him out of the forge.

Sharn simply smiled, stroking Lief's hair affectionately. "I know Lief. Anyone would be like this after suffering a loss such as this," her face contorted in worry, her son had not been the same since the battle at the Royal Palace.

"Its not that..." The boy threw his hands up in frustration. "I just feel like we haven't been told everything. No, we haven't been told anything! What aren't you and Father telling me?" His eyes showed an expression that was unfamiliar to Sharn.

Desperation.

The former queen had lost many a nights sleep thinking about this very question. Had she and Endon made the right choice when concerning their son? Her own blood didn't even know her real name. His whole life, she'd been Anna and his father Jarrod. To suddenly tell him that his father, the humble blacksmith was actually King Endon and his common mother the Queen was not something that could be brought up easily. Speaking of humble blacksmiths...

"Lief," she tried to get his attention but it would seem that the boy had been lost in thoughts of his own. "Lief!" Sharn called louder this time, causing Lief to flinch and turn his attention towards her.

"Y-Yes Mother?" He stammered, obviously ashamed he'd been so caught off guard.

"Have you seen your father? I don't know where he's gone..." Her face creased in worry, making the woman seem much older than she really was.

Lief furrowed his brow. His father? Actually... Now I think about it, I haven't seen him since the battle... Where is he?

"I... No sorry, I haven't," he finally responded, looking dejected and full of sorrow.

This only served to increase his mother's anxiety, with the Toran quickly excusing herself, much to Lief's own worry. Endon... My love, where have you gone? The wind began blowing and the forge's very walls trembled. The storm had only just begun.

And that is the end of chapter one! How many chapters? I dunno, about three? You know how I am with ending stories. Better I end it, lest it become like Boarding at Sengoku High or Falling the Right way... I swear, I've got half of the chapters written each but I just don't know how to end it. Please forgive me! Read and Review and if I get ten reviews I promise I will update within the month!