Knight and Princess

Chapter 1

I remember the day that I met my Knight. Well technically, it was nighttime, and he wasn't a knight, but a strong boy that my father trusted to be my body guard and servant.

The night before Christmas, father and I went out to see my mother on stage in Tokyo city. We walked through the city, talking about mother's play. As we were nearing the edge of the city, a man on a street corner just across the road was selling cups of hot chocolate. Father gave me some money to get a cup, while he chatted with a friend on the street.

I crossed the street and bought some hot chocolate from the man. I held the paper cup in both hands, warming them, I looked across the street and father was still talking with his friend. I didn't want to interrupt their conversation, so I decided I would just stay on the corner for a little while. I moved away from the cart, not wanting to be in the way of anyone, and then I heard it.

Not far away, someone was coughing an awful lot. Concerned, I looked for the person, and I ended up going into a dark alley, where the coughing was coming from. There was only one person in the dark place, but I couldn't see them very well. All I noticed was his distinct apple red hair. Without thinking, I knelt in front of him and put my hand on his shoulder, asking in a soft voice, "Are you all right?"

Faster than I could blink, he snatched my wrist, and he had lifted his head, his golden yellow eyes narrowed. His eyes scanned my face for something, I don't know what, and seemed not to find anything. He let go of my wrist, and asked in a hoarse, low voice, "What do you want?"

A bit shaken by his actions, I stuttered a reply, "Y-you, you were coughing r-right? I was worried f-for you." I looked at his face closely, and I noticed there was no color in his cheeks. He must have been cold.

"You were?" he whispered, surprise evident in his voice.

I nodded my head, and looking down at the hot chocolate, still in my hands, I held it out to him. "H-here! Hot chocolate!"

He looked at me uncertainly for a moment, before reaching out to take the hot chocolate. His fingers brushed against mine for a moment as I let go of the cup. They were ice cold.

He would get sick if he stayed out in the cold any longer. I wanted to do something more for him. "W-would you like to-"

"Aw look what we've got here, a little dame giving to the poor."

My blood ran cold, and my body froze up the moment I heard that voice.

I heard scuffling of feet and a few men laugh.

"Oh we've hit the jackpot, huh?"

"Why don't you give something to us, too?"

A man put his hand on my shoulder, gripping it so tightly it hurt. I couldn't move.

He said close to my ear, "You're gonna come with us. Don't worry, your daddy will pay to get you back."

He laughed, pulling at my hair, and forcing me to stand to my feet.

I couldn't do anything. I had to go with them. If I didn't, something bad would happen. My legs were shaking underneath my and I was afraid that maybe they would give out underneath me. The men laughed, two of them moved in front of me, looking down at me.

And then, he saved me.

The grip on my hair loosened, and the man must have fallen to the ground, because I heard a hard thud on the pavement and an anguished and surprised cry of pain.

"HEY!" the men in front of me shouted angrily.

Soon the red-haired boy was in front of me, his back to me, he fended off the two men who tried to attack him.

He punched one man in the face, and the other in the gut. In a minute's time, he had taken out all of the bad men. In that minute, I didn't realize that my father had arrived and had seen the boy defending me.

"Manami!"

I turned around and my father practically ran towards me, hugging me tightly.

Maybe it was because I was then saved that I cried. Maybe it was because my fear hadn't yet settled in until now and I was just now realizing the danger I'd been in. I don't know for sure.

But when I turned my head to look at the red head, he was looking away a bit uncomfortably. I smiled, wiping away my tears I faced him and thanked him, "Th-thank you."

Father thanked him as well, and he did something unexpected.

"Young man, I have a proposal to offer you." he said a bit gruffly.

The red head looked at him, saying nothing.

"If you would guard my daughter and stay by her side, I want you to come live with us at our estate." my father continued on explaining, "You don't have to be her guard forever. I only ask that you stay with her until she turns eighteen - five years from now. I will pay you well and attend to your well being."

I couldn't believe my ears. Father was actually going to hire a guard for me. I never had a guard before. I never needed one really, and father didn't consider anyone trustworthy enough to look after me.

I looked between father and the boy, wondering just what was going to happen.

"I will be her guard." the red head said quietly. "But when she turns eighteen, may I ask you for one request?" he asked.

"You may." father said, holding his hand out to the boy. "I am Hideki Okuda."

The red head reached out his hand and shook father's, saying, "I am Karma Akabane. I will protect your daughter."

Father gave a nod, and then turned to me saying, "Manami, Karma, let us return home."

The three of us, we went home together, and as we left the city, snow began to fall.

From then on, Karma and I would be beside each other until my eighteenth birthday.