Chapter 2! Read and Review!

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The young man in simple black robes appeared in a flash of light on the far side of the beach and trudged through the heavy sand towards the forest behind it. With one hand raised and hushed words under his breath light came to his finger tips and lit his way through the inky black of the night. After some time he came across a huge clearing of land that seemed to glow under the light of the full moon. Speaking an old enchantment, the blond brought forth a hidden fortress of white stone that seemed to outshine even the full moon. The large oak doors opened for him as he walked inside the foyer of the castle with torches lighting behind him as he went.

He was hit with a familiar groan of wind rushing through the halls; the castle welcomed home its master. He smiled at the sound and was instantly comforted.

Through the winding halls he immersed himself in the magic that coursed through it. He could feel every creature within. Abruptly he stopped, turning to look toward the corridor to his left.

"Axel, you can quit hiding. I know you're there."

A tall, red-headed man walked out of the shadows lighting torches in his wake illuminating the hall behind him. His robes were a simple set, similar to the blond's, yet his were a rich maroon color. With green eyes, Axel took in his friends' soaked clothes.

"Good to finally have you back, Roxas."

The blue eyed boy simply nodded before walking deeper into the castle. Axel trailed behind him closely.

"Roxas, you can't just leave the Ivory Towers like that! The ocean is a dangerous place. You know this." Roxas said nothing and only continued to walk. "You're a wizard of the first class. You can't jeopardize your life like that. We're a dying breed Rox! Especially one of your standing! We need you here. You're next in line to rule this castle."

Roxas stopped abruptly causing Axel to bump into him unexpectedly. "Axel," he started, "What do you want?" With furrowed brows, the red-headed man let out a groan.

"As a wizard of the first class, you're meant to keep the peace between magical and non-magical humans. You came too close to the barrier of Hollow Bastion which, as you know, is a magical contract that kills off ALL magical beings who breaches those walls! Just the fact that you were so close to the wall is a great danger! This contract has been in effect for many years now and we must honor it as Lord Wizard Eraqus did when he signed it with King Ansem! If Wizard Eraqus were to get an ear of this he would surely banish you AND me!"

"Why in the world would Eraqus banish you, Axel?" Roxas looked up at his towering friend.

"Because I'm responsible for you damn it! I'm your advisor to help you until you're deemed ready to take over as Lord Wizard."

Roxas continued to walk leaving his friend to catch up. "Hey, Axel, what can you tell me about the royal family of Hollow Bastion?" Axel followed Roxas into his bedchamber with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I have a feeling there is a very bad reason as to why you asked that question."

oOo

Sitting on a plush chair with crossed legs, Axel closed his eyes trying to recount everything he knew of Hollow Bastion. With baited breath, Roxas sat forward on the bed opposite of him waiting for his friend's words while trying to look as calm as possible. After minutes of waiting the blond became impatient. "Well?"

Axel snapped his eyes open and set his green eyed glare on the wizard sitting before him. He released a sigh and ran a hand through his spiked red hair trying to figure out where to start.

"When you first came to this fortress as a young wizard of ten, as most wizards in training do, 8 years ago, the king and queen of the Kingdom of Radiant Garden died. Lord Ansem, the father of the queen, retook the throne and in his mourning renamed the land Hollow Bastion and set up a wall around the city containing magic that prevented any magical beings from entering as well as protecting the kingdom from magic touching it or going through it."

Roxas hummed at hearing that, wondering how he was able to get the young princess back into the tower…

"And, who per chance created this wall?"

Axel scoffed at his friend. "I was getting to that, now shut up and listen."

"Now, where was I… oh yeah! With Lord Wizard Eraqus's help, the wall was erected and within the wall he released a stream of power that is evenly distributed around the city as well as above and below. Lord Ansem, who is now King Ansem, created a contract with Eraqus stating that we were to stay away from his kingdom and in exchange we would receive a payment that secure our well being for the wall that our master created. Sounds crazy, right? Now, the weird thing is, in the old books of history there is a definite line of magic that runs through the royal family of Radiant Garden… er… Hollow Bastion," Axel regarded Roxas's intense gaze before continuing. "Now, it's not uncommon for families to have skips within their house. The late queen could have had the makings of a sorceress before her untimely death while King Ansem could have lacked all magical ability and vice-versa. For a family to have skipped magical ability for generations seems incredibly unlikely…"

Roxas's eyes steadied themselves on Axel.

"So, what you're saying is the... princesses could have suppressed magic inside them?"

Axel nodded at his friend, "At least we know that Ansem isn't some sort of wizard. If he was, he wouldn't have needed our Master's help with that god-awful wall."

The blond headed boy sat silently taking in all this information. How is it that he felt no trace of magic around the palace and the wall? Something didn't sit right with him. Axel shifted to a stand and looked at his friend with a small smile. "The sun is about to rise Roxas. You should get to sleep." Roxas could only nod at Axel before he disappeared into the shadows of the room without a trace. Somehow, he could never get used to Axel's strange teleportation magic.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Roxas fell back onto the plush blankets of his bed before drifting off into sleep.

oOo

Namine woke with a start. The bright sun in her eyes made her head pound and she felt dizzy and disoriented. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she tried to collect herself before reopening her eyes. The gown she wore last night stuck to her like a second skin and was hardened with dried sea water. 'So, last night wasn't a dream…' she mused to herself brushing tendrils of sea-dried hair out of her face. Looking out toward the ocean from her bedded alcove by the window, she pondered how she even got back inside. The memories of last night's events were a blur; the dance with Riku, running out into the ocean, that young man in the black robes…

His face was lost to her. He never even told her his name. Sighing, she got up from her perch and steadied herself before making her way to the bathroom to run a bath. Peeling off the sea-worn gown was refreshing. As hot water filled the porcelain tub Namine looked at the dark blue garment. It was completely covered in diamonds and completely ruined. A shame really, she knew her grandfather would never allow her to re-wear the dress but she would have wanted to keep it around just to look at it if anything. Now it was destroyed.

A ruined dress seemed to be a decent exchange for meeting that mysterious young man, whoever he was. Slowly she sunk herself into the bath water and let the heat soothe her aching muscles. Namine sat in the water well until it was cold and the bubbles had died down. She rinsed herself off, wrapped herself in a towel then lay in bed letting the silk sheets cool her skin down even more. She'll dress later.

Reaching for a pencil and her sketchbook, she tried to recall the blond boy's face but after several sheets of eraser ruined paper, she gave up. All she could remember about him was how blue his eyes were. Tossing the sketch book aside Namine sunk into the bed sheets and drifted off into sleep with him on her mind.

oOo

Namine was being shaken awake. How much time has passed since she fell asleep? Opening her eyes, she peeked through her lashes to find Kairi's concerned face peering down to her.

"Namine, I've been shaking you for almost ten minutes now. You were sleeping very heavily it seems. I'm sorry for waking you." Getting up from her bed proved to be a challenge. She sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Oh!" Kairi said in a shocked voice. "I didn't know you were in a state of undress… should I go?" A confused look grace Namine's features before she realized how cold her chest was. Looking down she remembered that she fell asleep straight out of the bath. With a yelp, she quickly grabbed the silken robe from her bedside table and secured it around her waist.

"Oh, God…." She groaned hiding her face in her hands. Her older sister just chuckled in response. "Come now, it's almost time for lunch. We have a guest today as well so wear something pretty." Kairi got up and walked toward the door. "I'll send Olette up to help you change. Grandfather sent me to have a special talk with you but… I think that can wait." As usual, Kairi graced her little sister with a wink and promptly left her in confusion.

Within minutes Olette had Namine up and dressed. Sitting at the vanity, Namine stared at her face.

"So, Princess," Olette started as she gathered Namine's blonde locks into her expert hands. "How do you feel about this Riku fellow? He's very easy on the eyes, don't you think?" A teasing smile graced Olette's face as she glanced down at a very unhappy Namine whose face was marred with a heavy frown. Olette's flushed red and immediately began to regret her statement. "I've overstepped my boundaries, Miss. I apologize."

Namine heaved a sigh at her friend's mistake, "No, it's fine… I just don't want to get married. I don't know him. We barely exchanged words that last night at the ball." The blonde thought back to that night, everything after her meeting with Riku was a blur. Seeing her friend's discomfort at her words made her rethink her statement. "But, he was quite handsome, I must agree." Olette's eyes widened. Namine was being actually agreeable toward a man her grandfather had chosen. "Well, Princess, you can feast your eyes some more! He's staying here in the castle until the wedding! And he's here! Today! For lunch!"

With a loud gulp Namine threw her head back and let out a heavy sigh trying to soothe her racing heart. She couldn't see him. Not today. Not after what happened that night in the garden. Olette's hand on her shoulder seemed to make things even worse.

"Namine you shouldn't do that while I'm fixing your hair. It'll muss it all up for your fiancée." With a few not so tender tugs, her hair was finally set upon the top her of head in several braids with a few tendrils framing her face and resting lightly atop her collar bones. "With your hair like that it'll make your neck even more enticing for Prince Riku!"

Letting out a shaky laugh Namine slumped down in her chair. "Great…"

oOo

Prince Riku was a very patient man. Namine learned that very quickly. Sitting across from him was nerve-racking. His eyes were distracting her with every gaze. Their blue-green colour was so distracting. Since when did a simple lunch become sensual? Every question he would ask her was met with stammers and stutters and Namine became very aware of how hot her silk dress was. Luckily Sora and Kairi never stopped talking and entertained Riku during the duration of the afternoon.

As the sun began to set however, Riku took the opportunity to lead her once again into the palace gardens. He held her hand in his much larger one as they strolled silently together.

"I see I still make you nervous, princess." His voice softly cut through her thoughts. She turned her head away from his eyes to hide her blush of embarrassment only to be met by a soft caress on her exposed neck. Namine shivered at his touch. Somehow she expected his hands to be rougher than they were… "Please don't look away from me," he murmured and slowly she obeyed bringing her eyes to meet his. They came to a stop on their walk surrounded by blooming plum trees away from prying eyes.

"I always thought a garden was appropriate for meetings like this, don't you agree?"

Lamely, Namine nodded in response. Her words were caught in her throat. Riku's hands ran the length of her neck and stopped at her bare shoulders rubbing the skin there before bringing his lips to rest upon the top of her head. Namine took a deep breath placing her hands on his chest. This didn't feel right at all to her but yet she let it happen. This prince was handsome, the most handsome of all the princes she'd ever laid eyes on and yet she couldn't help but try to resist as his lips made their way to her neck and his hands to her waist. He pulled her closer until he body was flush against his and once again took her lips into his with a kiss that was less than chaste as their previous one. His tongue brushed against her lips and with a gasp she let him in. Never had she ever kissed a man like this. It made her heart pound and heat pool in her stomach.

With his tongue he coaxed her into kissing back and soon she lost herself in him burying her hands in his silver locks. His hands ran over her hips, waist, and breasts to rest themselves in her hair as well but only to break the kiss.

They looked at each other, breathing heavily with lust hanging in the air between them. Namine had never felt this way before. This feeling brought a heat in the body and an itch that she didn't know if she wanted to scratch or let it be. Riku pulled away first detangling his hands from her hair and stepping back away from her to clear his throat and fix his disheveled clothes and hair.

They stood silently looking away both seemingly embarrassed at their actions.

Riku was the first to speak.

"I apologize, princess… that was not my intention to be so… inappropriate."

"It's all right," Namine's shaky voice replied. "I actually enjoyed it."

His eyes reflected his relief as he sighed and chuckled a little bit, his face brightened by a hint of a smile.

"Well, the sun is setting. We should get ready for dinner the late hour," taking both her hands into his, he gently kissed them. "I would like to talk about our wedding, as well as get to know who you are. I'll be staying the east wing with the other lords and ladies. Do stop by… with a chaperone of course."

"Of course," Namine said with a slight hint of disappointment in her voice surprising even herself.

With one last smile Riku left toward the castle as Namine watched his wake. As soon as he was out of her line of sight, Namine bolted toward the secret gate to the beach gathering her skirts to run. Finally, with her toes in the sand, Namine cried. She began to cry so hard that soon she was a sobbing mess on the white sand around her. The setting sun on the ocean water turned the earth red and soon a dark blue hue as it disappeared behind the inky black of the ocean. She hadn't known how long she sat there crying on the shore. It was nightfall when she finally looked up to see the moon in the sky. Slowly she wiped her tears away hoping the embarrassment would go with it. Her family would be expecting her soon but rather than get up she laid her body against the sand looking up at the stars above.

Closing her eyes she breathed deep letting the sea air fill her senses.

"Hey,"

The young princess jumped at the voice scrambling to get up. Turning her body, Namine faced the young man in black from the night before.

"Why were you crying?" He asked. His measured voice held concern behind it that she could easily see in his eyes.

The breeze from the ocean hit her and Namine began to shiver, rubbing her exposed arms and shoulders from the cold gusts.

"Are you cold?" The boy asked taking a step forward unzipping his long cloak at her timid nod. Closing the distance between them he flung the cloak over her shoulders resting his hands there and rubbing them gently to try to ease her shaking body.

'I don't feel any magic… she must be a skip."

Namine looked up at the boy with wide eyes. Oddly enough she was comforted by him and wasn't at all scared. She searched his face trying to read him but to her disappointment she couldn't. Gathering her courage, she spoke.

"What's your name?"

Her voice broke Roxas's thoughts and brought him back to her. Gently, a smile graced his features.

"Roxas,"

"Roxas?" Namine repeated. The way his name rolled off her tongue was like fire. The blond headed boy nodded to her before releasing her shoulders and taking a few steps back.

"Keep that cloak for now. It's cold out tonight." Namine's blue eyes stared at him. He was being so friendly. Much friendlier than their last encounter. Again, he graced her with a smile. "Meet me back here in three days time, okay?" She nodded vigorously at him. Roxas chuckled in response. "You best make your way back to the palace. They'll wonder where you went." With a heavy heart, Namine began to walk backwards, keep her eyes on Roxas. Eventually she turned toward the walls of Hollow Bastion clutching the cloak to her body.

'Just one more look,' she reasoned and turned to meet his eyes once more. Roxas was gone. Almost as if he was never there. Letting out a heavy sigh Namine turned and trudged back toward the palace with a heavy heart and Roxas's name on her lips.

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