Rin, Karina, Ryosuke, Keito and Yuri in the study room to do their business, for some of them. Yuri sits beside Rin who beside Keito that make document translation for her, Ryosuke just stay around the room without doing anything, and Karina sit at a corner to listen English conversation from a music player in order to brush up her skill but sometimes glances towards the three people at table and feel jealous. A maid gets into the room and politely says, “Karina-hime, you get package from someone named Yumiko.”

                “Yumiko?” Karina surprise to hear it as it is her late mother’s name that only her clan knows as she uses other name as lady royal, “Please give it to me…. Thank you and you may return to your post.” She just take the box and open it but throw it away in instant and everyone could see she’s in terror based her eyes.

                Yuri rushes towards her before asking, “What’s in the box?” but that girl too scared to anything and could only gasp. Rin brave herself to check the box and surprise to see the content; a human hand that wear some kind of weird ring but she knows it is Karina’s mom’s ring. She suddenly remembers news about Karina’s mother’s corpse loses her left wrist but they make conclusion that already destroy during the tragedy.

                Suddenly, Karina screams loudly that cause panic all over the place where the voice reach before lose her conscious. Keito in reflex, rush to lift up Karina before Yuri could do anything and asks, “Where should I bring her?”

                Yuri and Rin exchange glances before reply in one voice, “To the forbidden forest.”

                “That’s impossible as that place really dangerous.” Say Ryosuke as he already heard about that place; no one would ever get out alive once they get in there. That place is the least place that he wants to step.

                “We don’t have any other choice.” Say Rin.

“You can stay here if you’re too scared to follow us.” Say Yuri.

“No, I will follow you guys as Keito-dono will join you guys.” Say Ryosuke.

“Okay, we will go there by horse but both of you have to share one ride. They can prepare two horses in short time.” Say Yuri.

********************

                They begin their journey to that dangerous place; Yuri carefully ride his horse as he hold unconscious Karina in his arms, Rin on her black horse alone, and Ryosuke share horse with Keito that bring awkward atmosphere between them. While on the way, Keito couldn’t stop himself not to notice an eagle and an owl flies around them but in circle motion and feels a bit worry with it.

                Yuri looks upwards as he could sense someone feel anxious, “Those are Karina-hime and lady royal Rin’s pets. Thanks to them, we could pass that place easily. Both of them sort of announce our present here.”

                They manage to get into the forest that famous with its horror rumors without any trouble and arrive in front of the place that has logo of dragon surround scorpion. Yuri says, “We’re here because of emergency.”

                A guy suddenly appears in front of them and says, “We already know what happen. Bring her inside before the leader checks on her.” Keito tries to take peek on the guy’s face but it nearly impossible as the clothes that cover entirely the face.

                Keito helps Yuri to bring Karina inside while Rin lead the way. That prince couldn’t stop himself not to feel scared as that place really gives suspicious vibe and think his samurai feel the same but not for the other two who seem really relax. They arrive in a room and Yuri asks Keito to put Karina on the bed. Rin says, “You guys should leave this room now.”

                “Why?” ask Keito.

                Rin looks at them with cold sight, “You would never want to see what will happen in this room. I will be here since we’re one and I know how to treat her.”             

                The guys reluctantly leave the room and wait at another room. Keito asks, “What is mean by her words by now?”

                “If I already have answer for that, I already say it. I never understand what is mean by that. Only both of them could have that answer for your question.” Say Yuri. He stays near to window while watching off the window, like searching for something over that surrounding that seem really silent without anything.

                Keito ask about the two girls’ change their roles as he still curious over it but Yuri reply coldly, “If the one that you should marry is Rin, you only hurt Karina?” that only make Keito speechless about how to say it back. He confuses to choose between girls that he has feeling with or girl that he supposedly gets marry because of both families already agree.

**************

                Ryuta appear in the room soon after left Karina with Rin in that room and says, “You already know how to do it, right? You want to do it by yourself or help from me again?”

                “I still need your help as I don’t have encouraged draw it out and I can’t control the amount.” Say Rin as she shows her arm. Ryuta does some hand signs before draw some blood out from it and drop it into Karina’s mouth.  That action make Karina suddenly open her eyes but instead of mysterious blue-green eyes, her eyes become dark that look like a hole in it and some sort of creepy aura emit from it before disappear in  a click.

                Ryuta gently wraps Rin’s arm with bandage before says, “It just lucky that you’re around when it happen. This kind of problem could only treat by blood from someone that has special connection with the person that rarely appear. Honestly, I also surprise when hear she receive my wife’s wrist.”

                “I can’t say that I’m not surprise. I think it just toys at the beginning but that ring shows everything. That special ring that only owned by qualified member of Kiryuu who is female where only two qualified member; your late wife and Karina-chan.” Say Rin. Even she is not involved in that clan, she knows about what happen as it useful for their plan.

                “It really needs special skill to keep that wrist and ring as that ring being made by rare metal that has characteristic self-destroy when the first person who wears it died. Just leave those matters to us. All of you could return to palace when she’s awake. It not good for all of you to stay here longer.” Say Ryuta before disappear. Rin takes seat near to the bed while waiting Karina awake. She understands something from what happen; people that want Princess of Elmina to be died.

*****************

                Karina wake up after awhile and seem confuse on what happen as scenery at her eyes already change. She notice Rin walks towards her that make her asks, “Where am I?”

                “Oh, you suddenly faint and we have to bring you to Kiryuu since we could only do that ritual here.” Say Rin.

                Karina seems get glimpse on what happen and neat herself before says, “We need to return palace as we still have many things need to be done.” She just stands up and walks around the room while she takes out something from the closet. It clearly shows like her injury fully heals even her leg still wrapped with bandage as her face doesn’t show any hint of pain.

                Rin notice something and asks, “Eh?! Your wound already heals?”

                Karina forgets about it and quickly says, “Yeah, at the night of I get the injury. Ne, please act like I still has injury for awhile. It’s for everyone’s sake.”

                “I’m okay to help you to hide it but you tend to act careless.” Remind Rin.

                Karina fixes her ponytail, “Hey, at least our biggest secret still a secret.” She quickly lay back on the bed and fix the blanket. Rin leaves the room to call for the guys to inform them that she already awake.

******************

                “We are really worried about what happen but it show you return here safely, we won’t ask anything more.” Say the palace people when they arrive back.

“I really want to apologize with what happen. I should more aware how to express my feeling.” Say Karina. She wants to bow but can’t move her body as she still in Keito’s arms.

Keito sends Karina back to her room and gently place her on bed before says, “You should rest for today. I will ask Rin not to let you do any task today.”

                “No, I can’t rest all day. I have to work for my citizens.” Say Karina.

She wants to stand up but Keito grabs her shoulder to push her back to bed. He says, “If you work too hard until torture your body, it will make everyone worry about you.”

*************

                Rin return to her room and lock the door before leave out huge sigh. She looks towards picture that set nicely at her nightstand before murmur, “I don’t want to lose anyone anymore… but I’m too afraid to take over the throne. What I should do now?”

                She really confuses on what she should do at that moment but her mind can’t figure out any solution. She still remembers the meeting with those people that know about her plan…

Flashback~~

                “It already time for you to take over the throne as people begin recognize both of you even still confuse with the titles.” Say the first man.

                Second man says, “Yeah, we afraid that girl who pretend as you, will take advantage on what she has right now and maybe already plan to harm you. That girl’s background only bring suspicious. We’re not talking about why your late dad chooses her but we will never know what she wants. Maybe her father actually the one who really want to kill you.”

                Rin really surprise to hear it as she knows her best friend would never do that. She tries her best to sound calm, “She won’t do something like that. She already promises that she would never betray me no matter what happen.”

                “What make you really confident with that girl?” that question make Rin lose all her words. She knows there will no answer for that as it just too many to say. Karina is her first best friend, the first person that never scared of her when she suddenly loses temper and many more. She never thinks that girl would come out with any possibilities that betray her trust. She says, “I will take responsibility if anything happen.”

End of flashback~~

                She bolt upright when sense someone walk towards her room. She feels weird mixed with relieve when see it is only Ryosuke. He says, “I just want to check you if you actually in shock with what happen.”

                “I’m okay. I may not look like it but I really strong.” Say Rin.

                “Strong like a princess?” Ryosuke seem try to trap her to tell the truth.

                Rin gasp with that statement, “What are you talking about? I’m just a lady royal.”

                “If it’s true, you will be the one who greet everyone when we reach at palace and also the one who apologizes on princess’s behalf.” Say Ryosuke.

                “Ryosuke-san, why you seem really hates me? Your words always have venom with it.” say Rin that clearly angry with his attitude. Ryosuke doesn’t say anything, just step-away from the room but then, Yuri appears from darkness.

                Rin surprise to see it, “Yuri-kun, you’re a samurai and not ninja. A samurai doesn’t really used to hide in darkness.”

                “Everyone will hide in darkness when it is needed. Rin-hime, please be careful especially around samurai named Yamada Ryosuke. It seems he has something under his sleeves.” Say Yuri with emotionless tone.

                Rin giggles, “What are you talking about? You just worry too much about it.”