"Open the gates!" The gates clinked and clanked as they raised.

They rode across the drawbridge and into the city. People poured into the streets.

"The princess has returned! The princess has returned!"

Murmurs, chatters and cheers erupted in the streets. They rode through the crowded streets and arrived at the castle in the middle.

"Tell the lord that Princess Aylin has returned!" Tsugi spoke loudly to the guard at the gate.

"Open the door!" A cry came from behind the wooden doors. "Open the door!" The giant doors flew open. A thin man with dark hair and a mustache came running with his wife hand in hand. She had beautifully elegant long blue hair that was braided down to her buttocks. Tears streaming down their faces filled with so much bliss, that they could not hold it back.

"Sit." Tsugi commanded, and Ruzo sat calmly next to Sayi. Tsugi got off the horse and helped the women and children dismount their horses as they ran into their families arms with tears of joy.

"Mother! Father!" Princess Aylin cried.

"Aylin!" They embraced each other and the people of the town gathered and cheered. The servants came running out to greet them, a few wiping tears from their eyes. The children ran and hugged the crying servants behind Lord Peylo.

"Mother, father." Aylin gestured for Maki to approach. "This is Maki. She too was captured with me. Is it alright if she stays with us? She no longer has a place to call home."

"Of course she can stay! Now we'll all be a family." Her mother smiled brightly at them. She turned to the servants. "Please prepare bedrooms, clothes, baths and food for everyone here."

"Yes, My Lady." They returned to the castle.

"Thank you so much for saving them." Lord Peylo gave Tsugi a deep bow.

"I was just doing as I was instructed, My Lord." Tsugi gave a humble bow back.

"I can never repay you enough. Please come in and stay until you are ready to leave. Surely I can at least treat you to some dinner before you go."

Tsugi gestured to Lugo and the men behind him. "These men assisted in the safe passageway to bring the princess back. Without them, we would not have made it. Perhaps they would like to eat and rejuvenate before they leave."

"Of course. You all have saved my daughter. Please come inside to dine and rest! I will prepare a feast!" The men cheered loudly and walked up to the castle. Lord Peylo turned to the knights by the gate, "Please make sure the horses are well taken care of."

"Yes, My Lord." They said in unison and swiftly led the horses away. Ruzo walked toward the gate and sat down.

"I apologize, but I must return to the orphanage, My Lord."

"So soon? Why don't you at least come inside and have dinner?"

"I appreciate the offer My Lord, but the orphanage is very strict on rules. As soon as my mission is complete, I must return promptly. I hope you understand."

"Well, if you ever need anything, please feel free to let me know and I will do everything in my power to grant it for you."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"Ruzo." Tsugi turned on the balls of his feet and walked out of the castle gates and down the neatly paved road.

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"Tsugi!"

He turned around and saw Princess Aylin running toward him. She embraced him in her arms.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"I was merely just doing my job, My Lady." Tsugi bowed politely.

"It seems my daughter had taken a liking to you." Lord Peylo approached from behind her. "If it is my daughter's hand in marriage you seek, I give my blessing. If that too, is what she desires."

"Uh...no." They gave him a horrid stare, and he blushed in embarrassment. "Uh...I mean uh, you are a lovely lady but uh..."

"I'm not that old! I'm only seventeen but I will be of marriage age next year." She exclaimed.

"Well, uh, it's not that..." Tsugi flustered, waved his hands in the air, afraid that he had offended them. If his face could turn any redder it would, "I...uh...I'm only ten."

Flabbergasted, they both blinked wildly at Tsugi, their eyes wide in disbelief. "EEHHH!!!"

"I...I..." Princess Aylin stuttered. "You act so mature, I thought you were just...small." She blushed.

"Uhm, hehehe." Tsugi chuckled nervously. "Yes, well..." Tsugi pushed the awkwardness aside, cleared his throat, and put on a stern face. "I must get going. I wish you all well." He turned around and continued down the road, turning the corner.

As soon as he and Ruzo made it out of sight, he leaned his back against the wall and took a deep breath, his heart was racing so fast that his face burned red. He was so shocked at the sudden proposal he didn't know what to do. If they find out the truth, he would get in big trouble, in fact they would probably tie his limbs to horses and have him ripped apart.

"Oi! You alright?!"

Tsugi snapped his head up. Lugo was standing at the corner and now started walking towards him.

"Y-Yeah." Tsugi cleared his throat. "Just tired from the long journey."

"Mhm." He cocked an eyebrow at Tsugi. "So, I didn't just hear you get a marriage proposal that you turned down?"

"Uh...uh..." Tsugi's eyes widened and his cheeks felt flush again.

Lugo burst into a thunderous laughter. "Y...y..." He gasped for air. "You're face! Ah! The look on your face is priceless!" He held onto his stomach. "Oh..it hurts!" His laughter echoed through the streets.

"Oh, I'll make sure it hurts alright!" Tsugi lifted his fist into the air, Lugo laughed as he dodged Tsugi's punches and kicks by zig-zagging and running down the street. Ruzo ran alongside them, he wanted to join in on the fun too. He darted around them as Lugo twisted and turned running up and down, around and around. "Come back here!"

Tsugi finally managed to tackle Lugo to the ground, sat on top of him and started punching Lugo in the chest.

"That's as hard as you can punch? It just feels like you're throwing cotton at me!" He roared in laughter.

Annoyed, Tsugi punched him harder, and Ruzo joined in on the fun. Ruzo proceeds to cover Lugo's face in slobber and lie on top of his face twisting and turning, digging his nose under Lugo's neck.

"Good boy! Get him Ruzo!"

"Blehg! Doggy hair!" Lugo spat. "Okay! Okay! I give!" He laughed. "I give!"

Ruzo stopped and lay down next to them, panting as slobber dripped from his tongue onto the floor. Tsugi rolled off Lugo and dropped to the ground next to him. They both took deep heavy breaths and laughed as they lay on the cold paved road, looking up as the stars lit up the sky like lanterns.

"How come...you're not joining us at the castle?" Lugo panted.

"I don't like having attention on me."

"So where are you going then?"

"Back to the orphanage."

"Orphanage? You don't have a family?"

Tsugi stayed quiet for a while before answering. "No."

"Okay! So let's go then!" Lugo stood up and held out his hand to Tsugi.

"And where are 'you' going?"

"If you can recall, I don't have a family either. So, I will go wherever you go." He smiled brightly. Tsugi took his hand and stood up.

"What about Kildo and everyone else?"

"Eh, they'll be fine without me. They're already talking about staying here and making weapons for Lord Peylo. When the lady of the castle heard that they were blacksmiths, she talked about how Lord Peylo needed new weapons and armor for his knights. They were more than excited to get a decent job offer."

"You don't want to stay with them?"

"Nah, I'd rather learn new things and see the world."

"I suppose I don't have to worry about you since you know how to defend yourself. How'd you learn how to fight anyways?"

"Training, duh." He chuckled. "Kildo's buddies taught me a lot when I was with them." They walked down the dimly lit road. "How did you learn to fight?"

"What are you talking about?" Tsugi stared at him suspiciously, he has never fought in front of Lugo, so how did he know?