22HEY! ITS HAPPIECHAN! im so so so so so so so sorry this took so long, life got im my way for a while, but im back and i hope this makes up for my absense! xD
please enjoy! 3
"Haku,where does you father live?"
The river god, now in his dragon form and his girl had been travelling for some time now, and Chihiros interest in the scenery was waning.
"Its not far now, my father currently resides in out summer palace, by lake mamizu, named after my late mother."
"Oh, Haku, im-"
"its okay, Chihiro, ive already come to terms with my mothers departure, so don't worry about it. Though, i know she would have loved to meet you.."
"i would have loved to meet her too."
They rode in silence for a while, when a pressing question made itself known to chihiro.
"Hey, Haku? Why arnt you living with your father, anyway?"
"Well, its a tradition among dragons that sons, when they turn 10, are to leave the comforts of home and make a living for themselves. We're supposed to come home when we're 15, with whatever money, knowledge or magic we have the 'comming of age' tradition.
"Wait...if you left when you were 10...and your 17 now...did you go back when you were 15?"
"No, i was too afraid that if i left you would return and missed me, so i decided to wait till you came back to me...which didn't take TOO long..."
A wall-like cliff barred their path now, and just when Chihiro was about to cry out, Haku began to fly almost parallel to it. The frail human girl gripped his scaly body tighter, making Haku inwardly blush.
"the palace is just over this cliff, hold on tight."
The adolescent dragon gave one final powerful push, then they were above the cliff. he landed on a grassy hill on top of it, and Chihiro slipped off his back to allow him to shift back into human form.
"Where is it, Haku?" he pointed down the hill of the cliff, to what seemed like a lake hidden in a thick soup of fog.
"there." He waved his hand, and the fog dispersed, revelling the island floating just above the waters.
"That's lake Mamizu, and above it its the royal summer palace of the eastern water spirits." The castle shone in the sunlight as if it were made from crystals, the front gate proudly displaying two long dragons, intertwining in an arch. The island held a small river that ran over the side in a waterfall, crashing into the pristine lake below.
"wow, its gorgeous!" Chihiro cried, resiting the urge to giggle when her voice returned to her in a echo.
"its home." Hakus olive eyes glazed over, no doubt recalling the memories of all the time he had spent playing games in the palace, frolicking on the surrounding hills, or splashing in the lake.
"like the bathhouse, this place comes to life at night. We have a good half an hour before that happens, so how about we get some rest, then ill announce my return?"
"sounds great, except for one problem- Im not tired!" Haku grinned wickedly.
"well, i wouldn't mind if you danced for me again..."
"NOT LIKELY. And besides, i still haven't forgiven you for that."
"HEY! You called me a pervert!"
"then YOU scared me outta my skin!"
"alright, alright, this arguing isn't going to get us anywhere." Chihiro mock-glared at him, and he pulled her close, arms winding around her waist.
"so what do you want to do, my dear?" she giggled and put her arms around his neck."
"Well, the water looks lovely-how about we take a dip?"
"Sounds lovely. Did you pack anything for swimming?"
"luckily, granny told me to prepare for anything. Its in the bag" Haku reluctantly broke away from his girl and walked over to the bag they had discarded minutes before, unzipping the digging through the carefully folded articles of clothing.
"Hey, where did you put them?"
"Under the pyjamas and the bag with your underwear in it." Chihiro said nonchalantly as she gazed out into the summery valley.
"You packed me underwear? Where did you get it?"
"What can i say? Zeniba has everything!"
"i can certainly believe that." Haku said with a blush. He pulled out a blue pain of swimming trunks with green checks and shiny silver borders, and for Chihiro an aqua 2-peice bikini with little gold koifish swimming all over it.
"Nice choice." She smiled
"Thanks" He grinned back.
He threw the (acceptably modest) bikini at her, and she expertly caught it with one hand whilst untying her red-orange sash. Haku stared at her, not realising what she was about to do.
"um,Haku? What are you doing?" he stared at her, dumfounded.
"i..uhh..umm..what?"
"You little perv, turn around so i can change!"
"ahhahhahah don't you remember what happened last time you called me a perv?" he winked at her and she blushed.
"HAKU!"
"alright!" he turned and began stripping as well, pulling on the trunks.
"so, Haku, tell me about your family. Did you have any siblings?"
"well, i had a brother, Yazee, and he's younger than me. He didn't take mothers death so well; he became withdrawn within himself, only really leaving his room at mealtimes and such. He turned 10 a year after i did, so he should be home by now."
"what's your father going to say when he sees you again?"
"i don't know.. i haven't seem him in 7 years, i didn't even remember he existed until a few years ago! Im sort of..." chihiro had finished tying the bikini strings and turned to face Hakus back, who had finished changing into his trunks awhile ago.
"sort of what?"
"I'm afraid...what if he forgot me too?"
" Im sure he couldn't have forgotten you! You couldn't help half the things that happened! Everything's going to be just fine, okay?" she walked over to his side and pulled on is hand, so that he was facing her.
"and no matter what happened, i, at least, have never and will never forget you."
"Thanks, love." He bent down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, snaking his arms around her waist.
"Your welcome-now, lets go swimming!" she pulled him down the steel hill, but tripped and fell, dragging the river prince down with her. They rolled down the grassy hill face, finishing on the soft-sand shores of the clear lake below.
"COLD!" Chihiro jumped, surprised at the low temperate. She sprung to shore, shivering from the cool water temperature clinging to her skin.
"What are you talking about? The waters lovely!" Haku, on the other hand, stood waist deep in the water, the pool rippling slightly around his slim form.
"easy for you to say, oh high and mighty river prince! Im only human!"
"alright, alright. Here, ill warm it a little for you." He waved his hand and smiled. "there. It should be nice and warm now."
Chihiro gingerly approached the waters edge, and dipped her toes in the offending water, only to find warm yet still cool, perfect for the mid-summers temperate.
"Its lovely..."
"come on, get in!"
"WOOHOO!" the human girl jumped in, splashing Haku and leaving soaked almost beyond recognition.
"oh, it is lovel-woah, what happened to you, Haku?" she giggled, wading deeper into the lake to peel the piece of sticky seaweed that had made its home on the dragon-boys face.
"are you okay?" she smiled, but the look in her wide brown eyes was completely serious.
"yeah, that was some splash!"
"hahaahha, HECK YEAH IT WAS! I was amazing!" Chihiro said mock-self righteously, and Hakus olive eyes gleamed with mischief.
"oh, were you now? How about this!" a miniature wave washed over, pushing her already damp hair back and transferring the infamous piece of seaweed from her hands to her face.
"oh, you are SO gonna get it! Come here, you!" they began a splash war, tossing water and seaweed around with their uproarious laughter filling the valley.
"Haku, you sneaky baka-woah!" chihiro slipped on the troublesome piece of seaweed and stumbled into Hakus strong arms, effectively ending their battle.
"so, does this mean i win?" Chihiro murmured into Hakus (rather damp) bare chest, enjoying the warmth she found there.
"i guess it does. Would you like to claim your reward?"
"Reward? Since when do i get a reward?" she looked up at his face, ad instantly got lost in his deep green eyes.
"Since now. So? Do you want it or not?"
"uhhh...okay?" the prince leaned down, subtly loosening his arms as not to hurt her, and was about to kiss her when a shrill voice called from the gate of the castle above.
"KOHAKU? IS THAT YOU?"
heheheheheheh cliffie! ill have the next chapter up as soon as i can, and whilst the next few dont have songs, ill try fit one in as soon as i can!
please reveiw?
much love xx