:P I really wasn't going to update this until my other story was done, but a kind person dropped a lovely review, and made me feel guilty, lol. so here's another chapter.

FOURTEEN

Kaymy sat on a flat rock, one leg tucked under her. She touched her nose lightly, a faint blush adorning her cheeks. Shaking her head, she tried to get rid of that image, that feeling – those amazing green eyes, and the way those strong arms had gently held her -

“Kaymy?”

At that familiar voice, she jerked back to reality with a little yelp. She leaped to her feet, and hurriedly composed herself.

Only to nearly fall over in shock as she saw him.

Two tall Cliff warriors flanked him; they were dark and intimidating, but she hardly noticed them at all. It was the young man who was now smiling softly at her.

He wore the soft leather jerkin of his people. It was a mottled array of browns, grays, and dull greens; in a forest, it was the perfect camouflage. It left the arms bare, and came down to mid-thigh. From the tan waist belt, it was slit on the sides to allow easy movement. Below the jerkin were baggy brown trousers, and knee-high boots made of a soft, pliable leather. He wore the same clothes, and even had the same black hair as his people, but that made no difference.

Sai stood out like a brilliant ray of light. Those beautiful eyes shone like emerald stars, and he stood as only a price could. A firm stance showed his confidence, a head held high displayed his pride. And for the first time in a long, long time, he was complete. He was whole.

He wasn't the lost Sai she had first known, the Sai that was missing a huge part of his life, and his self. Nor was he that strange, frightening Sai that frightened her with his hidden darkness, which had threatened to consume him. And he wasn't that broken Sai, either, the Sai who was in so many shattered pieces. No, this was the person he was meant to be, the true Sai.

She thought it was beautiful. So beautiful, it took her breath away.

“Are you all right, Kaymy?” His voice was concerned. But his two escorts looked amused, sharing knowing smiles with each other.

She blinked. “I – I'm fine, Sai.” Her voice squeaked on the word 'fine,' and a hot blush rose to her cheeks. Swallowing, she glanced at the two warriors. “Or should I call you Ashita – Prince Ashita?”

Sai grinned a grin that lit up his eyes. “You can call me whatever you want, Kaymy,” he murmured in a low tone that made her shiver. “No matter when or what yo call me, I will come.”

Kaymy was mortified at the way her cheeks burned. She let out an embarrassed giggle. “Shouldn't you be leaving?”

“We're just waiting for Kaiba,” he replied, becoming serious. “In the meantime, I'll need you to teach our hand-signing to some of my people. Can you do that while we're gone?”

“Only if you promise to come back in one piece,” she fixed him with a stern look. “If you come back all beaten up, I'll - “

“The Princess should not worry,” one of the two warriors spoke up awkwardly. It was was obvious that the Common language wasn't his specialty. “We will keep him safe – bring him back to you 'in one piece.'”

“Princess?” Kaymy was a little surprised to be called that.

“Yes,” the same warrior gave a curt nod. Amusement danced in his bright gaze. “If you are our Prince's princess, then you are Princess to us.”

She gaped at him. Since when - ?

“Don't think too much about it,” Sai advised, smiling. Then he noticed Kaiba coming toward them with two more Cliff warriors. “I guess we're going now. I'll see you in three days, all right?”

She could only nod. With a warm expression, Sai lifted a hand, and signed, I love you.

Feeling warm and happy, she returned the gesture. Then watched as her beloved went to meet with Kaiba. Minutes later, the group of six broke into a hard run, heading for Liera.

O o o O

Aerto balanced on his left leg as he slammed his right foot into the training post. The impact jarred his entire body, due to the amount of power he put behind it. Lowering his leg, he took a few steps back, and observed the large series of cracks that now spider-webbed across the post. He smiled. That was a good side kick.

Now, just to do another forty-nine.

He settled into a rhythm, repeatedly sending his foot crashing into the training post. Wondering idly when the post would finally break, his thoughts began to drift. He found himself thinking about his team members. Former team members. But now they were his friends.

When he had found out that he had been going to Liera instead of Safaar, he had been disappointed at first. He'd heard that the Safu had a deadly style of fighting. However, after two weeks here, he'd changed his mind.

The Grassland people focused on speed and awesome leg movements to win their fights. In fact, they rarely used their hands in a battle, depending almost entirely on their legs to kick and leap and block. Which suited Aerto just fine.

Craaack! With a sudden explosion, the post disinigrated into thousands of splinters. Aerto stepped back, and smirked.

“Hn.” Just wait 'till Sai saw that. He'd be totally surprised just to see how much stronger Aerto had gotten. And it's only been two weeks – just wait until the entire three months were over!

Aerto finished his workout energetically, demolishing two more training posts, before making his way back to Liera. In a dead run. In Liera, everyone ran to wherever they were going, whether it was a short distance of a few feet, or several miles away – it was a way to train their stamina and strength.

Still, Aerto thought, a little irritated. They didn't have to build entire sections of the city a whole mile apart from each other.

In just a few minutes, he reached the main camp. He was right on time to see a whole squadron of Lierian warriors standing on guard at the outskirts. At first, he thought he was in trouble. But Liul, one of the men, just waved him through.

“What's going on?” Aerto asked.

“A group is approaching us,” Liul answered. He lifted a lean arm, and pointed to a distant smudge that was barely visable amidst the waist-high grasses. “And very quickly, too.”

“Aye,” one of the Grassland men murmured, his pale eyes never moving from the faint smudge. “Never seen a group run that fast before in my life.”

“At this rate, they'll be here in about two to three minutes. And they're roughly a half mile out.”

“Who are they?” Aerto was becoming curious.

One of the men had a spyglass – Seral or Sarel, Aerto wasn't quite sure of his name. “I don't know – I've never seen people with their coloring before. But a Safu is with them.”

“A Safu?” Maybe they were from Safaar. “Can I see?”

Sarel threw a sharp look at him, then passed the spyglass over. Peering through it, Aerto gazed at the group. There indeed was one Safu, who looked like he was about to drop from exhaustion. Besides him, were five other men.

Frowning, Aerto observed them, trying to figure out who they were – he hadn't ever seen clothes or faces like -

“Hn?” He nearly dropped the spyglass, which elicited an annoyed grunt from Sarel. “Impossible!”

“Do you know them, Aerto?”

Aerto passed over the group. Four of the similar-looking warriors, along with the Safu, were all following one other – a young man who obviously was of the same blood as the four warriors. Aerto stared at this leader. He bore a pair of intense green eyes that almost seemed to glow, even from this distance. Aerto's hearted started to beat a little faster, as he focused on the leader's hair.

There! Hardly noticeable, but it was there – a faint streak of white amidst ebony locks. Unbelieavable! Sai!

Since when could he run that fast? Aerto himself would have to strain to be able to keep up that speed for more than three minutes. Although, Aerto noticed with a smirk, Sai didn't seem to be in much better condition than the Safu.

Aerto then focused his attention on the four warriors keeping pace with his former teammate. They, on the other hand, didn't seem all that tired. Well, maybe a little, but still...they obviously had awesome stamina. They had the same dark hair and light eyes as Sai, which could only mean one thing.

Gokaku.

But Sai would never join forces with them, so they had to be the -

“Goka?”

“Goka?” Liul picked up the word, and shook his head. “Never heard of them.”

“I neither,” another Grassland man. Aerto had never learned his name.

“Or I.”

“I have,” Sarel, or Seral – Aerto kept getting confused which it was – murmured, his expression thoughtful.

“Yeah?”

“I had thought them to be extinct, since no one's ever seen them,” Sarel went on. “Apparently, they're a people of the forests, who usually never leave its boundaries. They're so secluded, that they even have their own language, and a completely unique fighting style.”

“Makes sense,” Aerto nodded, which earned him several looks. He hurried to explain. “The one leading the group is my friend.” He didn't say anymore, but frowned once more.

Something must've happened, because why else would Sai come here? In such a rush, yet, and with the Goka, who were formally the Gokaku? Just what had happened?

The Grassland warriors waited silently for their arrival. And it didn't take long. Within a mere few minutes, the arriving group came to a sudden stop before the Grassland squadron, which was blocking the entrance into Liera.

Before any of the Grassland men could demand an explanation, Sai, who had been gasping for air, drew himself up, and took a regal step forward. He now stood in front of his group, in a silent declaration that he was the one in charge. The four Goka behind him stood like silent sentries, their pale eyes sharp and alert. The dark-skinned Safu wearily wiped the sweat off his face with a small sigh.

Aerto frown became a small scowl when Sai's gaze briefly swept over him and the Grassland people without any sign of recognition. Instead, his friend ignored him completely and faced the Liera guards firmly.

“I am Prince Ashita of the Cliff tribe of the Forest. I ask to immediately speak to your village leader, with the presence of all Tokita warriors who are currently here. It is a matter of extreme urgency.”

Without a word, the Grassland men parted to make a path. Who were they to deny a Prince, no less, passage into their village?

As Sai's group passed through, Aerto stepped into Sai's path, arms crossed. Forced to stop, Sai held out a hand to the four Goka, - no, Cliff, apparently – to stop them from interfering. He offered a small smile.

“Hello, Aerto. I am sorry, but all explanations will have to wait. Please attend the meeting. You will find out what is going on.” While Sai was talking in a polite manner, he was signing something quite different with the hand that stayed by his side. Aerto, I really need your help! So much has happened, I'll tell you later! I just have to act all princely so they'll let us in quickly and – just go along with it, please!

“Hn,” Aerto smirked, and stepped out of Sai's path. “As you wish, Sai.” Although Sai shot him a slightly annoyed glance, he continued on, the four Cliff warriors keeping close. Growing more curious as to what events had happened for all of this to happen, Aerto followed the group.

Sai sure had changed a lot in such a short time, Aerto thought, but then, so had he. Though he really wanted to know why the Goka were treating Sai like their prince, when formerly they had been trying to kill him. And what was with them being called the Cliff, now?

Things sure were getting interesting.