Big Trouble in Little Midkemia

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Ranma and characters used are the creation of
Rumiko Takahashi and owned by her and Shogagukan, Kitty and Viz
Communications. Magician is the work of Raymond Feist published by Bantam. I
will not make a penny of any of this.

C&C wanted


I want to thank Randy Bautista for putting up with my atrocious spelling and
everyone who's encouraged me with this work of fun fiction.


Chapter 8:  The Ugliness of War




Ranma carried the body of the Tsurani soldier to the impromptu pyre.  The
smells of burning flesh searing his nose.  He had fastened a handkerchief
around his nose, although it alleviated much of the stinging sensation, it
did little to remove the stench from the air.

The bodies of the fallen Tsurani had continued to litter the area in front
of the keep and the smell of decaying flesh had carried to the courtyard.
He, and the fellow Kingdom soldiers had waited, hoping that the Tsurani
would commit their own dead to the ground or a funeral pyre.

He walked by a couple of live Tsurani soldiers duplicating his action of
tossing another body on the fire.  He tried not to think that the crackles
and pops he heard from behind were the sounds of burning bodies.

A few of the Kingdom soldiers had volunteered to go clear the area of the
dead.  He had joined them, figuring he would be in less danger than any of
the other soldiers.  Fannon had refused to have the gates opened for the
expedition, after a very subdued argument between Fannon and Arutha the
gates had been opened a crack, enough to allow ten men out.

After a central point had been picked they started applying bodies to a
large pile of wood they had carried out.  Ranma watched in morbid
fascination as the flesh of the dead soldiers crinkled and burned, he had
carefully avoided looking at faces as much as possible.

He turned to continue work when he bumped into someone, dislodging the body
that was being dragged.  He bend to pick up the dead body when he was face
to face with a Tsurani soldier.  He stood still in shock for a moment as he
took in the features of the young soldier. He appeared to be about Ranma's
age a little younger, but the thing that caused Ranma's momentary lack of
movement was the uncanny facial resemblance to Daisuke.  The soldier   was
shorter and stockier, having the muscle tone that his friend lacked, along
with a darker shade to his face, but otherwise the resemblance was uncanny.

He quickly muttered an apology which was met with a questioning glance. "Oh,
right they don't speak the same language her reminded himself."

He quickly tossed the body onto the fire and walked swiftly away from the
enemy soldier.  He thought back to all the people he had left behind, those
whom he had thought of as friends and those who were merely associates and
wondered how they were doing.

^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^__^_^

They finished just before sunset and quickly returned behind the relative
safety of the walls.  He noticed Nabiki was absent from the courtyard and
wondered why that fact caused a small constriction to his heart.  He thought
about it for a second before dismissing it as simple worry.  He took a
position not far from Arutha near the middle of the wall facing the Tsurani.

The fire of burning bodies was huge, and beautiful in a weird way.  Fire was
always fascinating and he lost himself in the flames, watching the smoke
rise as if by some magic into the arms of the waiting sky.  The occasional
gust of winds caused an interesting fluttering effect, sometimes making the
flames appear to skip around atop the mound.

He shook himself as he remembered just what was burning and looked beyond
the flames towards the enemy lines.  Ranma had never been one for
philosophy, and like most youths loved the stories of war.  War stories
always had heroes who overcame great odds.  Fought for the greatest of
causes, and in most stories there was little talk of the actual killing.
Sure the story talked about death, but they never conveyed the true feeling
of killing. They mentioned broken bones or sword wounds, but they hardly, if
ever mentioned, the feeling of snapping someone's bones, the differing
textures that a sword cut through.  They never mentioned that a person could
bleed enough blood to swim in, and they never did justice to the howls of
pain and tortured that the dead and dying emitted.

The stories definitely never mention fighting till death and then helping
each other clean up, immediately followed by fighting to the death again.
Sure he and Ryoga had shared similar experiences, but they never died.

He found his eyes had drifted back to the blaze.  Fire symbolized many
things, destruction and rebirth.  The Phoenix was noted for it's fire,  fire
that both destroyed and cleansed.  He wondered for not the first time what
he was doing.  He could take both Nabiki and Kasumi away from here.  Away
from all the death and keep them safe.  He wondered at his wondering, when
had he become sick of death.  It had been less than a week since the siege
started, but his actions never seemed as personal to him as when he
committed those he had killed to the fire.

"What's wrong?"  A familiar feminine voice brought him back to reality.  He
turned to see Nabiki standing behind him and realized how much he needed to
see her just then.

"Nothin."  He put on a crooked smile and his most nonchalant pose.  He took
the cup of water she had brought for him and muttered a thanks to her.  It
was a thank you for the attention.  Thank you for caring.  Thank you for
noticing even if I can't say anything about it.

She smiled at him.  Almost coyly, a smile he had never seen her give anyone
else, something else he silently thanked her for.  He handed her back the
empty cup.

"You better get down, they'll probably start soon."  She looked like she was
about to say something but simply nodded.  She flashed him a small smile
before turning and heading down the stairs.

He didn't have to wait long before the Tsurani horns blew.  They followed
their overly dramatic forming up, followed by the moving back and forth
before they charged.

Ranma joined the archers and catapults in firing off projectiles at the
approaching masses.  He noted with a small detachment that his chi-blast
weren't as powerful as usually and it was taking a greater deal of
concentration.

He ducked behind the wall, escaping from the hail of arrows that issued
forth from the Tsurani.  When the arrows stopped it would mean the Tsurani
were halfway up the the wall.  The familiar pattern and chaos of the
situation was another dichotomy of the situation he was in.

A scream and unusual confusion drew his attention to his left.  He saw a
group of Crydee soldiers gathered around a fallen man.  It took him a minute
to make out Swordsmaster Fannon in the group of soldiers.  He hadn't spoken
much to the man, but he hoped that he would be ok.  He knew that if he made
it to Kasumi alive he would be fine.

The enemy bow fire ended and his few moments of respite were over.  He shot
up out of his crouch and peered over the wall to find his targets.  He
didn't have to look far as a ladder was only a few feet away from him.  It
was time to continue killing.

^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^_^_^_^^_^_^_^_^


Nabiki glanced back at Ranma after she had descended the stairs.  He was
becoming increasingly morbid and worrying Nabiki.  She was trapped between
wanting to hold him to make it all better and kick him in the ass, Hard!

"Later," she thought.  It was always later lately.  Either he was too tired
or she was too tired.  They hadn't talked since they got here.  When they
did spend time together their were always others present.  She missed the
privacy she had with him in Elvandar.  She also found she missed his na�ve
boyishness also.  His darkened mood lately just had to go.

She walked into the entranceway and made her way over to Kasumi.  She knew
she should find something to occupy her mind but for some reason the comfort
of her sister called to her.

"Hi little sister."  Kasumi said.
"Hi Nabiki."  Carline almost chorused.  The two of them were together
constantly.

"Hi, Kasumi."  Nabiki used her sisters name, it sounded weird to her ears
for Kasumi to call her little sister in the Kingdom Tongue.  "Need any
help?"

"Not right now, but another nurse would help greatly when the wounded come
in."  Kasumi smiled when she spoke.

"Maybe."  Nabiki had helped on occasion, but playing nurse wasn't her thing.

"You know Ranma helped burn those bodies today."  The whole keep knew about
the human bon-fires.  The smell had been rising and seeping inside the keep.

"That was nice of him."  Nabiki knew it was nice of him, she was worried
that his 'nice' deed was contribution to his dark mood.  She herself was
already sick of the fighting.  Not really the fighting, she had been around
that her whole life, she was sick of the death.

"I think he should take a night off."

"Why?  My brother raves about his ability.  He apparently is the best
soldier on either side."  Carline jumped into the conversation at that
point.

"He's a fighter not a soldier.  What makes him the best, his ability to
kill."  Nabiki instantly regretted her statement, she hadn't intended to
snap at the young woman.

"Nabiki, that's not nice."  Kasumi admonished her little sister.

Nabiki took a breathe and frowned at the princess.  "I'm sorry, I just..."

"Worry about the man you love."  Carline supplied the end of the statement.
Nabiki looked to argue but she couldn't bring herself to contradict that
simple fact.

"I am sorry I snapped at you, Carline."  She sincerely meant it.  The
princess was merely stating facts that were true.

"We'll talk to Ranma, He is a fine young man.  We'll help him adapt, right."
Kasumi had taken Nabiki by the shoulders looking squarely into her face.

"Right."  Kasumi's smile and words actually did make Nabiki feel better.
Impulsively she threw her arms around the older and slightly taller girl
wrapping her in a hug.  "Thanks,"  she muttered in her ear before turning
and going back into the courtyard.

"Do you think we should ask Arutha to give Ranma a day off."  Carline asked
when Nabiki was out of earshot.

"Nabiki is right it would be best for him, but Arutha would have to order
him away, and even that might not work."  Kasumi answered.

Nabiki walked out into the courtyard and immediately looked for Ranma.  She
was shocked as she Tsurani soldiers atop the wall fighting.  She scanned the
area for the familiar pigtail and her heart stopped when she found it.
"Ranma,"  She yelled and just ran.

^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^_^_^_^_^_^

Ranma heard the clash of steal and turned to his left.  A few Tsurani
soldiers had made it atop the wall and were gaining a real foothold, pushing
the nearest defenders back.  He saw Arutha lead a charge of men into the
fray shouting "To me, for Crydee."  Ranma was already on his way after the
young prince, while the cry seemed to energize the other Crydee soldiers.

He made it to the battle a step behind Arutha, taking on one Tsurani after
the other.  They had managed to get several ladders up along side each other
and had placed a good ten to fifteen soldier atop the wall.

The fighting was fierce all around Ranma as he systematically either knocked
his opposing soldiers out or off the wall.  He had turned to face his next
opponent when he froze at the sight that faced him.  "Daisuke."  he
whispered as he looked into the face of the Tsurani soldier he had helped
before.

The moment of indecision cost him as the Tsurani stuck at his unprotected
flank, cutting a deep wound into his side before Ranma could hop out of
range.  He never took his eyes off the other Tsurani soldier as he advanced
on Ranma only to be cut down from the side by one of Crydee's soldiers.

He moved to join the fighting only to stop after a half-step when the wound
from his side reacted badly to his attempted movement.  He look down and was
surprised to see so much blood already pouring forth from the wound.

The next moment everything was still, and a shout of "Arutha!" was heard.
The adrenelaine had fled from his body and he sagged down against the wall.
A moment later Nabiki was again at his side.  He looked up into her face and
smiled.  He watched as the worry drained from her face.

"I'm fine."  He said as he staggered to his feet.

"Ok, let's get you to Kasumi."

He allowed her help him to his feet, noticing something as he stood.  He
resisted her encouragment at moving as he stood staring at the vacant
expression of a young boy so reminiscent of someone he left behind over a
year ago.  The face showed the pain and agony experienced by the dying.

Nabiki gave up trying to move Ranma and looked for what the problem was.
She took a quick look at the dead soldier a few feet away and gasped.

"Ranma, you didn't, did you?"

"No, he's the one who did this to me.  I bumped into him earlier today.  At
the fire, I knocked him down by accident. He.. I.. He looks so much like."
She put a finger to his mouth to quiet him.

"I see Ranma, I see Ranma.  Let's get you to Kasumi."  The walked away
together.


^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^_^_^_^_^_^_^^_^_^__^^_^_^__^


Arutha stood watching the Tsurani retreat for the night. After the first day
they had  attacked only at night, surprising the defenders in their tactics.
After wondering at the sanity of the attackers attacking at night when the
advantage was to the defenders, Arutha had begun to suspect that it wasn't
such a bad tactic.  It was difficult sleeping during the days, as fear of
attacked kept many awake longer than was healthy.  The Tsurani never
attacked all out, content to wear down the defenders rather than try and
overwhelm them with fresher troops.

They had only had that one breach of the wall and Arutha knew he had the
newcomers to thank.  The "bombs" that Nabiki had produced were extremely
effective in cutting down the Tsurani and those "chi" blasts that Ranma used
were extremely accurate.  Ranma could target the ladders specifically,
destroying them  and preventing many of the Tsurani from scaling the walls.
Arutha guessed the night assaults were in part an answer to Ranma. He
couldn't aim until the soldiers had reached the base of the wall so his
effectiveness was cut down.  It also reduced the effectiveness of the
cauldrons, they didn't have as much time to position them as they would have
liked.

The boy Ranma still amazed him.  He hadn't seen the injury Ranma had
received, but he heard from other soldiers, and even Carline how bad it was.
Ranma had been back two days later. Carline said Nabiki had to force him to
stay in bed for the two days he was away, apparently he was ready to return
the next day.


"Arutha, have some water."  He looked to see his sister Carline with a
bucket of water and a ladle.  He thought to himself that not all the changes
the newcomers brought were good ones.  The second night of attacks Kasumi
and Carline had led the bulk of the women from the cellar and set up "an
emergency area," Kasumi had called it.  They were currently treated the
wounded in there and running errands throughout the castle, including
bringing water and food to the walls during respites in the fighting.  Those
chores had previously been handled by the younger and or less fit soldiers.
It did allow the men more rest, but it increased his worry having women so
close to the fighting.

"How is everything?"

"I should be asking that question of you. Everything is well." She looked
around before asking. "Where is Roland?"

"I put him in charge of the North wall."

Carline's eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her face. "Thank you Arutha."

"I don't know what you mean." He smiled at her, the Tsurani had continued to
attack only the west wall, the other walls were manned by look-outs, enough
to hold-off an attack until reinforcements could arrive but effectively
bare.

Carline kissed her brother before leaving to go find Roland.

^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^

Nabiki scanned the night sky. She had never been much of a star gazer but
she had to admit they looked beautiful.  She wondered again what was
happening to her. She had become helpful to people without asking for
anything in return. She realized how much they owed these people and she
qualified her actions as repaying the kindness they had received.  It still
made her wonder.  Then there was Ranma, she was chasing the boy.  She
realized it the other day when she felt her eyes drift towards him and the
urge to go over to him kicked in.  She had refused that desire that time,
but it still made her wonder.  The changes they had all undergone worried
her.

Kasumi was more forceful, Ranma more responsible if a little colder, and she
was nicer.  The changes weren't that simple or simply limited to those
things alone, but they were the major ones.  The changes in herself and
Ranma worried her the most.  She had accepted who she was before they came
here and liked herself.  The changes to her life and personality as a result
of her trip here left her off balance, especially emotionally, and she was
extremely uncomfortable with those changes.  She also missed the
hyper-emotional Ranma, although she liked that he was a little more reserved
it didn't feel completely natural.

Ranma, her thoughts again returned to Ranma.  She had admitted to herself
that she loved him, but she was unprepared for how all encompassing that
feeling would be. They hadn't really talked since that wonderful/horrible
day back in Elvandar but they still spent all their free time together.  She
didn't really understand it, but their was some strange compulsion to seek
him out when he wasn't upon the wall or at least watch him when he was.  She
was pretty sure he liked her, but there were moments like now when that
belief was cast in doubt.  This was why she had always hidden her feelings
and true desires.  She really was emotionally ill-equipped to handle loss,
rejection, or disappointment on a serious emotional level.

Her walls were crumbling and it scared her, it was more terrifying than
anything she'd experience.  She needed to figure out how to get control
back.  She understood enough that even if she could trap Ranma into marriage
it might not make her feel better if it was a trap.  Ranma had to show some
initiative, she had to know, and words were just that, words.  She could get
him to say almost anything she wanted, she was confident of that, the thing
was he had to say it from his heart. She didn't need him to get down on his
knees to declare his undying love, although she wouldn't mind that, she
needed to know she was first in his life, and mind.  She wondered at when he
had become first in hers.  Another thing she resented about this whole
situation, he was first in her life.  Especially since it meant he had the
upper hand, and that really pissed her off.

Leaving the platform she made her way to the torch lit courtyard.  She was
pretty sure that the Tsurani wouldn't attack again that night so she would
steal some time with  Ranma.  She needed reassurance without appearing to
need it.  She hated being weak, and it was alll his fault.  She didn't see
Ranma or Kasumi, but instead saw Roland talking to Carline on the North
wall.

"Excuse me Squire Roland," she addressed the young couple, actually they
were both her own age of eighteen.

"Oh yes Nabiki," Although polite their was little enthusiasm in Roland's
response.

"Roland, it's not her fault, I would have left the cellar to help out
eventually."  Turning from Roland she faced Nabiki with a sweet smile.
"Nabiki forgive Roland, he's still upset that I'm not sitting quietly doing
nothing in the cellar." She spoke with mirth and authority.

"Crydee is home to the women as well, if we can help we will. Father Tully
admitted that the hall Kasumi set up, along with her magic and healing
knowledge,  has saved many lives already.  Not only that some soldiers that
would have been disabled, including Swordsmaster Fannon will recover
completely."

Swordsmaster Fannon had been injured during the fifth night, the same night
Ranma had been injured.  Seeing that soldier strike at her Ranma was
something she would never forget.  Kasumi had been the one to treat both
Fannon and Ranma.  Fannon's injury had left Arutha in charge.  Although
Fannon's prognosis was good, it would still be a while before he would be up
and about, while Ranma had only been sidelined for a few nights.  And too
few for Nabiki's liking.

Nabiki had played Nursemaid while he had slept.  He would wake to eat,
insist that he go back to the fighting and then fall asleep shortly after he
had lost the argument to her.

Carline continued her discourse on the wonders the women were performing.
"Not only that, but my brother agrees that our help has kept the soldiers
fresher. Not to mention the contributions Nabiki here has made. Just because
she beat you in that fight and you're overly worried about my safety doesn't
mean you can be a child and sulk about it."   Nabiki was about to correct
Carline about the outcome of the duel that never really happened, but
changed her mind, not really forgiving Roland for his words.

Nabiki was taking notes on the effectiveness of Carline's speech. Ranma
hadn't objected nearly as much as she thought he would to her presence
around the fighting, but he did on occasion make a comment or two to that
effect. She didn't know Carline all that well, only speaking to her on
occasion but Kasumi spoke highly of her and she respected any woman who
stood up for herself.  Kasumi and Carline had been close to inseparable, it
was nice to see Kasumi make a friend, she hadn't had one for a while before
they arrived at Elvandar, It didn't hurt that she was a princess either.

"I was wondering if either of you had seen Ranma?"  Although she felt a
little rude she had work to do and noting useful would come of participating
in this lover's quarrel, she had her own to participate in.

"I believe Arutha forced him to bed, I don't know how he stays standing
sometimes." Roland answered.

"Thank you, Roland, Princess"

"Nabiki," they both answered on her departure.

Nabiki made her way into the keep. Nabiki and Kasumi had been given rooms in
the guest quarters. Both rooms were larger than their rooms at the Dojo had
been, while Ranma had been put with the soldiers.  He lived in a dorm style
room with ten men in a room.  He said he didn't mind, and Nabiki believed
him, although times like this she wished it wasn't true.  Women weren't
supposed to be down in the barracks area so she knew of his sleeping
arrangements only from his word.  She had nursed him in her quarters, while
doubling up with Kasumi.

Her own uncertainty was killing her, their puritanical beliefs be damned she
was going to speak to the boy now.  She hated uncertainties, especially ones
that affected her so directly.  Maybe she could talk Carline into moving
him?  She'd ask later.

She had made her way to the section that housed the soldiers, not sure of
the exact location of his room she asked a passing soldier for directions.
He showed surprise at seeing her, but gave her directions after she
explained she had a message from Arutha.

She took a breath to calm her nerves before entering the room. The room was
pretty spartan, with two rows of five beds.  There were currently only four
men in the room,  including Ranma, all asleep.  She walked over to his cot,
it was basically a twin sized bed although a little longer.  He was wearing
his t-shirt, and his bed covers went up to his chest.  He looked so
beautiful when he slept, with a twinkle in her eyes she checked under the
covers. "Darn" she though as she saw the boxers.  She climbed in next to him
draping an arm over his shoulders.  It was a bit tight but she fit on the
bed with him.

"Ranma," she whispered in his ear.  He twitched slightly.  She kissed his
ear watching him twitch again.  Her uncertainties forgotten as she had her
fun trying to wake him up.  She took full advantage of the situation,
slipping her arm under his t-shirt.  It was sleeveless so her hand fit
easily across his shoulders as she started to caress him. "Ranma wake up."
She purred a little louder into his ear. "Come on big boy, make me yours."

She was afraid she would either burst into laughter or attack the sleeping
boy.  Either one was a real possibility at the moment.  Time to end this
before she did get too carried away.  She pecked him on the neck for good
measure. "Ranma, foods here"

"Whaahhhhhhhhh, food where?" Ranma was groggily replied.  He had been
continually draining himself in the battles and he hadn't eaten after Arutha
had sent him to bed.  He blinked to clear the sand from his eyes and felt
pressure on his chest and neck.  He looked down to see an arm inside his
t-shirt draped across his chest.  Mental gears that had shut down went
straight into overdrive.  "Akkk," he tried to twist and jump off of his bed
at the same time.  Unfortunately for him, he jumped a little too quickly and
turned a little too late.   Instead of escaping his assailant he dragged her
across the small bed further entangling himself with her.  Nabiki had tried
to extract her arm but only succeeded in pulling Ranma down on top of her.

"Well, you know you're hurting my shoulder, do you want to stay in bed with
me or get up?" Nabiki spoke playfully.  She was still a little giddy and
found the situation extremely amusing.
"Nabiki?!?! Oh sorry."  Finally realizing who he was tangled up with.

After they were both untangled and standing Ranma asked what she was doing
here.

"What do you think, I'm here to see you. We never really had that talk."  In
truth she had lost her train of thought while she was molesting the sleeping
boy.  He had an annoying habit of derailing her thought process lately, pent
up sexual frustration she mused.

"What Talk? Oh." He had an extremely expressive face, It went from surprise
when he first woke up, to tired, to confused, and now settled on
nervousness.  All in the span of the twenty seconds or so.

"I need to know some things, I won't be strung along like you did the
others."  The playfulness was gone and she affected a business tone and
attitude.

"Hey, it wasn't like that, I never."

"Shh." She sat on his bed.

"I don't want to fight or argue just talk, ok"  Nabiki spoke in a soothing
whisper.

"I . I don't know what you want me to say."  Ranma replied weakly.

"I want you to say you love me."  Nabiki answered bluntly.

"I..I "

Nabiki cut off Ranma before he had a chance to stammer too much.  "I'd
settle for what you feel.  I don't want to guess, and I don't think I can
keep throwing myself at you."

"Hey you ain't been doing that. You've been nice. Kinda scary, I mean the
other girls wouldn't leave me alone whenever they saw me. Always yelling and
saying I gotta do this, or I gotta do that."

She actually felt sympathetic for him. He was a jerk at times to them, but
they never let up.  She wondered how she would have handled his situation,
she couldn't swear she would have done better.  She wouldn't have directed
so much of her dissatisfaction at him, that much she knew.  Definitely more
diplomatic, but would the results have been any better, that was the real
question that could never be answered.

"Listen, the more I force you the less it means.  I'm asking how you feel
about me, not them, or the situation, but about me, after that we'll work on
the rest."  Maybe she was making a mistake in forcing him into something.
All she knew is that he meant so much to her, and if the feelings weren't
returned she needed to know now.

"I...don't hate you." He stammered it out.  She chuckled softly while
thinking how cute he looked.  She lied down on the small bed patting the
area in front of her. "Come here, I won't bite." He looked skeptical.
"Please," she said it meekly, hesitantly, realizing how vulnerable she felt,
how much she wanted, needed his caring.

He looked nervous, unsure of himself as he sat on the bed.

"I don't hate you either.  I just want to talk, I need to talk, I know this
is probably unfair to you.  How about this, you lie down and face away,
maybe you'll be more comfortable if you don't have to look at me?"

She was surprised by his quiet compliance, she waited for him to situate
himself before she continued. "I'll start.  I love you Ranma Saotome, it
scares me, I'm afraid that you don't feel the same way.  I'm scared I'm
turning into some stupid meek girl that just follows along after a man
without a brain in her own head.  I think about and worry about you all the
time and I hate that."

Ranma noticed the meekness in her voice. The tone shocked him, he had never
heard it come from her before. The contents of the words also surprised him,
right then he wished Akane had bashed him with her mallet or Nabiki was the
old Nabiki from the Dojo making a quick Yen either from him or off of him.

"How do you feel about me, honestly, I won't yell or hit or hate you."  Well
she might hate him she realized to herself.

God how he wished he understood life better.  He wished he knew how to
express himself, he wished he could just say he loved her without worrying
about being married in a second.  He wished he knew how he felt.  Why was
everything so damn serious with women.  "I like you, I miss you when you're
not around, I was wondering where you were when I was coming here.  I didn't
see you by the catapults, and you weren't in the courtyard or your room.  I
think I woke Kasumi." He said the last sheepishly.

She felt a slight warming in her heart at his words.  He had looked for her,
she realized she felt like a school kid. "you really looked for me." She
wrapped an arm over his shoulder and kissed it. Her heart was jumping for
joy when he didn't pull away. "That's sweet."

"Well you know, I was worried and all.  I dunno how to explain.  I know I
like you a lot, you're very pretty and all."  He was getting comfortable
talking.  He had made great strides over the last year and Nabiki always
seemed to make it easy for him.  Listening patiently while he struggled for
words.  "You make me feel good about myself. When we we're traveling here
and you were mad at me, I felt bad, like something was missing and I hated
seeing you mad."

"Ranma, That's how I felt when you ran away, Like you had stabbed me."

Ranma sighed, "I don't wanna hurt you Biki, I don't know if I can say what
you want? I love, loved your sister and I feel guilty thinking about you
more and more.  I look at you sometimes and I just wanna hold you and then I
feel guilty about Akane."

"It's ok, I understand, we have time." She stifled a yawn. "I really think
she would understand."

"Maybe, but what happens if I get separated from you, do I just find someone
else. It makes me feel, I dunno dirty being here with you, like I have no
honor or I never really loved her or something."

"You're not dirty, If we got separated for a year, I'd understand.  But
we're not going to let that happen."

Ranma turned around to face her. There was sadness to his face that made
Nabiki worry. "It happened with her." Nabiki felt a sharp pain to her heart
as she felt sadness sweeping into her being.  She hated this emotional crap,
or at least this side of the emotional spectrum.  She hated most that he was
right.

"All we have is hope. You're right, we could be separated tomorrow or the
next day or we could be together for eighty years. I'm not going to give you
up because I might loose you someday.  If that's the case I want every
second until that day to be with you.  Not playing any stupid games, or
worrying about something I can't control. I did that for too long, since my
mother died I tried to control everything, let nothing touch me and look
what happened."


She took a small breathe, both to calm herself and for air as she was
speaking rapidly now. "I know you're worried but worry doesn't always help,
It just distracts. All I'm worried about is if you want me here with you.
I'm not going to worry about you leaving or changing your mind or what
other's might think.  You're doing nothing wrong by caring about me, and
under the circumstances you're doing nothing wrong being with me.  If Akane
was here that would be different.  If we find a way home then we deal with
it then, but for know, don't run away because of problems that right now
aren't problems."

Ranma was quite for a bit after her tirade.  "What? Do you want me to forget
everything and just say your here I'll be with you?"

That hurt,  She didn't mean it like that. "If that's what you think. I'm the
only one here so you have to be with me.  Thanks Ranma, Thanks a lot."  She
started to get up missing the hurt in his eyes.

He reached out to grab her before she finished getting up.  "You're here.  I
'm happy about that.  Really happy, but I cant just forget.  You deserve
better, I'm just a stupid killer who wishes he was still just a stupid
 jock."  She turned back at him and wondered about his words.  Every once in
a while he would throw a curve-ball at her in their conversations.  It
showed a depth of thinking that always surprised and fascinated her.  It
wasn't something that was completely irrelevant to their conversation, but
it was an angle to their discussion she hadn't considered and hadn't come up
yet.  It showed a level of introspection that surprised her again and again

In the year since coming to Midkemia she had gotten to know him pretty well.
She had been extremely surprised with his actual intellect, what she had
thought of as stupidity was just lack of knowledge and interest.  He learned
quickly, he wasn't a genius but he was smarter than average.  Ranma's
understandings of other people and situations was a lot better than she had
previously given him credit for.  A combination of bad grammar and a
horrible role model and teacher in his dad had doomed him to social failure.
He didn't have tact and had an inability to formulate social solutions but
he could recognize problems that she had failed to see.  His biggest problem
though was communication and experience or knowledge. All of which were
slowly improving, with her help.

"You're doing what you have to, to protect us and others."  He hung his head
at her words as she laid down again and placed her hand on his cheek.  "We'
re all proud of you, I don't think anyone else could have done half as
 well."

Ranma couldn't explain this part to her, even if he could put it in words
accurately he couldn't admit this.  He was beginning to wonder about
himself.  Killing came naturally now.  He didn't need to steel his nerves
when he toppled a ladder. It meant nothing to him anymore that he killed.
He hated that about himself now.  The kata he developed for his staff were
basically to do two things, block as quickly as possible and strike to kill
as quickly as possible.  Nabiki didn't deserve that, he had begun to wonder
if he had ever known her before Midkemia.  She was supportive and kind and
lovely.  Sure she scolded him and teased him occasionally and he didn't
understand her at all sometimes, but what woman did he understand, but he
loved her.  There he said it to himself.  She was there for him, Akane had
tried to be there, but half the time she had made him feel worse about
things or insulted him or something, still he loved her too.  What the hell
was he doing, a beautiful woman in his bed that he loved and he was thinking
of her sister.

"I donut know how to be proud of it.  I kill probable a hundred men a day,
and I don't feel bad anymore."  Nabiki was at a loss for words.  What could
she say to that, she understood on an intellectual level but she had never
killed.  He was right in the sense that he was a killer but, "You don't
enjoy it do you?"

"NO!"  she shushed him remembering the other sleeping men in the room.

"You're doing what you have to, it's not always nice, but you're not really
a killer.  You don't take pleasure in others suffering, you don't kill if
you don't have to.  When you pulled that stupid stunt challenging that
soldier the first day you didn't kill him when you could have easily."

Ranma just sighed, not fully accepting her words, but unwilling to discuss
it further. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Thanks Biki, thanks for coming here."

"I had to, I donut know why but I had to see you, sorry about ruining your
rest."

"s'ok,"  He yawned and turned onto his back, she hesitated a second and then
turned on top of him.  She hoped she never got used to the feeling of lying
on his chest and that she got the opportunity to try.  "Everything will be
fine Ranma, we just have to stick together, I won't let anything happen to
you."  He chuckled lightly, "I thought that was my job"

"No your job is to not let anything happen to me, I protect you and you
protect me, that's how this is going to work."  She felt another surge of
joy as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her in a little
closer to him and kissing her head.

"Ok."

"I have some ideas of what we can do if we're stuck here."  She had been
thinking about ways of earning a living that didn't involve Ranma risking
his life everyday, or her and Kasumi's lives for that matter.  She was
pretty sure she could set up something when they got to Krondor, she'd need
Ranma's help because she didn't think men would do business with her.  She
started talking quietly before noticing Ranma hadn't  answered. Turning her
head slightly she saw him sleeping, "Oh well, next time.  Kami, he's
beautiful."  She just stared at him for a moment barely noticing her eyes
drooping before she fell asleep.

^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^^_^_^^__^^_^^_^_^_^_^_^__^_^^^_^_^__^^_^^_^^

Kasumi woke up the next day around noon.  Like most others in the castle she
was up for twenty hours thae slept for six to eight.  She was supposed to
join Princess Carline for lunch soon.  She really enjoyed the princess's
company, Carline reminded her a little of her sister Akane.  They had the
same fiery spirit, only the princess was a lot less violent, more mature,
and more level headed.

Kasumi dressed quickly and was out the door.  She stopped to check on Nabiki
and noted her sister's absence.  She hadn't spoken to her or Ranma much,
with all the activity during the siege.  When they weren't busy, Ranma and
Nabiki had usually been together.   She was happy that they were getting
along so well, she just missed them.  In Elvandar when their schedules were
more routine they shared all their meals together, had classes together and
trained together.  The only interruptions were when Ranma had gone off on
the occasional  patrol or raid.  That had been less often during the winter,
but during his absence it had left Nabiki to talk with.

There was no free time during this siege.  Kasumi ran the little Hospital,
working  until she was tired only stopping to eat or sleep, Carline followed
Kasumi's lead like a little sister and they shared most meals together.
Nabiki on the other hand sort of freelanced, helping where she was most
needed or with what interested her most, which was usually the catapults or
the armory.  Nabiki also tended to sleep when Ranma slept being with him
constantly when he wasn't on the wall.  Kasumi wondered if Ranma was aware
of Nabiki's devotion, she wondered if Nabiki was aware of it, or if  it was
an unconscious action.  It wasn't her business as long as they were happy.

She entered the dining hall and saw Carline sitting with her brother Arutha,
Roland, and Amos Trask.  She hadn't spent too much time with any of the men,
but they all seemed nice, Amos was a bit crude, but he was better mannered
than Happosai, and even Uncle Saotome.  Carline looked up and chuckled
calling Kasumi over to join them.

She sat as Carline spoke,  "your sister may be the boldest woman I've ever
met, first she fights Roland and then."  Carline broke off laughing before
she could finish.

Kasumi became concerned and looked at the others.  Even Arutha who she
couldn't  remembering ever looking happy had an amused grin on his face.
"What, what did Nabiki do, is she ok."

"She's fine, in fact I don't imagine she could be much better."  Amos said
as he and Roland joined the laughing princess.

"Enough," Arutha said. "Your sister apparently went to the soldiers barracks
early this morning, woke up Ranma, professed her love, and the two fell
asleep talking.  As of twenty minutes ago they were still sleeping
 together."

"Simply scandalous, I'm so jealous of her."  Carline declared in admiration.

"Carline," Roland stopped laughing instantly.

"Of her courage Roland.  I did the same to poor Pug many years ago, although
I had the good sense not to do it in public and not fall asleep there."

"What!"  Arutha almost shouted.

"It was right before you all left for Rillanon to see the king.  I needed to
know how he felt, I was young and in love.  He was a perfect gentleman and I
felt horrible afterwards for putting him on the spot."   She still grieved
for her lost first love.  It had been almost three years since he was lost
and it still hurt to think about him sometimes.  Arutha and Roland sensed
her mood and let the matter drop.

"Oh my,  that really isn't proper before they're married.  I'll go get her."
Kasumi finally spoke.

"No don't."  It surprisingly came from Arutha.  "They both need their sleep
and I'm sure it won't happen again.  I don't understand those Chi blasts of
Ranma's but they seem to drain a lot of energy from him.  If they want
quarters together tell them to let me know, but not to repeat last night.
It's inconsiderate to the other men"

Kasumi nodded while Amos spoke up.  "Your sister is a fine woman, tell her
if young Ranma doesn't come to his senses and establish some understanding
with her, their are at least a dozen men that would love to take his place.
If I were a little younger I'd be one of them."

"Oh my, how much did the other soldiers overhear?"

"Tis a little sketchy, they were apparently talking softly and the soldiers
that were there weren't sure of the outcome.  But they agreed the boys an
idiot if he didn't come to an understanding with the woman soon.  A woman
does something like that, you either marry her or run."

Kasumi considered this and knew she had to speak with her sister soon, the
curiosity was killing her.



End of chapter 8

Author's notes.  Well the first six pages I typed up this week.  The last
ten have been sitting neglected on my hard-drive for a month.  I hope you
enjoyed.  Probably one or two more chapters and the siege will be over, and
our heroes will be off again. Where too, one of three different places,
haven't decided.

I won't give any estimates as to when the next chapter will come out.  I'm
currently working on four of my own projects and helping a friend out with
one of his.

You can find me here:
kpjam@worldnet.att.net


Other chapters and stories are archived at:
http://home.att.net/~kpjam/index.html
http://www.capeboy.com/nandr/
http://tannim.anifics.com/
http://www.fanfics.net



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