Ninja Love Story

Chapter 2

I had barely gone half a mile when five men suddenly appeared before me "Wha-?!" I cried out, stunned.

"Stop that woman!" the front-most cried.

Dazed, I felt my feet stop as gusts of wind came from nowhere. My ears whistled from its forces. "Whoa! Wait, wha-?" Suddenly, a blinding light flashed that made me shut my eyes in protest. Turning away, I felt strong arms envelop me...

"So we meet again," Hanzo smiled deviously. No...!

"You?! What...?! What are you doing?" I could hardly finish voicing my thoughts as they were jumbled from my astonishment and confusion.

"Sorry, just following orders." He grabbed my arms roughly, his smile gone, as he forcefully walked me towards the man who had spoken.

"Hanzo, no!" What is going on?! He just helped me! Is he really going to kidnap me...? I grew furious at him yet again. "Let me go!" I kicked and spat, but made no contact with anything alive. Or masculine, for that matter...

"Be still," Hanzo gruffed, "If you're obedient, I won't have to get rough."

I looked at him incredulously. Are you serious?! And what do you call this, snuggling? I still resisted, and even though I did so with all my might, he held onto me with ease.

"Let me go, Hanzo!" I snarled.

"I thought I told you not to say my name so lightly, Princess." It gave me small satisfaction to hear the anger laced in his voice, even though he held onto me even tighter. I cringed from his iron grip. 

"Kazemasa, release her."

Hanzo's pressure immediately lessened as he let me go. I glared my fiercest glare at him, but he ignored it. Instead, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head in respect. "As you wish," he simply said. I followed his direction of speaking and saw a beautiful young man wearing a high-class kimono. Behind him stood three more men dressed in ninja garb.

"Who... Who are you?" Shocked, I could manage no more than a menial question.

"My name is Minamoto Yoshitsune." I know that name from somewhere... "I do not wish to be violent, but I'm afraid we can't let you leave. We have received word that Heishi assassins are approaching and it's dangerous to be out here alone."

"..." Still reeling from my shock, I could do nothing more than stand.

"You seem to be a person of status..." Yoshitsune assessed, "but then why are you here of all places?"

"I... I don't know, sir." I answered truthfully. 

"It seems she's lost her memory, but I've confirmed she has no connection to the Heishi Clan." I jumped at the sound of Hanzo's voice beside me; I'd forgotten he was there. He stood as Yoshitsune addressed me again. "You remember nothing?"

I thought hard for a piece of information to give them... "Sheeta..." I spoke my name before I even realized I had remembered it. "My name's Sheeta."

Hanzo and Yoshitsune both looked surprised, but Yoshitsune recovered first. "Sheeta..." he whispered, "It has a beautiful ring to it." He smiled warmly at me.

Despite his smile, I still looked at the ground dejectedly. "I'm afraid that's all I can recall..."

"I see..." I raised my head and as I saw Yoshitsune's smile, I realized how at ease I felt. "Sheeta, come with us. We will only see you off to a safe place, don't worry."

Can I really trust these people? I looked to Hanzo. "If you don't want to die, come with us," he said vacantly. Is Hanzo my enemy? Or my ally...? His eyes beheld the sea after a storm but still no expression. Nonetheless, I could hear my heart pounding fiercely under his gaze.