‘rescue’
Now with three on her back, Ruby was going even slower. But they reached the square quickly enough.
“This is the place?”
Nicky nodded rapidly, and Tomoyo took in the scene. It was clear that some kind of disturbance had taken place here; the tents were demolished and the place in an uproar.
Li had been there all right. But where was he now?
“Are you sure you didn’t see what happened?”
“Naw. She made me leave, said I had to tell you all what happened. When I ran, he were fighting off half a dozen men, over there.” He raised his hand to point to a wall on the far side of the market, and Eriol prodded Ruby to walk closer.
“Are you sure you’re not exaggerating just a little?” he asked dryly.
“With anyone else, I’d say he was,” Tomoyo pointed out. “But not Li.” She swallowed. There was a good deal of blood splashed on the stones here; but the bodies had already been picked up the soldiers. What if –
Oh please, Li. Please don’t be dead. Sakura’s in the palace, and you’re the only one that can save her.
She got a little lump in her throat thinking about her friend, but she’d promised herself when Eriol told her the news that she would not waste time crying or panicking. She had to keep her wits about her.
“Kero?” she called out tentatively. There was no reply, and she slid off Ruby’s back with Nicky. “Are you sure that he came here?”
Nicky shrugged.
“I just said what happened and he flew out the window in a terrific hurry. Looked right mad, he did.”
“I can imagine.” Tomoyo saw the pile of crates at the base of the wall and began to stack them up. Eriol quickly lent a hand, and soon she was able to scramble up mid-way.
“Kero?” she tried again. “Kero, are you he - ”
“I’m here, I’m here, quit shouting all over the place.” He popped up and over the side of the wall, startling her so much that she yelped and lost her footing.
“Whoa, careful.” For the second time, Eriol caught her in his arms before she could hit the ground. Kero gasped.
“Tomoyo! Run!”
“What?” The little creature folded his wings and dove straight for them, and with horror Tomoyo realized that he was about to transform. “Oh no, Kero, don’t!” She pushed herself out of Eriol’s arms and wrapped him in a quick hug. “Kero, no! They’ll be able to track us!”
His response was slightly muffled, but she caught something about a soldier attacking her, and she blushed. Of course, how could she have been so thoughtless?
“Oh no, it’s okay. He’s a friend.”
“He’s not dressed like one,” Kero pointed out when she finally released him.
“No, it’s okay. He defected, he’s on our side now.” Eriol was watching the Sun Guardian with fascination, but he was surprised enough to glance in Tomoyo’s direction.
“You mean you didn’t even tell them about me?”
“Tell us what?” Kero demanded. Tomoyo’s blush deepened.
“I, uh, I guess I wanted to keep it a secret for a while.”
“Keep what a secret?”
“Um… Kero, this is Eriol. We’ve met a few times before and, um…” Kero raised an eyebrow. Tomoyo was normally more composed than any of them, but she was squirming under his gaze now. And the captain was putting his arm around her shoulders and –
Oh.
“Bloody hell, Tomoyo. You could have told us you were having an affair with the enemy.”
“Well you don’t have to say it like that! It was sort of an accident - ”
“Never mind that now,” he interrupted. “I was following a trail of Li’s blood over the rooftops but I lost it when I got to the temples. Looks like they got away, wherever they are.”
Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief. So Li wasn’t dead. Then she realized that Kero had said ‘they’.
“Oh, Kero, terrible news. Sakura’s been captured.”
“What!”
“I saw it with my own eyes,” Eriol added. “Blackstock dragged her into the palace a little while ago. Your friend Li must have been able to escape.” Kero looked horrified, but Tomoyo was still determined not to give in to despair.
“Then I wonder where he went?”
“Would he have gone on to the palace on his own? Try and rescue her?”
Tomoyo bit her lip thoughtfully. She was thinking about how Sakura had told her of the wolf’s attack, and what Li had done to save her. They might have been making each other miserable for the past couple of days, but she had no doubt in her mind.
“Yes. Yes, I think he probably went on to the palace to save her.”
“Then we’re going too. He’ll need some kind of backup.” She nodded and leant over to face Nicky.
“Nicky - ”
“No.” He shook his head determinedly. “No, please don’t send me away again! I want to help!”
“I know you do, but it’s too dangerous. Think about your sister, Nicky, think about Claire. What if something happened to you? Who would take care of her?” Nicky hesitated, clearly torn. “You have a responsibility to her, sweetie. You have to go back and watch her. We’ll be fine. It’s too dangerous out here in the city to be with us, Blackstock is still looking to capture the Sun Guardian.”
“Is he now?” Kero snarled. It was the first time he’d spoken since she’d told him about Sakura, and Tomoyo glanced up, surprised. She’d never seen Kero look so angry, not even after the night of the overthrow. “He wants me? He’s going to get me!” And then he was up and away before she could say anything.
“Kero! Wait! Kero, come back!” It was fruitless; he was already invisible in the thickening dusk. She groaned, but Eriol gave her a comforting squeeze.
“It’s okay. We’ll catch up to him. Come on.” He swung up onto his horse easily, and helped her up behind him. She’d never mounted a horse with no tack on before, and she felt so clumsy compared to him. Ruby wheeled and began to canter away.
“Go home, Nicky!” Tomoyo called over her shoulder to the disappointed orphan. “Take care of your sister for me!”
And then he too disappeared in the dark.
- - - - - -
I never really liked heights, thought Li glumly. I guess that’s why I always pushed myself so much harder. When Jered dared me to climb this wall, I hardly hesitated.
He gritted his teeth and found another toehold in the old stone wall, pushing himself upward. Jered had never believed that he would actually take him up on the dare, and Li was so determined to prove himself to the nobles that he refused to give into his acrophobia. Never mind that he had almost killed himself when he fell off. He grinned, remembering how angry Wei had been.
And now I’m doing it again. Stupid. But I can’t think of any other way in. This is the only section of the palace perimeter that’s relatively undefended.
Up a little further…just a little more.
At long last he pulled himself over the top of the wall, and took a short moment to rest. His right shoulder was aching still, but even it felt better after Kaho’s healing touch to his arm. More than anything else, the pain reminded him of Sakura. His drive to rescue her consumed him, blanketed his pains and discomforts and fear of heights. No matter what, he had to get her.
Even so, his stomach gave a jolt upon looking down. It was going to be even harder to clamber down the other side, and he would have to do it slowly and quietly as to not attract any attention from soldiers in the yards.
“Hey Li!” He jumped and almost fell right off when he beheld the monster beside him. A great winged cat, like a griffin, was floating in the night sky just an arm’s length away. Li yelled and tried to back away, clutching for his pendant.
“Get away! Get off - ”
“Hush up,” the monster said, irritably. “You’re wasting time. It’s me, stupid.”
The deep and rumbling voice wasn’t any that Li recognized, but the attitude –
“Kero?”
“That’s right,” it answered cheerfully. He lit on the wall by Li, stretching his huge white wings out and luxuriating in Li’s awe. “This is that ‘other form’ that Sakura spoke of so longingly. Much improvement, don’t you think?”
He preened a little, and Li tried to get his breath back.
“But – but didn’t she say they would detect you?”
Now the beast snarled a little.
“That’s right. They want me, and they’re going to find me. I’m here to run distraction while you find the prince. We both know she’ll never leave the palace if she thinks he’s in danger. Now climb on. We’ve got to move.”
Li checked at the sight of the fearsome cat, but the thought of clambering down the palace wall was scarier still. He climbed on Kero’s back and they shot out into empty space. Li’s stomach heaved, and he clutched at the thick hair to keep from falling off.
“Where were you when I was climbing up the other side?”
“Well, if you had waited instead of running off to be hero - ”
“Oh, never mind.” Li could hear shouts of astonishment and surprise beneath them, and it was clear that Kero had attracted some attention. “Just fly to the dungeons already. You’re going to have to hurry.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Kero grunted, and took a sudden dip to avoid a flying arrow. Li closed his eyes and squeezed tighter.
- - - - - -
Sakura closed her eyes and gripped the edges of the stool until she felt better, then opened them again. She would not give into nausea or hysterics, not now. She was stronger than that. In the back of her mind, she could hear Li telling her to be calm, to not give into her fear. She was determined to be as strong as he was.
The fire crackled merrily in front of her, the only noise in the room. There should have been a poker beside it to stir up the wood, but it was gone. Most likely anything in the room that could have been used as a weapon was removed on Gorrell’s orders. After searching for her so long, he wasn’t about to let Sakura escape from his own bedroom.
The soldier standing guard by the door hadn’t moved an inch, but his sword was drawn and he was watching her every move.
I still don’t regret it. I’m scared, I’m terrified, my hands are shaking like autumn leaves, but I know I had to do it. I love him and I can not watch any more people that I love die. Especially not for me.
She set her jaw as she stared, dry-eyed, into the fire. The only other furniture in this room was the bed itself, and she wasn’t about to go near it. So she perched on this little stool nervously, clutching her white satin nightgown between sweaty palms.
I know I had to do it…but I’m still scared. He’s so strong and ruthless. Will it hurt? If only I’d been able to do it with Li, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. But it’s too late now.
Li is gone. He left me to save his own life, like I begged him to, and I hope he’s headed back to his valley by now. He never deserved to be mixed up in all this in the first place. It’s my fault, all of it. And I’ll never see him again.
Somehow, that left an ache even worse than her fear of the General, and she had to take another deep breath.
Stay calm. Don’t give into your fear.
- - - - - -
Li rolled across the ground and jumped to his feet, knocking down a soldier who came running. It was dark and most of the men were attracted to Kero’s bright golden glow, chasing him as he flapped his wings and soared upward once more. Li watched as he opened his mouth and spewed flame onto those that were unlucky enough to be in range. He had wondered how such an annoying little creature could be Sakura’s guardian. Not anymore.
Now he was running pell-mell for the thick wooden doors, barely hindered by the two guards who attempted to thwart him. All of his earlier fears had been swept away in the temple; he attacked without hesitation or fear. He was the stronger fighter, and he would not allow anyone to stand in his way.
The doors had been left foolishly unlocked as soldiers came running out to confront Kero, and they never even made it past Li. He jumped over the bodies and ran into the entrance to the dungeon, racing down the long and winding stairways. The dungeons were a part of the palace that he’d never explored when living here; nobody he knew had ever gone into them. But he could see a glow of fire at the end of a dark corridor, and he followed it until he reached two rows of cells.
Occupied cells. Li swallowed a little as he saw all the people lying in chains, and recalled Sakura reading ‘dissident’ on the wall of their temporary shelter. Had that only been that afternoon? It seemed a year ago.
Where would the prince be? He strode past the cells, urgency beckoning him to move faster. He did not have a lot of time, anything could be happening to Sakura right now and –
He came to an abrupt halt. This man was chained to the wall in a cell of his own, half-asleep and his nose broken, but Li recognized him anyway.
“Captain?” The older man stirred slightly and looked at him, confused, then his eyes widened.
“Look out!” Li reacted instantly, slamming his elbow behind him and catching the guard full in the face. The soldier stumbled back and drew his sword, but Li evaded it easily and swiveled into a reverse hook kick, knocking him out with a well-placed strike to the temple. Li pulled the keys from his belt before he even hit the ground, and started to unlock the cell door.
The prisoner inside whistled.
Wow. Impressive technique. There’s only one man that this boy could have learned that from.
“Not bad,” he grunted, as Li knelt beside him to unlock his chains.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I guess you’re him.”
“Him?”
“The one that’s got Gorrell so scared.” Li found the right key at last and twisted, freeing Blacken’s right wrist. He blinked in surprise.
Me? Got Gorrell scared?
“You’re the peasant,” the captain continued. “The one that saved the king last year.”
Li reddened slightly as he unlocked the left wrist. He’d always admired Raoul Blacken, ever since he was a boy, and he felt a touch of shame as he realized what the man must think of him.
“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with the princess?”
Li hung his head. “There were too many of them. She’s been taken to him.”
“Oh.” It was impossible to detect what the captain was thinking.
“I’m sorry, sir. I failed. I lost.”
“Hmph. Did you die?”
“What?”
“No. You’re still breathing, still kicking. You didn’t lose. You just prolonged the fight.” Blacken held out his hand and let Li pull him to his feet. He was dizzy, but it would pass. “And you came back to get her, I assume.”
Li nodded.
“Then you’re doing your job. If they hadn’t kicked you out when they did, if you’d become a fighter of the King’s Own, then you would have taken a pledge like the rest of us. You would have sworn to protect and defend the royal family at all costs. And that’s what you’re doing. So don’t waste any time feeling bad, kid.” Raoul snatched the keys from the boy’s astonished hands and began to limp toward the cell door. “You’re going to have to rescue her on your own, the men and I are in no shape for a fight. We’ve been chained to a wall for three weeks.”
Li felt a trifle nonplussed at this man’s matter-of-fact tone, and he trailed him as he began to unlock his companion’s cells.
“You want me to do it? Even though I lied to Master Wei and everybody? I’m just a peasant.”
“Hell, kid, do I look like I’ve got time to worry about that? There are townspeople and nobles down here; me and the men have got to get them out. You’re the only one fit enough to find her. So go do it, already.”
Li nodded again and glanced around.
“Where’s the prince’s cell? I have to make sure he gets out. She won’t leave without him.”
“I don’t know. The prince was never brought to the dungeons.” Raoul paused thoughtfully. “He might be in the tower. The king never used it, but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Gorrell put him in there. It’s the sort of thing he would do.”
“The tower. Right.” Li turned to leave, but the captain spoke up again.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“What about the princess’ companions? What happened?”
“Her servant is hiding somewhere in the city, but Kero is attacking the men outside. If he covers you, I think you can get out through the courtyards.” Raoul nodded and smiled, looking a little more relieved that Li would have predicted. Even with Kero breathing fire, it was still going to be a difficult escape. But they were the King’s Own, after all. And time was wasting.
Li tapped two fingers to his temple in imitation of the King’s Own salute, which the captain returned, and he turned to run the length of the dungeon. He was heading for the other exit, the one that led up into the palace itself. He knew there had to be one, Sakura said that was how they escaped in the first place. Hopefully he would be able to find the tower soon enough.
I gave the salute. I really shouldn’t have, I was never sworn into the guard. But he returned it. He must believe in me. And he doesn’t care whether I’m a noble or not.
Li began to run a little faster.
If Captain Blacken believed in him, then it must be all right. He could do this.
- - - - - -
Enough.
Touya clenched the chains in his fists as he stared at the door.
I have had enough. As long as Sakura was free and out of his grasp, I was patient. But he could be hurting her right now, and I can not be patient any longer. I don’t care what happens to me, and she doesn’t have the luxury to. I will not let him use me against her.
Anxiously he waited for the guard to come through and give him food. But it was taking an awfully long time. He was edgy, frightened for Sakura, and beginning to worry that tonight they weren’t going to feed him. At long last he heard the key turn in the lock, and his muscles tensed. It would be now or never.
But the man that came through was not the guard. A stranger was dragging a body into the cell, the body of the soldier who had been standing watch.
What the –
The stranger dropped his load and gave him a cursory glance.
“You the prince?”
“Yes…”
“Good. Come on, we’re getting out of here.” Li knelt to pull the keys off the guard’s belt and crossed the cell. “Give me your hand.”
Feeling a trifle dazed, Touya extended his right hand, and Li began searching for the right key.
“I guess you’re him, aren’t you? The reason Gorrell’s been throwing fits this past week.”
Li nodded, feeling another twinge of surprise. All he’d ever wanted was to be important, to matter in the palace. And now he did. He wasn’t so sure it was a good idea anymore.
At last he found the right key and Touya held out his left hand.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Li.”
Touya waited expectantly, but there wasn’t a family name forthcoming. “What are you doing here?”
“She was captured. I came to rescue her.”
“I know that,” Touya said impatiently. Li extended his hand but Touya waved it away, standing on his own. “What I meant was, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you finding her?”
Li felt slightly taken aback. He’d rather expected the prince to be grateful for his rescue.
“I had to find you first. She’d never leave without you.”
Touya grunted at that and began to limp towards the cell door. The kid was probably right, but he still didn’t like it.
“Well, you shouldn’t have wasted your time. But you’re here now, so let’s go.”
He grabbed the guard’s sword and left the cell, leaving Li to close the door behind them.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“Where do you think? To the military quarters.”
“But you’re in no shape for a fight,” Li panted as he caught up with him. The prince was limping, but pushing himself at a fast pace as he strode down the corridors. “I already freed the captain of the guard, he took the men to escape through the courtyards. You’re supposed to catch up with them and get out.”
“Not a chance. I made a promise to Gorrell, and I’m going to keep it. That’s my sister that he’s got. I’m not leaving her.”
Li didn’t like it, but he wasn’t sure what to do except keep going. The prince would obviously have to be stopped by force, and he didn’t have time to fight him.
“Well, fine. But don’t get in my way, all right?”
Touya snorted. Attitude. Terrific. Just what he didn’t need.
“Who are you anyway? Where did you come from?”
Li peeked around a corner: all clear. They continued across the palace.
“It’s a long story.”
“Indulge me.”
Li gave the prince an irritated look. “I was a peasant, I pretended to be a noble, enrolled in the King’s Own classes, got caught, got thrown out. All right?”
Touya raised his eyebrows. “You’re joking. You mean that rumor was true?”
Li blew his bangs out of his eyes in frustration. “Yes, the rumor was true! Doesn’t anybody in the royal family know what’s going on in their own palace?”
“Apparently not,” Touya answered in a sober tone. “I’m the prince, you know.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“It was my job to keep an eye on the state of the people. I was supposed to be watching them. I was born to do it. The entire army rose up against us, and I had no idea it was even coming.”
They turned a corner and surprised a soldier; both of them quickly raised their swords.
“Don’t spend too much time feeling sorry about it,” Li advised, as he raised his sword to block the other’s swing. “Focus on righting the tragedy that has occurred.” He stabbed the soldier with a fatal blow, then wiped his brow with his sleeve. The prince was looking at him shrewdly, first his face and then the fading cut on his left arm.
“Have you been talking to Kaho?”
- - - - - -
“Finally,” the General snapped when Blackstock came galloping up. “Where have you been? The Sun Guardian is wreaking havoc around the outer edges of the palace, I need someone to take charge here.”
The colonel drew his sword and followed the beast with his eyes as he flew across the sky.
“I was looking for him in the city. What’s he doing here?”
“Came for the princess, obviously.” Blackstock scowled. If that was true, the Guardian wasn’t doing a very good job of it. He was flying randomly, apparently intent on as much destruction as he could accomplish in the courtyards. He wasn’t even trying to invade the palace buildings.
“Animal,” Blackstock snorted. “He’ll be dead on the stones before long.”
“Good. I’ll leave you to take care of this mess.” Gorrell traced a finger lightly along the collar of his tunic and smiled. “I have someone else to deal with. I’ll be in my chambers.”
He turned and left the yards.
Raoul grinned as he twisted and threw the attacking soldier over his shoulder. He was stiff and sore, but the thrill of escape was charging his muscles with new energy. Evidently the rest of the men felt the same way, and they were fighting off the enemy with a zeal that he wouldn’t have expected for their condition. Instinctively they surrounded the more helpless civilians in a flanking formation as they moved toward the front gate. Opposition was thin and scattered, all the soldiers were confused by the Sun Guardian’s random attacks.
But the danger was still great. The captain froze as he caught sight of a marksman aiming his bow at him, but help came from an unexpected source. A man, dressed in the uniform of a military officer, slashed his sword down on the crossbow, then cut a lethal blow into the man. Raoul was astonished, but no less so at the sight of the girl standing behind the officer, clutching a crossbow of her own.
“Tomoyo! Tomoyo, what are you doing here?” She glanced up at the sound of her name and recognized him, hurrying to cover the distance between them.
“Captain Blacken! Come on, Eriol’s cleared an escape path to the front gate with Kero’s help. We can - ”
She broke off with a squeal as he dropped his sword and clutched her to his chest. He couldn’t understand why she was here, amidst all this danger, but he was so relieved to see her that he didn’t care. He just hugged her and hugged her. He hadn’t had a chance to touch her since the Midwinter Ball.
Finally he let go, and she pulled away with a confused look in her violet eyes.
“Captain?”
“I thought I’d never see you again,” he whispered, reaching up to stroke her beautiful black hair. Oh, how he had missed that face. “You look so much like your mother.”
Tomoyo felt her insides give a lurch as she realized what he was saying. All around them, people were fighting, battling to the death, but somehow this was more important.
“You mean…” The captain of the guard smiled tenderly.
“Your mother and I loved each other very much, but nothing could happen, not while I was serving with the King’s Own. It was the queen who arranged for you to become the princess’ aide, so that I could see you regularly. I was going to tell you when I retired, but circumstances have changed the rules, I think.”
She was still staring at him in shock when her friend came running to join them.
“Tomoyo, come on, what are you waiting for? We have to get these people out of the palace!”
“Um,” she replied. “Um, Captain Eriol Hiiragizawa, meet Captain Raoul Blacken of the King’s Own… my father.”
In the darkness and confusion of battle, he missed her glazed expression.
“Oh,” he said cheerfully and extended his hand. “How do you do. I’d like to marry your daughter, if that’s all right.”
Raoul’s eyebrows went up. “You’ve left the army?”
“Oh yes. Your daughter convinced me that Gorrell was the true enemy.”
“Well, then, you must be all right. But I think we’ve got bigger worries before we can start planning any weddings.” Anxiously he glanced back at the palace, but Tomoyo laid a hand on his arm.
“It’ll be all right, Capt – um, Father. Li will save her. Come on. We have to get out of here.”
- - - - - - -
Touya eyed Li cynically as he strode ahead of him. He’d never known a peasant could look so determined, so sure of himself. Touya found that attitude both annoying and a challenge. It was too bad he was so out of shape, he would have really enjoyed a sparring session with this man. Maybe one day in the future.
“I don’t understand what in the hell you were thinking, letting her come back to Tomoeda. Why didn’t you make her escape the kingdom?”
Li ground his teeth a little. “Excuse me, your highness. I thought I made it clear that it wasn’t my journey. She made up her mind to get to the capital, I was just along for the ride because my home was gone.”
“You spent a week traveling with Sakura and risking your life just because you had no home?”
“Well, no. I guess I felt sorry for her, a little. I mean, she had no idea how to get to the capital, and she was helpless in the countryside.”
“Uh-huh. So you stayed by her, and protected her?”
“That’s right.”
“All the time?”
“All the time,” Li affirmed solemnly, and yelped indignantly when Touya yanked on his shirt and pushed him up against the wall. “Hey!”
“So you slept with her?”
“No!”
“So you did leave her alone!”
“No!”
“Well, which is it?”
Touya’s eyes were flashing as he glared at Li, and Li found himself gulping. There was something very intimidating about the prince’s eyes. He remembered Sakura’s comments in the cherry orchard a few days before.
“Well, yes, she did fall asleep beside me.” Touya’s hand was on his right shoulder, and he gave a merciless squeeze. Li winced. “But nothing happened, I swear it! I didn’t do anything, not even when she was bathing - ” Touya bristled, and Li hastened to explain. “I mean, there was that one kiss, three actually, but I never let it go any further!”
Touya’s expression had grown even darker at the mention of kissing, but he didn’t strike Li. Instead he just narrowed his eyes and studied him, then gave an anguished groan and released him.
“Oh gods, I should have known. You’re in love with her!”
Li felt caught off-guard. “What? No I’m not.”
“You are,” Touya replied dejectedly, and set off again in the direction they’d been headed.
“But – but I’m not. I’m a peasant. And I hate royalty!”
His words sounded thin and weak, and it was plain that the prince didn’t believe a word he said.
“Sure. Whatever.”
Li had been resisting this thought, struggling to keep it out of mind, ever since Sakura had revealed her true feelings for him. He didn’t want to admit that he loved her too.
“I mean it,” Li pressed, almost begging. “I don’t feel anything like that for your sister!”
“Yes you do. I can see it all over you. It’s disgusting. And I suppose she’s in love with you too.”
Li hesitated, and Touya read his expression plainly.
“I was afraid of that. Perfect, just perfect. Years of fighting off the nobles, and I lose her to some scruffy peasant.”
Li straightened his shoulders defensively, but Touya wasn’t even looking in his direction anymore.
“Where is the justice in this universe?” he muttered. “Of all the stupid ironies…”
“What, don’t think I’m good enough? Because I’m a peasant?”
“Nobody,” Touya said firmly, “is good enough for her. That includes nobility of all ranks. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to deal with you right now. We have to get to the General. After I’ve taken care of him…” The prince cracked his knuckles enthusiastically. “We’ll talk”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
- - - - - -
The colonel sighed in an exasperated manner. All efforts to surround the Sun Guardian had failed, and the archers simply weren’t quick enough to catch him. It was impossible to predict which direction he would fly next; his movements seemed entirely purposeless. Random, and flashy. Not what he would have expected of such a supposedly formidable fighter…
Random and flashy. Of course.
Blackstock spun on his heels and began striding toward the palace.
“Sir! Sir, where are you going?”
“Continue to try and bring him down, Lieutenant. I’m placing this in your hands now. I have to go deal with a criminal.”
He didn’t bother to turn around and take in his officer’s expression, but pushed open a door and began to run. The whole attack had been nothing more than a distraction, and he had been blind to not see it. No doubt the peasant had already invaded the palace, but he would not get far. Gareth Blackstock would see to it.
- - - - -
After what seemed an age, the door to the bedroom finally opened, and Sakura’s breath caught in her throat.
Don’t give in to your fear. Don’t give in to your fear.
Her hands were shaking again, and she clutched the edge of the stool and stared at the fire in front of her.
Nikolai indicated for the guard to remain just outside the doors, then shut them behind him. At long last, he was alone with the princess. She hadn’t turned to face him yet, still staring at the fire, but he could hear her shallow breathing. She looked so little and helpless, perched on that stool, and he had to restrain himself.
It would be unseemly to jump her right off. There was plenty of time, and he had been looking forward to this for so long. No time was ever as good as the first, and he wanted this to last as long as possible.
He unclipped his scabbard and rested his sword against the wall, by the door. And then he began to cross the room in slow, careful steps.
Odd that there’s no guard, thought Li, but kicked open the door and brandished his sword. Much to his astonishment, the room was completely empty.
“It’s the wrong one,” he informed the prince, who shook his head in confusion.
“No, it can’t be. I know that this is his room, this is the room that every commander-in-chief stays in - ”
He broke off, a look of horror on his young face.
“What?”
“My parent’s room. He declared himself king, he must have moved into my own parent’s bedroom.” Shock gave way to rage, and he struck one of the bedposts with a vicious swipe of the sword. “Son of a bitch is going to violate my sister in the bed where he murdered my parents. I’m going to kill that man, I really am.”
Li felt a little sick about what Sakura must be going through, and he swallowed.
“Then come on, we need to get to the royal suites.” Touya looked as though he was struggling to contain himself, clenching his fist and breathing heavily. “Your highness. Touya. Come on, we have to go.”
After a tense moment, the prince opened his eyes and nodded. They returned to the corridor, but they’d hardly taken five steps when they came to a halt. Colonel Blackstock had rounded the corner and stood facing them, sword drawn and ready to fight.
“I thought I’d find you here,” he said icily. “Your highness. Peasant.” He turned his gaze on Li, and there was a glitter of bloodlust in his eyes. Both men raised their swords warily. “You’ve failed, both of you. You’ll never get to her now. And it will be my pleasure to dispatch you both.”
“You can try,” the prince scoffed, but Li laid a hand on his arm.
“Your highness, no. You can’t possibly take him on like this.”
“But I - ”
“Go. He’s only trying to delay us, you know it. Go find Sakura. This is what I have to do.”
Touya seethed, he hated walking away from a fight. But the peasant was right. Every second that ticked by was another second that Sakura was with Gorrell. She was more important than his pride. But could this kid really take on one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom?
There was a steely determination in those brown eyes, and Touya backed away with a nod.
“All right. Good luck.”
Guess I’ll have to take the long way around.
He turned and began to jog down the corridor. The colonel watched him go, annoyed, but there wasn’t anything that could be done about it. The peasant was glaring at him as he took a few steps forward, and both combatants twirled their swords around once in preparation.
It was time to conclude the battle that had begun in the inn’s yard a week earlier. It was time to finish this.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
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