‘the whipping’
The human body is remarkable in its rapid adjustment to new schedules of sleeping. Despite the late hour she had gone to sleep, and the fitful dreaming, Sakura awoke before the first rays of dawn. In the gray half-light, her eyes fluttered open to look directly into Li’s. His arms were still around her and he was studying her so intently that he didn’t even seem to notice that she was awake.
“Uh, good morning.”
“You looked at me once, you know.”
“What?”
“That’s why I thought your eyes looked so familiar when I first met you.” He propped his head up on one elbow and continued to gaze at her. “I was fourteen, I suppose you were probably thirteen or so. You and your mother were walking past our training courtyard, on the verandah above our heads. The class had to stop in the middle of a drill to stand at attention. I couldn’t really see the queen, and I was thinking how annoying it was to have to stop for a couple of women. And then you turned your head to smile at the class, and you looked right at me.”
Sakura was silent. There was that pain in those brown eyes again, and a longing so intense that it made her hurt to look at it.
“I remember thinking that you didn’t know. You were looking right at me, smiling at me like I was any one of those nobles. As far as the princess knew, I was as good as anyone in that class. It was a nice feeling.”
Abruptly he rolled away and stood up to move to the water’s edge. She sat up and watched him splash his face with cold water.
“You were as good as anyone in that class,” she said firmly. “And what’s more, I think it’s lucky that you were caught.”
He looked up, surprised.
“What?”
“Maybe it’s selfish of me to think that, but I’m glad it happened. The men of the King’s Own are good men, Li, very brave and dedicated. And do you know where they are right now? Dead, or chained up in the dungeons. I can feel it. You’d be with them if you’d stayed in the palace. But instead you were out here in the country, and you saved me. Saved us. You’re the one reason that I still have any hope at all of surviving this mess. Maybe this was meant to happen.”
For a moment, they just stared into one another’s eyes, both a little surprised at the words she’d just uttered. Then she stood and scrambled up the side of the bank to duck into the privacy of the wheat field.
Li scooped a handful of water and looked at it a little blankly. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of Sakura’s statement.
That’s crazy. Meant to happen? What, like destiny? That it was fate that led to my expulsion, so that I’d be right there in my valley when she came wandering through? It’s a little farfetched. Maybe I’ve helped her out a little, but it’s not as if I’m the only hope for the kingdom, or anything. I’m just a peasant. I’m nobody.
Tomoyo was crawling out of the tent now, trailed by a sleepy Kero.
“Good morning.”
“Morning. Feeling all right?”
“Yes, thank you. I’m so grateful you found me last night, Li. I’m so sorry that I almost led him right to us!”
He could not look at her, and stared fiercely at his reflection in the creek.
“Don’t say sorry. Fold up the tent. It’s time to move.”
Sakura almost felt disappointed that the wild forest was now a memory. It was much easier to walk down between the rows of crops, but the challenge of foraging for food was gone. They stopped for a rest in the afternoon, and she tried to ignore her growling stomach.
“When are we going to find something to eat?” complained Kero at last, voicing her thoughts. “I’m flying on empty here.”
Li shot him a typical glare before leaning over and stretching on the ground.
“We’re back in civilization now, fluffy. The rules are different. We’re coming up on a village, but we’re not going any closer until it’s darker. Some game might come through here, though.” He picked up his bow. “Maybe we’ll get lucky. In the meantime, try to get a little rest.”
Both girls nodded and curled up on the ground, between the early green stalks. Sakura felt ready for a nap, but even after she closed her eyes she couldn’t sleep.
I wish I could remember. I wish I could recall that day. If only I knew when he was talking about. I was walking right past their class; I know I would have looked over to see them. I always did. Did I see him? Did I look right at him? I wonder what he looked like back then.
Her thoughts were beginning to blur as she sank into a doze. She saw herself walking on clouds, unaware of the people working beneath her, serving her, training to risk their lives for her. She didn’t like it, didn’t want it, but she couldn’t do anything about it. Over and over again Li walked past her in the marble halls of her home, for years. But she never saw him, he kept fading out too fast. He was nothing in her eyes… until it was too late.
Disturbed by this revelation, she twitched in her sleep and murmured.
“Don’t go…Li…I can’t… don’t go…”
He swallowed as she spoke in her sleep, and tried to pretend he hadn’t heard it. Nope, not at all.
She whimpered in her sleep. “Li, don’t…”
He couldn’t take it anymore and gripped her hand in his. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”
That calmed her down at last, and she fell into a deeper slumber. Unable to stop himself, he covered her hand with both of his and rubbed it tenderly. She had such beautiful, delicate hands.
“Why are you doing this to me, your highness? Please, stop it.” But it wasn’t her that was doing anything; he was holding her hand. He could have let go. But he didn’t.
- - - - - -
Gareth frowned as he carefully balanced on one leg, drawing the sword across mid-air in slow motion. Then he exploded into a fury of strikes, slicing at his imaginary enemy’s vital points, methodically and with lethal accuracy. It was typical, when running through his drills, that he practiced as if facing someone his own height and build. But now…
Now he could see his enemy in his mind. Slightly shorter, young, and fast. It had been many years since Gareth had lost a swordfight, and that loss by the kitchen had been particularly humiliating. His standing in front of his men had been tarnished, and he did not care to let that image linger. He would rectify it. He would defeat this man.
The drill was complete, and he resumed his starting position before resheathing his sword.
Where to next? The news that the captain had brought back, while frustrating, did give them a few clues. Apparently the princess was near the east side of the forest, rather than the north, as he’d thought. Unexpected, but perhaps they had come that way in the hopes of avoiding a trap. It was difficult to predict what direction they’d gone after that episode last night, but he’d sent clouds of scouts in every direction, hoping to smoke them out of cover before nightfall. Captain Hiiragizawa he had kept with him at their temporary HQ.
There was no doubt in the colonel’s mind that the captain was extremely intelligent, and one of the best trackers in the army. But the army valued loyalty over intelligence any day, and there was something about the young man’s attitude that troubled Gareth. He didn’t follow his superiors’ orders with the right deference. Rather, he acted as though he was doing the army a favor by staying on, and that unnerved Gareth. He wanted Hiiragizawa closer to him, until he was sure that there was no cause for worry. He would not unleash an officer out into the countryside who had nothing less than pure devotion to the government, and to the General.
Moodily the colonel watched the sun begin to slide toward the western horizon. Only in the purity and loyalty of its soldiers did the new government stand a chance. And the new government was the kingdom’s only hope of law and order. He’d sacrificed so much for this, and he would not let it fall apart now. Gareth Blackstock would bring order to the people of Hapeynia, or he would die trying.
- - - - -
“Touya, come on, stop it!” Sakura was beside herself with giggles, but she managed to send a stern look to her brother. “Play it for real, I know you can.”
He smirked in her direction.
“Say the magic word.”
“I’m a sorceress, dear brother. All my words are magic.” Yukito chuckled at that, and raised his arm to twirl her around before doing the same with his other arm for Tomoyo. Once again Touya pressed the keys of the old organ, filling the now-empty hall with soft melody. It was extremely late, the king and queen had long since retired and the nobles had eventually filtered away. But Sakura and Tomoyo were in a silly, hyper mood and not ready to go to bed just yet. Playfully Yukito tried to conduct a formal dance with one of them on each arm, both girls shrieking with laughter. Yawning servants clearing away the buffet tables smiled at the sight and straightened their shoulders a little. The princess brought laughter with her everywhere in the palace.
“Okay, okay, for real this time.” Touya concentrated on playing one of the songs his mother had taught him, a soft and sweet waltz.
“I’m out,” Tomoyo declared and backed away from the other two. “I know the words to this song.” She began to sing, her voice gentle and sweet in accompaniment to the organ.
Sakura lost herself gazing into Yukito’s eyes as they danced across the hall, and Touya just smiled and shook his head. It would never work, he knew; he knew that Yukito only loved his little sister as if she was exactly that: Yukito’s sister too. But he was pleased nonetheless. Yukito was the only man he would ever trust with his sister, so it was just as well that she was so madly in love with him. At least he wouldn’t take advantage of her.
Touya finished the song, and Sakura gave a deep curtsy.
“Thank you so much for the dance, kind sir.”
“The pleasure was all mine, your highness.”
“I’m breathless from all that exertion,” she declared. “I need something to drink.” She made for the bottle of wine on the floor by the organ, but Touya snatched it away just in time.
“Oh no, you don’t. You are way too young for this, little missy.”
“Touya! I’m almost sixteen, that’s plenty old enough for a drink. Everybody else my age drinks it.”
“That’s no excuse, you’re not getting a sip of this.” He stood and held it over her head; she tried but wasn’t nearly tall enough to reach. He laughed at her vain attempts. “See? When you’re tall enough to get it out of my hands, then I’ll let you have a drink.”
“Touya!” She groaned in exasperation, she did hate it when he tried to act like Father. He was so arrogant and condescending. “You know I’ll never be tall enough!”
“That’s the idea.”
“You think you’re so smart.” She reached forward and tickled his exposed ribs, and he brought his elbows down to protect himself. “Ha!”
“Oh, you just made a deadly mistake there, princess.” Too late she tried to run away, but he grabbed her and pinned her arms to her sides. “Quick Yuki, help me hold her down!”
“No!” she shrieked, helpless with laughter as he tickled her like crazy underneath her arms. “No, Yukito, help! Please!” Tomoyo was beside herself with laughter as she collapsed against the organ bench, vainly trying to draw a breath. Yukito was laughing too as he grabbed at her flailing legs and gripped her ankles.
“This really isn’t appropriate behavior as a bodyguard,” he said contritely. “But I can’t help myself. It’s just too easy.”
“Traitor,” she squealed, right before losing herself in a fit of hysterical giggles.
- - - - - -
The dread sound of the key turning in the lock woke Touya, a little half-smile still lingering on his face. That smile disappeared as he scrambled to his feet.
What are they doing back so soon? It’s so fuzzy… so hard to remember, but I’m sure they were just here a few hours ago. It can’t be time for more water yet.
“Don’t move a muscle until you’re told to,” barked the lieutenant, resting his sword lightly against the base of Touya’s throat. Another soldier was busily unlocking the chains around Touya’s wrists. When he finished, he backed away carefully and drew his own sword.
“Hands on your head. March.” Much to Touya’s surprise and dread, he realized they were walking him out of the cell, which hadn’t happened since his imprisonment. What was going on? “Pick up the pace. Your lord and leader is waiting for you.”
A sword pricked him lightly in the back to prod him along. He didn’t know why he was being marched out of his cell like this, but he was sure it couldn’t be good. He should try it, try to escape now. This might be his only chance.
But already his legs had just been subjected to more exercise than he’d experienced in over two weeks. It was taking every bit of effort on his part just to stay upright and walk as fast as they wanted him to, without tripping on the chain that locked his ankles. To run was unthinkable. To fight was unimaginable. And he had promised himself that he would not die on his sister. So he kept marching.
- - - - - -
“Time to move,” Li said softly, shaking both girls on their shoulders. “Come on, let’s go.” Sakura yawned and stretched, then sat up.
“Mmm… that felt nice. I guess I really needed the rest.”
“Uh-huh.” Li had an odd look in his eyes, before turning his face away from her to take a sip from his waterbag. “Come on, the village is straight through these fields. Once we’re there we can do something about food, hopefully.”
Obediently she and Tomoyo rose, and Sakura strapped the tent onto her back. Tomoyo carried both their waterbags and Li hefted the crossbow. In the beautiful spring evening they began to move across the field.
- - - - -
Touya found himself facing Gorrell near a doorway to a courtyard. It wasn’t one he recognized, despite him having lived in the palace his entire life. It was far too large to explore fully, even for a child as curious as he had been.
“Well?”
The General only smirked and nodded his head to the doorway. “Today’s your lucky day, prisoner. You get to see sunlight.”
A soldier opened the door, and late afternoon sunlight spilled into the hallway. It was brighter than anything Touya had seen in weeks, and he flinched and closed his eyes. The bright purple spots dancing behind his eyelids were dizzying, and he didn’t think he could take another step. His guards had to take one of his arms each and half-drag him outdoors.
“Shirt,” he heard the General order, and something cold and metallic ran across his back. They were cutting off his shirt, and he tried not to panic. He knew that that was what Nikolai wanted, for him to show fear. It wouldn’t happen. His mother had told him that he was the strong one. He could take it, whatever it was.
Now they were chaining his wrists again, to a pair of vertical poles in the yard. Hesitantly he opened his eyes to the glare of daylight, and tried to focus on the General’s face.
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to understand, your highness. I want you to understand why I did what I did. My reasons.”
“I know why you did what you did.” Touya’s eyes were adjusting, and he opened them fully to glare at his tormentor. “Because you wanted the power. You wanted to rule the kingdom.”
“It’s a little more complicated than that, Touya. And since I never really got the chance to explain my actions to your parents, I thought I’d enlighten you. I enjoy explaining my reasons to people. And I think I’m really going to enjoy lecturing you.” He motioned to someone behind Touya, and there was an explosive crack of a whip. Touya jumped a little and pulled at his chains, but they weren’t budging. He must be in one of those courtyards that his father would have never used, a place for humiliation and punishment.
“It’s time for the prince to get his lessons.”
The whip cracked again, and this time it bit into his skin, across his back. He gritted his teeth, but the pain wasn’t as bad as he’d feared.
“There were problems in the kingdom, Touya. Problems with keeping the law, keeping order. Someone like your father could have never overcome them; he was too busy burying himself in books all the time, preaching the theory of law. He was a short-sighted leader.”
The pain was spreading now, blossoming up and down the wound and burning into his flesh. It was excruciating, but he forced himself to speak.
“My father… was a great leader. Something you could never hope to be.”
“Really?” The General raised his hand and motioned. Once again the leather crossed his back, sending a fresh wave of pain through Touya. “I beg to differ, your highness. You see, Fujitaka was immersed in books and words. He held up the law as some idealistic standard and forced me and my soldiers to keep ourselves within its bounds. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to conduct investigations?”
This time the growing pain was even worse, and Touya was starting to breathe in ragged gasps. Determined not to hang by his wrists, he locked his knees and forced himself to stand straight.
“Our hands were constantly tied. You know what that’s like now, don’t you? We couldn’t do anything; we could never do anything. The criminals had all the rights. We couldn’t even walk into their homes and drag them out into the street like the vermin they were, because your father was convinced that their homes should be inviolate!”
He motioned again, this time with an angry swipe of his hand. Touya fought to keep the scream inside as the third wound began to burn.
“The system was breaking down. Over and over again I saw criminals walk free because of these ‘rights’ that the king accorded them. I could do nothing. My wiser friends and I saw the need for change. A leader cannot be bound by books and laws that are hundreds of years old. What kind of leader is that? A leader is one who isn’t afraid to make changes. He sees what needs to be done and then he does it!”
Touya was panting hard. He was sure that he wanted to say something at this point, to argue with the General. The best kings kept their promises, respected the rights of the people below them. But he couldn’t speak. All his energy was channeled into standing upright, and he almost slipped when the whip lashed his back again.
“Your father was weak, Touya. He couldn’t make the changes that were necessary. So I did him and the kingdom a favor by killing him in his bed.” Touya sucked in his breath and struggled again, but it was useless. His parents’ murderer was there, a mere step away, and he could do nothing. It was a pain that burned even deeper than the wounds on his back.
“No more of that twaddle about my soldiers having to restrain themselves within the law. Now their hands are free to persecute the criminals of the country, and persecute them how they may. The people will abide by the law, or they will die. It is my will that has produced this, my plans that have brought this about. Future generations will praise me as the father of their perfect system of government.”
Smiling in vulpine pleasure, he motioned again, and Touya was horrified to see a shadow darken Gorrell’s face for a moment. A faint was threatening, and he shook his head rapidly to clear it.
“You don’t have order, though,” he muttered. “There is no discipline. That’s why you’re searching so hard for her. You want her magic.”
The General struck him across the face, and Touya tasted blood in his mouth.
“Speak when you’re spoken to, brat. This is my lecture, and you will listen. I want the princess by my side to legitimize my claim to the people. They’re confused and unsettled by this sudden shift, and they don’t understand how good it is for them. They need the comfort and regularity of one of the Kinomotos on the throne; it’s been that way as long as they can remember. And I won’t deny, having that powerful magic of hers at my beck and call is a lovely proposition. It will be interesting to see if I can force her to do it, once she’s mine.”
He smiled at the prince’s expression, then turned away and lit a pipe.
“Again.” Touya jerked under the whip’s bite, strangling the cry of pain in his throat before it escaped. He’d already lost count, and wondered how much longer this would continue.
“So you see, Touya, it’s all for the best. It’s true, I’ve had to lock up a few people who don’t understand how my actions are for the good of the kingdom, but by and large they’ll fall in line. People like to be told what to do. They’re sheep. And I am their benevolent shepherd. They’ll trust me to watch over and take care of them, protect them from the wolves that roam our lands. With your sister as my queen, I’ll rule for the rest of my lifetime. And perhaps she’ll bear me a son to continue the legacy. Eventually the Kinomotos will be just a memory.”
Gorrell signaled again and Touya’s knees buckled at last, the manacles pulling cruelly at his wrists and preventing him from falling to the earth. The last of his resistance crumbled, and when the whip struck him again he broke.
He screamed.
- - - - - -
Sakura stopped in her tracks and yelped.
“What?” asked Li, startled. “What’s the matter?” She was looking right through him, her face white and her eyes glassy with pain.
“T-Tou-Touya… he’s… he’s…”
“Touya?” Tomoyo repeated, her expression plainly worried.
“The prince?” Li looked from one girl to another, a little confused. Sakura was beginning to hyperventilate again, starting to panic.
“Touya!” she shrieked. “No! No! No!” She gripped her head in her hands and began to scream.
“Sakura, shh! Stop it!” Hastily Li clapped a hand over her mouth, but she was struggling, fighting. She didn’t seem to know him at all, but fought him as he tried to pin her down to the ground.
“What’s going on?”
Tomoyo shook her head in confusion. “I’m not sure.”
“Something’s happening to her brother,” Kero predicted, floating closer to Sakura’s face. “She can feel it; it’s so bad that she’s actually experiencing his pain.”
Again Sakura screamed, and Li stuffed his sleeve into her mouth, trying to cut off the sound. They weren’t within shouting distance of the village yet, but there might be people about. There might be soldiers about, too.
Now she was writhing beneath him, contorting her body as if she was racked with pain.
“Sakura, please,” Tomoyo begged. “Please come back to us. You’ve got to focus, you’ve got to concentrate. You’re here with us, with friends. You’re safe. Do you hear me, Sakura? You are safe!”
She stopped wriggling for a moment, while her friend spoke. But then, whatever it was that was happening to her brother happened again, and she screamed once more.
“Sakura! Stop it!” Li realized he was shouting at her, although her face was only a few inches from his. “You’re killing yourself, you’ve got to come back to me! Damn it, Sakura, come back to me!”
Something seemed to penetrate at last. Her frantic green eyes met his, and there was a flicker of recognition.
“L-Li…”
“That’s right. It’s me. You’ve got to breathe, Sakura, and relax. You’re here with me and Tomoyo, and you’re okay. Whatever it was, it wasn’t happening to you.”
She relaxed a little under his hold, and took a deeper breath.
“Good. That’s good. Calm down. You’re going to be fine.”
“But he’s not,” she whispered. “He’s hurting… oh, it’s so bad… how can he stand this? It’s like torture. It is torture. They’re killing him, and he’s my brother.” A few tears slid down the side of her face, away from the corners of her eyes. Li hadn’t realized it, but he was still on top of Sakura, unwilling to get off just yet.
“I know, and I’m sorry. But there’s nothing you can do, Sakura. He has to handle it on his own.”
“No.” She shook her head. “No, I can do something. I can help. He won’t die of infection, not if I can help it!” Once again she struggled against Li, trying to throw him off.
“Sakura, no!” Kero snapped. “You can’t do this; they’ll be able to track us!”
“I don’t care, Kero, I know he’d do the same for me. I have to help, I can’t leave him like he is!” Recalling a technique Li had shown her the day before, she twisted and pushed with her hips, throwing him to one side. “I can keep it quiet. It’ll take a lot of power, but I can keep it really quiet, and they’ll never know. I swear.” She was on her knees now, drawing a symbol in the dirt.
“Sakura, no!” Tomoyo hastily rubbed out the image. “We have no idea how close the soldiers are, or who the mage working for Nikolai is. He must be powerful, you’ll never be able to keep it quiet.”
“I can, Tomoyo, now back off!” Her friend backed away uncertainly as Sakura glared at her. They were best friends, practically sisters. Very rarely did Sakura invoke her power, either as sorceress or princess, against Tomoyo. But she did so then, angrily warning her away with a glower.
Li, however, was not to be intimidated by such looks, and he picked her up around the waist to pull her off the ground.
“Stop it, Sakura. This is too dangerous. You know your brother wouldn’t want you to be in jeopardy for him!”
“This isn’t about what he wants, Li. It’s about what he needs to save his life.” She slithered out of his grasp and tried to break away, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. “Li, please,” she sobbed. “I can’t turn away. I love him, and he’s the only family I have. Please let me do it. I have to do it.”
Li thought of his mother, long suffering before her final release of death. He should have sacrificed anything to help ease that, but he hadn’t. And here was this little spoiled princess, so ready to put her own freedom on the line so that she could help her brother. She was a soldier at heart. He couldn’t deny her.
“Do what you have to do,” he said softly, and released her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and fell to her knees once more. Quickly she traced the outline of a star on the dirt before her, then a crescent moon and a small sun on either side. Murmuring under her breath she drew a circle around all three images.
Tomoyo and Kero were both clearly apprehensive, but afraid to interfere at this stage. Li crouched on the other side, watching her with fascination. Aside from his magical sword, he’d never seen the workings of sorcery up close. Already she seemed different, so unlike the helpless princess that he knew. She closed her eyes, and raised her voice slightly, chanting in some language that was unfamiliar to him. The symbol she’d drawn in the dirt was beginning to shimmer, like morning sunlight on the surface of a lake.
Sakura concentrated very hard, pouring all of her strength into the healing magic. She could do it, she knew, she could feel the lashes across his back so acutely that it was almost like her own pain. It would be easy to heal them, even at this distance. Mainly her effort was focused on muting the magical ‘sound’ of the spell. It didn’t matter what it took, it didn’t matter how much she had to give, she would not leave Touya like he was.
“Enough,” called out a new voice, and Touya raised his head to look for its source. His vision was blurring again, but he blinked a few times and tried to brace his feet against the ground to stand. He slipped and gave it up.
“She has risen to our bait,” the old voice declared, and the General’s face split into a grin. The man emerging from the shadowy corner of the courtyard was old and thin, his face wizened with an untold age. To Touya’s eyes, he was shimmering with an angry red aura.
A magician, a sorcerer.
“Salfrek, I presume,” he muttered. Gorrell nodded approvingly.
“Very good, your highness. Even at that early stage of my planning, I knew what an asset a sorcerer could be to my goals. It was pitifully easy to arrange his escape, and conduct him safely to a place where he could hide away from your parents, practicing and growing stronger with every year. He had every incentive to go along with me. After all, he knew your father was responsible for his imprisonment.”
Is this what you mean by preserving the law and order of the people, Touya thought. He didn’t have the energy to say it aloud. By allowing dangerous sorcerers to escape their punishment, so that you can seize power for yourself?
“And now he’s helping me again. Salfrek is very powerful, Touya, and very experienced. He can pinpoint magical energy almost anywhere in the land. He was helping me locate your sister before she realized her danger and ceased exerting her powers. I had to draw her out. You served your purpose well.”
Touya tried to follow the General’s meaning, but his mind was fogged over with pain. His back throbbed with a dull ache, and now a new and uncomfortable sensation was threading its way through his skin. It burned, reminding him of the sting when treating minor scratches and bruises after a sparring session.
Abruptly, realization and then panic shot through Touya, and his head jerked up to meet the old man’s malicious stare.
“Ah yes, young prince. She is trying to heal your wounds, so anxious that you be spared further suffering. What a noble little girl she is. So thoughtful. She did try to keep it from me, but it was a pitiful effort. I know where she is.”
“No,” choked Touya. Unwillingly his eyes moved from Salfrek to Gorrell, and he felt sick at the triumphant expression that he wore. “No, you stay away from her!” A strength born of panic surged through him and he nearly leapt for the General right then and there.
The prisoner was powerless, however, tethered as he was. Gorrell only chuckled at his futile struggles.
“He’s had enough. Take him back to his cell.”
“No!” Touya only stopped fighting when the General drew his sword and pressed the point up against the prince’s chin.
“I suggest you do it quietly, your highness. Sakura should be here by tomorrow, and I would hate to tell her that the last of her family has met a violent end. Can’t you just imagine how it would break her spirit? Drain the last measure of hope from her?”
Touya froze and locked glares with the older man, his ragged breathing the only sound as the soldiers began to unlock his chains.
“Son of a bitch,” he snarled. “I’m going to kill you.” They were pulling on his arms now, beginning to drag him away. “I’m going to kill you, Gorrell!”
- - - - - - -
Sakura whimpered aloud as she felt a prickle in her mind. Someone was there, someone that had been waiting and listening for her. She had been very, very quiet, but he had heard just a little. And it was enough.
All the color drained from Sakura’s face and she toppled over onto the ground, drawing a gasp from Tomoyo.
“Sakura? Sakura, wake up!” Quickly she placed her waterbag between her friend’s lips, but there was no reaction.
“This is not a normal faint,” Kero explained to Li. “She’s exhausted herself with magical energy; the stress and the fear pushed her over the edge.”
“Will she be all right?” The little bear hesitated, and Li frowned. “Will she be all right?”
“Not without food and a lot of rest, that’s for sure.”
“Well, then, let’s go.” For the second time, Li scooped up the princess in his arms and stood. “It’s not far to the village now, we’ll find something for her. Tomoyo, if you see any clover, yank it out. The roots are good for strengthening blood.” Scared, the dark-haired girl nodded, and hurried to catch up with him as he started walking.
Not far, Sakura, not far. Just hang on, okay?
Li looked down at her face in the growing dusk and tried to quell the rising fear within him. What was going on? Why was he so scared for her? She was just a girl, a princess, somebody he barely knew. But for some reason, he was scared anyway. He didn’t want her to suffer.
“Woman! More ale here!” Maude scowled at the table of soldiers and stood, careful of her old and creaking hips.
“Coming, coming,” she growled. Bloody soldiers. Rude as they came, and never bothered to pay anymore. It was a nuisance, but there wasn’t anything that could be done about it. How did an old woman argue with men with swords?
Grudgingly she poured the foamy drink into their outstretched cups, and turned away to retreat into her kitchen.
“Excuse me.” Maude cast an observant eye of the girl standing in front of her. Grubby traveling clothes and no purse.
“Whaddiye want?” She stepped around the young woman and continued out of the room. Tomoyo followed, careful to keep her face away from the soldiers. They were only the local outpost, and didn’t seem especially alert for any trouble.
“I don’t mean to be a bother - ”
“Then don’t.”
“But my friend’s in a bad way. She’s ill, and needs something to eat. And medicine.”
Maude set her pitcher below the tap in her kitchen and began to pull more beer.
“Got any money, then?”
“Well, no - ”
“Best get going, then. I got enough customers already who aren’t paying. And an old woman can’t run an inn and worry about charity as well.”
“I’m not asking for charity.” The girl had a suprisingly cultured dialect, considering her clothes, and a sweet and mild voice. She picked up a stack of dirty wooden plates and gave Maude a pleading look. “Please. I’m desperate. I’ll do any work you’ve got, just please help my friend.”
Well, if she was willing to wash the dishes… And it was a full house. Maude felt her hip give another twinge, then shrugged. What the hell.
“All right, if yer willing to work. Wash those in the tub and be quick about it.”
“Thank you.” Her face split into a relieved smile, and her violet eyes shone. “Thank you so much.”
Cold, tender caresses. Someone was pressing a cold and wet cloth to her face, gently stroking her hair back from her face. She was so exhausted, Sakura felt as though there were lead weights on her eyelids.
“Heard…” she murmured. Someone had heard her, just a little, and she had to warn her friends.
Li leaned in closer. “What?”
“Dan…dang…” The effort was too much, and she slipped into sleep again. Li frowned as he dabbed at her brow. Herd? Herd of what?
His thoughts were interrupted by Tomoyo opening the kitchen door with a big smile on her face. “She’ll let her stay! I’m going to wash the dishes; it’ll be all right. You can bring her in.”
“Thank goodness,” muttered Kero, and dove into his satchel. Li placed it on Sakura’s stomach and lifted her again to bring her inside the building.
“Where to?” An old woman taking a sip of ale raised her eyebrows at the sight of Sakura, but shrugged and indicated a side doorway.
“All my payin’ rooms are full up, but you can have the old servants’ quarters. No one’s been in there since my help quit on me.”
“Good. I’ll need some broth and some fresh water, and some boiling water for an infusion.” He turned and strode down the passageway, not bothering to take in the proprietor’s face.
“Please,” Tomoyo hastily added. “He means please. We’re just very worried about her, that’s all.”
“Right.”
“Woman!” Maude heaved a sigh and picked up the now-full pitcher. She was needed.
“Who is that, anyway?”
“Nobody,” Tomoyo said quickly. “She’s just my friend. That’s all.” The young woman looked oddly scared, and Maude narrowed her eyes.
“Woman!”
But she couldn’t worry about it just now. She had customers to attend to. “Go on, get to work. We’ll be needing those dishes.”
“Sakura? Can you hear me?” Li tipped a little more of the stew, rich with vegetables and meat, between her lips, and she swallowed. She hadn’t spoken again since that mumbling in the courtyard, but her face was regaining some color. That at least was a little relief.
He glanced around the tiny little room. Sakura was lying on a cot, on a straw-stuffed mattress. Probably not what she was used to, but more comfortable than the ground she’d been sleeping on lately. The floor was earthen, and not wooden, but it was packed down and clean swept, and there was a clean blanket that the old woman had brought in. This he tucked tenderly under her chin before feeding her another spoonful. There was nothing else in the room.
“Sakura? Can you speak?”
Her eyelids fluttered a little, but she didn’t open them and she didn’t say anything. It was obvious that that spell had drained her completely. He’d never imagined magic could be so taxing. She looked the way he used to feel after a full day of training.
I guess we all have our own ways of fighting. One’s just as tough as another.
The hours crept by. He didn’t leave her side until Tomoyo returned, carrying two bowls of stew for him and Kero. Then he let her sit with Sakura for a while.
“What do you think? How long will it take for her to recover?”
“I don’t know. She’s never extended herself this much before; she was always really careful when practicing her magic. And she never had to worry about keeping her magic silent.” Tomoyo shrugged. “I just don’t know.”
“How long can we stay here?”
“As long as business is good. I think she really appreciated my help.”
“That’s good, anyway. I don’t particularly like being in such an exposed place, but I guess it can’t be helped.” He cast another worried glance at Sakura, lying deathly still on the mattress, then shook his head.
No, it couldn’t be helped. They would just have to hope that this particular village was not on the searching list of the army.
The moon peeked over the edge of the treetops, throwing its light on the soldiers riding down the lane. Blackstock took in the sight of the village, Ravenwood, and scowled. He was in a bad mood, as he usually was after having dealt with magic. Like his superior, Gorrell, the colonel didn’t like dealing with the supernatural more than he had to, but they had no choice. That sorcerer Salfrek had communicated the general location of the princess directly into Blackstock’s mind, and it was a little disconcerting.
But at least they almost had her. He’d sent messages to all his scouts to reconfigure here and comb the countryside. It was impossible to know exactly where she was, but they were bound to find her if they searched through the night.
Meanwhile, he was tired and irritable. There was no reason for him to exert himself throughout the night hours. He’d find the local inn and make it their temporary headquarters.
“You men, you, and you, and you. Post yourselves in the vital points of the village. The rest of our men will be joining us shortly, you’re in charge of dividing up the countryside and directing our soldiers.”
“Sir, yes sir,” they all replied.
“Everyone else is with me for the time being. He indicated the three remaining men, and they nodded. Captain Hiiragizawa was just a little curt in his nod, he couldn’t help but notice, and he ground his teeth.
“Right, then. Let’s find a place to sleep in this backwater.”
“I feel dirty after all that kitchen work,” Tomoyo declared. “I’m just going to go wash my face under the pump. Will you be all right?”
“We’ll be fine. Go on.” Tomoyo stood and left the room.
“Mmm…” Sakura was moving slightly, and Li rushed to her side.
“Sakura? Are you awake? Can you hear me?” He took her hand in his and rubbed it, hoping to get a reaction.
“Li…”
“Yes! Yes, it’s Li. Can you open your eyes? How do you feel?”
Tomoyo knelt and lifted the pump handle, then held out her hands under the cold water. It felt wonderful to splash it on her face, and she wished she could go swimming. But this would have to do for now.
“This will be base of operations for the time being,” declared Blackstock. The old woman he’d just been arguing with frowned, but she’d lost. It had done no good to try and explain all of her rooms were full, and now she’d been forced to eject some of her guests. Eriol watched her as the colonel continued to lay out plans for the next day. It really wasn’t fair, he knew. She’d lost paying customers so that they could stay there, and he knew his fellow soldiers wouldn’t chip in so much as a crust of bread’s worth.
I suppose it’s justified, in the name of finding the princess. But really, how is it any different than just stealing money from her purse?
“Captain Hiiragizawa, I need one person on watch. Do you think you can handle that?”
“Sir, yes sir.”
“Good. And this time, don’t screw it up.” The soldiers snickered, and he flushed a little.
“That will be all. Woman, get us some food. My men and I are hungry.” She pressed her lips together in irritation, but bowed her head and retreated into the building. The other men followed her, but Eriol decided he’d lost his appetite and turned back toward the stables. They wouldn’t pay for their dinner, either.
“Li…danger…” she murmured.
“What kind of danger?”
“Heard… me.” Sakura’s eyes were fluttering open. There was a dull, frightened look in them, and she clutched at his hand. “He heard me. They know…we’re here.”
His throat went dry.
Tomoyo was still out there.
She turned up her face to the stars and stretched a little. It was a beautiful night, with a warm and balmy breeze blowing her hair back from her face. Every night had been getting just a little warmer, and she found the weather wonderfully pleasant. Not wanting to go back to the small and confined room just yet, she wandered around the side of the building to the stables. Perhaps if she offered to clean them, Maude would pay her some money. Having a little gold would be nice, for a change.
She opened the door and started counting how many horses were in there. Their noses were deep in their feed, obviously hungry after a long days’ travel. The one near the door, however, looked up from her food to snort and stamp at Tomoyo.
She frowned. It was dark, and the stables even more so, but that mare looked very familiar…
She whimpered aloud when she recognized Ruby, and tried to force down the panic. The soldiers were here, they were in this inn right now, and Sakura and Li had no way of knowing. She turned and almost ran out of the stable doors, and collided with the captain.
“Oof! What the – oh, hello.” He smiled at her terrified expression and caught her easily when she tried to scramble away. “Oh no, you don’t. Not again. I caught quite a bit of grief for letting you go the first time, you know.” He pinned her against the wooden walls of the stable by her shoulders.
“Now, let’s see. If you’re here, then I would imagine the princess is probably somewhere close by as well. I know who you are now, Tomoyo.” She quailed under his knowing look, and struggled to push him off, but there was no breaking away from his hold. “So do you want to save me the trouble of taking you to the Colonel, and just tell me where she is right now?”
Trembling, she managed to shake her head. Eriol sighed. “Have it your way then.” He stepped back and she tried to bolt, but his vicelike grip on her arm wasn’t giving and he snarled his fingers through her thick hair to assume better control. She squeaked in pain and panic.
“Pl-please,” she gasped. “You can’t do this.”
“I think I can, Tomoyo.”
She dug her heels in the dirt and tried to resist moving forward, but compared to a feisty mare she was no problem to control. Pinning one wrist behind her back and keeping his other hand in her hair, he forced her across the courtyard.
“Please, I’m begging you, Eriol!” That took him by surprise, and he almost stopped walking. He hadn’t expected her to remember his first name, though he certainly hadn’t forgotten hers. “They’ll take her to the palace, he’ll hurt her, please!”
“I do think you exaggerate, Tomoyo, no one is going to hurt the princess of our country. General Gorrell needs her to help rule the kingdom, that’s all.”
“He murdered her parents,” she whimpered. “She doesn’t want to be with him and he will hurt her, you know it. They’ll take me away from her, she won’t have any friends. She’ll be all alone!” Tomoyo wasn’t sure why she was trying so hard to explain it to him, she had no reason to expect any sympathy. But wasn’t he walking more slowly now?
Eriol had slowed. He was not overly concerned with the princess; rulers of the country had an obligation to the people that should be fulfilled whether they liked it or not. But what might happen to Tomoyo gave him pause for thought. Would she be beaten for her role in this, or worse? She was just a worthless servant in their eyes, it wasn’t hard to imagine the soldiers in his company falling to the temptation.
“Why are you trying so hard to protect her?” he finally asked. “Don’t you know what could happen to you?”
“I d-don’t care,” she quavered. “She’s my friend, and I won’t give her up.”
Eriol was aware that he’d stopped walking completely, though he didn’t relax his grip on his prisoner for a second. Her loyalty was impressive, for such a soft creature. Too bad it was misdirected. “Not even for the law and order of the kingdom?”
“W-what law and order? Did your men p-pay for the rooms that they’re sleeping in tonight? Are they taking things that aren’t theirs? How is that law?”
She trembled in his iron grasp, pale with fear but looking him straight in the eye while she spoke. She obviously believed in her words and they hit a little closer to Eriol than he wanted to admit. But he was a soldier, he had his orders. He must deliver her to his superior.
Before he could move to prod her forward again, a burst of jeering laughter startled them both. His fellow soldiers had emerged from the inn for a final moment outside before retiring, and without thinking he pulled Tomoyo close and planted his lips on hers. She squeaked again but didn’t try to push away, wrapped in his unyielding arms. His comrades stopped short when they saw the two of them, then laughed again.
“Well, well, look what the captain’s found. How much for a turn in the hay, wench?”
Eriol withdrew from the kiss, reluctantly, and rubbed a lock of her beautiful thick hair between his fingertips.
“Sorry men,” he offered sympathetically, “but I’ve already paid for the whole night.” He dropped a couple gold coins in Tomoyo’s shirt, provoking a startled gasp on her part.
“Well, and is this appropriate behavior on the part of the sentry?”
“Perhaps not,” Eriol mused. “And perhaps this will buy your silence.” He flipped another coin in the direction of the one who spoke, and winked. The other two chuckled and nodded approvingly before moving on. She was still pressed so close against him, and he could hear her heart beating fast and hard against his chest. It felt good, made him feel protective of her. She was technically his prisoner after all, his responsibility. He didn’t want anything to hurt her. Perhaps… it wouldn’t hurt the kingdom if he let her go. Just this once.
Twice, a little voice sang inside his head, but he didn’t listen.
“Get out of here,” he murmured into her ear.
“What?”
He opened his arms and pushed her gently away. “Go on, get out of here.”
But now that he wasn’t holding on, Tomoyo found herself hesitating. She felt dizzy, no one had ever kissed her before.
“I - ”
“I said, go. Don’t wait for me to change my mind.” His commanding tone left no room for questions or gratitude. She offered up a tentative smile, then turned and fled.
Tomoyo disappeared in the darkness, and Eriol did not follow. Instead he leaned against the wall of the inn itself and looked up at the stars.
Releasing her so she could run from bandits was one thing, but what he had just committed was a major act of treason. Blackstock would kill him in an instant if he knew what Eriol had just done. But that wasn’t what he was thinking about. Instead he was remembering that kiss.
And liking it.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
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