‘capture’
Sakura kept her head down and her face buried in Li’s shirt as he held her close. They were standing in the shadow of a large tented stall, the chickens clucking and scratching about in the pen by their feet.
“Why aren’t we moving?” she whispered.
“Because there are more by the entrance. Better to stand still and wait for them to leave.”
“What if they don’t?”
“They have to eventually. Tomoeda’s a big city, they can’t spend too much time searching in any one area.”
What he said make perfect sense, but Sakura still had to push down the feeling of dread and force herself to breathe. Li had saved her from the soldiers many times before, there really shouldn’t be anything to fear. But there were just so many of them. Why did there have to be so many for one small area?
“You there!” someone barked, and she jumped. Li only held her tighter.
“Yes?” someone else replied.
“Have you seen a girl come through here today? Short brown hair, green eyes?”
“Aye, sir, plenty of girls come through here today.”
“Any that looked like the princess?”
“Her highness? Nay, sir, none like that.” The soldier turned away from the vendor and approached a young couple. The girl had short brown hair.
“You two. Turn around.”
It’s over, thought Sakura, and swallowed. Li was loosening his hold; his muscles tense and prepared for a fight.
“Are you deaf? I said to turn around!” The soldier strode forward and laid an impatient hand on Sakura’s shoulder. Instantly Li grabbed it and twisted, and the man uttered a yelp as Li brought him straight down to the cobbled ground. Li smashed his head against the stones and knocked him out, but it was too late. The others had heard and were looking their way.
“There she is!” one shouted, and Li grabbed her hand.
“Come on!” They tore through the pen, chickens squawking and fluttering around their feet. Behind her Sakura could hear the sounds of swords being drawn, and shouts to surround them. She wanted to panic, but there was no time. Instead she only gripped Li’s hand tighter as they raced through the stalls.
We’ve got to keep moving, thought Li, we’ve got to run. If we’re pinned down by too many of them, it’s over.
Two soldiers with drawn swords stepped in their path, and he and Sakura skidded to a halt before breaking to the right.
“You! Stop where you are! Halt, I say, halt!” They paid no attention as they passed a large cart full of wine barrels, and Li paused to pull the latch out. The gate opened and the large wooden barrels tumbled out, thwarting their pursuers.
“Li, come on!” Sakura had gotten slightly ahead of him, and he hurried to catch up.
“Don’t wait for me, damn it, just keep going!”
She glanced over her shoulder to reply, and didn’t see the soldier raise his hand to her.
“Get down!” After a week of traveling with him, she’d learned by now to obey his orders instantly and without question. She dropped to the ground, and Li launched into a ground-covering flying side kick. He smashed into the other man, and almost hit the ground himself, his momentum had been so great. But he righted himself just in time, and together they sprinted down a row of tents.
- - - - - -
On a calm spring night, the prince had been tossing and turning in his bed for a few hours before he surrendered and sat up. There wasn’t a sound to be heard; the room was pitch dark. So why couldn’t he sleep? Would a glass of water help? Or better yet, wine? Touya shifted with the intention of sliding out of bed, and fell right out of it when the explosion hit. From beyond his private bedroom door, he could see the red afterglow of some kind of magical blast. There was a battle cry, and then a scream of agony.
He’d rolled out of bed and raised his fists before his mind even fully caught up. He was under attack.
- - - - - -
Li had to push Sakura away before the soldier could grab her, then he jumped and landed a solid kick on the man’s chest. He grunted and stumbled back, but there were two more that were almost there.
“Run!” he shouted, but she shook her head.
“We’re not going to split up.” Instead she pulled Li’s knife from its sheath and swiped at a rope by her head. His puzzled look gave way to one of surprise as a hide tent came billowing down upon the heads of the soldiers. For the moment, they were trapped.
Not bad, he thought, as they turned to run once more. She’s obviously been learning.
“Now what?” she panted as they broke stride once more and ran away from their attackers.
“We keep running.”
Someone swinging a sword came at him, and he ducked under the slice before springing up to punch him directly in the nose. Temporarily blinded by the sudden pain, the soldier backed up, right into the range of the heavy bone that Sakura snatched off the butcher’s cart. He dropped to the ground. Sakura flushed proudly, and Li had to pull her away. Every second that they wasted fighting someone was only more time for the others to get closer. They couldn’t keep up this cat-and-mouse game forever. How did they get out of this place?
- - - - - -
Tim came flying through his door, and he hit the ground and rolled.
“Tim! Timothy!” Touya anxiously shook the shoulder of his bodyguard. These men were his friends as well as his protectors, and Tim was covered in blood. His eyes fluttered open and he drew a shallow breath.
“Under attack,” he wheezed. “Don’t know… who they are…” There was a shout, and Touya looked up to see a stranger in his doorway, a man clothed entirely in black and wearing a black cloth around the lower half of his face.
“Surrender!” he shouted, before leaping at the prince. Touya stood and blocked his every strike before delivering a blow so powerful that the man hit the wall.
I need to get to my sword, he thought, but it was on the other side of the room. He started to cross the distance, but more were spilling through the doorway. How many were there, and why were they here? How much longer until he and the King’s Own were overwhelmed?
He snarled and met his attackers head-on.
- - - - - -
Sakura saw the fist coming and reacted. Pulling the arm past her and following in its trajectory, she crouched and yanked, throwing him off his feet and sending him to crash on the stones.
“Wow! Did you see that?”
“Very nice,” Li complimented her. “Now run!”
“Oh yeah.” She watched him jump and grab at a solid pole to swing his body around, until his boots connected with the chest of another pursuer. He toppled back into his comrade and both fell. Li hit the ground again running, and grabbed at her hand.
“Look, over there!” She followed his gaze and saw the high brick wall that bordered the market square. “If we can get up and over that, we’re free.”
A nice thought, but Sakura wasn’t so sure they were going to make it. It was too far away, and there were still more men trying to surround them.
They’d barely reached the edge of the market when they were finally forced to halt. The soldiers had encircled them, and were closing in. Sakura gulped and clutched Li’s knife a little tighter in her hand, and Li drew his sword.
It was time to fight.
- - - - - -
Touya ducked under the swinging blade and kicked the attacker sharply in the ribs. The remaining men of the King’s Own had been forced back into his bedroom, and together they tried to put up a defense around Touya. Touya, however, would have none of it.
“Get back, your highness! Please!” The prince shook his head.
“There are two men down, Samson, you need all the help you can get.” It wasn’t just his fighting ability that was needed, he realized. Another of the attackers opened his fist to reveal a glowing ball of red. The others couldn’t see it, but he could, and he yelled a warning. “Get down!”
Just in time they dove behind the cover of the large bed, as another magical blast rocked the room. It sounded like a war zone, Touya thought, as he jumped to his feet. Surely the whole palace had heard them by now. Why wasn’t any back-up arriving?
He felt a slight misgiving for the rest of his family, and in a moment of distraction, failed to see the staff swing for his head. The hard blow almost knocked him unconscious, and as it was he was knocked away from his bodyguards, rolling across the thick carpet towards the balcony doors. He was barely able to deflect the next blow, dizzy as he was, but he managed to climb to his feet and elbow the man in the chin. But still more were coming, spilling between him and his friends. They were cutting him off.
- - - - - -
There were just too many, Sakura realized, and she ducked and rolled under their feet as they came for her. Maybe if she could lead a few away from Li...
Some of them broke away to follow her, and she mentally cheered before realizing that this was not in itself a good thing. She backed up to a pile of melons and held out her knife in a pathetic imitation of Li.
Why oh why couldn’t I train with my brother and Yukito? If I ever become queen, I’ll make sure girls can enroll in those classes as well as men.
It was too late now, but she swiped at the nearest man anyway. A red streak appeared on his arm, and he gritted his teeth and backed away. The next two were more careful, approaching her from both sides. Uncertain what to do, she took a skipping kick that Li had shown her and got one in the gut. He grunted and doubled over, and before she knew what she was doing, she’d planted the knife in his belly. They traded shocked looks, his for his death, and hers for the surprise of actually murdering someone. She’d never thought she would have the courage to do it. But a fight for survival could bring out the worst in even a delicate princess.
Li was aware, in the back of his mind, that Sakura was no longer beside him, but he couldn’t worry about that right now. Already he was totally focused on the fight, concentrating on the enemy. It was the only way to survive.
He slashed and struck with his sword, killing two soldiers in one stroke. One man was cut across the inner arm, and fell to the ground as his sword was knocked high into the air. For the briefest of moments, Li paused in the fight to hold out his left hand. Falling… falling… and then the sword dropped neatly into his outstretched hand. Now doubly armed, he wheeled and spun through the crowd, his twin blades flashing in the late afternoon sunlight. He had no idea how many enemies were actually present, but his fighting instincts were taking over, the swords practically moving of their own accord as they blocked every strike and inflicted their own fatal damage.
Peeking over an abandoned chopping block in the butcher’s tent, Nicky was lost in awe. He couldn’t believe that Li had a sword, and could it use it so expertly. He was so strong, so nimble. Even against the mob of bully soldiers he could hold his own. The boy watched him, devouring every motion of the fight, and became filled with a resolve. When he grew up, he wanted to be exactly Li.
- - - - - -
Touya could no longer see his friends, but from the sound of it, there was still a struggle going on. They must be holding their own. He concentrated on smashing the two heads of his attackers together, then grabbing the collar of one.
“Who are you?” he shouted, and pulled at the man’s mask. Attackers from Satyr, perhaps… or a private team of assassins…
“Must capture the prince,” slurred the man. He was barely conscious, and wasn’t focusing on Touya’s face. “Must capture prince…” Touya dropped him in disgust, a quiet cold anger settling within him. This man was Hapeynian, and so were all the others, likely. This was no invasion, it was an attack from his own people. But who were they, and what did they want with him? And how had they gotten through palace security to this wing?
- - - - - -
Sakura slashed at another attacker, but someone else wrapped his arms around her from behind and hoisted her off the ground. Her arms were trapped, and she screamed, kicking wildly but unable to land any strikes. Then he grunted, and the arms around her went slack. She turned as he slumped to the ground at her feet, his face almost obscured by the red slush of the cracked melon. Nicky was perched on the pile, grinning madly.
“Nicky! What are you doing here?”
“Wont to help!” He jumped down and tried to make his way to where Li was still battling.
“Oh no, no you don’t. It’s way too dangerous, you shouldn’t even be here.” She yanked him backwards and pushed him toward the way they had come. More soldiers were coming for her, but they would ignore the boy. How were they all arriving so fast? Had they all been so close by?
“Nicky, listen to me. You’ve got to get home, you have to go back to your sister.”
“But - ”
“Go. I need you to tell Kero and Tomoyo what happened in case I can’t make it back. Do you hear me?” He obviously didn’t want to leave, and looked at her, crestfallen. “Go on, go! Please!” She gave him a little push, then broke into a run. They were nearing, and she couldn’t afford to waste any time.
“Halt! Stop, I say!” The soldiers were shouting at her to stop as they rushed past Nicky, ignoring him. He shuffled and hesitated, then turned to run home. There was nothing more that he could do here.
- - - - - -
There were just too many. Forced back against the doors, Touya realized he had no other option but to open them and retreat to his balcony. He didn’t like how he was being backed into a corner, but he had no choice. There was just one bodyguard left standing now, and he was diligently fighting them off from his position in the corner.
“Go on!” he shouted to the prince. “I can hold them back for as long as you need!” Touya didn’t like it, but he dove outside and slammed the doors shut, then braced the balcony tables and chairs against them. It wasn’t much, but it would hold for a little while. Perhaps he could scale the palace walls down into the courtyard – he hit his foot against something as he crossed to the edge, and glanced down and smiled. He’d left his bow and quiver out here the day before, and he stooped to pick them up. Upon straightening, he heard a loud roar to his right, and glanced over. Out of the window some way across the wall, there was a golden flash of magic, and a winged lion sailed out into the open. In the moonlight, Touya could plainly see his sister and Tomoyo on the back of Keroberos.
“Sakura!” His worst fear had been realized; this wasn’t an isolated attack on him, they were after everyone. His parents must be in danger, too.
But he couldn’t worry about that just now. Someone was leaning out of his sister’s window, aiming an arrow at Kero as he flew out over the courtyard. Touya took aim and released, lodging an arrow of his own in the man’s head. He’d be damned if he let anybody hurt Sakura.
- - - - - -
A hand closed over her wrist, and she screamed before remembering that she had to fight back. Inexpertly she kicked him in the chest, then smashed her foot into his face. It was sloppy technique, but emergency strength gave it enough force to make him stumble back and release her.
Yes!
Once more Sakura took flight, dashing across the market grounds to try and close the distance between her and Li. He was backing up to the high stone wall, still fighting off the crowd of soldiers. Already many were lying on the ground, bleeding to their death. Out of nowhere, a burly soldier tackled her to the ground, and she squealed. His arms were thick and strong, and he held her in an iron grip as he pulled her to her feet. It was so tight, it was difficult to breathe.
“Li!” she screamed, panicked. He took his attention off the fight just long enough to see her struggles, and was rewarded with a burning pain across his left arm. Someone’s blade had finally drawn his blood, something that hadn’t happened in many years. He dropped the sword in agony and slashed at his attacker with his right blade, killing him instantly. But now his left arm was bleeding and unable to wield a weapon. And his right arm was beginning to ache with all the motion, still tender from being dislocated the day before. Surrounded like he was, instinctively he backed up, then jumped to higher ground on the pile of crates stacked by the wall. It was only then that his brain caught up with his instincts, and he realized that he’d left Sakura behind on the ground.
- - - - - -
They’re everywhere, Touya realized, and raised his bow again after reloading. There were men perched on every rooftop in the palace, on all the buildings around the courtyard. It was night, but they were wielding magical weapons that glowed with red magic to his eyes. It was easy to see them as they surrounded his sister and tried to throw large nets over Kero.
There’s too many. This is no kidnapping attempt. This is a revolt, an overthrow. But these men aren’t peasants, they fight too well, they’re too organized. And the countryside hasn’t exactly been brewing with revolution. Where are they all from?
Methodically Touya began to shoot, reloading and firing as though he was only doing some casual target practice. They were trying to trap his sister, prevent her from escaping, and he would not allow that to happen. He paid no attention to the sounds of the battle behind him, and the kicking on his door. They’d be coming through soon enough, but first he was determined to make sure Sakura got away safely. Again and again he shot at the men on the roof, until he ran out of arrows. He’d killed almost every one when Kero’s golden glow at last disappeared through a corridor, and he exhaled in relief. She was away, and safe.
She knows the palace well enough to get out, I hope.
There was a crash behind him, and he set his bow down to place his hands on his head. There was no more time, no time to try and escape down the walls. Fighting at this point was obviously futile; he’d seen how many were involved. There was nothing to be done now except taken prisoner.
- - - - -
“Sakura!” he shouted helplessly. He was cornered, up here, it was unthinkable to try and jump down now. The soldiers below him spread out uncertainly. With his advantage of height, they couldn’t press forward and attack. Nobody wanted to be the head of a frontal assault; they’d seen what he could do.
“Run!” she screamed, as she squirmed in her enemy’s arms. “Go on, run!”
She had to be joking, right?
“Not a chance!”
Terrified, she realized a soldier near her was loading his bow, ready to shoot Li as an easy target.
“No!” The arms around her tightened, and she jerked her head backwards to smash into the man’s nose. He yelped and loosened his hold enough for her to wriggle free. Just in time she tackled the soldier and sent his bow flying. “Li, run!” She scrambled to her feet and tried to break away, but the man she had hit grabbed her ankle and yanked hard. She crashed to the ground, and felt tears spring to her eyes at the sudden painful impact.
“Sakura!” With her body sprawled across the ground, she could feel the tremor of hooves easily. Several of them, and growing louder by the second. There must be more of them. How were they all getting here so quickly? Had they been so close this whole time?
“Li, there’s more coming!” Someone gripped her tunic and pulled her to her feet. She struggled still, but it was no use. They were simply too strong. “There are too many of them for you to fight, you have to run!”
“I’m not leaving you!”
“You have to,” she sobbed. Terror was bubbling up inside her, not for her fate, but for Li’s. She would be all right, they wouldn’t harm her, but Li… “Please. They’ll kill you!”
She looked up at his face. He was panting hard, trying not to show any pain, but she could see the blood soaking his sleeve. His eyes were filled with fear for her, but it was nothing akin to the fear she felt for him.
“I’m ordering you to run!” she shrieked.
“I’m not - ”
“You have to, Li! I can not watch one more person I love die trying to protect me!”
She looked so frantic, so desperate. Li inhaled sharply at her surprising declaration. She loved him?
Now he could hear the horses approaching too. There were too many… he couldn’t fight them all off. He looked once more at her frightened green eyes and knew that it was over. This time he would not be able to save her.
Almost before his mind had reached the conclusion, he withdrew his sword and scrambled up the side of the wall, kicking the crates below him so they would topple down onto the soldiers. An arrow plunked off the wall beside him, and he pushed himself harder. Both of his arms were killing him now, and he pulled himself to the top with the last of his strength. Then he had time to look back at her just once more, helpless in the grip of some soldier, before crawling down the other side.
Sakura collapsed with relief as he disappeared from view, even as the men started climbing up to follow him, and others ran to circle around to find him on the other side. She knew he would get away. He would escape, and he would be safe. The man she loved was not going to die for her, not this time.
- - - - - -
They said nothing. They merely tied his hands behind his back and told him to keep silent, then pushed him out through his bedroom, stepping over the bodies of both their men and his, and into the hallway. He couldn’t believe how many there were out in the corridor, all clad in black and wearing the masks across their faces. There was a certain diligence about them that seemed familiar. They all had perfect posture and carried themselves with a snappy discipline that was almost like –
The hands on his arms arrested his walk, and tightened imperceptibly. They were waiting now. And sure enough, their leader ambled out of Sakura’s room and looked his prisoner leisurely up and down.
“Gorrell?” The older man nodded.
“Your highness. So good to see you this evening.” Colonel Blackstock was right behind him, grinning smugly at the prince.
They’re all in on it, Touya realized dumbly. I can’t believe it. The entire military has revolted.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking over the palace. Surely even you must have realized by now what this is.”
“I know what this is.” Touya forgot himself and tried to step closer, but the hands on his arms weren’t giving any. “This is treason. You won’t get away with it.”
“I already have, Touya. Look around you. The entire palace is already under my control. You’re looking at your new king.” Touya seethed, and the General smirked. “I’ve been planning this for a long time, Prince Touya. And it all went exactly to plan. I win.”
“It didn’t go exactly to plan.” The young man nodded his head to the room they’d just left. “I know someone got away.” He was rewarded with a flash of annoyance in the General’s eyes.
“Momentarily. But I’ve heard she flew down to the dungeon, and I’m sure she’s trapped now. I really must go and see to things.” He waved his hand. “Lock him up.”
“Wait.” Touya resisted their pull. “Wait, I want to see my parents. Where are they?”
Gorrell crossed his arms.
“Surely you realize that you’re no longer in a position to be giving me orders, your highness.” Touya did realize that, but he kept his chin held high anyway.
“I just want to see them. Where are they?”
The General only chuckled and shook his head, and Blackstock clucked his tongue sympathetically. Touya felt a moment’s panic. Perhaps they were just teasing him, wanting to see how he would react.
“Are they all right? What did you do with them, Gorrell?” Still no reply, and he threw himself straight at the traitor. It was only with considerable effort that the men on either side were able to keep him back. “Where are they? I want to see them!”
“Sorry, Touya, you won’t be seeing them again. The sun rises and falls on the leadership of the kingdom.” He sauntered a little closer, enjoying the frozen look on the face of his prisoner. “Your father’s sun has set. Unlike your sister, I didn’t need him or your mother alive.” He smiled once more, then turned and retreated down the hallway. Touya felt all his strength leave him as he was dragged in the opposite direction.
It was true, then. His parents were dead. Yukito was very likely dead. And his sister was about to be taken prisoner. In one night, Touya’s world had been turned upside down, and he fell into a glazed stupor as they herded him through the palace and into a wing he’d never seen before. He did manage to keep an air of dignity about him, though barely. He waited until they locked the chains around his wrists, then left the cell and slammed the heavy door shut behind them.
Then, and only then, did he submit to the tears.
- - - - - -
The relief quickly submitted to fear, and she resumed struggling against her attackers. But it was obviously futile, and the man holding her tightened his grip on her arms and waited for the approaching horses. Her mouth went dry when she saw the colonel astride one of them. He gave her a leisurely look, then slid off his palomino and approached them.
“The swordsman?”
“He went over the wall, sir, some men are in pursuit - ”
“Go, then. I want him found, and I want him dead.”
The soldier holding her hesitated.
“Me, sir?”
“Yes, you. You can let go. She won’t be going anywhere.”
“Yes, sir.” The hands holding her arms opened and released her, and the few soldiers standing there backed away to join the hunt.
For the moment, it was just her and Blackstock, and Sakura trembled slightly. His hand was restlessly tapping the hilt of his sword, and he was unnervingly silent. Uncertainly she took a step back, and was instantly struck across the face. The back of his hand hit her so hard that she fell to the ground.
“I was hoping you would do that,” he grunted. She stared at his boots, unable to speak. A stinging pain was running up and down the side of her face, and she fought not to whimper aloud. She wasn’t even sure she could stand up, but he reached down and grabbed the collar of her tunic to haul her to her feet. “Bitch,” he swore, and twisted slightly to smack her forehead against the saddle of his horse. She tried to turn around, but he pushed her up against his horse and started unwinding some rope from a coil hanging from his tack. “No, no. You stay right where you are. You’re not getting away this time, not if I can help it.”
He sliced off a length with his knife and began to bind her hands tightly.
“Frivolous whore. Do you know how many men have died while trying to find you? How many of my own men I’ve lost just trying to track you down?” He tied a final knot, pulling so hard that she yelped. “And all because you don’t want to serve your new king. Because you had a whim to run away, I’ve lost a dozen soldiers!” His irritation was getting the better of him, and he wanted to hit her again. But the General’s prize could not be damaged any further. He settled for pulling her away from the horse by her hair.
“Lieutenant,” he addressed one of the men that had ridden up with him.
“Yes sir?”
“Ride on to the palace to inform General Gorrell that I’ll be arriving shortly. And tell him,” his gray eyes glittered with malice as he stared at the shivering Sakura, “that I have the princess in my possession.”
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
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