Breaking
Sorry it took me so long to update. For people who read this story in the past, I rewrote the whole chapter. I didn't like the direction it was headed, and since I just had one chapter published, I thought the switch wouldn't be too painful.
Hope you enjoy the story! I have the storyline all thought out. Pretty excited to write this.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS).
AN: A bit of OOC but not too much. Hope you guys don't mind.
Prologue:
Horses galloped through the silent night, their footsteps muted by the snow. Their riders rode them relentlessly, faster and faster.
Not too far off from them, a woman lied on a haystack in an abandoned cottage. Her ash colored hair glistened with sweat and her bangs stuck to her skin as she struggled to cope with the burning pain. Her cry was muffled by the rag she was biting on, but she grimaced as a tiny fist punched her stomach from the inside.
"Nadeshiko-san," Sonomi gasped, her face turning sheet white. Her hands shook as she looked up to see Nadeshiko in even greater pain than before. "Your-," she stammered, "your baby's not coming out." Neither said anything for a few seconds as the grim news sunk in. Tears falling, Sonomi ran over to Nadeshiko's side. Nadeshiko cracked open an eyelid to take a look at her best friend and favorite maid. Panting, Nadeshiko took Sonomi's hands into her own. Sonomi removed the cloth from Nadeshiko's lips.
"I don't care what happens to me," panted Nadeshiko, "but you must deliver the baby and take her away before father's men reach us." Nadeshiko gritted her teeth. "Swear it!" she demanded.
Sonomi looked at her mistress and knew that they both understood the consequences of her words. She stared long and hard into her mistress' eyes to find any source of regret, any sign of uncertainty, but found only determination. Sonomi released her hands from Nadeshiko's. It was up to her alone to safely deliver the baby. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the well trained maid brushed off her tears with the back of her hand in one smooth movement. As reluctant as she was, she gave her word to Nadeshiko and replaced the cloth. Nadeshiko heaved a sigh of relief before resuming her winces and muffled cries of pain.
Sonomi ran back to her original post. She looked to see that fortunately, a head was pointed outwards. Without anything but hot water, a tub, and a rag soaked in blood, Sonomi had absolutely no way of saving both the mother and the baby in a successful delivery. In the first place, the success rate was low seeing as how Nadeshiko's health was declining closer and closer to her date of delivery. But now, after so much blood loss, it was almost guaranteed that Nadeshiko would die after tonight.
The inexperienced midwife blinked back tears. Shoving aside her emotions, she yelled, "Push!" Up ahead, Nadeshiko, mustered what strength she had left but collapsed in fatigue as her strengths proved futile.
The thought of the baby revived the soon-to-be mother and gave her new strength to push the baby out. The baby inched out from the mother's womb. With a few more words of encouragement and bursts of adrenaline from Nadeshiko, the baby was safely delivered. Sonomi swiftly finished the midwife procedures and wrapped the baby in the blood soaked cloth. Knowing that Nadeshiko's life might fade anytime soon, Sonomi ran and fell to her side. Removing Nadeshiko's muffler, she sobbed, "It's a girl! A girl!"
Lifelessly, Nadeshiko smiled. With eyes full of endearment and exhaustion, she faced her crying newborn baby and whispered, "Sakura." Sonomi led Nadeshiko's hand gently to Sakura. The mother traced her daughter's facial features with her fingers and muttered with the last of her strength, "Take horse, royal badge… hair pin. Flee." There was a long pause.
"Live."
Her eyelids closed. The hand that was full of love fell limp and Nadeshiko's head rolled to the side. Sonomi took the still wailing Sakura back from Nadeshiko's final embrace and sobbed into the blanket quietly. Her head snapped up as she realized that their pursuers must be close by now. She gently laid Sakura down and frantically searched for Nadeshiko's royal badge. Her heart clenched at the thought of searching the corpse that was once her beloved mistress and dare she say it, her friend. Her fingers felt something cold deep in Nadeshiko's robes. She hastily ripped it out, took Nadeshiko's hair pin, and ran out the door with Sakura in hand.
Just as she suspected, the horse's gallops could be heard now even with all the snow. They must be close.
Sonomi ran to the back of the cottage where their horse was tied. She swiftly undid the ropes and leapt onto the sleeping horse's back. The horse neighed in protest but was quickly steered out and away from the cottage. Holding onto Sakura as if she were her own, Sonomi rode as fast as she could away from the scene for she knew there was not even a moment to lose.
"Search the cottage!" the head horseman hollered at his men. He cursed mentally, 'If they're not here, my head will be off-'
"We found her!"
The head horseman's head snapped towards the direction of the voice. He leapt off his horse, already celebrating in his mind and fantasizing about having a happy drink in a few hours. Closing his eyes and carrying a triumphant smile on his face, he brushed aside the cloth that acted as the cottage's door. With his eyes still closed, he exclaimed, "Good evening, Amamiya-" His words came to a standstill as soon as he opened his eyes and took in the bloody scene before him. His men's eyes were glued to the lifeless body that was leaning against the hay stack.
'Crap.'
About a ten minutes' horse ride away from the cottage, Sonomi was galloping as fast as she can without dropping Sakura away from the cottage. She looked back to check to see if any men were chasing after her. 'Good,' she sighed in relief. The rhythmic bobbing of the horse's back ached her legs and back, but if she's able to ride through the night to a remote village, there may be hope of escape from the royal guardsmen. And then, she'll live out her mistress' final orders. Sonomi snuck a look at Sakura and found that the horse ride had rocked her asleep. The baby's expression showed no indication of knowledge for what happened tonight. Sakura's face only showed peacefulness and she slept quietly in the chaotic night.
Renewed determination returned to Sonomi's eyes. At that moment, Sonomi made it her goal to protect this peacefulness. She hugged Sakura tightly against her chest.
'It'll be alright, Sakura. It'll be alright.'
A loud crash rang across the hall as plates of food and a jeweled goblet of wine were pushed off the table. The bystanders cringed at the sudden act of violence.
"She's what?!" raged Lord Amamiya Masaki. Grey haired, and wearing long flowing blue robes, the ruler of the southern lands stood up in haste from his seat at the dinner table. The maids by his side remained bowed as they retreated instinctively from fear. "What happened?" he inquired, "She was just supposed to be at the temple on the eastern mountains praying for the nation's safety!"
"I-I don't know the details, sir," stammered the poor messenger who knelt at the center of the hall. Regretting taking on the job of the messenger, he continued, "The captain sent me first to carry out the news as soon as possible. They're bringing her body back right this moment."
Amamiya collapsed in his seat, his face red from rage and hurt. "Where are they?! How far are they from the palace?! And where was her maid?" he demanded wildly.
The messenger cringed at the loud volume and feared for his life. Shakily, he replied, "Sir, she was found in a small cottage between here and the eastern mountains. They are about a day's travel away from the palace. Her maid was nowhere to be found."
"And?" Amamiya, put his hand over his eyes.
"… and we believe she died from giving birth."
Silence rang across the hall. No maid or servant dared to take a breath. Suddenly, the floor was very interesting to everyone.
Amamiya's hand stayed where they were. "She was pregnant," his voice all of a sudden shaking, "she was pregnant and she knew it. She left the palace to avoid being found out, and look at what happened!" Amamiya shot up straight from his seat and exploded in anger once again, "Who did it?! Was it you? You?!" He pointed wildly across the hall at any man in sight and lost all ability to think coherently. Realizing he wasn't going to get any answers out of the bunch, he ordered, "Leave!"
The messenger, maids, and servants hastily took their bows before the emperor and quickly left the hall. The ruler was left by himself for the first time since he had received news of his daughter's death. All of a sudden, the reality of the situation came crashing down on him.
His only granddaughter, only heir, just died.
As if age just caught up to the sixty year old man, the Amamiya Masaki gazed before him with a blank look and whispered with pain, "Nadeshiko."
Thanks for reading. Please review! I'm excited for this story.
