Title: An Unsuitable Match
Author: Fire Mistress
Couple: Amu Hinamori & Ikuto Tsukiyomi
Rating: T (PG-13)
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned here. They rightfully belong to their respective owner. I'm just using them for recreational purposes. the story is also loosely based on the novel, "The Raven Saint" by M..
Summary: Set in England in the early 1800's. Twenty-three year old Amu Hinamori gets kidnapped by a French mercenary, tossed aboard his ship, and told that she will be sold to a Spanish lord in Barcelona. Unable to accept such fate, she tries everything in her vicinity to escape him. However, out of all the plans she formulates to escape, the one thing she never planned on was falling in love with the ruthless Seven Seas captain, Ikuto Tsukiyomi.
Comments: This chapter was actually posted a while back. Didn't get the reviews I was hoping for, so I got discouraged and stopped writing. However, I decided to pick it back up and try finishing regardless of how many reviews I get. I love writing and this is good practice. I have edited this chapter for some grammatical errors and just small things I thought about adding when re-reading this chapter. Working on chapter 2 right now as we speak! Hopefully, I will have it finish in the next day or two! Thanks to those few who gave me reviews for your support!
Chapter 01: Captured
The dark clouds that loomed ahead promised the coming of a big storm, but that didn't stop her from running. Holding onto her skirt with one hand and her first aid kit with the other, Amu Hinamori trotted down the muddy path, not caring that her dress was getting dirty and wet. She had only one thing on her mind, and that was to save the life of her precious friends' daughter.
"Miss, please take it easy. I can't run, anymore." Noticing how far back Sakura was, Amu ran to her.
"We have no time. I have to get there fast," pulling her maid by the hand, Amu continue to run towards her destination, dragging a slightly surprised Sakura behind.
Her legs were weary from the run, but Amu refused to stop or to slow down. Someone's life was in danger, someone whom she cared dearly for, and she refused to let guilt consume her for not being able to do something when she could've. She could hear the sound of the river in the distance. She knew they were closed by, so she quickened her steps even the more. Almost there, she thought to herself, almost there.
"Miss, please! Let's take a short break. Emiko will be fine."
Whirling around, Amu stopped and grabbed unto Sakura's shoulders – confused as to the girl's sudden outburst, "how do you know that she'll be fine? Did you not say that she was terribly sick?" she tried to search Sakura's eyes, but the maid kept her gaze downcast, "Whatever is the matter with you today?"
Sakura sighed lightly and shrugged, "Nothing, miss. Just a feeling I had."
"Well, I'm glad that you are feeling reassured that she'll be okay, but I must still rush to see her." Grabbing her skirt once more, Amu turned and continued ahead. A small splatter of rain dropped on her cheeks, but Amu wiped it and pressed on. Nothing was going to stop her from saving Emiko's life – neither the rain that was threatening to fall nor the dangerous road before her. Emiko's parents were her best friend. They've been together ever since childhood, and Amu refused to let their daughter die of a high fever – not when she could do something about it.
"Miss, it's about to rain. Are you sure that we shouldn't go back home and wear the proper attire?"
"Heavens, Sakura. A little rain doesn't kill anyone. Besides, how many times did we used to play in the rain before?"
"You are right, miss." The slight quiver in her voice unnerved Amu a bit, but she had no time to ponder about it. She had more pressing issues to worry about.
Thunder roared in the sky, becoming louder as they came closer to their destination. The musky air filled her nostrils and she smelled the moisture in the air. It was thick and heavy, making it just a bit harder to breathe. From a distance, Amu could see Fujisaki's house, and she knew they were close.
"Come! We're here!"
The only response she got was a nervous giggle, and Amu couldn't suppress the little anxiety that was building in her. She didn't understand why, but something in Sakura's behavior was making her anxious. It was like she was trying to hide something from Amu. No matter. She will have to talk to Sakura about it later once she has Emiko's fever under control.
Grabbing her skirt, Amu climbed the steps of the cabin and knocked softly. A handsome man, with long violet hair and golden eyes opened the door. He smiled warmly when he saw who it was.
"Why, Amu. It's nice of you to visit." His smiled turned into a small frown as he looked at the horizon before him, "What, pray tell, compelled you to travel so far on such a dangerous, stormy day as this?"
"Why…I'm here to help Emiko, of course!" exclaimed an out of breath Amu. Nagihiko Fujisaki furrowed his eyebrows worriedly.
"Help Emiko?" He scratched his chin, confused at Amu's response. He turned around and asked his wife, "Rima, dear. Did you send for Miss Amu? I didn't know Emiko was sick."
"She's not," responded the equally confused Rima. Amu tilted her head slightly to the right wondering what on earth was going on. From the corner of her eyes she noticed Sakura inching away from the cabin, but paid her no heed. What was going on here?
"Didn't you send Carl to inform me that Emiko had a fever and needed help?" By now, Rima had joined her husband to see what was going on. They both looked at each other, confusion plain in their eyes. They really had no idea what Amu was talking about.
"That's not possible. Carl has been away for a couple of days taking care on some family business and won't be back until tomorrow evening."
Amu was extremely baffled now. Why would Sakura say that Carl came to tell her that Emiko was sick when she really wasn't? And to top it off, why Carl when he wasn't even around? She needed to hear the truth from her, and by golly, she was going to get it. Amu descended the stairs and dashed back to where she had come from, her eyes searching for any signs of her maid. As Amu walked towards the direction she saw her young maid disappear to, the rustles of leaves stopped her dead on her track. She turned around and saw five men, all carrying pistols and swords approaching her. Nagihiko cursed, and ushered his wife inside to keep her from harm's way.
Amu Hinamori shivered at the sight of the men. She wasn't one to easily cower in fear, but something in her screamed dangerous. Her heart sank and her breath was caught in her throat. For a few seconds, all she could do was stare. The fear that had consumed her had completely paralyzed her. A man, about five inches taller than her, came from amongst the group. His sapphire hair was lazily tied in a messy ponytail and his amethyst eyes pierced her to the core. In another situation, she might have considered him handsome, but this was certainly not the place nor the time to entertain such thoughts. A small smiled escaped from his lips.
"Mademoiselle Amu Hinamori, correct?" his thick French accent turned her blood cold.
"I am," she responded, trying to sound as strong as she wished she felt.
"Come with us."
"Are you an imbecile? Do you really think I would be foolish enough to come with you?"
The sapphire-haired French smirked and snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, two of his goons came over and twisted her arms behind her back. A pain shot through her.
The snap of a pistol sounded, and relief came to Amu as she noticed Nagihiko point his gun at the men. "Let her go." He demanded. However, the small relief she felt soon disappear when she noticed that none of her captors acknowledge him. As a matter of fact, they seemed rather amused.
"Do you really think you can do something to us with just that little toy? With any luck, you may hit one of us, but by then, someone else will blast you right where you stand. Are you willing to risk leaving your family completely at our mercy to save this little girl's life?"
Nagihiko continued pointing the gun at the group of men, but even from where she stood, Amu could tell that he was faltering. The snap of another pistol rang off as two of the men directed their guns to Nagihiko.
"Don't be foolish and toss your weapon to the ground, monsieur. If you even try to shoot us, we will shoot you. If you don't go back to your house this instant, we will not hesitate to open fire right now."
"Please just go back, Fujisaki!" Amu couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't bear the thought of him risking his life and that of his family for her. When Nagihiko looked at her she smiled weakly at him, "I'll be fine. Please."
Fujisaki sighed, anger evident in his eyes at being so powerless to do anything to protect his close friend. But as he looked again at Amu's silent appeal, he tossed his weapon to the ground and slipped back into his cabin. Amu sigh a breath of relief. She knew that she was still in danger, but at least her friends were safe. She turned back to the leader and asked, "What have you done with Sakura?"
"Sakura? Your servant?" He chuckled, "She probably went back to her place after the reward she received for leading us to you."
She had been betrayed? How could that be? She had known Sakura for almost ten years! Amu even considered her a sister! How could she do such a thing? As the rain finally began to pour down the Heavens Amu was, for once, thankful for it. She was glad for the pouring rain that was mixing in with the tears that refused to stop falling.
The sapphire-haired man turned and marched away, two of his minions grabbing Amu forcefully. She began to wiggle and fight for her freedom, but her efforts proved futile.
"Please, Sir. Why are you doing this to me?" asked Amu but silence was her only response.
The rain continued to pour heavily and the sky, if possible, became even darker. It was as if the Heavens were giving her an ominous sign of what the future laid before her– darkness – total and complete darkness and unmistakable despair. When they emerged to a secluded beach, they made their way to a lonesome boat that stood ready for them. Brutally, the men threw Amu in the boat then launched it into the river. Looking at the water, she wished she had paid attention to Rima when the petite had told her that she should learn how to swim! If she would've listened, then maybe she would've had taken a chance to swim for her freedom. But Amu wasn't particularly fond of water, and preferred to admire its beauty from afar.
When she removed her gaze from the water and turned it to the leader, he found her smirking at her. She frowned, not particularly liking seeing others taking pleasure at her expense. She casted a defiant look at her captor, but in return, only provoked his smile to widen.
Within a couple of minutes, they had reached the ship. A couple of shouts in French were heard as their leader picked Amu up and threw her over his shoulders like a sack of rice. She felt so humiliated at being treated as nothing but stolen goods, and she wished she had the courage to say something, to kick him and make him let go of her, but her body was completely paralyzed. Fear gripped her in ways she never thought possible. She was going to be on a ship with hundreds of deprived, sick men who wouldn't think twice about hurting her. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of wood and sea that came from this man.
After having climbed the ladder to the ship, group of men came from all directions, curiously looking at the 'treasure' this man had captured. They were murmuring amongst themselves, but it was all in French, so she was unable to understand what they said. If only she would've paid more attention during her French class then perhaps she could've made some sense of what was going on. But luck had it, she was not particularly too fond of the language. Not when her teacher – Madame Dubois – was as mean and rude as they came. From amongst the group, a man with blond hair and hazel eyes approached them. Another one who she would've found handsome had she not been in the circumstances she was in now.
"Bonjour, Capitaine," the man said, his voice deep like the ocean, "I see you've found her."
"Oui," he said haughtily, smirking as he slightly hit her bottom.
"How dare you?" she blushed, ashamed that this man who she didn't know would dare touch her so, "let me go, you wretched man!" Amu tried to wiggle her way out of his arms, but his hold on her was a strong as that of a cobra holding on to its prey – and that's exactly how she felt. She was the defenseless animal just waiting to be devoured by the cobra that held her tight. The crew chuckled, clearly amused at the scene, and slowly began to disperse.
"Mousier Hotori, we set sail immediately. Get everything ready," commanded the captain.
As the rest of his crew got ready to set sail, the captor began to descend down a ladder to the inner part of the ship. She screamed for him to let go, hitting him a couple of times on his back, but it was useless. His back was solid rock and hitting him seemed to be hurting her more than him. How frustrating this was! How she wished she was born a man so she wouldn't have been so powerless to stop him. Her captor only smiled at her struggle, and having reached their destination, he kicked the door open to the room. Amu closed her eyes shut tight and prepared herself to be thrown in the room, but the hit never came. Instead he gently grabbed her by the waist and slowly put her down. To say that she was surprised was an understatement.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Amu asked with an authority and bravery she knew she truly didn't have.
Smirking devilishly at her he answer, "My name is Capitaine Ikuto Tsukiyomi and you, Mademoiselle, are currently on the Seven Seas Treasure. As to what I want with you," he paused momentarily, allowing his gaze to scour her up and down. Amu shivered; not from the cool air that had taken residence in the tiny cabin she was being held at, but from the way this man dared look at her. She felt so vulnerable under his stare. It felt as if she was completely naked before him and she did not like this feeling. He smirked when he saw her trying to cover herself, "I am to deliver you to Don Jose de Pedras in Barcelona."
"Barcelona? Are you crazy? Besides, I don't even know anyone named Jose!"
"May perhaps, but he promised to pay handsomely for you."
"Why?" Why would a stranger from Barcelona go out of his way to pay these brutes to kidnap her and take her to him?
"Don't know much of the details, but it seems that your father had quite the debt with him. You, mon chérie, are his payment."
"Payment? I am no one's payment!" she flared, her cheeks turning pink in anger, "How can you even take part in such a deal? Aren't you ashamed? Where's your humanity?!"
"Like I said, he's willing to pay handsomely," and with a grin that infuriated her even more, Ikuto closed the door with a resounding thud.
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