A/N: This story is a Sakura x Riboku (Li Mu) pairing set in the Kingdomverse. Kingdom isn't the most popular manga I read, but it's amazing! I intended to make this a one-shot, but I ended up writing too much, so I decided to make it into two or three parts.
The Warring States era, also known as the Spring and Autumn Period, was one defined by violence and tragedy. The seven great states of China continuously raged against one another for control of the country. These states were Qin, Zhao, Chu, Wei, Yan, Han, and Qi.
For the last 500 years, each state sent their military out to destroy each other without a care for the innocent lives that were being affected. People were killed, tortured, and raped. It didn't matter if you were a man or woman, a child or an elder. Villages were pillaged and burnt to the ground. It was utter chaos for those who didn't live in their state's capital or in the royal court. This time in history was hell.
There was a young man in Qin who's dream in life was to end the senseless bloodshed. The 31st king of Qin, Ei Sei. He became king at thirteen and quickly became respected among not only the royal courts, but also his people. When he was a baby, him and his mother had been abandoned in Zhao by his father. His father had been kept as a hostage in Kantan, Zhao's capital, and during that time he had been given a woman who was famous in the land for her dancing. After having a baby with the woman, he ran off the first chance he got to escape back to Qin's capital, Kanyou, and claim his position as heir to the throne.
Despite being a woman of Zhao, Sei's mother was seen as a traitor for bearing the child of Qin scum. There was a great grudge against the Qin because one of their "Six Great Generals" had 400,000 surrendered Zhao soldiers buried alive with no mercy. Everyday, Sei and his mother were subjected to violence and all forms of cruelty from this grudge the people carried. His mother who was once known as the "Jewel of Kantan", was reduced to a vile woman who abused Sei and sold her body just to get by. She hated her own son, blamed him for all her hardships and even tried to strangle him when he was a young child.
If anyone understood just how violent the world can be, it was Sei. He wanted to bring peace to all the states of China, even if it was by force. He would conquer every state and they would be under one flag, one king. 500 years is far too long to keep the bloodshed and hatred growing.
The state of Han surrendered first instead of fighting during his first earnest conquest to subjugate the lands. After Han, Wei and Chu were defeated by his armies, but not without great loss.
During the war with Chu after their king was imprisoned, Shouheikun, who was the Head of Military Affairs and the Chancellor of the Right, betrayed Qin and decided to aid the enemy. Shouheikun was originally the youngest prince of Chu and became a hostage in Qin until his homeland abandoned him. Despite being left behind, he couldn't turn his back on his people and became the last king of Chu, until he was defeated.
Losing such an important figure was a great blow dealt to Qin. Not only was he one of the highest ranking men in Kanyou, but he was the genius strategist behind many of Qin's victories and conquests. Someone like him was pratically impossible to replace. This left Qin in a difficult position as they still had Zhao and Qi left to conquer.
Luckily for Sei, a rare opportunity presented itself before him and with this, Zhao will be his for the taking.
"Sakura-hime, sorry to disturb you, but Riboku-sama ordered me to bring this food down here to you and not to leave until you have finished it."
The young woman sighed deeply looking at the guard through the bars of her cell. 'He can shove it where the sun don't shine for all I care.'
"Tell Riboku-sama that I am not hungry and to leave me be. I don't need anything from that bastard." She would rather starve than accept anything from him.
"Sakura-hime... If you don't start eating you're just going to get sick and ...could die. All hope is not yet lost..."
The pinkette couldn't help but chuckle. The wasn't any hope left. Zhao had lost to Qin thanks to help from the traitor, Riboku. Just thinking about him set her blood boiling. She turned her back on the guard and sat on the small futon on the floor.
Sensing she wasn't going to budge or speak anymore, the guard decided to take a seat and leave the tray of food next to the cell in case she changed her mind. He couldn't leave the dungeon until the princess either ate her food or another guard came to relieve him of his duty. It has been like this for the last week, she wouldn't eat a bite no matter what anyone said to her.
It must have been at least an hour that passed before the heavy wooden doors to the dungeon were opened and a man walked in.
Sakura looked up to see who it was this time and snorted as soon as she noticed his signature blue and white attire. As usual, he had that damn look of disappointment in his green eyes. Here we go again. Ever since she was placed in the dungeon, he came down once or twice a day to speak with her, much to her dismay. She had nothing to say to him.
"Hime, you need to eat. You have already started losing weight and look pale. As I said before, there's no need to try to starve yourself to death." He came closer to the bars and knelt down so that he was eye-level with her on the futon. "Please, just eat something and you can be left alone for the rest of the day. I know how much you can't stand the guards sitting here with you. Just do me this favor and I'll do you one."
She didn't understand why he was being so persistent. Part of her wish she had been killed when the castle was being taken over, then at least she wouldn't have to sit here and be pitied by the enemy. She didn't want this man anywhere around her.
"Look, I know you could care less what I think, but I hate seeing you do this to yourself-"
"I find that funny considering you're the reason why I'm in here, you yellow-bellied swine. Leave me be, just seeing your face makes me sick."
Riboku stood up quickly with fists clenched tightly by his sides, almost startling the young woman before him. "The only one you should be blaming is your father... He was a careless narcissist with only himself in mind, someone like him will only bring ruin to Zhao. I believe King Sei will be able to set the lands on the right course. China will enter an age where wars will start to diminish and people can finally start progressing, instead of everyday being constant bloodshed. Have you forgotten what kind of man your father was? What he put you and the rest of us through?"
"Shut up! I already knew what a disgusting man he was, but at least he didn't try to hide it. Enough, can't you just leave me be!" The pinkette swelled with anger at the mans words and the memories they invoked. Her father was a wretched man who only cared about himself. He was the definition of an egomaniac.
"It seems I've upset you again. That was not my intention but it's only because I speak the truth. You shouldn't underestimate me, Hime, I'm a very observant person. Especially, when it comes to you..." He had that dark look in his eyes that always made Sakura shudder, it disgusted her. Men were nothing more than pigs. She had thought maybe Riboku was different before, but he was just like the rest of them.
As much at she hated to admit it, he was right about her father. He was right about a lot of things. If there was one thing Sakura knew, it was that she hated the man known as Riboku.
King Tou Jou was infamous throughout the land for his lavish lifestyle and conceited personality. He was nothing more than a spoiled brat who inherited the throne when his father died. His first act as king was demoting one of Zhao's Three Great Heavens, General Ren Pa, just because the older man chastised him about his rude behavior when he was growing up. It was clear as day that Zhao was never the top priority for him, only entertainment was.
It was no secret that the king preferred the company of men to women. There were many young men in the royal court who had become his lover from time to time as he was an indulgent person who was easily bored. In his opinion, women were unnecessary and not worth the expense to keep around. He found more value in the baubles that hung from his head piece.
Despite having such distaste for women, he had taken in well over a dozen concubines to conceive his heir. It was not something he wished to partake in, but he needed a son to solidify his reign and keep the royal family in power.
Unfortunately, none of the women bore him a son. They kept having girl after girl, which angered him beyond belief. He wanted nothing to do with these lousy women as it was and then they were too useless to even be able to conceive an heir. These women were often cast aside or left in the royal harem to their own devices.
One of the women in the harem was Tsunade. King Tou Jou had heard rumors of her beauty and graceful dancing. She was also well versed in the arts of healing. He sought the woman out believing if anyone could bear him a son, it would be her.
When she had given birth to a pink-haired little girl, he threw a fit and banished her to the harem with the other women he deemed useless. Tsunade requested to leave Kantan with her daughter and resume her life in her old village. The king agreed to letting the woman leave, he had no more use for her anyway and didn't want to waste money on her or the girl.
Tsunade named her daughter Sakura, after the beautiful cherry blossom trees she had seen on her travels as a dancer. Nothing relaxed her more than traveling and dancing, it was her passion. When her daughter was old enough she would teach her everything she knew. Though born a princess, she didn't want Sakura anywhere near them vile people in the royal court. She would raise her in the village and let her become her own person without the pressure and dangers of being royalty.
Years passed by quickly and Sakura blossomed into a beauty, just like her mother. Men who came to see the women dance in the village were awestruck by her ethereal looks. Who had ever seen a woman with pink hair and bright green eyes? Most Chinese women were born with dark locks, so she stuck out from the other dancers. Her graceful moves and unique look caused her name to spread to other villages and eventually back to Kantan.
King Tou Jou heard the rumors about the girl and knew it had to be the daughter Tsunade left with. He saw this as a great opportunity to benefit from his investment and wanted to bring Sakura back to the royal court in hopes of using her for a political marriage or as a bargaining chip, if needed. The only thing that would stop him is Tsunade, but she was an obstacle that can easily be taken out of the equation.
It took a while for Sakura to get adjusted to Kantan. The capital was lavish with enormous structures and elegant streets that were populated by many rich officials and their families. Everything felt so out of place to her, it was almost overwhelming.
She was use to her smaller village that merchants would pass through on the way to the city. Unlike the bustling capital, the village she lived in was like any other in this era and prone to bouts of violence. Death was not uncommon and she had to learn how to defend herself the same way as many others living in these type of villages, the hard way. Thanks to the training her mother gave her, she was able to offer her services to those who were wounded or caught illness.
One day when she returned from collecting medicinal herbs out in the woods, there were a handful of unfamiliar men dressed in expensive robes standing outside of her home, talking to her mother. She seemed visibly distressed and Sakura knew something wasn't right. Tsunade hugged her tightly and told her that she had to leave with these men to go to the capital and take her position as princess. Her mother's eyes welled up with tears and Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that something happened because she knew how her mother felt about the capital. That was the last time she had seen her mother.
After arriving at the palace in Kantan, she could tell she was unwanted. The other princesses and the palace girls whispered rumors and spun tales about the "pink-haired witch with the mark of a heretic". They called her many names because of her unusual appearance and the diamond-shaped mark on her forehead that she inherited from her mother. Everywhere she went in the royal court or the palace, the women scowled and treated her with disdain. Never in her young life had she ever felt so alone.
The first time she saw her father, it was when she had been called to dance with the other princesses at an important celebration. Older women rushed her down a corridor to a large room with many different types of colorful costumes, ornaments, and cosmetics. They dressed her, much to her discomfort, while a younger woman styled her hair and added color to her lips and eyes.
Before she knew it, she was being pushed together with the other young princesses who were either complaining or arguing with each other or the servants. 'These girls are so unbearable...'
Though all of these women were related through the king, they were bloodthirsty and vicious amongst each other and hungry for more power. Events such as these were full of great opportunities for not only the king, but the princesses too. Rich and powerful men from afar, as well as the royal court, flocked to these events to socialize, display their riches, and most importantly, play politics. The state's top officials and generals were required to attend as well.
If the princesses caught the eye of an important man, it could lead to a political marriage or stronger connects for the king. That was most important to them. If they became the wife of a powerful lord, they would be the most important woman in their house and have control over the concubines and servants. Their lives would always be luxurious. As a princess in the palace, you had to constantly compete each other on a daily basis for recognition and attention. These women only wanted to be number one.
Sakura didn't care about wealth or power. She was not raised in the palace and catered to her whole life. Inwardly, she couldn't help but laugh thinking that while these girls are fussing over their attire and craving suitors attention, she would rather be sparing with the village boys outside or practice her dancing near the lake by her home. This place was not meant for her.
"Oh it's the peasant girl, what are you doing here? Are you still pretending to be a princess, little mountain monkey?" The older girl walked up to Sakura with her head held high, but frigid eyes cast down on her. This is what she hated most about being here, the petty comments and unnecessary arguments. She was pretty, but her attitude made her one of the ugliest in the room.
"I don't know, are you still pretending to be a lady?" The woman narrowed her eyes and lifted her hand to smack the pinkette, but Sakura was too quick. She gripped the woman's wrist hard enough to make her cry out and fall to her knees. 'Right where that cheap woman belongs.' The younger women of the royal family didn't seem to ever have to do much of anything work related, so they were fairly weak.
As one of the other girls began scolding her, an older woman came in to announce that they will begin within a few minutes and ushered them to the area where the dance would start. The girl rose up quickly from the floor, rubbing her wrist and glaring, not that Sakura cared.
The closer they got to the court, the louder it became. Musicians were hard at work playing beautiful songs for the kings entertainment and the voices of jovial men and their laughter filled the air. Women poured sake and made sure their cups are never empty.
Sakura looked out from behind a curtain as they were getting ready to begin. 'There's so many people... Hundreds... I've never danced in such a grand place for this many.' For the first time in years, she was nervous to dance. There were so many important figures attending and they would undoubtedly be judgmental. These men probably have seen the best dancers in the land, who were just as beautiful as they were talented. She tried to calm her racing heart, the last thing she needed was to end up sweating off all the work the handmaiden put into her face when she was getting ready.
She felt someone come up beside her, it was another one of the princesses. "Try not to trip over yourself when we get out there. Unlike you, we have been trained in the art of dance since we were young. Do not humiliate the rest of us." The clicking sound of the woman's shoes as she walked away made Sakura want to trip her in hopes of her smacking her pointed face on the floor.
With those three little condescending sentences, all of her nervousness vanished. It was replaced with anger and defiance. They assumed just because she didn't grow up with the best instructors in the land, that she as not good enough? Today, they will learn their place.
'Thank you princess, whose name I don't care to remember. Your petty behavior has helped me cast away the doubts I had in myself. This dance I owe to you'.
The curtains opened as the musicians began playing a new song to accompany the dancers. Sakura didn't hesitate as she sashayed across the floor ahead of the other women.
The noise died down, aside from the musicians, as all eyes made their way to the beautiful women before them.
'And here it begins.'
Sakura began her dance, twirling her long embroidered sleeves, as she took in a deep breath and let everything else go. It was like being in a trance as she focused solely on the rhythm of the music and how to match the movements of her body to it. This is what she loved about dance, it was like being in her own little world where nothing else mattered. Not the nasty glares of the women around her, not the eyes of the men as they stared in awe at the way she moved, or the smug look of the king as he realized he may have hit the jackpot. All that mattered as she spun and her beautiful green dress billowed around her, was this dance. To show everyone that she was not just some useless, talentless peasant.
The song ended and all the dancers bowed as the king thanked them and introduced them as the princesses of Zhao. He had no doubt that he would be receiving requests for his daughters, he could see the money piling up already.
When she finally looked up after bowing, she could feel the different range of emotions from the people around her. Scorn from her half-sisters and appraisal from the people amongst the court. Pride welled up in her chest, knowing she made an impression, whether it was good or bad.
There was an enormous banquet bringing an end to the days celebration. Sakura was seated with the other women she danced with, who were making the atmosphere unbearable with their rude remarks and insults they muttered under their breath. Instead of infuriating her, it made her laugh that the others felt threatened by a mere village girl.
The table they were seated at was not far from where the king and his entourage sat, heavily guarded and laughing while beautiful women poured their sake.
'So this is my father...' Although she had been living in the palace for some weeks, not once had the king called on her or made an appearance. There were plenty of rumors that circulated of his greed and lust for the young men in the court. Who knows what is true or not, unless you see for yourself.
As she observed her father, Sakura could feel that uncomfortable sensation of someone's eyes burning a hole into the back of her head. At first she tried to ignore it, but I gnawed at her, like a fly buzzing around your head.
Spinning around on her cushion and casting a glare, there didn't seem to be anyone in particular to cause this uneasy feeling. Everyone was laughing and eating. 'I'm just being paranoid, probably because I don't feel comfortable here.' Turning back around, she just couldn't shake what her gut was telling her as she looked back to the king who was thoroughly enjoying the attention he was getting. 'I had to leave mother for this? There was no need to bring me here. I doubt they would notice my absence if I left anyway...'
Sulking, she picked up her abandoned cup of sake and drank from it. If anything, it would help the mood. Why was she brought here anyway? Her father hasn't said a word or even cast a glance in her direction.
She could feel someone's eyes raking up her back again, much to her annoyance. Looking behind her, she finally noticed the person looking directly at her. A tall man with blond hair that was held up with a tie, and wore blue and white clothing that was adorned with blue fur along the neckline. He was seated at the table behind her, surrounded by his vassals. Dark, calculating eyes bore into hers, making her shiver with their intensity. What was with this guy?
She recognized this man as one of the Three Great Heaven and the Prime Minister of Zhao, Riboku. His exploits and ingenious strategies as a general had made him famous throughout the land. She had only seen him once when she had been sneaking around the court, looking for a way to sneak out and get some fresh air. He was in the midst of explaining something she could care less about, so she figured he didn't notice her sneaking around the corner. If he did, she was thankful it wasn't brought to anyone's attention.
Embarrassed and not sure what to do, she turned back to her cup and downed the harsh liquid. If having everyone at the table hating you didn't do it, the general staring with no hint of shame was enough to make her excuse herself and slip through a corridor as everyone continued enjoying the night. 'I'd rather spend the night alone in my room, than in the company of those people.'
Hurrying back to her room to avoid having to return to the banquet, she didn't notice the figure trailing behind her at the end of the dim hallways. Rounding the corner to the next corridor, she bumped into something hard and fell backwards. 'Crap!'
Before hitting the floor, two strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, hoisting her back onto her feet. "My apologies, Sakura-hime. I should have been looking where I was going. What a fool I am..."
Looking up at the person blocking her escape, to her surprise, it was the general from the banquet. 'No! He was part of the reason I left in the first place. What the hell is he doing here?' The lighting wasn't great, but she knew who it was right away from his clothing. Everyone else was still celebrating, making her suspicious as to why he showed up so suddenly.
"My, my. What is a princess doing rushing through the corridors by herself this late, when her presence is required elsewhere?" Standing ramrod straight with his arms behind his back, he looked the picture of someone of great importance from the royal court. He exuded authority.
Sakura grimaced at his inquiry. Did he come here for something like that? To take her back to the banquet or inform someone of her whereabouts?
"What is the Prime Minister doing rushing through those same corridors, right after I leave, even though your mandatory attendance is also required elsewhere?"
There was a few seconds of awkward silence, with both of their green eyes meeting in all seriousness. A grin spread across his face and he burst out in a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. The sudden change in atmosphere startled her. Of all thing things, him laughing was not expected.
"I guess you're correct. Neither of us should be here. I don't really have a good excuse for my sudden appearance." Every second he danced around with his words, not giving her a straight answer, the more uneasy she felt.
He quickly turned looking down the hallway that she just came from, narrowing his eyes with a serious look plastered on his face.
"Hime, please allow me to escort you to your chambers if you do not wish to return to the festivities. If I may add, it is imperative that you do not wander around unguarded. Especially on a night such as this."
Sakura took a step back with a weary look. Something wasn't right and she wasn't sure if it was him or something else. Should she make a run for it? No, he was originally a general before he became a Prime Minister. There was no way she could out run or hide from him in these halls and her clothing would pose an issue for her mobility.
"There's no need to be so suspicious. I wouldn't dare harm you, if that's what's crossing your mind. I suppose that would be the a logical explanation one could surmise with what's given. After all, you do not know me, nor have any reason to trust my words. The only intentions I have at the moment are escorting you safely to either the main hall or your chambers."
It was times like these that she wished she would have kept a small blade on her person for protection, like back in the village. Should she go with this man? If she refused, he could always force her if he wanted. No one would hear her in the court if she screamed with how loud it is in there and even if he did do something, would anyone care? She was one of the youngest out of the many princesses and she didn't hold power over others like some of them did. Compared to a Prime Minister and one of the Three Great Heavens, her worth was considered next to nil, it wasn't even funny how big the difference was. Why didn't she just have a guard escort her and avoid situations like these?
"I do not trust you, Riboku-sama, but I will allow you to escort me to my room. Do not try anything funny."
A surprised expression filtered through his face, as he let out another chuckle. "Hime, I believe you are mistaken about the kind of man I am. As I said before, I mean you no harm. If it gives you a sense of ease, you may have this dagger and do not hesitate to use it on me if I do anything you feel is inappropriate." He handed Sakura a small dagger with an intricate design on its handle as she stared at him dumbfounded. "What's wrong, milady? Do you still not feel safe with me, even with a weapon?"
She snorted as she slid the weapon into her sleeve. "I know I am a princess here, but do not mistaken me for the others who are as foolish as they are naive. Do you really think that I am to believe this tiny weapon and my small stature could take down a well-seasoned general as yourself? Please, do not underestimate my common sense. Even if you are bare-handed, my chances are very slim of escaping if you chose to take action."
The man closed his eyes, amusement clear as day on his face. "Then you understand the position you are in, am I correct? If I chose to take action, you would have very few options. However, I have no intentions of doing anything of the sort. Now, may we start heading towards our destination?" He turned in the direction she had been previously heading to and began walking, expecting her to follow.
Sakura didn't feel any malicious intent coming from the man and decided just to go along with it until she reached her room. It was silent for a few minutes as they continued down the halls. She studied his form as he took relaxed strides with his long legs. With her smaller ones, she wouldn't have been able to keep up. Riboku allowed her to take the lead, since she assumed he wouldn't know where her chambers resided. 'He better not. That would be beyond creepy.'
"I must say, Hime, during the celebration earlier, I was really taken with your performance. I've never seen a woman dance so beautifully, and with such grace too. It was truly something to behold."
She thanked Kami that Riboku let her lead the way so he couldn't see how flushed her face turned at his compliment. He probably would have just laughed at her.
"T-thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it." That was the first time someone referred to her as anything other than a girl. The other princesses spoke as if she were a child and not the woman she is. It was not because she was lacking a womanly body or an mature personality, but pure spite.
Within minutes, they stopped outside the doors of her chambers. She looked up at him to thank him for his unwanted assistance, when she finally noticed just how much taller he was than her.
"I suppose this is where I take my leave now, milady. I've walked you to your room safely, without harming you in any way. Hopefully, you will not think as badly of me."
Sakura smirked, this man always had something to say. "I apologize for being suspicious, but as a princess, it is best that I second guess everything. Even a kind gesture." She pulled out the dagger he gave her previously and held it out for him to take.
"No, keep it just in case. You never know, it could end up saving your life one of these days. Just be careful walking around by yourself, you never know who could be sneaking around."
She couldn't help the laughter that escaped her at his words. "Mm, I know, you are first hand proof of that, Prime Minister. I give you my thanks."
He smiled, the mirth apparent in his eyes. "It is nothing, but a small gesture. And you do not have to refer to me by my title, you may call me Riboku. It was nice to be able to finally speak with you, Hime. Goodnight."
They bowed to each other and Sakura opened her door, not bothering to wait for him to take his leave. After she heard his foot steps echo down the hall, she let out a deep breath. 'That hadn't gone how I imagined at all. I thought he would going to try to assault me or something after the looks he was giving at the banquet, then showing up like that. Perhaps I jumped to conclusions too quickly...'
After the ceremony, Sakura was called on to dance many times for the kings guests. There was no doubt in her mind that the king was receiving money on her behalf for himself. It made her feel cheap to have these lecherous men pay her father to watch her perform, when all they cared about was stripping her bare with their eyes and not that actual dance.
The only words her father would give her were 'great job' when she was done and then boasted to his affiliates about how often people would come to see her dance.
She hated how she was being treated like merchandise, a cash cow. Her father didn't want anything to do with her besides entertain his guests and didn't show her a shred of respect.
Sometimes when the servants were busy and not paying attention, she would sneak out and go to the river not far from the palace. It reminded her of home, while she dipped her feet in the cool water and laid in the grass. Here, she was just another person. Not a princess and not something to put on display.
Once again she felt homesickness, thinking about her village and her mother. Two months ago, an attendant came to inform her that her mother had passed away from illness. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was impossible, no one was more experienced in the art of medicine than her. Not once in all the time they lived together, does she ever remember her mother getting sick.
It was the most heartbreaking thing to hear and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing, after she made it back to her room lost in grief. For days she sobbed over her loss of the person she considered her only parent and best friend.
Shortly after, she was informed that the king had set up an arranged marriage for her and a wealthy older merchant he knew for sometime. Everything fell together in that moment. It was too coincidental. Even after knowing she was in pain from losing her mother, her father cared more about money than his own daughter.
The day the merchant was to come to pay the dowry and take his prize, Sakura was told to sit on one a decorated cushion in a room they set up for the exchange. She fisted her silk robes, trying to hold back tears knowing her life would never be hers. 'Kami-sama, please don't make me do this'. Who knows what kind of life she would have as this strange mans wife. Some women who were put into these kinds of arrangements were treated fairly well, but others were beaten and even raped. She waited all day anxiously, not knowing when the man was going to enter through the heavy doors.
Suddenly, they opened and an attendant walked in informing her that her betrothed had not shown up and she could return to her quarters. As she hurried down the hall, she couldn't help the tears that sprang in her eyes as she thanked the heavens for so graciously giving her a reprieve.
Since that time, her father had tried marrying her off two more times, but the men never showed. There were rumors that Sakura had something to do with it herself, which made her laugh at the absurdity of it. She didn't know why they hadn't shown, nor did she care, just as long as they didn't.
One day, she decided to go sneak out to the river again. Everyone was busy, so she figured no one would miss her for a few hours as she relaxed under the bright sun. Watching the water rising and falling on the banks always calmed her nerves.
When she returned to the palace and headed for her room, she was surprised to find the door open. When she walked in, cautiously looking around, she couldn't believe who was there. The king was standing in the middle of the room, waiting impatiently for her to enter. 'This is strange, he's never come to see me before'. Slowly, she entered the room nervously, not knowing what to expect.
As soon as he noticed her, he grabbed her by her robes and shoved her onto the floor. 'What?'
"Where the hell were you? I had a man waiting all day for you to present yourself! You little ungrateful piece of trash, after all the money I put into you and you stab me in the back! Do you even know how much money he offered for you?! Ten times the amount you're worth!"
Sakura was taken back by his explosive anger and confused about what he was saying. No one had informed her of anyone coming, or she would have been in the room, dressed up and waiting.
"No one said anything to-" as soon as the words left her mouth, he hit her right in the face. Too shocked to move, he gripped her up by the front of her kimono. She could feel her busted lip swelling up and a trickle of blood running down her chin.
"Who do you think you're talking back to? You worthless whore, just like your mother. I'm king and when I tell you to do something, you do it!" She shook in his grip, knowing if she tried to retaliate, it would mean a death sentence. Seeing him pull his fist back to hit her again, she flinched and tried to cover her face.
"Your majesty!" Opening her eyes, she looked at the source of the voice to see Riboku standing at the door. Part of her had never been happier to see him. He looked from her back to the king, his expression indistinguishable.
"What do you want, Riboku!" The king growled out, angry that his Prime Minister dare intervene in personal matters.
"The diplomat from Qi is here. Another thing...it would be in your best interest not to strike the princess." She looked at him with a shocked expression, but he kept his eyes trained on the king.
"What?! Who do you think you are speaking to?"
"My apologies, what I meant is that if you continue to strike the princess, her face will swell, as well as bruise. That will make her quite unattractive when she performs and any potential suitors will be less prone to make an offer. There's nothing men dislike more than paying for damaged goods."
Sakura couldn't believe her ears. She thought that maybe he had come to stop her father from beating her, but it was just to ensure her looks weren't tarnished for the men who pay to watch her.
With a loud thud, the king threw her back on the floor and turned away as if nothing had happened and she wasn't even there with them.
"Always thinking fives steps ahead, that's precisely why you're my Prime Minister, Riboku. Now about that diplomat..." He walked out of the room talking about Qi as Riboku lingered a few seconds longer. Sakura kept her head down until she finally heard the door close and their voices fade as they headed back to the court.
'Damaged goods...huh...' She couldn't even look up at either of them after the horrible things they said, shame making her face burn and eyes water. How much did her father think she was worth? To put a price on your own daughter... It made her feel sick.
Whipping the blood off of her chin with a handkerchief, she couldn't stop the river of tears as she quietly sobbed into the sleeve of her kimono. Now, she truly was alone. The only person who loved her unconditionally, her mother, was dead. Her father just wants to use her to make money, all her half-siblings hate her guts, and she had no friends to speak of. Even Riboku showed what he really thought of her, nothing but damaged goods, like he said.
At that moment, she realized she hated them with all her heart. She hated herself for being so weak and not defending herself when she could have. Part of her fear was the death sentence or torture if she raised a hand against the king, but another part of her just wanted him to love her like she always imagined a father would.
Back in the village, there was a little family that lived next to her. The father was always playing with his children out front when he would return from working in the fields and it always gave her a warm sensation seeing them having fun. She was happy with her mother, but always wanted to know what it was like to have a father. Now, she regretted those words as she curled up into a ball on the floor, crying herself to sleep.
The palace was buzzing with the news of the recent war. Prime Minister Riboku had formed a coalition with the states of Chu, Wei, Han, and Yan, to attack the land of Qin and completely destroy them. Qin was in the midst of beginning a campaign to take over all of China. They had already taken land in Wei.
The coalition made up of all these states had overwhelming numbers in military strength compared to the armies of Qin, but somehow they lost. It was completely inconceivable, but an ally from the mountains had come aid them. The coalition had no choice, but to retreat.
The man responsible for this plan to begin with was Riboku, so he had to take the brunt of the blame for this catastrophic failure. Not only was he relieved of all his posts and titles, but exiled to a rural village far from the capital.
In his anger, the king decided exile wasn't enough and became paranoid that Riboku would betray him, so he officially put out an order for him to be decapitated for bringing shame onto Zhao and the coalition. When the soldiers went to the village to carry out the there orders, there was no sight of him or his subordinates, Kaine and Futei.
All hell had broken lose all over Zhao. On its conquest to unite China, Qin had subjugated Wei and Chu, and Han had surrendered long before that.
Before long, they targeted the borders of Zhao and swiftly conquered castles and many lands, until they were at the gates of Kantan. The country was at a loss without General Riboku and his military prowess that would have undoubtedly already seen this coming and formulated a plan.
King Tou Jou was known for not only his greed, but paranoia. He had gone through many officials and generals because of this, believing they were leaking information or would betray him, then having them killed. This would be his downfall as there was no one left in the court with the talent or power to go up against the great state of Qin.
The royal palace was in an uproar as the city was being invaded using a siege tower to get soldiers over the walls to open the gates. Everything happened so fast as the soldiers piled into the capital, slaughtering anyone in their way. Buildings were set on fire, homes looted, civilians were being assaulted and killed. The army was clearly at a disadvantage as they were overwhelmed to the point that the enemy had made its way to the palace, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
Sakura was at a loss of what to do. The enemy was closing in on the royal palace and there was no doubt the royal family would suffer the most. The servants, officials, and palace girls scurried like mice to try to escape as the enemy climbed the steps and we're trying to bust in the entrance. The princesses ran to different tunnels in hopes of making it out with their lives.
Where should she go? There wasn't an escape plan set up for her and anyone who did make it to the tunnels would leave some trap for the enemy or anyone who followed. The cries of fear and anger made it hard to sort out a plan in her head.
There was a loud crashing sound which signaled the enemy had finally broken into the palace as she heard shrill screams of terror. Was this it? She came here and left her mother to die for this? Part of her just hoped they would catch the king and make him suffer for his failures and incompetence a thousand times over.
"Sakura-hime! This way, please!" An older man she recognized as an attendant motioned for her to follow him. She quickly followed him as he led her through hallways leading away from the entrance of the palace. Her heart raced as she heard the screams getting closer. 'Please Kami-sama, I can't die here'.
The man stopped suddenly, almost making her run into him. Confused about why they stopped, she looked to the corridor they were headed to on the right and gasped at the scene before her. There were a dozen servants lying in a pool of blood, mangled and barely recognizable. What kind of sick pigs are these Qin? Corpses and death were very common in the villages, but this...this was just atrocious.
Grabbing her forearm, he quickly led her down a different way since the enemy had already made it in this far, they were lucky they hadn't run into them yet. They must have found another entrance to enter the palace, there was only one other way and only the top officials were privy to that information.
Going down a flight of stairs and into another corridor, the only light was a few torches along the wall. Sakura couldn't have been more grateful that this man had taken her with him to escape. At the end of the hall, there was a door on the ground that she presumed led to the tunnel, but they weren't in the safe zone until they were out of Zhao.
The attendant looked around before pulling open the heavy doors. He jumped back as a large man came in from the other side with his soldiers behind him. The man had long black hair that was bound with an ornament on top of his head and purple armor with fur lining the top. His eyes were cold and merciless, and he wore an devious smirk on his face.
"T-That armor! It's General Kanki! Sakura-hime run-" Without any hesitation, the man's blade ran through attendant, effectively cutting him in half. Blood splattered on her and she stood in shock as her savior hit the floor.
"Stupid old man... Gojou hurry up grab the princess so we can move on to the next step." A dirty looking man with a horrendous face stepped forward with a smirk similar to his leaders.
"Come here Hime-sama, I won't bite...too much. Hahaha!" As he reached his bear paw of a towards her, she slipped the dagger Riboku had given her from her sleeve and slashed his forearm open, catching him off guard.
"You little bitch!" As he went for his sword, she kicked him as hard as she could in his groin, making him fall to his knees. With his hands between his legs, she slashed again at the side of his neck, blood sprayed out onto the floor. She learned from living outside the capital, if it's between life and death or being assaulted, she couldn't hesitate or it would be the end of her. It would just become another nightmare for her to relive later. As the man fell to the ground, she took the chance to run down the hall to the stairs, but didn't know which way to run. 'Anywhere away from that psychopath'.
General Kanki, as soon as she heard that name, she thought her heart was going to give out. He was as infamous for his inhumane, brutal tactics as he was for his army's use of guerrilla warfare. Stories were told all over the land of his disturbing actions. During a campaign in Wei, he had carts of sacks full of the eye balls and ears of Wei soldiers sent to one of their generals. He was also famous for his "human forest". Sakura knew if she didn't get away from his man, she would suffer a fate worse than death...a million times.
After making it up the stairs and down one of the halls, someone grabbed her from behind and forced her down onto the floor. She kicked and screamed trying to get out of the persons grip, but he was too strong. He flipped her onto her back and straddled her waist, while his large hand knocked the dagger off to the side and pinned both wrists to the floor. To her horror, she saw it was Kanki on top of her, grinning madly with excitement in his dark eyes.
"You caught my eye, little Hime-sama. Who knew a princess could be so violent?" She tried to look anywhere but at him. "You're the last one left. All the other princesses have already been captured thanks the information on the tunnel system." He leaned down, brushing his nose against her neck and into her hair, taking in a deep breath.
"Mm...you smell so good... I think I'm going to keep you, Hime. Now the better question is, do you taste as good as you smell?" Sakura could feel the bile rise in her throat at he meaning of his words. His free hand ran up the side of her body, making her try to desperately twist out of his grasp. Was she going to be raped?
"General Kanki, that's enough. You know that woman is to be taken into custody." That voice...she would recognize it anywhere.
"Ho? Mr. Head of Military Affairs has come to the rescue huh? What a fuckin' buzzkill." She quickly got to her feet as soon as the man got off of her, looking in disbelief at the person in front of her eyes. General Riboku. Now it all made sense, how the enemy knew about the tunnels and the entrances to the palace. Riboku joined up with Qin after his deflection from Zhao and gave them all the information they needed to successfully take over Kantan and the surrounding lands. How could he? So many people were dying this very second from what he's done.
Sakura refused to cry as Riboku took her by the arm and into the enemies custody.
A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read this! I'm working on part two already. Don't worry, this whole story isn't going to be all dark and angsty. I also am going to work on part three of Dreams of a Monomaniac, so keep an eye out for it.