Dark Arrow
By Marie Darkholme
1. Runaway
The rain had finally stopped after nights and days of fustigating the country. But still, as he looked through the window of his room, he couldn't help but think that soon it would rain again. The dark clouds above in the sky didn't leave much of a doubt. It was going to rain again. Raising from his desk of bamboo, the young red haired man stretched his arms and the legs after almost three hours captivated in his work. He walked to the window, and rested his elbows over it, holding his head with his hands. A sigh escaped his lips as he watched the nature once more. The wind had accompanied the rain all way, but now it wasn't gone. Maybe another providence that the rain would eventually come back. The trees bended to his will, and the autumn leaves flew freely, taken by the wind, in the entrance of the castle.
He forced his eyes to move from the window, and his body to the chair again. There was still much work to do, and the young captain would want to disappoint his queen so early in his new duty. Unfolding the maps once more, he continued to study the whereabouts of his troops. Though they weren't in war, the queen still wanted a close watch to her frontiers, but especially at the castle. The queen had specifically commanded that no one should exit the palace without her knowledge. He found that very strange and suspicious. If it was the entrances then he would comprehend, but being the exits it was really odd. But it was not on his job or in his nature to question his superior orders and after all, the queen was much older than him, therefore she should have a better knowledge over ruling than him.
He watched the maps carefully. He had positioned men in the front gate and any other exits, but he still thought he needed to review his plan. The castle was a big one, and even having a wall all around it, didn't meant that someone could not exit without being seen. The purpose of the castles wasn't avoiding people from exiting, but from coming in, and in all his work years, he had never thought, he would be possibly thinking about a way to keep people inside, unless of course, they were back at war, and he wanted to make a fence to his enemy's castle. Scratching his head, he leaned against the back of his chair and allowed his view to travel once more to the outside.
Just then, he was interrupted for what it sounded like hurried footsteps in the hall. He turned his vision to the door of his room, just in time to hear someone knocking on it. He stood up and opened the door to show a very frightened servant. His clothes were completely wet and his face showed panic. By this, the captain could only assume something very dangerous had happened.
"What happened?" as response, the captain obtained several contained breaths, as the servant tried to catch his breath as fast as he could. "Easy man. Breath." The captain directed the man to a chair next to the door and motioned him to sit, but the man didn't seemed happy about it, and refused it with sudden movements as he raised his head to speak once more. "…escaped. The queen…talk…you." He managed to say between breaths. Hearing this, the captain quickly grabbed his sword that lied over the bed and exited the room living the exhausted man, lying on the floor.
He quickened his pace, not loosing his pose of authority as he headed to the throne room. For what he had understood, the queen needed to talk to him, because someone had escaped. As he walked he scolded himself for leaving the prison gates with only a few men, while he concentrated in the stone walls. It had certainly be some dangerous criminal on the loose.
Passing through some curious maids over the hall, that cleaned the rooms or simply walked by, he reached the throne room. A wooden door with about three metres high, by two large separated him from the room. Outside a guard, one of his man, was watching the door. Seeing his captain the man bowed and opened passage so he could pass. The captain pushed the large door, with little effort and entered the room, not bothering to close the door, leaving it for one of the many servants in the room to do. He approached the queen and bowed respectfully in her presence, kneeling his right knee on the ground, and resting his forehead over his left arm that was on his left leg. His right hand, grabbing the handle of his sword. The queen, motioned him to stand up, and with a quick rash gesture, the servants left the room without even blinking.
"My Queen!" the captain murmured as he stood and looked to the queen in her eyes. Her face was crossed by several wrinkles that deepened as she began to talk. "We have a problem, Captain." She said in an angry but controlled voice, keeping her respectful and authority position, sited in her throne. "I apologize, my Queen, but I haven't been informed of this problem yet." The captain said in a calm tone. He glanced over to the lady in front of him and watched her reaction. She remained calm but angry though.
"My niece, Captain, is the problem." She informed. The young man spared her a confused look. "I do not understand, your Majesty. How can such beautiful lady, not comparing though with your daughter, be a problem?" he said. The queen smirked before the obvious interest complement directed to her daughter. Her hand quickly travelled to her face, where she collected a loose thread of hair that she put behind her year, before talking again. "My niece escaped." The captain was shocked with this kind of information. He could had never thought, the horrible problem that had scared the poor servant so much could be the juvenile escape of the queen's niece. He allowed himself a smile.
"Your Majesty, I do not believe that would be a problem. My men will easily bring her back." He stated, but for his fright the queen's face only became more serious and angry. "Then perhaps, you care to explain how did your men allowed her to leave in the first place?" she inquired angrily. The captain faced the ground. "I do not know, but I personally grant you…" he started. "I do not need your grants, Captain Motomiya. Bring her back immediately. Do not fail me, Captain." The queen finished. The captain bowed once more, this time only bending his body forward and left, but not before assuring the queen he would not fail.
Ten minutes later, he was already properly equipped to start the search. He carried his katana on his waist, and wore simple armour, light so the horse could travel with more speed. Over it, he wore a simple dark blue cloak with hood, with the monarchy symbol craved in the back. Riding his horse, he looked once more behind, to see if the men were settled, then with a guttural sound, the small squadron of twenty men left over their horses. He had organised two teams of twenty each. Then they would separate into four teams each and search in the woods and proximal villages.
In the castle, another red haired man, was preparing himself to travel as well. He wore simple clothes, a pair of pants and a brown shirt. On his waist he carried his own katana, a beautiful sword in tons of blue and black, with an especially sharp blade. Turning on his feet, he walked to one of his room's drawers and retrieved a map, which he put on his hand made bag that he carried crossed over his chest. Then, he picked a pair of gloves over the furniture and wore them. Murmuring something to himself, he walked to the window and saw the first few rain drops of the evening starting to fall. Then, picking his black cloak, also with a hood, but with no symbols, he marched out the doors of his room, locking them behind him.
Walking in a quick controlled pace, he opened the stable doors with a thud. He searched in the several cells for his horse, but the stables were big and he was having troubles in finding it. He turned back to the doors and just when he was about to leave, a voice scared him. "Are you sure, you don't want me to go with you?"
The red haired turned to meet a pair of blue eyes standing in the doorway. He sighed. "Yes, I'm sure. There is much more you can do, if you stay." He replied. But the blue eyed didn't seem convinced. "You know I don't this for you." "Yes, I know Takeru, but right now, you're needed here. Don't forget what I told you." The red haired man said. "You mean about…" Takeru was shut up, when the red haired put his hand over his mouth. "Shs. We can talk here. You don't know who might be listening." He murmured into Takeru's ear. The blue eyed only nodded, and the grip on his mouth was quickly retrieved.
"I believe you should be looking for this." He stated, motioning to the reins he had on his hand. The red haired smiled as he took the reins and climbed on the brown horse, caressing his fur. "Thanks." He replied to the blue eyed. He blinked an eye to him, as he passed a hand through his blond hair. "Be careful with what you say." The red haired warned him once more. "I will. You be careful too Koushiro." The two shook hands, and Koushiro made a sound with his mouth, pulling the reins, so the horse would start to gallop.
As he watched his friend vanish in the middle of the woods, Takeru couldn't help but sigh. "Are you sure we shouldn't follow him." a female voice replied behind him. Takeru wasn't startled by that and continued to stare at the woods. "No, he's right. Something odd is happening." Takeru replied. "We should stay and watch over things here." As he finished he turned to meet the woman behind him and softly kiss her lips.
Back at the castle, a figure moved in the shadows of a secret passage into the castle. The only thing that helped it in its way was a poorly seen torch that illuminated the stairs. It continued to climb up, moving quietly but quickly. Its whole body was covered with a dark cloak, and a big hood covered its face in shadows as well. Not even its eyes could be distinguished.
Arriving to a dead hand, the figure put the torch in a support on the stone wall, and turned its attention to the dead end again. With its gloved hands, it traced the features of the cold stones, until finally reached what it desired. The stone moved and the passage opened, showing a bright room. It entered and looked around its surroundings, spotting an elder woman sited over a couch. The woman seemed to acknowledge its presence and turned to greet it with a hideous smile. The figure approach, and as the woman stood and walked towards her, the difference of highs became visible.
"Why have you called me here?" the figure said. Its voice was deep and grave, not doubting a man's voice. "My Lord!" the woman said bowing, but as she stood again, the man slapped her across the face, making her fall on her knees. The woman looked hurt to him. "What happened?" the man asked, turning his back on the woman, that sobbed quietly on the ground. "The girl, my Lord, she escaped." The woman informed. The man released a laugh. "So what?! I do not believe that is a problem. Illuminate me, Myuki." The man replied. "She left a letter…saying she was going to find the killer of her parents." Myuki sobbed.
"What?!" the man yelled, strongly enough to make Myuki crawl some paces back. "How did she find out?" he inquired, grabbing the woman by her neck, pushing her against the wall. "I don't know my Lord. I swear." She cried. The man released her from his grip and she fell once more to the ground. "It seems, once again, I will have to contain your mistakes." He replied as he turned to the passage again, leaving Myuki sobbing on the ground. He opened the passage and disappeared in the shadows once more.
Deep in the woods, a riding figure distinguished from between the shadows that covered the forest. The rain had started once more, and the rider felt his soaked cloak, weighting over the horse. Nevertheless, he continued his search through the woods, inciting his horse to go faster and faster every minute. The raindrops were falling harder and even with the trees as a protection, he still could feel them wash the forest, creating small creeks in both sides of the road he had taken.
The forest was silent, not even the animals could be heard, but each time one of them decided to adventure himself in the rain, Koushiro would turn his head, fearing the guards approach. Even though he had left after them, he was ahead on his search, since he knew where the guards were suppose to be going and where the queen's niece had runaway too. By that, he only needed to avoid the guards' road, just like she had done. The problem was that she could have chosen several ways to reach her goal, even adventuring herself in the woods, and the rain was occulting her tracks, if they were any. He felt something was wrong. Strange things had been happening lately, and he felt she was in danger. He just hoped he could get to her in time.
Pushing the reins once more, he made the brown horse, his fateful friend Autumn Leaf, stop in his tracks as he once more began to hear movements in the forest. He looked around but a small fog was beginning to involve the trees, blocking his view. It seemed to him, he had been riding for hours already, but she had runaway in the middle of the night. No one could know exactly were she was by now.
Looking around and not seeing a soul, he resumed himself to start galloping again, so he shouted to the horse and he began his search once more.
It was getting darker, when he finally decided to stop, feeling his horse's exhaustion as his own too. He pushed the reins and Autumn Leaf stopped, then he easily climbed off it and walked around for a few minutes, stretching his legs after long hours of being sited. Not letting go the horse's reins, he arrested him into a tree. The horse was happy for finally being able to get a rest, and, with the few space that he had, bended his head and started drinking water from the creeks forming on the road's sides.
Koushiro leaned against a tree, trying to protect himself from the rain that just kept falling. His cloak completely soaked. He pulled down his hood and squeezed it, watching the water falling from it. Then he grabbed the cloak's bottom and squeezed it as well, eliminating some of the extra weight he had over his shoulders, and of course his horse's torso. Then, he pulled out the map he had brought, and being as much careful as he could not to wet it, he unfolded it and started searching for his position. By his calculations, he should be near a village, and had surpassed the royal guards in a few hours with his unstoppable rhythm and sense of direction, cutting through the woods a few miles back.
After a few more calculations that took, nevertheless some required time; he folded the map back and put it back on its original place, now a little wet. He must keep going if he wanted to find her first then the other men. When the queen had forbid her to leave the castle in any circumstance, even searching for the true about her parents' dying, he had started to have suspicions about things that had happened. After a long talk with his protected, the queen's niece, also his friend, he couldn't help to notice her frustration before her prisoner condition, and knowing her as he knew, he was suspecting a runaway. He just didn't think it would be so soon. But, even though, he thought the running was a little premature, he understood her fully, and in fact agreed that the queen's decision was very suspicious, to say the least.
Resuming his thoughts, he untied Autumn Leaf and returned to his search. The night falling quickly, he started hearing the normal sounds of an active forest: cuckoos, owls and hornless would announce their presence with small peeps and the howls of the wolves could be heard as well. Suddenly Koushiro regretted the fact he had left Takeru behind, feeling very small and vulnerable in the middle of the night forest. Gathering his courage and reminiscing to himself the purpose of his sudden trip, he continued fearless through the way.
Suddenly, Autumn Leaf started slowing down and neighed. Koushiro kept himself alert and a few seconds later there was another neigh in return. Then the sound of skulls seemed to scare the animals around that retrieved with a spooky sound that made a cold shill travel through Koushiro's spine. The horse though, seemed to be pretty comfortable with the approximation of one of his kind.
In the dark, nothing but the silhouette of the rider could be seen. The horse appeared to be a great pure race, judging by his features and his abundant mane. As the rider came close, Koushiro could see him reach for its sword. In and instinct movement, he reached for its own katana. Little more than the two blades wrestling against each other could be heard. Both riders had climbed down the horses and approach. The rider was wearing a long cloak, just like Koushiro's and the hood, covered completely is features, so even if it was lighter he wouldn't be able to see who it was, man or woman, but Koushiro doubted hardly that a woman could carry and use a katana like the unknown rider was using now.
The blades encountered themselves realising metallic sounds that echoed through the silent woods. Not wanting to kill the rider, Koushiro tried to hit him in the arm, preventing him from attaching again, but the stranger easily avoided the attack with his sword, twisting his arm and disarming Koushiro at the same time. Unarmed, he reached for his boots, but before he could retrieve his small tanto, the rider was on him, knocking him to the ground, with the blade a few inches of his neck. He closed his eyes and prepared for the final impact, but it didn't come. Opening his eyes, he only saw the rider reaching to his horse, prepared to climb on.
"Wait!" he shouted to the rider that suddenly turned, alarmed by the familiarity of the voice. Putting back the katana in its place, the stranger reached for what it seemed an oil lamp in the horse that like Koushiro's was emitting a small flux of light, preventing any unwanted person to acknowledge his presence. As the rider increased the light flux, Koushiro could see a small smirk covering his lips, that suddenly didn't seemed so masculine. The smile, though, quickly transformed in a sad expression as the rider came closer and retrieved the hood that covered his hair, to reveal an auburn haired girl, with fiery crimson eyes.
"Koushiro!" she exclaimed reaching for him with a huge embrace. "Sora!" the red haired man embraced her back. "What are you doing here?" she asked, obviously angry, but with a hint of happiness for seeing her friend. "I couldn't aloud my protected to come alone in a dangerous journey like this one." He replied with a smile. She turned her back on him, and reached for the reins of her black pure race horse, Thunder. "Then you understand why I must do this trip, and you're not here to persuade me?" she asked, doubting the reasons he had come. "Yes. You know I support you decision." He replied reaching for Autumn Leaf as well. "What about Takeru? Is he here too?" she asked. Koushiro shook his head. "No, I thought it was better if he stayed and watched things over at the castle." "Good." She said and prepared to climb on her horse once more. Koushiro followed her example and rode Autumn Leaf.
"There's something odd happening at the castle." Sora replied as they rode through the woods. "I don't understand why aunt didn't want me to find the truth, since she never cared into find it." Koushiro listened carefully her words, feelings his own thoughts being described. "Besides…" Sora continued. "…I feel she's hiding something from us."
I peeps, I'm back with a new story. I'm not going to tell much about it right now. Knowing me, or reading my profile you can almost guess all the pairing so I'm not gonna talk about it.
I hope you like this new story. I won't be able to update regularly, but I'll try. Normally my medieval stories really suck, so I'll be waiting for flames. Just review okay?.
To all of you that I use to read stories like Noriko, Litanya and lots of others that I cn't remember the name (sorry), I haven't be able to read all the chapter and review, but I'll try okay?
Bye, bye