We All Fall Sometimes
Part I
Fate was a cruel and heartless thing.
She watched him through the crowd, his golden orbs alight with laughter and then playfulness as he teased his superior, General Mitsuhide.
He was her Captain. Her superior. She never thought she'd end up like this, in a real hot mess, over a man who had been the cause of a lot of physical pain through her years in the military. But, he must have done something right because she was now his greatest asset and accomplishment.
"There you are Shirayuki," said a voice from behind her, dropping the official Lieutenant from her name, since they were good friends now.
It was the Prince of Clarines, Zen Wistalia.
He stood tall and magnificent in his dress robes, compared to her. After all, she was just a soldier. A soldier, who had single-handedly saved their Kingdom, but without that status, she was a commoner. Shirayuki didn't have qualms with that, either, she never had. But she liked to put things into perspective.
"Look, I need to ask you something," he said with a smile. "I know this is a celebration for your promotion-"
"Your Grace, its not just mine," smiled Shirayuki. "But thank you, I'm honored."
Zen laughed. "Well, I know, but its mainly you. I think we should discuss something formally later on. The King will send for you, its quite important actually."
Shirayuki nodded. "Of course, your Grace."
He gave her a fond smile. "You look beautiful by the way, Shirayuki. To think that beauty like yours had been kept away underneath soldiers uniforms and armor," he laughed, waving, before walking off.
She smiled but inwardly disagreed.
"Lady Shirayuki," said a voice from behind her. She visibly soured, could she have no peace tonight?
The red head frowned, bunching material in her fist to lift up her gown (which she didn't approve of, since it hugged her bodice a little too tight), and turned to meet a noble with a smile on her face.
She couldn't place his name but sort of recognised him. He smiled and bowed slightly.
"Sir, I'm not a noble. I'm a soldier," she said a little rudely, trying to be polite about it but it annoyed her a little.
"Nonetheless, will you allow me this dance?"
Shirayuki's eyes widened at the suggestion and was about to answer when his voice cut in.
"Apologies, Lord, but Shirayuki has been promised to someone else," said his smooth annoying voice.
Her green orbs caught his golden ones to find that they sparkled with something she couldn't place.
The man walked off, annoyed, and she sighed. "Senpai, you know that's not true."
"Isn't it? So when your superior officer says you are to dance with him, you refuse? I feel like there was a similar situation way back when..." he said, pretending to think of something.
Shirayuki glared. "Senpai, if you're referring to when we were training to go to war, I didn't refuse. And it wasn't dancing, either, it was about being attacked while blind folded."
Obi laughed. "You're right, very different, but you almost did-"
"You threatened me, Sir. I recall it, too," she blanched.
"Actually, it was a different incident I was referring to. I think it was when you had mild hypothermia and I offered to-"
"Don't finish that sentence, Senpai," snapped Shirayuki as she turned and stormed off, flushed...a hot mess again.
Obi watched her walk off. He watched how her dress clung to her curves, her long red tresses flowed behind her beautifully and he wondered, had she always been this magnificent?
Of course she had. The moment he laid eyes on her, he wanted her. Even when he thought she was a man in the training camp. He'd been lugged with a whole lot of worthless idiots, just when war had been declared, and then this apple red haired boy shows up from conscription. The soldiers pinned their antics on him but he took it and didn't protest. Obi remembered how he noticed the delicate features of Shira Aki, how he would stare at her longer than the others, pick on her much more than everyone else and when the time came, he told her to pick up and go because Shira had been too weak and beautiful to be in a war they were about to face - knowing it was treason to send her off.
He was so wrong.
As she returned to her tent, she heard a cry and hurried footsteps. It was the cry of pain, not a battle cry. Suddenly, an arrow landed in her tent.
They were under attack.
"Get out of here, Ryuu. I have to help them," she said hurriedly and raced off, with her herbalist pack in hand.
At least she could do something confidently and know she would succeed.
She ran across the ground, arrows flew everywhere. This had been part of the training before, which she had failed at by the way, of dodging arrows on the battle field.
Although, when they were training, they weren't real arrows, more like apples flying through the sky.
But she had a mission, she had to save them. She could see ahead of her some tents were on fire and some soldiers were lying on the ground pierced with arrows. She was determined because she could see her Captain in the distance.
He was hiding underneath the tin shelter where the pot of gruel stood, which seemed to allow the arrows to bounce off. She ran forward with more vigor now, judging her footwork and using her instincts to dodge the arrows coming her way. Because she had to and she wouldn't die without helping the soldiers.
Ahead of her was a small bridge before it lead to the campsite. Obi was shouting orders but then his golden orbs fixated on her and widened. He went to run forward but winced because he had been shot with an arrow in his leg and some of his men held him back. He was shouting something at her but she couldn't hear it.
Shirayuki gripped her herbalist bag and ran forward. A shower of arrows came again. She looked up with confidence, her legs running faster than she had ever imagined.
An arrow was right above her so she dodged to the left. Another came and she rolled and kept running.
Finally she reached the shelter, just as two arrows came within an inch of her, she ducked, slid and turned, averting them as she had hoped.
Her Captain's eyes were wide with shock but she ignored it. She had to tend to him so he could continue to lead them all out of the chaos.
She pulled open her satchel and grabbed the herbs and bandages needed.
"Shira!" exclaimed the young soldier, Kazuki, who had always bullied her. His eyes were shocked too. Obi's arm was around his shoulder and on the other side of Obi was the one named Itoya.
He seemed more level headed but still had his eyes trained on her out of curiosity.
"Hold him down," she said, remembering to lower her voice again. "I have to break off the tip and pull out the arrow from the other side."
They both nodded without question as they lowered Obi to the ground and held him, both on either side of him.
Obi hadn't spoken yet, he was too dumb founded. He looked back over to where she had run from...it was miles away and through the constant shower of arrows too.
Imagine that, he'd thought.
Shirayuki wiped sweat off her brow as she finished her work. He was bandaged up tightly so he could at least move on his own now.
She began to put all the bandages, herbs and ointments back into her satchel and did up the front. Suddenly it was being lifted from the ground and she looked up to see Obi testing to see how heavy it was.
"Interesting," he murmured. It was pretty weighed down, with all the bottles of ointments, bandages and other first aid items. Much like a bucket of water.
And to think, Shira couldn't even run a mile before with a bucket of water and that wasn't under these stressful conditions.
Suddenly a man appeared in front of them, sword out, and her eyes widened. But her Captain didn't seem fazed. "Mister," greeted Obi.
The man who she noticed had a blue colour to his hair, looked down at Obi's wound and then to Shirayuki. "Looks like you didn't need medical help after all, Obi," smirked the man.
He was in a soldier's uniform and armor with gold trims. He must be a Captain or higher, Shirayuki thought.
Obi smiled and then his eyes met hers. His expression was thankful and so different to how he had regarded her half an hour ago.
"You took them out then," said Obi as he walked out of the shelter.
Shirayuki hadn't noticed the arrows had stopped, she'd been too busy ogling her Captain.
But alas, she'd brought shame to the Aki name because she was going home, after all.
She began to walk off when a hand was felt on her arm, causing her to turn to look up at her Captain in surprise.
"Obi-kun?" she'd questioned, forgetting to lower her tone.
He had a strange look in his eye but then they were narrowed as he removed his hand instantly (as if burned) and he stood, arms crossed over his chest.
"Soldier, is that how you refer to your Captain?" he snapped but there was a playful gleam in his eyes.
She could almost see a smile...or so she thought.
"Sir? I thought-"
"You thought wrong. Do you think the Royal army would let go of a proficient medical officer who can also dodge a rain of arrows and then easily tend to the wounded?" his tone was harsh but it was obviously his way of demanding that she stay.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Shirayuki stared over the balcony at the trees, the flowers everything that didn't remind her of her duties and her superior.
She looked down at her hands. Those hands of her had tended to many a wounded soldier, but they had also taken life too. It was mostly in the heat of battle, she wouldn't intentionally kill anyone, it wasn't her way.
She wondered why she was here and how she'd arrived at this destination.
"The Aki family," spoke the man who was one of the advisors to the Wistalia Royal family.
Her green orbs watched from afar and she feared for her Grandpa. He would die if he joined the army again.
That moment changed her course drastically, if not for conscription, she would not be here.
She would never have met Captain Obi. Would that have been better than this? Maybe. But then she would not have accomplished all she had up until now.
She would never have saved the Kingdom and many probably would be dead. She was the hero. The hero with the red hair, Shirayuki Aki.
Shirayuki leaned, quite unceremoniously, against the stone balustrade, her arms crossed on top of it and her chin resting on top. Her bottom stuck out a little too but she didn't care. She was used to wearing men's clothes anyway.
"That's very unladylike, Miss," Obi said from behind her.
She didn't bother to turn this time, keeping her position. "You shouldn't call me that, Senpai."
His golden orbs went over her form appreciatively because, hell, no one was out there with them and she was facing the other way. He was only human after all.
He walked over and leaned on the railing too, looking out at the Royal garden as she had been doing for he last hour.
"Why not? Yes, you're a soldier...my soldier, but in the end, you're still a Lady," he said, giving her a side glance.
She looked at him, noticing how his back was arched due to his height.
"Well, I may not be your soldier after tonight, Sir."
This statement caused Obi to snap his head toward her. "What was that, Aki-kun?"
She hated it when he called her that and he knew it did too. There was something in his eyes that showed her how dangerous he was, like, there was something in his gaze she couldn't decipher.
But he'd always looked at her like that, from the moment she'd met him (and not by choice, either). Sometimes she would catch him giving her this look that was perplexing and then, as if there was some sort of fondness in his eyes, it would be gone.
She surmised it was just how he was.
Golden eyes narrowed down at her. "Your name, soldier," he drawled, clearly not pleased with the display he'd just come out of the tent to see.
"I-Its um, well I...its-"
"I'm waiting," he snapped.
Was it her fault that him towering down at her, made her nervous? And that he was very attractive, compared to most of the soldiers around her, with his tanned skin, piercing golden eyes, short unkempt jet black hair and don't forget about how toned he was...and tall! His whole demeanor was confidence and commanding, something she'd always been attracted to.
"S-Shira Aki, Sir!" she exclaimed in the deepest voice she could manage.
He regarded her for a second, noticing she had her red hair in a high bun (what an odd colour), like some of the other men who had long hair, and her armor was loose on her body (belonging to her Grandpa), so she sort of looked manly at least.
Then he turned to face everyone else.
Some of the soldiers were on the ground still, sporting blood noses and bruises. Others were standing, alert and straight backed, since the Captain had caught them all brawling.
They'd blamed her but she didn't do anything! Guess they thought she was the weakest link and they probably weren't wrong.
"Congratulations, men, you have Aki-kun to thank for what will be the longest night of your lives!"
And he wasn't wrong with that statement. Not by a long shot and it brought shivers down her spine just thinking about that arduous night.
"The King wants to talk to me, I'm assuming its about my new orders," she explained with a sigh, turning back to the garden in front of her.
Her haven...sanctuary. When she had spare time and was stationed at the Royal castle, she would just sit on the bench below and take in the scent of flowers and greenery in the sunshine. It was the only thing that kept her sane, really. She liked cataloguing the flowers and herbs too, after all, she had been a herbalist before all this.
"Tch. You weren't gonna tell me if I hadn't said anything, huh?" he spat, clearly displeased with her answer.
He pushed off from the balustrade and walked toward the exit, back to the ballroom. "I'll come with you, lets go Yuki."
Shirayuki huffed and nodded, following her Captain. "Its Lieutenant, Sir."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"For how long, your Grace?" asked Obi evenly. He masked his annoyance and incredulity well, too well.
But Shirayuki could tell he was pissed, between the gaze he gave her and then that question...what would she do?
"As long as it takes. Lieutenant, you will be under the command of Captain Hisame Lugis. He has to draw out battle plans, he doesn't have time to train the soldiers too. War has already broken in Lyrias so soldiers are coming in and out plus the new recruits," explained Prince Zen, earning a nod of agreement from King Izana.
Their eyes were all on her, except for Obi. He was inwardly seething, she could tell.
"She's not ready," he said coldly and she gasped at his words like they burned her.
Her green orbs searched his face for a reason...anything to show that he was joking or something.
But he didn't look at her, nor did he waver. He was dead serious.
"Obi...its been two years since you trained her and she's carried out plenty of orders since then. Her capabilities are beyond reproach and she's proven her skills time and again. Not to mention she saved my life and the King's, saved the whole Kingdom of Clarines and is loyal - hell she was willing to sacrifice her life to save us all," explained Zen and Shirayuki smiled in appreciation.
Oh, she was so beyond ready.
The last sentence really seemed to bother Obi. His jaw tightened because he knew just how much the statement held truth.
In front of her, a man with silver hair was fighting a man with long brown hair, tied up into a pony tail. And to her right, she saw the King at sword point. Touka held it while staring down at her, his eyes murderous and deadly.
"Another move and the King dies," he snarled.
She had her sword pointing at him but began to lower it slowly. She couldn't endanger King Izana like this.
Suddenly the silver haired man looked up, his eyes widened at her presence, but that was all his opponent needed to knock him out.
He advanced on her but she held her sword up firmly at the ready.
It happened all in slow motion. Obi's priority had been King Izana, he'd already grabbed him as Shirayuki turned and sliced Mihaya's torso and then ducked as Touka lunged his sword at her, effectively puncturing Mihaya's chest instead.
His eyes had been wide with horror and disbelief but Touka didn't even flinch.
She backed toward the pole which held her freedom and she glanced to where Obi was safely on the roof of another building with King Izana. She missed how Obi's eyes were wide and he screamed her name from where he stood on the opposite building because she was focused on Touka.
Touka eyed where the King stood and the spot where she stood. She sliced away his hopes of reaching the King and he screamed in anger.
"You took away everything," he spat. "You...the boy with the red hair."
Shirayuki steadied herself, bringing up her sword in a combat stance.
A few minutes later, she found herself struggling to breath, her legs dangling off the edge into the air. He held a strong hand on her slender neck with one arm, holding her over the balcony, squeezing the life from her. Her small slender hands trying to pry his hold from her, but it was no use.
"This is what the Royal Army has to offer? A woman who got in over her head...how pathetic," he spat.
But she had one more option left to her. She used what strength she had, using her core muscles, she swung her legs upward, pinning his neck around her thighs.
Touka's eyes widened and he backed away from the edge, knowing what she was trying to do.
She then leaned up quickly and pulled herself backwards, using the force of her body to roll backwards with her enemy rolling with her and threw him through the balustrade and off the edge.
It all went so fast - how was she to know he'd grab her at the last second. And now they were both falling to their death. She swore she'd heard someone say her name.
Obi had seen what she was going to do, the stupid fool. Hadn't he told her that she shouldn't take on men she couldn't handle?
He looked over to the King who nodded his consent and then he jumped, rope tied to one arm (so he knew it was going to come out of his socket shortly) and grabbed Shirayuki's falling body in mid-air. He wrapped his arms around her small form and she gasped in surprise.
"Obi!" she'd gasped before their descent came to a sudden stop. He winced in pain as the rope tightened and they were swinging, a couple of meters off the ground. Their bodies hit the side of the building and they both gasped in pain.
"What the hell's wrong with you, Aki? I swear you never listen to your commanding officer," Obi said, a little out of breatb, masking his worry and the fact that she could have died.
As they held onto each other in the air she laid her head onto his chest, hear heart pounding, giving in for just a moment to take advantage of their position. He didn't resist, in fact he tightened his grasp on her body, resting his chin on top of her head.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not your soldier anymore, remember?" She'd looked up at him with those innocent green orbs and he wondered what had come over him.
Risking his own life to save hers was new for him and it hadn't been an order. He'd done it out of his own volition.
"That's not for you to say, is it?" he snapped.
She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry...for everything. My grandfather was going to be conscripted, I couldn't let him die. P-please understand, Captain."
Obi was surprised by her confession but he understood it. She was brave, and kind and everything a soldier shouldn't be and yet, here she was...the savior of the Kingdom...an apple red haired woman with more balls and integrity than anyone he'd ever known.
Just what was he getting into exactly, having this beautiful girl as his pupil? Trouble, that's what.
Obi shook his head. "That was one man...this is war. She'll be on the front lines and she hasn't done that before-"
"Enough. Despite what is publicly known, her actions two years ago of impersonating a man have not yet been paid-"
"Yes, your highness, and the debt I believe was to be paid under my command," interrupted Obi.
Mitsuhide inhaled a little and looked to the King to see he was not happy. Obi was a respected Captain, yes, but to interrupt the King was pushing the boundaries.
"I will decide how she will pay her debt, Captain. She is needed in Lyrias, however, the final decision is on Shirayuki. You can refuse, Lieutenant if you wish. Either way, your debt has still not been settled."
Obi snapped his head toward her and she looked forlorn. "Your Grace, could I have a couple of hours and get back to you?"
King Izana nodded. "But no more."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
They'd been in silence for a while, walking down the corridor to her chambers which happened to be right near his. She supposed being a trusted Lieutenant had its perks.
"Why did you say I'm not ready?" she asked, piercing through the silence as she looked up at him.
Obi had a dark expression. He didn't want to answer.
"Maybe its the truth," he said vaguely, turning to face her fully.
They were inches apart and she wondered how they'd gotten so close and his eyes fell to her locks of hair. "Don't you want to be around me, Shirayuki?"
Her eyes widened at his words, where had this come from?
"Y-you know its not that, Sir-"
"Why do you keep calling me that when its just us? Ever since I met you...you keep doing it. You keep doing things that surprise me and you've no idea what it does to me," he said, huskily at the end and his eyes were hooded and unreadable again.
His fingers had somehow found their way to a few locks of her hair, playing with it gently and something danced beneath his eyes...was it fondness again? He leaned down, his lips a hairs breadth from hers, her eyes as wide as saucers.
"I-I should go and reflect, Sir," she had said and within a second she was gone.
Obi stared at his hand where he had touched her hair, almost saddened by the absence of the touch. He'd almost done it, he was such an idiot.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Two hours had passed and she thought long and hard. Obi was angry at her, she knew he was. Maybe she wasn't ready, as he had said.
She had a duty but she was also indebted to Obi. So she would have to refuse, the King himself did say she could.
The red haired woman closed her door softly to find someone waiting for her.
"Lieutenant Shirayuki, I presume?" asked the voice.
Green orbs studied the light brunette for a moment, trying to work out where she'd come from and who exactly she was.
"My name is Torou," she smiled.
Shirayuki regarded her for a moment. She was a sight to behold, confident, beautiful and also a noble, judging from her beautiful, expensive dress. Her eyes were alight with amusement and were curious too. The woman also studied Shirayuki.
The soldier wore boots, black tights and a loose fitting black short sleeved t-shirt which came to just below her mid-drift. She had planned to go and train for an hour with one of the soldiers before going to see the King.
"Well, you do look the part, Lieutenant."
Shirayuki cracked a half smile but her eyes were unsure and Torou could see that.
"Oh, my apologies. I'd just come from Obi's quarters and wanted to see his protege for myself," smiled Torou, pulling some of her stray golden brown locks behind her ear.
That line made Shirayuki's heart beat a little fast. She'd done what now?
"Oh, I see," said the red head, her green orbs showing a little more than she'd liked. Her eyes lowered to the ground, unsure of how she felt.
Was it jealousy? Well, a little. But she supposed it was more of a sadness because she knew that her superior was connected and he owned lands of his own now, due to his various achievements and the King was quite generous if you served him well. That meant that he was a catch and he probably would become the husband to a beautiful woman, like Torou.
Where as she was just a Lieutenant and although she had the land her grandparents left and it was her home at the moment, that was uncertain because she was a woman and officially couldn't own land. If she didn't marry, she would lose it, and she wasn't going to marry.
"That bothers you, doesn't it?"
Shirayuki's throat became dry and her heart bounded into her throat.
"I can see it does. I hear you're close with him, although, this is my first time meeting you so perhaps that isn't quite right," said Torou bluntly. She wasn't trying to be horrible or rude, Torou had always been one to simply speak the truth. "I apologise if that came off rudely, I am simply stating what I see."
Shirayuki pulled a smile, it was stretched, but she hoped the noble wouldn't see that.
"I understand, my Lady," she said, nodding. "I-I apologise but I have duties."
Torou raised an eyebrow. "Duties? I hear you've been offered a position far from here." Reading between the lines, she guessed that Torou was advising her to take it.
Shirayuki had turned to leave but her eyes met Torou's once more. "That's true, Lady Torou."
The brunette smiled. "Are you off to train? I would like to observe from the balcony from the ballroom, it overlooks the court yard."
Shirayuki nodded respectfully. "As you wish."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
What is it she wanted exactly? She ducked, avoiding a slice to the torso easily.
Should she go? Leave Obi...her Captain to get his life together in the Capital? Parrying an attack, she flipped away her opponent's sword and it landed with a clang on the ground.
"You're not even concentrating on this and you still beat me," laughed Kazuki, sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Again!" she exclaimed with a challenging smile as she handed him his sword.
She would miss him, terribly, but he only thought of her as a pupil. He had a woman like Torou, after all, what is she compared to a woman like that? She blocked his sword again and again until he was backed against a wall with her sword tip to his neck.
They were only wooden after all, but very effective.
"You win, Yuki," he laughed. "Lets do it again some time!" She bowed respectfully and smiled at him.
"Yeah," she smiled, watching him run off the soldier's quarters or perhaps to go and annoy Itoya. He had been promoted too, today. To Captain.
Her mind went back to Obi. What was wrong with her? She had to stop thinking of Obi that way. She looked up to see Torou on the balcony, watching her as promised, but she was turned now, talking to someone.
Shirayuki stood in the courtyard, by herself, her wooden practice sword pointed to the ground in a relaxed fashion by her side.
She wasn't really sure what Torou's intentions were, other than courting Obi, but why speak to her as she had? Suddenly a soft laugh caught her attention and she focused on Torou again.
The brunette turned slightly, a distinct blush on her cheeks and then the eyes of the person she was talking to came into vision. His eyes widened on Shirayuki's form below, her hair flowing slightly in the wind behind her.
The two above her looked to be standing close from her position, almost intimately. Her eyes clouded and looked away, placing the wooden sword back in its place by the entrance as she walked quickly to her destination.
It was time to move on, to forget. She felt nothing but clarity now because this was better for her and for him. He deserved happiness after everything he'd done for her and she was going to give it to him. And she would always admire him for how brilliant a fighter he was and how he had protected and saved her numerous times on missions for the King. How he made her realise that although she was a woman, she could achieve greatness in the King's army.
They had a special bond, even she could see that, but it was one that could never be more and she had to move on from this.
"The King's waiting for you, Lieutenant."
She heard hurried footsteps behind her that came to a stop and as she walked into the throne room, just passing the door, she saw his golden orbs staring at her retreating to her duty.
But she didn't stop.
"Ah, your decision, Lieutenant," spoke Izana as he gave a folder to Mitsuhide and then his eyes focused on Shirayuki's crouched form in front of him. "Be at ease, Shirayuki."
She nodded and stood with a small smile. "I-I accept the position. Please send me to Lyrias."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ryuu met her at the path that lead out of Clarines, she wasn't sure why, but she was glad he was here.
"You came," she smiled down at him.
He nodded as he got on the back of the horse with her. "Lets go to Lyrias."
"Did you kill that boy?" Shirayuki asked with a sad expression.
Ryuu sighed. "He was already dead, I'm borrowing his body. If I stay too long in it though, I can't return and I'll be stuck in him until he dies again."
Shirayuki looked horrified. "How long?"
"Well, probably a few months and then I should go back to the Ancestors. So you better hurry up and bring honor to our family before I get stuck."
She'd found Ryuu to be good company, despite him being gloomy and cold at times. But she felt like she was affecting him.
"I hope he shuts you down quickly. All you do is talk about him, and why is he shirtless half the time anyway? Its unnecessary," whined Ryuu as he cut some herbs up for Shirayuki.
She laughed and ruffled the dark purpled haired boys locks. "Who were you exactly in my family, Ryuu?"
He narrowed his eyes at her, stopping his work and dropped the knife. "I told you my name is Namako. And I would probably equate to your great times eleven grandfather. So respect your elders and refer to their name properly!"
Ryuu never went back to the Ancestors. He was stuck in the boy's body now and she never understood why.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A month had passed and finally they were starting to get used to the snow covered grounds of Lyrias.
Shirayuki strode confidently in front of the men, scrutinizing their positions as they performed Kata with wooden sticks in their hands. They were getting better and finally they respected her. It had taken at least a week for that to happen.
"You can't seriously expect us to learn form this little woman," whined a blonde haired man, rolling his eyes at her.
"Are you questioning me, soldier?" exclaimed Lugis, his dark orbs eying the soldier with annoyance.
"Not you Sir! Just...her," his eyes pointed at her and she stared back with equal measure.
The Captain opened his mouth but she held a hand up. "Allow me, Sir," she said, her eyes then falling to the soldier.
"Why is it that you object? Because I'm a woman? Because you think I'm weak?"
The soldier frowned. "Weak, I could care less what gender you are, although, a lot of the other men probably do. Its a known fact that men are physically stronger, do you really think you have a chance?"
"But you know my accomplishments, yes?"
The soldier's jaw tightened. "Yes."
"What is your name?"
"Suzu Hano, Lieutenant."
"Hano, fight me in hand to hand combat and see for yourself," she said, with a sly smile.
He frowned and then looked to Captain Lugis and he simply nodded.
They stood in front of all the other soldiers in battle stances. He made the first move but she dodged his punch easily and countered with an open palm to his chest.
"At least make it harder, Hano," she goaded with a straight face.
He knew she was just trying to make him angry but it was working.
Suzu ran forward with a flying round house kick but she dodged slightly to the right, avoiding the kick and also grabbed his leg in mid-air and flipped him to the ground with ease.
He knew his defeat. They could go on longer but he could see that she was skilled because her demeanor showed weakness but she was actually the opposite.
It was an asset because he imagined that a lot of people underestimated her. No wonder she saved their Kingdom. She held out a hand, offering to help him up, her green eyes full of humility.
Although physically she was small, it was her hair that dumbfounded him. It was so beautiful, despite it being up in a pony tail, and also disarming. He imagined if she were dressed in women's clothing that she would be the talk of the town.
He took her hand and gave her an apologetic smile.
"My apologies, Lieutenant. Please allow us to begin."
She walked into the soldier's floor, went straight down the hall and saw that Captain Lugis was still here. He was supposed to be going to the front lines today.
The war was fought on the border between the nation of Glangolt and Clarines. Glangolt bordered with both Tanbaran and Clarines but Tanbaran had yet to join the fight since they had not yet been attacked.
The fighting had been steady and quite evenly on both sides so far but Captain Lugis had heard word from spies that they had acquired quite a lot of men.
"Captain," she said and he nodded from his desk. She opened the door and walked in, bowing slightly.
"I heard the news, Sir. When will you leave?"
He looked up and smiled at her. "Very soon, in about half an hour actually. But don't worry, someone will be taking my place. I'm probably going to be out there for quite some time. Eventually you'll have to join me with your recruits."
This almost seemed like dejavu as this is what happened when General Haruka had left herself and her comrades in Obi's care over two years ago when the war with the rebels was upon them. But then he had met his demise, due to Touka Bergatt, and so did his men. Obi had been devastated.
She hoped that it wouldn't be a repeat of last time's outcome.
The village was burned to the ground. He clenched his fists because his mentor, General Haruka, was among the dead. He was practically a father to him and those bastards killed them like they were nothing.
Not to mention the women and children they had needlessly slaughtered.
The soldiers behind him were solemn, down trodden and sorrowful. There were one hundred soldiers here, all dead...
"We have to keep moving. We will reach Wistal in a few hours," he said coldly, uniformly, like he wasn't affected at all by this scene.
But Shirayuki knew better. She could see in his eyes that he was mourning and he was afraid.
Touka Bergatt was deadly and he had an army full of skilled warriors who had been fighting battles since they were able to walk. He ploughed through this village like it was nothing and she had no doubt that they would see him very soon.
The soldiers began to move to the direction they were heading in before they came across death, but, Obi still stood on the cliff face, staring into nothing.
Her footsteps were heard, crunching on the snow behind him. She placed a small hand on her superior's back in comfort, rubbing up and down for a minute before she walked off to join her friends.
"He'll should be here any minute actually," spoke Lugis, regarding her with a playful gaze. "You know him, Lieutenant."
Shirayuki raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll be sure to welcome him, tomorrow."
Lugis nodded and went back to his paperwork. "Make sure Suzu isn't around with that girl, he needs to focus."
The red head laughed, adjusting the position of her katana on her hip and walked off.
She knew this man, huh? Well, she hoped it was Itoya coming not some tall, gorgeous, golden haired Captain whom she did not want to see.
When she arrived at home, a space that was hers in the herbalist wing, she found that Ryuu was sound asleep. It was quite late. She closed his door and went out into the living area.
It was late, probably early morning actually, but she knew she couldn't sleep, she never could. So she began to strip down to her underwear and practice Kata in the lounge room. She wore nothing but lacy pants (courtesy of Yuzuri, a lovely pharmacist she often conversed with in Lyrias) and a sports bra, her long red hair dangled down to just above her bottom.
She spun, moving her feet and brought her arm forward with a open palm and as she turned, she heard a sound and stopped her ministrations.
Did it come from the window? Her green orbs turned to look where she thought it had come from. It couldn't have been the window, if anyone could even climb up there, they would have to be skilled and that didn't really meet up to her soldiers capabilities.
Shirayuki huffed, grabbed her dagger that laid on the couch and unsheathed it. She swore the window had been closed, but it was half open now. The cold, frosty air of Lyrias greeting her. She narrowed her eyes, letting the tip of her dagger rest on her thigh for a moment.
"If anyone's there, they better come out, or so help me-"
"Hiya," said a voice as golden eyes met hers, upside down from the window.
Shirayuki automatically stood into a combat stance with her dagger an inch from his face.
Obi. That bastard.
He turned his body, using his hand to grip above the window and his feet softly met the window sill in a crouch. She'd always known he was nimble but this was just showing off.
Finally, she lowered her weapon and huffed in annoyance, walking back over to the couch. She grabbed the sheath for her katana and put it back in, then turned sharply at Obi, who now stood inside the room, leaning against the window. His golden orbs were currently not on her eyes and then she realised her position.
"You came into my room unannounced so you better have an explanation...Sir," she snapped, arms folded over her chest.
Obi seemed to frown and started to focus again on her face. "I-uh, I've been assigned to Lyrias as Captain, to replace Captain Lugis."
He held a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously.
Shirayuki sighed, she was half naked and talking to her Captain. She was really going to hell and Torou would hate her for this, if she came across this right now.
"I better go get changed then, wouldn't want Lady Torou ripping you a new one," she laughed nervously, rushing off to the door to the bedroom.
His eyes widened but she didn't see it because she had raced to the bedroom quickly.
She came out with a loose fitting half t-shirt and tight light grey shorts, effectively her night wear and closed the door softly.
He frowned. "Is someone in there?" he asked with an odd tone to his voice.
He faced the other way on the couch but if she could see his face, she would have seen how pissed he looked.
She sighed. "Yeah."
His jaw clenched as he got up from the couch. "Did she say something to you? Is that why you left?"
Shirayuki stiffened, her eyes slightly panicked and as his golden orbs met hers she turned away quickly so he couldn't see. He was advancing on her, walking toward her, clearly wanting an explanation that she wasn't going to give.
"Its nice here. Quiet, cold but you get used to it. In another life, maybe I would have come here to research with the Herbalists," she said with a smile, thinking about what her life would be like if she hadn't gone to war those years ago.
He looked at her with a curious expression, like he was trying to figure her out.
"Did Lugis send you here? I thought he would have left by now?" she asked, her voice questioning.
Obi shook his head. "This was my first point of call and you never answered my question. She said something, didn't she? Look, its not-"
"Please don't, Sir. The truth is, I took this position for you."
He looked at her incredulously. "Why the hell would I want you to take this, Aki?"
Shirayuki turned. "It doesn't matter anymore," she said quietly, barely above a whisper as tears began to form in her eyes. "I-I'll see you tomorrow then, Captain, please let yourself out."