A/N:
I've been feeling productive lately and all of my one shots seem to be growing into bigger ideas. Anywho~I hope everyone is enjoying my sporadic collection of brain children.
Word Count: 4,610
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Materia
By Catsitta
.1.
"Lemme go!"
"Now why exactly would I do that, little thief?"
They were a contrasting pair, the thief and the noble. She was a boyish slip of a girl, with choppy ebon hair and slanted gray eyes. He was an effeminate man, tall and slender, with pale-blue eyes and auburn hair tied back with a ribbon. She was handsome. He was pretty. And all the while she was cursing up a storm at the top of her little lungs, he was arguing back in a refined, elegant manner befitting his good breeding.
As their exchange became more heated, the noble's temper became frayed and his grip on the little thief's arms tightened painfully. The girl hissed with defiance and discomfort, wriggling futilely against her captor's greater strength. But doing so merely made her situation more uncomfortable, for her hands were twisted neatly behind her back and her hips were pressed against the wall, secured there by the man's own.
In any other scenario, this position could have been considered sensuous or erotic, if you liked that type of play. However, since the noble had yet to do more than mutter bitter words in her direction, the little thief had yet to consider the compromising nature of their positions as she struggled and snapped.
"Please," the thief begged, desperate to escape this escapade gone awry, "let me go. I didn't steal anything and I promise never to come back again. I swear it upon my honor."
"Honor?" it was a huff of disbelief. "What honor could a thief possibly possess?"
She clamped her mouth shut, restraining the words that wanted to escape. Memories flashed into her mind's eye and left her weak from their intensity. For most of her life she had been a thief…a treasure hunter, she called herself, but that was before…before she lost everything. Her home. Her family. Her title.
Less than a year ago, she had not been a nameless thief seeking her fame and fortune through elaborate thefts that left the victims befuddled. She had only stolen as a game, for fun…but that had been when she was royalty. The only daughter of the ruling family of Wutai. Princess Yuffie Kisaragi. Now…now she was Yuffie. An unscrupulous, homeless thief.
Her greatest theft ever had been ruined by the legitimate owner of her chosen prize. If only, she mused in silence, the infamous Duke of Banora had been in bed rather than sleeping amongst his expansive Materia collection like an obsessive nutcase…then Hell Firaga, his latest addition—rumored to have been a gift from the King himself—would be floating somewhere in the black market and her purse would be heavy with gil.
"Ah, as I suspected. No honor among thieves." the Duke taunted haughtily.
Yuffie gritted her teeth,"You know nothing!"
He lifted an arrogant brow, a cruel smile quirking upon bow-shaped lips as he lowered his face to her shoulder. Yuffie could feel his breath hot upon her neck and ear, and nervously (not fearfully, for nothing scared the mighty Princess of Thieves!) she swallowed, her throat painfully dry. A muscled thigh pressed firmly against her hip and one of his ankles trailed playfully—suggestively—along the outside of her calf.
Something heavy dropped in Yuffie's gut. Her eyes widened, and barely, just barely, she managed to bite back a whimper. "I know nothing?" the Duke inquired darkly, his behavior not syncing properly with his words. Then again, he was not renowned for his mental stability. Rather, he was known, for not only his connections to the King of the Continental Empire as his trusted friend, advisor and sorcerer; and his fabulous collection of Materia; but for his flash fire temper. This man, this seemingly harmless nobleman, was dangerous.
Rumor had it that he murdered his own parents in order to inherit the Banora Estate and title of Duke.
That, and anyone who was friends with the cold-hearted, snake in the grass, known as Sephiroth, had more than a few screws loose. Yuffie shuddered as she imagined the King of the Continental Empire. He was the epitome of male beauty but his very aura radiated lethality. In fact, it was Sephiroth's fault that she was disowned by her father!
If that man, that monster, had not had the gall to traipse about on the sacred grounds of Wutai, then he would have never had the chance to invite himself to dinner at the palace. If he had not invited himself to dinner, then the issue of marriage would have never been spoken upon Emperor Godo's lips. If not for her father's big, friggin' mouth, she would never have had to suffer the sheer insult that was Sephorith's cool dismissal. Had she, and in turn her nation and its heritage, not been insulted, then there would have been no reason for her to seek retribution…at which point, his long fall of silver hair would have never—mysteriously—caught on fire. And she, as a result, would have never been banished from Wutai for endangering the fragile peace between the two empires and making a mockery of the ruling family.
"I know more than you give me credit for," the Duke murmured,"Princess."
Yuffie stopped breathing. How in the name of Levithan did he know? She looked nothing like she did as a Princess. When she left Wutai, humiliated before her very people, she shed all that once made her royalty. Her waist length hair was the first thing to go, cut by her own hand with the knife she kept on her person at all times. And then, piece by piece, all of her finery vanished and her skin took upon the sun-kissed hue of a commoner.
She stood before this nobleman as nothing more than a peasant. A clever, educated and highly skilled peasant, but one nonetheless. How could he possibly know…
…"Yes, I know who you are. Do not look so surprised. I have been waiting for you to strike, little thief, for upon the winds your name is whispered like a curse. The Princess of Thieves. Nothing more than a shadow and a name…until now."
Relief was the first thing Yuffie felt. Then, her anxiety returned tenfold. Even if the Duke only knew of her criminal identity, that made her situation no less dire. There was a bounty on her head, and it kept rising higher and higher as her targets became more and more powerful. She had money stashed away, enough to get her by for a couple years, and her ever reliable, albeit oftentimes drunk, fence Reno, had warned her about this mission. But it had been her greed and love of the chase that drove her to make this foolish gamble…if she had succeeded, both she and Reno would have been set for life.
No more stealing. No more sleepless, hungry nights. No more dodging the law.
All of their plans went up in smoke. And it was her fault. All her fault.
"What have I done?" she voiced aloud in no more than a whisper.
"You, little thief, have pranced right into a trap."
"Please," Yuffie was begging in earnest now, never before having to drop to such a low. Humility was not her strongest attribute. "Let me go." She resumed struggling, her entire body aching from the awkward positioning she had been in for past several minutes. The Duke pinned her against the wall, his weight surprising the thief, at least until she realized how every inch of the man's lean form was made of muscle. His frilly nobleman clothes and pretty face may have made him look like a molly but beneath his flamboyant exterior was the body of a soldier.
How could she have forgotten Reno warning's about the man's military career?
"I...I…" Yuffie was fighting to form a coherent sentence in the midst of her struggles. If she could just break free of his hold, then she would be fine. Her hand-to-hand was superior, and her aim when it came to throwing weapons was second to none. All around was Materia, and she was practically a master at handling magic…okay, her fatigue was abysmal and magic use drained her within the first minute or so, but she knew how to make the most of that minute!
Suddenly, her heel connected with the Duke's knee and she knew it hurt him, despite being covered by soft, leather boots that cushioned her footfalls and made her steps silent. He hissed and she jerked forwards before slamming her head against his lowered face.
"I don't want to die!" she declared, wrenching free of her captor. If she allowed herself to be turned in for bounty, or even merely arrested, her crimes would warrant immediate execution. Seventeen was an awful young age at which to die, and with her birthday just around the bend, she had planned on living to see adulthood.
Yuffie raced past the Duke, ignoring the opulent furnishings of the grand chamber known as the Vault. Here, she knew, the Banora family kept its treasures, whether it was something as a simple as a chair that belonged to someone's great-great grandfather or a jewel worth fortunes. It was also where the Dukes (for the current one was not the first collector in his family) kept their vast wealth of Materia.
As she ducked behind a table, her eyes scanning for the trademark glint of metal or magic stones, Yuffie felt the corner dig into the flesh of her thigh, ripping a gash into her leggings and leaving behind a mark that would certainly bruise. She cursed her moment of clumsiness, now was not the time to lose focus and injure herself on inanimate objects!
It was then she heard the singing of a blade cutting the air.
Instinctively, Yuffie dropped to the ground and rolled, leaping to her feet a split second later. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed the worst. The Duke was in pursuit, an impressive, crimson saber in hand. Had she not been running for her life, the thief might have found it amusing that the sword matched the nobleman's boots and overcoat. Instead, she found herself filled with terror. Levithan! This was not how she wanted to die.
Yuffie scrambled over the clutter, as nimble as a cat, and eventually she managed to climb atop a bookcase. Not a single piece of paper displaced, she was somewhat proud to note, before she crawled on her hands and knees across the massive structure.
"Where do you think you are going, little thief?" the Duke called after her. She dared not look down for she knew he was there, poised and ready to smite her the moment her feet touched the ground. "Escape is impossible." No, she would get away. She would escape. It was why she was infamous as both a treasure hunter and a thief. Once out of sight, she would become a shadow…her name once again but a whisper on the wind. No one would capture her, cage her! You can cage neither shadows nor wind.
Reaching the end the edge of the bookcase opposite from where she began, Yuffie took in a deep, reassuring breath, and jumped, landing in a crouch atop a high-backed chair. She immediately sprung onto a nearby trunk and the sound of a blade cutting into wood filled her ears. The Duke was not going to give up the chase.
Soon she was leading him in a dizzying dance around the chamber. Her eyes scanning for anything to use as a weapon, but whenever she found one and dared to reach for it, Yuffie found herself almost losing a hand. Thus, she was forced into a total retreat and it was exhausting. Her acrobatic maneuvers saved her hide, but every handspring and summersault proved more difficult to complete than the previous. Her limbs were like jelly, but adrenaline pushed her further and further until she was no longer aware of the burn, her limits surpassed out of sheer desperation to stay alive.
"Enough!" the Duke growled, annoyance written on his face as he reached within the confines of his overcoat. "Play time is over." Yuffie shrieked when fire encased the crimson blade. He was using magic now. The Crimson Sorcerer had been "playing" with her up until now, for while his swordplay was exemplary, his command of magic was unparalleled.
She was so dead…and by the gods she did not want to die. Not here. Not now!
She hadn't seen the whole world yet, or raced a Chocobo… She hadn't ever fallen in love…or kissed a boy that wasn't family…or Reno. She hadn't ever seen a mako fountain or held a Summon Materia in her hand. She hadn't restored her honor and regained her position as Princess of Wutai through the gauntlet known the Padagoa.
Yuffie refused to die here, right now, at this man's hands while her life was so incomplete!
"You won't win, jerk face!" she screamed at him childishly, her temper utterly unraveled. "I won't let you kill me!" A blast of fire barely missed her as she did a quick cartwheel out of the way. A quick succession of blasts sent her yelping and skipping backwards in a panic, but her feet became tangled with a rug and she fell. Agony lanced through her lower back when it connected with the edge of a fancy desk, a glass display case perched on top like an offering to (or from) the gods above.
Yuffie was quick to smash the glass, ignoring the ripping of leather and skin as the shards bit down into the very bone of her hand. As her fingers curled around her prize, the thief felt a rush of hope fill her body. 'This is one thing I can check off my list of things I want to do before I die,' Yuffie thought somewhat cheekily as the ruby-colored Materia in her hand began to respond to her touch, glowing as the last remnants of her energy were used to coax the Summon from its crystalline slumber.
Time felt as if it had slowed down to a crawl.
The Summon felt like a heartbeat in her hand.
She breathed. Her eyes slipped shut. A roar filled her ears.
The ancient spirit trapped within the crystal answered her call for him to awake, to aid her in this battle. As he burst free, Yuffie felt her world slip into complete darkness and she collapsed. The last thing she heard before submitting to unconsciousness was the spirit offering her his name. I am Levithan, he growled, God of the of Wutai. Patron of the Royal House of Kisaragi.
.x.
Young One.
'Levithan?'
You must awake, Young One.
'Why? I thought…Aren't I dead?'
No, Young One, you are not amongst the spirits of the Lifestream.
'Why?'
It is not your time. Now awake, Young One. Remember your blood, Child of the Seas, and stray not from the path that your heart leads you down. Know that I am always watching.
'Levithan…Thank you for rescuing me.'
I must thank thee, Young One, for it is you whom freed me from my prison, even if my freedom was brief.
The sinewy form a sea serpent pierced the void that had been Yuffie's dreamless sleep. She gazed upon the god whose spirit was ensnared by a mere crystal. He was a regal, powerful beast—his head, crested with a crown of horns, was the same size as her entire body. And his coiled, serpentine form was encased with iridescent scales that flickered every shade of blue and green and all shades that lay in between—sheer fins traveled the length of his spine, shimmering despite the lack of light.
With one, clawed hand, Levithan reached out and touched Yuffie's forehead.
Awake, he commanded yet again.
This time, the exiled Princess turned thief, obeyed.
.x.
The first thing Yuffie was aware of was the steady throb in her skull; it was as if someone were playing the drums between her eye sockets. The next thing she was aware of was numbness of her limbs. Her eyes and mouth were sticky and dry, and burned as she sought to wet them. After those efforts proved futile, she found herself relieved when she attempted to wriggle her fingers and toes and she succeeded.
All her limbs and digits were attached.
And aside from her pounding head, dry eyes and mouth, Yuffie was in decent condition. Nothing hurt too badly, which was strange since she pushed herself so hard before. In fact, she should be in agony right now…
"You are awake," Yuffie stiffened at the sound of the Duke's voice. "I was beginning to wonder if you would forever remain comatose." She turned her head and saw him approaching, dressed in full noble regalia. Did this man ever have a casual day? She hated having to wear stuffy finery all of the time and here he was prancing about in it as if he was comfortable in the stuff. "After all, you did use a Summon that is likely beyond your physical capabilities even fully rested. Individuals have died doing that, being as if you succeed in breaking the fatigue limitations of magic and summoning, you tap into your life energy to supply the demands of the spell."
She shifted uncomfortably, hating the fact that the Duke was now standing too close and was staring down at her with an eerie smirk. "What's going on?" Yuffie asked, not wanting to pose the real question on her mind. Why haven't you killed me yet? Or turned me in to the authorities.
The nobleman's smirk broadened as he let out a dark chuckle. With one hand, he reached down and trailed his fingers along the curve of Yuffie's jaw, his touch ghosting across her skin. She did not like the way he was looking at her! Levithan! She needed to get out of here and away from him…wherever here is exactly…
As if reading her thoughts within her shifting eyes, the Duke cupped her cheek and grinned wickedly. "You, little thief, are going nowhere. In fact, you are going to be here until I say you may leave." Yuffie opened her mouth to protest, but the noble placed a finger upon her lips to silence her. "Do think twice before you speak, little thief, and I advise you to treat me with the upmost of respect. For I spared your life and as long as you are here and you do as I say, you shall keep your pathetic existence intact. Attempt to escape or to harm me ever again, I might just reconsider having mercy on your worthless soul and present you to hangman and his noose."
She cringed. Once again he was freaking her out with the gentle touches intermixed with cruel words. He was truly sick in the head.
Suddenly, he pulled away, as if burned and cast her a cool, indifferent look. "Now be a good girl and tell me your name."
Yuffie considered telling the man what he could stick up where-the-sun-don't-shine, but instead, she held back the insult at the tip of her tongue. Now was likely not the best time to anger the temperamental man. However, it was not part of her personality to ever make life easy, whether for herself or anyone around her. So she narrowed her eyes and said, with as much pride as she could muster,"Only if you tell me yours first."
"Now why would I do that, little thief?"
"It's either you tell me your name, or we continue this conversation with me being 'little thief' and you 'jerk face', Jerk Face." And with that, she smiled. Of course she knew his family name, it was difficult not to know who the Rhapsodoses were, but that didn't mean he had to know that she knew.
Surprisingly, the Duke did not spaz out and throw fire at her or something. Instead, his lips curled with dark amusement. "Very well, little thief. I am Genesis Rhapsodos, Duke of Banora, Master Sorcerer, former Commander of the Continental military and current advisor to the King. And you would do well not to forget."
The thief lifted a brow at the extensive introduction,"I'm Yuffie. It's been not-so-nice to meet you, M'lord Rhapsodos." She couldn't help it, sarcasm came naturally.
"Likewise," the Duke drawled,"Yuffie."
"Soooo, what now?"
"Now, I take my leave. The Head Maid should be about soon. Treat her orders as my own, little thief, and your presence here will be…tolerated."
"Wait, what?"
Genesis—it was either that or Jerk Face at this point, because Yuffie was really ticked off—merely huffed and strutted away like a peacock. Leaving her alone with her thoughts was not the best idea on his part, she decided, and quickly, Yuffie attempted to roll out of bed.
She landed on her face.
"Ouch! That hurt like a—" the door swung open as she began to swear through gritted teeth.
"You must be the new girl."
Yuffie looked up to see a matronly looking woman with squinty eyes and a tightly coiled knot of gray hair. She had both hands propped up on her hips and flanking her was a gaggle of young girls about Yuffie's age. "Uh, hello!"
"Scrawny little stray aint yah," called out one of the girls.
"What'd you do tah end up here?" asked another.
"She don't look like no one I ever seen." chirped a third.
"Shush, she's one of them slanty-eyed wenches from the islands. Heard they's got nasty tempers when yah go about making comments about 'em."
"Ha! None's got a temper like the new Master Rhapsodos." The girl let out a fluttering sigh,"His papa knew how to treat a gal."
"I still think the man's a molly. He aint ever taken one of the girls to bed with 'im and he's got no wife or mistress. And you know how much he hates brothels."
"They's called bordellos when they's fancy."
"Girls! Mind your manners and your tongues lest you wish for the young Master to be rid of you." At the matron's command, the girls grew silent, their eyes wide with fear. "Now, I don't care where you are from or why you are here, girl," she jabbed a thick finger in Yuffie's direction. "but you are here now and under my command. I am your new mistress and you will refer to me such or as ma'am. Nothing else. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Yuffie pushed herself to her knees, hating how her limbs trembled beneath her meager weight. "You are the Head Maid, I'm guessing…ma'am?"
"Aye."
"Does the young Master Rhapsodos often hold young girls hostage in order to stock his staff?"
"You're the first with that particular story," the Head Maid looked none too amused.
"It's the truth! The big bully informed me that if I tried to leave he'd kill me."
"I'd not take the young Master's threats lightly. One of the stable boys was lost last week due to his thieving from the orchards. None know where he went, but we all were given a talking to about daring to steal from his prized trees."
"Ah," Yuffie inwardly cringed. No wonder Genesis attempted to run her through with a sword when he found her trying to steal from his valuable collection of Materia. If he was willing to "get rid of" someone over the theft of a few apples, then disposing of a high class thief must not have come with a second thought. Although, why anyone would be so possessive over fruit was a mystery to her…
Maybe it had something to do with exports?
She searched her memory for information about the Banora Estate and realized that the Rhapsodos family owned the only Banora White orchards in the world. The "Dumb Apples", as they were affectionately named by the locals, grew in select parts of the island of Mideel and were impossible to grow elsewhere. Something about the climate made it possible for the trees to produce fruit during any season, but each tree only produced fruit for a month and all but the farmers whom tended the orchards knew what month each tree would do so.
Banora Whites were rare, hard to grow and products derived from the fruit were Banora's major (and practically only) export.
Now it made sense why Genesis would be so crazy about protecting a few apples.
Then again, he was crazy regardless.
"Up girl, let me get a look at you."
Yuffie huffed with exasperation and pushed herself completely upright. She stood a good hand span shorter than the next shortest girl in the room and the Head Maid towered above like a great Behemoth.
"Name and age, girl, be quick. There is work to be done."
"Yuffie…" she rolled her shoulders a little, feigning confidence,"…and I'm a few weeks shy of eighteen."
The matron lifted a brow,"Eighteen?"
"What? Tall and busty doesn't make a woman. I'm perfectly normal for a Wutaian!" Actually, she was more muscular that the typical female of her race, but her small frame made her look delicate despite the fact. And while to a Continental citizen she appeared childish and boyish with her lack of voluminous curves, choppy hair and her oval face—amongst her people, had she kept her long locks, she would have been considered beautiful. Her pedigree was perfect, and with age, she would grow to look more and more like her mother, whom was considered one of the most radiant Empresses to ever lead Wutai.
"Pardon if I am not familiar with your people," the matron drawled, clearly annoyed. It was not as if many Wutaian's left Wutai willingly, not after the war with the conqueror, and later King, General Crescent, that devastated their nation well over a hundred years prior. Tension and cultural dissent was thick between the two empires and few wanted to immerse themselves amongst the "enemy".
"Girls, escort Miss Yuffie here to the servant's quarters. A bath and a change of clothes are in order."
Bath? Yuffie perked up at the thought of a bath. In Wutai, bathing was considered a cleansing processes for not only the body but the soul as well. Water, after all, is Levithan's tears. And his tears are what maintain all life on the Planet, from humans to plants and to animals. Nothing is more pure than water. But here, in the Continental Empire, bathing was not revered nor ritualistic. In fact, a decade or so ago, bathing was considered unhealthy and water a medium for illness to enter the body.
There were still those whom considered the outdated practice of "dry bathing" due to superstition, and Yuffie hated to even think about it.
Especially when a true bath was being offered, water, soap and all.
"The young Master Rhapsodos is very fickle when it comes to the cleanliness of his home and his person, which means every servant that works within the confines of the manor, is expected to bathe daily." Daily? What a treat. Yuffie couldn't remember the last time she had a chance to bath in water more than once in the span of a week. "Each morning, before dawn, you will go to the bathhouse and wash. Understood?"
"Aye, ma'am."
Yuffie glanced at the gaggle of girls and her eyes widened as each latched onto her, giggling and chattering away as they herded her through the door. It made her briefly wonder where exactly she had been sleeping…the room was sparse, with only the narrow bed and a small table, clean and very white.
-tbc-